sunflower fields forever

 You guys, I've been trying to get us out to a sunflower field for years. I'm not exactly a patient person, but even I have to admit that this was worth the wait. 🌻

Sunflowers are one of my favorites and always have been. So when I found out you could visit a sunflower field, this climbed to the top of my to-do list. For 3 years, we attempted to visit the sunflower fields in the Boston area while Husband was attending school there for his PhD. With me being in another state, we never quite got things right with booking flights though. I was always in town a week before the sunflowers bloomed or a week too late. I had essentially given up when I discovered a sunflower field near us and our new home state of Virginia. We decided to make this long awaited visit extra special by bringing our puppy along and doing an autumn family photo session here. 

Enjoy a full photo overload with pure golden sunshine! 

Virginia is for Lovers ❤️

It's true what they say, "Virginia is for Lovers". At least, it's true for us. Because for the first time in our 5 year marriage, Tom and I have to place to call home TOGETHER.

5 years of marriage

5 years of marriage = 5 years of adventure 

Five years feels like such a big milestone for us, especially since things haven't always been happily ever after.  

the christmas countdown!?

Now that it's officially December, we're all counting down to Christmas. Though I think most of us have probably been thinking about and prepping for the holiday season for months now. Or is that just me?

Celebrating 3 Years of Marriage

We’re just back from a week long anniversary trip in the Pacific Northwest, wandering Washington state. And now, we will always have this trip full of mountain views, breathtaking moments, and fireside chats to remember our third year anniversary by.

2nd Anniversary Recap

Today is our second wedding anniversary and we celebrated all weekend long so I'm excited to be linking up with some lovely ladies for Weekending. Being in a long distance marriage, our focus is on spending as much time together as we can. We planned so many amazing dates together and I'm kind of exhausted from how much we squeezed in this weekend, but it was the best and now we have all of these amazing adventures to remember our anniversary by.

Opposites Attract

Things are going to get a bit sappy around here because Tom and I are coming up on our second wedding anniversary. It's so crazy to think that I've been married to this wonderful man for two years already, mostly because he is my complete opposite in so many ways. While our differences make him that much more intriguing to me, they also nearly kept us apart. In fact, the first time we met, we didn't even speak to each other. We were so seemingly different. Now I know that these differences are what really makes us work so well together. 

Clinic [Optional]

Today was the best day of clinic that I have ever had or will ever have because today my husband was my patient. He certainly wasn’t the most interesting case I’ve ever seen. Nor, was he the easiest to work with (sorry Tom), but he was definitely my favorite!

Love Wins

Earlier this month, Tom and I celebrated Loving Day, which commemorates the Supreme Court decision to negate all laws against inter-racial marriage. I couldn't help but feel guilty about celebrating my marriage, knowing that not everyone is this country held this inalienable right. Now, it seems that June will forever and always be a month of marriage equality for all. Regardless of anyone's opinions or beliefs on the matter, everyone deserves the right to love. With all the pain and suffering to contend with in this life, why should anyone ever be denied love? 

Loving Day

On June 12, 1967 the United States Supreme Court overturned the remaining laws in more than a dozen states that prevented interracial marriage. After Mildred and Richard Loving, a black woman and white man were arrested for entering an an interracial marriage, they fought a tireless battle to make interracial marriage legal for us all. For many, today was just another Friday, but for Tom and I, today marked an important date. I'm always grateful for my husband and I couldn't imagine my life without him, but days like today definitely put everything into prospective and give us another opportunity to celebrate our marriage. 

Happy Loving Day 

When Life Gives You Lemons....

I cannot express how blessed Tom and I are to have both been accepted into doctoral programs, especially so early in our lives. Real life dreams coming true right here people! But we were tossed a big ole sour lemon when we realized that we would be attending schools in different parts of the country. Living apart isn't exactly ideal for a newly married couple, but these are the cards that we were dealt and we're making the situation work the best way that we know how. 

Notes from an Interracial Marriage

Happy MLK Day Everyone! 

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now and today seems like the perfect day to share it. On a day where we celebrate a man who devoted his life to equal treatment for African Americans; it's another opportunity for husband and I to celebrate our marriage.

A Year of Travel Fulfillment

 I travel to learn about myself and about the world. I travel to experience new things and to grow as a person. I travel to enhance my life and embrace others differences. I travel to be fulfilled.

Resolutions 2015

After such a busy December, I have been taking a few days for myself to get things in order before my Spring semester of dental school begins tomorrow. I've also been doing some inner reflection...every year I take the time to write out my New Year's Resolutions and I like to revisit them regularly to ensure that I'm hitting my goals. Sometimes the specifics get revised as I grow and change throughout the year, but the overall goal remains the same. This year's list is short, but so very very important. 

Here's to a Happy 2015!

Christmas at the Biltmore!

Blogmas Day 25

Merry Christmas Everyone! And thank you for stopping by and celebrating with hubby and I. Part of this year's Christmas gift to each other was to spend a day touring the historic Biltmore, home to the Vanderbilt railroad barons. Christmas at the Biltmore is quite the spectacle with thousands of poinsettias and wreaths, miles of garland, and enough Christmas decor to appease even me. Can't get anymore Christmas-sy than this.

All I Want for Christmas is You [for my husband]

Blogmas Day 24

Happy Christmas Eve Everyone! 
While enjoying our Christmas present at the Biltmore, we decided to do a photo shoot with the very talented Sarah at Sarah Hooker Photography. Because why not? 

Our Christmas Present

Blogmas Day 23

As you know Husband and I don’t exchange traditional Christmas gifts (read why here).  Instead we give each other the gift of experiences and time together. 

Last Christmas in the Dominican Republic was an experience of a lifetime for us, but it didn’t “feel” like the old-fashioned Christmases that we are used to. My one request this year was that we have an exceptionally Christmas-sy Christmas. So we headed to one of the best places there is to spend Christmas…Asheville North Carolina. 
And boy did it deliver.

 

We loved that no matter where we were in town, 

there were always tons of towering Christmas trees 
 AND

the most festive holiday wreaths

Everyone was so friendly and full of holiday cheer. 

I’m wondering if it had anything to do with the ridiculously amazing chocolates that Asheville is known for…..especially the ones at 
The French Board

The line wrapped around the outside 

of the building, but it was worth the wait to have
 the best truffles I’ve ever tasted.

And we didn’t even care that it was cold outside, Husband and I ordered a sparkling wine float with cranberry ice-cream and a milk stout beer float to enjoy with our goodies.

Asheville is also the site of the historic Vanderbilt home...The Biltmore. And “Christmas at the Biltmore” is quite the event! Every December, hundreds of thousands of visitors are drawn to this beautiful chateau to take part in their Christmas celebrations. Isn’t it beautiful?

>>And we were so lucky that the cutest nephew and his parents happened to be in the area at the same time as us. CJ and Mary were kind of enough to take us out to lunch at the yummiest Indian Street food restaurant…..wish this was in my town so I could eat at Chai Pani everyday, especially those delicious samosa chaats and mango lassies.

After lunch, we all enjoyed yummy hot cocoas and roasted marshmallow lattes at the cutest bookstore, I seriously loved the ambiance there.

Filled with wall to wall oriental rugs

Eclectic people and yummy scents from the coffee and wine bar…the perfect spot to read or hang out and be with family.

We exchanged Christmas presents, but I think that Noah liked “eating” the wrapping paper and bows more than anything else. 

Plus we got to go to the most beautiful historic galleria (yes those are spiral staircases...swoon)

 

to see little Noah have his photo taken with Santa…

Seriously, no one should be allowed to be that adorable.

Husband and I continued to explore the city by foot and by horse drawn carriage…

And we found that The Biltmore wasn’t the only place filled with over the top Christmas extravagance. The Grove Park Inn hosts the annual National Gingerbread Competition so we had to go see it.

Can’t even believe these are made out of gingerbread and other edible treats.

The details are fantastic! 

And when all of our Christmas frolicking during the day was done, we would retire to the quaintest bed and breakfast covered in holiday style...

Hope that you are all enjoying the magic of Christmas. Check back in over the next few days to see more details from our trip including “Christmas at the Biltmore” and the "National GingerbreadCompetition"

Why we don't exchange Christmas Gifts

Blogmas Day 18

This time last year, my husband and I were packing for our honeymoon to La Repulica Dominicana. We knew that we would be there on Christmas Day, so we started to discuss the logistics of exchanging gifts with each other. Should we do it before we left or when we returned? Or maybe we should just pack them with us. Well that last idea was just ridiculous because that would mean less room for bikinis.  

So I just suggested nixing the whole concept all together. 

Instead of buying each other gifts, we focused on giving each other experiences during our trip. 

Experiences like...

parasailing over the clear waters of Punta Cana 

(my absolute fave!) 

Zip-lining through the canopies of the forests in Higuey

Snorkeling among the corals 

Horse back riding through the countryside

Kayaking on the ocean 

Well Tom kayaked, I mostly took in the sights

And we indulged in lots of fancy dinners 

Including a secluded dinner for two on the beach 

Experiencing these things together was beyond memorable. Our long distance relationship makes time together the most valuable gift that we could give each other. 

Thus, we have decided to do the same this year and for many years to follow. We are creating our first tradition as a married couple and a new family. In the near future, hubby and I will not be exchanging traditional Christmas presents with each other, but rather experiences.    

Stay tuned to learn about this years gift experience!