late night valentines.

the mister and i have been together for about 6 years now... and we have never really celebrated valentines day. one of us has always had to work.

this year was no exception. chad had to work all night bringing food and drink to all of the happy couples.

however this year, as opposed to others, we live together! so i was able to have a few valentines surprises waiting for him after his long night's work.

i made fettuccine alfredo a la the pioneer woman. chad wasn't home until around 11 so it was perfect. simple and quick, but delicious.

(i'm still working on making good on my new years resolution. last night was a start.)

after our late night dinner we sipped wine and listened to records in the little valentines fort that i built inspired by the ever amazing design sponge.

it was wonderful.

lonely hearts club.

currently: home alone on valentines day waiting for my mister to get home from work

(it could be a looooong night for him in the restaurant business.)

i've got a semi-prepared meal just waiting to be cooked.

a bottle of red waiting to be opened

and candles waiting to be lit.

so, while i wait, i'm playing around with photobooth in yet another valentines surprise that i've got waiting... the things we do when we're bored.

(hint.)

happy valentines day to you, wherever you my find yourself tonight.

i hope you know that you are loved.

it's beginning to look like christmas in the mcwillis home..

decorating for our first married christmas has been too fun, especially with my new found christmas spirit. we originally went to the lot to pick out a baby charlie brown tree, but got a little carried away and ended up with a tree that reaches to the roof. the cheer got a hold of us big time! woops.




i made this little baby with the help of bleubird vintage.




sweet little child chad made it on the tree..



the hot pink disco ball on top of the gingerbread house was really my only contribution.

office par-tay.

yes, the festivities did include little child mexican folk dancers, aztec warriors, my husband leading my staff in christmas carols, the roof above us opening up, a visit from santa, and (of course) plenty of fun in the photo booth.

our incredible housemates and dear friends, jesse and elyse.

the young marrieds and soon-to-be-marrieds

what a quirky party and bunch of people.

and the after party may, or may not, have included yours truly learning the texas two step to taylor swift at a honky-tonk bar down the street.

thankful for.

hello blog world,

after a few unsuccessful attempts at a blog, hopefully this time we're here to stay. we are erin and chad mcneely, a newly married couple figuring this whole "life" thing out together.

and today is thanksgiving (!!) and today we start our blog, thankful for so much. thankful for the chance to spend the holiday weekend with the most wonderful family, and the knowledge that we have the very best and most loving friends. thankful for the fact that we have food on the table and won't have to worry about where we will find food next. (and the fact that the food on the table is the most delicious food!) thankful for our beautiful God and His grace, and thankful for the fact that we have found each other, and that we get to do life side by side. and thankful for cheesecake, too.

we are just loving being married, and our hope is that this blog will let you in on the little world we've begun to create for ourselves. (marriage is fun!)

and now i leave you with some lovin' from a magical thanksgiving a few years back (when i lived in a beautiful place we called "the womb"... but more on those beauties later.)