HaPpY OnE YeAr!!!

To my dear Blog,

Thank you so much for one wonderful year.... you have been so good at archiving memories, thoughts I've had, and you have been so fun to look back on. As if it is not repetitive enough in my blog.... I CANNOT believe that it has already been a year since I started! Alot has happened in a year... there has been BIG change in our time together, blog. Be ready though.... there is is change like we have never seen and exciting and new adventures in our future! I'm so glad I have you because I know you are helping me do something that I will appreciate even more than I know.... I am so grateful that I have had a place to capture this part of my life... and all of the wonderful people and moments in it!

Love Always... Me

ISLE. OF. PALMS.

Do you have a place in your mind, in your memories that exudes happiness. One those places for me is Charleston, SC and Isle of Palms. It had been seven years between me and my last visit to Charleston, and I was so excited to be there. There's something about the city, and the wonderful little island connected to it by a bridge... I LOVE IT! It has an energy and is beautiful, historic, and absolute southern perfection.

This particular time in Charleston was everything I had wanted... precious time with my family... just the four of us (and I truly appreciate just how rare that is), AMAZING food, pralines, grits, seafood, shopping through the historic open air markets, salty ocean air, sand on my toes, real waves, key lime pie, screened in porch watching the waves rise and fall with a perfect margarita. It really was everything wonderful!

I also found myself realizing over and over how special this all was.... and how FAST time is flying by... I was 17 the last time I was there and now suddenly I was back at 24... and I feel like I only blinked an eye! It was another moment in life where I was very aware of change and it's presence in my life, and that trips like these are so rare... just the four of us... in a place we LOVE. It won't be long I know before everything will different... and I am so excited about all that is to come... and so grateful for this time I had to enjoy my family as we are now. I know I probably don't make very much sense... unless you are wearing my shoes too... but I love it here... I'm just very reflective right now.

Change aside... more warm memories were made... and some much needed beach bumming time was taken. I. LOVE. THE. BEACH.

Libby and I beach bumming :)

We had an absolutely delicious dinner here... SO good that I ate until I literally had to loosen my belt when we left... not kidding. I had shellfish over grits... the BEST grits I have EVER had mind you... in this lobster tomato sauce that made you want to kiss the chef!

This was in Cypress... and yes that is a three... yes THREE story wine cellar! I just had to share... how crazy is that... wouldn't you LOVE to have that to cater to your every wine wish!

Silliness... but it has to happen! haha

My family... this was our last night eating at the Boathouse... one of our favorites that we have been going to for years... we had some yummy seafood and a great view!

Nothing better.

Charleston... I can't wait to see you again soon... until next time

bah bye!

Ok...ok... you want to know?!

Yesterday was a major "Contra los lunes" kinda day, and in which case the blogging I wanted to do just couldn't happen, and even though it is ONLY Tuesday (and I sooooooooo wish it was Friday) blogging is a go. So, are you done wondering, pondering, and racking your brain for what my exciting news could possibly be?! I figured!

First of all let me explain why I was torturing you... I was surprising my Spain adventuring little sister... because she was gone when this momentous occasion occurred... and I have a slight obsession with *SURPRISES*... and so I began the rather difficult process of not declaring my happy news on anything that she had access to... i.e. facebook, blog, etc... it WASN'T EASY... but it was worth it!

So, going home this past weekend was even more exciting than usual... alright I know... ENOUGH WITH THE BUILD UP!

WE GOT NOT JUST A SWEET BUT THE SWEETEST PUPPY EVER!!!

I have been absolutely head over heels in LOVE with this little guy ever since the day we (July 10th) adopted him from ARF. It is hands down one of the BEST semi-spontaneous decisions we have ever made. He is special. There is something about him... you look at him... with those incredible little puppy eyes and you just simply MELT... just take a peek... DISCLAIMER: be careful you will probably fall in love... you will want to take him home but you CAN'T... he is mine.

LOVE.

So, my BIG announcement is my sweet, licking, cuddling,part boxer, huggable, part german sheppard, kiss-inducing, cute-as-can-be, playful, silly, blissful, part lab, heart warming, absolute warm fuzzy of a puppy. His name is Dempsey.

(We named him Dempsey... after much debate... for several reasons: 1. His birthday is St. Patrick's Day and Dempsey means proud in gaelic 2. There was a fameous boxer (he has boxer in him), so I'm told, named Dempsey 3. and since we got him around the world cup (Brenton was really... REALLY into the world cup this year) one of the US player's name was Dempsey)

Life with Dempsey in it is so exciting, and I am just so grateful that he was rescued by a wonderful woman named Lynne and ARF.

This is Lynne... she is one of the sweetest people you could meet!

Last night (this blog is going from a Tuesday to a Wednesday by the way) I laid down in bed, very tired from a long day, and really I thought I was going to explode with warm fuzzies because sweet Dempsey snuggled just as close as he could be. So, that is definitely up in my list of the BEST ways to fall asleep! He makes me so HAPPY.

I. LOVE. HIM.