MDW: The wedding, the yardwork, and all of the grilling

The amount of exhaustion I am currently feeling is sure sign that it was a fantastic long weekend - I'm pretty sure I blinked on Friday and it was already Monday night! It was such a lovely weekend, though, that it certainly deserves to be captured here.

As I mentioned on Friday, it was wedding weekend for my childhood friend, Brittany, and her fiance! You may remember when we headed to Philadelphia back in March for her bachelorette party - well along came Memorial Day weekend and it was time for the real party! C & I were actually both in the wedding, which was really fun - this was the first wedding we've ever been in together, other than our own! Usually just one or the other of us is serving bridal party duties... not this time!

We headed to Martinsburg, WV, on Friday afternoon for the rehearsal dinner, which was at a local Italian restaurant, and I stuffed myself silly with delicious chicken parmigiana and cheesecake. Sorry, not sorry! It was a nice opportunity to get to meet some extended family members and enjoy a meal before the festivities on Saturday.

Wedding day meant the usual getting-ready affair: hair, make-up, nail painting in the bathroom (ok, maybe that was just me), and everyone getting all fancied up. The wedding was held at the Historic McFarland House, which was just lovely - it reminded me of our own wedding venue! The ceremony was at 5 PM, and the weather could not have been more perfect. It was sunny and clear, and not humid - almost unheard of for this area and this time of year!

Every single detail was beautiful, and it really seemed like all the guests (as well as the bride and groom!!) had a fantastic time. I always think that it is such an honor to be included in the events of a friend's wedding, and this was no exception. I was asked several times how Brittany and I know each other, and it is always amazing to hear myself say, "well, we've been friends for almost 20 years, since her family moved onto the street I lived in..." - time FLIES, doesn't it?

Is there anything better than a wedding cake that is beautiful AND delicious??

The wedding was the main event of our weekend, of course, but it was super exciting to get home on Sunday afternoon and realize that we still had some freedom since we had Monday off work! We decided grilling was in order, and C cooked up this incredible steak, along with some salmon for me. He was (rightfully) pretty proud of that one - check out those grill marks!

Monday morning was devoted to (a LOT) of yard work and some indoor housework, too. C mowed the front and back lawns while I weeded, washed, and pruned. There was a small incident in which a baby bunny and I scared the bejeezus out of each other, but other than that, it was was relatively uneventful. I was so grateful for another day with low humidity. It was definitely warm outside, but the temperature doesn't bother me so much when the humidity isn't at 90%. Hopefully it'll stay this way for a while.

We wrapped up with a beer-brewing / grilling session with Stephanie and her husband, which was just the perfect way to spend the evening. Stephanie and I got to hang out and chat on the deck while the boys did their thing, and then we grilled up a yummy dinner of chicken teriyaki kebabs, veggies, and corn on the cob. Stephanie brought a bowl of fruit salad with watermelon, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, and I'm pretty sure I could have eaten the entire dish myself. It was so delicious and summery!

Photo stolen from Steph... too busy eating to take my own :)

Needless to say, I'm pretty sure I was asleep last night the second my head hit the pillow. My alarm this morning was a very rude awakening (pun intended) that is was back to the daily grind. At least the weekend is one day closer this week!

April Showers Bring... A Surprise!

This was our last weekend out of too many in a row that was booked with some big plans - which included back-to-back showers on Saturday. Why have just one, when you can have several?

I started out by hosting a French-themed brunch baby shower for Stephanie on Saturday morning. Aileen and Molly helped put together a lovely event that came together so simply and easily - I fully recommend having brunch for any shower, because the food is easy to make in advance, allows for a great combination of sweet and savory, and... who doesn't love mimosas??

Aileen made an adorable banner, and Molly brought beautiful bunches of hydrangeas to set out around the living room and kitchen. Along with a huge spread of food and a mimosa bar with various flavors of juice, we had the doors and windows open for some fresh air, and Aileen made delicious Macaron favors. It was perfect.

It was fun to see the girls from our book club, and also get a chance to meet some of Stephanie's older friends: she had several come from Northern Virginia that she has known since high school! So sweet. We spent the morning talking, eating, and oohing and awwing over adorable baby clothes and gifts. Tiny outfits are the best!

After the party, I had just enough time to get the house cleaned up and semi-back together and hang out with C for a few before heading up the road to Woodbridge: it was time for Brittany's bridal shower! Her mom put together a beautiful shower with friends and neighbors old and new, and we got another chance to celebrate Brittany's upcoming wedding.

Unfortunately, my phone was dead and I completely forgot that I had my real camera with me, so I didn't manage to get many pictures. Bummer! At least I was busy being "in the moment," right? Hard to believe that the next big event will be the wedding! It'll be here before we know it.

While that probably would have been enough excitement for one weekend, what's a little more? April showers bring... May flowers a big surprise! I've been saying for weeks now that I just needed to get through this weekend, and then C & I could have some down time and wait for our niece to be born. This was the last weekend with things we had to do, and then I intentionally left several weekends in a row of no plans, so that we could be available whenever the baby decided to come.

Well, she apparently took my advice to heart, because I woke up Sunday morning to some unexpected news: it was baby day! Baby Girl waited exactly as long as I wanted her to, and not one day more. She made her grand debut on Sunday night, and the whole family is just over the moon about it. She is such a precious little pumpkin! I can't wait to dress her in pink and sparkles and do every girly thing there is with her - she is already so loved! And I am thrilled to have several weekends coming up with no plans so that we can snuggle and adore her. Funny how that worked out!

Britt's Bachelorette Bash

I spent Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia, bachelorette-partying in the City of Brotherly Love - what a whirlwind! I headed up bright and early on Saturday morning to meet Brittany and the rest of the girls in Philly. I had to work all day on Friday and got home late, so opted against driving all the way up in the dark by myself... it turned out much better to rest on Friday night and join the shenanigans on Saturday!

Not many pictures to share, because what happens at the Bachelorette Bash, stays at the Bachelorette Bash.... but it was wonderful to spend some time with my friend, meet some of her other friends, and traipse all over the city in the name of celebrating Britt's upcoming nuptials!

We had brunch at Moshulu (complete with bottomless bellinis and mimosas - what a way to start the day!!), climbed the Rocky steps, saw the LOVE sign, and had a beer at McGillin's (Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, serving beer since 1860!). We continued the festivities waaaayyyy past my bedtime (well into Sunday morning) and I definitely woke up hurting. This old girl just doesn't live like that anymore!

Fun fact: Brittany and I have been friends since I was in fifth grade, when she and her family moved onto my street and we immediately bonded. I find it very hard to believe that was over 20 years ago! I know I talked about this last week, but I feel so lucky to have such steadfast girlfriends in my life. Multiple friends that I've had for multiple decades?! That is seriously a crazy thing. I was honored to have Britt stand by my side when I got married, and I am equally honored to stand by her side when she says, "I do!" in May. Yay!

Throwback Thursday Tuesday: when we were young and tan
and marriage was a million years away.

Anniversary Time-Travel

For our anniversary, I gifted C with a night at a hotel in one of our favorite "quick getaway" towns: Williamsburg! A little time traveling is always a good adventure. I flew home from Detroit on Friday morning, and then had just enough time for a quick lunch and to throw some clean clothes in a new bag and grab my toothbrush before we were out the door again. I was afraid I would be too exhausted from the business trip to be much fun, but it turned out to be absolutely perfect. We had all of Friday evening and Saturday to spend being tourists, and then had all day on Sunday at home to get caught up on house and life things. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary, and I'm so glad I bit the bullet and booked the trip, because we'd been talking about it without committing for a while. Why the heck not!

Once C found out where we were going, he did a little research, and decided that we should finally do a Tavern Ghost Walk in Colonial Williamsburg. We checked into the hotel and then headed to the historic part of town for a walking tour by lantern, complete with real accounts of ghostly activity at some of the most well-known locations in the area.

It was goofy and fascinating... definitely got my gears grinding. I don't think I believe in ghosts, per say, but I do believe in souls hanging around. Does that make sense?

 

After our tour, we decided on dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the area: Food for Thought. Can't recommend it enough if you find yourself looking for a good meal! The owner was in the house on Friday night, and stopped by our table to wish us a happy anniversary - so sweet. We had a fabulous meal, just as we always do there, and completed the evening by popping open a bottle of champagne from Old House back in the room & toasting with our wedding flutes. Three years down, so many more to come!

Blurry and dark, but then again, we were on a ghost tour... so that's what you get.

 

Saturday was a quintessential fall day in Virginia - blue skies, sunshine, crisp breeze, colorful leaves. We made the most of the weather and wandered around Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding shops. There was a Farmers' Market going on, and a reenactment taking place in the center of town. Plenty to see and do! We grabbed sandwiches from The Cheese Shop and sat outside on the patio to enjoy them. A quick detour to the Yankee Candle shop left with me two new candles for the house (I had a coupon! Sorry not sorry) and, at the last minute, we decided to check out the Williamsburg Winery, which we've heard lots about but never been to. Time to try it!

 

 

We did a tasting to see what we liked (there was a white and a red that were very nice, and a spiced wine that I bought a bottle of and can't wait to turn into gluhwein!), and then decided to check out the Gabriel Archer Tavern for a glass of one of our favorites. Sitting at the bar, watching the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd, was a lovely way to kill some time. Once we decided that we couldn't delay any further, we hopped in the car and headed home to our kitties. This was their first overnight alone since we got Toby! They did splendidly - the only casualty was a bag of corn tortillas that had been left on the counter. Apparently, Toby was in the mood for Mexican food... who could blame him?

I know it probably sounds silly to say that we needed to recharge our marriage a little bit - I know, we don't have kids yet, we work the same hours, blah blah blah... but really, we did need it. Work has been draining me lately, we've gotten into a meal rut, the chores are piling up around the house. It felt so nice to take some time away together, without anyone but the two of us, and go on an adventure with no agenda. We did whatever we want, when we wanted it, and just enjoyed some quality time together. A night away from home to focus on each other was just what we needed. The last three years have been so wonderful - I can't wait to see what year four brings us!

Take my advice: put it on the list

Last night, at book club, the discussion inevitably turned to weddings, as it almost always does. Between girls who are engaged, girls who are newlyweds, and girls (like me) who are new-ish-weds, we run the gamut of "experience" when it comes to wedding planning.

The question last night was about wedding registries (dun, dun, dun) and what to do if you don't really need anything because you have an established household and have been living together already and whatever else. There was talk about honeymoon registries and out-of-the-box registries, like using Amazon to register for all kinds of things, but there was also some emphasis on the value of a "traditional" registry. Trust me - there is value. Let me tell you why...

It can be hard, when you're in your early 20s or whatever, to think way ahead. Like, ahead past your wedding, and certainly further than that down the road. However, your wedding registry is an opportunity where you should try to think way ahead. Try to think about the future, and register for things that you may not need right this very second, but could need in a few years. Sure, right now, you've got all your Craigs-list and Thrift store finds from college. You've got a $10 toaster from Wal-mart. You've got 2/3s of a set of plates and (mostly) matching bowls. That's great. A few years from now, though, you may start feeling like an actual adult, and you might find that the mismatched conglomeration of crap you have isn't really working for you. Guess what! Your wedding registry is a great time to remedy that.

As a favor to you (because I am clearly a wedding expert, having had one and been married for 2.5 years [ha]), I came up with the four things I think everyone should register for, at the bare minimum, even if they are things you "already have." Take a look!

1 // Sheets

[source]

Sleeping on nice (I mean really nice) sheets is one of the best feelings in the world. However, those suckers are expensive! Weddings are a great time to get a few nice sets of sheets that won't look ratty after 10 washes and might actually have matching pillow cases (what a novel concept!). Do it - your dreams will thank you.

2 // Towels

[source]

This is basically for the same reason as above. Towels (good ones) are not cheap. Register for a set, and for more than you think you need. FYI: if there are two of you (now), you need more than two towels, two hand towels, and two wash clothes - unless you A) never wash your towels (ew) or B) wash your towels constantly.  Additional thought: someday, down the road, you might have children who need towels. Or guests who stay who need towels. A second set of towels is another novel concept! There is no such thing as too many towels, and, if you have the storage space, I highly recommend putting them on the list.

3 // Serving trays, platters, bowls, and utensils

[source]

This is one of those times when that foresight business is hard. Sure, you have no use for a giant platter right now or a set of matching serving bowls. Bear with me! Someday, just someday, you might be hosting Thanksgiving. Or Christmas dinner. Or a birthday party for adults. Guess what you'll need? Adult dishes! Do yourself a favor, and get some now - before you realize you have nothing to put the turkey on after you pull it out of the oven.

4 // A Dyson

[source]

This one is a little different. The recommendation here is to register for that expensive thing that you think no one will buy you. For C & I, it was a Dyson. We actually argued about this one - C really didn't want to register for it, because it was so expensive. I insisted to him that it didn't hurt to have it on there; you never know what people will buy. If we didn't get it, we didn't get it, and that was fine. Guess what?? We got it (clearly). His aunt and grandmother went in on it together and used a store discount they had to surprise us with it after the wedding. It was awesome, and it is going to last us forever (knock on wood). If we hadn't asked for it, we wouldn't have gotten it. Put the "stretch" gift on the registry, because you definitely won't get it if no one knows you want it.

So tell me...

• Did you / do you / will you have a wedding registry? Why or why not?
• What do you wish you had registered for that you didn't?
• Feelings on people who stray from the registry? (We got both good and bad gifts that were "off registry"... touchy subject!)

Love is a battlefield. Or something like that...

In honor of today being our "engage-iversary" (why is that a thing these days?? sheesh), I thought I'd share the story of the day C & I definitely almost did not get engaged. C originally wrote this for our wedding website, but I've never shared it here, and it's really too good not to post. It's a little long, but bear with me, because it's absolutely hilarious, and pretty much a spot-on representation of who we are - individually and together.

Join me, dear friends, as we travel back in time to December 2010, and revisit this potential disaster...

~~~

An engagement leads to thousands of questions. So many that, at times, I find myself slipping in a nupitally-induced coma. But before any of those questions can be asked, let alone answered, the question has to be popped.

Now, I’ve been trying to write this story for about two weeks now, but I couldn’t get past the first paragraph. Maybe because the story is awfully embarrassing—at best. Maybe because it’s tough to tell a story that hasn’t finished yet. Or maybe I’m just a bad storyteller. Either way, I’ve decided to skip paragraphs all together. So here’s a retro-diary of the proposal (dates and times are estimates):

December 18

I have the ring. Surprisingly enough, it isn’t that painful. I did some online research, familiarized myself with the four Cs, went to a jeweler, and bought it. But the hard part is figuring out the proposal.

I have ideas, even going so far as to talk to Ted Leonsis about surprising her at Caps practice, but nothing is panning out. After some time, I decide that the best place to propose is Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. Lindsay loves it - even to the point that she wanted to have the wedding there.

I also have a crystal snowflake ornament to use as a prop for the ring. It’ll blend in perfectly with the statuettes at the Garden. I just have to find a way to distract Lindsay and set it up. With her attention span, it’ll be as simple as pointing one direction and scurrying off for a few minutes.

So it’s settled.

December 26

8 am

We wake up early. The Garden opens at 10 and I want to have plenty of time to pop the question, ogle some flowers, take some pictures, and get moving to Culpeper. The day after Christmas - or Boxing Day for all of our Canadian fans - is the perennial Cuccherini-family-gathering-extravaganza-reunion. Plus, we're going back to Lindsay's parents' for a night with close family friends. I figure it’ll be perfect. And then I look outside.

I had planned for a little snow, and really don’t think anything of it. But the weather decides to flirt between mildly obnoxious and potentially catastrophic. For those of you in the Northern Virginia area, between four to six inches. So I check the Garden’s website, and we’re a-go. Good thing we woke up early.

9:30 am

Let’s just say that when it comes to romance, I’m mildly transparent. Lindsay figures out where we’re going about half way down the highway - this feat alone is impressive because Lindsay knows where we’re going exactly 0.03 percent of the time.

When planning this excursion, I somehow failed to account for the dimensions of the crystal snowflake. Specifically, it’s shaped like a ninja star. I’ve wrapped it in tissue paper and tucked it into my jacket, but the ends are starting to dig in. Not. Comfortable.

The weather is getting worse the farther South we go. Four to six inches is getting dangerously close to eight to ten. But, like anyone in the Ninja Turtles/My Little Pony generation, I trust the information on the website. We pull up to the gates.

10 am

"Closed due to inclement weather."

10:01 am 

s$n&svr#*tsok!3bbf*0)$!! (not our WEP key)

10:02 am 

Time to call an audible. I don’t really know what to do. I was prepared for weather, not for a closing. I’m still set on proposing, I just don't know how, when, or where. At this point, my plan is to drive up and down the highway until I see a sign that says “Romance Here -->-->-->” in flashing neon lights. But of course, before any of that can happen, we need to stop for a bathroom break. "Burger King: Have Romance Your Way" - or something like that.

10:15 am 

Back on the highway. No idea of what to do. Peyton-Manning-audible time.

10:50 am 

We’re at our exit to get to my uncle’s house. Instead taking the correct exit, I decide to go East, because, so far, Wests haven’t been having the best luck. We’re going in the direction of Old Towne, Fredericksburg*. I mean, they put an “e” at the end of Towne, so it’s got to be lovey.

We’re driving, I’m scrupulously scanning every sidestreet, antique store, and café. I see battlefields. Irony.

*It doesn’t actually have the extra “e.” I made it up for effect. 

10:55 am

Battlefield.

11 am 

Battlefield.

11:05 am 

F#ing battlefields.

11:10 am 

Losing faith, we turn around. I figure I’ll give Olde Town another try. Now would also be a good time to mention that the tension in the car is borderline overwhelming. We’ve been wandering around Virginia’s innards for almost two hours with no end in sight. Lindsay is confused and annoyed. I’m tired and angry. The ornament is beginning to burrow. It's not going well.

11:20 am 

We stumble upon a quaint little overlook. Well, it might be quaint; I'm not sure because it's blanketed with snow. Because Lindsay is cold-blooded, she likes to keep a tropical climate in the car. Add that fact to my growing aggravation, and I decide that I need a literal and figurative cool-down walk. I park and ask Lindsay to join me. I can't aptly describe her ensuing look, but it wavered somewhere between, "I wouldn't enjoy that" and, "If you ask me that again, I'm going to stab you in the eye with the windshield wiper." She begrudgingly gets out.

11:35 am 

We start to walk toward the river and I'm out of ideas. I'd rather not risk pulling out a diamond ring in a couple inches of snow. Too many opportunities to fumble. Plus, Lindsay has absolutely no intentions of meandering anywhere that's unpaved.

Losing confidence, I direct us to a tiny, weathered cafe that sits on the riverbank. What's the worst that could happen? We walk up to the door to look at the menu. The restaurant's name: Tru Luv’s.

No. Freaking. Way. Maybe I'm just battered from the day's events, but this sure seems like sign from somewhere. We try the door. It's open - thank God.

Generally, Tru Luv’s seems like a nice place. Black carpets, black tables, white tablecloths. I mean, it must be alright, it has salad forks. The entire back wall is a window with a gorgeous view of the Rappahannock - and another battlefield.

(Editor's note: RIP Tru Luv's, now closed.......)

11:45 am 

It takes me a minute to realize how alone we are; the snow must have scared off any would-be Tru Luv patrons. We sit in tense silence. I'm trying to think of a way to Houdini this ornament from my pocket without looking like a moron. Then I realize we've been in the restaurant for about five minutes and I still have my coat on. So, yeah, I look pretty dumb already.

11:50 am 

There's no suave way to do anything with a winter jacket on. New strategy: dispatch Lindsay for a few minutes.

So Lindsay says, "Will you go out to the car and get my wallet for me?" Now's my chance.

I respond, "Why don't you just run out there real quick, it'll take you two minutes."

Jackpot. She's leaving - of course, by "leaving" I mean she stormed out muttering something under her breath about torture.

11:55 am 

Time to set up the ornament. I get stage fright. At home, it seemed as simple as placing the stand into the base. At the restaurant, it seems more like a combination of Jenga, Musical Chairs, and Mousetrap. First, it's lopsided. Next, the waitress walks over and asks how I'm doing (I know, right? The nerve). Then, I can't get the ring out of my pocket because it's the box is buried in thirty pounds of tissue paper. Time is running out. She's walking in. I don't know what to do. If she sees it, she'll know what I'm doing, but it's too late to hide anything. What would Peyton do?

He'd obviously cover the whole contraption with a dinner napkin. So that's what I do. Bam. Done. Success.

Lindsay is standing by the table. She looks, umm, displeased.

Noon 

"What is this?" she mutters.

"Oh, just something."

"What is this."

"Just open it."

"Yeah, you want to get married and stuff?"

"I guess."

Please pay special attention to those last two lines. As mentioned, romance isn't exactly my thing. Apparently communication isn't either.

Moving right along, I attempt to put the ring on her finger. Wrong hand. Can anything go right today?

12:05 through the rest of the day 

We successfully get from the cafe to my uncle's, then to Lindsay's parents' house. Both of our extended families are thrilled for us.

So, in conclusion, the day was a success. Well, successful in the same way that the Titanic was the first ship to ever successfully use the SOS signal.

Eating our way through Durham (oh, and a wedding!)

We had a really great weekend... and then we woke up this morning to a dead car battery. Womp, womp. Happy Monday??

Anyway. We spent the weekend in Durham, NC, celebrating the marriage of friends from college, and it was a blast. C was the best man, and this was the first wedding we've been to in some time where I didn't have any responsibilities for the weekend! It was definitely a change for us - I'm usually the one in the wedding & C is usually the one hanging out, entertaining himself. Not this time!

We drove down to NC on Thursday morning and got there just in time to grab lunch at Toast (a great recommendation from blog-friend Maddie!) and then head over to The Cookery for the rehearsal. After that, we had a few hours before the rehearsal dinner, so I snuck in a quick treadmill run while C caught up with his friends. The rehearsal dinner was held at Tyler's Taproom, and I loved it. I had a delicious chicken sandwich with garlic fries, and we all enjoyed a few beers from the huge variety on tap, Tyler's was definitely a place I could see C & I hanging out if we lived in Durham - it was a great restaurant, and a fun atmosphere. I love local places!

The groom's mom made him this amazing cake for the rehearsal!

Best man & groom

Friday morning, I weaseled my way into a yoga session with the bridal party (what a great way to start the day!) then a few of us went out to get breakfast at yet another local joint, Daisy Cakes. The carnitas hash with a sunny-side-up egg was absolutely incredible. I was stuffed to the gills!

After breakfast, C went off with the boys to hang out and get ready for the day, and I ventured out with my in-laws (who were also in town for the wedding) to explore the area. We ended up at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. What a lovely way to spend a free afternoon!

Of course I found some maroon & orange - go Hokies!

We wandered the gardens for a while, enjoying the beautiful day and even more beautiful flowers and landscaping, before grabbing a quick lunch at Piazza Italia in Brightleaf Square (Brightleaf was another recommendation from Maddie - she set me up well!). Sun-dried tomato crostini with tomato basil soup was just what I needed to hold me over until dinner at the wedding. So delicious!

The wedding was on Friday night, and it was just perfect. The bride and groom have been together longer than I've even known C, and this was always something that was just meant to be. We had so much fun celebrating their marriage! The ceremony was so personal & so "them," the DJ was great, the drinks were flowing, and a fantastic time was had by all!

Our final stop before heading out of town on Saturday was for barbecue at The Original Q Shack (one last suggestion from Maddie!) - and this was possibly the best choice, ever. I may have died and gone to hangover heaven. The food was incredible! Smoked brisket, creamed spinach with jack cheese, loaded baked potato casserole, and hush puppies on the side. You guyyysssss. #foodcoma

C & I spent Sunday playing catch-up around the house - there was yard work, housework, laundry, grocery shopping, Halloween-candy-buying, and cooking, mixed with football on in the background (Cowboys AND Redskins lost... sad day for us).

This situation had to be addressed... these are the leaves from ONE tree in our yard!

Fun with the power blower. #ilookpissed

Think this is enough?? #nosuchthing

It should go without saying that we were wiped out by dinnertime. We collapsed on the couch with pot roast and wine to catch up on American Horror Story and watch the Walking Dead. It was truly a wonderful weekend for us - minus that darn car battery!

June's Wedding Whirlwind (aka where I've been!)

Someone recently informed me that I am a "bad blogger."

Someone could be right. (Thanks, Mom! ha.)

June truly started and then was over before I could really process it. It included Michelle's bachelorette wine-tasting, C being away for a week for a business trip with a massive set of storms that almost derailed his arrival back in DC, two back-to-back out-of-town weddings (and, therefore, wedding weekends), C's birthday, one trip to the vet, and another afternoon of wine-tasting. We had plans every single weekend, and by the time July 1 hit, we were exhausted. So, naturally, we invited all of our closest friends over to my in-laws' house for their annual 4th of July bash. Because why not?! And then immediately left for the beach for C's family's annual vacation. I got home from OBX on Monday night, and I'm pretty sure that I need a vacation from... the last 6 weeks. Time flies when you're having fun! :)

The highlight of June, was, obviously, having the opportunity to stand beside two of my closest girlfriends and watch them marry their soul mates. It was certainly a whirlwind (for Wedding Weekend #1, C was in Chicago then DC then Philly in the span of about 12 hours), but I wouldn't have traded the experience for the world. I am so honored to call these girls my friends. I couldn't imagine having gotten married without them standing next to me, and I am so beside myself with joy that they shared the same gift with me. We all had such a blast at both weddings, and each was so perfect in its own way. I couldn't have asked for a better day or experience for either of my girls, and I am so excited to have two more friends in the MARRIED CLUB! Yippeeee!

Wedding Weekend #1: Lizzy & Adam

At Lizzy & Adam's rehearsal dinner

Lizzy with her hometown bridesmaids - I've known some of these girls since I was 5!

Beautiful bride #1 <3

Post-wedding... Married friends! Also, Adam's face... hahaha!

Love of my life <3

Wedding Weekend #2: Michelle & Joe

After Michelle & Joe's rehearsal dinner

Beautiful bride #2!

Favorites <3 Ashley, Michelle, & I

Loved having my parents included in all the festivities!

Reunited & it feels so good!

It's just occurred to me that there is not actually a picture of Joe (the groom) in that second set of pictures... he was there, I swear! Just failed to be captured by my iPhone, apparently :)