November Guys Behind the Blog

Hey Ya'll! Happy Thanksgiving. I'm sure everyone is super busy today but I wanted to take just a minute to post today's Guys Behind the Blog.
My husband & I have been having so much fun doing these Q&A sessions together.
We laugh and talk so much when we're doing these.
He's rallying to get more questions, y'all!

I'm going to make this quick today so without further ado here's our November Guys Behind the Blog Q&A session.


1.) What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? What is your least favorite?
A: That's a really tough one because I kinda like them all.
If I had to pick one favorite I guess i'd pick the dressing.
I don't really have a least favorite.

*That's because his parents, my parents and I are all really good cooks so compliments to the chef*.

2.) What is a Thanksgiving tradition you liked growing up that you want to continue with your family? For example: Do you eat super early around 3pm or regular dinner time around 6pm? Do you watch football? Do you all go to a particular family member's house? Do you nap after the big meal?

A:We put a pound of bacon on the turkey.
Me: You did that as a child?
A: Yeah! That's how I learned it. But it can't be just any bacon.
It has to be the criss crossed pattern like on a pie.

*Ya'll, he's in charge of our turkey now and he makes it perfectly.*
And the bacon, that's a tradition his mama started when he was young so now that we're in charge of Thanksgiving he continues that tradition and I can not tell you how good our turkey is.
That bacon really just puts it over the edge on the flavor scale!

3.) What are your thoughts on Black Friday shopping? Yay or nay?
A: Stay away.
{he worked retail for years so Black Friday is a scary thing for him. I really don't get the appeal of fighting a bunch of people for things that are on sale. They'll either be on sale when I buy them or they won't. I just don't feel like getting beat up over some silly gift.}

4.) If you had it your way, would you set up your holiday decorations (Christmas tree, Hanukkah menorah, etc.) before or after Thanksgiving?
A: You know that answer. There's not a holiday decoration that goes up until I have a turkey.
*But the day after Thanksgiving we do always get our Christmas tree from our local Farmer's Table.*
Shop local y'all!

5.) What are you most thankful for this year?
A: My family. What else would I be thankful for? What more does a man need?

Then he proceeds with "that's it? Y'all need more questions!" I'm not kidding about that.
He really does want more.
Later tonight, after you're all stuffed from turkey and all the fixins, I'd love y'all to ask your significant other these questions and put the answers in the comments.

What I've Learned As A Newlywed.

Oh you guys, today is supposed to be my Oh Hey, Friday! post but I just need to clear my heart and mind instead. I've always said that I won't share marriage advice on my blog, I thought it was pretty lame to talk about a subject i'm not experienced in, after all, I've only been married a year and two months but my aim is to always be true to myself and my readers so I decided to share every raw and real moment with you.

Guys Behind the Blog

Hi Peachies! I am so excited about today's post. It's one I wanted to do forever and I finally have the chance. Today i'm linking up with my sweet friend Crystal from Hall Around Texas for the Guy's Behind the Blog series. I had so much fun interviewing my sweet, handsome hubby for this and I think he had fun, too.

Just read what he asked me at the end and I think you'll see why.

So go grab a cup of cider, coffee or tea and snuggle in with us and read my hubby's Guys Behind the Blog interview.

Top 5 Pics

"Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever and you still only have a glimpse of what I feel for you." -Meet Joe Black

Today's Blogtember prompt with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is a fun one. It's Top 5 Pictures. Since this week is my First Anniversary I thought I'd share my top 5 favorite pictures from our wedding.

Top 5 Pictures

Nobody in the World (You & I)

Good morning loves. Ever have a happiness hangover? Thats where I'm at this morning after last night's amazing anniversary celebration with my husband. Funny thing is, we only had one glass of champagne. So it must be a happiness hangover and it calls for coffee in cute mugs + chocolate covered strawberries and staying snuggled up until full recovery.

With it being our first anniversary I knew exactly what to share for today's prompt for Blogtember when I read that it was to share a recent memory that made you laugh or cry.

The pictures is blurry but it feels right in that moment. The song we danced to was John Legend's Nobody in the World (You & I), it fit perfectly. Dancing around with you as your new wife felt like a dream. It still does and to be honest, I hope it always does. In that moment it felt like there was nobody else in the world. You still make it feel like there is nobody else in the world but you & I.

I know you find me beautiful whether i'm dressed up or wearing one of your tees and sweat pants and you are proud to tell everyone you are happily married. You make sure I know how loved I am and that makes me one blessed wife. You've made my dreams come true and I can't wait to dance through life with you.


You fix your make up, just so
Guess you don't know, that your beautiful
Try on every dress that you own
You were fine in my eyes, a half hour ago

If your mirror won't make it any clearer I'll
Be the one to let you know

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars, you make them shine like they were ours
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
Ain't nobody in the world but you

You stop the room when we walk in
Spotlights on everybody staring
Tell all of these boys, they wasting their time
Stop standing in line, cause you're all mine

And this evening I, won't let the feeling die
I never wanna leave your side

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars you make them shine like they were ours
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
Ain't nobody in the world

You keep wondering if you're what I'm wanting
You don't even have to try

You don't have to try
Don't try
Don't try
You don't have to try

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars, they don't shine brighter than you are
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
You and I
Nobody in the world tonight
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I

One Year

There are moments in life that take your breath away and stay etched on your heart forever. One year ago today is one of them. I remember taking one big breath as I headed, barefoot down the beach, to you. When my eyes met yours a calmness came over me and everything was right in the world. You still make me feel that way today. You are my calm. You are my safe place. You are my happy. You still make everything right in the world. The last year of our lives have been a rollercoaster of emotions. We've lost loved ones. We've dealt with things that we never would have imagined. And at times we've struggled but the bad times brought us closer together. They made us unshakable and gave us a stronger connection. We learned that marriage isn't always easy, even if you were friends for 13 years prior but I'm proud of the people we've become, the relationship we have now.

Someone close to me once told me that to really know someone and know how your relationship works you have to go through all the seasons with them. Not just Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring but the seasons of life and death. The seasons of struggle. I can tell you without doubt that we've been through all the seasons together and they have made us stronger and at times, they've even pushed us to chase our dreams.

When my brother asked me what the best part of being married is I had no hesitation when I said it's knowing that I have you beside me no matter what. It's knowing that I always have someone to celebrate life's happy moments with and to cry to through life's hard moments. It's the freedom to be my silly, weird self and knowing that you love me anyway.

So as we celebrate our first anniversary I want you to know that I've seen everything you've done for us. All four of us and I appreciate it every single day. We've made our house a home and filled it with so much love. We share that love with everyone around us. We got a puppy, which has been a learning experience in itself, we've bought land and are building our dream home. We've created so many memories that will last us a lifetime and we've celebrated new marriages and babies in our family. I love that it's not your family or mine, it's our family.

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest, little did I know just how right they were but we've survived all the seasons together and I can say without any doubt that we can survive anything.

I could ramble on but I want to share some of the many reasons I love you.

I love you because...

♡ You know the perfect way to make my coffee. I don't know how you do it but it's like magic. It's always Heaven in a cup. Honestly my week day coffee isn't the same because you aren't here to make it.

♡ You dance with me in the kitchen, even though I laugh at you and tell you how crazy you are. Secretly I enjoy it. Love it actually.

♡ When I'm upset you sing Bob Marley's Three Little Birds to me and I smile. I smile from the inside out.

♡ When we order Chinese food you know how I like my sweet and sour chicken/pork (not too much sauce) and you make my plate perfect.

♡ You make even the most mundane chores, like grocery shopping, fun.

♡ When i'm singing the cheesiest 90s songs you join right in. You don't even mind that I sing horribly off key.

♡ You find it hilarious that I talk to you in my sleep and you always call me from work to tell me what I said to you that morning.

♡ You find my blonde moments charming. Like the time the printer told me to put the paper I was scanning face down on the glass. I wondered how it knew we had a glass table.

♡ You are honest with me about my cooking. We can both laugh at the pledge soup I made. We've discovered that cooking with citrus is not my thing.

♡ You understand my love animals and even allowed us to get Willow pup. Turns out she loves her daddy more. I don't blame her though.

♡ You always tell me how beautiful I am even when i'm wearing one of your tees and sweatpants.

♡ You cover my eyes when something scary comes on t.v.

♡ You understand that Peanut butter & raspberry chocolate bars are my jam and surprise me sometimes by bringing me home 3-4.

♡ When I get in my crazy cleaning moods you just sit down and let me do my thing.

♡ You have adopted Dylan as your own son. The way you are with him always gives me butterflies.

I fall in love with you more every single day. I love waking up to your good bye kisses in the morning and coming home to your love each day.
I love knowing that even if you forget your wedding band at home you're still going to tell everyone proudly that you are happily married.
I love knowing that you have pictures of our human child and fur child displayed on your desk at work. I love family game nights and our un-controllable fits of laughter. I love every thing we are together and this life we are building together.

You complete us. You made us a whole family and that's more than enough for me.


"You be the anchor that keeps my feet on the ground, i'll be the wings that keeps your head in the clouds"

Week 20:Meet My {Tribe}

When it comes to life I've got the best tribe ever. I have wonderful parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends ever. I'm not just saying that y'all. They all traveled from different states to attend our wedding last September in Florida. Every single person came from another state to watch us become a family of three and celebrate with us. If that's not love then I don't know what is.

My family put on the reception all by themselves. Food and decorations beyond my biggest dreams. My in-laws gave us our dream rehearsal dinner at our favorite restaurant in Panama City. My Sister in Law and Aunt were my bridesmaids, My cousin was my flower girl. My hubby's best friend and our son were the groomsmen. My sweet friend Crystal did my hair and make up. It was truly the best day of my life. The memories we made, not just at the wedding but through out life, are some of the best memories I have. I carry them so near to my heart.

They say your vibe attracts your tribe but i'm not sure what vibe i'm putting out because my tribe of people are so much more than I deserve. I'd give anything in the world to be back at the beach, surrounded by every single one of you (and the ones who couldn't make it, too). This time we'd be celebrating all of you and your love for me and my family.

Come on and join in this super fun link up with one of my blogger besties, Sarah from Sarah Emily Blogs and Ashley from Girl Talk.


This link up is such a fun way to start the week off.

"

10 Things {I Love About My Husband Being Off Work}

Hi Peachies! Y'all may have noticed my absence from my blog sweet blog lately. And Snapchat. And Instagram. I would apologize except I'm kinda not sorry because my husband was off work Friday & Monday so we spent an extra long weekend together and I enjoyed every minute of it. He hasn't done that since our wedding and honeymoon last September/October.

So in honor of his time off today's 10 is all about why I love my husband being off work.

But First! Here's the info on this fun link up with Karli Bell from September Farms.
Here's how it works:

1 | draft your 10 on Tuesday list. it can be a list about anything. you can explain your list. or you don't have to. it could be your grocery list. your cleaning list. or a list about your top 10 pet peeves. but a list, nonetheless. k? k.

2 | grab the super snazzy button below and insert the HTML code into the HTML section of your blog. this will automatically make that pretty picture a hyperlink so that everyone knows where you're linking up at!

3 | link up below!



10 Things {I Love About My Husband Being Off Work}

1. Sleep.
Oh how I sleep so much better with my husband snuggled up next to me.
Since he's up around 4 every morning, it's nice to enjoy those extra hours snuggled up together.

2. Coffee.
I've bragged about how much better coffee is when he makes it but usually I only get to enjoy it on the weekends.
This week I was spoiled with coffee made by him 4 days in a row! That was the best.

3. Driving.
As in, I didn't have to for four whole days!
Well, except when I went to the mall on my own yesterday.
Yes, as a matter of fact, I am spoiled.

4. Dates.
Day time dates to be exact.
I'm not one to turn down a date with my hubby at all but daytime dates are so much fun.
Maybe because they're a rare treat but we enjoyed lunch at our local Farmer's Table/Market Friday.
They've just expanded and added a cafe that serves the most amazing sandwiches ever.
We ate, talked and dreamed about what's to come in our lives and picked up some fresh, local produce, too!

5. Willow.
She enjoyed her daddy time so much! She napped with him & sat outside with him while he grilled out for us.
Basically anywhere he went, so did she and while I love her so much it was nice to have a little help in the daytime with her.

6. Dreaming.
We spent a lot of time sitting around together daydreaming about our future.
It's been a while since we've done that so it was really nice.

7. Cooking Out.
Sunday my love spent the day smoking ribs for us for dinner.
He made them Carolina style and they were mouth watering good.
Yesterday we spent the evening at my parent's house cooking out burgers and hotdogs.
Something we rarely get to do with them during the week because of work.

8. No Phone Calls.
I love my husband and am so thankful that he's a hard worker and has a pretty incredible job
but it was nice that he didn't have to answer phone calls about work for those 4 days.
We were able to really relax and enjoy time together.

9. Outside.
The weather was incredible-sunny & in the 80's so we spent a lot of time outside.
We laid in the hammock with Willow running around us, we sat on the back porch,
And we explored the woods and did a lot of walking. It was just an incredible weekend.

10. Food.
Umm, yeah, so if my Beachbody Coach is reading this part-I'm sorry.
We ate so much good food. We ate fancy sandwiches, Waffle House, ribs, burgers, & Chick fil A.
It was good but I'm needing veggies in my life now.

It was an amazing long weekend for us. I feel so refreshed, relaxed and reconnected. Even though we didn't go anywhere, it felt like a mini vacation. I didn't care about keeping the house spotless or even meal planning and grocery shopping. I just enjoyed time with my love, our kiddo and our puppy. We even spent quality time with both sets of parents and I couldn't be happier. Sometimes we just need time to "be" with the ones we love.

I encourage all of you to take time away. Step away from the chores and social media and just "be" with your loved ones.
You'll be thankful that you did.

Happy Tuesday.








"

Aloha from Hawaii.

Aloha Peachies! Today's post is a super fun one because i'm sharing pictures from our Hawaiian Honeymoon. It was seriously the best trip i've ever been on in my entire life.

My hubby & I went to Kauai, Hawaii in October on our honeymoon. Everything was gorgeous and clean and so relaxed. It is definitely paradise and we definitely plan on going back with our son in a couple years. It was amazing to be able to sit back and relax for an entire week. We drank coffee on the beach, mixed drinks at the pool and ate more delicious food than we can remember. We went to state parks and waterfalls and farmers markets but mostly we enjoyed being newly weds. Oh, and I got chased by chickens (more on that later).

Saturday will be our six month wedding anniversary and i'm glad that I didn't overload y'all with wedding and honeymoon pictures after the wedding and honeymoon. It's definitely ben special to share these moments with y'all as we go along. I love looking back at this special time, in fact, I do it every day but now I can't wait to share it with you.

After our wedding in Florida, we drove home to Georgia the next day then off to the airport at 5 a.m. the next morning to catch our flight to Honolulu. Honestly, traveling was such a whirlwind because we were so tired. After what felt like days of traveling we landed in Kauai and a shuttle bus took us from the airport to the resort where we checked in and crashed for 15 hours. No kidding! Jet lag after a wedding is serious business! When we finally woke up we enjoyed every minute of our honeymoon.

The only picture we took on that first night there was the view from the balcony as the sun was going down.

We began each morning in the terrace eating the most delicious breakfast & drinking the best coffee i've ever had in my entire life.

There is a coffee plantation on the island of Kauai so the coffee really is the best and the croissants...Heavenly!

My breakfast view was pretty incredible.

A couple mornings we walked down to the (private) beach with coffee in hand. It was so quiet and serene.
It was definitely the best way to start a morning.

After breakfast we'd either go to the pool and the beach or get in our rental car and drive to one of the small towns and explore.
When we rented our car the lady told us we could literally drive until the road ends in either direction. And we did.
The first day we took a right out of the hotel and drove until we found things we wanted to see.

First was Hawaii's (much smaller) version of the Grand Canyon.
My pictures so it no justice though. It was an incredible sight.

Then we found the Jurassic Waterfall.

It was incredibly gorgeous and breath taking. We stood and marveled at the beauty of this wonder for quiet a while.

Then we drove and enjoyed the scenery, which is amazing. You can drive and see ocean, mountains, and crops all at the same time.

Next up we found a little town called Wailhela that we loved. It was tiny and nicknamed "The Walking Town" because you literally could walk anywhere in that town. The school is on the corner of the street that is lined with shops and small restaurants.

This is the first place we ate lunch at.

It was so amazing. Tiny little family business and the food was so yummy.
While we were eating the owner's kid came down from school, changed into a soccer uniform and headed back up the road for practice.
It was that small of a town.
It's the kind of place I imagine raising a family.

We spent hours in this small town shopping, walking, and eating. The locals there are so nice and friendly. Everyone is welcoming and kind and it's pretty much guaranteed that if you strike up a conversation with them you'll feel like you've known them forever.

On the way home we spent more time marveling at the beauty of this island. I really can't put into words the feelings that Hawaii gave me. It's the cleanest, friendliest, happiest place on Earth. Even on the rainy days it was Heaven and the air, oh it smells so wonderful because of all the Plumeria Flowers that are blooming.

Did you know Plumeria Flowers bloom in trees?

Before I go i'll say this. Roosters don't like it if you try to take pictures of their babies.
Getting out of our car in the parking lot of the hotel I saw the cutest baby chicks. I really wanted to catch one and hold it but figured that was a bad idea. I saw no harm in taking a picture of them though. Daddy rooster had other thoughts though because as i'm taking the picture I hear my husband say "honey, get back in the car." I always have to know why so I asked. He said "because this rooster is about to attack you." I got back in the car and laughed hysterically at my husband trying to get the rooster to leave so I could get out of the car.

Lesson learned. Roosters don't like paparazzi. And since there are roosters, chickens, and chicks all over the island it was hard not to snap pics of them. It became a joke between my husband and I because they would surround us everywhere we went. I screamed like the girl I am and ran from more poultry that trip than I ever have. I have a healthy respect for them and their babies now though.

Doesn't he look angry?
You live in Hawaii, cheer up Buttercup.
(They're not big on taking advice either)


"

10 Things {That Make My Heart Whole}

Hi Peachies! It's one of my favorite post days because today is the link up with the adorable, bubbly, and sweet Karli Bell from September Farms has come up with another brilliant link up called 10 on Tuesday.

Here's how it works:

1 | draft your 10 on tuesday list. it can be a list about anything. you can explain your list. or you don't have to. it could be your grocery list. your cleaning list. or a list about your top 10 pet peeves. but a list, nonetheless. k? k.

2 | grab the super snazzy button below and insert the HTML code into the HTML section of your blog. this will automatically make that pretty picture a hyperlink so that everyone knows where you're linking up at!

3 | link up below!



10 Things That Make My Heart Whole

1. Being a mama to a wonderful teenager. He makes being a mama easy.
He fills me with joy and i'm constantly amazed at how he looks at the world.
I'm proud of him for finding his own voice and not being afraid to use it.

2. My husband.
It's cliche to say I married my best friend but I truly did.
We were best friends for 13 years before we dated.
It made for the best foundation for our marriage.
There's no one else I'd rather do life with.

3. Prayers.
I start every morning off with prayer.
It's the first thing I do before I fully open my eyes.
Before I grab my phone and check Facebook, Snap Chat, & Insta.

4. Kitty Snuggles & Puppy Kisses.
There's no more un-conditional love.
They bring an instant smile to my face.

5. Flowers.
I love having fresh flowers in vases.
I also love seeing all the flowers blooming in my yard and all around this season.

6. Sunshine.
The rainy cold weather really makes me feel blah.
Sunshine makes my soul happy.

7. Festivals and Craft Fairs.
Being outdoors, shopping, and having tons of fun.
Is there anything better?
Not to mention all the oh-so-yummy oh-so-bad-for-you food.

8. Family.
I love spending time with the ones who cheer me on through life.
The ones who hold me when i'm sad. I love that more than anything.

9. Blogging.
More specifically the community i've found through blogging.
I love typing out what matters to me and sharing things I love
but I especially love the bloggging tribe.
These ladies are fabulous. It's like having your own cheering section in the game of life.
It amazes me that ladies i've never met can feel like friends you've known forever.

10. Conversations.
Those good, deep conversations you have with people you love.
Not just gossiping about what so and so is up to on Facebook.
Conversations that make you feel refreshed and happy when you walk away.
Conversations that can change your life and make you excited for what's to come.
And conversations that make you feel like a weight has been lifted when it's over.

So those are 10 things that make my heart whole. There are definitely a ton of others but these are the first few that came to mind.

"

It's A Love Story, Baby Just Say Yes Pt. 4

Hi Peachies! So it's almost been six months since I said I Do to my best friend for life. I look at my wedding pics daily and reminisce about that special day. It was the most magical day of my life. I tell my husband all the time that I would marry him everyday of my life and I would.
Honestly, I still haven't had my wedding dress preserved in hopes that I can marry him everyday. I'm kidding. Kind of.

We had dinner with my brother and sister in law last weekend and my brother asked my hubby how he was liking married life.
Without any hesitation my hubby said "I'm loving it."
And I realized then that the last 5 months have been the best, not only of my life but of his, too. We've had a lot going on but there's not another soul on this Earth could get me through all those times.
There's no one else I'd rather do life with.

Then my brother asked me if married life felt different. I've been thinking a lot about this a lot.
My response was "it's nice to have the feeling of never being alone. I know he's never going anywhere." I've truly found my other half and there is comfort in that. We balance each other and bring out the best in each other.
We find happiness in the most mundane things like grocery shopping.

I could go on and on about us but let's get back to the wedding.

I left y'all hanging in November with this post and promised to be back next week with Part 4. It's only been 16+ weeks since I made that promise but i'm here to fulfill it today.
{Please forgive me-I just like to drag things out.}

After the ceremony we took so many gorgeous family photos.
It's not hard when you have a gorgeous family and setting.

Our Beautiful Families.
{You see where we get our obviously good looks.}

Our beautiful and handsome wedding party.

The stunning Bride and Groom.

Hello Hottie.

My sweet little family.

I have no idea where my hubby & I were when this picture was taken but it's one of my most favorite wedding pics ever!
When I need a laugh I look at this one.

Let's play a little wedding picture fun....caption this picture....and GO!!!

Stay tuned for more wedding party fun. You know what's next...

"