Oh what fun!

Some of these are still in the mail on their way to our friends and family, but in the meantime, I needed to share our Christmas cards this year... 

Usually we just send one, but this year we had such an amazing opportunity to send the silliest card in our history (but couldn't chance sending this to work colleagues and older family friends) that we had to go with an option 1 and option 2. :) Option one shows us as we REALLY wish our life was all the time... you know, perfect-looking.

We're smiling! Everything is perfect! We look fantastic! There's snow and a sled for goodness-sakes! 

That's not to say that we're not smiling an awful lot of the time and that we don't have an incredible, amazing, really blessed life together, because we do....

But let's be honest... no one's life LOOKS like that 100% of the time. Which is why card #2 makes me so happy.

I mean, in real life sometimes you have the most fun when you're zooming downhill at 30mph heading straight for some super scary-looking brambles and you have no idea how to steer the sled. Everyone knows it, but the ride is so fun that it's totally worth the crash at the end...
Or maybe in real life you have the most fun when things mostly just aren't going right, and you have no idea on God's green earth where you're heading but that's ok, because you're a team and you've got each others' backs and you figure things will turn out just fine..

Or maybe real life's fun because you've made a crazy choice that will change things forever for the two of you (like having a baby) and you're both hurtling toward that new phase in life without a CLUE of what it really means, will look like, or bring into your family, but you keep heading that way because it just feels right and the anticipation and uncertainty is BEAUTIFUL and what life is all about.

Regardless of which possibility resonates with you, Option #2 captures what I feel like our life really feels like these days.  The photo is terrible, we look ridiculous, but Oh, What FUN! :)

Happy New year and Happy Christmas, and ALL other holidays this season from me!

Holiday wishes

Y'all, we had the most amazing Holiday season. We got to spend tons of quality time with our families, found a church (finally), hosted a fun dinner party, sang Christmas carols, mastered the art of the Prime Rib (coming soon on Mess of Greens), went out on the town dressed in black tie, had a great New Year's Eve in Jackson with dear friends, slept in, and got some great down time together. What's also pretty fantastic about this holiday is that we both love our jobs and what we get to do every day so much, that we're actually excited to go back to work, and ok with the holiday coming to an end. I know... I'm pinching myself because I feel so thankful and blessed. We had so much change and adventure in 2012 (the everglades! moving to a new town! 3 promotions!) that I'm looking forward to a 2013 where we settle in, put down some roots that will keep growing deeper, and celebrate lots of other people's happy new beginnings with our nearest and dearest friends (babies! weddings! home-ownership!)

Here are a few photos from our happiest of holidays, and here's wishing you a 2013 that's as filled with joy, adventure, merriment, love, and peace as our 2012. :)

Smooches.

cooking ahead...

last year for new year's eve, our sweet friends from ATL came to visit the delta. to celebrate, we had a fo-real dinner party and then went to ground zero blues club for dancing and (just a teensy weensy) bit of drinking. NYDay we vegged out, watched football, and ate the lucky foods for the new year. 

we'll be in austin ringing in 2012, but even though we'll be away from home, that doesn't mean i won't get to do a little new year's cooking.

champagne jello shots for NYE, anyone?

found this recipe on pintrest and definitely want to try it: Boil 1 cup of champagne and mix in flavorless jello then add an additional 1 and a half cups of champagne distribute into cups a viola you have champagne jello shots! (if you want them to stand on their own then just use less liquid...like 3/4 cup instead of 1 and a half)

and then black eyed pea hummus for good luck new year's day!

if time (and my hostess) permits, then we may even get some cabbage or turnip greens for money, and pork for progress. what are you cooking for the ny?

a little november blue.

i've got a workshop this weekend and have been feeling just awful all week with a cold, but i wish you a perfectly lovely, relaxing autumn weekend. one where you get to wear a wool blazer and a scarf, frolic in the leaves, and feel the breeze blowing in your hair.


don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post to win the november mix!

image by corrie bond

take me home...

after much searching, hand wringing, list-making, loooong convos and other such things we FINALLY decided on a place to live AND found a house in said place. the weird thing is, in the beginning my mama mentioned this particular little delta town to me but i didn't really know anything about it so we steered clear of it. then, last week at a big event someone just happened to mention to me that the presbyterian parsonage in said town was for rent and i had this crazy feeling that it was the perfect solution to our predicament. I made an appointment to see it THAT day and fell in love. we went back two days later so boone could check it out and his first words were, "i think it's incredible!"

"samesies," i thought (can you see this porch? and the rocking chair on it?)... so we talked to the church ladies and decided that we're moving out of our sweet friend's house and into our own on monday! :) stay tuned for updates from our new nest and many apologies for the less frequent posts. its HARD to have a grown up job and blog, too..for serious. ;) and if you want to come visit the delta, let me know. starting monday we'll have plenty of room for you!

the weather & the weekend...

it definitely snowed a little bit two days ago, and now it feels like spring...

I'm pretty confused about it all, but i'll take it! i hope you've got lots of sunshine & warmth to look forward to this weekend, too! my mama is coming to visit, so whatever the weather, i'll be happy girl!

see you monday!

a little sunshine and some fun links...

today in the ATL was yuck-y. i thought we all could use a little sunshine...
because of the weather i should have been writing my thesis (ugggghh.) or been out dancing out in the rain, but instead we stayed in and did lots and lots of reading and job applying plus i spent a little time perusing the interweb. c'est la vie.

on the bright side i found a few things this weekend that made me think of my you, my dearests... yes, you.

here's something really fabulous to do with all of your old cereal boxes

my college roomie used to drink coffee in to-go cups like it was her job. she (and maybe you) definitely need these

bet you'll be sending one of these to your honey pretty soon.

have you see these aprons? i saw a few in VaHi awhile back but didn't know a local gal made them. fab.

do you know anyone who needs a REALLY unique engagement ring? (i sure do)

oh, and a funny drunken mistake.

image from evidently.org

before the service...

our ring-bearer... this got a little dicey, but all was well in the end and he had tons of fun under there...






isn't my dad adorable?


if you like these... go check out the rest of joe's stuff.

sweating the small stuff...

honestly, no one told me that i'd worry about the wedding MORE afterward than i did beforehand. everyone was amazed that i didn't fall to pieces when we had to move the ceremony inside or when my veil came totally out of my hair while we were saying our vows.
"eh!" I thought "who cares? we're getting MARRIED!" but then i started getting bent out of shape a week or so later when i realized i hadn't gotten a photo with both of my parents, and that i had hardly spoken to the guests who had been sitting at tables inside. seriously, i've been waking up in the night tied up in knots about it...

but (FINALLY) i've decided that rather than keep on fretting about it, i'll take a few days to just share with you all the beautiful, special things we made for the wedding and guests that made it extra personal for me. i mean, honestly... my first attitude was the right one: "who cares? we're MARRIED!"


i already mentioned the silhouettes and the homemade praline favors. Now, here's a fun fact about our ceremony site: we ended up getting married in the foyer of a beautiful historic home. we were planning to do it outside in the garden but then it poured down rain the entire day.
instead, we had about 115 or so guests seated around us, our parents and family sitting right behind us, and our attendants standing directly beside us. it was a tight squeeze, but it felt just right and really cozy. we had wanted the ceremony to be small so that those who witnessed our vows were the people who we loved most deeply and who we knew would support us in our marriage. being inside wasn't what we had planned but it felt so comfortable and personal that it turned out to be perfect.

plus, my dad had the brilliant idea to open the bar in the sun room for people who didn't get to sit down during the service. i don't think anybody minded. ;)

counting down!

only 100 days until i'm a mrs!!!


image from fab love,jenna