A little envelope love

So, I've been a little busy lately and haven't had time to blog but I wanted to show you this lovely stamp I designed for the Bird residence this weekend.  It's on order now and I cannot wait to get it in and use it. Won't my little notes and invitations look so fabulous with a little stamp love? They are $34 if anyone is interested in ordering one from me. I can design one custom for you too, just message me!  Hope all of you are having a great week! 

Meet Oliver

Oliver stole my heart from first sight! After my birthday dinner earlier in the month Billy and I walked into a nearby pet store just to "look". I said, "If there is a cocker spaniel in here we are in trouble!" As some of you know, Sophie (who lives with my parents), also a cocker spaniel that made it into our lives because she was sooo cute after a trip to the pet store to “look” about five years ago. Obviously I need to stay out of pet stores!! However, Oliver was sitting there with his brother and looked soooo cute. I couldn't bare the thought of splitting up "brothers" and we walked away because I definitely did not want two dogs in our new home. After two days I couldn't get this little guy off my mind so I called the store to see if he was still there and he was. Unknowingly that same afternoon, Billy had called to see if he was still there. Once we realized we both had called, we were in the car to rescue him from puppy prison and give him a new home. Oliver has done a fabulous job training and he is soo smart. We are enjoying him and glad to have a new member of the Bird household! Oh, and my friend ended up going to the puppy store to "look" and purchased Oliver's brother! Needless to say, I am guilt free and now Oliver can see his brother, Jake, anytime!

Turning 30

Last week I celebrated my 30th Birthday...30th!  It was the first birthday where I could remember my mom at that age and quite frankly, it freaked me out. I was not looking forward to it at all but Billy has informed me that 30s are way better than 20s...so far he is right!  My birthday ended up being so wonderful and I am actually enjoying this new chapter.   Here's a few highlights that made my day special...

Presents!

Heading out to spend the day with my love!

A beautiful new Bible from my parents (I really wanted a new one and they did a great job picking it out!!)

Treated to a pedi

Billy bought me 2 more dining chairs - now my set is complete!

The cake!

I am looking forward to what my 30s bring! So much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to! Hope you all are having a great new year. 

Christmas recap

Early Christmas morning Billy and I enjoyed our own Christmas unwrapping gifts from each other (Santa) and had a blast! We like to open one at a time and drag out the process with Oooos and Ahhhhs to each gift.  

It was a 'Tiffany' Christmas

We loved all of our Christmas cards!

We LOVE Mario ... Thank You Jordan & Oana ;)

After the morning at home, we drove to GA to have Christmas with my parents. Since I was a kid, mom and pop usually like to send us on a hunt for our “big” gift. This year was no different with reading a clue that lead to another…after 10 clues and lots of time figuring out each rhyme (and lots of laughing) we were lead outside to a beautiful patio set. We were so surprised! I just wanted to brag a little and show off the beautiful patio furniture we received on Christmas from my parents. Mom found this vintage patio set ... restored it, painted it and adorned it with new cushions…just for us! Isn’t it great? I was so excited! Now I get to decorate my patio and give it pizzazz!

I am so excited for spring now so we can enjoy this patio even more!

Christmas at Mom and Pops

Santa brought Pop a bike!

Even Sophie unwrapped a couple of gifts!

We missed Jordan, Oana and Carlo but had a very blessed Christmas celebrating Jesus' Birthday and taking time to remember the reason we celebrate at all. 

Christmas parties are in full swing

There's nothing more cozy than an intimate Christmas party by the fire with some of your closest friends.  Saturday night we had a little gathering and had the best time!  Unfortunately, Billy had to work but he was off yesterday to make it out with me to another Christmas party with friends. We've had a great time and I cannot believe Christmas is this week! I feel like summer just ended. Christmas morning will be extra fun this year as we celebrate for the first time in our home. I'm looking forward to it!! Here's a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend...

Christmas Cookie Tradition

Christmas traditions are so much fun and everyone looks forward to them because…it’s just what you do. Well, decorating Christmas cookies is on the top of my tradition list. My mom bakes the best sugar cookies and makes homemade icing and then everyone gathers around the table to make them all pretty. I enjoy the endless sugar cookies to decorate, my Pop decorating two and eating one – decorating two and eating (repeat), Mom telling everyone to be sure they look “pretty”, me getting “out” of decorating when I get bored because I claim we must document the process with pictures, Billy decorating one each year that says, “I love Brooke” – how sweet is he!? For all these reasons, this is my all time favorite tradition. Another reason it’s my favorite Christmas tradition is because my parents started it when they were newlyweds. Through the years we’ve had friends and family join us; numerous close friends and family have at one point shared in this tradition. Such great memories!! This past weekend, my parents along with Sophie came over to the “Bird House” for the cookie fun. We all had a great time! We did miss Jordan, Oana and Carlo though and are hoping next year everyone is around the table…Mom will have a lot more baking to do next year!

It gets better everyday - Our 1st Anniversary!

Wow, I cannot believe it’s been a year since I married the best man I know. A year ago Billy and I married in a beautiful garden wedding surrounded by our family and friends. Dean, Frank and Nat King Cole along with other greats played throughout the air in the background as we swirled around the gorgeous yard celebrating with loved ones on a cool December afternoon. Yes, it was magical. The day was perfect and Billy couldn’t have been more handsome.

In the past year of marriage I have learned that:

- I love him so much more today than yesterday

- It’s okay to forget the dishes for a night and sit on the couch holding his hand

- Compromise

- The beauty of seeing God work in our marriage is priceless

- No one is perfect but I married darn near close! :)

- Being home with Billy is better than any event taking place in the world

- He’s a good man for picking up after me, I tend to leave shoes where I take them off…it’s my downfall (okay, one of many)

- Marriage to your best friend makes life easier and a lot of fun

- If making lemonade every other day and giving him a back scratch makes him the happiest man in the world, who am I to deny him that?

- Communication is key but so is prayer

- He loves UGA and if I need to cheer them on to make a happy house, I will cheer with the best of them…

- Having no pets work for us, ‘borrowing’ Sophie for a few days does the trick.

- Hitting the road and not knowing where you’ll end up makes for the best vacations

- I truly did marry the perfect man God set aside just for me! This past year has more than confirmed that. (good thing, right?) :)

- Billy is the absolute funniest person I know! I don’t think many people get to share in this fact because he seems reserved.

- I’ve learned a new (and the “correct”) way to fold t-shirts! :)

- Don’t give a man instructions, let the GPS tell them they are wrong, ha

- I’ve married a sensitive soul and he’s really incredible with me on my worst days

- The most fun I have had to date is with Billy

- I think he likes Target more than I do, if that’s possible

- Each day I have been complimented and each night I haven’t hit the pillow without hearing the sweet words, “I love you, babe” ...what a sweet gift!

- I couldn’t be more grateful for the fact that I get to grow old with my best friend!!

It’s been the best year. We were talking the other night and agreed it’s been the best year of our lives. We are still so amazed and grateful at how the Lord brought us together. We had a beautiful wedding, purchased our first home, traveled to New York and back, been on several weekend road trips, made many wonderful memories along the way and I look forward to many many more years to come!!!

December 6, 2008

 I love you, Mr. Bird