A Week of Pictures

Two weeks ago was my LAST spring break! I never went on a wild spring break that the movies and TV shows depict because that just is not me. I spent all of my spring breaks at home with my family sleeping in and catching up. This year I had the best time exploring three cities! While I am a girl who loves to sit in the sand and listen to the waves roll while reading a good book... I also love strolling city blocks. 

My break started with a weekend in the city I have lived in for four years, Raleigh! My mom and little brother came up for a weekend of flea and farmers markets, exploring the city and goooddd food. They tried to take the train up (multiple times in a two day span) but due to North Carolina's crazy weather of freezing rain to 70s and sunny... they ended up driving!

After exploring Raleigh, we headed home and later in the week went up to Asheville! If you have never been to this North Carolina mountain city I recommend it. It is such an interesting fun city, you never really know what you will see around the next corner!

Our first stop was White Duck Taco Shop. Any Mexican food has my name  A L L  O V E R  I T! It's a great little lunch place on the river and they have very unique tacos. I chose the Jamaican Jerk and BBQ tacos... DELICIOUS!

We then headed to the beautiful Grove Park Inn to sit in rocking chairs in front of huge fireplaces and enjoy the beautiful views!

We headed to another grand building after leaving the Grove Park... Biltmore Estates. Every time I see this house (mansion) it takes my breath away. I also like to pretend I am a part of Downton Abbey strolling the grounds dressed to the nines! :)

The Biltmore is the largest privately owned house in the United States and was completed in 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt.

For the third city visit on my spring break, we headed to Charlotte for the St. Patrick's Day Festival! Charlotte is such a neat city and I loved seeing so many people out and about enjoying the sunshine and Irish brews. And in classic Morgan style... I found the largest fluffiest dog in Uptown, meet Avalanche a 160lb Great Pyrenees!

Goodness I am SO ready for the warm weather to be back... Bring on Spring!

Be Still and Know

I am so excited to show y'all something I have been working on! I love paper products and I love pretty calligraphy/handwriting on that paper. I am in the process of making prints about what matters most, re-branding into Morgan Alexandra, buying a web domain (yayy no more .blogspot soon!) and opening an etsy shop!! It seemed suiting that the first print I made would go to my mom. A crisp white sheet of card stock with the words"be still" flowing across in calligraphy ink. "Be still" is the beginning of a verse that is oh SO powerful.

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

I LOVE this verse and it calls us to do just that...to be STILL. How often are we really truly STILL in our lives? Still meaning no social media, no TV, and no worrisome thoughts. Just being still with the bible and our journals to let it all go. I can honestly say, I am not still as often as I need to be. I am notorious for constantly going over situations or plans in my head. Being honest here friends... my prayers sometimes end with me becoming distracted and thinking about something that happened that day or something I should have done differently. Anyone else with me?

This second part of this verse really resonates in my life right now. "Be still, AND KNOW that I am God." He is there for us friends! We can't take on the world by ourselves, we need him. We need to trust him. (On a side note, isn't my mom the cutest!!) 

I have not been posting on this lovely little blog as consistently as I would like. I have been struggling with comparing myself to other bloggers. But I am set apart, I am one of a kind, and I have decided to focus wholeheartedly on my 2014 goal setting process and am really trying to BE STILL and know that HE is God and that he has the perfect path for me and the new found love blog!
Just being real sweet friends! If you are interested in custom prints please comment or send me an email :) I hope everyone has a relaxing-blessed-fun weekend!

A Manatee of a Time

Friends I have a confession... I LOVE MANATEES! I have always adored these sweet gentle giants. While on a trip in the Florida Keys two summers ago, I made sure to take pictures with as many "manatees" as I could. Luckily, one manatee swam up to greet me at a restaurant's dock!

Today... I got to accomplish one of my lifelong dreams. Today... I got to swim with the manatees! My family attempted to swim with them back when I was in high school but we were unfortunately stormed out. However, this year was different. My family journeyed down to Florida after Christmas solely to swim with these gentle giants. We booked a group tour with Captain Mike's Sunshine River Tours, donned our wet suits and ventured out into Crystal River. 

The manatees flock to Crystal River in the winter months due to the river's warm natural springs. When I say warm, I mean 72ish degrees. Regardless of the temperature, I was one of the first in the water and one of the last to get out! The manatees just seemed to know how much I love them because they immediately found me! :)

This one was having the best time chewing on the anchor line.

If this manatee could talk he would say, "Who me? You love me? Aw shucks..."

They kept getting closer and closer and closer! They just wanted their bellies rubbed :)

These are some of my favorites. Taylor took a few pictures of me with a baby manatee! Cue heart-melting.

Needless to say, swimming with the manatees is a memory I will cherish forever. So sorry for the overload of manatee pictures, they are just as cute as buttons! 

Apple Cider, Family, and Christmas Trees

Break time...Oh how I cherish breaks! I started this one off right... I decorated my little Christmas tree {and cleaned my room} before I left for break so it was glowing in my room when I got back! 

This was my family's first time EVER having Thanksgiving at home. My mom has never cooked a Thanksgiving meal at home because we are always at my dad's parent's house. This year was different but we made new traditions that I will cherish and my mom made an incredibly delicious meal.

The next day we went up to Boone, N.C. to What Fir Tree Farm to cut down a Christmas tree!

I love when we all are together! We spent plenty of time running around in the trees trying to find the perfect one. Did y'all know these trees only grow a foot a year?! Our beautiful 10ft tree has been growin' since I was 11!

I adore when my family is all together. We are completely dysfunctional and spontaneous but that's what I love the most about our time together! There is a picture below that my brother took and it is hysterical...

 Decorating our family Christmas tree is one of my favorite things about Christmas time. I love going through the HUGE box of handmade ornaments that Taylor, Casey, and I have made throughout the years.

 Any tips on how to photograph a black dog in the dark?? If only I could see her face...

Happy Christmas Decorating!