Friday afternoon after Josh worked half a day and I frantically cleaned the house and finished packing, we set off on our whirlwind romantic long weekend miniature vacay holiday!! I was a tad excited. :)
We stopped at Subway for lunch (I'm loving the Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich!!) and before we knew it we were seeing sights all too familiar:
Instead of going up the Blue Ridge Parkway and coming into Tennessee through Sevierville, we came up the other direction and went through the Foothills Parkway. Beautiful overlooks!!
And we can't take pictures without some silliness:
When we got to our cabin we were SO excited!! It was just as we had hoped, but with one little hitch. We overlooked the fact that the cabin isn't a one bedroom cabin but in fact a one room cabin! For the two of us, though, that just made it even more perfect! Everything in one big open space made moving about and hanging out together easy. If Josh wanted to sit on the couch and watch TV but I wanted to lay in bed and relax we could do so and still be together! Haha! It was a beautiful cabin with complete privacy and an incredible view of the woods.
The following are 3 photos I took from the couch. They are horrible quality and don't do the details of the cabin any justice, but they do demonstrate how everything was in the same 'room' and easy to get at.
Eating nook and fireplace, door to the deck is just to the left.
Kitchen nook, entrance is just to the right.
Bed and bathtub behind the couch. The bathroom is to the left of the bed.
After we put our things down and got settled, we went to check out the hot tub and rocking chairs on the deck!
To our disappointment, the hot tub was not working! The jets would not come on, but the water was still hot. So, we put in a call to get it looked at and then hopped in anyway! It was nice because it was still warm, but it cooled off and by the next evening it wasn't even as warm as bath water! Apparently it needs a new motor, so we weren't able to use it properly during our stay, but a very sweet phone call from the owner of the cabin promised us a free night or two for our trouble if we decide to come back!
By this time we had worked up quite an appetite! We decided to try a place that was new this year (at least in this location)- Big Daddy's Pizzeria. Guys- it was SO good! The pizza was about the same as what you could expect from Mellow Mushroom; fresh ingredients and fresh taste and delicious. What won me over was our appetizer. They are called Dough Daddies and are basically rolls doctored with garlic and spices and butter and served with their homemade mixture of alfredo and pasta sauce!! My mouth is watering for them again already! My prayer before I ate them was "Weight Watchers forgive me, for I have sinned!!!". Seriously, though. Super duper good.
nom
It's shaped like South Carolina! Holla! Excuse my face -_-
nom
This was by far our most expensive meal, but it was worth it and so yummy!
The next few days were full of fun, sun, snuggling, and putt putt-
Instagram- morning coffee with a view.
Breakfast!
He's making fun of this picture of me from our honeymoon last year:
Goob.
Awesome Barbecue
Barbecue Slider. Delish
Instagram. New Wax Museum.
Snuggled up watching Ace Ventura's When Nature Calls
Putt Putt!!!
He's too tall or I'm too short
Us laying out in the sun. J/k... they're pigs, silly people!
Please excuse the white glow in the dark legs.
He beat me 2/3 times. I got one on him!
One of these things is not like the other...
Breakfast- Red Rooster Pancake House. Cheap and yummy.
Trying to hide my excitement- we're gonna go feed bears!
Herrro!!!!
He's a model
Instagram- We were really hoping he'd fall in!
We made sure to leave a lasting impression at the putt putt course:
Aww
On our way out Josh told me he wanted to take me to Clingman's Dome. He said it was high up and there was a short walk to this big viewing station and you could see everything. Well I flipping love nature and pretty views so count me in! His short walk was actually a pretty steep climb. For about a mile. Super steep + one mile = me not in shape and about to die. It was beautiful though and we took lots of breaks and I drank lots of water and it was all good! So worth the sunburn (It's hard to remember sunscreen with a 60 degree breeze blowing against your skin. Whoops)-
An invasive species of insect is killing the beautiful trees!
I can't wait to share this with my students the next time I teach Ecology!
Amidst the deadly climb.
Finally there. Wind whipping my hair back and forth!
All the dead trees make me very sad.
We got pretty fried.
Thankfully, one of my fellow Pinterest friends recommended this to me, and it helped A LOT! It wasn't a miracle cure for sunburn by any means, but it made it feel much better.
So that was our little getaway. Now we are back to reality. I'm eagerly anticipating and planning for projects around the house and events happening in the Fall. I'm looking forward to sharing details with you about those soon. :)
I have decided to declare each trip we go on a "honeymoon". I mean, they are all the same thing, right? Time together away from home free to enjoy each other- a honeymoon. :) So, for honeymoon #2 we are heading back to the same region as honeymoon #1 (read more on it here and here). Here's a little sneaky peek of the cabin we've rented:
Beautiful, right?! We are so stinkin' excited!! I cannot wait to take my morning coffee and go sit out on that porch in one of those rocking chairs and spend some time with the Lord. I cannot wait to share homemade breakfast with my lovie in the breakfast nook surrounded by windows that make you feel like you're in a treehouse. I cannot wait to curl up in front of that fireplace and watch movies with my hubby. I cannot wait to relax with a book or magazine in the jacuzzi beside our bed. I cannot wait to enjoy the hot tub out on the deck surrounded by the gorgeous view. Ahhh I CANNOT WAIT!!!
Before we can spin some tires up outta this mug, we gotta pack. Ugh. I grew up with divorced parents and wen to my dad's house most weekends, so packing became second nature to me pretty early in life. I hate packing now, so to try and make it a little more fun and motivating I thought I'd share my packing list with you-
We will be gone for 4 days and 3 nights and this should be plenty to keep our bellies and wallets full and in clean clothes. Hopefully if you're not used to packing this list will help you gauge what you may need for your summer trip! I'm off to finish cleaning the house so our friend Erin who will be animal sitting for us feels welcome and comfortable and then to do the laundry and get us all packed up!
When you hear from me again I'll be sharing all the pictures and fun we had during our time away. :)
How do you measure, measure a yeeeaaaarr? GREAT song.
On Monday, Josh and I celebrated our very first anniversary!! Cue the fireworks, the balloons, the confetti, and the dancing dolphins!!
It's so hard to believe it's been a year since we said forever to each other! It feels like yesterday and it was the best day ever! It went by so quickly and wasn't without its hiccups, but I had SO much fun and felt so blessed to become the wife to my very best friend.
This time last year we were enjoying our honeymoon in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
In the Mtns of NC
On the Blue Ridge Parkway
Before I give you all the details about how we are going to celebrate surviving our first year of marriage, I want to share what this year of doing life together has taught us:
1. Do not go to bed angry. No matter what. There were nights we were up until 12 or 1 am (on school nights, no less!!) working things out. I went to bed angry one time and will never ever do it again because it solves nothing, makes you even more tired, and you just get angrier and angrier.
2. Stick to a budget and save. Being a relatively new teacher making beans for pay and being married to a man that may clock 103 hours in a pay period but only get paid for 40 of them (because technicians only get paid for the work they do) we have learned that a lot of times our attitudes toward each other and stress levels revolve around money. What has made the biggest difference is being devoted to tithing to our
church. One of its core values is that you cannot out-give God and He has
proven this time after time. When we are faithful to Him, He blesses
us! Maybe not with more money, but definitely with better attitudes and
peaceful spirits. So instead of being against each other about money, we've learned to take it on as a team and hold each other accountable to the budget that we set together (even if it involves me pouting over a throw pillow; true story).
3. You can never say "I love you" enough. I know it's cheesy but I take every opportunity to tell Josh what he means to me. It helps us stay grounded and remember what brought us here in the first place- love!
4. Even though you share the same bed, you don't necessarily get enough quality time together. It's very important for us to set aside time to do things together we enjoy. Sometimes it might only be the ride to the waste management facility to take out the trash; other times we may actually have time and money to enjoy a meal out and a movie. Regardless of what it is, we make the time to continue getting to know each other. It helps reinforce our bond.
5. You cannot grow closer to each other if you are not growing closer to God. We have had some rough times this year and the first 6 months of our marriage were not that great. We were very selfish and self centered, and not growing in the Lord like we should have been. We had to stop and evaluate and realize that there was tension and friction between the two of us because there was tension and distance between each of us and God. The Lord cannot teach you and bless you if you are turned away avoiding Him. I know I avoid Him because I do not want to face my own sin and desires, but when I give those desires to Him and repent and try my best to do better- He blesses us. We know what direction to go in and He makes His presence known. And it's wonderful!! It's very liberating to know you can trust Him to guide your steps instead of being a stressed out control freak- trust me on this!
So one year is gone, and I am so excited to continue our journey together. Pregnancy? Baby? Another dog? More home projects? A trip to England as a couple? All are on the agenda, but the when and how are unknown. I have a year of formal evaluation at work this coming school year and I need to be on point. We also have debt to pay down (more on that later), sick leave to save up, and projects that must be done around the house before I will feel comfortable welcoming a little one (or ones... I am a twin :P) into our family.
Until God makes it happen, we are focusing on living life to the fullest and best right now, enjoying each day as it comes and being thankful for what we have!
Stay tuned for the scoop on our anniversary celebration!
You know Mulan, right? The Disney Princess who isn't really a princess? Love that movie. I probably wouldn't care about it at all if not for one character- Mu-Shu!! Remember him?
Anyways, I'm feeling Mulanish today because, well- Mulan was constantly comparing herself to a standard she couldn't nor would she ever meet. She wasn't a dainty, fragile flower in need of care and protection and to many that deemed her unworthy of affection. So then she becomes a crossdressing soldier to protect her father and bring honor to her family and so on and so forth.
In college I was totally comfortable being myself. I loved who I was and others loved me for never changing who I was to suit a situation. Then I became a teacher. Teaching requires that. I cannot be my normal self around students. I have to be someone professional, in control, and safe to them. Now, don't get me wrong I throw zingers with the best of them and love making my kiddos laugh; but I can't completely be myself. Then I met Josh and I smack my forehead; I must be dreaming! Here is a man who adores me and I didn't have to do anything to earn it! I keep teaching, thought I had great friends, principal doesn't like me, get engaged, lose my job, get married, get another much better awesomer job and at some point something changed. It's like a I had a moment of reckoning where I realized that I don't do things like everyone else- I don't see things like everyone else does and I felt bad for it. I felt unworthy- like this 'twenty-something and self sufficient' title came with expectations I don't meet; and I began trying to play catch up. I kept trying to earn that one accolade, complete that one project, snap that one picture, see that second line on the test, 'pin' that awesome thing that would prove to the world I'm as 'cool' as other twenty-somethings with their own homes and marriages and children. I feel like because my diamond's not as big, my bank account's not as big, my body size is as big and bigger, my home isn't as clean and pristine, my hair isn't as perfectly styled, my clothes aren't as trendy.... that I'm not as- well AS WHAT?!?!?! What is this STUPID standard I've been trying to hold myself to?????? I have channeled my OCD tendencies into this so much and I don't even know what all my stress is for and don't even know who I am!!!!!!!!
I remember my first year out of college living on my own I was in the mall one day and saw this stereotypical suburban twenty-something couple with their infant playing with the other twenty somethings and their infants and could feel my chest tighten. Argh the mediocrity! I swore I would never be like that- life was meant to be lived and these people were merely surviving. Now here I am all in a tizzy because I'm trying to shove my big 'ol unique, Miss-gotta-do-things-the-hard-way, meant for something different self into a suburban twenty-something mold that I just. don't. fit. in. Have you ever been there? It sucks!!! You feel Mulanish- like you're not worthy, but you don't know where the hoo-ha you fit in so you try and try and try and look like a big 'ol ogre next to all the dainty Southern Belles who need forklifts to keep their rocks in place on their dainty little left fingers. Sorry if you're one of those- I am a little bitter; can't lie.
So here I am. 5 days short of my very first wedding anniversary. My sweet ring doesn't require a forklift, but boy is she a sparkler and God I love my man for picking it out just for me. And if I could take back every time I've made a snide remark about the way it looks compared to bigger rings, the Lord knows I would. I've made my precious husband feel like it's not me and that I don't like it. I've been mad at God for a while because I can't be a twenty-something with an infant thanks to rebellious hormones and messed up lady parts. I hate my reflection but can't seem to make myself understand that carbs=no good for me. I've lost who I am. (Hello? Andie?? Where are you? WHO are you??) I've realized today, though, that everything I have bucked against and shoved aside in striving for pefection is exactly who I am and exactly what I want. I've just been trying to shove my little ring with the rest of my not so little self into a mold God did not make for me.
A little over a year ago when I made this blog, I named it "Living Simply, Loving Deeply" because that's what I wanted my life to be about. And boy have I jacked that up. :) It's okay though because making a mistake is the most wonderful way to learn! Don't believe me? How many times have you made a wrong turn and been mad at the time but then later found yourself grateful because you became more familiar with an area or ended up needing to find that road anyway? Or maybe you put too much flower in your biscuit mix but didn't realize it until they came out hard as grenades? (Just me? okay... bad example). This summer I've got to get some serious junk out of my trunk. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, and domestically (have you SEEN the clutter in our bonus room? No- because you would call Hoarders). I'm going to get back to living simply, loving who I am, and showing my husband the deep love I hold for him. I'm not perfect and primpy and thank GOD for that. It's too hard and too expensive. Some of those things I do desire- children, a finished, clutter free home, a new vehicle, a larger salary- they will come. In God's time. When I'm ready.
So if you come over to my house and there's cat hair on the couch; just know I enjoy saving furry lives. If my hair is pulled up into a weirdo messy bun when we hang out know that I put my quality time with you above the reputation of my good looks. If my waistline doesn't shrink to the size of my ankle know it's because I enjoy eating good food with good people. And if you look at my home, my clothes, my social media, my car, my wedding rings, or any part of my life and think in the back of your mind "Ugh. She's so not going to make the cover of Cosmo" or "Ugh, the Kardashians would never walk on a sidewalk next to her", then I thank you. That is the LAST place true beauty is found and if you ask me, I'm absolutely oozing with it.
I love my life. Even when I don't like it; I. LOVE. my. life.
