Peace on Earth

Hello all! Hope you are cozied up, enjoying this beautiful Christmas week. It struck me just recently, maybe in light of all the recent life happenings or just feeling settled in this season, I feel really at peace this Christmas. Tyler and I have really enjoyed spending quality time at home with our sweet family of furry pets. We celebrated our Christmas the other night, complete with music, gifts and a yummy dinner. I hope to always remember what a delightfully simple time this is in our lives, a time to reflect and really enjoy the company of the ones we love. I hope this holiday season finds you happily at peace! :)

Some verses I find so comforting during this special time of year:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

A Good Read!

I am currently reading this precious book, The Fixer Upper, and definitely recommend it! With the holidays approaching, I love spending time curled up with hot coffee and a good book. This book is about a girl who worked on the Hill (shout out to Whit), but it turns out her boss is a crook and she loses her job. The opportunity to fix up an old home in the family presents itself and this city girl lands herself in a tiny Georgia town. This is an easy, fun read!

Seasons Greetings!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours :)! I hope everyone is enjoying all the joy Christmas brings.

Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, (14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Oh Christmas Tree!

Yesterday we made the drive out to the Old Town Christmas Tree Farm! Because of the SNOW in Houston, all the roadways were very slow and we enjoyed driving twice as long as we had planned, listening to Christmas music all the way there. The snow was finally letting up as we made our way to Spring.

As soon as we got out of the car at the tree farm, the snow started falling! We grabbed a saw and rode the wagon out to the acreage where trees grew as far as the eye could see. I was extremely excited at this point :) We made our way through rows of trees, searching for our perfect 6 foot 'skinny' Christmas tree! We finally found THE one, brought it back on the wagon and loaded it up. This outing was made complete with Josh Groban's version of Oh Holy Night and a warm Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks with Tyler. Needless to say, this was just a magical day and a wonderful way to remember our first Christmas as a married couple :) Our tree is now decorated with twinkly lights and meaningful ornaments and warms our hearts and our home! I hope everyone is busy finding that perfect tree to decorate!

Aruba!

Our time in Aruba was simply amazing! It was a great time for us to reflect on the wedding and enjoy each other's company. We absolutely loved the friendly island of Aruba, everyone greeted us with a smile. The beaches were gorgeous, resort great, food delicious, and weather amazing! We spent our time eating, drinking pina coladas and being merry :)

One of our favorite days involved renting a Jeep wrangler, grabbing a map and exploring the island on our own. We felt lost most of the time (due to the lack of ANY road signs), but got to see so much including natural bridges, private beaches, caves and historical ruins.

Our time in Aruba was a great getaway but we were excited about returning to real life to see what this whole newlywed things is all about! We hope to go back to visit one day and until then, will experience it again and again through photos and memories!

Going to the Chapel!

First of all, hi everyone! I now have a new name, and therefore, a new blog. As many of you know, Tyler and I tied the knot on November 21st. It was truly the best experience of our lives (cliche, I know).

The weekend commenced with the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I was surprised how emotional I felt at the dinner. Having all of those we love most under one roof for the first time was just so incredibly humbling. The toasts were heart felt and special. That night, the wedding party headed to Houston's famous Black Swan bar for an incredible night of dancing just like the good ol' college days.

The day of the wedding was surreal. The sermon was profound, flowers beautiful, food yummy, and the dancing lasted until midnight. We really wanted our wedding to be a celebration shared with our closest friends and family and I think we accomplished just that! There are so many tender moments I will never forget. Overall, Tyler and I soaked it in and just enjoyed the love that made it all happen :)!

More wedding posts to come in the future...