Sunday, December 16, 2012

A Sweet Read

This is for all you moms out there!

I came across this post earlier today and as I prepare myself for motherhood, I found this to be so sweet and genuine. 

Head on over to "The Better Mom" for this honest and hopeful read!

Happy Sunday
xoxo

Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Little Saturday Inspiration...

I was reading the following devotion yesterday, from Girlfriends in God, and it immediately took me back to a few different times in my life when I just wasn't sure where God was leading me. Last year was one of those times as my hubby went through interview after interview, searching for a job, and then playing the waiting game. We had moved to Connecticut for a short time, for his final year of training and the job search began almost immediately. Several months were spent researching jobs and locations, making phone calls, sending countless emails, and constantly updating the resume. It was an exciting yet frustrating time... we watched some of his co-workers sign contracts and celebrate their new positions... when would this happen for us? We had it all planned out where we wanted to be... but where did God want us to be?

These times are so special... it pulled B and I closer together and when he accepted his offer here in Florida, the moment was so sweet and so joyful! We chose to let go and let God, and it paid off. 

I'm sitting here at our kitchen table... B just left for work. I look out the window to my left and I see the sunshine and palm trees. I feel my sweet baby kick and move inside of me and I am reminded of God's plan for us... it is far bigger and far better than anything that we could ever plan or ever imagine. The year is coming to a close and I look at how much our lives have changed in just one short year and I am forever grateful for all the challenges, the road blocks, and the blessings that He has sent our way. I can't help but sit here and smile and feel overwhelmed with contentment. 

Our life is far from perfect but it's a wonderful life and we truly owe everything to God!


Girlfriends in God Devotion:

Holding Fast to the Faithful One

gwen
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Friend to Friend
My husband and I were in a waiting period. His company had gone through a merger and was collapsing positions and territories, which left his employment in jeopardy. For months we didn’t know if Brad would keep his job or if he would need to look for another one. During that time, God bid us to trust Him.
Choosing to trust God is so daily, isn’t it? When I only looked at the “what-ifs” of Brad’s job situation – the possible unemployment, the grueling process of job-hunting, the financial strain unemployment would bring, and the uncertainty of the economy – my faith and God-confidence shook and waned. Fear and doubt knocked on my heart, suitcases in hand, wanting to move in and take up residence. On the other hand, when I fixed my eyes on God, looked at His character and at the ways He had brought us through hard times in the past, my faith was strengthened. Courage, confidence and joy knocked on my heart! They are much better residents!
The Old Testament book of Ruth features the heart-warming story of Ruth and Naomi: two women who faced difficult circumstances and an uncertain future. Following the death of her husband and sons, Naomi decided to move back to her homeland of Israel. Though she freed her daughters-in-law to stay in their home country of Moab and re-marry, Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side.
Determined and loyal, Ruth held tightly to the mother-in-law she loved deeply and to the God of Israel whom she now called her own. Though our natural tendency in hard times is often to try to go it alone, I’ve learned from Ruth, and from my own experience, that in turbulent times it’s vital that we hold fast to our faithful God and to the ones we love.
“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her” (vv. 15-18).
God breathed hope into the souls of Naomi and Ruth through their kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. The book of Ruth goes on to tell a fascinating account of how God lovingly cared for and blessed Naomi as He used the faithful friendship and kindness of Ruth to “renew her life and sustain her” (4:15). She traveled back to Bethlehem as a broken, depressed and hopeless widow but was comforted and restored by the loving hand of God.
Like Naomi, when I experience difficult times – like the one Brad and I were facing a few years ago – I have to choose to trust God. Some days I choose well. Some days I don’t. Choosing to trust is essential.
How can we choose to trust God? I’ve found that my courage to trust is bolstered by playing praise music, meditating on God’s goodness, reading Scripture, and praying. Those things collectively renew my mind and strengthen my faith.
No matter what challenges you face today, take comfort that God knows every issue on your heart and is able to shoulder your burdens. Hold fast to the faithful One. Your challenges do not fall outside the scope of God’s ability to intervene. God is mysterious, He’s powerful, and He’s able! When you lift your eyes from your situation and fix them on your Savior – when you choose to trust Him – you will find peace in the pain and strength in the struggle.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, You know exactly where I am right now and You know the circumstance of my life. Please give me the courage to be gracious in my relationships, and help me to trust You today. In Jesus’s name, amen.







Saturday, December 1, 2012

December... Already?!?!

I can't believe December has arrived! Where in the world has this year gone?!?! I'm not complaining though... this is by far my favorite time of year! 




















{via}

Our trees are up, garland is hung, hot chocolate is in stock, and Christmas music is on repeat throughout the house! This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Happy Saturday

Monday, November 26, 2012

25 Week Bump Update!

Oh my goodness... I'm already 25 weeks along! Time is flying by- this baby will be here before we know it!


How Far Along? 25 weeks- almost finished with my 2nd trimester!

Weight Gain? 15 lbs. 

Maternity Clothes? Heck no! Still rocking the leggings and maxi dresses.

Size of Baby? Baby Boy is measuring right around 13 inches and weighs a full 1.5 lbs. 

Gender? BOY!!

Movement? Baby Boy H is on the move every single day! His movements are no longer flutters and B and I love laying around at night feeling and watching him move. It is such an incredible (and weird!) feeling. Very cool!

Sleep? Sleep has been better the past couple of weeks and for that I am thankful!

Food Cravings? Lots of sweets but that's the norm preggers or not, haha

What I Miss? Can I have my Jimmy John's Turkey Sandwich yet?!?!

Symptoms? Nothing new to report here- feeling pretty good these days. 

Best Moments? Being able to not only feel but to see Baby Boy H move around in here is so neat! B and I have also completed furnishing the nursery. All the big stuff has been delivered and now we just have the finishing touches and decorations to take care of. It has somehow made everything real. 

Also... Baby Boy H has officially been named! We've been looking at his sonograms and his sweet, little profile and we just know who he is! As soon as we saw him and found out he was in fact a he, we both said the name we had been thinking and we've never turned back! However... We're keeping this our little secret for a little while longer ;)

Looking Forward To? We have another doc appointment in less than two weeks and we always love hearing his heartbeat. Definitely looking forward to that!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Being A Biblical Wife in a Modern World

Staying Joyful!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 
~Romans 15:13~

Fact: Life can be overwhelming. 

There are things that happen in our lives that we do not always understand and we try and try and try to wrap our minds around a particular event but it is not until we truly let go and trust God that we find pure joy, pure hope, and pure peace. 

The holiday season has seemed to sneak up on us. Honestly... where did this year go?!?! Our day to day lives have probably started to get a little more hectic and if your "to do" list is anything like mine, it is constantly growing. On top of our daily stresses we are now opening our doors for guests during the holidays, creating gift lists for family and friends, and trying to squeeze in good fellowship time with our family, friends, and co-workers. 

While reading a devotion earlier today, it directed me to Romans 15:13 and it was just what I needed to read. Life can be stressful and while everyday is always an appropriate time to reflect on His wonderful and many blessings, the holidays seem like a special time. There is joy in every situation. There is hope in every situation. And we can always find hope in Him.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Bump Update: 21 Weeks!

Please excuse the blurry pic:


How Far Along? 21 weeks!

Weight Gain? 10 lbs... a trip to KY complete with my mom's home cooking and Halloween candy around our house has not helped! 

Maternity Clothes? Nope

Size of Baby? About 3/4 of a full pound and 10.5 inches long... about the length of a carrot

Gender? BOY!!

Movement? Everyday! The feeling of Baby Boy H moving around is absolutely amazing! There are few words to describe my emotions when I feel his little flutters and kicks. As I'm sitting here writing this, he is dancing up a storm! It's pretty awesome. 

Sleep? Sleep has been normal. There are still few nights when I'm up for a bathroom trip but other than that, it's the usual. I've noticed I need a little more sleep in order to function the next day.  

Food Cravings? Nothing in particular. 

What I Miss? Still missing my Jimmy John's, haha :)

Symptoms? This whole round ligament stretching thing randomly pops up every once and a while but I just keep reminding myself that this is normal and means everything is going as planned. Last night I twisted around to set my phone down next to the the bed and the pain was so sharp! It hadn't happened in a over a week so it definitely took me by surprise! 

Best Moments? This week the crib was delivered! It came much earlier than expected but no complaints here! B and I have had a lot of fun starting to get the nursery together. 

Looking Forward To? Just enjoying the second trimester! Things have been going great and time is flying by so we're just trying to soak everything in! 


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Busy Bee!


The past couple of weeks have been super busy for this gal! I'm so thankful for the teaching/choreographing opportunities that I have been given but cramming everything all at once during the months of October and November has been crazy! 

Last week was full of traveling to teach three master classes for dance and filled with several rehearsals to set a piece for a dance studio... awesome, awesome, awesome but I was exhausted by the time I got back home! On top of planning for baby and fitting in my "normal" work here in Florida, time has been passing by quickly! I can't believe that it is already November and the holidays are quickly approaching.

I have been MIA from my blog and have definitely been pushing writing aside but I'm hoping things start to settle down soon and I can finally share some fun posts with y'all! 

Have a great day!
xoxo

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Bump Update: 19 Weeks!

Sooo... we had our comprehensive ultrasound this past Monday and my due date has been moved up by a week so instead of being 18 weeks, I'm 19! I can't believe I'm almost to the halfway point... crazy! 


How Far Along? 19 weeks!

Weight Gain? 8.5 lbs... having my mom and sister in town for a visit definitely did not help me out in this department. I'm pretty sure I ate my way through the Disney parks and I know I had my fair share of cake, ice cream, and even some cookie cake. Oops! 

Maternity Clothes? Nope! I'm holding strong in my cotton dresses and leggings. 

Size of Baby? Based on our most recent ultrasound, Baby H is 9 ounces and about 6 inches head to rump. 

Gender? We are 100% certain that Baby H is a...


BOY!!!

Movement? Another thing that I'm 100% certain about... this baby boy is on the go! My "flutters" have become more frequent and much stronger. Such an overwhelming feeling! 

Sleep? Sleep has been fine... there are still some nights that my bladder wakes me up for a quick trip to the bathroom but I have mastered the art of falling back asleep as soon as my head hits my pillow again. 

Food Cravings? This week... sweets. But I think that's because they're laying around the house so I feel that I must eat them, haha. Is that not how it works?!?!

What I Miss? Still counting down to my Jimmy John's Turkey Sandwich!

Symptoms? The only thing that has started happening on occasion is some pain in my lower abdomen/hip... apparently this is caused by my round ligament because it is stretching. I only feel it after I've been sitting a while and stand up too fast. Other than that, I've felt great! 

Best Moments? Finding out that Baby H is Baby BOY H!!!! Our ultrasound was super long and it was great to sit back and watch him move. Everything is looking and measuring great and we are so thankful for that! I honestly would not have cared if they said boy or girl... we are just praying for a healthy baby!

But... it has been fun to really start planning for Baby Boy H's arrival! We went and bought a few clothing items for fun, a couple of blankets, and we purchased our stroller! The crib should be coming in the next couple of weeks and we're really excited to get the nursery started. I am definitely a planner and like to have things organized ahead of time. My goal is to have the nursery finished by January so I can sit back and relax and enjoy the last month or so of my pregnancy.

Looking Forward To? Getting the nursery started! Baby Boy already has a name... we knew as soon as we saw him Monday during the ultrasound... but that secret is safe and sound with us! 

B and I are really feeling beyond blessed that Baby Boy H is growing fast and strong. It has been an awesome week so far and we just continue to ask for prayers for our health and for our boy!


Friday, October 5, 2012

Life Lately...

Life has been crazy lately but in the best way possible! B is working, working, working and loving his job and I couldn't be more thrilled. He works super long days but he loves the group he is with and the hospital he is at... we are beyond grateful that he has been given this opportunity. In the last couple of weeks I've been teaching ballet 2 nights a week at a studio here in town and it feels sooo good to be back dancing and teaching on a regular basis! I love it! The kiddos are great and so much fun to work with and the other teachers have been so welcoming... Orlando is quickly becoming home for us and we are finally starting to feel "settled". 

Our new couch and chair for our living room has been delivered and we have a new coffee table and TV stand to match... it feels good to have actual furniture after everything we went though with the moving company. Pictures are hung on the wall and our house is quickly becoming our home. Just a few more things to get for our bedroom and it will soon be time to start on the nursery! I can't wait to decorate for little Baby H!

I've been able to travel home to Kentucky a couple of times since becoming a Floridian... once for work and once for fun and I look forward to another work visit later this month! We've been busy, busy bees and we couldn't be happier. We are true believers that everything happens for a reason and we are feeling quite content with life in Florida! We are just beyond blessed to be down here with family, to have new jobs, a roof over our heads, and this time in our lives!

In my down time I of course still feed my Pinterest addiction, haha. Here's some fun finds from this past week: 

Love this verse...


Fun for fall...


Another encouraging verse...


Love all the bright colors...


I'm in love with these boots...


Fall look... plaid, bun, gold


I am a sucker for apple cider doughnuts... mmmm!


Fall table setting...


Pretty great motto for life...


Happy Friday!!
xoxo

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Name Game!


B and I are counting down the days until our next doctor's visit ( 9 to be exact!) so that we can hopefully find out if we'll be tinkled pink or blue. I give major kudos to those families that wait until the end to be surprised but I just know that it would drive me crazy... I must know so that I can plan ahead and of course decorate the nursery appropriately ;) ( I am also prepared that ultrasounds can be wrong... my brother was supposed to be a girl)! Nonetheless, it's an exciting time and B and I are ready for this next pregnancy milestone. 

Something else that has been exciting? Throwing around baby names and starting our boy and girl name lists. It is obviously still early and we have plenty of time to decide but it is crazy to think that we will be responsible for raising a human being and part of that responsibility is choosing their name... a name that they will have for the rest of their life! Craziness! 

We know we want to choose a unique name that has meaning to us... possibly a family name. There are so many choices! And though we are always looking for suggestions from our family and friends, I'm pretty sure we won't formally announce Baby H's name until he/she has come into this world and we get to formally meet him/her. I feel like when we see that sweet baby face and hold our baby in our arms, that's when we'll know with 100% certainty what we want to name our child. 

But in the mean time it has been a blast tossing around name possibilities and yell them around the house! We are trying to soak up every second of this time in our lives and baby names is definitely a fun, fun part of pregnancy. 

Let's hope that by next week we'll be able to narrow our choices down to just one list. Boy or girl?!?!

Have a great day y'all!!
xoxo


Saturday, September 29, 2012

Bump Update: 16 Weeks!

Happy Saturday! Here's the 16 week (holy cow... already?!?!) update:


How Far Along? 16 weeks!

Weight Gain? Still only 5 lbs but thanks to a nasty stomach bug the past few days it has only been 2.5 lbs!

Maternity Clothes? Still zero maternity clothes in my closet! Is it sad that I'm proud of this?!?! 

Size of Baby? According to BabyCenter, Baby H is about 4.5 inches long and should weigh around 3.5 ounces (about the size of an avocado). 

Gender? Still don't know... hoping to find out in less than 2 weeks!

Movement? Still some light flutters but not 100% confident that I'm actually feeling Baby H although at both ultrasounds we discovered that our little pumpkin is a mover! He/she has kept those long legs and arms moving... maybe we have a dancer like momma?!?!?

Sleep? Sleep has been going okay. I'm trying to get used to sleeping on my left side since "they" (you know... all the books) scare you off your back and right side during the second trimester of pregnancy! I'm not always comfortable on my left side but after discovering the Boppy Body Pillow, getting comfortable has been much, much easier. 

Food Cravings? Again... thanks to this week's stomach bug most cravings have gone out the window and I've been living on ginger ale, toast, and crackers. I did manage to get through a bagel this morning.

What I Miss? Still missing my usual turkey sandwich from Jimmy John's, haha! 

Symptoms? Not really having any symptoms this week... thankfully! 

Best Moments? Traveling home to visit my family this past week and shopping for books, finding a diaper bag (that hopefully my mom buys me!... hint, hint!), and sharing all things baby with them... including the beginning of throwing around name ideas for our little boy or girl. 

A not so great moment... picking up a stomach bug that spread through my entire family (including hubby) in less than 48 hours and having to reschedule our flights back home. Thankfully, Delta was absolutely awesome and made our lives so much easier by switching our flights at no cost and actually reimbursing some of our initial fees. I was super bummed to miss teaching my ballet classes Thursday night but sleeping for 14 hours was pretty amazing and worked wonders!

Looking Forward To? Our upcoming doc appointment and hopefully finding out if we'll be seeing pink or blue! 

We are still just feeling overwhelmed by all of the excitement and love from our friends and family! B and I can not even begin to describe how grateful we are for our health and Baby H's health... prayers that he/she just continues to grow and grow and grow and that things continue to go smoothly! 


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Bump Update: 15 Weeks!

I can not believe that we are already to the 15 week mark... time is flying by! I realized as I was getting ready tonight that I had not taken any "bump" pics yet. This one isn't great and I'll have to bust out the real camera soon but here is the first pic:


How Far Along? 15 weeks!

Weight Gain? 5 lbs... which I don't think is too bad... I've been working out a few times a week and I try not to over indulge when it comes to food. According to my doc, I am doing great weight-wise... good news! 

Maternity Clothes? Not yet! The jeans are definitely a bit tighter around the waist these days but maxi dresses and leggings are quickly becoming the everyday wardrobe. And thank goodness for yoga pants!

Size of Baby? According to www.babycenter.com Baby H is about 4 inches long and should weigh around 2.5 ounces... about the size of an apple. 

Boy or Girl? We don't know yet but hopefully we'll find out at the next doc appointment! We can't wait to officially know, pink or blue! 

Movement? There  have been some "flutters" lately but it's hard to tell what exactly those are.

Sleep? For the most part I've been sleeping okay but there have been a few nights where that glass of water late at night has woken me up and sent me running to the bathroom. It doesn't happen every night so I can deal with it and I'm still good sleeping on my side and semi on my stomach. 

Food Cravings? A couple of weeks ago it was cheeseburgers but lately it's been my sweet tooth that has kicked into overdrive! Mint chocolate chip ice cream has been sounding divine these days as well as a good box of my organic mac and cheese... so random!  

What I Miss? Jimmy John's... seriously! As soon as this kid is out there better be a turkey sandwich from Jimmy John's in my hand! 

Symptoms? I am counting my blessings that I had zero morning sickness! Early on there were days that I felt absolutely exhausted but my energy has been back to normal lately. Today was the first day in a while that I felt super tired even after getting a good night's sleep but other than that everything has been great and for that I am beyond thankful! 

Best Moments? The last two doc appointments when B and I were able to see our baby! Such an unbelievable moment... we already love Baby H so, so, so much and we love looking at those sweet ultrasound pics. 

Looking Forward To? Finding out if we're having a boy or girl! We can't wait to decorate the nursery and start thinking of names. And of course I am really looking forward to starting Baby H's wardrobe ;)  We're also really enjoying all of our reading material and learning about pregnancy and becoming parents. It's such an awesome responsibility and we are just so grateful for this time in our lives! 

Friday, September 14, 2012

This Week's Happenings...

This week has been super, super busy and full of all kinds of fun things but my Friday is now bogged down with catching up on work and doing loads upon loads of laundry. But I had to sit for a second and blog because I have been ignoring it for far too long and I need to get back into some sort of blogging routine! 

Anyways...

Our week started off by trying out a new church Sunday morning and we absolutely loved it! There are a few others here in town that we've enjoyed but this one had a different feeling... it just felt right. I'm really looking forward to going again this weekend. The rest of the day I helped my hubby with his Fantasy Football... and I'm kind of hooked and I've decided that I'm totally doing it next year! The football fun was a little much for Carson to handle. I looked over and he had his monkey tucked under him taking a nap, haha. That pup is always doing funny things! He entertains me every day! 


Monday was an early morning. B and I got a little baby practice and babysat his cousin's son... he is seriously the cutest, happiest baby I have ever been around! We had a blast and got a little taste of what a day in the life of having a baby will be like... thanks for the practice Christian and Becca ;) 

Tuesday night I went to cheer on my hubby and his softball team. He joined with his cousins and uncle and it's pretty fun to go watch. The wives have matching t-shirts and I think the guys are just having fun with all of it. We're 0-2 but hey... no biggie! I'm feeling a win next week! 


Wednesday night we all went to dinner to Cheesecake Factory (yum!) and B and I came home to this little friend on our back porch window. We named him Fred. He hung out all night and caught pesky bugs but our buddy was gone in the morning. The wildlife that hangs in our neighborhood is crazy... no snake sightings yet so I'm totally fine with it! 


B and I also found this awesome table for our entryway. Thank you HomeGoods! Our house is finally starting to come together and we are so, so happy! 


But the highlight of my week was our doctor appointment yesterday morning. We got to see Baby H and he/she is healthy and growing right along. The doctor was pretty impressed with how long and skinny our baby is... if it's girl, I'm already envisioning leotards, tutu's, and dance shoes ;) I'm 14 weeks tomorrow and time is flying by and we're loving every second of this pregnancy! I'm pretty certain that next month we get to find out boy or girl... we honestly have no preference... we just want a healthy and happy baby! 


Hope y'all had a fantastic week and have an even better weekend!
Happy Friday!
xoxo

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Being A Biblical Wife in A Modern World

Respecting The Authority 

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." ~ Titus 3:1-2~

I want to talk about earthly government today. It seems only fitting since the Presidential election is in full swing and both parties have officially declared their nominee. As an American citizen, this is an exciting and overwhelming time for our communities and our country as a whole. We are so fortunate to have the freedom to be able to vote for our nation's leaders. It is a right that is so easily taken for granted but one that is so valuable and special to the United States of America. 

With voting and elections comes campaigning. Heated debates are bound to occur and politics are most likely seeping into our everyday conversations. Most of us know who we are going to vote for and many of us are vocal about our choice... that's what campaigning is all about! The freedom of speech is essential in an important event like choosing our next President of the United States of America. But as a Christian, where do we draw the line? How do we choose to voice our vote? Are we building our candidate up or tearing the opposite party down? 

I came across today's verse from Titus as I was flipping through my Bible to find my way to a verse in Hebrews... and I am so glad that this caught my eye!

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." ~ Titus 3:1-2~

I was anxious to dig a little deeper about these two particular verses and my study Bible states:

*New Testament teaching is not confined to the area of personal salvation but includes much instruction about practical living. Although believers are citizens of heaven, they must also submit themselves to earthly government and help promote the well-being of their community. 

*The terms "rulers and authorities" refer to all forms and levels of human government. 

When I read this I immediately found myself focusing on some things that I have seen floating around on Facebook recently... the bashings of our current President, the bashings of his fellow nominee, horrible political cartoons, distasteful articles poking fun of our leaders. But what disappointed me the most was that these things have been posted and proudly supported by Christian men and women. Now... I am not perfect in all I do or say (that could be a WHOLE other post!) but I am a firm believer in truly supporting something that you love instead of putting down something you dislike. I've seen a banner on Pinterest that pretty much sums up these feelings:

Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate. 

I am aware that the above statement is not from the Bible but doesn't it follow some of the teachings of the Bible? As Christians, we should try to remain uplifting, positive, helpful, humble, and obedient. We should not judge or put others down- even if we do not agree with everything that they stand for. We can promote our faith and beliefs in a Godly way and that includes promoting our Presidential nominee of choice. 

Before we open our mouths or press "send" on our computers, we should take a moment and make sure that what we're saying or doing is Christ like. We need to be exercising our rights as American citizens but we need to be obedient to His Word as well. Our verse from today clearly states that we need to respect our leaders (regardless of political party!) and continue to campaign and fight for our communities but with compassion, consideration, and humility. 

I really try to not get involved in political chats, especially using social media, but seeing some of these articles and postings by fellow Christians has been extremely disappointing. I am hopeful that for the next two months we can make an intentional effort to promote our nominee in the most positive of ways and to remember Titus 3:1-2 as we deal with what is already a sticky situation... politics. 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Labor Day Weekend Fun!


Hope y'all had a fabulous 3 day weekend!

We had a blast down here in the sunshine state. B had to work Friday-Sunday but I was able to fit in some much needed "me" time. Errands, a good book, a little online shopping, and a mani/pedi made for a good start to the weekend. 

Yesterday we spent most of our day at a cookout with some family members... we enjoyed ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, pasta salad, and some yummy appetizers and desserts. We seriously had such a fun time catching up and spending time with each other. Of course... I forgot my camera so I wasn't able to snap any fun shots... boo! 

The hubby is off this week so I'm looking forward to spending lots of time with him! 

Happy Tuesday!
xoxo


Monday, August 20, 2012

Headed to My Old KY Home


I am super, super excited to head back home today! I love going back home and visiting KY. Work is bringing me to town but I'll fit in a little play time too ;) And the best part of this upcoming flight- it's direct... thank you Allegiant Airlines! I am forever grateful for no layovers! 

I so enjoy staying and seeing my family and visiting all my spots that only KY can offer! I literally plan my days around all of my favorite restaurants... so sad but so true! 

I of course will miss the hubby and our pups since I'll be gone for a whole week but I'm traveling back  next month and B gets to tag along that trip.  

Stacks of clothes are waiting to be packed and a load of laundry awaits me downstairs- packing is definitely not the fun part of traveling! 

Here I come My Old KY Home- I've missed you! 



Friday, August 17, 2012

I've Been A Little Preoccupied...

I have definitely been laying low here on my blog, not because I haven't had anything to write about but because I had one HUGE thing I wanted to write about but it just wasn't time yet...

B and I are expecting our first, little dash of sparkle this spring! 

What?!?!? Crazy!!!!!

Yes... our thoughts exactly! 

We had only been in Florida for 3 days when we found out and I'm pretty sure we just walked around in a state of shock for a few weeks. This was a big, big surprise but we are beyond thrilled and so excited to begin this journey together. 

And we're so excited that the doctor gave us the green light to shout it from the rooftops- it's been very  hard to talk with friends and not spill the beans. This has been the only thing on my mind and I just couldn't think of anything else that I wanted to write about on here so I figured it was best that I just steer clear of the bloggy world. 

So there it is... come March 16, 2013 our lives will change forever.

We saw our baby for the first time yesterday and I'm certain we're already in love with the little peanut!

Our first family photo:


Each day brings a new mix of emotions- happiness, anxiety, nervousness, fear, joy... but it is seriously the best feeling ever. 

We are so thankful and feel so blessed!

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Friday!
xoxo

Friday, August 10, 2012

Weekend Plans and Some Fun Finds

The hubby is working some long hours this weekend so I get to enjoy a little "me" time over the next couple of days. Besides continuing to get our house organized and get some final boxes unpacked, I'm planning on enjoying this down time.

I picked up some reading material at the book store:


Nothing mind blowing but the perfect chick-lit for the weekend. I love kicking back with a good book and hopefully if this rain holds off, I can relax by the pool with one of these books in my hands :)

A mani/pedi is much needed:


I've had this Essie color ("Fiji") for awhile now so I think I'm finally going to give it a go. 

And now for some fun finds from this past week:

Thank you Anthropologie for this delightful bubble bath and jar of bath salts... they smell divine! I also got a large bottle of soap for the kitchen. I'm kind of obsessed with this stuff!


I discovered this new candle after randomly visiting an antique shop- I walked in and the store smelled so yummy! This scent is "Praline Caramel Sticky Buns" by Keepers of the Light. And... if you're ever in the Winter Park area of Orlando you must stop into the store "French Nest". It is a tiny shop and literally only takes a few minutes to walk through the entire place but it is full of awesome vintage finds. I'm in the process of convincing B that we need a dining table from there as well as a guest bed and a beautiful mirror. They are in great condition and sooo affordable and I love that there is some history behind these pieces of furniture. I am fascinated by antiques and find them so interesting. 


The hubby and I are really enjoying the Sunshine State and getting to know the city more. We love exploring new stores and restaurants- this is us on our way to a dinner date last night. I feel so extremely blessed :) 


Happy Friday!!
xoxo

Monday, August 6, 2012

What I've Been Up To Lately...

I have been out of the bloggy world for the last several days. Between unpacking, getting to know our new town, and trying to get in some sort of "routine" my blogging has fallen to the wayside. I will try to do better! 

Here's what I've been up to:

Enjoying the Florida life! So far, we're loving this sunshine and warm weather. And having this as our backyard view isn't too shabby either...


Settling into our new home. There's still boxes laying around and we have furniture we still need to purchase but we're really enjoying our new place and we're finally starting to feel at home. I love these bright flowers that I picked up last week...


Getting to know the wildlife has been interesting! One of our first nights here there was a frog in our garage (not a fan!), I've learned to steer clear of fire ants, and I've found some new friends on my nightly walks...


These birds are huge! I'm not sure that this pic does them justice... they come up to may waist!

Between sneaking in some work here and there I've also become a total Olympic junkie... seriously... between the hours of 8:00pm and midnight just assume my television is on and I'm completely zoned out. Love cheering on the USA! 


Have a Happy Monday!
xoxo