humbling

Yesterday I woke up and couldn't wait to tell my husband something very important.

Happy Birthday Dan

You are probably rolling your eyes and thinking, well ya, that is what you say to someone on their birthday Rachel.  But I have got to tell you I haven't said those words to him in person, since the day I fell in love with him.  Since the age of 18 Dan has only been home with his friends and family for one birthday.  The rest of them he has been deployed.  He has had to spent his birthday in a country far from home.  Places where mail doesn't always make it on time, phone conversations are few and far between, and you are working around the clock.  I am sure he was home sick and wanted to be surrounded by the people he loved but I never heard him complain once. 

I take my birthday pretty seriously and when I looked at my husband yesterday morning I was humbled by the fact that he had gone so long without celebrating his.  I couldn't help but want to do everything for him.  He amazes me everyday with his kind heart and compassion.  Like I said, he is humbling and makes me always want to be a better person.  So you can't blame me when I wanted to throw him a big old party and celebrate him and all he is done BUT I wasn't aloud to do anything for his birthday...I made him a promise.

That being said I did make him one of his favorites for dinner.... 

  

Then I made chocolate chip salted caramel cookie bars with vanilla ice cream.  

He sat and watched the Bruins game (let's not even talk about that!) and ate his dinner so content.  

He didn't want anything else.  It put a lot of things in perspective for me and I hope he knows how happy I am to have him by my side on his birthday.  It almost brings tears to my eyes.     

earth day

Well I guess it is about time to tell you that I am one of those people who celebrates Earth Day.  It all started while I was living in Hawai'i and Jack Johnson would throw this big old love festival on Earth Day.  There would be all kinds of music and the proceeds went to the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation.  So every year I try to enjoy this earth we live on and give back what I may have taken away.  

And maybe, just maybe I will hug a tree.

Well this year I didn't really do very much to celebrate Earth Day since the day itself was rainy and cold.  But I have to say last week I did start my garden in hopes of living more sustainably. 

I have this pretty good size space for a garden that probably hasn't been used in years.  I started digging away, saving some of the perennials that had been left behind and replanting them elsewhere.  I did this all while making a fashion statement.  Yup, rocking the floppy hat to keep my 27 year old skin safe from the sun.

  

Of course I brought out my coffee mug with a flower on it.  You know, for inspiration.  

My in laws had given me all sorts of gardening stuff for my birthday including organic seeds to start my vegetable garden.  I haven't planted anything yet but I can't tell you how excited I am to have fresh vegetables at my fingertips all summer.  Well that is if my green thumb works.   

the first wedding weekend

Dan and I got to attend our first wedding of the season (yes, there are many ahead)!  The weekend ended up just beautiful and we got to enjoy our Saturday celebrating dear friends.  

Plus we had the pleasure of taking a joy ride on a golf cart. 

To answer a few of your questions about the photos above.  I am trying very hard to take more photos of my hubby and I, hence the photos we obviously took of ourselves.  Bear with me.  We did steal a golf cart and I got talked into sitting on top of it to take a photo (I know I am such a lady).  

Dan took me for a joy ride around the golf course.  

Though we did off road it a little and raced the boys.  

Don't judge us, we can't help it if we let our hair down on the weekends.  

Plus golf cart races is all the rage these days.

a grumpy week

Last week I was a little off, or as I like to put it emotionally under the weather.  Which I promised I wouldn't talk about in my last post but I lied.
My poor, loving, wonderful husband takes the brunt of it and handles my bad moods with such grace.  I have been getting up earlier than usual these days, just to have a little me time.  You know, time to read, to write, and just some time to think before I head into my busy day.  Every morning I make myself some green juice (details on this later) for breakfast and that means I have to use the blender.  Since I was up so early I didn't want to wake my peaceful hubby so I closed our bedroom door before making my breakfast.  Ten minutes later I was totally enjoying some precious me time and Dan starts yelling, "Rach, is everything okay?"  He didn't understand why the bedroom door was closed (because we never close it).  I stomped into the bedroom, whipped open the door, and pretty much gave him the stink eye.  Crazy wife on the loose.  Poor guy never saw it coming.  I promise I pulled myself together pretty quickly.
Believe me when I say I was a treat last week.

Later on that morning Dan was trying to help me out and decided to make me some coffee before work....what a sweetheart.  That was until he didn't know what coffee cup I usually take to work.  Again, poor guy was just trying to help and I was getting all wound up about his coffee cup choice.  Right then and there I figure I better pump the breaks with this bad mood or I was going to ruin my whole wee.  I pulled myself together (twice in one morning??!?!?)  before work and made it through the day.  Though I did send Dan about 100 I am sorry for being crazy texts.  

When I am in funk, like I was last week I try to increase my workout time, me time, and the things I choose to put in my body.  I ate my weight in fruit which included a lot of citrus fruit.  Then I got a canker sore.  Yup, it was that kind of week.
I rolled my yoga mat out to try and workout a few things and right when I was getting frustrated with a pose (or with myself) I looked down to one of my fuzzy felines rolling around right in between my hands.

I couldn't help but smile and realize that there was nothing really that wrong.
So I got over myself. 

Our Weekend

I haven't posted in about a week.  Sorry about that.  Last week was a busy one and plus I was in a funk.  Anyway, things turned around and this is what our wonderful weekend looked like.  And don't worry I am in a better mood this week.

 

I meant to share this last week but like I said I was grouchy and believe me, no one wanted to hear about that.  This was a gift from my parents from my birthday.  My brother took wedding photos of us the day after the wedding and this is one of them.  My mom got the photo done up on a big stretched canvas.  

It is stunning if I don't say so myself.

We were tricked in March with 80 degree weather here in Boston.  Then it got cold again and well, no one was that happy about it.  This weekend everything turned around.  The weather was beautiful and everything had a good time starting to bloom again.  Our yard looks fabulous.  Yes, I said a yard!  In the city (well not really the city but pretty darn close)?!?!  I know it is like we won the megabucks.  So please come over and hang out in it.
We had house guest on Saturday night.  We had friends come down to celebrate another friend's birthday and they brought a very handsome yellow lab.  He is welcome anytime, especially since I think Dan would have kept him.  Sorry guys I didn't get any photos of you just took them of your pup.  How embarrassing to admit.  We use all our patio furniture and grilled out.  I filled the house with fresh flowers, lots of them.
On Sunday we took the Harley out for a spin.  It was the first time either us had been n the bike in a year AND it was our first ride as husband and wife.  Big happenings, I know.  Oh and the stuff in Dan's truck?  That isn't ours, Dan had help my aunt and uncle move a few things but I had to post it because he looked so darn manly.  We saw our favorite baby, Jaxon and we ended the weekend sitting in the sun in our yard.  

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! 

a birthday weekend

This Friday I celebrated my 27th birthday.  I woke up and coffee was already made.
Nothing is better than coffee already made when you get up in the morning.
Then when I headed to my car I found Ms. Hula holding an invitation for dinner.
I have been pushing Dan's buttons for months now saying that I was going to get a hula girl for the dash board of my car.  And well he beat me to it.
Then we celebrated the begining of my late 20's with dinner and of course dessert.

 

On Saturday I invited some of my gal pals over for lunch.  Amy had brought over some over delicious treats from sweet tooth.  I got together my most favorite things for the girls to enjoy.  

 

Everyone ate, drank, and of course held Jaxon.  He was the only boy invited to this party.
The plan was to do foot soaks and facials but everyone decided to visit instead...except for Kerri who soaked her feet and found out that she fits into my husbands boat shoes.  Hilarious!  The day was more than wonderful and it was so nice to have our home filled with the people we love.

Early Sunday morning we headed home to Maine to spend Easter with my family and to celebrate my birthday.  We went to church and then spent the afternoon at my parents house.  Dan split wood and I took a very long bubble bath in the jacuzzi tub.  I have a new obsession with great bathtubs and my parents definitely have one.  The weekend was exactly what I needed as I step into this new year of my life.  On our way home we caught the sunset as we drove over the bridge in Portsmouth.

I hope everyone had a blessed and happy Easter!

Six Things on April Sixth

Well in light that I am now officially a year older I thought I would let you guys in on a few things about me. 
So here is six things about me on April 6th.

1.  I danced classical ballet for 10 years (ages 8-18).
Yup I was rocking the toe shoes, tights, and the leotard.

2. I grew up in Maine, live in Hawaii for four and a half years, traveled through Belize, surfed through Costa Rica, backpacked through Europe, volunteered my way through Romania, and honeymooned in the Caribbean.
What I mean to say is I LOVE to travel. 

3.  I have to eat things like m&ms in even numbers.
And I have to eat the same number on each side of my mouth.
Neurotic huh?

4.  I love to sing.
In the shower, doing the dishes, in the car....it doesn't really matter.
I sang as a kid all the way through college.
And now the neighbors just get to hear it.
Don't worry I am a regular Aretha Franklin.

5.  I never thought I would get married.
I pictured myself driving my way through Africa in a land rover helping children, or animals, you know something cute.
And as single as could be.
I guess you can never say never.

6.  I am "word sensitive".
I put that in quotes because I totally made up the diagnosis.
Some words I can't hear without cringing.
Some words just straight up gross me out.

I hope you enjoyed me bearing my soul for you this morning. 
I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend!

a little off my to do list

Tuesday is my day during the week where I only halfway work.  It was a blessing in disguise.  At first not having a normal Tuesday at work kind of freak me out but it has been more than wonderful.  I get to take one of my favorite yoga classes, have a cup of coffee, and pretty much fill my morning with simple things.  It turns the second day of the work week into a very productive day.  

So here is what I accomplished today..... 

a few things that I have been meaning to get done; a few things I have been wanting to check off my to-do list.  

It feels so good.

I finally finished the garden wall in my kitchen.  Those little pots are filled with fresh herbs that I can use while I cook.  

{hardware : ikea // soil and plants : home depot}

Then I turned these three wonderful fabrics into wall hangings for our bedroom.  I have been scouring to find blue and white prints that would look good as decor and this weekend I finally did.  Once I get my act together I will post a tutorial on how to make these.

{fabric : sewfisticated // canvas : michaels}