A couple things...

{1} Michigan weather is cray-cray! In years past, Thanksgiving Day around these parts usually involves snow, sleet, or ice (take your pick). But YESTERDAY was amaze-balls! After wolfing down some yummy food with the in-laws, we ran around outside playing duck-duck-goose, hide-and-seek, and tag until our cheeks turned red! I mean it was a little windy but still! Sixty degrees at the end of November?? It reminded me of my childhood growing up in CA. Where we would go for family walks after our big turkey feast.


{2} Speaking of turkey, we are hosting my side of the family tomorrow. And I'm attempting to pull off my very first traditional turkey dinner. My high school bud Jenny posted the most delicious sounding recipe, so we are giving it a go this year! Here's Kensie helping me prep this morning...

ice, peppercorns, and chicken broth (to name a few) covering our 11.5 lb turkey in a 5 gallon bucket
(it won't look so weird after you read the recipe HERE.)

{3} Speaking of Kensie, boy does she have some news. SHE WENT PEE ON THE POTTY this morning for the first time! We're still taking baby steps but this is HUGE for her. Read my previous post HERE so get the full story on why.


{4}Projects are actually happening around here these days. Hard to believe right? I'll post more on them later but here's a sneek peek of one...

In case you're wondering, this is the BEFORE pic. Come back on Monday to see the AFTER!

{5} It's officially the Christmas season!!!!!!! I get just a little geeked about the holidays. Especially when it comes to decorating. I love to transform the entire house into a wonderland of lights, ornaments, nativity scenes, garland galore(!) and trees of all shapes and sizes.

Don't mind my hunky man under the tree there. He was readjusting a branch that Mason sat on b/c apparently tree branches are also benches. Oh Mason...

Be sure to stop by next week. On December 1st, I'll be having a "Holiday Open House" (cyber-style). You won't want to miss this year's Christmas home tour. Just a few more finishing touches...

Thanks for staying :tuned in my friends!

***

Mini lanterns and Wicker chairs

I've always wanted to hang a chandelier over our dining table but the ceiling is not wired for a light fixture in this room. And I stopped bothering asking Greg to figure out how to do it. 

Then I saw this idea. Betchya can't guess from where...

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Anyway, this past summer when my neighbor and I had our Hoarders Sale, I bought these cute mini lanterns from her for 5 bucks total. I know I know. The point of the sale was to GET RID of crap but I walked home with a couple things. Oh well...aren't they so cute?!

So during naptime today I finally got the itch to make my Pinterest dream into a reality. I ran outside quick to grab a branch from the front yard. Greg recently trimmed a ton of trees around our property so I had lots to choose from.


I hung the branch with some fishing wire . Once I got it the right height I used twine to hang each lantern, one at a time, at varying lengths. It only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.

I love how it appears to be floating.


BEFORE....

AFTER...

I also found two wicker chairs from Pier 1, so we can now seat EIGHT comfortably.


And just in time for Thanksgiving! We are hosting this year (for my side of the family), and I can't wait see everyone!


***

Linking up HERE.

Being relate-able

In case you were wondering, my pity party is over since my last post. Contentment is a tricky thing for me sometimes. In the larger scheme of life, I actually feel quite happily content. And I honestly wouldn't change a thing. It's just easy to become discontent when I stop appreciating all the things I love about my life. I'm still workin' on it....

So, what's with all the "Debbie Downer" posts??

I want to be relate-able. There's something so freeing when I tell someone I've messed up. When I let people know I don't have the slightest clue how to raise our kids. When I pray with my closest friends about a tough situation that I have no idea how to handle. When I spend too much money shopping online and blow my cover wide open to my husband. 

Honesty is FREEING.

I haven't always felt this way. I used to think only showing my strengths and accomplishments was what people cared about. Like that's what would "win" people over. Then I discovered the truth all throughout God's Word. 

My conclusion is this. Listen closely.....

God thrives on using people in their weaknesses. There's not a single person in the Bible who had it "all together". Yet, God thought their life was important enough to write about in His Word. Why? Because he knew people like me could relate to them. He knew that I could identify with people who continue to "mess up" in life. He loved them fully and completely despite their earthly failures.

That being said, I would love to share even more here on the blog about difficult situations in my real life. Unfortunately due to the circumstances that's just not possible. But I can tell you God can and IS using them for good. He is moving and working in real and powerful ways.

So I will continue to sprinkle these kind of posts in between all the other fun stuff I usually enjoy blogging about....decorating, house projects, party planning, funny kid stories, etc...just so you know who I really am. They will be little reminders now and then that I am just an ordinary girl with an extraordinary God who continues to be glorified through every part of my life. That's really the whole point of life anyways, isn't it? Something I'm still striving to do on a daily basis.

***

Oh, hey!

It's been a while, I know. I haven't forgotten about you. Promise.

In fact, I've had tons of imaginary posts written up in my head that just never made it to the computer. They were quite brilliant, actually.



I was gonna tell you all about how the kids have been growing up lately and saying funny things and doing naughty things and almost killing each other on a daily basis and how I wish they could just obey the first time.

I was gonna spend a whole post complaining about how much I despise COLD weather and why Jesus needs to come back as a result. Like ASAP.

I was gonna whine about how much I miss my husband these days and how it's SO exhausting and draining being a stay at home (practically single) mom. Blah blah...

I was gonna gripe about all the "half-projects" I have going on and how there's ZERO motivation to finish them.

I was gonna post all my favorite fashion trends for this fall and winter and how I absolutely have to have every single one of them.

I was even gonna tell you I'm throwing in the towel on this whole "blogging" gig. How I want to write about deeper things but always wind up taking the "easy way out" by sticking closer to the surface.


Wait, what?

Did you hear that??

Ah yes...it's called discontentment.


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Dis`con`tent´ment

n.

1.

The state of being discontented; uneasiness; inquietude. discontentment - a longing for something better than the present situation

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There's nothing wrong with working hard in each area of our lives. But if we're always longing for that "something better" in the future, we will be missing what God wants to teach us in the present. I need to be more content with my present.

I think we all do.

Source: homegrownhospitality.typepad.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Perfect timing for Thanksgiving, no?

Booyah!

Last year we had a pumpkin and a berry fairy....

This year we have a bride and groom...

All I know is...

{1} Little people in costumes are the cutest thing ever.

{2} When will I realize that Michigan is COLD every single year at Halloween? Next year, they need to dress up like Eskimos or mummies or both. Seriously.

{3} The faster these kids grow, the stronger they get, which means the more stamina they have to "trick-or-treat", meaning the more candy they I get!!

BOOyah!

Hope you have a fun-filled Halloween this year!

Riviera Maya

Five nights and six days at one of the nicest resorts we've ever been to. In one of the most beautiful locations. The Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Thank you for your prayers. We felt them. Our time together was beautifully uninterrupted. Each day started with a little rain but the clouds soon dispersed and the sun made regular appearances. Greg's cold was nearly over by the time we arrived to the resort. There was only one day of work related meetings for Greg. Otherwise, we basically rotated between the pools, the beaches, and restaurants (with the most amazing and exotic food we've ever had). Did I mention I didn't have to cook a single one of those meals? Now that was a treat. And we even had a little fun playing a few sports we both enjoy!

So....

In unedited and rapid fire fashion, here's our trip in chronological order. 

Sad to leave....

As much as we wanted to stay, we couldn't wait to get home to see our kiddos! I had a couple videos and pictures left on my camera that we would flip through during the week whenever we started to miss them. We never worried about them but now and then we'd talk about our favorite attributes of each child. And oh how sweet it was to see them this morning! Jumping and hopping into my arms with excitement, shouting, "MAMA! MAMA!!" It was like seeing them for the first time. 

Anyway...

The trip was ummm dare I say, BETTER than our Honeymoon?? I truly felt like every detail of this trip was designed specifically for us. We did not deserve such special treatment. Thank you Lord! And even more, it was so great to vacation with the person I've shared the past (basically) 10 years of my life with. Our love is so much deeper than it ever was the day we left for our Honeymoon. 

God is good.

***

Reliving the Honeymoon

I loved our Honeymoon. I know not every newly married couple has a fantastic Honeymoon experience (for various reasons) but I have to say it is STILL one of my favorite memories with Greg.

Seven years and two kids later, we have not been to a tropical destination since.

Until now...

We have the privilege of turning a "work trip" into a tropical vacation starting tomorrow!! I cannot tell you how thrilled and blessed I feel right now. This trip could not have come at a better time in our marriage. The fact that we are going to the same place as our Honeymoon trip is no coincidence in my mind. It's by God's grace 100%. 

A few prayer requests:

(1) Greg is currently sick. Achy, stuffy, borderline feverish. He went to bed at 7:30 last night and basically felt like trash the past two days. Pray he gets better quick!

(2) This will be the longest we've ever been away from the kids. Pray for them to adjust well. Pray for us to not worry about them while we're gone. They are in good hands. 

(3) The weather forecast where we're going is definitely warm but looks like it will be cloudy and stormy every single day. Pray we get just one day of sun. Just one.

(4) Regardless of how the trip goes. Pray that our time together will be fruitful and refreshing. Whether we lose our luggage, our plane gets delayed, or the weather is as bad as it forecasts...pray that nothing will come between Greg and I during this precious time together. Nothing.

See you in a week my friends!

***