love lists: october.

today, for the october love list, i decided to switch things up a bit. in anticipation of joelle's awesome link up- write it down & link it up - which begins next week, i thought i'd scribble my october favorites down in an ink-&-paper situation. i do hope it's legible. and i will be practicing for the link up next week.

happy halloween!

photo: love lists: october \ iphone

how the military restores my faith in mankind.

something i love about blogging is how involved justin has become with it. he will often make suggestions & offer constructive criticism on what i write about & how i deliver it. one thing he is always reminding me is that i need to write more about events, about news. one of his favorite posts actually comes from my old blog, pickle's progress. it's about the tornadoes that happened in the new york area a little over two years ago. [you can read it here].

so, when he suggested i write a little bit about the current weather situation on the east coast - & more specifically, about the old guard - i knew i couldn't pass it up.

whenever it is stormy weather outside, i always find myself focusing on the cozy aspect of the situation.

'ooooh, it's raining pretty hard outside - all i want to do is lie in my bed all day.'

it's what almost everyone says, &, i'm willing to bet, what nearly everyone thinks. but can you imagine having to do your job - outside - every single day, no matter the weather? it's raining, you're standing outside. it's 140 degrees, you're standing outside. it's snowing, you're standing outside. a hurricane is coming through your area, & you're standing outside. 

well, that's exactly what the soldiers of the 3rd u.s. infantry regiment - also known as the old guard - do. and as you may have seen in articles like this one, they have been receiving a lot of media attention lately, for continuing to stand guard over the tomb of the unknown soldier in arlington national cemetery in virginia, despite hurricane sandy beating up the east coast.

to say the very least, i think what these soldiers do is amazing. it's very rare in our society today, that we hear about this kind of reverence, about this kind of respect. of keeping something sacred. i think that is what touches me the most about what they are doing, what they are protecting. 

the tomb of the unknown soldier is where the remains of an unidentified soldier is buried, as a memorial for all soldiers who have died unknown in a particular war. many countries have tombs of unknown soldiers for various wars fought on their soils, but the one in virginia memorializes unknowns from three wars. it has been perpetually guarded, twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, since july 2, 1937.

as i told justin last night while we were discussing this, the act of service that is being provided to these veterans restores my faith in mankind. to know that these souls who gave the absolute ultimate american sacrifice - dying anonymously for their country - are protected by members the military, no matter what the weather, time of day, etc., is largely - enormously - comforting. it's something we don't hear about every day. but every day, they are still out there. and i can't adequately express my gratitude in knowing that that kind of service - that kind of dedication, still lives on in this present day & age.

so i'd like to extend a thank you to the old guard - 

& largely, to all members of the military - 

for their unfailing, unwavering service.

photo: u.s. army photo by sgt. jose a. torres jr \ 

3d u.s. infantry regiment (the old guard)'s facebook page

a hudson-tison engagement party.

one of my dearest & sweetest friends, lindsey, had a lovely 

engagement soiree thrown for her & her fiance, justin, this past saturday.

there was a chill in the air as hors d'oeurves were passed from person to person.

tea lights glowed from nearly every angle - from the tables, from mason jars strung from tree branches.

guests gathered around mini-bonfires & melted marshmallows for s'mores.

and as i traipsed around, stealing photos of unsuspecting subjects, i knew this was the beginning of something great.

here's to a hudson-tison wedding season filled with many more festivities just like this one - i can't adequately express my gratitude for being able to be a part of these events, for these pre-wedding moments.

photos: party details, me + katie \ instagram

our engagement anniversary.

today marks one year since justin & i got engaged at louisiana tech university homecoming.

in the time since then, we have moved to kinston, north carolina, i've moved back to shreveport, louisiana, he moved to wilmington, north carolina, we got married, we honeymooned in boston, massachusetts & portland, maine, & this coming weekend, i'll be joining him in wilmington.

it's been one whirlwind of a year!

it's so strange to me, to think that the photo at the left over there only happened one year ago. it feels like ages ago, probably because of everything we've crammed into the space & time between then & now. 

but i have to say: we're happy. and we'll be even happier when we're finally in the same place again, with no extra stress from a big event coming up.

we'll get to just... live. go to church on sunday mornings, watch our t.v. lineup, try new restaurants... cross things off our wilmington bucket list for this year.

a few notable engagement posts:

engagement announcement.

the details.

our engagement story.

my engagement ring.

a surprise engagement party.

photo: right before the proposal \ iphone

the sunday currently, volume 6.

reading the happiness project. words can't describe how tired i am of having to respond that way week after week. it's my goal to finish it this week & begin something new.

writing itineraries for the weeks ahead. there's a lot to be done, i'm telling you. lots of errands to run, lots of things to get wrapped up. i leave for wilmington in less than a week now!

listening to 'hang loose,' by alabama shakes. and thinking about how ridiculous it is that i still haven't finished the 'cuba' playlist for my dear friend kris.

thinking the jam-packed week i just experienced, filled with things like dracula book club, rising at 6:00 a.m. every day & working until 5:30 p.m., etc., will make me appreciate the upcoming relaxing week. it also helped me get in lots of shreveport activities before i leave for the coast. it also served as a great source of blogging inspiration, with posts to come soon. 

smelling like i was in a smoky bar last night. my hair has that trademark cigarettes-in-close-quarters smell. which sucks,  because i'm experiencing great second-day hair. i think this situation calls for a healthy dose of dry shampoo.

wishing for the ability to really slow down & enjoy my last week in shreveport for a while.

hoping i can restrain myself from eating five bowls of the gumbo my parents made in the crock pot last night. 

wearing a pensacola beach sweat shirt & some boxer shorts. i'm a vision.

loving halloween & everything fall-time. like so many other people, this is just my absolute favorite time of year. i love the color schemes, the clothes, the festivities, the food, the coziness of everything... i could go on.

wanting to get a good run in the books today. it's been too long.

needing to revert to my pre-wedding habits. i was taking such good care of myself: drinking lots of water each day, eating wholesome, good foods, sticking closely to my skincare regimen, etc. i've really fallen by the wayside since the wedding & honeymoon. time to get inspired again!

feeling so lovely. the soundtrack to my life has really been matching up with the events i've been experiencing lately. and isn't that kind of a key to happiness? i think it is. there have been such awesome events in my life lately: dracula book club [pictured above], lindsey & tison's engagement party last night, etc. i'm happy!

clicking some new reads lately... from my grey desk, just a girl in a city... just to name a couple. also, this print for what will be my new office space in wilmington.

happy sunday! time to gear up for the week ahead. let's make it a good one.

photos: 

happy halloween at lindsey's \ vsco cam

katie, lindsey, & me - vampires \ vsco cam

what are you doing?

friday's fancies #45: let's party.

dress | earrings | lip gloss | lotion | clutch | tights | shoes

happy, happy friday!

join the party: celebrate {av}'s 100th week of friday's fancies by linking up!

the art of writing a thank you note.

when getting married, you are more than likely going to receive some gifts.

as it happens, our family & loved ones have spoiled us silly & thrown three showers for us. view them here, here, & here. showers translate into gifts, which - in my opinion - should translate into thank you notes. yes, of course, i always tell gift-givers thank you in person, but i feel that a thank you note conveys extra thought & extra gratitude. and i absolutely never want my gratitude to get lost in translation. 

luckily for me, i actually enjoy - and dare i say it, look forward to - writing thank you notes. chalk it up to my love of all things handwriting & penmanship related. chalk it up to my love of the act of writing, of stringing words together. either way, i love indulging in the art of writing thank you notes.

and here's a little trick i've picked up over the years: if you approach writing the notes as simply writing a letter to a loved one in which you mention a gift they've given you, things have a way of becoming much more natural. the note doesn't have to be the technical drivel that thank you notes have been reduced to in recent years [i.e., dear friend, thank you for the blender. i'm going to use it to blend things].

so i just let go & talk to my friend via ink & paper. and i always find that i'm actually having fun. and i hope that when they open up their mail box & see a letter from me, it brightens their day. because, really, who doesn't love receiving mail?

photo: you've got mail \ instagram

wedding + honeymoon: the details.

i've found that it's easier for me to write about simple moments - i'm not especially good at covering the big stuff, because i get so overwhelemed about not leaving any details out of the mix. so, in order to kick off the coverage of my wedding here on siddathornton, [kind of like the list of little moments i didn't want to forget about my engagement], i figured i'd pen a little collection of unforgettables from my wedding & honeymoon...

piling into a truck full of flowers on the way to white castle.

the intimidating rack of tuxes we were faced with cramming into the already-full truck.

a wal-mart trip for teasing combs & wine glasses.

family billiards on thursday night.

watching bridesmaids, chugging a glass of airborne, & heart-to-heart-ing with anna claire.

frank sinatra in the dressing room.

words of encouragement from my dad as the gate opened & we walked.

seeing justin's big smile from the nottoway porch as my dad & i walked down the aisle.

kelsey catching the bouquet & not putting it down for the rest of the night.

the group of couples that danced to tiny dancer.

the early, early morning car-ride to the baton rouge airport with my parents.

justin reminding me 'we're married.'

laying around our hotel suite in beautiful portland, doing the usa today crossword together.

getting told we're pronouncing 'lob-stah' wrong.

getting told we're not dressed for the weather.

running through the houston airport & still missing our flight when returning from our new england honeymoon.

traipsing through the garden at norton art gallery that chilly october saturday.

and isn't it funny... all of these moments, this list i felt was getting too long for a blog post... they are just the tip of the iceberg - the batting of an eyelash - of this huge event in our lives. it is my hope to be able to put it down into words & pictures here, eventually, after lots of effort, thought, reflection, & time.

how i feel about the blogging community.

i've worried in the past that i'm becoming one of those people who are addicted to their phones and/or social media. there are times when i feel that pull - that compulsion - to look at my phone & consult instagram, twitter, email, or even facebook. at some points in my life, it's gotten a little bit out of hand. in order to combat this issue, i have instituted social media bans on myself before, with what i'd call satisfactory results. so i thought i was making progress, staying in control.

during the weeks of my wedding & honeymoon, in the few days i was free of the pull of all things internet-related, i realized that what i was feeling wasn't a compulsion for social media, but a genuine missing of the community of which i've been lucky enough to become a part. when i did get on twitter & instagram & saw words of congratulations from tina... & then melissa... & then eliza... & then joelle - and then so many more of you - i realized i was missing the blogging community like i would miss a friend. and i have to say: i love that.

the inspiration, comfort, & ease that this wonderful, creative - and mind-bogglingly large - group of people offers up to me is immeasurable. so, simply consider this a word of thanks.

thank you.

photo: a night of blogging \ instagram

the sunday currently, i'm married edition. [volume 5].

i can't even begin to tell you how happy i am to be posting a sunday currently post today! as you will be able to read later this week [and, i'm sure, for a couple of weeks to come], i have had such a whirlwind, lovely couple of weeks of wedding festivities.

but now, justin is jetting toward north carolina, & i am sitting in the kitchen in pajamas, coffee by my side, inspired & ready to write a post [or two].

if you're anxious for wedding coverage, please head over to lindsey's blog. she took some gorgeous photos at nottoway, & i think you'll enjoy browsing them.

as you'll also be able to read later this week, my little wedding-&-honeymoon-induced blogging break has really shed some light on my passion for this community. so just know, i am so happy to be here, writing, reading, & sharing with you all.

happy sunday!

reading the happiness project, by gretchen rubin. i know, i know... i've been reading this particular pick for weeks upon weeks. i really do love it, though. every time i pick up my nook, i end up highlighting more & more. now that i'll have some more free time, i'm sure to speed through the rest of it. and hopefully next, i'll be picking up stacy london's new book, the truth about style.

writing a new list of pending thank you notes! i'm proud to say, i've really kept up with them. i have a post coming soon about why i think they're important, as well as my method when i sit down to pen them. i've also been writing in a newlywed journal, detailing the beginning of our marriage [which i'm really excited about - i plan to write about all of the events in our lives for the first year of our marriage].

listening to hgtv's love it or list it. i absolutely love this show. something funny is that my friend anna claire can't watch this show, because it stresses her out. she doesn't like how whiny the couples always are, as well as how rude they are. i find it funny. there really is conflict in every show.

thinking that tomorrow it's back on the diet & exercise train. as much as i've enjoyed the seemingly endless amount of fried seafood we enjoyed in new england, as well as all the desserts we indulged in, i'm ready to get healthy again. i think what i'm missing the most is a regular intake of water.

smelling the cup of freshly brewed keurig coffee sitting next to me. it's lovely.

wishing justin could have stayed in town longer, as well as had a longer break from work. he works hard every day, & i know he's tired after all the travel & festivities.

hoping to have a nice, productive two weeks in shreveport before i depart on a road trip toward wilmington, & most importantly, justin!

wearing pajamas that i found in a drawer at justin's mom's house. we were so tired last night, & he had to be at the airport bright & early this morning. so needless to say, i slept in after dropping him off & i definitely haven't changed or gotten ready for the day yet.

loving... well, my husband. because now i have a husband. will i ever get used to calling him that? i love that right now it feels new & exciting.

wanting water. h2o. hydration. i have not been drinking nearly enough. i hate feeling dehydrated.

needing... see above? i know, you get it, i need water. but seriously.

feeling happy. lucky. blessed. tired. excited. anxious. ready. inspired. i guess i could have just answered, 'a lot of things,' but it feels fun to just list it all out.

clicking... where do i even begin? i am so excited about all i have to catch up on in the blogging community, but especially here & here... & i plan to search for some new reads [i'm always looking to expand my already-massive google reader feed]. i'm also excited to hit up pinterest. and, of course, the sunday secrets. and, as mentioned before, i cannot stop clicking this post or this post from lindsey. i love re-living the moments!

photo: from our beautiful new england honeymoon \ instagram

what are you doing?

it's wedding day!

photo: us, in wilmington \ instagram

i am marrying this person tomorrow.

the grown-up version, that is.

photo: justin during christmas time \ the christy archives

leaving for nottoway.

today, my mom, dad, sister, & i are packing up the truck with things like a huge box of flowers from our florist, an entire sound system, a wedding gown, & twelve black tuxes.

then we're going to pile in & drive south until we get to the exit.

then we're going to drive through a cute little town called plaquemine. and after those nearly-20 beautiful miles, we're going to turn left at the sign that lets us know we've arrived.

and then, we'll finally, finally be at nottoway... for the WEDDING! we plan to sip wine & sit on the porch of our cottage this evening, after a guided tour through the house & indulging in the delectable bread pudding.

and tomorrow, i'll rise early to go for a run on the levee, overlooking the mississippi, before all the festivities begin to unfold.

justin will be traveling from north carolina to our hometown today, so as we get settled in to white castle, i'll be wishing him safe travels & trying to contain my excitement over seeing him tomorrow after 3 months apart.

so, here goes nothin'...

photos: wedding week preparations \ instagram

the weekend before wedding weekend.

 

the weekend before wedding weekend had just begun.

my last day at work came to a close & i drove home.

i met rachel for a quick afternoon run, & then it was time to go.

the three of us jumped into the truck & headed west.

we made it to the twisting, turning, water-lined drive.

and then, there were some of our oldest friends.

dad maneuvered the boat out onto the water.

and then we saw the sun sinking behind the horizon.

and as planes flew in over the water, i hurriedly clicked this out:

 

now that the sun is going down the twinkle lights are coming out across the water.

 

and really, the evening was as simple as that.

 

 

photo: cross lake at sunset \ instagram

the sunday currently, volume 4.

reading nothing. yikes. i haven't even finished the happiness project. my nook has needed charging all week, & i just haven't done it. i guess my reading has really been pushed to the wayside, due to all the little last minute wedding planning details i've been grappling with. the good news is, a week from today, justin & i will be headed toward our east coast honeymoon, not a care in the wedding-planning world. so, long story short, my reading will soon return to its normal tempo. [as will the critique cache posts].

writing a to-do list i so aptly titled almost done. i know it sounds silly, but seeing that heading at the top of the paper really helps alleviate some of the stress i'm feeling. and the even better news? most items on the list are very simple - they just need to be done.

listening to the sound of cars outside, coupled with a few bird chirps. also, my dad working on some construction in the house. on a music front, anna claire & i listened to what is probably every great song that ever existed, as we made my reception playlist last night. we were overwhelemed. not to mention, the playlist is 9 hours long... the reception is 3. we have some cuts to make, & i have no idea how we're going to do it.

thinking that i can't wait for next weekend. we are less than a week from our wedding!

smelling the pumpkin spice coffee i'm currently sipping on. no, it's not from starbucks, it's of the keurig persuasion. and it is delicious.

wishing i knew how to deal with stress better than i do.

hoping for everything to come together, for safe travels for everyone in the coming weeks, & that it won't feel like a long week, before i get to see justin!

wearing a black millsaps t-shirt & some pink scrub pants. i'm about to get ready for the errands we have to run today, though.

loving that last night, i laid down on the dining room floor while we were making the reception playlist and declared, this is what i like to do on saturday nights.

wanting to have time for a run out in the cold air today.

needing lots & lots of photos to be taken next weekend. yes, we are obviously having a photographer at the wedding, but i really want lots of family & friends pictures taken - because those feel personal & candid. and i have a ton of talented people in my life that really know how to capture moments.

feeling a little bit tired - my sleep was a restless one last night. but also feeling happy.

clicking this henning love post about marriage. and this article that lindsey sent to me a while back, which is absolutely the most perfect thing for me to be reading with my wedding a little less than a week away. thank you, dear. and, on a slightly more shallow note, my the christy residence board on pinterest, where i've begun collecting inspiration & recipes for our home.

here's to the weekend before wedding weekend!

photo: coffee cup \ instagram

what are you doing?

friday's fancies #44: grape escape.

scarf | polish | top | jeans | bag | shadow | earrings | shoes | glasses

something about the turn of the season from blazing hot summers, to crisp, cool falls, always leaves me jonesing for rich plum hues. and with this week's friday's fancies theme - a monochromatic look - i was able to run with that notion. i love the idea of all the items being a slight variation of the same shade - it gives the look an interesting dimension.

share your delightfully monotonous looks here.

stress-melting clothes | the sunday currently | bayou state shower | tenth month | 'whipped cream' & reese's

'whipped cream' & reese's.

i've just gotten out of swimming lessons, & my body has that overly-tired, overly-hungry, but good feeling. my feet are squeaking, wet against the squishy plastic of my flip flops. i know that if i didn't have my shoes on, the black pavement would be burning my skin, & it would be un-ignorable. still, the shoes stab me between the big toe & the second one, & i can't wait until we get to the car.

we get to the car. when i open the passenger side door, immediately i am overwhelmed by the smell of worn leather. the good kind of worn, that lets you know many people have sat in this car, maybe for a road trip or maybe just for a short ride home after swimming lessons.

he turns the key in the ignition, & the engine roars to life. he looks over at me & smiles, asks me if i want a reese's peanut butter cup as he grabs one for himself. i always say yes.

we take off down the road, toward the future i guess, as 'whipped cream' starts to play through the tape deck.

and even though i am little, i can tell that this is always, always how i will remember my grandfather.

 

photo: tape \ instagram

the tenth month.

 

she trudged up the steps after her daily run, spent.

she gazed down the street & realized,

this is the month i'll be getting married.

 

ten days & counting.

 

 

photo: october colors \ instagram

a bayou state shower.

my coworkers sure do know how to spoil a girl... last wednesday, the lovely staff members of 

bayou state therapy,* as well as the other offices in the building, pitched in to produce

an absolute feast, as well as a wedding shower for justin & me.

there were red velvet cupcakes. there was rotel dip. there were sandwiches, pasta salad,

 cocktail weenies covered in bbq sauce, potato salad, & even some oreos. it was delicious.

and after we all had our fill to eat, we gathered in the pt gym for some good old fashioned

 gift-opening. justin & i have been so very blessed to receive so many great, useful items.

i truly can't say thank you enough, but i will do my best by sharing these silly images with you.

i sure do get a kick out of them, & i think you will too...

... yep. that's me.

a heart-felt thank you to everyone involved.

photos: via mom \ iphone

*i have absolutely loved working for my dad this summer/leading up to the

wedding this month. next week, i will discuss this experience in further detail.