Yesterday was Halloween, and needless to say our neighborhood was packed with children! We ran out of candy one hour in! It was nuts! A special surprise was my sister, brother-in-law and nephew stopping by. They stopped at my uncle's house, parent's house, and then our house. Their last stop was back at their house for him to trick-or-treat in their own neighborhood. Kayden was the cutest Fire Chef around!

We often think about our future family and what holidays will look like. We anxiously await that time!

This past weekend was spent in Alec's hometown. Saturday morning we packed our bags and headed out! For the past month or so I have been working with my sister-in-law on hosting a bridal shower. This shower was for Alec's aunt. Her and her fiancé are getting married in August, so Allison (my sister-in-law) planned her shower for this past weekend! 

Every Friday morning Alec wakes up at what feels like the crack of dawn. In reality it's 5am, still super early. This is earlier than the rest of the week because he drives about 20 minutes to a coffee shop where he meets a group of guys. This Men's Group is something with our church, and Alec has been involved for about a year now. Alec absolutely loves being in this group. There's about eight guys all around the same age. One of the other guys is my brother-in-law, Mitchell. It's been a good way for the two of them to get closer. As a group they read parts of the Bible and talk about life stuff. Everyone has their own story, and they are there to support each other.

Sunday was the 4th of July. Summer is in full swing and so is the hot weather! Around our area, the past few weeks have been gloomy and rainy. This has taken time away from me and Alec's yard work. Don't get me wrong, I don't really like doing yard work, but it's a must if you want to keep your house and yard looking clean.

It's no secret that summer is in full swing! With the Fourth of July this coming weekend, summer is finally here in Northern Indiana. During the summer months I feel like my cravings for ice cream skyrocket! That can't just be me...right?! Some of my favorite memories growing up include ice cream. We have a place around town that serves a Peanut Butter Mountain. It is probably my all time favorite! It's vanilla custard, a TON of melted peanut butter, peanuts, whipped cream, and a cherry. Sadly, I haven't had one yet this summer, but I will by the time summer ends!

Closer to our house we have another shop. This one has homemade ice cream, so that's our new spot. They have flavors like banana fosters, blueberry cheesecake, Amish peanut butter, and so on. I could go on forever! We've made an after dinner trip there a handful of times, and each time it never lets me down! Some of my favorite flavors there are the lemon, blueberry cheesecake, or the Amish peanut butter.

It gets even better! They have flights of ice cream there! Typically you see a flight of something in terms of beer. It's four or five small samples of different flavors. Well that's what it is! But with ice cream! Alec and I haven't done this yet, and I'm not too sure why. My sister, Cassie, her husband, Mitchell, and my nephew, Kayden have done this though, and they say it is worth it! We'll have to make a trip over there to do this.

Alec isn't too into sweets. He would much rather have an entire bag of chips or pretzels. He likes this ice cream though. His go to is ALWAYS the mint chip. Always. If he does get something different it's the banana fosters!

This past weekend was Father’s Day weekend. Alec and I had a full busy weekend ahead of us. We started off on Friday going to the town where he grew up. We got to visit with his mom and stepdad on Friday. We ate dinner and then went out for ice cream! On Saturday we went to his grandparent's pool. At the pool we got to see his grandparents, his brother, and sister-in-law. It was our first pool day of the summer! We even got our dog Annie to swim! 

Our weekend was nice and laid back! We knew this going into the weekend, and we were so excited!

This Memorial Day weekend was full of family activities.

When it comes to music, I tend to listen to the same group of artists. If I had to categorize the type of music I listen to, it would be folk pop. I think that is the best way to describe it! In high school I would jam out to any country and throw in some Chris Brown or Trey Songz. As I've gotten older, I enjoy music that is more mellow and relaxing. That makes me feel so old! Despite that being my preference, my favorite music artist, EVER, is Ben Rector. He is still fairly small, but I'd say he's getting bigger.

I love his music so much that Alec and I incorporated a handful of songs into our wedding day. He has a good mix of fun, super upbeat songs, as well as some mellow ones. There's not a ton of people I've met that know who he is, but I've never met someone that knew about him, and didn't like his music.

Back in 2018, a few months before Alec and I got married, Alec got me tickets to his concert for my birthday. He had just released a new album. Over the years Alec has really gotten into Ben Rector's music...and Alec's music style is way different than mine! Alec is super into music and I'm not exaggerating when I say he's seen over 100 people perform. Even Alec said that going to Ben Rector's concert was one of the best shows he's seen!

This morning I woke up seething that Ben released a new single. Still laying in bed, I had to listen to it. This new song of his makes you want to be driving with the windows down without a care in the world. It's so summery and fun! I think he is releasing the rest of the album soon. It feels like it could be an album that you spend the summer jamming out to.

Music for me is based on my mood. Depending on my mood I might put on my Jesus playlist, Ben Rector, or others such as This Wild Life, John Mayer (classic), or even the Disney Hits! 

Alec and I found out some exciting news that we can finally share. Alec's younger brother and his wife are expecting their first baby!

We knew going into this weekend that we would be busy. Saturday we drove about an hour and a half to meet Alec's parent's for lunch. We didn't drive all the way to his hometown, but we met in a bigger city for a few hours. We try to see his side at least once a month, if not more, especially in the summer months. It's easier with no snow, and there's so much more to do in the summer. We're going again in a couple weeks. Maybe by then his Grandparents' pool will be open! That's one of our favorite things to do in the summer!

Sunday we knew we were going to have nice weather. For the past week I've had to put my flowers outside during the day, then at night bring them in due to colder temperatures. That was not fun! Starting this weekend though, we could finally leave them out! We dedicated all day to working outside. We finished my small garden. It's my first year so we'll see how everything turns out! I've planted zucchini, strawberries, peppers, and then herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and parsley. I'm so excited! My mom used to garden with me a little bit. When I saw a little bit, it was very small! We would try and grow carrots in a small planter on her box.

In addition to getting my garden done, we also planted a ton of flowers, mulched our yard, and put up some string lights on our deck. We've done so much work to our house since we've moved in. I'm so in love with what we've done. My goal is to create a place that everyone feels welcome. I don't want people to come over and feel like they have to tiptoe around. When people come, I want them to be able to lounge around and feel like it's their home too.

I feel like we've been able to do that with our house! Especially with our deck. The picture shared is one side of our deck. Alec is lounging on some of our furniture and of course, Annie is watching my every move! The other side of our deck is a big table to eat at. Alec and I cannot wait to start using the outside more now that it's nicer out. We also cannot wait for the day that we can be out there with our little one! Our yard is a decent size, and I can already foresee so many games of tag, hide and go seek, and so much more!

I recently started working from home which has been amazing! I knew I would enjoy it, but I didn't know I would. I am able to get my work done, but also be able to let Annie, our dog, out and stuff like that.

With being home, I've been listening to all kinds of music. In the office setting you can't really listen to anything out loud. Being home, I've had my Spotify open at all times. I've been exploring some old favorites that take me back! People like Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy, and Boys Like Girls. All of these people take me back and it's crazy how music can do this!

In combination with the music, I was going through my pictures to clear some stuff out. I wish I could share all the childhood and teenager pictures with you! Some are so cute and others are embarrassing...to say the least. These pictures take me back to that specific time frame. High school formals and proms, football games, and the friends that I thought would last a lifetime. The super old pictures show that my mom LOVED to have my sister and I match clothing. Haha! Pictures of us at the zoo or out to eat. Some things I remember, and some that I was too young to remember anything.

I came across the photo collage of this picture. These were taken in the Spring of 2010. 11 years ago! I was a sophomore in high school and my sister, Cassie, was a sophomore in college. It was spring break, and Cassie had just gotten back from Uganda in Africa. She was gone for about two weeks for a mission trip. It was the first time someone close to me was so far away. The entire time she was gone, I couldn't wait for her to get back. While she was in Africa, I was in a boot. I had surgery on my foot that winter and I was learning to walk again without my crutches. 

It's crazy how much I remember from just a photo. Or music. It makes life so special. I'm so glad that my parents took pictures and documented my childhood. It's something that is so easy to forget about, but now 20some years later I can look back and have so many memories! 

Alec and I love to tackle small home improvement projects. We are nowhere near the skill level of the people you see on TV, rather we do the non-structural things like redecorating, redoing the flooring, and my personal favorite, adding a coffee bar.

Alec and I moved into the house we live in back in January of 2020. Fast forward a few months and we were home. All the time. We personally loved this time because this gave us the chance to redo some things. We added on to our deck in the backyard, along with landscaping around the house. Inside we have painted every. single. room. in the house...except for one room, Alec's office area. Early summer last year, Alec had an idea to put in a coffee bar/redo the pantry. 

Our pantry had folding doors with wire shelving. It was his idea to put in cabinets with butcher block countertops and then to have our pantry be in the cabinets, and also in the shelving. I had no clue if he could do this, but he proved me wrong! We picked out a cool geometric wallpaper for the back of the coffee bar, we stained some wood for the shelving, and I bought clear storage containers for the food so that there weren't a bunch of boxes. All in all, this is my favorite project to date! 

We love how we still have a ton of food storage, you just can't see all of it! It will be so nice when our bagels turn into kids snacks and our granola bars turn into goldfish! It's one more reminder of how excited I am to one day add a member to the family! 

If I am being completely honest, I used to not care about Mother's Day. Growing up I feel like it is normal to not think about what it really means, or to realize how much your parental figure actually does for you. Over the years, I've learned how much my mom has sacrificed for me. I've seen the qualities my mom has, and how they have shaped who I am.

Yesterday, Mother's Day, hit a little differently than any other Mother's Day in the past. It was the first Mother's Day where I was ready. I was ready not only to be a mom, but ready to endure the struggles that come with it. It's no secret that adoption is hard. No matter what angle you are coming from. Each angle comes with its own struggles and challenges. 

I recently saw a couple announce that they are adopting. In their post, they said "twice loved." This really hit for me. That child will be twice loved. Once by the birth mother and another by my husband and I. That baby, whenever it happens, will be twice loved. That doesn't even go into the love he or she will get from our family and friends. 

Mother's Day this year made me see that moms can look different in so many ways. Moms that foster and adopt, birth mothers, moms that have miscarried, and the list goes on. My prayer is that next year I will be a mom on Mother's Day, and that I will also have an amazing relationship with the other mother that has done so much for our child.

The picture is of me, my mom, and my sister!

A few days ago was Cinco de Mayo. I have always been fascinated by other cultures. That's one of the main reasons why I love to travel. Being able to view the world in that culture is enriching, and just fun! Going along with my love of other cultures is my love for food. Yes, food of any culture. I will admit that sometimes I am scared to try new things, and some things I know I will never like, like fish. I've never liked fish, and I don't think I ever will.

Going back to food, that is also one of my favorite aspects of traveling. Yes, we have Chinese places here to eat, but nothing compares to sitting in a food alley with a bunch of street vendors eating chicken fried rice. It's just not the same in America. With that being said, I've been to Mexico a few times, but never in the heart of the city. It is on my bucket list to get to Mexico City. I love the feel and the vibe of the culture. The music is fun, the people are so nice from my experience, and the food! 

I've had my fair share of Mexican food. Again, in the States though. That doesn't mean that the food isn't good! My favorite Mexican meal I've ever had was in Seattle, Washington. A friend and I were doing a Pacific Northwest trip and Seattle was one of our stops. In Seattle we went to the famous Market Place. The Market Place is home to the first Starbucks, a giant gum wall (look it up, it's real), and a tamale food cart. This was my first time having tamales, and it did not disappoint! They were chicken, and so amazing! My friend and I got a few tamales each and continued to talk around the market eating them.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

I love this time of year! It means I can FINALLY start planting flowers and veggies. It also means that I can have ice cream without freezing my butt off! Last night Alec and I went to a local ice cream store. Since moving to our town, we have tried to find the local hot spots. This ice cream place is one of them! We have been there a lot in the past year and it never lets you down!

They make all their own flavors, and it's a fun atmosphere. Prior to last night I've tried flavors like Amish Peanut Butter, Blueberry Cheesecake, and Coffee Brownie! Most of the time we go I get a dish because I can then justify having two scoops! 

Last night I decided to go big or go home...two scoops AND a waffle cone! I had two flavors I've never had there before, and again, it was not a let down! Last night I got Oatmeal Cream Pie and Lemon Cheesecake. WOW! There's something about ice cream that takes you back to being a little kid. It's always fun, no matter how old you are. This is something we will be doing as a family once we have a little one join our family. Alec got Mint Chip and Butterfinger last night. He is obsessed with anything mint/peppermint so that's a staple for him.

In the past some of his go-tos are Banana Foster and Cookie Dough. 

This is a small outing that we do that we cannot wait to do with our future family! 

This past weekend was filled with so much joy! My sister and her husband have a little boy, Kayden. This weekend we celebrated his second birthday! Kayden is both mine and Alec's first niece/nephew. He has brought me so much joy over the past two years! 

Currently, Kayden is learning to say Aunt Hannah and Uncle Alec, as well as "Annie" who is our dog. He LOVES balls. My sister wanted to have a ball themed birthday party. In preparation I made a ball garland that is shown in the picture. I also made the 2 in the background. In addition to all of these ball decorations, my mom made a bunch of ball shaped foods like a cheese ball, melon balls, etc. Outside we had a small ball pit for Kayden. Watching him run and jump into the ball pit was one of the happiest things I've seen in a while. The pure joy on his face while he jumped in was amazing.

Alec and I got him a play grill set as his gift. This came with a spatula, hot dogs, burgers, and so on. He loves this! Kayden had so many presents since my brother-in-law has a really big family. It was a fun day to be outside and to celebrate the cutest nephew in the world! The photo is of me and Kayden!

Baseball season is well underway! I am by no means a hard-core baseball fan. I understand the game, but I don't keep track of stats, team records, etc. I do however love going to baseball games. We have a minor baseball team nearby that makes it super easy to catch a game. Once and a while Alec and I will plan a trip to see a major league game.

Growing up, my team was the White Sox. At that time I knew everyone on the team and the positions that they played. Getting to Chicago was an easy trip, so my family would make it to at least one game a year. The summer going into 6th grade I broke my wrist playing basketball. It was an awful way to spend the summer. That summer my family and I went to the White Sox game and my broken arm helped me out! We had gotten there early enough to watch batting practice. One of the players came over to me, signed my cast, and gave me a ball. So cool! Another summer my sister and I were watching the pitchers warm up and she was pushing me. The pitching coach saw, yelled at her, and then gave me a baseball! It's so much more than going to watch a sport. It means summer is here!

Alec and I have made it to three major league games together. A White Sox game, a game in Detroit, and a game in Cincinnati. He's a big Red's fan, so I think I am now by default! The photo of us is us at the Red's game a few years back. Bring on the baseball games!

This weekend I had my friend, Jessalyn, come visit. We met in grad school in 2017. We were going through the same program in school, so we instantly hit it off. She was in my wedding, and has been a constant support in so many areas of life.

She got to our house Friday evening. It was so good to see her and catch up. We get to see each other every 3ish months. Saturday morning we went to a local coffee shop and hung out. It's really nice because not only is she my friend, but her and Alec are really close too. It's nice to be able to have all of us hang out, rather than having her come to only see me. Jessalyn was one of a few people we asked to do a reference for us. This reference was used at the very beginning of our adoption process with our agency. She knows both Alec and I so well individually and as a couple. 

Sunday we went to church and then out for breakfast. It was a laid back weekend, but it was filled with so much at the same time. Good friends are hard to come by, and hard to hold onto sometimes, so it was good to see her!

Yesterday was Earth Day. I love being outside. Even if it is here in Indiana, I still love doing all things outdoors. It is an added bonus when I get to go explore nature. Growing up, my family went on summer vacations. These vacations were not beach vacations, but rather hiking and sightseeing. At the time I was not thrilled with walking everyday on vacation, but now, I love it! 

There is something about nature that brings me a sense of peace. When life feels overwhelming, I try to escape into some aspect of nature. In my travels with my family, and more recently with Alec, I love seeing the grand things like waterfalls and the Grand Canyon. I loved seeing frozen waterfalls in Iceland and the red rock out in Arizona. Recently though I've really fallen in love with water. I think there's an explanation for why water is soothing, but for me, it's just simply relaxing.

The photo attached is in Banff National Park. I love this lake. It is both grand and tranquil. This will forever be one of my favorite places in the world. Over our Anniversary, November 10, Alec and I went to his grandparents lake house. It's an old home that most of the family does not utilize. Us on the other hand took a weekend getaway. Since it was in November we couldn't do anything in the water, but my favorite part was sitting outside looking at the lake. The trees were changing colors and the water was so peaceful. There's something about a body of water that I love so much! 

Lately we have found out that a lot of our friends are expecting babies. With Alec being 29 and me being 26, it's that time of life! I remember graduating from college and everyone was getting married. During that time period that was the thing to do! We were both at the stage of life where we had weddings like crazy for a few years. We got married in 2018, and I would say since then the weddings have stopped. We were at the tail end of the wedding phase.

Now fast forward a few years and we're in the next stage. Now it's the babies! Last night Alec and I went over to a friend's house. Him and his wife are expecting! Our friend, Pat, is the person that married Alec and me. It's so cool to see such close friends going through this journey. Alec and Pat have been friends since college track. I knew him growing up, but didn't really become friends with him until we studied abroad together. Alec, Pat, and I got really close that semester, which led to Pat being our wedding officiant.

Besides that couple, there are a handful of other people expecting this fall. We don't know when we will get to meet our new addition, but whenever that may be, it is exciting knowing that he or she is going to have so many friends, hopefully around the same age.

On top of all the friends, we know our new addition will have cousins close in age. Right now there is Kayden, who turns two on May 4. Kayden is so fun and so ready to have a cousin! Beside Kayden, we know that there will be more cousins coming soon! At least that's the plan! Even though we don't know, again, it's so fun to think about the future and having all of our kids together. It makes the wait easier 😊 The photo is of us and Pat!

This past weekend was full of activities! We've had a few relaxing weekends leading up to what we knew would be busy. Friday night we went to dinner with a group of friends, celebrating one of our friend's birthdays. After dinner we went bowling. It was nice to get out and do something like this again. It's been a long time since we've been able to do something like that, indoors! 

Saturday we headed out for the rest of the weekend to Alec's hometown. It takes us about two hours to get there, so it's not terrible. We stay with his mom and step-dad when we go. When we got there we talked and caught up on things and ate lunch. They always make the best food! Whenever we go, they like to show us what they have added to their "grandchild" collection. Between me and Alec and the adoption and Alec's brother and his wife, it's just a matter of time until there's a grandchild in the picture! It's fun to think about whenever that happens for both of us!

Saturday night me and Alec, his mom and step-dad, his brother and sister-in-law, both of his grandparents, and his uncle went to dinner. That's nine of us! With a few missing. It was the first time we had seen the rest of the family in a while. Alec's brother, Ian, and Ian's wife, Allison, got married six weeks before Alec and I did. It's always nice to see them and catch up!

Sunday was a chill morning followed by lunch. Their town has a really cute drive-in diner. We had to get there since they opened back up not too long ago! It's always fun going back to Alec's hometown. I feel like each time we go I learn something about Alec that I didn't know. Something about friends, or his childhood, or a funny story. It's also nice that it's only two hours, which makes it manageable to spend an entire weekend there! Next time we go hopefully it'll be warm enough to hit up Grandma Sue's pool!

I think Spring Break around us was a few weeks ago. Growing up I never did the things my friends did. A lot of my friends had an annual spot their families would go to each Spring Break. Growing up as a coaches daughter, my dad was always in season. He was a men's basketball and track and field coach for 20+ years. 

One Spring Break, my sophomore year of highschool was different though. My dad was recruiting someone from LA, so he thought that when she committed to the school, we would fly out there. We stayed with her family, and now fast forward ten years, our families are super close! That year I visited LA for the first time. I saw the Hollywood sign, the star walk thing downtown Hollywood, and most importantly, Disneyland! The girl that we went out to see actually worked at Disneyland, so her family was able to get us tickets. The one downside was that earlier that winter I had foot surgery, so I was walking around in a boot. Regardless of that, it was so amazing! That's my favorite Spring Break trip so far. One day I would like to start a Spring Break tradition with kids. Even something nearby or an activity like the Zoo. Something that we can make a tradition in doing every Spring Break! The picture is a picture of my parents and me at one of the beaches we visited. I can't believe this was ten years ago!

Alec talks about this favorite Spring Break trip being the following:

"My senior year when I went to Florida for Spring Break. It was the first time I remember going to the beach, I went when I was really young. We went to Clearwater where lots of people from my high school go, so it was fun getting to hang out with friends while I was there as well."

I remember him talking about another time that he and his family went to Indianapolis for a Pacers basketball game for Spring Break too.

It's now mid April and I feel like Spring has sprung! It's in full Spring mode now. Except I just looked at the weather for the week and I can see temps in the 40's...but I'm going to pretend that's wrong!

With Spring here, there comes a lot of new things that need to be done. Mowing, trimming, flowers, gardening, etc. I love it all! Except the weeds! Growing up I used to think my mom was so dramatic when she talked about the weeds in the yard, but here I am, complaining about the weeds! It's funny how life goes.

A few weeks ago I talked about both mine and Alec's favorite Spring smells. Another aspect that I think gets overlooked are the sounds of Spring. Alec wasn't too into this one, so I'll just share my top five!

1. Birds! I used to hate this! There's something about hearing the birds in the morning, or throughout the day. It sounds happy, and not to mention that now that I have my bird feeder out that typically means there's a lot of birds eating from it!

2. The mower. I know this is strange. I get it. But when I hear people mowing it's a sign that we can be outside without freezing! That is always a plus! 

3. The sound of something going onto a hot grill. Does that make sense? That sizzling sound. Again, it's a reminder it's nice out! And that means I'm about to eat something really good.

4. Sprinklers/rain. Depending on how wet the April showers are, this could go either way. Water in general is a super soothing sound to me.

5. People in a pool. This may be getting into summer, but still, I love it. It just sounds like people are having fun! Alec's grandparents have a pool so it also reminds me of the times when we are over there hanging out with family!

This past Sunday was Easter! It was also our Sunday to serve coffee at church. We are really starting to get involved at the church. It's nice to get to know people rather than showing up every Sunday and not knowing anyone.

After church Alec and I had my parents and my uncle over for lunch. My sister, brother-in-law, and nephew went to my brother-in-law's family's house, so it was a small gathering this time. We had a bagel sandwich bar. It's so easy to do, and everyone can make what they want! On top of everything, it was such a nice day outside! We were able to sit outside and hang out for a while. 

My mom gave us the cutest little gift. She gave us a baby book to add to our collection. It's about the smallest things that someone does, that can still make a huge difference in the world. It's a cute story. She also included two bunnies. They both sing Jesus Loves Me. One is blue and one is pink. She wanted to make sure we were ready regardless if it's a boy or a girl. We've gotten gifts for the baby before, but this one meant a lot. It's such a good reminder that we want to start teaching our little one about the love that Jesus has for everyone. Whenever we are connected with the right birth mom and the right baby, we know that it will be so perfect and meant to be!

Spring is here, and it's still chilly out, but it'll be getting warmer soon! In the past few blogs I've mentioned how I've been getting into gardening. Along with trying to figure out how to garden, there are a lot of other springtime activities that I love! When spring rolls around there are certain things that I love! Alec too! 

My favorite springtime activities:

1. Getting the outside ready! Our backyard is amazing! We have tons of space, and with that, we've created such a welcoming desk. I love pulling out our grill and patio furniture. To me this means that good times are ahead!

2. Going on walks. I love going on walks year-round, but there's something different about going on walks in the spring. The air is refreshing and it's not hot yet.

3. Spring cleaning. I sound like such a nerd, but I love spring cleaning. Every spring I love going through stuff to see what we can get rid of. I try to take a few bags to Goodwill each year. This is also the one time a year our house gets a deep cleaning. I clean throughout the year, but during the spring everything gets spruced up! 

Alec's favorite springtime activities:

1. Taking walks. In our housing addition there are houses going up like crazy! We love checking in on the progress!

2. Landscaping!

3. Watching March Madness. This is kind of like a kick off to spring! 

It's been rainy here the past few days, but that's just a sign that spring is here! It's not April yet, but I'd like to think that late-March showers bring even earlier May flowers. About four years ago between graduating college and starting grad school I worked at a flower nursery. I had no clue that I would fall in love with flowers and anything garden related. Even though I worked there, I'd say my garden skills are very amiture. Spring has so much more than flowers though. Alec and I have come up with our top 5 smells of spring!

Hannah's: 

1. Flowers! This one is a given. Walking into greenhouses is heaven. The fresh flower smell never gets old!

2. Lilac. A little different from flowers :) I have a lilac bush that I'm waiting for it to bloom!

3. Rain. Weird? Probably! There's something refreshing about the smell of a good rainfall.

4. Grilling out! After being inside all winter, I LOVE the smell of someone grilling out!

5. Lemon. It smells clean, but it's also fruity and citrusy. Even better is my lemon-lavender candle! 

Alec's:

1. Fresh cut grass. I think this is an adult thing! He takes so much pride in the yard, and apparently the smells that come with a fresh cut yard!

2. Grilling out. He's pretty good at grilling out. I'd have to say his signature is his taco lime chicken! 

3. Lavender. This is probably because I always burn my lemon-lavender candle! 

4. Burgers on the grill. Different from grilling? I guess haha! 

5.  Flowers and herbs. I've started growing herbs so that makes sense! I love to grow and dry my own herbs such as basil and rosemary!

The photo is of my nephew Kayden and I smelling the flowers! We were on a little vacation and the city had these planted on a side street!

Lately we have had amazing weather! It feels like spring out and it makes me so happy! I used to be the person that loved fall and the rest of the seasons were just okay. Now, I still love fall, but spring is a close second. I've gotten into gardening. Last year I started out with growing cooking herbs such as basil, oregano, and a few others. This year I have decided to step up my game!

Alec is such a handyman. He looked up how to build me a raised garden bed. We went to Lowes and about two hours later my garden box was built! It's still too early to start planting, but the wheels are turning in my head. I'm planning out what I want to plant, but it gets hard! Did you know that certain plants don't get along!? Who knew. On the flip side, there are plants that are "companions." Meaning that they do well off being planted near each other. 

This year my goal is to grow strawberries, parsley, oregano, rosemary, bell peppers, basil, and green beans. I have such a good plan in my head, now all I have to do is plant! I know my herbs will survive at least, so nonetheless I'll have that! It makes me so happy that spring is just around the corner.

We had a weekend that was full of Spring and basketball.

First and foremost, right now the NCAA March Madness Tournament is going on. I grew up around sports. My dad was a college basketball coach for the first 23 years of my life. This means that we LOVE this time of year. Especially this year since the tournament didn't happen last year. Each year we individually fill out a bracket with our predictions. Each year I think "this is going to be my year!" Each year it is not my year! As a family, whoever loses has to get a whipped cream pie to the face! The winner gets to be the one that delivers that pie! I've gotten the pie once, but I've also given the pie once. It's such a fun family tradition. 

This weekend Alec and I spent every second watching basketball when it was on. Going from game to game seeing our bracket get worse and worse. At the end of the day it's fun to have this as a family tradition, even though I may be getting the pie this year!

In case anyone follows basketball, I have Baylor winning it all. I'm a huge Purdue fan, but I don't think they are a wise choice for a winner. They already lost in the first round! Either way, Boiler Up!

Last week Alec and I took a trip to Arizona! This was the first trip we have taken since 2019 when we went to Italy. We flew into Phoenix and then drove up to Sedona. This area is so beautiful! There are so many hikes to choose from. At the end of the trip we calculated about 35 miles of hiking in just 4 days. Needless to say the first few days we overdid it! My feet and toes were not happy!

We saw some amazing things while we were hiking. The red rock is stunning. It was also the perfect weather! 70 and sunny! Along with all our hiking, of course we had to stop at some amazing places to eat. It was only right! We had wood fired oven pizza one night. Italian with a view another night. Another area we could resist is coffee. We love our coffee! I loved trying several different coffee shops in different towns. 

All in all we had an amazing trip. It was so nice to get away for a few days, just the two of us. We kept talking about how that was probably the last trip with just the two of us for a while. The idea of this made us so happy! That means that hopefully we will have another one on our next trip! We are so excited to be able to share our passion with a future child. WE CANNOT WAIT!

This past weekend we had a busy few days! The main thing we had going though was that Alec's mom and step-dad came up to visit us. They live 2 hours from where we do. We live in Indiana, so that 2 hour drive is a straight shot and has a lot of corn fields! 

When they arrived at our house they had so many goodies for us! His mom is the queen of gift giving. We had small Valentine's Day gifts, some miscellaneous stuff, but we also had something for the nursery. This mom bought the cutest basket. It's wicker and gray and matches our arctic theme perfectly! The basket is already housing some stuffed animals. One of which Shawna, his mom, bought. She gave us a little teddy bear that is adorable! 

In addition to those few things, she also gave us two baby books. One of those is a Bob Ross book. Alec and I love watching Bob Ross. I have found that the sounds his brushes make are soothing. I often put Bob Ross on TV to try and go to sleep! This baby book goes through all the colors that he uses in his paintings. It's adorable and it's going to be such a fun book to read one day!

After we hung out at the house for a little bit, the four of us went to dinner. We went to a local pizza place. It has become one of Alec and I's favorite places. They have the best pizza around and they have fun arcade games too. It was so good to see Mark and Shawna. We already have our next trip planned to go see them. We try to see them at least once a month, if not more!

Alec LOVES Shamrock Shakes. It is so funny! Even before we were dating, I remember him getting these all the time. He said that he has even bought two at a time and put one in the freezer for later! I mean, during the holidays he's obsessed with peppermint, so I guess the mint isn't too far off.

I saw that McDonald's released the shakes. Last year when they released them, I kidnapped Alec, and by kidnap, I mean I made him get in the car without knowing where we were going! I drove him to McDonalds to get his first shake of the season. This year I couldn't believe that we missed opening day. We went all weekend forgetting to get one.

Monday night after dinner I told Alec we were going on a small field trip, this year, he knew what that meant. This is the one time a year I get a shake as well. They're okay, but one holds me over for the year. He loves it though! I guess you could call it a small tradition. We'll have to see how many he gets this year. Last year he said he had 8, which is not a lot for him!

I have a friend that I went to Grad School with that was supposed to come visit for the weekend. Last minute we had to reschedule, so this changed what our weekend looked like. I feel like a lot of people stay in during the winter months. During the summer we are doing so many things, but come winter, you can find us snuggled up in the house.

This was us on Saturday. We did some things around the house, including working on our puzzle. This is the puzzle we started with our adoption fundraiser. It is a 1,000 piece puzzle that has taken us forever. Well, we finally finished it! We discovered that neither of us are good at puzzles, but finishing this made us both so happy! We now get to glue it and hang it in the nursery! 

On Sunday we went to church and then we went to lunch with a few of our friends from church. After that we hung out for a while and then went over to my parent's house. They are getting ready to have Alec build them a giant fireplace area. Alec is so good at that stuff. I like to think I have an eye for design (thank you HGTV), but I don't know if I really do. He knows what he's doing though, and when it's all said and done, their living room will look so nice! 

This week is a normal week for us. Saturday, Alec's mom and stepdad are coming up to visit, so it will be nice to get to see them!

I had no idea that these were out....but they are! Oh wow I have learned that Alec is OBSESSED with these. Starting from the beginning, a few days ago my mom told me that she knew someone that could get the goods (the cookies). Alec told me he wanted FIVE BOXES! Haha I'm not even kidding. I remember while we were dating he always found ways to get the cookies, but man 5 boxes is a lot! That evening we looked up all of the flavors to see how many boxes we were going to get. Here are each of our top three flavors.

Alec:

1. Caramel DeLites

2. Peanut Butter Patties

3. Thin Mints

Hannah:

1. Peanut Butter Patties

2. Lemonades

3. Girl Scout Smore's 

Here's the thing though. I've never had my number 2 or 3, but they sound amazing! The new Toast-Yay also sounds really good. The kinds I've gotten in the past have not been my favorite. Especially the Caramel DeLites. I hate the texture of coconut. I love the flavor, but I can't do the texture. After this very long discussion, and realizing that we were about to spend $20 on cookies....our final order is 2 boxes of the Caramel DeLites, 2 boxes of the Peanut Butter Patties, and 1 box of thin mints. You can see who won that battle! 😂

This past weekend was Valentine's Day. Since Alec and I already did our Valentine's Day things, this weekend was pretty mello. We used a gift card and went to dinner at Red Lobster Friday night. Alec loves fish and chips. I'm not so much of a seafood person, but none-the-less, it's a free date night! We were not thinking very smart though, we thought we could get by without a reservation...on a Friday night...on Valentine's Day weekend. That was just silly haha. We had to wait an hour! 

Saturday we made a few things to do, but other than that we relaxed. Sunday was our week to serve coffee at church. By this time, we have our system down. Alec gets the coffee brewing while I set up the tables. It's fun for us and we make a pretty good team :) We attend the same church as my family. It is nice that we get to see them once a week. Yesterday, my sweet nephew, Kayden, gave us a little Valentine's Day gift. Him and my sister made cake pops and he also gave us a little paper heart. 

The more time I spend with my nephew, the more I realized the urge to be a mom. I want that all the time. It will also be so special to see the two of them be best friends.

This Valentine's Day is a little bit different for us. We are doing a date night at some point. We got so many gift cards for Christmas, so we think we'll make reservations for one of those places. We have already given our gifts to each other. This Valentine's Day feels different though.

I remember in 1st grade I had a crush on a boy in my class. A big crush. In elementary school we had Valentine's Day parties where we ate a bunch of sugar and exchanged cards with each other. Well, I wanted to do more. My mom allowed me to buy this kid a bottle of M&M's. I was so excited. And also very nervous. I'm sure it was obvious that I liked him, but I was still nervous. There I was in 1st grade, thinking I was head over heels, so excited and nervous.

That's kind of the same feeling I have now. Excited and nervous. We know that we can be matched at any time. This Valentine's Day I'm excited to meet the birth mother. I'm also nervous, but it's a good nervous. Alec and I are already so in love with this baby. We have a place in our hearts that only this baby can fill. There has been so many emotions that have come with this process, some of them heartbreaking. We know that when the time comes, the heartbreak would have been worth it. Everything is worth it when we get to meet the birth mother and the baby. 

Instead of writing a cheesy Valentine's Day poem, here's a short letter to the future baby that will one day join our family.

Dear Baby,

Happy Valentine's Day! This holiday might not be as fun as Christmas, but it's still a time to smother you in kisses, no matter how old you get! One day you will know what it is like to be excited and nervous to tell a crush that you like them. I promise to help out in whatever way I can, just as your grandma (Nanna) helped me with my 1st grade crush. From the moment we decided to start the adoption process, you have been on my heart. Wherever you are, and whenever we get to meet you, we are so excited! And good nervous. I promise that you will Always Be Mine. We hope you get to meet both you and your birth mom soon, she's pretty cool too :) You never know, maybe next Valentine's Day we will be together celebrating this holiday of love. You are surrounded by so much love already. Love from your birth mother and also love from us. We love you so much!

This past weekend was full of fun activities! Saturday morning Alec surprised me with an early Valentine's Day gift. He made a reservation for me to get a 60 minute massage. Wow, it was much needed. I've gotten a massage one other time, but this time was amazing. After my spa visit it took me out for brunch. We went to a place I've been once before. There were so many breakfast choices! I knew we had a big eating day ahead of us, so I couldn't get too crazy. Alec on the other hand went crazy. He ordered stuffed french toast with peanut butter and bananas. WOW. It was so amazing. So rich, but so yummy. I ordered an omelet with asiago cheese, spinach, and peppers. It had to be the best omelet I've ever had. We splurged and went to brunch which was a perfect start to the weekend.

Later that day we had plans with my family. Each season, so four times a year, we do a progressive dinner. We typically would go to my parent's house, our house, and then my sister's house. This time we decided to go down to two houses. We did an appetizer and the main course at my mom's house and then dessert at my sister's.

I was in charge of the appetizer. I made homemade pretzel bite with a cheese dip. This was something new, but it turned out so good! It's a keeper for sure. My mom did the main course of a baked potato bar. The last stop was dessert (as if we needed more). She bought a peanut butter chocolate cream pie. She also made hot chocolate. Needless to say, it was a terrible eating day, but so worth it. 

On top of everything else we were also celebrating my mom's birthday. It was a great eating and stress free weekend! In the photo you see my mom and dad along with my nephew, Kayden. My parents are called "Nanna" and "Nonno." This is what I called my grandparents, who were from Italy. It means grandma and grandpa. They cannot wait to become Nanna and Nonno again!

This past weekend was so snowy. It was a good weekend to stay in! Before the snow started, Alec and I had a few things we did.

Friday night I went over to a friends house. We were getting ready for her daughter's 2nd birthday party the following day. We caught up and made the cutest Minnie Mouse cupcakes. It was really nice to be able to hangout together and just catch up on life.

The following day Alec and I did some house work Saturday morning. Weekends are our time to get the house clean and ready for the next week. Saturday afternoon Alec and I went to the birthday party. The Minnie Mouse theme was adorable. We got to watch my friend's daughter open her gifts. We were able to hang out and mingle with our friends and their families. We ate the Minnie Mouse cupcakes with some ice cream. It was a good time!

Saturday night the snow started. We hunkered down and stayed indoors. I was able to catch up on some work around the house. Saturday night I put Friends on the TV and just hung out. It was perfect. 

Sunday we stayed in, except for when Alec shoveled. There was so much snow, it was crazy! Sunday we relaxed. I meal preped for my lunches throughout the week. We made dinner and watched a movie. It was the perfect ending to a relaxing weekend. We needed this because this coming month is so busy! We wanted to soak in as much down time as we could!

A few weeks back I talked about my current favorite small business and how this small business owner was painting Alec and me something for the nursery. Well....we got the painting. And WOW! It is stunning. 

Previously I shared about our nursery and how it is complete. Well, this painting really completes it. If you look at this piece of art, not only will you see a beautfil Northern Light painting, but you see so much more. The artist that painted this, do so for our future child. She painting this knowing that this piece would hang above the crib that will one day be for our little one. Olivia Rae Alexander did such an amazing job.

Today, January 27 marks one year that Alec and I have been in our current house. Rewind to late October 2019. Alec and I had just both accepted jobs in my hometown. At that time Alec and I were living in his hometown, about two hours away from where I am from. That November, we moved in with my parents while we were closing on our old house, and our new house. That time of year is crazy to be buying/selling homes. With all the holidays, it drug our process out. 

Finally, January 27, 2020 came around and we signed papers that day. We officially had sold our old house and were in our new one! Little did we know that this was perfect timing because we would spend about 100 days in our new house during the shut down and such. In just a year we have accomplished so much in our home! We painted every single wall, except for one room. Alec redid the flooring and he built a built-in coffee bar where we use to have a pantry. Together we did a ton of outside work and landscaping. We put that down time to good use! We often miss being home together like we were!

I think one of my favorite projects was our nursery. We knew we would be starting our adoption process so we wanted to make sure that room was ready. Well, it's ready! And it is the most precious room I've ever seen. I can only share one picture in this post, but maybe I'll find somewhere to add the rest! We put a ton of thought into this room. Alec created a wayne's coating on the bottom half of the wall. We went with a theme that was gender neutral, and still adorable. This arctic theme is so cute and just think of all the cute animals! The nursery is already home to several polar bears.

It's crazy to think that we have been in our house for a year already, but this past year we have been preparing for the growth of our family! 

It feels like the weekends come and go! We had one last free weekend for a while and it was amazing. 

Saturday I went to a local coffee shop and got coffee with my mom. It was nice to catch up with her for a little bit. I love my coffee. Saturday I ordered an Americano with caramel flavoring. Americano is espresso mixed with hot water, aka, so much caffeine! I could feel the caffeineas I drank it. To go with my coffee I got a raspberry muffin. It was the perfect way to start my weekend. While I did this, Alec went to breakfast with an old co-worker. He LOVES french toast, so of course he got that. He said it hit the spot. 

It was cold outside, but the sun was out. This meant that we bundled up and took a walk with our dog, Annie. It felt so good to be outside and walking again, despite the fact that it was 35 degrees. In the spring, summer, and fall, we take walks all the time. We live in a housing edition that is currently building new homes. We love walking by and seeing the progress they've made since our last walk. In just about a years time, we've seen five houses be built! 

Sunday night we decided to try to make a new recipe. Cacio e pepe. A little back story, in the summer of 2019 Alec and I went to Italy. My grandparents were both from Italy, so it was the coolest thing to explore where they lived! Anyways, in just over a week I swear we ate our body weight in pizza, pasta, and gelato. One dish we had was cacio e pepe. This is spaghetti noodles, cheese, and black pepper. It is amazing! Well, Sunday we decided to try and make this. All in all, it was good, but I mean you can't beat the real deal in Italy. While we ate this, we watched a TV Show where two chefs traveled to Italy. I guess you could say we were craving some Italian experiences. The travel bug is real right now. With Covid, it limits travel right now. Alec and I have started talking about the places we want to experience, but not yet. We have trips in mind that we want to wait and experience with our child. It makes our hearts so happy to think about this in the future! 

Sometimes when Alec and I are hanging out watching TV or whatever it may be, we play a game called This or That. I'm not sure if it's a real game or if Alec made it up, but regardless it's fun for us! We found ourselves playing this last night for a long time! Below were some of the topics we covered, as well as our answers!

Dog or Cat? Hannah- Dog / Alec- Cat

Phone Call or Text? Hannah- Phone Call / Alec- Text

New Clothes or New Phone? Hannah- Clothes / Alec- Phone

Hamburger or Taco? Hannah- Taco / Alec- Taco

Pancak or Waffle? Hannah- Pancake / Alec- Waffle

Ocean or Mountains? Hannah- Mountains / Alec- Ocean

TV Shows or Movies? Hannah- TV Shows / Alec- TV Shows

Pandas or Whales? Hannah- Pandas / Alec- Whales

Scooby Doo or Tom and Jerry? Hannah- Tom and Jerry / Alec- Scooby Doo

The list goes on and on! There not really a rhyme or reason in why we do this, it's just fun! Even though we're married and sometimes it feels like we know everything about each other, these fun and simple games is a way for us to know some of the little things!

Just in a day's time there is so much that we do. Both Alec and I have full time jobs, we have a somewhat social life, and we have family. I feel like the question that has been around forever is, how do you balance all of these areas? I honestly don't think there is a right way. I don't think that the way I try to balance everything would work for someone else. It just depends on your life.

Since right now it is just Alec and me this may be a little easier, but don't get me wrong we're still busy! We have the same work schedule so that's nice! What we have started doing to help balance things has really helped us, not only as a couple but as individuals as well. I used to roll out of bed, get ready, and get out the door for work. I was tired and always eating breakfast on the go. A handful of months ago Alec and I started getting up earlier and sitting down to eat breakfast together. I feel like this is really uncommon with couples. It has been amazing! Of course I had to get used to waking up earlier, but this way we get a few minutes each morning to talk and start the day off right. 

This also helps us when we get home from work. It makes the entire day better! Of course, this will get tweaked when a child enters the picture. The plan is for me to take some time off work, and eventually go back part time. Whatever that timeline may look like. Alec will be able to work from home a few days a week. It'll be a full house and that's what I want! We will have our morning breakfast, but with another little one. It'll look different, but in such a good way! ❤️ We cannot wait until this time comes!

We are enjoying our down weekends while we can. Here soon we get really busy. This weekend we had a good mix of doing things around the house and relaxing. We are currently working on a 1,000 piece puzzle. It's a lot! We did this puzzle as an adoption fundraiser. Now all we have to do is put it together. It's going slow, but good. I'd say we're about 25% done. 

Alec enjoys his computer and hanging out in his home office. He got a chance to do that this weekend. While he did that I tried to make a few new things in the kitchen. I really enjoy trying new foods whether it's baking or cooking. Saturday I tried making fafel for the first time. I think once I get the other components of the meal it'll be really good! And it was super easy. Sunday I really got out of my comfort zone and attempted to make bagels from scratch. I've made homemade bread, but I have a bread maker that does all the work. Not this time! This time it was all me. Surprisingly, they turned out! As you can see in the photo, they may be different sizes, but they were still good! It's those little things that we enjoy doing on a free weekend.

Sunday was our day to serve at the church we attend. We are "coffee-crafters." Sounds fancy. We brew the coffee and lay out all the coffee things. Creamer, teas, hot water, the list goes on. It's our way of getting involved. We have really started diving in, and so far we love it! Sunday we also got snow....I guess the good thing is that we didn't get too much. I'm trying to step back and enjoy the snow. I'm trying. It is really pretty though. We live on the city/county line so right behind us is a little row of trees. It's really pretty covered in snow. One time we even saw a couple of deer!

The photos attached in this blog post are very special to us. When we started our adoption process, we wanted to put together a collage that represented us well. It is so hard to share your life in just one profile. We wanted to be able to provide birth mothers with a real representation of who we are, both as individuals and as a couple. Not only that, but we wanted to be able to share our families, activities we enjoy, and overall a snapshot into our lives.

We searched all of our photos and then had to narrow them down. As you can see, we did have A LOT of pictures we included.

• Travel - We have so many pictures of our travels. Those are memories we will cherish forever. There's some of the Great Wall of China, New Zealand, Iceland, the Grand Canyon, Oregon, Thailand. There's so many of these pictures that have stories behind them. 
• Our pets - Our pets are a big part of our family, so our course we had to include them. Annie, our dog, is such a diva and she knows it. She is kind of the best fur friend around. Moses, our cat is sassy and loves to get into misif, expect for when I dress him up on Halloween! 
• Our families - Kayden, my nephew is growing up so fast! From the first picture I took with him, to apple picking, to Alec and him hanging out on a hammock. Of course there's also Alec's mom during the mother-son dance at our wedding. 
• Me and Alec - Finally we have to include me and Alec together. The pictures that we have to showcase our lives do so perfectly. We are the best of friends, and no matter where we are or what we are doing we are always a team. We have had an amazing life together so far, and it will be so sweet to add a little one into the mix. 

In the past few years I feel like small businesses have been popping up everywhere. I love it. Coffee shops. Photographers. Artists. It's everywhere. One of my favorites would have to be Oliva Rae Alexander. She is an artist and a friend. Alec and I have a few things from her. She also did some calligraphy work for our wedding which was beautiful!

I love the stuff she's done for us, but the past item we received from her has been the best. For Christmas, my sister had Olivia make Alec and I something. This is very special as it is now in the nursery. On top of this piece, before we knew we were getting this, Alec and I contacted her about making us a painting for the nursery. 

The nursery is Arctic themed. It is painted an ice blue color and has polar bears and any other arctic animal you can think of in it. It is gender neutral and it is so ready to be a home for a little baby. We knew we had enough animal stuff in that room, so when we talked to Olivia we said we wanted something different. She's still working on it, but we should have this painting soon. It will be the Northern Lights. A dark silhouette of trees with the night sky lit up by the Northern Lights. It makes me so excited to think about it. Olivia's style is more abstract, so I think she will do an amazing job on this piece. For this reason alone, she is my favorite small business right now!

It seems like during the winter Alec and I do less. It's cold and there's no way you'll catch me outside in those types of temperatures. This weekend however, was a little bit different.

We started the weekend Saturday by doing our own thing. Alec was working on some computer stuff and I went to grab coffee with a friend. I went to a local coffee shop and ordered a dirty chai (a chai with espresso). Sadly it was just okay, and overpriced. Regardless of the coffee, I had a great time with my friend. We caught up with what's been going on in each others lives. We have known each other since middle school. We lost touch, but now we attend the same church. It's been so nice to be able to be in each other's lives again. Her husband is an adoptee. We had no idea of this until we announced that we were adopting. It's been so cool to see his perspective. It's one more couple that we know we can count on. It's more support! 

That evening Alec and I went over to my parent's house for dinner. It was a pizza party! It was nice to see them with nothing else going on. Lately it's been getting together for Christmas and New Years, but this time there was no agenda. Sunday morning Alec and I went to church and then set off for Target!

We set some Christmas money aside for some baby stuff. Instead of having a baby shower, we plan on having a welcome party whenever the time comes. With that said, we needed a few more things to make our nursery baby ready! We now have all the necessities if a baby were to join our family last minute. It was a fun outing with Alec. We treated ourselves to Starbucks. Alec got a white chocolate peppermint americano and I got a matcha green tea latte. YUM! 

I know this sounds weird, but I was thinking about different winter smells because I had to change my wallflower from Bath & Body Works. It's an odd topic to think about, but once I started generating my top five winter smells, it made me think of happy memories. Here's my top five along with the reasoning!

1. Cinnamon - or any Spice! This makes me feel cozy. I love all the spice scents throughout the year, but it seems like during the fall and winter I find myself leaning towards those. It reminds me of apple cider, hot chai lattes, and alllll the goodies around the Holidays.
2. Pine - I often imagine I am tucked away in the woods cozying up with a blanket in a cabin. When I smell pine, that's where I go. Especially in the winter. If I have to deal with the snow, I'd rather be surrounded by trees covered in snow (preferably also surrounded by mountains). 
3. Cedarwood - Same reason as above! Take me there please!
4. Cranberry - Have you ever had the Frosted Cranberry soap from Bath & Body Works. If not, you should get some! I am OBSESSED. It is fresh, but yet it still screams winter.
5. Snickerdoodle - YUM! Just yum. I love baking cookies, but why not light a candle and have your house smell like cookies 24/7! This combines cookies with the cinnamon and it is amazing. It makes you want to cozy up and look at your Christmas Tree. 

I asked Alec this and here's his responses!

1. Peppermint - He is literally so obsessed with peppermint. Peppermint anything! If you get him a White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha he is your friend for life!
2. Gingerbread- He loves gingerbread cookies and all the spices that go into it
3. Fresh Baked Cookies - He says this reminds him of me baking all types of goodies around the Holidays - this sounds about right
4. Pine - Being outside and smelling the fresh cut trees
5. Hot Cocoa - He says there's nothing like a cup of hot cocoa in the wintertime to warm you up! 

It's crazy how smells can give you a calming sense. This goes for any season. Each season there's those smells that just make you feel warm inside!

Here in Northern Indiana, winters are so cold! When it comes to traveling during this time of year most people would choose something sunny and warm. That's nice too, don't get me wrong, but I have a different answer!

A few years back Alec and I took a trip to ICELAND! This destination surpised me. We traveled there right before Christmas. It was very snowy and very very cold. It was so cold that we cracked and spent $10 on one small cup of hot chocolate just to warm us up. Despite the fact that we were frozen most of the trip, I would do it again in a heartbeat in the winter. There is something about seeing waterfalls surrounded by snow and ice. There you can visit hot springs and geysers. It feels as if you are on a different planet. Another plus is that you have a better chance at seeing the Northern Lights. Sadly, we did not see them, but I'm hopeful that we will someday! 

I asked Alec this same question. Where would you want to travel to in the winter. His responce, New Zealand. Yes please! Way back when, 6 years ago, to the exact day (January 6, 2015) we left for a semester abroad. The first part was spent in New Zealand. Since New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, our winter is their summer. When we left the States everyone back home was freezing while we were laying out in the sun. It was great. We spent six weeks in sunny New Zealand, and I have to agree with Alec, this would be an amazing place to visit right now. During those six weeks we got to explore the whole North Island.  Also while we were there I went sky diving and Alec went bungie jumping! We were able to visit Hobbiton which was awesome. We also made friends. To this day, six years later, we still keep in touch with those we met in New Zealand, thank you Facebook! We know that if/when we go back we will have people there ready to explore with!

Instead of being in Iceland or New Zealand, we are here, in Northern Indiana. But, even though it's cold and snowy out, there is so much beauty around us right here!

The first weekend of 2021. This year we were lucky in that New Years Eve fell on a Thursday which meant...4 day weekend! That's always a bonus. Neither Alec or I are huge fans of New Years Eve so we spent our evening watching Friends and making homemade pizza. On New Years Day my family starts the year off by getting together and watching football. We ate plenty of food and tried to navigate driving in an ice storm. One of the many reasons why I hate winter! 

We spent the rest of the icy weekend at home. We took down Christmas decorations, cleaned the house, and just relaxed. It was perfect. We also got to finish our nursery. Let me tell you. This nursery is the cutest thing ever. Seeing all the furniture in the room makes it feel real. We offically have everything we need to have that room be home to a little child. It makes our wait so much sweeter!