Friday Favorites - I'm Still Here

I'm still here guys - this has just been such a season of busyness y'all! I thought maybe on this little issue of Friday Favorites, I'd just give you a little update on how our lives are going! It's been a whirlwind, but I do believe life is about to start to slow down... maybe...

I am thrilled and overwhelmed to report that our house has sold! Our home went on the market on Thursday, August 10th and we were blown away to receive an offer on the evening of Tuesday, August 15th! We countered and happily - our counter was accepted and we have moved forward with no other major hurdles! We close on the house on September 20th and I am still so blown away that it's moved so quickly - even though everyone told us it would!

Time and time again the Lord has blessed us - and this is yet another blessing! I am so humbled that this process has so far been so smooth!

It's been a shorter than usual work week for both of us, since we just returned from Florida for a few days! I'll have to share our awesome vacation photos in the coming days! 

This weekend we are headed into DC on Saturday to take in the Museum of the Bible! I have never been before - but my husband and my parents have! We ended up with free tickets and decided to make the trip for the day! 

I've heard nothing but good things about the museum - so I can't wait to check it out! And on Sunday afternoon, we are heading over to Martinsburg to see what we can see from the local Air Show - but mostly, I'm looking forward to hopefully having a bit of a restful Sunday!

Labor Day Weekend cannot come fast enough - I've been feeling so drained lately! Like I said - life has been filled with busyness lately, but hopefully it's going to slow down soon. And everyone is good - life is good - it's just very full, ha-ha!

Y'all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy time with people who mean the most to you!

Body Slides & Babies!

Is that a weird enough title for you? It's a reference to our weekend - which had both body slides and babies - I'm just hoping that a body slide is what I think it is. You know, one of those slides you zip down at water parks that you use your body to ride. You don't sit on a mat or inner tube or anything - you just zip along using your body. That's the weirdest description I've ever provided on here...

Friday evening was super laid back - last week seemed a little long and so we just had some random leftovers for dinner/made sandwiches and started watching Guardians of the Galaxy III before crawling into bed. Like I said - not exactly a wild evening! 

Saturday morning was the start of our 48-hour getaway and so after some breakfast, we loaded up the car and headed toward Bowie, MD to go to Six Flags America and Hurricane Harbor. 

We spent most of our day at Hurricane Harbor - it was 90 degrees and felt like it was 101 with the heat index, so the water was the best place to be! We put on plenty of sunscreen and spent the early morning and afternoon speeding along slides, floating around the lazy river and just generally enjoying ourselves like two big kids. Y'all - the slide we started on dropped you into this huge funnel and as soon as we dropped, I yelled out "nope" over and over. Pansy - party of one, right here.

We decided around 3:00 to wander over to the portion of the park that was Six Flags and goodness - it was like a ghost town! I don't know if the heat was keeping people at the water park or away from the park completely, but there were hardly any lines! Ryan hopped on a coaster and then we decided that since it was so hot out - we'd just go ahead and make our way to Fredericksburg to spend time with friends. 

After a fairly painless drive down 95 - we arrived in Fredericksburg and finally got to meet baby Milliana! Doesn't she have the best hair you've ever seen?

We arrived shortly around dinner and our friends were so awesome to have grilled burger and dogs, along with some Amish macaroni salad and baked beans - we were well fed, and then after we ate - I got to give little miss her bottle! She was well fed too, ha-ha! We snuggled the baby all evening and watched a Lifetime movie before blowing up our air mattress and snuggling in for the evening! Free lodging + food with friends + baby snuggles = the best!

Sunday morning after an epic breakfast cooked by Will - Ryan and I headed to Strong Tower for church. The church was influential in Ryan's life during his time living in Fredericksburg and he's long been telling me he wanted to take me there. The service was amazing and I told Ryan I will be thrilled to go back in the future! We grabbed some subs for lunch and headed to the YMCA pool to hang out with Will, Allison and the kids for a few more hours before driving home. 

It was an awesome weekend - it just passed too quickly, ha-ha! Don't they always pass too quickly?

Friday Favorites

It's Friday and I cannot believe it's already the second Friday in August! You guys! Can you even believe that we are already in the eighth month of this year, the "ber" months are right around the corner and I honestly can't believe how quickly this year is flying by! 

I thought time flew when I was a single gal... and honestly, time seemed to slow down when I was planning my wedding and eagerly waiting to be a wife... but now that Ryan and I are married, time seems like it absolutely flies! 

The weather this week got a little wild - in the nine years I've been living in Virginia, we've been under a tornado watch maybe twice (such a change from once a week from March to November when I lived in Mississippi) - and Tuesday was one of those days! I think the weather could have gotten much worse than it did, but when the storms finally arrived around 3:45, the skies darkened and the wind whipped like dervish! However, the storms passed through quickly and there was a stunning rainbow on display once the storms passed - you gotta love a promise from the Creator of the Universe. 

My ladies group met on Wednesday night and it was a wonderful time - as usual! I have been so blessed to have these ladies as a part of my life for the last.. six or seven years now - goodness! Tammy had the funniest napkins; so I couldn't resist snapping a picture of them.. or the really tasty dinner she cooked: you gotta love a big ol' salad, lasagna and garlic bread! What a joy to have such wonderful, Godly women around me and to teach me - being the baby of the group is such a gift - because their wisdom is a gift. 

It's bunny season and the little creatures are everywhere! Every single time I step foot outside in the morning - there is a bunny, nibbling away at some bright green breakfast! When we take walks in the evening - there are the bunnies, munching on dinner! They are so cute and I wish I could just scoop them up and have a whole family of them. However - they aren't so keen on me and hop away quickly!

We have a big weekend planned this weekend and I'm looking forward to it so much! We'll be having a pretty low key night tonight, but tomorrow morning we are heading to Maryland to go to Six Flag America and Hurricane Harbor! The weather is looking like a pretty toasty August day - so we will likely be spending most of our day at Hurricane Harbor, enjoying all the water rides. It has been a million years since I've been to a Six Flags and even longer (hehehe) since I've been to a water park! I can't wait to float around in the water and enjoy the day! 

When we have rode all the water rides - we are heading to Fredericksburg to spend the night with some friends and then spend our Sunday in the area! I am super excited to meet our friend's precious new baby - she has the best hair I've ever seen and it's been so long since I've snuggled a little one! We are going to attend church at one of the places Ryan attended while at Teen Challenge and we will catch up with some of his friends! 

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As you can see - we've got quite the weekend planned! I am looking forward to making some memories and enjoying a weekend of fun and friends! 

I'm Still Here!

It's a Monday and I know - I haven't blogged in forever! I feel like I say this each time I end up on an extended blogging "break" - but things have been a little bit hectic. Work especially has been almost non-stop, life outside of work has seemed so busy and I am praying that as the last five months of the year (how is it August) unfurl - things will be calmer.  

Granted - I can't help but think that since I just said that - anyone else believe in jinxing yourself? Oh well, moving along. The husband and I have been taking walks in the evenings and he snapped the gorgeous pictures of the hibiscus (I think that's what they are) on our walks. His phone camera is far superior to mine and the pictures turned out stunning! 

This last weekend was both long and short - because we spent a huge chunk of the weekend at our house, doing final prep for selling. And final prep here translates to painting the entire house. *sigh* We discovered a week ago that the cans of paint that were left behind with the house didn't actually match any of the paint on the walls and so we were left with spackled walls... that needed paint. We went with Swiss Coffee for the living/bathroom and Colonnade Gray for the kitchen/bedrooms. 

We spent a chunk of our Friday afternoon and evening painting the living room and then on Saturday morning, we started it all again. It made for a long day but when 6 PM rolled around, the house was completely painted! *praise hands* We were all tired and paint-splattered, so we headed to Los Potrillos and had Mexican to celebrate being done with all the painting! Ryan and I ended up asleep before 9:30, ha-ha! I'm so glad we were able to get it done and I'm equally glad that my parents were willing to help - we would have been painting even longer if it was just the two of us! 

The final step to get the house ready to sell was to refresh the front flower beds and mow the backyard - Ryan and I headed over after church on Sunday and I helped as best I could with de-weeding the beds and spreading out new mulch. We finished the house up and we were able to pop by Sheetz and grab lunch before settling ourselves poolside for the afternoon to relax some! We soaked up some sun - but we didn't get to stay quite as long as we'd have liked, since rain rolled in around 3:15!

My hubby decided to cook up some ribs for lunch on Sunday night and he absolutely killed it! He asked me to make the dry rub and the sauce, so I created some mixtures and he coated the ribs in the mixtures, cooked them up and they were divine! That man knows how to cook some good food! The weekend feels like it passed in a blur when looking back - but man, the hours spent painting didn't seem like they passed quickly! 

And now here we are - about to put out first house on the market. Our first home was good to us and we made some wonderful memories in our little townhome! We are praying all would go well and the house would sell quickly. We are excited for what the future holds and for our lives as we move forward from here - we can't wait to see where the Lord take us.

And just because I think it's wildly true and we could all use a laugh on a Monday morning...

I hope y'all have a good week! I hope I have a good week too, ha-ha!

It's Me Again

It's me again - back after yet another week (or more) of no posting! I suppose I earn the "bad blogger" award; if such a thing exists. Life has been both exciting and not very exciting the last few weeks and so I haven't really had a lot to share! 

I will wind it back to LAST Friday because I am proud to share that my work to convert Ryan to a person who loves Mexican food may actually be nearing completion! He actually chose to go to a Mexican restaurant after our first choice didn't quite pan out - and my Mexican-food loving heart was beyond thrilled! It's the giant burritos that reeled him in! He can't resist a steak and chicken burrito! 

 

On a completely different tangent - my sweet in-laws surprised my parents by making the trip from Florida to Mississippi to see my Dad's labor of love project: The East Mississippi Veteran's Foundation Memorial Park! I knew they were planning this little trip and I was so excited that it came off without a hitch and they were able to surprise them! The project is really coming along so amazingly and I can't wait to get a chance to see how far it's come!

Ryan and I (inspired by the study my ladies group is doing) are really trying to make it a priority to really make Sunday a "restful" day - truly a Sabbath day, like it's supposed to be. We traditionally spend our Sunday afternoons doing laundry, getting the house put together and just rushing around to prepare for the work week ahead - and honestly, it leaves me (us) feeling more tired as the week starts! And that's not how a Sunday is meant to be! 

 

So we really have made a concerted effort the last two weeks to make our Sundays much more "restful". Last weekend we went to the pool after lunch and spent about three hours just doing a bunch of nothing by the pool: reading, listening to music, swimming around and chatting. It was much more restful than running around doing things! We had an amazing dinner and just relaxed on Sunday evening - and I truly felt more rested on Monday! 

This last weekend wasn't too full - but it kicked off early on Friday because we got off work at 3:00! Granted, that has been happening pretty frequently lately, but it's still always nice when it happens! I joined my co-workers to see the Barbie movie (A-) and enjoyed a Malibu Barbie with my popcorn! I thought the movie was really funny and while portions were a little silly, overall the movie was such a fun watch and made some excellent points - and don't even get me started on America Ferreira's monologue - it was powerful!

The rest of Friday ended up being really chill - the weather got a little wild on Friday evening and so Ryan and I decided our best bet was to grab a pizza, stay home and just chill! And we did just that! Saturday morning we headed to Woodstock to do some work to get the house ready to be sold - and man, the storm damage was pretty incredible! 

 

 

We were so surprised by the storm damage but thankful our townhouse still looked great - and we also had power! Several places in the area were without power and so we considered ourselves pretty lucky to have electricity to sand and spackle and move the final things out of the house! We will have to spend this upcoming weekend painting the interior - but thankfully, once that's done and the yard is all cleaned up, we will be ready to have it cleaned and get it on the market! *Whoosh* We relaxed Saturday evening - Ryan grilled some amazing burgers and we watched a movie together!

The sunset on Saturday night was pretty spectacular (I stole all these pictures from my husband - his phone's camera is superior to mine) and I couldn't resist sharing some of the pictures! Sunday was a pretty chill day - trying to do that whole Sabbath thing right, you know? After church service online, Ryan ran some errands and we headed to the Alamo to see Oppenheimer. 

That was a LONG movie y'all - I don't think I realized it was three hours long! It was a good movie but man, the last forty-five minutes did seem to drag a bit! We rounded out our weekend with some Panda Express and just chilling, watching a little TV and getting to bed early! 

Can anyone else believe that July ends today? June was a LONG month for us - but July has seemed to fly by and I cannot believe August starts tomorrow! Which also means there are only five months left in this year! 

Recent Reads

The reading of all the books continues - and so I wanted to pop back in and share some of the books I've read in the last couple months! I've read twenty-seven of the thirty-two book goal I set for myself for 2023 and according to my Good Reads app - I'm ten books ahead of schedule! 

I did have a bit of a reading lull in June but I got right back at it this month and I may actually end up catching up on my Book of the Month list before July ends! That will be quite the feat since I haven't managed to accomplish that since I registered for Book of the Month almost 2.5 years ago! Anyhow - onward to some of the books I've read recently! 

The Attic Child by Lola Jaye - This book was a 400+ page read lent to my by my friend Danielle with the caveat that it started slow but to stay with it! She was absolutely right, because while the book took a little while to get into - the payoff was well worth it and it was an excellent read! 

"In a heartbreaking tale of privilege, racism and identity, two abused children, banished to an attic of the same house nearly a hundred years apart, find the strength to regain their stolen identities and repair their battered souls."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins - This is the prequel to The Hunger Games series and I cannot believe that it was released in 2020 and has just been around that long! I confess I saw the first trailer for the theatrical version and was intrigued, so I ordered the book and read it in about a week! It's classic Panem and I really enjoyed the book; it wasn't quite The Hunger Games, but close and I look forward to seeing the film. 

"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes focuses on Coriolanus Snow, who fans first meet as President Snow, during Panem's Tenth Hunger Games, about sixty-four years prior to The Hunger Games. It follows Coriolanus as he prepares to mentor District 12's female tribute, Lucy Gray Baird."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer - This was my Book of the Month for June and was kind of a random choice, but I am so glad I chose it! This book was unique and different, with a heart-warming tale, the perfect amount of adventure and was just all around an excellent (and quick) read! I absolutely recommend it - you won't be disappointed by the quirky and uplifting story!

"Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children's author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner's life in this absorbing and whimsical novel."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer - This was my May Book of the Month choice and was another somewhat out there option that I'm glad I chose! This book was yet another story that I thought had a very unique tale to spin and I really enjoyed reading it! It wasn't quite what I expected and took a little bit to get into, but then quickly became engrossing! 

"A big-hearted and life-affirming debut about a death doula who, in caring for others at the end of their life, has forgotten how to live her own. This weird, lovely and sweetly satisfying novel is engaging and accessible; Clover's emergence from a shuttered life is moving enough to elicit tears and Brammer's take on death and grieving is profound enough to feel genuinely instructional."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Last Word by Taylor Adams - Last but definitely not least, this was also my friend Danielle's book and she said she read in in just days! I started it and could immediately see why, the twists and turns just kept coming from the start of the book until the very end! This thriller was great, suspenseful and chilling!

"After posting a negative review of a horror novel, a woman staying at an isolated beach house begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy - or very, very dangerous - in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I still have so many books still to be read! The list keeps going on and on, ha-ha! Just a few of the books still to be read are listed below!

• Revenge: Meghan, Harry & the War Between the Windsors by Tom Bower
• The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans & their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown
• Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon 
• Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer 
• The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani

I have plenty on my plate to read, the ones I listed above are just a few of the eight or nine that I have sitting and waiting to be read - so I'm sure I'll be posting these updates for a while to come! Anyone have any good recommendations?