4 going on forever

Happy Anniversary Michael! Thank you for growing up with me, teaching me to fly fish, being my travel and hiking buddy, always cooking me breakfast and pouring my coffee, building me end tables, painting the same wall 5 times and digging through endless antiques on Saturdays. For me life could not possibly be any better spent than by your side. I love you. I hold no greater privilege than being your wife.

Happy list v9

189. Recipes that don't call for a gazillion ingredients
190. Sleepovers with Mc and Mosie when the boys are out of town
191. Taking Sully for a long ride in the truck in perfect weather

192. Laughing with my cousin, Harper
193. New hobbies
194. Going to the Indie Craft Parade with Boo and friends

195. Daydreaming
196. Celebrating anniversaries
197. Family dinners
198. Spin class with Kendra
199. Relaxing on Shellee and Tyson's porch
200. Bonfires in the Fall
201. Michael teaching me how to fly fish

202. Letterpress

203. That time Mike almost wrecked after he accidentally flung a piece of his jalapeno potato chip into his eye

204. Completely spontaneous days

205. Sharing seriously good giggles and laughter

206. How a man always wants to immediately play with any newly acquired toy

207. According to Mike, Sully's slightly girly new collar

208. The butt birthday card

209. Helping Mike organize his shed

210. Being a multithousandaire (:

211. Secret notes left at my house by my Mama

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Happy list v8

170. Photo booths at weddings. Seriously fun!

171. Dancin' videos of Amos

172. Homemade french toast

173. That time that Mike saved my mom and I from a snake and a bat

174. Cooking and grilling with Dad and eating out on his porch

175. An afternoon of sunshine after a morning of rain

176. Running into Robbie and getting one of his big hugs

177. A long weekend at home

178. That time my Clemson tigers beat Georgia in the season opener

179. Zach converting back to a Clemson football fan

180. My budro

181. QT with my Taylors

182. Meyer's dish and handsoap 

183. My new hydration pack from Katie

184. Sleepovers with my best friend, Kristen, and our boys at my mom's house when we're 26 years old

185. The strawberry stack from Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe

186. Looking through old pictures

187. When my dad calls just to tell me how much he loves me and enjoyed spending time with us the day before 

That sure got me smiling! (:

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Happy list v7

139. A freshly washed rug

140. Quiet time

141. Having such a handy, hardworking husband

142. When things are actually covered under our home warranty

143. Training for my first half marathon

144. Curling up in our living room chairs

145. C.S. Lewis 

146. When people show appreciation

147. Quick wit

148. Lonesome Dove - the movie and the book

149. Finally settling on a coffee table solution and bonus - when sweet, antique finds fit just right

150. Makin' plans with friends

151. Seasonal eating

152. Our new barn-style fence gates and the sweet boys that built them for me

153. Patagonia sales

154. Teaching my mom how to use her new cellphone

155. Printing pictures for frames

156. Trying new recipes that don't disappoint 

157. A lazy Friday night in 

158. Making lists

159. Hiking Glacier National Park

160. Pitamakan to Dawson Pass

161. The Flathead River

162. Subarus

163. Weeknight date nights with our best buds and Matchbox Twenty

164. Watchin' the boys fall off the new slackline

165. Lookin' forward to some bouldering in the crisp, fall weather

166. Rocks that look like SC

167. Cairns

168. Mixmatch seating

169. The absolute kiddish grin on Michael's face when we picked up the trooper from his grandparents this weekend - the very first car he remembers is now his

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

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?