Recap: Peach Fest at Spring Gate Vineyard

Good Morning, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend! 

I went to the Peach Fest this weekend in Harrisburg, and it was such a wonderful, relaxing time with my beautiful, dear friend Jenessa. We decided to go sans babies, and it was one of those things I didn’t realize I needed so much until we were there. Man, I haven't felt so relaxed in months. It was so, so needed, and I'm so incredibly thankful to have a friend and fellow momma to enjoy those moments with. 

For me, it’s been hard to remember to do things for myself since Oaklyn was born. I’ve only been away from her a few times, and every time I’ve felt guilty, like I shouldn't need or enjoy time away from my perfect, incredibly well-behaved new babe. I find myself constantly worrying about her, not letting myself relax if she’s not in my care. But my husband is totally smitten with his little girl, and he practically booted me out the door on Saturday because he was so excited to have a few hours with just her. So, I threw my stuff in a purse (which felt so weird, since all I carry around these days is a diaper bag), and we headed off for a few hours of baby-less bliss. And it. was. amazing. 

We got there right after it opened, (pro tip: DO THIS. We totally avoided the crazy long lines later in the day!) and headed right for the wine tasting. It was free, and they even handed out peaches, which was a cute little touch. The samples were a sweet Honey Peach wine and a Bubbly Peach Mello. We weren’t into the sweetness of the Honey Peach, so we grabbed a bottle of the bubbly and headed to the lawn to relax. It was a perfect day, especially for the end of July, and we just sat and enjoyed food from a few different trucks, and drank every last drop of that bottle. It was SO refreshing on a summer day. 

                 

The vineyard had a few other drink features for the festival, including a Peach Belgian Blonde Ale (a little too hoppy for my taste), Peach Mello wine slushies, and a Peach Mojito that was incredibly delicious. There were also tons of food trucks on site; my favorite was the Peach pulled Chicken sandwich with pineapple coleslaw from Piper Belle’s BBQ. It really surprised me how well the fruit complemented the barbecue! 

We took a few laps around to check out all the sights, and in the end were satisfied with the 3 hours we spent there. I really enjoyed the space at Spring Gate, it was a rustic atmosphere with pretty, white barns and an open air bar. I checked out the website and it looks like they are always offering specials and events, so I am already planning on a return trip in the future! 

If you’re local to the area or love traveling for a good winery, I highly recommend checking out Spring Gate Vineyards! They really did a great job organizing this event. I know I’ll definitely be on the lookout for it year. With free admission, you really can’t go wrong with all the choices they offered. It was a very family-friendly atmosphere as well, so if you find yourself here in the future, don’t be afraid to bring the kids along! 

So, friends, what are your favorite wineries/breweries? My husband and I are totally on a winery kick right now. I just love the relaxing atmosphere, and we’re always looking to try new places! 

Happy Monday! 

-Bethany 

4 Things I Miss About Being Pregnant

It’s the weekend, everyone! What are you all up to? I’m excited to head to the Peach Festival in Harrisburg tomorrow for some much needed girl time with a beautiful friend. I’m hoping to get some good photos for a new post next week! I’m really enjoying the beginning stages of blogging, and I’m excited for what’s to come.

I’ve spent hours compiling lists and writing out a schedule for this blog, yet somehow I kept leaving my first few weeks open and unscheduled. Maybe i’m planning for a time that I feel my blog will really “take off” or saving the really good posts for when I feel like the website is perfect. Then I realized, that’s just plain silly. I’m making this for me. For all I know, no one will ever read this, and I’ll have saved these posts for nothing. 

So i’m just diving right in. 

Pregnancy is hard. It feels like living in a constant state of marathon-running with a weight strapped to the front of you, while trying to suck down a double chocolate milkshake and eat a basket of curly fries all at once. I literally felt winded from washing my hands somewhere around week 36. 

 But it’s also the most wonderful, magical time. I’ve told my husband quite a few times that I’d stay pregnant forever, as long as I didn’t have to keep delivering and caring for more babies. Yeah, right. One’s good for now.

I have friends who absolutely hated being pregnant. And if that’s you, it’s ok to move on to the next post. I"m not offended. 

But let me tell you 4 reasons why I loved being pregnant and why I miss it (already).

1: Feeling little kicks and jabs.

Pregnancy can be so scary and overwhelming. When all you do is research and read and (try to) prepare for a baby for 9 months, it’s hard not to freak yourself out. There’s entirely too much information out there about things that can go wrong, making you doubt it’s even possible for everything too go right. I spent so much of the first half of my pregnancy in panic mode, thinking that I was going to bend the wrong way or cough too hard (hello severe paranoia. #firsttimemomprobs). Once I felt kicks, I also felt a sudden peace. Those movements were how I relaxed myself. When i wasn't sure if she was ok in there, I drank some juice and she woke right up, giving me a little nudge and telling me she was alright.

2: Loving my body. 

There was nothing more exciting than putting on an outfit, and really looking pregnant. Not full of breakfast burrito; actually pregnant. For me, it was right around 20 weeks that I looked at myself in the mirror and loved the new belly I was sporting. All of a sudden I was all about the fitted clothes and taking weekly bump photos. I loved this new body, and I loved watching it grow a little person. Some of my absolute favorite photos of myself are from when i was pregnant. Pregnancy gave me such a confidence in myself that I never knew I could feel.  

3: Having that little secret between my husband and me for a few weeks.

We didn't tell anyone we were trying to get pregnant, so it was fun to be the only ones who knew for a little while. We loved sharing little looks between each other when it would come up, and enjoyed planning put how we’d tell friends and family. From the day we found out, we loved planning for and dreaming about the future. It was such an incredibly special time that I can’t wait to have again some day. 

4: Decorating the Nursery

I absolutely loved painting and preparing the nursery. It gave me an excuse to shop, and spend hours searching online for paint colors, decor, and any inspiration I could find on Pinterest. I enjoyed perusing the stores and buying cute little decorations for her nursery (sorry bank account), and once it was done, I loved just standing in the doorway, dreaming of what our baby girl would be like. Many tears were shed. Because, hormones. 

Fellow moms, what do you miss (or not miss) about being pregnant? 

Drop me a comment! 

-Bethany 

I'm New Here.

I've tried to start a blog. I mean, like really tried. And every time, I get super pumped and write like 3 really good posts, and then realize that my life isn't that exciting. Not exciting enough to fill a blog.
But here I am a couple of years, a husband, and one adorable daughter later, and I feel like it's officially my time. Right?

Who knows. I'm making it my time.

I've never considered myself, a writer. But maybe that's not a bad thing, since half the blogs I read these days are all about being personable instead of formal. Phew. I can do this. I can write about things that I like, don't like, or just want to remember to cook for dinner this week.

So here I am. I want to write about stuff. I want to document my baby growing. I want to share my life, and connect with others. I want to share about all the Pinterest recipes I fail or fall in love with. I want to share about the joys and woes of being a mom. I want to write down all those things I keep telling myself I want to remember.

I also want to learn. I have some really great blogger friends who have really inspired me, and I want to keep learning from them (and others!) about how to be a successful and consistent blogger. Because let's be honest: It's one thing to start something new - it's a whole other thing to keep it going. I've not so great with the keeping-it-going part in the past.

Please bare with me; I'm trying. Again. It's probably going to start off a little rough. So if you're reading this now, know I have so many goals and ideas. I can't wait to watch this blog improve over time (mental note- Goals is a good future post idea!) <- see, I'm already working on it.


So, Hi. I'm new here. If i don't know you (or if i do!), drop a comment and introduce yourself!


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