Weeks 11 & 13

I had my 16 week appointment today and am trying my best to catch up on this little blog while I have an hour to spare! I took a half day from school and Em is napping at her sitter. Even though I'd love to get the little lady early.. we'd have Godzilla on our hands for the rest of the night if I woke her from her nap. Girl loves (and NEEDS) her naps! ;)

I haven't been doing my best taking belly bump pictures, but I promised myself I would do a better job than when I was pregnant with Em. I took a lot of bump pictures with Emersyn, but not in an organized way - so it's hard to tell dates/how I was feeling/etc! And this mama brain forgets things pretty easily these days. :) I'll have a 16 week bump update later this week, but for now here are weeks 11 & 13... and 14! Xoxo.

I'm not in maternity pants yet - but they are getting tighter by the day! I'm trying to hold off until Maxi Skirt Season.. but we will see. :) Xoxo.

Go Bobcats! {14 weeks}

Oh, Baby, Baby!

Well it's official! We are pregnant! Baby Lee is set to Arrive on August 16, 2015.. but if you ask my opinion - I think he/she is going to come in early August. I know the U.S. technicians are the experts but I am pretty positive I am a bit farther along than they think.. or maybe that's just my growing belly talking! ;)

We are so excited and blessed.

Before this pregnancy we got pregnant in September, and lost the baby in late October. Baby stopped growing at 5 weeks and I started bleeding around 8. It was a roller coaster of emotions and something that I don't wish upon anyone - although I know I am not alone at all. We didn't tell many people, but the people that we did tell had story after story (most of them personal stories) of similar experiences. It really was comforting... and the small group of people that knew were so comforting and sweet. 

Anyway - fast forward to December - and I was concerned that my period hadn't shown up yet.. and then I started feeling a little sick.. and I just had a feeling - so I took a test.. and Voila! Honestly - it was exactly what I had hoped for but I didn't want to get my hopes too high because I didn't want to be disappointed. 

We had an appointment the day after Christmas to confirm that I was indeed pregnant and to "date" the pregnancy. Babe had a strong heartbeat and was measuring 6 weeks 5 days at that time.

We had another appointment at 11 weeks and 5 days.. and we got another Ultrasound where we could see baby and his/her tiny legs kicking. The doctors have been so sweet. They know I've been through a miscarriage so when they couldn't find the heartbeat right away, they immediately went for the U.S. which was a relief.

I am hopeful. I am praying every day.. and I do think this little baby is the rainbow at the end of a storm. We are so thankful. Here is how we announced to our family and friends!

Sweet little life.

Ahh! I feel like this is a new theme where I say, "It's been way too long since I last posted".. but it really has. Sweet Em is growing so fast and I already know that I'm going to miss things she's done/said because I haven't been blogging. It's so hard to remember every tiny memory.. but I wish I could hold on to them all and look back on them one day, because already she is growing into new phases and out of the old. She's going to be 3 in April - I've stopped counting the months - which probably means she is officially a big girl!

Our Christmas 2014 Picture 

 She is so much fun. Right now her favorite color is pink and she loves anything Peppa Pig. She loves waffles in the morning, coloring with markers after school, wearing tutu's with every outfit, watching a "show" once it's dark outside, and watching the "stars" with her nightlight while we cuddle together in her bed. We have to read her at least 5 bed time stories or it is impossible to leave her room. She talks to herself and her animals for at least 30 minutes before she falls asleep at night and I love laying nearby and listening to her imagination. She also asks if we'll make up stories for her at night and in every story she wants Minnie Mouse, Papa Rick, Nana, Emersyn, and  a Grumpy Monster that turns happy. Ha! I don't know where she comes up with it all but I love it.

In the fall we went to Athens (Go Bobcats) to visit my college-town with great friends. 

Her favorite trick is asking us if we have something on our shirt and then touching our nose and saying, "Oh there it is". :)

It's so much fun having conversations with toddlers and seeing how their little minds work. Today she told my nieces that they were all invited to her birthday party. She said she is going to be 3 and have play-doh and a unicorn cake. (Her birthday isn't until April). Ha! :) I guess I better start planning!

Halloween 2014 - Next year... she is already requesting to be a unicorn. :) 

We moved into our house over Christmas time and she loves her big girl bed and big girl room. But - she definitely misses her Mimi and Papa. For a year and a half we lived with them while trying to find a house to buy in a tiny town. We finally found one, but it needed a TON of work - so that's what we've been doing since July. Finally on Christmas we moved in, and it has been amazing! We still have a lot of work to do.. but it's been so nice to have our own home again. Em keeps asking when Mimi and Papa are going to come stay with us in "their" room.

Acting like a turkey at Thanksgiving

Time is flying, but I'm so thankful. We are one blessed little family and I'm really excited for all that's in store for us in 2015!

Dan and I are still getting settled in this tiny town in Ohio. We miss the beach a lot and for the past 5 years in SC I never thought about going on vacation because we lived in a vacation town. Now in freezing Ohio, I think about warm vacations often! :) It's funny how things change. It's so nice being near family and friends though. I don't think we could trade that! Our new school is nice and we are both so lucky to work in the same school (him in the high school, me in first grade). We really couldn't ask for better careers! Like I said, we're really excited about 2015. :) Xoxo.

Christmas 2014

Cali - You were good to us.

I can't believe that the last time I posted we were celebrating Emersyn's 2nd Birthday! The cold weather finally left Ohio in May and Summer has been so sweet. We still have some of it left, but I already know I am not going to want it to end. We have been sleeping in, playing outside, spending weekends at the lake, taking vacations, going on wagon rides, and most importantly to Emersyn... eating a lot of popsicles. :) If it were up to her, she would have a popsicle for every meal.

Here are some pictures from our trip to California. Emersyn absolutely loved California and still asks when we can go back. I love when she says the word "California" so we tend to talk about the west coast quite often. :) She loved the "giant sand box", the water that chased us(waves), and of course her cousins.

We spent a week in San Diego on the beach. Our hotel overlooked the ocean - which was pretty amazing. We went to the zoo, the aircraft carrier, and out to eat at a lot of fun restaurants. Tourists for sure. :) We also spent a few days in Lego Land. Afterwards we drove to Yosemite for another 5 days. Yosemite National Park was amazing, but I'll leave that for the another post.

The best part about it all was spending time with family that we absolutely love, but do not get to see nearly enough. Be prepared for picture overload. I couldn't help it. Xo.

Em and Judah's favorite game.. burying their feet and asking us "Where did it go?" :)

Playing with her big cousin. Look at that belly. :) 

San Diego Zoo with her Cousins!

Family Picture on the Aircraft Carrier.

Sneaking away for a night out after Em went to bed. :) 

Em LOVED kicking her legs in the pool. 

We celebrated Father's Day on the beach. :)

Em's favorite part of LEGO LAND with Aunt Gretchen... the sprinklers. :)

Spending time with Baby Adalyn and Uncle Dave. 

So. Much. Fun.

Time is going so fast. I don't have any other way to say it - but I want it to stop.. and I also can't wait to see what comes next. It's a constant tug and pull.

{I love this crazy, tragic - sometimes almost magic - awful, beautiful life.}

Em is TWO!

On Em's REAL Birthday {This past Wednesday} I took a half day in Kindergarten and picked her up early from daycare. She was kind of grumpy - so I was worried about the rest of the day. When we got home, she napped, and woke up a new little lady!

My sweet two year old.

We opened presents {She got a tiny bike, books, a DORA, and her very own Ariel Doll}, ate cake, and around 5:30 we left for Sesame Street Live!

Em has never really watched Sesame Street on T.V but she absolutely loves little videos on YouTube with Ernie and Elmo. She knows some of the characters just because we love hearing her say them.. {The name Rosita sounds amazing when a little two year old says it!}

I wasn't sure how she'd do.. but when the lights went down and the spotlights turned on with all of the characters, Em was in awe. I actually started crying a little because I've never seen her so surprised/happy about something... and it was just an emotional day because she turned TWO. Ugh.

Anyway, She couldn't stop giggling/dancing and every time Ernie or Elmo would leave the stage she would ask, "Where Elmo Go Mama?"

The best part of the night - We were on an isle and a few characters walked by to highfive the little ones. Em saw Rosita and was so excited and Rosita patted her on the head. It's 2 days later {which is a lot in toddler world} and she's still talking about Rosita. Highlight of her life. :) Haha.

The past two years have been so sweet with Emersyn. I feel blessed every day.. but on her birthday, I felt emotional! It snuck right up on me at Sesame Street Live and I realize how much our lives have changed for the better and how excited I am for all of the memories to come.

Em's Easter Egg Birthday Party

Well. She's Two. My little baby girl is pretty much on her way to Kindergarten. We had so much fun celebrating Em's Birthday! On Easter Weekend, we had an Egg Hunt/Pancake Birthday Party with Em's Cousins. She loved telling everyone that she was two all day long.. and when we served her Pancakes with a candle - she was so excited!

Wait.. I'm TWO?

It was a perfect and chilly April Day. I love that we took so many pictures to capture these moments when they are still so tiny. It will be so much fun for all of her cousins to grow up together and look back one day to see these.

Whole 30

Hey Friends,


I've taken the plunge on a new way of living{at least for the next 30 days} - It's called The Whole 30 and I am documenting it here. If you've never heard of it you should check out whole30.com. It's absolutely NOT a diet. It's more about becoming educated with what you put into your body and why. I'm sold already just from the first few chapters of the book It Starts With Food by Dallis and Melissa Hartwig. I just haven't been feeling right lately. My energy has been zapped. I feel sluggish.. and I'm not sleeping that well at night. I'm also pretty out of shape with the {post-mama not running enough} trap.
When we lived in South Carolina - with our own home, own schedule, etc. I ate pretty healthy (don't get me wrong I still enjoyed kettle chips, baked goodies, and drinking soda every now and then) but all in all I was pretty healthy. Fast forward to this year living with my parents (No..we still haven't found a home. Ugh.) and things have been a mess. I'm not sure why. I'd like to blame the colder weather and my body being tricked into thinking it needs to store food for the winter.. Haha but now that it's spring - I'm still doing the same thing! No more hibernation excuses.

I teach Kindergarten and I was finding myself exhausted by 1:00. So exhausted that I'd run immediately to get a Diet Dr. Pepper after the kids went to their specials area at 2:00. Then I'd feel good for a little bit but be kind of irritable. I'd get home from school and eat a ridiculous amount of junk because I was so hungry.. and then eat a not so healthy dinner.. go to bed.. not sleep well.. and wake up and do the whole thing over.

With the whole30 you eliminate dairy, most grains, legumes and processed sugar from your diet. I might be saying it wrong so if I am I apologize! You focus on what you can eat - and focus on REAL and NATURAL foods. No. More. Oreos. At least for 30 days. Then it's up to you with how you move forward. According to the authors - I'll never think about food the same way again. Does that mean I won't have an Oreo(or 5) every now and then after this Whole30 thing is over? Maybe.. but Maybe not. It does mean I'll at least be educated on what that Oreo does(and doesn't) do for my body.

*Update* The first three days were pretty easy for me.. and looking back at this - I was forming some pretty bad habits so I'm happy that I'm sticking with it {Day 14 now}. I'm not positive that I'll choose to do this for 30 days - but so far it has been eye opening and in the future I really do think I'll be more intentional with what I put in my body. 

22&23 Months and Life.

I was just looking back at my 21 Month Post thinking about how much has changed with Emersyn in just a few months! She is getting so big. Each day I am completely blown away by her new vocabulary. Dan and I will look at each other and say, "Did she really say that? I think she did.. but how does she know that?"

Ohio has still been freezing up until.. well.. today. Today was beautiful! 60 degrees.. sunny.. breezy... amazing. I have missed the spring. It makes missing South Carolina a little bit easier when Em and I can actually get out and play after school.

This year has really been a blur. I am not really sure what to think of it yet or how I will look back on it when time has passed. I'm not even sure what I'll think of these sappy blog posts.. haha but I do know one thing - it's okay that this year has been tough.. and it's also okay that I'm happy it's almost over.

Our first year at the new school is wrapping up, our time living with my parents is ending soon, and this summer is going to be full of settling in to our new little town, traveling with family, and visiting amazing friends. I think through this spring and summer it will start to feel more like home. I know it sounds crazy.. it's been 9 months - but at times it still feels like I'm just visiting Ohio on a long trip. I'm ready for that feeling to be over.

I've missed the positive people and genuine friendships that come with being in a place for a while. 5 years in S.C. was the perfect amount of time to really build some wonderful friendships. It's hard to start over again and it's also hard to admit I have to start over again considering we are living so close to my hometown.

I knew this day would come when I would have to "come back home" and realize that home isn't what I left behind. My parents are still here.. I still LOVE life in the country, but my hometown is not really my little town anymore and the connections I have with people are much different than 10 years ago (but that's understandable, right?)

I'm stronger than I was.. and the relationship I have with my husband, God, and a few sweet friends - has only gotten stronger. They've listened to me cry, assured me it would be okay, and gave advice.  I'm thankful for this year.. and I'm excited about what's to come.

Xo.

21 Months

Oh My! Sweet Em is 21 months and I can't believe how big she is getting. We have been spending a lot of time drawing, playing in Em's toy kitchen, and with her princess castle. It's been too cold to go outside - especially with the negative temperatures but hopefully when it warms up we can head outside to play in the snow! :)

Her newest obsession is Sesame Street. She hasn't really ever seen the show, but we have showed her little songs on YouTube. Elmo's Ducks and Ernie's Bath are just some of her all-time favorites. Sesame Street Live is coming to our town in April and it just happens to be on April 23rd.. which is Em's 2nd Birthday! Obviously, I was over excited and we purchased tickets RIGHT away. I hope she isn't terrified of the large characters. Haha.

If you follow on instagram {prettylittleelm} then you have already seen this picture! We had so much fun taking these pictures. It's definitely a group effort - but I love that we'll have the pictures one day.

{Food Favorites Lately}

• Spaghetti, Spaghetti, and more Spaghetti :) 
• Veggies and Dip (small pieces of broccoli and carrots while I'm sitting with her)
• Cookies... I gave her one vanilla oreo after dinner ONE night and she won't let me forget it. :) 

{Play}

• Girl would listen to music all day long as long these songs were on repeat: EIEIO, BINGO, Hokey Pokey and Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. 
• Coloring and Drawing
• Sesame Street Stuffed Animals. She wouldn't try her peas the other night, but when I pretended Elmo was telling her to - she definitely tried them. Ha! :) 

{Words}

• She knows her colors! We are pretty excited about it and so is she. We are still working on purple, pink, black and white. 
• New words every day. Putting 2-3 words together especially - Emi Fall Cry No Way. She loves saying that when she's about to do something dangerous that she isn't supposed to do. :)

{Skills}

• Em went to the bathroom on the potty! She has done it twice now - not sure if she really gets it or if we are just in the right place at the right time. Either way, we still aren't pushing it but we are excited about it. :) 

{Moments}

• Em singing to songs, or breaking out with the alphabet song when we least expect it. She started singing Rain, Rain, Go Away the other day and I had no idea she knew the song... but I could totally understand what she was saying! 
• Rocking her to sleep on a night she wasn't feeling well. We don't get to do that too often anymore and I loved it. 

20 Months

Time is flying with the little lady. Every now and then.. hubby and I take a peak back on the last two years and seriously can't believe how little (and chunky) she was! She's growing up so fast, but she keeps getting better every day! Sometimes I can't even believe she was just a little baby bump. Happy 20 Months sweet girl. You make us happy when skies are gray. Xo.

Daddy was making her laugh so hard because he was having little people fall off of his head. It's the small things. :)

{Weight} 

{Teeth} Too many to count! Her mouth is full. :) And she's had a bit of a hard time with teething in the past two months. 

{Food}

• She loves fruit! Blueberries and Apples are her favorite.

• Food - She isn't loving the vegetables lately, so we have to sneak them in! She likes turkey, chicken, and anything we are eating for dinner. I feel like I'm making better food choices because I can't sneak anything with her - she always wants what we have! 

• She LOVES cheese as well. Basically everything you hear toddlers like/don't like.. she falls right along with it. Although she does like carrots and tomatoes - so we are happy about that! :) 

{Play}

• Em is starting to imagine and I love watching her! She got a little people princess castle and loves making them go through the doors, jump out the window {eek}, climb the towers, and say hi to one another. She also loves playing with her baby and putting her to bed and feeding her milk. 
• She still loves her stuffed animals and has to tell me each name almost every morning. She holds them up and says.. Hippo, Moose, Bunny Hop Hop, Cow, etc. 
• One word.. ELMO. She is crazy over this little red guy. She got Big Hugs Elmo for Christmas and was terrified at first, but now she wants to take him everywhere and make sure that he does everything she is doing. 
• Drawing - She wants to do it all of the time! It's something I love doing with her.. we sit together and draw with big chunky crayons. She is trying to figure out the color names - but still confuses them. 

{Words}

• Too many to count! She is definitely a talker and is a little sponge when it comes to learning new words. Around 19 Months she started putting two words together like "Papa Bye Bye" and "No Daddy!" Haha. 
• She leaves the ends or different sounds off of a lot of words. I can pretty much understand everything she is saying.. but it's funny to watch other people try to figure it out! {Jup instead of Jump.. Pay instead of Play.. Moo instead of More}
• She can count to 4 and make it to the letter E in the alphabet. I'm not sure she really knows what counting means, but she'll copy us by holding up objects as she counts. It's really cute. :) 
• Em's Favorite Words - {Oh My} when something happens that surprises her. {No Way} when we are trying to trick her or when she doesn't want to do/eat something. {Elmo} for obvious reasons.. and talking about herself in 3rd person like when she is about to do something she shouldn't be doing.. {Emi uh huh Mama. Emi uh huh.} :)

{Skills}

• Jumping. She is starting to really figure this out when we are on the bed. When she is on the ground she still never actually leaves the ground... but she is trying! 
• Walking Backwards, Rolling, Twirling, and more crazy dance moves. :) Running - She loves to see how fast she can go, especially when we are chasing her. 
• Eating with silverware. Not sure if she is a righty or lefty - but she is getting pretty good with both!
• She loves making us laugh. Just last night out of no where she said "Ah Choo" and pretended to sneeze. When we ask her if she has to cough.. she always does her fake cough and pats herself on the back. :)

{Moments}

• Playing in the snow for the first time. All she really wanted to do was eat the snow.. but she stayed outside very happily for about an hour! 
• LOVING her grandparents. It's so great living in Ohio now because she truly loves all four of them and wants to see them all of the time! I think the grandparents are loving it even more. :) 

{Changes}

• Em loves all of her friends at her new {Home Daycare} We have been on Christmas Break for over 2 weeks and she still talks about them like she just saw them yesterday. I think she's pretty excited to go back and play with them! 
• She has started with "meltdowns" and we are learning and choosing as parents how to deal with it. So far.. we either just let it be until she calms down {ignore} or one of us takes her to a quiet room and talks to her about what she's doing and the choices she has. Parenting is so tough! I'm not sure if anything is working - but she seems to calm down when we take her away from the situation - and she seems to understand everything we are saying... time will tell!
• She definitely knows where the potty is.. and what it is used for.. and tell us when she has gone to the bathroom in her diaper. We are not doing anything crazy yet, but if she says potty, we definitely sit her on the potty and see what she'll do. She is around some 2-2 1/2 year olds at her home daycare so she is definitely seeing them use the potty every day! 

2014 - Perspective

I once read that your 28th year was supposed to be your best {you know in one of those crazy ranking articles you find that your friend posted from Facebook}. Anyway - that kind of hit me hard...The year really was wonderful... at least until I turned 28 and we moved back to Ohio.

Moving Day in Summerville {July 2013}

It was a seamless move..Seriously seamless. We both got jobs quick, sold our house even faster, and had amazing parents that opened up their home as we searched for a home of our own. {that we still haven't found yet. Eek.}

It all worked out exactly as we had planned when hubby and I first discussed moving down the coast as {lovebirds} in college.
- live in a little apartment on the coast as newlyweds...check
- teach and enjoy what the perfect city of Charleston/Summerville has to offer...check
- move back to Ohio to be near family when we are ready to settle down and raise a family...check


But it's been hard to come home. Really hard. I knew it was going to be an adjustment.. getting used to all things new.. but I didn't know that I would question our decision almost daily the first few months that we moved back. Every day I asked myself why I didn't love our lives in Ohio as much as I loved them in S.C. Why I liked who I was better when I was in S.C. and why being so close to family didn't fix all of my doubts. I haven't quite worked through all of my feelings yet.. but the bottom line is..{and I'm sorry that it took me 4 paragraphs to get to..}

I'm ready for a new perspective. I'm ready to embrace this new life in front of us. Perspective is my word and resolution for the year...or at least having a positive one. Embracing change and embracing that even if I "think" life is tough - it's really all about perspective.. and I've had the wrong one..oh for about 6 months now.

I've spent all of this time looking back at what we had in Summerville and because of that.. I haven't had the chance to move forward and embrace all that we have here.

I'm so thankful for the person I became through my experiences and relationships in S.C. I'm thankful for the sweet friends that made me a better person and my husband who has been my rock through it all. But I'm ready to start living in the present again. I'm ready to change my perspective and embrace change. Embrace the snow, the country roads, cornfields, and a lake house instead of a beach house.

Sweet Em has had a positive perspective since we drove down our country lane in the U-Haul. She has already turned from a little Carolina Baby into a Country Toddler who loves dancing in the rain, eating sweetcorn, playing in the dirt, and riding ponies {or at least talking about them} every chance she gets.

{Our Little Country Lady}

2014 is going to be an amazing year... and from now on... so is my 28th. :)

Xo,

Brittany

Christmas 2013

Christmas is so much more fun with Sweet Em in our lives. 

 Every time she opened a present she said, "Oh my! Oh my!" which is her new favorite phrase thanks to the book, "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". I can't get enough of her saying it...so hopefully that phrase sticks around for a while. :)

The big part that she didn't understand was opening more than one present. After she opened one, she wanted to play with it instead of opening more.

It was nice to not have to travel this holiday. Every other holiday for the past 5 years we have made the big trip from S.C. to Ohio and everything was always amazing {and really rushed}. This year - it almost didn't feel like Christmas because we weren't making plans to travel - weren't stressed out and packing.. and I didn't have to spend hours in my classroom getting everything ready for the new year.

We had a lot of family come in from out of town and this morning they all left. The house is definitely quiet and I'm a little sad that it's all over. We are still living with my parents because we just can't find a house we both love! It's been a blessing.. because we have somewhere to stay mortgage free.. but at the same time - it's been a hard adjustment. Sweet Em loves it though.

I still feel like we are living in limbo.. not really settling in here, but not really knowing where we are going to end up. I wish that I could just get past it and enjoy the time I have at my parent's house - but it's hard to keep perspective at times. I miss the little life we used to have.. I miss living in more than two bedrooms, I miss Saturday mornings together as a little family at the beach and Charleston... and I still miss Summerville and the people there a lot.

Even though life has been a little {off} for me lately.. I still know how blessed I am. An amazing hubby.. and perfect daughter. A family that supports me and a new school and community close to home where everyone has been so sweet. Not to mention a group of kindergarten students that make me smile every day {even if they are a little crazy}.

It's easy to lose perspective - and miss everything we used to have.. but it's also pretty easy to get it back.. especially when you have memories like this.

P.S. - Don't let this picture fool you - Em was terrified of Big Hugs Elmo for the first 30 minutes. Ha! :) 

Hope you all had an amazing holiday with family & friends! Xo.

Eek! Life is Crazy.

Hey Everyone!

I'm on my lunch break at school and I just wanted to write a quick post to tell y'all that I miss you! I miss blogging.. and I miss the memories I was documenting while I was doing a better job. Life has been crazy. We have moved back to Ohio and let me tell you.. I underestimated how hard it is to MOVE! Not even physically.. that was annoying.. but emotionally.

Let's just say I've been an emotional wreck. Well.. not a wreck.. all of the time at least. But It's definitely more like a roller coaster. My poor husband. :) Haha.

Anyway - I'm doing a guest post over on Strawberry Swings and Other Things. Erinn is amazing! If you don't already follower her blog, you definitely should!

We've been busy going to pumpkin patches and enjoying all things fall. I will say - that is something I missed with living in Summerville. You REALLY get the seasons in Ohio.. which makes me terrified for winter.

A few teachers said that SNOW is in the forecast for next week. {Say What?!} I seriously can't handle that.

Xoxo.

Greener Grass

Hey Blog Friends!

I know.. I know. It's a new theme that I start out every blog post with {Wow..it's been way too long!}.I was doing so well with posting all of the time and with the craziness of this summer blogging has definitely taken a back seat.

Thank you all for your sweet comments about our big move. It still feels like we are on a long vacation.. and not actually gone. I've been missing my sweet friends in South Carolina and our little life that we built there... a lot lately. Friends are still checking up on me all of the time and it means the world. We relied on so many people in S.C to be our family.. and now that they aren't close to us, I feel like something is missing. I don't know if anyone reading this has ever moved close to their hometown after being gone for a while.. but it's a big adjustment! Even though it's a place I've known my whole life and my family is here.. it just doesn't feel quite like home yet.

With that said.. I'm not being very fair! We've only been here for a few weeks and haven't even started our new jobs yet. :) I'm sure it will start to feel like home once we are an active part of the community.

Em is having a blast. Between weekends at the lake and unlimited space to run - she's set. She knows my parents by name now and just loves them. She screams and runs when they get home and looks for them when she wakes up in the morning.. especially when Mimi has graham crackers. :) The move is all worth it when we put things into perspective.

Another perk is the backyard. Wow. We moved from a tiny backyard in a neighborhood to acres and acres in the country. :) We play A LOT outside.. and Em has adjusted to her little farm girl life pretty quickly {especially when it comes to playing in the dirt and rocks.}

{Headband}

{Top Notch Dance Moves}

Xo. Happy Weekend! :)