tomorrow

This face is exactly why I don't want to go to work tomorrow...

Can't you just see her saying, "Mama, please stay home with me!"

I want to say "yes" so badly.

 Hope y'all had a wonderful thanksgiving break!  We sure did!  I have so much to be thankful for.  I ate lots of turkey and relaxed.  The break was truly wonderful.  My dad carved a beautiful turkey, and we got to enjoy sometime with family.  Well, David studied A LOT.

I made candy wreaths with my mama, grandma, aunt, and cousins.  They turned out to be so cute!  David and I brought home three!  I really enjoyed making them.

I was able to snap this shot of Hazel during Thanksgiving supper.  She just wanted to know what was going on!  I just can't get enough of her adorable face!

Hazel got some quality snuggle time in with one of her favorite people--my grandma.  And made herself at home on my mama's couch :)

David and I got our Christmas tree and already put it up!  I start Christmas in mid-November, so he didn't have any trouble convincing me to get a tree early!

We are looking forward to the Christmas season!

I hope your Monday is amazing!

road trip

David and I got up really early to head to Asheville on the 30th! We wanted to make several stops along the way and bypass some closed roads in the process.

And.... We saw TONS of snow ❄❄❄ and this Georgia girl just had to go play in it!

David let me jam out to 90s (the only thing I listen to) almost the whole way. My favorites you ask? Every song written during the 1990's. Anything Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, ALL boy bands, TLC, and Coolio just to name a few.

Confession: in high school, I named my tennis racket Rainmaker. Mostly, because I was obsessed with the song Real World by Matchbox Twenty. I told David about it in the car today, we had a good laugh. Instead of Coach Dove, maybe I'll have my tennis team call me Rainmaker. (Seriously kidding!!)

On our first night we dined at Tupelo Honey Cafe. Every time we mentioned going to Asheville, it was recommended to us that we eat there. It lived up to the expectations. The biscuit and honey was such a yummy start to the meal. I had "fried" chicken in nut flour and nuts(GF) it was amazing! And after our waiter went on about how famous their Brown Butter Pecan Pie was... well, we had to try it.

And he was right.... It was AMAZING!

We shared one piece, but we were wishing we hadn't!

David and I spent all of the 31st touring the Biltmore, Biltmore village, and downtown Asheville!

I had not been to the Biltmore since 2000 and David had never been, so we were soaking it all in!  It was gorgeous!  They were still decorated for Christmas and it was beautiful.  We went back for the Candlelight Tour.  All of the fire places and candles were lit, it was amazing.

Outside the Biltmore with the beautiful view!!

In front of the Biltmore, about to go in!

In the Biltmore conservatory!

      

We ate our New Year's Eve dinner at Cedric's in the Biltmore.  Cedric was the family dog that lived there.  I even got a picture with him...err...his statue.

And we couldn't leave sweet Hazel without bringing her back a yummy treat!

We went to Three Dog Bakery and picked up some treats that she absolutely LOVES!

She actually helped me write this post... but really she just walked on my key board and erased everything, so I got to start all over!

I hope you had a wonderful New Year!  We certainly did!

Merry Christmas!

I can't believe I haven't blogged since December 6th!

Since I've been off work, I have spent a lot of time with the puppy!

And catching up on sleep....

I am fully rested and ready for a new semester now, but I'm so excited I still have another week off!

Since I've been on Christmas break I've...

Spent time with family and friends...

I've taken lots of walks with sweet Hazel, in my new kicks...

Completed a few puzzles with the hubby...

Started reading books... FOR FUN!

Watched lots of movies and Modern Family Season 3...

(Hazel hid beside the couch during one movie!)

And loved on my sweet puppy!

As you can tell, it was no exaggeration that I've spent a lot of time loving on my puppy!  Hazel met LOTS of family and friends.  She is purely exhausted.

David and I are going to enjoy some time in the mountains before life gets crazy again.

We are going to visit Asheville, NC and the Biltmore!  We are so excited!

I hope you had a MERRY CHRISTMAS as well!

Hazel Liberty Dove

We have BIG news!

David and I got a precious puppy!! We've named her Hazel because of her beautiful eyes and coloring. She is a Mini Goldendoodle!

Hazel has an awesome personality. She is snuggly and sweet, but also likes to play! And she already loves us a lot! Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to explode when I have to leave her or hear her cry!  She loves being by our side all the time.  She follows us around and it's so precious!

We took these pictures as soon as we got here home for the first time!

On her bed by the fireplace with her blanket and toy!

Hazel has definitely made herself at home. She loves laying under the Christmas tree and running from her shadow. However, her favorite place is our laps. I have some pictures of my little angel to share with you! I'm sure these won't be the last!

Have I mentioned, she loves to snuggle!

We had to take our first trip to the vet.  Hazel was really nervous, but did great in the car.  She was so nervous the whole time we were there she hardly left my arms.  However, I was able to get her to calm down and lay on the table.  I mean, she is just such a cutie!

Hazel is such a sweetie!  We are so in love with her.  She has definitely made studying for finals more enjoyable for David and coming home from work while David is in finals more fun for me!

We are so blessed and love Hazel so much!

I am pleased to introduce my best friend for life!

oooo christmas tree

Two weeks ago, David and I decided to go pick out our Christmas tree after his second final.  Only, we couldn't wait that long!  Full of excitement for the SEC Championship yesterday, it made studying Friday night very difficult.  SO we went on a much needed study break for David, and picked out the perfect tree!

First, I got a fresh wreath at Trader Joes!  It was a great deal and is so pretty on our porch!

Then we went over Home Depot to start our little adventure.  We searched and searched before heading across the street to Lowe's.  We untied trees and spun several of them around before we found our little angel.  And she's perfect.

I asked the man who was going to trim her up for us if he could saw just a half inch of the trunk off for me.  He looked at me like I was crazy!  Little did he know I was going to make an ornament out of it!  I had seen the idea on Pinterest and was determined.  And now, David and I have a little reminder of our first Christmas tree!

David tied her to our roof and off we went!

That's when the decorating fun began for me :)

I watched Christmas in Rockefeller Center, strung the lights, hung ornaments, and drank hot chocolate.

And lastly, put a bow on top!

What was really fun about the process was looking through all of the ornaments David and I have, which is not many!  From visiting the Alamo with my Dad a couple summers ago, to an ornament made entirely with buttons from my Gramma's collection, and our honeymoon, the memories were good.

 Lastly, my Grandmother had given me her tree skirt.  She quilted it herself and I love it.  It added the perfect touch to our little tree.

I hope you are having a Merry little Christmas so far :)