weekend recap

1/ Starting off the weekend right, with cheerful flowers in a pretty jar on my table.  2/ Two Apples to Apples nights this weekend, accompanied by good food and cold beers.  3/ This little girl thinks she can take my spot! They were so cute, I didn't have the heart to move her.  4/ My favorite two summer activities! Reading and soaking up the sun.  5/ Working on the bike.  If only we could get this bad boy running again.  6/ Our two children who are always cuddling.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and great Fathers Day!  I'm so very thankful for my dad.  I think he's one of the greatest men in the world and makes an even better father and husband.

Have a good week loves!

Dear mosquitoes and other letters..

  

Dear mosquitoes, there is a time and a place for everything.  No one can begrudge you when you decide to make a meal out of us when we're camping, hanging out on the dock watching the sunset, grillin' out, or playing cornhole.  We're outside, in your realm of suck (literally) and if we forget bug spray, hey, go at it!  However, when I am inside and in my bed, it is not time to go have yourself a feast on my feet of all places!  This means wearing shoes in unbearable and falling asleep takes a million times longer because I can't stop wanting to claw my feet off. Stay out of my house!  

Dear rain, go away. Last weekend was perfect summer adventuring weather and this constant downpour is throwing off my mojo and fading my tan.   

Dear JD Mass, last night you cooked us dinner and put the best bacon pieces on my pizza #husbandoftheyear.  You also never fail to encourage and try to help me, you're pretty much the best thing since pre-sliced bagles.   

Dear Bec Nicole, less than 20 days until I get to see your pretty face and our house becomes a bit more livelier and a tad louder. I can't wait!

Dear family, a little over 20 days until I get to see all your faces and man, does that make me happy! Now we can have awesome face-to-face conversations, instead of hilarious group text messaging.  I swear we need our own reality show.

Dear life changes that are around the bend, I'm excited and nervous for you all at the same time.  Bring it on (no, I am not pregnant...y'all need to chill).

Dear husband, who always gets two letters, in just 42 days we celebrate our first year of marriage.  Can you believe how quickly it's gone by?  It's been one of the best and toughest years of my life and I can't wait for the next 50 or so. I love you.

Weekend in photos.

1/ Exploring Carthage with my love and finding this amazing abandoned house we want to fix up! 2/ Finding another abandoned building we want to turn into a restaurant and bar. We don't have big plans for our future at all!  3/ Taking a dirt road through post to get home and finding a pretty little bridge and creek.  4/ Summer storms are my absolute favorite.  5/  Watching the sun set on the back porch with this adorable face.

friday letters

 

Dear world, you need Jesus. All this nonsense is breaking my heart.  Dear NBC news, I'm watching your breaking, live news and it's hard not to laugh at the reaching that is happening to fill time. So much babbling.  Dear Boston, I'm praying for you.  Dear tornado watch, I don't really like you, but I'm glad it seems like we're gonna miss anything too crazy.  Dear husband, I'm so glad it's the freakin weekend and I get you all to myself for two whole days.  Dear mom, thank you for making us help you clean the house every Friday.  My cottage thanks you too because it's nice and clean today.  Dear April, I'm ready for you to be over.  Dear Mr. Mass, you make this girl very happy.  That's all.

Saturday.

Happy Saturday friends! I hope you're happy and that your house isn't invaded by a spring cold this weekend.  While you're lounging about, here are some things to do:

Watch this,

Listen to this,

Read this,

Eat this,

Drink this.

happy list.

A post-weekend happy list:

+ Clear weather long enough for a trip to the dog park.

+  Lazy Saturday mornings watching Disney movies with my hubby.

+  Sunday morning breakfast and church.

+  Clean dogs!

+ Getting help folding laundry. 

+  Dreaming of decorating our house together.

+  Catching up on Mad Men! I miss that show.

+  Late night snacks.

+  Lots of hugs and kisses.

Hope everyone had a good first weekend of Spring!

letters

Dear reader...

So today I started working out again.  Last Summer, before the wedding, a group of my favorite women and I did the Color Run in San Francisco (a bunch of them are doing it again tomorrow!).  I ran every day and worked out to different videos.  Ok, to the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader videos, moving on.  Since we got married and moved I think I've ran twice.  Not having a job and not having a lot to do (and little motivation to do anything other than play with my dogs and watch tv and cook) other than eat three meals, plus snacks, a day means that my once toned butt, legs, arms and abs have reverted back to a state of neglect.  Sad face.  

Hence the newly renewed attitude to get back in shape.  Plus our ball is in a month and I'm planning on wearing a snazzy cocktail dress that shows my legs, which means I need to do this.  Wish me luck!

Dear husband...

When you get back get ready to be working out with me on the weekends! Aren't you excited.

Also, thank you for letting me go dress shopping with the girls and for wanting to take your wife to dance.

Dear family...

Have fun at the run tomorrow!  I'm so jealous of you all and wish I was there!

Dear puppies...

Oh Ripley and Abby...I love you, but you guys need to get along so I can actually do normal things without having to watch you.  I need a dog break sometimes.

Dear MIL...

Happy Birthday!! Hope you have a wonderful birthday weekend!

Dear cottage...

I walk around you every day and see all your potential for being such a cute place.  I wish I had money to fix you up all pretty like I dream about.

friday letters

Dear Grey's Anatomy, I know I'm late to the party, but I have fallen in-love with you.  You made me cry big, fat tears today and your Christmas episode in Season 2 made me want to rewind two months and get back into the Christmas spirit.  Dear rain, it was so much fun to fall asleep listening to you last night. I wish you had been snow though...it's not fair that the states above us are getting a ton and we get none.  Dear husband, thank you for taking care of us and for being so instant that I don't do the dishes because I cooked dinner.  You're awesome.  Dear Cassie,  I love you like a sister and I wish I was home to be with you.  Dear family, I really miss you.  Dear weekend, I'm excited. Let's do this.

Link up with your Friday letters over at...

letters for a freezing friday

via tumblr

Dear cold that has invaded our house and our throats, both of us would appreciate it if you left.  We don't really have a whole lot of patients for sore throats, coughing, and stuffed up noses.  Dear icy, winter weather, I love you.  It's so cold outside and with each little burst of snow fall I get happier and happier.  Dear massive amounts of Army laundry, I wish that you would just wash and fold yourself.  Where's Merlin (the one from The Sword in The Stone) when I need him?  Dear husband, thank you for being great and dealing with sick me.  Thank you for running errands for us and going to work every day in the cold so that we can have a life.  I love you.  Dear tea, you are wonderful and soothing.  Dear readers and fellow bloggers, thank you for sticking around and reading my ramblings!

letters for friday

Dear life, you have been difficult lately!  It's made me want to hang up my adult hat and have some good ole' fashioned, kid-sized fun.   

Dear parents, thank you for your prayers and for your encouraging words and help over the last few weeks. I miss you guys every day.   

Dear Ripley, I'm sorry I've been sitting on my bed a lot and that you're not allowed up here. I think it's cute when you stick your nose on the edge of the bed and talk to me though.  Also, next time a squirrel runs across the road in front of us, can you please not lunge ahead and almost break my hand? I'd appreciate it. Thanks.   

Dear Jess and Liz, thank you for the spontaneous trip today! Getting out of the house was what I needed. 

Dear "Thank You" notes, you will be mailed out by Monday.  I will finally be done with you and not have to worry about it anymore.

Dear Candace, Your posts here and here about what you've learned after getting your tonsils removed make me want to take your place, but they also make me laugh. I love you sister.

Dear hubby, we will make it through these next couples weeks and then we can look back on this time in our livesand have a good laugh about it. Sound good to you?

Join in the letter writing fun and link up with Ashley over at...

friday letters.

Dear November, I can't believe you're halfway over. At least Thanksgiving is still yet to come.  Dear NC fall, I'm in love. In love with your cold weather and your pretty leaves.  Dear Thanksgiving,  you're going to be different this year, but I'm still very excited for you.  Dear self, you're about to turn 24 in a week, be grateful someone thought you were in high school a couple days ago.  Dear husband, I think you're a champ for riding in the freezing temperatures. Thank you for doing that so I could have the truck during the day. I love you!  Dear Breaking Dawn part 2, I hope that you're as amazing as everyone is making you sound.  Dear house we found, I hope that you look as good on the inside as you do the outside. I'm excited to go look at you tomorrow!  Dear love of my life, you get two letters today. Thank you for surprising me with wine and cheesecake last night and for agreeing to take me to see the new Twilight movie. You are amazing.

Link up with Ashley over at Adventures of Newlyweds with your Friday letters!

football weekend.

Yesterday I got to go to my first East Carolina University football game against the Tennessee Tigers.

It was so much fun and I feel like Long Beach needs to step up their game and get their football team back.

Here's a couple pictures from the day!

I hope y'all are having a great weekend so far!

Look how big my cousins are getting! I love my boys!

 

yesterday's letters

Dear Lisa and David, you guys are seriously the best. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you renting me a car and inviting me down to the beach this weekend. I needed to get out of the house and this is the perfect place to go.  Dear Ben and Matthew, I'm excited to spend some time with my cousins and go to my first college football game/ECU game with you today!  Dear Morehead City, you make me want to live closer to the beach so bad. See picture above...who could not want to come here?  Dear husband, I really wish you were here with me this weekend. It almost doesn't feel right having all this fun without you.  Dear mom, dad, and siblings, I really wish you were here too. I miss you guys a lot.  Dear Corinne, I love getting crazy text messages from you in the middle of the night. You're not sorry.  Dear sweetheart, you get two letters because you're special. I miss you.

Link up with your letters over at Ashley's blog!

A letter...

Dear blog readers/followers/family/friends,

I really am "thirsty" for relaxation.  That honeymoon idea is sounding pretty amazing right about now.

I think the time has come where I need to take a break from blogging until after the wedding.  We're 29 days out y'all and I'm freaking out.  There's just a handful of things left to get done and my family and I are about to go on vacation and I don't want to feel like writing here is just another thing on my long list of to-dos.  Just because I say I need to take a break doesn't mean I won't pop in occasionally and write something, it just won't be on my mind every day.

I hope everyone of you has an amazing last few weeks of summer.  I can't wait to come back and be able to share pictures and stories from our wedding with you.

Love,

amanda

Let's

Oh hey July! How does it feel to have one week over and done with?

I was a little mind blown when I woke up today and realized how fast this week has gone by...

and how fast the rest of the month is going to go!  

Next weekend is our color run in San Francisco. My jet-setting sisters will be in Arizona, Mexico, and Nashville over the course of two weeks, while yours truly will be here finishing up wedding details.  Then our family and our friends are going to be camping at our favorite lake for a week and when we come home we have TWO weeks until the wedding.

I'm slightly panicking about the amount of things we still have left to do.  I know that I need to start delegating and getting more people on board, but my control freak self just wants to make sure everything is done myself.

Suffice it to say, this summer is shaping up to be a whirlwind one, but I think it's probably going to be one of the most memorable yet.

(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!

Friday/Saturday letters

Dear Becca, thanks for asking me to come along on your mini roadtrip this week. I had fun being in the car and getting to have some hot weather for a few hours.  Dear sisters and Corinne, I love staying up till 3 in three morning talking and laughing with the three of you. I'm going to miss our sleepovers.  Dear Ryan Gosling, sometimes I wonder what went through your head when you accepted movie roles.  "Drive" was a little bit ridiculous and I didn't get it at all.  Dear Phillip Phillips, I predicted your win from your audition and I can't stop listening to "Home."  It's such a good song.  Dear Arizona Green Tea with Peach Juice, you are the perfect summer drink (next to regular sweet tea of course)! I love you!  Dear almost-husband, less than 50 days...we're almost there and I can't wait to skip down the aisle to you and become your wife.

I'm a little late to the party, but link up with Ashley and share your Friday/Saturday letters.

letters on friday

Dear groomsmen, I appreciate that you are going to be part of our day, but shopping for y'all without any of you present is a pain in the butt. Dear wedding, I'm ready for all the planning to be done.  Dear sisters/moms, thank you for planning my bridal shower. I'm sorry I keep forgetting about it, but that's what happens when you completely trust your people to plan a great party and don't think twice about it.  Dear Shock Top, thank you for being so cold and refreshing after a long day of shopping.  Dear dad, thank you for buying us things for the wedding. Your bar that you bought today is super legit and I'm excited about it.  Dear Summer, go by fast, but not too fast ok.

Link up with Ashley and share your letters!

Friday letters

Dear high school students, you make me feel way older than I am. Thank you for providing me with lots of entertainment this weekend.  Dear weekend, you're not going to be as relaxing and chill like you normally are.  Thankfully Monday can act as my Saturday.  Dear fellow TEC-mates, I'm sorry if I get bossy and grumpy.  It's the lack of sleep, not you.  I promise.  Dear friends and family who are invited to our wedding, if you have viewed our website, you should have RSVP'd while you were there. We have over 200 views and less than 40 responses. Get on that for me ok?  Dear fellow bloggers, thanks for being an inspiration day after day. I love reading your posts and comments. Dear fiance, I'm ready for this week to be over. I miss you a lot and need to hear your voice. Phone date soon.

Link up with Ashley and share your Friday letters!

letters for friday

Dear "Delirium" trilogy, thank you for providing me with two days of fantastic reading. I only wish that the third book was coming out sooner. (I totally recommend these books for a summer read!).  Dear sisters, you entertain me and make me laugh. I'm going to miss the two of you when I'm gone.  Speaking of being gone, Dear NC, I'm really jonesing for a hot, humid summer at the river. I wish I could come visit you.  Dear Siren, you are the sweetest little kitten and I'm glad our parents caved into letting you be part of our family.  Dear fiancee, the countdown continues.  11 weeks to go!  I love you and will be your personal secretary for the rest of your life.

Siren taking a nap on my leg. She really is the cutest.

Make sure to link up with Ashley and share your Friday letters.