Wow.

Sorry guys, I've been gone awhile! I guess I just needed time. Time to get back to work, time to be human since I have an actual job now, and do some self work, like hanging out with my friends. Did I mention I've been doing a lot of that lately?

Thanksgiving and Christmas were crazy, busy, cozy, and full of love. Add to that, that I started working during the holidays and traveling to see friends and family all over the state we were on the road almost every weekend. Hunter had a wonderful Christmas, and now he's 5. Can you believe it? Almost two weeks after Christmas is his birthday, and this year we trekked to Raleigh on Saturday after his birthday to celebrate with my Dad. On his actual birthday, we were at home. There's a video on my instagram of him blowing out his candles, and it was really a special moment because he's spent almost all of his birthdays at my Granny's house which is one place that I consider where I grew up. I lived out of a suitcase until about high school, and after my parents divorced my Dad got our first house which was a pretty neat since I had never lived in one place more than a year or two.

I'm in full blown winter/spring cleaning mode lately, and I've been getting our house back together. We got a ton of furniture that we've added to the house, and even though we're moving after our lease is up it's unlikely that we'll stay on here because I really want a house. Fingers crossed, I'll get my wish! Currently Hunter and I are working on making Valentine's for everyone. We want to send handmade things this year, and put some thought and care into what we send. It was such a fantastic journey watching him grow into a complete person this year, and give back. So much happened that it would be impossible to sum it all up in one post but rest assured, I am forever proud of his progress. Although, I am of my own as well.

I spent New Year's Eve out! Can you believe it? Anxiety riddled crazy pants went out on NYE with her friends, and woke up in the morning to go to the grocery store to make breakfast for everyone. I'll admit only that I looked like I was doing a serious walk of shame and not family-friendly grocery shopping, (**note to self: bring extra clothes in the car next time for late nights out that you don't make it back to best friends apartment**), but anyway, I racked  Gatorade, eggs, bacon and bottle shaker pancake mix. We feasted! Then we had the ultimate hungover breakfast, Cookout. If you don't know what that is, well, you don't know what heaven tastes like in the form of a BBQ sandwich with Texas Pete hot sauce and coleslaw on top.

Oh my goodness, I absolutely love North Carolina!

xoxo,
C

Vlog fail!

I did a vlog thing. It's not my best, nor do I look my best.

Things you should know;

1. I was running late.
2. I just got back from a workout and put things on my face.
3. I'm never wearing my hair up again.
4. I promise it'll get a lot better.

Anyway, here it is.

xo,

Life: Sunday Fun-day

Sunday Snaps

Sunday is probably my most favorite day of the week, because it's when we really get to hang out with our immediate family. I love the cooking, and stories, and the small talk. Since it's just Hunter and I, a majority of the time, spending Sunday's with our family members is crucial as I find it helps ground us.

This weekend we had to do some quick grocery shopping, and we had lunch at our favorite diner Highway 55. They have this frequent diners card thing, and if we're ever in NC that's usually where I stop. They make fresh burgers but they're diner style, so they're messy and delicious! I could make these at home, so I intend to perfect my version within my next month of meals at home. A specialty of NC, (especially in the area that I live in), we put chili, mustard, and coleslaw on our burgers and we refer to it as all the way. It's pretty good, but sort of an odd combination if you're not from here, and I once caught myself asking for it out of state where they looked at me like I was completely nuts! If you're ever here, try it just to say that you have because it's pretty darn delicious.

Here's monkey having a sip of Sprite with what he call's crunchy ice, or for normal people, finely ground ice.

This is where I fail at being a girl. Also I switched to these flats after church, but they totally don't match my dress whatsoever. Anyway, flats by American Eagle for Payless.

Funny story times! 

"Oh Caroline, did you just get a run in your stockings?" 

Are you kidding me? Nope. I got dressed in the dark of my walk-in closet this morning, because my puppy likes to only jump on me when I'm dressed up, and I came out looking like I just got into a fight with a rabid, wild dog all by my own accord.

"You didn't notice it getting into the car?" 

Nope. 

"Did you notice it when you got out of the car?" 

Nope. Wrong again, someone started talking to me to say good morning. So I was polite, and looked them in the eyes instead of at my gaping holes in my flibberity gibbity stockings.

 "So what your saying is, you fail at being a girl most of the time?" 

I mean, I'd say you've got it, but you've just got it!

I went through half a church service before realizing I had not one, or two, but THREE runs in them and I looked like a total moron. It's 9,000 degrees with about 90 percent humidity you're lucky I had clothes on this morning! Also, I couldn't reach the zipper on my dress which is why being a girl with ginormous boobs is a burden at times which is why I had flop sweat when I was trying to fix my frizzy hair business. Anyway we made it, and we were early, and I rocked huge runs in my stockings because LIFE. I also was wearing heels, which basically was like. "let's give this wolverine girl with runs in her hose a little more leverage to show off those sexy, holy, tummy sucking in support stockings because she's too cheap to go to Nordstrom's."

Here's an OOTD for Hunter:

Shirt: Polo by Ralph Lauren

Pants: Baker by Ted Baker @ JcPenny

Shoes: Sperry Topsiders

Belt: Dickies

For the most part, Hunter picks out his own clothes and completely dresses himself, except for his shoes. This morning I suggested this new shirt for him and I actually liked it a lot. He looks so adorable in Polo, and I love that it just matches his personality; bright, sporty, and happy! (Please ignore all the wine behind him, for some reason this is the only aisle he likes to stand still on otherwise, he might as well be in the jungle swinging from trees or trying to break open fruit with his feet.) 

What I'm trying to tell you is life with a 4 year old little boy is like living life one bated breath to the next. Just stock up on Tums now, because you'll have constant anxiety inducing spasms which make you feel like you're living on the edge of death almost every second of their life. He's so adorable, but sometimes he just scares the bejesus out of me!

That was all of our snaps from this Sunday. I'm hoping to make this a weekly thing, and so we'll see you next week for another installment. :)

xo,

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Life: The Lake House

I know these probably look like dark, drab photos, but in retrospect to me they're pretty spectacular. I love North Carolina. I love it in the Fall, the Winter, and even in the Summer when it's so hot it feels like you could stir the air with a wooden spoon. Some of my happiest memories growing up occurred during my Summer's going back and forth to this house. The first photo is Hunter on the floor next to a stool playing Barrell of Monkeys, and this one stood out so vividly for me when I got back home that afternoon. I used to play cards with my Great-Grandmother on top of that stool, or sit in front of her on it while she asked me about school, whatever state we lived in at the time, or did I want another dill pickle?

I loved my Granny! This house was our sanctuary. Luckily it's stayed in the family, and even though my Granny is long gone now these pictures stung a little when I finally sat down to look at them. We have so many happy memories in life sometimes we forget about the hard one's. We have such a good time in that house still, even now it's hard to think of her not being there. I love visiting. I love being there where Hunter is learning to swim in the exact same water that I learned in, and now I'm learning to paddle board. I'm just amazed. Life is so incredibly quick.

Every single day that I watch Hunter grow, the more fond I grow of him being himself just in the moments that we have now.  I loathe the day when he'll be too shy, or too cool to dance around, or sing a song in the middle of the grocery story. I realize this is all apart of the growing process, but it's hard watching a little baby grow up into a child. For now, we'll go back and forth to the lake house, and I'll keep taking pictures with Hipstamatic.

xo,

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