two years of wedded bliss

Two years ago from this very moment, I was waking up with butterflies in my stomach. Those same butterflies that took over my stomach on February 14, 2002 when he asked me to be his girlfriend. It was about 9 1/2 years later that I woke up ready to make him my husband.

The day was magical. The morning was filled with family, friends, laughs, six-hundred mimosas, tons of hair spray, and excitement everywhereee. The people surrounding me was the best part. Not to mention, any time I felt nervous, I just started singing Cupid Shuffle and thinking about the moment I got to do that dance three times at our wedding!

I couldn't even think about walking down the aisle. Whew, that made me insanely nervous/excited, and I actually just got those same feelings in my stomach now thinking about exactly how it felt! So, back to Cupid Shuffle my mind would wander. Thank you, Cupid, for helping me get through my wedding day without a glitch! haha

Everything about June 18, 2011 was wonderful.

Let's just let photos speak for themselves, shall we?!

Recapping the day always excites us. I hope everyone else has the same magical feelings about their wedding day as we do, as we were so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing group of family and friends on the day we committed our lives to each other. I love our memories and I will always cherish them.

Filled with love, happiness, beer in wine glasses to look somewhat classy, family, friends, and the beach, we couldn't be more thankful.

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Last year, our first anniversary was spent in Orlando while J was on a rotation. We were expecting our first baby girl and we're just as thrilled as the year before!

Two years later, we are blessed to celebrate this day with our baby girl and our puppy.

And more importantly than our actual wedding, because after all, what really matters is the love we have for each other and the life we create together -- we are incredibly thankful to have each other and those who are always standing by supporting us. Cheers to many more. Cheers to a lifetime together. 

Cheers to our marriage, our family, and our love!

Happy 2nd Anniversary, my love!

19 weeks + our first anniversary!

I'm certainly pushing it with these posts, as I've waited until 19 weeks, 6 days to post this :) Maybe the 20 week update will come a little sooner? That just goes to show I've been keeping busy!

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19 weeks

• How far along?: 19 weeks, 6 days
  
• Baby is the size of a: Mango
  
• Total weight gain/loss: Not sure..we didn't bring the scale into the hotel!
  
• The Bump: It's showing a little more for sure. The other day we were walking around the outlets and it was the first time I noticed people take a glimpse of my stomach.
  
• Symptoms: Same as last week...some round ligament pain that shoots a little.
  
• Food Cravings: Well, it seems I'm obsessed with BLT's lately! Any time I see it on the menu, I get it. Yummy :)
  
• Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.
  
• Sleep: Sleeping good! Took a midday nap on Saturday -- those are great :)
  
• What I miss: An ice cold beer on the Disney Boardwalk at sunset would have been yummy...J asked me to hold his beer while he took a picture, and it just seemed so natural to take a sip..but I didn't!
  
• Weddings Rings On or Off: On
• Any Names Picked Out Yet: Yes, actually, this came very easy for us contrary to what everyone told us about picking out names...but you'll just have to wait ;)
• Gender: Baby Barr is a girl! :)
  
• Movement: Feeling little wiggles over the past couple days! So exciting!
  
• Maternity Clothes: Just a few things here and there...I can still wear my jeans when I rock the unbuttoned look. I've wanted to buy one of those belly bands to put around my jeans, but I'm holding out a few more weeks til I can just take my sister's ;) Please..?! Oh and I've been liking dresses lately which make it easy.
  
• Labor Signs: N/A
• Best Moment of the Week: Feeling little wiggles in my belly! And seeing family, dinner with Christina & Spencer, and celebrating our first anniversary in the Disney resort area :)
  
• What I’m excited about/looking forward to: More baby movement!
  

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We spent the past weekend in the Tampa/Tarpon Springs area with my mom and grandma. It was great to just relax and enjoy family time, each other time, and soak up some sun and fun while celebrating one year since we said "I do!"

Once we ventured back to Orlando, we spent June 18, 2012 -- exactly one year after exchanging vows -- at Disney's Boardwalk, which was just the relaxing type of night we were looking for!

Crap..does this mean we are not "newlyweds" anymore? Aw..

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I honestly can't believe how quickly this past year has gone by. I feel like it was just yesterday where I woke up to begin getting ready for our "big day!" Standing up on the altar with my then-almost husband was one of the best moments of my life, probably even 'the best.' I don't know if I'll ever feel those wonderfully indescribable feelings that I felt at that moment again -- while exchanging vows and such an intimate moment in front of all of those we care about -- but I know I wake up happy every day being married to my best friend and love :) And that's enough to get me by each and every day. I sure am thankful for all that this past year has brought us, and am excited to take each moment one day at a time while spending the rest of our years together. Cheers to one year since this amazing day!

We certainly didn't take the 'nice' route here -- so typical of us. I got smashed in the face not once, but twice! Lucky I love you :)

Here's to many more, my love!

summer as newlyweds

The sweet smell of summer officially lingers off in two days. Months of cool weather, colored leaves and warm fires await us; while the hot sun, bright skies, and beach days of 2011 will become fond memories for people of all ages to look back on while yearning to create more next summer.

For us, the summer of 2011 brought the deepest love we've ever felt for each other, beautiful memories we surely won't forget, and the start of our lives together as husband and wife. It was our summer as newlyweds. Looking back 4 months ago, we were knee deep - scratch that - neck deep in wedding jargon. We were excited beyond belief for what was to come. We had the summer ahead of us, which included our wedding, our honeymoon, and quality time with family and friends. While we started our lives together 9 1/2 years ago, we knew this summer was the start of our lives together as a family - to include memories and traditions that we'll continue to do/make our whole lives through. This past summer for us was unforgettable.

Finally, the summer recap as I promised:

There was that whole wedding thing. And honeymoon thing. You know, no big deal - only the most AMAZING things we have gone through together yet :)

Then that post-honeymoon thing...where we soaked up the sun, fun, and had bonding time with family and friends in South Florida. Newlyweds.. :)


There was a trip to Tallahassee to reminisce on all the beer-drinking, cheap-eating, late-night-partying, awesomely stupid days we had together + the football games, classes, and residences we shared together. There was time spent with our favorite friends there, along with their precious baby girl - a smart little reader :)

Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?

We eventually made our way back to Georgia, where it was time to relax and enjoy while having NO wedding planning to consume our time, minds, or destroy our house with endless projects! (Well, they ended, and now I miss them! But I think I'll manage...)

There were game nights, beer nights, friend/family nights, even a trip to the Varsity thrown in between...


...days of 'Just Dance'-ing and delicious home-made frozen drinks (we had to test out all the new wedding gifts) ...

dog days...

painting days...


and trips to the Chattahoochee river (only a 10 minute drive away)...

a trip to Pensacola for Jason & Chiaki's wedding..(more newlyweds!)

a crab boil with friends..


random dinners with friends...


our very own made-up pretzel and beer tour of Atlanta...



town center days...

(apparently, they play frisbee with their feet...?)

more trips to the river...

we watched teens jump off the bridge and realized how old we are because we thought they were kinda stupid..

grizz spent his 4th birthday party here with canine friends...


there were bbq days...


suwanee beer fest...


camping trip in NC...


brunch days...


concert nights...



....and so much more!

There were numerous moments we'd love to have captured, but were too spontaneous for a camera...and moments like that are wonderful. I was thankful to spend so much time with our family and friends.. and our time together with just each other was something we'll always remember.

It was the summer we were married - our summer as newlyweds <3

Inspiration vs. The Real Deal!

Things have been going good in the Barr household - summer is o.v.e.r. - boo! The end of summer came quick, and the new school year crept up on us before we knew it. It's okay though.. a routine is good for us (well, it's good for everybody, really!) and J is now a 2nd year medical student and I have found myself a new job (more on that later).

For now, behold, the wedding inspiration vs. the real deal....

This was the inspiration board I put together when planning our wedding. I found pictures of what I had visioned for us and placed them all together here to use as a guide during planning.

And this is how ours came out:

I can honestly say I am extremely happy with the way our wedding came together. Everyone involved did an amazing job and we are thankful that we had the opportunity to make this day just how we wanted!

Thank you to-
Our parents for making this special day possible!
Brian & Carly Wood of 1treephoto for our beautiful wedding photography!
Blanca of Creation's by Blanca for our amazinggg floral arrangements and details!
Marc Evans of Eddie B. & Co. for some wonderful entertainment all night!
Danielle Messano for our hair and make-up (and for putting up with all of us girls at once!)
Barbara Lunny & her team at Hollywood Beach Marriott for putting together such a great night for us and for making us feel special all weekend!