a Texas lunch

Last weekend Karl's grandparents were coming to this side of the country to spend some time with their good friends in North Carolina so on their way they stopped about an hour and half northwest of Sumter and Karl & I drove to have lunch with them!  It was so fun and to make it even better, Ann, the friend that they had come to visit, drove down to meet them + Karl & I for lunch too!  It was SO good to just get to have a great meal out with FAMILY, on a Saturday, just because!  It was too good to be true.  We talked and talked and caught up and talked some more and stretched our lunch out as long as possible and then drove our separate ways.  It was such a treat but too short of a visit for sure!!  Next time we'll have to join them in North Carolina for the weekend!

Hannah K.C. Burton

company = bliss

When Karl & I came back from Little Rock Emma flew back with us- I had been looking forward to her visit ALLLL SUMMER LONNNG and having her come back with us made it so much easier to leave Texas, which is always tear-evoking.  Well, I had an absolute blast with Emma... despite the fact that she was deathly ill for 98% of the time she was here.  The first day she came she felt decent so we spent the day at the pool where Emma got a nice big taste of base-life.  She asked if more military people have tattoos than civilian people after really taking in her surroundings at the base pool... ha... yes, Emma, yes.   We also grocery shopped at the commissary- it's so fun to get to show my family all the things that I have adapted to and learned about, military wise, since marrying Karl and moving here.  I feel so proud of how far my knowledge and base-savvyness has come... I did that on my own- we all know that nobody shows you the ropes around here (I mean, remember the countless breakdowns about this?).  Anyways, fortunately, going to the pool is about all there is to do here in Sumter because after day 1 we were pretty much house-ridden because Emma felt absolutely MISERABLE.  Because she was sick we had to cancel our plans to go visit Amelia Island & The Johns' and similarly, any ideas I had of day trips to the beach or Wake Forest were definitely out of the question.  However, it was just so nice to have somebody to sit around with all day.  It made the days fly by and basically be awesome.  It was heaven to have someone to eat lunch with, watch TV with, introduce "Clueless," and "Corky Romano" to (yes, she has never seen either), and just take care of.  I felt horrible that she was miserable but I was just glad she was here.  On the day she left, we decided to get out a little bit so we did ANNND we took a few pics (basically the only pics we took which is why we are in the same outfits in all of them) and I pushed Emma around a store and Karl gave her curbside service everywhere we went.  It was a GREAT week and I'm hoping (for her sake) she gets to come back and have a do-over when my parents come in a month or so to help Karl & I pack & move out.  Please excuse my iPhone pics...

SUCH a fun week with Emma!  Now preparing for Callie's arrival THIS SATURDAY!  We cannot wait!  Her stay will be short but sweet, we LOVE having company!

maggie & blake's wedding extravaganza {part 3}

In my final {albeit, slightly delayed} installment of the Riggan/Chism wedding festivities I'll keep my words few and go heavy on the pics and just say that the wedding was certainly an affair.  The venue was dressed to the nines as were Maggie & Blake... and myself, obviously, as the third most important person there.  There was dancing a-plenty as I totally felt like I was back in my glorious college days surrounded by all my dearest Pi Phi friends and to top it all off, Emma was out on the dance floor with us!  {AHEM, future Pi Phi...}   The whole weekend was just an absolute ball.  Like, honestly.  My parents, Karl, Emma, seeing The Harris', having one of my old 'mates around 24/7, Pi Phis galore, The Riggan's made every single guest {and wedding party member} feel like the most special and important person in the room at every single event of the weekend... a gem of a time.

I know this is a major creeper pic but when we left our room the morning of the wedding I spotted Blake and all his buddies relaxing over coffee and donuts and just couldn't resist a pic...

...or a posed one for that matter.  Sorry I'm not sorry.

 Just a little iPhone quadcam action...

So if you haven't gathered this much yet, Maggie chose bridesmaid dresses that were all different but from the same Kate Spade collection.  They looked perfect together and she clearly had an impeccable vision that came together wonderfully!

all the wedding party girls!

AHHH the radiant bride!  And me looking pregnant for some reason.  My bridesmaid dress was actually very flattering... just not in this picture

I took this after the wedding back at the hotel but our bouquets were so simple and pretty!!

Oh just a normal getting ready shot

...and again

two of my very favorite people in the world.

haha, Priyanka entertaining those fast little flower girls

SUCH fun those Little Rock natives had watching the guests arrive!!

SUCH a blessing and treat that Karl could travel with me- this is the stuff that he normally misses out on so it was just abnormally awesome for him to be with me all weekend!!

Got an especially long time with Emma- she flew back with Karl and I!  More on that later.

melt. your. heart. 

Took this off of Facebook so it's a bit blurry but love it anyways!  Fayetteville girls!

Pi Phis!!  I want someone to email me this pic so I can have a non-blurry copy!  Again, took it off Facebook.  LOVE it though!!  I always cry during the Pi Phi song at weddings... ridiculous.

Thinking I may be more excited than Maggie is to see the professional pics... hurry up Hudsons!

Hannah K.C. Burton

Couldn't leave off this gem from the weekend...

maggie & blake's wedding extravaganza {part 2}

Friday was an excellent day. It was also my birthday! I had extremely low expectations as far as a birthday celebration goes for multiple reasons: a) I wanted the day to be all about Maggie & Blake- I even went as far as taking my birthday off Facebook so the likelihood of attention being called to it by anyway related to the wedding would be decreased, which was lame I guess b) I have a weird birthday complex... like, it is impossible to not be disappointed on your birthday. I don't know. I know that is ridiculous and maybe just me and my sister Maddie that feel that way but there are like such high and unrealistic expectations surrounding birthdays and then something stupid happens (like something really stupid... I can't even think of a stupid enough example to give) and the whole day is deflated. All this to say that I removed all birthday expectations for Friday and we planned to celebrate my birthday on Sunday with my family when we got back. Welllll, despite my dumb measures at erasing my birthday, Maggie remembered it still existed and obviously so did my family & Karl and some dear, sweet, best friends. ANYWAYS, as far as my birthday goes, the day was awesome and wonderful and surpassed any expectations that I didn't have :) See for yourself...

In wedding news, Friday was INCREDIBLE!  I LOVE bridesmaid luncheons- I think they are so special, intimate, and just a sweet, sweet gathering that is unmatched by any other wedding related event... I mean, besides the sacred, holy, and ordained union that is the wedding vows... whatever.  Maggie's bridesmaid luncheon was no different!!  It was so special and filled with moments and memories that I will always treasure!

 The hostesses decorated beautifully!!  Every table had a few pictures on it and everyone at the luncheon could find themselves in at least one of the pictures- it was one of the luncheon favors!

 Maggie gifted us with notecards that had a phrase printed on it that she thought of when thinking of each of us individually- there was not a dry eye in the room at the end of her addressing everyone!

 Glad Maggie's aunt got this picture!!  Love it of the whole wedding party!

Love this one too!!  Such an awesome morning with such perfect company hosted by women so near and dear to Maggie!!

That afternoon provided awesome time to spend with Lincoln and Valin, unfortunately John was sick so we didn't get to see much of him but I was surprised by how much free time I ended up with over the course of the weekend and glad that all of it was spent with The Harris'!  

 Just some light reading

Another wedding-related love of my life?  Rehearsals.  I really like them!!  Maggie & Blake's was fun, efficient (as a rehearsal should be) and an event in and of itself with drinks & hors d'oeuvres- only The Riggan's would've thunk it!  Maggie looked GORGE  and it was just wonderful, basically.

My parents + Karl came to the rehearsal and I was so glad they did!  My dad took pictures during the rehearsal for Maggie and got some great shots!  I'll post a few of my favorites but save most for Maggie to see first when I send her a photo CD :) 

just a little Pi Beta snuck in there...

look at the view from the veranda and ceremony location!  gorgeous!

mad at myself for not getting a picture of me + Karl with my parents but thankful they took this iPhone pic of themselves at the dinner :)  ca-ute.

adorable. 

The whole evening was just magical, I mean, honestly.  Such sweet words shared by friends and family to The Riggans & Chisms and just a great peek into what Saturday would look like.  Wonderful, wonderful day!  SO thankful my parents & Karl were there to share in it with me and beyond grateful that Emma came with us too- she shook her tailfeather on the dance floor on Saturday.

Still in wedding lala land,
Hannah K.C. Burton

maggie & blake's wedding extravaganza {part 1}

Wellll hello, y'all! After the most sublime 4 days in Little Rock I'm back, alive, and here to recount all of the week's events! You're welcome. Karl & I flew to Arlington on a Wednesday... ...and spent the day with my family just doing a little birthday shopping for yours truly, helping my parents pack {have I mentioned that they SOLD THEIR HOME?!? 3 years, y'all, 3 years that house has been on the flipping market!}, and basically just having a grand 'ol time tromping around my old stomping ground.

Thursday came bright and early as we {me, Karl, Emma, Amy, Paul, and Susanna} loaded up in the Suburban and made the {not that bad} drive to Little Rock. Y'all, I was giddy, pulling in that afternoon. All I could think about were the friends that were literally just a couple of miles from me right that very second, my cousin and her family that we would get to spend time with in their town for the first time in a long time, and all the fun that was about to ensue. Like, pee.my.pants. So, I'll skip the part about the perfect hotel accommodations The Riggan's setup since us Texas folk don't know where to stay in Little Rock and the part about the most delightful welcome basket waiting for Karl & I in our room...

Day one was a blast in a glass (hello, Deena) and kicked off immediately upon arriving in Little Rock- Sus & I quickly got ready for what was part II of a III part Bachelorette Extravaganza!!

If this doesn't say, "Welcome to Little Rock, we love you," I don't know what does!!

Leah worked so hard making the cutest decorations for the days events!!

Reunited with girls I miss SO MUCH!! The best thing ever! Also, Cajuns Wharf should consider cleaning that mirror back there...

adorbs.

After we sang some variation of the Happy Birthday song so Maggie could blow out her bachelorette candle. mmhmm.

So if you can't tell from the pictures, after opening of some unnamed gifts, we made our way to dinner and then proceeded to break it down on the dance floor at Cajuns Wharf. Lemme just insert my humble opinion here and say that if I am in my mid-late 40s, dressing like I'm a freshman in college, and dancing like nobody ever taught me how to and out & about in Little Rock, Arkansas at clubs, somebody throw an intervention (is "throw" the right word here? I know it's not like a party but... anyways) and make it stop. There was SO MUCH people watching going on, I was in heaven. Anyways, needless to say I was in jeopardy of losing my voice after Thursday night. Fun was definitely had by all... thank you, Priyanka :) I need to get some pictures from Maggie, Leah, and a few other girls- the evening was A BLAST and the company even better!! Maggie was absolutely glowing all weekend and everything was just plain perfection from the second we arrived in Little Rock!! Back tomorrow for coverage of Maggie & Blake Wedding Extravaganza {Part 2}

Already trying to figure out when the next reunion will take place :)

Hannah K.C. Burton

P.S. Since we found out about Karl + South Korea, I've found myself creepily taking pictures of him sleeping, of his hands, his feet, his arms, his facial features... it's like this weird compulsion I can't help.  I just want to have them to look at while he's gone.  Anyways, just want to remember this time of our lives and why I have all these pics on my phone so in 10 years I'm not confused and wondering why I was such a freak...