I Love You More Than...

anything in the whole world! that's the joke between jeff and i...that's our "thing". as much as we can drive each other crazy with our antics and strong personalities of having to "win" at everything, i love that man more than i ever thought i could love someone.

there's a quote from the movie "juno" that is so fitting {no, it's not a romantic sonnet by any means, but to me, it is perfect}: "find a person who loves you for exactly who you are. good mood. bad mood. ugly, pretty, handsome. the right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass. thats the kind of person thats worth sticking with."

isn't that the truth? jeff knows the ins and outs of me, what makes me tick, what makes me happy, what stresses me out, what makes me sad, and how to make me smile. but, with the good comes the bad, and he loves unconditionally. to me, that is what real love is all about. 

jeff, thank you for being the perfect man for me. thank you for all the joy and happiness you bring to my life, day in and day out, for the laughter, for the inside jokes that only we know, for everything you do to provide for our family, and for being my bestest friend in the whole wide world. happy valentine's day baby! OXOX

Holiday Lovelies...Valentine's Edition

The ever-so-sweet Christina over at Carolina Charm requested this post, so I have to thank her for giving me the idea! I posted some fun gift ideas during the holidays, and she asked if I would devote a post to finding perfect presents for that sweetie-whether it be a friend, a beau, or your life partner {that's how I'm lovingly referring to Jeff these days}.
Seeing as though I think Valentine's Day is a mushy gushy all out Hallmark holiday, I wanted to show some exciting ideas that don't require a lot of cash to execute-I think the majority of us out there are trying to cut out unecessary spending so I am attempting to make this budget-friendly for everyone!

Breakfast in Bed

I did this for my sweetie last year and he raved for weeks about it. I picked up some heart shaped muffin tins from the dollar aisle at Target and then made his favorite poppyseed muffins for breakfast-easy peesy and I got to eat, too!

Coffee Talk

If your Valentine is a lover of caffeine, buy a coffee mug that lets you profess your love everyday! Write a sweet message on the cup in celebration of V-Day and then you can always add a little something fun inside like a Starbucks gift card or a chocolate dipped pretzel covered in pink and red candy.

Movie Date Night

Instead of the traditional movie night out, buy some of the fun popcorn holders (I've seen them at World Market and Target recently), and stuff them with bags of popcorn
and movie size candy and then tie a little note saying it's time to cuddle on
the couch and you're letting him pick the movie!  

Other non-traditional dates/gifts could include a trip to a comedy club, venturing to see his favorite sports team play, a couple's massage, an afternoon adventure  to a winery, or a fun cooking class...Jeff knows I am  all about "doing" rather than "receiving" on Valentine's Day, so I'm interested to see what he comes up with this year!
On the other hand however, if he decides he just has to get me something, any of the following will make me a very happy wife ;)

via Anthropologie

via Gap

via Pottery Barn

{yes, I'm a nerd and need a new set of hand weights}

via Amazon

it happened on this day..

a mere two years ago, it was january 14, 2010, and my boyfriend and i were galivanting through the streets of charleston, south carolina, on a romantic getaway for just the two of us. little did i know that i was going to get asked the question every girl dreams of hearing from the time she is a little girl...

two years ago on this day, jeff asked me to be his wife, and i screamed with delight and answered a giddy little yes.

after crying tears of joy and screaming with excitement, my beau whisked me back to the b&b where we were staying so the fun calling of family and friends could commence...but, this southern gentleman had plans of his own when he had plotted for months to have my parents, his mom, and my best friend and her fiance join in on the fun festivities.

i can't help but look back on that day with joy and a smile that just won't fade away-that was the day of the start of so many exciting things in my life...it was the beginning of something more than i could ever imagine, just 22 days before we moved in together and 514 days until we said "i do".

things haven't always been easy, things haven't always been perfect, but nothing in life comes free, and i wouldn't change one single decision i made about marrying you, jeff. i love you more and more each and every day and i pray that god continues to bless our marriage, our future, and most of all the little angel coming into our world soon.

thank you for being the man i always dreamed of, my absolute best friend. thank you for being you.

i love you now, and i'll love you always. OXOX

I Wanna Be Like Her

Ever had someone you aspired to be? Someone you looked up to more than anything, and knew you wanted to be just like them…meet that person for me.

Ever since I found out I was going to be a mother, I knew I was embarking on an ever-encompassing mission to be better than I was the day before... after all, I am going to be responsible for someone else other than myself for the rest of my life. I wholeheartedly believe we all strive to be the best version of ourselves, but to be honest I want to be more than that… I want to be like my mother.
I want to be the mom who can juggle it all, and YES, I mean IT ALL. I want to be the mom who can work a stressful, corporate, fast-paced job with lots of people to manage and yet still make it to every dance lesson, every softball practice, and is there to help with every homework assignment. I want to be the mom who can nurse my little one back to health when she is under the weather, can make her laugh by the funny things she does, will tuck her in each night and sing songs to put her to sleep, and who can hold her daughter so tight she knows she is completely safe.
But most of all, I want to be the mom who always lets my daughter know she is the most important thing in the world…growing up, that is the one single thing that stood out to me most from my Mom. I knew no matter what, at the end of the day, I was what she worked so hard for. I can only wish I am able to do the same for Caroline.

Mom, so much has changed this past year—we have gone from planning a wedding to now embarking on a brand new adventure of preparing for a baby and this next year is going to bring so many exciting changes we’ve been waiting for…a little one of our very own and your very first grandchild. Nothing can speak to the magnitude of how excited I am for this exciting new step in life and becoming a mother. God has blessed us beyond measure and I cannot wait to experience each and every step of this journey with you. And of course, I wanted to wish you a VERY Happy Birthday--I'm so excited to spend this afternoon with you and then on Sunday with our entire family.
Love you the most in the whole world,
Tat

  

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes…

We all know the school-age rhyme of what comes next, right? For those who may not, it goes a little something like this:
“The Baby in the Baby Carriage”
And if you’re sitting there wondering what is going on…this picture may provide some further insight to the situation:

Yes, friends, it’s true…I can finally proclaim the news: Jeff and I are EXPECTING A BABY!!! {Gosh that feels good to be able to say that publicly now} We are over the moon excited about our little “surprise” that God has blessed us with. Ecstatic for what’s to come, and let me be honest, it’s been extremely difficult keeping this secret for the past few months from everyone, only spilling the beans to close family and friends. Thanks everyone for your love and support--we really appreciate it. OXOX

So stay tuned…more fun to follow {and yes, all those crazy weekly posts we all love so much}. Only 27 weeks to go until our little peanut makes his or her debut.

Day 2 of 10 Day Challenge...Nine Loves {and Randomness!}

Back for installment #2 of the challenge...rolling along, aren't we? Today's topic--nine loves:
1. I love crawling into my bed with freshly washed sheets
2. I love getting sweet little gifts from friends for no reason at all
3. I love days where we don't have an agenda and can do whatever we please
4. I love how my hubby may say he doesn't enjoy reality TV, but he'll be right there beside me watching it all and gossiping about it afterwards
5. I love how close my parents are with Jeff...a relationship I always dreamed my partner would have with them
6. I love all the blessings God gives to us...he is TOO good
7. I love writing in my planner with my colored markers--so organized I tell you!
8. I love spray tans...no more tanning beds for me, but I still get the "effect" of a tan
9. I love to write and read other blogs...really helps me air out feelings, and find out what others have going on--even better for inspiration for decor and recipes, too!
10. I love that fall is inching closer...I am ready for crock pot favorites, tailgating parties, seeing my BFF Bev almost every weekend, cheering for the VOLS, baking, Halloween and Thanksgiving, spending time with family, traveling, and going to as many falltime festivals and events as possible!

So, last night was my favorite night of television...brings happiness back to Mondays. Started out with Giuliana and Bill--gosh I love that show. She is just too funny for words! Then switching over to Bachelor Pad to watch in all that drama...it never gets old. Although I have to admit, I was secretly wishing Kasey would get the ax, but it seems as though beloved Jake {on the wings of love} is going to be the one saying hasta la vista instead--boo. Either Vienna or kasey has to go...I can't stand seeing that hair of hers or hear his singing one more time.

Now for the finale of last night's garbage fest, I have officially given into Bravo's newest addiction Most Eligible Dallas...has anyone else seen this? WOW--these people have issues. But it's another guilty pleasure and I am already hooked.

I feel like today is the first day of school or something...I have my first small group Junior League get together tonight and I have butterflies in my stomach--I never get nervous so this is a little strange for me...I'm just so excited!!

Have a great day friends ;)

Just Married...One Happy Girl

Here I am, back from a dream honeymoon vacation, and I am on cloud 9 being that I am officially Mrs. Jeff Stoneking!! What a whirlwind this whole wedding week and vacation this has been, but I am ever thankful and relishing in the joyous celebration to now be married.

Thank you all so very much for all of the thoughtful words of wisdom and advice, well wishes and sentiments, emails, texts, and calls—our wedding went off without a hitch and was hands down the best day of my life, spent with incredible friends and family, but most importantly my new husband and the lifelong commitment we made in front of everyone, most of all God.

Our day was happy, exciting, nerve-racking, and emotional all wrapped into one (yes, many tears of joy were shed from both Jeff and I) and I can’t wait to recap it all just as another way to replay each and every detail of the wedding weekend for all my blogging friends. However, on the contrary, our honeymoon was the epitomy of relaxation and time spent with just the two of us, and it was incredible--wait until you see pictures from the resort...gorgeous!!

But today, I am back at work—a little unfortunate, right—in Washington DC for a client event we hosted last night and a conference today. I promise to not be gone for so long again and until I return, here’s a little sneak peak teaser from my bridal portraits and one from wedding day with me and my beau, as I have a notion based on some previous comments that you’re somewhat excited to see my dress ;) Enjoy!

**Images by the wonderful team of Chris and Adrienne Scott

Fell in Love with a Boy

**Have no fear friends, I am not actually blogging on rehearsal day, I thought ahead and scheduled this post...hope you enjoy! ;)

I have to be honest, I've had mini freak-out moments lately...I mentioned this to friends, family, and of course Jeff, so it's no surprise that I started getting a teeny bit nervous at the thought that not only am I going to be a Mrs, but I am going to be 1/2 of a 2 person team.

Now hear me out, I have ALWAYS been an extremely independent person...this could be due to the fact that my parents and grandparents enstilled that I shouldn't wrap my happiness up in anything or anyone, but that if I wanted something, I had to get it/do it/earn it for myself. With that being said, I know that I couldn't be happier to marry my best friend. After I talked through my fears and overall anxiousness, Jeff just put me at ease and reassured me we are in for a lifetime of fun, which made me realize just how easy it was to fall in love with him, and how excited I am to walk down the aisle to the rest of my life...oh sappy pathetic love fool I know ;)

This is the perfect opportunity for a little reminder of who I am marrying. I'm marrying someone...

Who lets me be me...

Who wants to protect me each and everyday... 

Who loves nothing more than watching TV to relax and unwind...

 Who loves to experiment in the kitchen...

And loves to eat everything I put in front of him...

 Who loves to get dressed up for a fun date night on the town...

 And who will be the first to fall asleep in the car once he's had too much fun...  

 Who is FOREVER on the phone doing business...

 But isn't afraid to drink with his pinky finger raised... ;)

 Who loves to be the navigator...

 Who enjoys traveling on vacation getaways with his partner-in-crime...

 And will pose like a total tourist because I ask him nicely...

 Who hates having his picture taken all the time...but knows I'll do it anyway

 Who likes to act out in public with all my friends...AKA the bear scare!

 Who will do the cheesy holiday stuff, like pick pumpkins,
because he knows it's one of my favorite activities...

Who will participate with my Dad in dressing up in funny hats for pictures...

Who asked for permission and got the blessing before popping the question...

 Who will carry a cheesy sign made by my Mom when I ran my first 1/2 marathon...

Who has one mighty big appetite...

 Who loves being at the beach, though doesn't enjoy the relxation part of it... haha

 Who will sit and talk with hours about anything computer/finance/technology related...

And who makes me want to be a better person...

Thank you for making my life one filled with happiness, love, and laughter.

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING JEFF... I CAN'T WAIT TO MARRY YOU TOMORROW AND FINALLY BEGIN OUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy and who will love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head, and you listen to your heart. And I'm not hearing any heart. Cause the truth is, honey, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, cause if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.