happy thanksgiving.

I hope you have a happy, healthy, lovely Thanksgiving. This year I am thankful for so many things; it's difficult to put it all into words. I am thankful for the love and support of my family. I am thankful for the companionship and adoration of my Jeffrey. I am thankful for the friendship and kindness of my sister and her husband. I'm thankful for the encouragement and reliability of my friends. I am thankful for the cuteness and fuzziness of my sweet pup. I'm also thankful for you, my sweet readers. Thanks for sticking around. What are you thankful for? xo, R.

P.S. The Thankful Week :)

sister's birthday festivities.

 

 

Hello, friends! My sister's birthday was last Monday, but my parents came up the weekend before, so we did a bit of celebrating while they were here. We had such a lovely evening, complete with homemade pizza, outside eating, a peanut butter + chocolate cake, and presents. It is such a joy to celebrate a person you love with the people you love. xo, R.

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{1} Little outdoor dining area; {2 // 3 // 4} Pizza prep (basil + green peppers, caramelized onions, cheese); {5} The spread (butternut squash pizza with fried sage leaves); {6} More Josh Stover Ceramics; {7} The aftermath

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happy birthday, sister.

Today is my beloved sister's birthday, which means that it's also a day for me to celebrate. On this day, my best friend, kindred spirit, confidant, partner in crime, and unofficial life counselor was born. 

I love my sister with my whole heart and I feel truly blessed that we're tied together by heart strings. On this day, the world was blessed with a genuine, one-of-a-kind gift. I love you, Evie. xo, R.

P.S. I have decided to blog every week day for one month, starting today. Hooray! 

butterfly rainforest.

 

About a month ago, my sister, Jeffrey, Mark and I went to the butterfly rainforest as a treat from our parents. We rode our bikes there on an especially hot day and we were immediately met with some of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever, ever seen. The surroundings were incredibly lush and green — the perfect spot for a happy butterfly to live. There were so many butterflies fluttering around us that we even had to be careful where we were stepped! It was such a lovely day and I was happy that I brought my camera along with me to capture it.

P.S. A random fact about me: I don't like butterfly paraphernalia of any kind — tshirts, accessories, trinkets, etc. However, real life butterflies are an entirely different story. These pictures are proof!

a lovely day.

On Friday afternoon, my mom, sister, and I ventured just outside of our college town to visit some of our favorite little spots and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. We stopped at a big antique mall and rummaged about, ate some sweet and savory treats at a darling little farm store, met the most adorable dog, and drank Blue Sky sodas from the local co op. It was an absolutely lovely day from start to finish.

the jones.

On Tuesday, my mom and dad came to our apartment to stay with me while Jeffrey was away (which was very sweet and thoughtful). My dad had to leave early the next morning, but my mom spent the next few days with my sister and me. We enjoyed breakfast at The Jones, which is a beyond tasty spot that relies on a lot of local vendors.

Their special for the day was Strawberry Short(pan)cakes, so we obviously had to order it. We split that and an omelet three ways, and it was quite delicious. It was like having dessert for breakfast, which I will never, ever object to.

sisters.

I love the fact that I live right down the street from my sister. And that we can make lunch plans anytime we want. It's the little things.

satchel's (or the best pizza on earth).

I have a confession to make: My family, we're pizza connoisseurs. As in, we've made it our mission to find the best pizza. And we think we're pretty good at it. You can search high and low for the most perfect slice, but you will continue to search until you eat at Satchel's. You'll realize that your quest is over and you'll be simultaneously happy and sad. Happy because you're eating the best pizza ever and sad because your quest is over, which means that you don't have an excuse to eat pizza whenever you want it. But do you really need an excuse? (The answer is no, you don't.)

a cute couple.

I'll always remember walking up to the county courthouse, trailing behind my sister and her (almost) husband as they clasped hands. They had a relatively secret civil ceremony the Wednesday before their wedding so that a close friend could officiate the Saturday ceremony without having to worry about being ordained. It was kind of quiet that day. I'm not sure if it was my own head or if the city itself had quieted down to witness the union of two magical people. Down the street people carried on with their daily lives -- grabbing cups of coffee, walking the dog, picking up the newspaper. But as we crossed the street we embarked on a far more important journey. If you're lucky, you only get married once. So you have one time to make it all count, to take it all in, to etch all the memories into your brain so you can pull them out later and remember.

I stood as my sister and Mark waited to hear the vows that would bind them together for a lifetime, and I could do nothing but breathe at that moment. How often does one witness a moment of such sheer perfection? How often does one get to see the person who has meant more to them than almost any other person promise to spend a lifetime with someone? I knew I would remember this forever. I would take this moment out years later to tell my own children about the day their aunt, my sister was married.

Although the true ceremony didn't take place until a few days later, this one, on a regular Wednesday, seemed special. I sat down on a bench to sign my sister and Mark's marriage license and my breath left me almost completely. I was signing my witness to a complete and utter miracle. Love.

for my sister.

In just a few short weeks, my sister will be getting married. As a little girl, I dreamed of being just like her -- she was older, smarter and funnier. I wanted to wear her clothes and possess her artistic talent.

Then, when I got older, she taught me one of the most important lessons I believe I will ever learn: I am beautiful because I am unique. My sister has never been scared to be herself. From her style to her kindness, she has been true to her mind, body and spirit for as long as I can remember. I love my sister. I love her even more because, in a sense, she paved the way for me. She held my hand and let me know that it would be okay to be me. She is beautiful beyond all comprehension and I will never take for granted the fact that we are bound together by heart strings.

I wasn't always good about appreciating her, though. I can think of plenty of times when I brushed her company off for someone else's. A silly mistake, I now realize. I sincerely regret all those chances I passed up, but I am proud of the fact that I realized the importance of her presence in my life and now make an effort to appreciate her for everything she has done (and will do) for me. In a few weeks, she will walk down the aisle and I will stand by her side as she vows to spend the rest of her life with a man she loves. I have always wanted love for my sister, more than anything. I have always wanted a man that appreciates her unyielding loyalty, kindness, and fierce passion for life. She has found that person and I could not be more pleased.

When I look back on all the memories we have shared together, I get a little teary -- mostly because we are no longer children and those simple moments we have are fleeting, snapshots in my mind. At the same time, I can picture our future together. The two of us standing in a sunny kitchen, watching our own children play together. And it is good. It is oh so good. I have friends in my life that will come and go, I have friends in my life that will be there forever, and I have a sister who will walk by my side for eternity. That is the most precious gift I could be given in this wild, uncertain, difficult life. A person who will not only never leave my side, but who will support me in all my endeavors.

I love you, Evie. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle in all your beauty, grace, and kindness. Thank you for loving me in all my stubbornness and moodiness. Even though I don't always say it, I am thankful for your presence in my life every minute of everyday.

my sister's getting married.

This weekend my mom and I hosted a kitchen shower for my sister. It was absolutely beautiful and so much fun! We had a splendid time together and my sister was gracious enough to help up make all the desserts. It turned out so wonderfully, and I think my sister had a great time. :)

It was such an honor to throw a shower for my sister. I know I gush about her all the time, but she honestly is one of the most kind-hearted and genuine people I know. It was really nice to have the opportunity to do this for her and have all our family come together to celebrate the love she has found. xo, R.

P.S. I'll have all the dessert updates soon. They were so delicious!

happy weekend!

Hi :) Sorry I was quiet this week. I had to get ahead on all my school work because my sister is in town! We spent the entire day baking, made a delicious summer meal for my parents, duck and covered this morning (there were some serious storms in our area, but we are fine!), and watched a silly movie. Tomorrow we are going to bake some more, go to Target (a must for our family), and just have fun. It's always such a blessing to have my sister in town. I'll have more details about this splendid weekend on Monday. I hope you all have a really special weekend! xo, R.