We're back! I didn't pick up my camera as much as I thought I would when I was home for Christmas. My time in Virginia was spent with family, friends, and more food than I think I've ever eaten at once. It was just huge meals and fun cocktails for like six straight days. It's crazy that I won't be back again until March, but I'm so glad I got to spend two weeks for Thanksgiving last month and ten days for Christmas. Spending time at home with my family is always really nice.


Now it's back to regularly scheduled life--so bear with me for a few days while I get to my emails and resume regular posting! Hope you all had very happy holidays.

Spending two weeks away for Thanksgiving was really nice. It's great to be back in Minneapolis, though. I never realized how quickly Rob and I would just fall into life here, or how much it would feel like home in just four months. The snowy city was a wonderful site from my airplane window last night, especially after three and a half hours of delays.

Just taking a moment today to pause and say hi from Virginia in something other than a pre-scheduled post. I got in on Thursday afternoon and my schedule has been jam-packed since I landed in Roanoke. I'll be here until December 4th, doing some wedding things, seeing so many friends, working out at CrossFit with my mom, loving on my sweet dog, and cooking for Thanksgiving.

On Friday night, my brother and I watched Les Miserables after dinner and then this weekend I had two of my college roommates over for a reunion sleepover. It's been a really fun few days. Feel free to follow along with me on Instagram if you're interested!

I hope you're all having a great week--Thanksgiving is just around the corner!

I spent my first week back in Virginia at my parents house in Roanoke. It felt weird to come "home" and call it "vacation," but it somehow managed to feel like both. I spent time with friends, getting drinks, having dinner, and going on coffee dates. I went to the gym and then to the spa with my mom, had a wedding dress fitting, got dresses for my bridesmaids, cuddled with my dog, and read a book. It was great.

On Friday morning, Rob flew in from Minneapolis and I picked him up at the airport. We got coffee and did some grocery shopping for my mom before heading home, then back downtown for lunch with his friend, Ed. A few hours later, Rob's brothers and their friends were arriving, and we went back to my parents' house for beers and hard cider on the back deck. The next day his parents arrived with his oldest brother, his wife, and my sweet nephew-to-be. My best friends Tina and Emma came over, and everyone got acquainted and we had a little engagement party.

I spent the weekend at home, taking the jet ski out for the first time all year. After helping to clear some of a huge tree that fell in our yard on Thursday, I rode by myself to Bridgewater Plaza on Saturday afternoon to meet some friends for lunch. Being on the water was so fun, and boating to any meal always makes it ten times better.

On Saturday night there were Old Fashioneds mixed and steaks grilled for neighbors who spent the day in the yard helping, and we slept in on Sunday and took it really easy. My family watched a movie alongside a dinner of pasta with Italian sausages (my dad's favorite pastime and favorite meal) in celebration of Father's Day.

Happy Monday! What a full weekend this has been--we started on Saturday morning by getting ready for guests to arrive that afternoon for Sean's graduation party. My friend Tina came with her boyfriend and their little puppy and we had so much fun. Tina is one of my best friends but we just never get to see each other. I'm so glad she's starting a summer position at a law firm in town today so we'll have almost two full months for coffee and lunch dates.

After the party Rob and I headed to Charlotteville for UVA's graduation, where he would walk and make his master's official. We were driving back home last night and we talked about how some weekends require another weekend just to catch up on sleep and relax from so many festivities, and this was one of them. Luckily the two of us both took today and tomorrow off of work, so we'll be hanging out at home, going out to lunch with some more friends, and finally seeing The Great Gatsby tonight! But until then, here are photos from the weekend.