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Why You Should Celebrate Your Dating Anniversary as A Married Couple

My husband and I celebrating our dating anniversary in October 2021.

October 10th, 2017, was a Tuesday. It was a sunny day. For me, it would forever be known as the day that a new chapter in my relationship began — the day that my husband and I began officially dating and became boyfriend and girlfriend. Yes, on that day, I bluntly asked him ‘are you my boyfriend?’ ‘Am I your girlfriend?’ And the answer was yes, and the rest is history.

Six years later, we became husband and wife. However even though it’s been two years since my wedding day, I wonder: what happens to that day? Does it get forgotten and become just another day in the year? Or does it still remain to be a date celebration?

I went down a Google rabbit hole with that very question. The answers I found were mixed. Some couples said no, as it’s one of the many dates to celebrate. However, others said that they do celebrate as it can be a reminder of where everything began, whereas the wedding anniversary is one that celebrates the day you became man and wife.

It’s obviously not a one size fits all answer. However, I do think that it should be a date that should be celebrated — somewhat. I don’t think that this should be an over the top celebration, as that’s now the wedding anniversary.

But, I do think that it does warrant a small date night, something that if you’ve been married or together for a few years, can suddenly become on the bottom of the priority list. Life is busy, and I know that going on dates with my own husband is something that has not become a priority, so I think that it becomes an excuse to go out together for a nice meal or just spend some quality time together.

I also think that even acknowledging that small detail is one of the biggest things and goes so far. There’s a reason why people say that it’s the little things, and I believe even just saying “hey it’s been x amount of years since our first date/we became official/we got engaged” brings so much joy.

And finally, I think celebrating this anniversary helps bring back some of the initial magic of the relationship that becomes lost after spending years with the person, and of course, when you’re living with someone. It honors the history of how the foundation of something great started. That magic can be easily lost, so I think taking the time to celebrate can lead to keeping that spark burning alive during the not so romantic times of marriage.

So while my husband and I may not be going out on a trip to celebrate our dating anniversary (anymore) or exchanging gifts, we will be taking the time to celebrate October 10th pretty much the duration of our entire marriage.

Do you want to join us? Here are some ideas on how you can celebrate too:

Go to the place where you had your first date to reminisce on how it all began.
Buy her flowers.
Plan a date night just the two of you.
Send a text to say “today mark x amount of years since our first date/since we made it official.”
Go out to a nice dinner.

Married couples, do you celebrate your dating anniversary still? Let me know in the comments below.

September Favorites

Fall is here and I’m enjoying the transition to cozy season, even though it’s been yo-yoing back and forth between cooler and warmer temperatures here in New England.

I’ve been toying with the idea of doing Blogtober this year, but I decided against it, because I really want to avoid getting burnout. However, I will be taking this time to actually sit down and write blog posts. I feel like my blogging has been slacking, so I want to take a moment to actually devote time to blogging.

But, before we look ahead to October, let’s look back at September. Here are my monthly favorites for this month:

Mejuri Initial Necklace: I got this late in the month, but I have not been able to take this necklace off. I’m obsessed. I am so happy that I got this before the price increase. I did have to use an extender that I already had, which I really love, because it can change the length of it. I’m glad that I got it when I did, because I’ve already worn it on repeat.

Enewton earrings: I love eNewton bracelets. I recently purchased two pairs of gold hoops (the thin hoops and a thick pair) as well as a pair of silver. They have been on repeat as well, and have the best quality. So far, they have held up so so well.

Between Friends and Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi: This book was amazing. I loved the FMC, Josephine. I loved the themes. I loved how hot and heavy the romance was in this one. This was one of the first books that I read this month, but I still think about Dr. Jo and all of the characters in this book.

Tory Burch Romy: I have wanted to get this bag for a while, and I’m so happy that I did. I love the black pebble leather. I love the slouch. I love how much it fits. And most of all, I love how comfortable that this bag is. I highly recommend this bag to anyone who is looking for a good classic bag, and will be wearing this all fall and winter.

Passion Project by London Sperry: This book was so beautiful, even though I was really disappointed in the main character in the end. Bennett is depressed and grieving the loss of her boyfriend. She goes out on a date that her roommate set up, and she ended up in the bathroom vomiting. The book explores her healing journey, as well as her moving on in her life in all avenues. I absolutely loved this book and I recommend it.

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City: I’ve been binging this show for about half of the month, and I’m obsessed. I am hoping to get to the point where I’m officially caught up, but in the mean time, I’ve been enjoying watching the first five seasons.

Bridgerton: I watched this show many years ago when it first came out, but alas, never got past the first season. I got my mother in law into it, and together, we watched the second season (Kate and Anthony are honestly amazing), and we’re flying through season three. I am inspired to continue on with my journey of reading the books, but I’m really loving being caught up with this show.

September Fiber Faves

September marks the end of summer, but the beginning of fall. For me, that means fall crochet and knit projects. Warm and cozy items are in my future, and pretty sure that will also be in my loved ones’ future. I also think that this will begin the process of spooky items for Halloween next month as well.

As we enter this next phase of the year and begin sipping on warm fall drinks, I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of my favorite patterns for the month of September.

Sewerella Cotton Everyday Cardigan: This cardigan is going to be a gift for one of my friends, and I already can tell you that this is a pattern that I’m going to want to make again for myself. It is so incredibly easy to make and I’ve been enjoying it. I can’t wait to see how this turns out, and I highly recommend this one for beginners.

Tapestry Crochet: I’ve been too scared to do tapestry crochet, but this month is the month when I decided to try. And boy, it has been a challenge. I’ve been ripping out and redoing rows. But, I’ve been enjoying this experience and I can’t wait to see how it’s going to turn out. This is the pattern that I’m currently working on, but I’m pretty sure that I should have started with something a lot smaller and easier.

Velvet Beanie: I have used this beanie pattern for babies and adults, and I absolutely love it. It is so soft and warm. I do plan to make more of these during the colder months, and will continue to give this as a gift as well.

Pumpkin Pattern: Fall means pumpkins. I’ve been making this pumpkin pattern for YEARs and they always come out so adorable. I have them in my office currently, and they bring me joy everytime that I look at them. 10/10 recommend making yourself some of these this fall season, because they are so easy and quick to make!

Chewie Cookie Company Will Take You to a Galaxy Far, Far Away

In a kitchen not so far away, Shelby Williamson is creating cookies that taste like they are out of this world with ingredients that are whole and clean, and a sprinkle of salt on the top. Williamson is the own of one of Milford’s latest treat shops, Chewie Cookie Company, and you don’t need to be a member of the Jedi to enjoy these cookies.

Williamson said that Chewie Cookie Company began when she decided to become a stay at home mom after having her son. Baking became the “thing” that she did just for herself.

“I have a serious sweet tooth so I decided to try some baking. I got a cookie recipe from a close friend and tweaked it a bit until I created what I thought was a perfect chocolate chip cookie,” she said. “Once I got that down I started to have some fun with it. I started experimenting with different ingredients to make unique flavors that I knew myself and others close to me would enjoy.”

It was her husband that suggested that she turned her love for baking into a business.

“I was a bit skeptical at first,” she said. “But the idea of turning my cookies into something that could potentially keep me home with my son long term was what gave me the final push to get it started. My husband is a businessman so he helped me with the business idea and name and even some of the creative cookie flavor names.”

Currently, cookies from Chewie Cookie Company can be purchased online with local home delivery twice a month, and at local Milford events, such at the Lobster Fest and Half Shell on the Green. Furthermore, she also does special orders as well.

There are four flavors that Chewie Company offers: Chewie Chocolate Chip, Dark Vader (dark chocolate and white chocolate chip), PB Skywalker (peanut butter cookie with peanut butter cups), and Java the Nut (coffee cookie with pistachios). Williamson said that she was experimenting with many different flavors such as R2Blue2, which was a speciality to the Lobster Festival, and she plans to expand her offerings as the holiday season approaches.

Each of these cookies have a mix of both sweet and savory. They came beautifully wrapped, and that box was super heavy. They are sprinkled with salt, but that’s the only thing that is salty about them. The cookies are as vibrant as John Williams’ score.

These chocolate chip cookies melt in your mouth in every bite, while the Java the Nut has the grit of coffee grinds mixed right in the batter, Dark Vader has the ying and the yang of the bitterness of the dark chocolate and the creaminess of the white chocolate, and the PB Skywalker has a creamy peanut butter basis with chocolate peanut butter cookies.

What I think those cookies to be so amazing is the fact that they are baked with the most wholesome ingredients. Williamson prides herself on the very fact that every ingredient used in them are “whole” and “clean.”

“So many things we eat and feed our kids these days have so much extra, unnecessary junk (including baby formula),” she said. “Since I’m doing the baking, I get to control exactly what goes into my cookies. If there’s an organic option for something I want to use, I make sure to always choose that.”

And if it’s not organic, Williamson makes sure that she can find the cleanest ingredients possible.

“I make sure to compare ingredient labels on all products before deciding what I’m going to put in my cookies,” Williamson said.

You can check out Chewie Company on Instagram as well for the latest updates.

Joe on the Go: Drift Coffee is Your New Coffee Go To

Many may know the Drift Coffee Truck for their coffee buckets and long lines at the Farmer’s Market and Gulf Beach. However, what many might not know is the duo that serves their beverage is best friends Ben Bonessi and Griffin Gerardi, lifelong Milford residents fulfilling a dream of opening their own establishment.

“With years of experience in coffee and restaurants, we always imagined running something of our own. In March 2025, we finally made the leap,” they said.

That leap was building their cargo trailer “entirely by hand” to become what we now call Drift Coffee. Their menu is extensive for both food and beverages, so there is something for everyone, whether you’re a coffee drinker or not.

For drinks, they have hot coffee, cider, chai, matcha, apple cider, and their “fan-favorite” cold brew. To pair with their drinks, they have a huge variety of syrups to go along with whatever you choose — all of which are made in-house. In addition, they have two or three cold foam flavors that are rotated daily. When visiting them, I had my chai paired with Oatmilk and pumpkin spiced syrup, and it tasted like fall in a cup.

Of course, every beverage can be served in the iconic 24 oz bucket. Each bucket comes with a straw and is perfect to take a picture and take on the go.

“Customers can order any drink in that size,” they said.

Their food menu consists of bagels and waffles. The bagels they serve are from Cohen’s Bagels in Madison, and consist of flavors such as French Toast, everything, bacon, and more.

But the waffles are the true star of the show. When I visited them at the farmer’s market, you can smell their mouthwatering scent as they were freshly made in the truck as you waited in line. They have a regular one, as well as some seasonal flavors such as apple crisp waffles. I’ve had the apple crisp waffles, and they were out of this world. They were both crispy and fluffy at the same time — a feat that is rare — and with the brown sugar coating and apple filling, it tasted exactly like a waffle version of a warm apple cider donut that just came out of the oven.

My mouth is watering as I write that very description.

As fall enters into Milford, they said that flavors such as pumpkin, pumpkin spiced cream cheese, and apple crisp waffles will be on the menu. But past fall, I can see myself returning to their truck for my caffeine fix and a waffle as a sweet treat.

And I’m not the only one. Drift recently had their grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony a few weeks back, and is now officially on the move.

“Since opening, we’ve been overwhelmed by the love and support from the Milford community,” they said.

To catch Drift, be sure to follow them on their Instagram. They will be at the Farmer’s Market until October 4th, and at Gulf Beach Wednesday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon.

Friday Faves: September 19, 2025

TGIF and happy last Friday of the summer. Fall officially begins on Monday. I am so sad to see the summer and the warm temperatures go, however, I am very much looking forward to the flavors of fall and the crunch of leaves under my shoes as I walk.

Before we get into the weekend and the changing season, I wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorites of the past week.

Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose: I read the Perfect Marriage by this author a few years ago, and I just picked up the sequel, the Perfect Divorce, this week. I was hooked for the last 100 pages and all of the twists and turns that they brought, only coming up for air whenever absolutely necessary. This book tells the story of Sarah Morgan after the events of the first novel took place, and with her second husband, Bob Miller. I absolutely loved this book, and this is a great book to read if you’re looking for a book to help you reach your goal this year.

Coach Hadley Bag: I wrote a review on this bag earlier this week, and my feelings on it have not changed. I love how this bag feels and how easy it has been this week to wear. I am so glad that I got this bag in black leather so it can be super durable.

Tru Fru: I have been on a health kick this past few weeks, and this has been a snack that I can’t stop eating. My favorites have been the blueberry, cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. I have been picking on them whenever I feel like eating a snack, and I must say that they are the best thing to snack on.

Between Friends and Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi: I absolutely loved how real this book was. I finished this on Sunday, and I fell in love with our FMC, Jo. This book hit me so hard. It talks about depression. It talks about mental health. It talks about unrequited love. I loved everything about this book, and it will be something that I recommend for years to come.

Coach Hadley Crossbody Offers The Best Of Both Worlds

Sometimes, you need a bag that’s a crossbody. Other times, you need a shoulder bag. Something that both Coach retail and Coach Outlet have been excelling at is creating bags that have been offering both options.

One of those bags is the Hadley bag, which is on the Coach Outlet. Last year, the bag became viral with the suede option. I purchased the suede bag in tan and it was the perfect neutral.

I loved the bag, but something held me from using it is the fragility of the suede material. With suede you have to be careful, and I constantly felt as if I had to baby the bag. So that bag sat and was saved for only fair weathered days and days when I wore colors that would not transfer onto the bag itself.

I finally grabbed the bag in black pebbled leather, and promptly moved all of my items into it the first moment that I got. The pebbled leather makes the perfect everyday bag — it’s durable for all types of weather, and clothes that you wear.

This bag is perfect. Getting past the material, this bag holds quite a ton. The bag measures 9.75 inches in length, and 9.5 inches in height, with 3 inches in depth. It holds my Kindle Colorsoft, a Coach Pouch Wristlet, a Coach Small Zip Card Case, and a ton of my other bits and bobs without becoming too bulky. This bag may look small, but trust me, it fits everything you may need for day to day, or if you’re planning to use this for any daytrips or travel. This is also a bag that is good for any occasion— it can be worn in both casual and dressier outfits. It’s also a bag that you don’t have to worry as being too casual for the office as well — something that’s important for those who are returning to work.

What is great about the bag too is that there is a little spot on the side of the bag that is the perfect spot for bag charms. Bag charms are all the rage, and it clips right on. I paired mine with a Snoopy bag charm, and it’s the perfect match.

What draws me to the bag is that it is like a comfy sweater. It is comfortable to wear. It is something that you can just throw on with any outfit or for any activity. It is something that just works without you having to put much effort into it. And that’s the perfect bag for anyone, especially with the ultra adjustable strap.

The Hadley has quite a few different options, including a mini size and a large shoulder one, the backpack, a shoulder bag, and the Hadley tote. However, I can honestly say that my personal favorite is this convertible crossbody.

Favorite Fall Patterns

Fall and winter are by far my favorite seasons to make some crochet goodies for. So as much as I’m a summer baby and crave the warm sunshine of a summer day, I also love cozy fall crochet projects.

I decided to put together a list of my go-tos that I’ve made myself and always bring me joy when I pick up my crochet hook to work on. I’m sure that these are not going to be my only things that I crochet throughout the autumn, but I definitely wanted to share this list for those who are looking for some inspiration.

Pumpkin Pie Pillow: I made this pillow last year and I absolutely loved making this, but this has been on my bed for over a year at this point. My dog loves laying down on it, and it was so easy to make. This pattern is the perfect one to make for easy fall decor. The only thing that I will say to those who do want to make this is that it takes up a lot of stuffing so make sure that you’re fully stocked before picking up the hook.
Turtle Trunk Pumpkin I have made this pattern for many years, and it’s still a go-to for me. I love that this works with three different weights of yarn, that this works up so quickly, and that this makes great gifts. It’s also great for using up some scrap yarn that you have lying around the house, which we all love a scrap buster.
Ghosts: I made these for a spooky bride’s bridal shower, and needless to say, they went over very well. This pattern was so easy to make, and worked up so quickly! They are perfect for those who are looking for an easy make for markets, or just love ghosts to use for the spooky season.
Sunflower: Sunflowers to some are a more of a late summer flower, but for me, I associate them with fall too. This pattern came in a pack with other flower options, so if you want to make some for other seasons or for gifts, that’s an option as well. However, this pattern was really fun to make, and it is easily one of my favorite pieces that I’ve made for myself.
Fall Dolls : Out of the three dolls in this pack, I made the pumpkin doll, but I really enjoyed making her so much I couldn’t not leave this pattern out! In addition to the pumpkin doll, there’s a scarecrow and a Frankenstein modification, so you can make a lot from this pack.
Mushroom: Another super easy and adorable pattern! I made this one as a Christmas gift last year, but am so tempted to make one for myself! It worked up so quickly, and the person that I made it for absolutely loved it.

What are you crocheting during this fall season? Let me know in the comments below.

August Favorites

Welcome to the “ber” months, everyone. Fall in New England is something that is unmatched. I can’t wait for the apple cider donuts, the crunch of the leaves underneath my shoes, and the delicious taste of pumpkin spiced lattes lingering in my mother. I’m sad to leave summer 2025 behind, but I’m looking forward to the new season.

But before that, I want to take a moment to share some of my favorites for the month of August.

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston: This book was something that I just couldn’t put down. Poston is one of my favorite authors and one that I pick up the moment that she comes out with a new book. This one is about a songwriter who goes home to her North Carolina small hometown. The fantasy elements in this story was amazing, and I enjoyed everything about this book.
Kindle Colorsoft: I recently got a Kindle Colorsoft when it was one sale and I’m so happy that I did. I love reading magazines and being able to see the covers in color.
R and Co Cool Wind Air Dry Crème: My mother in law gave me this air dry crème, and this has been my go-to with my new short haircut. I love that this smells great, and it leaves my hair looking polished and frizz-free. Once I’m done with this, I will definitely be repurchasing.
Free People Baby Emerson Bag: This bag is becoming my favorite bag that I’ve purchased in 2025. I love how slouchy and roomy this bag is. I love the crossbody strap. I enjoy the top handle. It’s a really good bag because it’s effortless, so I recommend it.
Don’t Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine: I love Liv Constantine so much, so I devoured their latest book this month. It was a great way to help increase the amount of books that I’ve been reading on my 2025 reading list.

August Fiber Faves

It’s the end of August, so if you crochet, you immediately think of two things. One, it’s time to break out all of the fall crafts. Two, you better get started on making all of your holiday gifts, because Christmas is literally around the corner.

Well, before we get to that point, let’s take a moment to share some of my fiber faves for the month. I will say that I did a lot of crocheting during the month of August from plushies to garments. However, these projects have been the ones that I constantly go-to.

Ivy Cardigan by Hooks and Heelers: I love, love, love this pattern. I love that this is a free pattern too. I am so happy that I’ve gotten to make this this summer, and even to be able to wear it a few times. This was super easy to work up, which is one of my favorites. I definitely want to make another in a black color, as that will be great in my wardrobe.

Duck Pattern: I made a pink and a mustard colored duck, and I absolutely love this. This was a free pattern that I also found on Instagram and it also worked up so quickly. It also does not use a lot of yarn, so it’s the best for using scraps.

Hexagon Cardigans: This has been my favorite thing to make as of late. I have finished two this month, and I’m currently working on another as a gift for my grandmother. These are really fun to make, and they definitely work up so quickly. I definitely think that I will be making more as the fall season goes on.

Starfish: Last but not least, I made this starfish pattern by BekMakesCrochet this month and I absolutely loved it. This pattern was really fun to make and it’s something that I actually enjoy looking at.

What are you most excited about making this fall?