Snow Days

Snow days are my faaaavorite! Even little baby ones that shouldn't even be considered a snow day, since everything is melted & it's almost 40 degrees outside. :)

I was so hoping we'd get slammed with a few feet of white, fluffy goodness, but unfortunately, we got mostly rain with just enough snow to play in this morning.

On Friday, I worked half a day until the blizzard (I use that term VERY lightly, haha) started, then I came to my parents house to hang out with Kaitlyn, Andrew, & Carrah. Their dad was having surgery, so they spent the day here.

We got out in the snow for a little while & took some pictures before coming back inside & going to Huddle House for dinner. I'll take any excuse to go see my handsome husband at work!

Yesterday, Sebastian & I had off together, which NEVER happens! Since we've been married, our work schedules completely overlap so that I leave the house at 8 every morning & work until 5 & he works from 2 until 12ish. My days off are Saturday & Sunday while his days off are Monday & Tuesday. So on these super rare occasions when we get to sleep in together (then have all day together, too!), it just makes for an excellent day.

We went out to lunch, ran some errands, & ended up at my parents house right as the snow was starting. I love snow, I love pictures, & I LOVE Sebastian Michael Brown. Although he was warm, comfortable, & taking a nap, he got up & went outside for a mini-photo shoot. He loves me! ;)

Last year, during a real snow storm, we took my favorite picture eeever. It's hanging in our living room & I don't think we'll ever be able to take one better - everything about it is just perfect! This year, when it started snowing at last night, I wanted to do another picture like it. It wasn't snowing as hard & the flakes weren't as big, but it was still just as magical to me! Maybe if we're lucky enough to get snow every year, we'll make this a tradition. ;)

Oh my goodness, I just noticed that I didn't even have an engagement ring on my finger last year! Just a purity right. I could have never imagined on our last snowy night, that our next one, we'd be MARRIED! So much has changed. What an incredible thing to look back on.

When we went to leave last night, the lock to Sebastian's truck was frozen & we couldn't get the door open, so we spent the night with my parents, Lydia, & the kids. Since we've gotten married, I've missed my sleepovers with Jesse Ryder! :) I'm working on getting Uncle Bash to let us have a sleepover soon. ;) Last night was filled with games & movies & lots of smiles, & today was filled with snow & snacks & lots of laughs. So thankful for this family the Lord has let me be a part of. I'm not sure where I'd be or what I'd do without them!

iPhone Pictures:

The start of this snowy weekend with two of my favorite kiddos! 

In the snow, camera in my hand. My happy place, if you will. ;) 

The essentials. Thank goodness for that umbrella!

We huddled up, as they say. 

Our front yard, while the rest of the north east was a few feet deep in snow.

Last night, we looked over to see Rosalie sitting at the table with a full bag of chips. I called this Hungry Hungry Hippo: Rosie Edition.

He's always jumping in my lap & asking to to take a funny picture on my computer. :)

He's been the best uncle for the past three & half years, when he didn't have to be one at all. 

Uncle Bash & Jesse Ryder in an intense battle.

Beach House

A few weeks ago, Sebastian & I went to the Outer Banks with my best friend & her family (my best family?). We just went for the night, but it was a good little getaway on a weekend that I would really need to have my mind occupied.

Our friends were spending Christmas at the beach house with their whole family, which sounds like a fun thing to do. I tried to talk my family into doing an out-of-town Christmas this year, which everyone agreed to but my oldest brother. Something about 'traditions' & 'needing to be home'. :)

We got to Corolla pretty late on Friday night, so we pretty much unloaded the car & went to bed. We woke up to find that my mom's best friend had passed away unexpectedly, which made the rest of the day filled with lots of tears & sadness.

We ate breakfast, they put their Christmas tree up & decorated it, then we were off to walk on the beach. It was freeeeezing, of course, but it was nice to get all of the fresh, salty air. I needed that.

When we got back to the house, we jumped into the hot tub for awhile, ate dinner, & talked about playing Phase 10. By that time, their brother & sister-in-law had gotten there with baby Charlotte Pear, so we ended up crashing in the living room & watching all of the best parodies of Adel's 'Hello'.

Around 10, when we finally decided Sebastian should atleast get a liiittle sleep before work at 6:30, so we packed the car up again & headed back home. It's nice that it was just a two hour drive.

I'm thankful to have been away on December 19th - a day that will forever be etched in my mind as the time we lost such a wonderful woman. I was surrounded by people who loved Mrs. Tammy & grieved her loss as well, which made things seem somewhat easier.

Of course we'll never stop missing such a beautiful soul, but the beach house was filled with comfort that day, knowing she's pain-free, worshiping at the feet of our Savior.

What a wonderful place to spend Christmas. What a wonderful place to spend eternity.