little snapshots.

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{1 + 2} Flowers from our complex's garden. 

{3} His little white paws. 

{4} New stickers for my sweet students. 

{5} The loveliest thank you card I ever did see. 

{6} One of my favorite books from childhood (I'm using it to teach a lesson on the character traits independent, appreciative, and wise).

{7} A sweet little piece of artwork with an even sweeter story. (Jeffrey and I were at Starbucks probably over a month ago when a darling little girl (about 3 or 4 years old) walked up to us and gave us a zarf. We were touched that she was so outgoing and thought we deserved a little gift from her. About 10 minutes later, she walked back out to us and handed us this little drawing. We were floored! It was the sweetest, loveliest thing and we thought her artwork was beyond wonderful. We've been meaning to do something with it and this weekend Jeffrey made a little frame for it and hung it in our house. Don't you just love that?!)

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Thanks for such a positive response on my last post. This weekend ended up being such a lovely one and it surely reaffirmed my love for Jeffrey. Don't you love when that happens? Sometimes I could just be stopped in my tracks with my astounding love for that guy. (How many times can I say love in one post? Love.)

We got chicken Souvlaki, fries, and Coke for lunch on Saturday and it was delicious. We took it to our new favorite local dog park and let Woody roam around for awhile. We finally got him to play fetch with us and watching him run around is an absolute blast. He hops around like a little deer and it's the cutest thing we've ever witnessed. We made chicken tacos for dinner and Jeffrey ran out to buy us some ice cream (this has been fulfilling my craving) and watched a couple episodes of Friends. It's our latest TV show addiction and we're having so much fun watching it from the very beginning!

Yesterday I wrote some more thank you notes (I don't know why this round is taking me so long!), made a quick trip to the mall, and did some cleaning of the apartment. Oh, how I despise cleaning, but I loooove walking into a tidy home. One of my favorite things, I do believe. I hope you had a wonderful weekend, full of only the best. Tell me, what did you do? xo, R.



P.S. Would anyone be interested in a post about some of the really cool goodies we've been picking up for Woody? Every time we get a new treat, I think it's surely the most amazing dog thing ever! I'd love to share, but I'm not sure if anyone else would find it interesting. Please let me know. :)

saturday afternoon picnic.

In my mind, Saturdays are a day to reset and refresh for the upcoming week. I like to sleep in, eat a late breakfast, laze around, and do something fun with the ones I love. This weekend, Jeffrey had some work to complete so we carved out just a small amount of time to pick up some Steak 'n Shake and have an impromptu picnic. I don't often crave cheeseburgers, so when I do we stop what we're doing and go and get one. Since our favorite local place was closed, we settled for the next best thing. We then found one of our favorite spots on campus and enjoyed our burgers there. The whole afternoon was perfectly pleasant. When I graduate in June, one of the saddest things will be leaving this beautiful campus. It truly is a gem.  

FYI: The kids meal is probably the best deal on Steak 'n Shake's menu. Plus, they put your drink in these weird little mini cups, which we sort of got a kick out of.

monday inspiration.

{1} Really cool wallpaper. {2} Better Than Nutella (Chocolate Hazelnut Spread). {3} Good to remember. {4} A sweet scene. {5} Love these ceremony altar decorations. {6} Pops of yellow.

Hello, friends! I hope you had a nice weekend. My parents paid us a surprise visit and it was really lovely to see them. My sister is borrowing my camera right now, so I didn't have the chance to snap any pictures. I have to say that sometimes it's nice to put the camera down and just have fun. That's not to say that I don't love taking pictures (I do!), but it's nice to take a break every now and again. That also means this week's blogs may be light on the pictures. I hope that's okay with you. What did you do this weekend? xo, R.

little snapshots.

[- 1 -] Mr. Rogers book made by my sister and a friend + a postcard from my mom.

[- 2 -]  Giant pine cone by our entryway.

[- 3 -] Fall pumpkin trio. :)

[- 4 -] Shhh! Break and bake.

[- 5 -] Everyone could use a little pep talk in the morning (taped to our bathroom mirror).

[- 6 -] Cup tree.

[- 7 -] Match striker, by Josh Stover Ceramics.

This weekend was made up of some of my favorite things. There was no agenda, which always leaves me feeling so relaxed and rested. On Saturday, I slept in and spent the rest of the morning finishing a final assignment. Then, Jeffrey and I spent the afternoon cleaning the house. Later that evening, we went to an art show my sister was in and ended the night with frozen yogurt. Yesterday we slept in and spent the morning at Starbucks, planning our honeymoon. We went grocery shopping, read magazines at Barnes & Noble, ate lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, and spent the afternoon around the house.

Weekends like these are so simple and quiet, but absolutely wonderful. It always makes me feel so thankful for the smallest things. On top of that, I have a short school week and can't wait to head home for Thanksgiving. What did you do this weekend? xo, R.

P.S. Other little snapshots posts.

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!

sunday picnic.

On Sunday afternoon, Jeffrey and I grabbed our favorite new soda, corralled some cherries, carrots, and pineapple, grabbed a baguette + some cheese, and biked onto campus for a lovely picnic. Just as we left our picnic spot it began to rain, and we rode home in delight. How was your weekend? xo, R.

the flying biscuit cafe.

On Sunday morning, Jeffrey and I headed to The Flying Biscuit Cafe (which my mom and sister had recommended). At this point, I was already feeling a bit sappy and a delicious breakfast at a charming cafe was just what I needed. Jeffrey and I sat and talked about the fun we had at the concert, admired the sweetest little toddler who had already mastered the act of dipping her biscuit into gravy, and split a Southern scramble and French toast with raspberry sauce and creme anglaise.

It was the kind of morning I wanted to grab and put in my pocket so that I could take it out later and remember its sweetness. Then, we went to Starbucks, ordered a Chai to split, and hopped onto the road. When we got home, we danced to Andrew Bird's new CD and did a bit of house cleaning. Although it was just an ordinary evening, it all felt pretty special to share it with the guy I love. I tell you what, I got really lucky when Jeffrey asked me to hitch my wagon to his.

andrew bird concert (or, on being sentimental).

Friends, I am a terrible trip taker, and here's why: I get oddly sentimental as the trip is ending. I find myself nostalgic for things I just did and saw. This has never not happened to me after some kind of trip or special event, and it is exhausting (and makes me want to cry a little bit). Does this happen to you?

A little over a month ago Jeffrey and I decided to go to the Andrew Bird concert in Atlanta. We looked forward to it everyday after the tickets had been purchased. For as long as Jeffrey and I have been together, we've never actually gone on a trip just the two of us. Every element of our trip was absolutely perfect -- from the sweet little pizza restaurant we ate at just before the concert, to meticulously choosing our seats as we arrived at the concert venue, to watching TV when we arrived back at our hotel (we don't have one at our apartment), none of it could have made me happier.

As we watched the concert together and listened to Andrew Bird masterfully play his violin, I thought about just how lucky I am — how full my life is with joy and blessings and love everyday. It was all just so lovely that I could hardly stand to part with the weekend. We got back to our apartment and blasted Andrew Bird's newest CD and both admitted that it made us feel a little sad. We wanted to go back and relive every moment. In just a few days, listening to those songs will make me nostalgic in a different way. I will be filled with happiness instead of feeling a pang of sadness. I will always remember our first sweet little trip to watch Andrew Bird play in Atlanta and just how perfectly wonderful every moment was.

heritage village.

I don't know about you, but I get a certain feeling when visiting places of the past. Heritage Village is a park in our town that saves old houses, restores them to their natural splendor, and opens them for the public to explore. It often makes me wonder about the people who lived in those homes -- their names, their trials, and their triumphs. It's easy to get lost in thought in a place like Heritage Village and my family has been going there for years and years to visit a bit of local history.

When my brother-in-law's family was in town this weekend, we decided to take them there in hopes they would love it as much as we do. They did! It helps when you can get Coke in glass bottles from the old general store. :) xo, R.

orange blossom grove.

If you're ever in Florida and you like citrus, you have to (Have to!) try and find an Orange Blossom Grove. And if you happen to find one in the part of Florida you're exploring, then you must (Must!) get orange soft serve ice cream. It is the most wonderful, delicious, dreamy treat that ever was. Get it in a cone, too. That part's really important.