This summer looked a little different than others. No long vacations or even quick getaway beach trips for us like in summers past. No big weddings or dinner parties or grabbing drinks with my hubby at Barcelona like we had done many times in the seasons prior. Nearby friends and family felt a billion miles away. Even with all this, a little creativity this Summer allowed us to start new traditions we will cherish for years to come.
Without organized sports for our boys, I had to take things in my own hand and teach our younger son how to swim. I have to say, either he is a great learner or maybe I am just a great coach. By summers end he was diving into the deep end and swimming like a fish while this mama was able to take a break and work on her tan.
In the first weeks of Spring we realized that we will be spending much time in our home and we knew we would have to make some changes. First thing we wanted to do is create an outdoor family space by replacing our warn deck, extending our patio, and adding some chic yet comfortable furniture. Our old deck did not have stairs into the backyard and without direct access we did not spend as much time outdoors at our home as we would have liked. More time opting on traveling to local parks or other outdoor venues. That all changed with the new deck and patio; spring and summer nights BBQing, playing with the kids, or simply having tea with my hubby has been a wonderful treat.
Now that outside had been complete, I needed a major interior change as well. We purchased our home about 5 years ago and I never liked out kitchen. It had old cabinets, dated countertops, and builder grade tile which I hated…that is a pretty strong feeling, but you get my point. I needed a new kitchen, and I do not mean “we,” I mean I…lol
Since we moved in, I had a vision of what my kitchen should be like and my hubby finally made it happen. It turned out to be better than I imagined. We designed every little detail exactly the way we wanted, from cabinets to the floors and even our voice activated faucet which I never knew I needed. If you have been following along on Insta then you have probably seen my new kitchen but here are some of my favorite shots:
And of course, I left the best for last. My husband and I celebrated a major milestone; our 15-year wedding anniversary on August 6th. 15 years of pure love, joy and happiness. Well, tbh we had a few bad days here and there but who hasn’t, right?! Just keeping it real with ya’ll.
After weeks or maybe even months the mister and I had plans to go dinner and unbeknownst to me, right before we were leaving, our older son was taking photos of us when my husband got down on one knee and proposed to me with the most gorgeous ring ever. I loved seeing the smiles on my boys faces, it was one of the memorable moments we’ve ever shared together which we will never forget……..
The night just kept getting better, what I thought was going to be a dinner with the two of us, which would have been great, was not the case. My hubby planned to have my bestie and her hubby there to celebrate. He reserved a private room at the restaurant so we can enjoy the evening without all the COVID worries we had been obsessing over.
The surprises did not stop there, the next day we packed our bags for a one-night getaway to the precious Goodstone Inn in Middleburg, VA. It was one of the most beautiful places I had ever visited, from the gorgeous room décor to the magical pool and the most amazing 5 course dinner. We had big plans to travel to Europe for our anniversary, then head to our friend’s wedding in France and have our boys join us later but God had other plans and it turned out to be my favorite anniversaries ever. Sometimes all we need is just you and me, baby. Love you!
This summer I learned more than any other time to make the most of every situation, things do not always go as planned but it’s not a big deal make new plans. You cant go on a vacation, no problem make it fun in your own backyard because what matters most is your family being together, being heathy and happy!!!! Live it up everyone, life is too short and make the best life you can out of it, even in quarantine.
