Sunday afternoon

Today has been a super refreshing day. I spent the day reading a great book. Started out on the couch and then moved to our front porch. One of my new favorite spots except for the wasp that I kept seeing.  Yikes! I hated that there was a wasp flying around. But I kept a careful watch while I read, I didn't get stung or see it much. 
We have been so busy and I am used to having at least one day at home to catch up and relax, but that is not the case anymore. SO tonight I did my recipe research and did some things I won't get to do during the days. I got crazy and decided to have my first baking experience in our new kitchen.  I made muffins and wore my apron. Fun! Got my recipe from pinterest of course. ( where else would you get a great recipe) My first time Making homemade banana nut muffins and they were very yummy!!!  Thanks for letting me share my time and thoughts with you!

In case you are wondering Yes I took all of these myself, so that is why they may look strange

Yay! homemade muffins



Can you tell I am having fun! :)

 

Getting used to new

Well as most of you know we are in the process of moving. We are pretty much finished we just have a few things more to do. It was crazy the way God worked it all out, and it happened so fast. I'm still amazed that we are in a House now and no longer in our apartment.
 We were working in the house for a little over a week before we actually started moving things in, so by the time we slept here we felt right at home:) It has been really fun to make it ours and put our touches on things. As you know we have a super cute dog. Zoe she is part lab part boxer and she is the best behaved dog  I have ever known. She has been liking the new house a lot but I think she is still trying to get comfortable. It is a big change going from our super small apartment to a two story house.
 I keep telling her to lay down and she just sits there like she doesn't know where to go, and she has been sleeping with us at nights. This may sound silly to you but it got me thinking that in life it is really hard for us to adjust to the new things. God always seems to have something new in store for us whether we are ready for it or not, and with his help to try to get comfy and get used to where he has us for that time.
 Sometimes it feels hopeless and we don't understand but God has us where we are for a reason. ( I know I took all of this from the dog who won't lay down..you can laugh) I just know there are times where I feel like I don't know where to go, how to get through this but we try and we get there eventually. With the Help of God!
Anyway here are some pictures of our house so far. we actually have it pretty put together now, so I will post again with more:)

This is our brand new big kitchen.

this is the dining room. Can't wait to get our table in here:)

This is the living room..so big!!

 Josh putting our cute ceiling fan in the living room.

Zoe relaxing after a long day of work ha ha!

 More pictures coming soon!!!!

the imperfect ways of life

This week has been such a great week.  I absolutely love it when Josh doesn't have to work.  We stay up late doing whatever we want and we can sleep in.  It is such a great feeling..:) A couple of things have gone not the way we planned this week. Josh has been feeling pretty sick, so today we went to the doctor. He has a throat infection, and tomorrow we have to get our car worked on. So these things sound  like a pretty big bummer ( and they kind of are) But we said hey at least this stuff happened this week and not next week in the middle of a work week.
 I try as much as I can to look on the bright side of things and be positive and sometimes it can be hard, but I was really glad in this situation we were both able to say better now then next week.I just read a quote that said life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful. I like that so much because we say to each other sorry we can't go there or sorry this week hasn't been fun. But really it is just the opposite just because things are a little different doesn't mean we can't have fun and live wonderfully.
 I like that quote because it seems like we ( human beings) are always trying to live up to the expectations of being perfect, but we are never going to be prefect. Nothing is never going to go exactly the way we want,and things are going to have to be different than we think sometimes. But those different imperfect things are what make us different imperfect beings who we are. :)
 The things in this world will fail me, but I know that my God won't. Even though this world is so not perfect my God is, and whatever happens I trust in my prefect oh so loving God. :)

Living for more

within the past week or two I read something and I think it was from Crazy love, But I am not sure. ( I tend to read a few books at a time on my Kindle)  What I read I don't remember it word for word but I remember that it was about not living to impress people by what you do or the clothes you wear, but Living for what matters. Seriously we don't know how long our life is ( so crazy to think about) and I want to make everyday count. I feel like since making this real I have been taking things a little more seriously. Actually I think motivated is a better word..I want to be motivated by the things that really matter to do things that really matter.  There was a song I just came across called Without love. Doing things fro the right reasons means also doing things with Love. The song basically says that nothing matters if you don't have love, and honestly if you are not doing things for the right reason and you are not doing things with love stop and ask yourself why you do what you do.
 I don't even have to be talking about ministry in the church but at your work or anything you do in your day to day life.  Colassians 3:23 says Work willingly at whatever you do as if you are working for the Lord and not for people. Everyday whatever you do we are working for the Lord so think about why do what you do. what is your motivation? Make everyday count ( I know that is cliche) But seriously make everyday you live count. it is hard to do but something to work on :) http://www.youtube.com/user/HollyStarrMusic?feature=results_right_main
 Check out this song I found! :)

to be inspired

I guess I was feeling a little down when I woke up this morning because Josh is going on his annual canoe trip, but here's the thing it's only for not even 2 whole days, but yes I will miss him greatly. he will not have his phone which I think is what makes it so hard. So i was trying to decide alright it's 8:30 in the morning how am I going to start my day? I watched an episode of 24 but if you know the show you know it is intense and not a very happy show. After that I decided on my favorite movie Julie and Julia. Always inspires me...
 It is a lengthy movie especially when you take a break to cook brunch ( I don't always like to eat breakfast right when I wake up) There are so many reasons I love this movie. Watching it always made me want to start a blog, and I finally did one day. My post today is about one of the many reasons this movie inspires me.
 Inspire

1. to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence: His courage inspired his followers.

2.

to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.): to inspire confidence in others.

3.

to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.: to inspire a person with distrust.

4.

to influence or impel: Competition inspired her to greater efforts.

5.

to animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does: They were inspired by a belief in a better future

 This movie tells the story of two women both trying to find their way.  These women are in a transition where they need something to keep them busy. They need something away from the ordinary.  I related to this part in the movie ( which is the beginning) They knew they needed a hobby something new, but it took them some time to figure it out. You see I relate to these because I have realized in life there are so many transition times in life, but especially being a married woman. It's been a year and 2 months and there have been a lot of transition ( learning) and I know there will be more.

 When we first got married and Josh went back to work it was quite a shock. He was on second shift at the time, and I felt exactly like they did in the movie. No idea what to do..I mean what was i supposed to do I had worked all day, and now it's evening and It was just me and Zoe. You see it took a bit for me to find some things that I enjoyed and I could do. I found out that I enjoyed painting, I taught myself how to crochet, cooking ( still learning) and I am sure there is more. I mean there will always be transitions and we have to learn how to handle, and what to make of them.

 To inspire confidence in others: I like that definition because yes it is only a movie and as silly as it maybe it puts this sort of confidence in me as a woman. I can do new things and I can learn how to get through weird times with a loving husband by my side. I am so thankful for my husband and all that he does for us. I can't put it into words they he makes me feel :)

 As silly as it seems for me to be blogging about a movie I did...and it is my blog. :) Have a wonderful day everyone:)

changing those small things

I love to read blogs that are written by Christian moms and this one unparticular I love. www.impressyourkids.com  There are many moms in the church I admire (including my mom) I always look at how my parents raised me and how now I so appreciate the things they did. As a teenager I didn’t always understand why there was a thing I wasn’t allowed to do, but now I understand and appreciate it.

Someday I will be a mother and I am very excited for when that happens (just because I am excited doesn’t mean it is happening soon...) I like to get advice and there are so many things I have said “oh I want to do that with my kids”, “I want to be that kind of mom” I just caught myself saying that and it made me think. I want to be a mom that teaches my kids biblical character and live a life in Christ. I want to live this out at home with them. How am I going to be able to do this with my someday children when I don’t even think to some of this stuff daily. OK yes I read my bible and pray, but I mean as far as randomly reading a bible story at lunch and discussing it. I want to do that!  I suppose that I just challenged myself to practice these things a little bit more myself. 

 Honestly I like to eat in front of the television (we also don’t have a table except our coffee table that sits in front of the TV.)   I figured it might be easy to make some of these small changes (that will make a huge difference) in our life now instead of when we do start having kids. Maybe you do or don’t have kids but it’s never too late to make small changes that could make a big impact. :)

oh the adventures to come..

Over the weekend we were able to go away for our one year anniversary.  Which was a total blessing from god because we totally didn't think we were going to be able to do anything. We went back to Hocking hills and stayed in a cabin that we had for our honeymoon.  That may sound lame or weird that we went back to the same place, but it was really special.  All the memories just flooded back and I could not believe that it has been a year already.  Last time we were there it was cold so we really didn't get to enjoy nature.  This time we walked lots of trails, and went to a near by town and watched the Hunger games:)
 The trip was really special because we don't always get to go away and just relax, and pretend like there are no worries. We had our phones off the whole time..would turn them on randomly to check messages. It was so refreshing to be able to get away.  We talked and laughed and had fun and really just enjoyed each other. :)
 So much as happened in a year...we have accomplished a lot.  There is so much more to come..here soon we will be thinking about houses.  I can't wait to have a house!
Here are some pictures from our hike. This was about 3 miles and fun ( we are slightly out of shape)

 This tree was totally up rooted from the ground, and it looked really cool.

 It was wet and slippery and I took a fall...here is my injury :( It's better now but man did it hurt.

I thought this shot was really cool even though it didn't turn out the way he wanted it to. I think we were about done, and we were just sitting on the top looking down...so beautiful

 God is soooo good, and he always knows what we need. He knew that we could have made the most out of a weekend at home, but he knew that we needed to be refreshed. I am so thankful that he always knows what we need. When I start to worry about things its ridiculous because God knows what we need, and it will happen in his timing and in his way (not ours)