Erin Akin Carroll

catch up and brain dump

May22013

1. The house is coming along. It’s such an interesting process. Right now, we’re looking at the the crawl space/foundation and wondering how all of our house is going to fit on top of that “small” space. I know it will start to look normal soon.

2. Choosing major kitchen appliances is stressful. They’re big purchases. We don’t want the most high end appliances, but want quality appliances that won’t need repair in six months. Just stressful to be making these decisions.

3. Smash is one of my absolute favorite shows, and now it’s ending. I just love this show. I’ve watched it from the beginning. I love musicals, I love the storyline, I love all of the characters and the singing and dancing. I’m so sad about this! Does anyone else watch?

4. Our 5th anniversary is Friday. We have dinner plans and I really want to go see a movie. And I’ve ordered a small replica of our wedding cake. Just because I can’t get enough of almond-flavored cake.

5. Hayes’s 2nd birthday is on Sunday. We’re going to do a small family party for him since their joint party isn’t until later in the month.

6. Hudson is such a hoot. He says the funniest things every single day. I’ve been slacking on keeping notes on my phone to remember the goofy things he says, but I have started doing it again. My father-in-law sent me this text when we were out of town and I just laughed and laughed!

7. I’m thinking of starting a weekly thing on my blog where I repost something from my archives. Something serious or funny or organizing tips? Maybe I’ll start today? What do you think?

our weekend at the Greenbrier

Filed Under: Uncategorized

May12013

Hey, y’all!

Long time, no blog, huh? I promise there’s no big secret or any particular reason that I’ve been avoiding my blog. I’ve just not felt much like picking up my computer lately. And, for me, that’s a good thing!

But I figure that I better update on what’s been going on for my own memory-keeping purposes.

This past weekend, Todd and I spent a long weekend at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. (I don’t know if I ever mentioned this or not, but in February 2012, Todd’s small three-man law firm was bought by a much larger firm based in Winston Salem, North Carolina. They still have their small office and still work out of the beautiful historic home, but they just go by a different name.)

Anywho… His law firm has a partner’s retreat every two years at the Greenbrier Resort. And spouses are invited! And some people even brought their children.

We, of course, jumped at the chance to go, but we did leave Hudson and Hayes with Todd’s parents. They had a fantastic time.

Todd and I drove up to West Virginia on Thursday morning, and had a great drive. A six hour drive isn’t so bad, and it’s not bad at all if it’s just you and your honey. We sang along with a lot of 90s Country on Pandora, and enjoyed the scenery.

The Greenbrier is absolutely beautiful. It is enormous and I love all of the history behind it. This was our first time go, so we wanted to explore as much as possible while still enjoying ourselves and being able to relax. And, of course, Todd had meetings each day.

There is a dress code at the Greenbrier that discourages denim (although my beloved white jeans are okay at certain times of day and in certain areas of the resort), so packing was a bit of a challenge for me. I seriously got so stressed about how to pack comfortably for the days’ activities, and still be “Greenbrier appropriate.” Our evenings were all booked with dinners with the firm, so we also had to pack for that. My wardrobe choices ended up not being an issue at all, and I was happy to find out that other women were just as stressed about what to pack.

So much of the Greenbrier’s charm is centered around the incredible, eclectic decor. It’s a bit “loud” but it’s so distinctive and just so incredible. The colors are vibrant, the prints are wild, and it’s just so distinctively “Greenbrier.”

I found a coffee table book all about Dorothy Draper and the Greenbrier decor, and have to have it now. It’s just so fun! (Not the way I’d decorate a home, but definitely worth visiting the Greenbrier just to see it!)

The Greenbrier has so many different activities that we were able to do. I chose a morning at the spa for a Swedish massage and Todd played golf. I also participated in a fun culinary demonstration with one of the Greenbrier chefs. She showed us how to make four different Greenbrier appetizers, and we got to bring the recipes home.

I walked around the grounds, lied in a lounge chair and read my book, and enjoyed some lunches alone while Todd had meetings. It was a really wonderful weekend!

Getting four days with Todd was just what the doctor ordered. It’s been such a long time since the two of us had a weekend without Hudson and Hayes. We love our boys so much, but getting that time together was fantastic. And our anniversary is May 3, so it was perfect timing!

When we got home on Sunday night and picked up the boys, they were just so much fun. They both squealed and sweet Hayes had the most unforgettable look on his face when he saw us. That makes it all worth it.

I’m already looking forward to going back to the Greenbrier in a couple of years for a weekend of rest.

My favorite pretty things for you! It's a giveaway!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Apr292013

Okay, friends. One of my sweet blog friends (I can call her a friend because I’ve met her in real life and she is just so adorable!) has the greatest online shop called Crystal Faye.

What I love about Crystal Faye are of course her gorgeous jewelry and gifts, but also that if you want something that you don’t see, she’ll make it happen!

I browsed all through Crystal Faye’s shop, and picked out my absolute favorite things. I have her fantastic tumbler and it pretty much never leaves my side.

But I also wanted some tumblers for the boys. So I bought tumblers for the boys and put them in their Easter baskets. Hudson and Hayes take these to soccer practice and just love them!

Another one of my favorite things from Crystal Faye is this adorable monogrammed beach towel. Can you believe it’s already time for beach towels? I’m pretty particular about my beach towels and this one is fantastic. I love the color, love the weight of it and the length, and I love the sweet pink monogram.

And then my absolute favorite thing is this beautiful gold monogrammed bracelet. I love this bracelet so much! This is the absolute perfect gift for Mother’s Day or a birthday gift for a friend or family member. I love mine!!

One more favorite thing is this precious apron! I mean…. if we have to cook, why not wear an super cute apron?

And guess what!

One lucky Blue-Eyed Bride reader and Crystal Faye fan is going to win all four of my favorite Crystal Faye things!

A bracelet, a towel, a kids tumbler and an apron!

All you have to do is follow Crystal Faye on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest. So enter through Rafflecopter! (Let me know if you have any trouble or questions!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Build 'Em Up: Friendships

Filed Under: build em up

Apr232013

Today’s Build ‘Em Up topic is something that I think makes most women fairly emotional. At least that’s how it has been for me.

I live in a wonderful Southern city that can sometimes feel like a very small town, but really isn’t all that small at all. It’s an old city and it can feel small because so many people have lived here all their lives. It’s one of the things I love most about living here.

But I haven’t lived here all my life and didn’t move here until I started graduate school.

The friends I made in graduate school mostly all moved away to start jobs and I stayed. I made some other new friends and then they left town.

When Todd and I got married, it was tough for a while to find that group of friends. We had lots of acquaintances, but just didn’t yet have that group of people that we knew we’d “do life with.”

That was until we joined our church and then joined our newlywed Sunday school class. I touched on this before when I talked about what the body of Christ means to me, but that newlywed class was the beginning of some incredible friendships.

As we got more involved in our church, and met more people, I got to know many more women who have become great friends.

And then we were the first ones to have a baby. For a while that kind of changed things because our social schedule was a little different than everyone else’s. And it can feel a bit isolating to be the only ones at home with a baby and limited availability to go out with your friends. But one by one, others started to have babies and we started spending more time together as families.

I know this sounds a little funny, but my children have opened the door to some incredible friendships, as well. Two of my dearest friends are also members of our church and Sunday school class, but our friendships were formed as a result of our children being in the same preschool class.

My precious childhood friends, college friends, grad school friends are so very special to me, even though I see them a lot less. Staying in touch isn’t easy when families and responsibilities come in to play, but we do our best.

This blog has also provided some of the most amazing friendships in my life. Some of my very best friends came from blogging, and I am so thankful for their perspective, loyalty, and sweetness.

(I wish I could find a picture of every single girl that I text and email all the time!)

Sometimes I don’t feel like the best friend that I can be. Life gets busy. We all have obligations and commitments. There are jobs and housework and families and kids’ schedules. But I think the mutual grace and understanding goes a long way in friendships. A quick text to say hello and the understanding that every family is busy, and every mom is doing her absolute best, is all we need to get back on track.

So, here are my take aways on friendship….

1. You have to put yourself out there to make friends. Church, Sunday school, small group, Junior League, play groups, and even social media. But finding those couple friends that can support you, love your family, love your kids, and be a group of people to do life with and have fun with is so valuable.

2. If you’re nervous about putting yourself out there, just remember that there is someone there just like you, who is also hoping to meet a new friend.

3. Friendship should be full of grace. If you don’t have tons of time to call or visit or get together, that’s okay. Maybe it’s just a 30 minute coffee date. Or maybe it’s just a quick text to say, “I’m thinking about you.” I know that when I get those texts it makes me so happy.

4. Maintaing friendships can be one of those “mandatory fun” things. I love “mandatory fun.” My group of girlfriends recently started a once a month girls night. We get together one Sunday night each month to go to a movie or to dinner or to get cupcakes. It’s so much fun to have a night when I know Todd is home that I can go out and meet my friends for a little mandatory fun.

How about you?

How do you maintain your friendships as you juggle life and everything else? Link up with us and share your story!

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And don’t forget our upcoming topics!

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