July 6th was our 2 year anniversary of living in Charleston.

TWO YEARS ALREADY!  

This occasion snuck up on us (again) as we’ve been committed residents of Babyland for 4 straight weeks.  You better believe that when Scott and I realized the date (at 8:00 at night), that we stared longingly at each other with both gratitude and relief.  We found our forever home, we made the 100% right decision, and we have absolutely no regrets.  We are the main characters in a story of happiness.  The setting?  Charleston.

There were fireworks following the soccer game that night, which I like to believe were in our honor.  What?  I just know that my love ordered them up!

We are so grateful to absolutely love where we live.  If I could find Chuck, I’d squeeze his cheeks so hard!!!

Charleston – WE LOVE YOU!

On a related note, Charleston ranked high on yet another survey.  Charleston ranked #4 on Travel & Leisure’s Best City in U.S. and Canada.  Charleston hotels and Kiawah Island were also ranked high on other portions of this annual list. Check it out and GOOOOOO Charleston!

 Who else loves where they live?  Do we have any shot of our little one loving Charleston as much as we do?!

xoxo

p.s. Here’s my 1 year anniversary in Charleston post from last year, if you’re interested!

p.s.s. My parents hit their Chucktown 1 year anniversary a couple of weeks ago!!!

Beach Count: 76  

Pool Count: 30 

High Temperature: 96° 

Well – Chick-fil-A has done it again.  In love, I am.  All over again.

I had just completed my breastfeeding class and it was 8:30pm.  [I have seen enough boobs (on video and PowerPoint) for a while, thankyouverymuch.]  It’s the first class or anything really that I have gone to alone and it was just a very long day.  I had to pee (shocker) and was practically across the street from Chick-fil-A.  It was a no brainer…girlfriend needed an Icedream Cone.

I used the restroom and then ordered my small Icedream cone.  The nicer-than-nice gentlemen who took my order rang me up and then said words that are music to my ears – “That’ll be on the house tonight, ma’am.”

Say whaaaaat?

Where else?  Seriously?

I LOVE YOU CHICK-FIL-A.  The forever kinda love. ♥

(Not to mention homeboy hooked me up with a large!)

Ahhh.  The man saved me less than two dollars, but REALLY he saved my entire day.  =)

Next week we have Baby Boot Camp class – same time next week, Chick-fil-A?!

xoxo

p.s. Thanks for voting on my hospital gown.  Looks like the blue one is the winner!  I’ll model it for y’all when I get it!

Beach Count: 76 → The beach went well – 2 hours or less and baby & I are happy!

Pool Count: 29 

High Temperature: 87°  

Baby T.’s Southern Shower – through pictures…

Me and Baby -29 weeks ♥

Yummy treats (mini-cinnamon buns in the take out containers with the tag “Thank you for coming – from Sarah & her little bun in the oven”)

Mason jars for sweet tea

Some of the food spread

Sweet lil’ socks

Presents for the babe!

Everyone designed a onesie – Scott was the judge and Liz was the winner (what do you think the theme of the onesie was?  BEER, OF COURSE!)

My near future…Cathy with baby boy Kellen ♥

Julie and me (and my delish mocktail)

Some action shots – super soft blanket

Let’s hope Baby’s T.’s head is that small – adorable newborn hats

Aww – lots of duckies

What?  I’ve been leaking for weeks!

Me and my Mama!

I didn’t get a pic with Scott or with the whole crew, but it’s hard to think of photo ops when you’re busy having too much fun!

I DID get this adorable one of my matching parents.

I mean – c’mon!  Just stop it with the cuteness.

THANK YOU, MOM, FOR THROWING THE SHOWER and THANKS to everyone for coming!  We appreciate every single one of you.  Baby T. CANNOT wait to meet you all!

XOXO

p.s. I’m so glad that timing worked out for my Aunt Carolyn to be in town for Baby T.’s Southern Shower.  Loved you being there – xoxo!

p.s.s. The suitcases are OUT and ready for NY packing.  I’m holding out until the weather forecast warms up a bit

Beach Count: 75   

Pool Count: 29 

High Temperature: 84° 

*Week 26*

CURRENT STATS

Percentage Cooked: 65%

Baby Size: A little bit bigger than last time.  Very specific, I know.  I can’t find a cute analogy this week!

Countdown to Baby: 14 weeks (182 days down, 98 to go!)

Symptoms: Raise your hand if you’ve got back cleavage.

I’m off balance.  Like fall-up-the-stairs kind of off balance.  Yeah.  Not good.  Mama needs to slow down to make time for her back fat to catch up.  Lesson learned.

I have started a waddle.  This is strictly due to my thighs rubbing together at all times.

Nose bleeds are back in action.

[whisper voice]: The leaking continues…

Cravings:  Double Stuf Oreos, ice cream, and anything strawberry.

Weight Gain: 20ish elle beez, fo sho

Related Purchases: 2 lamp bases from Target and some paper lanterns to take for a test drive.

Fear of the Week: Baby’s movement patterns have changed.  I’ve been a bit paranoid because I can no longer predict when Baby T. is going to shake his/her moneymaker.  Every time this stresses me out, he/she give me a good jab.  Regardless, I like me some predictability!!!

Relief of the Week: This is my final week of the 2nd trimester!  I passed my glucose test!  I have a doctor’s appointment next week!  (I’m clearly excited!)

Randomness:  We have started to receive shower gifts in the mail.  A cumulative post will follow to catch everyone up…and to publicly thank said everyone!  Doncha just love the internet? 

New York flights are booked – BAM!  (And OHHHH SHOOT!)

People who see me everyday have all of a sudden realized that I am, in fact, pregnant.  Um, have you seen me lately?  I’m also really short.  Not new either.  People respond in total shock when they learn of my due date.  ”Wow, you have a long time to go!”  Why yes, yes, I do.  And yes, for the love of my sanity, I’m sure I’m not having twins.  No really, I’m laughing on the inside.  (I’ll fight you.)

I have a small case of road rage.  Don’t you know that I’m pregnant and that you need to be über careful driving around me?  Uh-duh.  Yes Charleston, I am to blame for the increased local beeping.

I’m an emotional mess.  I cried while intermittently laughing during a sad movie the other night.  I’m pretty sure there was a nose bleed in there before or after a HOTTER THAN HOT snort.  I’m a mess and YOU may be an innocent bystander.  Equip yourself with tissues and a getaway car, people.

Scott’s Quote of the Week:  Scott – “You are a mess right now.  I have to pick up after you like…this is a pigpen.”  Oops – so true.  I’m so sorry!!!  Love you, babe!

May 1st, it is.  Who’s excited?!  

ME!!!  

May holds my Mom’s birthday, Mother’s Day, a Babymoon Staycation (more to come on this!), visitors from NY, and my Southern baby shower.  ALSO, the countdown until summer vacation IS ON!  

xoxo

p.s. Jessica Simpson finally had that baby!  Said best on the Twitter account for Chelsea Lately – “Jessica Simpson finally had her baby, a third-grader named Maxwell.”  bahaha

via here

Beach Count: 73   

Pool Count: 25 

High Temperature: 82° 

Attention: There will be no B-word usage in this post.  I repeat – NO B-WORD!

Here are some gems on the internet that I am loving right now…

1. This Craigslist car ad is a-maz-ing.  You are sadly missing out if you don’t click to enlarge this puppy.

I have to assume that this car was sold, on humor alone.

2.  I’m a huge Jimmy Fallon fan.  Mostly because he’s hilarious, but also because he attended my alma mater – The College of Saint Rose (he was a few credits short of graduating, but earned an honorary degree in 2009).  Here are Jimmy Fallon and President Obama slow jamming the news!

3. This is way old (like January), but I am still obsessed with it and have been meaning to share it with you all forever.  I never knew how super, insanely cute Kristen Bell was!!!  I promise a serious cry-laugh situation.  Side Note: I relate to her emotional scale, like woah.

Second Side Note: Doesn’t my friend Talia look like Kristen Bell, kinda? (circa October 2009)

No, my hair wasn’t really that short…just very layered!

4. Today, Boeing rolled out the brand new 787 Dreamliner.  This sleek new airliner was built right here in North Charleston and it’s the very first ever to be unveiled.  It’s kind of a big deal.  It’s good for Charleston’s economy, morale, and overall future.  I mean, look at what’s written on the front of this ginormous piece of machinery  - “Made With Pride in South Carolina” with the SC flag and all.  Thank you, Boeing!!!

From ABC News 4

That’s all for now!  Scott and I are off to Blackbaud Stadium to watch a Charleston Battery game (soccer).  Let’s see if I manage to catch any of the game while busy making out with my extremely large and salty soft pretzel (that they better have)!  Beach tomorrow, then catching up with awesome friends at a BBQ.  Sunday – church and maybe Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival in Mount Pleasant?

What’s everyone up to this weekend?  Enjoy!!!  

p.s. No mention of the B-word throughout this entire post…I’m proud!

p.s.s. Have fun at TAP NY, friends (still my favorite beer festival ever).  We wish we could be there!!!

Beach Count: 72   

Pool Count: 24

High Temperature: 86°

I think I’ve been holding out long enough, no?

Remember this picture of the 9-cube organizer?

Well that’s what it looked like against the brown wall.  THIS is what it looks like against the freshly painted walls in Valspar’s Nordic Blue (with some randomness on there, for now).

Much better, right?

But since you’ve already seen that piece of furniture (Target), I’ll give you even more of a sneak peek.  Check out the rug that I’m in LOVE with from Urban Outfitters…

Yay! (sorry the lighting isn’t great!)

So – gray and white chevron, baby blue, and primary colors will be the reoccurring color “theme” in Baby T.’s nursery.  Bold and not gender-specific (we think this blue says “baby” and not “boy”).

Interested in more details?  Stay tuned as I share more sneak peeks!

We are headed downtown to the Farmer’s Market this morning with two of our great friends.  Can’t wait!  

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!

Beach Count: 72   

Pool Count: 23 

High Temperature: 78°

Don’t worry…this ain’t ma thang.  My opinions are scattered and varied and I lose interest quickly.

However, I HAVE to mention how flooded Charleston has been with politics – especially in this past week!!!  Ya see, the story goes that the winner of the South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary has gone on to win the nomination since 1980…so it’s all kind of a big deal around here.  The Primary will be held this Saturday, January 21st, so the madness has been kicked into super high gear!

My Dad met Jon Huntsman for some waffles at Honeymoon Cafe on Daniel Island.  He shook everyone’s hand.  [This just in: Huntsman's reportedly dropping out and endorsing Mitt Romney like.right.now.]

(via)

Both Mom and Dad went to Rick Santorum’s question-and-answer session at Daniel Island School.

(via)

My parents also went to Mike Huckabee’s forum at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre in downtown Charleston.  They said it was a lot of fun.  I question their fun-o-meter, but they didn’t ask.  Ha!

(via)

Romney, Santorum, Paul, Gingrich, and Perry will be in Myrtle Beach tonight for a debate and there will be one more debate in South Carolina on Thursday.

If Charleston gets a Ron Paul sighting, we’re there!  But if I’m being honest, these kids know more about politics than I do…

SO CUTE!

So…serious question…will all of the commercials stop post-January 21st?  Pretty please??

Did I lose you?  Don’t worry – me talking politics is a major, circumstantial FLUKE!

p.s. Off to Starbucks for a celebratory we-have-a-Monday-off Frappucino.  =)

p.s.s. I will catch up on responding to comments today…PROMISE!

Beach Count: 64  

High Temperature: 56°  

12 months is a long time.  As promised, with each year, those months feel shorter and quicker and, well, sneakier.  Here goes my first attempt at a year in review!  I suggest a beverage and  a snack break around June/July…it was a busy year!

Disclaimer: *Charm* wasn’t born until March of 2011, so (as you’ll see), January and February are pretty fuzzy.  This fact reminds me why I not only write this blog for YOU but as a documenting tool for ME.  =)  Also, I planned on highlighting each month with just ONE picture (“Highlights, Sarah, HIGHLIGHTS!”).  Fat chance…that lasted 1 month!

The Year 2011!

1 – JANUARY

We were fresh off our snow-filled trip to NY, SO happy to be home in 70° weather.  We took a trip to the beach, took some trips downtown, and celebrated Scott’s 32nd birthday.  (Apparently, by ourselves according to the picture above!) Hmph – I’ll document this January a little more seriously  ;)

2 – FEBRUARY

We visited the South Carolina Aquarium for the first time.  I swiftly blogged about it in June.  #oops  #FAIL

We went to a fun Super Bowl party with great friends where I won an award for my garbage bread – yay!

We had an awesome visit from our awesome Scottish friends, Jeremy and Carrianne.  Martelle even came down from Charlotte for a bit to visit (you remember him, right?).  We all fawned over Baileigh-boo and had a fabulous time!  If only we lived a little closer!!!  xoxo

All of us, minus gorgeous Carrianne (if only pictures could take themselves!).  

Lastly, we went to Brewvival and had a ball.  We need to get on the tickets for this year, STAT!  Chucktown peeps, if you like beer and good food – do it, do it, DO IT!

3 – MARCH

We had our second beer tasting at the house, celebrated St. Patty’s Day at Westbrook, and pimped out our patio.

And shall I not forget, I published my very first post on *Charm of Charleston* where I introduced Spikey to the world!

Dead already?  I think so  =(

4 – APRIL

April was bizzzz-eeeeee!  

We had our first Bridge Run experience (sans the actual running part).  What a fun time downtown.  Can you say MIMOSAS?!

Pool weather, it was!

The Brewers stopped by for a quick 5-hour visit on their drive down to Florida (I think this was April and not February??).

I went to my first ever tennis match at the Family Circle Cup and learned that this is a quiet event (who knew?!).

Scott’s brother, Johnny, came down for his first visit.  Scott’s parents’ also came down for their first visit, overlapping Johnny’s by a few days.  Good times!!!

I went to my first Southern wedding…Buffie and Jay’s!

Scott’s parents left and mine came in on the very same day (zZzZzZ)!  We celebrated Easter at Boone Hall Plantation, commemorated the Royal Wedding, and my parents picked out their future house!

AND THEN, we slept  =)

5 – MAY

We checked out downtown Charleston’s Farmer’s Market for the first time, I drooled over the best.burger.ever from Coleman Public House, we soaked up some 90° days, I confessed my ridiculous issues with blinking, and I met the lovely and talented Christina behind Hungry Meets Healthy!

6 – JUNE

We bought the iPad 2 and went to NY for 23 days.  We saw all of our favorite friends and family, went to our friend Katrina’s wedding, and spent as much time as possible at Scott’s parents’ lake house.  The biggest event?  Mom and Dad said goodbye to living in the Northeast and MOVED TO CHARLESTON!

::How ya holdin’ up?  Snacky time?  Hang in, we’re halfway there!::

7 – JULY

Well, I blogged once a day during July (er, 31 blogs in 31 days) and loved-every-second-of-it!

Big things happened this month.  BIG!  Christina and Mike visited from NY for the 4th (!!!), Scott and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Charleston AND our 3rd wedding anniversary, we bid farewell to Spikey while welcoming Spunky into the family, Mom and Dad closed on their house, and we found out that we were pregnant.

8 – AUGUST

We celebrated Shark Week by watching a screening of Jaws on the lawn at the Aquarium – FUN!  We checked out the ginormously spectacular tree that is Angel Oak and fell in love with Kiawah Island.  Mom, Dad, and I went to the 8th Annual Wine Stomping Festival at Irvin House Vineyards.  I did some cleaning that resulted in this flashback, this one, and this one.  Luckily, we dodged a large bullet that was Hurricane Irene.  And on a Debbie Downer note, we found out the worst news possible – that we lost our baby.

9 – SEPTEMBER

EXCLUSIVE: Scott was busted for being his bad@$$ self and experienced the rare comfort of the back of a cop-mobile.  A-gain.  Did I forget to share that in September?  (Jokes, it’s our neighbor’s “ride.”  Yes, we’re cool enough to stage fake arrests.  What?!)

Y’all helped me decide that I am a Carolina Gamecocks fan, I poured my heart out on 9/11, and we had our 3rd beer tasting party,

10 – OCTOBER

We celebrated our house anniversary, I shared my you-can-barely-see-me magazine debut, I was invited to and attended Southern Living’s Taste of Charleston event at Boone Hall Plantation, I had a week-long birthday celebration, we went to Charlotte Oktoberfest (where Scott’s homebrew was on tap!), and visited Asheville, NC!!!

11 – NOVEMBER

Scott received his ribbon for coming in first place for his saison in the Savannah Homebrew Contest, we experienced a gorgeous sunset on Sullivan’s, checked out Middleton Place (whoops, still need to blog about this!), and had a 36-hour Knupp marathon IN CHARLESTON.  We also hosted Thanksgiving for the 2nd time – this year with my parents, brother (for his first Chucktown visit), and brother in-law.  =)

 12 - DECEMBER

Scott and I went on our first annual trip (oh yes, it’ll be an annual thang) to Brookgreen Gardens for Nights of a Thousand Candles.  Ahhh – romance. ♥

My first guest blogger, the hilarious Brooke at Veggie Table, shared her great honeymoon in Charleston with us (yay – thanks again!!!)

ANDDDDD…I basically slacked for the rest of December!

And there was my year is a very large and wordy nutshell ← typical ME!

Seriously though, 2011 year was filled with MANY ups and some pretty down-in-the-dumps downs.  I blogged through it all and am very grateful for the opportunity to share my life with YOU.  Thanks for the memories 2011, but 2012 is going to be MY YEAR!!!

Happy New Year, loves! ♥

p.s. If you actually read through this entire post, we are officially best friends forever.  

Beach Count: 64  

High Temperature: 60°  

This dance is called “The Charleston.”  I just couldn’t resist!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, BLOG LOVES!!!

Southern Confusion

3 Southern Thesaurus entries for you.  I realize that I owe you.  (It’s been a while!)

Southern Thesaurus – Entry #10

North Charleston = Nort/Nor Charleston

That lil “th” means nothing.  I don’t know why, but it’s just the way it is.  I was shocked at first, but now you can consider me officially GUILTY.  I, too, leave off those pesky little letters!  I don’t have time for that nonsense  ;)

My favorite part of the Nor Charleston – the Tanger Outlets (from here)

Southern Thesaurus – Entry #11

Asheville = Asheville (rhyming with Ashehill – totally normal!) BUT…

Greenville = Greenvull (rhyming with “Greenfull”)

Very Southern sounding.  I can’t.  I just can’t.

BTW – there’s a Greenville in North AND South Carolina.  Just to confuse me.

Southern Thesaurus – Entry #12

Lightning Bugs = Fireflies

I haven’t seen any since we’ve lived here, so I haven’t heard much about them. However, country music has taught me this thesaurus entry (thanks, old school Faith Hill).

(from here)

I have no explanations for the above entries.  Just wanted to share!  =)

THANKS! 

Check out my second Babycenter blog by clicking here.  4 more to come.

Thank you for all of the positivity and supportive comments.  They mean the world to me. ♥

Seriously.

My heart is full.

Asheville blog tomorrow…promise!!!

GO GIANTS!!!

p.s. Johnny T. is here and Jon C. will be here in about 24 hours.  Do I really have to work tomorrow?!

p.s.s. The weather has been unreal…so beautiful!!!  

Beach Count: 64  

High Temperature: 73°