Memorial Day Weekend at The Homestead

For the last two years on Memorial Day Weekend, my family and I have gone to The Homestead in Virginia. They have a golf tournament that weekend that my dad and a few of his friends play in, so all the families get together and make a little trip out of it. The families we go with have absolutely beautiful children, so I always look forward to spending time with them! They are so cute and fun to be around!

Kelly and I got up extra early on Saturday morning and headed to the resort. It was quite a trip - 3 and a half hours. Luckily, we were able to entertain ourselves by putting on a concert in the car on the way. When we arrived, the weather was beautiful. It was warm and sunny. We met mom for lunch at Jefferson's restaurant at the resort. She went down the day before, so we were excited to meet up with her!

After lunch, we went to explore the resort. We found a cute spot to take some pictures, so of course we had a mini photo shoot! On Saturday, there was a carnival for the kids out on the back lawn. They had all kinds of games, slides, and bouncy houses. They also served snow cones and cotton candy. The carnival was for the little kids, but Kelly and I couldn't resist getting some of the treats at the carnival LOL

After lunch and the carnival, we went inside the resort for afternoon tea. Every day they serve tea from 3:00-4:00. They have a variety of teas, both warm and cold, as well as different tea sandwiches and sweets. We had tea both days during our stay. It's a great way to unwind and enjoy one of the cool amenities at the resort. 

I told Kel to snap a picture of me "sipping" my tea. Of course I wasn't actually drinking it, and you can totally tell in this pic LOL oops. 

Can you tell we had fun at tea time?! LOL

We finally made it up to our adorable room. It was decorated in pinks and greens, and we had a cute little balcony area overlooking a large lawn. Last year, we didn't have a balcony, so this was a cool surprise to find once we saw the room. 

We went to a cookout Saturday evening that was for all the golfers. They had a large selection of "cook-out" foods. We enjoyed just relaxing and catching up with everyone!

On Sunday, all the women and kids had a pool day. Within the last few years, The Homestead developed an awesome pool area. It has a big swimming pool with lots of lounge chairs and umbrellas, a lazy river, and several water slides. All the kids love being by the pool all day. We had a delicious lunch by the pool and lots of tea and milkshakes! 

This is sweet little Natali. She is going to be the flower girl in my wedding. Her big brother,  Nikolas, is going to be the ring bearer. He just got his braces put on, so he was a little camera shy! 

I truly hope I am as sophisticated, classy, and beautiful as my mother when I am older. I mean it isn't even fair that she is this cute!

The girls after a long day at the pool. We were headed for tea before we got ready for the big cookout!

On Sunday, the resort always hosts a huge cookout with a live band and fireworks after dinner. We had a blast celebrating this special weekend!

A quick sister selfie before getting our food!

Mom and Traci pose for a quick picture. Our families have been friends since I can remember. Traci's mom was my babysitter when I was a little girl. Now her children are going to be in my wedding. People like this are special lifelong friends, and I am so grateful for the Tomblin's! We love you guys! 

Mom, Dad, and Pat. It is impossible to be around these three and not crack up. Thanks for keeping us entertained and laughing all weekend! 

Beautiful decor at the cookout. I'm going to try to recreate something like this on the Fourth of July!

After eating and enjoying the live band, it was time for fireworks!

The resort all lit up at night. So thankful I am able to do things like this with my family and our friends. I hope this a tradition that continues throughout the years!

Memorial Day Weekend is filled with cookouts, relaxation, and spending time with family and friends. However, let's not forget the true meaning behind this holiday weekend. I would like to say thank you to all of our service men and women who put their lives on the line for my freedom. Because of them, we are able to celebrate this holiday how we choose. I hope everyone had a safe, fun holiday weekend and remembered the true reason why we celebrate Memorial Day!

Time for Tea with the Bride to Be

Over the weekend, my mom and sister hosted a beautiful bridal shower for me. We had Olive Garden cater the event, and the food was delicious. We had salad, breadsticks, baked ziti, alfredo, chicken parmesan, lasagna, and a delicious raspberry sweet tea. My mom, Aunt Michelle, and Kelly put up beautiful decorations. Every table had a pink tablecloth, colorful flower arrangements, and adorable floral plates. Kelly picked out all of the decorations, and she did an awesome job! She got each guest a tea cup shaped sucker as a favor, and she hung gorgeous decorations by my gift table. My mom arranged to have adorable Lilly Pulitzer themed desserts for the shower, and they were a big hit! The cookies, cupcakes, and cake pops matched everything perfectly, and they were very tasty! I had a perfect day, and I owe it all to my sweet mom and sister! Thank you both for everything!

Tyler's law firm's logo is "Get Me Adkins," so it is only fitting that our wedding hashtag is #gotmeadkins.

I can't thank these three enough for everything! Love you all!

Kelly organized a few fun games for us to play at the shower. My favorite was a game where Tyler and I both answered questions about me. If we got the same answer, I was safe; however, if the answers were different, I had to put a piece of double bubble bubble gum in my mouth. After about 7 pieces of bubble gum, I started to not like the game very much LOL It was fun, and everyone got a lot of laughs out of it (including me)! 

Putting in the first piece of gum...

Kelly forcing me to put more gum in my mouth. I looked at her and told her I couldn't put another piece in, and she leaned down to my ear and whispered, "YOU PUT THIS PIECE OF GUM IN YOUR MOUTH NOW!" LOL

As many of you know, I am having a very small wedding with just my immediate family. Tyler and I have large families, and we have so many friends that we have made through the years in undergrad, professional school, and work. Also, we are both from small towns where everybody knows everybody. We decided it was just best for us to have the wedding in a very intimate setting. I am planning the wedding all on my own while in pharmacy school, and at times, it has been a daunting task. By having a small wedding, I was able to plan everything how I wanted it without all the stress. Our families have been very understanding, which I am so grateful for! We are very blessed to be surrounded by such loving, caring family and friends! 

This is my grand-little and bridesmaid Taylor. She is so sweet, and she is like a little sister to me!

This is my sweet friend Jill. She and I lived together in college, and she is a wonderful friend. We have shared so many milestones in each other's lives, and I couldn't imagine getting married without her by my side!

This is Kandice, my childhood friend. We have been friends since I can remember. She has such a good heart, and I am so thankful that we have remained close throughout the years. Life gets in the way sometimes with school, work, etc., but she has remained a constant person in my life that I can always count on. I am so grateful for her friendship, and I am excited to have her be a part of my special day!

This is my cousin, Taylor, who is also my matron of honor. She is seriously the best. We were raised just like sisters, so it is only fitting to have her by my side on my wedding day. Taylor is a wonderful example of the kind of wife I hope to be to Tyler soon! 

This is my soon to be sis-in-law! I owe it all to her! She is the one that introduced me to Tyler, and I am so thankful for that! 

Yes, Kelly did a wardrobe change LOL This sweet thing has gone above and beyond any duties expected of her. I can sometimes be hard to deal with, but she has been there throughout this entire process without complaining once. I am not kidding when I say this wedding would not be possible without her and all that she has done. I can't thank you enough Kel! You are the best maid of honor ever! 

This is my best friend Lauren. She and I have been friends for forever. We cheered together in high school, lived together in college, and now we will be beside each other on our wedding days! Lauren's special day is coming up soon, and I am so honored to be a part of it!

My beautiful sister in outfit numero uno. 

I am the luckiest girl in the world to have these two in my life. I love them more than anything. They mean everything to me. 

My two beautiful, sweet mommas! With their love, guidance, and advice, I have no other choice but to be an amazing wife and (eventually) mother because they are perfect examples of the two.

All of my beautiful aunts. Robin (Kip's sister), my aunt Becky and aunt Michelle, and Ty's aunt Michelle. I am so lucky to have them!

All of my sweet grandmas. My JuJu, my maw maw Ellen, Barbara (Kip's mom), and Mo (Rhonda's mom). They are so precious to me! 

I'm ending this post on these two beauties. They are such wonderful women. Tyler and I are truly blessed with amazing mothers! Love you both so much, and thank you for everything you do for us!