Well, that's a wrap! I took a bit of a break from blogging during the summer months. It has been easy for me to say along the way this season that it felt a bit different and that I was ready to move along into the routine and rhythms of fall. However, taking a breath and walking back down memory lane reminded me that the summer season included a great deal of fun and joy. It was full of celebration and sweet moments, including the one from last weekend when my little gal made her flower girl debut. We didn't get to the pool or lake as much as year's past and Nora's schedule seemed all over the place, with a constant yearning for activity and schedule. Let's be honest, there was way more screen time than I'd like to admit. My word for the year is cherish and, upon reflection, I see that there were a number of special times with special people and all of these memories are ones that I hold dear. We wrapped up Nora's first year as a butterfly at school and what a great year it was. We are incredibly blessed with such sweet teachers and a program that expands her little mind and keeps her happy and engaged while I'm at work. She is loved and so well cared for and it makes my momma heart so full. The room parents take up a group gift collection at the end of each year but I still like to do a little something extra (not that it is expected, but it is fun to give a little personal gift to each of the teachers with a note of gratitude for their good care). I found these fun pineapple ice trays at Michael's and added a cute little pineapple drink stir from Starbucks to complete the look with my note. They were simple and low cost but so cute and fun heading into the summertime season. Moving into June, we traveled a good bit. We spent a weekend at Smith Mountain Lake with good friends before heading to my good college friend's wedding at Pippin Hill Vineyards in Charlottesville. The setting was gorgeous and the bride was stunning! We had a ball. Nora and I spent another weekend in Roanoke celebrating the shower of my sister-in-law-to-be. I feel so lucky that my little brother found this lovely lady to be his bride. She fit into our family from the start and we were all thrilled when she said yes to becoming a Walker! We ended the month with a fantastic trip to Chicago to visit Brad's sister Melissa (my other fabulous sister-in-law - I got lucky x2!) It was part work with my being there for a seminar but hottie hubby and I headed up for a long weekend before my class began for some Chi-town fun. We ate at some of the most fabulous restaurants, enjoyed time on the water, went to a comedy show and soaked up rooftop views with cocktails in hand. This avocado toast was everything and paired so perfectly with a glass of Rose for brunch. If anyone is headed to the Windy City in the future, I'm happy to give some recommendations for eats and sights! June was a fantastic time to visit since the temps were perfect and a great getaway from the North Carolina heat. Next up, Nora Kate's birthday month! July kicked off with birthday celebrations for our little lady. How oh how is she 3! 3 is full of the three "P's" - personality, pretending and princesses! Though she hadn't yet tried to climb out, we decided it was time to transition Nora's crib into a toddler bed. She loved it and has done great. I ended up having a comp day to use so that I could spend Nora's real birthday with her. What a treat! The birthday girl awoke to this fun gift waiting for her downstairs from mom and dad. Our little artist... I also treated my little gal to her first mani / pedi! She loved it and ended up with a rainbow of colors on her ten fingers and ten toes. We enjoyed a pizza dinner with cupcakes to top off the night. All Nora had really asked for for her birthday was a cake with Anna and Elsa on it. I ordered the edible decal off Etsy and Harris Teeter was able to create this beautiful cake for us. I struggled a bit with what to do for a party this year. Trying to keep things simple but special, I reached out to our Music Together teacher to see if she did home parties. Moms, if you haven't experienced Music Together, it is a national music and movement program and they offer classes at multiple Charlotte locations. Nora and I have participated in a couple multi-week sessions and have loved making music with Ms. Lucy and friends. Learn more about this great program here. Ms. Lucy was available to come to our house to make music with Nora and several friends and their parents. It worked out so beautifully and Nora had a ball! It was then back to Charlottesville and more celebrating with this pretty bachelorette. She has some of the sweetest friends and family members and us girls had a great time vineyard hopping and celebrating the upcoming nuptials of Alison to my little bro. Though it isn't the best lighting and little bit didn't want to participate in our photo op, we kicked off August with a trip to Cleveland, VA (near Abingdon) to visit with Brad's dad and his wife. We had a nice time catching up with this side of the family and enjoyed staying at their beautiful historic home. Nora especially liked our trip to the old mill house nearby. Mid-month came and it was time for Nora to start school again. I failed to get any first day of school photos but did capture this cute one of my little gal on a mommy / daughter date to see a play at the Children's Theatre a couple weeks later. Moms of littles in Charlotte, we had such a fun time at the play and they have a full season of shows. We will definitely be checking the schedule regularly and look forward to attending future shows! The Children's Theatre is also connected to ImaginOn, described as a one-of-a-kind Charlotte youth destination located in the heart of the cultural arts district in Charlotte. It is also across the street from a great park so we enjoyed a bit of splash pad fun following our time playing. As Labor Day approached, our family gathered in Roanoke for the much anticipated Byrd / Walker wedding. We read several flower girl books, had our dresses, suit and new shoes ready to go for the big day and made sure we knew where we needed to be when in preparation for the grand and glorious celebration weekend. Hard to think of my little brother as a husband but it was such fun to see him take this big step into his future. Those involved in the weekend had such kind things to say about Nathan, Alison and the two of them as a couple. My sweet momma did a fabulous job planning a beautiful rehearsal dinner at Rockfish Food and Wine. The decor, food and atmosphere were all fantastic and it was the perfect eve before the wedding event. The original four! Roanoke gals, GLAMHOUSE Day Spa was such a fun and glamorous space for us gals to get ready on wedding day. There is nothing like professional hair, makeup and lashes to make a girl feel pretty! While we were getting ready, it POURED...of course, we all assured Alison that it was good luck and that it would be clear by "I do" time! Being an outdoor ceremony and reception, our fingers were certainly all crossed that we were correct. And we were....the rain shower cooled things off a bit and all was clear by 5:30 when this gorgeous bride walked down the aisle to meet her groom. The setting was breathtaking - Firefly Hill Vineyards in Elliston, VA. Photo credit for the above - Pat Cori Photography It was truly a special weekend and a wonderful way to wrap up the summertime season. I wish the happy couple a lifetime of laughter and love and I can't wait to see their love story continue to unfold. I posted earlier in the season about my lighter salad supper platters. This was my take on a tuna nicoise and it was yummy! Ingredients were arugula, seasoned whole baby potatoes (packaged with seasonings), French green beans, tuna, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and a vinaigrette dressing. I also tried this Pinterest find with Nora, who has decided to be quite picky on what she eats. Since early on in eating table foods, she has not been interested in fruit and veggies are also tough. I filled each of the 12 mini muffin slots in the tin with a variety of foods. The goal was for Nora to try a bite or two of each. I had good variety, different textures and even different ways of eating (like the toothpicks in the strawberries). The twelve compartments included: hummus + pita, broccoli with shredded cheese, a fish stick, applesauce, string cheese cubes, frozen corn, olives, cheese crackers, oranges, strawberries, shredded chicken and yogurt raisins. It didn't end up working - baby girl ate her faves (olives, cheese crackers and raisins) and left the rest. If anyone has other ideas to share about broadening my little gal's palate, I'd love to hear! As I reflect back on the highs of the summer, it is hard to be anything less than grateful. Sure, there were times it felt uncomfortable and when I craved some routine, but there was also a relaxed work schedule, sunshine and a large number of smiles.
One other fun outing was to see the documentary movie by author Rachel Hollis called Made for More. Rachel wrote the popular book Girl, Wash Your Face. The book is great and the movie was such a fun experience as well. Rachel reminds us that we are the only ones who can change our lives. We are in charge of following our dreams and determining what makes us happy. The movie encourages you to consider, "What does more mean in your life?" So, I challenge you, as you head into the fall season, to consider what more means to you. Perhaps it is more time with your family, more focus on a particular passion, or perhaps it is being more intentional about identifying and cherishing the meaningful moments that bring you the greatest joy. Be elated,
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Ahhh...hello hello spring! The sunshiny springtime days give me life! I hope this post is catching you in a moment of happiness and joy as well - for the season that you are in and the hope of what fun might lie ahead as we look ahead to turning the page to the summer chapter of the year. So, for YEARS, literally as long as I can remember, I have hated my hair. I'm also just not good at "doing" hair. I tried to give my naturally wavy hair the nice beachy waves with my curling iron and straightener but I never could get the right look. A $15 curling wand purchase later and I finally feel more confident rocking my natural waves. The real hair test was yesterday. We did a little photo shoot with our dear friend Tatyana who captured our wedding and new baby moments. I wore my hair down! We are very overdue for new family photos on our walls. Our last shoot was when Nora was 4 months old. Though we had to use a bit of bribery, our little toddler gal was just as photogenic yesterday as she was back then! They grow up so fast. From 4 months old... To now... (all compliments of Tatyana M. Photography) We recently enjoyed a fantastic spring break week and Easter celebration. It is so nice to have that pause from real life and routine during the spring. We are spoiled! We enjoyed going to story time at the library and to lunch with friends. Nora and I made a road trip to Roanoke to spend time with family. Nora participated in four Easter egg hunts and had such a ball! Our Easter Day celebration included church and brunch at our house. Nora wore a dress that was mine when I was young. I'm grateful that mom saved some special pieces to be passed along to my little girl. Beautiful memories made... I'm loving my new porch find - these gorgeous bistro chairs were a great deal at Walmart by Better Homes & Gardens.If you aren't following Whoa, Wait. Walmart? on Instagram and go to Walmart every now and then, start now! These gals scope out the great finds at the store. Though I would trade our nearby Walmart for a Target any day, I do tend to shop there more out of convenience. These chairs were $44 a piece! Similar versions retail for up to $200 per from other retailers. I'm thrilled with this find. Just a quick reminder that Mother's Day is right around the corner. I'd love for you to take a look through my Mary & Martha gift options for the moms in your life. Visit my site and shop the catalog from the comfort of your home! Have a blessed rest of Sunday, friends.
Be elated, Life is so very precious. We are all aware of this but sometimes certain instances make this statement hit closer to home. There have been a number of sad stories in my little world and in our big world recently. Stories that have reminded me so deeply that tomorrow is not promised and that every moment you spend with friends and family should be cherished (my word of the year!), to not sweat the small stuff and to be grateful for even the most normal of days. I saw a recent post on the mom Facebook site recently about writing letters to littles for milestone events in case something happens to you before they reach those special times. It has been on my mind, but even more so after a mother of three children at our school passed away suddenly earlier this week. My heart has been heavy for this family, and the thought of these precious little ones who will not have their mom around for big moments in their lives brings me to tears. I think about my mom and how blessed I am that she has been by my side for the major events in my own life. I started an email account for Nora when she was born with the thought of sending emails, adding photos and listing milestone events that she can look back on one day when she is older. I haven't been great about regularly filling this with emails but plan to pick back up by adding a quick note every month or so. This might be a good place for me to write some of those letters to her in case I'm not around to be with her for elementary, middle, high school and college graduations, her first big break up, her wedding, or when her first child is born. My small group is currently reading Jen Hatmaker's Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life book and one of the chapters we discussed a couple weeks ago was about inviting people into your home, loving on them, sharing a meal and sharing life together. It doesn't matter if the toys are strewn across the room, if you wish your kitchen cabinets were white, or if you had a bigger dining table. It is about being together and not missing out on the moments that matter and that are so incredibly precious given that tomorrow is not guaranteed. "And let this be said: the biggest waste of nonrefundable years is closing your home to guests because it is not "pretty enough" (could also insert: big enough, new enough, clean enough..." "Sister, paint that chair or hang that mirror, sure, but for the love, don't wait until everything is done before putting on a pot of chili and inviting new friends over for football" - Jen Hatmaker, Of Mess and Moxie The week of Valentine's Day was girls week as Brad traveled to Germany for work. We had a fun time getting prepared for holiday festivities at School. We made goodie bags with teddy grahams and fruit snacks for each of her little friends, along with a Frozen valentine with an Elsa, Anna or Olaf sticker. Breakfast included heart-shaped waffles and a treat bag from mom and dad. The kids decorated their valentine bags at school and Nora's was filled to the brim at the end of the day. Brad was so thoughtful while he was away. He had arranged for him mom to come to our house during the day and set up flowers and cards from him. However, I had latched the front door the night before because it made me feel safer with hubby away (we never do this!) and went out through the garage that morning. I received a call from Brad's mom at noon that day standing at our house with the alarm blaring and no way for her to get in. I completely ruined the surprise, but Brad and his momma get an "A" for effort! We went to Mimi's house for dinner and picked up our flowers there. Nora was thrilled to have her own pink bouquet from her special valentine, her daddy. While daddy was gone, we made a trip to the hardware store to pick up fire safety supplies (thanks, This is Us...) Nora rocked her tutu princess dress and even found nice spot for sitting outside with her "Pink Pepi". Speaking of princess dress, Nora is obsessed with her tutu dresses. We have three and they would be part of every day's wardrobe if I'd allow it. On weekends, she usually wins! Love the rainboots too (even on sunny days!) - her sweet little sense of style makes me smile. My little model below is rocking our new Mary and Martha lunch tote. It is available in blue and pink and able to be monogrammed. It is a cute reminder that God Made Just One! Grab yours for your unique little guy or gal here. Another favorite from the spring catalog are these fresh joy mugs. They are simple and clean as you start your day, with the meaningful message of the fact that each day brings new joys. Get your set of two today! Plus, don't forget to check out the other items in the Fresh Joy collection - they are beauties! Also...flash sale time through Monday! This Celebrate You plate is one of my favorites for birthday and milestone celebrations in our home. Get yours for 50% off - only $15! Friends, I wish you many happy moments today. Love on the sweet people in your life well. Be present and aware of how precious this time, this now, this season, is.
Be elated, Oh my goodness did we have some holiday fun at our house. Christmas with an almost two and a half year old was super special this year. I didn't know how much Nora would understand but the girl was All. Over. It. I felt a lot of pressure this year to make it perfect and to start traditions. There was stress over whether to buy a real tree, use the artificial we were gifted by a friend or purchase a new one. I felt that I needed to schedule a family photo shoot last minute to ensure we had a Christmas card worthy shot that was perfection. There was worry over the lack of weekend time to "fit it all in". There was pressure at work to complete certain tasks and prepare for what we are facing in January leading into the glorious holiday break. There was a feeling of complete and utter obligation. And, you know what? That feeling can so easily hinder the fun - the fun of it all - the wonder of the season and the sweetness that this special time can bring. So what did we do? First off, squash the idea of fitting in a photo shoot and ordering the perfect card on the perfect cardstock. Instead, I ordered cards from the photographer who took Nora's school picture - a picture that showcased pure joy from my little gal which so perfectly embodies what this time of year is all about. Next, we said no to some things - no to a couple gatherings and activities around town. And, instead, we said yes to some really special events that we plan to make holiday traditions - 1) Gingerbread Lane at the Ballantyne Hotel, 2) Teddy Bear Tea with friends at the Westin, and 3) Visiting the bear symphony at Founder's Hall. Plus, a gathering with sweet girlfriends at my home. I intentionally shopped local this year and found some really special gifts to give to family members, hand-crafted by talented local gals. One was a beautiful art print of my mother-in-law's home she recently sold. Another, a welcome mat for my brother that spoke to his love of tacos. And, finally, a lovely statement necklace for my mom from a local sorority sister with a percentage of the sales going to support cystic fibrosis research. Taking the time to find meaningful gifts for loved ones while supporting local moms made gift giving extra special. Nora was pretty specific that she wanted a pink house with a pink mailbox. She stayed consistent with this request throughout the month of December...adding on a pink dinosaur, pink shirt and pink sleigh to the wish list. I wanted to put some guidelines around our gift giving...both from Santa and from Brad and me. Where I landed was that we will do three Santa presents...just like the three wise men brought three gifts to baby Jesus. From mom and dad, our theme will be "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read." Our something to wear will always be Christmas jammies to open on Christmas Eve. Growing up, my Santa gifts were always unwrapped and out for my brother and me to see and gifts from parents were wrapped. We have adopted that same model. Seeing Nora's face on Christmas morning was priceless. She was so excited for her pink house and all of the fun that came with it. I wanted to intentionally keep Christ at the center of our holiday celebration. It was important to me to teach Nora about the true reason for the season. We read the biblical story of Christmas almost every night to the point that Nora was saying the story as I read along. We had our Shepherd on the Search activity that we used all month long. Each night, our shepherd "Sam" and his camel "Sally", went on their search to find baby Jesus, eventually making their way to our manger scene on Christmas morning. Also, a tradition I wanted to start was to have a Happy Birthday Jesus celebration on Christmas morning. Cake for breakfast screams special celebration! Our tradition includes a cinnamon roll funfetti cake with candles and singing the birthday song to baby Jesus. One wonderful thing about working at a school is the long holiday break between Christmas and New Years. It is a glorious time to sleep, snuggle and play with my little one, watch too much TV, gather with friends, organize and declutter, reflect and press the reset button as we head into a new year. We had a fun overnight trip to Knoxville where we spent time with family we do not get to see often and also celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brad's aunt and uncle. We celebrated the engagement of my little brother to his lovely fiancé Alison. We cannot wait to officially welcome her into our family! We watched some of our favorite holiday movies - Elf, The Holiday, Home Alone, Four Christmases and Christmas Vacation - to name a few. We had a houseful of guests Christmas Eve through the Thursday after Christmas. I enjoyed entertaining and extending our holiday fun after the 25th. Once I finally got through the craziness of wrapping up work, I was able to turn my attention to meal planning and prep for our holiday guests. I had planned to make a spinach and feta salmon wrapped in phyllo dough. When I went to the store, they were out of phyllo sheets so I improvised and it turned out great! Our Christmas Eve meal was Salmon (olive oil, salt and pepper) with a spinach, feta topping and a sour cream, cucumber and dill sauce - a take on this recipe. As sides, we had roasted green beans with mushrooms, parmesan and balsamic, rice and croissants. For Christmas Day, along with our birthday cake, I made these easy egg muffins. I put this tuscan tortallini soup in the crockpot and made these sliders (except with turkey instead of ham) and had available for all to snack on throughout the afternoon. The next day, I did a large sandwich spread with dips and pasta salad. I also had three frozen pizzas ready to pop in the oven when we needed a little extra filler. All worked out great and was relatively simple, leaving me time to just enjoy being with the ones I love! I was excited to receive Emily Ley's latest book A Simplified Life for Christmas. Emily, who coined the phrase "grace, not perfection" offers great tips for organizing and simplifying your life. I'm such a fan (ps Charlotte gals, she is coming to Swoozies on January 12th!) Based on Emily's recommendation, I've cleaned out our pantry and fridge and am about to do a closet purge! Emily mentions that the only things you should have in your closet should fall into three categories - the favorite, the best, or the necessity. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to listen to Jen Hatmaker's podcast where Emily is a guest. It is a fantastic conversation with two awesome ladies who speak truth and love Jesus! As we wind down 2017, I have been thinking about what my word for 2018 will be. I've chosen the word CHERISH. In 2018, I want to be more intentional about cherishing time with my family and my friends, quiet time, experiences and my many blessings.
I hope your holidays were as joyous as ours. Wishing you much happiness in the New Year! Be elated, Hello friends, and happy glorious Sunday. Sunday afternoons are just the best. Grocery shopping is done, babe is napping, and momma is sitting at the dining room table with the window open soaking in the fabulous autumn sunshine while I reflect and share some thoughts with you. We enjoyed a fun time yesterday at Stella's birthday party on the farm. Nora wore her cowgirl boots and, while she was not to sure about the actual pony ride, she enjoyed petting the ponies, painting her pumpkin, and her first hay ride while Mr. Don pulled us with the tractor (and we love tractors!) I had shared previously that Brad and I had booked a trip to Spain to celebrate our 5th anniversary. While I should've been ecstatic from the start, I had a lot of hesitations, including leaving Nora for a week. I was nervous about the trip up to the moment we stepped onto the plane. There had been recent political unrest and a terror attack in the city, Brad's uncle's health had taken a turn for the worse, work was busier than ever, and, let's face it, we would be an ocean away from home when, I felt, there were plenty of nice 4-day trips closer to Charlotte that would've been just as lovely. We arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday morning after flying overnight. We learned when our driver picked us up at the airport that the entire city was on strike after the Catalonian vote to separate from the Spanish government a couple days prior. It was oddly quiet for what I expected a bustling city to be at 8:30am on a Tuesday morning. Few restaurants were open, city transportation was shut down, and most businesses were closed. We made the best of it by grabbing breakfast at the hotel and heading out to the beach where we did find a bar open. There were protests in the city but all were peaceful. We checked out the rooftop pool but it was far from peaceful as a police helicopter circled above for the entire afternoon. We also found out that Brad's uncle lost his cancer battle earlier that morning. Needless to say, our hearts and minds were with family back home. Our tapas and wine tour was cancelled so we opted for an early dinner at one of the few restaurants open. That actually happened to be where one of my favorite dishes was - a delicious and fresh sea bass and avocado ceviche at La Foga. Being all off on time, we tried to get to sleep early but around 10pm, people started to sit on balconies right outside our hotel banging pots as part of a ritual due to a political speech on tv. So much for early to bed. Knowing we wanted to get the full taste of Barcelona culture and highlights, we booked an 8-hour tour the following day. We set our alarms with plenty of time to get ready, grab coffee and a quick bite, and meet our driver. I must've hit snooze several times before accidentally turning off the alarm. Luckily, Brad woke up to some construction outside the window...with about 5 minutes to when we were scheduled to meet the cab. Quickly throwing on clothes and brushing teeth, we exited the elevator just as our driver was coming in to meet us. The tour was fantastic...though better after stop two where there was a cafe that allowed us to partake in caffeine and food. The architecture and age of the city is truly a site to see. The tour took us to the cathedral, La Segrada Familia, Park Guell, Montserrat, and through the must-see parts of the city center of Barcelona. There were beautiful sites, with some of my favorites parts being hearing the boys choir sing at the monestary at Montserrat and hearing our tour guide walk us through the stories that were woven into the details of the architecture at La Segrada Familia. After wrapping up from our tour, we grabbed a cheese plate and some Tinto vino at Santagustina and planned out the rest of our day. I don't know if it was the Spanish air up on the mountains or something else but it was about that time I began to suffer from an awful allergy attack. I struggled through dinner (although another wonderful place, Elsa y Fred) where we indulged in patatas braves and tuna tartare. With no pot-banging that night, and after a stop at the Farmacia for some allergy meds, I was off to bed early in hopes that our next day adventure out to the coast would be as glorious as I had in mind. Tossa de Mar was about an hour bus ride from Barcelona. We stopped for a quick photo shoot and then made our way to the bus station to venture on to stop 2 of our trip. From the start, Brad had talked about wanting to spend a part of our trip on the coast. It proved to be the best decision...and the choice of location didn't disappoint. After being dropped off at the bus station, we put our destination in Google Maps and ventured down the cobblestone streets with our bags in tow to find Casa de Granados. Once we made it, I can honestly say, I've never seen a place more beautiful. The wooden key that opened our door at this boutique hotel led us to a room decorated in Spanish-chic style with windows that opened right up to a view of rooftops with flowers and vines, and in the distance, the Mediterranean Sea. I would not do this place justice by describing it here because it is beyond words. A short walk down steps and pathways led us right to the restaurant-lined street overlooking the sandy beach and Sea. The next few days would include caprese salads, pan con tomato, manchego, Iberian ham, muscles, paella, and, of course, plenty of wine. We took a boat ride, climbed the hill of the old town, lined by a castle wall, and even took a dip in the chilly Mediterranean waters. We had plenty of time to rest, rejuvenate, and discuss our hopes and dreams for the future. If you are planning a European getaway anytime soon, I recommend Tossa as a fabulous adventure. If it wasn't for my momma heart needing to get back to my little one, Brad might've had to pull me away kicking and screaming. It was, simply put, grand. Switching gears now to my little side gig that has received less than adequate attention in recent weeks, I'm so excited to share with you a new product that Mary and Martha is offering this holiday season. Now that Nora is 2, I had thought we may start Elf on the Shelf. However, I've read plenty of mom comments on Facebook about love-hate relationships with that little friend. I was thrilled when I turned the page of the new Mary and Martha fall catalog to see the Shepherd on the Search option. Similar in some ways to Elf on the Shelf, the benefit of this product is that it teaches children about Jesus, the true meaning for the season. We will be starting this tradition in the Pinkerton household this year and I would love to help get this into your home as well. This special edition set is exclusively for Mary and Martha and includes the book, the shepherd plush with vest and satchel, the camel plush (Nora's favorite!), a set of 14 activity cards, and a storage bag to keep everything together until next Christmas. When the angels visit the shepherds to tell them about the good news, YOUR shepherd sets off on an epic journey to find the newborn baby the angels had foretold. The journey begins anew every Christmas season and ends on Christmas Day with your shepherd finding his way to the manger to worship the baby Jesus. Order your Shepherd on the Search Special Edition today so that you can have it in hand before December 1st. Feel free to contact me with any questions and take time to browse all of the lovely holiday Mary and Martha pretties at my online shop today! For a bit of real life honesty, as "picture perfect" as my Instagram and Facebook photos might look, I've been struggling a bit in this season of my life recently. Feeling pulled in a number of different directions, unsure of how to define my passions, unsettled with current routines, and having large doses of mom guilt. I'm missing connections to dear friends because we have a difficult time nailing down a phone date, much less a time to grab coffee. If I give it all to one area of my life, I let others down. I'm tired. Daily exercise is a thing of the past. I often times have to catch myself from being told what to do by a sweet, yet opinionated, two year old. As I wrap up this post, now later in the day than I'd hoped, and prepare to start another busy week, I'm reminded of the quote, "Find joy in the journey." We are not promised tomorrow and we are always changing and growing. One day, we will look back and yearn for the season that we are in now. My hope for you this week is that you take time to find small joys in the everyday, not so glamorous, parts of your life. Make it a great one - I'm going to strive to do the same!
Be elated, Hello friends, I hope you enjoyed a wonderful long weekend in celebration of the July 4th holiday - that your hearts are happy, bellies are full, and cheeks sun-kissed! We had a fantastic weekend, full of extra special celebration for our little one who turned 2 on the 3rd. I truly can't believe that two years with this little gal of mine have passed. It has been an incredible pleasure to watch Nora learn and grow every step of the way. She is a fabulous little lady - full of spunk, just enough sass, and plenty of sweetness. She melts her daddy and my hearts daily. She amazes us with how much she knows about the world around her. I was in awe of her when she was born and am even more in awe now. I still cannot believe that I was chosen to be her mommy. What a gift! I found myself taking a walk down memory lane over the past few days. What beautiful early moments these are, captured by our dear photographer friend, Tatyana. The Charlotte Symphony's Celebrate America show took place on Saturday evening. Since the summer pops is one of my favorite things, but a bit challenging with a toddler who doesn't like to sit still, we decided to book a room at the Hilton overlooking Symphony Park for a little family staycation. We thought it would be fun to invite some friends to join us for a casual food truck dinner, cupcakes in the room and then the option of music and fireworks from the balcony. Though a bit of a snafu with the room situation, and a storm that rolled in right around show time, we made the best of the evening, and all ended up working out really beautifully. We ordered pizza instead of venturing out and, while we could hear the music faintly from our balcony around the corner of the building, the girls headed down for a close up view of the symphony performing Yankee Doodle Dandy, God Bless America, and more. Our little trooper even stayed up to watch the fireworks and loved them - not scared one bit! I guess you have to be that way if you are an almost-Independence Day baby. We hadn't made any plans for Sunday so after being lazy and lounging in the hotel room for a bit we decided to make it a true staycation and try something we hadn't done before. After grabbing some coffee and breakfast sandwiches at Panera (and milk and a muffin for the little miss), we headed up 77 to Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville. Discovery Place Kids was fantastic. Nora didn't know what to do first! There were a number of different play areas. My favorite was the kid-size grocery store - complete with carts, stocked shelves, and even a check out station where you could scan and pay for your items - so cute! Nora loved the life-size firetruck, boat, and drive-up bank window as well. It was a fun afternoon. Monday was Nora's actual birthday. When she woke up, she was treated to a sprinkle-topped waffle breakfast on our Celebrate You Plate. This is our special occasion plate and a new tradition in our house. Nora blew out her candles and gobbled it up. The message on the plate reads: You are special, loved, adored. A gift from God, a sweet reward. Your smiles light up every day. You bless this world—hip, hip, hooray! You’re fun to be with, fun to love, a happy treat from God above. So thankful He created you, let’s celebrate with much ado! The Celebrate You plate is available in my shop. Brad and I gifted Nora with a basketball hoop with balls and also had that sitting out. It was a bit Christmas morning-like, but she was so excited to see it when we came down the stairs. And, let me tell you, the girl has a pretty good shot! Knowing a number of friends were going to be on vacation or likely had plans for the holiday, I planned a simple meet up at the splash pad, complete with one of Nora's favorite summertime treats - popsicles! We found a shady spot to set up shop and the kids had fun splashing in the water and enjoying our cool treats. We appreciate our friends joining us and helping us celebrate our baby girl (both Saturday night and Monday morning!) It worked out so beautifully and the birthday girl had a ball. She loved all of her sweet gifts (Yep - our girl loves garbage trucks!) We ended up at the pool for an afternoon of swim fun before the thunder rolled in. The washable placemat in the photo above was a hit. Use washable markers and it can wipe clean - endless fun both at home or out at a restaurant and a meaningful message that reads "You are unique" with the Galatians 1:15 verse, God had special plans for me even before I was born. Available in the shop. We had enjoyed so much fun the previous three days that we didn't have many plans on the 4th, but we got in a visit with Brad's Grandma, Nora's Gigi, so that she could watch Nora open her gift. In the afternoon, Nora and I grabbed some time at the playground and shared some frozen yogurt. Instead of grilling out hot dogs, we had some pigs in a blanket and pasta salad for dinner - nothing fancy, but our little family of three enjoyed winding down from all of our adventures. I soaked up the sweet moments with my precious girl all weekend. She really is my little buddy and I am so thankful for her each and every day. As I was getting back into work mode today, an article crossed by inbox with the below message. I thought it was a good reminder to unplug every once in a while. I felt like we did a good job of this over the long weekend after a busy end to June (hello development world and year-end!) "Let go of your guilt. You are not indispensable. You don’t need to be. There is no glory in burnout. You deserve time to let your body, mind, and heart rest." I hope you were also able to unplug and rest, friends, and that you made some special memories as well over the past few days.
Be elated, I recently read one of Lysa TerKeurst's books Uninvited and downloaded the Proverbs 31's First 5 app. This is Lysa's company and the First 5 app has an alarm and a beautiful daily graphic with some scripture that allows you to start your day on such a high note. They describe this as an app that will wake you up with a short teaching first thing in the morning so you can exchange whispers with God before shouts to the world. How cool is that? I highly recommend it! So, on to what this pretty graphic says - God's plans are good. GOOD. Even when they don't feel good...let that sink in. Why? Because God is good. He wants good for us. He wants so much good that he gave us grace by sending his son to die for our sins. We recently celebrated the Easter holiday. I love celebrating holidays and I believe this is one that is under-celebrated. It is such a joyful time, and there is such a joyful reason behind the season once we get to the part in the story where the stone is rolled away. He is risen! It is also a great time for being with family and enjoying brunch (and don't we all love brunch?) It was fun to watch Nora at THREE Easter Egg Hunts this year. We attended the Queens hunt a couple weeks before the holiday. This one was Nora's trial. Her first meet and greet the "Big Pepi" (what she calls the Easter Bunny since it is a giant version of her favorite stuffed friend with that name) and her first attempt at finding the eggs. Little bit wanted to keep the Bunny at a distance but was all about the eggs. She was so cute picking them up and shaking each one to see if something was inside before putting it in her basket. It was her first experience with jelly beans, starburst and tootsie rolls too - and, it is confirmed, the girl likes her sweets! Mom and Dad (Nana and Pop) came to town and we enjoyed such a fun time together. We had two egg hunts with friends on Saturday before Easter (Thanks Luther and Byrnes families!) Good times. Easter Egg Hunt attire (both above and below) is Matilda Jane. It was fun for the big kids too... On to Easter Sunday. How sweet is this smocked dress? Thanks to the M2M momma I bought this from by porch pick up! And, to my momma for hemming it for baby girl. Nora doesn't have too many of these kind of pieces in her wardrobe (though I would love for her to) but for special occasions, there is nothing more precious. We woke up early....made cinnamon buns, drank coffee, and got ready for church. Brad, Nora, and I have been attending Church at Charlotte and I'm really feeling good about being more consistent about going there. The music and message were lovely. We came home and snapped these few shots of the fam. I always get compliments on my white capelet blazer - it's Versona! I hope to find some new Easter traditions in years to come...if anyone has suggestions, please share! We did the normal ones...Nora did have an Easter basket. I (ahem, the Easter Bunny) included books, play-doh, chalk, and some other goodies. I have seen a tradition where the Easter basket is kind of like a "summer starter kit" with water toys, a new bathing suit, and other "fun in the sun" items. Might have to try that! We enjoyed a delicious brunch...inclusive of a mimosa and strawberry soup! An easy way to mix it up when it comes to a morning-ish cocktail is to mix sauv blanc with a different type of juice - this was a dash of orange and a splash of strawberry peach. Yum. I've posted this strawberry soup recipe before and it is such a good spring/summer (easy!) treat. Grab it here. Hope your Easter was full of smiles and a reminder of the precious gift we were given.
Be elated, *Image via Pinterest Throughout the Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas season, I have felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. There is so much to be thankful for...so much. Of course it is hard these days not to be aware of a lot of the sadness in the world. With social media and other media, we are overloaded with stories of others who are hurting or suffering in some way, experiencing sadness and are in need of prayer. There are stories of those I know and those I do not but in any case, there are people who are probably finding it hard to be joyful at what should be a joyous time of year. As I sit here on an unusually warm December Sunday afternoon, with my sweet family a few feet away - hubby watching our Carolina Panthers on TV and baby girl snoozing by his side, I am full of gratitude...for all of the things and people I have in my little world. I pause for a moment to think of those in need of blessings and joy that the hopes of a New Year might bring. We spent Thanksgiving with both sides of the family at my home in Roanoke. Mom hosted the group and always does such a lovely job playing hostess and welcoming all to our wonderful home. The décor was perfectly fall and fitting for the season and we enjoyed being with loved ones as we gave thanks for all that we have been given. It was especially fun to have Nora along for the ride this year. She is a super little traveler and makes any occasion now ten times more exciting. Hard to believe a whole year has passed since we shared the news that we were expecting with this crew! The "kids" (cousins and brother and me) decided to gift our parents and grandmother with a family photo shoot and a framed photo of their choice for Christmas. It had been a long while since we had done this and was time for new memories to be captured. A few weeks prior, we sent invitations letting our family members know what to wear and what to expect from our post-Turkey Day plans. The photos turned out beautifully. The backdrop is the iconic Hotel Roanoke. Photo credit to Morgan Brickey for the family shots. My contribution to Thanksgiving dinner was dessert. I made chocolate peanut butter fudge, a caramel apple trifle and a nutella pumpkin pie. The pie was delicious and I am not usually a huge fan of pie. Recipe found on Pinterest here. I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone this year. We did take Nora to see Santa and enjoyed watching her face as we showed her the lights and wonder of the season. I hosted a party for some of my girlfriends - Cocktails, Casserole and Conversation. A theme, of course! I asked everyone to bring (or email) a favorite casserole recipe and something to add to a nibbles platter (cheese, nuts, crackers, etc.) I made three of my go-to casseroles for the group and compiled and emailed all with the full list of shared recipes afterwards. We enjoyed being together, sharing stories and celebrating this festive time of year. I made a champagne cocktail to enjoy as well. We had such a lovely time. Below are the links to my casserole recipes from the evening: Pizza Pasta Casserole Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole Hash Brown Casserole It also forced me to have the house decorated by early December! Fun reindeer pillow - Target! Small tree above - I used coasters with holiday-themed words. For dessert at the party, I put out tins with chocolate and white chocolate popcorn and cookies 'n cream cereal treats (store-bought to save time, but looked homemade!) The above bottom right is my start to the nibbles platter...it was overflowing with yummy things after all of my guests contributed. My good friend, Caroline, and baby girl helped me prep the casseroles. We made two of a couple of the casseroles so we could have dinners for the week! The guys in my family are always hard to shop for! I found an online store called Bourbon & Boots - they have lots of fun and unique guy gifts. I ended up getting something for Brad, my dad and brother there. Definitely check them out! My family came to Charlotte the weekend before Christmas to celebrate since we had planned to be with Brad's family in Gatlinburg for the actual holiday. We had a fun time celebrating together. I took them to the Ballantyne Hotel to see the gingerbread houses. I had not been myself but it was such a fun experience and something I recommend to all who live in the Charlotte area. They had a number of houses on display and you could vote for your favorite with a small donation to the Levine Children's Hospital. We then grabbed a table in the festive lobby and enjoyed hot cocoa (spiked!) and the music of a harpist playing carols nearby. Our time in Gatlinburg was festive and fun also. We opened more presents and simply enjoyed being with family and again watching our sweet little girl soak up the fun of the holidays. I am excited as we look ahead to future Christmases...to starting family traditions of our own. It has been a joyous couple months. I plan to reflect more about this past year in a final blog of 2015, but I can certainly say that these holidays were very memorable...and that the greatest gift, along with the sweet little lady we welcomed to our family, is the gift of Jesus - the true reason for the season...and source of our utmost gratitude and greatest joy.
I hope your holidays were just as magical as ours! Here we are - November! A whole month has passed since I last wrote. October was a month of transition, but also a month full of fall fun, family visits and festive celebrations. My transition to being a working momma has gone well. Nora is doing beautifully and we are so blessed that she can spend her days split between her daddy and her grandmother. Month 3 with the little sweetheart (pictured below) has been such fun. Read more about it here. We celebrated two first birthdays and a 30th birthday with friends. Below are some photos from the pumpkin patch for Stella's celebration. We had a great time! We enjoyed weekend visits from cousin Paige, my parents (Nana and Pop) and Nora's uncle Nathan. Brad and I celebrated 3 wonderful years of marriage on October 20th. His mom stayed with Nora and we had a fun date night enjoying dinner at George's Brasserie over a bottle of Napa wine. We talked about hopes and dreams for the future and reminisced about our wedding day and honeymoon. We both agreed that we wouldn't have changed a thing. It was a time filled with so much joy and the day couldn't not have been more perfect. Thanks to all who were a part of those memories! Halloween evening was spent handing out candy to our trick-or-treaters and enjoying a yummy dinner while watching football and game 4 of the World Series with the hubby. I pulled out some faves and am happy to share them with you. Chicken Caesar Sliders This crockpot favorite is great for parties! Click the name for the link. Actually went to my recipe box and pulled these out for today (instead of Pinterest!) Spinach Pesto Pea & Pine Nut Salad A great go-to for a healthy side or as a base for a protein. No real measurements for this one. Start with spinach, add toasted pine nuts, peas and a bit of pesto. Mix together. A little pesto goes a long way. I think I'll use the extra this week one night but might add a bit of feta cheese. Warm Bean Dip This is great while watching the game. Ingredients: 2 cans (16 oz) refried beans, 1 can (10.5 oz) diced tomatoes drained, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 4 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese Preheat oven to 325 degrees, combine all ingredients (save 2 cups of cheese until later. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray and pour combined ingredients into a dish. Bake 20-25 minutes until heated through. Top with extra 2 cups of cheese and bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite chips. A couple things I'm loving...pretty desk calendars. I might have to add this one to my Christmas list! AND the fact that the Realish Housewives of Charlotte parody is happening at the Blumenthal in March. Sounds like it is time to gather the girlfriends and break out the vino! I'm looking forward to the show :)
Have a fantastic week, friends! Be elated. Inspiration for the week! As I learn this new role I have fallen into, that of mother, it is important to remember that each day my sweet little angel is happy, healthy, growing and thriving is progress! We are getting the hang of this new routine as Nora gets the hang of life in this crazy big world. I've certainly made the mistake of reading a lot of blogs, baby websites and mom comments on the web and they can make you question the choices you are making and the steps you are taking. I may not be perfect, but I will strive to make progress each day as I mold the little life of the precious soul I have been tasked to watch over. Today's accomplishment was the first mommy-daughter shopping trip after a check-up at the doctor's office. I successfully got the stroller in and out of the car, managed to find two great dresses at Marshall's (and nurse baby in the dressing room), picked up a yummy-smelling candle at B&B Works (they have THE BEST candles - worth every penny! - today I picked up the Summer Boardwalk scent), and changed baby girl in the back of the car after a mini-blow out (yikes!) before scooping up a few items at the grocery store. (Quick hint - I know there are a handful of deal/shopping apps out there but I have Shopular and they tend to have great deals - got a free lotion with my candle purchase!) We made it home with very little fussing and with fun finds - I will mark today a day of progress! **Bonus was baby girl sleeping a 5 hour stretch last night :) No matter what you are facing in your life, I hope you will also keep this saying in mind - don't be too hard on yourself. As long as you are making progress in certain areas in your life, you are doing just fine! It's hard to believe it is August. I love summertime so very much and once we hit this month, it seems that the season flies by so quickly. I do enjoy all things fall as well but there is something just so grand about summer. For instance - lovely sunflowers for our kitchen table and a giant bowl of fresh watermelon - pure summertime - both make me smile! In the past couple weeks, we have captured more special moments with baby girl. The very talented Tatyana came over for a sweet photo shoot. A couple shots are below and we can't wait to see more. I am in love! We also had a mini photo session for Nora's one month and I am following the trend with the very popular stickers to capture these monthly milestones. I'm so happy to have this outlet to document Nora's monthly progress. The time is flying by! I had a lot to write about this week and it didn't all fit under this post. Click here to read my other post for the week, inclusive of a few new favorite sites and a yummy summertime meal idea. We enjoyed some fun excursions and gatherings over the past month! We hosted friends from the Duke Mansion at our home. It was a lovely get together and such fun to see that gang. We also made our first road trip to Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake. Nora met her Great Grandmother, my Mema. She also met Tanner, her furry cousin. She loved the lake! We had a fun time with our cousins from Pennsylvania. The lake will always be one of my favorite places. I look forward to creating wonderful new memories there with baby girl in the years to come. We had a fun visit with friends at the Duke Mansion (where I used to work) this week as well - saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a few years. That will always be a special place. Most anyone who will read this is familiar with the Duke Mansion, but if you aren't and are ever in Charlotte, definitely stop by for a visit or a stay! After busy outings, there is nothing better than some afternoon snuggles and a snooze. Remember to love generously, friends!
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AuthorMy name is Emily Pinkerton. I believe that a full life is one overflowing with good friends and sweet family, delicious food and wine, and beautiful things. ELATED is my outlet for documenting the special moments and things in life that make me happiest. It is my space to share them with you. I hope you will be inspired. Remember to love generously, live beautifully and be ELATED. Archives
September 2018
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