Happy 25th Birthday Clint Rouse!

Happy Birthday to my best friend, my life companion, my husband CLINT ROUSE!

We celebrated Clint's 25th Birthday by both taking off work on January 14th and resting ALL day!  Then some of Clint's closest friends came for cupcakes (side note: I cannot bake a cake..) and a bon fire!  Then on his actual Birthday we went out to dinner at The Peddler's Steak House.  This is Clint's favorite "date spot" he has taken me, so what better place to celebrate!  It is delicious!  There is a literal Peddler that comes to your table and allows you to pick out which steak you would like, then he cooks it, and it is delicious!! We enjoyed the prime rib and the N.Y. Strip!

Then Clint opened his presents!  He has been wanting Duck Wadders for years, and that is what he received!  He wanted to sleep in them he was so excited!  Reynolds is very excited to Duck Hunt with Clint!

25 Things I LOVE About Clint Rouse:

1) His Love and Passion for Jesus, to know him better, and to make Jesus the center of our home

2) The way he loves/has loved High School boys at Garner and Leesville and leaders at N.C. State University

3) The way he loves me, in an UN-STOPABLE way.  

4) The way he loves his sisters and family!

5) How he is so sweet and patient with Reynolds Rouse, this gives me a sweet and small glimpse the way he will love our children one day

6) I love how different we are!  He is SO manly and I am SO girly!

7) How encouraging he is daily!

8) I love his little boy joy and excitement about little things!

9) When with Clint Rouse it is like being at the beach! He slows me down and relaxes me!

10) The way he talks in his sleep, in complete sentences!

11) His partnership in everything we do

12) His love for camo, Carharts, boots, the coast, and country music

13) The way he says Goldsboro: "Golburah"

14) How intentional he is with everyone he meets

15) How thankful he is!

16) How he is a genuine cheerful giver

17) The way he introduces conversations

18) Our memories together of being great friends

19) The way he brings people together!

20) That he is always craving a Cold Drink

21) How he loves my family and made them his own

22) His love for Flip Phones and T-9 texting

23) His love for N.C. State Athletics

24) That he is a trend setter and trail blazer in everything he does

25) That I get to spend the rest of my life with him!!!!!!

December in Pictures!

Happy 2013!  Can you believe it is 2013?  And January is over half way finished! WOW!  Time doesn't move any slower now that it is a new year!  So, I have to confess.... I have not been a faithful blogger!  We missed some BIG things to blog!! HUGE THINGS! 

-My big brother Stewart and his beautiful wife Karla had their baby!  Phoebe James Kincaid!  She is PRECIOUS!  I could just squeexe her all day! 

-We celebrated Christmas in Statesville, Goldsboro, Cary, Taylorsville, and Raleigh!  BIG family time!

-My great friend Madeline is having a baby boy and we threw a baby shower for her in our home.

-I have begun training for a half marathon (13.1 miles...)

-Papa (Clint's Rouse Grandfather) turned 90 years old and we celebrated in Myrtle Beach!

The month of December, the last month of 2012, and a very FULL month can be summed up in a few fun pictures!

Sweet baby Phoebe James Kincaid!  (This is the first time Clint has ever held a baby!  May he and Phoebe always share that special bond!!)  Stewart and Karla live in Statesville!  They are the sweetest people, and SO talented, they play REAL music together!  For real, like they have a CD.. You can google Karla and she comes up.  I like to call them the celebrities in our family!  Check out her website: www.karlacausey.com/

(I mean.. I wish I had a www. before my name and a .com after! Just for fun I typed in www.maryrouse.com......NOTHIN')

Stewart plays the banjo and fiddle.  Karla plays the guitar, mandolin, piano, and INCREDIBLE vocals! 

Let's just say: Phoebe has some good genes! 

Such a great Shower Card: "Wow, I get to give birth AND change diapers!"

These are the hostess' for Madeline's baby shower!  We cannot wait to meet "Baby S!"

(Moriah Evans, Madeline Stanford, Meredith McDaniel)

Sweet Sisters pregnant together!  Meredith due in March, Madeline due in April!

College friends: Moriah, Anna, Becca, Madeline, and Stacey

THE SPREAD!!!! Everything North Carolina themed for our Maryland friends: 

Krispy Kreme Donuts, Chick-fil-A Nuggets

Christmas Eve in Cary: Funny Hats, Missing Teeth, Shucking Oysters!

 Christmas morning in Cary!  Love Christmas!

 Santa Claus brought Carter a Yellow Lab Puppy, Wilson!  We played Santa by brining Wilson to Carter's house last Christmas Eve!

 Wilson's paws haven't touched the ground yet!

We may have gotten the "Puppy Bug" again!

The sweetest boy on Christmas Morning with his Santa gift!  

Reynolds devoured this HUGE bone in 2 days!

Christmas Day Night with my 2 favorite people on this planet! Clint Rouse and Leigh Kellerman!

 For your viewing enjoyment, my Half Marathon training guide!  This week I will run 8 miles as my long run... Last Saturday I ran 7 miles and I was confident I was going to die...

 Papa turned 90 years old!  He is the most energetic 90 year old!  He had a party from 5pm-11pm and he was dancing the entire time!  The most fun birthday party I have ever been too.... OH and the band, The Fantasy Band, BEST BAND EVER!  I wish we had known about them for our wedding!

Can I just quickly say what a blessing Clint's grandparents are in my life!  All 4 of Clint's grandparents are living and SO sweet!  Both of his grandfathers are over 90 years old!  My grandparents died while I was very young, so I never experienced an adult relationship with them.  Through my relationship with the Rouse and Wilkins grandparents I get a small glimpse at my Nanny and PawPaw and Grandaddy Tom and Grandmother Tulu.  SO thankful!

Happy Birthday Papa!