Weekend Shenanigans

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend, are well rested and ready for yet another week :) This weekend I really tried to practice "simplifying" my life and doing what matters most, which for me is spending quality time with those I love, making sure I set aside quite time with God daily and keeping my priorities in order.

Overtime, I have started to realize that I don't always have to be on-the-go. I used to hate not being busy or having my plans laid out for the whole day but have recently learned and have really enjoyed living in the moment, appreciating the quiet afternoons and going with the flow of things. And that's pretty much how my weekend was. To say I loved it would be an understatement!

Friday was a pretty low key night. Will and I got dinner with some friends at a restaurant in Uptown (which was pretty last minute...so you can see I am trying to get better at doing spontaneous things!) and then went back home for an early to bed type of night...however, we did fit in an episode or two of Game of Thrones because we are slightly addicted to it!

Saturday was another pretty low-key day. We woke up, got breakfast at Panera Break and then Will had to go into work for a few hours so I went back home, took a nap, did some laundry and had my quite time with God. Later on in the day, Will and I headed to Statesville to celebrate our friends Ally and Chandler at their wedding shower! It was so nice getting to see friends from college (Will got to catch up with some of the guys from the soccer team he played on at NC State) and I was very happy that Will and I were able to be a part of such an awesome night. And the wedding shower games that they played were hilarious and made the night so much fun.

Sunday morning, Will and I woke up bright and early and got a quick breakfast before Will had to leave for the airport and head to Houston for work. I decided that since he was gone, I should put my priorities in order and really use my time wisely, which can sometimes be hard to do when all you want to do is stay at home in your pajamas! I ran a few errands, went grocery shopping and even got to watch the Panthers game! Towards the end of the day, I did another load of laundry, cleaned around the condo and then did some blogging and watched the Golden Globes.

All in all, it was an ideal weekend and one that I am thankful that I got to have. Be sure to check back tomorrow for my round two post on The Liebster Award!

5 on Friday

It's FINALLLLLY Friday sweetums! I don't know why, but this week felt like it was dragging on and on and on. Maybe it was the off and on cold and rainy weather. Maybe it was the fact that Will was traveling for work and I had the condo to myself. Or maybe it's because I had an insane week of Doctor appointments and a to-do list that felt never-ending. Around Wednesday, I started to really question if the week was ever going to end! Thankfully, it did :) And 5:00 pm couldn't come quick enough! To jump start the weekend, let's dive into my 5 on Friday! I hope you that each of you has a fab weekend and can't wait to chat again come Monday morning! 

ONE

All you bloggers in the Charlotte and surrounding area make sure you mark your calendar for the first Charlotte Social Meet-Up of 2014 which is going to take place on the 30th from 6:30-8:00 pm! Pamela from Yes it is, Kevin will be hosting this month's event at Luciano's Ristorante on South Boulevard. Appetizers will also be provided, so come ready to eat and socialize with all the other bloggers! 

TWO

Last night, Alyssa, Caitlin and I had a girls wine night at The Wine Loft. If you are a wine fanatic, then this place is for you! With a menu that offers over 40 wines by the glass and over 100 by the bottle, you can't help but sit back, relax and unwind in this upscale atmosphere. Think of a wine bar that is filled with leather cozy couches, dimmed lights, candles lit at every table and jazz-like music playing in the background.That's exactly what The Wine Loft entails. And did I mention the dessert? Caitlin and I split the Raspberry Creme Brulee Cheesecake that was so delicious! I highly recommend this place for a girls night or even a date if your significant other is up for it!    

THREE

The Liebster Award! Y'all this is probably one of my favorite awards floating around the blog community. Back in October of last year, I was nominated for the award by my sweet blog friend Becky and I wrote a blog post about it here. Just recently, I was nominated AGAIN by two of my favorite fashion bloggers Mary-Katherine and Emily and couldn't have been more excited and giddy!! Check back next Tuesday for a combined post answering the questions that MK and Emily had for me. And seriously, how gorgeous are these girls?  

FOUR

The Bachelor and The Carrie Diaries are just two shows that I have been watching lately. I haven't had much time to watch TV, but these two shows I don't want to miss, especially since they both are on their new seasons! As for movies, I really want to go see Saving Mr Banks and About Time. What TV shows and movies are you excited to watch/see? Any recommendations for things I should check out? 

FIVE

One of my resolutions was to start a bible reading plan that I would do the whole year of 2014. I told myself that starting January I would read the bible in it's entirety starting with Genesis and working my way through Revelations. I have never done this before, and know it will be a challenge and will require me reading the Bible almost every night. But I found this reading plan that I think will be a great resource for me to use and can't wait to update you all on my progress through the year! 

And just a random throw in are these two pictures I remember taking!   

The Hard Truth

Happy Hump Day, y'all! I'm so sorry I've been a bad blogger these past few days, but there's a reason for why I haven't been around. Recently, I went to the Doctor (for my neck) and got confirmation on results that came back from an MRI that I had done in 2012, and because of the confirmation, I have been pretty bummed/frustrated/stressed by what I was told. The facts. The 100% diagnosis. I've been waiting YEARS for some Doctor to tell me what was wrong. You'd think I'd be more relieved to know now what I have so that I can be treated correctly. But you know what? I'd be lying if I didn't say that sometimes finding out the truth is HARDER then playing the guessing game.

But I am thankful. And I know that God is in control. I pray and would love if you would pray that I stay encouraged throughout all of this, especially in the next few weeks before I go back from my checkup. I guess I can say that in the past (and currently) I've had a hard time with "waiting". Waiting to get better. Waiting to find out what the next steps are. I need to continue to remind myself that it could be WORSE. I don't need surgery now (PRAISE). Medicine and more physical therapy might help. And later down the road, when I have come to terms with this issue and feel more comfortable, I will share my story of what I've learned I have (it's not life threatening so please don't worry).

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Sure, some might think I am over sharing, but this issue has interfered with my daily life and I've hardly ever shared what I've been going through except to my family and closest friends. And typing my thoughts out has surprisingly been a huge help, so why not do what makes me feel good, especially if it's on my own blog? Whew! Sorry friends, that was a lot of information...ha :)

So what does one do when they need a "pick-me-up" or reminder of how good God is even through the hardest times? Well for me, I turn to my best friends, LifeGroup gals, the boyfriend and family. Let me just show you two ways of how awesome God's timing is when it come's to giving you what you need.

1. Is it a coincidence that my LifeGroup leader Holly sent out an article to our group titled 'Waiting on God is Hard, and That's OK'? I don't think so. I read it at just the right time...when myheart was heavy and I was frustrated with WAITING. I really liked how Aaron Coalson said "the longer we wait the more the wait itself becomes a type of suffering that can hammer away at our sanity without the right perspective". This is a MUST read, and you can find the article here.

2. Another friend of mine posted on her Facebook page a link that took me to a site that has 16 FREE eBooks from Beth Moore! Talk about an awesome surprise! I immediately downloaded a handful of them onto my iPhone and iPad and have already started reading 'A Heart Like His'. If you are a Beth Moore fan, or interested in some free eBooks, you have until this Friday to download them. here is the link...enjoy!   

 

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I hope each and every one of you knows how appreciative I am of you and how thankful I am for having such dedicated blog followers/readers <3 Until next time!

5 on Friday

Happy first Friday of 2014 cuties! I have been trying very hard this week to make sure that I am acknowledging the resolutions that I've made, and so far I think I am off to a great start :) I don't know about you, but I am determined to make this year a wonderful one, despite all of the unknown challenges that I will be faced with. But with God, family and positive friends, I know I can conquer anything and so can you!

For those who may be new to reading my blog, you will see that I regularly participate in link-ups, especially on Fridays when I take part in a handful of them. One of the first ones I ever participated in was 5 on Friday which is hosted by April, Darci, Christina, and Natasha.

I LOVE taking part in link-ups because it's a great way to find cute blogs, make new friends and it's really quite simple to do! For 5 on Friday, all you have to do is write a post about five things on your mind (or anything really), post the logo in your blog post, enter the link-up and viola! So what better way to show you what I mean then by doing one of my own?!

ONE
The day had finally came last Sunday when Alyssa made the move to Charlotte! I couldn't have been more excited to help her unpack, get settled in and go shopping at Target for household items. Towards the end of the night, Caitlin came over to check A's place out and it was so much fun having all three of us together again, celebrating the new journeys that we have to look forward to this year together ;)

 

TWO
Monday was another fun day because Alyssa and I got to meet the adorable Kate from A Lonestar State of Southern for lunch! Kate lives all the way in Texas and was in town for a few days so it was only necessary that we all got together. And let me tell you one thing. For those who think blogger meetups are weird or scary...you are 90% wrong in my opinion! Once you get past the thought of "this is going to be so awkward", they end up being so much fun! I wouldn't trade any of the blogger lunch dates I've ever had because they have all (so far) ended in long lasting and some of my most valued friendships! And if you aren't already following the lovely Kate, you should defiantly go and do it now; she's the best.

THREE
Ringing in the New Year is something I always look forward to doing, but for the past two years or so, I think I've had a better time experiencing New Years day and this year was nothing short of perfect. To kickoff our day, Will and I woke up at a decent hour, got Miller fed and ready for the day and headed out for a walk to Starbucks for a light breakfast and quick coffee. After our morning stroll, we headed back home where we prayed and had devotional time together. An hour or so passed by when we decided to go see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie, which I highly recommend going to see if you are a Ben Stiller fan. Our day didn't stop there though! After the movie, we made a trip to Ikea and then headed home were we ended our night with Chinese food and a few episodes of Game of Thrown's. It was a busy day, but that's how we wanted it to be. We want to spend 2014 doing spontaneous and unplanned things. We want to live and enjoy every moment we have together...not taking anything for granted.

FOUR
Cuddle and quality time with Will and Miller. Quite time praying and reading the Bible. They are the best. Plain and simple.

FIVE 
Last, and perhaps the most exciting thing I have to share is the reveal of our Holiday card that I designed using TinyPrints! In a previous post, which can be found here, I talked about how Will and I never did a moving announcement when we moved to CLT and being that the holidays were among us, I thought it would be a fantastic idea to come up with a card that was versatile enough to be used for both occasions! When I saw the package at my front door, I was excited to run inside and find these amazing little wonders neatly tucked away in that blue and white box! TinyPrints has blown me away once again with their quality, quick turnaround time, endless amounts of options and of course their customer service. I hope you all like the option that we choose and I can't wait to get these babies out in the mail ASAP! 

Happy New Year!

Happy 2014, everyone! Can you believe another year has come and gone? I can't...but even though 2013 left us in a hurry, I am so looking forward to embracing all that 2014 has to offer! Ever since Will and I started dating, we've had a tradition of spending NYE in a different city. So far we have celebrated in Raleigh, DC and Asheville. Because we just made the move to the Queen City however, we thought it was a good idea to stay put and welcome the New Year at Ed's Tavern in Charlotte. We met up with friends, ate a delicious dinner, had celebratory drinks, played games (checkers, pool, jinga and basketball to name a few) and counted down the last minute of the year surrounded by amazing people. What more could I ask for? I sure do hope your evening was just as eventful, maybe even relaxing, and if anything, memorable and something you enjoyed!

Before I share some photos of Will and I's evening, I wanted to say that I am very thankful for each and every one of you, and I can't wait to continue getting to know so many of you this year!! Blogging has taught me a lot about myself, has helped me step outside of my comfort zone and has been a place that I can go to "get away". You all have given me words of encouragement when needed the most, have shown an abundance of love and a genuine interest in my life and all that I share. But the most important thing I think blogging has given me over the last seven months are the new friendships. I have met some of my bestest friends through blogging and wouldn't have it any other way. And because of that, I thank you.

So cheers to 2014, y'all! Let's make the next 364 days great! :)