winter at home

even though i feel like i have not been home a lot this month i still try and take advantage of the days i have at home to cherish the season. here are a few snapshots of the past week.
you can find me on Instagram @kayla_sue

grace given to you

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 

John 1:1-5, 14, 16

Merry Christmas from my little family to yours.

let your hearts be light as you enjoy friends and family today, for you have been given grace upon grace.

our Christmas card 2012

our attempt at a "family" photo while decorating my dad's Christmas tree last week.

our Christmas card that we actually sent out to friends and family this year. Roy was not having fun.

happy Christmas Eve!

winter weddings

last Saturday Jordan and i drove down to Louisville and had the most wonderful time with family. it was a very special day and everything was so beautiful. i am so happy for my brother and so grateful to gain a new sister! love you both!

at the end of the day this was the only picture Jordan and i managed to take together (taken by my mom). i really need to get better at remembering to take pictures of the two of us. 

almost Christmas

photo 1::2::3

is it really only 5 days until Christmas? seriously, i blinked and this month is almost over. i am thrilled to be having those 5 days off to simple enjoy time with my family, (and recover from a back injury, nothing rest won't cure.) here is basically what you would find me doing when i am not working like a mad women. 

watching:: The Voice. Jordan and i are kinda in love with this show and because we both work late we usually record it and watch it later in the week. also, the finale of Dexter was this past Sunday and i am loving this show more and more. 

listening to:: some favorite Christmas tunes. i shared my playlist last week if you want to listen in. i am loving Zooey Deschanel's Christmas album, She & Him, as well.

looking forward to:: Christmas day at my in-laws, sitting in front of the fireplace, sipping coffee, with some classic Christmas music in the background. you have no idea how much i have been thinking about the days leading up to Christmas because they will be a much needed break from the craziness that has been this month. i will be having four Christmas' this year between our families and i can't wait to be around the people that i love so much and watch everyone open presents! i am also pretty excited about my church's Christmas Eve service, it's always so special.

making me happy:: the simple things; pajama pants, Mascato, time with Jordan, perusing blogs, listening to Christmas music, sleeping in, coffee with cream, clean sheets and a clean apt, mr. Roy's head-butts, lipstick, red nail polish, oatmeal cream pies and vanilla coke. 

hoping you find rest this holiday season.

my favorite Christmas movies + music

hello friends! my favorite holiday tradition, aside form decorating the tree and unwrapping precious ornaments, is definitely playing my favorite Christmas music and cuddling up to watch my favorite holiday movies. each selection below holds a special place in my heart this time of year and some are not your typical favorites.
i am very much looking forward to watching these movies with Jordan, on the weekend, on my couch, in my pajamas, with some popcorn...and wine.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946):: i have not gone a year that i can remember without watching Jimmy Stewart. i adore this movie and love it every time.

The Family Stone (2005):: i recently added this to my must-watch list. it's not your typical Christmas movie but the story takes place during Christmas time so i count that as a Christmas movie. i love it so much because it's what i want my Christmas' to look like when i am older and have five kids home to visit, (minus the awkward dinner conversations!)

While You Were Sleeping (1995):: i started watching this movie during Christmas time when i was in high school and have not missed a year since. both these movies are special to me in their own way.

Rudolph (1964):: my dad has always been in love with Rudolph (one year i got him character ornaments from the movie.) watching Rudolph is definitely a rich childhood memory of mine.


these are my favorite tunes to really get me in the Christmas spirit. enjoy!

what are some of your favorite music and movies of the season? share in the comments below.
*this post was inspired by Savannah and Jenny, thanks!

life lately according to my iphone and other things on my mind

as i mentioned in my last post blogging will be kept to a minimum due to my increased work hours. i decided to do this because i wanted to take full advantage of my precious time at home with my husband. with that being said, i wanted to drop by and tell you that i had a great Thanksgiving. we went up to Sheridan to visit Jordan's entire family. my mother-in-law makes the best Thanksgiving table. i was very excited about the food. after the relatives left Jordan and i had some good talks with his parents and sister. i am very thankful for the place i am in my life and my family. they mean so much to me.

i have literally been working everyday except Sunday since that day and expect to be working like that up until Christmas. so honestly i feel a little bit behind in a lot of things lately: 

my cleaning: i am exhausted when i get home so Jordan does what he can to keep things tidy. 

my cooking: we have been eating out more than i care to admit because, again, i am exhausted and can only think about food when i get home however it may come. 

my bookkeeping: with all the extra money i have been making i have not keep tabs as much i would like only because the last thing i want to do when i get home is think about those kinds of things. 

blogging: obviously. also, i think the last time i was on bloglovin i had (79) unread posts...no joke. 

my christmas shopping: not quite sure how i am going to accomplish this on my day off. i plan on making a lot of my gifts and shopping online some. 

my christmas decorating: we have not started, maybe tonight, maybe next Sunday. i don't have a lot of decorations but i wanted to at least have some Christmas spirit around here. i do have a holiday station on Pandora that i have been listening to. :)

i hope that the Christmas spirit is alive in all of you as we are in this season of advent.

happy sunday, your the best.

a quick recap

i feel like a lot has happened since my last post. the first two weeks of November i was working everyday at my retail job by taking on additional hours. i would get home in the early afternoon and  have just enough time to complete some duties around the apt, chat with Jordan, maybe watch a show, and relax a bit before i had to go to bed early and do it again. 

November 9th we started house sitting for a family from church. while we were there, i started a new job that requires a lot of walking and long hours. i guess my new work environment, adjusting to the current living/sleeping arrangements, and a change in routine was a little disorienting for me. because of that i feel like time completely escaped me. 

today i moved everything back into our apartment, including Roy. he always comes with us when we house sit.  he loves road trips. let me just say it feels so good to be home and have everything back in its place. i was struggling towards the end; missing my bed and my carpet that was not covered in dog hair! also the little things like knowing what was in the fridge, our recorded TV shows, and being close to my new job. i think that was honestly the first time i was truly homesick for my apartment. 

i will be giving more details about some changes around here soon, for now i need some time to myself before a long work week. 

it's been a good monday.

p.s. the photos are from a cookout at my dad's a few weeks ago. i am a little behind in my pictures too...

a word on Election Day

photo via 

hi friends. i wanted to take a moment and remind each one of you that this is an important day in our country's history weather or not you like "those kinds of things." please consider your freedom as a citizen of this country and make it to the polls on this chilly November Tuesday. 

i remember hearing this song for the first time and knew i wanted to share it on Election Day. she wrote it after the 2004 elections. i think it's whimsical. listen and enjoy!

take pride in the privilege of what this day is all about. 

daily giving thanks

this post was originally written 10.18.12 and i just now got around to publishing it. happy monday.

photo via

this morning i woke up to the sound of rain. and instead of thinking about the reasons why i love rain; the sound it makes when the drops hit the roof, or the mist that greets you when you are standing under an awning, or the undeniable smell after the torrests have resided, my mind was already racing.

almost immediately after waking up thoughts starting filling my mind of all of the things that i had to do that day. not 5 minutes had passed and i was only thinking about how i could check as many boxes off my list as possible. 

and then another startling thought hit me. i realized that not only was i just thinking about how i could accomplish my daily tasks, i neglected to thank God for anything, let alone the rain.

i want to live intentionally and reflecting on this this morning i noticed that my mind was not choosing to think on positive things or the blessings in my life. 

God should be my everything and i should be thanking him constantly for the many blessings that He has given me even when my busy mind is full of other thoughts. 

i just wanted to share that and also this song that i have been listening to. the words speak truth. God is my hope and the provider of my needs.

happy birthday husband!

today is Jordan's birthday! i am so blessed to be married to this man.

we will be celebrating at his parents tonight with some homemade dinner and presents!
boy, do i love him. happy birthday husband.

tunes::i found a way

photo via

i mentioned last week how i discovered the band First Aid Kit. enjoy their most recent album.
have a happy monday!

currently

watching:: The Walking Dead. i absolutely love zombie shows/movies for one reason; zombies are not real. let me rephrase that; i can handle the horror/gore element only because my logical mind knows that there is no way for a zombie attack. therefore, i don't freak out. these are the only kinds of movies in this genere that i will watch. plus, The Walking Dead is the best thriller drama on TV. period. it's so good.

listening to:: Pandora. i discovered First Aid Kit this week and made a station with that title. it's pretty awesome and chill; great music to fill my apt all day. you can take a listen here.

thinking about:: ways to make my marriage full and vibrent. i love my husband so much and we are both thinking about how to be intentional in our marriage.

looking forward to:: my husband's birthday next week! we will be going to his parents house to celebrate by making his favorite dinner. and can i just say i am pretty excited about his gift.

reading:: nothing, sad to say. i have some great books on my book list, now to just sit down and dive in.

making me happy:: this may sound weird, but completing items on my list that have been staring at me for far too long is just the best feeling. i am getting things in order around here and doing a lot to think positive on a daily basis. also, i just got new tires for my car! hello worry-free-winter-driving!

thanks to Liz who was the inspiration for this post.

have a great weekend!

autumn wreath DIY

hello! i wanted to share a quick and simple DIY that i made for my grandma for her birthday this past week. it makes the perfect home decor addition to welcome Fall.

supplies needed: wire hanger, scrapes of fabric, and twine
1:: bend the hanger into the best circle you can, it doesn't have to be perfect.
2:: cut scrapes of fabric into 7' strips.
3:: tie the fabric strips onto the wire hanger, pushing the knots against each other and twisting them on the wire to give the wreath dimension.
4:: tie the twine on what you would like to be the top and finish with a bow.

that's it! super simple and the end result is very fun.
you can see the orginal instructions here
happy Fall!

pumpkin recipes to try at home

photos::1::2

pumpkin season is here! this is my favorite seasonal treat. i really can't get enough of pumpkin flavor this time of year. i love trying new pumpkin recipes and lighting pumpkin scented candles all season long. 

i wanted to share some recipes that i made thanks to these lovely ladies. both are super easy and very tasty. 

*i will say that the first time i made the pumpkin quesadilla's i followed this recipe and i found that the pumpkin flavor was a little overwhelming and the tortilla was very thick and hard to eat. so the second time around i made these adjustments:

::instead of using straight pumpkin puree i put the pumpkin cream cheese spread on the middle of the tortilla and spread it around evenly. (and only on one tortilla and not both like she suggests).

::i didn't use any olive oil, just a dry skillet

::i didn't use brown sugar because the pumpkin cream cheese was sweet in itself

::i used mozzarella cheese and green onions for the filling

i have to say with these small changes the flavor was better and the tortilla was easier to handle. 

so try it for yourself and enjoy pumpkin season!

p.s. i also want to try this pumpkin pie recipe for Thanksgiving!

happy

sometimes it's the little things that make me happy; lemon tarts, and dates with Jordan. i love him...a lot.
happy Sunday!

take a moment

the change of seasons reminds me to take a moment and notice beauty in the ordinary of daily life. 

this weekend i will be spending time with family and friends and sharing in laughs and love.

i hope yours is a relaxing one.

happiness in September

photo::via

hi friends! is it already October? i can't even believe how fast this past week and half as gone by! i have been busy bringing out all the new Fall collections at my retail job, taking care of to-do's around the apt, and enjoying the last days of mild weather before the temperatures take a dive.

here are just a few of the things that i especially loved last month:

1. pumpkin spice lattes

2. new seasons of my favorite shows

3. hanging out with preschoolers every sunday at church

4. establishing new routines

5. reading more great books

6. late night talks with my hubby

7. trying new recipes

8. watching classic movies

9. quiet mornings with Roy

10. getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things

happy tuesday! it's a great day to be alive. 

READ.SIP.WEAR

photos::1::2::3

Fall is officially here! i was inspired to share what book i am reading, what drink i have been sipping on, and my fall essential from this inspiring lady. 

this is what you can expect me to be doing this weekend:

drinking:: coffee with sugar

reading:: The Magic of Thinking Big by David J Schwartz

wearing:: colored jeans!

have a great weekend!

catch up::a mini stay-cation at home

so good to be back! last week was a mini stay-cation as Jordan recovered from his broken finger and i worked minimum hours. 

the entire week was spent together talking, sometimes cooking dinner, laughing, hanging out with Roy, sleeping in, and watching copious amounts of television. i decided not worry about how messy the apartment got or how much i was wearing pajama pants. i was determined to enjoy this short time off for both of us and to especially enjoy my husband.

 i have to tell you it was a blast. we caught up on two seasons of Dexter, watched all our regular shows, threw in a couple movies, and watched the premiere Fox Tuesday including New Girl! i love that show, (so does Jordan but he won't admit it.)

during last week i was able to:

::perfect my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

::tackle some amazing recipes by these lovely ladies including pumpkin quesadillas (don't judge until you've tried it) and sushi salad (the best new thing i have made so far).

::take my mom shopping for her birthday and had my first Starbucks of the season.

::spend a whole day crafting framed tributes to my mom from me and my two brothers. 

::catch a mini cold for two days but got over it fast with some soup, sleep, and fizzy tablets.

Jordan was able to return to work this past Tuesday and is doing well. i am back on track with my to-do list and regular household duties. plus, i spent all day yesterday cleaning...i feel much better already!

hope the rest of your week is great!

our weekend

this weekend didn't go as planned to say the least. on Thursday Jordan hurt his finger at work. we thought it was a sprain but it kept getting worse. so at 7 o'clock Friday morning Jordan wakes me up and says we need to go to the hospital because his finger is much worse. 

so i spent the entire morning in a waiting room hoping for the best. turns out Jordan's finger is shattered....we will be going to a hand specialist on Monday.  

Saturday was the best because Jordan and i spent the entire day together watching past seasons of Dexter while snacking and cuddling. we have not had a lazy day together in a long time. it was the sweetest. those are the moments were i thank God for my wonderful husband. 

i hung out with 2-year-olds in the nursery and then attended a great service at church. now we are relaxing at home as Jordan recovers from the side effects from the antibiotics. it has been such a joy to take care of my husband this weekend. 

{free} tunes::mountains

i found this artist via the lovely Kelly Ann. she had a free download on her blog the other day and i thought i would share it with you. i am already loving this guy and can't stop listening to this song. its inspiring.

{Mountains - Kris Orlowski and Andrew Joslyn}
also in this link you can take a look at the promo video for their new EP coming soon. it's kinda awesome.

go check it out. have a great day!

my relationship with autumn

with all the excitement surrounding the arrival of fall i have a little story of my own feeling about this season.

i think it's safe to say i have a decent relationship with summer; i enjoy swimming in pools and think i can wear a bikini pretty well, flip flops are my friend, iced beverages are super tasty, fireworks are awesome, backyard games are epic...

but, i will always be an autumn girl.

there is something about september that makes me nostalgic. maybe it's because during my freshman year at college in ft wayne i can distinctly remember walking across campus as a breeze with the slightest bite pushes me to class as i grip my scarf tighter around my neck, i remember walking underneath a tunnel of trees showering me with fallen leaves, i remember wearing fur boots and going out of my way to step on that extra-crunchy-looking leaf, i remember drinking hot tea in my dorm room as i wore mismatched wool socks.

these are just some of the many memories i share with this season. i think any change can make a person a bit nostalgic. in a way it's like a milestone, a monument of the past, a chance to peek into a small window of time and witness how much one has grown.

autumn and i are best friends. some of the most heart wrenching and heart warming life moments have happened in the fall. i guess you could say we have a history.

all in all, summer and i have had our moments, but i will forever be in love with autumn.

goodbye summer, you were great.