My Golden Birthday

Yesterday, I turned 29 on the 29th!

I didn't even know Golden Birthdays were a thing until a handful of months ago, but I have to admit, it's pretty cool!

I took pictures throughout my day, so I'll let them do the talking on how fun and special my last birthday in my 20s was! The texts, Facebook/Instagram posts, and calls were enough to make my heart burst with thankfulness. And I mean that.
I pray that any good you see in me points to Jesus himself.
He's the hero of my story.

I was given gifts I don't deserve and spoiled rotten by friends and family and especially by both of my boys. It was a day spent doing things I love with people I adore.
I feel so loved and am so grateful for 29.
This will definitely go down as one of my favorite birthdays!

My sweet friend Ashley picked Nolan and me up and treated us to breakfast at B. Matthew's Eatery downtown. I had never eaten there, and it was SUPER good.

After breakfast, we took the boys to Forsyth Park to play, and play, and play......

Thank you, Ash, for such a fun morning!
We beat the rain home and while it poured outside, inside Nolan napped, and I snuggled up with a cup of my favorite coffee that my hubby surprised me with (my favorite flowers too!), did a little online shopping, and read a book.

Later that night, we ordered Chinese take-out (#GLORY) and watched Beauty and the Beast (because, I mean duh) on the floor in the living room. It was seriously the perfect ending to my special day.

Yellow cake with chocolate frosting from Publix. 
Gracing us with its presence at Meag's birthdays for many years and counting!

Tonight, I date that little boy's daddy with dinner (probably Mexican) and a movie!

This Christmas

We made a short but incredibly sweet trip to hometown for Christmas. We made history at Gamma and Papa Dave's as Gamma had all four of her children and their families there for the first time in 14 years. So fun! And at Nana and Papa G's, we relaxed, hung out with our favorite college kid, and enjoyed having Nanny and Papa in such close proximity this year since they've moved in with Mom and Dad. 

We soaked up every minute with our families and came home Christmas night to wake up the next morning and have Christmas together...just the three of us. This time next year may look at little bit different as we're considering beginning our own Christmas traditions at home and waking up at our house Christmas morning, so that made this year in hometown all the more special.

These pictures are imperfect, unedited (well, let's be real, the majority of my photos aren't ever edited), and capture exactly how I remember all Christmases:

As a hodge podge of memories that are nothing less than perfect.

And pictures like these really take me back to the home video/kodak print days, don't you think?

Side note:

My dad still video records with a camera that requires 8mm cassette tapes. 

Love. That. Man.

Such a sweet, surprise visit from these two (well, three!).

The best daddies stop to watch a digger working on our way to Nana and Papa G's house!

Christmas Eve breakfast with some of our favorites.

Christmas morning.

 Checking out Papa G's new toy (the sound bar).

Got new leggings that seriously feel like butter.

Back at home.