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Tuesday, December 13, 2016

General Happenings


Christmas festivities are in full swing here. We don't have a tree yet. We are waiting for my family to come into town to go pick one out. The weather has been wonderfully cold and rainy, which I love. I love the cold and to me, it's not Christmas if it isn't cold.
JW seems to be doing better at napping. It is a little touch and go some days. I just don't think he is destined to be a great napper. Hopefully, he will surprise me and really settle into his new schedule.
I'm trying to make the most of this productive time that I have. While I get tired more quickly than usual, I have not ballooned out to the point that it keeps me from getting stuff done around the house. I am trying to get as much done before I too large do anything but waddle from the bed to the couch.
It has been really nice getting to spend some more quality one-on-one time with JW. I am enjoying the quiet mornings where we read books while I drink my coffee. Our little world is going to be rocked very soon so I am trying to savor all moments we have together, just the two of us.
I need to get up and make myself some tea or I am in danger of falling asleep at my computer. These gray days are perfect for laziness but I don't have time for that!

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Procrastination//New Schedule

I meant to sit down on write this the day after Thanksgiving. I didn't. I was still in a food coma from the day before and I had a lot of Gilmore Girls to watch. Saturday I spent all day shopping for the babies. Sunday is well, Sunday, so I rested. I had every intention of sitting down on Monday and writing a post but the day got away from me. Then Tuesday rolled around and JW decided that naptime was optional so I didn't have much time or energy to do anything but look after him. Now it is Wednesday and I finally getting around to writing my post. Procrastination at it's finest, right?
I am now officially a stay-at home mom. I had to move up the timeline that I talked about it my other post. An untenable situation was forming for JW. It was no longer reasonable or responsible to take him to work with me. It was hard to pull the trigger but I am glad I did. He is doing so much better and resting during the day (well, except this Tuesday, what can you do?). I feel better because I know that I am doing the right thing I and I am able to fully concentrate on taking care of him.
This new schedule still feels very foreign. I think it's because I haven't really settled on a real routine yet. I am trying to figure out how to best prioritize my time and get the most out of these days. I am enjoying being home, though. I have already tacked a lot of unfinished items that have been hanging around for seemed like forever. It's nice being able to channel all these nesting urges into home projects. I'm excited about this new chapter and I happy that I am at peace with it.
Until the next time that I get around to writing!

Friday, November 18, 2016

Warning: This Is Sappy





If you prefer not to read about romantic relationships or any of that type of mush, move on.
This was a trying week. We were deep in throes of consolidating the nap schedule, there has been a ton of stuff happening at work, and on top of that Scott was traveling all week for work. He travels quite a bit for his job, so it is not uncommon for me to be home with Baby and Puppy by myself for extended periods of time. Usually, it isn't that bad. This week, however, I was so ready for him to get back. Taking care of a 18 month old takes a lot of energy but for the most part, it is very doable by yourself. There is, however, something comforting about knowing that you don't have to do it by yourself. If I am cooking dinner, and JW is getting under my feet causing chaos, I can move him out of the way, set him up with toys etc. Just because he is in the way doesn't mean I can't get stuff done but it is so nice when to be able to ask Scott to take him for a few minutes. That's what I love about being married. I can do it myself but I don't have to.
I think that is what is beautiful about marriage. I am so thankful that I can do everything on my own but I get to live in the knowledge that I have partner who will be there to share the burden.  Scott and I have been together for 8 years, married for 5 of those. It is crazy to think about who we were when we first started dating. So much bad communication. So many needless arguments mainly incited by me and my temper. Somehow, through long distance and age differences and a bunch of other hurdles we stayed together and got married. I can honestly say that he is my best friend. Any independence that I "lost" when I got married has more than been surpassed with the security and trust I have received. The little third culture kid in me has never felt more at home.
This week reminded me so much a scene in Gilmore Girls.

It's during the season where Lorelai is frantically trying to get the inn renovated and she is at her wits end. She comes from horrible dinner at her parents' (classic) and goes over to meet Luke. Unbeknownst to Luke, Lorelai is getting ready to ask him for a loan to cover the last bit of inn renovations. The stress, the bad dinner, coupled with the fact Lorelai and Rory have not been able to talk in forever results in her having a major ugly-face cry meltdown. Luke sweetly comforts her while to pours out all of her stress and frustration. The phrase that really sticks out is Lorelai wishing she had someone in her corner who could pick up the slack. Someone who she could rely on when times got tough. Of course the audience, is screaming, "HE IS RIGHT THERE! JUST MARRY HIM ALREADY!" That's a topic for a different time. All of that to say, I am thankful that I don't have to be Lorelai in Season 4. I have have found that person.

OK, sappy post over. Back to normal life.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Pink and Blue

I wasn't able to get this out on Friday so I'm here today. Better late than never, right? We were super excited to find out that our little bundles are a boy and a girl. I am so happy. I am confident that I would have loved any combo that we could have gotten but this one makes me very happy. It kind of feels like the best of both worlds. A little boy to play with JW and a little girl for me to cover in bows. I am only slightly kidding. Knowing the genders helps me get a better idea of what we're actually going to need. I can start finalizing shopping lists and prepping all the gear. I need to organize their closet and get a good idea of how I am going to lay out the nursery. All fun things.
Have a wonderful (remainder) of your weekend!

Friday, November 4, 2016

Favorite Things 11.4.16

(Instagram)

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a good week. I am looking forward to a completely free weekend. While I have felt pretty tired lately from being pregnant, I feel like this some of my motivation has returned. You know how you can be tired but still feel like doing stuff versus having zero desire or ability to do anything? I am definitely in the tired but motivated camp right now. Hopefully, I can leverage the motivation into some completed tasks. 
I thought I would leave you with a little wrap of some things that are bringing a smile to my face right now. Everyone needs a little pick me up and these have been mine. 

1. Iced (decaf) coffee. It has been crazy warm here lately so I have indulging in some iced coffee. I love using my french press to make a batch of good strong coffee and sipping it from a mason jar. You can't beat it. 
2. Following Chris Loves Julia's One Room Challenge. Wallpaper is back, guys, and it can be so cool!
3. Rewatching Parks and Rec. We haven't watched any in over a year and it has been so fun to go back and enjoy some of our favorite episodes. I had forgotten how funny it was. 
4. Collegiate sweaters. We're going to the Georgia/Auburn game next weekend and I have already been brainstorming my outfit. I have been checking the weather religiously, because if it will be cold enough, I want to get this sweater.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! What is bringing a smile to your face lately?

Friday, October 28, 2016

Letting Go Of Balance

(Craft Street Design)

If you remember back in my pregnancy announcement, I mentioned that after the twins are born am I planning on quitting my part time job. It's a decision that I made quickly but it definitely was not made lightly. It is a pretty big deal to me.  I love working. I really truly do. I love getting to put into practice the stuff that I learned in school. I love problem solving. I love the intricacies of small businesses. I enjoy spending non-work time learning about work related topics. I listen to podcasts about leadership. I read articles about market trends. I love doing what I do. Even with all that, I knew that I couldn't continue working with three small children.
One thing that I know about myself is that I am not satisfied unless I am giving 110% to something. The problem with this type of personality is it is impossible to really and truly give all of your energy to everything. It makes prioritizing things hard. I should be able to everything and do it all well, right? Wrong. Something has to give. In the case, it is my job.
I really don't believe in work-life balance. The whole concept of trying to "balance" all the different items in our lives immediately sets us up for failure. The reality is, some things are more important or vital and therefore should receive more of our time and attention. I had a professor in school talk about shifting the discussion away from work-life balance to work-life blend. The idea being, those important or vital things are going to require more time and energy and they should be given the time and energy they need. We don't need to assume that all activities should be treated equally or given the same amount of consideration. This type of thinking was so liberating for me. It helps me limit my focus and prioritize what is important. In this case and this time in my life, the most important things is taking care of my family. If I decided to continue working, it would be to the detriment of my children. This is not a statement against working moms. I have the highest respect and admiration for women in the workforce. I just know myself really well and I know that if I continued to work after the twins were born, I would put myself in a position where I could not care for them correctly. Since, it is about blending my time and my energy, I am not going to fret about balancing out my efforts. While they are small and require so much, I really want to be able to give them the majority of my time and energy.
I like to think of it as a pie chart. Can you tell I am business nerd? The amount of time in the chart is finite because let's face it, I have to sleep. Taking care of the three little ones is going to take up a lot more time than anything else. So if I taking care of my family and everything that it entails is my main priority, that is going to severely limit the amount of time I have to spend on other things. I have to be conscientious to not add more things that I can reasonably handle. That automatically means that some things are not going to make the cut. It forces to prioritize and really come to grips with the fact that I can't do it all. I am looking forward to what this new season will teach me. Plus, it's just that, a season. This is not forever. Seasons change. I am going to make the most of this one and learn as much as I can.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Keep Calm

I'm not going to lie, this week was rough. I had a two day migraine. Work is busy. Life is busy and if I see one more political post on Facebook, I may lose my faith in humanity. I want to blow this print up as big as the wall and plaster it across my bedroom. In a day and age where it is really easy to voice an opinion, staying calm and silent is a lot harder. I've tried to be really calm and measured during this election cycle, but today I seem to be failing at it. I honestly really don't care that much about the election or the drama around it. It just makes me sad to see so many people whipped up into a frenzy. I told a friend the other day that I wish we could take a do-over. Let's just skip this election cycle. We won't pick a president and then we will all reconvene in four years. I think a lot of people just need a chance to sleep off all of their emotions. In college, I used to say that if it was past 11 o'clock at night, I didn't need to be discussing anything important or philosophical because I was too tired to be rational. It's past 11 o'clock, America. Go to bed.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Nursery Inspiration



(1/ 2/ 3)

Being pregnant has allowed me to indulge myself a little more on Pinterest. I love looking at nursery inspiration even if my final product doesn't look the same way. I really didn't decorate the last nursery. I started late and ran out of steam before he arrived and it just fell really low on the to do list. I am hoping to do a little more this time. I love decorating and finding items that represent our family. I like baby rooms that don’t feel overly baby-like. I like the idea of the decor aging well with the child.
These three layouts are all from Lay Lay Baby. She creates the most amazing style boards. I love how eclectic and put together each one is. We don’t know the gender of the twins yet, but for some reason everyone keeps saying that they will be boy/girl. I kind of played off that with these three layouts. I used some of the design themes that we already want to incorporate in our house to guide the selection process. Our home has traditional architecture so I wanted to stay away from overly modern styles.  Plus, I am huge sucker for plaid so that one was definitely going to make the cut. While the style boards are much more masculine than many people would choose for a girl's room, I think with a little tweaking, each one could be adjusted to make it more feminine. I guess that I means I get to do more inspiration browsing. Oh, darn.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Saying Goodbye, Again

(from a fellow Witt chick's blog)
Today was a sad week for me. Another one of my childhood homes is no more. It's still standing there but it is no longer open. This was Wittlingen, my dorm during high school. I've mentioned it before but I had a rather untraditional high school experience. I attended Black Forest Academy, a Christian boarding school in Germany. This building was my home during those four years. It was the best. It was a very old building. I think the oldest parts dated back to the 1800s, maybe even farther back. It was a tangled maze from all of the additions. We had special names for all of the different sections. There was the West Wing, The Tower, The Closet which later was Davy Jones' Locker. There was the senior floor the South Tower and the main floor of the building which somehow escaped a unique descriptor. It was originally a guesthouse but became a dorm for the school in 1992. Some of the best memories of my life happened in that building. It was my home.
The building, sadly, was getting too old and run down to pass health inspection. Even when I lived there, we were always concerned that it would shut down. I am really thankful that is was only just now closed. I don't think I could have handled it if it happened even just a couple of years ago. It was always comforting to know that I could go back and visit it. Seeing the Facebook statuses and pictures of the cleaning out process brought back a ton of emotions. It was like saying goodbye all over again. I am so thankful that I have so many happy memories of Wittlingen. It may no longer house students but it will always be my dorm in my heart.

Friday, September 30, 2016

Two Surprises


This is turning in a season of change for a our little family. We found out that we are expecting twins! Needless to say, we are shocked and excited but mostly excited. This whole pregnancy was a big surprise but throwing multiples into the mix has made it extra crazy.
I am so thankful that I am past the first trimester. I can get pretty nauseated and drained during those first thirteen weeks. Around week 10 I start wondering if the nausea will ever end or if my motivation will ever come back. Pretty dramatic, I know, but I blame it on the hormones. Thankfully, it doesn't fail that around week fourteen the symptoms start to subside. I am so happy to be able to eat well again even if it means I am eating non-stop every waking hour. Being ravenously hungry is much better than being hungry but wanting to throw up at the same time.
The biggest change on the horizon, other than the expansion of our family, is that I will quitting my part time job. This is a pretty big deal for me and definitely will be the subject of a later post. As some one who loves working and loves learning, this is was a big decision but it wasn't hard to make. I know that my most ambitious self could not pull off working part time and taking care of 3 under 2 (yes, our other baby won't even be two years old when they are born. Pray for me.) I think it was God's way of taking the decision out of my hands. I am very at peace with it, but like I said, I will get further into the discussion at a later date. Right now, I am just enjoying the process and spending too much time on Pinterest looking at nursery inspiration.

Have a great weekend!

Friday, September 23, 2016

Hooray!

(Waiting On Martha)
This was one of the longest weeks ever. Monday felt long. Tuesday seemed to drag. Thursday felt like it would never end. To say, I am happy that it is Friday is the understatement of the year. I am hoping to go into the weekend with a renewed sense of productivity. Sometimes knocking out a few little things on Saturday and Sunday motivate me to get stuff during the week. A little jolt of hard work may be just what I need to hit the ground running on Monday.
So to round off this sluggish week, I thought I would leave you with a quick list of a few things that are brightening my days even when I feel like a sloth.

1. This made me feel pretty special.
2. Rebecca is super cool and this article might have alleviated some of my hesitation about doing something more dramatic with my hair.
3. The new J.Crew catalog. It's always gorgeous plus, this month they were in Amsterdam!
4. I nearly died laughing listening to Chris Loves Julia this week. Julia was talking about her childhood love affair with cleaning is radio/podcast gold.

Have a great weekend!


Friday, September 16, 2016

Room Makeovers







I like to take a slow approach to decorating. You could almost describe it as a glacial pace. Like, we've lived in this house for 5 years and I am just now getting around to painting. Earlier in August, Scott and I ripped up the carpet in the guest room and old office and it replaced with cork floors. This week, my in-laws and I painted the rooms a lovely shade of white. The white may not be everyone's cup of tea but I am excited. These rooms look so much better. Before, there were drab and dingy and now they are light and airy.
Even though it has taken me forever to get around to redoing these rooms, I am really ok with that. I don't think I would have done as good of a job if I had tried to do it all at once as soon as I moved in. I didn't really know what I liked or how these rooms would be used. I firmly believe that when it comes to decorating you should only buy what you love. That may make the process slower but I think the end result will be much better. As you can see in the above photos, our guest room is still pretty bare. I have visions of some new artwork and maybe a cool, funky mirror. I'll get to it one day. For now, you can find staring at the walls admiring the paint job.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Game Day Gear



Sorry for the little delay. For it being a short week, it still feels like a lot of stuff was packed into it. One thing that happened this week was that college football started. I will admit, I don't completely understand football. The whole growing up in Europe my whole life kind of stunted my knowledge of this very American pastime. Since moving back, I have tried to familiarize myself with it. Admittedly, it took me some time to come around the sport. At first, when I was still going through my whole transition phase, I was pretty against the whole thing. It felt like I was being a poser if I really tried getting into it. However, as I have lived and eventually graduated from a pretty football centric university, I have realized that it is ok for me to be interested in football. It doesn't make mean I am no longer the person who I was in high school before I moved here. I haven't abandoned or betrayed some part of me. I am simply growing and becoming more invested in the local culture. 
That may seem like a lot to say about football, but this realization has been a big turning point for me. With that, I would like to leave you with a roundup of a few things that I want to add to my wardrobe. These would be perfect for watching the game on the couch with the husband. 
1. A cute vintage inspired sweatshirt. This would look cute with a pair of sweats or jeans and boots. 2. I have these pants  in red and they are amazing! I think a black pair would really round out my collection. 3. This shirt is currently sold out but I hope it gets restocked. Nothing is more cozy than an oversized long sleeve t-shirt 4. Lastly, you can't go wrong with a preppy t-shirt

Are you into college football? Do you love game day gear? Do I really need an excuse to put together a cute outfit? If you're wondering, the answer is no. 


Friday, September 2, 2016

A Chill In The Air







The air in Georgia actually isn't that chilly but Hurricane Hermine has brought in some clouds and rain. In honor of September being here and pumpkin everything starting, I thought I would go back through my old photos and pull some of my favorite autumn memories.
I love doing seasonally appropriate things. The perfect example is the pumpkin spice latte. I refuse to drink a PSL while wearing shorts. Something just feels wrong doing fall things in summer attire. That usually means that I am the last one to put out pumpkins or bust out the boots. September in Georgia is pretty much just a barely cooler version of August. So while everyone else jumps on the fall train, I will calmly wait till the temperatures drop and the leaves start to change.
Even still, I am getting excited to do all of those fun seasonal things here soon. I see some corn mazes and pumpkin carving in the future.

Do you have any seasonal traditions? Are you neurotic about seasonal appropriateness like me? No? Oh well.. 


Friday, August 26, 2016

Learning Experience

(Pinterest)
I definitely don't look this stylish today. My outfit consists of shorts, a tshirt and a messy bun. Like the above picture though, I am travelling by car. Not that big of a deal except I am doing something I have never done before. I am driving long distance by myself. Needless to say, I am nervous. 
I do not have the greatest history when it comes to driving. I didn't get my license till I was 19. I spent all of my childhood and teenage years living in Europe where the driving age is 18. You need someone to navigate a subway system, I am your girl. Driving buddy? Yeah, no. So when I moved to America for college, I had only been behind the wheel once. That initial experience didn't go well. My husband, then boyfriend, and future mother in-law were the ones who taught me how to drive. Talk about an exercise in communication!
Even after I finally got my license, I was super scared and nervous. The best thing that happened to me was when I had to drive myself, forty-five minutes each way, to college everyday. That was a super valuable experience. Since then though, the extent of my driving has been just around our community with occasional trip closer to Atlanta (but never actually INTO Atlanta. I am not that brave.)
Today, I driving to Virginia for the wedding of one my college roommates. I made up my mind I was going to drive when I knew about it. I probably could have flown for about the same amount of money but I knew this trip would provide me the perfect opportunity to get out my comfort zone. I don't want to be limited by my fear of driving. I don't want to let my nervousness keep me from doing things I want to do. Driving 6 hours by yourself may seem pretty insignificant to some but this is a very big deal to me. It is a learning experience that I have to have. Hopefully, I will make it through in one piece. 

Any other nervous drivers out there? What is the longest journey you've ever taken by yourself?

Friday, August 19, 2016

Dream Big

(Pinterest, purchase here)
One the biggest motivators to overhaul our finances was the realization that if we continued to do what we were doing, we were never going to get to do the things we wanted to do. It's easy to talk about future plans or dreams. "One day we will do this," or, "One day we will go there." They roll of the tongue easily. They are dreamy hypotheticals. Good intentions with no substance. When it really truly hit me that we were never going to get to do those "one day" things was when I became really intense on whipping our financial life into shape. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. The old adage by Benjamin Franklin holds true, especially in the world of personal finance. 
Some people, like me, can get down and dirty in the numbers and budgeting, and that brings a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction in itself. My husband on the other hand, could care less. He doesn't get excited about allocating money to different categories. He is a spender through and through. He needs a big reason for doing the nitty gritty. The prize for a race well run. Chris Hogan's book, Retire Inspired, stresses the importance of dreaming big. What would you do if you could do anything you wanted? Honestly, this question is hard for me to answer. I am such a practical person at heart that it takes a lot to get me into that frame of mind. Scott and I talked about this and his answer was quick and definitive. All he wants is to buy a sailboat and sail around the world. That's a big dream but it is the perfect motivator. It's big enough that it will require sacrifice but it still attainable. My dreams are similar. We both love to travel and I cannot wait to take our future family all over the world. I want to plan a trip, have the money, and not stress about anything. 
So what does that really look like? If the whole point of this dreaming big thing is to actually do it, then how do you get there? One word, budget. It's not a dirty word. For a person like me, who will get the worst case of buyer's remorse, it is a life saver. Knowing that I have money allocated to a specific category keeps me from freaking out when I go to buy something. It also assures me that I am not sabotaging future goals for a momentary pleasure. Seeing how all the pieces fit together is amazing. Now you might be thinking, "Yeah, that is great for a nerd like you, but what about me? I don't care about numbers! I just want to spend my money how I want to!" 
Your thoughts are real and valid. I would argue that your definition of budget might be slightly wrong. Budget doesn't mean cheap or constricting. It simply means that there is a finite amount you can spend on any particular thing. How does that sound any better? Well, the reason is because YOU decide what that finite amount is. You tell your money where it is going to go. Sure there are some things that you going to have to pay even if you don't want to. Utilities, maybe rent or a mortgage, food, transportation, but the rest is up to you. It's is when you consciously decide how you going to spend your money that you actually can see those big dreams becoming reality. Otherwise the money just leaks out of your bank account month after month, and you will never make any progress. 
If you still don't believe me, I strongly encourage you to try out www.everydollar.com. It is great budgeting tool that has helped us to so much. When I use it, I can see that we are going to get to those "one day" things and I can actually start dreaming bigger. I am confident that those dreams are going to become realities. 

Any other personal finance junkies out there? Are you more of spender or a saver? What big things do you want accomplish? 

Friday, August 12, 2016

105 Days And Counting

(Pinterest)
If you haven't heard, Gilmore Girls returns to TV (but really, Netflix) this year on November 25th. To say I am excited is the understatement of the century. I am a GG super fan. I have watched all the season multiple times. Plus, coffee is practically my middle name. In honor of this glorious occasion, I decided to put together a list of my favorite fan items. Etsy is an amazing resource for finding cute fan gear. I tried to pick items that pay homage to the show without crossing the border into overly cheesy or tacky. Some may still think it's too much, and I get that. These are a few things that I either wouldn't mind having or are already in my fandom collection. 



1. Coffee of Gilmore Girls, minimalist design, quotes and coffee! What more could you ask for?! 2. Gilmore Girl Gold Engraved Pencil Set, the perfect way to carry the show with you throughout the day. 3. In Omnia Paratus Poster, add a little GG to any room with this vintage style poster. 4. Coffee. Pizza. Gilmore Girls. Tee, this was gifted to me by my sweet sister-in law and is tried and true favorite. 

Anyone else out there a Gilmore Girls super fan? Do you have a TV show or movie that is your everything? Am I completely ridiculous?
 P.S. the answer is yes.

Friday, August 5, 2016

Mental Check

(Verily Mag)

I had to take a little mental check this week. I was going throughout my day, reacting to what was coming my way, and I this thought, "I don't think I am a very nice person." I have always prided myself in being an empathetic person. The key word there is prided. It was a source of pride. People have described me as sweet or thoughtful and I happily agreed. When I was having this mental check, I realized that on the surface I may appear sweet but my thoughts were quite the opposite. It was a little wake up call. I kept thinking of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus talks about how it is not just our actions that count as sinful. The thoughts and intent of our heart condemn us as well. It was humbling but really, it was what I needed. Being faced with such a poor yet accurate picture of myself, I can truly rejoice in the grace of God. He sees the true me, with the flaws and sin, and still sent His son to die. 

Are you curious about spiritual things? Check out www.gotquestions.org. 

Friday, July 29, 2016

On My Airwaves

(The Chris Loves Julia Podcast)
(Young House Love Has A Podcast
(Think On These Things Ministries)


As a self proclaimed podcast-aholic, I thought it would fun to drop by and let you know what I have been listening to lately. 

The Chris Loves Julia Podcast is the perfect mix of DIY/decor love and comedy. Chris, Julia and their host and friend, Preston, are hilarious. I have literally laughed out loud while listening to their show. They pack a ton of information into each show while still staying light hearted and fun. They talk candidly about the ups and downs of renovations and each episode has a cute piece of "homework" to encourage the listener to get out there and DO something. 

I was so worried that this was some elaborate joke when I saw this. But it is totally for real! John and Sherry are back and dishing the out the DIY goodness. Their quirky humor lends itself perfectly to the audio medium. The funny games and interviews are great and it's just nice getting to hear them talk about their DIY life. This is a must listen if you were a fan of their blog or just love home decor. 

While not strictly a podcast, I have really enjoyed listening to this teaching series. It is hard hitting and very informative. If you are parent who wants to know what the Bible says about child rearing, this is a great resource. It is not for the faint of heart. The series goes deep in controversial issues. Overall, it has been very informative. 

Enjoy the suggestions and have a great weekend!

Friday, July 22, 2016

Fail

You know those pins that say, "Never by laundry detergent again! Quick, easy recipe!" I am always intrigued by those. I love the idea of spending mere pennies on common household goods like stain remover or bathroom cleaner. While I'm sure there are some truly good recipes out there (this one on A Beautiful Mess looks promising), I have had zero luck. Case in point, my attempt at homemade stain remover. It all came about because I was needing to wash a load of very stained baby clothes. In the past, I have used OxiClean with great success. On this particular day, I was completely out of the heavy duty stuff and there were some pretty set in stains on his clothes. Instead of going to the store like a normal person, I took to the Internet in search of a quick, powerful, homemade stain remover recipes. The one I found looked promising. All it called for was dish soap, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Mix it all up, let it sit, apply to stains, wait and wash. You can see the mixing process at the top. It was really cool to watch the bubbles form as the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mixed together. I was really hopefully that I had a winner on my hands.
Sadly, after washing and reviewing the clothes, I didn't even bother taking an after picture. The mixture did little remove the stains. Most were merely lightened and others looked the same. I guess I will just have to add this to Pinterest fail category and just buy some OxiClean.

Have you attempted to make your own household cleaning products? Have you had any success?

Friday, July 15, 2016

Summer wreaks havoc on schedules. Even if you are an adult working a regular job, there is something about summer days thay make you want to kick back and just relax. You still have to go to work but you might sneak in an hour by the pool instead of prepping dinner. 
Our summer has been marked by our garden. It has been so rewarding to go outside and pick some fresh veggies and turn them into dinner. 

Happy Friday, world! 

Friday, July 1, 2016

Little Update

(Zoodles with burst tomatoes and shrimp!)

After last week's heavy post, I decided to lighten the mood a bit. I just wanted to drop by and do a little recap of all the small, fun things that we've been enjoying this June. 

1. First and foremost, we actually did something for our anniversary! We have been married for 5 years and this was the first time we did any type of celebration. I kind of like this 5 year thing. I think we might that our tradition. We spent the weekend in Atlanta playing tourist and it was so much fun. 
2. We have been in soccer heaven. The Euro Cup has been going on and I am so excited. I always root for Germany but I love watching the underdog teams like Croatia and Iceland. 
3. Spiralizing!! See the above picture for reference. With our garden starting produce, I am have zucchini and squash coming out of my ears. I love turning them into you yummy noodle dishes. It is so easy and very filling. 
4. I have successful abstained from biting my nails for a WHOLE MONTH. This is amazing for me. I am so excited. Hopefully, this new found self control with continue. My nails are actually getting long and they look so much healthier. 
5. Lastly, I managed to squeeze in a tiny painting project in this week. Our main living/hallway area is finally all one color. It is such a relief. It looks a million times better. I have so much motivation now to tackle all of the projects. 

Hope everyone have a great weekend!

Friday, June 24, 2016

Thoughts On Being Consistent


This has been a week of heavy mental lifting. Maybe I am maturing with age, maybe it's all of the crises that have bombarding the news feeds lately, or maybe it's just the season the of life that I am in. I had a little light bulb moment the other day. I place a lot of value on being consistent, especially when it comes to opinions and beliefs. It is incredibly important that all of my ideas, opinions and beliefs align themselves into one cohesive and consistent worldview. I think I always knew that it was important to me but it hasn't been till recently that I came to the realize just how vital it is.
One of the most pronounced times of wrestling with this idea came to me in a college business ethics class. I loved that class. It was everything that I enjoyed about college. A great professor, interesting topics, and plenty opportunities for class discussions. The class discussions were very insightful. I was continuously surprised at the lack of consistent worldviews that many students exhibited. One minute they were all pro less government intervention and then the next minute they were exclaiming that we needed more regulations to legislate corporate behavior. It was very striking how they could hold a wide array of completely contradictory ideas to be true. Of course, this made me acutely aware of the fact that I might be doing the same thing, so I took it upon myself that semester to try to be the most logically consistent person in the class.
All of this came to a head one day while we were watching a documentary. It was about a young soccer coach named Jim Keady, who refused to wear his university's athletic apparel because of Nike's labor practices. I watched it with my radar up. I knew that this documentary had a very biased perspective, most documentaries do. Even with my critical thinking cap on, I couldn't help getting emotional. Everything about the document was pushing you to look at the income disparity of the people who make Nike clothes and shoes the people who wear Nike clothes and shoes. When the film was over, everyone was silent. It had taken a very obvious toll on everyone. My professor asked for the thoughts or comments. There were a few answers but everyone was still processing the information and emotions. It was hard. In that moment, I knew I had to stay strong. This documentary had done everything it could to sway me. The emotional appeal was staring me in the face. I slowly gave my answer to the professor. I talked about how the economic conditions of the Southeast Asian countries where Nike shoes are made. We baulk at the living conditions in those factory villages but we don't know what it would be like if there wasn't a factory there. Could it be that those workers would be dead or starving if there wasn't a Nike factory there? Are their living conditions and wages better than their non-factory working counterparts? I pointed out that the documentary did not give us any of those answers. It simply drew a comparison between a American person's life and the factory worker's life. When you compare an American life to almost any other life, you see a huge amount of disparity.
I left class that day feeling drained but proud. I still had to wrestle with what it meant to be a conscientious consumer but I had stayed true to my core beliefs in the face of a mental attack. It is important to me to remember that everyday is like that. Each and everyday, we are bombarded with new and differing perspectives. I can't just let that information pass through my mind. If I don't actively scrutinize and review the validity of each statement, then I run the risk of being led to believe that something that it false. As a Christian, this is incredibly important. There are far reaching implications for not being a consistent thinker. If I believe the Bible is true, which I do, and I think it is foundation of my life, which I do, I have to compare every thought or opinion that I have to what it says. It is tiring but I know that it will worth it in the end. The consistency will eventually be rewarded.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Snapshots From Atlanta

Last weekend, we took a little trip into town for an early anniversary celebration. We stayed in Atlanta and did fun, touristy things we normally wouldn't try. It was a great time to relax, chat and explore. We ate some great food and overall had a good time, just the two us. I didn't take a ton of pictures but I made a point to document a little everyday. Here are just a few from the weekend.