Highgrove Estate Wedding

This weekend we traveled home to North Carolina to celebrate the marriage of one of Eddie's oldest friends. We had such a great time and truly enjoyed the chance to catch up with people we haven't seen in far too long (and introduce them to our little Charlie bear too!)

The wedding ceremony and reception were both held at the Highgrove Estate in Fuquay Varina. It was my first time attending an event there and OH MY GRACIOUS. It is simply STUNNING. I learned the home was recently re-decorated and I was blown away by the ornate details and gorgeous furniture! Every detail was gorgeous and I must have whispered to Eddie at least a thousand times, "please let's just move in here! Maybe they won't notice!"

Naturally, I had to take a few snaps of the interior of the home and Eddie pretended not to know me as I walked around fluffing pillows/discarding trash and snapping pictures of furniture! ;)

Here are a few snippets from the Highgrove Estate and our weekend celebrating the new Mr. and Mrs. Wester:

 This wall of antique mirrors stopped me in my tracks!

Spring DC Trip (Charle's first road trip!)

At the beginning of spring, Charlie and I tagged along on Eddie's work trip to Washington DC! When Eddie and I first met, our first trip together was with my family to DC, so it was only fitting that Charlie's first road trip was to the very same place. We loved exploring the city and introducing Charlie to the wonder of our nation's capital (he was very inspired of course ;) Being his first hotel stay, he did great and loved being outdoors while we were seeing all the sights.

When we found out the dates of our DC stay, I was thrilled that our trip would coincide with the fluffy pink cherry blossoms blooming around the city! However, when we arrived, we were greeted by unusually cold weather and quickly discovered that the cherry blossoms had peaked early this year! We quickly improvised by grabbing a couple of coats off of the clearance rack and bundled up to explore all around the monuments and take in the sights of the city :) One day I would love to see all of the cherry blossoms in full bloom though!

 Below are a few highlights from our trip documented on my iPhone:

 

 

 

 

DC favorites:
activities: visiting the monuments around the national mall; air and space museum; carousel on the national mall; downtown alexandria; national arboretum; the supreme court; the white house

eating: *founding farmer's (AMAZING); georgetown cupcakes; *bilbo baggins; trademark restaurant co; baked & wired; potbelly sandwich shop; *good stuff eatery

(First few photos by Lincoln Photography)

Summer Front Porch Refresh

It's officially summer! With the days lasting a bit longer, we are loving our extra family time relaxing together outside. The baby absolutely LOVES being outdoors, and lately our favorite outdoor hangout spot has been the front porch.

I knew it was finally time to make this spot warm and cozy since I hadn't done anything to it since we moved in last year! When Home Decorators Collection asked me to be a part of their #HDCrugsforthesummer tour, it was the perfect motivation to make this space welcoming and comfortable.

Check out the before/after of our summertime front porch!!

It's now the perfect spot to cozy up and enjoy family time! :)

With a few essential items, I was able to pull this space together quickly and affordably (win-win!). Thanks to the great selection of outdoor items at Home Decorators Collection, this small space is now the perfect place to relax and welcome guests.

Without a doubt, the biggest impact in this small space comes from the beautiful blue patterned rug.  I'll admit there were about five different rugs in my cart at one time, but when I came across this beautiful Martha Stewart Temple Gate outdoor rug, I was in love! The size and texture were perfect.

When the rug arrived, the coloring was even more beautitiful in person! I was happy to find that the material is both soft and thicker than most outdoor rugs. It's also husband-approved because it's functional too ;) Our porch is covered but it does get wet when it rains; I've found this rug takes water well and dries quickly, which means more time to enjoy being outside together. 

Home Decorators Collection has a huge selection of outdoor items, and I also scooped up the navy outdoor lumbar pillow and a monogrammed square outdoor pillow. I love the custom braided trim to give the pillows a little something special. The monogrammed square pillow didn't quite make it in time, but I'll be sure to show you how it looks in the space! Check out their sale on outdoor furniture and decor if you're looking to cozy up an outdoor space too.

For more inspiring outdoor spaces, be sure to check this amazing group of blogger friends for the #hdcrugsforthesummer sponsored by Home Decorators Collection:

Monday: Gloribell from I Don't Know How She Does It
Tuesday: Sarah from Life on Virginia Street
Wednesday: Danielle from The Cheerful Home
Thursday: Haeley from Design Improvised
Friday: Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies

Front Porch Source list:
martha stewart temple gate rug: home decorators collection
outdoor lumbar pillow (color: indigo sunbrella): home decorators collection
square monogrammed pillow (color: indigo sunbrealla): home decorators collection
outdoor loveseat, chair, cushions: home depot
medallion pillows, white ceramic stool: home goods
lantern: gifted from friend
hanging planters, blue pot: hobby lobby
wreath: target
iron wall decor: gifted from friend (thanks, aubrie!)
table: grandparent's garage (thanks, grandma!)

Thank you so much to Home Decorators Collection for sponsoring this post. All choices and opinions are my own. For more decor inspiration check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Easter 2016

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's where we celebrate the hope and purpose found in our risen Savior. "He is not here for He has risen just as He said." Matthew 28:6

This year was extra special because it was Charlie's first Easter! Below are a few pictures we captured on Easter weekend.

Baby rolls and a baby sailor suit :) This outfit is extra special because it was his daddy's when he was a baby!

Charlie's Easter basket will be something we use every year, and this year is was literally big enough for him to fit into! ;) Eddie and I both have such fond memories of celebrating Easter during childhood, and we are looking forward to celebrating with our son in the years to come.

 

On Saturday, we took Charlie and his cousin Mckenzie to a local Easter egg hunt. Charlie had a blast watching all of the kiddos search for eggs and bounce in the inflatables. Since he didn't have any eggs in his basket, Mckenzie was so thoughtful and shared a few of hers! She also won the grand prize, a large stuffed pink bunny! (She was SO proud of that bunny!)

All of the Easter festivities, family time, egg hunts, baskets, and bunnies are all so much fun; but at the forefront of all that is the real reason we celebrate: the hope and purpose the resurrection brings to all of us. Praise Him from whom all blessings flow!

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