christmas in ohio

we headed home to ohio for a traditional christmas celebration. this is the first year rob and i felt good about how we split our time with each other and each others' families.    

i had mentioned to dad earlier in the day how lovely the sunset must be at eastwood lake with the dayton skyline in the background. as the sun started to fade he had us outside of the hopping household just in time to watch and play in the beautiful-ohio-christmas-eve sunset. i can always count on dad for mini 'adventures' and outdoor fun.  

after the annual fiesta we held the second annual gingerbread house competition. kimmy/kayleigh vs gina/karlie vs andrea/brenden vs mom/dad. andrea/brenden won by a landslide. we all knew we were out of the competition when brenden decided to create a combat village. 

as the evening drew closer and closer to the arrival of santa claus, andrea and i headed to the palermo's for their christmas eve shindig. we had a great time chatting, drinking plenty of wassail, dancing, and of course eating!  

presents, breakfast, cappuccino from the palermo's new espresso machine, and feeling well & well rested (unlike last year) made christmas morning wonderful. we had a chat with anne who spent her christmas in a farmhouse in belgium. oh how she was missed!  

christmas afternoon was spent like every christmas of my life (minus two spent in florida). we ate a thousand casseroles, exchanged presents, and laughed and danced with mamaw! 

after the family festivities we went out with friends who we hadn't seen in far too long. guess i was having too much fun to snap any pics. oops. 

until next christmas season. 

Then Comes Marriage...

August 28th was a gorgeous day in Dayton, Ohio. I woke up a bit dehydrated from the night before but bursting with excitement and a sense of calm all wrapped inside! The weather could not have been better for an outdoor wedding. Low humidity, sunny skies, and high of 78 degrees was more than we could have hoped for in the Ohio valley. I felt so lucky to be marrying my best friend and the greatest man I have ever known.

Everything turned out perfectly. I had spent months obsessing about every detail and planning from NY was not always easy! I had to find all the vendors and commit mostly sight unseen! In hindsight I definitely would have put up the money for a planner but I'm proud to have done it all myself!

Even though most of my time spent went to looking at ideas for decor and atmosphere of the reception on oncewed.com and other bridal websites and magazines my favorite part of the entire day was the ceremony. I originally wanted to elope because I thought it would be impossible for me (very shy) and Rob (also hates the spotlight) to be ourselves and show our affection and love for each other with all eyes on us. But in that moment it was as if no one else was around...like we were in a little bubble of bliss (I know it sounds cheesy but it's true).

  

I Carry your Heart with me

E.E. Cummings

I carry your heart with me, I carry it in
my heart

I am never without it

anywhere you go I go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing

I fear no fate for you are my fate, my sweet

I want no world for beautiful you are my world, my true
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart i carry it in my heart