project 52.34

surrounded.

I have wanted for so long to live in a place where we have community.

I want to raise y'all around other families who love Jesus and I want y'all to be surrounded by family and friends.

I grew up with that.  Tons of cousins living within a two mile radius.  Lots of houses to go between.  Lots of meals shared, lots of games played, holidays all together, Sunday afternoons spent hanging out.  

Since your Nonny and Poppy are the only two family members we have locally, I have been worried that we wouldn't have the community I longed for.

But, oh man, did the Lord have a plan.

We celebrated Thanksgiving tonight with our "family". 

[And y'all were there :) Hidden in the picture, but there!]

I am seeing my dream happen before my very eyes.

You are being surrounded by families and friends who love Jesus.  

We do have community.

And I am oh so grateful.

wedding gift.

My childhood friend, Ellis, and his beautiful bride, Sarah, were married this weekend.  The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and lots of fun.  I thought I'd post a picture of the wedding gift I made for them.

As NC State grads and huge football fans, they spend lots of weekends tailgating.  In fact, I think they even had a tailgating shower before a football game last year where they received lots of fun NC State gear :)  Such an awesome idea!  

Well, you know how you fight and fight with saran-wrap to get it to stick to a bowl?  

And then you take it off when it's time to eat but if there are any leftovers in the bowl, good luck, because you've already wadded up the saran-wrap and thrown it away.

I decided to make them a bowl cover!  I thought it might be a good addition to their tailgating supplies!  Or even good for grilling out - to keep the bugs away from the baked beans until the rest of the food is ready.  And of course, a little embroidery never hurts :)

To go along with the bowl cover, I monogrammed some kitchen towels.  I feel like there's something fun about special kitchen towels.  I always love having fun ones and thought they may like to have a few with their monogram :)

I found the tutorial for the bowl cover on Finding My Feet!

Beach Trip 2012.

As I mentioned in my last Project 52 post, we took a beach trip with some friends for a week.  

We went with Bobby and Amber and their two kiddos (Bailey and Boone) and Christopher and Heather (aka - Barbie and Ken) and their little one (Hamilton).

We honestly had so much fun.  It was crazy but it was a blast.  We've already decided that we're crazy enough to do it again next year :)

Here's a little recap from our week in pictures (with a few comments :))

This was the first time the four of us have been to the beach together and we had a blast.

But, I must say.  I would not have had as good of a time without this man.  He was such a huge help.  And he was willing to watch the boys inside many afternoons while I stayed out on the beach reading and napping.  It was pure bliss, I tell ya.

So thankful that he loves traveling and hanging out with friends and working hard to make sure we have a good time.

On our first night, the boys took a trip to Walmart (surprise!) after the babes fell asleep.  The next morning they all gave each other a signal, walked to their bedrooms and came out in matching trunks and tank tops.  We about died.  And they wore them.  A lot.  They walked down to the beach to set up the tent and chairs.  So thankful they have a sense of humor.  And wives who put up with their constant nonsense :)

 

 Sweet Hamilton loved the water.  And eating the sand...which was not so great.  

Crews - ready to hit the beach.

Boone.

Bailey was my "babysitter" for the week.  She loved watching the boys while I unpacked and folded laundry and got supper ready.  It was so fun to watch her :)

Boone eating breakfast one morning.

Bobby (yes, rocking his tank top) and Bailey.

Hamilton eating breakfast.

We took lots of walks on the beach which was fun.  The boys love being outside and watching the ocean and the birds and all the people.  So this was the perfect activity for their age :)

Bobby and his kiddos.  (Sorry, all these pictures are SOOC.  I knew if I tried to edit them first I'd never get around to blogging about our trip.)

One night the four of us went to eat at Provision Co.  It was wonderful.  We had to take the ferry over to Southport so of course I had to document the boys first ferry ride.  

Tate and Daddy.

(I took a picture of Crews too but he slept in his car seat the whole way over :) )

Bailey looooved the beach. 

Crews, in my pink towel.  I think Jordan about died when I wrapped him up in it. 

I nursed the boys while we were on the beach.  And finally, after three trips to the beach, we're figuring it out a little better. (Me and Tate)

The boys really did love the water when you sat them down in it.  But, if it rushed up on them, they weren't so excited about it.  Clearly.

(crews)

Tate and Daddy.

Me and Crews, again.

Me and Tate.

The girls also took all the babes on a walk one night.  

Pushing a stroller in the sand is a lot harder than it looks!  It was definitely a workout.

The guys rented a jeep to drive out on the beach.  So, when the boys went down for a nap, Amber graciously offered to listen for them while Jordan and I took a 20 minute joy ride.  Ummm...bad move.  Now we have jeep fever all over again.

Heather's mom came to watch Hamilton while they attended a wedding on Saturday night.  She offered to stay at the house while Bobby, Amber, Jordan and I went for a ride in the jeep.  We lined all the video monitors up for her and took off.  We felt like we were 16 again.  We had a BLAST.

Tate loved watching the ocean.  So, I propped him up in Jordan's chair and he just sat, mesmerized for a while.  Well...like five minutes.  But five minutes seems like an eternity when typically someone was crying to be held like every thirty seconds :)

We had to bathe the boys at least once a day if not more often than that.  Thankfully they love their bath time.  And they loved the water hose too :)  Especially after coming out of a dirty, swim diaper.

 I snuck out on our last morning, while the boys were sleeping, to do my devotions, drink coffee, watch the early morning beach walkers and just soak it all in one last time.  It was heavenly.

We had such a good time.  And I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with friends we are able to travel with and enjoy being with.  I'm already looking forward to next year's trip.

project 52.18

challenging.

Challenging but worth the reward.

Last week we went to the beach with our friends.  We had a great time.

But, it took work.  And lots of it.

Packing everything but the kitchen sink, missing naps, getting sandy, being hot, being dragged out and back from the beach.  

When we left for the beach, we got 1/4 mile down the road from home and stopped to get ice for the cooler.  I smelled poop.  So, I got in the back and checked both of you.  Tate, you were the culprit.  So, I pulled you out and went to change you in my seat.  Blowout.  Major blowout.  Like poop all the way up your back to your neck.  It was a two man job to clean you off.  Your daddy held you up.  Naked.  In the gas station parking lot.  (I said I would never be that parent). And I wiped you down.  With at least thirty wipes.  Then I had to dig through our bags that were packed all the way to the ceiling to find you an outfit.  Then I had to wipe down my seat.  It was cooovered in poop.  All 1/4 mile from our house.  Twenty minutes later when we were finally on the road, I looked at your daddy and said, "I feel like I've been run over by a truck".

Then, one night, after the two of you had been dragged in and out, put in the baby pool, taken out of the baby pool, nursed on the beach, covered in sand, bathed, fed for the millionth time and were finally asleep, it was 9:15 and I still hadn't taken a shower from being on the beach all day.  I sunk into a chair and caught myself saying, "I feel like I've been run over by a truck".  

Then, the next day, we took the ferry over to Southport.  On the ferry back over, I changed one of you (Tate) and fed you and your daddy put you back in your car seat.  Then, I fed the second (Crews) and went to change your diaper...to find lots of poop.  Just as we're about to dock.  Tate, you were not happy about being put back in your car seat.  And Crews, you were laying in my lap, kicking your legs against my stomach, about to flip backwards into the floorboard while I changed your diaper.  I finally got you changed and back in your car seat and as I got back into the car I looked at your daddy and said...you guess it, "I feel like I've been run over by a truck".

Finally, I'm starting to realize that this is a normal feeling.  That I am going to feel like I've been run over by a truck.  Often.  So, I've got to figure out how to recover quickly from that and move right along. 

It's challenging.  But oh, so worth the reward.  

Hamilton.

Meet Hamilton!

8 lbs. 

21 inches.

The beautiful Neese family.

So thankful for the blessing of this beautiful baby boy!

engagement photos.

I've posted my friend Kate and her husband's [agggh!] engagement photos online finally!

You can see them here.

Be sure to check out other full albums you might have missed.

And, with warm weather on it's way, let me know if you are interested in booking a photoshoot!

Happy Wednesday!

I made another skirt like this one for my college roommate.

I'm actually having a hard time giving it up :)

Worker Man said he liked this one better.  I might just have to get some more of this material :)

creative spotlight.

Like I mentioned last week, my college roommate, Kate, is getting married.


She is amazing.  She planned my entire wedding.  I mean from start to finish.  She will probably be a famous wedding planner some day.  That all the big stars want.  For real.  She is that good.


So of course, you know her wedding is going to be amazing.


Just to give you an idea of how good she is, she got engaged last July.  
She had everything planned,
down to our hair appointments,
by the end of August.


I am not kidding.




She is also DIYing a ton of her wedding.  


One of her fabulous ideas was having a craft day.


She had all of her bridesmaids come and craft everything from flowers to table decorations to frames to favors to the candy jars being used for the candy table.  [Sidenote: Have you been to a wedding with a candy table?  The coolest thing ever].


So, on that day we all got together at her parent's house.
Her mom, who is an amazing cook [and was like my local mom while I was in college], made lunch for all of us and we sat around and crafted for like seven hours.


Can I just say, I was in heaven.
That is my thing, yall.  
Seriously, I love it - so crafting with a bunch of my favorite people for a full day was so.much.fun.


While we were there Kate showed us a little project that her mom whipped up.
It was such a good idea [yes, it runs in the family :)] that I told her she had to have a spotlight on the ol' blog.


She found some tea towels in the dollar spot at Target and decided to use a few of them to make a table runner.


Here's Vanna, err...I mean Kate, showing it off.

Isn't that the best idea ever?


Super easy, cheap and the cutest table runner ever!


Here's an up close shot:

And then of course, I had to get the crafter, herself:

Now run along and get your dollar spot tea towels! 

But one condition - I want to see pictures! 

It would make me super happy!

vestique.

So my best friend from college, Kate, has a friend who opened an online clothing store.
It's called Vestique and it is incredible!

Kate's getting married this month and I've been looking at their site for a new dress for her bachelorette partaaaay :)

The colors for the party are black and red. 

I've picked out three dresses that I really like.

Which one is your favorite?

source

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I'm thinking red heels?


You should check out Vestique.  Their prices are great.  And they're local [Raleigh] - gotta love that :)