it's official...

i'm taking a much needed

blogging hiatus

be back sunday!!

sorry for being m.i.a.

feeling slightly detached &

lacking inspiration...

but don't worry..

i'll be back soon

so today i'm enjoying this & taking every lyric to heart

listen by clicking here...

{happy.wednesday}

aw

music monday

check, check, check... check em' out

theenemylovers.com

{happy.music.monday}

aw

taco soup

remember when i ordered this?

well it arrived... & i conquered!!

----------------------------------------------

in need of a yummy "go-to" recipe this winter???

here it is!

taco soup

1 lb. ground turkey or beef, browned & drained

1 medium onion, chopped

2 (15oz) cans kidney beans

2 (15oz) cans pinto beans

2 (15oz) cans corn with their juices

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices

1 (14oz) can tomatoes with chilies (rotel), with their juices

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

sour cream & cheddar, for garnish

the directions

use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. put the meat & onion into the slow cooker. drain & rinse beans, & add to the cooker. add the corn & tomatoes. stir in contents of the seasoning packets. cover & cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. ladle into bowls. add a handful of cheddar cheese & a dollop of sour cream to each bowl before eating.

enjoy!!

{happy.sunday}

aw

aw

{unique}

I made her...she's different. she's Unique.

with Love I formed her in her mother's womb.

I fashioned her with great joy.

I remember with great pleasure the day I created her.

{Psalm 139:13-16}

I love her smile, I love her ways, I love her laugh,

and the silly things she says and does. she brings

me great pleasure. this is how I made her.

{Psalm 139:17}

I made her pretty and not beautiful, because I

knew her heart and I knew she would be vain.

I wanted her to search her heart to learn that it

would be me in her that would make her beautiful

and I would be in her that would draw friends to her.

{1 Peter 3:3-5}

I made her in such a way that she would need me.

I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be....

only because I wanted her to turn to me in her loneliness...

only because I need for her to learn to depend on me.

I know her heart; I know if I had not made her like this,

she would go her own chosen way and forget me - her Creator.

{Psalm 62:5-8}

I have given her many good and happy things....because I love her.

{Psalm 34:11, Rom 8:32}

because I love her I have seen her broken

heart... and the tears she cried alone. I have

cried with her and had a broken heart too.

{Psalm 56:8}

many times she has stumbled and fallen alone,

only because she would not hold my hand.

so many lessons she's learned the hard way,

because she would not listen to my voice.

{Isaiah 53:3-6}

so many times I have sat back and

watched her go her way alone only to watch

her return to my arms, sad and broken.

{Isaiah 66:2}

and now she is Mine...I made her and

then bought her...because I LOVE HER.

{Rom 5:8}

I have to reshape and remold her, to renew

her to what I had planned for her to be.

It has not been easy for her or for me.

{Jeremiah 29:11}

I want her to be conformed to My image....

this high goal I have set for her, because I love her.

{2 Cor. 2:14}

Don't ever forget the greatest love you could

ever know comes from your Heavenly Father.

No love could be more pure or perfect or fulfilling!!

{happy.friday}

aw

i saw this lovely picture yesterday from tec petaja's wedding photography

and i'm absolutely obsessed with the color of the walls & door in this photo.

one thing that bores me to tears are colorless walls so i decided to go

through my "creation inspiration" pictures to share my favorites with you!

this room reminds me of tuscany +

i love BOLD color

lovely bedrooms... with just a little color, they are so classic

a cozy little nook with some warm sunshine +

okay, okay.... the walls in the next picture don't have a real paint color, but look how beautifully colorful this fun little reading room is. i stumbled across this one while browsing my file & had to share.

meg from whatever created this magical room as their guest room, but also a fun place for their family of 7 (+ waffle the stinkin' cute dog) to gather & read together. i love the idea! must be why it's saved in my "creation inspiration"

{happy.thursday}

aw

social media revolution

some days i wonder why i have such a fascination with

blogging, twitter, & facebook... glad to see i'm not the only one

{love}

the older i get and the more weddings i attend, i feel my understanding of the concept of love grows stronger. the more i experience this life, the more i learn about the true meaning of love. the undeserved & unconditional love that has so graciously been poured out on me by my Creator and the love i receive from the amazing family & friends he has placed in my life just blows me away!

{my favorite picture that i took from the wedding weekend}

"love is patient, love is kind.

it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

it is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth.

it always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails."

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8-

the definition and idea of love that i once thought i understood as a young girl is growing into a much deeper understanding. 1 corinthians 13:4-8 is the definition of love that i believe in. this is the "love" that i want to surround me, consume me, and exude from me. this is the Love i know and have received from a God who has extended grace to all of my short comings & the only One who makes this type of Love possible. what an amazing gift & even better is that once you have it... you can't help but give it away!

{live.a.life.of.love}

aw

how about a pedicure??

my sister called me today at work to inform me that someone left niece#1s

new bottle of purple nail polish in reach of niece#2s napping quarters...

needless to say, thanks to the amazing technology of a

video monitor, my sister discovered niece#2

"painting her nails"

and painting her feet, her hands, her clothes, her bed...

i couldn't help but laugh & then i got the above picture

from the sister & i just lost it!

gotta love kiddos!!!

such a fun weekend celebrating a friend's wedding

now off to dreamland....

here are a few of my pics from the weekend

today we celebrate love

{happy.wedding.day.leigh.ann.&.jesse}

{live.a.life.of.love}

aw

let the wedding festivities begin!!!

off to play bridesmaid for the weekend!! so excited for this beautiful girl!!! love you LA!!

"something is going on with me" by lindsey nobles

yesterday while cruising this grand ol' world wide web,

i came across lindsey nobles blog. lindsey is the director

of corporate communication at thomas nelson. the

following post is one that she so graciously has allowed

me to borrow from her blog.

her words caused a realization to stir deep within

me as soon as i read them. it's almost as if she took

exactly how i've been feeling the last few weeks

& put it into words, her words... & they are great words,

so i'm going to let her blog post do the speaking...

"something is going on with me" by lindsey nobles

"I don’t know really what it is. But something is definitely going on with me.

Probably the best way to explain it is to say I just don’t feel like myself. I feel like a stranger in my own skin. Or more accurately, I don’t feel like I am the same girl that I was last year, last week, or even last night.

I am smack dab in the middle of a season of change.

I am experiencing the pains that are representative of growth, but I can’t quite see the changes in the mirror. What used to fit now feels strangely uncomfortable like last year’s skinny jeans but I haven’t figured out what alternations need to be made to embrace the transformed me.
So here I sit in limbo land, not comfortable living in the past and not sure what the future holds, yet feeling strangely encouraged. Encouraged because I am confident that my discomfort is a road sign reassuring my path; my trepidation is a herald of the extraordinary adventure that lies ahead; my anxiousness a reminder that I am fully living in the present.

And I refuse to be a hostage to my past or my future.

“And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God center our lives and we become like him.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18 from The Message

Does any of this sound familiar to you? This kind of unfamiliar and scary, but exhilarating spell of change?"

{happy.thursday}

aw

what i'm listening to today...

today i'm taking in some new music on lala.com

nathan angelo's new EP "these ol' keys"

kristina' train's soulful album, "spilt milk"

joss stone's "colour me free!"

& i'm super excited about the upcoming release of this...

what good music are you listening to these days?

{happy.wednesday}

aw

i will run when i cannot walk

i will sing when there is no song

i will pray when there is no prayer

i will listen when i cannot hear

sitting in the waiting room of silence

waiting for that still soft voice i know

offering my words up to the rooftop to Your heart

trusting that this closet's where You are

Lord i know if i change my mind

You will change my heart in time

Sovereign Lord this time's from You

so i sit in the waiting room of silence

cause its all about You

i will fight when i cannot feel

i will trust when You dont seem real

i will tell when i cannot speak

i will step when i cannot see

{waiting room by shane & shane}

i heart burt's bees

for years i've used burt's bees chapsticks.

i don't wear lipstick or lipgloss on a regular basis,

but i have a tube of burt's bees pomegranate

chapstick in every bag or purse that i own...

it's THAT good :)over the last few months i've slowly made the

transition to using the burt's bees facial products

and i LOVE them.

here are their products that i can't live without!!

soap bark & chamomile deep cleansing cream

radiance day creme

radiance night creme

{happy.monday}

aw

i thought today would be the perfect

day to share these glorious prints from

the wheatfield by katie daisy

oh man... these make me a happy girl

is it possible to get more wall space in my house??

{happy.friday.folks}

aw

{a little fall goodness from my home to yours}

gotta love a cute little pumpkin

with some good advice

& our *favorite* coffee{happy.thursday}
aw

it's a rainy, screened porch kinda day...

it's rainy & cold here in NC today & days like today remind

me how much i long for a bed on a porch... random?? ... i know :)

i've always LOVED the idea of having a bed on a

screened in porch. a place of solitude where you

can lay, relax, think, & maybe just process all

that you have been blessed with. a happy place.

a place to stop & listen to the rain drops fall to the earth

or if you're really lucky, a cozy place to cuddle up &

experience the most amazing thunderstorms in all their glory.

here are a few pictures of what i mean...

these really don't do justice to the image

i have in my head, but you get the idea :)

one day...

until then

{happy.wednesday}

aw

look what i did!!

...with my iphone!!

first off my apologies for those of you who are not iphone users.

i've discovered the most amazing app on my iphone for my pictures.

...introducing photogene...

i downloaded it a while back, but never really messed with it until yesterday.

here are a few examples of what i was able to come up with.

here's neice#2 yesterday on her 2nd birthday!

isn't she stinkin' cute?!?! and i love how photogene

allowed me to brighten up her picture

here's the "danger" that awaits you in my kitchen.

oh all that yummy, chocolate goodness!! thank you target.

it's just calling out to you every time you walk by!

i'm sure there's a lot more with this app that i haven't

figured out yet, but i just thought it was too fun not to share!

enjoy & happy photo editing!!

{happy.tuesday}

...and my apologies for being away for a few days...

aw

in the kitchen...

me & niece#1 spent some time in gigi's kitchen

today whippin' up some yummy chocolate chip cookies...

...with some halloween flair!

& she's a good cleaner uper too :)

now we're off to niece#2's 2nd birthday party!

{happy.saturday}

aw

needtobreathe

{God given talent}

.period.

needtobreathe rocked a sold out show

at the visulite theatre here in charlotte last night!

these young guys from small town, SC with their sheer talent,

brilliant harmonies, & thought provoking lyrics about truly

pursuing their Creator, landed these guys with a top 20 album

two months ago when it was released.

honestly, to see musicians who love the Lord and know that they've been given a gift for a reason and are honoring the Lord with their craft is truly amazing!

last night while they sang their song "signature of divine (Yahweh)" there was an amazing energy in the room. the band rocked out praising God with the lyrics

"Yahweh, Yahweh

Great is Your glory when You go before me

oh, we sing

Holy Holy...

Yours ways are lovely, so high above me

Yahweh"

as many of us sang along. it was quite an amazing worship experience!!

they played a song last night unplugged which was phenomenal!

this isn't from last night, but i found this video on youtube that

is just about as good as being at the show.

it is a MUST watch!!

{happy.friday}

aw

yesterday miss lucy had a friend to play with at work.

meet willy!!

isn't he precious?? he is a co-workers new puppy.

he was so clumsy with his big paws. he kept running into everything.

hilarious!!

oh i could play with puppies everyday.

i was miffed that i didn't have my good camera because these

two playing would've made for a great photo shoot!

the iphone had to make do.

tonight i will most definitely be taking my camera to see these guys

oh i'm excited!! it's going to be the perfect evening here in nc to have

dinner with friends & then off to hear some good live music.

{happy.thursday}

aw

"charm is deceptive & beauty is fleeting,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"

-proverbs 31:30-

today i was inspired by beauty, a true beauty, stephanie nielson

nieniedialogues.com

a year ago stephanie was in an unthinkable plane crash with her husband in which she suffered burns over 80% of her body. she lost her physical beauty & for many months they weren't even sure she was going to live. today she told her story on oprah... and what an inspiration she is!!!

she may have lost her physical beauty... what majority of this world sees as beautiful, but nothing... not even losing that could keep the beauty from shining from nienie.

she's an amazing wife and an incredible mother and she realizes that God saved her from physical death, but even though she will have many struggles ahead, God has blessed her with more time here with her sweet husband, mr. nielson, their 4 lovely children, and so much more!

today i will not complain about the parts of my body that i do not like. i will be thankful that all parts are alive & well. i will strive to live every day to the fullest and to His glory! i will take every chance i can to love better. i will choose to live my life with passion. i will not take my friends and family for granted!!

"There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire,
which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which
kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."

-washington irving-

{happy wednesday}

aw

truth tuesday... & turkey chili

random, i know, but i'm in a total funk this week... ok, scratch that... i've been in a weird funk i can't get out of for about 3 weeks now. it's not like an "i'm pissed off at the world" kinda funk, but more of a fog that is lingering that i just can't seem to find my way out of.

i know, i know... this is my happy place and the truth is no fun, but honestly i have no idea what's going on with me & i just needed to throw that out there. i'm not even able to find my normal blog inspiration! eeeeeeeeekkkkk! i'm going to blame it on the sugar i've started eating again :)

it does NOT help that it has been cold & rainy here yesterday & today. i know we need the rain here in NC, but it is definitely not assisting in brightening my mood. so in an effort to lighten my spirits last night & enjoy the weather as it is, i made TURKEY CHILI.. and it was YUMTASTIC!!

e even said it was super yummy! i found this great website, simplyrecipes.com , yesterday while googling "turkey chili" & i'm very impressed. this recipe was a good one.

{enjoy}

aw

we spent the day on beech mountain at the lovely land of oz!

located at the tippy top of beech mountain, nc, the land of oz was a local

theme park that opened in 1970 & closed shortly there after in 1981.

my parents actually came to oz on their honeymoon in 1970.

even though it is closed, the town of beech mountain has opened

the doors of oz since 1993 to celebrate the wonder that is dorothy,

toto, auntie em, the wicked witch, the tin man, & the list goes on...

we took a hayride up the mountain & across the slopes of beech mountain

& arrived here...

those lovely ruby red slippers

niece#1 & niece#2 loved it!

oz run at ski beech was named after the land of oz... there's also an oz rd

we found the wizard!!!

ohhh!!! ski season is JUST a few months away!!!

{happy.saturday}

aw

oct 13th 2009

on oct 13th michael buble will be

wooing me in my kitchen with

some great classics!

{happy.friday}

aw

skipping town today & headed up the mountain.

ready for some cool crisp air & in search of some

refreshing time away from the city, reconnecting with

God's magnificent creation, nature...

{happy.thursday}

aw

magnet from natural life

photo by yours truly :)

{happy.wednesday}

aw

4 things i'm loving today...

1. anthro - little larsen posts earrings i totally splurged & bought these

pretty little lovelies at anthropologie last week. i love the red!

2. FAME! "remember my name!" e, her sister & i grew up dancing together with our mom's (& dads) watching our every competition & recital so it was only appropriate that e & i went with our moms & her sister over the weekend to see the new movie. with So You Think You Can Dance on the scene over the last few years, it was soooo amazing & inspiring to finally see people with an appreciation of the fine arts again. music & dance make my heart sing!

3. and continuing with my love for the arts, i'm headed tonight to see a chorus line that's in town. excited for a wonderful night out on the town with the parents & e

4. chocolate... who doesn't love chocolate?!? especially when it's DOVE dark chocolate with almonds... yummm!! today i got this lovely message in my chocolate wrapper that i will leave you with...

{inhale.exhale.smile}

{happy.tuesday}

aw

blessed

the mission & vision of Advance & Forest Hill Church

"to reach & transform students into servants of Jesus Christ"

over the last few months i've felt the quiet,

but stern nudge in my heart to serve at my church.

at first the fear of serving was simply overwhelming, but then God reminded me that He didn't give me a spirit of fear (2 timothy 1:7) & that if He's called me to do something i need to listen. after prayerfully considering & listening intently, i finally decided to be obedient to that nudge & signed up to volunteer to be a leader in the youth ministry at forest hill. last night was the kickoff of that ministry, Advance >> & let me just tell you how encouraged i was!

about 400 middle & high school kids & staff showed up to hear about Jesus & worship & fellowship together. ryan carson, Advance's student ministry pastor, challenged all of us on what it looks like to be followers of this amazing guy we know as Jesus, our Lord & Savior, and reminded us of the Great Commission -Matthew 28:18-20 - to go & make disciples of ALL nations.

i'm so excited for the school year to come!! this week i will be assigned a small group of girls that will be my little posse for the upcoming year :) they will all be in one grade somewhere between 7th - 12th. i just pray that the Lord could use me somehow in these girl's lives. we have a generation coming up that needs guidance, that needs to be loved & cared for & i pray that i can at least be allowed to be some of that for them!

so excited for what the Lord has in store & praying

that relationships will be built with these girls!

mika beth edwards photography - newborns

i've been drooling over these absolutely precious photos from

mika beth edwards photography

for the last few days!! her newborn photography takes my breath away.

this makes me want to quit my day job & become a photographer soooo bad!!

i absolutely love the natural & simplistic nature of these newborn photos.

it makes me want to just love on all these precious babies!.

how precious is that smirk?

LOVE the baby mohawk!

what a doll!

seriously?!? the crossed arms?!? i'm swooning

oh my goodness, that face!

{happy.baby.sunday}

aw

hypothetically

hypothetically, have you ever met a new someone so randomly and at the most unexpected time who captured your attention from the moment they walked into the door on that random tuesday night? introductions were made, conversation flowed so smoothly over common ground shared & you just felt yourself drawn to this person. you felt the spark of life emitting from their character & with every word they spoke you found yourself being drawn in just a little bit more, wanting to know more, not wanting the moment to end? finding yourself wanting to know their story, wanting to know where their passion for life stems from... and when the time came to walk away, you didn't want to go anywhere, didn't want the time to end?... you know...hypothetically speaking...

;)

{aw}

{boot.love}

fall has arrived & the boots have come out to play!

for some reason i'm LOVING boots this year.

me + a cute dress + BOOTS + a cute scarf = LOVE!

too bad boots are soo stinkin' pricey... oh well... must... work... harder :)

{here are a few pairs that i'm diggin' on today}

steve madden

white mountain

frye

frye

dolce vita

{happy.thursday}

aw

love happens

last friday night i decided to fly solo to see "love happens" with jennifer aniston as "eloise" & aaron eckhart playing "burke".

friday had been just "one of those days." ...one of those "single lady"days & i don't mean the beyonce "single ladies" kind of days. the day had been extremely overwhelming work wise & my mind was completely distracted all day. i couldn't get it to focus or cooperate... most of the day i kept thinking "crap... i'm getting older annnnnd i'm still single." all day i was pushing that out of my mind, but in true form to that nasty little thought that just won't go away, it kept creeping back in.... i decided after i left work that i just needed a little get away into the movie world for a little "chick flick"... if you will :)

"love happens" was just what i needed. i laughed, i cried, & ultimately realized that in God's time, regardless of my circumstances & where life might take me ... i have 100% faith that love will happen for me & i truly believe that!!

the circumstances & paths of life for both "burke" & "eloise" were not by any means ideal for a relationship or love to develop, but it did just that. from their initial encounter, their exchange was awkward, yet there was just something there that began drawing each of them in. there was still hurt & pain in both of their lives, but over the movie (& i know it's just a movie) they both began to be themselves, began to feel feelings again that they had both shut out the possibility of feeling.

it was a great reminder that regardless of where we might think we are in life & how life should be playing out before us... that life happens. it's not always pretty & it's not always fun. we laugh, but we also cry. we take the good with the bad. life happens folks and... love happens ... and it's not by accident. we have a big God that loves us & He's going to use all the circumstances in our lives, good or bad, to show us just that... His big, unfailing love.

{notice.the.love.in.your.life.today}

-aw

created by me on www.picnik.com

...making.this.my.mantra.this.week...

as seen on ...be happy anyway

i.love.pretty.good

i stumbled across this lovely little blog a while back

& i LOVE the photos, the simple presentation,

and the witty words. just wanted to share the goodness!

www.itsprettygood.com

{here are a few of my faves}

{happy.friday}

.aw.

one for one

buy your pair of TOMS today!!!

i'm so excited... my red ones are arriving SOON!

www.tomsshoes.com

One for One
TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about.

Our Story
In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.

Since our beginning, TOMS has given over 140,000* pairs of shoes to children in need through the One for One model. Because of your support, TOMS plans to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world in 2009.

Our ongoing community events and Shoe Drop Tours allow TOMS supporters and enthusiasts to be part of our One for One movement. Join us.

Why shoes?
Most children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or just getting around, these children are at risk.

Walking is often the primary mode of transportation in developing countries. Children can walk for miles to get food, water, shelter and medical help.

Wearing shoes literally enables them to walk distances that aren't possible barefoot.

Wearing shoes prevents feet from getting cuts and sores on unsafe roads and from contaminated soil. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected. The leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted parasites which penetrate the skin through open sores.

Wearing shoes can prevent this and the risk of amputation.
Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.

There is one simple solution...SHOES.
Of the planet's six billion people, four billion live in conditions inconceivable to many. Lets take a step towards a better tomorrow.

i heart fall

i LOVE the colors fall fashion brings & old navy has me excited about shopping over the upcoming weeks! these pieces are really affordable & classic!

these clothes make me want to cuddle up in a yummy, chunky sweater, while sipping on my pumpkin spiced latte while browsing the fall farmers market or maybe even while rocking in a rocking chair with brilliantly colored fall leaves covering the ground...

i'm getting a little ahead of myself...now if i could just find a wardrobe fairy

to fill my closet with all these lovely {cozy} clothes...

{happy wednesday}

aw

{created on picnik.com}

bachelorette beach fun!

last friday morning i headed with the "roomie," A, down to the carolina coast for a fun bachelorette weekend with some lovely ladies. we had such a blast! it was the most relaxing & enjoyable weekend i've had in a while. we had great convo, laughed a lot, swam in the ocean, trespassed into the neighbors pool to do a little diving & sliding, giggled some more, and just had a plain good ol' time! here are a few shots from the weekend!

A enjoying the carolina coast!

now that she's in PA i don't get to see her enough!!

our ocean front home for the weekend thanks to the bride-to-be's aunt!

pretty boats in front of our house

love the feeling of sand between your toes

miss LAM will soon be L&J O

beautiful sunset

yummy margaritas

sunnin'

& the mid day trespassing begins with lots of giggles

...diving...

flipping...

sliding...

ahhh... this is just a little slice of heaven!

:)

the b-e-a-utiful bride-to-be!!!

great friends

so glad to have the "roomie" here & so sad to see her go!

{happy monday}

aw

wow! it's sunday already? time flies when you're having fun!!!

my old "ROOMIE" A came in to town from PA last wednesday night

and it's been a whirlwind of fun!! we had dinner with old friends

thursday & then spent the weekend on the carolina coast for

LAM's bachelorette weekend. blog & pics to come tomorrow.

{happy.sunday}

aw