Happy Birthday, Babe!

Today the sunshine in my life turns 20.

I hope your year is wonderfully packed with adventure and success.

I love you, babesey.

I love this man.

This guy is so much more than a boyfriend.

When I'm unhappy- he cheers me up.

He makes me laugh constantly- even when I'm not in a laughing mood.

He also gives me the optimistic viewpoint that I'm looking for!

He is never surprised by the stresses of life ( a method I might try sometime..)

He simply relies on God and doesn't waste time with stressing, a quality I'm extremely envious of.

He is super smart. He is fantastic at what he does and he's very motivated.

He's sensitive- he can tell when I'm not one hundred percent happy.

He is a leader, an encourager, a believer, a sweetheart, and so much more.

There are not enough adjectives in the English language to describe Bart's personality. I'm so thankful for him! After 1 year and almost 6 months together- I couldn't be more blessed.

I love you B!

Bedtime Bliss.

Remember your favorite bedtime stories?

One book in particular comes to my mind . . .


Wasn't this a fantastic bed-time read?!
Someday when I have kids I plan to read lots and lots of stories to them. I think that special bonding time is so important! Since I've outgrown the bed-time stories, I have tried bed-time music. Sometimes when I can't sleep or my mind just won't stop "chattering" , I'll turn on some Jack Johnson softly and it puts me right to sleep. Something about his mellow voice and mainly acoustic melodies just send me drifting.

The other night I just wasn't sleepy, so I asked my boyfriend to tell me a bedtime story (over the phone, of course). He started the tale and soon enough I was more awake than when he'd begun- I was laughing uncontrollably. So maybe stories about dragons and pretty fairies aren't his thing, but he's good for comic relief ;).

Most families have bedtime "rituals" which they perform every night just before bed. you know, glass of milk, warm bath, tucked into bed, etc. etc. I'm a huge fan of bedtime prayers. They are so sweet and genuine! That is one tradition that I can't wait to start.. and hopefully it will carry on.
So, don't get any ideas-I don't have kids. No, I'm not yet married...
but one can dream, eh?
=)

Hiking Trip!

Yesterday after school my sweetheart and I went on a little hike at a nearby park.
The weather is finally starting to cool down a bit, so the temperature was just perfect for hiking!
We hiked down by the lake and then up through some biking trails.
At the close of our hike we raced each other up a hill to the car.
He let me win.
It was fantastic.


Just before we started our hike.


My handsome trail guide.



We stopped for a rest near the dam.


I was so exhausted; it was amusing.

We had a splendid time!
I can't wait to go again =)

Staycation!

This year instead of traveling afar for vacation, we decided to stay a little closer to home. Actually, we did stay home. We tested out the new "stay-cation" idea and quite liked it! Instead of being running busily from activity to activity, being at home kind of gave us more relaxing time, and saved a great deal of cash.. Our stay-cation consisted of: going to 2 amazing zoos,( which was thrilling for me, because I hadn't been to a zoo since I was 5!) , seeing the amusing film Despicable Me (twice. we were into doing things twice this round, not sure why), Driving up to ... (I'm not exactly sure where, but we played a lot of Uno and road games along the way), Eating at delish Red Lobster for lunch, where I discovered that each yummy, garlic-ey buttery biscuit is only 400 calories! ( =(. ) , Eating at festive Don Pablos (so i could get my fave enchilada! ) , and going to my boyfriend's lovely church, of course =).
I included some lovely documentation of our "trip" ;)


at the zoo =).


My sweet pea and this darling giraffe!!


It was such a cutie!


chilling out at the park..



goofing off, of course.





we took a loong journey up to NC, so we brought along some tunes =).



The Staycation idea turned out to be a blast! =) Definitely an option to consider if you are; broke, want a very slow, relaxing vacation, hate traveling, or just want to enjoy being home without working!!
<3


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Current top 10 things I LOVE about my sweetie.

1. He always listens to me when I'm upset.. he let's me go through my little cycle: vent, (sometimes cry or scream, every now and then a combo of both), worry, vent some more, sigh, and move on.
2. He has this goofiness that just melts all my problems away. I can be in the middle of an emotional tornado and he just says something completely off the wall, completely random and useless, and it makes me smile and forget whatever is going on.
3. He can read my feelings 89% of the time, and the other 11% of the time I can't exactly determine what my feelings are either. He knows if I say "I'm fine," I'm not fine. He's learned my voice tones and what all my reactions mean =).
4. He has this lively hope for our future, which makes me just ecstatic ! I cannot wait to spend this rest of my life with this guy!
5. He makes time for me. Whenever. I could call him at 5 a.m. and he'd answer the phone just as readily as he would at 7 p.m.
I really love that.
6. I think its hilariously funny how excited I get when I receive a facebook post or text message from him. CHEESY i know, but hey that's kinda cool if it's been happening for over a year and I still get that excited, right? =D
7. He understands my love for bags.. and shoes, and clothes. Yet he still loves me! KEEPER
8. He constantly encourages me to pursue my dreams and whatever I want to do.. even with I feel like I've failed horribly, he always turns the situation around and helps me see that everything will be just fine.
9. He puts me over his guy friends... which is way importante.
10. He makes every moment of my life happy ( or at least 90% of them) .
I love you so, so much dear!
xo

let's see how far we've come.

I can't believe it's been ONE YEAR and TWO MONTHS with my sweetie!!!! =)
That's outstanding I think.
I was going through my pictures and I decided to post some random ones taken throughout last year and this year.
Apparently I was much more into picture taking last year than I am this year, because I have next to none of this year so far!
Ooops! Guess I'd better get on that.
Anyways these pictures make me so happy and each time I look at them I can't help but beam and smile.
I love you, bart.


At a clemson baseball game. I think we had just started dating at this point. The weather was extremely humid and horrible! But I still remember that it was such a blast being with Bart =).


This was taken just before prom 2009. We actually weren't dating at this time.. but we loved each other, when just hadn't shared that fact yet!



This picture was taken the day after our wreck, January 2nd 2010. This day was so surreal yet happy.



This was a Sunday afternoon sometime this winter. The weather had finally begun to warm up, so we decided to spend the afternoon at the park =).



Just before prom 2010!




goofing off at the park =)

I LOVE YOU!
<3

my lovebug's 19 birthday.

April 3, 2010.



yay! at frankie's fun park! =). the weather was beautiful!


I look so cheesy in this picture! the light was really bright so I closed my eyes :/


strolling.


i love you, barty!

happy birthday, my love.

happy birthday, my dear!
spending the past year with you has
been beyond wonderful, full of surprises, and
an adventure to be sure.
you've changed so much within the past year, and
it's quite amazing to watch. you're so intelligent,
optimistic, and such a joy to be around!
no matter if we're just taking a walk together, riding
on a roller coaster or watching a movie together, just
being with you makes my entire year.
we have so many good memories and i can't wait to build many,
many more with you. You are such a gift!
I hope you have a wonderful nineteenth birthday and year.
I know you will be blessed immensely =).
i love you with all my heart!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE!
<3

Fabulous Falls Park!

I finally got to see Falls Park in Greenville for myself!
It was so gorgeous =).
between all the water falls and stores downtown, I had the time of my life!



my babesey and me!



gorgeous view.



another shot.


enjoying the sunshine!


my prince taking in the view. =)

xoxo.

a walk in the park.

just a sunday afternoon stroll, with the sweetest guy in the world.





The park had a lovely view,


,
and a super nifty swing-set.



We tossed around this teensy football






and took a liberating little hike-a-ma-jig. ( does five minutes count?)




'til we returned to the field, where we basked in the sunshine. =].



i <3 sunday afternoons.

i heart my valentiney.

Happy Valentine's Day, Noel Barton Tuck IV!
i love you so much.





Ecclesiastes 4:9a

Two are better than one;

Though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my good to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, i put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity. these three; but the greatest of these is charity.





If you have love,
you don't need to have anything else,
and if you don't have it,
it doesn't matter much
what else you have.
<3

a little introduction to us. <3

We really love each other. <3




We often brighten each other's mood =).




We broke tradition and gave each other promise rings.




We always support each other.





We sometimes do adventurous things, like skiing.






We share countless inside jokes.





We do dangerous things like get henna tattoos.



We adore sunshine.




We have identically colored eyes!



We enjoy acting our shoe sizes.


We love getting all dressed up.