our first Christmas

Although we've spent the past 5 Christmases together, there was something note worthy about our first Christmas as husband and wife.  This was the year new traditions were started, old ones were merged and to be perfectly honest, it was harder than I expected. It seemed like such a whirlwind of a season. There was so much to do... Picking out the perfect first tree, decorating, and planning our course of action for which family and when. We are so blessed to have almost all of our family within driving distance, but this year, all four stops between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were reduced down to two.  

My family celebrated on Chrsitmas Eve this year, which was new for everyone, but I have to say it was my favorite one yet.  We spent Christmas day with the Hoekzema crew and our Aussie friends.  The two day span was filled with so much laughter and so many memories, the pain of sacrifice was soon forgotten.  I loved our first Christmas together.  We both grew(up) a little bit, and learned to be thankful for what we have, instead of dwelling of what we're missing.  

a snapshot

Making : chirstmas decorations.  more like getting tangled in red yarn, but I'm trying.
Cooking : breakfast. it's been the laziest morning around here.
Drinking : coffee.  duh.
Reading:  Call the Midwife.  only two chapters left, but I can't seem to finish the darn thing.  need new book suggestions!
Wanting: to find a perfect christmas gift for my hubby.  He usually gets short changed in the gift department.  Lets just say, I didn't get that "gift"
Looking: forward to getting our first Christmas tree.
Playing:  Ingrid Michaelson Pandora
Wasting:  time.  I should be in the shower.
Sewing:  nope.
Wishing:  for snow.
Enjoying:  a lazy Saturday at home.  These never happen, and I'm just trying to soak it all up.
Waiting:  for Trevin.  Whats new ;)
Liking:  our unheated little apartment.  There are things I could complain about this place, but I truly am so happy that we live here.  Extra cuddling?  Don't mind if I do!
Wondering:  where our future will take us.
Loving:  being married to Trevin.  It really is the BEST.
Hoping:  that I'm doing this whole life thing right.
Marvelling: at life.  I'll save that for another post soon.
Needing: a shower.
Smelling: Balsam Fur room spray.  Feels like Maine.
Wearing: sweats and my trusty L.L.Bean slippers.  Our motto is "just throw on another sweatshirt and jump in your sleeping bag!"  Yes, its that cold in our house.
Following: a schedule.
Noticing: my toast is burning.
Knowing: that I am beyond blessed to be living this life I have.
Thinking: about wedding pics.  I still have to go through all 34,593028498.9 of them.
Feeling: excited for Christmas.
Bookmarking: recipes.  The healthy ones.
Opening: ummm.
Giggling: with Trevin. Because this man knows how to make me laugh all. the. time.
Feeling: thankful. There are things that could change and blah blah blah, but darn it I'm pretty blessed to be right where I am. 

I found this list over at the Day Book Blog and thought it would be fun!  

hey there!

ok, ok.  once again, the old "it's been forever" post.  I really would like to document our first (and many more) year of marriage.  first to go is the name... but trying to come up with a blog name... how do you do it?!  I'll be playing around a little bit and changing things up. and blogging.  I promise I'll be doing that.

cheers friends!

lately

lately, i've been on. the. go.  

but i've been trying extra hard to slow down and enjoy the small joys of spring before they're long gone. 

one of my favorites is sitting on a sunny patio with my main man.

my mom is in the wedding business, and this weekend's wedding has a candy buffet so we have TONS of candy in our house.  major test of will power!  but i love these colors. and jelly belly's bring back so many memories of my brother when we were growing up. 

These sweet flowers are springing up all over our garden!  I really love seeing their color after a dull winter.

i'm shopping for wedding invitations!!!  not exactly an enjoyment. but i love looking at all of the different fonts and i love paper. weird? maybe... 

spring break from my phone

 a day on ocracoke island

//beer///light houses//ferry rides//bike rides//

 my mom insists on annual easter egg hunts//watching sunsets with my squeeze

family time on the beach//sunsets from our balcony

what happens at pops...//pop himself//crawfish//margs!

over the past year and a half both of my brothers moved to the Outer Banks in North Carolina.  we grew up vacationing there so it's like a second home to us.  having a reason to visit the beach frequently isn't the worst position a girl could be in.
spring break couldn't have come at a better time.  school is really picking up, and i was missing time with my family.  my parents, trevin and i packed up and spent a blustery week in the OBX. (insert jumping up and down)

friday letters

dear spring break, thanks for showing up finally!  i wish you could stick around longer (long enough to actually warm up) but i guess i should get this semester over with, huh?
speaking of the semester...
dear school, i'm so tired of you and your shenanigans.
dear family, i love you. i'm so thankful for the time we had together this week. playing on the beach, and our annual easter egg hunt were the highlights of the trip. oh, and taco night.  it's always a highlight. the next time we'll be all together is for my wedding!!! eek!
dear derriere, sorry about the road tripping that happened this week.  i wish you would stop falling asleep though.  thats just weird.
dear Pop's resturant, your fried pickles. are. da. bomb. which brings me to...
dear working out, it's just you and me now, pal.  no exceptions.   i've got a wedding dress to wear this summer!
dear exam.... i'm going to kick your little tush this next week. just wait and see!

lately: my heart.

 i stumbled across this song one night when it was just what i needed, and i've been listening to it on repeat, and thinking through the lyrics since then.  with un finished wedding plans, school pressing in on me in all of my weakest spots, and a summer full of unknowns, I've found myself, well... not being myself.  sure, i've always been a worrier.  i was the friend that always said "what if we get in trouble?" or "i don't think our parents would be happy..."  i always analyze, make lists, but recently i've found myself almost paralyzed by the decisions in front of me.  with all of these up-coming decisions, i've been gripped by my anxiety.  my chest hurts, my stomach threatens to return my lunch, and all i want to do is curl up and go back to bed where no decisions need to be made. or just cry.  that usually happens too.  i've been trying to handle all of this messy life stuff on my own, and frankly it's just. not. working.  i selfishly pushed God out of my everyday tasks and decisions thinking "i can totally handle this" and "God doesn't care what color my table linens are at my wedding reception."  well i (clearly) can't handle it on my own. God might not exactly care about my color choices, but he does care for me.  while all of these decisions are mine to make, i do have a God who cares for me and wants the best for me. he wants to steady my heart, if only i learn to trust that he is in control.