Life Lately - March

Y'all - March is over! Can you even believe that this is the last day of March - because I know I am over here absolutely befuddled by that! The first quarter of 2022 has come and gone just like that - and what a first quarter it's been! 

Eating - I have been doing a lot of eating at home this month (which may be why I've lost right at 9 pounds) - but y'all know I still have pictures, ha-ha! I whipped up some Crack Chicken Noodle Soup early in the month, we are loving having Hamburger Helper (which I did not grow up on) and Ryan made the most divine Fettuccini Alfredo with Grilled Chicken! *drools*

We tried out a local breakfast spot called Patty's Place and their food was the perfect diner food; I got the best French Toast and Ryan inhaled some Steak & Eggs! We participated in a Passover Meal at church and got to learn all about the significance of the foods eaten during the Seder - it was fascinating, if I do say so myself! Last but most certainly not least - I discovered my new favorite coffee drink: Sheetz Cappucino with Black Raspberry & Vanilla, made with Oat Milk. *sigh*

Watching - I finally got around to watching The Gilded Age this month and it quickly became a favorite! I am thoroughly enjoying the tales about the old money versus new money, social climbers and scandal set in gilded age New York City - it's just excellent and has been renewed for a second season! If you have HBO Now and liked Downton Abbey even a little bit - you should definitely check this one out!

Outlander's sixth season finally premiered in March and I have to say that it's been a bit more slow than other seasons for me! I am still a huge fan of the show and enjoying watching Jamie and Claire's story play out, but I do have to say that something has felt a little lacking ever since they left Scotland behind. What can I say? Scotland has my heart and I dearly love it! It's almost a character in it's own right and while I know they still film there - it is technically supposed to be "North Carolina". *sigh*

Bridgerton... the long awaited second season has finally arrived and I was so excited to see it pop up on my Netflix queue! I've only made my way through half of the eight episode season but I am thoroughly enjoying it... even though I've found it deviates quite a bit from the books! The second season has a bit more backstory and really fills out some of the characters from season one... and the relationship between Anthony and Kate is fantastic!

I've also been watching some reality-type favorites of course: Home Town is still on and I'm loving that! I also love watching the new episodes of Magnolia Kitchen with my Mom from time to time and I am still finishing up the second season of Amazing Vacation Homes on Netflix!

Wearing - I am absolutely in love with my Loft V-Neck cardigans! They come in the best Spring colors: a gorgeous aqua, a bright bubblegum pink, a pale white and a bright sunshine yellow - which I sadly missed out on! These cardigans are the perfect Spring accessory because they provide warmth on these blustery March days we've been experiencing but have that perfect pop of Spring color! 

I actually checked online just now and the sweaters are on sale for $35 - which is a great price point for what is; in my opinion, a closet staple! I am a firm believer that you can't ever go wrong with a good cardigan and it's the perfect wardrobe builder!

Bought - Plants! We bought plants y'all! I have never been one for actually digging in the dirt but Ryan loves plants and we ended up purchasing all sorts of greenery and color for our home this month!

I think I've already shared about my lovely little plants that now occupy space in the living room! They're small and easy to care for but add that pop of greenery that the living room really needed! Ryan also planted Forsythia, Tulips and more in our front bed and put black mulch down everywhere - it all looks excellent and hopefully the wonky weather won't hurt the plants!

Want - I want the weather to regulate into something not resembling craziness... it fluctuates between 25 and 75 in the span of days and it has my sinuses all jacked up! I guess I could have noted in the "Bought" section that Ryan and I ended up overhauling our medicine cabinet with all sorts of things in the month of March because we both were struggling with sinus issues! So - I'd have to say that I'd love and very much want for the weather to go back to something resembling not crazy, ha-ha! 

Reading - Books! Books! Books! I've read a pretty good deal this month! I started the month reading The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, which was a thriller with a somewhat predictable twist at the end - but still a great read all the same! I'd highly recommend it if you love suspense and twists, it was quite good! I moved on with The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, the book that the second season of Bridgerton is loosely based on. I wanted to be sure to finish it before the second season premiered and I managed to do just that - and I must say that I enjoyed it a bit more than the first book! 

I started the book Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen but I confess I only got about a third of the way through it before I lost interest! I definitely need to pick it back up because I could surely use a good dose of learning to take my thoughts captive - but it just wasn't holding my attention! *sigh* I turned instead to The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James; a supernatural thriller that gave me some spine tingles as I read it and ended in a very satisfying way! I've started on An Offer from A Gentleman - the third book in the Bridgerton series but I'm not too far into it quite yet!

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And just like that - it's time to turn the calendar over to April and move the months along! 

Well - It Snowed this Weekend

It's absolutely beautiful outside today - blue skies, fluffy clouds, trees all in bloom and grass turning a glorious bright green. It's also hovering at about 35 degrees and the wind will take your skin off if you stay outside too long! I joked a few weeks ago that when it snowed on Saturday that perhaps it was Winter's last stand... but perhaps this past weekend was? It really does seem to be hanging on pretty tightly! 

Work wasn't too nuts on Friday and I got a text around lunchtime from Ryan, letting me know he was on the way to have lunch with me. We were able to spend some time together mid-day and that was really sweet. Ryan and I went to our couples group on Friday night and had a nice time - Ryan started to feel a little sick as the evening went on... not sure if he ate something funny or what - but regardless, we headed home as soon as group was over so he could get some sleep and feel better. The picture above is our buddy - Lincoln - the pup that belongs to our group leaders! 

Saturday was a little busy and a little chill - I slept in until right at 8:00 - what a miracle that was! My Mom purchased some to die for cinnamon rolls from a church friend; she makes them in her home and does Saturday pick-ups, they are divine! We had those for breakfast and then my Mom and I headed out to do wedding things... and Ryan and my Dad headed out to do guy things. *laughter* Who even knows what guys get up to when their together?

My Mom and I found vases and lanterns at Hobby Lobby that will work perfectly for the rehearsal dinner and the reception - we'd already had a number of perfect lanterns and we found the exact same ones and were able to get the amount we needed for each of the tables at the reception! We also looked at easels and just poked around in general - because who doesn't love Hobby Lobby?

We perused the aisles of Home Goods - which I hadn't been into in ages - and I refrained from buying too many things, ha-ha! I did get some refrigerator organizers, a pup bowl set for Watson to have at Ryan and I's house and a gift for my friend Danielle's birthday that's coming up quickly! We had lunch at Firenze Pizza (you can make your own pizza, yum!) and then perused Belk's looking for some dresses and tops for our upcoming trip to Mississippi (and potentially to take on my honeymoon). We found some perfect options - I got a gorgeous green dress to wear on Easter and a precious chambray "nap dress" that will look beautiful for the shower in Mississippi! 

I know y'all like my hilarious kitchen towel - right? Saturday afternoon I was a big ol' bum you guys! I ended up falling asleep on the couch for a wee bit... we got home shortly after 2 and Ryan was napping at my parents ahead of working the night shift. He woke up about 6 and we went to Front Royal to do some shopping/poking around and grab dinner at Spelunker's - which; I can report, has delicious burgers but the service was less than stellar! After Ryan headed out to work, I did my nails and watched the first episode of the second season of Bridgerton with my parents! 

Sunday morning was brutally chilly - y'all, it was so freaking cold! I ended up bundling up for church and then ended up burning up while sitting in church, whoosh! John James, the former lead singer of Newsboys shared his testimony during the service and his story was powerful and uplifting - truly a story of the healing power of Christ in a life - Ryan and I both thoroughly enjoyed it! We attended a children's group meeting for volunteers and then we both headed to our house in Woodstock for the afternoon and evening. We had a delicious dinner of ribs/pulled pork/pulled chicken/Brussel sprouts/herb noodles - it was divine and the perfect meal to end the weekend on a happy note! We watched some TV together to round out the evening and just like that - the weekend was over!

This picture is a bit of a cheat (it's from this morning) - but oh well! This was what the weather has looked like almost all weekend! Doesn't that look like a lovely, warm Spring day? Well - you'd be wrong! The temperatures have hovered in the 30's and those fluffy clouds have a hidden secret: they're holding snow flurries! It has flurried for the past 48 hours on and off... and I; for one, am over it! Here's hoping this week will bring us closer to more Spring-like days!

Friday Favorites

 

One. ImPress Nails - I talked about these back in February and now I'm sharing about them again because honestly, I find myself pretty impressed by them! I've had this set on for a full week with no issues or pop offs of the nails - so I am really loving this nail option! There are tons of colors and patterns to choose from and these in particular are a "petite" pair.

The nails stick on with a sticky backing on the back of each nail and you can remove them easily by peeling them off. They do little to no damage to your nails and to add to the ease of removal, you can dip your fingers in nail polish remover to weaken the sticky bits. I honestly never thought I'd be one for press on nails - but ImPress nails work so well and look natural - so I'm in love!

Two. Bridgerton Season Two - The second season of Bridgerton premieres today and I can't wait to watch it! I absolutely loved the first season and like most everyone (I mean - it was; for a time, Netflix's most watched show) in the world I've been eagerly awaiting the second season of the show!

The first season was centered on the Bridgerton daughter Daphne and this season moves on to eldest son Anthony and his search to find a Viscountess for himself. I recently read The Viscount Who Loved Me - the book the second season is based on - and I cannot wait to see it play out on my TV!

Three. Weekend & Wedding Things - My Mom and I have plans to peruse Hobby Lobby, Michaels and more to find some centerpieces for the rehearsal dinner... and who knows what else? Beyond some shopping with my Mom on Saturday and a nursery volunteers meeting after church on Sunday - I don't have too much planned for the weekend ahead. I do want to sleep late tomorrow morning and potentially on Sunday morning too...

I know - big goals for myself, right? 

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That's all I've got for this Friday y'all - and I know it's not a lot - but then again, it's Friday Favorites and not Five on Friday... right? *wink*

Tuesday Tales

This definitely looks like a comfortable way to sleep - right? This silly little old man can sleep just about anywhere but he's especially partial to being in front of the fire.

 

I Have a Forsythia!

You guys - just look at my beautiful little Forsythia! I actually have two of them and some other lovely flowers and plants outside my new home that my Ryan planted on Friday to make our home beautiful and ready for Spring! The weekend felt a little bit like a whirlwind - which is ironic since I didn't actually do very much.

 

The sinuses/allergies hit our house hard this week y'all - and by the time I got off work on Friday (early - praise the Lord) and got home, all I wanted to do was lay down on the couch. I looked at our beautiful new plants and then I put on some comfy pants, laid down on the couch and slept for over an hour. I joked that Ryan's dinner cured me: he made fettuccini alfredo with grilled chicken and breadsticks - it was delicious! We ended up watching Ghost Hunters because they recently did two shows in locations near and dear to us: Winchester and Stephens City! 

 

Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day - the sun was out, the sky was blue and there was a breeze in the air. It started as a breeze and as the day wore on, it turned into a full on March gale. I'd like to say I did a lot of things on the gorgeous day but honestly - I did a whole lot of nothing.

I ended up organizing and adjusting some things at Ryan and I's house before heading back to my parents house for the afternoon... taking the back roads since the weather was so nice.  I did spend a good bit of time outside enjoying the warm Spring sunshine and I cleaned out/organized some drawers & my jewelry armoire but when all was said and done, Saturday was truly a day of relaxation for me because I did a whole lot of nothing!

Sunday morning dawned bright and early - I attended the first service since I had nursery in the second service and then my Dad and I grabbed Mexican food for lunch before heading home. Again, I did pretty much nothing all afternoon long... it's a little shameful how few things I did this weekend! My Mom returned home from being gone for the weekend and I ended up spending quite a bit of the afternoon talking to her...  I'll do better next weekend - maybe... 

Sunday evening we went to a Passover Seder style meal at our church and it was really fascinating learning the traditions of the Passover from a Jewish perspective. We had salt water, parsley, horseradish and an apply & nut mixture that were eaten with the matzo... Ryan was thrilled to realize as the youngest person at our table he got to find the "hidden" matzo and have it "redeemed" back to him. The man leading the Passover Seder explained that usually the person that found the hidden matzo was paid for redeeming the matzo back. The redemption payment for Ryan? Dinner at Italian Delight after the Passover service! 

 

The whole ritual was fascinating to learn about and while I very much enjoyed some aspects of the "meal" - I could always do without horseradish! Blegh! Also, see the ten drops of juice on my plate? They represent the 10 plagues that were brought down on Egypt before Pharaoh let the Israelites go. The symbolism and tradition was really lovely and I'm so glad to have had the experience and to now know more about what the Passover means to the Jewish people.

It's another fairly calm week here on the home front - just work and a couple group meetings here and there. I can't believe we are getting close to the final weekend in March, talk about time flying!

Friday Favorites

I am glad to see this weekend arrive y'all! It hasn't even been a particularly long week and work has gone fairly smooth but sinus issues have plagued Ryan and I all week and I am glad to see a weekend with not much on the calendar... and hopefully some relief from the sinus issues!

One. My Plant Babies - I am not great with plants, I'll be the first to admit it! However on St. Patrick's Day, Ryan and I shopped for some green! We found two small house plants to place in the living room to add some nature into the mix and I got to choose both of them. 

I could not tell you what kind of plants they are - only that they both supposedly require very little care and that's right up my alley! I named the pokey one "Spike" and the flowy one "Junie"... and I don't know where I got the names from, but they just seemed right!

Two. Hoot Owl Flies Again - This bag is the cutest thing and has quite the story behind it! My little sister brought it home from one of her world travels years ago... years I'm telling you.... and it had a small wire poking out of the bottom of the frame and one of the handles was coming undone, but otherwise it was perfectly fine.

Fast forward to a week ago - my Dad cut the wire and my Mom sewed up the hole where it had poked through. She also sewed the handle shut and now this little bag is good as new! It holds a good amount of travel items and holds it shape so well - I'm so glad it's all well now!

Three. Spring Weather - Oh goodness, the weather this week has been amazing! After it snowed on Saturday, the weather was back to the upper 60's/early 70's by Tuesday and it's been lovely! I truly hope the Spring weather will stick around a while because it's perfect for doing all the outdoor things! What I don't want to stick around? These Spring allergies!

Four. A Blue Office - The whole office got an upgrade this week and now my office is a pale blue! It's hard to tell in the pictures that I took but trust me, it's the most lovely shade of light blue that looks like a robin's egg.

It makes the whole office light and airy feeling (it used to be a dark tan) and of course, blue is my favorite color! I can't wait to get some pictures printed to hang on the wall(s) of my office and really set it back up just the way I like it.

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That's all I've got for this Friday! I am typing in between sneezes and drinking my combination of Emergen-C and TheraFlu while taking sinus meds - trying to kick this business to the curb! Y'all have a good weekend.

Wedding Wednesday - What's the Theme?

 

Once you get that ring on your finger - the planning begins in full force! I mean, it certainly did for us. I suppose I say "us" but Ryan hasn't had too many opinions. He very nicely told me that he was getting the most important thing from the deal: me as his wife for the rest of our lives. It's hard to argue with that, huh? Granted - he has had a few requests here and there and I am happily incorporating them into the wedding.

We toured some venues ahead of the engagement (you read that right) and I'm so glad we did - because one thing we have learned is that because of all the weddings that were rescheduled due to COVID, 2022 will be the largest year for weddings since 1984 - which is; ironically, the year I was born! I will admit I am one of those women who have been pinning ideas/plans on Pinterest for my wedding for several years now and once we knew we were planning an Autumn wedding - I finalized my color scheme.

Just a couple of the things I pinned on my Pinterest that I went back to look at and helped solidify the goal I had in my mind for what I wanted. Especially once we chose the venue - I knew that I was going for a rustic/romantic vibe for the wedding and I felt like the Autumn setting would pair well with the colors I chose: navy blue for the men and a burnt orange shade for the women. I plan to have rustic wooden centerpieces for the tables at the reception with lanterns and some pumpkins to accent here and there - preferably white pumpkins.

We have since looked at suits - and I must confess that the orange in the picture below photographs incredibly bright! It really is a more burnt orange shade and I love the pairing! 

A general breakdown of the color scheme - I think we will be leaning a little more heavily on the navy as I know the invitations will have navy and ecru as the color palette (I only know that as of this week because it took me a while to find what I wanted). The flowers and the bridesmaid dresses will bring in the rust/

All in all - settling in my mind what I envisioned for our big day wasn't too hard. I always felt like I would lean toward navy because blue is my favorite color and blue is a color that feels more like "me". I think the colors I've chosen (with the seal of approval from the fiancé) will make for a lovely, romantic Autumn wedding with just the right amount of rustic thrown into the mix. 

We've gathered décor and little knick knacks to use during the wedding and I cannot wait to see the vison brought to life - in less than eight months!

Tuesday Tales

 Happy Birthday to Watson!

This little guy is a whopping 15 today - that's 105 in dog years, if you happen to be keeping count. He wandered into my life and squeezed his way into my heart as soon as I saw his little fuzzy face! He has been the best little buddy and added so much joy to my life in the last fourteen years that I've had him!

 

Most of the time he acts like a little old man and he does spend most of his time sleeping these days, but in the morning and when he's outside, he seems to find some of the youthful pup within! Happiest of birthdays to my constant companion for the last fourteen years - a huge chunk of my life and almost all of his life!

Well That was Fast!

Monday once more - and let me tell you, as I look out my office windows I feel like the weather has done a 360 since Friday afternoon. *shakes head* I guess that's Spring for you! Friday was a gorgeous day and the temperatures stayed around the mid-60's and I was able to head home a little early - all delightful things!

Ryan and I went to the couple's group we attend through out church and we had some serious delicious Chicken Carnitas for dinner with some very tasty rice! We also did a lesson on marriage and arguing and then Ryan and I made a pit stop at Sheetz to grab coffee - I got my beloved black raspberry vanilla cappuccino (decaf) and we headed home! Saturday morning I peered out of the curtains and was met with the view below...

 

Okay - that wasn't actually the view out my bedroom window but you get the picture. It snowed! I wasn't excited or disappointed, I really felt pretty indifferent to it and was just glad to have a warm house to stay inside while it did all the snowing!

Ryan and I are continuing to explore the small town where we bought our house and we had a late breakfast at Patty's Place on Saturday morning around 10:30 - it's one of those places that you'd blink and miss, but the food (and service) are great! It's a little home town spot that has probably been around for ages and all the locals (I guess we're local now) kept popping in to eat... I especially loved the little elderly couple who came in with the newspaper and read it together over their coffee!

Ryan had to go into work on Saturday afternoon and I met my Mom in nearby Winchester to do some wedding related things - namely, order wedding invitations! We went to a store in downtown that does all sorts of wonderful gifts and I ended up finding (finally) some invites I liked, so we got all the wording down and put in that order.

After being 60+ the day before, once the snow stopped on Saturday afternoon the temperature bottomed out and stayed in the lower 20's but the wind was whipping at around forty mph - so we grabbed Mission BBQ and headed home, where we stayed! It was just not the kind of weather you want to be out in for any amount of time!

After church and lunch at Chinatown Restaurant, I was pretty much a bum for most of Sunday afternoon and evening. I did my nails and ended up watching Gilded Age, Outlander and Home Town before spending some time with Ryan before he headed to work. I feel like the weekend absolutely sped by - but then again, I generally feel that way all the time!

Friday Favorites

March is marching along... cheesy lines included! The weather has been attempting to do something resembling Spring but the forecast for tomorrow includes chances of SNOW. *sigh* I was originally really disheartened to see snow in the forecast again but I think I've decided to embrace whatever comes (can't change it) and try to enjoy the last vestiges of Winter.

One. The Best Coffee - I have discovered the best cup of coffee y'all and I just had to share it with you! Sadly, only some of you will be able to access it but hey - if you're traveling, get you one! I say this because the best cup of coffee is from Sheetz and Sheetz are (for now) only located in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina. So if you're headed this way and stop at one (you definitely should) - grab a Cappuccino made with Black Raspberry & Sugar Free Vanilla syrup and oat milk. 

I randomly selected this option when Ryan and I were out and about last Saturday night and let me tell you - it is AMAZING. I ended up getting another on Sunday morning on the way to church and drank every last drop... and I am planning to get another one this weekend! *smile* So if you happen to be in one of the six states blessed with a Sheetz - grab some coffee! And maybe grab some food too, because they have all the food and it is delicious! 

Two. My Flowers - My sweet love, my Ryan gave me the most beautiful flowers last Sunday for our anniversary and they are still going strong almost a week later! Aren't they beautiful y'all? March 6th was one year since we met and became "official" and Ryan gave me the most beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies - my two favorite flowers.

I've been pruning and watering them, rationing out their plant food and they are still looking stunning! One of the lilies hasn't even bloomed yet but it looks like it's getting ready to! I'm going to give them some extra love this afternoon before I head home for the weekend and hope they survive till Monday!

Three. Wedding Things - Tomorrow afternoon (as long as it doesn't snow buckets) my Mom and I are spending some time doing wedding things and I'm so looking forward to it! We are planning to look at invitations (insert squeal here) and potential decorations for the rehearsal dinner - tomorrow is just 8 months to the big day and things are moving right along! I am so looking forward to spending some time with my Momma (and my Daddy, who will probably tag along) and picking and planning for Ryan and I's big day! 

Four. Spring Forward - I know.. I know... we lose an hour this weekend but do you know what we gain? We gain sunshine and daylight hours and I am so excited! I feel like Spring is a little more official (although it's not officially Spring until March 20th) once daylight savings time happens and so I am looking forward to this!

I am already dreaming of time spent sitting on the back porch, watching the sun set over the mountains after 7:30 or 8 in the evening. Gentle Spring breezes and green grass... and definitely warmer temperatures! *sigh* Bring on the time change!

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In other news - two years ago today COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Sometimes that seems like a lifetime ago and other days it still feels like COVID is very prevalent in our day to day lives. I remember (courtesy of pictures on my phone) that places here in Northern Virginia were already closed to visitors so we spent the weekend outdoors/I visited with a friend after we decided that we'd both been well and had no cause for worry - it would be the last time I'd see her face to face for over a year!

 

A week after the virus was declared a pandemic, I went from sitting at my brand new desk in the office to sitting at a makeshift desk in my living room and working from home for the next five months - which was relatively short when I consider I know people who are still working from home today.

I feel like we've come a long way but still have a long way to go when it comes to living life the way we used to - although I suspect that we won't ever truly return to the way of life we all remember. 

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Y'all enjoy your weekend and be glad this weekend isn't marking the beginning of a global pandemic. Go out with friends, spend time with people and enjoy yourselves!