You know a weekend is going to be a good one when you start out receiving fresh flowers. It was a complete surprise from my awesome boyfriend when he came to pick me up for our Friday sushi date night.

How gorgeous are these roses?

I love fresh flowers! For the longest time I didn’t see the point or value but they bring such great joy even if only for a while. I started buying them for myself regularly in my last apartment and they always brightened up my house and mood.

Beauty might not last forever, but it’s a wonderful thing while it lasts.

On Saturday I began the rounds of Christmas parties by attending this lovely lady’s annual Christmas tree decoration party.

I hope I’m half as sassy and fun as Jason’s great aunt when I’m her age. She cracks me up so much!

She also hosts a super fun party! You gotta love a party where you get to decorate the Christmas tree, give gifts, receive gifts, and eat some delicious food.

Her Christmas tree and decorations usually have a theme, so this year the decor was “religious” themed and the tree was red, white, and gold. It looked lovely once we were finished.

We had a fantastic time and I hope it’s a tradition we get to partake in for many years to come.

Juju had a wonderful weekend too! After church she got to go visit Jason’s family and spent time playing fetch in the backyard. Now that we are living in a smaller place she only gets walks and free time at the dog park. Having a free yard to run and play in was a treat.

She tired herself out and eventually found some comfy grass to lay in. Isn’t it hilarious how dogs manage to make little nests for themselves?

We also went bowling this weekend to celebrate my youngest brother’s birthday. I somehow managed not to take any photos, but it was incredibly fun.

And the last, but greatest surprise of all, my middle brother asked his amazing girlfriend to marry him!

Ok, so that one wasn’t a huge surprise because I was totally keeping tabs and trying to help as much as possible to make it happen. But it was still a surprise to the family and it was thrilling to hear it went perfectly! Congrats!

I always wanted sisters in my life and I’m thrilled that I’ll have another joining the family. When I was younger I didn’t realize that having three brothers meant one day I’d have multiple sisters-in-law. It’s a pretty thrilling concept now that it’s happening. I’ve been adding people to my life left and right over the last few years and I love them all. I’m incredibly excited about this new addition to the family. Congrats y’all!

Surprises are the best. Family is the best. Life is the best.