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A Charming Savannah Birthday Party

Chuck and I had an amazing long weekend in Savannah in celebration of his 30th birthday. We had visited once before – on our wedding anniversary in 2012 – and the second time around did not disappoint either of us. We did the whole 9 yards: a ghost tour in the Historic District, low country-style tapas, a book fair at Telfair Square (at which Paula Deen made an appearance), a luxuriant and romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant of all time, a night out dancing at the Bohemian Riverfront rooftop bar, a picnic at City Market, a nap in the sunshine at Forsyth Park, and fresh seafood on Tybee Island.

The food in Savannah is what really gets me! One morning I ordered TWO breakfasts, because I just couldn’t decide. I also particularly enjoyed a salted caramel brownie and chocolate covered strawberries that I found at an adorable, French-inspired cafe tucked away by one of the squares. It’s such a piglet city! And I have no regrets.

Anyway… Wishing the very happiest of birthdays to the Love of My Life ❤

 

Both homes getting some sad kitty weather tonight… Hope everyone stays safe!

Family Reunion in the Sunshine State

This past weekend, Chuck and I met my sister, her wife, and my Dad in Florida to see my extended family for the first time in – I don’t know – 4 years? It was a great visit, and Chuck met most of my relatives for the very first time. (I think it’s safe to say that he was a hit!)

We also drove a few hours north to visit members of Chuck’s family, and stopped in adorable St. Augustine for lunch along the way. As luck (and my Facebook habits) would have it, one of Chuck’s old platoon sergeants noticed one of my check-ins while visiting my family, and called to let us know he happened to live right in the area! So, we got to reunite with him and his family too.

All in all, a fun (albeit exhausting!) weekend down in sunny Florida.

 

The real question is where to have our home base in the South of France: Avignon, or Aix-en-Provence?

I need a Provence expert!!

Currently coveting the Lexus RX 350, either in Starfire Pearl or Satin Cashmere (would have to see in-person first), with a Parchment Leather Espresso Bird’s Eye Maple Luxury Package for the interior.

I don’t even care that much about cars, and I love my little roadster Scarlett, but I’m always unwittingly attracted to Lexi – unfortunately. They may be just a tad outside of my price range… 🙂

Just wrapped up the busiest part of our wedding season! Chuck was a groomsman for his good friend Paul’s wedding in downtown Washington, DC. I’m so impressed by all these weddings – everyone has done such a beautiful job making them uniquely their own! The ceremony was at a lovely historic synagogue, and the reception was at the swanky Sequoia Restaurant on the Georgetown Waterfront.

Even though we were in DC, we didn’t do much of anything except wedding stuff, which was kind of nice. We are usually stretched so thin. Since we flew into DC, we didn’t have a car to get around, so it was mostly impossible to meet up with friends with any free time. Overall, I think that made for a less stressful weekend. We still saw Chuck’s family, and my dad. Of course, we will be back for Christmas and have a little more time to work with.

In the meantime, I’m glad I don’t have to travel for the next 6 weeks! It’s been so much fun, but I am ready for a little break 🙂

Back to bleached blonde, since people in Georgia can’t handle highlights any better than they could in North Carolina. Time to buy some purple shampoo!!

One Love

Here are a few favorite captures of my sister’s beautiful wedding in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado. Bonni & Allison got married in a charmingly rustic little spot called the Bear Cabin (Bonni loves bears!) The wedding party (and significant others) all got to stay overnight, and it was so adorable and cozy. We had such a great time, even if we were too tired to use the hot tub and the fire pit after setting up for wedding day 🙂  The rehearsal dinner was held in darling downtown Breck, which seriously looked like a Bavarian Christmas village or something. Super cute!

The wedding was mostly DIY, so I was very impressed with how beautifully it all came together (I seriously lack creative skills.) Bonni and Allison were gorgeous and graceful hostesses. The ceremony was spiritual and emotional, and the gathering was intimate. Given the less traditional, or “controversial” nature of this particular wedding, it was so touching to see the outpouring of love for these two. It has been a struggle to get where we are today, and there is still more to be accomplished, but it was awesome to see so much genuine support in one room…

Also, the state of Colorado is absolutely stunning. I loved driving up the mountains and taking in the views. On our way back, Chuck and I hit some pretty bad storms (snow, lightening, hail, heavy rain, wind gusts), which would have been equally as incredible if it hadn’t delayed our progress by over an hour, making us stress and scramble to get to the airport on time. We made it with literally 3 minutes to spare before they closed check-in… it was quite the adventure!!

Oh, and I saw a moose. A HUGE bull moose. My trip to CO just wouldn’t have been complete without such a sighting!

Anyway. 🙂 Congrats to the beautiful brides!! I love seeing my sister so happy!

 

I Heart Carbs

Chuck and I have found a new obsession with making our own dough! This has led to delicious pizzas and pies (with the exception of the baked brie… I just used crescent rolls for that.)

Clockwise from top left: Spinach, gouda, feta, mozzarella, deep dish pizza | Apple pie | Traditional margherita deep dish pizza | Baked brie with blackberry preserves

Carbs… it’s what’s for dinner!