New Year's Day at Callaway

Our New Year's day was a wet & gray one, but that didn't stop us from getting out & adventuring.  We headed to one of my favorite places - the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

Coming here has become a January tradition for us, but this was the first time we came on New Year's day.

I say this a lot, but isn't God the best artist ever?!

It was the perfect day for rubber boots!

There's something about the butterfly & its miraculous metamorphosis that seems perfect paired with the unfurling of a brand new year.  Change can bring beauty & refreshing & new life.  Just think what it did for the caterpillar.  I want 2019 to be my butterfly year.

We spied a spot on the map we hadn't explored before & decided to give it a try.  Visiting this little chapel tucked away in the woods was actually my unexpected favorite part of the day.

We didn't know if it would even be open, but it was.  Inside we found a man who played this fantastic fancy organ.  He asked if we had any requests.  We did & had our own private concert in this special space as he played "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" & "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."  It was truly stirring.  The musician shared some of his story, telling us how he had grown up playing music & in his younger life played rock & roll, & yet always felt God reeling him back in to use his talents for Him in worship.  The man said he still played rock & roll now & again, but that he had found something more meaningful in using what he could do for Christ.  This brother-in-Christ's music & words ended up in my thankfulness journal that night.

The blessing of being in this quaint little place of worship was a beautiful ending to our day at Callaway & the perfect start to 2019!

Outfit Details: dress - Topshop {thrifted} ● over-the-knee socks {I scrunched down to mid-calf} -  Richer Poorer ● rubber boots {these are actually from the garden department, but I use 'em as rain boots mostly} - Target

Visiting Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts

This summer is definitely defined as a staycation for us.  But, there's so much stuff to see + do nearby that there's plenty to smile about!

On Friday, with a free museum pass in hand checked out from our local library, we headed north to Atlanta to a place neither of us had ever been... The Center for Puppetry Arts!

There are tons of amazing puppet artifacts here from both around the world...

& a little closer to home with fan favorites from Sesame Street + other Jim Henson creations, including the films The Dark Crystal + Labyrinth!

We actually saw a real, genuine, used-on-TV Big Bird, Fizzgig, a host of Fraggle Rock characters, + so much more!

While the actual museum is fairly small as far as museums go, the space includes a theater where fancy puppet shows are performed, workshop space where kids can create their own puppet friends, a museum shop, + a playground.  Dan & I both agree we'd love to take kids someday in the future.  The nostalgia makes it fun for the adults, too, as you can see!

1st Snow Cone Date of Summer

As you can see from the sky, our weather wasn't the best, but the snow cones were just as summery + sweet despite the chilly wind + stormy clouds.

Last year {during my 1st full summer here}, we found this tiny little local pink gem that's only a quick drive from where we live.  It's called The Icey Girl & Company & they have the best shaved iced snow cones around.

This photo is kinda becoming a beloved wacky tradition, I guess. {Click here to view last year's!}  I'm so glad it's snow cone season {+ that I married my best friend}!

P.S.: You can now follow the blog via Bloglovin! ❤

Our 1st Hike of Spring

We started a bit late this year, but we finally got our 1st spring hike in on April 14th.  The East End Loop is what we accomplished on Pine Mtn... a little over 3.4 miles in all.  Hopefully, we'll be adding more to the list soon!

January Snapshots

Click here to watch our January snow day video!  ❄  ❄  ❄

Snow Day 2018! // Vlog

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Prayers were answered & we got the snow day of our dreams way down here in Georgia today!  Take a peek at some of our antics!

When God Made Butterflies...

Last weekend found us wandering in awe around the Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.  The glass conservatory that always remains a balmy temp because of the flora + fauna was an inviting respite from the January cold.  There was fluttering of wings everywhere you looked!  It wasn't our 1st or even 2nd visit, but it always remains special & new to me.  There's just something about butterflies...

Maybe it's that they illustrate so beautifully transformation - specifically the transformation that takes place when a sinner finds the Savior, & the ordinary gives way to the magnificent, the ugliness of sin to the beauty of a new soul made whole in Jesus.  As it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"  

That verse has always reminded me of butterflies.  The somewhat grubby, belly crawling caterpillar, seemingly ho-hum & nothing extraordinary, builds a chrysalis & disappears inside for an appointed time {I wonder if it knows what is going to happen next}...  Eventually, it breaks forth as something wholly different & new & full of beauty & free to fly.  That's like you & me with Jesus. 

Dan & I had the unique blessing of viewing the "birth" of a butterfly as it emerged from its cocoon on our last trip to Callaway & I will never forget it & the symbolism it so beautifully portrayed.  When God made butterflies, I think He just might have been thinking of you & me + Jesus.

Up in the Treetops...

Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Lab is an amazing nature wonderland in my city!  Dan & I headed out to explore {it was my 1st time} for our 9 month anniversary.  We decided to try the treetop tour which took us around 40 feet up into the canopy...

No one else had signed up for our time slot, so we enjoyed a private tour!

We explored the expansive trails, too, & Dan even put on some video capturing {GoPro-like} glasses to help document our experiences for Oxbow.  We decided they needed some entertainment.  I hope they enjoyed our commentary + antics. 

😃

We even found some deer tracks out by the meadow!

Oxbow Meadows, we will definitely be back soon!