2015 Family Focus

I have never been a New Year's Resolution person.  I always struggled to pinpoint one or two things I wanted to do or change in my life.  Coach Husband is the same way.  In fact when asked what his resolutions are, his response is normally, "Whatever the Lord thinks I need to work on that day."

This year CH & I decided to have a focus instead of resolutions.  A focus of what to work on together as a family.  After much prayer and discussion our Family Focus for 2015 will be finances.


We have worked diligently this past week to create a workable budget for ourselves and a savings goal believe is challenging but attainable.  We are both incredibly excited about our focus this year.




Word: Intentional
Verse: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Focus: Finances



Today I will celebrate the last day of a wonderful year in Kansas City with Bre & look forward to a new year, new focus & new adventures in 2015.

Small Ways: Day 2

Small Ways Day 2 called for a handwritten note left for CH.  I loved this small way & I am glad it is on my list multiple times this month!

CH drinks milk every morning with his breakfast, so while he was out pulling his tire this morning I popped the note in the fridge.

first birthday.

I've decided to start writing a letter to my niece every year on her birthday and saving it. Whether I one day give them to her, or they just become an annual diary entry...today is the start. I was too excited when she was born to put my thoughts on paper.

c/o: Pinterest

P -

Happy birthday sweet baby girl! I cannot even believe that you are 1. How is that even possible?
In some ways I feel like it was just yesterday I was anxiously waiting for you to be born, but in others - I can't remember our family without you.

This year has been one of the best I've had, and I attribute a lot of that to you sweet girl. You made me Aunt B. You gave me a reason to open up and tap into a love I didn't even know I had. You have changed our family in a way I could never have imagined.

It's because of you princess, that I've gotten to watch my older brother - the guy I've admired and adored my entire life, become the best daddy. You are a lucky lady, he is enough like your Grandpa for me to know that you will always be in good hands with him as your Dad.

As amazing as this year has been,  I can't wait for what's to come, because I know we have so much good ahead. You are already so smart, little one - with such a spunky personality. You are going to give us a run for our money, but it's okay; we can handle it.

You will never know what you mean to me. In your innocence you have renewed my faith and unintentionally inspired me to be better; be someone you will look up to one day.

I will always have your back angel... you and me against the world.

Happy birthday, sweet girl.

Love,
Aunt B

Small Ways: Day 1

Starbucks Hot Chocolate

I'm not going to lie y'all.  Day 1 was hard.  

It was 5:30, I was finally leaving school and the only thing I really wanted to do was go home and go to bed.  But the surprise & smile on Coach Husband's face was worth the extra fifteen minutes.  i

Love you Coach Husband.

25 Small Ways

Y'all my husband is so good to me.  He loves me intentionally, serves me with a selflessness that is a picture of Christ and leads our household with a quiet voice.  He never judges, shoots it straight and is the hardest worker I have ever met.  He does this all without a word of complaint or in an effort to stock up points to later redeem.  

Because of how wonderful he is, I wanted to start a "tradition" of my own.  Every December I will show Coach Husband how much I love him in 25 Small Ways.  One "small way" each day starting on December 1st leading up to Christmas to show CH how much I love him!  

1. Hot Chocolate from Starbucks

2. Handwritten note with one thing I admire about CH

3. Pack his lunch

4. Red Velvet Cupcakes

5. Fill up his car with gas

6. Warm his towel while he showers

7. Make him coffee in the morning

8. Take the trashcans to the curb

9. Picture for his desk at work

10. Handwritten note with one thing I admire about CH

11. Giant candy bar

12. His date night pick

13. Make his favorite breakfast

14. Wash his car 

15. Jamba Juice

16. Handwritten note with one thing I admire about CH

17. Surprise ice cream

18. Wash his work out clothes

19. Encouraging verse on the bathroom mirror

20. Publicly praise him

21. Let him choose the restaurant 

22. Make his favorite dinner

23. Plan a date

24. Write out my prayers for him

25. Christmas Date Night In

December Goals: Mrs.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  I have always desired to have Christmas traditions & have made a valiant effort last year to do so.  But this year we are going ALL out.  Coach Husband is a little nervous with what I have planned.  

November Goals

file the crazy mess at school (I have all of Thanksgiving break, it will get done this month)

start Christmas cards

visit the dentist

begin Christmas shopping

participate in the thankfulness postings

start spreading the holiday cheer

Overall, I did pretty well with November goals!

December Goals

finish & send out Christmas cards

participate in 25 Small Ways (blog post coming)

get back into barre class

finish Christmas shopping

record holiday traditions

miss december [goals]

Christmas Music. Hot Chocolate. Snow (in moderation). Puffy coats. Beanies. Fireplaces. 

December just holds so much magic and happiness...and I feel like this is going to be a great one! :)

c'o: Pinterest 

I am officially not doing well at accomplishing my monthly goals... but as Emmy reassured me tonight, it's the thought that counts.

December...

1. Read 2 books 

I haven't accomplished this the last 2 months, but hey...

3rd time's a charm

2. Watch copious amounts of Christmas movies

It's basically my favorite thing and I want to take full advantage

3. Go ice skating

4. Take family pictures

5. Truly enjoy this season and bid 2014 adieu with no regrets

6. See Emmy TWICE in one month!

Merry December, y'all! :)

the mondays.

(Fair warning this is random and rambly and probably doesn't make much sense)

Source: Pinterest

Mondays.

We often give a lot of credit to the bad days or the great days, but rarely do we record the hundreds of other in-between days, which is what today was. An average, run-of-the-mill Monday, where I chose the good.

My day actually didn't start that great, I woke up 3x during a 2 hour period last night with nightmares. The disturbing, wake-up screaming, terrify the dog type dreams which caused me to turn on Netflix at 3am and watch multiple episodes of How I Met Your Mother until I fell cautiously asleep. At least they were just dreams and I was safe in my apartment. After the dark of night was gone, the clouds lifted. Maybe the dreams are what caused my day to be good - a juxtaposition, allowing me to really appreciate the mundane. The simple things like a favorite song playing on shuffle this morning, to being offered the last piece of my favorite candy, to finding the perfect Christmas gift for someone special.

Today is Monday of Thanksgiving week. Typically, Thanksgiving does not make me very reflective. Growing up, I didn't understand what the big deal was around Thanksgiving. As an adult, I try to practice gratitude thoughout the year and pride myself on not needing a sanctioned holiday to be thankful. For some reason though today it all really resonated with me... how good life can be when you take the time to notice.

Source: Pinterest

This year, 2014, I am thankful for the mundane. The 95% of days that are just there. Nothing special, nothing bad - just healthy, productive days. The days that are alone insignificant, but contribute to our overall life picture. The good hair days that build self-confidence. The drives to work that are safe and without incident. The work that earns us money to buy gifts for others. The days we are simply safe and warm, protected and full. These are the simple days that shouldn't be taken for granted.

Be thankful. In all seasons of life, give thanks.

miss november goals

photo c/o pinterest

Hi! So let's try this again. Things were a little busy during October, and I accomplished pretty much nothing on my October goals list, but maybe November will be better? It's worth a shot at least!

To Recap October:

Read a book - fail. 

Finish Walker David's birthday present 

Purchase a few more Christmas presents - fail. 

Order a 2015 planner

Do something creative with a pumpkin - fail. 

Continue #100happydays posts - fail. :( 

BUT! Happy news! I was able to cross off one of my 100 Goals... "Attend a World Series game [preferably that my team is playing in]"... I not only attended 1, but I attended 7, in what had to be the most memorable October of my life... Until next year of course! :)

Now for November:

Read 2 books
I've technically already half way there and with Thanksgiving break ahead of me, I'm feeling good about this!

Buy 5 Christmas Gifts
Continuing from last month with optimism that I'll actually have shopping time in November.

Finalize New Year's Eve plans 
Cough, with Emmy, cough, cough.

Deep clean kitchen / reorganize cabinets
I need to reorganize my cabinets to as to perfect my hot chocolate efficiency. 

Finish Piper's Christmas stocking

Workout/yoga
The last month has killed my workout schedule and I need to get back into it so I'm not a stereotypical 20-something year old girl come January.

Blog
Preferably before it's time for December goals. 

xoxo

November Goals--Mrs.

I blinked and the calendar said November.  I'm still confused as to where October went.  

Re-capping October goals

file the crazy mess at school

finishing touches on our guest bedroom

clean make-up brushes

catch up on ironing

start Christmas cards

keep attending barre classes

November Goals

file the crazy mess at school (I have all of Thanksgiving break, it will get done this month)

start Christmas cards

visit the dentist

begin Christmas shopping

participate in the thankfulness postings

start spreading the holiday cheer

What I'm Loving Monday

it's the little things that make life so much more special.



-a card from Compassion International celebrating our one-year "Sponsor-versery"

-Sonic Dr Pepper

-double date night (somehow I did not get a picture with our favorite Waco friends)

-fall carnival at school with this love-bug

-celebrating a sweet friend's upcoming marriage at her bridal shower

-binders & being organized

what are a few little things that you're loving right now?

miss October goals

Oh hello there, long time no see dear bloggity blog. After months of sweet and rarely subtle texts from Emmy urging me to blog, i am finally back. So here I sit with the windows open letting the crisp air in, a cup of piping hot Snickerdoodle tea, watching [my boys play] baseball with a sleeping dog on my blanket. October, you always treat me so nicely and this year appears to be no different. 

I wanted to join Emmy by posting monthly goals. For October...

Read a book

I go through cycles of reading nonstop and then not reading for months. Of course when I am on my reading sprees, I buy up lots of books which I never get to before my reading season ends. With the cooler weather, it's the perfect time to get lost in a new book. :)

Finish Walker David's birthday present 

My sweet friends Mallorie and David just welcomed Walker David into the world a week ago. I have a few things in progress to send him and his precious big sister - just need to finish up.

Purchase a few more Christmas presents

This is a new goal of mine this year: finish Christmas shopping early. Finishing my shopping early not only is better for me financially, it also allows more time at the end of the year for hot chocolate and Hallmark Christmas movies.

Order a 2015 planner

Emmy ordered hers. I've said 100x that I need to order mine, but keep forgetting to do it!

Do something creative with a pumpkin

I love fall. I love pumpkins (for decoration... I actually hate the pumpkin flavor). Every year I do something with a pumpkin: carve, glitter, paint, etc. I have so many fun ideas pinned, just need to find time to play!

Continue #100happydays posts

I joined the #100happydays challenge and started a tumblr to collect my posts. I'm really enjoing it and to keep it up! It's fun to find special happy moments every day and think it will be fun to go back and look at it. 

That's all I can think of right now and depending on my work schedule, may be difficult to accomplish - but that's why their goals and not requirements :)

-b

Throwback Thursday

Throwing it back to an October four years ago.  This would be Bre's last Homecoming before she became an alum!  Thrilled that she is coming "home" this month for a weekend of reliving college.  Which for us means  air pop popcorn, harassing Coach Husband & multiple Sonic runs.

Love you B!  You're my best friend.

Before the game & before skies opened up for the soggiest Homecoming game yet.

October Goals

This quote makes me want to curl up on a Sunday & re-read Anne of Green Gables

It's quite possibly my favorite month of the year.  October means fall has officially arrived & it's perfectly acceptable to bring out pumpkins, scarves & have fall scentsy burning in the house...even if it's ninety degrees outside!  Before I reveal this month's goals, a quick re-cap of September's goals & accomplishments.

order fall "happy everything" attachments
{excited owner of a football attachment, pumpkin attachment & turkey attachment}

have date night with my husband
so grateful for this time together, CH had a short Saturday practice the beginning of September and took me to dinner & a football movie, it was perfection

write our compassion child Emmanuel with updated pictures
love writing Little E :)

mop our floors {I hate mopping floors}

file the crazy mess at school

finishing touches on our guest bedroom

Goals for October are filled with more mundane tasks that unless I write down just will not be completed.

file the crazy mess at school

finishing touches on our guest bedroom

clean make-up brushes

catch up on ironing

start Christmas cards

keep attending barre classes

The house is officially decorated for fall & our pumpkin patch tradition that was established last year will be continued here soon.  Be looking for the post about my fall mantle inspiration and the finished product!

Happy Fall Y'all,

P.S. A huge congrats to Bre & the MLB team she is employed by for making it to the post-season this year!  So excited to be watching B & know y'all will do great things.  

The Best Riches

{apologies in advance for the super heavy, sappy, overly long blog post...short, quirky ones to follow}



Growing up my Daddy was constantly warning my brothers & I not to accumulate debt.  I remember family dinners where he would adamantly encourage to live within our individual means and take joy  in Jesus, our family & friends instead of swiping a credit card.

I never truly appreciated Daddy's wisdom until recently.  My parents were phenomenal at having intentional honest conversations about financial stewardship and how we are called to live as Christians in terms of our finances.  It is one of the lessons I am most grateful for now as an "adult" with my own household to manage.  When it came time for college my parents sacrificed to ensure I attended the only university I had any interest in but still maintained that I would have a personal stake in education.  I was expected to work part-time & my freshman year I took out some loans to cover the remaining costs of my education.  Looking back I realize I harbored some resentment that I worked afternoons and weekends to help finance the "extra" parts of my college experience but I am so grateful.  My parents were teaching me more than stewardship.  I was learning how to prioritize, multitask and balance a well-rounded, full life that has served me well as an adult.

Upon college graduation I carried, what in today's world, is a small amount of debt.  But after twenty-two years of being my father's daughter and an overwhelming conviction from the Lord to live a financial life that was honoring to Him I began to earnestly pay off my college loans.

Y'all I cannot accurately describe what a truly fantastic husband I have.  Once we were married Coach assumed the financial burden of my college loans with no complaining, no bitterness but with a heart ready to serve, lead & become one.  The past year of marriage he has sacrificed "fun" things he would have loved to take part in, worked an insane number of summer school house, lead our family with a quiet voice but a backbone of steel & kept me focused on the end goal...to be debt free before September 1, 2014.

We reached our goal two weeks before schedule.  Making that last Department of Education payment was as if a weight had been lifted off our shoulders.  God is so good y'all.  This financial freedom of knowing we are living with our means, owe nothing but most of all, that knowing that without the Lord's Divine Provision this would not have been possible is awe-inspiring.  First He blessed me with parents that lived out their faith in regards to finances & worked hard to keep my student loan debt low.  God handpicked a husband who knows how to lead & who feverentley pursues to honor Christ in this way.  And on top of all that, He provided us with careers that made our goal an attainable reality.

Obviously we will not remain debt-free for the rest of our lives.  With the Lord's timing we will purchase a home, perhaps new cars etc. but our prayer moving forward is that we use our finances to honor the Lord & not ourselves.  We are able to focus on what makes us truly rich now...the relationships with those around us, our relationship with each other & most importantly, our relationship with Christ.

September Goals--Mrs. Style

September brings back routine which my heart has desperately needed and y'all, I can hardly wait for fall to arrive in full force.  I have started my fall preparations with the order of new Scentsy bars, moving my fall clothes to the front of the closet & scouring Hobby Lobby to add to my fall decor.  High school football is in full swing and Coach Husband is fully entrenched in the X's & O's of Friday Night Lights while I am loving on my new kindergarteners and waiting for it to be cool enough for me to open the house windows!

 My goals are a hodgepodge for the month of September...

order fall "happy everything" attachments

have date night with my husband

write our compassion child Emmanuel with updated pictures

mop our floors {I have mopping floors}

file the crazy mess at school

finishing touches on our guest bedroom

Who else is ready for some cooler Southern temperatures & everything pumpkin?

June Goals

Well y'all, the school year ends in 4 {school day} wake-ups.  It's crazy to think how the year has flown by!

There is so much to do over the summer to prepare for the next school year both personally & professionally.  I've already started my School Things to Finish This Summer List.  It currently has 32 items on it and I'm adding daily.

Anyways...I have June Goals!

1. Complete the June Ab Challenge {Meagan & I are headed to the beach in August}

2. Create the Family Budget Binder

3. Yearly Check-Ups

4. Cleaning Schedule for the house

5. Who is My Teacher Class book

6. Sew a table skirt for my school desk

7. Update Classroom Library List & book boxes

8. Care package to Little Brother who is starting his internship this summer!

Lots to do! Lots to do!

diy: state nail art

So, I've been meaning to post this DIY since October, when I completed it.  I even had a post started, but for some reason I never finished it. Nothing like a day snowed-in to prompt me to finally share my state nail art decor! :)

The Midwest was slammed today buy a lovely February snow storm. It has snowed all. day. long. Seriously, all day. The dog and I just ventured out to discover it is now snowing icy flakes, making it look like glitter is raining down from the twilight sky - which made this glitter & Ke$ha loving girl's night! However, I digress, that is not the reason for this post!

I had seen these state nail art designs on Pinterest and decided it was something that I could do. Since I have considered 3 states home, I wanted to represent each state and city in my new apartment. 

My finished products!

Here's what you need:

• A piece of wood (the size I used is 14"x14")
• Wire nails (5/8" x 18)
• Cotton twine
• Printed outline of state
• Needle-nose pliers
• Hammer
• Picture hanging wire
• Construction paper/glitter (optional)
• Paint or stain for wood (optional)

A picture of my nails so you know what to look for at Lowes! :)

1. Decide if you want your board stained or painted. You will obviously want to do this before you start nailing into it. Luckily my Dad had 3 spare boards in his shop that he was able to cut to size for me, which I then stained to match some of my other furniture.

2. Cut out your state outline and tape to the center of your board. 

3. Start hammering! You will want to nail around the outline of your state. I found it easiest to use my needle-nose pliers to hold the nail in place and straight, as well as to help me with my spacing - it also prevented me from whacking my fingers with the hammer :) Tip: One mistake I made, that I later had to go back and fix, was positioning my nails to close together. It is okay to leave some distance between them, and it will actually make your life easier when you start with the string. Don't worry - you will still achieve your look! 

  

4. >optional<  If you decide to have a heart representing a certain city, now is the time to nail that in. I cut a heart out of construction paper and taped it to the location on my state, then hammered the nails in just like step 3. Tip: Unlike the outline, the more nails you can fit into the heart outline, the better. You will pull the string from the outline to the heart and the more nails you have in the heart to wrap the string around, the better.

5. Once you have your nail outline finished, you can carefully remove your paper outline. You may have to use some tweezers to get tiny pieces of paper that might have been nailed through.

Outline complete!

6. String time! Pick your starting place and tie off your twine. For me, I started in the upper right hand corner and worked from the outline of my state to the outline of the heart and back. This part honestly just takes practice - I had to restart my stringing multiple times. You will need to strategize in order to evenly distribute your string connections among the heart nails. Also, try to wrap in the same direction on each nail, just to keep the look consistent. Tip: If your state has weird areas, do whatever you need to do to make it work. In the bootheel of Missouri I ended up cutting my string, going between the state outlines, and then starting fresh in a new section. There are going to be some areas of your state where you need to take your string outline to outline, rather than outline to heart. As long as you like the look of it, then it's a-okay.

7. Because I like glitter (as we covered earlier), I decided I wanted to spruce up my heart area of my state and really make it stand out. I took the same piece of construction paper I used to make my heart outline, covered it glue, sprinkled on some glitter and then wedged it back between the nail outline. I did not affix it to the board in anyway, the construction paper sits nicely wedged between the heart nail outline. (Sorry, I get too excited with glitter to take a picture!)

8. Lastly, install some picture hanging wire to the back and admire your craft! :) 

I have gotten several compliments on these and am really proud of how they turned out. I was also pleasantly surprised that this was a fairly easy project to complete. I was able to complete all 3 of mine in an evening while catching up on my DVR recordings! 

2014 "resolutions"

So, I love Pinterest. This is just a fact of life - I am pretty sure it was created for me. I have always been a visual learner and I think that's why it speaks to me so - pictures and organization, what could be better?! That being said, tonight I am too awake to sleep. Don't you hate those nights? Most people when they can't sleep will watch TV, read a book, drink Sleepytime Tea (cough cough, Emily) or some other activity to slow their mind. I organize my Pinterest boards.

While going through one of my boards and thinking about the New Year, I was struck by several inspirational quotes I had pinned. I have never been good at New Year's resolutions - I put to much pressure on the concept of setting impressive resolutions that are actually achievable. This year, however, I thought it might be fun to choose some quotes to serve as a 2014 guide. General inspirations for 2014, if you will. :)

Without further adieu... here are my 14 inspirational pictorial resolutions for 2014 along with my little reminders to myself when I am inevitably overwhelmed and stressed in 3 weeks and "over 2014":

1.

Ralph Waldo Emerson has always been one of my favorites. This is so simple but so powerful to me. I have an extreme tendency to overcomplicate things, but in the end what matters is to: be silly, be kind, be honest. 

2.

In college, one of my best friends tattooed "believe in yourself" on her foot. We were terrible. We teased her mercilessly saying things like "look at your foot" when she would ask us for advice. In all honesty, believing in yourself is key and a personal struggle for me. You are all you have - so you might as well trust, love and believe in yourself. If you don't, no one else will. 

3.

This reminds me of childhood me...not a care in the world, and that is something I strive to get back to. Screw what the world thinks, my world: my friends, my family, my God, all accept and embrace me for all my quirks and randomness.

4.

Dance like no one is watching. It hurts no one and makes your heart feel lighter. Read to enrich your mind, free your soul or to transport yourself somewhere else. Whatever the reason: do it. If it makes you happy and doesn't harm the world, then you're good. 

5.

This may be my ultimate 2014 inspiration. Love and laugh abundantly. Abundantly. Without abandon. Do these and your life can't help be anything but beautiful.

6.

One of my 100 goals is to keep a gratitude journal. Being grateful is so key - recognizing what others do for you and in all the ways you are blessed.

7.

This one really spoke to me, because it is so true. It is impossible to be perfect and to have everyone like you/me. So: let. it. go. It is their loss, because we are ripe, juicy peaches and they don't know what they're missing out on!

8.

Ultimately, some days are going to suck. It is inevitable. I've already had one of those days this week (and it's only Wednesday). BUT, create your own sunshine! You have the power to bring a ray of light to any and every day. So sparkle and shine and turn things around - not for others, but for yourself.

9.

This one and #13 go hand-in-hand, but hey - it's a big concept for me. John Lennon once said that life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. Mr. Lennon and Carrie Bradshaw know the secret - let things happen as they may. As my family says over the table playing Texas 42 when one of us thinks we can lay down our hand and start a new game... "let's play it out, yeah that's probably what will happen, but let's let the pieces fall".

10.

Psalm 139:14 "because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." We are each unique, special and individual. Why the heck do we want to be like everyone else? 

11.

Girls rule, boys drool. Oh goodness, I feel like I'm back in 6th grade. Seriously though, stop trying to impress guys - they're not worth it. Wear what you want to wear because you want to wear it. Fix your hair and put on make-up because it makes you feel good.

12.

Slightly ironic given that I'm currently staring at a screen, but these are all things I think I would love to add more of to my life, as I think everyone would. :)

13

I am the biggest worry wart, ever, and for no good reason. All worrying does is create wrinkles. Does it solve the problem? No. Does it make things better? No. Que cera cera...what will be will be - regardless of how much I worry or fret.

14.

Last, but not at all least.

"Freely you have received; freely give".

Now an hour after I started this post and 2 hours after I locked my door, turned off the lights and got in bed, I think I am ready to sleep. 

So raise your glass of champagne, Dr. Pepper, sweet tea or water 

and cheers to a happy 2014.