Friday Five.

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It started off snowing today and then quickly turned into icy rain. So I’ll be over here staying inside and wearing these slippers. And in case you’re wondering, they’re just as comfy as they look!

ONE | LIFE LATELY

A lot of time has passed between my last October post and my Thanksgiving post, and from there to now. So to catch you up — I GOT MARRIED! My ceremony was outdoors, it rained hard, it was freezing, and it was the BEST. DAY. EVER! We lucked out with a last-minute tent rental and we had rehearsed a rain plan the night before, so making changes was less stressful than I thought it would be. We had the best bridal party, friends, family, and vendors to make sure that everything still went beautifully. *UGH* tearing up just thinking about it — I digress! More posts on the wedding coming later!

My team and I completed a big renovation project at my day job — something I’ve been working on and toward since my first day four years ago — and everyone’s still talking about it! #proud I also went to a pottery class for the first time since college!

We bought rugs for our house, got a new couch, celebrated two baby showers, lost a family pet, and celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, and went on our honeymoon (more on that later, too!).

We also celebrated our soon-to-be-here nephew!

Phew! Now you’re all caught up!

TWO | MARRIED BLISS

People keep asking me, “How’s married life?” To which I keep responding, “Great! Not much has changed.” Mr. Heid and I have lived together for years at this point. We adopted a dog together, moved back to South Carolina together, and bought a house together. We pared down our things so that we didn’t keep double of everything years ago. Not much has changed with our daily lives and I’m very happy about that.

But there are a few really exciting perks to marriage — hearing each other’s vows, saying them in front of our nearest and dearest, and knowing that I have someone to spend the rest of my life with; truly becoming part of each other’s family (though we’re both fortunate that both sides have been so welcoming and loving from the beginning); having a really big party with friends and family; and, of course, continuing our crazy adventure!

THREE | READING

Over the Christmas holiday, I read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for the first time ever and loved it! I figured I would since I like most of the adaptations of it, but you never know!

Here’s my favorite passage from the book:

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,' returned the nephew. 'Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round—apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that—as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

Beautiful.

I also picked up A Series of Unfortunate Events again. I started it when I was a kid, but never finished it because I found it to be tedious. In the books, Snicket constantly defines words and gives explanatory scenarios that I already understood/understand. I think perhaps his style would have been more helpful if I was even younger than I was at the time. So now I’m skimming through those parts and reading the actual story, and it’s morbidly cute. I’m on book six now, and I honestly don’t know how it ends.

FOUR | WATCHING

Since the wedding, Mr. Heid and I have binge watched season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, season three of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and season one of Infinity Train. These are vastly different shows, but each one is high-quality TV in my book. We also finished both seasons of Gravity Falls (SO GOOD). When we finish this second season of Infinity Train, we’ll probably watch the final season of The Man in the High Castle. And I’m still slowly plugging my way through Downton Abbey. Mr. Heid doesn’t watch it, so I only watch it when he’s busy or not around (otherwise we’re watching things we’re both interested in), but I also don’t always choose TV during those moments so… BUT I’m finally watching the final season.

FIVE | COMING UP

You guys know I won’t promise to post regularly on here, but I do have some ideas to share on the blog throughout the spring — baby shower gifting (I think three showers in a row makes me a pro now, wouldn’t you agree?), wedding planning tips, and a few travel posts to name a few!

Until then, I hope you have a great weekend! I’m personally praying for snow or warm weather, nothing in between.

xoxo,

K

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Grateful Challenge 2019

The other day, Mr. Heid and I were talking about a few things that we're grateful for and it made me want to put them down in a list (who saw that coming, right?!). So from November 1st through Thanksgiving, I honored those persons, places, or things for which I'm grateful by listing them within my Instagram posts.

Here’s what I came up with all compiled in this post:

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  • Nov. 1 | Weekends!

  • Nov. 2 | A visit from two good friends with whom we never fail to have a good time and around whom we never feel judged.

  • Nov. 3 | Our families — we are so very blessed to have amazing families! When we get together there are jokes, games, and good times! And when life gives us lemons, we're still by each other's sides helping one another get through!

  • Nov. 4 | Wayback Burgers’ Oreo Mud Slide milkshake. My throat was killing me! Turns out it was just sinus drainage, but their milkshake gave me sweet, sweet, icy, relief!

  • Nov. 5 | My right to vote for leaders and policies that will shape our future!

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Nov. 6 | A handy hubby who can fix our heat and HEAT (we were without for two weeks, waiting on a part)

Nov. 7 | Puppy snuggles

Nov. 8 | Fantastic co-workers who make work fun, hardworking volunteers who make our work possible, and an amazing cast of kids who put on a phenomenal first night of production and make everything we do so worth it.

Nov. 9 | My hubby’s gouda cheese grits on a Saturday morning!

Nov. 10 | My sore throat subsiding!

Nov. 11 | A day off to organize after the wedding AND our veterans who've fought for our freedom and security.

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Nov. 12 | My pilates classes! They’re always filled with jokes, discussions of dinner plans, life updates from all, tons of encouragement, modifications, and instruction on what you should and shouldn’t feel during each move.

Nov. 13 | Disney+ haha I spent a solid hour scrolling through each and every thing and already built my watch list.

Nov. 14 | A chance to share a drink and shop with a few friends during this busy season of life!

Nov. 15 | Cozy socks and blanket scarves (it’s dipped down into the 30s here)

Nov. 16 | A fantastic group of volunteers and a new team member to relieve my workload! In my day job, we plan so many events throughout the year, but Mr. Heid and I want to take more time for us so I’ve been working toward program and team changes to accommodate that.

Nov. 17 | Friendsgiving with my besties was filled with good food, so many laughs and stories, and most importantly togetherness. So so grateful for the chance to get away from work and spend time with them.

Nov. 18 | The barista at Cohesive Coffee who gently dared me to try oat milk in my iced Chai tea and promised to make me a free one with almond milk (my usual order) if I hated it. Guys. It did not disappoint and I’ve got a new order! I will always be thankful to this barista for opening up a new flavor for me!

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Nov. 19 | All of the autumn colors! I can’t get enough of them, and I love living in a place where my favorite season and the prettiest season actually exists.

Nov. 20 | The best boss, honestly. He believes in and encourages our team even when things don’t go as planned. We can joke and still be professional. He actually officiated my wedding!

Nov. 21 | A sold out weekend of shows at my day job! It’s so great to see that the things we line up are what’s the community actually wants!

Nov. 22 | For maintaining friendships with my girls from high school! When we get together it’s like we never missed a beat. I love them so so much and enjoyed celebrating one of them as she starts her chapter of motherhood!

Nov. 23 | Friends who recently moved to the Upstate, making it possible for us to grab a quick breakfast and catch up this morning.

Nov. 24 | The olive green Sk8-Hi Vans that I wore at my wedding and the fact that I can wear them anytime I want now.

Nov. 25 | Coming home to the smell of my husband making vanilla bean condensed milk, turkey gravy, and pie crusts (and the results - pumpkin left, sweet potato right in the picture below).

Nov. 26 | That my parents and in-laws live in the same city, making the holidays that much easier.

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Nov. 27 | All of my family and friends!

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving full of laughter, love, good eats, stories, and togetherness!

xoxo,

Keira

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Cheesy Halloween Round Two

If you haven’t been watching Halloween movies every day of October, it’s time to get started! Hate scary movies? I’ve got another roundup of cheesy horror movies for ya!

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  • THE FINAL GIRLS | A teenage girl loses her once-scream-queen movie star mom in an accident. Flash forward and she, along with a group of her peers, are driven into the world of a campy 80s horror film featuring her late mother. They join forces in an attempt to take down the killer, who *buh buh buuuuuh* is real!

  • FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) | This kid’s new neighbor is a charming and attractive… vampire (!), and it’s up to him to take him down. Real 80s cheesy costumes and makeup make it a lot easier to brush off the demons as silly instead of scary.

  • KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM | A group of besties and live-action role players take to the woods to participate in a re-enactment game similar to Dungeons and Dragons, only something real is wreaking havoc. Sound too cheesy? Maybe the fact that it stars Peter Dinklage will change your mind…

  • ODD THOMAS | First off, Odd can see dead people and uses his gift to help their souls find peace. Secondly, he meets someone who unleashes dark beings into the world that feast on human pain and suffering. Their growth indicates to Odd that something big is coming that could mean the end for all, so he teams up with his girlfriend and the sheriff in an attempt to stop it. This one is daaark, but very good if you’re ready for emotions.

  • STUNG | A garden party is ruined by killer mutated wasps. ’Nuf said, and yes it’s as ridiculous as it sounds.

  • YOGA HOSERS | Two Canadian teens battle evil Nazi sausages. It’s slower moving, but it’s still great. Mr. Heid and I had the pleasure of attending a screening of this where Kevin Smith spoke and held a Q&A.

If you missed the first roundup, you can find it here! Have a spooky October!

xoxo,

K

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Friday Five. | Halloween Edition

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#GOALS | This photo is #familygoals and #halloweengoals! I hope to someday have kids, take a photo like this, and put it up in the house as part of our annual Halloween decor.

OOH AHH | Jim McKenzie’s video Friends with Death is Halloween perfection. Turn your sound on and subscribe!

SCI-FI ALERT | Kristian Hammerstad’s pop-gore illustrations are like a throwback to a good cheesy sci-fi or horror flick! Currently this one, this one, and this one are rotating on my desktop.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP | I’m a dog person, but the Beistle Scratch Cat is one of my favorite Halloween symbols and I need these socks! Also, I want this future ghost glow-in-the-dark lapel pin!

THACKERY BINX | Here’s the reason why black cats are associated with Halloween and all things spoOoky…

What has you in the Halloween spirit this month?

xoxo,

K

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Makers Guide | Fall 2019

I love autumn so much, I can’t handle it! The crisp air, the beautiful colors, the crunch falling leaves… top it off with Mr. Heid’s birthday, our wedding (and soon to be anniversary season), Halloween, and Thanksgiving — UGH! There’s so much to celebrate!

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Whether you’re looking for some decor this season, or a gift for someone special, or a treat for yourself, check out this roundup of fall-inspired handmade or small-batch goods!

ONE | I recently purchased CFL’s Fall My Favorite Things Travel Mug, but I’m also eyeing this Give Thanks camper mug. Use it year-round as a reminder that there’s always something to be thankful for.

TWO | I NEED THIS SWEATER! I LOVE HOCUS POCUS!

THREE | Speaking of Hocus Pocus — yup, I need this candle set.

FOUR | I’ve recently become more and more drawn to yellows lately, so naturally this yellow velvet cushion is calling my name.

FIVE | We ordered this cake topper for our wedding and I’m thinking I may use it to make a wreath like this one after the wedding. It’ll be a nice way to reuse it instead of tossing it!

SIX | As I said before, I love autumn (especially October), and I’d gladly have this print on my wall all season long!

SEVEN | I’ve been wanting a pair of slippers for years, so I finally ordered these ones! Don’t they look cozy? I’ll let you know if I love them once they come in! *Update — they’re SO cozy! Highly recommend!*

EIGHT | These petite wood bar earrings are simple yet beautiful! I like the wood look and tried some studs years ago, but since I'm tan it just looked like my ear loves we're shaped funnily 🙈

However and whatever you’re celebrating this season (even if it’s just the season), I hope you take a breath to pause and savor every moment!

xoxo,

K

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Friday Five.

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ONE | CELEBRATING

There’s so much to celebrate! Mr. Heid and I visited Ontario to witness and celebrate our friends’ marriage. The weather there was like a South Carolina autumn, the ceremony was on the lake, and there was so much love present — it. was. beautiful!

Mr. Heid’s birthday is coming up very soon! AND… We found out that we’re going to be aunt and uncle to a baby boy! Eeeeeee!!!!

TWO | WATCHING

Over these past two months, we’ve watched quite a number of things and I’m loving all of these strong female leads!

  • The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina — Season 2 — SO GOOD! If you’ve seen it, this post is truth… I thought it was just me for a while there.

  • Stranger Things — Season 3 — El, Max, Joyce, Robin, and Nancy are all badass and killin’ the game in their own ways.

  • Charmed (the reboot) — Season 1 — Despite my friends and I casting shade when it was announced, I actually found it to be enjoyable! To be clear, it is not the original and it was very unfair for The CW to bill it as a more feminist version of the original because that shit was feminist AF.

  • The Good Place — Season 3 — AHHH! This show is one of my favorites! I’m sad they’re ending it next season, but I’m glad they’re not dragging out a good thing until it becomes bad.

  • Riverdale — Season 3 — The latest season was even more ridiculous, but I can’t stop watching this show. #guiltypleasure

  • Now to finish the final season of Downton Abbey!

I also watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It was neat to see Elizabeth Taylor in a movie (since I never had before), to see Burl Ives in a movie (since I’ve only heard his voice in Christmas movies and music), and just to see Paul Newman *swoon*.

THREE | LISTENING

I like to listen to podcasts while I’m in the shower and getting ready for the day. I jumped into Binge Mode: Harry Potter and LOVED it! I was so sad when it was over because I love Harry Potter. I tried to listen to a few other HP podcasts but didn’t find a good one. My sister recommended Gilmore Guys, where one guy has seen all of Gilmore Girls and the other is watching for the first time ever, and it does not disappoint. These guys crack me up! A few friends of mine also started a podcast called Unlearned — check out their first episode on Spotify now!

FOUR | READING

  • The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware — I really enjoyed this story. It took a few chapters for me to get into it, but once the mysterious death happened I was fully vested and intrigued. Reviews of her other books say they’re all very similar, so I don’t know that I’ll want to read them if they all have the same twist. Does anyone have a differing opinion of her work?

  • Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie — I’m not very far into this one, but I always just assumed the dog’s name was Nana because a child called her that and it stuck — like how we give dogs silly nicknames all the time. I also assumed Nana giving the kids medicine, putting them to bed, and cleaning the house was Disney’s usual way of making things more fantastical for the screen, but no. It was written that this dog was hired as the nanny for the Darling children. Then there’s a line about how mothers visit their children at night and sift through their dreams?! WTF. I want to read more, but it’s like reading the journal of a mad person.

  • The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare — This is my favorite book of all time. I’m definitely no longer the target audience for this one (they’re younger… waaaay younger). The metaphors and foreshadowing are very simple and plain, but despite that and the fact that I know how it ends, I still kept thinking, “Oh no, Kit — he’s the one and you’re running out of time!” So I find it enjoyable every time, and the love stories make my heart melt… but I’m a romantic!

FIVE | FEELING

HOT! Canada’s weather was perfect and it’s nearly October here… where is our fall weather?! Keeping my fingers crossed that the beautiful weather joins us for our wedding day!

We’re so eager and excited that we’re going to be married in less than twenty days — WE’RE SO READY! I haven’t shared a lot of details about the wedding here because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone attending, BUT I will afterward.

What have you guys been up to?

xoxo,

K

Sights & Scenes of San Diego

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I’m back to share the fun things that we did on our San Diego trip!

THE COLORS | I tend to find color everywhere that I go, but San Diego made it so easy! There were florals in pinks, oranges, yellows, and more everywhere we went. My sister’s boyfriend asked if I was going to take pictures of every single plant we saw. Uh, yes. Yes I will, and yes I did. The donut shop was pastel to the max, the red stop signs all popped among the plethora of green cacti, the old VW buses at the beach took me back to 70s color palettes — I LOVE IT ALL! I’ll spare you though… here’s three.

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THE OCEAN | This was Mr. Heid’s first time stepping foot into the Pacific Ocean and he couldn’t contain his excitement (not that he should). Our first ocean trip was to Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, and the naturally carved cliffs and panoramic views of the Pacific were breathtaking. You can walk right up the edge of the cliffs, which damaged my calm. Full disclosure — I was telling everyone not to get too close to the edges for fear that they might slip and fall. I was definitely unnerved. BUT there are parts where you can make your way closer to the water, which I did with Mr. Heid, and feel the ocean’s mist on your skin.

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Our second stop was Mission Beach, where Mr. Heid could actually splash around a bit in the water. The area is a lot more touristy, so there were little shops and food stands everywhere; it had a really cool vibe.

THE HISTORY | Before dinner, we shopped and explored Old Town San Diego. The whole area was established in the late 1700s and has been called “The Birthplace of California” — or so the signs told me. We were there a little late, so we didn’t see many of the live demonstrations, but between the plaques and structures, we were able to learn what life was like there between the late 1700s and early 1900s. It was fascinating and quite pretty.

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THE ATTRACTIONS | On our first day, we moseyed through Balboa Park just to see what it was all about and to think about where we wanted to visit when we returned. They have a few museums, some enclosed gardens, and some open garden and water features. We saw a few street artists, heard some live music floating through the air, and saw so. many. succulents. #heaven

When we returned to Balboa, we visited the San Diego Museum of Man. The first exhibit was a history of beer throughout different cultures, which was definitely all new to me. Apparently, in the days of building the pyramids, the Egyptians gave their workers beer because it was filled with nutrients. Today’s beer is definitely not. The next exhibit was about the Mayans, so it felt like a regular museum for a bit there. And then we moved on to exhibits about monsters, race relations, cannibalism, PostSecret, and our relationships with animals.

All the while, I kept forgetting we were in a museum and thinking, “Where am I and why is there a display about this?” Not that there shouldn’t be a display about any of these topics, but I’m so used to museums being about the past. It was odd that I could feel myself being pushed out of my box and into one where a museum could mean examining and exhibiting mankind as a whole here in the present. Every single exhibit was fascinating, and the museum does a great job displayed the information. For example, the exhibit about race and education was set up with desks from a classroom, the display regarding the wage gap included stacks of money labelled by race, delivering a huge and undeniable impact, and the cannibal exhibit included a game of The Oregon Trail where you end with the option to die of starvation or eat a member of your crew.

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We headed to the Botanical Building next, which dates back to 1915! It’s filled with gorgeous plants from ceiling to floor, wall to wall. As it turned out, we spent so long in the Botanical Building, that we only had five minutes to tour the space before closing time. So Mr. Heid did a brisk jog through the gardens, stopping along the way to snap a few pics.

We also did a full day at the zoo with our parents! We grew up with Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, so by comparison visiting the Greenville Zoo has been a bit of a letdown. But the San Diego Zoo is massive and did not disappoint! We stopped for like a solid 20 minutes to watch a very young Orangutan attempt to play with a teeny tiny Siamang baby. The Orangutan picked up the baby Siamang and went to walk away like, “This is my baby now…” and the parents were like, “Not so fast!” You had to be there. Anywho…

There’s one point where it’s faster to get to the other side of the zoo via a sky lift than walking, and Mr. Heid was terrified. The photos I took will supply me with giggles for years to come.

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NEXT TIME | Barrio Logan as a whole was full of color and street art! I would love to spend more time there and see what it has to offer, including Chicano Park! Baby Bro showed us a glimpse of the Japanese Friendship Garden that you could see along our walking path; they were closed, but I’d like to take a explore it and their tea pavilion. And maybe this should have been in my last post, but I definitely want to go to Balboa Park’s Food Truck Fridays.

xoxo,

K

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