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July Blog Post - Sweet and Simple Country Living!

emilymabrycreative

Today marks another sweet month of slow and simple country living with my precious boys (and 26 whole months of life with our little Judson!),

and my heart is so grateful for all that this season has been holding for us!!

I will never get over the faithfulness of God in having us sell our sweet first fixer upper home (that we poured our heart and soul into) and move here to my great grandparents’ old farmhouse (total leap of faith!) –

and then just weeks later, Him opening the door to our farm sweet farm

(suchhhh a long time dream and answered prayer of ours!) to build our family dreams on!!

We are loving getting to soak up this season living in such a special family home (raising chickens, tending to our little garden, and small town living!) and spending so much of our free time and weekends out on our land–

playing with the horses, Wes working hard to clear out the fence lines and work the land, and just dream about all that God has in store for our little slice of heaven!

God is GOOD y’all, and He who calls is faithful!

And it was so neat getting to catch up with my college roommate and bestie the other day, and her literally say to me – “Man, em… College Emily wouldn’t believe the life you are living now… truly everything you always dreamed of and more” – and it really hit me… just how beautifully and purposefully the Lord puts specific dreams and desires on our hearts, and even MORE humbling and wonderful to see Him lead us step by step (by obedience) to those specific dreams and desires He has long planted in our souls!!

HIS ways and plans are always so much higher than our own, and I am thankful to walk with a God who is always always always faithful and right on time. I am married to the absolute sweetest country man of my dreams, raising up the most precious baby boy, and loving every second of this sweet little country lifestyle these days!!

All I can say is, thank you Lord! He truly is the God of abundantly and immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine!

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” // Isaiah 25:1

…Now onto a little more detail on this past month and some sweet memories we have been soaking in and that I want to bottle up and remember forever!!

Summertime is our very favorite season of all and have been soaking it alllll up!

Both of my handsome boys got haircuts before we left for the beach at the beginning of this past month,

and my oh my, did they look cuteeeee!!!!

The most perfect way to start off Fourth of July weekend and vacation – down at the beach!!

My heart was sooo stinking grateful to be back in my happy place with these sweet boys of mine!!! #beachvacationtime #fourthofjulyweekend

So grateful for vacation time with family to rest and rejoice in closing on our land the previous week - God is just too good!!

Our first day was spent with my favorite morning coffee view overlooking the marsh,

beach naps with my baby boy on my chest (always the best naps thanks to God’s brilliant sound machine design!!), beach sandwiches, playing all day building sandcastles and soaking up the sunshine, and ended the day watching the sunset off the porch!!

Doesn’t get better than that!! #beachdaysarethebestdays #hellovacay

We welcomed in July the very best way - down at the beach!! Thank you, Lord!!

Also, ringing in July with our little swimming FISH!! Judson has ALWAYS been a water baby… but this trip, his love for the water reached a whole new level!!

Our little forever water baby has turned into such a little swimming fish!!! 🐠💦 Go baby go - swim swim swim!! #swimmingbaby #waterbaby #ourlittlefish

These are the moments and memories I never want to forget at the family beach house!

We are so proud of our brave and fearless little fishy fish!!

Thankful for so much beach time with the family and Judson had an absolute ball playing with his cousin Ellie, too!! We are so thankful!! #familybeachtime

And nothing says Fourth of July weekend like a bbq dinner, icecream sandwiches,

and watching fireworks off the dock!!

Slow Sundays at the beach

with our cutie pie forever beach baby -

just doesn’t get better than this!

These really really are the days!!!

Full of being brought seashells (mid-sandcastle building),

having your baby boy fall asleep on your chest walking by the water,

playing until supper time out on the beach

in the tide pools

and back home by the pool,


watching the sunset over the dock,

and ending the night with fireworks off the porch –

such a full heart over the Fourth of July weekend!!

“Just two American kids”

These two cutie pie beach baby cousin besties had an absolute BALL -

playing all day long in the sand and sea!! The giggles, the hand holding, the cousin loving….

I can’t even handle the cuteness!!

Extra thankful for sweet family time and cousin playing this Fourth of July beach trip!!

Happy Fourth of July from our little fam to yours!!! #independenceday

Our hearts are so full getting to spend sweet, sweet family time down here at our happy place

with the people we love the most!!!

Full of lots and lots of cousin lovin’,


sunsets over the dock,

the yummiest low country boil last night for dinner,

a stunning super moon sighting off the porch, fireworks,

and so much more!!


And beach days with cousins are simply the BEST!

Judson lovesssss his cousin Ellie -

and they had a BALL running into the ocean,

playing in the sand, and splashing in the pool together all day long!!


Feeling oh so very grateful and blessed this Fourth of July!!!

Thank you, Lord,

for your blessings upon blessings to our family -

we are so grateful!! And it is sooo stinkin’ cute (& fitting) that sweet little Judson is holding his beloved tractor toy in this photo…

as we are celebrating closing on our dream 15 acre farm this past month, too!!

The best is yet to come with my sweet sweet all-American boys

and God has been so good to us!!

Beach naps are the best naps…

forever and ever amen!!

Just heaven on earth with my best friend and our snuggly forever beach baby - nothing better in the whole wide world,

I’m fully convinced, than a sleepy little one on your chest at the beach!!

Another day filled with our kind of beach vacation fun -

building sandcastles with the “big shovels” (according to Judson hehe)

and ending the day going out to get ice cream at our favorite local shop (Frosty’s) -

that I’ve been going to since I was a little girl!!

You could say Judson is a BIG icecream fan lol!

Thank you, Lord, for sweet sweet summertime!!!

Soaking up the sun with our forever beach baby!!

And right after supper (spaghetti),

there was the coziest summer beach evening thunderstorm and the most STUNNING red sun setting through the clouds -

truly took my breath away!

God’s Creation is truly wondrous!!!

Forever thanking Jesus for my sweet beach boys

and the joy of my life they truly are!

Beach days truly are the best days!!

And we are so super thankful

for the sweetest beach days


with our snuggly beach boy -

who loves to fall asleep on mama’s chest, walking by the water (God’s giant sound machine)!!

Truly savoring these sweet, sweet memories and days!!


And it wouldn’t be a beach trip without stopping in my favorite little town on our way out!!

Sooo many sweet childhood memories made here in Southport (all of our summers growing up down at Oak Island)!!

And just like that, it was time to head back home with my sweet “beach boys” hehe!! But the best part is, we are so excited about our land and all that is to come - so it was a good feeling to be happy to be coming home sweet home - anddd this sweet sleepy baby boy was so excited to see Red, our “chick chicks,”

and garden (and how they had grown while we were gone)!! #headedhomesweethome

Full hearts after the sweetest Fourth of July beach week

down at our favorite place with family!!

Truly couldn’t have asked for better weather or a more special trip - full of cousin lovin’,

lotssss of beach naps and snuggles

with our forever beach (and water-loving!!) baby,

reading, yummy beach meals,

sunsets,


and fireworks off the dock every night,

and soaking up alllll the sun

by the sand, sea,

and pool!!

Family beach week is always such a blast, and closing on our land is TRULY a dream come true, but man… there is nothing that beats THIS view right here! #blessedmama #mysweetboys #frontporchlookingin

It was suchhhh a sweet and joy-filled week

since coming back home!

We spent our first evening back in town driving around on our farm (feels surreal to finally be able to say that after soooo many prayers these past few months before it closed)!!! And we explored behind the creek and found all kinds of raspberry bushes and more!!

The land keeps going and going, and man, it’s so fun to dream about all that this land is going to hold for our family in the years to come!!!

We have been spending lots of time taking care of our chickens and garden



(our very first baby zucchini, squash, and cucumbers are popping out y’all!!),


cooking (started working on making some yummy sourdough biscuits to share with a dear older friend here - per his request haha - who lovedddd my Papaw, and now kind of seems like a second grandpa to me here),

spending “Jesus time” with my little buddy

(he loves to grab his “Jesus book” and read and “color” just like Mama (be still my HEART),


I have been reading Mallory Ervin’s lovely book during Judson’s naptimes (all about living FULLY and abundantly - highly recommend),

anddd little J and I got to drive down to Charlotte 🚙

and see my oldest sis Carey, Hannah, and angel baby Joseph while they were in town

(I loved getting to love on and snuggle my newest little nephew)!!

Our cups are full and we are so thankful for God’s goodness

in and around us -

life truly is a gift!

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” // Colossians2:6-7

Nothing cuter than starting the day walking out with his little lawnmower (in his beloved baseball jammies)

to check on his “chick chicks” and garden!!

And nothing brings me more joy than pretty pink wildflowers in our yard!!

Thankful for sweet, sweet mornings like this with my baby bestie! #morningslikethis #slowandsimpledays

Been having oh so much fun making some yummy sourdough biscuits with my little cutie pie sous chef!!

Wes said it was the best biscuit he’s ever had!

And Judson was happy happy happy! YUM!!

First batch of homemade sourdough biscuits was a WIN!! #sourdoughbiscuits #homemadesourdoughbiscuits #fromscratchbiscuits #homemadebiscuits

Per request of my sweet older friend here named Columbus (who loved and adored my Papaw and spent lots of time “porch chatting” with him before he passed - honestly feels like my grandpa here) - I set out to learn how to make some homemade sourdough biscuits!!

Columbus said my sourdough bread was “real good” and that now he wanted me to make him some biscuits!

So I did just that, anddd wrapped up my two biggest and fluffiest biscuits for him, and he so appreciative!! #spreadthelove #itsthelittlethings #spreadjoy #homemadelove

Another thing I’m so thankful for is a good slow summer weekend back at home -

full of all things country, simple and sweet!!

We made homemade sourdough buttermilk biscuits (yum!),


spent lots of time going out to the farm

(and sweet Wes started cleaning out the barn on our property, too!),

went on some summer evening walks to watch the sunset,

got to take one of our college ministry students out for a farewell lunch after church (we sure are going to miss you at BSFBC College & Young Adults!!),

discovered the cutest farm/general store right near us

(and Judson got a new tractor, Ofcourse haha),


and spent lots of time cooking and reading on the big front porch with my honey and snuggling our baby boy!!

I am so thankful for this sweet country life we are living and building together!!

\This time last year, Wes and I were spending all of our free evenings driving around (with little man in tow hehe) looking and praying for our “dream land” - and now we’ve found it! God is just so good!!!! He hears every prayer y’all!!!

It’s been so neat seeing this dream come to life, and now we get to work the land and just get excited for what this land is going to hold for our family!!

What a sweet new season this is! #chasingdreams #buydirt #farmsweetfarm

Went on a walk this past weekend with my dear friend Holly - who just so happens to also have been our realtor on closing on our dream land!!!

Thank you for this PERFECT closing gift, Holly! “The Mabry Farm” - we just can’t wait!!!

You’re so right, every farm needs an entry sign!

And this could not have been a more thoughtful gift! We love you and are SO thankful for you!!! #sweetestgiftever #farmsweetfarm

Just feeling so grateful this Friday for God’s many blessings -

and for these sweet simple days of #lifelately getting to love on my boys -

and watch our garden, chickens, and flowers grow!!

We have been loving going on all kinds of walks around town

(always exploring new places!),

had the sweetest playdate


with friends last week

(thanks for hosting, Kristen - we adore you!),

have been baking biscuits


and sharing with our dear friend Mr. Columbus

and tractor friends next door

(#spreadthelove),

and enjoying the slower pace of country living these days!!


And last Friday night, we went and got icecream out at Strawberry Hill USA (right by our land)



and then drove out to see the horsies on our property!!

The neat thing was, we realized that the last time we came to Strawberry Hill for icecream

was back in April when we put an offer in on our farm!!

So it was for sure a “full-circle” moment getting to go back months later,

this time getting to end the night driving around our property - our little slice of heaven!! #fullcirclemoment #dreamcometrue #oursliceofheaven

The first pictures/video in this little video were from the night

we drove out to the land and put an offer on it -

sweet sweet memories out at Strawberry Hill!!

(above picture is from the night we put the offer in, and the below picture is from this past weekend... right before we drove out on "our farm" - such a full-circle moment for us)

God is so good!!! I will never forget sitting in those rocking chairs and just “knowing” God wanted us to have that land in the area I’ve always dreamed of being in one day and raising my little family!!! #15acres

And then the next morning I had a little Chickfila breakfast

and walking date with my baby bestie while “Dada” was out working on the farm!!


He’s been clearing the fence lines and getting some space by the barn cleared out so Judson can come play when we work!!

My hardworking country man has been making some major progress on those fence lines….

Wowwwww!!! Go Wes go!

These really are the start of the days I prayed for!! #thankyoujesus

This is probably what our Saturdays are going to look like from now on, and I loveeeee it!!!

Chasing dreams with our baby boy and working on our land!! #saturdaythings #chasingdreams #buydirt #farmsweetfarm


Some happy little moments from our summertime weekend -

and realizing that I truly am living out the sweet and simple country life I always prayed for with our little country boy!!


And this past week has been one of those weeks where my heart has just been so full of JOY

seeing our sweet little country boy thriving in this small town life -

having the time of his life splashing around the downtown splash pad,