Weekend Recap

Well, we're (mostly) moved out of our "old" house. It is currently being cleaned and prepped for it's "new" family. What a whirlwind of a weekend we had! Gigi visited to help us pack, and we are so (so, so, so) thankful! Here's a little glimpse into what our weekend looked like:

• We packed, packed, packed, then packed some more. I have never been so thankful I clean Branner and I's closets out on a semi-regular basis.
• Visited our new house! Yay!
• Met some of our new neighbors. Yay again!
• Met the current owners of the house. They are very nice! Loved meeting them!
• Went to dinner.
• Got some Pinkberry.
• Had an Emily Maynard sighting.
• Had a glass of wine with my BFF, Jen.
• Moved. Moved more. Moved even more.
• Unpacked things at our temporary home.
• Made a trip to Walmart. Was reminded why it's been two years since I was last there.
• Had sushi take-out for Father's Day dinner.
• Fell asleep during RHONJ.

Whew! Words cannot express how glad I am that we are almost done with move #1. We only brought clothes and toys to our temporary house. Everything else is in storage until our big move; whenever that may be. No later than August 1st is what we've been told.

Poor Barry's Father's Day was consumed with the logistics of the move and the actual act of overseeing the movers. So, we made a family decision that we are postponing our Father's Day festivities until next weekend. Let's face it, for all he does for B & I, the man deserves to be spoiled. We are going to make sure that happens!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week! We're off to the pool to soak up some rays!

Our New Home

Not the greatest pic, but you get the idea!

WE HAVE A HOUSE! We are under contract for a house we love in a neighborhood we adore! While this whole experience has been quite interesting (and crazy), everything worked out in the end! The way this all played out, it was definitely meant to be. We'll be moving no later than August 1st. Now, off to pack more!

Fashion Friday On Wednesday—Birthday Blues

This post was supposed to go up last Friday, but I got sidetracked. Funny, now that I'm procrastinating on the packing I magically found time to put it up! 

I present to you my birthday celebration outfit. I love, love, love mixing patterns right now! I ordered this dress from ModCloth to match these shoes, and to my delight, it ended up being perfect! I plan to wear this to a wedding in July, also.

We celebrated my 31st having dinner at 5Church followed by a Hemingway Daiquiri at Capital Grille. It was the perfect night! If you live in Charlotte, or are in the area, I highly recommend a meal at 5Church!

We're Moving (!)

Well, y'all, my wish has come true. Of course, not exactly the way I planned it, but it is. WE. ARE. MOVING. To where? Your guess is as good as mine. We haven't found a house yet. What we did find were renters. Yes, we are now landlords. We (finally) decided to wait out the market for a few more years and, in the meantime, to keep our house as a rental property. 

This was all a very sudden occurrence. Barry, as a test, put an ad up on Craigslist late Friday night with a few pictures. By Saturday morning, we had three rental inquiries; one of which wanted to come look at the house ASAP. So, the sweetest, cutest little family came to look. They loved the house. They got back to us immediately. Great, huh?

Well, here's the kicker: We have to be out on the 18th. As in less than a week at this point. CRAZY, right?! It's insane over here right now. Between packing and looking at houses, my head is spinning. We will be moving into a friend's house in the interim (he is temporarily living in Wilmington for work), and possibly finding a corporate rental if we don't find a house we love soon. So far, no luck. But, we have an appointment to see a house in a neighborhood we love tomorrow morning. It's not technically on the market until then, and we are the first ones to see it. I'm trying to stay optimistic. Say a little prayer for us, will you?

Beach Trip, Part II

Nothing says vacay like a glass of wine with lunch!

Evening boat ride.

Sandbar

Water walk.

Swimming in the baby pool.

Mr. No Pants on the dock.

Late, late boat nap.

We heart water.

Things I'm Loving Thursday

We're back from the beach, and back to reality! I swear, I could live at the beach from May-September. I might just do that one day. For now, here's what I'm loving this week...

...this lotion. I picked up a bottle while on a sunscreen run at the HB Walgreen's, and it is to die for. The perfect summertime scent!

...this look on Kate. She nails it. Every. Single. Time.

Source: whatkatewore.com via Ashley on Pinterest

...these flowers I bought myself at the market set up outside of Mueller's, where I lunched today. Gorgeous!

...this chicken salad recipe, which I am making this weekend!

Source: becomingbetty.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Speaking of the weekend, I hope everyone's is fabulous!

XOXO

Quinoa Summer Veggie Stirfry

Fresh Veggies!

My current food obsession: quinoa. It really is the perfect food (if you aren't a low-carber)! You can do so much with it, and it is just so darn good for you! Last night, I modified this recipe to make a delicious stir-fry.

Quinoa Summer Veggie Stir-fry

1 c quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1/2 yellow squash

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 handful of fresh green beans (or asparagus) trimmed and broken into small pieces

1 c baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 1/2 cloves garlic, chopped

sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes

dash of hot sauce (I used )

1/2 T soy sauce

1 T balsamic vinegar

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cook until translucent. Add garlic, cook for about a minute. Add remaining vegetables. Season with sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Add soy sauce. Stir-fry until tender. Spoon in quinoa and add balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Again, season with sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. I served with a simple salad. Enjoy!