Her First Fall

Yes, I know Christmas is a week away. However I technically have three more days until the first day of winter, and its been in the upper 60's this past week, so I am still feeling in the fall spirit. I wanted to update y'all on our little fur baby. After all, this has been the first fall of her life. Oh what fun we have been having sharing in some fall family fun with our Luna bug!

First of all, Luna is now 11 months old. She has grown so much and is really starting to show her diva personality. She is taking training classes in hopes of becoming a therapy dog. She is still a bit crazy, but we feel confident that with time and practice she will reach her goal. At home you can normally find her either laying on our feet, snuggled next to us on the couch, chewing on her favorite toy, or trying to figure out how to get the kitchen towels without us knowing. When we go out and about she loves to tag along. In the car she loves to look out the window until she falls asleep, and she loves to meet new people in town. She is still working on the "no-jumping" skill, but she is getting better with each passing day. She sure keeps us on our toes, but makes us laugh every single day.

This fall we have done a lot of traveling. We have gone to football games, to different hiking trails, and to our parent's homes in the mountains. The cooler air has given new life to this little lady. She loves being outside and running around. The crunch leaves blowing in the wind has created hours of fun for her and gives us the giggles. When we go for walks she insists to bring a leaf inside with her as a treasure of sorts. Our leaf pile on the porch has grown. Her collie instincts are awesome and we love having her around. We cannot wait until next month when we will celebrate Luna's first birthday. It is hard to believe that she has only been in our lives for nine months. It seems like so much longer. We love being her puppy parents and we are so glad that she has found her forever home with us. Thank you Luna for being so wonderful!

We cannot wait for the temps to get even cooler, and for the white stuff to start falling. I am sure that she (and we) are going to love her first winter as a Smith dog. In the meantime, please enjoy some sappy family pictures and Luna selfies!! Happy last few days of fall y'all.

- S&C 

Happy Fall Y'all!

About two weeks ago Chase and I realized that our city was being hit by the fall bug. The fair was in town, the leaves were changing, their was a slight chill in the air, and all of a sudden boots and scarves were EVERYWHERE on the college campus where I am finishing up my masters degree. Yesterday I walked outside with Luna pup and I saw this sight. Yep, fall is here. 

I have always had mixed feelings about fall. I LOVE the colors, the weather, and that it means that the holidays are coming. What I dislike about fall is that it means that cold weather is on the horizon. I am always cold. My feet are always under a blanket or in fuzzy socks even in the summer. So when the winter rolls around that means that you will find me under a mountain of sweatshirts and blankets, while Chase (who is always burning up) will be hanging out in shorts and a tee shirt. 

Even though fall means cold weather, I sill am basking in this new season. A couple of weeks ago Chase and I decided that we wanted to decorate our little apartment for fall. However being on a tight budget, and living in a small space, we did not exactly know how to go about it. I hit google and Pinterest, and decided to stay cheap, and to stay small. We ended up using some things we had around the apartment and then getting some cute extras at the Dollar Tree. 

Yes...I said we shopped for our fall decorations at the Dollar Tree. In all we spent 17 dollars and I was quite satisfied with the outcome. The Dollar Tree is a great resource for smaller holiday decorations. I recommend going and at least checking it out. They might have something that you are looking for. 

We moved our tiny chalkboard out of the kitchen and wrote our favorite fall saying on it. Welcome to the south, where every group of people is referred to as "y'all". We then sprinkled some fake leaves around. 

We also changed out fruit basket from a bright yellow one, to a see through orange one. We added some small plastic pumpkins and some more leaves.

In the kitchen we added some fall decretive towels (only a dollar each!). And then we also found this cute mat. It was too light weight to leave outside in the wind and elements, but it fit perfectly in our little kitchen.

In our entryway we added some more leaves to our little nook, and then added a basket where we could drop our keys and such as we come in each day. It is a great pop of color, and I just love it.

In the living room we changed out some existing decorations for a more fall colored palate. The flower pot replaced a pot that had green foliage in it, and the center planter used to be filled with white and tan filler, but is now filled with pumpkins and pine cones. And look at that cute little pup. She follows us around on our heels wherever we go, so of course she just had to jump into a picture.

On our side table we repurposed a door hanger that we found and used it as a table decoration. It is a great reminder to always be thankful for our lives each and every day.

And as for the coffee table, I switched out our coffee bean and candle decorations for some more leaves, and then some other candles that we had sitting around the apartment. Good thing we love fall colored candles. Our little place smells so good every evening when we light them.

I think my favorite place is our mantle. It is a fake mantle that has been mounted on the wall, and I love the charm that it adds to our apartment. I loved decorating it for christmas last year, and then this year decorating it for fall was just as fun! Some more leaves, a cute scarecrow, and some porcelain pumpkins turned our travel mantle into a fall festival!

Finally, we hung a wreath on our door. Yes, it is my Christmas wreath, but with some creative DIY, it was turned into a fall wreath.

We used fall ribbon, and some leaves that had wire in their stems.

What are your favorite ways to decorate for fall around your house? Does your family have any fun fall traditions. We are trying to come up with some fun things to do that hopefully we can turn into traditions for years to come.

Until next time, Happy Fall Y'all!!!

S&C

my dear sweet husband

My dear sweet husband,

Right now you are going on your 12th hour of work for the day. You left this morning as the sun was just peeking over the horizon, and you will most likely fall into bed tonight just hours before the sun makes its scheduled return. Yet without fail, you will wake up in time to feed the dog and make sure I have everything that I need before heading off to work and school. Then you yourself will go back to work and pretend that you are not tired.

But I know that you are. I know that nights like tonight when large projects are due at your company, that you will keep your head up and fight through the weariness in order to make your work the best that it possibly can be. You will put in as many hours as it takes to meet your deadlines and to show your colleagues that you can be a trusted partner in the business. I know that you don't want to be at work so late. I know that you would much rather be home with me and our puppy watching sports and laughing with one another. I wish you were home too, but I understand.

That is just who you are my dear husband. You are a man who has the work ethic of ten men. You are a husband who makes sure that he can provide for his family so that I, your wife can pursue my own dreams of a master's degree and a life in ministry. You are a life partner who makes sure that even though you are away that I am okay and that I do not go to bed angry or feeling alone. You make life better my sweet husband and I am so honored to do life together with you.

So just know that your hard work has not gone unrecognized. Know that when you are feeling tired or ready to give up, that I am just a phone call away ready to cheer you on; just like you cheer me on in times of weariness and stress. Understand that I love you beyond anything else in this world. You rock sweetheart!

With all the compassion of my heart,

Your Wife

6 months of... Wedded Bliss? Lessons In Love? Hard Work?

Today is August 7, 2015. Six months ago Chase and I committed our lives to one another. We can honestly say that February 7, 2015 was the best day of our lives thus far. It seems as if the weeks and months have flown right by. In Sunday school last week we had an exercise where we had to finish the sentence, "It is August and...". Chase filled in the sentence with, "It is August, and we have already been married for 6 whole months!" It hit me right then that this life of love really does go by in the blink of an eye. 

Don't get me wrong, marriage is hard work. Sure there are plenty of moments of wedded bliss, but there are also moments of heartache, anger, and frustration. Through it all we have learned so many lessons about loving one another and just how much time and energy it takes to fulfill our vows to one another. 

Today in the blog we wanted to share some things we both have learned during these past 6 months of being husband and wife. I asked Chase to write down six things, and I also wrote down six things, without sharing them with one another. Our answers surprised us, made us laugh, and made us realize that having one another as a spouse is a dream come true. Hopefully our joys and missteps can be a blessing to others who are married, or who are on the journey to being married. 

Chase's List:

1. Communication is a biggy. Always talk to one another about everything. 
2. Even just an "I Love You" can make a difference in each other's day. Say it often and say it like you mean it. 
3. Sara and I have more in common than we thought. 
4. Sara and I have our own way of doing things. It is a learning process for sure, but its a great thing that we can still be our own people. 
5. Making Sara happy is the most important thing to me. 
6. Time sure does fly when you are having fun. Six months already!!!!!

Sara's List:

1. It is important to continue dating your spouse once you are married. Date nights with Chase after a long week of work and school are always something to look forward to. 
2. Don't sweat the small stuff. So there are shoes all over the entry way, Chase leaves his dishes in the sink sometimes. It is not worth an argument. 
3. I am a needy spouse. I am thankful that Chase still loves me through all of my wants and requests. He really is a great partner. 
4. Living on basically one income while I am still in graduate school has made our marriage even more complicated than normal. However, I would not trade our lives in a heart beat. A small income and late nights of homework have allowed us to grow closer to one another and really discover what true love is. Money is not important in the grand scheme of things. 
5. These past six months of marriage have been filled with new experiences and challenges. I cannot wait to see what these next six months have in store for us!! 

We are more than ready to continue our marriage journey with one another. We thank God daily for the blessings in our lives. Cheers to the past 6 months and to our road ahead. May it be filled with wedded bliss, lessons in love, and more hard work. 

- S&C 

Cast Iron Lovin'

A few months ago Chase and I were given a late wedding gift. Side note...late wedding gifts are awesome. They remind you of your wedding day and bring an air of excitement to the atmosphere. When we opened the box we were utterly surprised to see that it was a large cast iron skillet. The ironic part about this gift was not two days earlier I was complaining to Chase how we should have put a cast iron skillet on our wedding registry. I had seen a few people get one and I was feeling some cast iron envy.

We jumped into some online research as to how to go about prepping our skillet for use. There are so many different suggestions and blogs out in the google-sphere that it was kind of overwhelming. However we came to a consensus and went about making our skillet fit for cooking.  

First pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. This seemed to be the middle rang temperature from all of the blogs that I read. Hot enough to open the pores of the iron, but not too hot to where it takes the skillet forever to cool. 

Then scrub down your skillet very well with soap and water. This is the only time that you will be able to scrub your cast iron with soap to get all of the dust and dirt out of the pores before it is sealed in the oven. I just used plain Dawn dish soap and it seemed to work just fine.

Then you have to find yourself a pan large enough that your skillet will fit on. Chase and I have a large pizza pan that was nearly big enough, but it worked just fine for our purposes. Cover your pan in foil so it won't get scratched or burned.

 Then wipe down your cast iron skillet really well. You don't want the heat to rust your skillet. I just used a plain paper towel and it worked great. Then take some oil (of your choice) and rub down the skillet. Don't over oil it to where it is dripping wet, but oil it enough to where the cast iron is shiny and moist. I also used a plain paper towel for this part.

Then place your skillet face down on your foil covered pan. Get as much of your skillet on the pan as possible so oil does not drip down into the bottom of your oven. This could cause your oven to smoke or even to catch on fire.

Then place the pan on the center rack of your oven. This will allow for maximum heat absorption and  oil seal.

Next, cook your skillet for one hour. Take out your skillet and let it cool completely before using it.

And last but not least, cook something yummy!!! The first thing we used our skillet for was for BACON. Because lets face it, what is better than bacon. 

What are some of your favorite cast iron skillet recipes? Chase and I would love to hear some suggestions. 

- S & C 

What's Up Wednesday

I (Sara) follow a few different blogs, and today I decided to try something new. Today I wanted to link up with one of my favorite blogs Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday.

On the last Wednesday of each month we will answer a list of questions to help update everyone on "life lately". Feel free to join in and link up and share what is happening with your life and family. 

1. What We're Eating This Week...

A sweet couple from our home church gifted Chase and I a cast iron skillet for our wedding. We received it a few weeks ago and just now have been able to properly season it. So this week we have planned to make steak tacos, breakfast for dinner, and fancy hot dogs...all of which can be made in our new skillet. To say that we are excited is a bit of an understatement. 

2. What I'm Reminiscing About...

This month Chase and I have been thinking a lot about our wedding day. It was just so perfect for us and we wish that we could relive that day over and over again. This past week we received a few sneak peaks of our wedding photos. The one above is my personal favorite. That is my husband through and through. He is the most gentle and compassionate man I have ever known (other than my dad). I am so that we have been able to begin building forever together. 

3. What I'm Loving...

I am loving my free time! Grad school ended a little less than a month ago, and right now I am working part time at the local church preschool. This has allowed me to have my afternoons and evenings off. I have enjoyed reading for pleasure, baking my heart out, playing with the fur-baby, and of course taking lots of much needed naps. 

4. What We've Been Up To...

All of my free time has basically been consumed by our not so little fur-baby. The 9 pound pup we brought home two months ago is now a 24 pound pup who is full of love and energy. We frequent the dog park, the green way, and the apartment quad. She brings so much joy to our lives and she is the perfect addition to our little family. 

5. What I'm Dreading...

While Chase loves the fact that I will not be gone this summer, I am kind of dreading not being able to work Passport Camp this summer. It has been my family and my home away from home for the past four years. To see everyone leaving for camp this summer while I am home makes me a bit sad. I know however that being home and being a great wife and partner to my husband and family will be relaxing and much needed. I shall be living vicariously through my camp friends as the summer progresses. 

6. What I'm Working On...

Chase and I made a promise to one another this summer to be more active and to explore all that our town has to offer. We have been checking out the local parks, hiking around the lake, and even dusting off our disc golf skills. We love the hot weather and cannot wait to see what else we can discover in the upcoming weeks. 

7. What I'm Excited About...

We are both more than excited to be going to the BEACH this summer. With our hectic schedules, it has been over two years since our toes have been the sand for an extended period of time. We have a countdown to when we finally are able to be our family listening to the waves crash on the sand. Soon enough our skin will be sun kissed, and our worries will be pushed a million miles away. 

8. What I'm Watching/Reading...

Since I actually have time to read on my own now that school is out for a little while, I picked up this new to me book called "For the Love of God." It is a back to basics on faith of sorts. It is refreshing to just be reminded of the love that God has for us the grace that we can offer to ourselves and to others. 

9. What I'm Listening To...

Christian music has not been in my car radio for a while now. I picked it back up a few weeks ago and the new music that has been released have some good beats and messages. K-love is my favorite station when it comes to worship music. Not too many adds, and plenty of modern music to delight my soul. 

10. What I'm Wearing...

Normally during the summer I am restricted to closed toe shoes at camp. Since that is not required of me this summer, I have broken out my chaos for an extended stay. Three weeks into summer and I already have some pretty rockin' tan lines. I don't mind them at all. In fact, I may be slightly proud of them. Chase just laughs at me. He just does not understand the freedom my feet are feeling. 

11. What I'm Doing This Weekend...

This weekend Chase and I are catching up with div school friends turned real life friends Larke and Jamie for a Dash ballgame. Baseball is our jam and it is also the perfect sport for catching up on life with your buddies. I am looking forward to hearing about all of her wedding planning. She is going to be a beautiful bride this October. 

12. What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month...

In just a few days I will be turning the big 2-4. I LOVE birthdays, and I am even more excited to be celebrating my first birthday as a Smith. I will get to have a nice birthday with my husband, then a few days later spend time with my family and in-laws. I have a feeling my 24th year will be filled  with many adventures. 

13. What Else Is New...

Chase and I are still loving life and figuring out what it means to do life together with one another. We are setting into condo life, getting used to our schedules, and even finding spare time while at the same time raising a young fur-baby. We also have recently welcomed our long time friend from home and from college into our condo for the summer as she finishes her summer internship for her graduate school program. She brings a new wave of joy into our home and allows us to practice radical hospitality to those outside of our family as we promised we would do in our wedding vows. Enjoy your summer everyone. And let us know what has been going on with you and your family this past May!

- S & C 

Spotlight Story: Small Town Parents, Big Time Dreams

I (Sara) wanted to introduce the blogging world to my parents. My Mom and Dad. My "rents". Whatever their title, they are special and they have a special story that has led them to a wonderful opportunity in my home community. I figured it would be the perfect time to share that story with all of you and give you a little insight into their love and passions. 

This is Mom and Dad. Known to many people as Ken and Renae, but to me they are Mom and Dad. 

My parents live on a farm of sorts. We have lots of animals running around. One of my favorites are the goats. I never thought our family would be a goat family.

But we are and I love them. My parents love them too. In fact, they have a soft place in their hearts for all animals. Don't believe me? Come on over to the farm and hang out for a while. I think you might change your mind.

Our family owns a camper. Its name is Scotty. Mom calls it our glamper. We don't use Scotty for camping. Scotty is used for business and for curb appeal. Scotty is growing on me. 

My parents are not only Mom and Dad. They are also Mimi and Pappy to my niece and nephew. Most recently, they also became in-laws to my husband Chase. They are amazing at every single one of the titles that they hold and I am glad that they are our mentors and our biggest fans. We would not be the family that we are without their amazing love and kindness.

Did I mention that they are the cutest love birds ever? Geez they are amazing. And it is because of that amazingness that I wanted to share with you their adventures that they set off on a few years back.

Mom has always had a knack for decorating and for spotting diamonds in the rough. It was a while back that she finally realized that her style was "shabby chic". Our family farmhouse has since been transformed into a beautiful vintage hideaway in the hills. Every room has her fingerprints of details and charm impressed upon them. I loved seeing what her next project would be.

Deep down in her heart however, Mom was longing for something more. While she loves working at the local elementary school, we all know that her heart is captivated by antiques. One day in 2012, my Mom stopped by our local antique mall. In conversation she learned that a booth had become available. Almost suddenly a idea was pressed on her heart. Could that booth be our family antique booth? Could our family begin their own personal business? Was it even possible with both her and my Dad working full time jobs? My mom called my Dad, and within hours the booth was theirs. A long time family dream was slowly becoming a reality. Twin Creeks Antiques was officially born.

Fast forward to 2015 and the family business known as Twin Creeks Antiques that Mom and Dad started so long ago is booming. They have expanded from one booth in one location, to around 7 booths in 3 different locations. Mom and Dad have dedicated their time and their love into their business and it would not have become this successful if it was not for their small town moral values and big hearts for God and for our family.

I would seriously encourage you all to check out their items if you are ever in the Blue Ridge. Their three locations are located at Antiques On Main in West Jefferson, Becky and Co. in Jefferson, and Key City Antiques in North Wilkesboro. Mom and Dad also are constantly updating their Facebook page with their most recent finds. You can check out what they have currently by clicking the link here.

Here are some recent photos of their shabby chic antique booth at their original location Antiques On Main. They also have an architectural salvage room that is not pictured here with old doors, old windows, wooden crates, and furniture parts.

Told you we are a goat family :)

Just doing a little blogging photo work!

Mom and Dad's most recent endeavor has been opening up their antique and design talents to the wedding markets. Twin Creeks Wedding Rentals is located at our farm house. Mom and Dad have a lot of items available for rental. Items range from wooden doors, to vintage pieces for display or food purposes, to dress forms, to an old 55 Ford, to even having small wedding or receptions right here on the farm! Seriously check Mom and Dad out. They have a lot to offer.

I will leave you with a few pictures of the farm, and a picture from Chase and I's own bride and groom portraits with the 55 Ford truck.

Spring Time at the Farm 

One of Mom's vintage touches

Perfect spot for a wedding?

One of my favorite pictures of us :)

Thanks for letting me brag on my parents for a little while. They are the best in the world!

- S&C