Before we say goodbye to 2014, I wanted to share my highlights for each month!!

Every month is full of special moments, blessings and fun times, and it was hard to pick just one from each month but I did it. Here are my top 12 moments from the past year!

Such a fun year!!! 

Full of changes, learning, traveling, family and friends, & so many blessings!

I can't wait to see what God will bless us with in 2015!!

Happy New Year!!!

In The Word // January Study Plan

This study is getting so good!!! I love how the stories are evolving and becoming more "story like" and all of the Psalms mixed in makes my heart happy. I'm really happy that I didn't give up on this reading plan like I thought I could a few times. It is so exciting to open my bible and see how much I have already read and journaled through. It is such a great feeling!! I'm also every thankful that we took the month of December off so I could catch up. I feel refreshed and renewed with my reading and I can't wait to start the new plan below! 

Anyone still reading along with us?

I know it is hard, trust me, but it is so rewarding!

Join us and start from the beginning, or start where you left off... 

just open up that book and start. He will meet you there!

Christmas 2014.

This is the first Christmas in a while that I have stayed in Greenville the entire time and the first ever for Peter. We missed seeing all of the family in New Jersey but there was something wonderful about staying home and making new memories here for the first time. It was our second Christmas has husband and wife and I absolutely loved it. The whole week and weekend was wonderful!!

Christmas Eve is always with my Mom's family at my grandma's house

and it is most definitely the kid's night!

Until Santa shows up and all the "big kids" want a picture, too!

Christmas morning breakfast is one of my favorite new traditions!

I love to wake up early and entertain in our home with my sweet husband, 

it is such a gift to have him around to always help and make the best coffee.

makings of my favorite quiche and some yummy mimosas below!

Second Christmas as Husband & Wife!

After we opened gifts together we went to Peter's mom's house for the family gift exchange.

It was definitely a new feeling since we have never spent Christmas with his family in Greenville.

As you can see, we are resourceful when it comes to gift opening thanks to some Google Hangout!!

and of course, it wouldn't be a holiday without stuffed grape leaves!

To wrap everything up we enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner on the day after Christmas

with my mom this year! I also love this new tradition that the three of us have together.

both of our BIG gifts!! Peter and I got my mom a new kitchen knife set 

& then Mom surprised me with tickets to see Wicked with her in February!!

Ending the night with juicy prime rib and amazing horseradish mashed potatoes, the best!

Friday Five.

The week of Christmas is always full of happy things! Busy, crazy, I feel like I may be losing my mind but it's okay because it's Christmas, kind of things. But, it is okay because we celebrate Christmas because of our savior. Our God that sent us His Son as a baby boy to die so that we may live. The most beautiful love story of all time. That is what this season is about and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday filled with His peace and love. Here are a few things that made me smile this week....

all of the beautiful wrapping paper I used this year

lunch date at Jason's Deli with some of my favorite girls

green nails and my new planner

going to the church where we became husband a wife for the Christmas Eve service

this bible verse keeping my heart in place all week long

Christmas Favorites.

MOVIE // Home Alone I & II, hands down!! They are both so good but I really love the second because of all the gorgeous scenes in NYC!

DRINK // coffee, hot tea, something special with champagne... my drink choices don't really change much because of Christmas, ha!

ALBUM // 'N Sync duh! Still the best!!!

BAKING // Peanut Butter Balls!!!! My grandma has always made them for Christmas but this year my mom is making them... I know that I will take on the tradition one day!

TRADITION // For the past couple of years we have attended the Christmas Eve Service at our church and I love going to the downtown campus since that is where Peter and I got married. It is such a special time!

ORNAMENT // My favorite ornament so far is the one below that my Auntie Laura gave us last year! It is so special and I will always cherish it and remember our first Christmas as husband and wife in our home.

MEMORY // Last year was definitely a wonderful Christmas since we got married in September! Everything was new and it was so wonderful to spend Christmas Day with Peter for the first time since he normally travels to NJ to spend Christmas with his family.
FOOD // Christmas Morning Quiche!!! YUM! I love making this for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I look forward to keeping this tradition alive for a long time!

SMELL // Hot cider on Christmas Eve, I don't really like to drink it much but I love the way it smells!

VERSE // John 3:16 is so special all year long but I really love it at Christmas time... 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

What are your Christmas Favorites??

I hope you all are blessed by the creator of love on this beautiful day....

Merry Christmas, friends!
& thanks to Elizabeth from Oak & Oats for this fun idea!!

Last Minute Wishlist.

on behalf of the happy day tomorrow!

1// Heart & Arrow Design - I would love to do a full rebrand and design here on the blog with this lovely lady!

2// Target - these fuzzy moccasin slippers are calling my name!!!

3// Alex & Ani - I'd love to have this bangle with the September birthstone for my wedding anniversary!

4// anthropologie - this little bag is so cute!!! I'd love to have the little C one!

Just a few of my favorite things right now. And luckily my Birthday is in February so if I don't get any of these gifts for Christmas, now you have some Birthday ideas, as well! ;)

Merry Christmas Eve!
Hope you all have a wonderful night with those you love.
God Bless!!

Linking up with Kiki & The Circle!

Lately. {Christmas Edition}

The past several weeks have been full of Christmas fun so I thought it would be easier to just combine all of the holiday cheer in to one post! I had plans to share each fun event separately but since I have been so sick, I didn't have a chance to document the events as much as I hoped. Let me just say, being sick around the holidays is really annoying. I'm so glad that I'm feeling better so I can enjoy the rest of the fun in 2014!

The first party of every year is always Peter's work party. I love to get dressed up and have a fun night out with my man which always includes a few drinks, some food, dancing and this year was extra special with the awesome Caricature Artist that his office hired!

Next up was the 7th Annual Ornament Exchange but I seriously felt like death during the party. I felt so bad that I forgot my ornament at home and had nothing to play the game with! I was pretty bummed but I made the most of it and then left early to go home and get some sleep.

I was so thankful to feel like a completely different person the next night for a little more Christmas fun with some of my favorite people!! I love these women so much and I really cherish all the memories and laughs that we have together. 

This time of year if my favorite because of all the events and the people that surround you!

I am so blessed by such amazing family and friends!!

Sick Littles.

To be completely honest with you, the past two weeks have been terrible. Finally, on Wednesday of last week I started to feel like myself again. My nose wasn't constantly red from tissues and I slept through the night for a couple of nights in a row. Both of those things are important and make me a much happier person. But, like always, when I'm having a string of crappy days, I try my best to find the happy in them. I work hard to keep a smile on my face even when I want to curl up in the bed and hit snooze all day long. Here are a few of the little things that kept me going……

the way that Peter can make me laugh till I cry, even when I feel like I might cry from feeling like crap – yes, that is a gift // the massive amounts of hot tea that I have consumed lately // gilmore girls and how watching that show always makes me think that I'm funnier because I pretend that I can talk fast and be witty like Lorelei Gilmore, if only I could pull it off // the slow season at work which made the whole "working while almost being dead" thing a lot easier // finally finding the energy to clean the house and finish decorating // a lot of lunch dates with people I love during the holiday season, especially a sushi lunch date with my Mom

Hope the past two weeks were happy for YOU.

Back to the regular blogging this week, thank goodness! I've missed it!!

Friday Five.

This week has been a "Christmas filled week" for sure!! I love it though, all the hustle and bustle of holiday parties, decorating, shopping and planning the busy weeks ahead. I've also had the roller-coaster ride of sickness this week. You know, feeling like death, then much better, and then, oh wait, I'm dead again. Thankfully Peter is on the mend now, because of course he got sick after I did. This of course made me take the plunge and switch the Annual Ornament Exchange party to my mom's house since she graciously offered. Goodness, I can't imagine the stress I would be feeling right now if the girls night was still planned for my house. So, after this week I am thankful for a lot of things - a husband that works hard even when he doesn't feel well, a Mom that doesn't mind changing party plans, and the fact that today is Friday! Hope you all had a wonderful week and a fun weekend ahead, here are a few things that made me happy this week.....

Christmas party with our church community group

we were missing one couple but it was still so much fun!

Festive coffee cup at work

Cozy scarf weather

an all day feast at work for Christmas - breakfast, lunch & dessert.

homemade soup, Gilmore Girls & my fuzzy blanket