500 Days Since We Said 'I Do'

Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Festivus..., and Happy New Year!

Last I left you we were getting ready to celebrate Halloween, and Autumn and everything Thanksgiving!

Even this has been updated from the state that this is in. Wait until you see our new fireplace!

Since then we've stopped living in a construction maze, finished up all renovations, had a Thanksgiving feast, a Christmas feast, and hosted our very first cocktail party as a married couple in our very first (new to us) home! It has definitely been an epic journey getting here, and worth every second of torture to be this blissfully happy at the end of it.

Putting this chandelier together... and the end result... ahh

This has now been moved to fit over our table! YAY!

Suki has been styling as the weather has been getting chilly...

And now on to the most beautiful Thanksgiving Feast!

Please try to contain your excitement (even though we can't!)!

Mom's gorgeous Table-scape:

Poppin' a bit o' Bubbly for the Special occasion...

Ooohhh, getting that turkey ready!

I think Dad was mastering his mannequin technique

Do we know how to party or WHAT?!

As is per tradition, we all went out the next day to sit on Santa's lap and get our Christmas tree for this magical season!

We're not bad... we're just drawn that way...

So then we had to hunt for our perfect Christmas tree...!

So many choices!

Oh, this is the one...

I am one with nature and this tree...

Then we went over to help The Momma decorate her tree!

Magical moments!

That weekend we also celebrated an epic 30th Birthday for our wonderful friend!

Shawn then surprised me with this little upgrade to our gorgeous kitchen!

Afterwards it was Cookie Making Time! CHRISTMAS COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!

Then the best thing ever happened: WE GOT OUT COUNTERTOPS! AFTER 3 MONTHS OF NOT USING OUR KITCHEN WE FINALLY HAVE THE FINAL PEICE TO USE THEM! YAY!!!! LOOK HOW GORGEOUS THEY ARE!

From there we went to full on Power-mode and in between decorating for Christmas, we finished our last few projects... and Shawn created the face of our (now) GORGEOUS FIREPLACE!

And FINALLY, our Fireplace REVEAL!

And since the fireplace face was completed... it was time to go and take care of EVERYTHING else.

So I went from room to room, putting away every thing that needed a home. Every tool, every holiday decor, EVERYTHING... until I was finally back in the living room/foyer.

We were having our very first cocktail party ever and I had finally made it to the front to start cleaning that area... The parents came over and gave of great big tables for food and drinks for our huge holiday bash! The time had come for our big reveal...

And then it was Christmas Morning...

And, really, while the fireplace is my first ultimate favorite Christmas gift... Shawn surprised me with this beautiful gift...

We opened a few little things... Suki got her Elk antler Christmas Gift, and we headed over for Christmas with my parents...

Another epic feast awaited our arrival after we all opened gifts to each other!

The night before we powered through the last few things that needed to be done for our cocktail party only in a few short hours!

From this...

To THIS

The drinks were chilled, the antlers placed neatly on our little reindeer sliders, and it was time to party our very first party and open our newly renovated home for everyone to see for the first time completely done!

The party was a HIT!

And we finally got to put our selfie-stick to great use!

It was, quite literally, the best Christmas we ever had.

This was our very first Christmas in our new home, our very own (very FIRST) party hosted in our new home, and everyone coming together in our new home.

It was, literally, the best Christmas I've ever had. My heart is so full of love and joy. Thank you to all who shared this epic day with us.

And... because I wasn't ready for Christmas to be over, we all decided it was time to finally see the Shadybrook Farm Christmas Light Show. EPICNESS ALL AROUND.

And because renovating is never over... it was time to get new fireplace panels...

Last piece of this puzzle are our logs (gas insert was just stalled)! That will happen in the new year (next week) and all will be epically complete and life will be even more amazing and beautiful than it already is.

Truly, I keep saying it, but I mean every word: I am so happy. 4 months ago it never felt like we would get here. We would no longer live in a maze of construction, I would walk in and see crap everywhere (be it gross rotting cabinetry, or drop cloth filled with a thousand different kinds of tools, or boxes and boxes, both empty and full of ... everything.

And now... here we are. Done.

Also, now... I want to have all the parties!

AH! My heart is so full and I am so happy!

Next on the list: New TV, and, eventually, doors. TV first.

Thank you all for the most epic Christmas I ever had. Thank you!

Love,
Mrs. Caple