Tag: life update

Life Update: Tearing Up Our Yard, COVID, and a Happy New Year

Here’s a quick update from the last few months of the most chaotic year ever–2020. I am excited for a new year of awesome new content!

Hi there! Yikes…. It’s been a little while since I have been on the blog, but if you’ve been keeping up on Instagram, then you know the past few months have been a bit of a whirlwind. While 2020 was chaotic all by itself, the last few months took quite the toll on Skyler and me. For one, we totally tore up our backyard… *cringe*

Skyler living the dream and making a mess he couldn’t get in trouble for haha

Okay, I am being a little dramatic about it, but it is quite the muddy mess right now–especially after the bouts of snow and rain we’ve been having. It’s never easy watching your soon-to-be-husband run a Bobcat through your neat yard (no offense, honey *wink*) What started out as a simple retaining wall project to widen the driveway has turned into a lengthier project due to weather…Isn’t that how home projects always go? Oh, the woes of home ownership *wink* –a BIG thanks to Skyler, my dad, and a good buddy of Skyler’s for tackling the driveway/retaining wall project!!

Oakley is such a good little training partner *wink*

The end of 2020 was super busy with my buying a new car (one that gets way better gas mileage than the Jeep I had), visiting my grandparents in Mississippi, and celebrating my 25th birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (via video chat–see below for why). Besides doing home improvement projects and other adulting matters, I have also been busy training for a half marathon.

Nothing beats being back home and seeing my two favorite people: Paw Riley and Maw Maw.

The end of 2020 also brought COVID to Skyler and me…like days before Christmas. Definitely not a “gift” we wanted! Ugh! Thankfully, we didn’t get as sick as many others, but it was still a scary time for us because of the unpredictability of the virus. Even with our mild cases, we felt the effects weeks afterwards, and not to mention, I never thought I would be able to smell again haha But…I digress.

Oakley knew we were sick and constantly insisted on being held/cuddled. She was a good little nurse *wink*

To be honest with you guys, I have missed writing on VIP so freaking much. 2020 was such a weird, dysfunctional, and depressing year for like the entire universe. It was hard to write because I felt my content would be taking away from something more important like COVID-19 updates or Presidential debates. Now that things are finally settling down a bit, I feel like I can finally breathe and truly share fun, happy, real content.

I have lots of posts planned for the coming months–home projects, renovation updates, and outfit posts, as well as new content like running and fitness, inspirational posts, and my favorite local shopping and dinning spots in the Tri-Cities (Tennessee) area. Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, Skyler and I also have some fun travel plans later in the year I hope to blog about *fingers crossed*

Oakley enjoying her first White Christmas…that girl LOVES to play in the snow.

Thank you SO much for sticking with VIP through thick and thin. You guys are seriously THE BEST. *wink* Here’s to a new year (over a month in 🙃). I cannot wait to share upcoming posts, so stay tuned for Everything You Need to Know About Painting a Brick Backsplash next!

Life Update: Engaged, New Home, & Painting Projects

To say life has been busy and filled with (good) stress lately is a huge understatement. In a short period of time, I got engaged, bought a home, and immediately jumped into revamping it.

As I step into a new phase of life with my fiance Skyler, I am looking forward to sharing updates of all of our adventures with all of you! I will continue blogging about all things fashion and vintage, but I will also be adding posts about easy home projects, decor ideas, landscaping, and more! But before I kick start new content, I want to give you all a little life update + share some sweet pictures from the last few months!

Since Skyler is a pretty new topic on the blog *wink* Let me tell you our little story ❤️

Skyler proposed on July 15th in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I absolutely didn’t see it coming, and he is very proud of that *wink* It was a lovely moment we got to enjoy together, just us–without the distractions of a Pinterest-inspired celebration or photographer. While I am sure many wanted to see a behind-the-scene reaction, we wanted to keep that special moment just for us.

Skyler and I went on our first date in May 2018, and the rest is history! Our first summer together was filled with fun adventures, concerts, and coffee runs. There were lots of late-night trips for Peanut Butter milkshakes, long talks about our goals in life, and so many other little things that made the beginning of our relationship so sweet. After Skyler learned about my obsession with ducks, this boy took me to every county fair in the area that summer just to see baby ducks. He brought me Coke Zeros to work without my asking and often surprised me with flowers. Relationships really are about the little things.

We had only been dating for a few months when Skyler took a civilian contract in Afghanistan. For that next year, we only saw each other two weeks at a time, every four months. Despite the time difference and our busy schedules, we made it work. Even though there were many challenges along the way, the time apart taught us so much about ourselves, our relationship, our future, and the true power of prayers.

In the past year of our relationship, we have been blessed to spend it together, and believe me, we have made every moment count! Whether it is going to the gym, grocery shopping, or going on an actual date, we have soaked up every laugh, smile, and story. And yes—Skyler still surprises me with little (and big) things…

AND NOW…WE ARE HOME OWNERS *gasp*

After realizing we needed more space and freedom than a one bedroom apartment could offer + wanting our money to go towards something we would actually own, we started searching for a house. The housing market in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee area has been (and still is) a hot market–with houses getting snatched up faster than hot doughnuts at Krispy Kreme (which Skyler LOVES hot doughnuts from Krispy Kreme).

After losing out on a few houses and thinking we would never find the one, God blessed us with finding our sweet, little home in Jonesborough, Tennessee…just blocks from Main Street–which is filled with darling shops, restaurants and a coffee shop! As we get settled in our new little town, I will also be exploring local shops and dining + sharing it all on VIP!

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Views from the Chester Inn porch 😍👍🏼

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I know y’all are dying to know what kind of house we got. So without further ado…DRUM ROLL…a funky, mid-century modern built in 1960. What else would the VIP have picked *wink* I’m not going to show you photos yet. You’ll have to keep visiting the blog for sneak peeks and reveals.

The house we purchased was recently renovated, but it needs some personality and some paint for all of the red brick (inside and outside). Did I mention this house has a lot of red brick inside and outside? Like a lot. Skyler and I have plans to make this little home ours and to fill it with love (and possibly get a couple of ducks) *wink* I mean….Oakley needs some siblings!

Oakley is also a new topic to the blog! I brought Oakley home back in March of 2019, and she is such a fabulous, amazing, precious ball of energy! She is a 100% momma’s baby, and loves Starbucks pup cups, cheese sticks, and dill pickles (yes, that last one shocks us, too) *wink*.

As a first-time home buyer and revamper, I’m learning home projects are not as glamorous as HGTV makes them out to be. They are messy….They are challenging….They are totally worth late nights and paint in the hair!

Here’s a little sneak peek of what we’ve been working on *wink* And…if you can’t wait until another post to see what’s happening, follow me on Instagram @AbbyHathorn.

Well, that’s all I have for you on this Life Update, but I promise to share more soon! I can’t wait to show y’all the finished kitchen, but I have to get back to painting bricks one-by-one *wink*