Pretty pink tulips left over from Madison's shower...

I love having my favorite flower around the house!!

First of all, let's talk about how tomorrow is the first day of April. How did that happen? I mean, seriously.... I feel like yesterday was New Years Eve but somehow we have zipped on through the first three months of the year. I'm hoping that the dreaded cold weather is behind us and that time slows down a bit but I know one of those two things is not going to happen. The weather forecast for this week is in the 60's and 70's so you figure that one out. April, here we go. 

I decided to switch things up a little bit since I wasn't crazy about the way my goal listing was going. Instead of listing my goals and checking them off on a photo, I like the idea of writing them out so I can explain them a little bit. I always want this space to evolve and change, so this is just one of the things I want to change with my new design! Speaking of new design.... here's how I did with my goals for the month of March.

MARCH GOALS

1// update this space with a new blog design

I'm happy to say that the new design is beautiful but it is also a little delayed which is why it has not been shared yet. I'd rather be patient and see the final product in all its glory instead of rushing it along.
Patience is a virtue and I know it will be worth it because the designer is amazing!

2// hang the curtains in the living room

I've come to realize that these curtains are trying to kill me. I may have bitten off more than I can chew but I am going to be persistent and try my best to complete them by the end of April so that means this little goal will carry on to next month.

3// start my chronological Bible Study

I'm really enjoying the chronological study and I like that I don't have a strict one year deadline also. It is so interesting to read the bible in order. I'm excited about piecing together all the stories and learning more about His word.

4// celebrate our six month anniversary

I will be sharing a little bit about our half year celebration soon.
Half a year, it still amazes me!

5// learn how to crochet

well, I really tried. Still working on this and trying to make time in our busy schedules so I can sit down and practice the art of crocheting. Going to work on this more on the drive to Charleston this weekend!

It seems that my goal completions have been terrible this month but I'm glad that the two most important goals (one with my Father and the other with my husband) were completed well. That is the most important area of my life for sure. This blog, our living room decorations & my wanna-be hobbies are just the added fun in this life.

APRIL GOALS

1// update this space with a new blog design
2// finally hang the curtains in the living room

3// continue the Total Truth Thursdays link up every week

4// host an Easter lunch at our house

5// move the chicks out to the back yard

6// workout at least three days a week

7// plant flowers in our front yard
8// start taking vitamins daily

What are your goals for April OR

what are you most excited about in the new month?

Friday Five

This week has been one of those weeks where I find myself smiling constantly. Things are just really good right now and I'm so thankful. After the weekend getaway to Charleston I was so happy to come home and work on some projects and enjoy the simple way that I get to live life with my sweet man. He really is such a catch and I thank God for him every single day. Here are some of the things that made me giddy this week...

1// these beautiful finds that I bought during the shopping day on Sunday in Charleston!
Everything found in the clearance section, naturally.

anthropologie // So Good Jewelry

2// enjoying the incredible honey I bought in Charleston! The Winter White Honey is creamy and sweet but not overly sweet. The spicy red chai with a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a tiny spoon of the creamy honey is seriously the most amazing combination. I'm obsessed!

You can purchase some of this tasty honey here.

3// moving the chicks out to the coop in our garage. Taking baby steps... Once the coop is completely finished and painted we will move it out to the backyard! 

4// purposefully making time for God's Word this week.
It is amazing how much happiness I have felt in my heart because of it.

and seriously, Job is a tough book to read through but I enjoyed it!

5// celebrating six wonderful, married months with Peter today.

Being his wife is one of the most amazing things I have ever been blessed to do and I can't wait to see where the rest of this year will take us! Love you, babe!!

You can find all our Wedding Day details here.

Hope you all have a weekend full of love and all the little things that make you giddy!

See ya on Monday :-)

Total Truth // Friendship

Today's Total Truth Thursday is an open subject and I am so excited to share a little bit about one of the most important parts of my life. Friendship is so special to me and the ladies that the Lord has placed in my life are such a blessing and I honestly don’t know what I would do without them sometimes. I do not have biological sisters so for most of my teenage life and now adult life I have depended on my girlfriends for a lot of support. They have always been here for me and I hope to always be there for them in return. During the past 10+ years I have learned a lot about friendship and thought I’d be open and honest for today’s Total Truth Thursday and share some of what I have learned.

1// be intentional 

Being intentional with your friendships is one of the most important things you can do. Making sure they feel important in your life whether it is a simple text to say hello and let them know you are thinking about them or even sending them a simple card to say thank you for being a great friend (just for the record, I do not do this often enough!) will make them feel significant. Another way that I like to be purposeful with my friendships is to know what their love language is. Just like you want to feel loved in your own special way, so do your friends and that can make all the difference. Some may want words of encouragement and another may want a hug. Everyone is different and when you know what makes that person feel appreciated and loved then you will know how to love them better.

2// take a survey

This may seem a little odd but when I was preparing for this blog post I asked my three best friends what was the best part about being my friend. I didn’t do this to boost my ego but to understand what I do to make our friendship work. I have never asked that question before and it really helped me understand what I should keep doing to strengthen my friendship with each individual person. I am very lucky to have three best friends that all get along and love each other also but I think it is important to look at each friendship I have as an individual piece. We may blend together well which is a huge blessing but I want to make sure I am being the best friend I can to each person.

3// say no to drama

During my past years of friendships I have learned that a friendship with a lot of drama is not going to last very long. When you are open and honest with your friends and they are open and honest back, you are given a gift of transparency that can help you grow deeper roots within that friendship. This doesn’t mean that you all have to be the same person or that you will agree about everything. You aren’t going to find someone exactly like you, besides… how boring would that be? You will find others in different seasons of life and different personalities but that is such a fun part of friendship. It is in those types of relationships that you learn the most. You learn how to be there for one another, how to lift each other up and you also learn how to pray for each other. Praying for your friendship, their life and their walk with God. No drama, just friendship that is full of grace and love.

Friendship is such a gift and I thank God every chance I get for the three women I have in my life. I love you all so, so much and thank you for teaching me what friendship is all about.

You can check out my past Total Truth Thursday posts below!

Marriage // Fashion

Social Media

A Wonderful Trip to Charleston.

The Charleston trip over the weekend was a lot of fun! It was the first time traveling with just my mom and Peter and it went so well, just like I thought it would. It really made me realize how blessed I am that they love each other. The whole weekend was jammed pack with stuff to do but those kind of weekends in Charleston are the best. We started the weekend with one of the most delicious meals I've ever had at Circa 1886 and then we met the bride and groom downtown for some celebration drinks before their big day on Saturday. 

Happy Hour at the hotel before dinner!

The gorgeous Wentworth Mansion where Circa 1886 is located.

This is now my dream place to stay for a romantic weekend, but then again I'd probably kill Peter if he spent that much on a hotel room for a weekend so it will never happen. 

Our Saturday was spent in downtown Charleston for some brunch at my favorite spot, Toast, and then some sight seeing and a little shopping before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding that night.

The wedding venue was the beautiful Hyde Park Farm & Polo Club and it was the absolute perfect setting for Hannah and Grant. All the details were so beautiful and the weather was perfect. From the macaroni and cheese (my favorite!) to the bourbon bar (Peter's favorite) the night was a success and Hannah was a stunning bride!! 

Trolley  ride to the venue! 

Sunday was spent shopping around downtown for a little while and then we had some amazing Vietnamese for lunch at Co before we made our trip home. It was seriously the best Pad Thai I've ever had and I was super thankful that my mom ordered it and even more thankful that she liked my meal (green curry) more so we switched half way through. I really like it when that works out. 

^^^the awesome Pad Thai I speak of. Mmmm. 

I have to admit that the first trip to Charleston for 2014 went by way too quickly so I guess it's a good thing I will be going back again next month for the Cooper River Bridge Run with the girls!!

Friday Five

My back pain that was almost completely gone this time last week came back with a vengeance on Friday night. Once again I am finally feeling better but I now know to take it easy. I jumped back into my busy party planning a little too quickly last week and I definitely paid for it. I just have to remind myself that I'm in my late twenties now and that means I don't bounce back overnight anymore. Despite the back pain most of this week here are a few things that made me really happy...

1// finally sharing all the details for Madison's shower!! It was so much fun to fill the house with ladies that wanted to love on our sweet friend. I'm also glad that all these ladies loved mimosas! It was a great morning.

Check out the full post here.

2// on Monday I decided to stay home from work and lay in the living room floor all day on a heating pad off and on while stretching a lot. It made a huge difference and I also got to start the Once Upon a Time series. I'm so hooked!!!

3// finally receiving this little baby back this week!! My face was starting to have some little breakouts since my clarasonic stopped working but I'm happy that this company is so reliable and sent me a new one very quickly. Clara, my face missed you a lot!
(It only makes since to name my Clarasonic, Clara... right?) 

4// finding this card on etsy and laughing so hard about how perfectly it suits our nights at home before going to sleep. I also thought it was fitting since I shared a little bit of my feelings about Social Media yesterday.

You can find this card here.

5// the fact that I will be heading to Charleston, SC in just a few hours to celebrate a wedding weekend for some friends with Peter and my Mom makes me so excited!
I love wedding weekends but I'm REALLY excited about my first wedding weekend in Charleston!!!

Photo I took during one of my past Charleston trips

Happiest of weekends to all of you ladies!

talk to ya on Monday :)

Total Truth // Social Media

As a blogger I think it is only normal to be a big fan of social media since most of everything we do is somehow related to it. I share my posts on my Facebook page, I share photos almost every day on Instagram and I've even fallen in love with bloglovin recently so I can’t really knock it. I do think we as a culture can abuse the use of social media but for the most part I am thankful for it. Here are three facts that I have learned in the past several years about all of this social media mumbo-jumbo.

1// it can give you some amazing friendships if you let it

I have been blessed by so many of the relationships that have been created because of this blog and because of Instagram. One of the best parts about sharing my life here is the way people can relate to my little world simply by reading what I write. I also know that I have learned so much from other bloggers and I’m very thankful for the many women that decide to share their life in this “blogosphere” that we have all created. Even for people that do not blog themselves but simply follow along with your life make an impact. Recently I was talking to an acquaintance that I normally didn't speak to that often but when I saw her she smiled and gave me a hug and said “I love following you on Instagram and reading your blog!”. That is a big deal! That is why I love spending time on this space. I love the relationships that it can create.

2// don’t let it consume you

I’m going to be completely honest and admit this is my main problem. Peter wants to take my phone and hide it most of the time. It makes me feel terrible. I know that it is an addiction. There are times when I grab my phone and when I mean to send a text message I click the Instagram icon without even realizing it. Habits are formed so easily and there are very few red lights that don’t also include a little IG action in my car to pass the time. So, this is my apology to my sweet Husband, I promise I will try harder to “unplug” and enjoy my nights with you instead!

3// keeping your priorities straight are important

There can be a lot of filth in the world of Social Media and you can get sucked into that so easily. I make a point to follow those who have the same heartbeat as mine. With hashtags like #socality that are pointing their fame toward God and His kingdom makes me so happy inside. I love to see His presence in this Social Media world and I also try my best to always point toward Him also. I want everything I share to glorify Him. We live in a fallen world where it is so easy to fall with it but I am thankful for a Savior that redeems and uses our brokenness to bring light to Him.

So, with all this being said, if you want to find me in the Social Media world you can locate me at all the places below! 

instagram // pinterest // facebook // bloglovin

You can check out my other Total Truth Thursdays posts below if you'd like!

Marriage // Fashion

Ezer.

Want to know what an Ezer is? Go check out my guest post over at Hey Kelsea Rae today! 

Bridal Shower Brunch.

On Saturday I had the most fun morning with my Mom spoiling the latest Bride to Be! Madison and I have been friends for over 10 years and I am so excited about her journey into the wife life. I know that her and her future hubby will be so happy together and I love the fact that she is marrying the male version of myself. It is kind of ironic how similar her and Peter are also, funny how that happened! 

The shower was so much fun and I'm looking forward to the next few months with many celebrations for this sweet bride. She deserves every second of love and I'm glad we got to love her a lot over the weekend! 

So thankful for our sweet Mamas!!!

This photo below is one of my favorites! So much love in it and I'm so glad that Madison's Grandmama was able to come to the shower! 

Now on to the gift opening!! It was so much fun to watch her excitement with each gift she opened. Madison told everyone how thankful she was and how wonderful it was to have so many people she loves in one room and also shared how her #1 love language is gifts so she was feeling super loved. 

It was wonderful!! 

Speaking of love languages I've realized since becoming a wife that service is most definitely one of mine. Peter's #1 love language is service so I'm not sure if he has converted me or if I just didn't realize what mine was until now. Either way, I love to throw a party and serve those I love. Entertaining and hosting is  one of my passions in life and I love to fill our home with happiness. The decorating is one of my favorite things to do so I thought I'd share a little bit of that with all of you! 

All of the frames used for the food were purchased at Michael's and I found them for $0.50 each! The hanging mobile under the chandelier was made with paper and string from Michael's also. My mom and I bought all the flowers at Publix or Trader Joes. I'm thankful that my Mom has the same love for entertaining since she was so helpful during the preparations for the shower. I love co-hosting with her!! Peter also gets an honorable mention  since he woke up early Saturday morning to help get everything prepared and made the tasty waffles for us! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful Mom and Hubby!!

All of the desserts were from Publix also except for the doughnut holes are from Dunkin Doughnuts.

It was a wonderful morning for sure!! So glad that we were able to celebrate together and it was so much fun to meet some new people also! 

** Disclaimer that all stores mentioned in this post are not a sponsor. 

However if Michael's would like to sponsor this blog that would be wonderful since they do receive a lot of money from me. ;) **