Gone to the Potts!

On October 19th, the Sunday after we returned from our honeymoon, we hiked to "The Pots" with my family. 

This was the last time I spent time with my Uncle Jerry. As you know, he passed away very unexpectedly in December.

It was a very emotional hike, these Potts, as my nana used to call them, was a place she played as a child. Located just a short walk into the South Mountains.

The Potts, as she called them, are large basins formed naturally in the middle of Potts Creek. As a child my nana would swim in these basins. The trail head is located off Old CC Road in Golden Valley and is just a short half mile walk in. We parked in the open field just past Fellowship Baptist Church, a little white church up on a hill located miles in away from much of anything.

After a short walk into the woods, cross the creek and hang a right.

The trail isn't marked but it is well worn. You will cross the creek a couple of times.

Then all of a sudden you are there!

It is absolutely beautiful and unlike anything I have ever seen before!

The perfect swimming holes! I can't wait to return in the summer!

This gentleman was our guide, he turned 91 the day after our hike and has been hiking the South Mountains his whole life!

I love this picture of my family, my uncle on the right is missed beyond measure.

Avery Custom Designs

In the last month or so before our wedding we naturally were finalizing some of the last minute details. I started thinking about what gifts I wanted to give my bridesmaids, got those items ordered, we selected the flower girl basket, placed that order and we started looking at ring bearer boxes and discussing the mothers gifts and the groomsmen gifts. 

We decided on a box for the ring bearer to carry rather than the traditional pillow because we loved the look, we loved the idea of a nice wooden box that would also be a keepsake for us for years to come. We are much more likely to use and display a wooden box than a fluffy lacy ribbon adorned pillow. Our wedding was October 4th, early fall and we had a elegant shabby chic wedding planned. We were bringing a lot of outdoor elements into our wedding and our reception and so a wooden box was fitting. After a lot of online browsing I found myself quite disappointed. The boxes I saw were very small and looked more like an arts and crafts project than the type of box I was hopping to find. Still certain a box was what I wanted I narrowed it down to a couple I could live with and I showed them to James for an opinion on which to buy and he said "I can make our ring box". Even better!!!!! 

He came up with a beautiful design and went to work. He is so meticulous and works on anything he does with precision. He spent several nights working on our box, he used two different woods and placed four light wood pieces on the top, he said, to represent the four of us. It is the most perfect and most beautiful ring box I have ever seen!

 

By the time he had finished he decided he would also make the gift boxes for his groomsmen and gift boxes for our mothers. We gave the groomsmen their tie for the wedding beautifully accompanied by a custom wooden gift box. Our mothers received an embroidered hankie in their wooden gift boxes.

These beautiful wooden boxes were the perfect gift solution for us and we knew others may also be on the same hunt as we were so we decided to open up an Etsy shop and offer custom wooden boxes for sale. Take a peak at what we have listed so far and let us know if we can be of service!!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AveryCustomDesigns

It's a new year!

As I sit and reflect on the New Year, and this past year, I am hopeful for 2015. 

The biggest thing at this point I hope for is a year of health and happiness and no death...

I summed up my year through November a few weeks ago, as you know we have had a whirlwind of a year, with the loss of my grandparents and a rough November with my mother in the hospital, she ended up having double bypass surgery and is now on the road to recovery.

At that point I felt strongly that my family had had enough, unfortunately fate was not done with my family and in December we lost my uncle suddenly and unexpectedly. Our hearts are so broken; we have not had time to heal from one tragedy to the next.

I have found myself nervous and a bit fearful now more so than ever before... What's next, I find myself asking…

I hope, along with health and happiness, this year brings with it peace not only for me and my family and friends but also for you and yours!

Peace, Health and Happiness be yours today and every day in the New Year!