Innocence

Child like innocence
A word of differences
Scared and yet curious
Knowing yet pondering
Seeking thoughts of many'
Growing beyond the imagination
Striking the fancy of others
Playful with the backyard world
Small in stature
Giants in their world
Innocence of a child
Trusting and yet so loving
Hands so small place in another's
Sunshine smiles, rosy cheeks
Laughter so sweet
Eyes of a clear soul
Pure as it could be
Children are born as a canvas clean and pure
Their sweetness and loving eyes
Gentle smiles and sweet laughter
Giants as care givers help paint their blank canvas
This I say stop and watch what you shall do
For when you shape and paint a childs world
So this they shall become
As giants to paint another canvas of a child
-Donna L Hughes

Mystic Roses Died

"Crayon Angel's songs are slightly out of tune and my mystic roses died"- Fleet Foxes

What can I say? April was a rough month for me. 

I let the stress of life get me down. Blogging was put on hold while I cleared my mind of it all.

But I am back after taking a deep breath of new perspective air.

Vacations are perfect for that aren't they? A wise man by the name of Dad once said "we don't realize when we are in the moment that we are making memories until we are out of the moment itself."

Good reminder to cherish what we have while we still have it. 

One reason I love photography. Being able to capture that moment, that memory for a lifetime.

One thing I've realized this past month is that our feet are not on solid ground unless they are standing on the trust and promise of our Heavenly Father. We may think we have it all together and can handle the trials that face us on our own but in an instant it can all be swept away. 

Laura Story sang it perfectly " What if trials of this life are our mercies in disguise?"

With that, I am back. So hello dear friends :)

Spring Flings and Things

Well we did, done, and we will do it again.

Flea Market shopping season has once again begun.

Every time I go, there seems to be one particular item that everyone goes ga-ga over and you see people carrying it around all day. Pussy willows were the hit this trip around. Of course with my luck, I bought 2 bunch's at $5.00 a pop and the minute we walked outside, there was someone selling them for $1.00 a pop. Guess who became the brunt of the jokes for the rest of the day? I suppose it does pay to shop around before you buy the first thing you see. Oh well, just means I will appreciate mine that much more :)

 {by the way, if you are like me and enjoy people watching , flea markets are the place to go}


Besides the weather man telling a big fat whopper to the locals regarding the temperature for the day, we had a great time filled with a little shopping, laughter, and wine. What more could you ask for?

Bag Phones and Station Wagons

The first cell phone I ever remember is my dad's bag phone plugged into the cigarette lighter in the front seat of our family station wagon. We've come a long way since then haven't we? I realized just how dependent I am on my phone tonight when I set it down on the charger  so I could clean the house, and every few minutes I  felt the need to check it. I'm not going to lie and say I wish I didn't have one because I love the convenience of everything it does for me.  However, I will say that I hope by the time I have kids this world is back to the way it was with bag phones and station wagons. We made our own fun by conversing with one another face to face, singing songs around the campfire, playing capture the flag with neighborhood friends, and making up skits to impress our parents. Everything was more of a challenge; we actually had to get OUT of our chair to unlock our car, MOVE our arm to pick up a Scrabble piece, and DIG through recipe books to find out how to cook something. Now we can be in a different state and unlock a car, play scrabble with a friend by using the touch of our fingertips, and practically cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner through our phones.

Tis' the way of the world  I suppose and I have fallen into the path of it all.  Not to sound like a follower of this world, but keeping up with technology is important these days if we want to know what's going on around us.  I thought I would share with you some of my favorite app's that might make your life a little more convenient:

-Pandora

-Instagram

-Shazam

-Beluga

-Words with Friends

-Starbucks Mobile Card

-Mixology

-Fox News

-Photoshop Express

-Brain Trainer

Just about every day I find a new one that tells me it can make my life that much simpler, but I have to remind myself that this is just a piece of plastic and there is more to life than this. 

Bridal Shower

Ring the Bells, Tighten the Gown, Wedding Season is home bound!
If I may take a moment to be Miss Sappy Pants to tell you how happy I am for 4 of my close friends to be getting married all within a few months of each other. The second to be wed is my

  dear friend Kelly whom I have remained friends with since the 5th grade. I have mixed emotions about the idea if I can be honest with you. No, she isn't moving out of state, or even out of the city we both grew up in, but she's moving into the heart of her soul mate, forever. The man she's marrying is one I couldn't have picked better for her if I could have picked one myself. But it doesn't change the fact that a part of me will leave with them after they tie the knot. Without saying too much more (in fear I won't have anything left for the speech on the actual day), I want to say that I am so happy for her (and all my girl friends who are getting married) and have been enjoying this process of being her MOH (maid of honor) while it's lasting.

  {Side Note: you better believe I ate some of that cake above}

Her soon to be mother-in-law threw a beautiful shower for her this afternoon. One game, if you want to call it that, we participated in was the advice giving game. The married woman went around the table sharing advice to the soon to be bride. My ears perked up as I listened intently for future advice for myself  someday as well as a reminder for Kelly when she calls me up complaining Scott didn't put the cap back on the toothpaste. One ladies advice really touched me when she said, " Divorce should never be in your vocabulary. Of course there are ups and downs, your looks will change, your location will change, your salary will change, but always remember this moment you are in now... you are in love." 
Good advice for all soon to be brides!

If she had a "like" button attached to her, I would have pressed it.

{ After being the only one behind my camera for the most part, I forgot to show someone how to focus when I handed them my 7 pound brick. oops!}

I will leave you with this line out of one of my favorite love songs by Little Big Town:
"To know you is to know love and to know love is to know enough."

Now off to get ready for a night of celebration for another bride-to-be :)

Won't Stop Til' I Get Enough

Last night I had the world's biggest craving for a big slice of birthday cake. White frosting with sprinkles please. I didn't care how far I had to drive or if I had to crash someone's birthday party to get a piece but I had to have one. 
Simple As That.

Is it just me or do other people get crazy cravings without being pregnant ? The worst part is, I had just made it home after hitting the treadmill and weights at the gym. Dang it, there goes that work out. What is it inside our brains that tell us we need something HERE and NOW ?!  If I find out, it's getting  removed.
You know that saying, "our eyes are bigger than our stomach?" It's true...so does anyone have a friend who might be celebrating a birthday today ? Because this girl thought she needed a 1/2 sheet of cake all to herself. I quickly found out after the first piece that a small cupcake would have done the trick. Oh boy, I'm surprised I'm admitting these imperfections of mine to the world, but hey honesty is the best policy, right?
Thanks for still accepting me and my mad cake eating habits :)

Jewelry Stand

It's only right if it stormed on the first day of Spring, right?

Rainy Days filled with hail, lightning, and thunder call for a little indoor organizing. 

The jewelry drawer in my dresser (wow, say that 10 times fast) was almost spilling over with beads and clasps.  And to be honest with you, I don't wear but a few basic sterling silver pieces on a regular basis. I'm pretty simple like that. I've been wanting to clean out that drawer for quite some time now but put it on the back burner until today. 

They say scents are usually what trigger old memories, but I would have to say jewelry falls into this category as well. There's a time and place for each piece. That old belly button ring I wore throughout my high school/college days had my brain flooding with memories but it was shoved to the back just waiting to be retired. 
Seems as if I don't see my jewelry, I forget about it and never wear it. How about you?

Not only did I retire the bling bling belly ring, but several other pieces were thrown out (thrift store) and I was able to organize the rest.

Here's an idea if you are feeling the same way I did.

Homemade Jewelry Stand

{I do not proclaim to be the worlds best teacher when it comes to tutorials so bare with me.}

Have fun with it!

One Man's Junk.

Thrift Stores. What comes to mind? 

Moth balls? Used underwear? Collectors Items? Your Grandmother's China set? 
How about an antique chair sitting in the corner full of dust and bugs for a whopping $3.50 (which is less than my Starbucks drink) just begging for me to bring it home and give it a little TLC.

so that is exactly what I did...
With the sun shining down, a little Jackson Browne in my ears, and the old sorority sweatshirt on,
I painted the town.

I am thrilled with the way it turned out!
  After all was put away and paint had dried, I plopped down to enjoy a glass of wine and the sunset on my back patio.
Must we never forget the saying "One man's junk is another person's treasure"
:)

Happy Birthday, Mom

"A mother holds her child's hand for a short time, but holds their heart for a lifetime."

-Unknown Author

We celebrated my mom's birthday last night. 

She looks pretty good for turning 5 doesn't she? 

Silly me forgot to buy candles at the store and all I came up with was a "5" candle that I found smashed into the back of the junk drawer (it's called a junk drawer for a reason people). I'm pretty sure it made it way more entertaining to have the "5" candle anyways the way she paraded around with that number "3" finger added to the "5".  
Now, if I can just take a second to brag and tell you that I have the worlds most selfless, caring, supportive, devoted, sensitive, understanding, compassionate, wise, honest, hard working, loyal, God-fearing, lighthearted, beautiful in the inside and outside mother in the entire world. No, I haven't met even a third of all the moms in the world, but that wouldn't stop me from telling you that I wouldn't trade her for any of them. 
Happy Birthday, Mom!
xoxo

Lately.

As my Dad put it, "Okay, I've learned to tie my scarf, now what!" 

The part where I say life is busy busy busy for me is really no excuse either.
I mean, it is true, but what is even more true is that we make time for the things we really love.

and this is what I love even more than this blog...

Spending time with family. 
Crafting and laughing.

Happy Weekend!

Scarf Tutorial

Since I was recently asked how I tie my scarves around my neck, I thought it would be fun to make a tutorial on here so others can learn too. After all, we are not out of the winter woods yet people! There are so many different ways you can tie them, but I just chose my top two favorites.

Hope I don't confuse anyone!

Scarf #1

Scarf #2

So there you have it.

Almond Cake

Almond Cake Anyone? 

Can I just tell you that I had such a craving for anything almond all day yesterday!

It all started with my almond flavored Nature Valley granola bar (you know, the ones that you can't eat without a net of some sort under it because they are so darn crumby)  for breakfast and ended with me staying up past my bed time to bake this delicious cake.

What a great start to my day today!

Almond Cake

ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup almond paste
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/4 cup powdered sugar

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan.
2. Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.
3. Mix together almond paste and butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla extra and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture until just blended.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched in the center.

So much for my post vacation diet!

Nevada

If you've missed me this past week, I missed you too!
Being out of town and out of my daily routine of coffee and blogging really threw me for a little loop.
No need to fear, because I will be residing in my normal place of residency where I write to you all until the end of April. Then I will be blogging from a place where I will be enjoying the sand in between my toes and a margarita in my hand.
(not to rub it in or anything)
  But for now, let's talk!
Feels good to be home. 

After a week in Nevada for a work conference, my own bed was calling my name.

Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful experience and so did those darn slot machines that ate my money.  

 But sometimes we just need to break away from our daily routine and enter into a new world for awhile.
It felt great to do so in a place where spring felt like it had already sprung.
The lights, the mountains, the food, and the entertainment were all so overwhelming that when I returned I felt like I lived in a no mans land. Flat buildings, flat fields, but far from a flat tummy.
Now it's back to reality and I am ready for it!

Remodeled Bathroom

As promised last week, here are pictures of my newly remodeled bathroom. Now, before I continue, I must admit that I have the gift of being very impatient at times. I was so anxious to get started with my project that I didn't  take any before pictures, and what fun is that! The only photo's of this bathroom looking like an old oak forest are from the day I moved in. Furthermore, they aren't even good pictures because I didn't show the oak vanity which was the big make over! You will just have to use your imagination.
Sorry.
Lesson learned. 

  Before.

After.

After all the long hours of sanding, priming, painting, it was finally finished. I couldn't be happier with the results but will be thinking twice about hiring a professional before I even consider doing the rest of my house. That is hard work!

So there you have it. 

Rainy Recap

As I was flipping through some older posts I noticed that there seemed to be a Joyful Expressions tradition on Sunday's where I  recap my weekend. Since it is my blog, I  do feel the freedom to express my thoughts any way my heart so desires. So with that, I think I will keep this tradition alive and kicking. 

Also, I would like to point out that I am a pretty neat and organized person , especially when it comes to making a list. Hence the reason for all my bullet points and numbers in previous posts. So bare with me because it is more appealing to my eye this way and I'm guessing yours as well. 

:) 

My Weekend:

• The biggest event of the weekend took place in my bathroom. A little updating shall we call it. There will be a post soon regarding this one, so just hang tight 
• I found out that my Etsy Store was set up to ship internationally and it would cost me $80.00 to ship a piece of paper to Norway. Whoops! So thankful that customer was understanding on that one. 
• I discovered a love for hot peppermint tea thanks to a gracious co-worker
• Pandora Radio is now telling me I listen too much and they will now be charging me (sad day)
• Hosted a sweet family of three for Sunday lunch 
• Lounged in pj's while I cleaned and packed for a work conference this week
• Soaking in ( literally ) all of this rain. Call me crazy, but I have always loved rainy days. Even as a child, I wished for rain instead of sunshine on my birthdays. I never realized how odd this was until recently, but I can still say that I really do love it. Rain makes all the small things in life cozy.   My car, My bed, My house, My Socks, My Book.
• Scarfed down a delicious meal at one of my fave's... Chipotle. (does anyone really know how to pronounce this correctly?) Chip-ot-el.?Chip-ot-lay? Chip-ot-lee? And why is it that when you mention to someone you ate there they also like to list off the different ways to pronounce it. Hm. Random thought.
• Curled up to watch  a movie where there was only one scene and it was filmed inside a coffin.(Intense, but well written)
• Enjoyed the rest and rejuvenation any relaxing weekend can bring

Happy Valentines Day

{Love}

I Corinthians 13:4-13

LOVE is Patient.

LOVE is Kind.

it does not envy.it does not boast.it is not proud.it keeps no record of wrong.

LOVE does not delight in evil. LOVE rejoices with the truth.

LOVE always

Protects.

Trusts.

Hopes.

Perseveres. 

LOVE never fails.

These three remain: Faith.LOVE.Hope.

The greatest of all

LOVE.

Happy Valentines Day.

xoxo

Loving Life

Life is good isn't it?

When I say I am blessed. I mean it.

 Valentines Day is a day to celebrate the people in your life that you love; but why stop at just the people that we love? 
Here is my list of LOVES  and Blessings (in no particular order) at this point in time in my life:

1. Charlie Ray

2. Two selfless parents

3. Sister

4. Stable Job

5. Vacations

6. New Hobbies

7. Change of Seasons

8. Wonderful Grandparents that are still around

9.  Freedom

10. Do-overs 
11. Cozy Home
12. Close Friends and Family
13. Laughter
14. Sunrise/Sunset
15. New Gadgets

What is it that you Love about your life?

Printable Calendar

Sometimes I feel like I am on the verge of a breakdown with all of the things I take on in life. I don't care what you say, being a single gal with no children can be just as overwhelming as having a family of my own. Here is why: we think we have more time because of the fact that we don't have kids to worry about and therefore we pile it on thick. 

 {we would rather be here}

Don't get me wrong, I love every one of my hobbies and aspirations that keep me busy on a daily basis, but I also like to feel organized and on top of them all! 

So... I have created this...

If you are like me and would like to print this out to either laminate so you can write all over it with a dry erase marker, or want to print it out once a week to stay on top of your busy life...

{click above}

"Organization is like exercise.

It's not very effective if you do it only once; you have to keep at it."

February Foes

 A Midwestern winter.

without it, we wouldn't enjoy spring. 

Embrace it.

White Wednesday

Most blogs I read usually feature at least one post titled "White Wednesday". I'm not really sure what the big deal is, other than the fact that if you like shabby chic, white pottery, white towels, white doors, white teeth (?) you will more than likely enjoy reading and looking at pictures of their post. 

 I have yet to blog about a "White Wednesday" myself because I think it's rather silly to be quite honest. But today was nothing BUT a white Wednesday, so I thought it was appropriate. Being woken up with snow that covered both my front door and my back door was shocking to say the least. I knew those crazy 'casters' were warning us all to be prepared, but I never pictured myself  so enclosed that  I wouldn't be able to open my door without a heaping pile of snow falling into my house. 

{please notice Charlie looking very concerned for my safety as the snow was practically up to my waist}

Reason's I loved this day:

1. Cleaned my entire house- WHITE bleach and all 

2. Baked two pumpkin pies

3. Made homemade chili

4. Took several naps

5. Finished up my WHITE ruffled pillow

6. Got to spend the day hanging with my main man, C-Ray

7. Read my new book

8. Created Valentine Cards (check back this week) 

What a great break in the middle of the week!
I wish all Wednesday's were this carefree .