Fabulous Friday 2019, II

Happy, happy Friday! Here we are rushing into 2019 full force.

This week we moved part of our things to South Carolina. We spent the weekend unpacking the kitchen, bedroom and family room. We did manage to fit in a waterside walk and some relaxing time. We did watch a little football. Although it didn’t go the way I hoped. Roll Tide forever. Always proud of them no matter what.

We searched Good Will and the Salvation Army stores for outdoor furniture. We did find a table and one chair. I am in the process of revamping the table.

I appreciate the love and prayers I asked for this week. I ended up with a primary care visit and trip to the ER with severe almost same as before gallbladder surgery pain. Blessedly and frustratingly they could not find anything wrong. Possibly reoccurring post surgical pain that will subside. Or if it occurs again we will go to back to surgeon and back to searching. Maybe I am just a cottonheadedlowpaintoleranceninniemuggins. I am feeling better.

Please continue to pray for our move and transitions, our house to sell, me a job, my tummy, Em and all the people we love.

The celebration for this week is this view. All the heart eyes.

I found these curtain rods for our dining room that remind me of the heart of Te Fiti. They are hard to find in the color and length I needed but between Wayfair, Amazon, and Hayneedle I did.

A cordless stick vacuum is probably on my birthday list since SAND!

Drop the plastic bag use! This poor whale died because of a plastic bag in the throat. I love these Blu reusable bags. They are a good size and fold up easily. These are what we carry on our over seas trips.

Cadbury mini eggs are one of mine and most of my family’s favorite candy. I found this shimmer version so you know I had to try them!

Have a happy weekend!

Lovies!

xoxoxo

January 11, 2019 0

Fabulous Friday 2019, I

Happy Friday!

We watched some football this past weekend. Roll Tide! And did some packing of course.

This week has flown by. We didn’t do much besides work on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Our fabulous neighbor did hook us up with the greens, ham, black eyed peas and corn bread.

We packed the rest of the week. I can’t believe it is time for Ryan to move. We have done some major De-cluttering but so much more to go.

Today has been extra hard. Tomorrow we set off on the real steps of our grand adventure and I am feeling all the feels. Here is my life tip for you. Create a treasure box and fill it will things good and true. Things to remind they light in your soul to burn brighter. Shark, I’m going to need a bigger treasure box please. I hope, wish and pray that when you do have that treasure box you are able to fill it. I pray that it is filled with words, memories and mementos that bring big sloppy heart warming gratitude of tears sliding down your face when you need them the most. Thanks to those of you that have filled my treasure box. I also hope your treasure box still somehow smells like your most magical place on Earth. And then comes the gentle heart reminder that’s it that’s the place we are moving too. Sure there will be bills to pay, jobs to attend and life won’t be bustling with the people we love right there in arms distance but the magic and love is there just the same.

Please continue to pray for our move and me a new job. The lead I thought I had turned out now to come to be. It’s got me feeling and extra special dose of anxious.

I attended a hot yoga class this week and I did not die, so that is my celebration for the week. 😂

Saw this on Insta unknown where it originally came from. But how true!!!

Have a wonderful weekend! ❤️

Lovies.

xoxoxo

January 4, 2019 0

2019 Intentions

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

2019, wow! Here you are. Anyone else remember being little and completely being unable to fathom the years, age and life we are living now?

Honestly, much like when I was little, I can not imagine like after January when we get everything moved and the house on the market. But if there is one thing I have learned, believed and put into practice it is manifesting, dreaming and living life with intentionally planning. Not for just this day or week but for life.

My word for 2019 is miracles. I want my heart to be in a state of expectant anticipation that miracles will happen. Some of my goals will require miracles to accomplish. I want to live my life believing in miracles and with the heart and mind to notice and appreciate them.

Overall Intentions for 2019

Spiritual Light

Read the Old Testament.
Trust God and the universe.
Open my heart, mind and soul to more magic and miracles.
Pray the impossible.
Maintain prayer journal.

Physical Well-being

Movement.
Intuitive eating.
Flexibility.
Measure by how I feel not a number on the scale.
Chiropractor appointments.
Primary Care MD appointments.

Emotional Strength

Meditate.
Peaceful mind.
Joyful heart.
Counselor appointments. Maintain throughout this busy, hard season. When life gets busy these appointments are some of the first to get cut, and yet the most important.
Read for enjoyment and learning.

Loving Connections

Intentional time with Ryan.
Growing new friendships.
Cultivating old ones.
Strengthening the bond with Em.

Life-giving Home

MOVE!
De-clutter before and during move (outer order, inner calm).
Create a relaxing, welcoming cozy space in our new home.
Enjoy Beaufort. Don’t let our environment lose it’s magic because we are working and paying bills there.
Grow pretty flowers.
Create a backyard oasis: hammocks, tiki torches, party lights, fire pit.

Financial Prosperity

Budget.
Spending tracking.
Plan with Ryan about our desires for the future.
Replace the saving we will use to sell the house/move.
Move my retirement.

My intention for January is mainly prepare, survive, and complete our move. After that the priorities will definitely shift. I feel overwhelmed already and so I did not want to set myself to fail by trying to do all the things all at once. Pack. Move. My friend did get me a yoga pass for Christmas so I will be incorporating that this month. Fingers crossed I do not die. I really do hope I love it. Get more in the routine of talking to Em on the phone more. Meditate more consistently, this will help my moving anxiety ridden brain. I plan to read the Old Testament this year. I know there are Bible in a year plans but they seem to overwhelm me and I think sowing down to really dig deep could be helpful in soaking everything in. Danika Brysha has a formula for a self-care checklist. She is the bomb, so encouraging, so inspiring I really encourage you to check her out. I am referring to her daily self care checklist as dailies.

Here is a reminder to myself I want to included a happy/grateful/lovely memory in my weekly Fabulous Friday post to look back on at the end of 2019. I saw the jar idea, you place a good thing from each week written down on a piece of paper and save them in a jar. That way ~~if 2019~~ when 2019 proves hard you can remember the good things. Because often the bad things occupy more of our time, energy and faith than the good things.

Happy 2019, Lovies! Remember there is nothing special about January 1st. You can take charge of your intentions, goals and life on any old Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Midnight, noon, 8 am or 124 pm can be your special time to dream, decide and change.

Here is too a miraculous 2019!

January 1, 2019 0

2018 Reflection

I know it’s so cliche, but how is 2018 over!?!

I did great with my monthly goals and Powersheets post at the beginning of the year but then those feel to the wayside. Here is to following all the way through in 2019. I spent Sunday night doing a workshop with the lovely Danika Brysha digging deep into what we want 2019 to bring. But I feel like in order to look ahead we need to look back at times.

The pain, the negative, the worries, the ugly, the bad and the hurts can occupy more time and energy than the positive, love, light and happiness. Its so easy to dwell on the negatives rather than the positives.

I feel at times we can let a bad ten minutes ruin our entire day. The same goes for a year. So here in no particular order are things to celebrate from 2018!

Ryan recovered from his broken ankle.
We traveled to Disney (twice).
We traveled to the beach.
I opened the door to some “best” opportunities by closing the door on something good, near and dear to my heart, Neonatal nursing.
We celebrated our 5th anniversary in Greece.
De-cluttered all three bathrooms (it’s time to do it again.)
De-cluttered the kitchen.
Found a secretary desk and painted it. I have wanted one of these since I was a child.
Aerial yoga classes.
Had one of my besties move away but also got to visit Hattiesburg and Laurel.
Celebrated 31.
Hung Christmas lights on our back deck like I have been wanting for years.
Got a new laptop!!!
Had my gallbladder removed. Yay, no more stone pain.
Continued Riley Kate’s Lovies.
Visited Emerald Isle with Em.
Started attending a small group that gives me strength and courage.
Attending The Brunch Series.
Visited the turtle hospital.
Had a boat picnic and introduced Em to the idea.
Visited Savannah with the Copley girls.
Had a new air conditioning system installed.
Completed a Whole 30 round.
Attended Beautycounter’s Leadership Summit.
Blogged more than previously.
Made an epic cheese board.
Found new waterfalls in Alabama we had never seen.
Visited New Bern, NC in the snow.
Watched Alabama win a national championship.
Mastered (well successfully made) cinnamon rolls from scratch.
Started our yearly family photo books that I have been meaning to do since the year we got engaged. So far I’ve done 2017 and two big trips.
Attended Highlands Christmas service.
Updated some picture frames around the house.
Dyed my hair blue and purple.
Got a new front door and had the downstairs door repaired.
Spent a date night with Ryan at Fantasy in Lights.
Arranged some pretty flowers.
Made some crazy good Moana ears.
Soaked in some good baby snuggles.
Continued seeing my counselor on a regular basis.
Ryan and I took a few photos where we were married 5 years ago.
Celebrated Em’s Birthday.
Ryan got a new job and we began planning, packing, and prepping for our move to Beaufort, SC.
Saw sea turtles in the wild in Greece.
Saw owls in our back yard.
Explored the Enneagram.
Saw The Struts in concert.
Grew some beautiful flowers.
Got a new phone and Fitbit.
Took down the wallpaper and popcorn ceiling in the half bathroom.
Spent some time in the mountains.
Read 36 books.

When Breath Becomes Air
Promise Me, Dad
Braving the Wilderness
The Gifts of Imperfection
Girl, Wash Your Face
Sheer Mischief
The One Your Really Want
This Could Change Everything
Three Amazing Things About You
10% Happier
Perfect Timing
To The Moon and Back
Failing For You
The Sacred Ennaegram
Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay
Rumor Has It
The Unexpected Consequences of Love
The Note
Sm’ore to Lose
One S’more Summer
The Girl Who Stayed
The Road Back to you
His Needs, Her Needs
The Life Giving Home
If You Only Knew
The Girl Who Stayed
The Light We Lost
Beach House For Rent
The Circle Maker
Whisper
Remember God
Eat Cake Be Brave
Into the Wilderness
Dawn on a Distant Shore
What Stands in a Storm
Lake in the Clouds

Loaded Buffalo “Fries”

December 31, 2018 0

Fabulous Friday, XXVII

Happy last Friday of 2018! I hope your holiday season has been bright and light. We have been busy bees since Disney. This past week we celebrated all the Christmas.

We went to Six Flags with the Stalkers and had Christmas Brunch the next morning. Ryan got a few new board games for Christmas. We played one that afternoon.

Ryan and I stopped by Callaway Gardens for Fantasy in Lights on our way to Christmas in Flatwoods.

Christmas Eve we attended Highlands Christmas which was spectacular as usual. You can check out some awesome song on their Facebook and Instagram.

We had Christmas Breakfast before I went to work to save some eyeballs. I made my version of my Papa’s breakfast casserole. I also made homemade cinnamon rolls for the first time and knocked it out of the park if I do say so myself. I would like to make it a tradition or routine so to say to make them one lazy breakfast a month. I am already wanting the gingerbread version again even though its technically past Christmas. I might make them this weekend though since I already have an open jar of molasses.

I felt like I swept and mopped and washed ten thousand dishes. But would it be Christmas without feeling that way. The rest of the week brought work-work and work at home. I already packed up our Christmas decorations, a record for me. This move and the packing to do list has me so anxious I went ahead and got started. I also worked on our New Year’s card so look for them in a mailbox near you.

If you would like to pray for us we would love prayers in general. But if you re looking for specific prayers PACKING the house, gracious this is overwhelming to me. A smooth move. A flexible job for me not necessarily nursing but something that really allows for space and time of people and things I love. I have a lead and my heart is bursting with excitement over it but it’s a very tiny lead and an idea in my heart right now. Selling our house with profit because Samford student loans yo. New friends and old ones to continue to stick. Ryan a smooth job transition. Em to adjust and flourish. 😍

This weekend will bring more packing, football and hopefully some pockets of rest.

Wishing you a restful yet productive weekend and a beautiful end to 2018!

Lovies.

xoxoxo

December 28, 2018 0

Riley Kate’s Lovies Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas! I hope your day and season is filled with joy, love and peace. I know the holidays can be an especially hard time for many. I pray you find some pocket of peace and joy today no matter how small.

Riley Kate’s Lovies are our little girls legacy and remembrance. I started these act of love as a way to help spread the light and love she brought into our lives in her 13 short weeks. It has become therapy and healing for me and I truly hope the recipients feel loved and cared for. This year I did the 25 days of Riley Kate’s Lovies, doing one or more random or sometimes not so random act of love in her honor. It brings me such joy to share her with the world and to honor her.

This year would have been her second Christmas. I can not imagine what a joy that would have been. It is hard not to get bogged down in the what ifs. I’m striving to see the beauty in the ashes and be a light for the world around me, in order to spread her light and love.

We hope your season continues to be filled with love, light and joy. May 2019 bring you exactly what you need. Merry Christmas! Happy Everything! Wishing you a Joyous New Year! Lovies!

December 25, 2018 0

Fabulous Friday, XXVI

Happy Winter Solstice! I can not believe Christmas is here essentially and the year is almost over!

This past week I spent some time with a friend shopping and getting baby snuggles. I bought this sparkly wallet for 70% off. Bonus because it fits my phone.

I had to work part of the weekend but Sunday I spent elf-ing around trying to get ready for Christmas and tidy the house.

As many of you already saw we will be moving to Beaufort, SC in the new year. We are sad to leave family and friends but excited about a new adventure. We may stay for anywhere between just one year and forever. We found a place to rent at the beginning of the week.

Wednesday and Thursday brought work with more elf-ing.

I ha e felt a bit sick the end of this week. Ryan has been sick no doubt something we picked up from the most magical petri dish on Earth.

We are beginning our Christmas celebrations this weekend. I can not believe it’s here.

Got presents!?! All ready to make the rounds.

This is a mindfulness mark a visual reminder to remind me to be fully present this season. To accept what life brings this season. Enjoy. Learn. Grow. And not to set my expectations of myself or others too high. You can grab yourself a Lumen Kind temporary tattoo or use any piece of jewelry or other visual reminder.

December 21, 2018 0

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2018

Last week we attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. It is my favorite. Of course I am head elf so it is easy to love since we are combining Disney and Christmas.

We headed into the park a little before 4. With a party ticket guest can enter the Magic Kingdom at 4 pm without a separate park ticket. Often times they start letting people in a few minutes early. We grabbed our wrist bands and headed to the right towards the street behind Main Street. Here you can grab a cookie and exclusive photo opportunities.

We grabbed three Fastpasses. I have read some people have a hard time getting Fastpass with party tickets but we have not had a problem. You do have to strategically time them to fit in three. For example, Ryan’s Space Mountain was 305-405 use that grace period! Then we moved up the times of our other Fastpasses.

Around 6 they start clearing the park. They will ask to see your party arm band while you are getting into ride lines and walking around the park. It took til about seven for the crowds to decrease.

We grabbed a front row Main Street spot for the first parade around 7 or 715ish We literally grabbed the last front row spot. Ryan took the big girls to eat while Amy and the little girls held our spot with me. Amy and her family ate while waiting for the parade and holding our spot. Ryan and the big girls brought me my food. After I ate we did some shopping in the stores on Main Street. The Christmas parade is my all time favorite. It is magical and smells like cookies, for real.

Amy and her family left after the parade. If you have big kids who can hang I recommend doing the later parade and riding rides during the first parade. We ran and did the cars after the first parade then grabbed a spot for fireworks. Fireworks and parades at Disney trump rides in my mind but my little ride loving family disagrees.

The girls grabbed cookies and snow cones. There are stations set up throughout the park with special cookies and drinks that are included in your party admission. The ginger molasses cookie and eggnog is one of my favorites. They definitely had more variety this year than two years ago when we went. There was chilled cider, hot coco, snow cones, mini soft pretzels and different cookies.

Holiday Wishes was spectacular as always and reminded me how much I miss regular Wishes, not that Happily Ever After is not great in its own way.

After Holiday Wishes we tried to rush back to Mine Train but the line was crazy so we did tea cups the Mine Train. We stood in line for about 30 minutes the first time, which as many of you know is short compared to normal. The girls wanted to circle back again to do Mine Train as their last thing. We did and spent about 20 ish minutes in line that time. When we left the wait was back up to 45 mins already because the second parade had just finished.

We took our time leaving the park, taking some photo opportunities. I do recommend leaving the park a few before midnight if you are using the Disney buses, monorail, or boats. The lines get long at closing. Or if your family can hang even later, then get in line for one last ride about 10 minutes before park closing and in order to let the transportation crowds clear out and you will have some magical pictures with less people in them.

December 20, 2018 1

A New Adventure

Phew! I can’t believe this is real. I am terrified and excited. Sad and happy. We are embarking on a new adventure. In 2019, we will be moving to Beaufort, SC. For those of you that do not know it is about half way in between Savannah and Charleston. It is where my beloved Hunting Island is. It was voted Southern Living’s Best Small Town in 2017.

I grew up going to the area as my maternal grand parents had a beach house on Hunting Island. Ryan and I have continued to visit the area and he loves the area as much as me, maybe. He is much better equipped for the move since he has lived all over.

This is a huge adjustment as it will be the furthest I have ever lived from my family and outside of the state of Alabama for longer than a summer at camp Aunt Amy. Oh, and there is that blue eyed blonde headed girl that I can not even think about her and moving without nearly vomiting, so needless to say Birmingham you will still be seeing a lot of me back and forth. Luckily, it has been instilled in me that when it comes to love the miles don’t matter.

We are going to place our home in Birmingham on the market to sell. We will rent in Beaufort just to get a lay of the land and make sure living at the beach feels right and good. Because vacationing at the beach and living at the beach are two very different things.

This has been a huge decision and I have gone back and forth on and made myself physically sick over but essentially it boils down to not wanting to wonder what if. Every desicion in my life have thought but what bout Em? What about Ry? What about my mom? What about my dad? What about Teddy and Tare? And I feel like for maybe one of the few in my life I said BUT what about Anna Kate?

At the beginning of November I quit my job in the NICU for various, different reasons. But that seemed to be the knock on the door that threw open all the other doors. Ryan and I have talked about moving there but hadn’t because of said blonde headed girl. But he got a call out of the blue from Wal-Mart asking if he was still interested in a job there and well everything slide into place rather easily.

The doors just seemed to fly open so we are giving it a go. Luckily, like most things in life a move is not irreversible. Granted a pain in the butt but not something we are committing to for forever. We will see where the tide and salty breeze takes us over the next few years.

I cycle back and forth between I am excited and OMG I am going to puke. I’m constantly reminding myself on the other side of terrified is growth and magic. I constantly wonder if I am actually brave enough to do this because change is hard. But so are the rewards.

Please pray and send us love and good vibes for a smooth transition, a good profit on our house, a smooth transition for those we love, blessings of new friends, a new flexible job for me and transportation to and from the people we love.

Thanks to everyone for their love and support. Here is to new adventures, many house guests, sandy feet, shrimp, Lowcontry magic and a changing of the tides.

December 18, 2018 1

Fabulous Friday, XXV

We spent the past week in Disney! Oh what fun.

We visited Hollywood Studios on Saturday. Our friends joined us for Epcot on Sunday. Monday we played in the Magic Kingdom. Tuesday we partied with Mickey and friends at the Christmas party. Wednesday we went to Sea World for the first time.