A Year In Review - 2013

Hi, folks! I hope your holiday has been everything you hoped it would be and more! Tyler and I stayed in Mississippi this past week spending time with family, and it was so refreshing (and exhausting at the same time). We visited every side of the family in a time span of 6 days - my dads mom, my moms mom, tyler's dads mom, tyler's moms mom, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, second cousins, third cousins...you get it. Catching up with that many people can be exhausting, but we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

With NYE peeking right around the corner, I have been thinking about this past year and all of it's spectacular moments. This was definitely a record year for me with so many changes occurring in my life like a new job, husband and home! Check out my small info graph I made below of some of 2013's best moments. 

Again, thanks for being a reader of TWH blog. I really wish I could find words to express my gratitude  to you all. I cherish every reader and comment. Thank you.

A Happy New Year to you!

Wedding Bands

Tyler and I had our first weekend as a married couple this past week. It was so enjoyable! We shopped for our honeymoon (eek- 6 days!), ate KFC from tubs and had movie marathons - a much needed, lazy weekend. I'm starting to wonder when I will gain energy and be over this wedding exhaustion! How long does it take, people!?

Now that the wedding has passed, the only things that remain are fond memories...and our wedding bands. If any of you know Tyler, he isn't the "traditional" type. (What am I talking about? Neither am I!) He wanted his band to have meaning, and I think we found the perfect ring for him.

The bible verse most associated with weddings is 1 Corinthians 13: "Love never fails". When people glance at Tyler's ring, it only makes sense as to why we chose that verse because to them, it is a bible verse about love. To us, it is a memory of when it all began.

It's a simple story, but one that will always be near and dear to us: the first time I knew I loved Tyler I had posted this exact verse on my Facebook page in hopes that he would see it. Luckily for me, he did and in return, that is when he realized he loved me back.

It holds so much meaning for us! His ring will be a constant reminder that no matter how tough the road gets, we will always remember why we began in 2009 and that ...love never fails.

Our First Dinner as Newlyweds

I've grown up hearing stories about the first meal a woman cooks for her husband as a newlywed. My mom's first home cooked meal was BBQ chicken and scalloped potatoes and my father-in-law never fails to remind me that my mother-in-law loved to cook grilled cheese and tomato soup. Seeing as this is something you look back on and remember, I had to cook something yummy...and simple...because, to be honest, I can't cook. At least, I don't think I can?

So, I browsed my Pinterest boards. With 8,000 pins, I've gotta find what I'm looking for, right? I actually had more trouble than I thought because I wanted to make everything! Finally, I stumbled on a pin from Heather Christo's blog on how to make Salmon Kebobs, and the recipe called for 5 ingredients. Done.

Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and kosher salt. Cut up the fruit and layer it onto a skewer. Place onto a baking sheet and drizzle more olive oil. 25-30 minutes in the oven. 15 minutes on each side until the salmon becomes opacent and white fat starts to fall off of the salmon. Easy peasy. The salmon with the kosher salt is so yummy, and the fruity kick with the meat is delicious! 

If you try it out, let me know what you think of it. :)

My Wedding Day

It's official. I'm a WEIR! And it's WEIRD. Yes, that's weir with a D.

If someone asked you to describe the best day of your life, how would you describe it? What words would you use? What pictures would you show? What details would you share?

Moments like these are what make blogging so difficult because the best day of my life was a feeling that almost has no words to describe it. It was a feeling that I've never felt in my entire life and probably never will again.

Imagine everyone you love under one roof, sharing in your happiness and smiling back at you. Walking down the aisle was one of my favorite moments because that's exactly what it was like. I remember describing the moment to Tyler after it happened.

It was quiet. There wasn't any movement, coughing, gasping or whispering.

The air was silent, but there was soft music playing and everyone was happy.

No one spoke words. They just smiled.

It was an ethereal moment and one that I imagine heaven is like. All of your loved ones waiting for you, rejoicing in gladness, praising God with an outpouring of love. If heaven is anything like what I experienced that day, I don't see why we should fear death.

The weather was perfect. It was an outdoor wedding, so there was always a slight fear of rain. On the morning of the wedding, there wasn't a drop in sight. It was 60 degrees and sunny.

I thought the hours leading up to walking down the aisle were going to be peaceful, but I was so wrong! I was taking pictures, fixing makeup, running up and down the stairs to grab last minute things. There was no moment for nerves. No room for thinking. I liked it because I would've made myself a nervous wreck.

Standing at the alter was an out of body experience for me. As much as I tried to focus, I kept thinking "this is it! this is it! It's here! The moment you've been waiting for!"

It was almost as if I was looking down at myself. What I saw in that brief moment was not a 23 year-old-woman gazing into her lovers eyes, but a 5 year old child looking into my fathers eyes, playing with rocks on the living room floor; a 7 year old girl playing "wedding" in her backyard; a 15-year-old teenager crying in her bed at night because her first boyfriend broke up with her; an 18-year-old woman escorted by her dad on the football field for high school homecoming; a 19-year-old college student smitten with a 20-year-old boy. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy proposes. Girl plans a wedding. And there we are, holding hands reciting our vows.

My life had flashed before my eyes. In that moment I knew at that time, in that place was exactly where I was meant to be. The roller coaster we call life had led me to this moment, and I truly couldn't be happier. God has my back, forever and always.

The night was beautiful. It was filled with capturing moments on camera, dancing til our feet hurt, eating like it was Thanksgiving day and loving like it was our last.

Thank you, family and friends, for joining us on our wedding day! You will forever be apart of our memories. We ask that you continue to pray for us. It is God that brought us together and it is God that will keep us together.

Ps. we are waiting on pictures from the photographer, but I cannot wait to show you all :).

Love,

Wedding Touches

The finishing touches for the wedding are under wraps as we prepare for the big day! My veil came in from Twigs and Honey. It's the perfect touch for my gown. This beauty will be half of the cost I bought it for after the wedding if you are interested. 1920's inspired, gathers around the head veil!

Happy Thursday :)

Wedding Invitations

My dad calligraphed each invitation and we wrapped the boxes in the paper.

He also hand drew a map to the venue for good fun.

Invitations from Shabby Scrap on Etsy

Happy Friday: Packages

Wedding season has gone into full swing around the house. Hair mockups are being made, gifts in pretty packages are arriving at the door, and the last touches of DIY are being done. Boy, are we close! 

I think it's officially time to say that the wedding countdown starts NOW! 

Happy Friday :)

Alice in Wonderland Themed Bridal Shower

Tyler and I had our last and final bridal shower this weekend hosted by my oh-so-talented grandmother/aunts. To our amazement, it was something from out of a dream. It was almost as if we had jumped into the book of Lewis Caroll and found ourselves at a tea party with Alice - mismatched china, clocks, tea and cakes; a mad hatter greeting us at the door; whimsical ribbons hanging from a chandelier. 

Before the shower was planned, I was asked what I wanted the bridal shower theme to be. After being given three choices, I decided Alice in Wonderland fit me best. My reasons for loving Alice in Wonderland are not because of the elaborate costumes and wonky tea parties (although that helps), but because it's about a girl that goes on an adventure to finding herself. 

As we move forward in life we realize that our world has quite a bit of nonsense in it. Sometimes we feel lost in our own rabbit hole, but by the grace of God, our journey is far from pointless. Find who you are, what you love and where you are going. Stop doing the things that get you nowhere. And believe in what seems impossible. 

My favorite quote from the book: "Actually the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures." I firmly believe in this for my life! 

To my hostesses: you have made this new journey of life a true dream for me. I am living it because of your help, and I'm so glad you're along for the ride. Thank you for giving me something I couldn't have dreamt up. 

Readers: brace yourself. This shower is one for the books.

Above: My mother created these beautiful hostess gift arrangements filled with seasonal mums, moss and pumpkins - a perfect touch of fall! The brown and white strawberry pots are from a local artisan who hand makes the pottery. It is a Mississippi favorite. I have started a growing collection of McCarty's Pottery and was lucky enough to receive more of his pieces at the shower thanks to a fellow bridesmaid/bff that knows me so well!