the sniffles

and hacking and the green snot. 

Ok, you get the idea. It's been that kind of a weekend into week. The Chef came home on Thursday night not feeling the best and then Friday I came down with whatever he had. Through the weekend we've been nursing each other back to health. 

I started to get excited yesterday afternoon, getting some energy back and rocking out some chores in my pjs. Then last night, I fell apart again. Hacking, coughing, and if you were to suction me you'd get green. Appetizing, I know. 

Thank you so much for all of you who have texted, called, and left IG comments wishing me to get better and if I need anything. I really appreciate it. 

In other news, we're continuing our house search. I love our apartment and wish we could stay here forever, but I'm also anxious to have a real home.

This past weekend, we put an offer in on a home, but unfortunately we didn't get it. It was a cute house in a great location and apparently others thought so too. 

So, we're back at it. If you think of it, we would love prayer that we choose the best house and home for our little family. 

Cheers (holding up my DayQuil)! 

Remember to constantly wash your hands with all the grossness going around. 

beginning 2014

It has been exactly a month since the last time I posted. 

I really did not mean to take a month away from this space but life happened. 

Christmas time was incredible.

We celebrated with both of our families in DC. Enjoying time with our parents and siblings. We are excited for the day though that we have our own kids and start our own Christmas traditions...really blending the best of both family traditions. 

We loved seeing DC friends who we miss so much. It was great spending time catching up on each other's lives. I'm so thankful that we've stayed friends with people from our first married years together. 

We had the best New Year's Eve with our small group: we cooked, laughed, drank wine, and had everyone spend the night. Seriously, other than growing up in Vienna with our traditions of fireworks, chili, and staying up all night with friends, it was the best NYE.

January has flown by. 

The absolute best thing that has happened in January is that our niece was born! My SIL texted me in the middle of a night shift saying she was having contractions, so I left work, raced home, woke up a grumpy husband, packed our bags, and drove to DC at 3am. She is the cutest baby, ever. I may or may not be biased.

Remember our small group that we started meeting with back in the fall? Well, we were more of a social group then and now have officially started meeting. I cannot wait to see how we grow, change, and become better friends this spring. 

If you've been following me on IG (aileenpp, my24daychallenge) then you know I (like many others this time of year) decided to commit to getting and staying healthy. I started the Advocare 24 day challenge. I've enjoyed it so far, but I'll save all my thoughts until I finish.

So, I'm glad that we're caught up now. Hopefully, it won't be another month until we meet again. 

Linking up with Lauren

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours! 

I'm very thankful for the PICU nurses who are away from their families, traditions, getting little sleep, and working today and tomorrow so that I can be off with mine. We love that we get to see both sides of our family this year. 

I hope your holiday is filled with love, laughter, and joy!

Fulton & Roark Giveaway

Have you been searching for a new cologne for your man? I'm loving the new Fulton and Roark solid colognes for men. 

Recently, the Chef tried the Tybee scent, and it is a very sophisticated, musky, manly scent for my handsome husband. The scent lasted all day, and I thought it was the perfect new scent.

I absolutely love the packaging of this product with silver F&R logo and the printed old school directions.

And today, I get to offer one of my reader's their own scent to choose. Check out Fulton & Roark and let me know which one is your favorite!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**I did receive a cologne sample to try (or rather the Chef to try). All of the opinions are my own.

A Raleigh Christmas Party

We had a short but fun weekend full of Christmas cheer. I worked Friday night shift, got home Saturday morning and napped while the Chef cleaned the house for our first Raleigh Christmas party. 

We decided to keep things simple with cookies and cocktails since I worked the night before. I love baking and baked a variety of Christmas cookies that I had not tried before and thought they all turned out well: chewy peppermint mocha, ginger snaps, chewy lemon, chocolate crinkle, my mom's candy canes, and Pfeppernusse cookies from Trader Joe's. 

We were so thankful for everyone who came to spend the evening with us. 

We love hosting parties and were so glad that everyone had a good time because we will definitely be having more. 

I'm so thankful for all of the friends we've made during our first year and a half of living here. 

We absolutely love living in Raleigh, and it's all because of the people who we share life with here. 

And now I only have three more shifts before a Christmas vacation of nine days off! 

Linking up with Sami and LeeAnn

Love and Grace

I've been reminded this week, by my sister, that I need to show grace, love, and mercy to those around me through my words and actions. I need to stop tearing others apart and stop being unkind.  

I've also been encouraged to be proactive in loving others by Carrie and her love for showering people with cards and letters.  It's a simple way to show someone love and grace. 

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places, and this week, I stopped by their card section and absolutely loved it. They have some of the cutest cards.  

I bought a few and have decided this is a great way that I can love and be a tiny blessing to others. 

What ways do you show love and grace? I'd love to find more ways. 

Christmas Card Photos

Merry Christmas from the P family! 

We haven't had professional family photos taken of us since our wedding...three years ago. Aida wasn't apart of any of those, so this year I wanted a few family photos.

I found a local photographer, Heidi and set up a date in Downtown Durham in October. 

I mainly wanted a few good shots of Aida because it's so hard to capture her on an iPhone camera.

This was the winner! I used Tiny Prints for this year's Christmas card; I love their designs.

I'm loving that our friends and family are already receiving it.

I loved how our Christmas card turned out this year. But I wish I had known about Pikcal because they have some great Christmas card designs AND they are offering 20% off for my readers by using the code: blogcard20 when you check out. 

I love the photos Heidi shot for us even if it felt a little awkward. 

We're the type of family that needs a photographer to give us ideas on what to do. I had also hoped for some closer shots since we wanted a Christmas card photo. 

All in all, she was a really nice photographer, but I'm not sure I would hire her again. 

Did you have professional photos taken or do you usually have a friend snap a few? I wish I had a photographer friend who would do ours for free next year...