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.

my favorite

can i just say how excited i am for Fall? also, the return of my favorite TV shows and everything pumpkin spice.
have an awesome day friends! xo

open country

last friday Jordan and i spent the day visiting with his parents in Sheridan, IN. i adore my in-laws and their 100-year-old house. it is the cutest country home surround by nothing but corn fields. it was so peaceful sitting out on the porch watching the fields sway and feeling the warm breeze while kittens darted underneath the bushes. we had a great time catching up.
i will share more about the weekend soon.

happiness in August

this month has been filled with lots of exciting changes, new friends, new routines, new desires, and new goals. i find myself smiling all the time because i am so hopeful for the future. here are just a few of the reasons why i can’t stop smiling. to start with Roy is just a cutie as he is catching some sunlight in the picture above. he always makes me smile. 

1. Jordan and i joined a community group that has really helped us grow in so many different areas. 

2. i started singing in the choir again! the early mornings are rough but the fellowship is so worth it.  

3. we finally organized our spare room!

4. we are in the process of toilet training Roy...yes, you read that right. this makes me happy because in 2-3 weeks our apt will be litter free. and for a cat owner that makes me very happy. 

5. i discovered my love for avocados and lemons. you know when people tell you your taste buds change when you are an adult? well, they were right.

6. talking to Jordan about our dreams.

7. watching The Newsroom. if you have not watched this show you should. it's my favorite, besides New Girl of course. 

8. continually learning. 

9. having a clean and up-to-date car. for a girl that has always had car trouble since i could drive, having a reliable, clean car makes me very happy. 

10. i downloaded a Mac version of Quicken. this makes the inner nerd in me very happy as i stay on top of our finances.

looking forward to September and all the wonderful memories that it brings; cooler whether, leaves falling, scarfs and boots, hot tea, and good laughs with friends and family.