Wedding Season!!!

Cody and I are so blessed to have such amazing friends! We are also, so excited for that group of friends to be continually expanding! This past weekend, Cody's best friend, Josh proposed to his girlfriend, Kelsie and she said YES!! We are thrilled for their upcoming July nuptials!

So many weddings are coming our way and we couldn't be happier!!
*Plus, I LOVE buying wedding presents and perusing registries!!

Corinne & Brad: November 6th



Matt & Maria: January 16th



Carissa & Dan: July 10th!




Josh & Kelsie: July 24th!!



**We love you all and we're so excited for the Lord bringing you into our lives and into each others lives!!

M-I-A-M-I, Let's Go Canes!

Mom and Dad are finally in town! Heading to dinner with the Rancourt's!


Always time for a pic with my hubs!

Our 2nd mom and dad here in Blacksburg--Jim and Cynthia Rancourt!

Mom and Dad!

Root beer and Pizza before the game :)

Cody representing both families in his green Ohio State shirt!

Of course game day it was POURING! We had green ponchos because we still had to represent even in the rain...and of course, mom and dad got Cody a red one for Ohio State!

*During the weekend they were here, we found out that the Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes signed a two year contract to play each other next year and the year after!! We already have plans to rent RV's and tailgate the weekend away!! Nothing like a little payback from Tempe! :)

Finally at the game--God was so good! We were sitting in one of the two rows that were over the awning--we were dry the entire game!! 

The boys coming onto the field...

My canes getting fired up! 

GAMETIME!!

Halftime!! It was raining so bad that the band played from the stands and didn't come out!

So excited to be there together :)

*Needless to say, we didn't take a picture of the scoreboard at the end... it was a horrible game. But, hopefully we'll have another matchup with the Hokies at the ACC Championship :)

We had an AWESOME time with mom and dad--we can't wait for next year to play the Buckeyes!!

Happy Birthday, Estella Ruth Davenport!!

Today, around 2:50pm, the Davenport clan welcomed a new beauty to our fam, Estella Ruth Davenport at 20'' and 7 lbs, 14 oz! Cody's Brother, Travis, and wife Vanessa had their second child, Estella, this afternoon. This is the first girl for the davenport clan in quite a while!! Cody and I can't wait to meet her and give her tons of kisses! I'm so glad I now have a friend to share my October birthday with!! 

Proud Papa

our little baby sugar!

happy grandpa

gorgeous mother and daughter!

Congrats!! We love y'all!!

~Cody & LaRae

Today's Miracle and Blessing

Ok, so this is a little silly, but it spoke volumes to me! Since Cody and I got married we have been trying so hard to pay off as much as we can on our debt and eventually be debt-free (some months, it's much easier than others!) But, this month, we were able to pay a lot down on our debt and still have some wiggle room! Well, this past week, my parents were in town and they were so good to us! They were so helpful and loving while Cody and I had to work all day, everday!!
On top of all their love and generosity, mom and I went shopping at Ann Taylor LOFT. I found this gorgeous jacket, but it was a little expensive and I didn't want to ask her to buy me something with my birthday less than two weeks away! So, she reminded me that I had a jacket I bought earlier in the summer, but I had never worn it (still had the tags on it!!) I had the clerk check the computer to see if it was on sale yet, since I'd lost my reciept and wanted to get the full price! Well, this new jacket I loved was more expensive than the origianl one I bought, so I was thinking of how I could save up some birthday money to pay for the remaining amount. Meanwhile, the lady came back and said the coat was still full price (SCORE!) and that I could return it for store credit.

Well, me and my selfish "I need it now ways" started scheming how I could pay for it on the credit card and then just pay it back when I get some birthday money! I was justifying and justifying, but just couldn't pull myself to ruin our great progress in the debt-field! So, then I heard about this program called LOFTlovesteachers.com . This program gives 15% off every purchase to teachers! So, since I started being a teacher's assistant and co-teaching this semester, I asked if I qualified!! They said yes and actually the first purchase with the program you get 20% off! I was so excited!! I would still have to pay about $10 for the jacket, but I was pumped!
So today, I head home on my lunch break to get a snack, then head to Ann Taylor LOFT. As I was leaving, I thought to check the mail....this was truly a God thing beacuse I never check the mail!! So, what do you know, in the mail was a 30% off coupon for any purchase over a certain amount at Ann Taylor LOFT!! So, I marched on over to the LOFT and purchased my jacket, with $12 to spare on my merchanise credit!! I couldn't believe it!! Honestly it was such a God thing. I have been so bummed and frustrated lately about money and having to pay so much of it to debt and not really doing anything fun. This was just such a great smile from God about our obedience. I feel so blessed, makes me want to pay even more debt off and be more obedient with our tithes and offerings!! AND I still have my 20% for teachers still to use!! woohoo!! God is good even with the small little desires of our hearts!


Here's my cute new 30% off JACKET!!!

Happy 31st Anniversary Mom & Dad

Yesterday my parents celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary! Wow, it just blows me away! I am so grateful that they've stuck it out through the hard times to make it these 31 years! My parents are two of the most incredible people I know. They have sacrificed so much for my brother and I, have given us every opportunity in the world to achieve our dreams and they have and still always love us unconditionally. Even when my brother brought home a dog freshman year of college and it became their "second daughter" or when I wrecked their brand-new car less than 24 hours after they bought it....talk about LOVE!

It has been amazing seeing their relationship through the years. It's taught me that love doesn't always have to be gushy, candle-lit dinners. It can be a strong commitment when you are just so frustrated with the other person or it can be a sweet email saying you're just "happy he picked you". The best part about my parent's marriage is watching their perseverance and grace throughout their relationship. They have taught me so much about forgiveness and loving someone because Christ loves them. They've shown me that love is not just about feelings, but about a bond and a vow you made before your spouse, and most importantly, before God.

Thank you mom and dad for loving me and Justin and our families every single day. For giving us more than we deserve and being an example of Christ's love in our lives. Thank you for your sacrifices and always being willing to bless us with home-made dinners, free vacations to the cabin or just life-learned wisdom (even if we don't take it!) I hope and pray that Justin and I can have the perseverance and love in our marriages that you have in yours.

All my love,
your daughter

Fall Favorites

Just as the weather is starting to cool and the leaves are beginning to turn, everyone's fall lines are hitting stores! I have found some fabulous fall favorites to share-enjoy!!


This headband from J.Crew is adorable! It keeps the fun of Summer, but with great fall colors!


This shirt, also from J.Crew, is fabulous! The necklace-esque adornments on the neckline make this chic and fuss-free for those "I woke up 30 minutes late" mornings!


Who said fall has to be filled with muted color palettes? This is a great tunic for those days your sick of wearing brown!

This jacket is my FAVORITE!! It's a beautiful structure to give the illusion of a super tiny waste, has the feminine touch of the ruffles and the "popped" collar is fierce (thanks Christian Siriano) a la Miranda Priestly in "Devil Wears Prada".


I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE skirts in the fall with knee-high boots! This Anthropologie gem is fun and flirty, but still has that rustic look, great for a fall dinner date!


And how can we talk about fall clothing without a nod to fall's fashion friend: the tight! These are textured and wonderful, so when the temperature starts to drop, you can still sport your summer-toned legs!

These new Ugg boots are a must-have! They have a great wedge heel for a more comfortable longer wear and the thin layer of sherling inside will keep your toes warm and toasty on those cool nights!


For some reason, the fall season reminds me of "Yesteryear", the 1950's and just simply put: classics! I love lockets and broaches on blazers! This Anthropologie necklace reminded me of just that! It'd be gorgeous over a black cashmere turtleneck; so classic and elegant!

Fall would not be complete without a cute wrislet! This Marc Jacobs find is perfect to carry all your necessities to apple picking, pumpkin carving and fun fall festivals!

Hope y'all are enjoying the beginning of fall and the fabulous brisk air! The first snow will happen before we know it! Until then!

Love ya,
LaRae

Our short trip to the 'ville

This past weekend, Cody and I headed west to Louisville, Kentucky! We both took the day off on Friday and hopped in the car. It was a 5 and a half hour trip, but well worth it! The main reason we were heading that way was for Jenna & Josiah's wedding reception. They had a destination wedding in Mackinaw Island, Michigan on July 31st with just their immediate family. So, this weekend they invited even more people to celebrate with them. We even got to see Brooke & John Malko, who now live in Louisville, too!

Starting our trip off right!

Finally into Kentucky!

Since we got to Louisville a little early, we had some time to spare. We went to Boyce College where Cody attended college, his first year.

The campus is beautiful!!

One of the chapels on campus. This is where Cody's brother and sister.in.law were married 5 years ago! It was so adorable!

I kept asking him to show me all the places from his time there! This is where he used to live!

Their apartment--he was telling me all kinds of hilarious stories from this place!

The beautiful bride & groom!

The FABULOUS cake! It was so intricate and delicious!


Cutting the cake :)

They had these chocolate cupcakes, too! They were the most delicious things I've ever had!!

First dance as Husband and Wife

Brooke & Jon cuttin' a rug!

Me and the hubs!

We had such a great time--can't wait to go back!