Christmas Bucket List

I have a Thanksgiving post coming up tomorrow...I promise I'm not skipping this very important holiday!

I love the holiday season. It's one of my favorites. I love how people are kind and cheerful (for the most part) and how special the little things you do feel! 

Making Christmas Cookies- I always love making Christmas cookies!  Our family favorite are my Great Grandma Munsterman's shortbread cookies. They are so yummy! The fun part is making them with family and friends. Some of my favorite memories.

 

Complete Christmas Devotional- Last year I downloaded the She Reads Truth app on my phone. I enjoy their devotionals so much! The Christmas and Thanksgiving devotionals are my favorites and I can't wait to start this years soon!

Drive Around town to look at lights- That's self explanatory. Although if you're in the Charlotte area, you need to drive in Myers Park/Dilworth neighborhoods to look at lights on the big houses. Beautiful!

Visit Billy Graham Library- I volunteered a few years ago to be the Children's Story time reader at the library. If you have never visited the Billy Graham Library during the holidays, it's a must! There is a live nativity, music, carriage rides, story time for the kids and so much more. The atmosphere and beautiful grounds all decorated for Christmas make it worth the visit alone! 

Help in the Community (give our time)- This is something that I'm making a goal this year. We have always participated in Operation Christmas Child and filled shoe boxes but this year I'd like to volunteer at a soup kitchen or with Room in the Inn. Visiting nursing homes and spending time with residents is also something nice to do. The gift of time and connection is a big one needed on both sides. 

Pray for families as we receive cards- I actually go this idea from another blogger. How wonderful is the idea that each night at dinner or in the evening, you say a prayer for the families that you received cards from that day? It's a intentional way of making sure we pray for our loved ones during this season. 

Take lots of pictures with my real camera- I'm sure I'll have lots of opportunities to take some great pictures this holiday season. I can't wait to practice! 

Hello September.....

Ya'll have no idea how much this image makes me smile!! I'm crazy about Fall. If I seem extra smiley- it's fall. Ha! 

Maybe it's the Michigan girl in me. Fall was always super beautiful up north but now that I'm an hour or so from the mountains, nothing beats the miles and miles of fall foliage. I thought I'd share my fall goals with you. I'm going for super simple for this season. Things I know that I'll

 look forward to doing.

My pinterest boards are full of fun fall stuff. I just love these fall outfits. Pulling my boots out of my closet is a happy day (even though they make me hot and I keep a pair of slippers at school just so my legs can cool off, ha)! We are having our family picture taken on Thursday and my sister and I have been having fun planning outfits! If only it was going to feel "fall-ish", ugh....93 degrees.

But even if we are sweating buckets...I wouldn't wish to be cheesing it up with anyone else other than these yahoos. (Mom, Josh and Brooke are missing..but still loved!)

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Last Friday I was talking to my coworkers in the hallway when I glanced down at my wedding ring and band and noticed that a prong was totally loose on it. Talk about FREAKING out. I'm a nervous nellie about that stuff. So right away on Saturday we drove to a store to have it fixed, cleaned and polished. While we were there I brought my citrine gemstone that my dad bought me once in Tanzania, Africa. It's a beautiful and BIG oval and I wanted to get an idea of cost for having it set in a ring while we were there. I can't decide on the style I like though. Can ya'll give me some input? I'm partial to the bottom right because it's vintage looking and so is my engagement ring. But I'm open to different styles, just can't decide. I also can't decide whether to do white or regular gold. Decisions, decisions. 

I hope everyone's first day of  September was wonderful. Here's to a beautiful and joy filled fall season!

New look and summer goals

It was about time to update the look of my blog. I think it turned out pretty cute! Today I figured I'd ask my readers what kinds of things they'd like to see written more about on this blog. (I'm really just trying to get some comments on here people!)
  So, if there's a topic you'd like to see discussed or something you think would just be fun to cover- let me know!

I'll leave you with my new goals to finish out the summer. Spring goals went pretty good- I didn't do everything, but overall- I accomplished most of what I listed.

Never got to finish the running program or cleaning out the garage. Guess the garage one can be tacked on to summer! 

Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment with what you'd like to see on the blog! Maybe tell me some of your summer goals and we can inspire each other! 

Spring Goals

I've been inspired lately by some of my favorite bloggers to posts some of my goals for this season. I would have done monthly goals- but we all know I'm not the best at updating this blog! Ha!

Goal 1: Read 3-4 books

Spring break helped me a bit with this one. I'm halfway to 4! So far I've read Call the Midwife and I Am A Church Member. Both were excellent- highly recommend them! Next on my list to read are one book for school Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites and another for fun Nobody's Cuter Than You. What are some great books that you've read lately? Leave a comment and share your favorites. I would love to add some of them to my list. 

Goal 2: Finish Couch to 5K

This one will most likely kill me. I know...who starts a running goal in spring (when NC temps can feel like summer?) Apparently I do. More like I will. (cringe) I am determined to do it though. I really want to start this 2 days a week in addition to 3 days of working out at school. 

Goal 3: Pinterest Recipes 

If you are anything like me I'm sure your Pinterest board for FOOD has about a million pins in it. How many of them do I actually try? Not many, sadly. My goal is to try one at least once a week. Whether it's a baked item (for small group- I'm not eating baked goods myself!!!) or a dinner. Click here to go to my Pinterest Food board. 

Here are some on my radar to try...

Israeli Couscous Salad

Bacon and Mustard Asparagus

Balsamic Marinated London Broil with Pan-fried Zucchini Noodles

Goal 4: Clean out garage

This one is pretty self explanatory. When we do it- I will take a before and after picture. I've been hounding my hubby for a while now to organize the garage. I'd love to get some shelving in there for tools, tubs of Christmas outdoor decor, etc. We will see. Storage is in short supply in our house unfortunately so any space we can add in the garage to put stuff is a plus!

Goal 5: Plant flowers in the front yard

I guess that would mean I have to pull out the dead ones from last summer right? *cough* 

I do not have a green thumb- wish I did. Each spring my porch boxes and garden bed have sweet new little flowers and they start to grow and then summer comes and *BAM* they're dead. I have yet to figure out a good combination of flowers for this dry red clay soil. I always have luck with Lantana and Sweet Potato Vine- but the vine can take over my whole garden bed. Please comment with suggestions of pretty heat and drought tolerant plants that are easy to take care of. I'd appreciate that so very much. I know some of you have beautiful gardens and landscapes- help a girl out!

And just because- a picture of my dream yard. 

I will update you on how I did with my spring goals as soon as summer hits! 

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One last FUN thing. I love supporting my friends who have their own small businesses. My friend Holly is a Rodan and Fields independent consultant and she is doing a fun giveaway! If anyone becomes a preferred customer before 4/30/15 you receive the following freebie! 

The Rodan and Fields line is just terrific- but I'll let the photos speak for themselves. 

If you are interested in trying any of these awesome products, contact Holly at her consultant site or by emailing Hcook.myrandf.com.