farm 2012.

How to survive winter on the farm:

a fire to balance out the cold night;

 a hat to keep your ears warm;

 coffee to warm your insides;

 a friend to hold close;

 sunshine for warm thoughts;

 a barn to quickly escape the rain;

and when all else fails…go inside, grab a book, some hot chocolate, and a cozy blanket.

Thankful for quality time spent with family this holiday season and looking forward to all the good things 2013 holds. 

Engagement party

I'm happy to say that our first wedding party was a wonderful success!

Kevin and I are so blessed to have such great people around us, showering us with love during this exciting time. People who remind us the importance of preparing for marriage more than a wedding. People who remind us that we love because of God's love. And people who are beautiful examples of what a Christ-centered marriage should look like.  

I am so thankful for our family and friends. And I am so overwhelmed by such a merciful and loving God. 

Here's to collecting moments rather than things and recognizing the extravagant amount of love in the midst of a hectic, yet magical time.  

Catching Up

Well, it may be five days until Christmas, but some of us still think it should be Thanksgiving. Seriously, time is going so fast and sometimes I wish I could just slow it down. Although I think all Auburn fans will agree that the Iron Bowl this year felt like a never-ending nightmare. Let's just pretend it didn't happen. 

So here are some glimpses of Thanksgiving break, the last weeks of school, and the beginning of Christmas break: 

 Christmas card pictures with the family…always an adventure

 Enjoying the last weeks of Fall and the end of the semester

Tacky Christmas. Unfortunately, my hair is covering up a disturbingly-scary Santa. Also unfortunately, the red (woman's) vest did not have a functional zipper. You have to love thrift store finds. 

We finally began our wedding  registries! Sidenote: This boy was a little protective of the scanner gun.  We were also asked five times if we worked at this department store. 

Christmas Break Update #1

A few highlights from the past week.

(1)  Spending the day with Trinitie, one of my campers from Camp Smile-A-Mile.

(2)  Alex and Kevin's engagement party {I'm handing Alex the reigns on a more comprehensive blog post of this event!  :-) }

me and Julianne

But I will say that Mama needed a wrecker to get the van home...

the next morning

(3)  An afternoon baking cookies. 

 

As much as I try, cooking is not my first love.  Maybe it will grow on me.  {I like food if that counts for anything!}

Already flying

Five days into Christmas break, time is already flying.  I feel like I'm doing a lot but nothing at all.  Time warps are just the best.  A few of my doings:

(1)  Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Christmas concert at Workplay

Obligatory pre-concert picture in front of the Christmas tree

(2)  SHOPPING.  The Galleria was a mad house.

(3)  Looking at old family photos.

1999

(4)  Re-reading The Hobbit and re-living my Tolkien obsession from middle school. 

The Christmas Bucket List

Christmas break (beginning this Thursday at 6:30 pm) brings 4.5 wonderful weeks of freedom.  And with great freedom comes great responsibility.  Actually... in this case, not really.  But it sounds good, right?

But seriously, since my days of 4.5 week breaks are undoubtedly coming to a close, I really want to make the most of my break this year.  And so I give you - "The Christmas Bucket List."  (Because maybe if I blog it I will actually do it.)

1.  Go to the Alabama Theater

2.  See Skyfall, Argo, and The Hobbit

3.  Go hiking (Oak Mtn or Cheaha)

4.  Bake cake and cookies

5.  Drive around and look at Christmas lights

6.  Go shopping and finish with a week to spare

7.  Have a fire (weather pending)

8.  Meet a friend for coffee

9.  Eat at a "new" restaurant

10.  Go to a concert at Workplay
11.  Read 3 books

February 2009

12.  Make the most of every opportunity.  See picture above for example (i.e. it snows 2 inches, make a huge snowman utilizing every snowflake in the entire yard).

I actually have a few more additional goals, but I don't want to get publicly overambitious.

December - the countdown

24 days 'till Christmas

&

5 days 'till this semester is officially over

Although I have been listening to Christmas music since October, let the season officially begin!

Short and Sweet

Well once again exam time is upon us.  And so I will keep this post short and sweet.

A few observations from Thanksgiving break.

1.  Vestavia Hills High School Friday nights have not changed.

2.  Auburn now has a Family Dollar.

3.  My cousins got a pig.

4.  The Confederate flag still waves in Alabama.  That's embarrassing.

copy cat: my Auburn football experience

After reading about Caroline's Auburn football experience, I felt compelled to share my own. 

I've been there through the ups and downs the past four years, and I can't believe I just experienced my last football game as a student. 

Freshman year highlights: my first Auburn game, only season to sit in the Auburn student section, having game day dates, road trip to the Tennessee game, and braving out the game when it flooded.

Sophomore year highlights: every.single.game. My first year as a Tigerette, winning the national championship. I couldn't have asked for a better year. 

I have no idea what game this was. 

@ Kentucky

SEC Championship

at the National Championship game!

Junior year highlights: wandering around Clemson, traveling to LSU, crazy Georgia fans yelling at us, and second year in TTH.

 @Clemson

@LSU

@Georgia

@AU

Senior year highlights: Alabama A&M's halftime show…but really.
So the football season wasn't so great, but I am thankful for fun road trips with great friends and the opportunity to serve TTH my third and final year.

on the road to Atlanta

 in the Georgia Dome

first home game of the season

In my four years, I've been to 9 SEC stadiums and every home game. I've come a long way…from my first game freshman year and not knowing the words to the fight song... to my last game as a student and feeling attached to Jordan-Hare. I'm gonna miss this place.