Years and years ago I clipped a tidbit of an article out of a Coastal Living Magazine. The title of the article was, "Mark and Clark's Top Plants To Grow." I didn't know who Mark and Clark were but I loved their plant suggestions...heirloom tomatoes, thyme, chervil, basil, cilantro...yes, please! I carried that little article around with me through California, New York, and Maryland. It finally came to rest on our fridge here in Virginia. I actually pulled it off the fridge just the other day because...guess who finally has herbs growing in her backyard!

I cannot tell you how unusually happy these herbs make me. Andrew and I swung by Home Depot several weeks ago and he insisted that I finally pick out my garden of herbs. (When I say that he makes my dreams come true I mean the big dreams and the little dreams! He's the best.) So I went wild! Thyme and oregano and cilantro and basil. And a couple adventurous ones like okra and cantaloupe and cucumber and even bell peppers! We've got one mystery plant that lost it's tag. I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is!

These little herbs and veggies are just flourishing! We've got them in containers right now--soaking up plenty of sunshine and rain. Andrew picked out two varieties of watermelon plants. Might have to transplant those at the farm. :)

Cilantro! Homemade guac anyone?

Our Mystery Plant...any green thumbs know about this one?!

Cucumber!

Thyme flies when you're having fun!

Blooming cherry tomato plant! 

Oh Basil, I love you. ("Smells like pizza" said my Sister)

Bell peppers!

German oregano!

A bloom on our bell pepper plant

Cherry tomatoes coming your way!

Savannah

Andrew and I roadtripped to south Georgia this past weekend to watch our friends Alex and Jake tie the knot! It's wedding season, y'all! 

We drove down I-95 all day Friday and stopped for the night on Hilton Head Island. Andrew had never been before! I was bursting at the seams to show him a place that's been so special to my family over the years. We grabbed a bite of breakfast in Harbor Town on Saturday morning and then drove to Savannah for lunch. We were both on the top of our tour guide game this weekend...I had never been to Savannah!

What a charming town. I loved the trees and the Spanish moss and the river walk and the food. Maybe loved the food a little too much. Andrew and I ate lunch at Paula Deen's Restaurant. We both ordered the buffet and spent the rest of the afternoon clutching our stomachs. Too much food. Hah! What a pretty little southern town. I want to visit again and enjoy one of those darling trolley tours!

California

I spent last weekend in California, and I'm still dreaming about it! It was such a wonderful time. Soul-filling. Just the best. Andrew was so generous to hold down the fort here in Virginia while I jetted off to the West Coast for a wedding. Along with wedding festivities I was able to squeeze in a few visits with friends. What a treat! When you're working with 3,000 miles, those little visits just pack a punch! :)

I spent Saturday morning exploring my friend Emily's hometown of Ventura, California! Oh the fun we had! I had never been to Ventura before. Now I'm trying to figure out how Andrew and I can relocate to the West Coast. ;) Emily and I, and her wonderful sister, Amanda, spent the day driving around, eating Mexican food, and taking lots of photos...

After the Ventura explorations, it was time for the Kubler wedding in Camarillo! This wedding. Oh my goodness, was it ever a blast! Katherine, the beautiful bride, and I went to Biola University together. But way before that we knew one another from the church we grew up at in Virginia! We go way back. Our siblings go way back. Our parents go way back. And our parents' friends go way back. It was just the reunion to beat all reunions! Along with a party to beat all parties! It reflected the bride's carefree and whimsical personality perfectly. I wish we could celebrate that special evening over and over again.

On Sunday my Mom and her sweet girlfriends dropped me off at LAX. Before I flew back home I got to sneak in one last visit with two longtime friends! Lindsay and Kalen and I spent six weeks together in Israel in the summer of 2005. Almost 10 years later we were sitting curbside at LAX packing as much chatter as possible into one hour together! 

It was a busy weekend, but such a good one. All week I've been reflecting on the beauty of friendships with other women. We need those! We need people who have known us in a variety of seasons. People who can start a conversation with, "Remember when...?" We need people who can remind us of where we've come from and where we're going. I thank God for these women friends. And for the sheer joy of being in relationship together! What a gift.

Wallpaper Before & After.

It's been awhile since we've had a before and after project on here! This Monday morning seemed like the perfect time to share the most recent project we've finished....wallpaper removal!

I had never removed wallpaper before Andrew and I moved in to our home. Oh what an adventure I was in for! ;) 

Here's my disclaimer, I actually really really like wallpaper. I think it adds such a fun texture and color to a space. But the wallpaper in our home was just a bit much. Also, it was everywhere. The wild metallic pattern made the walls and foyer feel a little on the overwhelming side. Here's the best photo I have of the coverage of the wallpaper:

We decided to keep the wallpaper in the first floor guest bathroom--a remnant of sorts!--and we got to work stripping the rest of the wallpaper off the walls. Oh my goodness was it WORK. This wallpaper gave us a bear of a time. It would have been impossible to do without help! Our siblings (and my father-in-law!) were so kind to come over and offer a hand with the wallpaper removal. Honestly, if it weren't for them, I think we'd still be trying to peel wallpaper off the walls! Little by little, month by month, the walls started to lighten up. 

After a lengthy process of stripping wallpaper, steaming and scraping glue, and wiping down the walls...the wallpaper was history!

Andrew and my father-in-law started priming and painting...

...and we had a beautiful finished product!

Here's a look at the foyer wallpaper removal...same story! Lots of work. Lots of helping hands. 

And a beautiful finished product! Paint makes such a difference, doesn't it?

A couple weekends ago we worked on painting our ceilings. And now we're at the fun stage...adding art to the walls! :) Do you have a favorite art source? Or framing shops? I'd love to hear your input!

A host of golden daffodils

It's finallllly spring here in Virginia! And boy are we glad. I think Andrew and Admiral Byrd and I all had a little bit of cabin fever after this last winter. The daffodils are blooming all over our neighborhood, and we're soaking up their beauty! Isn't spring glorious? 

*Admiral Byrd's bite collar...I know it looks (and sounds!) ferocious. We're doing a lot of training with him these days, and that's one of the tools we're using. I promise you he is fine. And friendly. ;)

Currently

Currently watching...Nashville. My friend, Alex, introduced me to it with the warning that it was highly addictive and soap operaish. Yes...yes it is. It's my new guilty pleasure. ;) Between Friday Night Lights and Nashville I'm having a love affair with Connie Britton these days!

Currently reading...Sex and the iWorld: Rethinking Relationship beyond an Age of Individualism. The author, Dale Kuehne, spoke at our church last month. Andrew and I had prior commitments that weekend so we missed his whole seminar--and I am kicking myself that we did! A bunch of young adults at our church started reading his book together, and I'm racing through it to join the discussion!

Currently loving...Trader Joe's coffee creamer. Another guilty pleasure. Is there anything not to love about Trader Joe's?!

Currently laughing about...how big Admiral Byrd is getting. He's already 42 pounds! Tomorrow he'll be six months old. I know it sounds so cheesy to say, but I feel like we just picked him up last week! Here's a photo from the week we brought him home...compared with a photo taken a few days ago. He is the sweetest trouble-maker. We love him.

Currently looking forward to...a little staycation in Reston with Andrew this weekend! We're supposed to get rain all weekend here in D.C., and I think that's the perfect excuse to stay indoors and relax!

Happy weekending to you!

Spring!

Two years ago!
March 17, 2012
(We'd been dating for two and a half months!)

Hello!!! Happy first day of spring! Are you still reading? Is this thing on? Oh goodness gracious, I know I've been waaaaaay MIA around here. It's March now...and warm days are just around the corner! Thank goodness.

We've had a wonderful, action-packed winter. Our first married winter! I was telling a friend this morning that my winters used to be relatively quiet and relaxing and introspective. The stay-indoors-and-hibernate kind. Somehow this past winter ended up being anything but that! Hah! But, I'm grateful for the many activities we had going on...the trips to visit friends...the chance to host visiting friends...double dates with siblings...Super Bowl parties...basketball games...church activities...engagement parties...birthday brunches...weddings...and dog training! It's been a full winter. :)

We did manage to have a few of those hibernation days--mostly centered around the Olympics. Don't you love the winter Olympics? They've always been my favorite. A few weeks ago I introduced Andrew to Friday Night Lights...he is hooked! We're speeding our way through season two. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!

We're painting a lot these days, too. We've got half a dozen home renovation projects we're working to finish...what a gift to be able to do that. It's hard work and messy, but I certainly don't take it for granted. It is a blessing to have the ability and resources to work on our home. I don't take my father-in-law for granted either! He's been incredibly generous to come over and help Andrew and I with our projects. Hopefully we'll have a before and after project on here soon!

Hope there's sunshine in your neck of the woods today! Andrew and I are soaking up the rays here in Virginia. Happy spring!