Alas! The kitchen design! I have put many, many hours into thinking of every single detail...from materials, to layout, to storage (but as always, there are so many specifics yet to iron out!). I want this kitchen to stand the test of time! As our lives grow busier, we are also prioritizing practicality and putting concerted thought behind how the space will function. I literally cannot wait to organize each cabinet. Our current kitchen is a little tight; we have bottles and sippy cups bursting out of each drawer.  You better believe we are looking forward to having a designated space for each and every item! 

This post is long overdue, but who's keep tracking except Hannah and I ? (and my mom, probably!). We ventured back to the beautiful state of California for our baby moon--and spent a week at an incredible AIRBNB in Corona Del Mar, walkable to coffee, restaurants, shops, and most importantly, the pacific ocean! We walked all over Corona Del Mar (CDM is a neighborhood within Newport Beach), choosing a slower paced vacation than usual--featuring a lot of beach time, walking every neighborhood we could, and trying a plethora of new coffee shops and eateries. The sauntering was just what we needed to gear up for the super busy summer season which commenced right upon our return. 

We love to make a good travel guide...we felt it was about time we do a travel guide for Lookout Mountain/Chattanooga! We had an amazing week at the cabin this January and enjoyed relaxing and taking it the solitude. The cabin is booking up quickly for the Spring! In preparation for the upcoming Spring and Summer seasons, we are sharing our favorite things to do near the VRBO! 

On the way down to Florida, we spent some time at the cabin (VRBO link here). It was our first time visiting the cabin "for fun." We had been once to tour the cabin when it was for sale, and then twice furnishing the home in preparation for renters. This was our first time visiting for enjoyment. We did do some small maintenance projects and ran a few errands, but overall, we got to take in the peaceful views and enjoy time as a family. Bringing Brooks to the cabin for the first time felt nothing short of monumental; we will truly cherish these memories! We hope for the cabin to be a place that we will make many memories in for years to come. That reality sunk in, envisioning our future...family hikes, kids playing ping pong in the basement, board games overlooking the mountains. It felt like a first of many family visits. 

I'm excited to share some sketches of the house plans that we put so much thought into! The great thing about this being our 6th house (7th if you count the cabin!) is that we have a lot of thoughts pertaining to what works and what doesn't, practically. We have lived in many different kinds of layouts and have strong opinions about the entry, laundry, storage, kitchen layout, window configuration, and more. We know what we want to prioritize. Every family's needs and desires are different and we are eager to build a home that caters to our busy lifestyle, and that fits our growing family. 

Finally here to share Brooks' birth story! It's hard to believe this was 2 months ago already. Time is flying by, and I cannot believe how big my precious baby has grown in such a short time. Giving birth was the most miraculous, yet difficult experience of my life. It was not at all what I had expected!

We had an unusual travel year, where we traveled to the same places multiple times, and didn't venture on any other trips, except for our baby moon to California. As such, we only hit about 30 coffee shops this year--down from probably around 75 last year! That said, we have a STRONG list of bonafide coffee shops for those local, and those traveling, too.  This was also the year we hit our 200th coffee shop! Ironically, it was a mere week or two before having Brooks and we haven't gotten to add more to the list yet. Excited to do so in 2022!