the one where I turn thirty

When I was 23 or 24, I found this quote on the then-new Pinterest, "You only get ten years to be in your twenties." At first, I loved this graphic...so much so that I made it my desktop background for awhiiile. After all, my time as a twenty-something was fleeting and those words served as a reminder that I should take advantage of every moment and every opportunity afforded to a young, non-wrinkly, zero gray-haired, but completely in debt, young woman! Carpe Diem and all that jazz! But as the months and years went on - these words began to haunt me. Ominous, intimidating, and flat-out scary - these words might as well have been followed by a "DUN, DUN, DUNNNN." This quote led to anxiety-laden thoughts: "What if I'm not maximizing my time in this decade?! What if I don't travel as much/get in as good of shape/accomplish as much/have as much/become as much like..." -- the list goes on and on. And so I felt defeated by the very words meant to keep me inspired. Eventually, off the desktop the quote went (praise hands) - but they remained etched in the back of my mind.

Today, as I spent my last day in my twenties, I couldn't help but feel a little off. Between Tim McGraw's "My Next Thirty Years" blaring in my mind's ear (is that a thing?) and that freaky quote from 2012 -- I was feeling a tad introspective. After all, I didn't quite accomplish all the things I thought I would when I started this decade: I am not the editor-in-chief for Lucky or Elle magazines (shocker, right?), I don't own a house (much less a vacation home), I don't live near my family OR in New York City, I don't have lots of designer clothes in my closet, I don't have a million stamps in my passport, I'm n in the best shape of my life  *she says while eating warm chocolate chip cookies and a glass of cold milk*, I haven't written a book (in fact, I can barely blog consistently), I don't have as many kids as I thought I would by now, and I am very, very tired. Virtually nothing in my life looks quite like I thought it would when I turned 20! Allow me to first say: thank goodness. Clearly, my 20-year-old self was slightly consumed with the wrong things  in life! And although I'm extremely grateful that some of those expectations didn't come to pass (ahem most of them), there was a piece of me that felt a little worried that I didn't live my last 10 years to their fullest potential. Like what if I didn't live my best, most exciting, 20-something-year-old-life?! Please tell me I'm not the only one who has had this kind of existential age crisis?!

But as I read through Ecclesiastes today (nothing says quarter/mid/whatever-life crisis quite like Ecclesiastes, am I right), I was reminded that my life and my 20s aren't measured by my accomplishments. The quality of these years is not measured by my achievements, workplace accolades, possessions, dress size, followers on Instagram, cool trips or experiences, bank account balance, or even -- gasp -- my relationships. My years are measured by one thing and one thing only - my Maker. And according to him, well, if I'm still making every effort to become like his Son, I'm doing alright! I can't even begin to tell you how liberating that thought is for me!

When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless. Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless. Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”

- Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:1 NLT

Meaningless, meaningless. Without God, it's all meaningless - gotta love the bluntest book of the Bible :) So ultimately, I'm positive that my thirties will be different than what I expect and probably filled with a lot more spit-up and a lot less "glamour" than my twenties...and that I'll probably stay tired for the foreseeable future (update: Rosie was teething all night so yeah - sleep and glamour are officially out. the. window. But sweet baby snuggles are IN!). Cheers to a decade of letting go, remembering the Creator first, sleeping the exact-same-not-nearly-enough amount, and attempting to eat more salads and a few less french fries.

It's time to check on my sweet, sleeping daughter and convince J to watch that episode of Friends where Rachel turns 30 with me. Thanks for joining me as I've attempted to make sense of my twenties. Can't wait to keep keeping it uncomfortably real with you all in my thirties. Is there any other way?! Stay young, y'all!

xoxo

A+J

the one with that 70s flair

Culottes, wide-leg pants, cropped wide-legs, or whatever you wanna call 'em -- I think I {with extreme surprise to myself} am a believer. First of all, they have the lady-likeness and breeziness of a midi-skirt with the practicality of...well, pants. Secondly, they pair well with the boxy tops that have been so popular lately. Third, they make me feel like Barbara Streisand in a 1970's dramedy. Can you say, "BONUS"?!?

Anyway, I'm excited to see how these bad boys transition into the cooler months. And did I mention my mom almost bought them too (twinsies)? Cross-generational style for the win! But to be fair, I'm fairly sure she wore them in 1975...but in a tasteful orange plaid.

For more ideas on how to style wide leg pants, check out my Pinterest board, "wear" -- I've pinned several looks on there that I'm pretty crazy about.

Peplum top: Banana Republic Factory

Culotte (similar): Banana Republic Factory

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Francesca's

Lip Color: Magenta in Sephora Long-Lasting Luster Matte

xoxo

A+J

the one about a pup named {Huck}

Elise Orlowski Photography

Three months ago, this little fella came into our lives. We have learned lots of things since getting our Olde English Bulldogge -- but here are 10 of the most important.

1. There's no time to {pee} like the present -- House-training puppies is not for the faint of heart. Waking up in the middle of the night, taking him out right after he wakes up (after napping approximately every single hour), learning that barking gleefully is actually a strangled cry for emergen-pee, stopping every conversation with house-guests 10 times per hour to let pup out, clean up pee, or exclaim, "PLEASE! NOOOOO! JUST HOLD IT....aw, dangit."...and clean it up all over again.  

2. One man's trash, another {canine's} treasure -- Toys are fun, bottles are significantly MORE fun. Probably because they seem like something forbidden to the little terror. At one point in young Huck's life, he was up to at least 5 different size plastic bottles scattered around the house. He continues to sneak into the pantry, steal bottles, and trot out like he has conquered his own personal Everest. 

3. Snoring with your eyes open confuses the humans -- So does grunting like a little piggy. 

4. Who's your Alpha? -- Playing Who's the Boss? with your 11 week old puppy is a lot less exciting than it seems and you find yourself googling Cesar Milan tips and pinning puppy training tricks for a solid couple of hours per week. Eventually, he looks at you with those sad puppy dog eyes and you have to pin him down in spite of yourself.   

Huck thinks he owns the place. Specifically, my cozy, birthday fort.

5. I found the friendly New Englanders -- Usually, Bostonians follow a strict, "Don't-Smile / Don't Wave" policy when walking down the street. But ever since we've gotten Huck, all of that has gone out the window. People smile, girls shriek, and everyone reaches out their hands for a pet, snuggle, and tummy-rub. It's the weirdest, most delightful way to make friends I've ever experienced. I'm savoring my pup-ularity for as long as it lasts. 

6. The Case of the Pink Sock -- Three days ago, I lost a pink sock. Today, we thought Huck vomited  up an internal organ. And then, we realized it looked remarkably like polyester. Five minutes after sanitizing the fake-organ, Huck pranced in the room with a blue sock in his mouth. We are currently accepting Sock-Rehab Center recommendations. 

7. No lap is too small for a ever-growing, snuggle-loving bulldog -- Huck's face describes exactly how you feel when your mother has the audacity to suggest you're getting too big for her lap. 

8. If you can take your baby, I can take my puppy -- I smuggled Huck into Target. There, I said it. No regrets. 

9. It Takes a Village -- Letting a dog out every four hours is HARD. How do people with normal jobs have puppies?!! Thank goodness for friends, college students, and neighbors who have a love for you (or maybe just your freckled-nose bullie) that is completely undeserved. 

10. Puppy Paws, Wiggle-Bottoms, and Sad Eyes -- It's been a tough few months for the Ghoman family, and although puppies don't make everything better - they certainly make most things better and all things more bearable. Thanks for making our hearts happy and our home more messy, Hucklebaby. We're glad we get to keep you. 

Fergie Medar Photography

xoxo

A+J

the one with home and the holidays

It's 11PM and I've got nothing in front of me but headlights and interstate. We are driving the 12 hours to North Carolina overnight because we wanted to get "home" as fast as possible.  Home has become a relative term for me the last few years as every member of my family has moved multiple times. Now, home simply means a place where we're all together and surprisingly, I'm totally ok with that. So even though I may not always know what to put for my hometown on my Facebook profile (Athens? Cary? Somewhere in Florida? Boston?) -- I'm finally accepting that my scattered "homes" just make me a little more interesting. Knowing that my family is waiting on the other end of this crazy, exhausting drive with a fireplace, a Christmas tree, my brother in law's famous chocolate covered peanut butter balls, and lots of shrieking kiddos makes it all worth it. :) 

And because I so wish I could send all of you a sweet Christmas greeting from Boston to your home (wherever that is!) - I wanted to share some of the photos from our little Christmas card photo session. Thank you, Fergie for taking these pictures for us -- you da best, girl!

Merry Christmas, y'all! We hope you all find a little piece of home and happiness this season! 

Love,

A+J

the one about giving thanks

It's DECEMBER, y'all! Eeek! And as excited as I am to post about Christmas and all the upcoming merriment - it wouldn't be right to neglect Thanksgiving! This year, we stayed in Massachusetts and spent time with Jesse's family on the North Shore. We had so much fun watching movies, eating WAY too much food, shopping, and just spending time together as a family. It was an especially fun holiday with Collier around as our new brother-in-law. He's the perfect addition to our clan:)  

This year, I asked to put together the Thanksgiving tablescape and I loved being able to get a little crafty. The decorations were pretty simple:

- a large glass vase wrapped in twine and filled with autumnal gourds, berries, and pine cones

- 2 little lanterns from AC Moore (for only a $1 or $2!) that I'm using again this Christmas

- pinecones for holding the place cards and around the table

- cardstock and felt markers for the place cards

- postal paper (again, so cheap!) for the "I am thankful for" placemats. 

The placemats were a beast to cut (you should have seen my father in law wrestling the paper to the ground and both of us laughing hysterically on Thanksgiving Eve - quite the bonding moment) but led to a special table conversation. I loved hearing what everyone was thankful for in 2014:)

 It would definitely be an easy table scape to adjust for Christmas - I hope it gives you an idea or two for your home! 

Our Thanksgiving table. Amber (and her new beau, Esteban) joined us!

I found some South Georgia peee-caaans for my sweet potato souffle! My southern soul was pumped.

Lots to be thankful for this year!

As we head into the busy Christmas season, I'm trying to hold onto the message of the Thanksgiving holiday. A friend of mine recently posted a thought about the Scriptures' take on thanksgiving - that the Bible talks significantly more about "giving thanks" than "being thankful" and it got me thinking. Apparently, God desires an active form of gratitude even more than an inward or passive form. I don't know about you, but it's much easier for me to be passive in my thanks - to pray about what I'm thankful for or think about what I'm blessed with. But as we head into December, I'm trying to determine how I can be more actively full of gratitude in my daily life. How can I show my thanks to my God, to my husband, to my family, friends and the less fortunate? I don't want to just be inwardly thankful but externally and joyfully full of thanks! Join me, won't you?!

Here's to a wonderful holiday season!

XOXO

A+J

{the one with the evolving vacation}

Gone are the days of family vacations with lazy mornings, afternoons spent reading, and late-night movies. Instead, Laing family vacations now operate on a different time-table: toddler-time. Our schedule revolves around eight adorable munchkins and their nap times, play times, meal times, rest times, bath times, pool times, and of course...tackle-Uncle Jesse-times. As the only child (adult? original Laing?) in my family without a kid - you would think this could be a little overwhelming. And well, you would be right. It is overwhelming to be around sooo many children when you are used to...zero. But, it is also the best kind of overwhelming. I love how my eight nieces and nephews have reshaped my family. They have turned 10 would-be boring adults into big kids who will do anything (and I mean anything) to make one of them laugh. They keep us on our toes with their questions and keep us laughing with their malapropisms. They remind us to find joy in the little things and to be totally and completely silly when at all possible. But I also love that they help us to savor the moments when it's just us. We didn't turn on a movie one time when they were sleeping (a family vacation first). Instead, we caught up on the many stories we missed while apart,  laughed at the same stories we'd all heard a thousand times, and just enjoyed being together. And by the time they woke up and things were out of control once more - I really didn't mind. 

I still love my memories of peace and quiet on vacation - but I wouldn't trade the noise and chaos of those crazy kids for anything. Quiet will just have to wait:) 

You might be wondering if I was the rebellious one who did the dress code backwards...I was. Rebel without a cause. 

Happy Friday from our crazy family!

xoxo

A+J

photos by AG Pixs and Portraits

the one with Sawyer Kate

So much has happened over the last few weeks that I don't quite know how to delineate it all a blog post with adequate verbiage, enthusiasm, pictures, and insight. So instead, here is something short, sweet and to the point. 

 

I have a niece! Everyone, I would like you to meet my newest favorite person: Sawyer Kate. She's 7lbs, 1oz of pure cuteness and yep - I got to be there to witness her grand entrance :) 

Sawyer is the fourth addition to my sister's brood and as the fourth kid in my own family - I feel a major sense of solidarity with my newest niece. After all, who else can better teach her how to stand up for herself against all those older kids and get more privileges than the siblings before her acquired? Shhh, I was really good at it:) But mostly, I can't wait to tell this little girl that she is so completely and totally loved. She always has been. 

As I held that teeny little girl on the first day of her life, I watched those navy blue newborn eyes drift into a deep sleep and saw those impossibly small fingers try to squirm out of my ill-attempted swaddle. I marveled over those ruby red lips and adorably kissable cheeks - and I've got to be honest, I cried while baby girl slept in my arms and while my sister slept the exhausted sleep of a new mommy. I cried because, once again, I was amazed by our Creator. The One who could create something so perfect and something so small. And that he would entrust this little-piece-of-perfect to us. I know that Sawyer Kate is in excellent hands - she's got a Heavenly Father, amazing earthly parents, and a whole fan club of people who didn't think newborns could be that beautiful:) 

Baby, we're so happy you're here.  

the one with the traveling newlyweds

The first post of 2013! Can you believe that we're already here? I feel like the past year has FLOWN by in a series of crazy, wonderful, new, and exciting moments. Jesse and I sent 2012 out and rang in 2013 among my ever-growing family. We started out in West Palm Beach, Florida with my parents and my brother Jonathan's family, drove up to Columbia, SC to visit with my brother David's family, and are rounding out the trip in Wilmington, NC with my sister Elizabeth's brood. It has been an action-packed vacation filled with presents (giving and getting), movies, some sickness (this always happens to me!), laughter with my incredible siblings and their spouses, and lots of child-wrangling. 

A glimpse of Christmas

I had to drop J off at the airport today so he could head home, but I'm hanging here in Wilmington until my sister's 4th baby is born. I've been here for each of the Thompson births so I'm sooo glad I get to be here for the final addition. Currently, my nieces are by my side chattering away while we settle in to watch Brave (Cassidy's new favorite movie) so I have to run before they assault me for continuing to type rather than watch with them. It's good to be wanted:) 

My extremely pregnant (and very adorable) big sister

Miss this man already:) 

2013 is already shaping up to be a great year! Happy New Year, friends!

the one with the fauxgiving

In honor of Thanksgiving Eve, I'm posting about one of my favorite new traditions....celebrating Thanksgiving...rather "Fauxgiving" with some of our best friends. On Saturday, several of the young married couples at church got together for a huge turkey dinner - and it was an absolute FEAST. The feast allowed me to try out some new recipes. I decided to make some southern classics: macaroni and cheese and sweet potato souffle. And now - I have the privilege of sharing them with you:) 

Macaroni and Cheese: 

I got the recipe from the Food Network (it was the highest rated recipe) and it turned out deliciously!! Here it is before and after the oven:) Look it up here. 

Sweet Potato Souffle:

I don't have a picture of the souffle but this was one of the favorites of the evening. It was rich and sweet...and totally Southern:) It was diviiiine! And you can find the recipe here...Paula Deen, baby!

Although everyone made some delicious food - the best part of Fauxgiving was spending it with friends. I feel so blessed to live in a place with so many people in our stage of life. The first couple  months of marriage have been wonderful but also new, crazy, emotional, etc and we've needed peer friendships like never before. I'm so thankful that God has blessed us abundantly in this department. 

Isn't Alex such an adorable hostess?! She and Jay made the turkey and made this night come together:) 

Can you believe that actual Thanksgiving is tomorrow?! I know I can't. J and I are spending the holiday weekend with his family up in Syracuse, NY and it's going to be a great time. This is my second year with his family (although last year we stayed in town) and I'm really excited about it. Although I always miss my family this time of year - I'm so blessed to have the in-laws that I do. They make me feel so loved and included. Special note: Jesse's sister will not be joining us this year. And I'm so mad - thankfully she's sitting right next to me until her flight this afternoon. So I'm getting my Jenna-fix a little early this year:) 

It's hard to believe that this time last November, J and I were still dating long distance. The last year has brought so much to be grateful for - God is good. 

Thanksgiving 2011