Florida

It's Monday morning....I'm sipping my chai and

pretending that snow isn't falling outside.

~

We're fresh off a week in Florida and let me tell you,

the sun and fresh air were *exactly* what we needed.

now I've got a few days to recoup (and do laundry, let's be real!)

and then I'm Texas-bound for Hope Spoken, yee-haw!

Much to Celebrate!

This summer brought big birthdays and a big anniversary for my parents. Partnered with the fact that my Navy-brother was in town for a short period this summer, a family celebration was in order! We surprised my parents with a family luncheon at our summer place.  Here's some of the details...

I was aiming to create a casual, picnic-style lunch.  Seeing that it was just our immediate family, I could take some time creating special details.

birthdays + their anniversary, printed on paper and displayed with a clipboard.

Menu:

Turkey & Swiss Rolls (Costco)

Broccoli Salad

Edamame (Costco)

Potato Salad (Costco)

Watermelon

Pretzel Chips

Key Lime Pie in a Jar

No Bake Nutella Cheesecake in a Jar

Blueberry Pie in a Jar

Sangria

Lemonade

 I kept the table simple. I rolled brown Kraft paper down the center and purchased some flowers from Costco.  I also painted cardboard numbers from Hobby Lobby showing their ages and anniversary (60 40 60) with chalkboard paint, then rubbed chalk on them to give them a "broken in" look.  I used large glass jars (from Target) to serve the food in.

I stamped gift tags to label the food and drinks.

I then ripped strips of fabric to attach the labels to each food container.

Coral and white napkins : Target

Kraft food trays & wooden utensils : Creative Juice Cafe on Etsy

Small brown bags to hold napkins & utensils : Hobby Lobby

 the pies in a jar were a huge hit

(no surprise, I suppose!)

 we took pictures of the kids without my parents knowing and surprised them with a huge canvas

(I'm pretty sure family pictures are my mom's love language)

Happy Birthdays & Anniversary, mom & dad!

~

see my Pinterest inspiration board for this party here

 

Thankful

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

~

2 Corinthians 4:15 (NIV)

Memorial Day Weekend

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms out there!
I hope you had a lovely day being celebrated, and celebrating those who have helped raise you.
~
Our Mother's Day was so nice. Absolutely perfect weather made for an entire afternoon spent outside with family, you can't beat it.
I've decided paper straws will be a part of every gathering we host from now on,
they're just so fun! (I buy mine here)Crystal's coconut cakeEric + Zachary + my dad makes my heart happy
so does thisoh my baby girl, please stop growing up so fastyou too, Mr Handsome.
I'm so proud of all the new things you're up to these days, but could you please just slow down and stay my little baby a bit longer?I'm a lucky girl to have themfeeling very blessed.
~
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

Hello, Easter

Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating our risen Lord!hello, sweet girl!hello, amazing worship service.
old hymns combined with new worship songs are my favorite!hello, little man.
looking pretty dapper there in your seersucker coat!hello, picture where both kids are smiling!hello, egg hunt at Papa & Grandma'shello, family.
I am so blessed!
~
linking up with Lisa Leonard's Hello Monday

LOVE

photography by Obsessive Compulsive Photography

Mother's Day

(Here's the post I had planned for Mother's Day,
see my unplanned post here)my & my girl, love her!
~
This Mother's Day was extra special as I was celebrating not only being a mumma to my Claire,
but also to a new addition to our family that we're expecting in November! We couldn't be happier to be adding to our family, and are thoroughly enjoying watching a three year old wrap her brain around pregnancy and childbirth (her questions and observations are hilarious!)
~
Here are my thoughts on this pregnancy so far :

1. I've been nauseous and tired and many days feel like I have the toughest boss on Earth because I'm pretty certain the three year old doesn't care that mumma feels like junk. Thankfully, I'm 14 weeks now and can see the light at the end of the early-pregnancy tunnel coming.

2. Being newly pregnant during Easter candy season was bad. Very very bad.

3. I've seriously considered writing "take nap" on my daily to do list to guarantee myself the satisfaction of crossing off at least one item every day.

4. We've heard the baby's heartbeat two times now, by far the best sound on Earth.
I love this little one already!