Aug 14, 2017 | Everyday Life
If we were on a coffee date, we would grab our drinks and head to a park. It’s cooled down considerably in the last week or two, so it’s only natural to want to spend as much time outside as possible. We have some spectacular parks so we’d go to the one we haven’t been to in a while. I’d definitely be drinking something iced, or maybe even frozen if I’m feeling a little wild.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d bring you a shopping bag full of tomatoes. Our little garden is flourishing and I couldn’t be more excited not only to pick them but to share them with others as well. I never imagined I’d have to hold onto the hem and fill my shirt with veggies to be able to carry them all back to the house.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d ask how you keep track of your calendar and tasks. I’ve been asking people about their favorite planners and checking some out online. I’ve been doing bullet journal style planning and while I don’t hate it, the process does require a decent amount of time and I want to make sure there isn’t anything that I’m missing out on. I know that there are a lot of gorgeous ones out there, so I might even show you some IG photos of planners I’m crushing on (particularly Get To Work Book and the Illustrated Faith Planner).
If we were on a coffee date, my hair cut would inevitably come up. I had a terrible experience with a new-to-me stylist prior to my appointment but was quickly able to get in with my regular lady. I was mostly looking for a fresh set of ideas to wrangle this curly hair, but regardless, I’m happy with how it turned out. I got about 2 inches cut off and her go-to styling of my hair always ends up looking like this, but shorter.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d ask what things you do in your life to create space. I read an article Rachel wrote about creating space and haven’t stopped thinking about how I can create space and quiet in my own life. I’d admit that I’m a busy body and am constantly reading self-help books with all of the answers, “all you have to do is _____”. They can be super helpful in making progress because I really do want to be the best version of myself, but they can also really wear me down. I’d ask your advice in the area of balance and tell you I’m already considering that as my word of the year for 2018.
If we were on a coffee date, our reading list would obviously come up after our topic. I’ve already passed up my GoodReads goal of 15 books and I’m not stopping anytime soon, although I do imagine I’ll be slowing down a bit due to some reading I’ll have to start doing for work. I’m trying to vary the genre of books that I’m reading a little more to get away from self-help. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with all of the amazing books in the world, knowing that I’ll never come close to reading even 1% of what the world has to offer.
What would you tell me if we were on a coffee date?
Today I’m linking up with Erin for her monthly coffee date linkup. Join Us!
Aug 11, 2017 | Everyday Life
Dear Friday, why do you wait so long to come back around? I’d really prefer to see you more often. Dear Kevin, thank you for a yummy lunch date and a million laughs this week. You spoil me. Dear letterboard hashtag on Instagram, thanks for the sweet and witty inspiration. We need more of that around here. HA! Dear $5 Sushi Fridays, you keep us fed all weekend. Dear plants, whether you produce veggies, flowers, or just fresh air, you’re my favorite. Dear 26th birthday, can we wait another year before we start counting again? I’m not ready to be closer to 30 than 20. Dear internet, thank you providing me with some great reads this week – especially this one about creating space. Dear weekend naps, I’m comin’ for ya! Dear IRL and virtual friends, I’m so thankful that you stopped by.
Jul 18, 2017 | Everyday Life
I want you to know that if it was easy, everyone would do it. I want you to know that there’s happiness in the scenic route. I want you to know that you are strong. I want you to know that you don’t always need a plan, sometimes you can wing it. I want you to know that there’s always time to ask for forgiveness. I want you to know that everyone has twenty four hours in a day. I want you to know that God will be listening the next time you’re lonely. I want you to know that gardens are rejuvenating and sunrises are inspiring. I want you to know that your memories are worth preserving. I want you to know that you are loved. I want you to know that there is no material item on this planet that will bring you joy like Jesus does. I want you to know that preparation and action cures fear. I want you to know that you’ll never regret going to bed late in favor of a late night chat with your best friend. I want you to know that protecting your time protects your heart. I want you to know that snail mail will make someone’s day. I want you to know that there’s always time to call mom. I want you to know that books can take you to places that planes cannot. I want you to know that journaling savors the chaos and the mess. I want you to know that crying doesn’t make you weak. I want you to know that there’s always room for one more, whether it be another cookie or another friend around the dining room table. I want you to know that you are enough.
I want you to know, I wrote this for us.
May 12, 2017 | Everyday Life
Dear Kevin, yesterday you took me on a surprise date for free ice cream and I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed ice cream more. Dear community garden, you make my mornings just a little bit better, even if you aren’t doing so well and I have no idea why. Dear terrible bout of rain, thanks for reminding me how much I love the sunshine. Dear living room windows, thanks for providing light to my favorite spot in the mornings and allowing me to see our beautiful roses. I think you’re my favorite feature of our home. Dear Chloe, you look pitiful when we don’t take you on walks or give you enough peanut butter. I return the favor when you don’t let me hug you. Dear stack of books on my nightstand, I promise that I’m coming for you. I wish the library had a four week check out option instead of just two. Dear hubby, today you told me that a land cruiser is your dream car, I can get on board with that, but only if you choose a white one.
Today I’m linking up with Kristen over at Taz + Belly where lots of friends will be sharing their little letters!
May 8, 2017 | Everyday Life
If we were on a coffee date, I definitely wouldn’t be drinking coffee. Even though I love every darn thing about coffee shops, I just can’t bring myself to drink bitter brown water. I’d ask you when you started drinking coffee and how it happened. Hopefully you’d offer me some advice, because I so badly want to enjoy it but I can hardly even choke down a traditional latte unless it has 5 million pumps of syrup. I’d tell you I’m trying to quit soda and that I obviously need another caffeine outlet. Today I’d be drinking a chai latte instead.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d reluctantly admit that my phone problem really hasn’t improved since I gave it up for lent. I’d tell you that it’s the number one thing affecting my relationship with Jesus right now and that I should probably set better boundaries for when and how I use social media. I’d ask for your suggestions and joke about downgrading to a phone that doesn’t support the internet.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d probably encourage you to use the candles, notebooks, wine, and all of the good smelling soap that you reserve for guests. I read a blog post a while back (and I apologize, I can’t find the link) about lighting candles and how one day your home will be full of things that are too precious for you to use. I’d ask why we think we aren’t good enough for those fancy things and I’d remind you that you are good enough. This little chat with you would be doing my heart just as much good and it would remind me of all the blank journals that are waiting at home for a worthy trip or some good idea to fill them up.
If we were on a coffee date, I’d probably change the subject to KonMari and the idea of minimalism. I’d laugh while telling you that the other day someone called me “kind of a minimalist”. Even though I don’t love to keep items that I don’t need or use regularly, I’m not really sure how I feel about the connotation that brings about. We’d talk about the joys of a fresh, clean space and I’d wonder aloud if there’s a better word for it. Then I’d ask all the questions about what makes you feel comfortable in your space.
If we were on a coffee date, we’d talk about my new camera. I’d tell you about all of the specs and how many photos I’ve already taken of our dog, Chloe, but I wouldn’t be embarrassed by a number well over 100. I’d show you the amazing wifi feature that allows me to send photos to my phone and I’d probably ask if I could take a photo of you with your coffee. Chances are, I’d IG that so fast.
If we were on a coffee date, we’d talk about what Jesus is doing in our lives. I’d admit that I’ve been having a hard time seeing my purpose and the bigger picture and how I feel like life is passing me by as I stand to the sidelines watching. It’s not that I don’t love my life and the things I’m doing, I just want to know that the life I’m living is what God has for me and not what I want for myself. I’d probably go on to explain that I’ve been prayerfully evaluating a lot of things I do on a regular basis to figure out my “why” for doing each of them. The only thing I can say for sure is that I’m supposed to keep blogging. The rest is still up in the air.
What would you tell me if we were on a coffee date?
Today I’m linking up with Erin for her monthly coffee date linkup. Join Us!
Sep 7, 2016 | Everyday Life, One Little Word 2013 | Joy
Oh, joy. This word never ceases to be at the forefront of my mind since I choose it to be my One Little Word in 2013. It was then that I realized that true joy is a feeling orchestrated by the Lord – he is the source of my Joy and all things come from him. Even though our prompt for today is to write about five things that bring joy, I have such a hard time narrowing all the joyful things in my life down to my favorites. Call me noncommittal, but here are six things that bring me joy, along with some honorable mentions at the bottom.
September 7, 2016: Things that bring you joy.
+ Family – My sweet husband and my pup make me so happy and marriage has been such a blessing to me. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the joy that is waking up next to Kevin, making dinner with him, and dancing around our living room making up voices for Chloe (our dog). In the same way, our extended families are really important to both of us, so we try to spend as much time with them as we can despite living an hour and a half away from everyone! I am also thankful to have the best in-laws a girl could ask for and seeing our families spend time together and love each other is my favorite.
+ Photography – I bought my first dslr camera during my senior year of high school (about seven years ago) after receiving (and loving) a point and shoot model from my uncle. I really wanted something I could play around and get creative with and I have enjoyed the process ever since. I don’t dwell on missed photo opps although I love taking candids and spur of the moment shots to document normalcy in my day. I’ve tried lots of different styles and types of photography, but nature and stills are by far my favorite. I like to keep track of the moments by printing photos and saving them in photo albums and other journaling projects.
+ Travel – I caught the travel bug early on and it has never really gone away. I’ve been to 38 states and have traveled out of the country 5 times. There hasn’t been a single places that I wasn’t able to find something interesting in and often find myself wanting to explore places more thoroughly. I have a hard time narrowing down my favorite destinations, but I really enjoy places that offer both touristy and local fare and experiences. Bonus points if there’s a beach. (The aerial photo above is from our honeymoon in St. Lucia.)
+ God’s Creation – This goes along well with travel, but i’m always in awe of the beautiful things and people that God has created – each sunrise, flower and human are different and similar all at the same time. This often makes my outdoor runs pretty unproductive because I’m always considering the way that branches on trees turn inward, how the sounds of animals and bugs identify them so clearly (or not), and even how each rock beneath my feet is a different shape and size than the next.
+ Learning – Since forever, I’ve been a fan of books and learning. Knowledge and personal growth are so important to me. It is rare that you would find me without both a book and journal in my purse, just waiting for the next free moment when I can crack them open. I find significant value in learning from myself and others, which is why I love challenges and having people in my life who encourage me to be a better version of myself.
+ Being Cozy – Naps, yoga pants, and coffee shop window seats are my m.o. When we purchased our house, my main decor requirement was that things felt cozy and comfortable for us as well as our guests, while still being stylish. I love warm colors, soft fabrics and all variations of wood. I love flooding of natural light and would always choose the golden hours as my two favorite times of day. Add floral patterns or the real deal in a vase and your living my dream.
Honorable mentions: gift giving, chai lattes, entertaining, blogging, being creative, honesty, deep conversations, snail mail, feet pictures, and filled up journals.
What brings you joy?
Want more info on the Blog-tember Challenge? Check out Bailey’s blog by clicking here!
