Just give me an Arnold Palmer Half and Half!

It's officially one week until my favorite week of the year. The first full week of April marks the annual Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Ga, and anyone who knows me...knows I LOVE the Masters. In honor of this wonderful time of year, I've decided to share my favorite new drink. Now I'm not one to take in liquid calories very often as they are typically far less satisfying to me than say a piece of cake that I can chew and savor, but in this case, I'm making an exception because I've found a drink that is just that good. It's called The Arnold Palmer Lite Half and Half, and it's made from the Arizona Ice Tea company. Those who follow golf have been aware of this special mixture of half tea and half lemonade for a long time, but it's the first time to my knowledge that it's being sold nationwide by a mass market company. It's half and half, and it's a whole lotta good! Make sure you grab yours today so you can sip in honor of the The King and 4 time Masters winner during this year's tournament.



And in the coming weeks I hope you'll do me the honor of putting up with posts about my favorite Masters memories...and I've had some good ones! I'm blessed to have been to the tournament on many of occasions as well as to have heard many a great golfers speak while catering for AT&T during the tournament week. But no matter how many times I make it through those hallowed gates of Augusta National, it feels like the very first time. The buzz, the beauty, the excitement, it never fades.

A Love Affair for the Ages

This video just 100% MADE MY DAY!! Coming from South Carolina, I, like many others, have a life-long love affair with Chick-fil-a. There is no other fast food more magical with yummy goodness. The memories, oh the memories. Walking down to the local chick-fil-a back in middle school, rocking my NMS cheerleading uniform before the evening basketball game...eating their perfect biscuits at high school club meetings before school...sharing milkshakes with my bff Ames as we rolled down main st in Gville, windows down, singing, loving life... and how could I forget spending the night outside of a new Chick-fil-a store in order to win a free years worth of coupons. Ahhh Chick-fil-a, I love you. I appreciate you all the more now that I'm so, SO far away.

Please, take a minute, enjoy this video, and reflect on your own personal love affair with the world's greatest sandwich.

If for some reason the video doesn't work, here's the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hwmOTEx2r8&feature=player_embedded

Walhalla Junior Women's Club

As you'll see below, I've been quite busy lately. The lovely women of the Walhalla Junior Women's Club asked me to make new canvas tote bags for the club. Each member picked a bag/embroidery color combination and here is the result!

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to thinking I bit off a little more than I could chew at one point or two...but I did it! And I hope they enjoy them!

Two ladies also wanted travel mugs. One with WJWC and one with intials. I've learned how to use fabric to make the inserts, so the possibilities for designs are endless...and it makes creating them so much fun! It's probably a good thing that my fabric store is a solid 30 minutes away or else I'd be in real trouble!!

I know I don't live in Walhalla anymore...but ladies, can I be an honorary, long-distance member of the WJWC?!!

Sports Aggression..Eeek!

Hello, My name is Mary Ellen...and I have Sports Aggression.

Sweet, mostly kind, and a little crazy. That's how I imagine people see me most of the time. I skip, pick daisies, and sing patriotic medleys. I smile, sew, and hug babies. But apparently it's not all fun and games in the happy-go-lucky world of ME. I tend to get heavily invested in sporting events. When I watch them, this incredibly dark, competitive, and highly inappropriate side of me seems to creep up out of nowhere. I call this "sports aggression," and I'm here to confess that my sports aggression is out of control! During Clemson's recent game against West Virginia, I was chatting with Jarred. All the sudden I looked back through our conversation, and these are the quotes I discovered:

1) I just hope they (the tigers) can keep it up...nail those Big East lovers straight through the heart!

2) Those WV fans make me want to punch them in the face.

3) There are so many WV people there...I guess they really don't work or go to school much in that state though, so it makes sense.

Now, do I really want to punch West Virginia fans in the face? No. Are those comments meant to be somewhat joking and lighthearted, yes! But, oh my, that's a little intense. Leaves me thinking, "did I really just say that!?" I chalk some of it up to the sport being basketball. I've always hated the way it sweeps me up so intensely in its fast paced scoring. Puts me near a heart attack every single time. Yet, it's no excuse. I'm embarrassed. Forgive me West Virginia. I know you're a state of lovely people. In fact, Jarred's favorite athlete of all time, Randy Moss, hails from West Virgina, thanks for him! It's just my sports aggression, you understand.

P.S. I've never been a fan of the "you beat us, we should hope you do well, so we look better" mentality. I hope you get absolutely slaughtered in the 2nd round.

Oh no...there I go again!!

#1 Grandfather Award

I know everybody loves their Pa-Pa...but my Pa-Pa is officially the best! I often call him on my way home from school in the afternoons, and it's come to my attention that my sweet, innocent, Wednesday night supper lovin', 90-year-old grandfather has been watching The Bachelor on Monday nights just so he'll have something to talk to me about. Aside from being horribly embarrased that my Pa-Pa now knows I watch such trash tv, all I can think is "awww Pa-Pa is the best!!!!!" #1 Grandfather Award for sure! And in case anyone was wondering, although he personally liked Chantal because his bride was a brunette too, he knew Emily would win because you could tell Brad liked her the most. I guess you really should keep in mind that old sorority rule, "don't do anything you wouldn't want your grandparents to know about!"...including watching reality tv!!

A Special Love Song just for ME

As I was driving home from school today, I heard on old familiar voice come across the PrimeCountry radio waves. My dear friend Reba was singing a love song that somehow I had never heard before. And trust me, I know my Reba. The very first concert I ever went to was Reba with, at the time, little known Faith Hill as an opening act. In my book, The Nights The Light Went Out in Georgia and Fancy are two of the greatest songs of all time. But still, this song, on air today, I had never heard. And as I listened to the lyrics, I couldn't help but think it was my first love singing straight to me. No, not Reba, but a deeper love and part of my very soul. The Southland itself wrote a lyrical poem just for me.

Whoever's in New England by Reba McEntire (however, in my situation, the lyrics are more appropriately "whatever's in New England" and have been adjusted accordingly)

You spend an awful lot of time in Massachusetts (I know, it is an AWFUL lot, I'm sorry!)Seems Like every other week you've got a meeting waiting there
Business must be booming or could something else
Be moving in the air up there

You say that its important for our future (It's true Southland, it is important, please understand)An executive on his way up has got to play the part
Each time duty calls you got to give it all
You've got with all your heart

When whatever's in New England is through with you
And Boston finds better things to do
You know its not too late 'cause you'll always have a place to come back to
When whatever's in New England's through with you

I hear the winter time up north can last forever (Yes, yes it can my dear Southland)And I've been told its beautiful to see this time of year
They say the snow can blind you till the world you left behind
Just disappears I hear

I've packed your bags and left them in the hallway
But before you leave again theres just one thing you outta know
When the icy winds blow through you remember that its me
Who feels the cold most of all

When whatever's in New England is through with you
And Boston finds better things to do
You know its not too late 'cause you'll always have a place to come back to
When whatever's in New England's through with you

I love you too Southland!! I'm sorry Jarred's schooling made me leave you! When whatever's in New England's finished with Jarred, I'll be racing back home to you!!

Puerto Rican Paradise

Jarred's job as a Ph.D. student researcher has many perks. One of which is free trips to conferences all over the world where he can present a little of this work for an hour or so...and then enjoy the rest of his trip in the sun. It's quite the glorious set up, and we feel very blessed to have the opportunity to travel for such a discounted price. In the fall Jarred wound up in Cancun, Mexico for a week at a conference without me, as I stayed back in Boston to teach. He made sure to call me from the beach to let me know that the resort was,  "significantly nicer than our honeymoon." Well, NEVER again my friend, never again. When the opportunity for a similar trip to Puerto Rico came up, I made sure to ask off work and take advantage of the  cheap trip to Jarred's homeland. And I must say, it's a wonderful, wonderful place. It tropical, it's warm, they know English, and they take U.S. Dollars, who could ask for more? Here's a rundown of our trip:

First, the official scientist business...kind of like the elementary school science fair, only bigger words.

Now it's nothing but fun! Let me introduce you to Hector, the towel elephant, and my mini Puerto Rican flag that I waved continuously as we explored the island.

Our first stop of the journey was Old San Juan. Gorgeous!!!

The next day we splashed around the pool a bit and then rented a car to go Kayaking at a bioluminescent bay. Literally the water glows like a light saber when you move through it. Unfortunatly it was dark and quite wet, so I wasn't able to take my nice camera and get pics. Here some of the pool though!

My pool heels. The picture really doesn't do them justice. I was totally diva style!!

A few shots from the area where we went kayaking:

The next day was perhaps one of the most fun. As we were swimming in the pool the day before, we saw an advertisement on the tv at the pool's swim up bar for the Puerto Rico Open PGA Tour event being held about 30 mins from the hotel. We still had our car from the bio bay so we decided to go for it. We're both big golf fans and our hometown friend Ben Martin was in the field. In the morning we followed Stewart Cink, Angel Cabrera, and John Daly and in the afternoon we cheered up Ben. I'm not going to lie, hearing the announcer say "From Greenwood, South Carolina...BEN MARTIN!!!" was pretty awesome. We made sure to give him a big shout!! Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed during the tournament (which of course made me furious), but here's a few pics from driving in and out of the Trump International Golf Club.

That afternoon after our golf adventure, I caught the Clemson game from the pool. PERFECT!

Overall, we had an amazing trip, and feel so, so blessed to have had the opportunity. My vitamin D levels have been restored and now I'm ready to tackle a few more weeks of winter up in Boston. Well, until Masters week that is!! 3 1/2 weeks until my golf paradise! 

More pictures are to come on Facebook...