Monday, December 31, 2012

Resolutions

My Google Reader has been populated with year-end wrap-ups and resolutions for 2013. I have been trying to think of goals and resolutions, and I'm looking to focus on making improvements throughout my lifestyle in the new year.

2012 was a good one. I started grad school, which was a huge adjustment. My husband was offered a job that he didn't know he wanted, and he loves it. It has been a very busy year. In my attempt to remember things throughout the year, not much stands out. That's why I created this blog.

My "resolutions" for 2013 are to live more intentionally, eliminate the unnecessary, and adopt healthier habits.

See you in 2013!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Perfect Saturday Night


Frothy!
I left work yesterday afternoon to snow flurries and a headache. That meant a night on the couch with hot cocoa, Netflex, and fleece pajamas. Perfect Saturday night? Absolutely.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Thrifty: Columbia Sportswear

As a woman blessed with size-10 feet, shoe shopping is a bit of a challenge. I love shoes, but finding cute and comfortable shoes in my size is a frustrating endeavor. I also don't like spending half a paycheck on a pair. When I visit my favorite Goodwill, the shoe section is my absolute first stop. I have no qualms about purchasing shoes at thrift stores when they're in near-perfect condition. At $5.97, my wallet sings.

I have not purchased many pairs at thrift stores because A.) it's difficult to find attractive shoes in my size, and B.) the ones I do find look like they've been worn through a landfill.

My luck changed this week when I visited my favorite Goodwill.

Cute, comfortable, and practical!


Like new, size 10 Columbia Tenacity shoes. Thank you, Goodwill!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Bread Pudding

I don't cook. It's not that I can't cook (I can make very basic dishes), I just don't enjoy being in the kitchen very much. However, I sometimes get the urge to make something. Much to my husband's delight, I wanted to try out a new recipe on Christmas morning.

Chocolatey goodness for breakfast!
 
A coworker makes this dish every year for a breakfast potluck, and she finally pointed me in the right direction to make it at home: Chocolate-Cinammon Bread Pudding. I highly recommend it.

If you have a simple recipe that is tried and true, please share it with me.

(I receive no compensation for the link above.)

Thursday, December 27, 2012

I'm all a Twitter

I've been reintroduced to Twitter.



I'd love to have you follow me (just don't be a creeper).

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas

I'm not in the Christmas spirit this year. My mom has been ill during her visit here - so ill that we took her to the ER Saturday morning. Later that day, we learned of a passing in our family. We missed church on Sunday and that dampened my mood a bit more.

But I am thankful this Christmas. I am so very thankful that my mom's health is improving. I have a warm home to sleep in and a stocked pantry. I have family who have blessed me with Christmas gifts that are necessary and useful. I have friends who offer prayer and encouragement during the good and the bad. I am in good health. I am incredibly blessed, and I am so thankful this Christmas for the abundance around me.

Merry Christmas.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Clouds


Check out this beautiful scene on a drive we took yesterday.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Thrifty: Dooney & Bourke


I love thrift store shopping. I've been an avid "thrifter" since high school. I found this gem last weekend. I could care less if it's a real or knock-off Dooney & Bourke. The price was $2... I couldn't turn it down. I brought it home, spruced it up, and I'm rocking it. I love a good bargain.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Winning


You know you've hit adulthood when you're excited to win a weather radio. We needed one. Thanks, Ready Georgia!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmas Treats


Two little men (ages 5 and 2) surprised me with sweet Christmas treats earlier this week. I'm touched that their family even thought of me.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Hello, new visitors!

If you're finding me via Arleen Spenceley's blog, it's nice to meet you. This blog is still in its infancy, but I'd love to have you stick around. Feel free to leave a comment, ask a question, or just say hi.

P.S. - I've known Arleen since 2004. We met while both working for a college newspaper. One of my favorite memories of Arleen was Halloween 2008 when she dressed as Dwight Schrute. I didn't appreciate the humor then because I discovered The Office just last year. I also giggle at the time my husband ran up to her car, banged on the window, and just about scared the you-know-what out of her. She's an excellent gal.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Holiday Treat


Thanks, Pinterest, for inspiring me to make this treat for my coworkers.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Luke 18:18-30

Our pastor included Luke 18:18-30 (NLT) in his sermon this morning:

Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'"
 
The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

He replied, What is impossible for people is possible with God.

Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Baking with Mom?

My mom and I are making an effort to be more intentional with the time we spend together during her visit. On Monday, we decided to get into the kitchen for an hour and make a few goodies. We made chocolate peanut butter brownies, flourless peanut butter cookies, and ready-to-eat cookie dough. The fact that my mom baked is monumental because she detests baking.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Philippians 4:19

A very good reminder from this week's church sermon.

"My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ."
- Philippians 4:19

Monday, December 10, 2012

Counting Blessings

Good things from the past few days -
  • My mom arrived Friday for a month-long stay with us. Nothing beats having your mom around to spoil you with cooking. I love my mom.
  • Spending time doing nothing. I took some vacation time to spend a few days with my mom before the Christmas rush. We spent one afternoon on the couch watching movies. As a type-A workaholic, I never do this. It's been a nice change of pace.
  • Driving around to look at Christmas lights while listening to Christmas music and sipping on cappuccinos.
  • Running in to people I never expected to see at church.
  • Being in a position to purchase backpacks for a school that serves underprivileged children.
  • Loving kitties who snuggle on a cold evening.
Beautiful.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Book: No Safety in Numbers

I finished this YA novel yesterday after returning Wonder to the library. Quick read, very disturbing, and very possible. I'm annoyed that I can't find any information on when the second book in this series will be published.

If I could read at this rate during a semester, I'd be on top of the world.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Book: Wonder

I just completed my first semester of graduate school, and it was a huge adjustment for me. Working full time, serving in a civic club, being a wife/daughter/friend/etc., and adding a part-time school schedule meant that I had very little time for leisure activities. Now that I have some breathing room until January, I am starting to chip away at my never-ending list of books to read.

I just finished Wonder by R.J. Palacio. There are many incredible juvenile books out there, and this is one of them. If you have never picked up any juvenile or young-adult literature, I highlight recommend you give them a shot.

It’s so nice to pick up a book for fun again. I hope to do this often throughout December.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Jeremiah 17:5-8

My church started a new message series this morning for the Christmas season. This is the first holiday season since I was in elementary school that I have been in church. Sad, isn't it? My pastor discussed the hype of Christianity that drains the hope out of Christians. The hope was drained out of me as a teenager and in my early 20s. This year, that hope was restored thanks to this church, and I feel so blessed to have found a church home that nurtures my faith.

But I digress.

My pastor shared the following verses in his message this morning.

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
- Jeremiah 17:5-8
 
Because my hope is not in this world. My hope is in Jesus.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Perfect Saturday Night

I was greeted by snow flurries after work yesterday evening. The flurries didn't stick, but the temperature was perfect for hot cocoa and fleece pajamas.

Frothy!
We found ourselves sipping hot cocoa on the couch, watching How I Met Your Mother on Netflix, and decompressing after the holidays. A perfect Saturday evening.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Reason Behind Bookmarking

I am the queen of starting blogs. Keeping up with them? That's another story.

I have journaled/blogged online for years. I have had accounts at LiveJournal, Diaryland (anyone remember that site?), Wordpress, Blogger, and even my own .net throughout high school. I have had blogs about my personal life, finances, weight loss, and creative writing. I like sharing my writing, engaging in conversation, and "meeting" new people. In our technologically-saturated lives, blogs are an excellent tool to keeping friends and family in the loop about life's little happenings that deserve to be shared. I love reading blogs, and I do enjoy authoring them. I'm just not the best at following through on the latter.

So how in the heck is this blog going to be any different from my previous failed attempts?

After the month of October went by in a blur this year, I literally had to take a moment and consciously take stock of what I remember about those 31 days. And you know what I barely remember? My husband's birthday dinner. I keep a paper journal of schedules and lists, and there's a whole bunch of stuff written down for October... and only an ounce of the good stuff can be found in my memory.

My Moleskine. First week of October. All a blur.

The moral of October? I need to slow down and enjoy all the good in my life.

My life is filled with beauty, but I literally do not take the time to stop and smell the coffee (this girl isn't a fan of roses). And if I smell the coffee, I'm certainly not savoring it.

This will not be a themed blog like my past attempts. This blog will be whatever I make of it. The focus will be to highlight all that I want to highlight in life so I will have something to reflect on.

Life deserves bookmarks so one can turn back to something worth remembering.