Happiest of New Years to You

I'm back!

I meant to inform y'all of my week long vacation, and hiatus from this blog, last Friday (you know, just to keep you well informed and up to date on the Mr. and my whereabouts), but I woke up that morning not feeling so hot and barely got myself together in time to make it to work! Sickness has been lingering around me the past month and I'm so glad it seems to have departed from me for good (fingers crossed).

This past week was utterly amazing and purely refreshing. MAC and I were so thankful to spend our Christmas break, and our first married Christmas, with each other and each of our families on the beautiful coastline of Georgia. Our time was spent divided between Hampton Island and my in-laws home with not a single plan or schedule to dictate our days. The men of the family nearly spent almost every morning and evening hunting, while I used that time to curl up in front of our roaring fireplace and catch up on some reading. We also ate way too much delicious food, went on a carriage ride in downtown Savannah (first time going and it was wonderful), celebrated my amazing Mom's big 50th birthday, spent time with my sweet Mema, went trout fishing in 30 degree weather (crazy, I know), shopped at Palm Avenue, played board games, visited with friends, and soaked in a lot of quality family time and relaxation. Oh, and we bought a car!!! No more car pool for me/having my parents chauffeur me around! We were beyond thankful to strike a deal with my brother and sister in law and make our first extremely big purchase; God truly blesses those who are patient. 

All in all, it was a fantastic week spent with loved ones and now MAC and I are ready to ring in the New Year, get back to work, and detox our bodies after all the holiday junk we have consumed! We plan on being low key tonight and soaking up an unforgettable year. I'm not a huge fan of making New Years resolutions because I feel as if they are quite quickly forgotten come February, but I plan on continuing to enjoy my first year of marriage to the most amazing man, travel to new places, learn more about blogging and my new job, and try to remember to live my life to the fullest each day, as a shining beacon of LIGHT for my Savior.

Happy New Year friends. Cheers to 2013!

"Remember our message is not about ourselves, we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus. It started when God said, 'Light up the darkness!' and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful." 2 Corinthians 4:5-6

"You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can can read by just looking at you." 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Play Day

Today I'm posting just a tad later than usual because it is my day off and I am taking full advantage of a quiet, free morning. I have spent the majority of it curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee in one hand and my HP book in the other, with the scent of my Frazier Fir candle emanating its pleasant smell about the room. For those of you that don't know me, this is my ideal way to spend the early morning hours and in a dream world, it would occur on a daily basis. 

The rest of my day will be spent with my mom, but what we will be doing is a secret (sorry mom, can't find out until later). Her 50th birthday is Christmas Eve (only 4 more days folks) so we are trying to make her feel extra special from now til then! After my day with mom, MAC and I are headed to a Coton Colors Christmas party that I am super excited about; I just love getting slightly more fancy than normal and celebrating the season. Tomorrow is back to work before heading off to our second home of Hampton Island and Savannah! It has become a tradition to spend our holidays in Georgia and I seriously can not wait. Those towns hold a special place in my heart (my first time ever being on my own, not knowing a soul and now having friends that are like family, and unexpectedly stumbling upon my husband) and I never knew how much I would miss not living there. Fortunately, we go back often and I'm quite looking forward to a week of family, friends, milestone celebrations, cozy fires, Christmas movies, tasty foods, reading for hours on end, nature hikes and most importantly, honoring the birth of our Risen Savior. 

Have a blessed day y'all!

Christmas Movies

 Last night we went to my parents to watch a Christmas movie and for about the 3rd time this year, we popped in Elf. That movie is just too funny and Will Ferrell does such a great job playing the character of Buddy; I just can't control my laughter throughout the entire film. Two other Christmas movies that I could watch over and over are Home Alone (both 1 and 2) and The Holiday; I'm not sure if this is considered a Christmas movie, but this is one of my all time favorites and it does have a "holidayish" theme to it. There's nothing better than a good holiday movie, a cup of hot cocoa and someone to snuggle up with (last night my snuggle bud was Bear, typical).

What are your favorite Christmas movies?? On a music note, if you're interested in a good station for this time of year, Taylor Swift Christmas is the best Pandora station! I seriously love all the versions of Christmas songs they play, especially Lady A's "Baby it's cold outside".

Christmas Cards

~Christmas card collection~

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is receiving all the lovely cards from friends and family in the mail! We have racked up quite the collection and each day we get the mail, I'm eagerly looking to see if a new card has arrived. I just love seeing each individual couple or families way of portraying their personality through the style and feel of their card. Yesterday, MAC was home before me (and he had dinner about ready when I arrived, such a sweet husband) and as I went to set my bags down by the counter, I saw a few cards and got super excited. I have been especially waiting for my friend B's card to arrive because she recently took up calligraphy and I was excited to see how the address on the envelope looked (yes it's the little things in life that give me a thrill), plus she is super cute and creative and her cards are just adorable. Well hers was there (bottom right in above picture) and it was so stinkin' cute I can't even stand it, but the envelope had already been tossed out. So what do I do? Rummage through the garbage can as my husband stares at me like I'm a lunatic and pull out the envelope like I've found treasure. I simply explained to MAC how much effort and time B had put into addressing the cards and how we couldn't just throw it away without admiring her fancy handiwork first! Call me crazy, but I love me some Christmas cards and enjoy them to the fullest :)

"Your truth never goes out of fashion;

It's as up to date as the earth when the sun comes up."

Psalm 119: 90

Stumbled across this verse today and it gave me such a simple peace. Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

P.S.

GG was my guilty pleasure, and I can't believe it's officially over; no more Chuck and Blair, no more B and S drama, no more lonely boy?! Last nights episode was pretty good, with things ending the way I wanted, but it somehow seemed not so grand for a very last episode ever! If your a GG fan, what did you think? 

Boots, Books and Bear

~Franco Sarto "Clint" riding boots; these came in the mail Friday and I LOVE them. I ordered mine on Zappos because of the free shipping, but I saw them at Nordstroms too~

Good morning and hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was spent with sweet new friends Friday night (honoring MAC and his birthday a bit more), working a crazy busy, successful Christmas shopping event at the store Saturday, followed by dinner with a childhood friend and her Mr. and sister that night (we enjoyed a great bit of laughter), and finally ending with a lazy Sunday. Unfortunately, I have an insane case of allergies and have felt quite under the weather, so no shopping trips occurred yesterday as they were supposed to, causing my procrastination to continue a bit longer. I figured rest is the best medicine, so I had a date with the sofa, Bear and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Really hoping this congestion and watery eyes is on its way out the door soon so my husband can have a healthy wife again!

"So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

Just scripture I was reading during my devotion this morning that I thought I'd share and hopefully provide some encouragement with!

~My mom joined me on the sofa yesterday and I about died when I saw the book she was reading! I had no idea there was a biography out on Ms.Lilly Pulitzer! My mom says its an incredible story and I just can't wait to get my hands on it!~

~No we didn't pose him for this, he just climbs up on the sofa and maneuvers his way into a crevice so he can cuddle and be cozy, oh and super adorable too~

Happy Everything

I seriously can't believe it's the weekend again, which means that there is only a little over a week til Christmas (and my Moms big 50th birthday).Yikes! As much as I typically say I'm going to have all my shopping done early, in all honesty, I haven't even started! I know, I know, that's pretty terrible, but in my defense it has been quite a busy month! I've told myself that Sunday will be dedicated to crossing items off my list and checking it twice!

For those of you that are like me and are slightly behind on your Christmas shopping, you must join us tomorrow from 10-4 at Coton Colors (located off of Thomasville road on Market Street) for a holiday party! This little shindig is going to be just wonderful with Laura Johnson (creator/designer of the Coton Colors brand) and her sweet daughter Kyle (product designer) personalizing ornaments as the rest of us (aka Santa's little helpers) assist you with finding the perfect gift for your loved ones. There will be gifts with purchase (buy 3 ornaments, get one free), champagne (and beer if you can drag your man with you), cake and cheese with crackers; we even wrap your presents for you! All that being said, its bound to be a productive, successful, fun time for you, and I can guarantee  the recipients of your gifts will be glad you came :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to stop by tomorrow!

My Mr. and his Birthday

Today is MAC's birthday and I am beyond joyful and thankful that he came into this world 24 years ago today.

From the first moment I met him, and I literally mean that first moment (we'll save that story for our anniversary), I knew there was something different about him and I immediately, like the snap of a finger, fell fast and hard. Through the past 3 1/2 years of dating, an engagement and now 6 months into marriage, I continue to fall for him daily and never knew how much my love for him would continue to grow. He is the most wonderful, considerate, thoughtful, kind, selfless, giving husband a girl could dream of, and not to mention, he's quite easy on the eyes. He constantly provides me with such laughter and happiness, and if I'm having a bad day, he always makes it better. He listens to me, he supports me and he leads me. He's just plain perfect for me and God knew exactly what He was doing when he created MAC to be by my side through our entire lives. There is no way I could have imagined anyone better suited for me, I could never fathom a life without him, and I am constantly amazed at how blessed I am to have this man as my husband.

Happy Birthday MAC! I love you with all my heart and feel so blessed and thankful to be your MRS.

Chocolate Chocolate Cake

~Chocolate Chocolate Cake~

Tomorrow is a very special occasion that calls for something equally special in the dessert realm. I've tried a few different Chocolate Cake recipes in the past, but this year, I am going to attempt to make the lovely double chocolate one (shown above) from the Coton Colors Cookbook! This cookbook is FULL of wonderful recipes, and I have no doubt that this one will rise to the occasion and be as delicious as it looks!

The baking will ensue tonight and I will let you know the turn out! Happy Wednesday Y'all! 

Christmas Bear

~Sweet Bear under the tree~

Goodmornin' and happy Tuesday to you! My mom sent me this picture of "Christmas Bear" yesterday and I just about died; have you ever seen anything cuter?! His little reindeer antlers are just precious and how my mom gets him to pose so perfectly is beyond me (I've witnessed her photographing him a few times and it's actually quite humorous because she does this high pitched noise while snapping her fingers over her head to get his attention on the camera). All I know is Bear is the dog gone most adorable pup ever and he wanted to drop in and say hi and wish you a blessed day!

P.S. MAC and I got Chinese last night and his fortune cookie said this, "Adjust finances-Make budget to improve your financial standings." A sign from God to persevere in our car search and be wise with our (I mean His) money? He sure does work in mysterious ways!

~Bear's post; when he's not relaxing on the chair like a human, he's perched up on his hind legs, face pressed to the window, searching the yard for any signs of critters (birds, squirrels and deer)~

Searching

Whew! What a fun weekend I had celebrating the future Mrs. Kerwin, but I'm slap worn out; staying up wayyyyyy past normal bed time, plus waking up at typical early time (because of that darn internal clock) is a recipe for one extremely sleepy gal. Looks like the bed will be calling my name quite early tonight for some much needed recovery sleep!

In other news, the Mr.'s beloved truck has officially died, causing us to be searching high and low for a replacement vehicle. The past week or so I have been graciously accepting rides from my mom to and from work, as MAC and I are on the lookout for a new car! I have never experienced the process of buying a vehicle, as I was given one by my parents (wich I'm so grateful for and we will drive it til it dies), but I never knew how hard it is! We are fortunate to have some savings built up, but rather than spend it all and possibly get a loan and have a lovely car payment, we are trying to be diligent with the money God has blessed us with and listen to the wise counsel of my sweet (and financially knowledgeable) Dad, who advised us to buy something we can pay cash with and that won't use up all of our savings. So as hard as it is to not go get a pretty, shiny, brand new car, MAC and I are praying about it, practicing patience and searching our little hearts out!

From the scriptures of Proverbs 13:1

"Intelligent children listen to their parents

Foolish children do their own thing"

All right Mom and Dad, we're humbled and listening :) And to the rest of you, if you know of any used vehicles, we'd love to hear about them!

Happy Monday y'all!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

~S and I on my wedding day, literally a week or so before she got engaged (photo courtesy of my amazing photographers, WE Photographie)

Good morning and happy almost weekend to you! As soon as the work clock stops today, a few friends and I are headed away for the weekend to celebrate my "Seester" her last month as a bachelorette (I seriously can't believe her wedding is less than a month away). I am so looking forward to some shopping, dancing, and good ol fashioned girl time (aka watching girly movies, giggling constantly, doing each others hair and makeup etc). This sweet girl is one of my closest friends and I couldn't be more thrilled for her upcoming nuptials and new membership into the married club. Marriage is a beautiful, wonderful thing and I can't wait for her to be able to experience it.

"That's all they really want

Some fun

When the working day is done

Girls-they want to have fun

Oh girls just want to have fun"

Our weekend motto...hope yours is fun too!

All I Want for Christmas: PJ's

~VS Dream PJ's in red and white polka dot; swoon~

For some reason, this time of year always has me yearning for a new pair of cozy, festive pj's, but it's typically the last thing I would go to buy for myself. As I have received catalog after catalog from J Crew to VS, I found myself ogling some of their adorable sleepwear and thought I'd share my favorites. They range from a classic look, to the fun, sportiness of VS Pink; I'd gladly take one of each :)

Happy Thursday and hope you have some fun sleepover's in your future that involves a pretty pair of new pj's!

~The Sleepover Cotton PJ (how cute would this be monogrammed??)

~The Fireside Long Jane PJ; love how old fashioned this looks~

~VS Pink Boyfriend Crew~

~VS Pink Bling Yoga Crop Legging (I love the pastel green)~

~VS Pink Long Sleeve Thermal Tee~

~VS Pink sweatshirt~

~VS Pink Cozy Banded Bottom Pant (I prefer the deep purple)~

~J Crew Flannel Sleep Pant (I like this color and the Kelly Green Polka Dot version)

~J Crew Socks; of course your feet need to be cozy and festive too~

~J Crew Socks~

All I Want for Christmas: Books

~Cupcakes and Cashmere~

I have a slight obsession with books, as most of you are well aware, and have compiled a few of my top favorites for you from an ongoing "must read" list on my phone (every time I set foot in a bookstore, my list continues to grow and grow). I am currently awaiting the arrival of the 6th Harry Potter book (I absolutely loved the last one, except for the death of one of my favorite characters) and these books below are what I'm looking forward to reading once I have completed the fantastic HP series. Even if you aren't a bookworm like me, maybe someone on your list enjoys a good read and I would recommend any one of these!

Happy Wednesday y'all!

~Young House Love...I find their blog so inspiring, funny and refreshing and presume their book would be a winner as well~

~Love me some southern Lit~

~Reminded me of The Help...enough said~

~A memoir that looks hysterical~

~I can't lie, I loved this solely because of the title (but it sounds so intriguing after reading the brief synopsis)~

~A bit of a romance~

All I Want for Christmas: Tops

~Ann Taylor Loft Button Back Cable Sweater in Fresh Coral~

Today is all about the tops I'm loving right now! I stopped in our local Ann Taylor Loft over the weekend and spied a good bit of tops and sweaters that looked cozy and festive. I have also perused Lilly Pulitzer online and J Crew's catalog, of course finding an array of items amongst those favorite stores of mine. No doubt all of them are colorful, bright and cheery :)

Happy Tuesday friends!

~Ann Taylor Loft 3/4 sleeve bold striped sweater~

~Ann Taylor Loft 3/4 sleeve bow sweater~

~J Crew perfect shirt in Tartan~

~J Crew vintage painter tee with buttons (I adore the Vibrant Fuschia color but couldn't get a picture of it)~

~Lilly Pulitzer Tina Top (I prefer the navy and coral version to this or the solid coral)~

All I Want for Christmas: Accessories

~Kate Spade polka dot IPhone 4 case~

Good morning and happy Monday to you! I hope your weekend was fun and filled with some Christmas cheer. Unfortunately for me, that yucky little pestalent called the flu has been trying to get me for about a week now, so I have been up and down on a daily basis, Friday being a down day where I laid on the sofa all day reading, sleeping and watching ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas. Not the most exciting of weekends, but hopefully I'm on the mend and will feel back to normal this week!

As I took it easy this weekend, I began to think of some items that would make quite lovely little gifts under the tree (I have been prompted by my mom who came over to bring MAC and I lists to fill out with what we want). I decided to break up the "lists" into Accessories, Clothing, Books, and PJ's (I'm in need of some new and improved sleepwear) and maybe you'll find something for someone on your Christmas list! I'd love to hear what you're asking Santa for Christmas (leave me a comment)!

Hope you have a most wonderful Monday

~Longchamp Le Pliage large tote in navy~

~Still loving this Kate Spade "Mrs" necklace~

~Polka Dot infinity scarf or as JCrew likes to refer to it as "the snood"~