When we first moved here last October we never really did anything with our back deck. Instead it became kind of a storage spot for any random thing we owned that we didn’t want in the house. … bikes… a big garbage can… a grill (obviously)… Chloe’s dog cage… our mini trampoline…
Then finally over the last week – piece by piece – James brought home deck furniture to surprise me. It’s probably best he went without me and surprised me with it – because I would have searched far and wide for the cutest deck furniture in town. And let me tell you – there is some cute stuff! (I know – because I just got the Crate & Barrel catalog.) What J brought home is nothing fancy… just a mismatched set from Target. Although, you should know – the king of making sure everything matches almost came home with only one chair because they didn’t have a 2nd in the same tan color as the first one he bought a week prior. But then he apparently thought the bright blue was more fitting for me anyway because of my “blue sky/sunny personality” – as he explained when he got home. (Who knows…??) Anyway – everything just barely fits in the tiny space we have – but it’s there! And I’m in love.
I’m especially in love because we now live just far enough northwest in the city for it to occasionally sound like we’re in the country. (People who really live in the country would definitely disagree – but it is much quieter than other parts of the city – and we can even hear the wind blowing and birds chirping. It’s nice.)
In the past few days since we got the furniture I try to make it a point to eat my breakfast out there without bringing my phone along. (Those of you that know me – know this is a BIG DEAL… especially James, who has grown to completely hate my phone.) I don’t check my work email or update any statuses until I’ve had a moment of peace (with Chloe) on the back deck over my morning cereal. 🙂
And then at the end of the night – James and I each take a glass of wine, and grab a seat in our chairs next to each other. We talk. Or we don’t talk. We watch planes fly overhead. Chloe hangs out near our feet – keeping an eye on the little sparrows that have built a nest at the upper edge of our roof. We unplug from the TV, our computers, our phones… and we just sit side by side enjoying the breeze that blows through and watching the sun set over the trees.
It’s only been a week with our new deck furniture – but I can already tell it was one of the best investments we’ve made so far. The time we spend together outside – unplugged from the rest of the world while we focus 100% of our minds and attention on each other, on our conversations, and on enjoying a moment of calm together – is absolutely priceless.
(Even Chloe loves a quiet moment out on the deck, relaxing on a chair, sipping water from a mason jar…. haha)
(Until I ruin the moment and make her look at the camera. “What do you want lady?! Can’t you see I’m relaxing out here?!”)
I hope you take some moments to unplug and spend quality time with your loved ones this weekend! I know James and I plan to! We have our first weekend in 6 weeks that we don’t have a wedding to shoot. I’m not sure what we’ll do with ourselves Saturday morning when we aren’t up early prepping to run out the door with 20 bags of gear – but I’m sure we’ll think of something! 🙂
See you all Monday!
