I'm tellin' you what... this year is off to a great start! I admit I've spent most of my time staring at my wedding pictures and attempting to narrow down my favorites list from about 800 to roughly 100. It is literally impossible. To all of my newly engaged friends: I cannot stress it enough... it is worth every single penny to hire a fantastic photographer (more specifically, hire Renee Sprink with Renee Sprink Photography). Yes, it seems like a lot of money, but think about it - you will be looking at these pictures and sharing them with your children and grandchildren for the rest of your life! The photographer captures things you as a bride would never have seen or even remotely noticed (perfect example - my flower girl high-fiving my bridesmaids after she walked down the aisle). Being a bride is hard work, so don't stress and let your photographer capture those memories and special moments that you would have otherwise missed. Oh, I could go on and on. And on. I just feel so lucky to have gotten to work with Renee and I want every bride to have that same experience!
On a side note, I think I'm obsessed with weddings. It's starting to worry me.
So, since I posted like 300 wedding pictures on Facebook, I'll just share one in this blog. This is one my mom said "looks like JQ" which made me LOL because obviously she meant GQ. Typical DD!
Now, onto the exciting stuff! Payton helped me cross one thing off of my 2014 to-do list already! He FINALLY bought a new truck! That man has been talking himself out of it for like a year now, so I am thrilled for him :) It's a brand-spankin'-new, charcoal gray, 4-door Ford F150. It's beautiful and he got exactly what he wanted. That makes me very happy! I have yet to get a good picture of it because he wouldn't let me go with him to buy it (rude) and it's already dark out by the time he gets home from work.
And now. The news you've all been waiting for.... Today we closed on our new lake house!!!!!! (By we I mean my parents, of course...) We rented a house for Thanksgiving on Lake Gaston and instantly fell in love with the area. It was obviously meant to be because my dad found the perfect log cabin right down the street from where we were staying, so we all got to see it with the realtor while we were there. It's been a long time coming, but it's finally ours! Oh, it is just perfect. We are going to make so many amazing memories there and I'm ready to get started! I can't even begin to tell y'all how excited I am to take my kids there one day. We've been so excited about this that my mom even got a sign made for Christmas that says "The Cameron's Lake House." Maybe she jumped the gun a little bit, but now we can hang it proudly!
Here she is, in all her leafy glory! The outside needs some work, but the inside is just beautiful.
On another exciting note, I registered for Zumba classes yesterday! Since I rode horses almost daily for the majority of my life, I just never really felt like I needed to do anything more in regards to exercise (because if you've ever ridden Snowball, you understand). Now that I can't ride as much, I wanted to find something that I loved as much as riding to keep me coming back. I think that's been the biggest struggle... I can't compare anything to riding because it is my one deep-hearted passion. So, I figured dancing is the next best thing! I had my first class last night and it was so.much.fun. It was just like playing Just Dance on the Wii, but more intense. I catch on really quickly, so I honestly had a blast and it was a great workout. I'm going to do Zumba twice a week and hopefully try some of the other classes once I'm feeling a little more in shape. I'm just so happy that I love it. And if getting Snowy back into work is on my 2014 to do list, I need all the help I can get to get in shape myself! That horse is just like his mama... would rather be sleeping or eating than anything else.
I can't wait to see what else 2014 has in store for us. So far, so good :)
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fun, relaxing, love-filled holiday season. I know we did! Holidays are more fun when you're married :)
We kicked off vacation with the NC State v. ECU basketball game and seeing Anchorman 2. Both really, really great shows! Then we headed to Salisbury to do our big Craddock Christmas. With 17 people and a new baby, we decided to play Secret Santa and White Elephant. It was a big hit! We always have so much fun when we're all together, and we were ALL together for the first time in a long time! We headed back to New Hill for a Cameron Christmas late on the 24th and did nothing but eat and bum around all Christmas day - my definition of perfect. I made sausage gravy and biscuits and a cheese danish, and we also had gravlaks (my dad's are TO.DIE.FOR) and the most unbelievably delicious Christmas dinner I've ever had. Chateaubriand with homemade horseradish sauce, baked potatoes and asparagus. I'm drooling! We ended the day by going to bed at 8:30 :) Payton and I did some post-Christmas shopping on the 26th and then headed home. I can't remember the last time I was so relaxed. I cleaned and organized and caught up on some projects I had been putting off, all while wearing my owl PJs. I didn't want it to end!
On Saturday we had our December (double) date night at Angus Barn! Payton and I had never been before, so we thought we'd splurge for the holidays. We had a great time with Pam and Wesley, even though we weren't overly impressed (DON'T SHOOT). I've been completely spoiled my whole life when it comes to steaks, so I never order them in restaurants because I'm always disappointed. Although my filet was delicious, it just didn't stand up next to my dad's! Plus, my plate was so screaming hot that it actually cooked my what-started-out-as-perfectly-medium steak to well done. Boo! I'm sorry to all the die-hard AB-ers out there... but come to my house for a steak dinner and you'll understand! I did absolutely love the atmosphere and the rest of the meal, however. Overall, AB is so charming at the holidays and it was totally worth it. Plus, Payton made steak and eggs with the leftovers the next day and it was so, so good!
And now we're here. 2014 has arrived and I'm looking forward to a fresh new year! I have never made or liked new year's resolutions, but I would like to make a little (realistic) to-do list. Here it goes:
1. Write down a favorite moment from each day in my new Erin Condren planner. It will keep me feeling grateful!
2. Try a new Raleigh area restaurant each month.
3. Spend more quality time with Snowball, and get him back into light work.
4. Plan a trip for our one year anniversary.
5. Convince Payton to buy that truck he's been dying for.
6. See a show or two. Or three. (First up - Les Miserables in February with my mama!!!)
7. Put more effort into hanging out with friends and being more social. I'm so young, but act so old!
8. Have a big summer barbecue at our house.
9. Finish 4 books. That may seem sad, but I just don't read very often...
10. Eat less junk food/snack less.
11. Floss (almost) every day.
12. Be a more patient, understanding wife and appreciate my husband's talents and efforts more.
13. Take Scout on more walks.
14. Watch more Netflix. We just started Breaking Bad and I'm in the middle of Revenge.
(and one for good luck)
15. Take full advantage of our new..........................................
Next time, the secret will be revealed! I'm really dragging this out and making it a bigger deal than it is, but it's very exciting to me! Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!
PS- I need to send a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE congratulations to one of my favorite couples in the universe and two of our best friends, Camry and Eric, on their engagement!!! You two deserve all the happiness in the world and I could not be more thrilled for you!
