Wow, it has been an incredibly busy year for our little household. Let’s rewind a year to May 2011. While Ben and I were both anxious and excited about our upcoming wedding, I was finalizing last minute planning and he was beginning to start a rigorous graduate program while working full time. [time flies] Now, here we are one year later in May 2012 and I cannot believe that a year has already passed. Not only have we been married for one year but Ben is well on his way to completing his program!
I am so thankful to have Ben in my life. While this year has been a challenging, we both have learned to make the most of the tidbits of time we have together. For us, eating breakfast together outside on the weekend is the best part of our week. Unfortunately, our busy schedules have limited our time together (including our weekend breakfasts) and so it was incredibly important for us to get away for our first ever anniversary weekend…to have uninterrupted quality time together. Just the two of us.
Last May we spent our lovely, low-key honeymoon in a place that is near and dear to us – Holden Beach. Since our trip took place before Memorial Day, we practically had the beach to ourselves; it was magical. The experience was exactly what we needed after the wedding whirlwind and before his school schedule kicked into full gear. In fact, our honeymoon was the very first time that Ben and I had gone on a week long vacation, EVER. With limited vacation time and hectic work and school schedules, week long vacations have not been in the cards for us. Our honeymoon at Holden Beach was perfect!
So can you guess where we decided to travel for a quick weekend away to celebrate our first anniversary together… yep, you guessed it – Holden Beach. Sure, I am dying to travel to far away places but Holden Beach is the perfect place for us to go and recharge. The weekend was filled with great conversations, sleeping in, leisurely runs, sitting on the beach, riding bikes, eating ice cream and pizza, drinking wine and watching movies. I cannot remember the last time that we had the opportunity to spend that much quality time together. It was INCREDIBLE and I am so thankful.
Our weekend away helped both of us start this week fresh. I had forgotten how much easier Monday is when the weekend is spent resting and taking personal time to do what you want to do. Wow. Vacations really are necessary. For my own amusement, I included several instagram images of my eating habits before the trip and then after. Before the trip there were lots of computers and coffee in my daily life. Since returning home I have been incorporating as many fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet as possible. Now, I am not saying that I gave up coffee – but I have reduced my caffeine intake just a little!
All of these images remind me of all the goodness life has to offer!
