Mindless Baking [Wandering]

Blair and I are headed to Columbia this weekend for the Kenny Chesney & Zac Brown Band concert. There are several others "acts" that play throughout the day so we are tailgating with a big group of friends before the concert (yes, we are that dedicated). True to form with people our age, the e-mails start circulating the week or two before about who is bringing what. I am not knocking this strategy at all, it always makes for a very organized get-together but I have "sign-up anxiety" and never really know what to sign up for. Good thing Blair signed us up to bring something "sweet". How well he knows me. Needless to say this is what I have been day dreaming about this week...

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I feel like anything called "Knock your socks off brownie bars" are probably going to be good. I will let you know how they turn out. Assuming, that is that I don't eat all of the batter before they actually make it in the oven.

Where I'll be on Tuesday Nights...

Bob's Car Wash

A Year of Us

Blair and I celebrated our one-year anniversary this past weekend by taking a short weekend get-away to Asheville. It is only about an hour from Spartanburg so as much as it pained us to leave Khaki (I wish I was joking), I was really looking forward to the weekend.

Thankfully the sunshine decided to cooperate on Saturday and we started the day off right with an awesome BBQ lunch at Moe's; this is one of Blair's favorite places to eat when he is in Asheville for work and I was excited to try it, it gave it just the fuel we needed to tromp around the Biltmore for a few hours.

Get the turkey. Do NOT leave without trying the banana pudding.

Acting our age at the winery

Everything was so green and beautiful

The potting room in the conservatory

Beautiful, happy tulips

I was in awe of the Biltmore. I had never been there before and luckily we had several hours before our admission time at the house so we got to walk/drive all over the grounds and really see it all...including Wofford's very own President Dunlap and his wife who very sweetly congratulated us on first year of marriage (they are on their way to 50!).

In front of our new digs. Yea, right...

Yellow wildflowers galore

After lots of walking and some Biltmore ice cream (like I was going to go somewhere and not get ice cream) we settled at our hotel and then were off to dinner at The Admiral. Blair's parents had a bottle of champagne waiting for us at our table and it was the perfect start to what was the best meal that we have had in a long time. I would 100%, absolutely recommend The Admiral, great food, great service, great atmosphere. Just great.

Our very thoughtful waiter added a candle to our dessert (which we inhaled). He said "I'm not really sure how candles and anniversaries work but this seemed appropriate". Very sweet.

Cheers!

Dinner was the perfect way to end our day together...until we ate again. Obviously. We caved and waited in line at Tupelo Honey and I may or may not have the other half of our ridiculously delicious pancake in our fridge right now. Back home it was time for more bubbles and a home cooked meal.

Food coma.

Hard at work.

It was such a fun weekend and the perfect way to celebrate our first year together. Everyday I feel happy and honored to be married to Blair, can't wait for what lies ahead!

Reunited

This past weekend was spent with my closest girlfriends from college and it was perfect. We have seen each other since graduation sure, but usually at Homecoming, weddings, the occasional lunch or weekend visit but now that we are spread out over several states it is extremely rare to be able to coordinate a weekend where we can dedicate ourselves to doing absolutely nothing. And by nothing I mean there was a challenge to see who could stay in their pajamas the longest on Saturday (Congratulations to Kristen and almost Jamie).

Cheers to repeating the festivities next year!

The PB Bandwagon

No, not Pottery Barn. I'm talking about Pure Barre. Two weeks ago Blair and I went back to Columbia for a reunion of sorts with my old roommates. After a delish dinner Friday night, Saturday morning came a'knockin and Marsha, Sam, and I were off to Pure Barre. Marsha and Sam have both been attending classes regularly, Marsha has even become a certified instructor.

I didn't really know what to think; I've heard it was hard but otherwise I was feeling pretty nervous. I don't always enjoy workout classes as I am not the most coordinated individual to ever grace the planet. Marsha and Sam both said that you would be so focused on what you were trying to get your own body to do that you would not notice anyone else. They were right. It was almost impossible. My legs started shaking about 15 minutes in; that it also when I began pouring sweat and silently reciting all sorts of unimaginable curse words in my head.

It hurt to roll over in bed for three days, I was sore behind my ribs, I told my mom I thought I was sore in my internal organs. It was like the most intense ballet pilates class using your body's own resistance as strength training. Ow.

They are currently adding a location in Spartanburg and I can't wait to try it again...assuming I can walk.

Roasting & Toasting

Saturday night we helped host an "Engagement Toast & Oyster Roast" in honor of our friends Kent & Caroline. It was nice to be back in Greenville for a weekend with everybody and the party did definitely not disappoint.

Sarah & Brandi

Date

The happy couple!

Roasters & Toasters

It was a great party and made us all the more excited for their beach wedding coming up in March (I am counting down the days to see the ocean). Best wishes to Kent & Caroline!

My Own Worst Enemy

My own worst enemy is Pinterest (and reality T.V. but that's another story). Between moving into and decorating a house, throwing engagement parties or showers for friends, or searching for that awesome haircut that I would never be brave enough to get, I can spend hours randomly scrolling and "pinning".

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The only thing about Pinterest is that it gives me extreme crafting, home, and closest envy. Will I ever travel to the world's most glamorous pool at an exclusive resort in Bali? No. Will I pin it to my travel board? You bet.

Currently pining away to be pinning...

 

Pomp & Circumstance

In true major history nerd form, I love a good inauguration. For me the inauguration, even more so than the election with all of it's nastiness, is the embodiment of American democracy. And, lets be honest, I really like to hear all of the random facts that the news anchors rattle off throughout the course of the day. The corner of all of the news channels had "The Second Inauguration of President Barack Obama" and I started to think about where I was for the first inauguration..Interim 2009. 11 girls. 2 professors. 2 cars. 10 days.

Real Housewives of the First Inauguration

Happy Inauguration Day!

Mary

And The Award Goes To...

The winner of the most pitiful dog of 2013 [Yes, I realize we are one week in] goes to...Khaki! Khaki got spayed last Friday and true to her diva self, has been milking it for all it is worth, as in she refused to stand/walk on Friday and would only sleep if you held her in your lap. We  usually like to go for a big walk on Saturdays and Sundays but as the vet told us that we need to limit the amount of activity for her for the next ten days, a walk is out of the picture. The vet also told us to not really let her jump or play...oh good, because that's all she does.

Diva sleeping in her cone

Proudly showing off her new hat

All kidding aside, I really was worried about her all day on Friday and kept texting Blair to see if the vet had called yet. Yes, I am a sucker for dog and cannot wait for her to be back to her happy puppy self!

Hope you all had a good weekend, thanks for reading!

Mary

Moving In To 2013

Well 2012 certainly was quite the year! Besides a few small life changes like moving , getting married, both starting new jobs, getting a job, etc. Blair and I then decided to say sayonara to 2012 but buying a house! That's right, these two are homeowners. Watch out world.

Yay debt!

We are thrilled about our new home and lets be honest, I'm thrilled about decorating/the fact that Blair is letting me have free reign of the house (with the exception of the "man room"). It has really helped us to feel so much more settled, not that we didn't love our first home together, but the idea of knowing that we won't be packing our lives up into boxes any time too soon is a nice, unpacked, relieved feeling.

I really was sad to see 2012 go but am beyond excited about whatever 2013 has in store for us. That includes me being better about keeping you all informed via this little blog. New year. New resolution. My mid-November resolution didn't count (because I say so).

So here's to closing the door on 2012 and opening to the door [to our new home] and 2013! Cheers!

Thanks for reading,

Mary