23

23 will always be a memorable birthday for me, I am sure. It started out great, forecasts for flurries in the afternoon, a lunch date with a sweet friend, coworkers who brought me flowers and cake. Amazing. I woke up, Skyped with my mom and opened their gifts like I always did when I was a kid, and headed off to work.

By the time it reached 12:45, my friend and I were finishing up lunch and our lattes (by the way, lavender latte? Insane.) and it had just started to snow. I guess all of Durham got the memo that it was going to be a bad one, because between dropping her off at her apartment and getting on the road ten minutes later, I found myself in a traffic jam that would last for four hours. Mind you, my new drive to work usually takes me 20 minutes tops. So crazy! Things got pretty desperate in my Civic when my gas light came on three and a half hours into my trek, but thank Jesus I made it home to poor Brandon, who had run to the store to get a few supplies just in case our power went out (and a ton of stuff for an AMAZING birthday dinner), and had been waiting outside of my apartment for me to get there for over an hour. Like I said, it was real crazy out there.

When we finally did make it inside and warm, the day got so much better. We enjoyed the snow from the comfort of my couch, ate tuna tataki (our absolute favorite) and smores (my favorite) and watched the world outside get more and more white as the night went on. We drank hot cocoa and watched movies. From that point on, it was perfect.

It's crazy thinking about all of the things that will happen this year while I'm 23! B and I will get married, move into our first apartment, get a dog (please??) and figure out what life as a Goodman looks like. I am so so grateful, remembering where I was this time last year and knowing where I will be next year this time. Even though I succumb to stress like every other human ever, I am so grateful for this life, for this time.

xoxo,

Abby

SNOW!

I hear what you're saying. You're all like, "Abby. It's March. You're like three weeks late on this snowpocalypse thing." I hear ya. Life happens. I still really really love snow! It's true. Despite the fact that on the day of this great snowpocalypse, I got stuck in my car on the highway for four and a half hours trying to get home ON MY BIRTHDAY and it was horrible. Snow and I made up quickly. It's just so pretty!

I am definitely one of those weirdos who legitimately loves the winter. I love the calm and the peace and the beauty of a fresh snow. The world seems to move a little bit slower when it snows, and it's really nice.

Before the great snowpocalypse, during our first snow of the season, B and I went outside for an adventure. Duke Forest is seriously so beautiful all the time, but blanketed in a fresh powdery blanket? Bliss. Also my car may have almost spun out on the way to get those pictures. It's fine.

ALSO please notice the sequence where B is being so nice with the snow and then the next picture where you see smudgy mascara and a mean mug. That punk hit me in the face with a snowball. Also not pictured: Abby totally biting it trying to climb up a snowy hill. Face first. In the snow. It was awesome.

That has been kind of the theme of life lately. Totalling wiping out on your face and having the ability to brush it off and keep going. Eventually you will both laugh, and it'll be awesome.

It's getting frosty outside again, and B and a friend and I are headed out to a fancy dinner at Lantern thanks to a raffle! No other way I want to warm up and pray for spring than with some fancy Asian food. Yes.

Love from this side of the world!

Abby

lunch: shrimp noodle bowl

The other day I was home from work, not feeling so good. I wanted something warm and comforting and fast for lunch, because my energy was a little low. This noodle bowl did the trick with a couple of super simple steps!

Shrimp Noodle Bowl
Serves 1 (or two small portions)

4 oz. rice noodles
1/2 cup broccoli slaw (mine was from Trader Joes)
3 tbs. soyaki (or your favorite teriyaki sauce)
6-8 precooked shrimp

1. Boil water and cook the rice noodles according to package directions (mine took 6 minutes).
2. In a medium-sized pan, toss the broccoli slaw with 1 tbs. vegetable oil until bright green and just a little tender over medium/medium high heat.
3. Add the noodles, shrimp and soyaki and toss to coat, letting it cook until heated through and noodles begin to absorb the sauce.

Serve in a big bowl with sesame seeds, sriracha, and seaweed flakes.

Enjoy this quick lunch,

Abby

good things // 1

A new year, a new perspective on good things. This past weekend was productive in the best kind of way! I woke up, fully rested for the first time in ages, and decided to make banana bread. It's one of my few "family recipes" so I'm a little reluctant to share, but maybe I will someday!

B and I then spent all morning/early afternoon addressing our save the dates, which came in the mail last week! It wasn't very glamorous, but it was good time together. We also spent Saturday evening at a marriage prep seminar at our church! #gomarriage

Some good things I've been loving this week:

I ran across this pin this week - an awesome reminder.

We recently registered for a juicer, and since then I feel like I have been seeing juicing articles all over the blogosphere! This one is interesting. Anybody want to buy me that juicer early to kickstart my wedding diet? :)

Still on the search for the perfect veil, and swooning over the veils at Twigs & Honey

I'm reading a chronological Bible reading plan right now and am about halfway through Genesis (I think I may be behind), and some crazy stuff goes on in there, y'all. It's so interesting to think that Sarah and Abraham were considered righteous when you look at all of the ways they were so sinful.

Getting excited for this conference this weekend! Durham friends, who's going with me?!

Stay warm and safe out there, everyone! New recipe coming tomorrow! :)

xox.

Abby

DC Magic

This weekend was full of DC magic. My sister flew up from Tallahassee on Friday night, I drove up from CH, and we spent the weekend with my brother, who lives up there.

It was an awesome time. The last time I was in DC was over a year ago for fall break, and it had been at least four years for Carrie. She majorly geeked out at the Lincoln Memorial and we spent all day in cold and dreary weather hiking around to the monuments and the Smithsonians. It was a real adventure and we loved every minute of it.

The highlight of the trip for me was definitely seeing Julia Child's kitchen at the American History Museum. Before her death, Julia donated nearly all of the pieces of her kitchen from her Cambridge home to the museum, which is a near exact replica of what her kitchen would have looked like, including her raised countertops (Julia was 6' 2", after all). It was wonderful to finally get to see it, as last fall when I visited the exhibit was under construction, to my extreme disappointment. It did not disappoint, and I took more pictures on my phone (since my camera died the moment we got to the exhibit, of course) than I would care to admit. It was awesome.

On Sunday, we walked around and got brunch in Georgetown, including a trip to Georgetown Cupcake, by far still the best cupcake I've ever had, and then I drove back home. It's always hard to say goodbye to family, especially when it was such a wonderful weekend, but I am excited to see everyone again in just a few short days going home for Christmas!

In denial about all the presents I still have to make and loving every minute of it,

Abby :)

FISHTAIL

This morning was another one of those chilly winter days here (I'm starting to think that the groundhog lied to us). I woke up just in time to fix my hair before I went to Thistle Farms and suddenly realized that it just might be long enough to attempt a fishtail braid again after months of re-growing from its last major cut this summer, and I was right! I love fishtails. They're easy and bohemian and were exactly what I needed today.

6/52

Today marks exactly 9 days until spring break and I can't wait to spend it having the ASBest time in Chicago, IL, so I guess the new Chacos I got for my birthday last week will just have to keep on being patient for a little while longer. I know the summer will come soon enough here and I will be pining for cooler days like today.

Here's to contentment and lots of winter love. xoxo 

BEAUTIFUL WHITE

This morning when I woke, I was feeling a little groggy. Until I looked out my window and saw something beautiful- white snow. My apartment overlooks a school PE yard and playground, and I felt just about as giddy as those second graders running around when I saw that solid white blanket. Before my roommate got up I snuck out of the room with my camera and took a few shots of what is pretty rare around here in Nashville and savored even the 18 degree weather in those moments before my day really started.