The Perfect 5 Year Wedding Anniversary Gift

Last month was our five year wedding anniversary. With some big home projects on the go, Christmas coming up and a new baby on the way, we kept the celebration low-key and agreed on no gifts this year. We've now said the same thing for Christmas.

Except, I really wanted to get my husband something special, something that says, "thank you for getting up every single morning and going to work, providing for your family, for loving us with all your heart and being the best father and dad a family could ask for". So when JORD Wood Watches offered to send me a watch to review, I knew I wanted to pick one for Jim. And how fitting that the traditional gift for the 5 year wedding anniversary is wood!

I've had my eye on JORD Wood Watches for months now. I love the all wood design and how elegant and unique they look. It's a watch that can be dressed up or down depending on your style as the wood really compliments any outfit. The hardest part is deciding which one to get!

For Jim, I went with the Koa & Ash from the men's series. I loved the dark grey face with lighter wood band. I knew it was a watch he could wear to work and also on the weekends. JORD Watches are definitely a statement piece in my opinion, but they aren't flashy in an obnoxious sense.

I'd be lying if I said I don't plan on borrowing this watch from time to time! I love how light it is and since it's a bit looser on my wrist, it hangs perfectly. But if I was to pick one from the women's series, I'd be all over the Zebrawood & Turquoise one! How fun is that pop of colour?!

If you're thinking you want one of these wood watches in your life too, then click on this link and enter your information and you will receive a $25 instant gift code to use! (Offer expires on December 18, 2016, but you will have until February 28, 2017 to use it).

*This post was sponsored by JORD Wood Watches but all opinions and reviews 

expressed are my own*

Wooden Wristwatch

Happy Blogiversary to Me & A Giveaway!

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I started my little blog. Technically, my blogiversary is on January 2nd, but with the New Year and all the goal talking posts I wanted to get out there, I thought I'd hold off until this week to have a little celebration!

When I started my blog 4 years ago (then called Eat Books), I really had no idea what I was doing. The beginning of a new year seemed like a great time to start, and while I had wanted to start a blog for quite some time, I didn't put a lot of thought or planning into it before jumping in. Somehow I survived and navigated my way around the blogosphere and html. It's amazing what you can learn to do from a simple google search! In hindsight, I'd probably approach blogging from the get-go a bit differently, but I'm grateful I took the leap in the first place! 

I initially started Eat Books because, to be honest, I was too scared to write about my life and put myself out there. I also wanted a way to remember and cherish the books I was reading and somehow I had stumbled upon a whole world of book bloggers (something I didn't even know existed until then) and I was inspired to start a book blog. You can read my very first post ever here. (It's hard not to cringe at our early selves, isn't it?) Eventually, I realized that writing book reviews and limiting myself to just posts on books was getting tedious and a bit boring. It started to feel too much like school work and I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I also was beginning to feel more motivated and inspired to start blogging about other aspects of my life, not just the bookish side of it. Eventually, I took the plunge and changed my blog name, created a Facebook page and started to re-brand myself, if you can call it that. 

I'm definitely no expert or big-shot, nor do I pretend to be one, but I'm proud of this little corner of the Internet and how far I've come. I enjoy writing and sharing my writing and I'm forever thankful for the people who read what I have to say.

I haven't made a big ado about any of my past blogging anniversary's, mostly because, despite being a blogger, I don't like to draw attention to myself (I know, makes no sense!), but this year, with where my blog is at and with all the friendships I have made because of this blog, I knew I wanted to give away a little something.

So, after putting a lot of thought into it, and thinking about where this little blog all started from, I knew I wanted to incorporate some bookish aspect into this little giveaway.  I love, love, love to talk about books and give book recommendations to pretty much anybody who will listen. Last week, I shared my best reads from 2015 (there were 8 of them!) and I'd love to give one of those books to one of you! Of course, my favourite way to enjoy a good book is with a hot cup of coffee so I'm also including a $10 Starbucks gift card (you can spend it on tea or hot chocolate if that's more your style!). 

The winner will get to choose between these 8 books, and the book will be shipped to you via The Book Depository, and the $10 Starbucks gift card via email. In the hopefully unlikely event that you've either read all 8 of these books or feel strongly that you would prefer a different book, I'm sure we can arrange something! :) 

I can't thank you all enough for your support over these past 4 years - for reading, for your comments -and from a lot of you, your friendships! 

This giveaway is open internationally and ends on Sunday, January 17th at midnight MT. Good luck and thanks for entering! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Four Years

Four years ago, we stood up before our closest friends and family, declared our love for each other and then partied the night away. Our destination wedding in Punta Cana was the best, most fun night of my life. Actually, the whole week was an absolute blast! Instead of just one day for the wedding, we got an entire week to spend with our loved ones, something that will probably never happen again. Every year around our anniversary I feel a little nostalgic for that vacation and wish we could relive the trip all over again. I will forever be grateful for our friends and family that travelled to spend our wedding week with us.

The last four years have been both short and long. We've done a lot; we've lived in a few different cities, worked a few different jobs, owned two different homes, had a baby, and travelled as often as we could. You never quite know where life will take you, but I know there isn't anyone else I would want to do life with.

Life can be full of wonderful, adrenaline producing, exciting moments, but there's also a lot of ordinary, less than exciting days. There are bad days. There are sick days. There are days you wish you could do-over. There are days when you are at your worst, and days when you are at your best. And then there are all those days in-between. My husband is someone I want around for all of these days. He's not just my husband - he's my best friend, my confidante, the father to my child, my shoulder to cry on, the one I vent my frustrations to, the one I want to share new and thrilling experiences with, the one I can be completely, one hundred percent myself around. He's the one I love most in this world (next to my son).

I don't know what our life will look like in another four years…where we will be living, if our family will have grown, what adventures we will experience, but it doesn't really matter because it's the journey to get there that counts, and I'm confident it will only make us that much stronger as a couple, as a family, and as friends.

Happy Anniversary, Jim! xoxo

Two Years

Two years ago today, I married my best friend, the father-to-be of our bun in the oven, my partner in crime, and the love of my life.  

{November 13, 2011 - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic}

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband. There is nothing in this world I would want to experience without you by my side. I'm thankful everyday that we found each other and held on.  Here's to another year full of more new beginnings and memories to be made!

{November 13, 2013 - Nokomis, Florida}

xoxo, Brie