New Year's Celebration in the 70s

76 degrees to be exact!

Bryan and I are signing in from sunny South Florida. We've been taking wonderful walks by the water, eating grouper sandwiches and getting into a little mischief with his Uncle Tony's toys. Yep, that's a my-size motorcycle! 

Bryan and Tony working on the little scooter engine while convincing me to take a ride at an empty nearby school parking lot.

I have to say, it was easier and more fun that I thought. But now I'm a little biased...unless, that is, that you can ride all motorcycles using just one hand (up means go, down mean slow and push the bike break to stop--I got this!).

the mister taking off!

Even though it was fun to go fast for a little while, I still think I prefer our walks by the bay the best!

This afternoon we're off to Orlando to spend midnight bowling with Bryan's extended fam. And tomorrow, we kick the new year off to a good start with an engagement photo shoot on the beach in Clearwater! 

What a year this has been! I think a photo timeline may be in order when we get back to the home front.  

Ready to enter 2011: thinking big and expecting the best!

for your entertainment:

our first noel

 

 handmade ornaments we made for our first christmas (in honor of the tin can candle holders we had at the wedding and our new business!)

 

our little loft christmas

 take special note: the stockings are my first real live sewing project! (thanks to a certain Miss Mamie and her crafty skills)

 

 we spent a white christmas with my parents! 

the ground was beautiful and our hearts were full.

 

 you always need a little something red, i say!

 

 a new look for the grape vines

 

 this white christmas even led us to watching "White Christmas." i know this probably isn't too much of a surprise to those of you who know just how cheesy (read, wonderful) we can be:)

 

 

 

 bryan opening a new thermos!

apparently his car is so manly, it doesn't come with accessories like cup holders. now he can take his coffee to go:)

 my new touch of red!

Every new year certainly brings with it new ways to celebrate Christmas and time together. And we're grateful for all the people who care about us so much! We'll extend the season a little longer as we head out to Florida tomorrow to see Bryan's family (read, I hope to be eating pancit soon!).

Happy Christmas season (however long you can make it last), and a joy-filled new year.

Love, the Sintoses.

great and eighty

 

 Saturday was full of smiles. 

We got to see out-of-town family we love, chow down on Varsity chili burgers and celebrate Uncle Jerry's 80th birthday!

 

 southern centerpieces

 

 dearest charlotte, i could love on you all day long.

 

 good ol' uncle jerry

 

 

 what a crew

 

 and of course there was singing

 beautiful singing

Happy 80th!

sweetness

 

 We've been having a wonderful fall here in the Sintos family. Grateful is one word that seems to really fit our first half year of marriage. In our little loft, we've enjoyed fresh home-cooked meals, turned the bedroom into a practice room during the day and started a business. We've even been granted things like a free bookshelf we found in the "this doesn't fit in the trash room" spot!

Turns out, starting out small gives you a really big perspective in order to relish simple joys.

As we've become more seasonal shoppers (because it's not only cheaper, it tastes better!), we have really been enjoying the great flavors fall provides.

 

 This morning's smile is brought to you by a simple bag of apples and fresh cranberries juiced to go with our morning breakfast. 

 A perk for sure, we're hoping to make the most out of this seasonal purchase by making some cranapple bread or muffins from what I call the leftover "mulch" that comes out of the back of the juicer:)

And lest this turn into a food blog (which wouldn't be terrible with as much as we talk about it), I definitely feel a sweet potato post in the near future after a recent harvest from my parents' garden. All that salty sweat from this summer is turning into sweet rewards!

p.s. we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of kyle and vanessa's little sweet potato any minute now! can't wait to be an aunt & uncle!

announcing!

It is with much ado, great joy and under prayerful providence that we announce our newest venture:

 

Our month-long absence from this blog will hopefully be explained upon your visit to our new SITE.

Less than a week old. this new business already promises great adventure and holds much of my passion. We can't wait to see how God will mold and grow it and us through the time to come. And we unashamedly ask for your support in as many ways as creatively possible--you can start by becoming a "follower" of the business blog!

And a big thanks to so many of you who helped us arrive at this point! Whether you acted as a model or entrusted me with capturing your family or vows or just kept persisting with positive comments, I am grateful for you!

Cheers!

campfire celebration

 

 I suppose you can tell from the blogging break I took that we were just having too much fun with Kyle and Vanessa (and baby) being home to sit down and load photos (I even got to squeeze in a maternity shoot!).

We did, however, make time for a bonfire one night! 

Family and friends came over to roast hot dogs, make smores and eat smores cupcakes--and to offer hugs, love and congratulations to the growing Canadian Chupp family:)

 we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather...or more wonderful people!

 my mom, who's normally the ultimate cleaner-outer, went into the attic and got some of kyle's old baby clothes to hang up

 and even these cool Nike shoes:)

 nessa and the little one

 sistas:)

a happy hot dog roaster and her ketchup (that's Kay Chupp if you haven't heard the joke already!)

 Great to see all our loving grandparents!

 and always happy to hug my Saree!

 

cute campfire cousins

 

 some fun gifts: a book and stuffed animal (celebrating Spot's 30th anniversary) and my mom's favorite outfit Kyle used to wear (washed and ready for the new Chupp)

What a fun visit (that went by way too fast)!

a day away

 

some of the best moments are the calmest.

we're fortunate to get to spend some time with kyle, vanessa and baby without a big event to-do list (not that we haven't had fun on their last visits!). in the spirit of a schedule-less day, we took off to pine mountain, ga over the weekend. we were there a little less than 24 hours, but it was just the kind of restful rejuvenation that would be hard to achieve in 24 days at home with "so many things to do."

 

we spent most of our time on the deck and on the banks of the lake soaking in sun, fresh air and lots of laughter.

 olive, the newest chupp, even got to travel down south with us (mostly because she's so new to the family we weren't sure what would happen if we left her).

  

bryan was quite content to spend half the day practicing photography and the other half fishing:)

 

 and after lots of hard work and a move across the country to ontario, i think kyle just enjoyed the time to hang out with family a cast his line out into the lake.

 the misters: talkin' and fishin'

 fishing with my soon-to-be niece!

 ah, the joys of the hammock and a soft breeze

 

 she seems to enjoy her new life

 bryan caught this awesome reflection of the blue sky and clouds in the lake as the sun fell for the day!

 

 and kyle kept fishin' till night fall and caught the biggest one we've ever pulled out of this lake!

 wow, what a wonderful time. 

i think i've forgotten how nice it can be to just step away from everything for a short while. an unplanned 24 hours. just enough time to hit the refresh button.

a simple, joyful day

on this my twenty-eighth birthday

my day started like this

and ended like this

it just doesn't get much better than this! oh wait. 

my brother, sister-in-law and baby-on-the-way flew in from canada this afternoon and tonight we had a huge family meal. now that's just about perfect.