Fall Home Decor

 Last Thursday was the first day of fall, and I put the final touches of decor throughout the house this weekend. Fall decorations have never been my fave, as I much prefer Christmas glitz, but the more neutral fall palates I've seen growing in popularity the last few years have grown on me. Throw in a little glitter and some mellowcreme pumpkins, and I'm all set!

My lovely tea towels were a gift from a sweet friend, and I know, I know, I need to put pictures in some of my frames. But I wanted to share a few pics of our home {once it was cleaned over the weekend!}.

Now if it would come out of the 80's and give me some crisp and cool 60 and 70 degree temps, I'd be really happy. I've got stacks of sweaters just waiting to be worn!

Summer 2016 Bucket List

How are we already halfway through June? Christopher graduates from pharmacy school this weekend {cue the Hallelujah Chorus}, and will be on a graduation trip next week before starting his job full time. Then we'll have July 4th followed by Amanda's wedding the next weekend, and summer will be halfway done!

It's feeling like it's all kind of escaping me too quickly; wasn't life supposed to slow down after the wedding? So I thought I'd sit down and come up with a list of things I want to accomplish, some fun and some not so fun, before life gets truly hectic again later in the year.

1. Spend some time at Jekyll Island | Christopher has never been, and I go each year for work trips. It's wonderful! Great beaches and great food, with plenty to explore: new and old! 
2. Clean out {and clean up!} the wedding and Christmas rooms | yes, I have one for both. Although, the Christmas room has become the dumping ground for all of Christopher's things as he moved his stuff in the week before the wedding. I've been working through the wedding room, sorting all of our lovely gifts and finding a home for each of them, while trying to create an office/study space for Dr. PharmD. 
3. Move the curio cabinet in | My grandparents gave me a large curio cabinet for my birthday almost 15 years ago {sounds so funny--15 years?!} that I displayed dolls and mementos in. I've never moved it out of my mom's house because it's giantly heavy, and I also didn't live anywhere that accommodate such a large piece of furniture. Now that we are living in an actual house we have enough room, and so many beautiful wedding gifts and serving pieces to display in it!
4. Host a summer soiree | Another great thing about our house is giant yards to have fun in! I'd love to invite our friends over for a cookout with our new grill and the cornhole boards Christopher made for our wedding...that we forgot to put out on the day of...oops. We'll have to wait for the evenings too cool off a little though...it's in the 100's here this week! 
5. Make at least one new recipe a month | this is kind of a goal for our first year of marriage, too. It's so easy to get into a cooking-rut {we had tacos four times in a week earlier this month}, so I want to be intentional about expanding my cooking skills and filling my monogrammed recipe box from my bridal shower! 
6. Financially plan for a new car | I want a new car. Pretty much anyone around me has heard of my desires for a third row, specifically a 4Runner in white, with tan leather and a sunroof. I've never bought a car myself, and don't want to run out there all willy-nilly and buy the first one I see. I've test driven one and loved it, so I know what I want, but I need to wait for the right one at the right price. I also don't want to put any unnecessary stress on our financial status as a couple by making such a big purchase too soon! Money is one of those things that we agree on 99% of the time, and we enjoy working towards our goals together. We can really focus on our finances once Christopher starts working full time, and I'm excited to do this as a team!
7. Spend more time with family | I've not seen my family since we got married, and that was almost two months ago! I can't believe how time flies. I'm hoping to see them all more, and maybe take a trip to North Georgia to spend a few days with the grands, too. 
8. Plan trips | we had the absolute best time on our honeymoon; I literally think about it every day! While we have a few trips planned in the upcoming months for weddings and things, I really want to plan a few couples trips and maybe even a family vacation for us to go on! Spending time together as a couple, and also as a couple with our families is very important to me. First on the list? A long weekend at Disney to celebrate both of our 25th birthdays in the fall! Then maybe a Christmas family vacation? And something special for our one year anniversary in the spring! Any ideas? 
9. Try new restaurants | Christopher and I love trying new places with amazing food. We've covered a lot of the Savannah staples, but there are some gems out here "in the country" that we've yet to hit.
10. Learn to make fancy cookies | my bestie and I are obsessed with every royal iced sugar cookie we come across. We're constantly tagging each other in those oh-so-soothing Instagram videos of cookies being decorated. She's attempted some on her own, and now I want to try! I love the fancy cookies!

What's on your summer bucket list? 

The Best of the Best

2014 has really flown by. I can't believe we're now staring 2015 in the face. Last year when I did my 2013 recap, I made a goal of more pictures of the people and things that mean the most to me in my life, and that 2014 was going to be a great year. While not without it's trials, 2014 really turned it around and I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store. Here's a few of my favorite moments from the past year:

Jan. 2014--Starting the year off right/our annual NYE picture

Feb. 2014--Apothocary Ball/Valentine's Weekend in Savannah

March 2014--Back to Florence the fam goes

April 2014--Happy Easter! 

May 2014--New job at the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce

Summer 2014--Lots of time loving on my little house and
spending time with friends

September 2014--Best football season ever at the
prettiest little stadium in America 

October 2014--Birthday month adventures 

November 2014--Sun Belt Champions

Football Season 2014--I loved spending time with all my friends!

December 2014--Merry Christmas from me and my love! 

Happy Spring!

"I stuck my head out the window this morning and spring kissed me bang in the face." --Langston Hughes

I hope you enjoy the first day of spring; here are a few of the springtime 

decorations in my house! 

Handmade Easter wreath with glitter eggs from Wal-Mart

Please excuse the teeth marks--eggs are Layla's favorite

I Need Summer, Like, Now.

Go! Go now! My favorite romper for summer is on sale now at www.shopentourageclothing.com!

Fresh Off The Runway Romper
Originally $39, now only $27.30!

And wouldn't it look fabulous with this totally amazing coral lipstick?

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche in Volcanic, $8.50

One day 'till spring, y'all. 

Savannah Eats: 3 Peat

February is just yucky isn't it? It's been snowy, freezy, hot, rainy, foggy, thundery, earthquakey--everything you can image, and I am ready for spring!

Thankfully I was able to experience a little bit of spring this past weekend in Savannah! We had snow days all last week after Monday, so as soon as I could get out, I headed south for Valentine's Weekend. Since I was there for a lot longer than normal {Thursday-Monday}, I was able to try three yummy new places.

Uncle Bubba's Oyster House--picture info here

Uncle Bubba's Oyster House is located off Highway 80, past the Walmart on Whitemarsh Island, which is actually where Christopher lives so it was just a quick little drive over there. We had a Groupon for $40 worth of food for $23, so we went for the All You Can Eat Crab Legs {romantic for Valentine's, I know!}. While we did have to wait forever, since they weren't taking reservations, we did get to look around the gift shop, enjoy a drink, and spend some time outside by the water. Since Uncle Bubba is Paula Deen's brother, there were plenty of Paula's goodies at the gift shop--I have to get the "Butter, y'all" butter dish soon!

The food was really good: unlimited crab legs, yummy fried shrimp, amazing mac-and-cheese, and a couple of great desserts. I actually tried raw oysters for the very first time, and really liked them--with a dash of hot sauce, of course! Uncle Bubba's is definitely a "tourist trap," and while it may not be somewhere we visit again, it was fun to go and I'm glad we could check it off our list!

Kayak Kafe--Picture found from their Twitter here

I cannot say enough good things about Kayak Kafe. Located at Broughton and Bull right past Starbucks, this is the perfect place to stop at before an afternoon of amazing shopping. Everything on their healthy, fresh, and well priced menu looked amazing. I tried the pulled pork, avacado, and grilled pineapple salsa burrito and it was truly heavenly. The pork was so tender, and the grilled pineapple salsa gave it a great tang. The best part? The house-made habanero sauce. Whoa, what a kick! But it was perfect--Kayak Kafe is excellent, and I will definitely be visiting again. 

The Distillery--Picture found here

The Distillery was a place that I really thought Christopher would like. There is always 21 craft beers on tap, and over 100 different bottled bears to try. The building was originally a distillery in the early 1900's, but became a pharmacy during Prohibition. Now it's back to it's roots, serving up great food and drinks. If you go, definitely try the pretzel bites--so yummy! Three of the five people at our table ordered the Bootlegger Burger, so it must be good! 

Where to next?

Mementos

I was born late in October, so I suppose that prompted people to buy a lot of "Baby's first Christmas" ornaments that first year. I'm not sure that's where the Christmas obsession started {thank you, Mother} but ever since them, my collection of ornaments has grown exponentially year-to-year. At some point, my family established the tradition of exchanging ornaments between the siblings, and children to parents. It's a really great thing for us because we've all always had trees in our bedrooms, and it also provides my parents and grandparents with Christmas lists that they can split between fewer people. Below are a few of my most favorite ones right now {it changes each year as I get new ones!}: 

In love with this acrylic monogram my future sister-in-law gave me last year!
You'll notice that I use hot pink balls and different colored
snowflakes as my filler ornaments. 

I had some mirrored picture ornaments sitting on my dresser before
I figured out what to do with them. They're perfect for pictures
from the day I got engaged!

I've looked high and low for a "Layla" ornament. This will have to do:
I've decided it's Layla's mom!

Look at that wrapping paper--so in love with it!
But I also love the magnolia clip-on ornament I found at the Dollar Tree.
You can also see a vintage pink shiny bright, and my beloved
Barbie ice skating ornament. 

Georgia....Southern! Isn't this one cool?!

For Everything There is a Season

Stepping outside on my porch this morning into the brisk 50 degree morning breeze seemed appropriate. After a tumultuous two months full of stress, worry, and tears, I've finally decided to make a change. More or less lots of changes, so the cool winds seemed appropriate. I'm looking for clarity, cleanliness, and confidence in all areas of my life. That starts today, with waking up early to actually eat a {healthy} breakfast, and will end this evening with a major house cleaning session (which may last to tomorrow). I want to enjoy all parts of my life, large and small, and I feel like that can only start if I clean up my space and my habits. 

     So it's finally cold, which to me is encouraging. It's a significant change from the hot, heavy and stagnant things of the world that have been weighing so heavily. I hope it encourages others, like myself, to appreciate and embrace the new: day, season, spirit, attitude, energy, life. I hope to fall into happiness, leaves, fun, coziness, joy, and love.

Today's Jesus Calling devotion starts out saying, "No matter what your circumstances may be, you can find Joy in My Presence." I want to do that--I've gone through some of the most unimaginable pain in the last few months, yet have been strengthened and encouraged and been able to carry on through Christ and loving friends and family members, yet I have failed to find the joy. I pray that starting today I will find the joy in all things, and praise Him for it.

"For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence." 

Psalm 21:6