our sunday.

one of the best things about t&f is we almost always have a camera on us. on sunday afternoon, we went to ryan's favorite, lowes, before heading to base to finish a project he's been working on for a few weeks. i just love hanging out with my husband (& lowes is growing on me :).

then, we headed home to hang out with ryan's roommates from the academy. i just love these boys. their training/deployment schedules mean they're hardly ever in the same place. it's absolutely hilarious when they're together. 

stove.

saturday night, we went to a gem of a restaurant, stove (in portsmouth). we absolutely loved everything -- especially this chocolate dessert (it was the best of my life & i've had a lot of chocolate). the atomosphere was something else -- we all got a good laugh out of sitting under a cougar. if you've seen the classic comedy, arthur, my dad perfectly delivered the line "this is a tough room" when we walked in & saw about twenty animal heads. it was such a good weekend with my parents, so, so grateful for them.

p.s. sorry about picture quality -- i was experimenting with no flash...

happy weekend!

happy weekend! oh i just love this photo - when we're dancing i often stand on ryan's toes to try to make up for the foot height difference between us. so excited for this weekend, especially because my mom & dad will be in town! so ready for some great conversations, good meals & some solid work around the house/in the garden. before i run, here are some a-mazing links for you:

i'm beyond excited, because in a matter of weeks, i'm going to be able to share our rad family room with you. we're painting it next week & then we're going to put in incredible custom curtains by etsy sellers martha +ash. i found them on a lark & it has been a TRUE JOY to work with them! they also have amazing pillows!

hilarious video of a five year old who is VERY determined to have a job before she gets married.

design sponge did a guide to norfolk & it's perfect!

trying to figure out where i can put this map in our digs.

adorable house warming party. (makes me want to have another one! how many times can a house be warmed?)

love this engagement video! (how fun would that be to show your kids one day?!)

my whole life was changed with this intro to craigeasy!

love this spring line from zara!

see you on monday! xo

talbots & julieanne moore!

 

 

how stunning is this spring line by talbots & these photographs of julieanne moore?! remember how fabulous talbot's fall line was? these are seriously elegant & classic clothes.

covet garden.

have you seen the new issue of covet garden magazine? i have a serious crush on this house! (have you seen a more creative dressing room, nightstand or entryway bench?!)

yeah husband!

yesterday, ryan qualified in the SH-60 seahawk helicopter. in the time i've known him he has gotten his service selection for pilot, graduated from the academy, completed API, did primary training, selected for helos, got promoted, completed advanced, earned his wings & now is qualified in this awesome helo. i've seen the countless hours, early mornings, incredibly high expectations, blood, sweat & tears that have gone into this -- i'm so, so proud of him.

so, we celebrated with some red velvet cake (his fav) & i gave him a bottle of basil hayden bourbon to commemorate the day. i'm a big fan of un-birthday cakes (my favorites are here & here). they're boxed cakes, most often thrown together last minute, but they matter & are an appropriate response to big moments in everyday life. this one totally unintentionally ended up being red, white & blue! we then went to grab pizza and make a lowes run, because that's what a ryan night looks like & he deserved it.

*NATOPS is the name of what he completed to qualify :)

bailey doesn't bark.

a sweet friend just introduced me to bailey doesn't bark, love it!

monster.

this morning, ryan woke up & said, "i feel like a monster." i said, "please go back to bed until you wake up not a monster." i hope he was going to be a monster as friendly as this one!

everything in its place weekend.

 

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oscars.

 

  

more on our weekend in a bit, but we opened up a bottle of sparking cider (like we're 9 years old) and nestled down to watch the oscars. i'm the furthest thing from a fashion expert, but the four lovely ladies above had me saying "ooooo," so i'll take that as a sign that i loved their dresses. i also just LOVE anne hathaway.

we laughed the hardest when russell brand and helen mirren co-presented, he was "translating for her" and ended with "yo. my oscar winning performance as a queen was much more realistic than colin firth's as a king." did you watch? what'd you think?

all photos via people