away i go

i leave for tampa early tomorrow morning

and i couldn't be more excited!

on friday we are going to bennett's cousin's beach house

to ring in the new year--the year that i turn 22

get married

and graduate!

oh, what a year 2011 will be!!!!

i hope everyone has a wonderful new years!

farewell 2010

in 2010....

-bennett asked me to marry him

-i said yes

-i turned 21

-bennett and i went to harry potter world

-i spent 9 days in nantucket

-bennett had his (hopefully) last surgery

-i took 18 hours of classes and somehow got all A's and B's

-i bought a wedding dress

-i cried a lot

-i laughed a lot

-i learned who my true friends were

-i learned how to silkscreen

-we went to the biltmore

-we had an engagement shoot in a canoe

-i had my last christmas without bennett as a single woman

-i lived in an apartment, then a house, then another house

-i was a nanny for the most adorable little boy

-bennett was in greece for 3.5 weeks and i lived

-i learned how to use power tools

-i climbed a rock wall

-i loved the heck out of bennett

and in 2011...

-i am getting married

-i am going to barcelona, nice, and cinque terre

-i will be a wife

-i will have a husband

-we will get a tiny apartment

-and i cannot wait

a white christmas

merry christmas to all

and to all

a good night

(my house right now. taken by papa humphrey)

what does a _____ say?

i made the adorable baby boy i nanny

little stuffed animals for christmas

but not just any animals

these are the ones he knows the sounds to!

they were so much fun to make

and to hear him

woof woof

neighhhhh

moooooo

bahhhhh

rawrrrr

was just priceless!

i even made a little bag with his name on it to carry them in.

merry christmas!

rockin around the christmas tree

(photo from a few christmases ago)

tonight i'm sleeping under the christmas tree

with my mom and sister.

it's something that we've done every year since i was little

and i look forward to it every christmas.

i can't wait to carry on the tradition next year with bennett!

merry christmas eve eve!

5

only 5 more months...

until i am a wife

until i get to wake up and fall asleep next to my best friend every day for the rest of my life

until i can run into people i haven't seen in a while and say, "oh, and this is my husband bennett"

until i really do need to start cooking meals instead of eating out all the time

until we can watch movies as loud as we want because we are each other's roommate

oh i cannot wait

tampa engagement party

i had such a wonderful time in tampa this weekend.

my mom came with me so she could meet the rest of bennett's family

and they had an engagement party for us

with plenty of gifts, food, and mimosas.

all of bennett's friends were there and we had a blast.

ONLY 5 MORE MONTHS!

tampa trip

i am headed to tampa today with my mom

to see bennett for a few days

and to celebrate our engagement with a bunch of his family

and friends

and i couldn't be more excited!

be back on monday!

* * *

(me, on the left, with the sisters in 1994)

it snowed here in nashville a couple days ago

and we're apparently supposed to have an ice storm tomorrow

so i have a feeling i will be cuddled up in bed

watching movies and trying to recover from a stomach bug

for the next few days...

which is just fine with me

slow it down...

(baby jack smelling the christmas tree)

i am done with finals

DONE

and i couldn't be happier

because i can finally slow down

and enjoy the christmas season

before it's gone...

i did it...

i chopped off my hair.

and it feels incredible.

funny photo

i came across this photo and had to laugh.

this is from a looong time ago

when bennett and i were just friends

but i liked him so much.

my best friend karlie came to visit

and snapped this photo of us...

look at how awkward we were!!

a little bit stressed

ah,

nothing like eating a bowl of chicken noodle soup

at 1:15 am

while trying to finish one million assignments....

this is how i feel right now

about ready to pull out all my hair:

Gustave Courbet

The Desperate Man

a little thanksgiving feast

(sorry for the crappy photo. my good camera is broken)

last night,

bennett and i had a little thanksgiving feast

and it was absolutely delicious.

we had honey baked ham,

asparagus,

corn on the cob,

biscuits in the shape of autumn leaves,

and delicious wine we brought home from the biltmore.

we ended the night with a delicious drink bennett made

and watched the village.

it was such a wonderful night

and although i am sad we can't spend the actual thanksgiving day together

we had a nice little preview of what it will be like next year when we're married.

ohmygoodness only 6 more months until i am a wife!

love

i fall more and more in love with this guy every minute...

100

i just realized i have 100 followers!

i think this calls for a happy list

and these are some of the things that make me the happiest:

- christmas (only 42 more days!)

- when i get to see bennett for the first time each day. i get so excited i can hardly stand it

- long naps in the middle of the day

- woodchuck ciders

- spending time with the baby boy i nanny, who also happens to be the cutest thing you have ever seen

- knowing that in almost 6 months i will be a wife

-when this happens:

biltmore holgas

i do not care for heights

i climbed this today with my lover/best friend/fiance

and i made it all the way to the top and touched the black bar

and by the time i got back down i was shaking so badly i could barely stand

but i did it

and bennett was so proud of me

and i was so proud of myself

...oh the things one will do in the name of love

lately...

- time seems to be flying by

- i absolutely cannot wait for christmas

- i am trying to be much better about saving money

- i am trying to be much better about eating healthy

- i am dying to open the wine i got from our trip to the biltmore

- i have been practicing writing jenny foster on every piece of paper i can get my hands on

- i have been so tempted to start listening to christmas music

- i have 3 rolls of film i need to develop and it's driving me crazy

- i really miss my baby sister

- i really miss my stephanie

- i fall more and more in love with my bennett every day and i cannot wait to be his wife

- only 6.5 more months to go...

home

our little vacation to the biltmore was absolutely perfect!

we had such a wonderful weekend

filled with a tour of the house

oohing and aahing at all of the fall trees

a wine tasting of the most delicious wines

and wandering around downtown asheville.

but now we're back

and i have loads of assignments due

and it's cold and rainy

and i have no idea what to be for halloween!

...ideas?

a little vacation

this weekend,

bennett and i are visiting the one and only biltmore estate!

i am SO excited

because the fall colors are supposed to be at their peak right now

and the house itself is absolutely gorgeous

and we get a free tour of the winery

with a complimentary wine tasting!

this is a MUCH needed mini vacation...

engagement shoot!

a couple weeks ago, bennett and i got together with our wonderful wedding photographer austin gros and had our engagement shoot. we went to our favorite canoeing spot in kingston springs, tn, and had so much fun canoeing and taking pictures. here are some of our favorites! and be sure to check out austin's blog!