On My Mind

I’m currently obsessed with Salvation Army. There is one ridiculously close to us and I have gone a few times looking for home décor items, but this weekend I searched for clothes. You should know I don’t like to shop and I hate to spend money. I’m a saver. But I’ve been wearing the same clothes since high school and they are starting to show their age.

The Salvation Army by us had a great selection and I found some really great stuff, though I had to do some digging. I love getting name brand stuff for $2. I just feel like I’m beating the system, you know? For $95 I got the following: Old Navy tank top, two Aeropastle t-shirts, a Gap sweatshirt, Gap jeans, three hoodies (Gap and J. Crew!!), two flannel shirts for Garth, running shorts for Garth, 2 pairs of work pants for Garth, and a Dolce & Gabbana purse. I never thought I would own a real designer purse, but for $20 I thought it would be fun. It matches my knock-off D&G sunglasses.

My car had a slow leak in the front, right tire and my sweet Garth took his whole lunch hour last week to get it fixed at Belle Tire. After waiting over an hour, he was told there was a small leak and it was repaired. When he left work, he noticed the tire was low again. Gah! He took my car AGAIN the next day, this time to Discount Tire, and was told there was a nail in the tire and it was fixed. How did Belle Tire miss that?! Grrrr. But now my tire is as good as new!

I’m on level 2 of Ripped in 30 and it is intense. Lots of planks! And I hate planks, but they work. And the ab moves are so difficult. It frustrates me that I am struggling with the beginner version of these ab moves. I know in time I will get stronger and be able to do the advanced, but gosh darn it, it is hard right now!

My dear friend, Anne, came over this weekend. She brought these Lemon Chia Seed Muffins she made and they are incredible. I need to start baking because once my supply is gone I am gonna want more!

Garth has been making this killer protein shake lately. It consists of 1 cup of ice, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1 cup milk, 1 cup canned pineapple, and one scoop whey protein powder. It is so smooth and creamy and delicious. And doesn’t everything just taste better in a fancy glass?

Garth and I rented 50/50 last week and it was powerful. A little bit sadder than I expected, but a very good movie definitely worth watching.

I have a pet peeve during my commute lately. People that wait until the very last second to get in the left lane to pass a truck. We are going 80 mph in the left lane, and you come into our lane going 60 mph causing us ALL to slam on our breaks. Most. Annoying. Thing. Ever.

What's on your mind?

On My Mind

So I was trying to avoid The Hunger Games at all costs because I thought there were some very disturbing scenes. Well, we watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and THAT was the movie I was trying to avoid. I love me a good murder mystery but it was so violent and disturbing I had to fast forward at least thirty minutes of the movie.

I watched the new Footloose last weekend and while I love the original so much better, I adored the end dancing scene. I made Garth watch the ending about ten times. No joke. I loved it and tried to learn the dance. Now I have the biggest itch to go country line dancing.

I am in a fitness rut. I walk and bike ride while Garth runs and do the Shred, but I need something different to motivate me. I bought Jillian Michaels' new DVD Ripped in 30 and I am so excited to try it out!

Instead of a new mattress, Garth found this therapeutic foam mattress pad on sale and it is working. He can sleep through the night without his back hurting. Woohoo!

This weekend we did fun things around our city. We checked out the local winery in our downtown with my parents. Wine tasting and a cheese plate. YES PLEASE.

We noticed a sign for homemade pasties next to the winery. We love pasties and our favorite place in over an hour away so we don't get them often. So after church Sunday we picked up a few pasties and had them for dinner. Delicious! I love supporting local businesses.

Speaking of Sunday, church was awesome and after church we had a BBQ with a couple friends. Good times.

My brother moves home from NYC this weekend. So excited to see him!!!! He got a job in Chicago so I'm so excited he will be closer to us.

On My Mind

I still need to do a recap of the wedding we attended this past weekend. It was so sweet. The bride's sons walked her down the isle. How adorable is that?!

A good friend of the family past away unexpected Tuesday of a heart attack. Garth and I took it especially hard because he was our realtor. We saw him every week for eight months while we were house hunting. I just keep picturing him laughing. We were always joking when we toured houses. He was more than a realtor though, he was a trusted friend. Because of him we learned SO MUCH about home buying. He offered great advice and he was the one that found our house. We have him to thank for the house we love so much. He will be missed.

I don't even want to talk about my weight. I'm so discouraged and feel like I weigh a thousand pounds right now. Ugh.

BUT Garth and I are starting to plan a getaway down south to finally celebrate his 30th properly. So we are on a weight loss mission. No chips. No fast food. No pop. No alcohol. We must work out at least four times a week. It. Is. On.

I have done it before, I can do it again. I can't believe I need to lose twenty pounds again though. How annoying is that? But this time we are really making it a lifestyle change. The last time I lost twenty pounds I was eating 800 calories a day and whatever I wanted on the weekends. Not necessarily the healthiest way. And obviously not something I can maintain long term.

I am making this healthy pasta this weekend. Doesn't it look delicious?

(SOURCE)

I love planning a vacation. I love trying to find the best deal. Right now we are thinking of going to Miami. But a part of me wants to go to Texas. I am so indecisive it is not even funny.

We are also shopping for a mattress. I mentioned Garth's back problems here, and while he is feeling so much better, our current mattress aggravates his lower back. And we need a guest bed anyways, so it seems as good a time as any to start looking. We can't have Garth not sleeping through the night and in pain.

We have heard great things about the Dr. Breus bed and will go to a Sleep Doctor store soon to look at these. We went mattress shopping last Sunday and I kinda love it. Nothing makes me feel more married than shopping for a mattress with Garth.

Any great mattress recommendations? We are open to all suggestions! Thanks in advance!:)

Sweet Baby James

A couple weeks ago I mentioned that my dad looks like James Taylor. I thought I would show you a picture of my dad:

And James Taylor:

(SOURCE)

Do you see the resemblence? I also mentioned my dad used to sing Fire and Rain to me when I was young, but my dad emailed me and said: "I may have sung Fire & Rain to you when you were little, but mainly I sang James Taylor's Sweet Baby James to you while I rocked you to sleep ('So goodnight you moonlight ladies; Rockabye Sweet Baby James...'). It's a pretty little song. Here are all the lyrics...

Well, there is a young cowboy he lives on the range

His horse and his cattle are his only companions

He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyonsJust waiting for Summer, his pastures to change
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire

Thinking about women and glasses of beer

And closing his eyes as the dogies retire

He sings out a song which is soft but it's clearAs if maybe someone could hear
(Chorus) Goodnight you moonlight ladies

Rockabye sweet baby James

Deep greens and blues are the colours I choose

Won't you let me go down in my dreamsAnd rockabye sweet baby James
Now the first of December was covered with snow

And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston

Though the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go
There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway

A song that they sing when they take to the sea

A song that they sing of their home in the sky

Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to see

That singing works just fine for me
- Chorus -So, Goodnight you moonlight ladies

Rockabye sweet baby JamesDeep greens and blues are the colours I choose

Won't you let me go down in my dreamsAnd rockabye sweet baby James

"Sweet Baby James" is James Taylor's nephew who was named after him. He wrote the song on his way to meet his nephew for the first time. (SOURCE)." Isn't my dad the coolest?! I love that he reads my blog and I learned something new! I guess I just remembered Fire and Rain because I adore the line: "I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end." I just love that line so much.

On My Mind

I dream of going to South Africa to see where Garth grew up. I want to tour the Capetown wineries and hike Table Mountain. BUT air fare is ridiculously expensive and it is a LONG flight. We toy with the idea of going for our five year anniversary, but it is just so expensive. Like $2,000 per person to fly, not including baggage fees or lodging. Insane! Then I saw this deal on Groupon and I want to go all over again. How cool would a safari be?!

We are in the market for a new patio set. I love this one but I also like the idea of this. Gah! I am so indecisive.

This is my dream porch:

(SOURCE)

I have been wearing flip flops for the last two weeks and it is incredible. I hope spring is here to stay.

I am obsessed with having rocking chairs on our front porch lately. I want to rock on them after work and watch the neighborhood and drink sweet tea. Even though I don't think I like sweet tea. I think it all ties in with my obsession with wishing I was from the South.

So true:

(SOURCE)

I asked my four year old neighbor his favorite song and he responded by singing and dancing "I'm sexy and I know it." I die.

We found this little guy in our backyard last weekend. Such a cutie!

Garth was watching a soccer game Saturday afternoon. I was sitting next to him reading. It was a normal Saturday spent relaxing. Then 23 year old Fabrice Muamba collapsed during the game of cardiac arrest. Paramedics were able to restart his heart and rush him to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. Twenty-three years old. In the best shape of your life and your heart fails like that. That isn't supposed to happen. I had never seen anything like it. The players were praying, the fans were crying, and the head ref abandoned the game. Muamba was able to breathe on his own yesterday. Thank God. I pray he continues to recover.

Garth and I have not drank pop in over a week. That is HUGE for us. We would drink at least two cups of diet pop every night with dinner. In an effort to drink more water, I started buy Crystal Light and we have not missed pop a bit.

On My Mind

1. I do not think I could do this Whole Living Challenge. No dairy, sugar, coffee, gluten (pasta!!), or processed foods. It seems impossible to me. I love my cheese. I cannot imagine life without my morning coffee. Or pasta. And I am a very picky eater.

2. For that exact reason I want to do it. Just to prove myself wrong. And I think it would be a great way to try new foods, eat more veggies, and be healthier. I eat too much processed food and I think this would kick start a healthier lifestyle.

3. The weather has been in the 60s lately. That is insane! And I love it so much. We have been grilling and making the most of this tease of spring we are getting.

4. I made these Cheddar Biscuits a couple weeks ago when my family came over and they were amazing! They tasted just like the Red Lobster biscuits and were so easy to make!


5. So my next DIY project is taking longer than expected. It is more complicated than expected which is disappointing but I hope to have an update soon.


6. In other news, I want to do this project next from The Small Things Blog with World Market napkins. So pretty and simple!

7. Our small group has started the Hole in the Gospel study and it is amazing. It is all about having a passion for the poor and for our heart to break for what breaks God's heart. I think it is going to be a tough, but very influential study for us.

8. We have only read three chapters, but it has already had an impact on Garth and I. We read about the poverty in Uganda and then flipped on HGTV and it was a special on million dollar homes. How could we watch that after what we had just read?!

9. Everytime I hear James Taylor I think of my dad. I think they kinda look a like and my dad used to always sing "Fire and Rain" to me when I was young.

Elevens

The Perks of Being a Mrs tagged me in a fun little tag. Here are the rules:

-You must post the rules
-Post 11 fun facts about yourself
-Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you & then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged
-Tag 11 people and link them in your post
-Let them know you have tagged them


Here are 11 fun facts about me:

1. My food CANNOT touch. It grosses me out when my corn touches my chicken.
2. I have never mowed a lawn.
3. I am an extremely picky eater.
4. I love to travel.
5. I am highly compliant. I am that girl that puts on her seat belt to drive .2 miles in a parking lot.
6. I am not a risk taker.
7. I enjoy walking.
8. I am terrified of being in a car accident.
9. The ocean is my happy place.
10. I could eat sushi everyday.
11. I want to love God with my life.

And here are the 11 questions answered:

1. If you could tell your forty year old future self something, what would it be? Don't be so hard on yourself! Stop looking ahead and enjoy where you are at right now. In this moment.
2. What is your favorite restaurant (local or franchise)? Olive Garden.
3. What are your favorite colors to decorate with? Black and maroon.
4. If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be? Be kind.
5. What is your profession? Administrator.
6. If you could drop everything and go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? South Africa. I really want to see where Garth grew up and it just looks so beautiful.
7. What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show? Real Housewives of New Jersey.
8. What are three positive things about yourself? I'm optomistic, easy going, and organized.
9. What is your favorite book and why? The Bible because it is the instruction manual to living your best life.
10. If you could have dinner with any person from history (dead or alive), who would it be? Pricilla (of Pricilla and Aquila in the New Testament). She was a theologian, a wife, and in business with her husband.
11. If you could be a character from a book, which character would you be and from what book? Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat Pray Love. I wish I was that adventerous. I also wish I could write like her.

I tag YOU!:)

Random Musings

01. I cannot believe Whitney Houston died. She was my favorite growing up. Her CD was my first. I loved her music and I wanted to be her. The Bodyguard was a favorite movie of mine for a long time. So incredibly sad.


02. I enjoyed The Grammy's this year. Love The Beach Boys. And Taylor Swift. The Civil Wars. The tribute to Whitney by Jennifer Hudson was amazing.


03. You should seriously make this Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup. It was so flavorful!


04. It was a great weekend of relaxing, eating good food, sleeping in, dinner with fun friends, celebrating my brother's birthday with family, and an awesome church service. Good times.

05. I hate writing with pencils. Maybe that is why I hated math so much.


06. I think winter is finally here. I knew the 50 degree weather and lack of snow would end eventually, but I secretly wished it wouldn't.

07. One of my coworkers just got an Australian Shepherd puppy. I am obessed with this breed now.

08. They are very active dogs though that require a large yard. We do not have a very large yard, it is not fenced, and we both work full-time. Sadly, this is probably not the dog for us.

09. I cannot believe four years ago today Garth and I had our wedding rehearsal and dinner. Time flies!



10. Any big Valentine's Day plans? Garth and I usually get sushi from our favorite take-out place and have a low-key night.

11. We will go out for a nice romantic dinner later in the week on our anniversary (and after the Valentine rush is gone).

12. Happy Valentine's Day friends!

Pinterest Love

I think I may make this for Valentine's Day next week.

I will be making this cocktail for summer evenings on the deck.

I am going to have a freezer full of made ahead meals one day.

The kitchen of my dreams.

Could there BE anything cuter than this turtle baby?!

This tea pot makes my heart happy.

My arms are my least favorite body part so I am going to start doing this workout.

I am going to make these tacos this weekend.

I really want to make this wall art for our family room wall.

FW: Perception​, taste and priorities

I do not like forwards and I never send them, but when my dad sends me a forward I know it is worth reading. My dad even checked to make sure it was a true story before sending it, which it is. There is even a YouTube video of it. I found this story extremely interesting, particularly the last question. Let me know what you think!

THE SITUATION: In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against thewall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one ofthe most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . ..
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

Enjoy life NOW… it has an expiration date

On my Mind

I am obsessed all the Real Housewives shows, but I cannot stand the reunions.

Garth and I have another free trial to give Netflix another chance and we have been watching so much Mitch Hedberg stand-up. I am so sad he died. He was so creative, talented, original, and hilarious.

I am convinced yogurt and granola were made for each other. So good!

While Garth and I were sick last week we watched a lot of good movies. We both really enjoyed Moneyball, The Help, Courageous, and I Don't Know How She Does It.

I am still bitter that something this delicious looking (and expensive and time consuming) was not good. At all.



I have a major case of baby fever right now. I know we aren't ready yet, but the thought of having my own little one just makes my uterus ache.



Due to the above admission to baby fever, Garth and I researching dog breeds. We will wait to winter is over to get a dog, but it is looking like this spring we will get one. As much as we want an English Bulldog we will probably wait to have one as our second dog. They are a relatively high maintenance breed so I don't think it would be wise for that to be our first experience as dog owners.

For now I will just obsess over puppy pictures until we are ready to adopt a fur baby.

I am loving eating sandwiches for dinner lately. I think it has something to do with the weather being in the 50s lately. I am craving this one right now and I'm sure it will be on the menu next week.

Speaking of 50 degree weather, I am loving it. I can deal with Michigan winters if they are all like this!

Garth and I know the neighbors on either side of fairly well. The neighbors across the street we say hello to and chat while we shovel or mow, but that is at far as it goes. So Garth and I planning a wine night to invite them all over. I'm nervous about it because I have a fear of rejection, but I think it would be so much fun.

I really hate how expensive concerts are, but I regret not going to see Zac Brown Band last year. Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney are coming this summer and I think we are going to go.

If you had to chose between an all-inclusive resort, a cruise, or a hot tub which would you chose? These are the decisions Garth and I are trying to make and we are so indecisive it is ridiculous.

Wish List

Target cardigan found here.

Target fleece (in black and gray) found here.

BB&B Stemware found here.

Dayspring wall art found here.

Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Wife found here.

Beth Moore's So Long, Insecurity found here. Walmart pillows (2 in black) found here.

Target Basket found here.

Old Navy Flared Pants found here.

Old Navy Gloves and Hat found here and here. Old Navy Jersey Lounge Wrap found here.

Old Navy Chevron print shirt found here. Kohls hooded jacket found here.

Target McGibbon Floral Boots found here.

Happenings

1. Garth and I visited dear friends in the hospital Friday night to meet their newest little one, Brynn. She is so precious and perfect.

2. Garth FINALLY shaved. I'm pretty sure it was going on three months and was desperately needed!!

3. I slept intil 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. I can't remember the last time I did that, probably college. Crazy!

4. My co-worker sent me the cover of his son's skater magazine because he thinks the skater on the cover looks like Garth. I think it does too, but Garth disagrees. What do you think?

5. I am using some of my vacation time to have the week between Christmas and New Years off. I have never taken this much vacation time and not gone on vacation. I'm excited though! I am dreaming of sleeping in, organizing a few closests, working out, reading, and cooking nice meals for Garth.

6. Garth and I watched The Smurfs last night. Oh my goodness, it was so cute!

7. So I had jury duty last Friday... And I was called to serve as a jurur for the trial. I had to answer all these questions in front of about 70 other jururs. It was nerve racking, but really interesting. Luckily, my case is a circuit court case so it will not go more than two days long.

8. Hoepfully, my case will get settled before trial and I won't even have to go. I do not want to have to make a decision that will affect someone's life. That is a lot of pressure!

9. I made the crock pot chicken stew the other night and did not like it. I love coming home to dinner in the crock pot made and ready to eat, though. This may be too ambitious, but I would like to try to prepare a weeks worth of frozen crock pot meals to make anytime I'm in a pinch.

Baby Talk

The list of the top ten baby names of 2011 came out and I always enjoy seeing the new list. Though Garth and I are not expecting a bundle of joy anytime soon, we LOVE to talk baby names. Like seriously. We talk about baby names A LOT. Is that weird? Hmmm lets pretend it's not.

Here is the list:

Male / Female
1. Mason / Emma
2. Liam / Olivia
3. Noah / Sophia
4. Ethan / Isabella
5. Jacob / Ava
6. Aiden / Madison
7. Jackson / Emily
8. Logan / Ella
9. Jack / Abigail
10. Ryan / Lily

My thoughts on the list? Oh! So glad you asked! I love the name "Liam" but it just does not go with our last name. It is a mouthful since our last name has lots of l's and m's. My favorite names were Isabella and Jacob...and then Twilight came out and these names have been on this list the last two years. Booo! Though, by the time we are ready to have kids they may not be popular anymore.

I am currently obsessed with "Ava." So. Cute. It sounds perfect with our last name. I like it so much I've considered nixing "Pricilla" as a first name candidate. This makes my family (and Garth) very happy, I'm sure.

Garth loves the name "Abigail." He was happy to see it made the list. Also, a funny tidbit about Garth - If you have read my blog for a while, you know he grew up in South Africa. He watched a lot of American movies where the main character's name was "Jack" and wished his name was "Jack." I thought that was funny, and even funnier that "Jack" made the top ten most popular names of 2011!

What do you think of the list?

Random Musings

1. My dad's birthday was yesterday. I am incredibly thankful to have such an amazing dad. He is Godly, generous, funny, wise, and someone Garth and I look up to. He treats Garth as if he were his own son and is always supportive, encouraging, and loving. You are the best dadly, love you to the moon and back!!!

2. The forecast for tonight is 6 to 10 inches of snow. Oh, Michigan, I am not ready for your harsh winter! It seriously makes me sick to my stomach thinking about driving in snow and ice.

3. Though I hate winter, I do love living in Michigan. It is so pretty! This is the time of year we get to enjoy deer in our backyard and all our neighbors' lights are up and I love walking after dinner and seeing them. Love it!

4. I made crock pot mac and cheese for Thanksgiving. Garth tasted it before we left and said it was the best mac and cheese he had ever had... But something happened between the 35 minute car ride to my parents. When I tried it the cheese and butter had clumped. Blah! I was disappointed, but since I have leftover ingredients I may try to make it again this weekend and experiment with more cheeses and bread crumbs to make my own version to bring next year!

5. Garth turns thirty in two months. TWO. Eek! I need to get on it! I really want to make it memorable and I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet. I think he wants to turn the basement into a man cave which I think is a great idea. I have never taken vacation days and not gone away, but I think it would be nice to take time off and work on our house. I'm thinking a couple lazy boys like this one. A big screen TV. Lots of Manchester United and Lions memorbilia, and a photo of Nadal winning the Grand Slam.

6. I love hearing about traditions families have for this time of year. Garth and I don't have many yet, but I hope we make some new ones this year. Growing up, my family watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and drove around looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. I still make Garth watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on Christmas Eve becuase it's my favorite. As my dad always says, it is the only Christmas cartoon to show the true meaning of the season. We also make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, though this year I might make a casserole. What are your family traditions?

Fit Friday & Random Musings.

1. I don't have much to report on my weight loss because I have maintained the last two weeks. UGH. I have been watching calories, keeping portions in check, and waking up early to work out.

2. I feel like I'm doing everything right so it's very frustrating to not see results. Though I have done this long enough to know that sometimes it takes awhile for my body to catch on and I'll see dramatic results at a later day. So I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully have good news to report next week!

3. We went to a cider mill by our house with our small group last weekend and it was so much fun. We apple picked, ate cider and donuts, rode the hayride, and enjoyed a beautiful fall day in Michigan.

4. I am not a big football fan, but I do love my Spartans and I enjoyed watching the game last Saturday against Wisconsin. Amazing! I was on the edge of my seat the whole fourth quarter.

5. I do not like The Office without Steve Carrell. It's just not the same. I didn't laugh once during last night's episode. But Whitney on the other hand, hilarious! I love that show.

6. A family from our small group came over yesterday and brought us dinner which was so sweet. Garth is teaching guitar to the dad and they had a great time jamming.

7. Life is good. We have some really fun plans this weekend with friends we haven't seen in a long time.

8. My neighbor emailed me and gave me a heads up about Halloween being really huge in our subdivision. I'm so excited! This is our first time handing out candy and I'm pumped. We stocked up and our goal is to not run out.

Accept.

The older I get, the more I accept the facts of my life:

.I will never be a size 2.

.I will never understand cricket.

.Life isn't fair.

.Not everyone will understand or like you.

.And that's okay.

.Cheez-its are not happiness.

.God is good all the time.

.Life really is like a box of chocolates.

.You just never know what you're going to get.

.People will disappoint you.

.God is always faithful.

.Always.

Random Musings.

1. I am in love with this picture from Dayspring.

2. Garth isn't crazy about it, but I can't stop thinking about how awesome it would look in our house... I might have to buy it.

3. The weather in Michigan has been amazing lately. Perfect for late afternoon walks with Garth. Perfect for sitting on the deck reading. Perfect for a bonfire with my parents on Friday. Just perfect!

4. We went to a silent auction Saturday night with some of my co-workers. It was a lot of fun and for a great cause (Hannah's House).

5. We had girls night /guys night with our small group. The guys met up to watch the Lions game and the girls met for dinner and chatting. It was a blast! I'm so thankful God brought these people into our lives. For real.

6. A friend and I have started car pooling to work three times a week and it has been amazing. The drive flies by and we are saving so much money on gas. Love it!

7. The leaves have all changed to these beautiful shades of red and gold. It seriously takes my breath away. Michigan is so gorgeous this time of year.

All Things Pinterest.

So I am borderline obsessed with pinterest. I thought it would be fun to show you some of my faves right now. Enjoy.