crazytown.

I can't think of a better title for this post right now. I am living in crazytown right now. we are alllllmost done with our complete home renovation, so I have been a packing psycho and cleaning freak this past week (hence no blog posts). thankfully, I have a fab mother-in-law who has kept holden pretty much every day so I could get er done. countless trips to menards, lots of gagging (yucky cabinets & bathrooms), more dust than I can handle & two tired legs. I feel like I've been going nonstop, but that's always how it goes in the end, right?

so, our plan was to move in today, but we have a big bridal expo tomorrow on campus and there's still a few things to do. the new plan is monday! is this real? am I really moving? I have such bittersweet feelings about moving out of my in-laws' house. we all agree that we need our own houses and it'd be weird if we lived with them, but I just love my in-laws so much!! I will most definitely miss having coffee in the mornings with bonnie. and not to mention free babysitting at the drop of a hat.

this past year (well, 14 months...) that we've lived with them has been a roller coaster and I have looked forward to digging out all of our stuff stashed away in storage, but I couldn't have dreamed of a better transition to living in indiana. marrying into a good family wasn't ever on my radar when we got married (hello, immature 20 year old bride!!!), but what a blessing it has been!!

moving out on our own will start a new chapter that I've dreamed about for quite some time and I'm excited for our future. through this entire journey, I can 100% look back and say 'god has been faithful'...5 and what a relief that he will continue to be faithful!

oh, and grant goes monday to sign a lease for an office here in town! just another way god has orchestrated everything for our good... cause lord knows I'd lose my mind if he worked from home!!!

look forward to posting before and after pics, but that might not happen for a bit! still have lots to do!!! eeek! off to clean I go...

S.O.A.P.

SOAP has become a pretty regular acronym among many of my friends and it wasn't until recently that i decided to adapt it myself and jump on the bandwagon. i am always challenging myself with new motivation to read the bible. and even as i type that, i'm convicted because i shouldn't have to find motivation to read the word. y'know?! shouldn't it already be there? i mean... i'm a christian... shouldn't i wake up each morning and be so excited to find out what the lord wants to speak to me today? well, reality is... i've got a one year old. i'm tired, i'm busy, i've got a lot of 'stuff' that takes precedence.

so... if you're finding yourself in a rut with wanting to get more into the word of god and need a little something to get you going... jump onboard! you'll need a bible, a journal, a pen and just a few minutes each day! 

Scripture- jot down in your journal one particular scripture that stood out to you. just one.

Observation- write down your observations. who was speaking? who were they talking to? tone of voice, location, etc. 

Application- how does this scripture apply to your life? what is god trying to tell you through his word?

Prayer- write down as short or long of a prayer responding to what you read and how you can apply it to your life.

it really does simplify getting in the word. it can take as long or as quick as you want, but the purpose is spending time with the lord and the truths that he has spoken. plus, the bonus is that you will, over time, have a wealth of things to look back at when you need a reminder of how faithful god is. lately, i have been reading one psalm and one proverb each day and i go by the day of the month that it is. for instance, today is the 20th, so i will read psalm 20 and proverbs 20. kind of an easy way to decide where to start! 

seeds.

you know when you see something or hear something and it just clicks? like the picture you see or the quote you read or the song you hear is like it was taken, written or sung just for you? i feel like i have a lot of moments when i realize things like this. maybe it's just taking the time to slow down and see the beauty in stillness or maybe it's just coincidence... either way, i find it sheer perfection.

brooke fraser is one of my all-time fav artists. her first album, albertine, will always be better than any of her later albums in my opinion. and the song that brings a waterfall of tears every time is 'seeds'. something about being told when i was 17ish that i will have a very hard time getting pregnant, being blessed with a baby without even trying and truly realizing the blessing i've been given. makes me humbled. and emotional. and inspired.

child, what will you live to do?

what have i left for you?

what will we leave behind?

-seeds by brooke fraser

 it's so easy as a mom to get caught up in the day-to-day routine and lose sight of the big picture. that the dishes, laundry and errands are more important than playing ball, rocking to sleep or sharing a milkshake. the fact is that life is so short and these moments only last but a second. i pray with every fiber of my being that i will leave my holden (and any future children) a legacy of love and grace. that he will grow to be strong and gentle and kind. that he will know his loving heavenly father. i pray that i will parent with a tender heart and patience. 

be encouraged, mama, that although the days may be long, the years are so, so, so short. 

my first H54F (high five for friday)!

linking up from my girl, lauren, at 'from my grey desk' blog. i first found lauren through her sister, kate's, blog (which i love love love!). excited to post my fav moments from the week on friday (and this week, i'm having a hard time picking just 5)!! what a blessing! k, so here we go!

5)

when we lived in florida, i worked at southeastern university for 3 1/2 years. some of my best memories of florida are because of this university & the dear friends i made while working there. well, their worship team just released a new record and it. is. AMAZING. do yourself a favor & check it out! you won't be disappointed! 'no other name' by SEU worship... it's on itunes! :)

4)

                                   
i'm planning to do a BIG house reno post next week, but one of the many exciting things that happened this week was the install of the new bathroom countertops & hardware! it's starting to REALLY feel like we will be moving in soon! 8 days and counting... to be exact. eeeeek!

3)

valentine's yesterday was extrememly low-key for g & i. he spend the evening working on the house with his dad and i spent the evening with my sis & bro-in-law. nothin crazy, but it was a-ok that way, y'know? when g got home from working, he surprised me with flowers and a card. totally unexpected and extremely appreciated. say it with me now... 'awwwww'.

2)

yesterday, my sweet holden crew and i had to get out of the house cause he was all dressed up in honor of valentine's day. we strolled through target & then had lunch at chick-fil-a. he's such a little lady slayer with those dimples. grant asked why he was so dressed up and all i could say was 'one thing led to the other'. it all started with picking out a shirt that had red or pink in it... then i threw the bow tie on and it miiiight have been dressier than our normal thursday attire, but whatev. he dresses to impress! ha

1)

the peak of my week was receiving the cutest lil package. said package included a puzzle that i (and my brother-in-law) put together. there was also a card with ten reasons i should be a bridesmaid. hilarious! my bff got engaged on christmas and the wedding planning is in full-force. becca & i are so similar, it's scary and i can't wait to stand up & support her in october!! seriously... it's going to be SO much fun!!!

stella got her groove back.

since i've been a stay at home mama, i find myself doing a lot more online shopping. i consider it a good thing because i'm a lot less likely to make impulse purchases cause i have to consider shipping charges & such (well, except for target.... eek). however, my hub doesn't love that i'm shopping at all. his biggest argument has always been that "even though 'it might be a good deal', it's still spending money that didn't need to be spent". he may have a good point, but let's be honest... i was born to shop.

anyways, one of my fav websites to lust over is stella & dot. i could go on for days about how beautiful their jewelry is. i've picked out many pieces and had them all set to come into my lil life and then i resisted the urge to buy (see... grant should be so proud!).

here's a few pieces i'm feelin lately!

'on the mark' 

'bahari'

'pippa stone'    

i love each of these pieces for lots of reasons, but i feel like the colors make them super versatile. the arrow necklace is on point with the trends lately. love that it's as trendy as something like an anchor, but not near as common. the bahari necklace would look SO fab with a coral flowy top, white jean capris and some wedges. perf for summer! and those earrings could dress up any basic cardigan and be a-ok in my book! anybody else out there stella & dot fans?! 

easy apple dumplings

y'all. my mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe and i feel compelled to share because it's too good to keep to myself! these are the easiest apple dumplings you will ever find!

-crescent apple dumplings-

2 packages crescent rolls (16)
2 granny smith apples (16 wedges, peeled)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
1 stick of butter

unroll & separate crescents. place 1 apple wedge on each roll & roll up. place in 9 x 13 pan. in saucepan, heat brown sugar, apple juice & butter until disolved. pour over apples & sprinkle with cinnamon. bake 30 min @ 350 degrees.

easy peasy. just make sure you have some delish vanilla ice cream on hand to top the dumpling with. you can thank me later! ps- we halve the recipe.

the big V.

valentine's is right around the corner (as if all the women in the world didn't already know that!). since we are in the midst of an expensive house renovation, i'm thinkin grant and i will just do a low-key dinner and i miiiiight order myself a couple little things. we'll see! anyways, if g were to surprise me with the best v-day gifts, here's what they would be!

one- initial necklace with 'H' for holden (sold here on etsy)

two- urban decay 'naked' eyeshadows. i got the 'naked 2' set for christmas and have LOVED them to pieces, so i'd like to complete the set and have both for more variety. ps-these are worth all $50. trust me.

three- flowers. i know, i know... totally typical. BUT, i love me some pretty blooms and valentine's day is just an excuse to have some fresh flowers in the house! :)

please tell me i'm not the only one that makes wishlists for holidays. at least i've come a long ways and don't circle everything in the toys r us magazine for christmas anymore!!! ha!

comparison.

i've seen this quote about 10 times in the last few months on pinterest, twitter & instagram. this morning at MOPS (mothers of preschoolers), we had a sweet lady sharing on "mommy guilt". since i'm on the leadership team, i was part of the planning for the year. we all decided on topics and provided speaker suggestions. i don't quite remember this topic being discussed, but if i did, i'm sure my thoughts would be something like...

   'do moms really struggle with being guilty? what is there to be guilty about?'

well, the speaker did talk about common guilts that we feel as mamas, but she also talked about how much we, as moms (AND just women in general) can easily fall into a rut of comparing ourselves to others. and as she explained how much of a detrimental thing this could be, i realized that i fall prey to these lies way more than i ever realized.

they drive a nicer car.
their baby is walking and mine isn't.
they don't live with their in-laws.
she knows how to cook & i can't even make homemade mac n cheese.
their husband cleans up after himself.

the list goes on. one thing the speaker said this morning that struck a chord was... 'if we are looking at how much we don't have, we aren't focusing on the things we do have'. how true is that?

i'm extremely grateful for this MOPS group and the challenge that i often walk away with. if you're a mama and aren't plugged into a local MOPS group, i can't stress to you how much you are missing out on! trust me!!!

house post 1 of 94378.

when my hub, grant, and i first decided we were moving to indiana after living in florida for 7 years, we thought we would find a house fairly quick. we moved into grant's parents spacious house with our 6 week old bundle of joy and settled in. after being in indiana for about 2-3 months, i was ready to start looking. i had an idea what side of town i wanted to be on, general idea of the type of house i wanted (split level, ranch, etc) and i thought the process would take a few weeks. oh, how ignorant i was.

after 6 (or maybe 7... i lost count) rejected offers, we FINALLY bought a house back in dec right before christmas. my initial plan of living with the in-laws for 4-6 mos max was out the window and the journey of finding our house was becoming less fun and more annoying. the house that we ended up buying is 100% an investment property. our plan is to own the home for a year (simply because we have to based on it being a gov't owned foreclosure when we bought it) and then flip it.

we are currently in the midst of a huge renovation on this presh lil house and hope to move in in 2 weeks!!! i'll def be posting some pics of the progress and of course befores and afters, but today, i'm stuck in a decorating rut and feel like perusing some my pinterest for ideas. the house is only 1100 sq ft, so there isn't a lot of space to decorate, but my motto is that everything has to be functional. and, if i have anything to say about it, it will! :)

so, here we go...

our couches are a very similar color, we installed dark wood floors like these and the walls will also be gray (not quite this dark, though).

this is EXACTLY what i'm feelin for the front door. robin egg blue door, ORB fixtures. love love love!

once we move in & get settled, we will be purchasing our first ever bedroom set. i. can't. wait!!!! we already picked out a fab cream/tan tufted headboard w nailhead trimming. it's gorgeous. we will have greige walls in the master bedroom and haven't quite figured out what kind of linens. we currently have this duvet from west elm and i do still like it, so we may change out bedding further down the road. 

isn't pinterest seriously great? i love that over the past couple years, i have dumped all sorts of ideas onto my boards, and now i get to put some of that inspiration to use! love love love!

husband project under way!

i am certain that i'm not the only one married who, if given the chance, would change a thing or two about their beloved spouse. i definitely love my man and wouldn't take back the journey we've had the last 5 years, but... i certainly wouldn't mind the next 5 years being a little less, well... bumpy. we got married SO young, i was SO immature and our marriage started off with a lot of NEW. new house, new job, new car, new church, new city, new marriage. it was a lot for this lil 20 year old to handle. let alone handle it with grace. there are lots of things i would change and lots of feet i would stick in my mouth if i could. however, here we are... 5 grand ol years into this rodeo and i am so excited for what the next 5 will hold!

a couple friends and i have recently started a project. the husband project, to be specific. it's all about planning things to do for your hub, following through & actually doing the planned things and reaping the benefits. its a 3 week challenge to bless the socks out of your husband and remind him how appreciated he is. needless to say... life is busy with a baby and house renovation under way. all 3 of us have fallen behind on the project, but that's not what matters. we are being intentional to love our husbands and in turn, it's really been blessing me too. what a deal!

the challenge takes a good amount of planning and thought, but once the planning is done, it's quite simple. like... pick up your hub's fav candy bar, give your hub a massage, send a sweet text, etc. if your husband is as unobservant of things as mine is, take heart! even if he doesn't respond to your sweet, thought-out, spent-5-min-trying-to-get-the-right-words text... know that it is doing something to his spirit inside. and that's all that matters!

i would highly recommend any of your married ladies out there to give it a try! it's supposed to be a secret to your man, so keep it on the DL and just have fun with it! i ordered my book off of amazon and it was only $10! worth every penny!!

m

ps-if you've done this before, i would LOVE to hear your experience!!

first things first.

feeling in the mood to start blogging here lately. been busy like you wouldn't believe, but life flies by far too fast to not document the good, bad and ugly. so, here we go... giving this thing a go... again. this makes the 3rd blog i've started (well, if you don't count xanga! ha). i always enjoy looking back & reliving those moments that i jotted down. and it's quite apparent that my sweet lord has had his hand on my life.

i guess we are all new here cause i'm starting with a clean slate, but if you aren't a friend, my mom or husband... i guess i should introduce myself. i'm a crazy lil midwest girl who is full of zeal (hence the blog title) on a journey with my sweet hub, grant, and our sweet lil babe, holden. we live in the great (?) state of indiana and i'm a stay at home mama! it might have taken me 7 years of living in florida to realize that the midwest really is god's country, but i'm SO glad to be back in the north. although indiana wouldn't have ever been the place i would've chosen on a map, it sure beats the sweltering florida summers and being away from family!! we are currently in the process of renovating our first home that we will live in for a year and then flip for a big, fat payday! holla!

join me for the journey! say hello and let's be friends, shall we? 

m