GCB.

Happy Second Birthday, Grier Caroline Brauner!

Two years ago today you made your grand entrance at 36 weeks and surprised us all! After a very long seven days in the NICU we took you home and life has never been the same. You make me laugh every day and I have no idea what I did before you. You are so loved by so many people, sweet girl, and you make everything seem brighter. Oh, and also, please just stay this little and perfect and kind forever. Okay?? XO.

GCB.

Thankful.

Thankful for my beyond awesome Mom & Dad.

Thankful my brother and his wife could be here.

Thankful for this handsome man.

Thankful for this sweet girl.

Thankful that someone at my parents house googled this.




Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading!!

Be kind.

Southern Weddings.

Southern Weddings Magazine's official launch for their V6 issue is Tuesday, but I found a copy yesterday. I'm already married, but my BFF is getting married next summer so I picked it up for her (SO excited for her wedding!). As soon as I got in the car I started flipping through and immediately asked my husband if we could have our wedding again. As expected, he said no (boooooo), so I decided to relive our beautiful southern wedding on my blog.

Kevin and I got married at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawley's Island, South Carolina. Since we were living in Chicago while planning the wedding, we did a very quick engagement session on the Thursday before our Saturday wedding. I initially didn't want to do an engagement session because I think sometimes the pictures look really cheesy and forced. Looking back at these pictures, I'm so glad we did them. And yes, I definitely pulled these pictures off of our photographer's website (shout out to the amazing Kip Beech!). This wedding was three years ago, people!

The sky was so beautiful in the beach shots.

We make cheesy look goooood.

At the time I was so against this picture. Kind of love it three years later.

Shirt, skirt, belt, and bracelets: J.Crew. Shoes: Jack Rogers.

Cheesy but lovely.

We had our photographer blow this up with a matte around it for guests to sign at the reception.

The ceremony was in front of a beautiful iron gate on the property and the reception was at the Holliday Cottage, which was built by Southern Living. It was such a gorgeous place to spend one of the best days of my life. Our colors were green and navy with pops of pink and orange. Our destination wedding was small, around 65 people, and such a fun party. 

Place settings.

My bouquet. Cheryl & Co cookies. Yummo.

Dress: Judd Waddell. Shoes: Kate Spade.

Obsessed with this veil.

After searching for all these pictures for this post and flipping through all the beautiful weddings in the V6 issue, I have decided that our wedding was so perfectly us and I would not change a thing. I would, however, do it all over again a million times over. And although Kevin said no yesterday, I know deep down it was such a special day for him too and he would for sure do it all over again.

You may now kiss the bride.

Dresses: LulaKate. Shoes: I let the bridesmaids wear shoes they already owned in fun colors.

Ties: Brooks Brothers. We let the guys all wear their own navy blazers and khakis.

Our wedding party.

This picture doesn't even look real.

Birthday Outfit.

Grier's second birthday is next month, which is so crazy to me. It really doesn't seem like that long ago she was taking her first steps and saying her first words. It is incredible how much she has changed in the past year (more on that in a later post!). Last year for her birthday I found a really cute tutu and cupcake onesie on Zulily. I think after tax and shipping it was around 70 dollars. It was a very cute outfit that she wore twice. She wore it to her actual first birthday party and again to the Sears Tower Skydeck Ledge (I will never call it the Willis Tower!) for a little photo shoot.

This. Face.

That. Little. Hand.

This year, I have decided to make her a tutu and some sort of monogram applique shirt. The shirt is still under construction, however, the tutu is dunzo. And let me just say, it took like an hour and a half and cost under $5. So. Simple. I will never pay for another tutu. Ever. Stay tuned for the finished shirt!!

Cutting the tulle strips took the longest.

Tulle knots on ribbon.

Finished tutu.

Pumpkin Patch.

This year marked Grier's second trip to a pumpkin patch. Last year she was around 10 months old and really didn't care about the pumpkins or the apples or the flowers or the people everywhere. And this year? Nothing has changed. She refused to touch any of the pumpkins, she did not want to look at the flowers, she hated the apples, and she didn't care that she was there with four of her little friends. I mean, really??! I thought she'd love it. All she wanted to do was push her stroller around the mums and eat snacks. I did get lots of really cute photos of her in a tutu, so that part worked out.

The Patch.

Jacket: Crazy 8 Shirt: Gymboree Tutu: Gymboree
Rainboots: Payless Sunnies: Target

Strolling.

Mum Field.

She loved this swing.

Blogger Pose.

Dang, Girl.

Today we were in Target picking out a 30^th Birthday card for the husband (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEARS!) and Grier yelled, “DAAAAAANG GIRRRL”. I actually laughed out loud and immediately followed that with accepting the Mother of The Year Award. Kidding. They don’t give out awards at Target. DUH. Okay, but really, it was so funny and only mildly embarrassing. No one was close enough to hear her, so I guess I will call that a win.  She is very into repeating everything, so I think it is safe to say that I must retire that phrase. Dang…girl.  (Last one, promise.)

KB & GCB.

I'm BACK!

A lot has happened since my last REAL post way back in February. I made the switch from WordPress to Blogger...which is why I had two random posts in August. Testing it out and still trying to adjust. The biggest news is that we left the big city behind for the south! We now live closer to family, closer to the beach, and in a place where the weather is MUCH warmer most of the year. We. Are. Pumped. The best is yet to come!

GCB. Laxer.

hey girl. come on. awesome.

Instagram.

YOU GUYS, I'm totally obsessed with editing videos and then posting them to Instagram. I. CAN'T. STOP. Get ready to see like 457, 890 videos of GCB. I'm that Mom. Owning it.