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.

we're headed to new orleans!

happy hump day! 

As if this month hasn't been packed with enough adventure from our west coast trip, we're headed to New Orleans tomorrow.

a rainy day Philadelphia Valentine

Last year, we celebrated love day in the big apple with an NYC Valentine. The year before, we were in Boston. And this year we celebrated in Philadelphia. It’s become an inadvertent tradition to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a different city every year and this makes for one very happy love day. But this year in Philly was extra special because...

home for the holidays

Not going to lie, I've definitely been overwhelmed with the holidays this year. It's not easy to be earning a doctorate degree while trying to make time for the rest of those real life moments. I love all the special parts about Christmas...the decorating, the ornaments, the Christmas cards. But all those things require time and that's one thing that I never have very much of. 

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?

engagement gift for ele

 If you're a regular around here and you don't know Ele, then you're missing out because she is my kindred. Ironically, we've never met in person, but we've connected over the fact that we are in similar life situations. Like me and my husband, she lives apart from her significant other while they both pursue their dreams at different medical schools. I feel that I know better than anyone how hard it can be to make a relationship work over so many miles. There's a whole new set of rules. But you commit yourself anyway and you support your SO in their dreams while pursing your own. It's kind of a lot. So the fact that they have managed to keep their relationship alive and thriving with all the distance is a testament of their love. So Ele's recent engagement truly deserves to be celebrated. And I love to support love, so I couldn't resist mailing off a care package to the bride-to-be to say congratulations.

husband's birthday in a box!

The hardest part about being in a long distance relationship isn't that we miss out on daily dinners or morning kisses goodbye. It's missing out on the special occasions…that's what I hate most. Yesterday was my husband's birthday and I couldn't be there to celebrate him. And while I am thankful that I will get a chance to see him this weekend, there is nothing like being celebrated on your actual day. So I sent Tom this "birthday in a box" filled with a few small gifts and treats. 

meet me in new york

There are pretty much no perks to being in a long distance relationship. Aside from having complete ownership over the remote control, but that get's lonely after a while. But I can think of one good thing. Instead of me always visiting Tom or him visiting me, sometimes we meet in a special place. This way, we're not visiting each others day to day lives and being reminded of the distance. Instead we're just two people meeting up in a neutral place. 

Queen Street

Because Husband and I are in a long distance relationship, most of our date nights occur during vacations. In fact, this is part of why we travel so much. Most couples can go out every weekend if they want, but that's not an option for us. When we can manage to steal a couple of days away for ourselves, traveling to new places helps us make the most of our time together. So every date night seems to involve a new restaurant and every day date is a new adventure. And that's one aspect about this whole long distance thing, that makes it a little bit easier to endure. 

And We're Off!

Lately, the husband and I have been beyond busy. He is finishing up a project that has been a year in the making. And I just finished dealing with all the craziness and exams associated with the end of a semester. We have both been so stressed and anxious these last few weeks... 

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. 

♥♥ Husband's Birthday Weekend

No matter how busy dental school keeps me, husband is always my top priority so this past weekend I visited Tom to help him celebrate his 26th birthday. I left the warm embrace of the South and headed to the snow-covered ice-capped city of Boston. 

Notes on A Long Distance Valentine's Day

Celebrating Valentine's Day when you are in a long distance relationship can be lonely. Trust me, I would know! Husband and I dated long distance during college and now we are super long distance while we both attend grad school. Last year we were fortunate enough to spend Valentine's Day together, but this year we will be apart. If like us, you are unable to be with your SO this Valentine's Day, know that it is still possible to make your loved one feel special. And to help get things started...I'm sharing some of my favorite LDR gift ideas. 

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? 

October in Review

Well another month has ended and it seems to me like it completely flew. I seriously can't believe that it's well into November already. I wanted to just step back and take a minute to reflect on all that I did this past month. 

Pumpkin Waffles & Halloween Treats

Topped with whip cream & maple syrup! 

Snapshots of Halloween 2014

Hello everyone, I hope you had an 

amazing Halloween! Ours was a bit hectic 

with last minute costume making and multiple

 parties to attend, but we managed to fit it all in. 

Farewell to Fall Break

Today was my first day back to school after a week off for fall break. And instead of feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, I was just miserable. The first day back is always the hardest. I so long to be back in Boston with my husband. But for now, this time apart is necessary in our lives. Instead of moping about it, I thought that it would be better to reminisce about our last day spent together walking along the Charles River with our pup.

One Year Anniversary Weekend Recap

Hello All, I thought I'd do a quick post on how hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Because of our school situations, we weren't sure if we would have the opportunity to spend the actual day together, but luck was on our side. Husband flew in on Saturday and we decided to stay in the city since he had to fly back to Boston on Sunday. We grabbed a quick lunch, enjoyed a relaxing couples massage, and did a little shopping. And that evening we headed out to dinner together. 

Our Love Story

This weekend is my one year wedding anniversary and although hubby and I were together for over 5 years before we married, this past year has been completely unique. I love him even more now that we have made this lifelong commitment to each other. We both work actively everyday to show our love and appreciation for each other. In honor of our first anniversary I thought I'd share our story: how we met, how we fell in love, how Tom kidnapped me in order to propose. And because I love them so much, I'm tossing in a few photos from our engagement session.