Saturday Suggestions

 

Happy Saturday, friends! Today is a very special day, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it next week! Meanwhile…I have some fun finds for you.

ONE. 

I loved this beautiful little devotional thought that draws the most beautiful life lesson from the changing and falling leaves of the autumn season. I hope it encourages you today! It helped me gain some valuable perspectives on life!

TWO. 

For this week’s fun house tour, check out this beauty that sits right on the Indiana/Michigan line – just a short walk from the shores of Lake Michigan. It really is a storybook cottage. So dreamy!

THREE. 

I haven’t seen the movie Nights in Rodanthe, but I really enjoyed reading this article about how the house used in the movie was moved to safer ground. This is a HUGE house to move! After being moved, it was renovated so the interior (filmed on a sound stage) resembled the look of the movie. Apparently it’s also for sale, so if you’re looking for a movie house, and you have a few million to spare, here you go!

FOUR. 

Ryan found this little interview clip of Carrie Underwood talking about what all goes into recording the Sunday Night Football theme song. I found it extremely intriguing, especially the part about how they record the playoff combinations! (Also, the song is the only part of football night that I understand. Ha!)

FIVE. 

There are some really cute and simple fall decorating ideas in here. I particularly love the candlestick inside the lantern. Never would have thought of it! I have a couple of empty lanterns, so now I know what to look for at the thrift store!

SIX. 

This article has great advice about things to declutter before you head into winter. I especially applaud the suggestion to rummage through the medicine cabinet and dispose (properly!) of any expired medication. And then do your future feeling-icky self a favor and make sure you have the over-the-counter staples on hand so if something hits quickly, you don’t have to drag yourself to the store!

Dreams and Goals for October 2023

 

First up this morning…I was actually able to leave a comment in the comment section yesterday! It hasn’t been letting me be anonymous either, but yesterday it did! So we will see if that continues to work.

            Now…October arrives this weekend, and I can hardly believe it! What in the world! We have lots of goals for this month, but I’m excited that so many of them are fun!

1.   Visit the corn maze. Steele Farms, the corn maze we went to when we were newly engaged and have been back to many times since, is open for business! We are excited to check out this year’s maze and have fun with photo opps while we’re there.

2.   Celebrate our engagementversary. ELEVEN years engaged. What!?!!? We always mark the day in a special way, and it’s always one of my favorite celebrations to mark because of its ties to fall.

3.   Walk the trail. Leaves are changing fast here, so I feel like our peak will be really soon. When it hits, I want to walk that pretty trail all the way through town and enjoy the absolute beauty of the colors around us.

4.   Family pictures. It’s fall time – and therefore it is time for family pictures again! Now to figure out what to wear….

5.   Finalize Speaking Prep. I am speaking at our church twice this month and need to finalize my plans for each of the days. I am also presenting twice at a work event at the end of the month, so I need to get my bullet points in order. This is a first for me – presenting at work – so I want to do it really well!

6.   Read some fiction. The last few books I’ve read have been nonfiction, and while I love them so, I miss getting lost in a good story. My next picks need to move me back to fiction.

That should keep me plenty busy, right?

Updates on Dreams and Goals for September 2023

 

September absolutely flew by at our house. I cannot believe how quickly it came and went! I know we still have a couple of days left in the month, but since the month changes over the weekend, I’ll do my goal update today. Here’s how things went for us this month.

 

ONE. Put the house back in order from the refrigerator debacle of 2023. I am so thankful to be able to say we have done this. After being pushed to choose a different model than our original pick and two failed delivery attempts, we finally have a working refrigerator in our kitchen! Warranty replacement processes are no joke, and this was quite a test of patience for us, but about halfway through September, the new refrigerator arrived, and we were able to start using it and put the garage fridge back in the garage. Our living room is once again a living room, and it makes my heart so happy!

TWO. Close out the garden and change up the flowers. Also done! Ryan pulled all the dead and dying plants from the garden, added more soil and some mulch, and with that, our garden is put to rest for this year. I pulled the dead and dying summer flowers from our planters and added some mums for extra color and beauty. (We did have some summer flowers who kept going strong, so this month was actually a mix of the two. We didn’t pull out the plants that were still vibrant. They’re little warriors out there!)

THREE. Enjoy some good celebrations. We went to a special family lunch to celebrate Ryan’s dad’s retirement, and we spent some time with my mom for her birthday, and both of those were good moments. We hosted our small group this month, which was a lot of fun, but it was also a special time for all of us, because one of the couples we’ve spent the last year and a half with is about to move out of state for ministry. We are so sad to lose them and so excited to see what God does through them in Florida!

FOUR. Become more proficient with milling and breadmaking. We sure did give it our all this month! We tried all kinds of new recipes, including pizza crust, breadsticks, biscuits, hamburger and hot dog buns, dinner rolls, and pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls. We made some mistakes along the way, but I think overall, we’re getting better, and I know we really love having fresh bread in the house – and healthy bread is a bonus!

FIVE. Begin preparing for my next speaking dates. Working on it! I have two chances to speak in October and have a great start on both sessions. Still, I have a lot of tweaking ahead of me!

SIX. Plan the anniversary trip. I have a whole list of things I hope we can do and see while we’re gone, but I’m still putting them in an itinerary. I would say we’re about halfway there. 😊

Other accomplishments this month included:

·         We had the rare opportunity to see two of our tenants from WillowBridge this month! They were at a pond party near us, and we stopped to see them!

·         We finally have all our house watercolor picture frames filled. Three of the pictures are temporary – made with the Waterlogue app – but they are at least up on the wall, making it look completed, even if isn’t quite done yet. It makes a huge difference in how that wall looks every day. Very happy with it!

·         We participated in Dairy Queen’s 85 cent Blizzard promotion, which made for a fun date night.

·         I had the opportunity to record some training videos at work, and it was SO MUCH FUN!

·         We participated in our church’s Faith in Action Sunday and had a good time with the team who signed up to work the same project!

Our October is filling up, and we are excited to enjoy some proper fall fun! How did your September go? Did you accomplish anything you set out to do?

Morning Routines

 

I had an early morning meeting yesterday. Early. I promised my team that I would be present, but I couldn’t guarantee pretty. In fact, I could pretty much guarantee not pretty.

            The whole day was just off after that. Not bad. Just off. The routines we enjoy didn’t happen for either of us because I sat at my desk, clutching a coffee mug and trying to string together some coherent sentences.

            I guess what I learned from it is that you don’t have to be a morning person to have a morning routine. And those routines matter more than you might think!

            What is your morning like? On normal days, ours might look something like this:

            Ryan gets up and makes a pot of coffee, which he sets the night before. One touch the next morning and it starts brewing. He does some Bible study and then takes a shower.

            That’s when I start the slow process of waking up. It takes me a while and a few snoozes. I get up, make the bed, and stumble toward the coffee pot for my first cup. I also start drinking my (fairly large) water intake for the day. Hot coffee and cold water. That’s how I start the day.

            This is usually when Ryan gets Lexi up. Now…talk about a morning routine. This girl has one. She gets up, runs to Braeya’s spot to see if there are any leftover morsels of food from her bowl, and if she finds one, she swipes it. Then she runs to her own breakfast and inhales it. Then, and only then, does she have time for morning hugs and kisses for her parents.

            I would love to have some time to sit and savor, but the aforementioned snoozing has already robbed me of any opportunity for that, so instead, I start packing Ryan’s lunch. I pack his lunch and write him a love note every single day. Once that’s ready to go, I pick out my clothes for the day.

            (Because I have meetings throughout every day, I have to wear work-branded shirts every single day. It has greatly reduced my decision making in the mornings. I have an array of shirts and simply pick the one I feel like wearing that day.)

            Ryan gets ready in one bathroom, and I get ready in the other one. I usually shower at night, so all I have to do is hair and makeup. I also listen to and return Marco Polo messages while I get ready.

            When I finish getting ready, Ryan is usually finishing his breakfast. He almost always has oatmeal. He puts his dishes in the dishwasher and gathers up everything he’ll need for work.

            Lexi never gets to go to work with him, but every day when he puts on his shoes to leave, she sits with great hope that this will be the day she gets to go. She and I don our sad faces as we say goodbye to Ryan, and then he heads out for the day. I usually have a few minutes before I have to be at work, so I eat my yogurt and read emails/blogs/social media.

            So that’s how mornings go for us. How about for you? Any favorite pieces of a morning routine?

Mining the Quiet

 

Ryan had to finish a project last night, which took him away from home for a while. Lexi settled down in her bed by my desk, and I looked over my list of chores to see which things I could try to accomplish while he was gone.

            I started in the kitchen, with a playlist of hymns running in the background, washing produce, chopping fruit, and stirring homemade granola. I sang (probably mostly off-key) quite loudly and confidently while I worked. Well, at least until I remembered that anyone walking by the house could probably hear me clearly, and then I piped down.

            I cleaned up the kitchen, washed the dishes, moved clothes from the washer to the dryer, and sat with my Bible and a study guide for a bit, settling new information in my brain. When the clothes were dry, I folded and put them away, and then I sat with my journal, pouring raw thoughts in as quickly as I could type.

            I miss Ryan when he’s not here. We’ve made a point to craft our life together in such a way that we do most things together. We want to be one in purpose and enjoy getting to tackle the mundane and exciting alike while joined hand in hand.

            But there is something sweet about being able to mine the joy from the quiet. To make good use of the time when we’re apart so we can make better use of the time when we’re together.

            Back in my single days, there was a song that talked about worshiping in the waiting. In those days, I tried my best to live in an attitude of ongoing worship even in the ongoing waiting. Yesterday’s waiting was short – less than two hours, I’m sure. But even in that small waiting, I tried to cultivate an atmosphere of worship. I tried to fill the quiet with song and reading and prayers that honored God.

            Our week is such that we’ll be dividing and conquering more than once. May I continue to mine the quiet for nuggets of God’s goodness!

Dinner by the Lake

 

When we were working on our house, Ryan’s uncle came several times to help with some of the projects. We couldn’t have finished the place in the time we did without his assistance, and we are so grateful. We have been wanting to have him (and Ryan's aunt!) over for dinner to thank them, but their schedules and ours have not coordinated until this weekend. (Edit: I had first called Aunt Becky "his wife" - but I see how that can make it look like she's not really Ryan's aunt, and she is! So I edited.) :) 

            We were finally able to have our dinner by the lake, and we had the most perfect night for it! (We will sure miss eating outside when it gets too cold.)

            I thought I’d share our menu with you in case you’re looking for some new things to try. We thought everything turned out quite yummy.

            Ryan requested raspberry cordial, which is an Anne of Green Gables specialty that we had just a few weeks ago at a party with our small group. It’s not that hard to make and we think it’s pretty delicious! 

I used this recipe I found on Pinterest, and we used frozen raspberries to make it. Fun fact: we realized on Saturday morning that we no longer have a pitcher, because I broke it by accident several weeks ago, while putting it back in the refrigerator. Ryan found this little carafe at a local thrift shop for $1.00, and it was perfect.

            Several months ago, Ryan found a marinade recipe that we both loved, so we used it again on some chicken thighs, which he grilled. We purchased a bag of frozen chicken thighs, and he mixed up the marinade the night before and just poured it into the bag with the meat. By the time he grilled it for dinner, it was perfectly seasoned!

            As sort of a last minute plan, Ryan decided he also wanted to cook some mushrooms and onions on the grill (in the cast iron skillet), and they were so good. I know mushrooms aren’t everyone’s thing, but we love them, and they were all gone at the end of the night.

            I tried this recipe using a mix of sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. I used a bag of frozen cubed sweet potatoes and then cut up some small potatoes to go with it. I dumped them in a baggie with the broth and seasonings. I thought they turned out really yummy!

            I also made my trusty baked asparagus that I’ve made many times before.

            For dessert, we made pumpkin spice rolls with maple cream cheese frosting. (This is from our freshly milled flour adventures.) WHOA. Best thing we’ve made yet.

            Everything was so good, and when dinner was over, we moved around the fire and talked over coffee until long after the sun set.

            It was a joy to get to show them the final product of the home he helped put together. And it’s always a joy to get to spend time with his aunt and uncle! We appreciate and love them so much!

Sunday Sentiments

 

Last night, after Ryan and I enjoyed a great day together, I sat down to scroll through Facebook. I saw an obituary of a gentleman I didn’t know personally, but I knew his sister-in-law. We were in college together. This guy was a couple of years behind us, and it seems his death was sudden and unexpected.

            Ryan and I have learned a thing or two about sudden and unexpected deaths over the last few years. And while we’ve always been intentional people, I feel those shaking events remind us of the importance of living wholeheartedly.

            This weekend has been a whole-hearted living kind of weekend for us. It hasn’t been extravagant. Indeed, it’s been filled with a whole lot of mundane. But it’s also been filled with a whole lot of joy.

            Ryan brought me a latte just because he loves me, and it did make me feel so loved.

            We went on a grocery-shopping date and had dinner at Burger King while we were out. Wore the crowns while we ate and didn’t even care who stared or rolled their eyes.

            Ryan cleaned up the yard while I cleaned up the house, and then we worked together to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls and a meal for his aunt and uncle.

            We had good conversations and did some dreaming. We were productive and we rested. We said I love you a lot and drank some coffee together.

            This, to me, is living to the fullest. It isn’t about the highest profile. It’s about the deepest joy.

            We pray, of course, for years and years together. But we also pray that no matter what, we live every day without a single regret. Deep, full love in the most intentional way. It’s our goal toward one another and toward anyone else who might be part of our day!

Saturday Suggestions

 

Happy Saturday, friends! I'm looking forward to this day and hope you are too! I have a few finds for you today...enjoy!

ONE. 

I caught a TV movie this week based at this ice hotel in Canada. I feel like I’ve heard about it before, so maybe I’ve shared about it before. But after watching the movie (filmed at the hotel) I told Ryan we DEFINITELY have to go. It’s not even close to being budget-friendly, but really…how many times do you get to sleep in a real ice room? I feel like it’s worth saving for a splurge! Would you stay at an ice hotel?

TWO. 

I have also written before about how adorable I find dollhouses to be. My parents gifted me one (unassembled) one year for Christmas, but we never finished building it and finally sold it (all in pieces) in a yard sale. I don’t know that I would ever have the skill or patience to assemble a house, but I love seeing the creativity others put into such miniatures. This site has some ADORBLE houses to peruse. I guess this serves as this week’s house tour. You’d just have to be ant-sized to live there!

THREE. 

As Ryan and I have traveled throughout our marriage, we have learned that we are much more “find the beauty in God’s creation” people than “find the tourist trap” people. Still, there are some things on my/our lists that are there simply because we want to see a cool thing we’ve seen in pictures. For me, the Hollywood sign is on that list. I am not a city girl, and when I do finally make it out that way, I’m sure I’ll have hives from the busyness of it all. But one of my friends did the sign hike last week, and I loved her pictures! What an amazing view out over the city! So now I’m reading up on the hike again. She said it was strenuous, but I still think I’d want to try it. (And then I would want to go back to the quietness outside of town.

FOUR. 

One of my social media friends hiked Half Dome this week and posted about it. I didn’t know what it was or where it was located, but I sure looked it up in a hurry. It’s located in Yosemite, and it’s a strenuous rock climb (made possible by cables bolted into the rock.) The website for the National Park Service warned against trying it if you’re out of shape, and other blogs I read said not to try it if you’re afraid of heights, but I still think this looks and sounds exciting. Would you try it?

FIVE. 

What do I love as much as house tours? CUTE FOOD! This is just adorable. Taco cups! You know how you can get taco salads in bowls made of edible shells? This is that…in miniature…in wonton cups! What a perfect little game day appetizer or party food if you’re having a fall party!

SIX. 

It’s nowhere near my birthday, but this compilation of free birthday treat ideas was fun to find! The article is a couple of years old, so I don’t know if every thing on here is still accurate, but I would imagine it is still mostly current. Ryan and I have enjoyed Starbucks and Red Robin birthday freebies before, so I know those are good! Some of these places don’t exist around here, but many do, and this could be a fun way to enjoy extra special goodness on your birthday!