The last best place

The delay in this post has very little to do with the extent to which we enjoyed our trip to Montana and Glacier National Park last month. Highlight of our summer for sure as we soaked up time with the Andersons all together again, hiked some of our most favorite miles so far, spotted some wild animals, fly fished in the North Fork and saw for ourselves nearly every square inch of Glacier National Park.

It is true; although we adore home in South Carolina there's certainly a constant tug in our hearts toward the West where every third cast means another Cutthroat, your gun can rest at your hip, there are endless Rockies to summit, grizzlies to share the trails with and you could just about retire after a game of punch-Subaru.

Montana, you lived up to your name as the last best place and we can't wait to enjoy your big sky again one day soon!

Happy list v6

108. Fun, laid back weddings
109. Almost crying every time I see Tiff
110. The spicy punch of a fresh radish
111. When Mike asks me not to take it personally when he puts Siracha on everything I cook
112. Friends that'll let you borrow t-shirts when they're not even home

113. Pick up soccer games in Cleveland Park
114. Baboositting Amos
115. Our newly gifted address stamp from our realtor

116. Memories from any day spent on the pontoon at the falls on Lake Keowee
117. That one time Katie called Keowee "Kowiki"
118. Researching hikes to do in Glacier National Park at the end of this month!
119. Our bed all made up, mix-matched textiles and all

120. Having Tupelo Honey Cafe and soon-to-be Bad Daddy's in Greenville
121. Crushed ice
122. Thinkin' about my Mimi every time I drink a 7 on 7
123. Woodall shoals
124. Any second spent with this girl

125. Breakfast for dinner...may have already said it, but it makes me happy enough to say twice

126. The way my dad kicks his leg every time he flips a pancake

127. Pickin' blueberries at Tall Oaks Farm

128. Wearin' out a pair of running shoes

129. Burpees...NOT! But the feeling after the burpees are over

130. Smoochdowns and new recipes for the more adventurous smoochdowns

131. Workout clothes that don't match

132. Hoodies. Seriously, anything with a hood

133. Establishing our own little family traditions

134. That time me, Mike, Kristen and Timmy had the giggles in the bathroom at Sleepy Hollow

135. August 2nd, 2014

136. Writing things on the calendar

137. When you get to catch up with friends you haven't seen in forever and hear they're doing really well

138. Scratched up hardwoods that only mean we're wearin' in our little home

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Happy list v5

79. Listening to a summer night's rain beat against the windows
80. Using cheap, fresh herbs

81. Our new neighbors

82. Racing Sully to the mailbox

83. Long Saturday morning runs with Katie

84. Our sweet nursery chipmunks

85. That time my handy hubby surprised me with handmade barnwood end tables

86. My patients, especially ones that make it all worthwhile

87. Lake weekends with friends

88. Sittin' on the Chattooga river with Shellee and Sully

89. Watching Mike fly fish

90. Burning candles picked out with Whitney at BBW

91. Finishing a good book and already having another picked out
92. Our huge gardenia blooming in the backyard 

93. Boat rides that last all day
94. Lake Keowee
95. Lake Jocassee
96. Snail mail between friends
97. Our front porch light

98. Perusing the farmer's market 

99. Supporting local community business

100. Hazy snuggle mornings with Sully on the bed when Mike's gone

101. Saving my dad's voicemails

102. Drop in visits from my mama all the way from Walhalla

103. Butt slaps

104. Celebrating special moments like this with special lifelong friends. And that time Nick and Jessy have a BOY!

105. Isaiah 46:4

106. Recognizing God's miracles

107. Cobbler. Any stinkin' kind

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Our [h]erb garden

No more shrubs thanks to our sewer woes

So a new raised bed for our herbs

Thanks to Tyson and Mike willing to work after quittin' time

And the back .4 is always enjoyed by this sweet fella

Especially after a weekend apart

We're slowly but surely finishing up the fence

Next up: Another raised bed for the garden

Chicken coop

Patio and fire pit

Perpetual home improvement (:

Happy list v4

57. A freshly groomed Sully Bean

58. Two-a-days
59. Writing the nutrition column for The Noisy Rabbit
60. Doodling on chalkboards
61. Marathoning new TV series, online of course
62. A heavy stash of fresh eggs

63. Daydreaming about being out West, especially back at the Grand Tetons

64. Squeezing in a good workout
65. Swimming with the cutest little water bug ever, my sweet lil buddy, Amos

66. My collection of fresh herbs and their new raised garden bed
67. Being somewhat of a flexitarian
68. Planning trips, vacations and any sort of travel
69. Planning in general
70. Spontaneous snuggles - gotta take 'em when you can get 'em with this fella

71. When brother bear hangs out while I cook

72. Mix and match decor

73. Red hair

74. A spotless kitchen after a big dinner

75. Dessert after dessert

76. When Mike sings in the shower

77. Father's Day

78. Summer shenanigans

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

And then there was fence

Sweet, selfless, hardworking friends

Clean design

Fresh lumber, on sale and coupon used

Complete with a beer maiden

Little Greasers, always better eaten off a trailer

Those boys love tools, I love finished projects

Throw in my shirtless husband
Win, win and win