Last Week. In Pictures.

So here's a quick overview of what happened last week. I just started the process of going through all of my pictures and have barely started working with them and looking through them all.

Last Wednesday we attended a Rudy Giuliani rally. It wasn't really that we supported The Mayor, just that he had called and was kind enough to invite us several times. So we figured it wouldn't hurt to grab a beer at McCabes.

There was a nice crowd and we were able to meet up with a very good friend of ours. I mostly used the opportunity to pretend I was "photo-journalist-Meredith" and sneak as close as I could for some shots. It was actually a lot of fun and a good experience I think. I did catch a few shots of a local anchor who was not too happy that the Japanese TV Crew got in closer for a better shot than her station's cameraman did, it was pretty funny!


I really enjoyed the Giuliani rally. It was interesting to see him in public and I liked that I didn't hear anything about any of the other candidates (well besides Hillary).

Then on Friday we took the dogs to "camp" and headed to Tampa for a weekend with the Taylor Family. We stayed with Joe's cousin Nancy. Friday night was a party for Chad (Nancy's boyfriend) for his birthday. And then Saturday was Joseph's Birthday and GASPARILLA!

It was my first Gasparilla ever and Joe hadn't been since he was a page as a young man. It was pretty crazy. The longest parade I've ever been to. This is my fav photo so far...


The pirate costumes were pretty awesome and most were pretty elaborate too. We didn't get to see The Invasion but I'm hoping we'll be able to next year or go next time and take photos of the ship. All in all it was a really good time...



(It was pretty evident when we got there that I wasn't going to need the hat and glasses - sunny it wasn't!)

After the parade we went to The MerryMakers Club. It was pretty cool to see the place since I'd heard about it so much (a lot of Taylor History there). It was fun but I could in no way keep up with the pirates - thank god! We got home pretty early and the whole Krewe of Taylor crashed for the night! lol.

Sunday we went over to our Aunt Michael's house for dinner. Some of the family came over and dinner was amazing (as usual). Then came this....


for Joe's Birthday.

Don't ask, because I have no clue!

Nora & Helen. What can I say?

Joe was a good sport about it and the cake was pretty yummy - so it was a good time.

We stayed the night there and picked up the dogs on our way back Monday Morning!

So there we go. It was a pretty great weekend and really good to see the Tampa family again.

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I am really looking forward to catching up on some of my favorite blogs, (which I've also been way too far behind on!) I can't wait to hear what everyone's plans are for the Super Bowl. We don't know what we are doing yet but I'm hoping we'll get together with some friends and re-connect to Naples a bit. We'll see!

{hugs}