little red hen.

little red hen.

I got it. And I did it.

Friends, I would like to announce the shiny, long awaited arrival of my brand new, sparkling white Kitchen Aid Mixer.  

(Insert photo of me hugging the mixer when it was still in the box. This really happened.  Pathetic, I know.) 

And I made bread with this magical mixer. 

History: As a little girl, I spent countless hours, days and weeks on my grandparents farm.  My Meme (my grandma), my sister and I spent our days riding horses, arranging wildflowers, picking berries, sewing aprons and....baking.  We baked our lil' hearts out with Meme's white Kitchen Aid Mixer. And ever since I can remember, I've wanted a white Kitchen Aid Mixer just like Meme's.  And I wanted to make bread...


just like Meme. 

Well, I did it. I fired up the mixer and went to town on a relatively easy bread recipe. And although I have a tendency to overdo it with most things in life, I chose a simple recipe.  That was my first victory. 

And as I waited for the bread to bake, I felt as if I had accomplished a small rite of passage. I was giddy all night about my bread and I could not wait to try it.  But I was oh so nervous for the taste. Would it turn out?  Would it even come close to Meme's?  Honestly, people, I was a Nervous Nelly.

And this is where the Little Red Hen comes in.  I work all night and Joe reaps the benefit of my....wait for it, wait for it....

delicious, aromatic, beautiful, homemade bread.

 

And I served it warm with butter and cinnamon sugar.

Just like Meme. 

But I guess I don't mind sharing delicious bread with my husband after all. :)  

dry socks, happy hiker.

dry socks, happy hiker.

When was the last time you chanced an afternoon-long rainstorm and went hiking?

That's exactly what we did this weekend and it was beyond beautiful. Sweaty, but beautiful.  The nature trails lead to the ruins of an old mill and straight to rushing river waves.  The water was so inviting that it took everything I had not to jump in.  However, Joe and I agreed that a hiker with wet socks is no happy hiker, so we refrained. ;)

The beautiful ruins of an old New Manchester Mill, Sweetwater Creek State Park, GA.

Over the past few days, I've been thinking about the ruins of that old mill.  The history behind it is ugly: each brick was made by slave labor and it was doused in gasoline during the Civil War only to become a hiding place for passing soldiers and ammunition.

Aside from the slavery, the flames, the war and the ruin, a passerby sees the ruin and declares it beautiful. 

I am in awe that God does not see an ugly past when looking at me.  How thankful I am to be considered beautiful, loved and new.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

summer came like cinnamon.

summer came like cinnamon.

Since June 21 is my day of birth and happens to be the first day of summer, we celebrated with a picnic.

If you'd also like to have a delightful, celebratory picnic, I'd recommend the following:

1. a ridiculously adorable, photogenic yet useful picnic basket.
2. an easy to fold up and zip up, waterproof picnic blanket.  Bright, cheery colors are an added bonus.
(Both of which were a wedding gift from best friends Breezy and Elliot! Thank you again, we use them all the time. :) )
3. cream soda
4. watermelon
and...

5. GAMES.  Card games, board games, Scrabble, you name it.  Since it was MY birthday, I finally convinced Joe to play a game with me.  I love games.  And even though our picnic was almost rained out, we still finished up an intense game of cards by lantern light in the apartment. :)

He clearly LOVES having his picture taken. ;)

Can't help but photograph this lil' basket. :)

 "Summer came like cinnamon, so sweet."

Lastly, please enjoy this insanely beautiful sunset we drooled over in Piedmont last night at Screen On The Green.
The clouds and sky only got better with each passing minute... 

 


















The same hands that created all of this, they creadted you and I. What a beautiful God.

a present for YOU.

a present for YOU.

Well, I guess it is my birthday, but I'm going to share the following "presents" with you:

 1.THIS is why I love SpringHill.

2. This cute song and video sucked me right in because:
it's romantic, makes me want to run, he buys her flowers and it made me laugh. SOLD.

I'm celebrating 23 of life tonight with a picnic in the park and my favorite guy. :)

fondue? i do.

fondue? i do.

This weekend was full of all kinds of awesome:

-Homemade black bean burgers. Serve with onion buns and chipotle mayo. You will love.

-Watching Sixteen Candles in Piedmont Park on our new picnic blanket.

-Date night at Dante's Down The Hatch: a charming fondue restaurant made to look like a sea-side Mediterranean village, complete with a Peter Pan-like sailboat in the middle and live jazz music. Oh, how can I forget the crocodile that lives in the pool of water surrounding the antique ship? I cannot, that's for sure.

-A trip to Ikea complete with tons'o newly purchased colored boxes just for organizing.

-Playing rock, paper, scissors to decide whether or not to buy a fondue pot. Buying a fondue pot.

-Farmer's Market grocery shopping. Huge, fresh, glorious Farmer's Market.

& two dinners with old and new friends.

We are blessed. :)







Not to mention, yesterday was Father's Day and I happen to have the best dad (and family) in the entire world! :) Miss them and love them dearly. xo

blog, meet barbados.

blog, meet barbados.

This, my friends, is beautiful honeymoon location, Barbados.  Wish I was there now, drinking from a coconut and lying in the sun with my new hub.


Instead...I'm applying for jobs and working on my portfolio. Ouch.
That hurts more than a southern Caribbean sunburn.  Trust me, I know. 

Let's hang out again soon, tropical paradise.

Oh hai, ATL.

Oh hai, ATL.

Reasons why I'm falling in love with Virginia Highlands/Midtown, Atlanta:

1. Coffee shops. Tons.
 And some are even dog-friendly.  This will be important when we someday get our dream pup. :)
(1.5. These coffee shops also serve wine, ales and hipster beer. Delightfully strange.)
2. Flowering trees, as far as the eye can see.
3. People are ridiculously stylish. Hello, Jason Mraz hats.
4. Sunshine all da time.
5. Froyo? Everywhere.
It's an epidemic and I've fallen victim. (Froyo = frozen yogurt, btw).
6. Billions of restuarants(veg-friendly too, I might add).
I don't think we'll possibly be able to try them all.
7. King of Pops.
Amazing creative popsicles. Awesome flavors like chocolate sea salt, tangerine basil & coconut lemongrass. Love.

fresh start.

fresh start.

So much newness.
And so many firsts.

A brand new husband, which also means a brand new marriage. Just ten days and counting.
New name.
New apartment.
New city. Oh hai, Atlanta, let's be friends.
New blog? Why, yes, you're reading it.

After months and months of planning, Joe and I were blessed with such an incredible wedding surrounded by family and friends. And to top it off, we honeymooned in BARBADOS. (pictures and video to come).

What now, after all that? Settling into our new apartment together, figuring out what it means to be husband and wife and oh...finding a job.

MISSION: Trust God with all of the newness and enjoy the excitement it brings.
I'm loving this new adventure. :)

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you  I entrust my life. -Psalm 143:8