A Whole Lotta Thankful

 It's Thanksgiving 2015 and my cup overflows!   We've taken some time this Thanksgiving to close our day with the thing we are thankful for that day.  Here's to a great week with the ones we love remember all we have been blessed with...immeasurably. 

• My husband!  2015 is the year we got married  and what a year it was.  I am thankful!

• Our new house that we are so close to closing and calling ours.
• The cutest dogs who live in my house and we are lucky enough to get to play with and cuddle with.
• Our church for doing so many amazing things in our community, our world, and my heart.
• I can't believe I have the family I have.  I am not sure how I could've struck it anymore rich with these folks.
• My friends for whom I am so blessed by and with.
• Our freedom as a country and for all the people and families who have protected it over the years.  We are lucky to live in a country where we can do things freely, despite what the news wants us to believe.
• I have had the best two years at my current job.  It kills me to have to leave it.  This job was an awesome life blessing and I am so thankful.
• Living in Charleston for these last two years
• The celebration of advent and Christmas and all things wonderful this time of year! 
• Pajamas and matching family pajamas. 
• RUGS USA 80% off sale (I am thankful for this because it is no doubt my favorite sale of the year) and you best believe Santa mom was ALL over that.  
• Our church's new Christmas CD that is officially my hostess gift this Thanksgiving season. 

I Quit: On Giving Up and Gaining Margin

Image: Naptime Diaries

I feel a lot of different very personal reasons for writing this blog post.  Many of them originate from years of trying to reach a certain level of perfection, my own insecruities, or the burning desire all women seem to have to maintain the illision of being able to do it all.

My small group and I just completed a life alterting 6 week series on The Best Yes.  I've spent much of the last few months marinating, praying, struggling, and worrying what this means for my life.  I've always loved being busy and overwhlemed.  I've worked jobs that make sure my work responbilities bleed well past 5pm and I always find a way to fill my calendar up and leave no margin for much else.  The free seconds I do have I find myself wasting away on my iphone or endless, fruitless internet scrolling that leads my overwhelmed soul to no relief. 

I've pinterested to my hearts content worrying about our new house and making it fit all the ideals I have in my head.  I've dreamt about what our first married Christmas would look like only to come to the realization with this move it won't look a thing like that (and that's ok).  Of the crime of too high expectations for certain superficial areas of my life, I am guilty as charged.

But I am taking myself out of the running.  I quit.

This quitting will be the biggest gift I can give myself.  I quit trying to make it perfect, or beautiful, or yummy, or measure up to someone else.  I quit worrying myself over things that don't matter.

I am taking myself out of the running.  I'm going to let someone else run the race of perfection, as fleeting and impossible at this race is.  No one has won yet as far as I am concerned and I am not going to bear myself the burden of trying to win anymore. 


This Novemeber and Thanksgiving season, I've very intentionally tried to make room for peace, leave margin for retreat and reflection.  At night we've been sharing the things of which we are thankful for this year, the Lord knows my heart, there are an abundance of blessings given to us in 2015.  One of my biggest blessings is giving up. 

Birthday Week Adventures: Savannah

My Birthday celebration lasted three day this year thanks to my awesome husband who attempted to keep the party rolling well past my actual day.  Unfortunately I got a pretty nasty bug and wasn't able to celebrate much more than two days.  Nevertheless we got to celebrate my birthday with my favorite things: food and adventure!

 

 My birthday dinner was at Fish House this year which is the same restaurant that has been the backdrop of a few great celebrations for us in Charleston, namely where we celebrated Rich coming home from overseas, our engagement, and now my birthday!  They have my favorite shrimp and grits recipe in all of Charleston.

For dessert we were served the most delicious molten chocolate cake to share. Chocolate is a food group for me.

 After dinner we partook in my most favorite activities these days, binge watching our new favorite show Parenthood in our pajamas.  This is 31 y'all...

 

We were supposed to go our with friends  Friday to celebrate my birthday but unfortunately I was way too sick to go out. We stayed in Friday night watching the news on the awful Paris attacks.

 Saturday took us on a bucket list item of a day trip to Savannah. We had a perfect day to go visit, great weather, and a wonderful chance to just walk around and see the city.  We loved all the little parks and squares and walking around into little stores.  While we enjoyed the city, we still vote Charleston as our #1 Low country City, but we may be a bit biased.

31 Life Lessons for 31

I can't believe I am 31!  Did you know 80% of your life's most transformative experiences happen by the age of 30, most of which we don't realize are as transformative as they are at the time!  I've been lucky to do a lot of neat things in my 31 years: play sports, have an amazing family, gain an education and a Masters Degree, work a number of fulfilling jobs, make mistakes, study abroad, fall in love, get my heart broken, get married, own a dog, travel for pleasure, travel for work, move 9 times, own a house (soon!), make best friends, see every musciain I've ever dreamed of seeing in concert, meet famous people, attend weddings, funerals, welcomed nieces and nephews, sister in laws, and extended family.  All of these life events have had profound impact on making me who I am today and I am a firm believe that you learn as much from failure and heartbreak as you do success.  For as long as as shall live I will be a firm believer in Ephesians 3:20, God can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine......and I have been abundantly blessed by Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Life Lessons by 31:

1.  Find a job that brings you great happiness.  You'll spend more time at work and with your work peers than many of your friends and your family.

2.  It's never too late to learn new hobbies and explore new interests. 

3. The things you enjoy in childhood often can be the same things you enjoy as you get older.  You may even like them more (I'm talking to you Disney movies and great 90's music!)

4.  Your friends can be as close as family.  It is worth going through hard times with your friends because it will strengthen your love for them.

5.   Getting a dog in your twenties can be a great choice, assuming you are ready for the commitment and yes, sacrifice.

6.  Learn to write a good thank you note.  Thanks Mom.

7. Learn the importance of sticking up for yourself, but make sure you do so in a tactful and well thought-out manner. Thanks Dad.

8.  You can learn a lot about forgiveness from your dog.  She's never held any of my failures and mistakes against me and loves me all the same.

9.  Having great older brothers taught me what a real man looks like, even if it meant I had a rough few years in childhood! 

10.  Music can heal your heart! 

11.  Life will take you places you never thought you'd go, but its never by accident.

12.  Drink 64 oz of water a day.....your skin and your body will thank you!

13. Always make time for exercise, even its a 30 minute walk around at lunch.  Getting in shape is much harder than staying in shape...

14.  Along those lines, marathon training is a full time job.  Tackle this only with that knowledge. There is a reason so few people do it!  Know it will take a toll on your body-is it worth the risk?

15.  It's never to late to learn to eat a food you hated for the first 30 years...(I'm talking to you tomatoes!)

16.  As you get older it will be harder and harder to maintain your friendships.  Fight for them, make time for them, and prioritize the people you love the most!

17.  Know your weaknesses....

18.  Utilize your strengths.  Both professionally and personally. 

19.  When you say "yes" to something, you are inherently saying "no" to something else, make sure its something you are willing to say no to.  (Thanks The Best Yes study!)

20.  Invest in some really great sheets.  You'll feel like you are sleeping in a luxe hotel each night when you crawl in bed.

21.  There will be places you travel that you may not like at the time but would give anything to go back to years later.  Treasure every experience.

22.  If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.  God gave you a "gut feeling" for a reason, follow that instinct.

23.  It is better to be a good listener than a good talker.  This world needs better listeners.

24.  Just because you have a thought, doesn't mean you have to think it!  (Thanks Max Lucado)

25.  Take Vitamins. Daily. 

26.  Making your bed each day is one way to begin the day being productive.  Try to do it everyday!

27.  Comparing yourself to others will only make you insecure. 

28.  Kindness begets kindness.  When you put kindness out into the world, you will have kindness surround you.  There is no sense in being grumpy each day.

29.  Know why items and purchases you can get at a lower cost, and which you need to splurge on.  This will save you thousands in the end. 

30.  Protect your heart.  There are billions of people in this world.  You will find love again!

31.  If some one shows you who they are, believe them. All credit to Maya Angelou on this mantra, but its never lead me wrong. 

Honoring our Military

Sometimes photos take the place of well thoughtout words, and this post is no exception.  Thanks to our veterans and their families for the daily sacrifices made for the benefit of our personal freedoms.  You are truly inspirational.

Rainy, cold weather recipe

 We added a new rainy day favorite to our household cook book last night!  A one pot, chicken fajita dish with enough spices to cover your fall and winter cold weather needs!  This is a light meal but filling!  This recipe made us 4 servings, enough for dinner and a hearty lunch the next day-no side dishes needed! 

This recipe calls for:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces seasoned with:

• kosher salt
• paprika
•  cumin
•  chilli powder,
•  garlic powder

1 large white onion, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium to cut those calories!)
1 can Mild Dice Tomatos and Green Chilis (7oz can is fine)
7 oz pasta

Optional topping additions:

• Avocado
• cilantro
• scallion
• sour cream

Directions:
Season the chicken and brown in a pot (5-6 minutes) and set aside on a plate

Add a bit of olive oil, on medium add the onion, peppers, and add additional spices, let cook for 10 minutes until soft.  Next, add the minced garlic until fragrant (30 seconds should do).  Set pasta mixture aside in same boil as chicken

Add broth, tomato and chili can, and noodles to pot.  Let boil.  When boiling, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated.  Add the chicken and veggie mixture, stir for two minutes.  Serve with your choice of additional toppings!

November Goals

 It's November which means a few great things: an extra hour of sleep (and me showing up an entire hour early for church on Sunday...it happened folks, for real!), holiday season is here, family, food, my birthday-eek, and Thanksgiving! It also means its time for me to check back in with my October goals and set some new targets for November: 


 October Goals Revisited:

1.  Take a Hike: CHECK!  Thanks to our first annual friends fall fest, I was able to check this item off the list. Our cabin was nestled on the very top of a wooded mountain and the owners of the cabin had cut down really great hiking areas for us to explore.  Though the weather was a bit hairy that day, we did find a good hour to hike up and down the area.  You can read all about this amazing fall fun here and think about how create your own friends gathering of your own with these tips here: 

2.  Throw things away/donate things we don't need: CHECK!  So, maybe this goal was accomplished more November 1 than October, but yesterday I did a great purge of my closet, toiletries, and winter clothes as we get ready for our move.  It felt so good to throw away a great amount of crap that I won't have to move later. 

3.  Do something scary: It's Halloween!  I can't say we did anything scary this month but I do feel like we rose to the occasion on our first married Halloween.  From attending the Pumpkin Walk on Daniel Island to handing out candy at the end of our drive way, we may not have done anything scary but we got the most out of this awesome holiday which was my ultimate goal anyways.    On Halloween we visited Kia Country in Charleston for a "Bark and Boo" benefitting the Charleston Animal Society where we have volunteered previously.  Though we weren't big winners in the costume contest, I think my "pack" certainly won my award for cutest safari group.  What do you think:

November Goals:

Pick out paint colors for our new house:  Rich and I are determined to paint a few rooms in our new house in Virginia.  We've been going back and forth on a number of great color palettes but I can't make up my mind quite yet. 

Order and address our Christmas Cards: I am crazy for holiday cards and with us moving in early December I am not playing around with waiting till the last moment for those babies.  My year long goal to address our cards with calligraphy still remains high on my list, so I know I need the extra time to accomplish that task successfully.

Make a New Dish for Thanksgiving:  I am keeping my holiday goals small this year given we are moving during the season but that doesn't stop me from wanting to learn to make a new holiday dish.  I have a few ideas floating in my head so we will see what I come up with for the holidays back in North Carolina.  While we are talking Thanksgiving, I scored these cute placemats (sorry honey, I couldn't resist) at Target on Sunday:

 Source: Target

 

The Knot Real Weddings

A few months ago we received notification via email that The Knot had selected our wedding as a Real Wedding to feature!  We were ecstatic!  Our awesome photographer had submitted our wedding and photos to the website unbeknownst to us, so it was a real surprise to be selected! Considering we planned and executed the wedding ourselves, it was really neat to think that the Knot would consider it publication worthy.  Just like any young bride, I utilized the Knot for so many different vendors and ideas, so its great to plug the awesome vendors we had on a site such as that.

If you want to check out the website and visit the Knot for awesome wedding ideas, enjoy!