#7

It all started with two little words. 

Praline. 

Bacon. 

You read that right. There's a little gem in Belton, SC, that cooks up the best breakfast this side of my momma's kitchen. 

Grits and Groceries is a tiny southern eatery located in a renovated old country store off Highway 185. The owners both had notable careers in prominent restaurants, but decided to start their own restaurant when they found out they were having a baby. Pretty lucky kid, if you ask me. 

I'd heard tales of their magical Saturday brunch for years. And let me tell ya, the tales lived up to the experience. 

The ONLY thing that could be better than eating there - cause y'all, it was truly that tasty- was that the whole thing was a surprise. 

(I love surprises even more than praline bacon. And my boyfriend knows it.)

He picked me up and told me we were going to Stax's- but I got a little suspicious when we got on the interstate and noticed that the GPS was running on his phone. Eventually I put the pieces together and freaked out. 

Cause honestly...what's more romantic than a dozen roses?

Praline bacon, that's what. 

This stuff was magical and addictive. Sweet, salty, crunchy, bacon perfection. 

My stuffed French toast was slathered with a rich berry cream cheese filling. I'm drooling right now just thinking about it. 

I actually want to drive there right now and try everything else on their mouth-watering menu. 

To top it all off, Derek bought me this adorable perfect little hand-thrown mug to commemorate our trip. 

I give Grits and Groceries 4 stars and Derek 10,000 cool points for taking me there. Best Saturday brunch ever. 

Now I know:

Some restaurants are worth the hour drive. Some guys are worth the 29 year wait. 

#21

This one gets crossed off the list thanks to two very special friends. 

#21 on my 30x30 list is: Make and mail Christmas cards. 

I've wanted to do this for years- but I always procrastinate. 

Because seriously, it's kind of awkward as a non-married, non-mother, non-pet-owner. 

I can't send a picture card. I don't have a husband or a kid or even a cat to include a picture of. Heck, my pathetic little beta fish Sharkbait died this summer. Can't even put him on a card. 

Well one day my sweet friend Jean Thomas suggested helping me make some adorable stamped cards  to send to friends. I was all psyched up for it - and then got sick the Sunday we were supposed to make them. 

Alas....I thought #21 would probably never be crossed off the list. 

Lucky for me, my class always gets our picture taken by the Christmas tree at school. 

Lucky for me, my team ordered me 20 copies of that picture. 

Lucky for me, another sweet friend and second grade teacher, Holly Rouse, went out and picked up photo cards for me the last week of school.

I popped those pictures in, wrote a simple message on the back, and delivered the cards (along with  candy canes) to my 20 adorable 2nd grade students. 

The kids kept asking if the cards were really for them and if they could keep them. Talk about filling my heart with happiness! 

Maybe I'll get around to making my own Christmas cards in 2014. Until then, I'll be writing thank you cards to the people that support, love, and encourage me. That will keep me busy for awhile!

Now I know:

I get by with a lot of help from my friends.