Life Lately: Ice Cream, Anniversaries, and the Zoo

Anniversary Date!

The last few weeks have been a beautiful blur of celebration, family, and everyday adventures. Sometimes life feels like it’s moving a little too fast, but I’m learning to stop and soak in the sweetness — and this season has had a lot of it.

We recently celebrated four years of marriage, which feels both impossible and like we’ve lived a whole lifetime already. To celebrate, we did something fun and different — a progressive dinner date! We had each part of our meal at a different spot, starting with a blooming onion at Outback, splitting some hibachi at a local sushi restaurant, and wrapping up with ice cream from our favorite local chocolate and ice cream shop. It was simple but so “us.” I’m grateful for Trevor — for how we’ve grown, the joy we share, and the ways we keep choosing each other every day.

This season also brought a bit of Disney magic. We only made one trip, but it was a special one — a day at EPCOT to pick up our new Passholder magnet and explore the Flower and Garden Festival. We made the intentional choice not to ride any rides this trip because I wanted to recreate one of my favorite childhood memories: taking a hat picture in every country of the World Showcase. My parents have photos of me and my siblings doing that, and now we have pictures of Theo — even if he wasn't exactly thrilled with every hat. I know one day he’ll love looking back at them just like I do.

Mother’s Day was sweet this year — we had an ice cream party with Trevor’s family (because is there a better way to celebrate moms than with ice cream?) and also celebrated both of my parents’ birthdays. I’m feeling especially thankful for family lately — for their support, their presence, and how much Theo is surrounded by love.

One weekend, my sister came home from Wisconsin, and it was so refreshing to have her nearby again, even just for a little while. Sibling time is always such a gift — it grounds me and reminds me how much those connections still mean, even in different seasons of life.

My friend Sam and I took Theo to the Tampa Zoo for the first time, and it was a day full of fun… and a little surprise! The zoo had a special Dinosaurs Alive exhibit, with giant animatronic dinosaurs that moved and made noise. Since Theo loves dinosaurs, we thought it would be a hit — but he absolutely hated them. He was terrified. It was one of those unexpected parenting moments that you know you’ll laugh about later (and kind of did in the moment too).

Then over Memorial Day weekend, we went back to the zoo with Trevor, his dad, stepmom, and little brother. It was such a sweet time with family — a slower-paced day that gave us more memories with people we love.

Now, we’re gearing up for Vacation Bible School at church, which always feels like the official kick-off to summer. The calendar is full, and sometimes I feel like I’m running just to keep up. But more than anything, I want to be present. I want to soak in each memory we’re making with Theo. I want to enjoy every commitment — not just show up to it, but really be there. And I want to be fully aware that Jesus is in the midst of it all — in the laughter, the obligations, the quiet moments, and the chaos.

There’s a verse I keep coming back to:“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

Every day is a gift — the busy ones, the quiet ones, the messy ones, the magical ones. No matter how fast time seems to be flying, we can choose joy. We can live fully present. We can rest in the truth that Jesus walks with us in every moment. So wherever you are right now — whether you're caught up in the chaos or coasting through calm — I hope you pause to look around, take it in, and find something to celebrate. Life is a gift. And even if it takes a little extra coffee to keep up with it all, it’s a beautiful one.

Love you BIG,

Peyton