(Sadie was clearly pumped to see Greg again! Chase was highly unamused by Sadie’s shenanigans.)
We spent lots of quality time with Grandad Greg and his girlfriend, Gina, and it was so great to see Ryan’s dad light up when he would tickle the feet of his first grandchild.
We kept things pretty casual this weekend and stayed close to home while enjoying quality time with family. Greg and Gina are big walkers, so we made sure to get in a handful of long walks around the neighborhood and also drove up to Lake Norman State Park for a three-mile hike in the late afternoon on Saturday.
(Ryan’s Movember beard is growing in strong!)
It was a bit chilly outside all weekend, but I absolutely loved the excuse to throw on a sweatshirt and begin playing Christmas music for the first time this season. I really do try my best to hold off until after Thanksgiving, but it just wasn’t happening this year.
Since my family is coming in town for Thanksgiving, I used that as an excuse to break out our Christmas decorations early since I wanted our tree to be up for the festivities.
(That was the ornament we used to tell my grandma she was going to be a great grandma! My Aunt Laurie gave it back to me after Mimi passed away and now it’s hanging on our tree and will serve as a reminder of her amazing reaction to our special news!)
The guys wanted to watch football on Sunday, so I took advantage of some downtime at home and put away our fall decorations before red and green décor took over. The holidays are heeeere!
Chase’s stocking (that I admittedly ordered over the summer because I’m a crazy lady) found its place above the fireplace and I couldn’t help but feel a little too excited about our little man’s first Christmas! Sure, he won’t understand anything that’s happening, but I don’t really care.
Let’s see… What else happened this weekend?
Oh! We ate some of the most amazing pizza!
I’ve briefly blogged about Alino Pizzeria before, but if you live in the Charlotte area, please make the drive up to Mooresville to get pizza from Alino’s. It really is so darn tasty!
They import nearly all of the ingredients they use from Italy and you can tell. Everything from their caprese salad to their thin crust pizza is fabulous.
Whit’s frozen custard happened again this weekend as well.
I think Ryan and I have gone back to Whit’s for custard every weekend since we discovered it on our anniversary. This time we shared a large Almond Joy custard and it was on point. I’m already salivating thinking about the frozen custard pumpkin pie we ordered from Whit’s for Thanksgiving!
I hope your weekend was a fun one and included some delicious food as well. Have a great Monday, my friends!
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Sounds like a fantastic weekend. I’m desperate to get iur decorations up too but it’s far too early for us yet.
Wow, I’m never up to see your posts go live, but here I am, stumbling into this in the wee hours (for me!). Love that look on Chase’s face in the photo with Sadie and your father-in-law and Ryan. Ha ha, he’s such a ham! His smiles are contagious, even way up here!
Extra hugs to you for when you put up Mimi’s ornament, I know that must have been bittersweet, but how exciting that you have that fantastic pic to commemorate her reaction to the great Chase news! Glad there can still be the sweet part of bittersweet. Love Chase’s stocking, AND those berries on your mantel! Super cute!
(I am a-okay with people who start Christmas music and holiday decor early. I took baby steps myself this weekend. I prepped the mantel and spent the day making a huge batch of lemon ricotta hotcakes to store in the freezer. Yum!)
That gigantic fresh mozzarella ball looks INSANEly delicious. Looks like your weekend with Ryan’s dad and his girlfriend were cozy and perfect. Thanks for the fun recap, as always! Happy Monday!
Since halloween and thanksgiving aren’t celebrated in Europe (by the public that is 😉 ), Christmas seems to come in September ! And I’ve already commented on this once before, but your HAIR looks incredible! 😀 Have a great Monday!
I’m dying to start decorating for Christmas!!!!
I started listening to Christmas music a few weeks ago. The radio started playing it this weekend so i don’t feel so silly anymore, haha! The Christmas season goes by way too fast so i like to prolong it as much as i can.
P.S
I’ve been patiently waiting for a hair care post since your hair looks so pretty in all of your posts lately. Would you consider writing one?
My niece has her’s up already too! Has had her mum plagued for weeks!
i’m so happy i have a short work week before a long wonderful thanksgiving break! 🙂 enjoy the week! 🙂
Sounds like you all had a lovely weekend, and how special that Ryan’s Dad got to meet his first grand baby – priceless! 🙂
I’m with you, I actually started decorating for Christmas this weekend as well! Our tree didn’t make it up yet, but I will probably get started on that tonight. It’s just too much fun to wait!! Plus I also enjoy having the festive Christmas decor up for Thanksgiving, I think it makes Thanksgiving seem extra special too.
Have a great start to your week Julie!!
Christina
Chase makes the best facial expressions! I love that you’ve hung your Mimi’s ornament and are using it as a reminder for amazing times!
I love the Christmas decor! We normally go crazy on Black Friday but we’ll be out of town until next Monday with family so we’ll need to decorate when we get home after that!
We started decorating this weekend as well! No tree yet, but have the little thins up. When we have kids one day I”m sure i’ll be even worse!
Umm how is Chase getting even CUTER?! Looks like such a fun “first meeting” weekend 🙂 I started feeling the Christmas spirit this weekend too and busted out some Christmas tunes as I was baking and was totally in my happy place!
I’ve been listening to Christmas music all month. I just can’t wait! I’m the crazy person who will listen to Christmas music year round, just because it makes me so happy! Sometimes you need that when you’re having a rough day at work 🙂
I think a lot of us are giving into the holiday spirit…I say that like it’s a bad thing! I’ve been listening to Christmas music here & there for a few weeks and FINALLY my husband got on board this weekend. It IS the most wonderful time of the year! 🙂
My decorations have been up for a week. I don’t understand why people wait! It’s so fun to eat Thanksgiving dinner by the glow of Christmas lights.
Your hair looks awesome!!
Thank you, Kate!!
Hi Julie! I love your stockings – what size are they from pottery barn? Can’t decide if I should go small or medium? Thank you!
Medium! 🙂
We started decorating this weekend too! I’m trying to defend it on the grounds that it finally started to get chilly here in Texas, and Christmas decorations just make everything cozier, but really I couldn’t wait past Thanksgiving! Also I love your starry print leggings! So cute!
Totally agree!! 🙂
For me, Christmas music began in October, so don’t fret over your early radio switch. Happy Monday, Julie!
My goodness, that second picture with Grandpa is perfection! He looks so excited and proud. Looks like a fantastic weekend. 🙂
Grandpa looks so happy holding Chase!
What an awesome weekend and lovely meeting and bonding for Grandpa and grandson! I successfully held back this year, but as of Friday it’s coming out 🙂
I hear you on decorating. I try so hard to wait until Thanksgiving. But this year I feel like Thanksgiving is soo much later. Our tree has been up a week now!
My husband is Jewish and such a grinch about x-mas decor. I’ve convinced him to get a couple things that I can’t wait to put up after T-giving!
also would love a hair update post!
Your hair looks fantastic! How do you curl it like that? Also, has it gotten thicker?
Thank you! I curl it by wrapping it around the outside of a curling iron, hair spraying the heck out of it and then brushing it out! I think it did get a little thicker thanks to pregnancy, but now it’s starting to fall out!
I am so excited to pull out all the Christmas decorations this weekend!! I came home from out of town on Sunday to 4 inches of snow on the ground! It makes me even more excited for the holidays 🙂
Awe! What a special weekend!! Your house is looking great and that ornament is so special! I have started the Christmas music here too.
What a lovely weekend! Chase’s smile is adorable. And it is more than ok to rock the Xmas music early!!!
Looks like another fun weekend! I can’t get myself to put up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, but my mom was listening to Christmas music when I walked in this Saturday! Chase’s expressions are too adorable!
Aw I love that picture of Chase smiling! 🙂 So cute! Looks like a great weekend. I am so excited to decorate for Christmas!
I love that you got the ornament back that you gave to your grandmother – I actually teared up a little bit when I read that. There are so many memories and stories attached to the ornaments on my family tree it will be something you will pull out every year smile and remember your grandmother. I love it.
i LOVE Chase’s sweet smile! He is so precious! And I totally don’t blame you for putting up your Christmas decorations! I put mine up last week because we are going to be out of town until after Thanksgiving and I wanted them up before we left. 🙂
Have you said before where those amazing leggings are from? They’re absolutely gorgeous!
Ah I have been trying so hard to not watch Christmas movies and play music till after Thanksgiving too! But I did take out some of my Christmas decorations too!
Where is Sadie’s stocking? ; )
Love this! Its so cute when people meet the family baby! SO adorable 🙂 You look fabulous for just having a kid too 🙂 xo C
Christmas music is the best! I try to hold out too but it just makes me so happy I can never wait too long 🙂
Oh that smiley picture of Chase. Adorable!!
Are your leggings from fabletics?
I almost cried seeing that ornament from your Mimi. What a special memory to have!
Chase’s smile! OMG what a cutie!
I have tried to hold off as well but at toddler who is obsessed with Christmas has won me over!
It took me the longest time to figure out what changed about Ryan .. the beard!!!!! Duh