Personal

Big Announcement

by lgraves April 8, 2019

written by lgraves

It has been pretty quiet around here and that’s because we’ve been keeping a secret! Bobby and I are so incredibly excited to announce that we are expecting a BABY this September!

Baby Graves Announcement

That’s right! I’ve been so preoccupied with the news, sharing the news, and EXTREME fatigue that blogging had to go on the back burner. But now that I’m out of my first trimester, and gaining some energy, I’ve decided to do a pregnancy Q&A for you all!

How did you find out that you were pregnant?

Bobby and I spent a weekend in Charleston to help our friends move. When we got back to Raleigh, we stopped to pick up Mowgli from a friend’s house. Mowgli will typically jump up and greet us as we enter the home, but this time he didn’t jump on me. He jumped on Bobby, then looked at me, hesitated, and turned away. When you know your dog, you know when their behavior is odd. And this certainly was odd. It was the day before I was expecting my period, but at that moment I knew I was pregnant. When we got home I took a pregnancy strip test and saw a VERY faint 2nd line. At first, I didn’t believe it. So I decided to wait until the following day to take another test — thinking the line would be a little darker. The following morning, I took another test strip and the line was a little darker. So after work, I decided to take ANOTHER test but this time a “real” pregnancy test that would either say “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant”. Sure enough, it said “Pregnant”!

How did you tell Bobby?

When Bobby and I started talking about having kids, I asked if he would want to be surprised or with me when I take a pregnancy test. He said he wanted to be with me…but since I had already taken three tests without him knowing, I had to surprise him. I was bursting with excitement and couldn’t contain myself, so as soon as Bobby got home from work I smiled really big. He looked at me and knew something was happening so he said, “What’s going on?” I told him there was something for him in our bathroom.

I followed him into the bedroom, and as soon as he noticed the “Pregnant” pregnancy test he yelled “YEAH!!!”

He turned around and hugged me, then we sat on the bed and let the news sink in. I told him about Mowgli’s reaction the previous day and the two other tests I had taken. He couldn’t believe I had known for nearly 24 hours without telling him!

How are you feeling?

Overall I’m feeling pretty great! I had a heightened sense of smell around week 6, with some queasiness between weeks 7 and 8. There was only one moment around week 9 when I smelled something that did not agree with me. We were at a restaurant and I smelled olives/onions/roasted peppers. I don’t know why it bothered me so much, but I haven’t been able to eat acidic veggies since then.

The fatigue has been no joke! It feels like I haven’t had a full night sleep in several weeks, on top of working out 5 days a week. I read in What to Expect When You’re Expecting that I’m pumping about 20% more blood than usual. So I AM getting a workout! No wonder why I’m so tired!

Baby brain is REAL! I’m not retaining very much these days. I don’t know if it’s the lack of energy or the hormones that have messed with my memory, but I can’t tell you how many times I have to ask repetitive questions. It has been one of the more difficult aspects of pregnancy for me, especially when it comes to work. I don’t want to burden anyone or forget to do something. I’ve been a master of lists and sticky notes over the past few weeks in hopes to help remember things.

When is the due date?

Baby Graves is due September 16th!

Will you find out the gender?

We are not planning to find out the gender. WHAT?! Are we crazy? No way!

Bobby and I decided very early on that we would not find out the gender. The #1 reason is because we feel that there are very few true surprises in life. We can’t wait to hear that first cry and for the doctor to say “It’s a ____!” And whether it’s a boy or girl, we’re just focused on a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy. We can’t wait to meet Baby G!

Has Mowgli acted differently?

Yes! Ever since that day Mowgli wouldn’t jump on me, he has been super needy and protective. He follows me everywhere and has to lay with his head on my belly. I’ve heard that dogs react differently when a woman is pregnant, and now I can confirm that is 100% accurate for us.

I hope I answered some of the big questions! If there’s anything else you’d like to know, just ask in the comments below.

Thanks for your support and love during this journey! We are so excited to share it with you!

-L

April 8, 2019 4 comments

Personal

Reflecting on 2018

by lgraves January 1, 2019

written by lgraves

Wow! 2018 has been an awesome year. As I reflect back on the past 12 months I think about all of the positive change in my life. Bobby and I are more in love than ever before. I love my job and have great working relationships with my colleagues. I’ve expanded my friend group in Raleigh and continue to meet more people. Lastly, we’ve done well financially and are getting closer to our home-owning goals!

We’ve experienced some pretty low lows this year. Like most marriages, we struggled to find our way and communicate. There was a near death experience with a family member that had us counting our blessings. We provided support to numerous friends and family who’ve needed encouragement, and we worry as other family members struggle with health issues. We even lost a matriarch in the family, Bobby’s great-aunt Marion.

We’ve celebrated numerous accomplishments and occasions. A new job for me. Bobby crushed his sales goals this year! We celebrated 2 years of marriage in November and 1 year in Raleigh in April. The Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. Bobby bought a new car. And we congratulated several friends and family on engagements, weddings, and new babies!

We’ve traveled and explored as much as we could. We visited 5 states including MN, FL, CA, SC, and VA. We made it back to Big Meadows at Shenandoah National Park and stood in the spot where Bobby proposed in 2015. We’ve explored various parts of North Carolina including the Eno Rock Quarry, Stone Mountain, Pilot Mountain, Carolina Beach, NC Art Museum and the Governor’s Mansion.

We’ve had SO many visitors! We are always excited to host guests and show them around Raleigh. We never have enough time to see everyone when we visit VA, so we encourage our friends and family to visit us in Raleigh. Shout outs to my parents, Bobby’s dad, stepmom, Kyle, Claire, Mark, Nikita, Ricky, Amanda, Jon, Mike, Natalie, Adam, Erika, Luke, Kate, and Evie for making the trip to Raleigh in 2018.

As we turn the page, I’m excited to see what 2019 has in store for Bobby and I! Wishing each of you happiness, health, and luck in the new year!

–L

January 1, 2019 1 comment

Personal

Fall Bucket List

by lgraves September 22, 2018

written by lgraves

Fall is here! Although the weather in Raleigh doesn’t agree. While the humidity has finally worn off and the mornings and evening are cool, daytime highs are still in the upper 80s. Last year was our first fall in North Carolina. I remember someone telling me that the week of the State Fair (mid-October) was when the daytime highs started to shift. However, we had an unusually (?) hot fall.

It’s difficult for me to get in the mood for fall when it’s so hot outside. I love opening the windows and wrapping up in a cozy blanket to watch football with a fall candle burning. It’s my favorite season, so fingers crossed it’s “normal” this fall.

In honor of the fall solstice today, I put together a Fall Bucket List. These are all of my favorite things to do in the fall!

Fall Bucket List

What are some of your favorite things to do in the fall? Let me know in the comments below.

Lauren

September 22, 2018 2 comments

Personal

Be Mindful: Reframe your Perspective

by lgraves September 19, 2018

written by lgraves

Back in May I shared one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to be more mindful. I’ve been practicing “Leave Work at Work” and it’s made a big difference in my home life. I’m not bringing stresses home, I don’t feel like I have to work constantly, I’m excited to spend time in the office with my team. Having a job that I love helps!

Today, I’m focusing on perspective.

Start by choosing one thing a day, just one, that you “have” to do. Something you feel negative about and reframe it as something you “get” to do. Maybe you “get” to go to the grocery store. Or maybe you “get” to fold the laundry.

By changing the language used (“have to” versus “get to”), you start to feel differently about the task. For me, I think about the people who aren’t able to do those tasks. Whether they struggle with putting food on the table due to financial reasons, or they don’t have a vehicle to drive to the grocery store. These are all things I take for granted.

How does changing the language help you gain perspective?

Lauren

September 19, 2018 1 comment

Personal

5 Things I Wish I Knew In My 20s

by lgraves September 15, 2018

written by lgraves

My 31st birthday is next week and I’ve been reflecting on my 20s. As I watch family members graduate high school and enter the next phase of life, there are so many things I wish I knew. I’ve shared a few thoughts below for career and financial. If you have any additional advice, I’d love to add it! Just leave a comment below.

Career

Learn as much as you can. And don’t complain. You’ve got a looooooong career ahead of you and you’re working with (believe it or not) people who are much more experienced than you. Coping skills are important so you don’t quit your job every 1-2 years.
Build relationships. Be kind to everyone. You never know what connection you’ll need to leverage in the future. I can’t tell you how many times an old colleague has referred me.
The term “success” is subjective. Each person has their own definition of success. Could be financial. Could be personal awards. Could be 50+ hours a week. Don’t strive to be a success, but rather to be of value. A person of value has ethics, morality, decency, integrity, principles, and honesty. All those things one should strive to attain.

Financial

Invest in a 401k as soon as it is available (or start a Roth IRA). These terms can be intimidating as a non-finance major, but they’re REALLY important for the next 40-ish years. Have you ever heard the story about compound interest? About the 25-year-old who put $1,000/month away for 10 years versus the 35-year-old who put $1,000/month away until he retired. Guess who had more money in the end? Read here. Bottom line: start saving early.
Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. And do not open retail credit cards. In college, I wanted all of the new clothes that my friends were getting. Since I was over 18, I decided to get a few retail store credit cards. Of course, I racked up more than I could pay. Long story short, don’t feel pressured to be on the same page as everyone else. You’ll be fighting that battle your whole life.

There are a few other personal things I’ve decided to leave off of this post. Maybe I’ll share another post with some more advice. If you have anything to add, please share in the comments below.

Lauren

September 15, 2018 0 comment

Personal

Things I’m Loving: September 2018

by lgraves September 12, 2018

written by lgraves

Happy September! Each month I share a handful of my favorite things. I try to share something from each of the categories that I blog about: beauty, food, home, and style. If there’s something I’m really loving, like a book or TV show, then I share that too! Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing. I often read blogs about style, food, and beauty to get recommendations on products. It’s my hope that you enjoy reading my recommendations. And don’t forget to let me know if you’ve tried anything on the list in the comments below!

Fresh Sugar Lip

I recently discovered this lip balm/gloss/treatment at Sephora. It glides on smooth like lip balm, shines like gloss, and nourishes like a treatment. It’s so addicting! Plus, I LOVE the color choices. I have Rosè and Coral. Rose is a sheer, neutral color. Coral is well….coral! It’s a great “on the go” color that I keep in my purse. There are a ton of other colors. I’d recommend checking them our at your local Sephora.

Kristen Ess Soft Shine Beach Spray

I’ve been wanting to try the new Kristen Ess line of hair products at Target. I’ve heard so many people talk about Kristen Ess, so I had to test it out! I quickly realized that this wasn’t your typical beach wave spray. It’s designed to be used after your hair dries. I have naturally wavy hair, so this was perfect for me. A little spray with dry hair makes it so soft and shiny. A little goes a long way! I’ve even tried it on my straightened hair to give it a softer and shinier look and it worked great! Just don’t use too much. If you’ve tried any of Kristen Ess’ products, let me know your thoughts.

The Perfect Bar

When I was walking down the dairy aisle at the grocery store, the words “Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter” and “Perfect Bar” caught my eye. This protein-packed power bar is vegan and gluten-free and has to be refrigerated because it’s so fresh. I’ve tried the Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter, and Almond Coconut flavors. They are a bit rich in flavor (thanks peanuts), so I can only eat about half before feeling full. But they’re worth trying if you’re looking for a mid-afternoon or pre-workout snack.

Discbound Notebook Systems

These notebook systems are the latest craze and I’m hooked! The notebooks are bound by discs (hence “discbound”) which allow you to move pages throughout the notebook. TUL, Arc System, Happy Planner and Martha Stewart are all lines of discbound notebook systems. I started using one at work and it’s been a great way to take notes, keep a task list, and then organize those notes for future reference. It’s fully customizable with various page layouts (calendar, college-ruled, graph, task pads, etc). You might see another blog post from me with more details on my discbound notebook. I love it THAT much!

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

This book is a breath of fresh air! Rachel Hollis writes as if we’re best friends chatting on a couch. She opens up about her personal and life struggles, and what she has done (or still doing) to work through them. It’s so inspiring and eye-opening. I’d recommend this book to any of my lady friends. #girlpower

That’s all for September! See you next month!

Lauren

September 12, 2018 1 comment

Personal Travel

Our Summer So Far: June & July Rewind

by lgraves August 20, 2018

written by lgraves

It has been a busy summer for us so far! In addition to having quite a few visitors, I’ve been working on crossing items off my summer bucket list.

Our summer started early this year. Last summer (our first summer in Raleigh), it didn’t get REALLY hot until July. This year, it was in the 90s in June. The NC locals say it has been unusually hot, so fingers crossed this is not the new normal. I might reconsider living in the south if our summer is 3 full months of 90+ degrees.

I just have to mention that the Washington Capitals are STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS! It was an unbelievable playoff series. We FINALLY beat the Penguins in Round 2 — which I would argue was a better feeling than winning the Stanley Cup itself. Then we beat the Knights in the championship. It was the best we ever played, I had never seen the team so determined. As a fan, it was the greatest post-season ever. It’s been sad to see team changes in the offseason, but I’m super excited to see what 2019 brings for the Caps!

Bobby and I getting ready for the Stanley Cup championship

Over Memorial Day weekend, we received a phone call that completely stopped us in our tracks. Bobby’s brother went rock climbing outside for the first time and had fallen about 45 feet. When you get a phone call like that, life stops. The unknown of his condition was gut-wrenching. It was one of the longest days of my life. Long story short, Bobby’s brother walked(?) away with a broken ankle and some minor cuts and bumps. He was so lucky. We are so lucky. Bobby has been rock climbing for over 10 years and stories like this don’t end the same. On the bright side, Bobby’s parents and I became much closer. We were communicating in group chats, we were encouraging and supporting each other. In times of crisis, you have an opportunity to step in or step out. Fortunately, Bobby and I were in a place where we could step in. I’m so grateful for Bobby’s brother’s health and for the growing relationships with Bobby’s family.

Since we’re only 2 hours from Carolina Beach, we’ve taken two day trips! And since it’s a dog friendly beach, we took Mowgli! He loves being at the beach and playing in the water. We even invested in some nice Tommy Bahama beach chairs. Our next investment will be a big beach umbrella or canopy. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

Mowgli loves going to the beach!

A few months ago, when we were in VA visiting family, I found out that Bobby’s littlest sister Claire had never been to a concert. I jumped at the opportunity and decided that I was going to take her to her first concert! We decided to see Luke Bryan at Coastal Credit Union Music Park in July. It felt like the hottest day of the year! High 90s with 90% humidity, but we had a great time! We were dancing and signing at the top of our lungs! It was a great memory to share with Claire. We’re already scoping out our next concert (when the weather cools off)!

Claire and I at Luke Bryan

Bobby’s stepmom drove down with Claire for the concert, so they decided to stay a few days and tour Raleigh and Durham. Bobby and I compiled a list of our favorite places as well as a few places we have yet to see. They managed to see nearly all of the items we listed! They powered through the Triangle! We took them to a few of our staples (Pooles, Videri, Bond Brothers) and tried a few new spots (Pizzeria Faluisi, Blue Moon Oyster Bar). Because Bobby’s family is so large, we rarely get one-on-one time so it was really nice to spend some quality time with his stepmom and sister.

Claire posing at the “All Are Welcome” mural in downtown Raleigh

Claire playing with some kittens at a local rescue

Bobby and Claire grabbing a bite to eat on her last night

Our friend Adam was passing through on his way to Charlotte, so he stayed a night with us. Adam’s older brother Ricky is one of Bobby’s best friends (and our wedding officiant). Adam is like family to us so it was great to see him! It was a short visit, but I think we showed him enough of Raleigh to convince him to come back!

Bobby and Adam

Lastly, a few weeks ago I visited Dorothea Dix’s Park to see the sunflowers fields. SO COOL! Thousands of sunflowers cover several acres. And of course, BEES! There were 2-3 bees on each sunflower. After looking at the sunflowers, as I was walking away, I wondered “what do they do with the sunflowers after this?” I found out that they harvest the sunflowers to create thousands of gallons of biodiesel to fuel tractors and farm equipment. How neat!

Sunflowers as far as you can see!

As you can see, it’s been a memorable summer so far! Our August is packed with trips and more visitors, and there are a few more items on my summer bucket list that I’d like to accomplish, so stay tuned!

Lauren

August 20, 2018 0 comment

Personal

Blogging Lessons: Learning Consistency

by lgraves August 14, 2018

written by lgraves

Hi friends! It has been a few months since I’ve consistently blogged. I’ve been blogging for almost a year and I’ve learned a lot.

First of all, it’s really hard to blog as things happen. I started with weekend recaps, but I found it hard to carve out enough time on Sunday nights. Especially when I’m trying to get ready for my week ahead. I’ve been doing monthly rewinds the past few months and I think it’s been a good balance of recapping our lives without taking away from them.

In March and April, I got into the habit of writing several blog posts at the same time and scheduling them throughout the month. I felt that blocking 1 day a month, was way easier to manage than one or two 2-3 hour sessions a week. There were two unforeseen downfalls to this concept: 1. I forgot to share my posts on Facebook and Instagram. 2. I should have continued to blog and schedule posts while I was ahead.

Lastly, photos. I have a hard time remembering to take photos. If you read my Mindfulness post, you know one of my goals is to be more mindful. So I’m trying to live in the moment while balancing the need to document gatherings and events to share on the blog. Plus, the whole effort of uploading and editing is a major time suck.

I guess where I’m heading with all of this is I want to thank all of you for being patient with me as I find this balance. I promised I’d be transparent with you through this process, so I hope this insight helps! And for my friends who consider starting a blog…think long term. It’s easy to focus on the short-term and stop writing, but I’m not done telling MY story!

Love to all!
L

August 14, 2018 2 comments

Personal

New Theme Who Dis?

by lgraves July 2, 2018

written by lgraves

Hello everyone! Happy July! It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I promise I’ll share an update soon. But in the meantime, I’m excited to share my new website design!

Some of you mentioned that it was difficult to read the grey font on my previous design, so I’ve been on the hunt for a new theme…and found a match! I’m really loving this template from PenciDesign. It’s super customizable, so I’m excited to add some new features.

Stay tuned! Thanks for reading!

-Lauren

July 2, 2018 0 comment

Personal

My Summer Bucket List

by lgraves May 25, 2018

written by lgraves

It’s that time of year again! Does anyone else consider Memorial Day weekend as the beginning of summer? I do! If the pools are open, it’s summer in my mind. Actually, it’s been high 70’s to mid 80’s down here for the past 4 weeks. It’s practically summer already!

I’ve always been a do-er. I like to explore new places and see new things. Bobby always jokes that I don’t know what it’s like to relax. For example, when I’m watching TV I’m blogging or cross stitching. Since we’re still new-ish to Raleigh, there’s so much “new” to do!

Here’s my summer bucket list: