Our Christmas

I know that Christmas was, like, a month ago. But I snapped about a million pictures and just really want to share some. Especially because Pepper was extra adorable that day. πŸ™‚

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Every year my mom displays her Santa and snowman collection. It’s one of my favorite parts about Christmas. A lot of them were her mom’s and that makes them extra special. πŸ™‚

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This was as close as I could get to putting the hat on her head. PS: In the background you can see how my genius mom wrapped our presents this year! She ordered the biggest roll of black butcher paper I’ve every seen. It’s thick and, for me because I’m bad at wrapping, hard to work with but it looks really cool with a white paint pen or chalk!

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The light on Christmas morning… it’s the best. Better than any light on any other morning any other day of the year.

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A gentle frost lay over our backyard that morning. It was chilly and blue. Beautiful.

 

A late Merry Christmas to you all and to all a good Monday! πŸ™‚

 

 

xx

Our Thanksgiving! I Know It’s January.

Okay… so Thanksgiving was more than a month ago. More like, two months ago. But hey! It’s Thanksgiving and nothing makes me feel better than looking at pictures of delicious food.

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The turkey was huge and mom basting it made her hand look like an alien. Also, turkey butt.

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Mmm… pie.

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Mom’s fall decorations on the porch. Simple and festive. Plus we really love burlap around here.

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YUM. I still crave this meal every time I look at these pictures. We stayed home and had Thanksgiving with just us. We missed our extended family but it was nice to lounge around with the windows open all day knowing we had nowhere to be. Smelling the turkey cook and watching mom bake and her pajamas… it’s the best. Also not having to put on makeup or look presentable to stuff my face was a big plus.

How was your Thanksgiving? What kind of pie did you have? I’m hungry.

 

 

xx

Sister Style: Brick Wall Waterfall

After my sister graduated we drove to this beautiful winery a little ways away. Great food and wine accompanied by family and friends-Perfect!

Afterwards, we hung around the parking lot and snapped some outfit pictures. Mine are here! I also snapped some of our youngest sister so she could try and be as cool as me. πŸ™‚

This is Rudy! Our 14 year old freshman sister with a lot of sass and style; just like me!

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jacket: PacSun, skirt: F21, tights: borrowed from me-F21, wedges: borrowed from me-Target, necklace: F21

Leave a comment and let Rudy know that she’s cool, okay? She has her moments. πŸ˜‰

xx

New Years Eve Party!

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We had a blast celebrating NYE. Nothing like being surrounded by friends, cupcakes, and champagne when the new year rings in.

I spent the next day relaxing in bed watching movies. Great way to start the new year! I didn’t make a mile long list of resolutions this year like I have before. My only goals are to buy a car, get a new job, and move out. Three seemingly simple things I want to accomplish within six months. There are other small things I want to do but they’ve been on my goal list for a while but if you want to see them anyway let me know and I’ll do a little goal post. HA. Goal post.

Did you make any resolutions? I’d love to read them! I hope you’re having a great new year.

Here we go, 2014!

 

 

xx πŸ™‚

What Are You Doing Now?

Ever since graduating college for real this time, nearly everyone I see asks me, “So, what are you doing now?” Friends, family, church members, acquaintances… all of them are interested in my life. It’s flattering, really. Whether they’re asking to fill the dead air in an awkward conversation or genuinely interested, I am flattered.

So, what am I doing now? I haven’t taken a lot of time lately to update you on the goings-on of my life the past few months. I graduated college after taking two very last minute classes (ugh) to complete my degree. I passed both of them, one of them just barely, and sent all the information to my school to be processed! I didn’t walk the stage again because I did it in May. πŸ™ Since then I’ve been enjoying finally being done with school. No more anxiety on Sunday nights realizing I forgot to submit an assignment that is due at midnight. No more hassling with teachers that aren’t willing to help you out. No more writing. No more tests. WEE!

I am still working full time in the daycare. I should be buying a car in the next month or so and then I can finally be semi-independent. πŸ™‚ I sold my car back in the summer and have been saving ever since. So if you know anyone that’s selling a Honda Accord or Civic in the $5000-6000 range let me know. πŸ˜‰

My tentative plan is to buy a car, find a new job and move to Dallas by May 2014. Easy, right? I’ve been seeking out positions I think I would be happy in and that would feed my passions for blogging, fashion, beauty and the like and I’ve found a couple cool positions. I have applied for several remote blogging jobs part time and full time and hope to hear back about those. It would be a dream to be able to work from home and make extra money while doing my real passion.

As far as music goes I don’t have any leads and I’m not sure how to break into that scene. My passion has always been leading worship and being involved in music in that way, however it’s really who you know. As it is with any job, really. Finding a worship leading position isn’t like searching the want-ads in the paper or Craigslist. I think I’ll plug myself into a church wherever I end up and work from there. I know God has a plan for this passion and I trust that He will lead me where He wants me. That gives me total peace.

When I shared my Dallas plan with my parents they were like, “Cool,” at first. Now, my mom wants me to move to Tyler (35 minutes away and where I attended school. I eye-roll a lot at that.) That was my plan in the beginning: move to Tyler, see my friends graduate, figure it out from there. I understand her reservations about my moving to Dallas: I won’t know anyone. Who will watch my dog if I’m gone overnight? Who will help me if I get a flat tire? I WON’T KNOW ANYONE.

But to me that’s kind of the point, right? I have no ties anymore. I’m single and through with school. Once I buy a car I can go and do anything I want with this time in my life. I am free to get weird jobs and live cheaply. Clean start.

I have nothing against the places I’ve grown up in. They are special to me and I love them dearly. However, I need a new experience. Dallas has always been a dream of mine so why not? It will be scary, sure. I’ll be lonely, yeah. But maybe not. I’ll never know unless I try.

 

So that’s what I am doing now. Figuring it all out. This isn’t some revolutionary blog post about finding the meaning of life in your twenties. This is my life and it’s the dumb things I’m doing to try and be who I am. And to let those of you that are praying for me know more about me and my plans so that you can pray more specifically for me. If you pray for me, thank you. I need it and God has heard you!

 

Happy Monday. πŸ™‚

 

xx

Happy Fall

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jacket: thrifted, sweater: thrifted, button-up: thrifted, jeans: Target, boots: Forever21

If you don’t already know, the leaves are pretty sweet right now. Normally this side of the yard is just like, ehh. But now it’s like, whoa! RIGHT?! I’ve always loved fall. I was born in September and just always loved those colors. Hate. HATE. the heat. Bleck.

So how was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Did you go anywhere? We stayed right here at home with just the five of us, ate a big turkey and watched cat videos. I had such a good and restful week off. Didn’t even try to brave the madness that is Black Friday! I did get several things online, however. πŸ™‚ Did you go out? I’ve been out the past two years and it really wasn’t bad. It just depends where you go. AKA: Don’t go to Walmart.

It’s going to be rough adjusting to work life again. I mean, I was only off for what, two days and my schedule is all whacked out? Pitiful. Just. Pitiful. Countdown to Christmas break begins now…

Have you entered the amazing giveaway yet?! DO IT HERE!

Have a great day!