Happy Engagementversary!

Three years ago today, my sweet husband asked me to spend the rest of our lives together.  Read the full story here and tell me how embarrassing that is - getting engaged at your sister-in-laws wedding?!
Oh- and happy anniversary Brian and Amy! Thank you for always allowing me to share this special day with both of you!

Cape Charles Weekend Review

 Rather than the busy, hectic weekends we have been having, D.J. and I spent a weekend full of relaxation and each other.  It was so nice to get out of Norfolk and head to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to visit the quaint little town of Cape Charles.  Although San Diego would have been great, I think this trip was just what we needed.  It was close enough that I didn't have to take off work, we didn't spend a crazy amount of money, and we were able to be back on Sunday to watch football and have the end of the year volleyball party!

We left Norfolk around 5:00 p.m. on Friday and got to Cape Charles around 5:45, just in time for the sunset.  On the way, we saw some pretty awesome views.  It's crazy how just a short 23 mile bridge separates the hustle and bustle of Hampton Roads from the quiet, desolate lifestyle of what the Eastern Shore has to offer. 

When we turned off of the main road to get to Cape Charles, we were driving due west and the sunset was so stunning.  We drove straight to the beach to take some selfies with the sunset when we found this awesome "LOVE" sign made out of crab traps, an old tire, and two kayaks.  

Then a sweet couple that were heading to the beach to take a romantic walk stopped by to take some photos for us and we were able to get this cool picture.

It's always so funny when D.J. takes photos of me, the camera is guaranteed to be facing down and when I am taking photos of him, it's the complete opposite!

 We walked out on the pier to take some pretty sunset photos.  I knew the weather for the weekend was looking a little iffy, so we took full advantage of the amazing sky Friday night. 

DJ wanted the place we were staying to be a surprise, so I used all my power to stay away from Google and figure it out, and I am so glad I did.  He did such a great job with our little B&B,  Cape Charles House. Bruce and Carol, the innkeepers were so sweet and welcomed us with open arms.  

 

They have been in business for the past 21 years and moved to Cape Charles specifically to open the B&B. The house has 5 rooms and DJ booked us in the room with the jacuzzi tub, the Julia Wilkins Room.  It features a sitting balcony, a king size bed, and was featured on HGTV's If Walls Could Talk show. 

The house was beautiful.  Full with old antiques, stunning curtains, and an old charm feel that really made the weekend relaxing.  After we checked in and changed for the night, Bruce and Carol were down in the kitchen with wine and crackers for all the guests.  There were a few other couples there throughout the weekend and it was always nice to make small talk with the guests during wine time.  The dip they served with the wine was freshly made by Carol from their garden.  A little bit of cream cheese, butter, and fresh herbs from their garden.... YUM! I knew right then that the breakfast was going to be delicious.  We enjoyed the wine and crackers before heading out to the Shanty for dinner and drinks on Friday night.  We had some beers with our crab dip appetizer. When talking with the bar tender, I found out that they get all their seafood and veggies fresh from the dock or the local farm every day.  DJ got the fresh catch, speckled trout, over a bed of risotto and purple beans (which when they are steamed look just like green beans).  I decided to go with the house mac and cheese with a crab cake on top.  Needless to say, we got WAY too much food, but it was so worth it.  I would go back there just for dinner on a random weekend! We decided to go back to the hotel and take a relaxing bath.  I ended up falling asleep on top of the covers! 

Saturday morning we asked for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. since we were scheduled to play golf at 9:30 at Bay Creek Golf Course.  Carol, as I expected, made nothing short of the best french toast ever! We had melon and raspberries with a dab of yogurt and fresh baked muffins to start.  A few minutes later, Bruce served us banana, marmalade, and a tiny bit of cream cheese stuffed french toast, bacon, and cranberry/orange juice as the main dish! Is your mouth watering yet?!? We were all full and ready to go play golf! 

The golf course was stunning. The weather... not so much.  Super cloudy and a wind advisory in effect for the area, but that didn't stop us! We decided to pay for me to actually play, even though I would say I am a mediocre putt putter at best.  My boss at work, Michelle, let me borrow her clubs and golf shoes to at least make me look like an experienced golfer. I got better throughout the day, but I pretty much putt putted my way down the fairway.  I even teed up multiple times on some holes (oops :) ).  Thank goodness the weather kept most of the pros away so we were able to take our time.  DJ played pretty awesome though!

After we golfed, we hung out at the restaurant for a little bit to warm up and watch some football.  We were planning on going to Chatham Winery that afternoon, but the weather really deterred us and all we wanted to do was relax, drink hot cocoa, and watch football.  We went back to the house and cuddled up and watched the Georgia/Florida game.  

Around 5:00 p.m.  we decided to head up to the room and get dressed for the night.  We had planned to go to Aqua for dinner, but decided that we wanted to do something a little more relaxed and affordable.  The weather/wind really did us in at golf!  I had heard great things about Kelly's Gingernut Pub so we wanted to try it out. Beginning as a bank in 1907, the pub is a low key, exposed brick building right on the main street in Cape Charles.  It's close enough to the B&B that we could have walked, but the weather wasn't allowing it.  Before we went, we wined and dined with Bruce and Carol and had them take a picture for us!

Dinner was good.  DJ was craving wings and fried pickles and I decided to go with the crab cake sandwich with homemade house chips.  Both were delcious. We went all out and got a bottle of Reisling and celebrated our first year of marriage talking about how far we have come and where we have been.  It's truly crazy to think that I was the first girl that DJ met at JMU! They must have known that we were going to end up together when they placed me at Ikenberry back in 2009! 

We ended the night with our super sweet and pretty anniversary cake from Just Cupcakes! 

 We used these baseballs for our Save The Date and even took them on our honeymoon trip to St. Lucia! [full story here] I think I have decided that we are going to use them in every anniversary for the years to come! 

 

Not much was eaten, but it was nice sweet treat to end the night.

Sunday morning we woke up and had a nice breakfast from Carol again.  We had pineapple with pomegranate seeds on top followed by an egg/cheese souffle. Not my cup of tea, but the muffins and fruit were enough to fill me up.  It was great to have an extra hour of sleep [ thanks Daylight Savings Time! ] except my body decided that it didn't want me to spend that time sleeping since I was up in the middle of the night throwing up.  I think it was my body trying to tell me that I ate too much food... or it was food poisoning, who knows.  Regardless, when I woke up the next morning, I felt fine, but food wasn't the number one thing on my priority list. 

We said goodbye for now to Bruce and Carol and headed home.  We were planning on stopping at the Wildlife Refuge, but the weather again was not ideal to be outside.  The waves on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel were so big, they were splashing up on the side of the bridge - the highest I have ever seen them! We got home around noon and spent the rest of the afternoon watching football and enjoying our time together!

Holy long blog post, but in the end it was The. Best. Anniversary. Weekend. Ever.  

The. End.

Anniversary Weekend: Cape Charles, VA

This weekend D.J. and I are going to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to a quaint little town, Cape Charles.  I have been looking forward to going on our mini vacation for quite some time now.  If you remember, we were supposed to head out west and visit San Diego for the first time, but baseball played the "not-so-fast" card on us and made us change our plans.

So we ended up going with plan B, which I am almost looking forward to more than I was San Diego.  I love the fact that its close enough to go for a few day and drive home Sunday without spending a whole day traveling.  Here's my top 5 things I am looking forward to the most this weekend!

one: anniversary cake

I cannot wait to get a taste of our extra fresh anniversary cake that Just Cupcakes is making for us on Friday! We decided that instead of trying to free the cake from our wedding, we are going to have a new one made fresh.

two:  Aqua

We got our first experience of Aqua when we were on the Eastern Shore for Ansley & Chris' wedding back in September 2013. I cannot wait to go to dinner here on Saturday night! I'm thinking lobster mac and cheer and crab lollipops?! No idea what those are, but they sound fun!

three: Chatam Vineyards

Excited to check another Virginia Vineyard off my list this weekend.  As long as the weather cooperates.

four: The Shanty 

Looks like DJ and I are going to be doing a lot of eating on this weekend trip! The Shanty is a place that has been recommended to us by multiple people, so I am looking forward to dinner there tonight probably.  

five: time with the boo

I am really looking forward to spending time with DJ.  We have been so busy since he got home and I am excited to just relax and hang out with each other!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I will be back on MOnday to recap our belated anniversary celebration! Follow along on instagram for updates! 

Pregnant Blog Friends

Over the past few months, a few of the blogs I read have had their first baby and there hasn't been that many bumpdates on the blogs lately!
Well, I'm sure that will be changing! TWO of my everyday reads just announced they are expecting in April!! So excited for Chelsea and Elise and to see what the next chapter holds for both of you!

On that topic ...

When D.J. and I got married people were making bets that we would be pregnant before our first anniversary, and I am happy to say I BEAT THE ODDS! We are happy to announce that we are NOT pregnant :).  For all those people who bet we would be, here's to proving you wrong! Love ya, but not quite yet people!!

For now, we will continue to blog about our crazy baseball life, home improvements, and our fun, CHILDLESS life!!

Happy Tuesday!

Anniversary Trip: Update

Beware: Bummer alert ahead.

Remember when we were planning to go to San Diego for our anniversary? Yea well, baseball called and we ended up cancelling our trip.  I tried to reschedule but I couldn't get myself to spend the extra money to change the flights and additiona money the hotels were going to cost at the new time we were looking at going.  Our fall schedule was already sooo booked up so trying to reschedule was giving me a minor panic attack.  No, seriously, ask D.J, I was getting so flustered and it wasn't worth it.  I just wanted to be with D.J. for our anniverary and create another memory in a new city. 

Well lucky enough, we live in a pretty awesome area.  When we first went over to the Eastern Shore for Ansley & Chris' wedding, we fell in love with the area.  Cape Charles is such a hidden gem over there.  Beautiful beaches, quaint little town, and delicious sea food.  Although we were a little preoccupied the one weekened we were there, we both knew we wnted to go back at some point. 

Cue anniversary trip plan B.

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE HEADING OVER TO CAPE CHARLES, VA! The area is stunning and this time I am looking forward to taking in what the town has to offer.  Time to start doing my research on things to do! Be on the lookout in a few weeks with some of my favorite must-see's when we go on our mini vacation!

9.28.13. Our First Anniversary

365 days ago I made a commitment to someone else that would change my life forever.  I gave my whole heart away to someone that would hold it for the rest of time.  And over those 365 day, I have realized that without a doubt, it was the best decision I have ever made. 

On that day I vowed to stay true in good times and in bad.  In sickness in health.  In richer or poorer. And we may not have had to experience all of those yet, but I am so happy to know that D.J. will be by my side for whatever life throws at us! 

Although we may not be together to celebrate today, I know we will be together soon! Oh and remember when I said we are going to San Diego?? Well those plans changed.  Be on the lookout for a new anniversary plan on the blog sometime this week!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, hard-working, better half - - D.J.  LOVE YOU!

The Past Two Years

August 18, 2012 was the day that would change the rest of my life! 

OK- well first off Happy Anniversary to my sister and brother in law, Amy and Brian! Yes, if you are wondering "are those the same people that just had the baby?!" you would be correct.  They managed to have two babies before their second anniversary!

D.j. and I were lucky enough to start the rest of our lives together the same day that they said I Do! Yes- that means I was proposed to at my sister-in-laws wedding!! If you haven't read the story click here. 

I am so happy that we were able to be a part of their speical day and they were happy to let us steal the spotlight for a few minutes.  The past 2 years have been nothingh but fun, laugheter, new beginnings, and learning to grow our marriage as we continue to better ourselves! 

Happy Proposal Anniversary, D.J!

Anniversary Trip Planning

With a little less than two months till our first anniversary, I am happy to say D.J. and I will be taking in all the beauty that San Diego, California has to offer for a long weekend at the end of September! 

First we were going to do something low key, like where we could drive. Then we decided lets go big and venture down to Jamaica.  Then we settled on somewhere in the United States but far enough that we have to take a plane. And with Ansley and Chris out in San Diego, we had a no-brainer choice there.  

We will be staying a few nights at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina and then celebrating our actual anniversary in The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarters.  I was born in California, but have only been back to visit in San Fransisco and Monterey.  D.J. has never been that far west and never touched the Pacific Ocean!! I am so excited to explore someplace where we both have never been and make all new memories together.

I've heard great things about this area from the food to the outdoor activities.  So I am reaching out to all my lovely blogger friends for some input. Delicious restaurants? Great outdoor activities? Local places we need to see? I have a few ideas of what we will do during the day, but I would love some more suggestions!

Hope you all have a fabulous Wednesday! 

s.i.x. m.o.n.t.h.s.

Today is our six month anniversary.  I figure that if parents are allowed to track their kids by months, then I am allowed to track my marriage by months... at least till we hit the twelve month mark!

Since we partied the night away on September 28, 2013, D.J. and I have been busy with life, baseball, and everything in between.  We have bought a house, traveled to St. Lucia, visited friends and family, celebrated marriages, and spoiled Stryker rotten. The past six months have flown by but at the same time seem like we have done so many exciting things. Deciding to commit myself to D.J. for the rest of our lives has been the biggest decision of my life, but the easiest of all.  I had nerves about certain things, but I was the bride that was saying "LETS GO!" when I was about to walk down the aisle.  Just ask the groomsmen that were waiting in the back with me! We were pumped! Over the last six months, I know that we both have learned about about each other and our marriage as well as ourselves. So today's 5 on Friday goes out to my loving husband of six whole months! :) 

one. keep it funny. 

We both love to have fun and make each other laugh.  I feel like the key to a happy marriage is to at least make the other laugh once a day. 

two. be spontaneous

Everything is better when you don't plan things. Date nights, trips, or even something as simple as dinner.  We have found that just being together really makes things more special. This also rings true for our baseball life as well.  Even though I am a planner, it proves to be true that whenever we plan something, another thing happens. This upcoming baseball season (which I will have news about on Monday!!!) is going to be very spontaneous for me!

three. remember to make "us" time

Often we found ourselves having every weekend planned and no free time to just do whatever we wanted.  In the next few months, I plan to enjoy the time we have together and relax.  Even though it will be filled with trips and baseball, we are excited to spend us much quality time as husband and wife!

four. make memories

One day you will look back at the first six months of your marriage and think, "wow, that was so long ago!" Spend time now making memories that will last forever. 

five. spend time with family and friends

Since baseball seems to be married to my husband for half of the year, I am so thankful that we have such great friends and family.  So to everyone in the picture below, thank you for helping us make lots of memories, take lots of trips, and spend quality time with each and every one of you! We cannot wait to continue our friendship with you all and thank you again for standing by our sides while we made the best decision of our life!

Cheers to six. And many more fabulous months, year, and decades to come!

Happy Friday Y'all!