Tea time.

Dan'l Boone Inn does Tea Time right.

I came down with a pretty high fever about 3 hours before graduation, and had to mentally prepare myself in case I fainted on stage. I was determined to walk no matter what - I waited 4 1/2 years for that moment!

Before heading home, we ate dinner at Dan'l Boone Inn. How cute is the personal tea kettle that accompanied my orange pekoe black tea (an attempt to sooth my sore throat)?! I've been sick during Christmas 3 times within the past 5 years, and I wasn't about to let it happen again. I took a long break from reality this week and unfortunately had to cancel my Christmas baking plans. Instead I watched nearly every movie we own, including all of the Christmas television classics - Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman.

Also, Jimmy Fallon has been hosting a 12 days of Christmas Sweaters giveaway and I really wish that I was an audience member so I could win one with Jingle Cats all over it. Jimmy is the best.

We're off the Charleston in the morning!! Merry Christmas!

Anticipation.

Lots of anticipation and things to be grateful for during the upcoming week:

Graduation!! Tomorrow. Ahhhhh. I feel a slight quarter-life crisis coming soon. Oh, and did I mention that I have completed enough credit hours as an undergrad to receive a masters degree as well? I'm totally serious. The perks of being a transfer student.

2 whole days dedicated to holiday baking (and card making).

A roadtrip to Charleston to see my dad's side of the family (with an oyster roast in the mix!).

A Tacky Christmas Sweater Party with my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve.

Birthday post.

Happy 19th birthday to my mini me, although you don't really look a thing like me anymore. I love you so much, and I'll miss you while you're off in college. Probably more than you think I will. Promise me you'll come home and have sleepovers with me in my basement apartment. We can watch My Best Friends Wedding and lots of home videos, eat jalapeno cheetos, and pull all-nighters.

Caroline's birthday was yesterday. We ate so much birthday cake, and re-discovered the fun that is photobooth. Well, the lower quality PC version. Still, some things never get old.

We also had a big family dinner at Nakato, boyfriends included. Japanese food is one of my favorite things, but chopsticks will forever confuse me. We implemented them by stabbing our food until the waiter sensed our uneasiness and brought us forks.

Then, we stayed up really late and packed her life away. In about an hour, we'll be moving her into her tiny dorm room. I'll definitely be living vicariously through my sister's college experience.

Happily Ever After.

One of my dearest friends, Kelsey, got married yesterday. She is the first one to tie the knot out of our group of five best friends growing up. I was an honored guest, with my own pretty bouquet!

The wedding was rosey, pink, classy and beautiful - all things that perfectly describe Kelsey.

We danced, we drank chardonnay, we dined on gourmet food, we laughed, we cried. I'm such a sap. These were all happy tears, of course. It's a wonderful feeling - simply knowing that I'll always be friends with these girls. It doesn't matter how long we've been apart. We come together, and it's like nothing has changed. I love them so much, and we are all so happy for the newlyweds.

Next up, a baby shower? Just kidding. Not quite yet.

Peach Sangria.

All good things should be celebrated.

Happy faces, happy endings, new friends, and new beginnings.

Cheers to that.

A proper celebration.

I love...
- A new(ish) restaurant transformed from an old jailhouse, also seen here
- Drinking from mason jars
- A dinner of chicken and waffles, quiche, swiss mac n'cheese, green beans, and corn bread
- Daisies
- Lemon slices sprinkled with sugar
- Southern hospitality
- Chocolate cake with RC cola flavored icing
- Secret gardens
- Red brick walls
- Any reason for a celebratory dinner date (even if you're simply celebrating the fact that it's dinner time).

Thank you, Proper, for delivering. You make me smile every time I visit. And you make me stuffed.

*The real reason? I landed a fall internship in the outreach development department of Carolinas HealthCare System! I did three cartwheels in my apartment out of excitement (it's been a tedious process). I would have probably done four, but I landed on the coffee table after the third one and hurt my toe.