Hi friends!

How have you been? What have you and your family been up to? How’s work?

Over here at the Ray house, we’ve been enjoying 2021 so far and have been up to a few fun things!

John has been working hard (for those of you who are new around here, my husband of almost 9 years works in HVAC and is freakin so good at it!), and as you can imagine, he’s in the middle of one of the two main busy seasons for his work. I’ve been nestling into home, taking care of the babe, and writing for a few exciting clients which I am loving. Finney has been feeding herself like a champ, exploring all sorts of noises, sleeping beautifully in her own little room, and making me laugh.

I thought it’d be fun to hit the haps in categories, so here we go!

First Snow Day of the Year

This is the view from our front yard. A bit of sad news is that the land has just been sold to make a neighborhood! I’ll enjoy this view as much as I can until then.

And Finney’s first snow day ever! It wasn’t much of a snow day, but the ground and trees were white first thing in the morning, so we celebrated by making a breakfast feast together before John left for work! I made Farmhouse on Boone’s sourdough french toast skillet with bacon, OJ, and coffee!

I’m still holding out for a proper NC snow day where everything shuts down. Where have those been?

A BFF Getaway

Every year, my besties and I plan a brief getaway sleepover together. We’ve learned that the best time for all of us is just after the holidays in January, for just one night, and getting an Airbnb helps us all switch off normal-life-mode.

There is always loads of laughter, deep conversations, good food, and some kind of spa treat. This year we chose an Airbnb in Clayton, which is just far enough away to feel like a getaway. It was a beautiful renovated loft above a very nice horse stable which was super cool! We ate dinner at Whiskey Kitchen, lunch at BarTaco, and got mani-pedis at Paintbase.

A Family Trip to the Mountains

My lovely mom-in-law just turned 65, and to celebrate, we took a family trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC. A very generous family friend allowed us to stay in their lodge, and we basically spent the entire weekend in the house, playing games, eating great food, and spending time together.

It didn’t snow, but we did have cozy foggy weather, perfect for staying inside.

I felt so lucky just to be there, and to be with people I love! Finney always stays very entertained by her cousins, which allowed me some extra time to enjoy coffee, convos, and the fireplace. We also had tons of fun celebrating Valentine’s Day all together which, IMHO, is a far superior way of celebrating the day of love!

Reading & Writing

Little Women - it’s my first time reading it and I love it so much! So far, I’ve really been touched by the tender relationship between Mr. Laurence and Beth. It is so much more precious and touching than the movies depict!

A Weekend to Change Your Life - A thrift find that I haven’t been able to put down. The name is a little lame tbh, but the gems of wisdom inside have been really impactful!

Writing for one client at the moment - a florist whose work is so gorgeous, it feels like a treat to write for her new website! More on that soon. If you ever need help with website words, a bio, an investment guide, or something else you can’t seem to find the right words for, contact me here!

Listening to

Maverick City Music on Youtube - For worship to have on in the home

My A New Year playlist on Spotify - Low-key tunes to help you transition to a place of hope for a new year

My February Road Trip playlist on Spotify - Feel-good tunes perfect for vibing up your wintery road trip

Work & Play with Nancy Ray Podcast - Yep, she’s my bestie and I still listen to most of her episodes.

Thinking about

Dreaming wild fun dreams again - I’ve always been a dreamer, and after a long year of newborn-land, Covid, and general homeboundness, I’m happy to feel like my creative limbs are coming back from being asleep a bit more. Do you have any fuzzy dreams you’re simmering on?

Future trips for this year - We’ve got a trip to FL for a family wedding, our anniversary to celebrate, and no doubt a few more trips to Beaufort. Beyond summer, who knows?

Other tidbits

I’ve been blazing through Parenthood (it’s free on Prime Video) - I love the realistic look at close extended family, the soundtrack is fantastic, and I’m super inspired by brothers opening a recording studio together. It’s mostly on in the background during naptime.
We’ve been regularly attending church in person again and it feels SO GOOD. I encourage you, if you’re in a lower risk category, feel well, and need to worship with your church family in person, find a church near you who has open doors for services! It is 100x better than streaming online.
I’ve been meeting with some friends for walks and playdates, and although the weather has generally been rainy and gross, any sunny day bids me for a long walk with Finney and a friend.

Tell me what’s been up with you lately? What are you reading, listening to, and watching? What have you been thinking about? Comment below to let me know!

Sending you lots of love, until next time,

Sam

Oh! And P.S. - If you think you saw a tiny baby bump in some of those pictures, you’re not wrong ; )

January + February Haps