Years Together.

Today is my parents' 33rd anniversary. As I get older,  it becomes clear to me that the qualities I require for a future spouse have been shaped a lot by what I've learned from them - trustworthiness, communication, acceptance. They know the other's strengths and weaknesses, and watching the balance that time has given them - it's a beautiful and enviable thing.

Though they're not immune disagreements and difficulties, they just keep on holding hands and looking towards the future. There are still lessons I need to learn from them (ehem...like when to drop an argument, among other things), but the biggest thing is that a marriage is a living thing. Feed it and nurture it, or it dies. I am so glad that they've managed to keep theirs alive - what an amazing challenge to live up to.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Looking back at Christmas.

I can't believe we're already entering the last stretch of January. I had 12 straight days of vacation from work, and it still flew by in a blink. Here's a few blips from Christmas:

My mom's Christmas decorating leaves not one branch of their huge tree unadorned.

I'm trying to think of a Karate Kid reference to make here. 

Success! 

 This was the best that Nala could do.

Chomp. 

 The Christmas Eve spread - all this for five people. 

The halls are decked. 

 Merry Christmas!

Getaway

I've already shared this little video on my Facebook and Tumblr, but I thought I'd share it here too. I wish I'd recorded more of my time up in the mountains, but there's very little cell phone reception up there, so I didn't bother having my phone on me for most of the time. That, and I was so caught up in the fun of everything that I barely remembered to stop and capture it all! The first bits are from the drive to the mountain house, then a little bit of Maya and Steven playing football, then our time at the swimming hole, and finally, a bit of us around the campfire, which is how we ended each and every evening up there.

I miss it. I really, really miss it.  

Home again.

We got back from the mountains this evening, and I already feel depressed. I've been slowly unpacking, looking at photos from the week, and trying to wish myself back up to North Carolina. Here's a little collage of our afternoon at our semi-secret swimming hole/sliding rock area:

The water was icy cold, and only the bravest of us managed to be fully submerged in those pools. Time is best spent warming yourself on the sun-heated rocks and then wading slowly (or sliding with a splash) into one of the pools for a bone-chilling cool-down.

Running away.

Tomorrow morning, Steven and I are packing up the car and heading up to my family's mountain house, where we'll spend a week exploring, lounging, swimming, relaxing, eating and I CAN'T WAIT. Some of my Mom's family will be coming from Wisconsin and elsewhere to do the same. I am looking forward to nights around the bonfire, drinking beer and listening to my uncles, who are pretty fantastic storytellers.  I'm treating this week like summer camp. I'm packing books, my camera, ratty bathing suits, every pair of shorts I own, and maybe even my old journal to jot down ideas.

We're leaving first thing so that we can take our time getting there. Steven and I really enjoy taking the long way to so we get the chance to stop in small towns and peek into dusty shop windows, hoping to make a discovery. I'm also planning lots of small day trips to mountain town thrift shops and antique stores to look for the perfect pieces for Inherited.

See ya later, civilization! We're hitting the road.

My baby.

A week ago, my baby sister graduated high school, and the week before that, she turned 18. I am so, so proud of the woman she's becoming and I know she's going to accomplish great things. 

At the same time, I can barely handle that this gorgeous, intelligent, talented woman is the same baby sister I prayed and pleaded for for the first 10 years of my life. It's been amazing watching her grow, though, and I can't wait to see what amazing path she takes through life. 

A family visit.

My family spent the past week (my sister's final Spring Break of high school) with us in Charleston. Though I wasn't able to take any days off to spend with them, evenings were filled with family dinners, dusky beach walks, Mario Kart races, and lots of laughing. Even though it's a lot quieter and calmer without the whole brood here, I already miss them.

(Clockwise from top left: a Monza lunch date with my sis and her boyfriend / paparazzi-style shot of my folks strollin' / a sunrise Easter service on the pier at Folly Beach / the Pip doing a somber impression of the Easter Bunny.)

Mountains and apples and more.

The weekend was as lovely as I expected. Warm, beautiful days; chilly, cozy nights. Good food, family, long drives, piles of apples, a trip to Asheville, a stop at the French Broad River, outdoor cooking, and a pretty drive home.

Getting away.

Remember when I blogged nearly every day? Yeah, me neither. It's been ages. I'd really like to get this little blarg back to something that holds all my pleasant memories, and not just pages of pictures of clothes on a dress form (though there will surely still be those things too).

We've been traveling out of town so much over these past weeks. Some of my favorite people have gotten married. Six of them, actually. All to each other (In three different sets, not all together--what do you think we are? Some kind of hippies?).

At the last minute, we decided to join my family up at the mountain house. We haven't been since Fourth of July, and decided we were overdue for another trip. Plus, Waynesville has its adorable Apple Harvest Festival. If you've never been to a small mountain town during a festival--well, then you're missing out.

I've forgotten how to pack for weather like this, so I've thrown everything remotely seasonal into my suitcase. 37 degrees? I'm so ready.

On a final note, here is a song that totally gets me ready for the weekend:

A Mountain House Fourth of July

Fourth of July weekend:

• my family's new puppy, Nala
• mountain hikes
• small-town thrifting adventures
• cook-outs
• river swimming
• relaxing on the porch
• 1930s homestead ruins
• boyfriend + family

Not bad. Not bad at all.