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.