{31 days of Blogging :: Day 1} - Joining 2007

Exactly one week ago my UPS driver delivered 2007 to my front door.  Due to my carriers never selling the iPhone, I suffered endured many years of Blackberrys and Androids. While I'm still figuring out the iPhone quirks and differences from my old Android, I'm absolutely in love - the way group texting is presented, the camera/video capabilities, the battery life, etc. 

I ordered a personalized Otterbox case that should be here in the next week or so. And I have to say I'm almost as excited about my case as I am the phone! I mean, seriously, how cute is this?

I know! So stinkin' cute! It's from Lipstick Shades if anyone is interested. They have a great website that gives you the ability to personalize all their designs and see it on screen before you purchase. My case will be slightly different with a circle monogram. It is absolutely more money than I've ever spent on a phone case before, but I've heard that Otterbox's are the best and this phone needs to last 2+ years with a crazy toddler in its vicinity.

I've downloaded about a page full of apps so far {Instagram, Hootsuite, WWF, RedLaser, etc}. What iPhone tips do you have? What are you favorite apps? 

31 days of blogging

When I started this blog over a year ago, I was so confident that I was going to start blogging consistently unlike my first 2 blogging attempts. Unfortunately {obviously}, I didn't follow through with that commitment to myself.

Today after seeing so many blogs that I love decide to connect with The Nester this month for 31 days of blogging. I don't have any lofty goal or specific subject I'm aiming to tackle...My only goal is to blog 31 days and hopefully make a connection with some of you out there.

So here goes...Please follow me for the next 31 {and beyond} days of blogging...

i had no words

I have an unfinished draft of my 9/11 post that I tried to write, but again this year I had no words that would adequately convey my emotions of that day and all that has happened in the past 10 years.

It was a day that made such a huge mark on our country and the hearts of our countrymen. Being a part of the military family, the effects of 9/11 are an felt everyday: spouses saying goodbye before a year long deployment, servicemen and women missing huge moments their children lives, and moms and dads laying their children to rest after they have given the ultimate sacrifice.

I'll leave you with a video that I'll hope you watch: The USNA Men's Acapella group performance in Memorial Hall (a room that is dedicated to the lost of all USNA students and graduates who have died in battle) in honor of those lost on 9/11.

a place to rest our heads

After 8 long days of house hunting and discovering in our city and state, we have gone under contract on a beautiful home in South Carolina. While it's not exactly the home I was looking for when we started our search, I think it's going to be perfect for our family to live and grow into the future.

 I LOVE the big front porch. I can't wait to find some rockers and a swing!

The living room has a HUGE stone fireplace and mantle. 

 It's a nice big living room that's open to the kitchen. Perfect for entertaining!

The kitchen is probably where I compromised the most on my vision of my "perfect kitchen". We'll  change the tile squares above the sink and take down the wall paper, but other than that for now it's a wonderful kitchen (albeit not exactly my style if I choosing everything from scratch).

One rooms I'm so excited to have is the FROG. In South Carolina that is what they call the "Finished Room Over the Garage" usually known as a bonus room. It's a HUGE space and wonderful built-in bookshelves. The wallpaper and border is another item on my to-do list.

The Yard is quite large, but thankfully it's mostly natural space so we won't be saddled with a lot of yardwork right off the bat! It has a huge deck with built-in benches and a HUGE screen porch.

This house is truly a perfect house for entertaining. All we need now are some new South Carolina friends to come over and celebrate with us! That will be next on our to-do list!

we're moving to...

SOUTH CAROLINA!

...Columbia, South Carolina to be more specific. We'll be traveling a lot over the next month finding a new home and getting acquainted with the Columbia area. Hubs starts work in early October so we'll be incredible busy over the next 6 weeks (house hunting, packing, moving, etc), but we are so looking forward settling down, creating new memories and starting roots in our new state.

momma's cleaning and baby's playing

I woke up with lots of smiles this morning from this little guy.

Unfortunately, I had to break myself away to deal with this ugly guy...

After the cleaning, we have lots of errands: bank, post office, Costco and possibly Sams. I'm already looking forward to relaxing later this afternoon with my two favorite men!

Join Katie at Loves of Life and share your Saturday Morning Scene!

Happy Saturday!

...the 'ole ballgame

Thursday we had the opportunity to go to our local Triple A baseball park. The Norfolk Tides were taking on the Philadelphia Phillies Triple A team (and yes, I'm too lazy to look it up).  This was C's first sporting event, and it was good practice for his first Navy football game coming up in 3 weeks.

This was about 2 minutes before C has a mini-meltdown. He wanted OUT of the carrier ASAP. Apparently, it's the new form of baby torture. We've tried several different baby carriers on C, and he just isn't a fan (trying not to think of the money I invested in the ErgoBaby).

In case you didn't know, baseball is hard work!