Wilmington Weekend Recap

M and I ventured to Wilmington for a wedding this past weekend. There was SO much we wanted to do in one short weekend, that we both vowed to come back for another weekend where we could see and do everything else we couldn't do this weekend. :) Anywho, we had a lot of fun. We got to see a friend get hitched in a beautiful wedding and do a little sightseeing around the city. Below are some photos from our weekend.

We can't wait to go back!

Beach Bag Essentials

By the time you read this...well, let's just pretend you're reading around 11:00 am EDT, M and I are on our way to the beautiful Wilmington, NC for the weekend. One of my friends and a former roommate is getting married and we decided to make a long weekend of it.

Wilmington is such an amazing city. I love the history and the beaches. I even lived there for awhile! M and I plan on spending some of our weekend soaking up the sun (through the filter of an SPF 50 sunblock) while we are there, so I thought I'd post some of my beach bag essentials. Over the next week or so, many of you will be venturing to your local beach, lake, river or the like. Here are some things you should consider bringing with you.

Top Row L-R:
1. A fun beach tote. Stop it with the straw/tan colors. BORING.
2. A beach towel. Duh.
3. A tumbler with a lid (and maybe straws). For those non-alcoholic drinks you're supposed to have on the beach. ;)
4. A coverup. Please do not be the person walking back to your car or domicile in your straight up bathing suit with nothing over it. This isn't a photo shoot.
5. A plastic sandwich baggy. As a former beach resident, I learned this trick fairly quickly. Putting your phone or makeup/chapstick/sunblock in these will prevent them from getting wet AND getting sandy. Sand is the bane of my existence.
Bottom Row L-R:
6. Coppertone Clearly Sheer sunblock. It's my new fave and it's non-greasy. I love the spray kind but if you're venturing in to a boat, get the lotion kind. Most boat owners don't appreciate you greasing up their ride. Or is that just my brother-in-law who bans spray anything on his boat? Hmmmm.
7. A book. Old school or new school...your preference.
8. Lipbalm WITH sunscreen. Believe me, I have made the mistake of wearing a shiny lipgloss that didn't contain sunscreen all day at the pool. BAD IDEA.
9. Hat. Maybe you choose a floppy hat to provide extra sunscreen. Or maybe that's just me.

Not pictured: Bathing Suit, Chair, Umbrella, Burka (just kidding) and Cheezits (a necessity).

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my trip! (aprilanne147) Have a wonderful weekend!

confessional friday

Happy Friday, friends.

Today is moving day. I'm excited to get to Charlotte. This has been a tough year for me, so I can't wait to see what is in store for me in this next chapter?

Buuuuuuuut before, I should probably share with you some confessions. Okay?

//1. I confess that over the last few days, I've been eating at some of my favorite restaurants in Wilmington. One of my most faves: this one...

MMMMMMmmmmmm.

//2. I confess that I had a hard time accepting people doing nice things for me before I left Wilmington. I'm talking about gifts, meals being paid for, etc. It's difficult for me to accept things from others with no-strings-attached. I feel like I should "earn" these things. Is that weird? 

//3. I confess that one of those gifts I got this week was this AMAZING cookie cake from some coworkers.

Yes, that is a My Little Pony cookie cake. Well, more specifically, it's a Rainbow Dash cake. My favorite pony. I heart My Little Pony. And I heart cookie cakes. Win-win!

//4. I confess that I'm pretty nervous about driving a huge moving truck home. I tried to get the smallest one, but there weren't any there. So....yeah... It's probably the only time in my life that I don't want to hear the words, "upgrade for the same price". I don't have 16ft. worth of stuff. I have more like 9 ft. worth of stuff. Sigh.

//5. I confess that I've realized the depth of my cardigan obsession while packing. 

Well, that's all my confessing for today. Head over to Leslie's blog to check out other confessions.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

over the weekend

Hi there friends.

In keeping with the theme of more "life posts" I'm sharing some of the happenings from the weekend. ;)

I started off the weekend a bit low-key. That IS my style after all... (and no, this isn't one of those "posed" Instagram shots...because Hewitt wasn't in it. HAHA!)

On Saturday morning, I headed downtown with a friend. I had no real reason for going other than just to walk around...and eat at Kilwins. :) It was my last weekend in Wilmington so I wanted to go downtown one more time. Below are some pretty shots I took of the courthouse and the Memorial Bridge/Isabella Holmes Bridge over the river.

I spent the better portion of the weekend hanging out with this little guy. Presh.

My roommate and I gave ourselves manicures. I went with a reddish pink and a glittery ring finger nail. So posh, right? HEH. I call it my party nails. Though I am not planning on attending any parties soon...

My weekend was surprisingly full though I didn't even do everything I'd planned. A friend's B-Day party was Saturday night but I missed it because I wasn't feeling too well the latter part of the day.

On Sunday night my roommate and I hosted my roommate's new roommate over for dinner. (Is that confusing? This is my replacement. The person moving into my room). They just moved to Wilmington this weekend and we hosted a welcome dinner at our place.

What better way to immerse a Yankee (from PA) to the southern culture than with southern food?! I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes and we had steamed veggies and banana pudding. Yum!

Hmmm...I think that's most of my weekend. The only other parts consisted of FINALLY getting my roommate to love New Girl as much as I do. This is a great day, friends. I now have someone to quote the show with.

Today, I'll leave you with a quote or two from New Girl. I have no idea when the show starts back up this fall, but you should find out and plan on watching it. It's ridiculously funny.

Nick [regarding the office]: It smells like leather and Teddy Roosevelt and wistfulness.

Schmidt [regarding the hutch Jess found]: Get rid of it, Jess. Pine has no place in this loft. It's the wood of poor people and outhouses.

Linking up!

 

moving : the "story"

Since I announced over the weekend (Monday on the bloggity blog) that I'm moving back to Charlotte in a few weeks, I've received quite a few questions as to why I'm moving.


Frankly, I was surprised at how many people wondered if something had "happened" or that there was a "story" behind my move. There is no story. Well, other than the fact that God's timing is absolutely perfect.


The "Story" Before the "Story"
Many of you know why I moved to Wilmington, but many of you don't. I wanted a change. I followed my (then) boyfriend out to Wilmington for a change of pace, friends, job, etc. I just wanted to see what it was like to live somewhere OTHER than where I'd pretty much grown up.

Shortly after I moved, things with the boyfriend went downhill and ended. So, there I was in a city all by myself. But, I survived. (cue Gloria Gaynor song) Some might even venture to say that I thrived. I made friends, I started attending a church and got involved with their music program. I even worked as an interim worship pastor for my church when their worship pastor resigned.

Things were going well.

The "Story"
If the truth were told I missed my family and my friends...a LOT. I missed the town I pretty much grew up in. It sounds dumb to say, but I missed little eateries and shopping places that aren't in Wilmington.

However, with all of that, I wasn't really looking to move back immediately. Sure, it was on my radar, but  I'd just joined a church and settled into my job at the Aquarium, so I wasn't thinking things would happen so quickly.

The Spark
Remember those old song lyrics, "it only takes a spark, to get a fire going"?

I got a call from a company that I'd applied for a LONG time ago in Charlotte. They had a position that they thought I'd be a good fit for.

Turns out, I knew 3 people who worked with this company AND they all recommended me for the job. I did the whole interview thing and figured, what the heck, it's kind of a long shot anyway.

Then I got an offer.

The Decision
Wilmington, though a great city, never truly felt like home, but more like a temporary residence. I had nothing  (permanent) holding me in Wilmington because I was working two part-time jobs, renting and not dating anyone seriously.

So, when I got the offer, I accepted it.

Providence & Lessons
I realize that none of this happened because of anything I did or could do. It was all part of God's timing. How do I know this?
The new job is a perfect mix of BOTH of my part-time jobs in Wilmington. I wouldn't have been offered the position had I not worked BOTH of those jobs.

Moving to Wilmington allowed me to experience a TREMENDOUS season of spiritual growth and understanding. I am not the same person I was when I left.

With that, I know that I cannot go back to being the same person I was when I left. I know more about myself and my abilities than I ever did before. I consider this a move FORWARD and not a move back. (even though, technically, I am moving back to the city  I came from...but you know what I mean)

I don't regret moving to Wilmington, nor do I regret anything that happened here. I know that all of it (being broke, getting dumped, being lonely, finding my church, meeting new friends, gaining new skills) happened for very specific reasons and were orchestrated by a very precise God.

Being single rekindled my first true love relationship...Jesus.
Being broke showed me how much I was spending on frivolous things before.
Being broke taught me the importance of tithing.
Being separated from friends and family allowed me to go through what I think was a time of sanctification.
Being on my own made me realize just how strong I really am.
Being apart from friends made me re-evaluate relationships.

I intend to take these lessons with me as I make the transition to Charlotte.

I'll close this lengthy and personal post with the lyrics to a part of a song we sang in church on Sunday...just hours after making the decision to move.

It's a new season, it's a new day. 

A fresh anointing is flowing my way.

It's a season of power and prosperity.

It's a new season coming to me.

confessional friday

Happy Friday, y'all.

I got some juicy (and random) confessions for y'all today. ;) I'm linking up with the lovely Mrs. Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for Confessional Friday.

//1 I confess that this week I compared one of my coworkers to a Disney prince. Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, to be exact. He really, REALLY does resemble him. Even his voice is Disney prince-like. I thought he might be actual royalty. So I googled his last name to make sure he wasn't European royalty trying to stay on the D.L. (he's not) But he still makes me want to bust out with "I can show you the world..." whenever I see him. (different movie, but work with me here)

I'm NOT obsessed with him. I just think he's precious. Kind of like a puppy. Precious and cute. I was watching him while he was eating his pop-tarts in the break room today and...okay...I'm just going to stop right there. #stalkermuch?

//2 I confess that I took a nap at work on Monday. I just closed my door and turned off my work radio and laid my happy self down on the floor with my sweater as a pillow and took a 15 min nap during lunch. It was amazing.

//3 I confess that I've taken entirely too many pictures of my dog this week. I can't help it! He just makes these cute faces and...yeah... See for yourself below.

//4 I confess that I went to my second favorite restaurant in Wilmington for lunch this week. I get the same thing: smoked chicken tacos and mexican street corn. It's so good it'll make you slap your mama. 

//5 I confess that I may or may not have written a negative review on Urbanspoon regarding this restaurant's service (great food, bad service) while I was eating at the restaurant. :)

//6 I confess that I love my satin pillowcases so much that I contemplated going all out with satin sheets. A brief Facebook poll told me that satin sheets are white trash-y. I'm bummed. :(

That's about all the confessing that I've got for today. Y'all can join in the party by linking up. (click the Confessional Friday button above)

Have a wonderful weekend!

mini home tour (updates!)

It's been awhile since I posted photos of my place. (The actual rooms themselves.) I did post right after I moved to Wilmington here.

However, since then I've rearranged, de-cluttered, and expanded my decorating skills with the help of my roommate.

First, let's look at my bedroom.

I rearranged my furniture and got rid of few things. I also moved one nightstand into the living room.

Now here's an updated look at the living room area.

This is the other nightstand that was in my room. It's now in the living room. It ties the color scheme together, don't you think?

top 5 tuesday: things to do in wilmington

Though I've only lived in Wilmington for a few months, I've been blessed to experience lots of new restaurants, attractions and shops in the area. Today, I'll share my Top 5 favorite places/shops/restaurants I've discovered since being down here.

All of these are within Wilmington-metro which encompasses Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Southport, Oak Island, Leland, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Bald Head Island, Wrightsville Beach.

And if you're planning a vacation in any of the following areas, you're close enough to try some of these out!

1. Surfhouse Cafe
This place is a really interesting cafe and surfshop in one. It's located on Carolina Beach (with another location near UNCW in Wilmington). Personally, the Cuban is something I dream about and they have decent prices. The atmosphere is very fun, hip and eco-conscious and they've got some very interesting tastes on their menu. I've also heard great things about the Mahi Sandwich, Marinated Chickpeas and Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich.

2. The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

Okay, you probably expected this one, but I can't help it! It's a great way to spend a couple of hours. I was blown away with the Cape Fear Conservatory and how natural and beautiful it was and I hadn't even entered the main part with the fish in it. Admissions prices are VERY fair ($8 for adults and even cheaper for kids and seniors. Kids 2 and under are free.) There are lots of daily activities like feedings, dive shows, animal encounters and films. It's located south of Wilmington in Kure Beach.

(That's me with Luna, our albino American alligator.)

3. The Cotton Exchange

This is a series of historic buildings transformed into one huge indoor shopping area in downtown Willmington. They added shopping and dining but kept the integrity of the building so you get lots of original wood and mouldings, ceiling beams and other interesting architecture. Oh, and not to mention the shops are cool. Some are more tourist-oriented and some are just awesome!

4. Fort Fisher Beach/Recreation Area

This is one of the few beaches in the area where you can take your dog year-round and parking is free because it's a state historic site. So, win win!

5. Hibachi Bistro

Y'all. Seriously. You are talking about someone who doesn't eat Asian food, rice or most vegetables eating MASSIVE quantities of this stuff. I get the hibachi chicken bowl with broccoli. OH. EM. GEE. It's nothing like anything I've ever had. Oh, and their white sauce (which is really pinkish) comes out of these ketchup-like dispensers attached to the condiment bar. You put the sauce into little paper ramekins and you can get as many as you want!!!

Those are some of my faves in my town. Have you been to Wilmington? What do you like to do here?

day 5: family (& instagram)

Did I mention that I'm thankful for my family? They have always been so supportive of me and my decisions. Yesterday, I got a chance to spend time with 2 of 3 parts of my family yesterday and I enjoyed it so much.

Here are a few pics from yesterday's festivities...

This is Ashton (sister) and I as we traveled the 1 hour and 15 minutes down to the homestead in Columbia.

Ashton and her burglar/sheik face on the drive down.

My grandparents had their thanksgiving festivities at the Lake House in Columbia. It was seriously SO beautiful.

I am in love with these beautiful pine trees.

My father sampling some of the homemade wine. Yes, it does a body good.

Okay, so this one (and the rest after) is technically not an Instragram...but y'all don't mind, do you? M & D at the Lake House.

A pretty view!

All of the cousins! Plus my sister, who is making a moustache with my cousin's long hair. Ugh.

Well, that's all for me for today! I'm getting ready to head back to Wilmington with my parents for the weekend. Yay!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that y'all have an awesome weekend!