What happened in the last year?

I had high hopes of publishing this exactly a year after my last post of February 23, 2016, but as it feels like life goes these days, I am running about two weeks behind schedule.  The last year has brought about some changes in my life, most notably, a marriage.  And what is even more exciting was it was mine!

Let's start at the beginning, shall we?  In April of last year, we got engaged:

Marc took me to one of our favorite parks near his house and after a walk along the path to the river, he proposed, it was a wonderful day and after the proposal, he had invited family and friends over for a cookout at his house to celebrate!  Thus started the 6 months that would lead to our wedding!  I had had so many friends warn of the anxiety and stress around the wedding planning process, but I actually loved most aspects!  It was so fun to anticipate the day when we would become husband and wife, my only wish would have been for a shorter engagement :)  

Then last October 22, we exchanged rings, said our vows and partied the night away with our family and closest of friends! 

Both of us are blessed with so many people who truly care about us that we had quite the wedding party:

I feel like we did a good job having a wedding that reflected us (from the BBQ, homemade desserts, photo booth, and dancing---we had a good mix of it all), and the Donut cake was just well the icing on the preverbal cake:

After a wonderful wedding day, we got a day to relax before we were off to Hawaii for a week for a wonderful honeymoon where we got to experience the Island of Maui--and it was simply beautiful!

We arrived back in Virginia the first of November and settled into married life, complete with a move by me to a city just south of Richmond and before we knew it, the holidays were upon us!  We enjoyed lots of family time over the holiday season and started off the first week of January with a hefty snowfall, followed by some birthday celebrations to round out the month. February brought about a super bowl party, a wedding out of state, and has brought out the worst of my sinuses (I am currently sick for the second time in less than a month).  Along with a husband, I also inherited a season pass for VCU basketball when we got married, so we have been enjoying all of the home games this season and are cheering on the rams for a spot into the NCAA tournament!

So there you have it, a years-worth of BIG updates in less than 500 words (yes I put it in Word to make sure).  What has been going on with you this past year?  Is anyone still even reading this blog?

Christmas 2015

Well Christmas 2015 has come and gone, always so quickly it seems!  The morning started off right with pictures of these cuties from Norfolk:

Then I got moving early cause we have the family come over for Christmas breakfast.  My job was making pancakes and of course, I had to create a few Mickey Mouse ones, keeping the tradition alive!

We had a special guest this Christmas, Scott and Trudy brought over their new puppy, Brooklyn!  What a precious little girl she is; we all enjoyed getting to snuggle and love up on her!

Of course we had to get a family photo too before everyone was onto the next stop:

Andy, Mom and I went over to visit Ms. Nannie as well:

Then the day after Christmas, we were up early to go and visit the James.  Where we did Christmas take two:

Thanks Auntie Lala for the cash register!

Beginner Pogo Stick

Kinetic Sand two minutes after opening, all the colors mixed together already!

I'm a big deal!

And of course you gotta love a Christmas when you can play outside without many clothes on....

Yet, somehow Gaga was still very cold:

Corbin was loving his grabber toy:

And I got him this cool fort making kit, that I put together during nap time.  It makes the structure than you cover it in sheets!

Tiffany sporting her new shirt and opening a present:

Tiffany & Josh

We were able to grab a family photo even too, with most everyone smiling (Garrett is actually balling though it sorta looks like a smile in this picture);

And not to be outdone on cuteness, Mr. Holden was more adorable than ever:

On Sunday morning, Josh and I had planned to take all three kids to the zoo, but as it was two of them were being crabby, so I ended up going with the only behaved child, Holden.  My friend, Anna met up with us there to see:

giraffes

elephants

kangaroos

Humans, oh wait that's us!

he went in voluntarily, I should say

Just showing the turtle a little love!

Anna and Holden

Who you looking at?

Smile!

I just imagine this tiger thinking, hmmm all those kids through that window look mighty tasty!

Back in Richmond, CJ and I met up for lunch and a mall walk and ran into this handsome fella:

And to finish off the holidays extra bright, Allison was in town, so we were able to grab our favorite Mexican and catch up and share life together, love these girls:

I only hope 2016 will hold as many special memories as 2015 has had.  Signing off until next year....Happy New Years!

December happenings!

So the holiday celebrations started off with an annual trip to see the Collegiate School Pagent, where not one, not two, but 4 of my youth group girls (both past and present) were in the production.  It was nice to see them all.

Oh hello girls!

Carly as the Wise "man"

 Afterward, there might have been a drive through light display that CJ and I decided to check out!

Then to continue on with the fun of the holidays, I went to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens to see the Festival of lights and grabbed a picture of this cute peacock:

In true holiday tradition, my G friends and I had dinner at Maggiano's.  Complete with delicious cocktails!

The man taking the picture, told us to "Strike a Pose" so we followed directions, at least some of us did!

The youth group did our annual white elephant gift exchange and I went home with the most awesome sponge bob/cat in outter space shirt that I wrapped up for Andy for Christmas and you know he loved it!

Then on Christmas eve, we celebrated Bon's birthday with dinner at home and then her and I went to service at church....

...I'll be following up soon with a Christmas post!  What have you been up to this very very warm December?