I know what you're probably thinking, "it's not even September yet and you've already visited a pumpkin patch?"

We haven't yet, but I'm feeling nostalgic over the last time we went last fall. In the fall, I turn into a pumpkin-spice loving, boot and plaid flannel wearing woman. Yes, I am pretty basic during that time of year, but it's my absolute favorite season.

Around this time last year, I told him that I wanted to do all of the fall activities since we didn't really get a chance to during previous years. One of these things included going to a pumpkin patch in Maryland where we drank iced apple cider, ate apple cider donuts, and watched people pick out pumpkins.

Maybe this year we'll purchase one.

I never imagined that at my age I would own a home. In fact, while we discussed looking for homes around the second year that we lived in our old apartment, we didn’t expect to actually find a home in a matter of months. The home-buying process was such a blessing and also a complete whirlwind where I think we both had to stop for a moment and say to each other, “is this for real?”

Not many people our age have homes, so we also realize how much of a blessing it is to even own a place. We are incredibly thankful for it and for God's hand through the entire process.

I think what I have looked forward to the most about being a homeowner is being able to make our space ours. Sure, we could do that with an apartment, but it’s much more challenging when it’s not yours. Having a home gives us the freedom to change the landscape, add or remove as we please and expand our family, one day knowing that we have the space.

One of the first things we cooked for dinner in this space was tacos.

Tacos are right next to words of affirmation on my list of love languages. I wholeheartedly believe that I could eat tacos everyday and never get sick of them, so as much as I love tacos, it’s probably not a surprise that our first meal together in our new home consisted of that.

It’s one of my favorite things to eat and it’s something I’ve perfected over the years because it’s so easy to make. When I’m really feeling fancy, I add garlic and caramelized onions to the mix, but I digress.



What’s more important than the food are the moments and laughs shared around it. It’s the inside jokes shared between us or the moments of prayer we have.

It’s trying to keep Reese off the counter because now that we have an island, she thinks it’s she’s invited to eat at the table, too.

It’s the little things.

It's the in the little things that make a home feel like home.

Truthfully, our old apartment felt a lot like home to us because it was our first place together. It was the first place we lived in after marriage and the place the held so many joyous and sad memories for us. What made it home was not the side of it, but it was inside of it. The same sentiment goes for our home, which is definitely bigger than our old apartment.

It's in the memories we create and the laughter we share.

It's in the get-togethers with friends and family.

It's in the little inside jokes.

It's in the little and big prayers.

As cliche as it sounds, home is where the heart is.

I am convinced that home is not just where we lay our heads, but it’s where we fill our bellies with laughter, joy, and tacos. Lots of tacos.

We love to travel, but we’re often traveling on a budget.

As a result, we both have had to become more comfortable learning how to budget, save, and really maximize our experience so that we’re not going broke for the sake of our love for exploring new places.

One of the many places we have on our unpublished bucket-list was Boston, MA. Maybe it’s the endless access to lobster (lobstah) or the Boston accents, but my husband and I have always had a shared love for Boston. I can’t say that without sounding incredibly weird, but it’s true.

Last November, we traveled to Boston to experience the city together in celebration of our one year wedding anniversary. There’s so much to do there that we did not get a chance to experience it all. It’s definitely on our list of places to visit again.

There's a trail called the Freedom Trail that takes you through pretty much all of the historical sites in Boston such as Paul Revere's house, the African American meeting house where historical figures such as Frederick Douglass stood to give speeches and more! It was so surreal standing on the same floors that so many influential generations of African-Americans stood before me.

Other than eating, we also visited the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, which was a wonderful experience. I never visited a presidential library because there aren't many on the east coast, but visiting his caused me to look into some other ones that I'd love to visit one day.

If you’re curious, here’s some snapshots of our experiences there through the lens of our camera.

Boston Farmer's Market

Curious George store! Oh, my childhood heart.

Sometime last July, we got the opportunity to travel to Ithaca, New York to explore the Robert Treman Park with family. It was our first time going to Ithaca and our second time hiking together. This time it was even more special because we were able to spend time with our family and try something new together.

Before going on the hike, we spent some time having a picnic outside where we ate delicious, traditional Korean food. The layout included kimchi, galbi, and more!












The hiking trail was probably easier than some, but those steps are definitely not for the faint at heart. There were many hills and gorges we walked that were so high and so steep that they built steps out of them. There was also one where one of us actually slipped and fell (*ahem* me). It was definitely embarrassing, but it helped having family around me to help me and make sure I was okay.

I am actually petrified of heights so there were some parts of the trail that had me literally and figuratively shaking in my boots. As scary as it was, the hike was worth it because they were beautiful views that I wouldn't have seen had I followed my fear instead of enjoying the moment.











The next day after we rested a bit, we went towards the direction of the Finger Lakes with the intention of perhaps getting on one of the cruises that heads out there. However, it was very expensive and if I remember correctly, they weren't running them because of the holiday weekend, so we could not. We still enjoyed ourselves by sitting along the water, talking and watching the wildlife go by.







Overall, it was a wonderful trip and we enjoyed spending time with family while exploring somewhere new!