Reader of the Month: December

There are a few blogs that I read every single day.  Erin’s is one of them.  Meet the Blue Eyed Bride.

Whether she’s running errands with her adorable little boy, Hudson, or cheering for the South Carolina Gamecocks (who FSU is playing in the bowl games in the next couple weeks, by the way…), or volunteering at her church or for the Junior League (which I so desperately want to join!), Erin’s day-to-day life and her viewpoints and outlooks are like crack to me. Oh, and did I mention that we are both pregnant again at the same time? I just can’t get enough! And I’m sure after learning more about her, you’ll feel the same way…

What is your name?
Erin Carroll

Who lives in your house?
Erin (28), TC, (30), Hudson (18 months), Boudreaux (Golden Retriever, 5), and Fiona (Brussels Griffon, 4)

How long have you been married?
2.5 years- will be 3 years in May

How did your husband propose?
He took me on a walk around the Historic Horse Shoe on the University of South Carolina campus. He talked about the time we’d spent together and talked some more about things I can’t even remember. But I know he ended up on one knee in that gorgeous venue. I said “yes”, of course and we went to dinner. When I walked into the restaurant, I was surprised to see my mom, dad, and brother who had all traveled from Dallas to be there. TC’s parents and grandmother were there, too to celebrate with us. It was a perfect day!

What is your favorite part about being married to your husband?
I love being able to share the best days, the good days, and the bad days with my best friend. I love that if I want someone to talk to, he’s there. And I love that if we want to go to some fun activity, he’s the one I want to go with. And I love that he is the perfect person to witness this crazy life with me and our family!

What is the hardest part about being married?
Keeping things fresh and not getting so comfortable with each other that we lose respect for one another. It’s so easy to just go through the motions some days and forget to be affectionate and forget to speak kindly when we’re having a hard day. We are always toughest with the ones we love most, and reminding myself to think before I speak is a big challenge.

What do you think is the “key” to your success in marriage?
Remembering to laugh. We have lots of inside jokes and stories from the early days when we were flirting and talking and not yet dating. And those little anecdotes come out about once a week. Those anecdotes aren’t the key to success in marriage, of course, but they keep us smiling and remind us of how we got to where we are. It’s going to sound cliche, but communication is the key for us. I could talk and talk and talk until I’m blue in the face and it’s harder for TC to open up. But we make time for it and make it a point to talk through things that are really bothering us before they go too far.

Did having children change your marriage?
It’s hard to say. We had only been married almost five months when we found out we were pregnant. We were shocked and thrilled, but we haven’t had a lot of time just being married without a pregnancy or a baby. Having a child definitely made us focus and buckle down with our finances and our big goals. And those are heavy conversations for newlyweds, but we didn’t have a choice. We have kept things fun by planning nights out and nights away when we can. And we have a very easy child who loves to sleep, so we get lots of time together after 8 p.m.!

When is your baby due? And do you know if it’s a girl or boy yet?
We are due with our second boy around May 15.

When did you start blogging?
I began blogging in the fall of 2007. We were in the middle of our engagement and I wanted a way to kind of document the process and maybe blog about some wedding ideas. I didn’t blog too many wedding ideas because my mom was afraid of all of the wedding guests seeing the details before the big day and she wanted me to keep them off the blog. But I made some great friends in the first year of blogging and after the wedding, the blog evolved into a newlywed blog.

How often do you blog and how do you make time for it?
I don’t blog nearly as often as I used to or as often as I’d like to. I used to blog once a day and sometimes more often than that. Now I’m lucky if I blog four times per week. I jot down ideas as I think of them, so when Hudson naps, I’m able to hop on the computer and take 10-20 minutes to write a post. If the idea is already in my head, the words flow easily.

Why do you blog?
I blog to document our lives and I blog for the amazing community. Blogging has opened some doors for some very special friendships in my life and I’m not sure where I’d be as a SAHM without so many of those friendships.

What are your top three favorite blogs?
Fly Through Our Window, Tales of the Trees, and Chapters

What’s in your purse right now?
Three little zippy pouches and a wallet. The zippy pouches include 1.) lipstick and powder 2.) pens and a teeny notepad 3.) hand sanitizer and lotion

For more of Erin, visit her website or follow her on Twitter!