If there was one vacation that I could continue to have every time I traveled, it would be to Provence France. Actually, scratch that, if I ever win the lottery and have money for a second home, I would choose Provence. A vacation is simply not enough time to capture the essence of "French country living". 

I'm not going to lie, planning our trip to Provence was a really hard task. I did SO much research (and stalking Instagram) to see where we should go within the area and what the peak season to catch a glimpse of the lavender was. I knew that we would be there during the very end of lavender season, but I hoped and prayed that it wouldn't be harvested until AFTER we left. (We had a scheduling conflict the two weeks before we went, otherwise, I would've bumped up our trip). The second our train arrived in Provence from Paris, we went straight to the fields! The drive throughout the Luberon region is absolutely beautiful and it was so amazing to smell the lavender as you drive through. We passed a smaller/local lavender field right outside of the train station, and I seriously think I screamed out loud! The scent comes through the air vents of the car before you even see the field ahead. Now, I recommend you go smell a lavender candle or soap while you read this blog so that you can get the full experience. 

I had a specific lavender fields in mind that I wanted to visit from the research that I had done prior to our trip. We were staying in the Luberon region and I found that the fields in the towns of Valensole and Sault were the largest. So, to Valensole we went!   I used the geo-tag on Instagram to check on them everyday when we were in Paris a few days before to see which fields had been harvested and which ones still had lavender on them. Most of the ones that I wanted to visit had already been harvested, but there was one in particular that still looked nice and purple! We went straight there and I'm so glad that we did because it was harvested just a few days later! (HALLELUJAH!)

Besides the amazing aroma, I loved that the lavender fields were buzzing with bumblebees! These bees were very different than the bees we have in Texas because they didn't bother us or even get near touching us. (French bees...so posh, aren't they?? haha). I seriously could have stayed at this field for many hours just standing in amazement. My husband on the other hand was like, "This is cool." *Takes a photo and video on iPhone* "You ready to go?" I think he was just secretly embarrassed that I was using him as my model for test shots in front of another couple. ;)

Once we got there, I was kicking myself for not bringing wine, cheese, and a baguette to enjoy in the middle of the fields! So after we left the fields, we stopped at a local market for a baguette, jam, and salami as we drove to our Airbnb. Not quite the picnic that I had in mind, but it was just as yummy and a great welcoming to Provence! 

My next blog post will showcase all of the wonderful towns that we experienced as well as the most charming and romantic Airbnb that is the quintessential example of a traditional Provence home! (Think blue shutters, roses, hydrangeas, cypress trees, lavender, and olive trees) Stay tuned....you don't want to miss it! 

Ian Holmes Photography

Paris has always been on my list of places that I wanted to visit, but a part of me always wanted to save it until I could come with my husband. The city of love... there's just nothing like it! It completely lived up to all of my expectations and I was so lucky to walk the cobblestone streets hand in hand with the one that I love! 

As a photographer, I always get bummed that there are not many photos of us together on our vacations because not many random bystanders know how to handle my DSLR camera. We always end up with blurry and out of focus pictures, so we resort to the iPhone and hope that we are in the frame! My husband and I hadn't had pictures taken of us together since our wedding two years ago, so I started thinking about doing an anniversary session and also incorporate it with our vacation. I got on Google and Instagram and started doing some research about photographers in Paris.  I came across Ian Holmes' website, and knew that I wanted him to take our pictures! His photos looked so effortless and I loved his aesthetic. 

We met Ian at the Torcadéro early one morning and it was an instant connection! He was kind, sarcastic, and made us feel calm in front of the camera. We really enjoyed our morning spent with him and truly felt like we were the only ones in Paris that morning. It was such a beautiful feeling waking up before everyone else did and having the city to yourself! 

We will cherish these pictures for many years to come! Thanks again, Ian! (If you guys are ever in Paris, please reach out to him- he's amazing!)

And to my wonderful husband...I know that you'd rather be hiking mountains and going mountain bike riding, but I appreciate you frolicking around the streets of France with me and eating our weight in croissants. The last 2.5 years with you have been such a wonderful journey and I am grateful to do life with you by my side! I love you!

All images by Ian Holmes Photography

While I was going to school at TCU and living in Fort Worth, I was able to visit my grandmother on a regular basis. We had so many great memories and I even brought my roommates along sometimes for a nice home cooked meal. Those times spent with my grandmother were some of my fondest memories together and now that I'm in Austin, I find myself missing the short trips to her house. As soon as you walk into her door, she greets you with a meal and dessert to follow. (Even if you demand her to take it easy and not cook, she still does. It's in her DNA.) Well, I was in Dallas a couple of weekends ago for work and my sister and I made a last minute decision to make the drive to Denton to see our grandma. Boy, am I glad that we did! As soon as we pulled in the driveway, Gappy (my grandmother) was waiting by the door to greet us (a tradition that I love). She had a pool set up for my niece to play in because she knows that it is one of her favorite things. Keep in mind, this day set a record for one of the hottest days recorded and my grandmother had just had eye surgery the day before. She played harder than both myself and my sister and you'd never know that it was 100+ degrees. One of our favorite things about going to Gappy's house growing up was her garden. She's always had beautiful plants, flowers, vegetables, etc. and we always joke about how she never gave any of us her green thumb. (Sorry to all of the succulents I've killed already. I really did try.) My niece noticed a tiny tomato from Gappy's garden and it was so cute to see her eyes light up once she picked it off the vine! She was so proud of herself. It reminded me of all the fun times we had at Gappy's house and I love to be able to see that through the next generation. My grandmother is SUCH a special woman and I thank the Lord for every moment we get to spend together. We love you Gappy! 

Hi friends! Are y'all ready to get a little personal on the blog today? I've been so eager and anxious to share pictures of our home renovation with you! Though there are still some things to be completed throughout the house, we are absolutely loving the feeling of being HOME. I have dreamed of having a permanent home for so many years now, so this house was worth the wait!

Not much stayed in this house...We got rid of all flooring, lighting, door frames, baseboards, texture on walls, and cabinets. We gutted both bathrooms and started from scratch. We added new trim, crown molding, light fixtures, recess lighting, flooring, cabinets, appliances, added on a laundry room, and built out storage closets. Phew! Makes me tired just thinking about it! 

Some of our favorite things about our new home:

1. Our dog, Presley, now has a huge backyard and sits by the door all day long begging to go outside. Although the begging part gets on my nerves, I am so glad that he can finally be a normal dog and enjoy time spent outside! 

2. We have great neighbors who have been very patient with us for our construction noise and constant activity. We are very lucky!

3. Getting to make it our own. We can decorate how we want, use spaces how we want, and treat it however we want to because at the end of the day it is our home together. 

Lastly, we love having to learn about a new area. Where the nearest grocery store is, quick bite to eat, and outdoor activities. It stretches us past our comfort zone and makes us branch out which is always good!

Below are pictures of the before (on the left) and what the house looked like before we unpacked our belongings (on the right). Enjoy! :)

P.S. We did paint the exterior and added shutters, but we aren't quite finished with landscape. I'll add pictures when we spruce the place up. :) 

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Removing this wall was definitely the biggest project that we had planned for our house. As soon as you walked in to the front door, this wall is all that you would see. This was my first "Um, that has to go" moment. And luckily, my husband agreed with me! Although, I did have to fight for the sink to be in the island. Ladies, who likes to do dishes facing a wall with no window? I don't think so! :) 

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Here is that silly wall I was talking about. The door that you see on the right is off to the garage. We built out a laundry/mud room on the other side of that door, but it is still being worked on. I will post it when it is done because it is amazing! I love this island and cannot wait to add barstools to it to serve my guests when they are over at our house! 

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So now when you walk into the front door it's a little more welcoming, right? 

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Ever since the beginning of this renovation process, I knew that I wanted open shelving on this wall. I have some great pieces of my mom and dad's china and wanted for it to be on display! I am so thrilled at how it turned out. This may be my most "Joanna Gaines" moment of my whole house. This space will also hold my family's dining table that we sat around when we were younger. This piece is so special to me in so many ways. The art of having dinner together as a family seems to have lost it's style, but man am I glad that my entire family sat around this table every night without any technology. I hope to continue this tradition on. 

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We put in recess lighting and I am so glad that we did. This space is SO much brighter, has more life in it, and looks new and shiny! The old space needed some life. The ceilings felt so low because of how dark it was, and now I barely notice the ceiling height! 

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I loved that this house had an amazing brick fireplace. It added so much character to the home. All it needed was to be cleaned and painted! Of course, the very first item to be moved into our house was the flat screen. I wonder whose idea that was...? 

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I had my eye on decorative tile since before we even bought a house. I just think it is so unique and brings in so much character! This tile paired with the subway wall and subway shower is perfect! Now, we just have to add decoration, shelves, and a mirror! 

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Since this space is pretty tight, we added a floating vanity and I really love it. 1) It's easier to clean underneath. 2) It's appealing to the eye and 3) I love our faucet in the corner. It actually happened by accident (you guys, they don't make small sinks these days!) but i love it! 

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We added a new tub and used subway tile with a silver/grey grout for this guest bathroom!

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This is our master bathroom transformation. We took out the tub/shower and made a stand-up shower. The glass is coming in for the seamless glass door and I'm so excited! We did white subway tile for the wall, Carrera marble squares for the flooring, and a solid white tile for the bathroom floor. My favorite part of this bathroom (besides the marble) is definitely this paint color. In the daytime it is the perfect shade! 

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