Saturday-- or maybe Friday?

This is where my days start running together... I think this might actually be Friday in the brief time between business session, staffing, and dinner! I got a chance to go out and see the area immediately around the hotel and ran in to a great little mercado where I picked up some ground chiles and some delicious Mexican pastries! Probably some of my favorite pictures from Tucson are from the mercado since the wildfire smoke made an already difficult landscape almost impossible to shoot! 

 This shot reminded me of one from our trip to Colorado

Some beautiful rosaries hanging outside the market

More pretty things

Great outdoor area-- we'd love to do something like this in our back yard!

Cute metal lizard

Because that's what you expect in Tucson!

Friday!

Friday was mostly business, so here are a few shots of the evening fun we had!

Our beautiful place settings-- the salad was SOOO good! Stilton and bacon? Yes, please!

They managed to keep the centerpieces looking great and with the exception of Thursday's brunch, generally out of the way to facilitate conversation.

Vicki, Danielle, Jessica, Rachel, EmJ, [Danielle, help me out...] and I-- our awesome table!

Rachel getting recognized for her scholarship!

YUMMY Dessert! Peanutbutter cheesecake in a chocolate shell on a chocolate cookie!

PIP Skit! Too funny!

Brandi (my college CNS), me, and Kristen (my new NSR)-- Brandi and Kristen are from the same chapter at MTSU and are two of my favorites! Go Rho O! 

Prickly Pear

After dinner, Morgan had heard such great things about the Prickly Pear Margaritas that we had to go try one! The view from the patio was amazing, and my camera just didn't do it justice! 

The margaritas were super yummy, by the way! Highly recommended!

Thursday Dinner

We missed the free 5:30 shot but hung out for a minute and enjoyed the view!

The patio looking back

Dinner!

Totally fun centerpiece!

Squishy water balls from the centerpiece

PIP Story Telling!!!

Me and Barb-- she's a PIP now! 

Peg Kramer Crawford, PIP, and too funny!

The PIP Story Telling was probably one of my favorite things all week-- Peg Kramer Crawford is without a doubt, one of the funniest people I've ever met! I wish Blogger would work so I could upload her story about going to Canada twice for chapter installations; there's intrigue, breaking international law, defrauding the Canadian Government, and a plunger. 

Credentials, Please!

I had the honor of being asked to be a part of the Credentials Committee for IC which means that I helped check in all the delegates from alumnae and collegiate chapters to the business sessions to ensure the proper number of attendees. Below is our amazing CC!

Convention Kickoff

The breakfast wasn't that great (I DRENCHED my waffles in syrup and still couldn't chew them!!) but we had panda bear silly bands on the table and I think I finally like them... Pam Simon, a staffer of Gabrielle Giffords', is an AOII and spoke about the day of the shooting and her experiences with Rep. Giffords. I don't have a picture, but we also got little Peace Love and Gaby bracelets to wear around. It was really amazing listening to Pam talk about the experience and how close she is with Rep. Giffords! I have some TRULY amazing sisters!

Panda Bear Silly Bands!

Me and Brandi! I miss her so much!

Vicki, Rachel, Danielle, Me, EmJ, Jessica, and Morgan-- Gamma Sigma and the Panda!

The PIPs and Exec Board

Pam Simon

Welcome to Tucson!

While the dinner/reception itself was a little lacking (I didn't get anything to eat by the time I'd gotten through the lines and found my table and said my hellos!), the company couldn't have been better!

Ginger and Joan (PIPs) and Gayle (Credentials Committee)

Joan was so sweet-- she took a picture of me with Ginger and Gayle!

Laura (CP Lambda Chi) and Morgan (friend/CA Lambda Chi)

Me and Vicki

Goodbye Hello

Leaving Atlanta for Tucson-- the entire plane (why didn't I get a picture?!) was COVERED in AOIIs!! 

Danielle, Jessica, EmJ, Rachel, and I at ATL before our flight

Just outside TUS-- thar be hills in them there hills!

The girls are welcomed to Tucson!! 

Resort... 

Comfiest beds EVER!

CONVENTION!!!!

Amazing. Mind Blowing. Fun. Touching. Inspirational. All words to describe Alpha Omicron Pi's 2011 International Convention in Tucson, AZ!! I'll be putting up pictures, some from the markets (which I know my Aunt Linda will like), some from the desert (which I know Colleen will like), and then the rest from Convention itself which you will all like whether you want to or not ;)

Enjoy!

Tucson!

I know the updates stopped abruptly, but c'est la vie right? Next time you see an update from me I'll be in sunny (and hooooot) Tucson! Thank goodness it rained today to cool things off a bit for us on our way out of town...