breath of life

last friday, T and i went to the cystic fibrosis foundation's breath of life gala to support our friends matt and julia. matt and julia's sweet son, owen, had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis just a short time after his birth. and ever since his initial diagnosis, his parents, our dear friends, have been on the war path towards research in finding a cure for this disease. 

we'd been out to a couple cystic fibrosis walks with them to raise funds and support, but this was our first time to go to an event like this. to say we were excited to support our friends at this gala would have been a massive understatement.  

[the webbs]

[julia and i]

once we got checked in, and said our hello's, it was off to see the silent auction. between the autographed kings of leon guitar, artwork from a fellow cf warrior, and a corgi puppy, there were some seriously tempting auction goods. i'd be lying if i didn't try to tempt T with the puppy more than twice ;)

[catching up with this FL babe]

before the main auction commenced, we learned about several cf warriors who made an impact. these were (and are) individuals who either served as examples to fellow cf warriors of what living with cystic fibrosis could be like, or had helped serve as guinea pigs in drug trials for drugs that will soon help others. it was so moving to hear each of their stories, and left me feeling inspired by their strength in purpose. 

[adorable owen]

lastly, matt and julia came up to speak as the night's keynote speakers. as their friend, and another cf supporter in the crowd, it was so moving to hear them speak as people and as parents about their experience. with further research and funding, hopefully one day soon, cf can finally stand for cure found. 

beachside

a little over a week ago, T and i went to destin for a long weekend to visit family for a little sun-filled r+r. thankfully, destin was one of the lucky beaches left unscathed by hurricane irma. so aside from afternoon tides bring in seaweed and jellies, our complaints were far and few :)

on our first half day in, we took it easy with half the group hanging in to relax over cocktails while T and i lounged on the sand. we later got cleaned up and had dinner by the ocean at sunset. the views were stunning, the company lively, and the food extra tasty, as always.  

[key lime pie cocktail]

[couple of goofs]

after a solid night of sleep, we were all ready for a full day out on the beach. between my merman finding me new seashells, cooling off from the hot sun with a swim, and warming up on the sand, it was perfect. 

[tried to sneak up on T...it didn't go well ;)]

that night, we celebrated T's birthday at his favorite local seafood spot in town. it's a bit off of the beaten path, and mainly known to the local crowd, but should you ever stumble onto it...count yourself lucky! it is that good. 

[cobia aka my new favorite fish]

the next day, we were out on the beach again soaking up our last full day with the ocean. the water truly couldn't have been more perfect in terms of temperature, clarity, and waves. it was wonderful. 

[group shot]

that night, we went to dinner where we had deliciously indulgent italian dishes over wine with a side of great company.  

our last morning before we packed up to head out for our flight, T and i thought we'd try out paddleboarding. we'd never done it before, so we decided to try it out, and boy, am i glad we did! it was harder than we thought, but also, a lot of fun. 

[mom, after trying out paddleboarding herself]

but, like all good things, it must come to an end. it was such a blast, and a nice break from our everyday routine. 

falling for autumn

[can't wait to see these colors in the leaves]

can you believe tomorrow is the first official day of fall? it feels like summer slowly crept past, and i didn't even realize it was gone until it was too late! but, i can't say i'm too sad about it though. fall holds such a special place in my heart since i always like to think of it as a season of warmth and comfort. 

here's what i'm looking forward to most this coming season:

• try out this and this fall-themed pasta recipe from scratch
• take a long weekend to camp out in the ouachita mountains with T and the pups
• up my camp cook game with this apple crisp recipe
• check out the drive-in for a cool weather friday night feature
• see the latest rotating gallery on campus with T for a little day date
• savor the cooler temps and gorgeous foliage over a jammy wine at one of our favorite tucked away bar patios
• build our light canopy to enjoy our new, vintage hot tub (post to come)
• stargaze in T's new inflatable hammock
• if we can swing it, host a chili cook-off and cornhole tournament with friends
• excite the inner child within by whipping up leftover halloween candy blondies and browned butter rice krispies treats

what are y'all looking forward to this season?

[hanging fireside, cozy with wine]

[hearty, warm your bones comfort food]

surprise!!

last saturday, T thought he and i were going out to celebrate his 30th birthday early just the two of us since we'd be out of town for his actual birthday. but, what actually happened was a surprise party filled with some of his dearest friends, his favorite views of the city, slice after slice of pizza, too many laughs, hugs, and high-fives to count, and the healthiest wine pours. for months i'd been planning away, and it made my heart all too happy to see my plans finally come together to celebrate my sweet husband.  

[hey T's head]

since my beau is a man of simplicity and humor, i thought the best decor would be life-size versions of his face. our guests had loads of fun posing with them and/or leaving them in bushes to spook anyone nearby. the guys had a lot of fun creating new ways to play 'where's T?' (a fun play on where's waldo)

[this burrata and that truffle honey...i'll dream of it always]

[which T is the real one?!]

[couple of goofs]

[T got thirsty]

[the bros altogether]

[the roasted goat pizza; yum]

[group shot, plus, find T]

[love these women]

[welcome to the 30s club!]

after snacking on amazing pizza, singing happy birthday to the birthday boy over a mountain of cookies, and loads more posing with T's signs, we ventured to the next location. we kept the party going with the remaining gang while sipping delicious cocktails at my favorite supper club. the guys kept the jokes coming with T's signs while we toasted to our favorite baldy. 

[i love this photo]

[which T is which]

[bro hugs; hey ladies]

it was the most perfect night to toast to one of my favorite humans, and was such a blast. a huge thanks to hall's pizza for being so outstanding with everything as well as our friends who sweetly came out from near and far...and a happy early 30th birthday to T. i can't wait to see what this year holds for you :)