Celebrating || Hubby’s birthday last Friday! His band played at our favorite pub for their ten year anniversary party, so the celebration was even bigger than normal! My parents were in town, and the kids got to hang out and party too, which is always fun! We were glad to celebrate Finnigan’s Wake AND Hubby!
Enjoying || cooler weather – finally! The afternoons are still warm enough to need short sleeves, but the mornings are delightfully chilly. I’ve even started a fire during breakfast, just to take the chill off! I don’t mind bundling up when I wake up, but my kids have complained about “freezing” when they get out of their beds. Just you wait, little babies! Eating || pumpkin pancakes! We eat a lot of pancakes at our house, and so why wouldn’t I be adding some pumpkin in?! I typically just add pumpkin into our regular pancakes, instead of buying the pumpkin-flavored mix. They just taste better, they’re a little healthier, and I don’t have to add anything to my grocery list.
Making || SO. MANY. SOUPS. We have been experimenting and looking for recipes for different soups to try. Everyone in our family loves a good soup, we can usually make them fairly healthy, and it’s a less expensive way to feed everyone. On deck this week: butternut squash soup, and zuppa toscana (here’s a similar recipe, but we almost always just improvise).
Anticipating || a visit from my brother and his girlfriend this weekend! They’re coming to spend some time with us and the kids, and I’m REALLY excited. We haven’t gotten together in a couple of months (summer was busy for all of us) so I’m extra glad for some time with them! We plan to hit up the local pumpkin patch, and hopefully have a little Oktoberfest, among other fall-related activities!
What’s going on with you currently? What’s your favorite soup recipe for this time of year? Have you gotten your pumpkins yet, or celebrated Oktoberfest?
How is it possible, my baby, that you have already been with us one year?
That early morning last summer, after a long night of labor, was a beautiful relief. Every day with you has been a joy, a loud, fun-filled, silly journey.
You are the apple of your family’s eye, the snuggliest puppy-boy, the growling companion to your brother and the anywhere-follower of your sister. You’ve got seven sharp teeth that love all things crunchy, and you’re following in your brother’s big, heavy footsteps. You might not walk just yet, but you are quite fast in spite of that fact.
You have great things ahead, dear Davis. Many wonderful years await you, but for a minute, I wish you’d slow down, stay little for a little longer. I know you won’t, so I look forward to the next, and the next, as well. Happy first birthday, my baby darling.
Happy Monday, and I’m finally back for Currently! I’ve been so busy and scattered (and I still am!) that I’ve dropped off for a little while. But I’m glad to join the link up again and share what’s happening with my family currently!
Celebrating || EK’s 4th birthday! We had some family and a few friends over, ate pizza and cake, and played outside. It certainly was a lovely evening, and I can’t believe my big girl is FOUR!
Working || at the High Point Furniture Market! It’s my third market, and I’m with the same furniture company (Artistica) out of California. They are INCREDIBLY beautiful and exactly my style. This year, I worked four days, and missed my babies SO MUCH. It’s unusual for me to be away from them for 11 hours a day.
Traveling || to Disney! We have a whirlwind trip tomorrow and Wednesday, flying to Orlando, spending two whole days in the Magic Kingdom, and back again after bedtime on Wednesday! It’s a lot and it’s fast, but it’ll be awesome! Prepare for the flood of Disney cuteness when we get back!
Since I’m packing and preparing, this is all for now. Have a great week, everyone!
In honor of my amazing, talented, hilarious, handsome, wonderful, giving, loving Hubby’s dirty thirtieth birthday, I’d like to show this little collection of photos…
Before this happened…
There were these two kids, on the night they met, at a Halloween party (right after the church service they played together)…
You know, just trying to make scary faces with the cute guy you just met.
They were together a lot after that…
This is our “college formal” face.
And I mean a lot…
Our “middle school dance” date. He put a lot of work into that one!
Until one day, he proposed for real…
This remains the only picture of us from that night. And we’re still making that stupid “college formal” face.
Practiced getting married…
Post rehearsal dinner shenanigans.
And really did it…
This is totally characteristic of our relationship.
Then we bought a house…
We bought our house on the way to the airport to go to Italy. Obviously.
Shaved his head for children’s cancer…
He’s done it several times, but this was the year he also raised $200 for his trashy mustache.
Went to this bar, our favorite bar, for 90 days in a row… three times…
Finnigan’s Wake will always be home base for us.
And then we got pregnant and had this sweet gal…
All of a sudden… parents!
I watched him become the most amazing dad…
They’re still besties.
And then we did that a time or two more…
I’m a little bit pregnant with J in this one…And I’m a LOT pregnant with him here.And here I’m a couple weeks away from having D!
With a few breaks for being awesome in between…
Singing in his wedding band was still one of the most fun nights of my life!Just a little family partying.
All in all, I wouldn’t do life any differently or with anyone else. Hubby’s my rock. He’s my personal chef, my confidant, my treasured friend, my only lover, my companion, my “I need to tag out!” or “I can’t do this alone!” rescuer. He is my everything, and I can’t wait to spend the next thirty years with him. 30 looks good on you, babe. Happy birthday.
In honor of my turning 29, here are 29 things about me that you might not know. Enjoy!
1. I am not at all nervous about ending my 20s. They were the best years of my life so far- meeting, falling in love with and marrying my husband, my first years teaching music, having my wonderful daughter and sweet son, growing in my relationship with Jesus. Everything about then was basically awesome, so my 30s are gonna be just as good, I’m sure!
2. I’ve got an affinity for Disney movies. I’ve been a huge Disney buff my whole life, and growing up hasn’t squelched my love.
3. I like ethnic foods. Of all kinds. A lot. I love funky flavors, unconventional ingredients and thinking out of the box. Yum.
4. I almost completed a minor in art history. It was really because I was busy that I didn’t. I love art (I don’t make it though, haha) and I could live in a museum and love it.
5. I’m a sucker for a romance novel. That includes everything from the Twilight series (I know, don’t say it) to the Outlander series to straight up trash. I don’t always read them, but sometimes it’s nice to have an easy read, where I don’t have to use my brain but I get completely carried away somewhere else.
6. I’m from Georgia, so I am a Coca-Cola Classic drinker exclusively. I don’t have time for other sodas, especially Pepsi. #gross
7. I love the movies, but I’ve never read anything by Tolkien. This baffles Hubby (and countless others, I’m sure) but every time I’ve tried, his writing is too detailed and meticulous. It’s been a while since I’ve given it a shot though, so it’s on my to-do list to try again.
8. I wear contacts. I’m as blind as a bat, and I mean that very seriously. For instance, they don’t make those fancy thin lenses in my prescription. Four eyes, unite!
9. In addition to drinking a ton of coffee, I also love drinking hot tea. I’m currently drinking a lot of Mighty Leaf teas, which I’m purchasing at Lowe’s Foods. They are so yummy!
10. To go along with #9, I collect teacups from random places in the hopes that I’ll retire with a tea house one day, full of singular, unique teacups.
11. I may lead contemporary worship at a Presbyterian church now, but I grew up in a Baptist church, singing from a hymnal, accompanied by a piano, an organ, and a sanctuary choir. I have such a deep appreciation for both worship styles that if I’m with one for too long, I miss the other.
12. I sometimes (read: often) have a foul mouth. I know. I’m a Christian. I have kids. I should clean it up. You’re right. It’s still pretty bad. It’s always been a vice for me.
13. I’m thinking I should’ve done this project for my 16th birthday, not my 29th.
14. I haven’t always been an in-shape person. I haven’t always eaten healthy. I played volleyball in high school, but didn’t do a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. when I got to college. I didn’t start doing anything nice for my body again (including getting enough sleep) until I got pregnant with EK in 2011.
15. I have four tattoos. Each one of them is small and discreet, but I’m thinking about getting another that will be much bigger. Haven’t decided exactly what or where yet, but I’m sure I’ll post about it!
16. I’m terrible at math. I always have been, but now that I haven’t been in any sort of math class in six years or so, it’s a little embarrassing how out of practice I am at even the simplest math. Let’s just say I won’t be the one in my house who is able to help my kids with their long division.
17. Two of my favorite colors are coral and turquoise. If you look at my closet, you’d see that right off the bat.
18. I have only just recently started wearing purple again. My elementary, middle and high school all had purple and white as their colors, and I got so burned out on “Darlington purple” that I hated the color for years after I graduated. Only just in the past year or so have I allowed the color back into my life.
19. I love choral music. I’m a big nerd about it, actually. I like to go to see a performance of Messiah every year if I can (there’s a great one here; I went last night!) and I always like visiting churches where there are big choirs, concerts at schools, etc.
20. I like to dress up. I always liked it as a little girl, and that stuck with me. I like putting on a dress, sparkly earrings, and high heels. Especially because I love it when Hubby puts on a suit. He is dashing!
21. I love skiing. I’ve only really been once, and haven’t been able to go back, but it was incredible (we went to Beaver Creek, CO) and I wish I could go every winter.
22. I get a lot of cavities. It’s really annoying. I take great care of my teeth, and still discover one almost every time I go to the dentist. Ugh.
23. I just now downloaded the Timehop app, and I’m immediately loving it. I don’t know why I’ve been watching everyone’s Timehop posts for like a year, and I’m just now getting around to it, but I love it!
24. If I could choose, I’d be a night owl. My city has great night life (music, etc) and I am never sleepy when it’s time to go to bed (as she blogs at 10:39 pm). My kids have just in the past couple of months begun to get up early – around 7 am and yes I know I’m spoiled – and it’s been a tough transition. Hubby and I like to hang out late night, and then are extremely tired when kiddos are pooping and wanting breakfast so early!
25. If I could go to a new place, it would definitely be somewhere in Europe. I’ve been several places there before, and never to other continents, but I just have more of a heart for Europe’s history and culture. I’d love to see countries I haven’t seen. Maybe Greece, Spain, Scotland, anyone?
26. If I could go back right now to a place I have been before, I’d go to Ireland. I spent a month there in college, and it was one of the most incredible trips I’ve ever taken. I loved every moment of every place and every person I met. Incredible people, culture, food, and tradition. I think I could live there. (Other countries I have visited: Italy, Poland, England.)
27. I love living in North Carolina because I am close enough to the mountains, near enough to the beach, and in (or around) a city that has great things going on. It’s the perfect blend of all the things I love.
28. The chore around the house I like most is vacuuming. I like to see results. My least favorite? Folding laundry.
29. I am truly surrounded by wonderful people in my family and friends circles. I don’t really feel like there’s much drama (maybe I’ve learned to tune it out) and I genuinely like everyone I hang out with. I’ve been blessed with people who love me well, and who I love well, also. So thankful for that, after years of people coming and going and changing and growing apart. You guys who are my friends now are stuck with me!
Well, I made it all the way through 29. Don’t look for one of these next year because it was tough to talk about myself for that long – I actually wrote this over the span of a few days. Yikes! And now, at 11:00pm on the third day, I’m uploading the post and going to bed. Night!
Just so you know I’m a human, here’s my tired, ready-for-bed face. You’re welcome 🙂
Folks, this is the last year of my 20s. And you know what? I’m not even sad.
On Saturday, I had a fantastic day. We went out to breakfast, were successful in packing up more of the basement and catching up (a little anyway) on some laundry, and then in the evening our babysitter came over to let us go out to dinner and to see Mockingjay Part 1 (which, by the way, was totally awesome).
The only hitch in the day happened first thing in the morning. When I woke up, it was to the sound of my toddler, running around upstairs. This isn’t unusual. She sometimes stays in bed to read for a while, and sometimes comes out to play with her toys. This morning, she decided she was going to get started with breakfast. Much to my dismay, she began with eggs. And of COURSE, because toddlers are clumsy, she broke a couple. One in the kitchen, right in front of the refrigerator, which she stepped in, and tracked all the way back to my bedroom, where she broke the other one. Of course, right? Happy birthday to me. The first thing Hubby and I did when we got up was strip her of her egg-covered clothes, bleach the floor from kitchen to bedroom, and put everyone in the shower. Sheesh. Then, when we finally were all clean and dressed, there was no way I was cooking breakfast, so I got some Waffle House out of the deal! That was good.
Needless to say, we are now locking the fridge. It sounds ridiculous, but I am NOT cleaning up that mess again!
For my bestie’s birthday, we have several things going on. Yesterday was her actual birthday, but we started celebrating on Sunday. She had been wanting to try making macarons (an extremely temperamental item to bake) so she found a few recipes and we gave it a shot! (The one we drew from the most was from here.)
First thing on the recipe: Occupy the little man so we can get as much done as possible.Almond flour and sugar. Already a yum.Macarons are basically meringue cookies, so you start with meringue!
Combine it, and color it if you want…Try out your first Jamberry manicure while they bake!
Add some icing (or lemon curd, if you’re Lala and me) and make it a sandwich!Viola! Cute and delicious. A little underdone (we didn’t double the baking sheets. Oops.) but totally yummy!
Stay tuned to hear about our upcoming BEACH TRIP this weekend! First time I’m leaving the kiddos with Hubby, and I’m pumped!
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