friday favorites – july 11.

July 11, 20146 Comments

Happy Friday! These summer weeks are flying by faster than ever. I am trying to keep my big girl panties on and not cry about it, but WAHHHH. SUMMER, STAY!!

Favorite Memory: A few things about me: I love playing games, being outside, listening to good music, having Cali nearby, and being with my favorite people. So imagine my joy when all these things merged last weekend. Josh, Cali, my sister Courtney and I packed up and walked over to a local park, set out our lawn blanket, shuffled the Phase 10 cards, cranked some Josh Garrels tunes and enjoyed an hour or two in the sun. A few afternoon rain sprinkles pushed us back home but it was one of my favorite parts of the week.

Favorite July Food: Cherries. Hands down. I’m addicted. I am thankful the cherry season is short because I have single-handedly gone through about 8 pounds of cherries in the last few weeks. No joke. I can’t control myself. My lips have a permanent stain to them and I have become an expert pit-spitter-outter. Oh cherries, you make me happy.

Favorite Summer TV Show: Big Brother! Is anyone else watching? I always get sucked in every year and even though some of the new twists this season have me a little confused, I still loooooove to watch! Donny, a 42 year old groundskeeper who looks like he belongs on Duck Dynasty, is seriously my favorite. I find myself getting worked up over Devin (seriously, GO HOME!) and giggling at the Frankie/Zack bromance. Hilarious! Thank you CBS for giving me a good dose of summer reality tv.

Favorite Celebration: Josh’s birthday! YAY! I can’t believe my husband is 32 already – not that it’s “old” by any means, but seriously, when did we all grow up?? I could yammer on about how fast time goes and how awesome Josh is (because, well, he is), but instead I just want to fast forward to the party details.

My family hosted an incredible party for Josh. He knew nothing but when to show up and I have to say, my mom’s creativity was at an all time high. (Who remembers the awesome book themed party she threw for me last year?) My hunter-hubby had a night filled with his favorite foods (like, pretty much all of them … the food was AMAZING – gluten free too nonetheless), favorite decorations, and lots and lots of laughs from start to finish. I just have to brag on my mom’s creativity (with my dad and sister’s help as well!) with pictures below. I loved how special and celebrated Josh felt. I LOVE BIRTHDAYS and its safe to say I got the love of them from my mom. :)

As we pulled up, we knew right where to park!

Check out this table setting!. SO perfect.

The details were the best part – the hand crafted napkin rings (white tail deer of course), the name cards, the coasters and bottled water … love.

Lots of sticks, birthday love, mineral rocks and even a little visiting deer.

Deer droppings, HAHA!

I got up briefly and when I came back, someone stole my chair!

…twice!

Our birthday boy!

Crab, alfredo scallops, deep dish pizzas, and bacon wrapped sausage …

Grilled cheese and tomato soup, caesar salad with grilled shrimp, waffle fries and steaks….

corn, peanut m&m’s, cheesecake and homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. *FULL*

And yes, we were full for a lonnngggg time after that.

Favorite Funnies: And last but not least! Enjoy!

Have a great weekend friends!

friday favorites – july 4.

July 4, 2014July 4, 20148 Comments

Happy 4^th of July! For my USA friends, I hope you have fun plans ahead to celebrate Independence Day. Judging by the sounds of the 9:45 am fireworks going off, it’s safe to say our neighbors are starting the celebrations early, much to Cali’s dismay. Have fun and be safe today people!

Now without further adieu, Friday Favorites! Let’s jump right in.

Favorite Moment:

Josh and I got to celebrate our 9 year anniversary this last Wednesday and I felt so incredibly surrounded by love the whole day. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us through a comment, like, message or text as well! Josh surprised me by coming home early from work that day and surprised me by having my wedding dress cleaned and preserved. (It was one of those things I never did and completely forgot about, so I was really surprised! It looks beautiful all cleaned up!) We enjoyed a great dinner out downtown and laughed and played cards. Yes, cards. We are semi-addicted to Golf and Phase 10 and like the old married couple we are, shuffled our way through the evening. It was perfect!

A quick little picture before dinner ….

And then we noticed Cali’s tail, since she was obviously trying to get in to the picture. But 19 tries later, it was clear that she really didn’t wanted to LOOK at the camera, just be in the way. Oh well, we tried!

Favorite Local Find:

My friend introduced me to a new restaurant in the Twin Cities called Yum Kitchen and Bakery and it was delicious! We worked up an appetite walking over there from her house and enjoyed their signature iced tea (AMAZING) and mahi mahi fish tacos. Oh, and we shared some fries – they are a MUST there! If you are in the Twin Cities, head on over and give them a try. They have a small gluten free menu as well, making it a win-win!

Favorite Photo Taken:

There was a sunset last weekend that took my breath away. I love that we can see views like this from our front porch. Beautiful!

Favorite Quote:

“Do not grieve Him by doubting His love.”

I read this in my devotional earlier today and LOVED it. I know that sometimes, when answered prayers seem ages away, and we assume that the delays we are experiencing are denials, it just don’t feel like He loves us. We can turn our wish list into a sign that He loves us (or doesn’t) and when life falls short of our expectations, we can begin to doubt Him. I loved the word grieve in the quote above … Do not grieve Him… If Josh ever began to express to me that he doubted my love, it would make me SO sad. I would constantly be trying to tell him and show him that I love him. It would be even more hurtful and heartbreaking if he continued to doubt my love even after I did everything I could to make it abundantly clear to him that I loved him. Thinking about God in this way was a great reminder to me this morning. Every minute I breathe, He is showing His love for me. Questioning that only breaks His heart. God’s character isn’t that of delay, but of perfect love and timing and is OUTSIDE of any circumstances or situations I encounter.

Favorite Find:

Yea, okay, so “Favorite Find” isn’t necessarily a great section, but I really just need an excuse to share this hoodie I found for Cali at a thrift shop yesterday.

HA! She’s a little Gap girl. How stinking cute is that!? Clearly she isn’t as thrilled as me, but come on … pure adorable-ness going on right there.

Favorite Product:

My friend Karen sent me a little sample of Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion in the shade sin and oh my goodness, this is my new favorite make-up product. I am squeezing out the last little bit of my sample and putting this on my birthday list for sure. Who knew that eyeshadow primer really worked??? LOVE.

Favorite Funnies:

And of course ….

(No really, this is scary stuff.)

Alright, now off your phones or computers and go enjoy your day! To all the dog owners out there who’s dogs are terrified of fireworks – good luck tonight … we WILL get through this weekend! (This is Cali’s LEAST favorite holiday of all times ….) Happy 4th of July!

Who knew a patriotic photo shoot would be so exhausting!? HA!

friday favorites – june 27.

June 27, 20147 Comments

Happy Friday friends! I am not really sure how these summer days are going by so quickly. I didn’t even get a chance to blog during the week this week. *Gulp* But I have written some great posts in my head in bed around midnight a few nights, so that’s gotta count for something, right? :) Well, without further delay, here are this week’s Friday Favorites!

Favorite Moment: Seriously, this one will sound silly, because I have A LOT of great moments from this last week, but it’s a simple one. Last night my sis and I headed down to Marketfest, a local little town get together a few cities over, and we sat and watched a high school drum line perform. It seriously was the most adorable thing and I couldn’t stop smiling for so many reasons.

They were very serious about their performance, and seeing 14-year olds trying to play stoically and stone faced made me giggle. I loved the simple nature of the introductions of each member and Courtney and I joined in loudly cheering for the few kids who clearly had no support in the audience. You could tell it made them feel cool and that was adorable. They were talented! I mean, I am no drum-liner, but it sounded good and their pride in their performance (as well as a few nerves) was literally almost too much for my heart to watch. I live for these adorable moments. I know this all sounds dramatic (welcome to my life), but I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.

(And because it’s hard to just pick one, another Favorite Moment was an awesome date night I had with Josh early this week. We laughed, enjoyed some freebies and made the most of a Wednesday night. Yay!)

Boo bad lighting! But he sure is cute! :)

Favorite Song: Anyone remember Alex and Sierra from X-Factor? I loved this duo on the show (an acoustic-y pop Sonny and Cher) and they just released their new single this week, Scarecrow. It’s such a catchy number and I have found myself dancing around singing to it a time or two (or three…) this week. A fun summer tune plus a super cute music video made using puppets.

Favorite Quote or Verse: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” –John 14:13-14

When I ran across this verse earlier this week, I couldn’t help but think JACKPOT! It’s one of those verses that can suddenly make Jesus seem like a magic genie and turn hopeful expectations into a no-brainer that things will magically and suddenly go my way. I mean, I’m asking, He’s promising, it’s a great arrangement. Right?

Well, I quickly was convicted on this way of thinking and as I kept reading it over and over and over again, I begin to think about why Jesus said this. Jesus was willing to act so that the Father may be glorified. He was willing to do what was asked of Him (in His name) for that one reason. As I kept praying, I realized that to be like Christ, I would have to have the same willingness and intentions as Him in this. My prayer back to God looked something like this: Lord, whatever you ask of me, I will do it, that the Father and the Son may be glorified. If you are asking anything of me, in your name, I will do it. It’s a mighty big prayer to pray but a lesson and a verse that deeply touched my soul and heart this week.

Favorite Photo(s): I got to spend some fun quality time with Josh and my parent-in-laws on Saturday morning at the golf course and love the shot I got of him hitting off of the first hole into the cool morning fog.

Yes, the 5:45 am alarm wake-up call was a little early for me, but once we were out on the course, I had a blast watching the family golf, snapping pictures and riding along in the cart with my book. I am not a golfer, but managed to try to hit a ball.

Unfortunately what this photo doesn’t show is the ball rolling to the left about 5 feet away … well, I tried. :)

AND it was my in-laws 39th anniversary too - how cute are they!?

AND it was my in-laws 39th anniversary that day too – how cute are they!?

Favorite New Local Find: A friend of mine, Kara, told me about a local coffee shop that she thought I would love and of course I just had to go check it out! It’s called J. Arthur’s Coffee in Roseville, MN and it was an adorable place. I met my sweet friend Erica there and while the inside ambiance is amazing (picture rustic tables with individual lamps, big comfy chairs, wide open windows and deep, rich wood colors), we both decided to embrace the warm, sunny day and sit on the patio. The lattes were yummy (chai and vanilla), the conversation full of laughter and sincerity and we managed to chat away for 2 and a half hours while working on our tans. A win-win, right? If you are in the area, check it out!

(Side note – can I just brag on this young lady? Erica just graduated from high school this year and I am always richly blessed when I get to spend time with an amazing teenager like herself! It’s tough world out there and she is conquering it with grace, integrity and a foundation rooted in the Lord. Adore her!)

Favorite Thing I’m Looking Forward To: Our anniversary! Josh and I are celebrating 9-years together as a married couple next week on the 2^nd. I love being married to this man EVERY day, but there is something extra special about anniversaries. Like any marriage, there have been up’s and down’s and it takes time, effort, prayers and mutual investment to make it flourish and I can’t imagine doing that with anyone else. He still makes my heart go pitter-patter and my sides ache from laughing. Love you honey! Happy early anniversary!

Favorite Funnies: And now, my personal favorites ….

That’s all for the week! Enjoy your weekend! Do something kind for someone else, offer grace to someone who maybe doesn’t deserve it and force yourself to smile when you least feel like it. XOXO!

friday favorites – june 20.

June 20, 2014June 20, 201414 Comments

Time for another posting of Friday Favorites! Without further delay, let’s jump right in.

Favorite Moment: My dog Cali has desperately needed a haircut for about a month and I put off scheduling it too long apparently because when I called, her groomer was booked out several weeks. GASP. Poor Cali has been so hot outside and we have been waiting for her appointment at the end of June to arrive when suddenly – ring ring – the groomer call with a last minute cancellation. Hurray! So thankfully I got to bring Cali in over a week early. *insert heavenly choir singing here*

I didn’t tell Josh about the cancellation and Cali got to surprise him with her fancy new do when he got home from work. (Hey, we don’t have kids, these are the things we get excited about.) I may be biased but I seriously think we have the cutest dog in the world.

She feels like a velvety teddy bear and smells like lavender and sunshine.

Favorite Thing I Own: Hands down, my new mug from my friend Tiffany. I have to be honest with you folks, I am ub-sessed with Harry Potter. Love. (I just removed several examples from this paragraph upon edit – you’re welcome.) Anyways, my friend Tiff has an equal love for all things Potter and recently made a trip down to Disney to check out The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios. *Chelsea faints at the idea* Long story made short to avoid unnecessary tears from the author – Tiffany surprised me with this new mug that arrived to my house earlier this week, in the original bag from the purchase. How cool am I now?? A gigantic THANK YOU to my friend – people like us have to stick together – and another gigantic THANK YOU to my friends who don’t understand this obsession and still choose to be my friend.

Favorite Quote: “So often we simply neglect to look for the answers to what we have asked, which shows the lack of earnestness in our petitions.” -Charles H. Spurgeon-

I can be SO guilty of this at times. It is much easier to ask “why why why” and bemoan a situation rather than roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty searching for answers. If you have followed my blog long enough, or know me at all, it shouldn’t surprise you that for me, these answers come from reading God’s Word (the Bible). I don’t want to be a question asker – I want to me an answer seeker!

Favorite New Recipe: I have tried a few new recipes this last week but this one for Pineapple Salsa was a real winner! I served it with fish tacos and tortilla chips earlier in the week, then whipped up another batch for my ladies small group last night. It went FAST both times – enjoy!

2 cups finely diced fresh pineapple (this was about a whole one for me)

1 cup diced red pepper

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

2-3 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded (I would start with less and build up to the heat you like.)

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 large lime

Salt, to taste.

Combine everything, stir well. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Enjoy!

Favorite Celebration: Father’s Day! I probably could dive much deeper into this whole topic with the spirit of infertility in mind, but I don’t have the words to do so this year. However I do want to celebrate the dads in my life and Josh.

My dad Tim has blessed our family with his patience, his humor and his unconditional love for as long as I have been around. He loves both of his daughters so much and has been the best dad. He always starts off the day with a text, checking in to see how I am and is always there for me in any and every way. He’s taught me important lessons like “when you are driving, don’t ever swerve for a bird, they will fly away” and the importance of making a good cup of French press coffee. I loved being able to spend the day with him and my family after 6 years of living in a different state as them. He is worth celebrating every day – love you a ton Dad!

My father-in-law Chet has been the kind of in-law that people pray for and rarely get. He is such a pillar of strength in the family and someone that my husband (and I) has always looked up to and learned from in so many ways. He welcomed me into the family almost a decade ago with so much love (and way too many “humorous” tricks) and I am forever grateful for that. He has taught me how to catch the BIG fish out on the lake and how to make up Chuck Norris jokes on the fly. I am so thankful to have him as another dad and appreciate and love him so much.

And lastly Josh – what can I say about him? First of all, on behalf of Cali, he really is the best furdad ever. He has so much love for our little pup. For some reason Cali chooses to sleep on his pillow every night and he lets her, humbly accepting the 2 inches of feathers she allows him. He plays with her when he is tired and chases her when she wants to be chased. She is his outside lawn-care buddy and she loves him so much her tail nearly snaps off every time so sees him. He is the best.

He also is the best to-be dad, the dad of angel babies and dreams. He spent his Father’s Day morning volunteering in our church parking lot despite the fact that in doing so, he would be reminded for 5 hours that this was a day to celebrate dads and their children. I asked him if he wanted to get someone to switch with him and he said “nah, the subs would just be dads and I would rather let them be with their kids.” His strength is amazing. I avoid church on days like that and there he is, someone strongly desiring to be a dad, welcoming in dads with a smile. He’s my hero.

A special thank you to those who remembered him on that day. Josh was able to be celebrated by family and friends with cards and words for the doggy dad he is, for the dad he will be one day, God willing, and for the role that he plays in the lives of our nieces. He felt so loved and special and as a wife, that was the best feeling. Thank you to everyone who cared and reached out.

Favorite Message: Our church had a message last week called More Than Happy – Joy in the Struggle, and it was hands down, one of the best messages I have heard in a long time – like, it wins for favorite message easily this year and last year. Loved it. I strongly encourage you to either download it on iTunes or take a few minutes to watch this 28-minute video.

Video Link: http://eaglebrookchurch.com/media-resources/weekend-messages/joy-in-struggle/

Favorite Funnies: And saving the best for last ….

Have a great weekend friends!

friday favorites – june 13.

June 13, 201413 Comments

Whooo hooo! It’s time for this week’s edition of Friday Favorites? Who’s excited?

Let’s jump right in.

Favorite Moment:

My favorite moments this week were centered around friendships. I had so many great conversations (and food) with special people in my life this week. Crispy buffalo wings and saucy fingers while Josh and I sat across from Andrea and Ricky, chattering away summer plans, weddings and hunting (you can probably guess who was having which conversation.) Fish tacos in the sun on a beautiful afternoon in Uptown with Alicia, sipping Chamomile Mint iced tea and chatting about life and its ever so present highs and lows. A few days later, creamy cashew chicken salad served out of a pineapple with Sarena, words pouring out of our mouths about how God is moving and working in our lives. Then at a kitchen island with Jana, a Starbucks in hand, a candle burning on the stove and a 5 year old Chloe carefully applying her Hello Kitty lipgloss next to me. As I sat across from Jana, my soul was refreshed as we processed life, challenging one another and laughing as we carefully applied polish to our fingernails. Authentic relationships can be hard to come by and it was in each of these moments where I realized how grateful I am to have such beautiful relationships in my life. People I can laugh with, cry with, vent and be honest with. These moments are so very special.

Favorite Product:

A few months back I got a sample of Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm Cream in my Birchbox and fell in love with it. I went out to Sephora and bought the full-size tube of it and have used it every day since then. It’s a little pricey (I got the kind with the sunscreen) but I bought it in early March and it still has another good couple of months left to it, so well worth the money. I particularly love it during these summer months since it’s light weight and easy. (And if you ever are interested in getting in on the Birchbox fun, let me know and I will send you an invite so you can skip the wait!)

Favorite Photo Taken:

This picture was just captured earlier today at the start of an outside dance party. In my books, when a good song comes out, you drop whatever you are doing (in our case, making a play-doh spider) and move to the rhythm. (Plus their adorable outfits just make this auntie smile!)

Favorite Project Completed:

Do you ever have those projects that just loom over your head? The ones you keep putting off and that when enough time passes, you begin to rationalize that doesn’t need to be done anymore? (I’m raising my hand.) For me it was boxes in my basement. A mixed assortment of unpacked boxes from our move (3 and a half years ago …) and a collection of junk that has grown and grown and grown. Well, enough was enough! My amazing sister came over early on her day off and we tackled the boxes. We ran bins and bags over to the Salvation Army, filled up the garbage can, and oooohed and ahhhhed over memories we ran across. Man, it feels SO good to be done! As I laid back in bed Tuesday night, I couldn’t help but think “why didn’t I do that sooner???” (And seriously, Courtney, thank you SO MUCH for helping me! You kept me focused and on track!)

Of course we found time to stop for an ever-important iced coffee at Starbucks! We may be sweaty but at least we are caffeinated.

Favorite Meal:

Easy! It was a gluten free sandwich that my sister and I shared midst our work on Tuesday. We ran down to St. Paul to use a Groupon to the Finnish Bistro (a favorite!) and met this yummy combination of flavors. It was an open-faced slow braised pork sandwich that was topped with sautéed cabbage and onions, melted Swiss Cheese and a creamy Thousand Island dressing. It was drool worthy and I wish I had a picture! We ate it was too fast for that though.

Favorite Funnies:

Okay, this totally is going to be a favorite section to do. So many giggles!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for reading!

friday favorites.

June 6, 2014June 6, 201416 Comments

Happy Friday friends!

My friend Lena over at Baby Ridley Bump always has a post called ‘Friday Favorites’ where she blogs on her “favorites” for the week – Moments, Purchase, Quote, Pin, Things I’m Looking Forward To, and Funnies. I enjoy reading them and have decided to *attempt* to jump on board and do a similar thing here. I know, making a weekly commitment to blogging every Friday sort of makes me flush, BUT I love the idea and accountability so let’s see how this goes. :) I am going to switch up the list a bit and will probably play with it as time goes on, but here goes nothing. Enjoy my Friday Favorites! (**update, Lena let me know she links up with Amanda who hosts this over at Meet @ the Barre. Fun stuff!!)

Favorite Moment:

This will be the toughest one for me each week I am sure. I already am struggling. TOO. MANY.

Josh and I had the chance to go to a Minnesota Twins baseball game on Wednesday night and we had a blast. He was given tickets for a work event, so we had the luxury of sitting in a box and I have to say, after living the suite life (haha, catch that play on words?), it may be hard to go back to “normal”. The food was amazing (plenty of gluten free options!), the drinks were free and the seats were big and comfy and had this thing called leg room – something I wasn’t sure existed at a baseball stadium! We enjoyed the company of Josh’s parents, laughed so much and enjoyed a GORGEOUS 73º Minnesota night. (Seriously, 73º nights were created for outdoor baseball games.) The Twins won after an exciting game against the Brewers and we felt completely spoiled to have a free date night. Oh, and as we were leaving, we got to play a funny joke on Josh’s dad and I still can’t stop giggling over it. (For his sake, I will omit it from the publicized blog.) All in all, a wonderful night!

Me and my hottie of a husband!

The view, the peanuts, the breeze – PERFECT!

Favorite Thing I Own:

A revised category since some weeks all I buy is dish soap and groceries. But who doesn’t have an item that becomes a favorite for a week that they want to share?

My friend Gina over at Gina Zeidler sent me this surprise gift this week. It’s a simple necklace, with a gorgeous long bronze chain and a glass tear drop pendent that sums up everything we believe – God wins. I was so touched to receive this in the mail and was encouraged to not only be randomly remembered by a friend, but to be given the gift of this reminder – God wins! At the end of the day, no matter what happens in this life, He has the ultimate victory. Our souls cannot be touched once we become a follower of His, therefore we are on the side of the victor. There is so much peace and reassurance in this promise! I adore this necklace.

Favorite Quote or Verse:

“…And most important, I’ll choose to believe that sometimes the happiest ending isn’t the one you keep longing for, but something you absolutely cannot see from where you are.” –Shauna Neiquist-

I can’t express to you enough how much I loved reading this! Here’s why – I trust that God has our story in His hands. I have seen Him prove Himself so faithful time and time and time again, both in the Bible and throughout this life. Rarely does the story end how I expected, but it always ends SO MUCH BETTER than I could have imagined. He is the BEST author. I get giddy when I think about what’s to come because I know and trust that it is beautiful.

Favorite Picture I Took:

A revised category based on the fact that I love taking pictures and being able to share them. Keep in mind that I only use my iPhone and do not claim to actually be *good* at taking pictures. But I enjoy it thoroughly.

Here is a favorite from the week! I was writing out some cards of encouragement with some new anchor notecards I found at Home Goods and just loved all the color that was going on. *snap*

Favorite Thing I am Looking Forward To:

One of my favorite authors, Elin Hildebrand, is coming out with a new book this Tuesday and I can’t wait to head to a favorite book store and pick it up! A friend of mine sent me this awesome card last week with a pretty realistic drawing of me, Josh, and Cali along with a gift card to that cute little bookstore I shared with you guys last month. AWESOME FRIEND POINTS!!! So I can’t wait to go down there and grab a fresh-off-the-press copy. YAY!

How awesome is this drawing and gift card?? (He thinks all Josh ever does is mow our lawn, haha, which may be accurate in the summer.)

Favorite Funnies:

My awesome hubby Josh has been sending me these funny pictures randomly throughout the week and people, I tell ya, I can’t stop laughing as I scroll through them. I hope you are equally amused, but if not, know that I have laughed enough for the both of us.

Alright – Friday Favorites! How did I do? My goal will be to try to get a “normal” post in between each one. Lofty, but attainable. So until next time, have a wonderful weekend!