family vacation

This is the third year I've been on family vacation with my Love's family. Being raised by a beach bum, myself, I love vacation because when I do think of vacation I think purely beach. For the last two years we've stayed in Garden City, SC at a beach house called "View From the Top". And it is perfect for a large group (I think we have 28 here!). Having 8 bedrooms, 81/2 baths, a huge kitchen, living room... even an elevator, this large family has found a home away from home.

One tradition in particular I love. My sister- in- law and her 2 girls give out posters at the beginning of the week to hang on each bedroom door that have a specific theme that then correlates to the person. Last year it was devoted to the men and the theme was titles of popular songs. My Love's poster was Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" which suited him perfectly! The year before was dedicated to the children in the families, and this year the women received the posters! The theme: Pioneering women of the USA. My poster: Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. I love it! My very first poster!

Don't you just love the little things in life*

toes in the sand

Tomorrow my love and I are headed to the coast of beautiful SC to the beach for a little relaxation! Vacation with his family is SO fun and we look forward to it every year with great anticipation! Everyone have a happy weekend! I'm off to the beach!

Owl Love II

love it!

Ok, so I never really do this but I am in LOVE with the necklace that this blog is giving away. Like her I have a thing for owls... I've even blogged about it here before. And I want this necklace!! So please don't try to go over and take my chance of winning it away, but do check out how beautiful this necklace is! I WANT IT! I need it!

all in a days work...

the nursing cap

So work nearly killed me the last couple days...

Yep, almost killed over dead..

Killed over dead...

But, alas, here I am... not dead after all.

I knew I wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid. My mom said even when I was a small girl I was the "nurse" in the family, always taking care of my siblings when they were sick, always doing what needed to be done to make it better. I like that I'm efficient. I'm good at my job. Yes, I like that. I'm proud of that. And I really do like my job. I like the flow, like the rhythm.

And then there are days like today... and yesterday... and I think to myself that I may never be able to walk through those hospital doors again. Physically and mentally just can't do it any more. While talking to one of my girlfriends on the ride home and not being able to think of words to form a sentence, I see the effect of leaving for work at 0530 and returning home at 8:30 at night will do to ya... I sit here and ponder how nurses are able to work for 30 years! After only 4 years I see that emotionally and physical toll its taken on me. (I found a small varicose vein on my left calf the other day!)

But then Jesus kissed me while driving home from work today... I saw the sweetest girl and boy riding horses in a field with total abandonment. They looked so alive...And it made my heart smile. Yes, its just all in a days work...

Moving On...

ME

Here's the thing. I love blogland. I love that on my days off from work I can sit in my snug kitchen in SC and peek into the life of someone else halfway around the world (like Discovery Street), or get a glimpse into the life of a mom raising 3 young boys and 1 baby daughter (Under the Sycamore), and when planning my wedding I was OBSESSED with all the wedding blogs, literally spending hours soaking in all the beautiful brides, perfect flowers, and weddings that would inspire even the most cynical heart. But today I'm saying goodbye to all my wedding blogs out there. Your job for me has passed. That chapter has closed and I'm a married woman now. I no longer feel that obsessive draw to seek new ideas for receptions or wedding dresses that make my heart sigh. It has been fun. And I did wanted to say thank you. Thanks to all those wedding blogs that did influenced my own wedding and helped make it one of the most special days of my life.

But now I'm moving on...

sweet domestic life!

So I've been loving domestic life and "playing house" with my love. One of my new passions has been finding new recipes and trying them out on the hubby. (who by the way is the superior cook to myself, but i like to try anyway, i say you can't go wrong with a recipe, right?!) 2 of my new fav cooking blogs are Sprouted Kitchen (i love her pics) and She Eats Bears. Well, last night when my love got home we had to get down to the important business of making dill pickles! His garden is overflowing with cucumbers so we decided to give pickle making a shot! I must say it was lots of fun! And it was very satisfying when we heard each of our jars "pop" while relaxing on the couch afterwards!

the kiddos

So here's the thing with me and kids. I like kids ok... I mean, they're alright for about 10 mins and then it's time to give them back to their mommy and daddy. You know how some girls just grow up drawn to babies and knowing how to hold them and all that... that's not me. I know I'll feel different when I have babies of my own (and I'll love them like no other!) but I don't have babies yet. None of my siblings even have babies yet. And although many of my close friends and cousins have babies its still not the same. So, I didn't want ANY at my wedding originally. Yep, NONE. I just felt that I'd rather have someone I'd really want taking up that seat rather than some little kid that wouldn't appreciate my day anyway. But, my no kids request didn't really fly with my family, especially my mom. So we had some kids there. And I have to say, we do have VERY cute kids in my family. Gives me hope that in a couple years I'll pop out a cute one :D