Silver Lake { #3 }

We had the best, and I mean the best, vacation over the Fourth of July weekend. 

Adalynn was such a sweet, sweet angel for our whole four day camping trip! We think we're going to plan another one before summer is over. 

Here are a few more pictures, if you'd like to see...

Gingerbread Houses

I slept like a rock last night...actually, I'm pretty sure it was a sugar-induced coma.

 

The culprits? A couple teenage girls and gingerbread houses.

 

Kelly's sisters came over and we watched movies, ate popcorn, and got crafty. We built the houses using chocolate graham crackers and hot glue, which Honey was very upset about because, "How am I going to eat them if you hot glue them together?!"

 

We watched a few different movies, but my favorite was Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas. Kelly's mom has been talking about it we were finally all able to watch it together, it was hilarious. Madea is one funny lady.

Nicole made hers have a barn roof- and how cute is that little flower box?

 
And Allison's (yes, another Allison- we go by Thing 1 and Thing 2) gumdrop roof and necco walkway- adorable!

His grandma had been at his mom's house helping to make candles and when they were finished, they came over to visit.

You can't see Kelly, but he is sprawled out on the couch next to his mother. See, he likes to gripe and complain about the chaos- having to hook up the DVD player for us, moving the kitchen table into the dining room, us making a mess with all of the sprinkles, the dog's stinky breath while he's begging to be pet, his mother and grandma stopping over when all he wants is peace and quiet... but really, it's all pretend. He loves it. He had big manly plans to be out working in the pole barn, or upstairs wrapping presents, but where do you think he was all night? On that couch, watching movies and hanging out with us girls.  He gets all of the attention from all of the ladies in his life. He gets to pick on all of us and in return, we pamper him. And we just laugh because we've got his number.

When I took the girls home on my way to work the next morning, his mom sent me with a warm, fresh baked loaf of beer bread and homemade jam to share with the office. I tell you, between three of us we had that loaf gone before the end of the morning. Isn't that horrible? It was so yummy.

Christmas Ornaments

We started our first Christmas tradition last year while we were dating.

Confession: I stole the idea from a Hallmark movie.

We decided that, for a Christmas Gift each year, we pick out an ornament for the other person. The ornament has to represent a memory that we made together in the previous year. We open them together on Christmas Eve and hang them on the tree.

Last year was so fun. I loved opening this:

And remembering one of our first dates. We went with friends to an outdoor concert where they shut down the main four-way intersection in the middle of the town and set up a big stage. My cousins were there and they met Kelly for the first time- he also gave me one of our first kisses. You see- I hate PDA, so I should've known something was happening in my heart when I didn't even flinch!

From there, we all went on to the casino for gambling and a little 3am breakfast. I don't even know what time we ended up getting home, but I'm pretty sure everyone but the driver was asleep for the ride!

Then for his ornament:

Kind of weird and not very Christmas-y, I know. This represents the giant, thunderstorm-of-the-century that we got stuck in while on the lake that summer. Our pontoon was anchored next to my mom's out in the bay and we were all lounging in the water on our floats. All of a sudden out of nowhere, the wind kicked up and it started to sprinkle. As we doggy paddled back to our boat, the sky went black started pouring buckets. I hid under a towel while someone pulled up the anchor, then we booked it across the lake- rain pelting us like airsoft ammo. All of a sudden, my mom's pontoon comes speeding by us at mach 10 and we're all looking at eachother thinking how the heck are they going so fast? Turns out, we didn't have just one anchor down- we had two.

So we laughed and laughed and that summer, it kind of became the norm that most of our best times together happened in the rain. It was funny to take out the ornament this year, decorating our first tree together, and realize that on our wedding day, one of our best days, it rained and poured the entire day. I guess rain really is our thing!

I already have his ornament wrapped and ready for Christmas Eve... I can't wait to see what he picked out!

Until next time,
xx

Our First Christmas Tree

Together, that is.

I've always had a Christmas tree because I'm a normal, Christmas tree loving kind of gal. Kelly, on the weird other hand, was a nice mixture of Scrooge and the Grinch (I can say was now because his heart has grown three full sizes).

During the first year that we became friends, Christmas rolled around and he told me that he didn't plan on getting a tree. I understand maybe that's normal for a bachelor, but I went on to tease him about being a Grinch. So much so that one day he asked me to stop over. He met me outside and covered by eyes while he walked me inside. As soon as I stepped through the door, I could smell it. Greens! Not of the medicinal kind. I opened my eyes to a beautiful, freshly cut Christmas tree! That might have been when I started to fall in love.

Last year we were still living separately and went tree hunting with a few of our good friends. We cut one for my house and one for his. But this year, this year, we had the full tree-hunting experience, horses, bonfires and all!

Meg Day Photography

After we (Kelly) cut our tree and they shook off all of the loose needles and tied it up, we waited for the horse and wagon to load up our tree and ride back to the barn to pay. As the wagon pulled up, who should jump off but our wedding photograher! It was so nice to see her and her mom, and she was sweet enough to take a picture of Kelly and I to remember our 'first' tree cutting.

 

 

I try not to compare myself with others because I think it can be a nasty habit to get into, but sometimes it's so hard! On Instagram, I'm seeing all of these beautifully decorated trees with tree skirts and lovely wrapped presents underneath. Well, this tree has been up and decorated since Thanksgiving weekend. Notice the lack of tree skirt and wrapped gifts underneath? So that's on my to-do list tonight because this poor tree just looks so sad underneath! I am so very ready for a quiet night at home and I think a little spicey spiked eggnog will hit the spot and keep me nice and warm :)

 

How is this Holiday Season treating everyone so far?

 

 

 

 

  

**PS.

I am sorry for the lack of posting lately. Life has been crazy busy (hello holidays!) I've been at the barn overtime lately and have finally started teaching! More on that soon....

Until then...xx

Making Memories

Hello Lovelies :)

I hope you all had a wonderful, meaningful Thanksgiving weekend. I was not ready to go back to work Monday. A nice, relaxing, four day weekend then Monday rolls around and I can barely open my eyes.

Remember this post about Thanksgiving traditions? A few suggestions were game playing and watching old home videos. By no doing of mine, we did both!

After we stuffed our faces with turkey at my moms, we played the name game. It's where each person writes a name on a piece of paper and you put them all in a bowl. It can be any name. Some from this past time were Rumpelstiltskin, Blues Traveler, Kim K., Snuffalufagus, Kevin Harvick...you get the picture. Then someone reads all of the names and each person gets a turn guessing who is who. If you guess the correct person, they are on your team and you get to help eachother. It gets a little tricky at the end because sometimes a name will get forgotten and there's no re-reading the names.

I will have you all know that for the final game, I won. I had everyone in the house on my team and Kelly was the only person left. Who was he? Bill Cosby. Winner Winner Turkey Dinner.

 

From there, we went on to Kelly's Aunt & Uncle's house where we got to see all of his family, dogs included. They have a German Shepard, a Mastiff, a three or four month old mini Austrailian Shepard and a Hound dog... I sincerely apologize right now for not photographing of all of that cuteness to share!

When we walked in, everyone was snuggled cozy in the family room watching old videos. They videos started from when his grandparents were dating, through them getting married and all the way until their youngest daughter (Kelly's Aunt) was born. There was no sound to the videos, but you could just feel all of the love by simply watching. It was so sweet to watch their interactions and the progression of life over so many years.

On the way home, Kelly and I were talking about the videos. I'll admit (although I blame it on one too many drinks) I was a little tear-eyed because they were so touching. We were talking about how the videos weren't about the clothes they wore. They weren't about how their houses were decorated. Not about how many hours per week they worked or getting that promotion. Not about having the best toys for their children, or buying the latest and greatest iPhone.

They were about family and love. Flirting with your husband while your kids play in the garden hose. Visiting your sister while her husband is in the service. Worrying that your daughter is going to topple off of the hammock because her 17 other cousins are also piled on. And okay, maybe a little bit about your grandpa's favorite old car in the driveway.

I think those family videos were the perfect reminder of what Thanksgiving is all about. Loving the people in your life. Being happy with what you have. Making memories that will last for generations to come.

I think it's safe to say that this has been the happiest Thanksgiving yet!

Thanksgiving Traditions

What kind of traditions do you practice at Thanksgiving?

On Thanksgiving Day, I've always watched the Macy's day parade in the morning while cooking, baking or cleaning and simultaneously consuming a pot of coffee (with a smidge of Baileys:). After that, I get to catch a glimpse of the National Dog Show before heading out to visit with family.

My favorite tradition started when I was a child and actually happens the day after Thanksgiving. My sisters and I slept in, then woke to Christmas music being played throughout the house. All of the decorations were brought up from the basement and we spent the day in a wonderland of carols, decorating, potpourri simmering on the stove, and leftover turkey and stuffing sandwiches.

When I moved into my first home, my sister would stay the night with me and help to decorate the next day.

Since this is the first year that Kelly and I have lived together for Thanksgiving, we don't have any traditions as of yet. Although, I'm very excited to have a new house to decorate!  I've already started getting boxes out of the attic and stacking them in a corner upstairs so that they're ready to go. We're even planning on hanging lights outside the house, I'm so excited it's sickening!

I love traditions. They give us a sense of season, a sense of belonging. Something to look forward to and something to remember fondly.

Here are a few ideas that would be fun to start...

• Break out the home videos. After everyone's eaten, dig into that old tub of VHS or DVDs and laugh at all the old times. Kelly and I have never seen videos of eachother back in the day, I think it would be fun!  And getting to laugh about so-and-so's stylin' mullet or cousin Susie's floral mumu? Bonus.
• Take a hike- two and four-legged family together. Between my parents & sisters alone, we have 8 dogs between the lot of us. It would be great for everyone to get all bundled up and, with the dogs, head out as a family to walk off that pie!
• Gametime. Growing up, we were a family of all girls so afternoon football wasn't really our thing. On the other hand, we do love a nice competitive round of Catchphrase or the name game.

I'd like to know, what are your Thanksgiving traditions?