Summer 2014

This summer flew past, literally...I have no idea where it went!

It seems like just last week I was taking finals & celebrating the end of my third year of school & here it is, the day that I begin my senior year of college & my first day of the Education program at Jacksonville State. 

This summer I learned more than I ever thought I would have. 

I spent mornings with Chris learning how to work calves...and learning how to wake up before sunrise. 

I learned how to put up vegetables and can pickles for the winter, I even learned how to make tomato juice so that we'll be able to have fresh tomato soup in the chilly winter months. 

But I have to say, my biggest accomplishment was learning how to use all the beef we have in the freezer...it's harder than you would think!

One of the best things I received this summer was...

my sweet new gelding, Wrangler. He's been such a good teacher for me this summer and I couldn't be the equestrian that I am today without his attitude, because I've had to overcome a lot with him. But I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Since I got Wrangler this summer, I did a lot of trail-riding with my friend Tess. 

It was so nice to have someone to ride with this summer & I see so much of myself in her, so it's just fun!

I also turned twenty-one this summer & I was so lucky to be able to celebrate with my family & my best friends. I don't know about y'all, but I'm content with my birthday situation now & I don't have to have anymore ;)

I guess my favorite thing that I did this summer would be my trip to the beach with Christopher. We went to Panama City Beach, Florida and had a complete blast. It was so nice to get away & just be able to spend some time with each other & not have to worry about anyone else but us. 

Also, my sweet Daddy turned sixty this summer & we had a really fun surprise party for him & invited a lot of his old friends & current friends. 

My sweet friend Courtney & her boyfriend Kaleb came to visit and Christopher & I took them up to Cheaha to Bald Rock. It's always fun to show people that aren't from around here the beautiful views that Clay County has to offer. 

And to close our summer out, Christopher & I went to see Whitney & Brian Anderson get married. 

Casey & Brett went with us and we had such a great time. The wedding was beautiful, the reception was so much fun, and we had an awesome time getting to see old friends that we hadn't seen in a while. 

Overall, the memories were amazing & I'm so thankful for this summer. It was a great opportunity to recharge & relax a little bit. Plus, I had a wonderful time making wonderful memories. 

Thanks for reading, y'all & I can't wait to share with y'all what the Fall semester has in store for me!

-Jordyn

Beachin'

Christopher and I have been back from the beach a little over a week now and I have to say that I think it's about time that we go back again! This was our first official beach vacation for just the two of us & it was perfect in every single way. Our trip was the 24-28th of May. 

We stayed at the Origin at Seahaven, which is actually across the road from the beach...which is somewhere I said I would NEVER stay. But it was so nice & so much cheaper! It was right across the street from Sharky's & we had private beach access. 

Although Chris wasn't smiling in this picture...we actually had a great time hanging out on the beach for the three days we spent on the coast. We rented a set of chairs and an umbrella which is my advice to anyone that is going. It's so much easier than carrying all your junk down to the beach! All we had to carry was my beach bag and Chris' Yeti. 

It was a little sea-weedy, but still beautiful!

The best part of this trip was the fact that my Rep koozie came in right before we had to leave! I'm obsessed with how cute they are & I'm so proud to show it off because it's true...only the best get the bow! 

The second best thing about this trip is that at the beach, Chris dresses up! Who wouldn't love a guy dressed in white shorts, a seersucker shirt, and camel leather slip-ons. =)

We ate at a ton of really good places, even venturing out of our comfort zone into St. Andrew's Bay. The two best places we found there were The Captain's Table and Uncle Ernie's. Not to mention that there was the cutest little antique store that I had to go into and pick a few things out. We also walked around the docks, it was so fun to see a new side of the beach that I had never experienced before. 

After dinner on our last night we went out to the pier for sunset and it was incredibly beautiful. 

We actually ended up seeing some locals that had been fishing off the pier, fish a terrapin all the way up to the shore. Apparently you aren't allowed to pull them out of the water, so you have to beach it. 

Chris and I ended up getting to know the group of people fishing the terrapin and we learned a lot about it, including the fact that apparently they aren't good to eat, so they are only a trophy fish (hence why you aren't allowed to pull them out of the water). 

It was huge! It took two grown men to pick it up for pictures!

Chris got to hold the rod while they ran down to the beach to take pictures, he was pretty proud of himself! 

It was an amazing trip and I'm so thankful to all of the people that made it possible for us to get away for just a few days! 

Until next time...

xoxo, jordyn