famous last words

I'm going to the bathroom to read.

A party! Let's have a party!

Mozart!

I'm bored with it all.

Famous last words. If you Google famous last words you'll find some of ^these^ along with many, many others. If you stalk my blog, you'll quickly learn that I am a frequent famous last word-er. Not sure if there's a support group for us FLWs, but if so A) let me know which church basement I should be going to for this problem, and B) do they serve donuts?

A little over four years ago Freddie left Atlanta for Charleston and never really looked back. Well, he looked back long enough to grab me by my left ring finger and bring me with him marry me. Whenever we were asked if we'd move back to Atlanta or Georgia one day we'd always laugh and say Probably not! Because duh, we had lived in that area our entire lives. Come on, people asking questions, get it together! We wanted to explore, to travel, to be in our own bubble. So we did. We explored, we traveled, and we started building our own little Rick n' Em bubble.

side note: I used to babysit a boy who couldn't say bubbles so naturally instead he called them boobies. It was the greatest. 

Which is why right at two years ago when Freddie got the opportunity to work in Houston we said Yee-freaking-haw! and traded in our bathing suits for cowboy boots (uh, still my most favorite rhyme ever). Freddie never really looked back after that move either, but I sure as word-that-rhymes-with-bit did. Not living in the town of Chucks was a hard pill to swallow, but once Rodeo Rick and I experienced our first taste of Texas BBQ and watched our first round of Mutton Bustin', we were hooked on all things bigger and badder in the Lone Star State. Still we'd pretty frequently get asked when we were coming home or when we were moving back to the Peach State, and still we'd give people the oh puh-lease chuckle. No. Thank. You.

And now I present you with an intermission story of 

Freddie and Emily: Through The Years Of Moving

Blurry bar pic of Freddie's last night in Atlanta circa 2013

The freckled Lowcountry Weisses circa 2014

Texas Weisses with the addition of Lupe Tortilla Weiss (and his tongue) circa 2016

Being away from family is such a strange feeling. Some days it's nice to have distance and make whatever time you do have together that much more precious, but being away slowly started to feel more like a punishment. Why couldn't we get more than just quick holiday catch-ups with our families? Why, Delta flippin' airlines, do I have to pay $600+ for a plane ticket if I want to go see my family on a trip that wasn't planned 3-4 months in advance?

I remember when Atlanta and thoughts of the potential to live there again one day started creeping back into our heads. We'd casually mention it to each other, and then as if we knew we were saying something wrong we'd take it back.

But we always said we'd never go back! 
But it's Atlanta! 
But it's where we grew up. 
But there are so many other fun places.
But but but...

**It's important to note when I use the pronoun we that 85% of the time I am talking about me/I. I could be in a corner having anxiety attacks about going back on my word while Freddie would be sprawled out across the two patio chairs, beer or cocktail in hand, already having moved on and/or completely forgotten about whatever he said that may sound crazy. Let's all be more like Freddie.

Anyways, who's still with me at this point in the story? Mom? Dad? Good because here's the point of this long butt story:

Georgia or Bust, am I right? East coast, best coast?

We are moving back home! Back to Hotlanta. It's scary, stressful, super quick, but it's oh-so exciting! I hope you inserted your proper response of ::squealing:: right about ^^there! A job opportunity for Freddie came up, and next thing you know we were out champagne toasting Freddie accepting said job opportunity and us planning a move.

Houston was a big bleeping deal for us. We didn't have much money, stability, or even much of a support system when we moved here. It felt a lot like starting from scratch, but we did it. We figured it out. We spent a lot of time just the two of us. We made the best of friends. We budgeted. We found the coolest dog ever (our biggest accomplishment in life, thanks Reddit). We lived here. Here I'm using the verb live not in the yes-we-have-a-Houston-address way, but more in the we-got-through-the-sticky-times-and-created-the-party-times-here way. Because that's what living is really all about, right? Life shouldn't be all butterflies and rainbows, but it sure should be about finding the butterflies and the rainbows even on the cold, dreary days.

Ugh, I hate myself for that analogy. My b. Eye roll. 

I will finish by quoting the great T.I. feat. Rihanna, So live your life (Hey!) Go be, go do, just go. One of my close friends recently moved back home and although her move was for different reasons than ours she shared with me a simple, yett powerful sentence from one of her friends: You will never regret going home. 

So on that note...we're gonna go to Jawjuh!
Over
and
out. 

remember when

When I first started this blog back in 1997 (just kidding. But sometimes it does feel that long. Except no one would ever want to read eight-year old Emily's thoughts), I really just started this because I like to write. I like to write, I like to tell stupid, silly stories, and so one day Yippee! It's MLE was born and brought home from the hospital so that I could write down those stupid, silly stories.

Fast forward to 2016, and I feel like stupid-stories-telling-Emily has turned into Emotional Emily. Each and every time I come to this space I am word vomming lots of feelings onto your screen. How's that for a visual? 

Now, if you thought I was saying all of that to let you know I've feasted on ginger ale and saltines so that my word voms are gone then...I'm terribly sorry. I will still be word vomming on you today. I just wanted you to know that I know that you know I've become quite emotional lately. You know?

This past week and weekend we were traveling all over our old Charleston and Atlanta stomping grounds to celebrate some of our best friends getting married. About two years ago the Board of the Freddie and Emily's Friends Group had a meeting, and decided they all would be getting married within the next twenty to twenty-four months. Because of this decision, Freddie and I have had to step up into our new roles as professional wedding goers/bridal party people. As absolutely as insane as it has been to travel all over for so many weddings lately, I would not trade it for anything. Not even for a Dairy Queen blizzard which is something I cannot stop thinking about lately. That's how for serious I am. Looking back on these recent wedding fills me to the very tip of the brim with happiness and love. Weddings are such a joyous occasion, but they become quadruple to the max joyous when it is some of your absolute, without a doubt, been my friend for way too long, remember-when-you-wore-blue-mascara closest friends getting married. Every single time I turn into the sap from the biggest sugar maple tree you ever did see.

And this past wedding week was no exception. Throughout our travels we passed our first home together in Charleston, and all the places we used to spend our time as newlyweds. We ate at the same restaurants. We drove down the same streets. We shopped at the same Target (hashtag priorities). As if that wasn't enough for my overflowing-with-sap heart, we then traveled to Atlanta where we passed our old houses there. The houses we lived in when we were first dating and so in lurve. We passed the wine bar where Ricky took me the night he proposed. We passed some of the old places I used to teach dance back in the day. Day after day felt like walking down memory lane, and I. Loved. Every. Step. Of. It.

That's pretty much all I wanted to say... that and I think you should go take a walk down memory lane sometime soon, too. Whether that means flipping through a photo book you ordered with a 50%  off Snapfish coupon, but have never opened it once since getting it in the mail.

Or if that means stalking yourself on Facebook, and looking through all the pictures in which you've been tagged.

Maybe it means taking five seconds out of your day to stop and remember your favorite fall memory.

Or your favorite winter memory.

Or your favorite memory from any season.

Or maybe it's taking ten seconds to remember that one time you got the best hug of your life.

Or! Or or! The best kiss of your life.

Maybe it's cleaning out an old box and finding letters or cards.

It might even be driving a little bit out of the way on the way home just to pass a special place.

Whatever it is. Stop for a second. Remember for a second. Smile for a second (or two!). Because life is too short to forget the good stuff.

currently: the summer fall edition

This past weekend Houston gave us a taste of fall. It was glorious. The air felt nippy, the sun was shining, and my cardigan felt so nice against my non-sweaty arms. I couldn't believe it. Cooler weather, what! As I smiled with the kind of joy that only fall can bring, I happened to look down at my car thermometer. It read 83 degrees. 

83 degrees. That was our fall preview. That's what felt cool. 

And this is the story of how Texas and it's 106+ temperatures ruined me. 

Other than thinned out Texas blood, let's talk about what else is currently going on...

cheer-sing //
This time next week we'll be in my favorite place in the world getting ready for the wedding of some of my favorite people in the world. If you guessed Charleston as the place, you win ten gold stars. If you guessed that I'll be drinking champagne cocktails from Rarebit, you win twenty gold stars. If you guessed Andy and Katie as the people getting married, you win all the gold stars.

organizing //
My life. And by that I mean the guest bedroom closet, but don't you feel like your life is being organized when you clean out a cluttered drawer or closet or space? Yes? Good.

dreaming //
...of a white Christmas. That isn't gonna happen, but since I typed that, all I can think about is Christmas. So I'm dreaming of where I can put the Christmas tree in our apartment, and when I can walk up and down the Christmas aisles at Hobs Lobs without feeling like a lunatic (full disclosure: I walked down one Christmas aisle last week at the HL).

buying //
You now all know my deep, dark secret of having a pizza face. The beauty of blogging is that you don't have to see my face in real time so you didn't know I was suffering from the acne of a pubescent, sweaty 13-year old girl. At post-puberty, slightly sweaty 27-years old. No, I am not buying a new face. Yes, I am buying new concealer. No, I have no idea which concealer to get. Yes, I need all your recommendations. Thanks, Google friends.

listening //
I've only mentioned this two times on the blog, but if you've seen me in real life recently, then I've probably mentioned it two times two hundred times. Go listen to My Favorite Murder podcast right now. There's a fair amount of cursing, but if you like true crime and humor, then stop reading my blog and start listening to their podcast. Cover your ears if the bad words offend you, but uncover your ears for some of the craziest crime stories ever.

What have you been up to currently?

Linking up with Anne and Jacqui.

a love triangle

Charleston.

Oh, you beautiful, magical land of the Chucks. 

I've been wanting to write a post like this for awhile. You know, one of those my heart is torn/I am emotional/hear me roar kind of posts. 

You see, I love Houston. I really, really do. Moving is a huge change, but I feel like for what it was (a huge, ginormous, big, cross-country move) that we have adjusted fairly painlessly. Hashtag blessed.

Lately I've been missing the CUH-RAP out of Charleston. The crap. Like when people say they miss something so much it hurts --->that, in the least dramatic way possible, is how I have felt lately. Maybe the newness of the big move and a new city has worn off some, but whatever it is I was so bleep word excited to go visit Charleston last week!

So bleeping bleep excited. 

I told Freddie that this quick Chawlston visit would either a) give me closure or b) make me even more sad. Don't worry, it didn't do either. It made me go with option c) all of the above. 

We had just about 48 hours to fit in all of our favs. PSA: it is impossible to fit in all your Charleston favs into a 48 hour period. P.S. on the PSA: we did the best we could. 

We shopped on King. 

Stopped for cookies. 

Got happy at some happy hours. 

Strolled all up and the down beach.

Visited with the best students and best co-workers. And blinked during picture time...

..and ate enough food to last our bodies for at least three more weeks. 

So...is it possible to love two things at once? Because I truly, really do love living in Houston. I tell you I do, I do! I love the opportunities that are coming up for Pilates. I love that Freddie is in heaven at his new job. I love that we have a view of gorgeous downtown from our balcony. I love that we can eat the best, freshest tortillas ever. I love that we could explore every day for the rest of our lives, and still have new things to do here. I love it all (as obvious by the number of times I said the word love here...).

But, but, but...my love for Charleston, it runs real deep. It feels like home. I miss the familiarity. The people. The places. The life we had there. I miss trivia nights, and champagne cocktails at Rarebit. I miss driving two miles for Sunday Funday Beach day, and I miss the friendships and the kiddos I taught. I miss laughing on King St. while eating Jeni's (always eating Jeni's...), and dancing on Queen St. after performances.

But I love our life here in Houston.
WHAT EVEN, SELF?
My heart is split in two, I tell ya.

Change is good and I do believe we are where we are supposed to be.

...but I also believe that it's okay to admit that change is hard, and that you're kind of in love with two places. :)

Charleston, never change. I'll be back soon for that champagne cocktail.

Are you nosy and wanting to know what we ate while back home in Charleston? Because I'm always nosy and wanting to know where people ate when they are in foody cities. 

Shrimp tacos and plantains at Fuel.

Cookies from King St. Cookies.

Cloister cocktails at Prohibition.

Champagne cocktails and catfish po-boys at Rarebit.

Burgers and truffle mac n' cheese are Coleman Public House.

Anything at Southernly.

Ice cream at Jeni's.

Over and out.

friday favorites: ma! the meatballs!

Favorite Jam

There's something about this time of year + pumpkins Mumford and Sons that just goes so well together. I like to put on their album Babel and just jam it out. Like head banging, air banjo playing jam it out. Try it. Your head and fake banjo will thank you. 

Favorite Food
Meatballs. 

Another Whole30 staple in our house. We have been making a batch of about 300 every Sunday. I'm kidding. It felt like 300, but was probably more like 50 (so 300, yes). 

Favorite Expensive Thing I Want

1 | 2

Ugh, always the hardest category every week. How do I narrow down my list of all the expensive things I can't live without?! Every day I'm strugglin'. But seriously,  I need a good tote to carry around all my Pilates books, and I'm preeeeeeetty sure there's no other good totes in the world other than Kate Spade totes. Ain't no party tote like a Kate Spade party tote.  

Buuuuuut I also want my backpack purse. So basically, I am a terrible and very materialistic person, so I'll just take one or the other. That makes it all better, right?

^^both paragraphs are ridiculous. 'Scuse me. Carry on. 

Favorite Pilates Move

Rolling like a ball.

Pro-tip: don't roll away like a ball <<such a good tip, I know! Real pro-tip: Only roll to your shoulders, or  if you have spinal injuries just roll back a few inches off of your sitz bones <<actually a real and important tip! Rolling like a ball is great as a massage for your spine, AND it helps you find abdominal control. Your abs become your brakes in this move. Now get to it, do it. 

Favorite I Might Pee My Pants Because I'm So Excited
Exactly five months ago we left Chucktown and headed for Texas. I lurve where we are now, but there's a big piece of my heart in Charleston. So...drumroll please...in exactly one month we will be reunited with Charleston AND with the best of friends!!! !! !! Here's hoping I can contain my excitement and not pee my pants waiting for November to get here. Nope, I can't. Hurry up, November.

This terrible quality photo is brought to you by the last time I saw these top notch people in May. CAN'T WAIT TO SQUEEZE YOUR FACES SOON.

Happy Friday!

Linking up with Karli and Amanda!

to the holy city

I'm not an overly emotional person.

Dramatic? Yes. Emotional? Not so much.

Unless we're talking about the movie Up. That totally changes my emotional game. 

I debated even writing about this, but I have been so incredibly moved by my home, my beloved Charleston. Charleston experienced an absolute horrible tragedy last week. I'm sure by now you've gotten the media's take on it, and you've also gotten your 800+ Facebook friends' thoughts and opinions on it, as well. 

While everyone was arguing, bashing, reasoning, and forcing his or her opinion or reasoning down other's throats this was happening:

And this:

And this:

All images: Post and Courier 

To me, what it boils down to is a person thinking he was better or superior than other people. In this instance it was over race, but we've seen it time and time again over race, sexuality, religion--any aspect of a life that makes it different than someone else's life. When will we, as humans, stop deciding that we are better than others? No matter what the reason. 

We are all important. We all have a purpose. We do not get to decide wrongly who gets to live or die. Who has worth and who doesn't. Spoiler alert: we all do.

It has been and still is breathtakingly beautiful, overwhelming, powerful, add in a thousand more synonyms to this, to watch how Charleston has dealt with this tragedy. I have never been so proud to have had the privilege to call a place home. Charleston, you are something else. 

So like I said, I'm not an overly emotional person...unless it has to do with the movie Up. Or with the hugs, tears, support, love, love, love, and unity shown by the strongest of the strong, Chucktown.

I'll leave you with this video from the Unity Chain on Sunday Night. 

Beautiful in every way. I'll be over here crying happy tears for this profound example of hope, love, and a better tomorrow. No matter where Ricky and I end up, Charleston will always have a big ol' piece of my heart. 

Charleston Strong. 

the 'rents

This past week and weekend were so dreamy. Or, as my 81-year old grandfather would say, so dy-na-mite! The dude knows the cool kids lingo, what can I say. 

My parents came into town mostly to see my show, but also because who turns down a vacation to Charleston? No one in their right mind. When I say my parents came into town mostly to see my show what I really mean is kind of to see my show, but mostly to be in Charleston. Freddie, Charleston, and I tried to give my parents the best of the best time. Walking down, around, in, all over downtown, eating delicious food, walking on the beach, eating more food, drinking some champagne cocktails, eating some food, and walking downtown again. And maybe another beach trip in there.

I can't remember all the tiny details, excuse me. All I can remember is how much fun I have when family is around. I was never the child who went through the Ugh, Moooooooooom, go away or Seriously, Dad? You are so embarrassing (<----although that one is true all the time. Sorry, Dad ;)), but now that I am older I appreciate the crap outta my parents. 

Mostly I appreciate all the money they spent to send me to nice schools so I could learn fancy language like "the crap outta..." Thanks, parents! 

And now may I present, the hashtag necessary blog weekend collage. 

currently: the interesting edition

I feel like anytime something interesting is happening in my life that I should blog about it, but instead I always end up being busy with said interesting thing and then I don't blog...and then I get fired from blogging. Oh wait... that doesn't happen. But seriously, just know that I'm in a show right now (Catch Me If You Can) and the real Frank Abagnale Jr. lives here in Chucktown. He did what any once con-man extraordinaire would do and came to talk to our cast. It was amazing and one day I am going to write all about how interesting my life is at this moment.

One day.

For now we'll talk about the necessities. Like what I'm currently doing other than having an interesting life with Frank Abagnale Jr. 

wearing

Clothes. But also a brand new tattoo. It's spring break for the kiddos which means it's spring break for me which means one thing led to another and my friend and I ended up at the tattoo parlor Monday afternoon. The End. 

sipping

All the celebratory drinks with Ricky. <---another interesting thing/story in my life about which I will blog soon. Just know that Mr. Ricky Weiss is doing big things and that obviously means I'm doing big things too since, according to a certain ceremony 1.5 years ago, we are now one. 

wishlisting

For some reason the start of every new season makes me want to buy all of the new clothes. I also think about going through my current clothes and/or disposing of unworn items, but that takes a lot of effort so usually I just want to buy all the new clothes. WARNING: this idea does not work out very well--always dispose of the unworn clothes before bringing in new clothes or you take over your husband's closet space and he doesn't think that's very funny. 

writing

Does anyone else stress out about addressing envelopes in cute, creative ways? I blame Pinterest. I kind of blame myself for caring, but mostly I blame Pinterest for making me care. Seems fair. I recently addressed bridal shower invites for my best friend and it took me way too long to decide on how to address them. Priorities, people---I have them. 

exploring

The beautiful, amazing city of Charleston. I will never get old of discovering new cobble stone streets and painted doorways. Charleston, you're pretty boss (my 5th grade students taught me that saying something is boss means you're cool. Thank goodness I'm finally cool).

Linking up, as always, with Jenna and Anne!

adventures at publix

Okay, we all know by now that I live in Charleston and Darius Rucker lives in Charleston and we're kind of best friends.

But what you don't know is yesterday Freddie and I were like Hey, let's grocery shop at Publix this weekend. Because we used to live on the side of town where the cool Publix is, but then we moved and we don't go to Publix a lot so why not, right? Right.

We get there and we stop at the front because Freddie saw a bowl of udon soup and udon soup is kind of/sort of his big time obsession right now. There we were, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over this bowl of udon when I glance up and make eye contact with a man passing by. 

...excuse me, not just any man, but Darius Rucker. Darius Freaking Rucker! Just strolling by the udon soup like it ain't no thang. I promptly squealed (half silently, half not-so silently) and hit Freddie's back about 55 times so that he would look up and get equally silently squeal-y. 

I mean, come on! Who expects to look up from udon soup and see Darius?! I do. Always. always, always from now on. You see, when we did live on that side of town (a.k.a. the side where we lived on the same road as Darius) we went to this particular Publix several times a week. We lived there for a year and a half which means a whole lotta Publix trips (you do the math), but no Darius sightings. I guess he missed us and just had to show up while we were back over on our old stomping grounds. 

Let's just say that Freddie and I were/are creepy and somehow managed to end up on almost every aisle as Darius. It's not my fault he was also in the produce section, pasta aisle, and cheese aisle. And the ice cream aisle and the... basically hashtag friends forever. 

Everyone that has lived here awhile always says annoying stuff like Ohhhh, laugh laugh, you think seeing Darius is a big deal? Please, you peasant. He's just a local. We see him everywhere. Well shoot, that's cool and all, but Freddie and I don't only see him, we grocery shop with him so we win. 

Boom baby!

Time to go check Darius' Instagram and see if he posted any stalker pics of us. The dude would not stop following us around...

scenes around the Christmas home

Christmas time in the Low Country is an interesting thing. If you're dreaming of a White Christmas then good news! The sand on Isle of Palms is a dreamy white color. If you want to conspire by the fire that's cool,

 but you really don't need to because it's 60, maybe 50 degrees out (I won't lie, 50 is cold for me and I turn into a human ice cube). Now, sing with me: Oh, palm trees! Oh, palm trees! How lovely are thy decorated fronds.

You get the idea. Beach time Christmas time is a tad different. But that doesn't mean I treat it any differently. Has the radio been set to the Christmas station since Thanksgiving? You betcha. Are my Christmas jam jammies on my body every night? Yes, m'am. I even add the fuzzy socks and snuggly red blanket to feel really seasonally appropriate. Do I wear a jacket every time I leave the house even when Freddie is wearing a t-shirt? Definitely, because unlike my crazy husband I know that even though the sun is out in Charleston it is not sunny and 75 anymore. Have we driven around ooo-ing and ahh-ing at all the lights and decorations. Yes, because this! Let your heart shaped eyes look at how beautiful Marion Square is!

via

While I would love to have a 2-story tall lit up Christmas tree in our home, it ain't happening with these confining things some people call ceilings. So here's how we are Christmas-ing it UP in our house... 

I'm counting the new couch as Christmas decor. So festive.  

Target dollar bin bags and homemade tags: no shame in my Christmas wrapping game. 

Even the best pillow ever needs a little touch of Christmas.

My family is coming to Chucktown for Christmas this year, and while I'm sad I won't be doing and seeing all the regular Georgia Christmas things that I love so much (hello, giant Grinch on our neighbor's house, I'm talking to you), I am kind of super excited to go put my cold toes in the sand on Christmas day. 

And yes, as I sit and edit this post I realize how...gray our apartment looks. Holla' at cha favorite color. What whaaaaat!

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Ever since Freddie moved into this apartment in July 2013 we've heard the rumor that Darius Rucker lives in the small neighborhood behind our complex. Some locals said Yeah, das right to that rumor so Freddie and I have enjoyed stalking driving around picking out which house we think is Mr. Rucker's.

Oh, that one is huge. Totally his.

This one has a security gate. It's got to be his.

No, no this one! Look at it! So fancy. That's obviously a Darius house.

And then some local paper did a feature on the decor in the Rucker home and 1) spoiler alert: it's beautiful and 2) we figured out which house it is and 3) we were totally right with our first house guess. 

 Here we are one year and two months later and we have yet to see our friendly neighbor Darius. We have yet to be invited to his neighborhood parties, more like.  We always hear of Darius sightings at Publix (the Publix we shop at multiple times per week). Nope, never a Darius sighting there for we common Weiss folk. We always hear of Darius sightings at Target (the Target that is right next to the studio where I teach). Nope, never a Darius sighting there for we common Weiss folk. Not even a Darius sighting when I go for my s-l-oooooo-w run through his neighborhood. Home boy likes to hide, obviously. 

Well, no sighting until this past Sunday, that is.

!!!!!

That's right. 

We common Weiss folk are now some not-so-common Weiss folk/best friends with Darius Rucker folk. 

Let me set the scene for ya.

We were driving back home after a weekend full of 30 year old birthday partying. Read: it was a crazy weekend. Bodies were tired, brains were achy, and stomach were hungry. As we turned onto our street we noticed we were behind a rather large tour bus. 

Ummmmmm, hey Darius. 

Suddenly bodies and brains and stomachs weren't so important because following the bus was important. We not-so-creepily passed our complex, turned the corner and watched the bus back up to Darius' house. In order to look like just a regular 'ole neighbor who was used to Darius and big tour buses pulling up on a Sunday, we did one lap around the cul-de-sac and came back around. 

And there was Darius. Stepping off the bus with a baseball cap on his head and little bag on his arm. No big deal. Just another Sunday Funday. 

Eeeeeeeek!!!! and squeal!! And clapping and no freakin' ways being said! 

Then we realized the windows were rolled down and suddenly we didn't look like the regular 'ole living-by-Darius neighbors. 

Who. Cares. The week we move 4 miles across town is the week we finally saw Darius Rucker and all is right with the world. 

five ways to tell that it is "fall" in the south

I'm so glad it's almost fall for most of you and yadda yadda yadda. Really, I'm so glad. But here in the low country it is still 90 degrees (give or take a few extra 10 degrees) and while I'd love to pull on my jacket for a nippy evening walk, that just ain't happenin' until...December? January? 

Since we poor beach folk don't have the weather to knock on our doors and tell us when fall is coming, we have to get creative and figure out other ways to tell the changing of the seasons...

one

Everyone else is Instagramming pictures like this:

via

...while I'm still going outside wondering if I have to wear a shirt. Or even pants. Do sundresses work year round? No? Wait, it's not June?

two

Hobby Lobby has Christmas stuff on display.

Oh, der, that just means it's the end of July. Not fall. My bad.

three

Everyone in the whole wide world is going gaga over Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks and/or all pumpkin flavored food items from Trader Joe's.

I'm going gaga over ice cold water and AC. No food needed. Buuuut, I will take some chocolate. 

four

Jackets are coming out as accessories used for layering. 

Jackets are out and have been out because it's so dang cold indoors with the AC blasting. 65 degrees inside and 105 outside. 

five
Meanwhile the leaves are turning beautiful warm colors and falling to the ground with a crispy landing.
...and over here the palm fronds stay the same. Nobody is running around stepping on the crunchy fallen palm fronds, that's for sure.

Palm fronds in the winter. Ice, ice, baby. 

Happy weekend!
Linking up with Amanda, Karli, and Lauren.

365 days

Well, we did it. We survived the first year of marriage. Phew. I think the craziest thing of all about this is now we are in the second year. We can't say the cutesies little Oh, we just got married last summer! bit anymore. We are living in year two (Okay, now you may roll your eyes. Drama queen newlywishwed, over here). 

We decided that since we live in an awesome place (that's not being cocky, that's just being factual) that we would do a lil staycation and enjoy downtown Charleston. What's not to enjoy about staying in a hotel smack dab in the middle of downtown, walking across the street for dinner reservations, and walking down 3 more blocks for dessert and celebratory drinks? The answer is...everything about that is completely enjoyable. 

And it was completely enjoyable. 

We contemplated just moving in because I mean, exposed brick! Plus Freddie's name was already on the bed so dibs and all that.

The bathroom was ginormous and a half but I always feel weird taking pictures of bathrooms. Like, Wow! A toilet! Living the high life. So I didn't take any pictures of the bathroom, but just remember: ginormous. And a half. And yes, there was a toilet. 

It's probably a good thing that Freddie and I don't have cable because we would literally have no friends. And not because we would be in front of the TV all the time and ditch all our friends, but more so because we watch the most ridiculous eclectic shows ever when we sit down in front of cable. I think everyone would disown us. For example, we spent our anniversary staycation TV time watching Lockup, a show that gives you an inside look at prisons all over the US. You really get to know the prisoners. I mean, like whoa. This one guy was the epitome of annoying. It reminded me of some of the games my younger students play except they can get away with it because they are 1 foot tall and cute. This guy was not 1 foot tall and not cute. And I'll stop talking now.

Except I won't.

We managed to pry away from Lockup to put on some fancy clothes.
Story time: We were trying to get a self-timer picture in our room which meant we had a chair on the bed with pillows stacked on it to give it some height. Someone knocked on our door. We opened the door and the maid asked if we would like turndown service. We said no, thank you and as she turned to leave we quickly asked her to take a picture for us. Maid then saw chair/pillow/camera on top of bed set-up and probably wanted to run away from the crazy shenanigans she thought were going on. However, she took us outside and played paparazzi. The end. 

Dinner was delicious and approximately 30 steps away from the door to our hotel room. Ugh, Charleston. Stop making me love you even more. It's really unhealthy. Is everyone chanting Food pics! Food pics! yet? Okay, I'll oblige. 

After dinner we did what any normal Oh-my-gosh-I-still-can't-believe-we-live-in-Charleston couple would do and walked down to the water to watch the sunset.

The rest of the evening included watching a marionette karaoke show (yes, that is correct), dessert bars, and more Lockup (obvi).

Sunday, our real anniversary, was spent sleeping in, eating brunch, walking everywhere under the sun, living room fort building, and visiting the Angel Oak. 

Oh yeah, and eating old old cake. 

And you just officially lived through our first anniversary weekend with us. How sweet.

Year Two, don't worry. We've got this under control. Freddie, don't worry. I've got this wife thing under control (HA!). I sure do love you, your sexy dancer legs, and especially your contagious laughter.