Big News!

I can finally share the big news

we wanted to wait until it was final

but we have sealed the deal & told our family and close friends

WE ARE MOVING BACK TO RALEIGH!!!!

[date to be set]

Jared accepted his new position with an amazing company in the RTP area and starts at the end of July

we could not be more excited to be able to call our favorite city home once again 

can't believe it has been three years since we lived there!

let the house-hunting fun begin

last week was full of celebrations

starting with this amazing spread that was made the night he received THE call :) 

there was a day filled with fun with my awesome emergency room co-workers

a day on the lake then to the pool followed by a girls dinner at Village Tavern and topped off by wine on a rooftop overlooking downtown Greensboro

the amount of fun and friendship shared between this group of women is amazing

and if the week just couldn't get better 

we met with Libby for dinner and got literally the best package ever

yep, that is our wedding album

which is seriously drool-worthy beautiful

I am obsessed

it is a hard back book with huge thick pages filled with all our favorite wedding pictures 

in addition to our album and our parents' albums she gave us a beautiful walnut wood box

the box is for our wedding/marriage mementos and is just too adorable for words

there are three small vials that can be used to hold teeny-tiny memories 

finally she printed off a ridiculous amount of hand-edited 4x6 pictures and wrapped them in an antique lace embroidered "R" monogrammed handkerchief 

yes, I was almost in tears and yes, I have looked at the album roughly 20 times

sadly, a fabulous week wad interrupted with a super-duper hard day at work

luckily, there was a waitress who felt my pain and gave me a very heavy pour

thank you said waitress and sorry for crying at your table.

phew, seriously looking forward to a long weekend at home in Wilmington with my family and friends

Honeymoon!!

it has been one week since our return from paradise

I am still day dreaming of room service breakfast, endless mojitos, and clear water beaches

but sadly, we are back to reality and somewhat back in the swing of things

like having to cook our own food and do dishes. yuck. 

to say our vacation was fabulous is an understatement

we stayed at The Excellence in Playa Mujeres, Mexico

and we could not of made a better choice 

the service at this resort was above and beyond wonderful

from the time we arrived we were treated like we were VIP guests

which I guess is what we paid for

when first booking Jared really wanted to upgrade our room to the "Excellence Club Package"

which basically meant, a nicer room with upgraded liquor choices 

and oh yeah...a private pool, beach, concierge service and access to the club's exclusive bar 

it was definitely the best choice

plus, the kid has never been to an all-inclusive resort so I let him go a little crazy 

right out of the gate we were whisked away to paradise and we took full advantage of our all-inclusive package

our days looked a lot like this:

breakfast from room service in bed and/or on the deck

rum before 9am 

having our lounge chairs/beach beds made for us by our sweet concierge service 

bottomless mimosa's, mojitos, and dirty monkeys

lunches full of shrimp tacos and fried calamari 

dips in clear water

floating in the pool 

occasional trips to the swim up bar 

room service snacks before dinner 

before dinner drinks 

dinner at one of the five star restaurants on site

more drinks 

nightly entertainment in the theater

more drinks

back to our room for lounging on the bed upstairs outside 

then bed

and repeat

I won't bore everyone with the mass amount of all the selfies we took

because that's a lot of what goes on during the honeymoon time ;) 

but here are a few

we were actually ready for dinner before sun down

early morning panoramas of the beautiful view from our beach bed 

the private beach I was bragging about... 

our own private pool on the rooftop of our room!
yes, it was baller.

view from our room

our package included a day at the spa
which was filled with hydro-therapy. so fun.
Jared did his own massage then next day...such a diva

true story: Jared bribed a bartender to get me this drink. winner.

just a few of my favorite things 

before our last meal

the time we had the room service guy take a picture of us on our deck...

ahh we miss you

not kidding you, this trip was amazing 

half way in to day one we were already talking about returning

after spending 5 days at the resort and having the best service ever we are determined to go back 

we are thinking of going for our two year anniversary next September! 

which is much too far away, but something to look forward to

in other news, 

I start my 7a-7p full time shift tomorrow! 

which means Jared and I will get to eat dinner together every night that he doesn't have class

and he will (hopefully) be awake when I get home from work now

yay :) 

this weekend brings another weekend away in Wilmington

we are due for more beach and quality family time

Engagements, Anniversaires, Weddings, & Honeymoon...OH MY!

oh, where to start?

how about...

MY BEST FRIEND IS ENGAGED!!!

yes people, Ryan finally popped the question on Memorial Day Weekend in Atlantic Beach

he had planned it out to where Meghan's close friends would come to AB and surprise her just minutes after their engagement

it was so sweet!

he proposed on the beach and when they were walking back to the house, friends and family were on the porch to welcome the newly engaged couple with shouts, cheers, confetti and of course tears of joy!

we waited for what seemed like forever for them to come back from the beach

I think I was about excited and nervous as Ryan was ;)

finally, they arrived

and I have to say, I am pretty proud of my wrapping-color-corrdinated-gift here y'all 

we could not be happier for the two of them

also the day of Meghan and Ryan's engagement was mine and Jared's 6 year dating-versary 

yeah, yeah I know were married, but that doesn't mean we can't recognize the day still! 

the rest of Memorial Weekend was spent beach hopping

one day in AB 

the next in Wrightsville

we really can't complain

next up...

my big, Charley, from the honors fraternity I was part of in college got married last weekend!

the wedding was in Garner, NC at The Wedding Hall and Gardens at Landmark

it was such a picturesque place to have a wedding

so happy for the new Mr and Mrs Lane

that wedding wraps up our third this month and final one until Kim and Justin's in October! 

finally...

we leave for our honeymoon (FINALLY) tomorrow bright and early

we will be taking tips from this guy

we will miss our boys so much but know we will fully enjoy our first ever, just-the-two-of-us-vacation! 

yes, it is true, we have been together 6 years and have never taken a trip anywhere just us

I am so looking forward to nothing but Jared, the Mexico sand & water, and of course yummy frozen drinks on the beach. 

bring.it.on.

for now, adios!