Confession

I have a confession.

I am a Christmas junkie. Seriously, I love it more than I can adequately describe. I love everything about it: the childhood memories, the smells, the sounds, the lights, shopping for gifts, celebrating Christ's birth, the tree, the food, the gatherings, family, the hope for the new year...just everything.

But possibly one of the things I love most is the music. I am not ashamed to admit I listen to holiday tunes pretty much starting the day after Thanksgiving through the New Year. The confession part of this post comes when I tell you I sometimes start listening to that music a little early.
It happens every year. I get a little itch. Something in my bones just needs a little dose of my favorite Christmas album (Sarah McLaughlin).

So this week, in the privacy of my car to and from work, I indulged in my craving and have been listening. And it has been just wonderful. I only listen for a few days, and then I'm ready to wait again. And the funny thing is, I actually am appalled when I see decorations in stores already, see holiday lights up, hear music on the actual radio. I believe strongly that we should wait until after Thanksgiving to outwardly start the celebrating.

But secretly, in the privacy of my little Honda, I've been singing my heart out all week. And loving every second of it. Merry Merry!

Texas Part II: San Antonio Cougs!

For Part II of our Texas trip we headed back to San Antonio to cheer on our beloved Cougs when they played Notre Dame. Fortunately, the fun-ness level of the trip was not determined by the greatness of the game...not too pretty.

But hanging out with this crew is always a treat for me. Four of my favorite people ever. Together non-stop for 3 days. Just hanging out on the RiverWalk. Yahooooooo!


Even with the loss, we had a wonderful time cheering on the Crimson and Grey with fellow Cougs!

Texas Part I: A View from my Grandparents House

Last week, Nicholas, Zachary and I flew to Texas to visit my grandparents and relatives. While it was a looooong trip down there (flight delays, mechanical problems and a drive to the small town of Franklin made for a day of 19 hours of traveling!)...it was absolutely wonderful to get time with them!

There are certain things that always remind my of my grandparents house. The smell for one. It has a distinct smell of what is, in my mind, the South. And even though they have moved from Louisiana to Texas now to be closer to my aunt, the house still smells the same. In fact, we have a lovely china cabinet in our house that is from their Louisiana home that still has that distinct smell every time I open it. I love it.

Books. I honestly think my grandpa has read/owns every Louis Lamour western novel known to man. He says now he just re-reads them because he thinks he's covered all his bases. I think he's right.


Family heirlooms. My grandpa looooves family history and geneology. He is so knowledgeable about all our kin, and stories surrounding their lives. It is such fun to listen to him re-tell stories with such detail and accuracy. Many of his brothers and his father were decorated war veterans and grandpa has inherited much of the memorabilia.


Blue Bell IceCream. I am certain that if you are either from the South or have traveled to the South you will agree with me that Blue Bell IceCream is HANDS DOWN the BEST icecream on the earth. My grandparents fridge is always stocked with at least 3 different flavors. It is, unfortunately, probably a good thing we can't get it up here in the Northwest.


My sweet grandparents, me and brother.

Excuse the no makeup look. Doesn't everyone do that with family??

Wow.

Is it really November??!

I just looked at my last post in which I was amazed at how fast October was flying by, and now it has completely come and gone. Time is literally flying by.

I was successfully able to stretch out the birthday celebrating for almost an entire month...starting in Walla Walla with mom, dinner with my girls, dinner with Nicholas, dinner with in-laws, dinner with Auntie...clearly I like celebrating by eating delicious food.

And so far...30 has been awesome! I've even been okay entering in 3-0 as my age in the eliptical machine (for some reason for me, this is always when it seems the most real?). I am thankful for where I am today and I couldn't be happier about what the future holds.

Cheers to the next 30!

Flying by

Is it just me, or is October flying by? Admittedly, I've been a horrible blogger this month...but I can hardly believe that it's already been 20 days since I last posted. Oops. It certainly doesn't mean I haven't been reading all your wonderful posts, just haven't been contributing as much I suppose.

Life has been good...enjoying all the beautiful fall colors, cozy weekends, delicious dinner parties and hopefully some soon to come fall crafts! I've got my eye on a few projects I want to try out.

Some very exciting news is that I learned today that I got a spot in the upcoming online workshop with the amazing photographer Sheye Rosemeyer!! I am BEYOND excited! I've been on the wait list honestly for almost a year, and cannot wait to try and absorb as much knowledge as possible from her. I am obsessed with her style, her colorings, and just the way that she captures a simple moment. Her blog has often brought me to tears.

A little "happy early birthday to me"!

Plans this Sunday?

Run, don't walk to the Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers concert if you don't.

We will be performing Beethoven's 9th Symphony. This was his final complete symphony and is considered one of his great masterpieces. And the fact that he was deaf when he wrote this music!...it is a fact that is hard to even wrap my brain around. The 9th is one of the best known works in Western classical repertoire, so even if you aren't a huge classical music buff you'll be sure to recognize the "Ode to Joy" tune.

I promise, by the end of the concert you'll be jumping out of your seat with excitement.
( fast forward to the last minute if you don't believe me)
It really is that good.

Click here for ticket info.

And just like that...

Fall is upon us.

I have turned the heat on (only in the mornings and the evenings before bed...I really resisted as long as I could on this one), my Ugg slippers and boots have once again made their way into my wardrobe, my fall decorations are out, I had tomato and basil soup today, tea this evening...and I just want to hunker down at home.

And have I mentioned that I kind of love it?

These last few weeks have been pretty wild and exciting here, and I'm excited for the pace of life to hopefully slow down a bit. Even still though, it's hard to believe that it is almost October!

These last few weeks we've:
Enjoyed our 12th and final wedding of the year (yes you read that correctly, 12th!) Drew and Emily's wedding was a wonderful celebration with so many of our close friends. Such a lovely evening...even if I was an oldie hawn and made the limo take us home :)

Dined on brunch with Nick's family...

And cheered on the Seahawks with Dave and Amy...


So far, I think Fall is off to a pretty good start!

Best.Alarm.Ever.

Look what came this week!Our very own Peaceful Progression Alarm Clock! I am in love.

I have been wanting one of these babies for a long time, and as fall has settled in here in the Northwest with it's darker mornings beginning, I thought that I would finally make the purchase. While it's space-aged look does nothing for me aesthetically speaking, it's other wonders well make up for it's lack in decor appeal (and it gets hidden when not actually in use).

The alarm starts to go off about 30 minutes prior to when you want to wake up. As it goes off it plays the nature sound of your choice: ocean, running creek, crickets, white noise...and the light gradually fills your room. So when it reaches the time you need to really be out of bed, your room is illuminated similar (though of course not exactly) like it would be from the sun. PLUS...as it lights up aromatherapy beads are heated and fill your room with your desired sent.

Told ya. I'm in love.

Whidbey Island Wedding!

It's that time again! Yep...you guessed it, a weekend wedding recap! What else would we be doing on a Saturday?!

This weekend was the wonderful, gorgeous, and fabulously fun wedding of my cousin Katey and her new hubby Greg. They had the most perfect weather one could imagine for a September outdoor wedding...it was absolutely amazing!

It took place on the nearly 400 acres of land that belong to an aunt and uncle of Katy's on the west side of Whidbey Island. The views were absolutely stunning, as was the bride!





I am pretty much in love with my family, so hanging out with all of them in celebration was an evening of perfection!





Mom and Auntie having quite a fun time on the dance floor!


The sunset. I was rather obsessed with it.


Alek was about the cutest dancer I've ever seen! He had some serious moves. Here's he and Nick cuttin' a rug!

La Conner Wedding Weekend

The wedding celebration of Shane and Steph this Labor Day weekend was nothing short of gorgeousness! Every little detail was so thought out and perfectly executed, starting with our sweet welcome bags at the Bed and Breakfast that we stayed at!

The fresh, simple flowers were actually one of my favorite features. Steph used basil in the bouquets so everytime you were near one you could smell the sweet fragrance! So clever.


Having met through the navy, it was so neat to see some of the special traditions that were included in the celebration. I love that Lieutenant Shane wore his whites, that as they entered they walked through a sword brigade (not sure the real accurate title of this), and they cut their cake with a sword!


And even though the weather wasn't probably initially what they had in mind for their day, it held off just fine. The big top tent, space heaters, lights, candles...it all made for such a romantic evening. We kept saying we felt as if we were in a movie.



These shoes belong to some of the young girls in Steph's youth group class who helped in the ceremony. I just adore their colored converse look!



What fun friends...have I mentioned I love weddings??

Mums the word

Sunday morning before the downpour started, I was happy to get my fall mums planted in the front yard. I'd been really wanting some more color in the front for a while and these cutie little mums were just perfect.







It's amazing how happy these little guys can make me!

Playing Doctor

Looks like you can just call us Mr. and Mrs. Dr for the weekend.

Our poor little Max had some impromptu surgery today. On Wednesday this week, out of no where, we woke up and his entire eye and eye area were completely swollen. Initially they were treating it for a cold in his eye, but when Nicholas took him back in this morning...well, let's just say there was an explosion. I will spare you all the details because I know I certainly wouldn't want to read about them, but he had a very large abscess above his eye that burst while in the doctors office. THANK goodness it happened there. I am quite certain I would have fainted at the site of all the blood. I'm still having trouble looking at it. I've felt like I'm going to puke more than once.

So he's back home now, looking quite pitiful, but being loved more than ever.

C&C

No, not music factory...Court and Chris's WEDDING! Their wedding this weekend outside of Leavenworth in Plaine, WA was a celebration! Seriously, I think from the moment we stepped foot on the grounds we started the celebrating, and didn't stop until we left on Sunday.

Mt. Springs Lodge is such a gorgeous spot for a destination wedding that isn't too far of a destination. There was a boys lodge, a girls lodge, a main lodge...it was just like we were back in summer camp!






I loved the vintage look that C&C created for their special day...it was a perfect match with the feel of the place. The boys were adorable I thought in their suspenders and bow-ties, and it was so incredible that Court's wedding dress was worn by her grandma, her mom, her aunt...and now her!



Paul sabering some champagne. Unfortunately there is no pic from later that evening when I sabered my first bottle! I was quite pleased with myself...




Such a wonderful weekend, filled with lots of love, surrounded by some seriously WILD, CRAZY, FUN people.
Just what a wedding should be!

Reunited

After puppy sitting Jake last weekend, Max was a little sad to see him go earlier this week. Luckily, they were reunited last night as Auntie and Peter take on the role of puppy sitters! We are off to the lovely wedding of Court and Chris in Leavenworth.

Happy Wedding weekend! Enjoy!

Missing

Tonight for whatever reason, I am missing my sweet home town of Walla Walla.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the life and home that Nicholas and I have made for ourselves in the city, but my roots are from a small town. I grew up in that small town, went to college in another sweet small town...and at times a pang hits my heart, and I miss.

I'm already looking forward to a weekend there in October! (yes, with the craziness of our schedules we can't really get back there until October. eeks. One of these days hopefully things will slow down...)

There are so many pictures that we have from over the years on that tree in Pioneer Park. One of my favorites is a picture of all my cousins, lined up from oldest to youngest on that tree branch, with my grandparents and all my aunts and uncles from my dad's side.
So many people take pictures there now, that they've had to put that post up to hold the old oak tree's branch up.

I hope that tree holds up so that one day we can take pictures of our kids on it...

Love you Walla Walla, thank you for all the memories, see you soon.

*all images via Google Images