Birthday Weekend Recap!

How cute is this RV themed birthday sign at work?! They know me so well! 

We had one whirlwind of a birthday weekend. It started and didn't seem to have a stopping point; that is until I was headed towards our home office today to post this and noticed a body in the bed in our back bedroom. My dear husband was passed out, after having called into work not feeling well. I guess our older bodies just aren't made to handle so much activity... It was well worth it though. 

We kicked off the celebrations a little earlier in the week with a trip to Escapology, an escape room in Orlando, for Babe's actual birthday day. We escaped the wild West with 12 minutes to spare and feeling pretty proud of these old think tanks we have! Friday began the true whirlwind...

Babe and I kicked off my birthday day with a trip to Sea World. I had gotten tickets from work, so we figured why not use them to celebrate a little. We realized we had not been to Sea World in about 5 years (we are Disney people around these parts), so there was a lot of new stuff to see. We really loved it! It was a rainy day, which meant fewer people, so it seemed like we owned the place. We rode every ride in the front row and didn't even get that sick! I loved the new penguin encounter. The ride was so neat and then you open into the room where there is no glass wall separating you from the penguins anymore. You can see them, hear them, smell them AND (if there wasn't a handful of people watching your every move) you are even close enough to touch them! It was pretty exciting!! 

We wrapped up the evening with what was suppose to be a short night with some friends, which managed to make it's way into a much longer night. It made us all just a bit worn out for Saturday, but we still made it to a day of volleyball and football in the park to really celebrate the day with everyone! 

If you haven't gotten together for a day at the park recently, I couldn't recommend it more! We stayed for probably 3 hours and loved each and every minute of it. The majority of the group played and those who didn't lounged in the warm sunshine. We were laughing (mostly at ourselves and our "epic" skills), rolling in the sand, getting a little bumped and bruised, and having the time of our lives!! It had been so long since any of us and really played a sport and it felt really nice to be active! Made me feel like a kid again! 

Saturday night Babe and I went to watch my niece in her Christmas dance performance at a nearby hotel and somehow came home with 4 children (4 month old included) in tow. Ok, truth be told, we asked for them, but still there we all were! Now that was a party!! It was loud, crazy, fun and we loved every minute! Even the pretty much sleepless night making sure the baby was breathing or not needing his paci and that my oldest nephew was feeling alright. Ty (age 10) started feeling sick while we were watching Santa Claus 3 and, sure enough, the next day he managed to get sick as soon as we got him home (probably why I found Babe passed out in the bedroom, not feeling well). It had been so long since we have had all the nieces and nephews at once, and the first time with the baby, that our bodies had forgotten how tired they can get the next day! Major kudos to all you full time moms and dads out there!! 
            

We finished up the celebrations with an early Christmas at my sisters Sunday morning. Though they only live a little over 30 minutes away, we always celebrate early so that no one has to worry about driving that far in all the crazy, Christmas day, traffic rush! All the food, fun and family was the perfect way to end the weekend!

Hoping your weekend was just as wonderful 

and that you are gearing up for all the fun festivities that come with Christmas week! 

Happy 4 days until Christmas!! 

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One other little surprise was finally receiving the Chomp Sticks that I had been waiting to review (all opinions are entirely my own). I love me some good beef jerky, so I have to be honest and say I was a little skeptical. I can be a tough jerky critic! One bite and I was sold! The Chomp Snack Sticks are the perfect on the go filler-upper! They kept us going through the busy weekend! They were tasty (Babe ate the jalapeno one and very much approved) and easy to eat. I love that they are made from 100% grass fed beef. We will definitely be picking up more of these to enjoy in the future for our hiking adventures!

Happy Birthday Babe!

 This guy turns 32 today! 32! I can't believe the guy I met when he was just turning 21 is now 32. I am beyond thankful to have spent the past decade with him. I was looking back through old photos trying to find the one below. There were so many memories to look back on and so much to love and it has only grown from there. 

These were taken 5 years ago on a ski trip to Snowshoe, WV. I loved our snow adventures because it meant he would grow the beard out! And now I  get to see that beard everyday! Yay, for beards finally being in (or me finally wearing him down)! He would never do it, because nobody at work had a beard and he didn't want to look unprofessional. I love his drive and his work ethic, but I also really love his beard. 

And now, I am off to clean! Wish me luck! We weren't doing presents this year (my birthday is two days from now), but I thought I would try to surprise him some. One of the other things I love about life with him is our lack of gender roles. He chose to marry me knowing I absolutely SUCK at housework. And I was very thankful to marry a guy who loves a clean house and who finds solace in cleaning it. I think I have finally learned how not to leave streaks when cleaning the counters... I mean, he has only given me the tutorial about 50 times. So today, I figured the best non-gift gift I could give him was to clean the house. I CAN do this, I CAN do this. Hopefully he will notice! Please say a prayer! At least he's giving me a thumbs up! 

Either way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE! 

2015: A Year in Review

2015 is almost gone, so I figured a little trip down memory lane couldn't hurt! Join me? 

~January, February, March~

I choose a word for the year this year and while I didn't do as well with it as I should have, I have learned a lot about what surrender looks like and it has found it's way to show up in the most unlikely of places. 

We spent some time on the ski slops in West Virginia and boy did SNOW Shoe live up to its name for that trip!! 

And we bid ado to our Disney passes after a wonderful year of all things Disney. We closed it out with my favorite Flower and Garden yummy...

Watermelon Salad!! 

Other favorite posts: Choosing Him, Words with FRIENDS, Surrendering the Older Brother

~April, May, June~

Maybe it was finally writing about our trip on the Carnival Breeze, but it was about this time that my thirst for adventure, and seeing the great unknown, really began to grow. So a lot of this chunk of time was spent dreaming about far off places and life on the open road. 

We soothed the wanderlust a little with a trip to Costa Rica to work with Agua Viva Serves, drilling wells in communities needing access to fresh water. Every trip I take with them is so eye opening and humbling. 

I also got to check a big item off the bucket list and be a beekeeper for the day! Oh, my honey loving heart was happy!!

Other Favorite posts: The Strangers in our Portrait, On Darkness & Hope, To Adventure!

~July, August, September~

Flo!! This was the big moment! We purchased our sweet little travel trailer and named her FloRida ReVa. Someday I will share with you her theme song, but for now here she is again!

This was her first moment as part of our family. Unfortunately, we had to leave her behind, but we were back a few weeks later to pick her up and bring her home!

This was our first full weekend all together, getting to know each other! 

She took her maiden voyage to Fort De Soto State Park and loved every minute!

We also took our annual niece and nephew adventure to Georgia, packed so much more than a backpack, welcomed the newest little nephew love, and I finally got to meet one of my best friend's sweet little baby boy when I went to visit them in Birmingham!

Other Favorite posts: Beautifully YOU!, On Grief and Glory, Orlando Tankful Adventures, An Ode to 17 Year Old Me

~October, November, December~
We kicked it in high gear with a little Tennessee road trip to see my cousin get married! And took what may be our Christmas card picture for this year. We have never sent them in all our 5 years of marriage and Babe wants to do them this year, but he also wants me to handle doing them (hence why we haven't before), so consider this your web version because this is probably as close as we will get...

We ran for recovery in a run hosted by my dad and the other men of the Mind, Body and Soul Surf Co. There was a great turn out and it was so heartwarming to see all the people who came out to support our family, be around so many people who loved my brother and to hear stories of those active in recovery and to meet the families who are helping them continue on in their battle against addiction.

I am so proud to call him Dad!

Flo took another adventure and we got to swim with sea cows!
We celebrated all we have to be thankful for and now we are hanging our stocking on the chimney with care and preparing for the birth of the best Gift we could have ever received!


Other Favorite posts: Thankful Things, Wish list things, The Ache of the Wait

And that's about it for the year so far! Slowly waving 2015 goodbye.
We will be closing the year out with Flo's first trip out of state and spending New Year's in/near Savannah. We have at least two full days in the city and have never really been (he never, me on a class trip in 6th grade). Any pointers for Savannah 1st timers? I would love to know where to eat!! We are doing Lady and Sons per Babe's request, but I would love to know some of your other favorites (I love fresh and flair!).

Thanks for following along with my year in review.
What did your year look like?!
Leave a comment (or link) below and let me know!