Easter.

This weekend was a welcomed four day. 

We're on a roll with seeing and being with friends and I really like it.

Plus! We are no longer just a one car family! The truck has two brand new tires and I have my car back. 

I will be celebrating by running to the library and the grocery store.

Easter Sunday was a really nice day, despite the rain.  Easter service at our new church was good, but I always makes me miss home a little.  James bought a grill, because you can't live in NC and not "grill out," so we had our friends and their dogs over for a steak dinner and some good old, Super Nintendo.  We also loaded everyone up in the car and went to the dog park, which is always an experience.  My sweet husband surprised all of us with Easter Baskets that were mostly Star Wars themed, which made the day even sweeter.

This week is a three day weekend because we got to get our dance on at the ball. I'm super excited and I can't wait to share pictures!  Have a good week everyone!

Love.

Happy Valentine's Day lovelies!

I hope everyone has a good day no matter what their relationship status might be.

We are all loved by someone!

Let's do this thing!

Another year is coming to a close. Is it just me or does it seem like time speeds up as you get older?

This year has been chalk full of ups and downs, good memories and bad.

I went back through my posts and found some that I really loved looking at again.

Being inspired back in January by Meg and still needing to remind myself that my "book" has a birthday, I just don't know it yet.

Going through a rough point in February and reminding myself of the sometimes and all the time things that need to happen in life.

Being a host family to two precious little girls and being inspired to help somebody in March.

40 at 400 in April!

Also in April, a look back at being a nanny and a wonderful wine filled day.

Running the Color Run in July with my most favorite group of women.

Getting married on August 18th to my best friend.

Life flinging a deer my way in September...just a few days after moving across the country.

I hope that everyone has a great New Years and a wonderful 2013. 

I can't wait to see what it holds for my little family!

Merry Christmas to Us!

We finally have internet over here at the cottage.

I'm super stoked on life. I can't wait to share bits and pieces of our last couple weeks with you.

We have a few more days of vacation left and as soon as our normal routine starts I will get on that big post.

For now I just want to wish all of you a late Merry Christmas and I hope that everyone had a merry and bright day yesterday with your friends and family.

p.s.

Just in case you forgot.

25 more days til' Christmas!

This December is shaping up to be a much different one than in years past.

It might be consumed with a move, trying to make a house a home, and squeezing Christmas in there somewhere.  I'm excited for these next few weeks, but I'm also stressed out and nervous.

I just need to keep in mind the reason for this season and know that He's got everything under control.

Have a wonderful last night of November friends.

oh christmas tree

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.

I know Thanksgiving came a lot earlier this year, but we were itching to get decorating.  I think this is the second live tree I've ever had in my life.  I think it's pretty, don't you?  

Last night I went a little online shopping crazy for my husband.  I'm so excited for this Christmas and I hope that it's everything that I'm envisioning.  Does anyone out there have any tips on how to make your first Christmas together memorable? 

So it's Tuesday night, which means we will all be hunkered down watching Sons of Anarchy.  There's only two more episodes left in the season.  I hope that everyone has a great day!!

Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm probably going to be too busy stuffing my face tomorrow to write a blog about Thanksgiving.

Last year I headed up and participated in a 30 Days of Thankfulness series.  This year I've hardly blogged about what I'm thankful for and that makes me a little sad.

I'm so looking forward to tomorrow, but at the same time homesickness has sunk in and I feel like crying.  I knew that the first holidays away from my family were going to be difficult and I thought I was going to be able to handle it better than I am.  I'm so thankful that for 23 years my whole family did the holidays up right.  We were all together, both sides, and our house was always full of love and laughter.  Someday I hope my kids will get to enjoy their holidays with their family just like I did!

I'm thankful that tomorrow I will get to spend Thanksgiving with new friends who I would do anything for.  I'm so thankful that we have a place to live right now because of them and that when I needed to borrow a car or get somewhere over the last few months they would help me out with no hesitation.  I hope one day we can help them out as much as they've helped us.

95 days ago I married my best friend and I'm so excited to start our own family traditions for the holidays!  I'm so thankful for these last 95 days and how wonderful James has been.  Everyone told me that being married is one of the best things in the world and I have to agree.  It hasn't all been perfect, but then again, nothing in this world is right?  I'm so excited to see where the next few years takes us!

I hope that where ever you are tomorrow and whoever you're with, your heart is full of thankfulness and that you enjoy your day to the fullest.

Happy Thanksgiving lovelies!

hang on a second!

Last night my sweet husband took me to see Breaking Dawn and while we were driving through town there were already so many houses that had Christmas lights up and even trees in their windows!! Hang on people, if I'm looking at my calendar correctly we still have Thanksgiving to get through before the Christmas season starts.  Don't get me wrong, I'm more than ready to get a tree and start decorating, but I really like my Fall holidays and would like to see them stay around for a long time.

So just hang in there a few more days!

Have a wonderful Sunday lovelies!

..

Happy Veteran's Day everyone.

As a military wife it meant the world to me yesterday that I could love on my husband all day.

I have so many more veterans in my life whom I love and respect.

I hope everyone got a chance to say, "Thank you," in some way to the men and women who serve our country.

(Doesn't feel like) Friday Letters

Dear July, one week down already? I feel like you're going to fly by and the next time I blink you'll be over and it will be August. Dear Pincrest, I'm so excited to be taking a break from the craziness at home and camping near you shores for a few days before the wedding.  Dear sister and Silver, I hope you have an amazing time in AZ together. I'm jealous y'all get to hang out.  Dear 4th of July, you were a lot of fun and very relaxing.  Dear neighbor, thank you so much for letting us come pick your fruit from your trees! At this point our wedding favors have cost us absolutely nothing!  Dear Amanda Cox (soon-to-be-Jacobson), I hope that your wedding tomorrow fulfills all your expectations and that it's THE perfect day. I love you and I'm so happy for you and Jon!  Dear Husband-in-43-days, I'm so proud of you and I think you are amazing.

Link up with Ashley and share your Friday letters!

and now for a couple Instagram shots from the 4th!

"Red, white and blue" pancakes!

 Red, white and blue punch my sister made.

(Cranberry juice, blue gatorade, and Sprite all layered over ice)

We went a little overboard on the fireworks this year.

 

 Small, but pretty and fun!

Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July!

Last year I was braving the crowds at Huntington Beach with some lovely ladies and watched an awesome fireworks show from the pier.  This year I'm going to be hanging out with family and friends.  We'll probably be a little loud and crazy, but hey, we should be celebrating!

Have an amazing day lovelies!

another countdown

6 more months til' CHRISTMAS!

Anyone else excited?

That is all.

I'll be back later with some of my amazing bridal shower details.

Dad's day

I for the life of me can't find a decent picture of my dad and me on my laptop. 

This picture of him and my baby sister Becca will have to do!  It really is the cutest picture ever.

My dad is pretty amazing. He's super hilarious, kind, loving, stubborn, and is one of the best gift givers I know!  He also loves Jesus Christ with all his heart and is a great role model for me and my siblings.

He and I butt heads a lot, but that's just because I inherited my stubborn streak from him.  We're two peas in a pod sometimes.

Happy Father's Day Dad! 

I love you!

In which I find the perfect place.

I've been so back and forth about our wedding venue.  They've fallen through, been way too expensive, or not been available on our date.  Well, today I hope that came to an end.  I fell in love with San Lorenzo Park and because it's a county park, it is ridiculously affordable.  There are so many rustic barns, tractors, and buildings scattered everywhere for picture opportunities.  The hall for the reception is perfect in every single way.

I'm so excited and relieved.  I'm reserving it tomorrow for whatever date is available between July and September.

Here are a couple pictures I snapped.

How was everyone's Easter? Ours was very relaxing and probably the most quiet holiday we've had around here in a long time. 

Easter nails and stripes.


Have a good night lovelies!

40 @ 400

A few weeks ago I hit 40 followers.  Not a huge milestone, but still, I was pretty stoked about it.

Thank you all for reading my ramblings!

Today this is my 400th post!  I'm not a huge numbers gal, but I like these numbers a lot and I think it's pretty cool.

Who knows, maybe by post 500 I'll have 50 followers.

I hope everyone is having a relaxing Easter weekend so far!  Today my mom, sisters, and I went and got pedicures.  Let me tell you, it felt amazing.

Have a good rest of the weekend everyone and Happy Easter!!

Happy Irish day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I made Sparkling Leprechaun Kisses tonight.

Find the recipe here.  It's super delicious.

Hope everyone had a good night!

Love is in the air.

Happy Valentine's Day lovelies!

All photos via pinterest

I hope that every single one of you have an amazing day, 

whether you're loving on a significant other or just yourself.

I'm actually not so sad about this V-day. Why might you ask?

Well it's my last one that I'm going to spend without the love of my life.

We did get to celebrate early last week.  I wasn't aware that it was a Valentine's Day date until after an amazing dinner, but I did get surprised and spoiled with all the fun gifts that I've never been able to get before and I loved every single one of them.  My Valentine is pretty dang amazing and sweet.

Make sure you tell your loved ones that you are so happy they're in your life and that you appreciate them today and every single day.  

And now a tiny preview of our engagement pictures taken by my ever-so-talented sister...
Happy Valentine's Day my almost husband. My heart is yours and I can't wait to marry you.

Hello!

Happy New Year (5 days late)!

I've been without a computer for a week, so this is the first time I've been able to get on this little blog of mine.

I hope that you had a wonderful New Years Eve and that your year is off to a productive and fun start like mine is!  This year is shaping up to be one of the best years ever.

I can't wait for a lot of things and I'll be sharing them on here as the months roll on by.

The biggest thing I'm excited for is to become...

In 9 short months!

364 more days to go...

Can you believe that Christmas is over?

I always get the same feeling on December 26th that I do when I'm coming off of a sugar rush.

I just crash.  I didn't get out of bed until 11 this morning and have spent the last hour and half just being lazy.  

I hope that you had a wonderful last couple of days.  It makes me sad knowing that all the fun of Christmas is over.  However, there is an upside to it being over.  2012 is just around the corner!

I don't think I've ever been more excited for a year in my life.

I'm getting married, moving to my favorite state, and starting a whole, brand new chapter of my life.

I've always struggled with change, but I'm super impatient for these changes to come!

Christmas Eve eve happy list!

via

Merry Christmas Eve eve Happy List!

1.  Friends and family home for the holidays.
It's always fun when we get to catch up and crowd in our tiny kitchen.

2.  Baking...and more baking...and more baking!
In the last couple weeks I think I've baked more than I have in my entire life!

3.  The little Santa secrets that are kept and shared between friends and family.
I love being pulled aside to talk about presents with someone!

4.  Candlelight Christmas Eve services.
Both parents are singing and so is the sister's boyfriend. Love.

5.  Attempting to wrap presents and make them look pretty.
I am not a good wrapper at all, but this year I was trying!

6.  The almost constant string of texts coming in to my phone from my love.
Even though we're not gonna be together, it makes the holidays feel a little more cheerful knowing he's safe and sound.

7.  Getting Christmas cards.
Our linen closet door is getting super full and I love it!



I hope that you all have an amazing Christmas together with your friends and family.
The next two days will be super packed and filled, so I won't be blogging.
Merry Christmas!