With the Christmas and New Years constantly staying busy it’s hard to squeeze in a little girl time and honestly, Girl Time is important! So, we’ve started to make a tradition where we exchange gifts & have dinner and drinks after December has already passed us by. Honestly, I think it’s brilliant. Save a little Christmas fun for mid January, heck yea, why not?!?

It’s also fun to find that a lot of my Christmas gifts this year were very “I’m going to be a wife really soon” kind of gifts. I gladly packed up my adorable apron from Katie along with my cute spice jar and ornament from Jocie until I’m a married woman. My little stash of stuff is really growing and I’m so excited to save it! It makes me do a little happy dance when I think about unpacking all the fun things I’ve collected over the last several months later on this year. It’s surreal for sure but also so very, very wonderful!!!

**Thanks to Jocie and her self timing camera for the picture of the three of us above. Thank God for technology! and for wonderful friends!! :)

Arm full of happiness

Over the weekend I did a lot of this....

Just looking at this picture makes my heart so stinkin happy and I sure do miss that baby a lot. I wish they lived in Greenville so badly. Last week was one of those weeks that just happen and you lay in bed on Sunday night and you aren’t sure how it went by so quickly? You find yourself dreading the Monday morning ahead more than normal because it’s the first full week of work in almost a month. Then you drag yourself out of bed so you can go to the early Hot Yoga class only to find that your mat that’s always left in your safely marked cubby is gone. Not just any mat… your favorite mat. The mat that cost you $80. So then you get stuck with a borrowed mat that needs a towel on top so you won’t slide but you still slide because it’s not your mat that never lets you slide which only makes you mad at yourself for leaving your favorite mat at the yoga studio in the first place. So there you are… lying on a borrowed mat with stinging hands that feel something like rug burn thanks to that stupid towel and you feel pretty dumb for putting your trust in a small wooden box that’s supposed to keep your yoga mat safe and sound. But really… who cares about stolen mats and burning hands when you look at that adorable picture of the cutest nephew in the whole world…? Am I right? I think I am.

So I am going to try my best to have a forgiving heart. Instead of being mad about a silly earthly item I want to be thankful for all that the Lord has given me. Thankful for the chance to wake up every morning and live a life for Him. I regret spending most of Monday morning in that hot room irritated and huffing when my hands or feet would slide. I wish I could take back the thoughts of anger and replace them with thoughts of forgiveness and love but I am thankful to serve a God that loves. A God that I can turn to and repent.

Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you

Acts 3:19 (MSG)

Glad to link up with the lovely Becky at Apples of Gold today!

One of my new favorite reads!!!

NJ Littles.

During the eight days I spent in New Jersey there were a lot of little moments that made me smile. Made me stop and really appreciate the future family that the Lord has given me. Not only am I thankful for all of them but I am thankful that I can be ME when I am with them. Not Cassie that everyone sees on the outside but the true Cassie. The silly, hyper, oversleeping, random, clumsy, blurting Cassie. 

while celebrating on New Years Eve one of the little cousins followed me around and would sneak her little hand in mine while I was talking to someone else // the game of Apples to Apples on Eliya Family Game Night and my comment about Prince Charming.... I guess my filter has permanently been set to OFF with this family // staying up later than Peter and talking to a cousin and a sister... A little girl time is always nice // on the way home from picking up Pizza for the "saying goodbye party" Peter used one of his strange voices which caused a large amount of laughter from both of us, he's special... and I love him // watching the snow fall outside while I helped my future mother-in-law and sister cook in the kitchen

I know I may sound like a broken record but I love this family... 

I also know it won't be the last time I say it. 

Hello, 2013!

After a few days with a sick fiancé it was pretty exciting to get dressed up and have a memorable New Years Eve! I was thankful that he was feeling better so we could enjoy the night & I could also enjoy a New Years kiss! Let me tell ya, after 4 days of no kisses it was a real treat. Peter’s sister and brother in law hosted the party thanks to the snow delaying a house warming party a couple nights before. It was everything a New Years party should have been - fun, loud, party hats, noise makers, lots of food and one particular auntie banging a stainless steel spoon and pot together… you know, the normal for an Eliya New Years Eve.

I'm secretly hoping that next year we will have a big New Years party at our first home... seriously crossing my fingers because that would be so much fun! I'll be working on that pinterest board now just in case.

2012 in a Bubble!

2012 has been a whirlwind of awesome. I didn't realize how crazy this year was until I took a little journey through the months on my blog. Here are some of my favorite memories from the past year that have made me even more thankful than I could have imagined! 

1 // celebrated the beginning of 2012 with Jocie and Katie -We had no idea how special this night was at the time but now I am even more thankful since we were separated this year

2 // shared 11 Things about me and continued to grow closer to God

3 // i shared "A letter from God" and didn't realize how crucial these words were for my heart at that time

4 // a certain someone made his way back in my heart and I went to a wonderful bible study at church

5 // a trip to NY, a lake day with dear friends & simple dates with Peter made the month of May perfect 

6 // enjoyed the beautiful weather with lunch and a hike in the mountains then dinner downtown which is one of my most favorite days in the past year

7 // the fab 6 had a girls night and said goodbye to Anne

8 // exciting trip to St. Maartin with my favorite guy and some of his family

then a trip to NJ/NY for Peter's sisters wedding

9 // bachelorette weekend in Asheville for Jocie

10 // my friend girl got married....

and I got engaged... October was a GOOD month for love

11 // I got to meet the sweetest baby boy 

12 // celebrated Christmas with my ladies and my man 

I kind of think that 2012 was the best year yet but with all the plans ahead {mainly wedding plans ;)} I have a feeling 2013 will offer some stiff competition for the "best year yet" title but I'm okay with that! Bring it on.... I'm ready!!!