Weekend Recap: Mothers Day

At work on Friday we celebrated the 6th of May, also known as the day after Cinco De Mayo with a Dip Party.  My co worker brought my favorite dip recipe and an old faithful for ANY gathering with the Peanut Butter Ball. You can snag the recipe here and make it for your next social gathering.  I promise you will get hounded for the recipe because it is THAT good.  

Rich's family came for the weekend to celebrate Mothers Day and to see our new place for the first time.  I got a little creative and ambitious and whipped up lemon buttercream icing for my homemade cupcakes from one of my favorite bloggers.  Want to try for yourself?  You can grab the details here on how to make this. 

We had our first grill out evening of the year.  So glad I have such a great grill master for the rest of my life!

A few months ago I taught Sophie to shake and high five. It is her favorite party trick.

I love setting a fun table.  For Mothers Day Rich made a great breakfast spread and we ate off our wedding china. 

I came home from ushering at church to find my father in law and husband sanding down some of our interior doors that wouldn't close.  Our house is almost a 100 years ago with glass door knobs so we have a few stubborn doors that cause us issues.  I am so excited to have working doors again. 

We were able to venture out to walk the beach for the afternoon.  It was a warm but breezy day and there were only a few people on the beach.  I am so grateful we still live near water. 

Sunday evening we cooked out again and enjoyed dinner outside on our deck.  I LOVE our deck and love the chance to share it with family and friends.  I hope we have so many more great memories on this deck.

One of my favorite pieces of the weekend are our new curtains!  My mother in law made them from some fabric we picked up at Joanns. 

Our First Married Christmas

Between quitting two jobs, applying for jobs, starting a new job, closing on a house, packing up a townhouse, and moving two states away, I wasn't really sure what our first married Christmas would look like.  In some ways, it was INCREDIBLY special, as we got to get settled into our first home (that we own!) and begin making it feel like ours. And boy, it already does.

Here are a few memories from our first married Christmas, some spent in North Carolina, and some shots from our new house in Virginia:

A quick and easy DIY banner I've had for two year now learned from another blogger favorite of mine.  It may be my most favorite decoration in our house at Christmas time.

 For the last 4 years this little lady has LOVED Christmas lights.  She really calms down and loves to sleep at the foot of the tree.

 This year for Christmas Rich's parents got him a pirate ship lego set he has wanted for the last fifteen years.  He spent two hours putting it together and can only imagine how hard it would have been to assemble all those years ago.  I helped him for a bit but eventually gave up because let's face it, girls toys come pre-assembled and it is way better that way.

 Even Sophie got in on the Christmas action.

Happy Birthday Jesus!  We just LOVE celebrating your birth.  

A special date with two special little ones.  When your cool Aunt and Uncle come in to town, you can get whatever size scoops you want.

Love this Christmas house in our neighborhood.  I am ga ga over the two story sunroom.

Thanksgiving Holiday Recap

 

Vest (Similar in plaid)

Now that I am finally done being stuffed full of turkey and resorting back to normal meal portions, I am going to document our first married Thanksgiving!  We are VERY lucky to have family that lives in the same state, and pretty close geographically to one another, so for as long as this remains, our holidays will be a bit easier than most married couples.  Here is a quick look at how we spent our first married Thanksgiving being thankful for ALL we have and all the folks who have blessed us.  

 I'm not sure if this counts as part of my last November goal but Rich and I did manage to make roasted vegetables to have as part of my family's Thanksgiving lunch.  Other than our youngest niece, the veggies were a hit. 

 Our precious little niece was none too pleased with her dad's turkey carving noises. 

 The most spirited of little turkeys this Thanksgiving at the kids table.

 

 After Thanksgiving lunch with my parents we headed to celebrate with Rich's family in Raleigh!  The food and company must have been too yummy because this is the only shot I got from that dinner celebration but the table was gorgeous!

 Black Friday took a different spin this year since we ended up at Lowes buying a few things we need for our new house.  See that ladder right there? That's the ladder that's going to help the menfolk paint our new house in less than two weeks! 

 The grandkiddos put on a Christmas play, complete with costumes.  Afterwards they grabbed all their suitcases and coats and said the play was so good they are going to Hollywood. Imagination is a real thing in elementary school y'all. 

Mark me at the very top of the list of people excited my middle niece has shown an interest in the sport of tennis.  I got to hang out with her and teach her a few things. 

 Saturday meant I got to spend some time watching my Deacs take on my Duke fellas in a bit of football.  Duke won but it was a great game till the end.  Also, you couldn't beat the weather for late November in North Carolina. 

 Most importantly I got to see my best best friend and her sweet baby boy.  We haven't seen him since he was 6 weeks old on our honeymoon so it was great to see all of them. 

But there is no questioning who enjoyed the holiday season the MOST.  This little lady just loves playing ball in her poppy's backyard.  She also doesn't hate the crunch of real fall leaves underneath her either.  She rolled in the grass for hours, tail wagging. 

31 Life Lessons for 31

I can't believe I am 31!  Did you know 80% of your life's most transformative experiences happen by the age of 30, most of which we don't realize are as transformative as they are at the time!  I've been lucky to do a lot of neat things in my 31 years: play sports, have an amazing family, gain an education and a Masters Degree, work a number of fulfilling jobs, make mistakes, study abroad, fall in love, get my heart broken, get married, own a dog, travel for pleasure, travel for work, move 9 times, own a house (soon!), make best friends, see every musciain I've ever dreamed of seeing in concert, meet famous people, attend weddings, funerals, welcomed nieces and nephews, sister in laws, and extended family.  All of these life events have had profound impact on making me who I am today and I am a firm believe that you learn as much from failure and heartbreak as you do success.  For as long as as shall live I will be a firm believer in Ephesians 3:20, God can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine......and I have been abundantly blessed by Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Life Lessons by 31:

1.  Find a job that brings you great happiness.  You'll spend more time at work and with your work peers than many of your friends and your family.

2.  It's never too late to learn new hobbies and explore new interests. 

3. The things you enjoy in childhood often can be the same things you enjoy as you get older.  You may even like them more (I'm talking to you Disney movies and great 90's music!)

4.  Your friends can be as close as family.  It is worth going through hard times with your friends because it will strengthen your love for them.

5.   Getting a dog in your twenties can be a great choice, assuming you are ready for the commitment and yes, sacrifice.

6.  Learn to write a good thank you note.  Thanks Mom.

7. Learn the importance of sticking up for yourself, but make sure you do so in a tactful and well thought-out manner. Thanks Dad.

8.  You can learn a lot about forgiveness from your dog.  She's never held any of my failures and mistakes against me and loves me all the same.

9.  Having great older brothers taught me what a real man looks like, even if it meant I had a rough few years in childhood! 

10.  Music can heal your heart! 

11.  Life will take you places you never thought you'd go, but its never by accident.

12.  Drink 64 oz of water a day.....your skin and your body will thank you!

13. Always make time for exercise, even its a 30 minute walk around at lunch.  Getting in shape is much harder than staying in shape...

14.  Along those lines, marathon training is a full time job.  Tackle this only with that knowledge. There is a reason so few people do it!  Know it will take a toll on your body-is it worth the risk?

15.  It's never to late to learn to eat a food you hated for the first 30 years...(I'm talking to you tomatoes!)

16.  As you get older it will be harder and harder to maintain your friendships.  Fight for them, make time for them, and prioritize the people you love the most!

17.  Know your weaknesses....

18.  Utilize your strengths.  Both professionally and personally. 

19.  When you say "yes" to something, you are inherently saying "no" to something else, make sure its something you are willing to say no to.  (Thanks The Best Yes study!)

20.  Invest in some really great sheets.  You'll feel like you are sleeping in a luxe hotel each night when you crawl in bed.

21.  There will be places you travel that you may not like at the time but would give anything to go back to years later.  Treasure every experience.

22.  If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.  God gave you a "gut feeling" for a reason, follow that instinct.

23.  It is better to be a good listener than a good talker.  This world needs better listeners.

24.  Just because you have a thought, doesn't mean you have to think it!  (Thanks Max Lucado)

25.  Take Vitamins. Daily. 

26.  Making your bed each day is one way to begin the day being productive.  Try to do it everyday!

27.  Comparing yourself to others will only make you insecure. 

28.  Kindness begets kindness.  When you put kindness out into the world, you will have kindness surround you.  There is no sense in being grumpy each day.

29.  Know why items and purchases you can get at a lower cost, and which you need to splurge on.  This will save you thousands in the end. 

30.  Protect your heart.  There are billions of people in this world.  You will find love again!

31.  If some one shows you who they are, believe them. All credit to Maya Angelou on this mantra, but its never lead me wrong. 

Weekend Recap: Fort Sumter

Friday: Rich's parents were in town for the weekend and we were blessed with quite possibly the best weather you can imagine for your last weekend in Charleston for a few weeks.  The temps were in the upper 80s but made way for glorious nights on our perfect porch.  We were even treated to this sunset on their first night here that we got to witness from our back porch:

Never one to miss an opportunity to beg, Ellie enjoys porch parties the most of anyone.

Rich and I bought these lights at Costco after we moved in.  He painstakingly hung them one day and we really enjoy "Friday night lights". 

Saturday:  We decided to use this beautiful day we were gifted to make our first visit to Ft. Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired upon.  It was a great day to visit the Fort and the 30 minute boat ride to and from the island gave us magnificent photos of our bridge and the Yorktown where we have shared many Charleston memories!