Ch-ch-ch-changes

We have some big changes going on (news on that coming tomorrow) & I just feel like it's time for something fresh.  You can find me at my new blog Whimsey & Wanderings...first post scheduled for tomorrow!

Miscellany Monday

[one] Two blogs in one week.  That's a big deal for me right now.  I never meant to quit blogging...life just happened.  Trying to get back to fitting in some of the things I like to do in between some of the things that have to get done.

[two] I also crafted some this weekend & read at least two chapters (at one time!) of an actual book.

[three] New things all around...I've been trying one or two new recipes a week lately.  These have passed my test: Creamy Avocado Dip, Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars, Broiled Parmesan Tilapia, & Lime Avocado Chicken.  And our absolute favorite that we discovered a few months back, Lemon Angel Hair with Chicken & Spinach.

[four] Next books on my list to read (I'm a slow reader...this could last the rest of the year):

• The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser
• Captive in Iran by Maryam Rostampour & Marziyeh Amirizadeh (They've spoken at our church several times & everyone says the book is great.)
• The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
• Paige Torn by Erynn Mangum (Maybe a beach read?  18 days!)

Read any of these?  Thoughts?  Other suggestions?

[five]  I had a few other things to say...but they all involved pictures, which are not uploading right now for some reason...so I guess I'll save those for another day.

May 19, 2012

A year ago today I was at a shower for my friend Brandi when Grayson called & asked if I wanted to go to a movie.  A couple from our church was getting married that night & "everyone else" was going there.  Sure.  Sneaky.

I told myself that was the whole truth.  Grayson just didn't have anything else to do that night.  We hung out lots in groups of friends, but I could count on one hand how many one-on-one conversations we'd had.  Once I got home, I even attempted to look like I wasn't trying too hard...the one day my hair obeyed & looked awesome.  At dinner, as I sat across from this cute boy & listened to him talk, I wondered how I'd never known him before.  He captivated me in the first ten minutes of that first date & has ever since.  He paid for dinner, while I convinced myself that he was just being nice.  Same thing when we went to a movie.  After that, he came over to my house & as we were watching a movie, he sneakily leaned over & kissed me...& that's when I found out it was a date.  It didn't take long to know that I wanted to date him forever.

Update, Via Instagram Photos

{one}

Our one long overdue Easter picture.  I have a post I've been thinking about since Easter, but it hasn't quite made it into writing yet.  Maybe eventually...

{two}

The first weekend that it was really starting to feel like spring...we went ice skating.  We're weird.  And I think I still have bruises to show from it.  I don't know what happened...I used to be good at skating, but apparently I have lost that talent.

{three}

The rest of the weekend, we enjoyed the warm weather.

{four}

I am the only normal one in my house.  However this is one of my all-time favorite pictures.

{five}

Last weekend my parents came up & we all stayed at Grayson's parents' house & went kayaking on Saturday.  There was a little more adventure involved than we would have liked (including a trip to the emergency room...), but everyone is okay, so it was a great weekend.  I love that both of our families spend time together & get along so well.

{six}

We finally have furniture!  We bought a couch months ago & it just came in, & then we just ordered 2 of these chevron chairs & got them this week.  Seeley likes to take up residence here & gaze out the window.

{seven}

I just like the colors of this picture.  I got an apple peeler/corer/slicer for a wedding present...one of the old-fashioned kind that you turn. Since Grayson decided to do a 2-day apple detox & changed his mind 9 apples in, I had a lot of apples to snack on.  Then I remembered this fun little gadget.  It's my new favorite toy.

A few of my favorites, as of late...

one. A husband who packs my coffee, breakfast, & lunch almost every single day.  (Not that this picture has anything to do with that...but it obviously needed to be seen.)

two. My new camera I got for my birthday.  Makes me look forward to the sunny spring days that surely come soon!

three. Daily entertainment.  Especially when she & Grayson play hide & seek or chase each other around.

four. Game nights...even though I lose 95% of the time.  Grayson doesn't understand this aspect.  I am used to winning.  And yet, I rarely do anymore.  Did everyone else just let me win the majority of the time, the whole rest of my life?  (Yes, we keep score on the iPad.  But I found an app that just involves me pressing + or - & doing no math!)

five. Running.  Kind of.  Not really.  But I like being back at the gym on a regular basis & I don't hate it.  Usually.  So that's kind of like liking it.  (And also, it's been much better since the new Passion album came out.  Always good running music.)

six. I got my engagement ring & band soldered together & it fits perfectly now.  Love it.

seven. Though for a few weekends I thought couch-shopping would be the end of us, we should have one arriving here soon!

eight.  For about a minute yesterday I was despondant at reading that Google Reader is going away.  Until I finished my sentence about my despondancy (barely), & Grayson was already telling me what new app I should get.  Feedly.  I think I like it.  It's colorful, if nothing else.

nine.  I've never liked carbonated drinks.  I might would drink a Sprite maybe once a year if I was really thirsty.  And then my senior year of high school, I discovered Sonic's strawberry limeade.  But since then...nothing else has even sounded appealing.  Until I discovered this.  Yum.

ten. Sparkly Green Earrings.  The book.  Though I'm sure I'd like an actual pair.  Preferably not green, but I'll always take sparkly.  Big Mama makes me laugh.  Anyway, I've been trying to read more lately & I'm really liking this one.

Honeymoon

After the wedding, we stayed the first two nights at the Westin in Atlanta. 
Our room was pretty high with a great view of the city.

We ate at the Sundial Restaurant at the top of the hotel one night.  Christmas trees were still up in Centennial Park & decorations still all around Atlanta.  It was kind of fun to be tourists at home for a couple of days.  We ate breakfast at a little diner down the street & just relaxed for a few days before heading off to the Dominican!

We loved the resort we stayed at in Punta Cana.  The beach was perfect & not crowded at all & the weather was perfect.  The resort did lots of special things for honeymooners, which was nice.  We had dinner on the beach one night & breakfast in our room one day.  We loved everything about the whole week of just being together.

December 29, 2012

We had the most perfect wedding day imaginable.  I don't even know where to begin recapping that, but I'll try.

The night before was the rehearsal & rehearsal dinner.  That all went very smoothly...I was surprised, actually.  You know how rehearsals usually are...they never start on time, take forever, & end with everyone in a bad mood.  As far as rehearsals go, it was pretty easy.

The rehearsal dinner was beautiful.  We really loved seeing everyone meet & get along so well.  Not many times in your life do you find all your family & friends from every stage of life in the same room together. 

The next day was perfect.  Everything was just so easy.  We saw each other before the wedding, which made the day so much easier.  We weren't nervous & really got to spend the day together instead of avoiding each other.  It was probably one of the best things we did having all the pictures except a few extended family ones done beforehand.

I still wanted to be able to walk down the aisle to Grayson when he saw me that first time, so that's what we did.  It was just us & the photographers & it was so great to have just those few moments together.

After that, the fun began...taking all of our pictures outside on a day with a high of 40.  It was freezing, but I'd rather be cold for a little while & have the pictures I really wanted.  Well worth it.  We used Paperlily Photography & loved them.  We had 3 photographers & it didn't feel like we were just posing forever.  I love all of our pictures, so I'm going to try to pick some favorites to show, but that's almost impossible.

The actual ceremony was one of our favorite parts of the day.  We'd read the order of service so many times & rearranged & reworded & to finally get to actually say & hear those words was great.  We wanted the wedding to present a clear picture of the Gospel & how marriage was designed as a depiction of Christ's relationship with the church.  Afterwards, people told us exactly that.  We loved hearing that all the planning we'd done for months actually accomplished what we'd wanted.

On to the reception...I knew what I wanted, but my mom, aunts, grandmother, & our caterers did pretty much everything to make it all come together.  It was perfect.  Everything was so beautiful.

And just a few more...

Next up, honeymoon!

Thanksgiving 2012

For Thanksgiving, we went down to Florida to Grayson's dad's house.  Was great to get to see them all again (or meet a few for the first time) before the wedding.

Road trips with this boy are always interesting...

And this was in the first hour.  Just wait until he's been in the car for 6+...

Grayson's dad lives right on a marsh...I could just sit on the dock & look at this all the time.

We took the row boat out, but it turned into being more adventure than we were really looking for.  The current was much stronger than we thought & we didn't think we'd make it back for Thanksgiving!  

 

The boys & the turkey...it seemed to be somewhat of a sport.

And then the boat got pinned under the dock when the tide came in.  Welcome to the Griswold Family Thanksgiving.  Never a dull moment.

 

 

Spent a lot of time right here.  The weather was perfect & just a little cold when the wind was blowing.

 

We drove down near St. Augustine one day to visit Grayon's grandparents & got to go to the beach for a little bit.

 

Next time we see the ocean will be on our honeymoon!  [31 days til the wedding!]

This is my favorite time of year...Thanksgiving & Christmas.  I love everything about the holidays...family, shopping, good food, & just a lot of togetherness.  It was the first year being away from my family on a major holiday & so of course I missed being there for Thanksgiving, but I'm also so thankful for the new family that will be mine soon.

This year, I'm most thankful for the ways God has amazed me in the past year.  Last Thanksgiving I never ever would have guessed how this one would be spent.  I'm so thankful for a man that loves Jesus more than he loves me, who puts Him first in every part of his life, & who teaches me every day.  We're not even married yet, but through preparing for marriage, I understand the Gospel & the love that God has for us in a way that I never did before.  I love that, in just over a month, he'll officially be my family.  I get this great guy and the best in-laws I could ask for, plus some sisters- & brothers-in-law, nephews, & nieces.  That's a pretty great gift all in one year.