It's Wedding Season

This year is definitely the year of weddings for me.  I have three weddings on the calendar for this upcoming year, and one of them I am in the wedding party.  I love weddings.  They are a huge celebration of love and in that brings lots and lots of dancing! My favorite.

Recently, I have been focused on celebrating one of my besties.  All of the events leading up to a wedding are so fun. Bachelorette weekends, showers, and planning the details of the wedding. One of my personal goals has been to be more intentional in my friendships.  What a better way to focus on a friendship than being by a friends side during the most important days of their lives?

The best kind of friendships are the fierce lady friendships where you aggressively believe in each other, defend each other, and think the other deserves the world.

As I have gotten older my friendship circle has gotten a lot smaller, but that is okay with me. The friends that have stayed are the ones that I love dearly and who I can be myself completely when I am around them.  Those are the friends that I am celebrating this year. I am so happy for friends who have found love and happiness.  Can't wait to dance at all these weddings!

Birthday Brunch

Location: 300 East

Why is it that when a restaurant is featured on a food network show, that restaurant is instantly cooler? Back in February my family and I celebrated my Birthday by going out to brunch.  We decided on a local restaurant close to me called 300 East.  While looking up the menu before hand I found that it was featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives and instantly was more excited to go.  I mean a local restaurant on TV?! How cool is that?!

The brunch was delicious as was the chocolate brownie [pictured above] Even more so than great food, I love getting together with loved ones for special occasions and celebrating.  My love language is definitely brunch and quality time so this was a perfect way to spend my birthday!

What is your favorite birthday tradition?  

A Day Full of Birthday Fun

Location: Two Scoops Creamery | Central Ave 

Details: Romper | Hat | Necklace

Mike's birthday was this past week and since boys are incredibly hard to shop for I wanted to make the day really special. We spent the whole day together adventuring around Charlotte and it was perfect.

Our first stop; ice cream.  Because what is a birthday without a sweet treat.  It was the perfect day to go because Charlotte Five was having their voting for the best flavors at Two Scoops Creamery. It was so delicious but you definitely don't have to get two scoops even if it's the shops namesake. So much ice cream. Mike ended up eating almost all of mine because I just couldn't do it.

Next up: city views.  Mike has only been living here for a short time and I have just moved back to an ever evolving city so I am constantly on the lookout for ways to enjoy this place and explore.  Sometimes it's fun to just go to the top of a parking deck and take in the views.

Our final destination for the night: The Fillmore.  This was actually the first time I have been here. I got Miike Snow tickets for Mike's birthday. Mike loves music and has been to so many shows but that never really was my scene.  I couldn't help but think of LC in the Hills telling Audrina; "I would bob my head awkwardly for you"  Anyone else get that reference and obsessed with Lauren Conrad like I am?! Haha.  The show ended up being a blast, great music, fun atmosphere, and an overall great birthday date night!

How do you like to celebrate your partners birthday [especially when they are difficult to shop for]? 

P.S. If you like my romper or my off the shoulder black top I am wearing for the show; you can use the code AMANDA10 for 10% off any Ivy & Leo items online!

Dear Graduates

Dear Graduates and Class of 2017,

This past weekend you have put on that robe and walked across a stage in front of all your loved ones who supported you through your journey.  Your time spent studying books taught you lessons that will help you in your life.  The real lessons, though, are learned through the people who have come in contact with, the stories you have been privileged to hear.  The lessons about life are learned through taking it one day at a time and asking lots of questions.  So much has been taught to use by simply using trial and error and trying to figure it out.

You are probably faced with the endless questions from others asking what are you going to do now?  Your eyes race to their faces hoping they don't see the panic in you when you tell them about moving to a new city, trying to find a place to live, getting a job [or not even having one yet!]  Let me tell you; it is okay not to know.  It is okay to be learning every single day after graduation.  It is okay to ask for help and admit you have absolutely no idea what you are doing.

Money will come.  Bills will be paid. God will provide for all that you need.  Your job is to enjoy the ride.

Be present in every single moment. Don't act like you know what you are doing and try to do it all alone.  You need people.  You need to go out on a work night and be there to cheer on a friend who is celebrating.  Find activities in your life that bring you joy and go do them.  As much as people are important, be okay with doing things alone, you never know what that will bring.  Be comfortable with who you are and simply be you.  Your path now is not going to be like anyone else's; even if you were in every single class together since freshman year! Don't pass up any travel opportunity that is thrown your way.  And if you find yourself in a situation that you need to get out of - trust yourself.  You can always go back to school.  You can always find another job. You will spend every day of your life still asking yourself "what am I doing?".

You were put here for a reason.  Be kind to everyone.  Pay attention.  Cherish and take care of the world we are blessed to live in.   Smile.  Laugh.  Cry.  Scream.  Feel.  Fight for what is right.  Practice self care.  Learn to have empathy. Be yourself.

Enjoy your new adventure & congratulations! 

Birthday Celebrations

Saturday was my 27th Birthday!  I wrote a jumbled mess of my thoughts on turning 27 and what that means to me: here. Also, HUGE shout out to Alyssa for the pictures / snapchat screenshots [the reason for the poor quality] in this post since I didn't take any! So rare for me.

Without further ado.  I wanted to celebrate with my favorite things.  People, wine, and cheese.  Did you know that national wine day was also on Saturday?  The national day for everything gods must have known it was my birthday because the day was so fitting.

I invited some friends and family out to Foxcroft Wine for the evening.  Full disclosure.  I will put this post in my Queen City series but this is not queen city on a budget.  This place is one of my favorite places to go for a fun treat but expect to pay at least 40$ a person.

Foxcroft Wine has two locations in Charlotte, we opted to go to the Dilworth location because it is a little bit bigger and I wanted to be able to get a table with a large party.  I am a former server so being the most considerate to wait staff is always on my mind!

You can order wine or beer by the glass or the place also doubles as a bottle shop.  You can browse their selection and bring a bottle to the table which they will open for you.  Since it was my birthday I opted to find a fun bottle of wine for me.  They also have the most amazing food selection here.  I am such a drinks and apps kind of girl that this place is perfect for me.  Amazing truffle fries, flatbreads, charcuterie plates, and sliders.  Yum!

I felt so loved this weekend.  I got the chance to pamper myself.  Do a lot of things that I have been wanting to do for a while that helped me feel rested but prepared for the week ahead.  Most of all, I got to spend some quality time [my love language yall] with some incredible people.

Foxcroft Wine Details:
Location: Two Locations in Charlotte: SouthPark and Dilworth
Budget: like I said before prepare to spend money - a bottle of wine if you don't want to pay a 15 dollar corking fee needs to be at least $30.  Food: around $10 - 15 per item.  Most are big enough to share though.
Time: It's up to you! We hung out talked, laughed, nursed bottles of wine and spent 3+ hours here.
Recommendations: My favorites are a bottle of red [any] with the three cheese flatbread [split between 2 people].  Bonus if you are feeling fancy and have more depth to your wallet; truffle fries and charcuterie board.

What is your favorite way to celebrate a birthday?

27 Laps Around the Sun

 Sunglasses|Necklace|Dress[Similar]|Booties|Bag|Fitbit

Today is my 27th birthday.  I was reflecting this morning in my journal on what I thought 27 would be like.  When we are young 27 seems so old and so wise.  Yet, as I sit here at my kitchen table attempting to get caught up on big girl things like budgeting, cleaning, and organizing I feel like I have no idea what I am doing.

Maybe that's what life is though.  Learning little lessons along the way and just taking it one day at a time, one year at a time.  I know that I am learning so much about myself and who I want to be in this world. Even in one year I have grown so much as a person.  For the little lessons I have learned I am so incredibly grateful.

I can't help but practice gratitude on this sunny morning.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to live this life another year.  I am grateful for friends who have been showering me with birthday wishes already this morning.  I am grateful for a chance to celebrate with the people I love tonight.  I am grateful to be redeemed by my loving and forgiving savior, daily.  I am such a lucky girl.

This year will be a wonderful year.  I can feel it.  Dreams and goals are flowing through my planner.  Passions are igniting my creativity.  Friend dates are being planned.  Yoga classes will be attended.  Even more lessons will be learned.  Journaling and devotionals will change me every day. Healthy me is a priority.  Financial goals are being met.  And most importantly life is being filled with wonder, being brave, and adventure.

Now I'm off to spend a day doing the things I love with the people I love and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Birthday to Me! 

A Love Letter to Snow Days

coat [similar] | scarf [similar] | gloves | boots [similar]

The snow actually came to the Queen City this past weekend.  It wasn't as much as was predicted - but I am writing this with my coffee on a Monday morning [instead of nights when I usually blog] because NO SCHOOL!

We were driving home from church yesterday and I was just admiring how beautiful everything looked with a clean white blanket over it. I said to Mike "I just love snow"  to which he replied "you are like the only adult who thinks that". That got me thinking - I can't be the ONLY one who loves snow? Am I right?  If he is correct in saying that, let me try to sway your opinion by sharing some of my favorite things about snow:

It's beautiful.  I can't get over how fresh, wintery, and clean everything looks with a layer of snow over it. I just love that it truly signifies winter weather.

Snow gives us a chance to slow down.  Here in the south we have to basically wait until the snow melts to head back to reality.  Having snow gives an excuse to put everything on hold for a while and truly embrace the stillness that snow brings. My favorite way to celebrate this is pulling my cozy chair up to the window, filling my biggest mug up with coffee, journal and bible on my lap, watching the snow fall and spending good quality time with Jesus. Bonus points for a fire: If I had a fire place that would be lit too.

Everyone is so so happy.  I took Finn out early in the morning for a snow walk and we ran into another dog playing and his owner was sledding on her trash can lid.  I loved the fact that she was so excited, she was embracing the snow and not letting this day go to waste. The anticipation and squeals of my kiddos at school on Friday brought out a joy in me as well.  Working in a school truly reminds me to live by God's teaching of childlike faith.  Snow brings that out in everyone!

and again there is no school! Sometimes you just need a surprise day off.

What are some of your favorite ways to cherish a snow day?