training update: week 2

we have officially survived our second week:instead of a plain jane long run on saturday,

we participated in the electric run!

guys, houston is hot.

it was 9 at night, completely dark and 107degrees.

i was sweating buckets.

#notevenabitcute

but it was so fun! and all the hot, sweaty running was worth it because at the end, 

there fully air conditioned dance party!

how was your weekend?

any fun 5k races to recommend??

snack attack

i have a confession:

i'm a serious snacker.

granted, my favorite snacks are relatively healthy:

greek yogurt and blueberries,

frozen yogurt, 

grapes and bananas, 

chocolate ricecakes,

frozen yogurt...

yummmmmm.

but still. i need to get myself under control.

i think the check out girl at menchie's knows my name.

does fro-yo anonymous meet in my neighborhood?

what i'm wishin' for

 [clockwise starting top left: 1, 2, 3, 4]

i'm trying really hard to distinguish between wants and needs.

for instance, 

i really want all of these yummy things,

but do i really need a super adorable iphone case or fabulous necklace?

and do we really need to replace our current christmas-themed welcome mat
with this fantastic one that says "howdy"?
and does raider really need a new collar? 

silly bub-hub's "let's save money"
 brainwashing techniques must be working.

what's on your wish list?

i love snail mail: watercolor stationary

everyday when i get home from work,

i take raider on his little walk,

go to the mail box,

and hope i have a surprise waiting for me!

usually it's just junk mail,

but every so often, a beautiful envelope will be there waiting for me.

i love snail mail!

i love having cute stationary to send notes to friends or include with gifts.

i know how much a little note can change my day, 

and i love being able to share that feeling with others!

do you still write letters?

does snail mail brighten up your day?

visit my etsy shop here: gracefully made designs

wilderness weekend

hello monday, here so soon??

this was such a great weekend. 

so much fun, adventure, and relaxing.

and just like that, it's monday again.

friday afternoon, bub-hub and i played hooky and snuck away from responsibility to go see monsters u! we might have been the only ones in the theater over the age of 8 without kids. #noshame

too cute to handle. 

saturday morning, we headed out to woodlands lake for some kayaking.

bub-hub and i are adventurous and we love sunshine! but we not outdoors-men by any means.

this little 1 1/2 hour trip down the waterway was the perfect amount of exploration for us.

about 15 minutes in i was already looking forward to lunch and a margarita. 

#mexicanfoodmotivation

how was your weekend?

any fun adventures to share?

training update: week 1

bub-hub and i have signed up to run first half marathon together.

#seemedlikeagoodideaatthetime

the race is in october, but considering neither of us are regular runners, we decided to start training now.

our first full week of training looked like this:

i'm not sure if we picked the best time of year to start this endeavor.

with temperatures climbing higher and higher every day,

and humidity averaging 60%,

we might die before we hit the end of week two.

#powerofpositivethinking

but we're pretty competitive people.

i definitely won't be the first one to quit.

let's celebrate with confetti!

nothing says "we love fun" more than confetti!

this suite is a perfect fit for a couple looking to spend their wedding day with friends and family. weddings are a celebration after all!

there is also a coordinating save the date!

i am in love with this new design.

it's so versitile and would be adorable in so many different color combinations.

the little polka dots just make my heart so happy.

forever honeymooners

bub-hub and i were fortunate enough to celebrate our anniversary in beautiful(ish) cancun!

i only say "ish" because our visit occured in the middle of tropical storm.
we didn't even bother to check the forecast before we left.

mexico always has perfect beach weather right??

so needless to say, we were surprised to be greeted with dark stormy rain clouds instead of clear blue skies.

despite the rain, we were so spoiled all week.

when we arrived at our room, we were welcomed with a fun anniversary banner on our door!

each evening, we came back from dinner to find our room was decorated with towel animals and rose petals and they even gave us a special "romantic" dinner. #awwwshucks

we spent our rainy days drinking lots of coca-cola light,

eating yummy yummy food,

playing mexican animal bingo,

trying new drinks at the martini bar,

getting fantastic massages,

and learning how to play chess.

#youknowyourejealous

 our last full day in mexico, we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine.

more sunshine than our sunscreen could block,

but we soaked up every minute we could!

i can't wait to go back again.

i loved getting to spend the week being lazy with my bub-hub.

 

beach day

saturday morning, we packed up our beach towels, sunscreen, and snacks and headed to the beach even though we live a short hour from the coast, we rarely think to make the trip. 

we spent a couple of hours walking through the shops on the strand, playing life-size chess, and eating yummy pizza before heading to the beach. 

we even bought some boogie boards and attempted to body surf.

probably the most embarassing thing i've done in my life. #triedandfailed #toofuntostop

even though bub-hub and i have both lived in the great state of texas our whole lives, there is so much of this beautiful place we haven't seen or experienced.

i hope we are able to fill our weekends with more adventures in the near future! :)

The Boat Song

you may or may not know, but the traditional first anniversary gift is paper.

bub-hub and i are not typically traditional gift givers,

but for our first wedding anniverary we both stuck with tradition.

i was formally invited, via movie tickets created by bub-hub, to watch our wedding slideshow and videos, with a yummy bottle of wine.

and i created this print for us to hang in our bedroom.

 

although it's not our official song,

it is the song that makes me tear up everytime i really listen to it.

#mushygushy

watch the music video and try not to fall in love.

i dare you.

 

this print is now available in my etsy shop!

check me out! :)

 

 

sweet celebrations always include dancing and cake

last weekend, my sweet sister-in-law became a wife!

picture the most beautiful bride and groom, both inside and out,

and you've met the hamiltons!

#perfectnightforaperfectpair

i didn't get many photos because i was too busy eating tons of yummy cake and showing off my dance moves, but just trust me:

it was the most beautiful wedding you've ever seen!

 

my family joined the festivities and of course, tore up the dance floor.

#theakerlyfamilybringstheparty

bub-hub was quite the stud and danced the night away right by my side.

i love this man.

isn't he so handsome?!

 

so blessed to have a husband with such a sweet family.

i love them more and more each day.

 

 

back to reality

today, i am officially reentering the real world.

am i the only one who feels a down the first few days after vaca?

the last ten days have been full of fun, laughter, and celebration.

two beautiful weddings, time with family, sleeping on the beach in cancun,

eating too much guacamole and sipping yummy margaritas.

o mexico, you are the bomb[dot]com.

the real world is pretty fantastic too though.

i'm excited to start fresh and see what the week will bring.

bring it on houston.