I won't eat any more chocolate...

Resolutions are fun!

Setting goals, working towards them,

and sometimes succeeding,

I get giddy just thinking about them.

that's me giddy, ha, actually it's me laughing at the Cord.
Back to resolutions.
While most of my goals aren't easily measured,

they revolve around being more intentional,

present, and focused on those I love and what I do,

I am pursuing a few measurable ones I think you will enjoy with me!
And the title of this post is merely a thought I had,
and quickly expelled because there is no way,
no way at all,
would I ever be able to not eat chocolate.
(but it caught your attention, right?)

---

1. Take a portrait of each of the girls,

every week for a year.

Another blog I enjoy perusing is 

Bleubird Blog,

and she completed the same challenge in 2013.

My girls are at such an age where change is constant

and fast, I am excited to document these changes,

and all the milestones reached this next year.

Also, my darling husband purchased a new Canon t1i for me, (birthday present!)

and I am looking forward to getting more practice,
using it to complete this goal.

2. practice sewing and piano more.
I have always felt more of a jack of all trades, master of none
kind of girl. This next year, I want to no longer spread myself so thin,
I want to pick skills I truly enjoy doing in my spare time,
and practice, and practice and practice.
Along the way, I will share sewing projects,
(I have one I am particularly excited about)
and songs learned.

3. Run a race with my husband.
We have tossed this idea around many different times,
and I feel like this is the perfect year to follow through!
We have absolutely no specifics yet,
10k, 5k, Half, Road, Trail, Warrior…??
It's going to be fun to decide that together,
 but most of all,
I am looking forward to hanging out with him more!

---

And this night, next year I hope that I look back at this post,
I can think back on the year with joy and thankfulness.
Then I will lean over and say to Levi,
 "This was so much fun. What are we going to do in 2015?!"


H A P P Y N E W Y E A R!


+pictures taken by Nora girl, she manages great captures with her i-don't-care-i-shoot-where-i-sit attitude.

she took this one too from her trike. love my girls!

full of Christmas

That was a crazy Christmas!
We drove for miles and miles to arrive at my parents house.
Lots of movies watched, cheerios thrown,
and "Are we in Cincinnati (pronounced Cinsimmatti) yet?" asked.

Upon arriving, it was a blur of a Wedding weekend.
My older sister promised herself to my new brother,
and I couldn't be any happier for them.
It was a beautiful night,
exhausting, but simply beautiful.

Sunday, my sweet mother took Nora girl
to the Nutcracker ballet performed by the Cincinnati Ballet.
The rest of us stayed behind and played games with family 
and snacked on 
truffles (leftover wedding favors) 

and Graeter's Ice Cream.

Tuesday, we saw the movie Frozen,
and absolutely loved it.
We dressed up in our fancy clothes and 
attended the Christmas Eve service at my home church.
Mostly, in the lobby, ha!
It was wonderful to see my childhood friends
and church family.

Christmas day,
my favorite!
I spent most of the night in my daughters' bed due to bad dreams,
and woke up to my 
22 year old brother,
sneaking in at 7:30 to wake up the girls for presents.
(He and his sweet wife stayed at my parents house for more hang out time!)
After waking up everyone in the house,
gifts were torn into,
 squeals and "thank you"s exchanged, 
and then we feasted on pancakes!!
My mother happens to make the best pancakes in the world!

We sat all day by the fire, talking,
watching movies, and resting.
We feasted on peppercorn pork loin, mashed potatoes,
peas and corn, cranberry sauce,
hundreds of rolls,
and chocolate creme pie for dessert!
It took hours for the girls to calm down for bed that night. 
It was perhaps the fault of the 48" Superman
my brother bought for the Cord.
I think they just wanted Christmas to last forever!

uncle bubba and his gift for Cordie

We drove back the next day,
and stopped at Levi's family's new home,
for a couple nights of more feasting and presents.

We have had a whirlwind of a Christmas,
but exchanged so much love,
support and joy,
we feel full,
tired, but full.

I am thankful for you all!

Please bear with me for lack of pictures, I have a new camera and have yet to procure a way to transfer my photos!

Christmas Senses

It's almost here!!

Ahh, I am so excited for this day!

:: Seeing ::

all of our ice and snow melt.
We are glad to be back outside, 
I would still love a white christmas though!

:: Hearing ::

One of my very favorite bands made a Christmas album,

you should give it a listen,

then buy it, 

because it's that wonderful!

 :: Smelling ::

Hot Apple Cider,
my good friend, Devin, showed me an easy recipe
with few ingredients,
and we cannot get enough of it!

 :: Wrapping ::

I have finally found my favorite style to wrap gifts in,
brown butcher paper and colored baker's twine!
I picked up all these fun colors the other day at Hobby Lobby!

Thank you Nana for this gift!

 :: Tasting ::

B U C K E Y E B A R K ! 

recipe pinned from here

20 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate 
 16 oz peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar

melt 10 oz. chocolate in microwave safe bowl 
35 secs at a time, stirring in between.
Once chocolate is smooth,
spread chocolate out on a 
baking sheet lined with parchment paper,
about 1/4 inch thick.
Stick in freezer to firm.

While chocolate is firming up, 
mix peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar well.
Remove chocolate from freezer, 
and spread peanut butter mixture over the chocolate.
Put back in freezer.

Melt remaining chocolate, the same as before.
Once smooth, remove chocolate and peanut butter from the freezer.
Spread the remaining melted chocolate on the peanut butter and stick back in the freezer for 45 minutes.

Remove and use a butcher knife to cut the bark into pieces.

This bark is delicious and great for sharing!

also for sneaking some...and a peek at my dirty kitchen

uhh does that make me weird?

So, while reading one of my favorite blogs the other, Elah Tree, I saw that she tagged me in her post to share 8 facts about myself, some you may think are cool, some are weird, all are about me.

1. I wheeze when I laugh hard :: 95% of the time I spend laughing, I wheeze. Like the initial "PAHHH" to get my laugh started. I used to hate it and would try and make my laugh cuter in high school, but now I have embraced it and just wheeze away. I hope it is an encouragement to anyone telling a joke.

2. My favorite food is a cheeseburger:: even at the nicest of restaurants I am looking for a cheeseburger to order. I find it my goal to find the best cheeseburger in whatever town I live in. No sissy, lady food for me, right Devin?

3. I memorize songs easily, many of them are ridiculous songs :: In Bible College, I would always put my memory work to a song so I could remember them. I can only sing the books of the New Testament and the French alphabet. I have Disney songs, old cartoon opening songs (think Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, and Talespin), and commercials memorized. I never had one of these, but if you ask I can sing the old commercial for BayWatch Barbie, yup.

4. I love puzzles :: My daughter snagged a 100 piece horse puzzle at Greer Family Christmas, and I found myself putting it together late one night. Some of my fondest memories dating my husband is spending time at his parents house, helping his dad put together hu puzzles.

5. I have never colored my hair :: Not because I have an intense passion against chemicals, or because I am so in love with my natural color, but mostly because I don't want to spend the money or start the cycle of constantly coloring. Even if ombre is in style at the moment.

6. My sense of humor is most affected by people falling, getting hit, running into things :: Because of this, number 1 happens often, and sometimes at inopportune moments. This also, gives me an affinity for Kevin James' movies, such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

7. I really like to dress up :: I do like to dress up nice and fancy, but what I mean here is costumes. I play dress up with my girls, and if an event asks for my kids to dress up, I will do my best to put together a costume for me too. At a few Halloween events, I was the only mom who dressed up with her kids. 

8. I wear my Denver Broncos stocking hat every single day in the winter :: My husband gave me this hat for my 26th birthday and whenever it is slightly cold, or the Broncos are playing, I am wearing it! Around the house or town, but not in church, I am not that weird.

I think these are fun for finding out a little more about our blogging friends so I am tagging

Kelli, Aanna, and Anna.

the weekend I almost died getting donuts

Friday morning, sweet, sickly Sonora woke up to find snow

all over the ground, inches deep and still falling from the sky.

In her raspy voice, she squealed, "It's snowing! It must be my birthday!"

I reminded her that her birthday was after Christmas,

and she said, "So it's Christmas?"

and again, dashing her hopes I replied.

"No."

"Okay, so we are going to be flower girls today! Cordie-"

"No, your Aunt gets married in two weeks."

"So why did Jesus give us snow?"

"Jesus gave us snow so we could be home together,

play in it together, and enjoy this season together!"

And that is just what we did.

We also ate lots of warm, yummy food,
and drank our weight in coffee, cocoa and tea.
I left the house to pick up some donuts on Saturday morning,
and came to realize that our roads covered in ice, ice on ice,
which was quite scary.
But I drove 5 mph around the corner and back,
and for some reasons the donuts tasted so much better than usual.

We also made snowflakes for our house, 
and continued our Nativity story timeline.

Cordie is proud of her first snowflake

Sonora checks the stockings everyday

Pip's favorite spot and lately she likes to accessorize her outfits

What did you do this weekend?

Hello December!

I really really love all that you have to offer,
I just wished you could have spared the nasty cold bug.

And in my sweet Nora's words,
"I hate fevers. Fevers are stupid...
I can say that because everyone thinks so."
I think she just wanted to use the word "stupid".


But we are on the mend,
and the other night we snuck out in our pajamas,
bought a few milkshakes,
and enjoyed the Garden of Lights from our warm car.

story time :: lately Penny just lays her head near her sisters'
it's one of my favorite things.

working on our nativity story timeline

one more look at her first pigtails

I am excited to break out a few more traditions

in the next few weeks.

I love this season!!

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

i am thankful

There is a gorgeous tree in my neighbors yard, 

dressed in burnt orange. 

every morning as I sit by the window studying it's majesty,

I am reminded of God's faithfulness, 

goodness,

and creativity.

 I am thankful.

This week, I have watched my oldest daughter
helping selflessly and taking care of her little sisters.
I am thankful.

I have cuddled and cared for my little "superman",
and have watched her snap back into herself.
I am thankful.

I have fed, cleaned, and wrestled the most wriggly toddler.
I am thankful

I have been aware of how God listens and answers prayers,
through my friends,
my sweet, wonderful, encouraging friends!
I am thankful.

I have observed my husband doing nasty jobs,
and caring for all his girls.
(he has been my steady chocolate supplier)
I am thankful.

I have talked with some friends about their recent adoption,
looked through photos of their reunion
with tears in my eyes.
I get to meet their new daughter really soon.
I am thankful.

I have felt the weather get colder,
and watched my dingy little town show its best colors.
I have unplugged, and taken in the crisp autumn breezes.
I am thankful.

I have been bitter, angry, exhausted, and weepy,
but I have also been excited, refreshed, joyful, and content,
and thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
see you in a week or so!

I hope you eat pie,
lots and lots of pie!! 

reading

vintage books in IA

when i was younger,

i didn't like to read,

i never wanted to slow down.

if forced, i would read fast-paced science fiction stories,

but for the most part sitting for a while was really hard for me.

in high school every book i had to read

for english was the worst.

except Tale of Two Cities,

which was the first time i felt like i was in the story,

the details and characters so well described,

that i wanted to be there.

but, 

i still loved to be moving

so i rarely read.

it wasn't until i went to college,

and i had to read a lot,

billions of textbooks.

so I would break up textbook time,

with a fun novel,

usually a classic,

a world i could escape to,

for free.

now as a mom,

i cherish the quiet moments,

where i get to 

sink into my chair,

cozied under a blanket,

and read,

for as long as i can.

also, i understand why my mom would read to us each night, 
give us tons of books,

and even more opportunities to read.

I hope to pass this on to my daughters as well.

so on this chilly morn,
 Lonesome Dove in one hand
and a cup of hot tea in the other,
i am thankful for books,
their authors, bookstores,
and amazon.
most of all,
i am thankful for my mother,
even though it took more time for me to realize it,
she passed on to me a love for reading,
and has showed me by her example,
how to pass that love on to my girls.


What are you reading right now?
i am always looking for book recommendations,
so feel free to leave a comment of your favorites!

our weekend

A warm, sunny weekend in the fall, 

made even better with 

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook pg. 77

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1/2-3/4 cup pumpkin

2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

dash of nutmeg

beat two eggs till frothy. Add in buttermilk and pumpkin and whisk till smooth.

heat and butter griddle over medium heat.

 mix dry ingredients and sift into buttermilk mixture. 

mix well, batter will be slightly lumpy.

then make pancakes!

I have no pictures of these, they went fast,

but I do have a serving recommendation,

pomegranate and and 100% pure maple syrup.

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes?

oh yeah, and we did this too:

27

Hooray!!

I am now 27!

We had a very quiet, simple day,

complete with steak, playground,

a cake my husband made, 

and a wonderful birthday surprise

that brought tears to my eyes.

Birthdays are my favorite!

speaking of favorites,

here are 9 random favorites of mine,

some may be a surprise:

1. It Takes Two -- I know almost every single line from this movie,

and oftentimes quote this quirky Olsen Twins classic.

2. R&B -- I own 3 Boyz II Men CDs, can still sing

U Got it Bad by Usher in it's entirety.

(and I sometimes attempt to dance like him too, you're welcome for that visual)

3. Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- read it junior year and 4 times since.

Second favorite book is Great Expectations.

4. Mossimo Boyfriend Tees -- I have the same shirt in 5 different colors,

that is shopping for me!

5. While You Were Sleeping -- favorite Christmas movie.

6. Jess -- favorite of Rory's boyfriends.

7. Pinkie Pie 

8. Colonial Williamsburg -- favorite childhood vacation

9. York Peppermint Patties

Also, it's friday!! so here are our feet!

"November brings birthday cheer and Christmas cheer! 

Our home warms up with Christmas, even if our schedules are busy.

 Lovely evenings curled up on the couch next to the tree

 watching the Gilmore Girls... just lovely."

--Samantha of Elah Tree

My awesome night consists of my 3rd piece of birthday cake today

and Foyle's War (another netflix favorite).

After a week of partying, this is a night I have been needing.

Wishing you a happy weekend!!

my best friend

Today, I am thankful for this guy:

Really I am thankful for him every day,

yep it's cheesy,

but every single day I am thankful to have him as my best friend.

It's so fun to remember all of our time together.

The awkward picture my dad asked for as juniors,

ciy summer conference 2003
photo cred - my dad

the still awkward interaction on a church trip as seniors.

Then going to the same college next semester,

and the giddiness I felt when I walked into my very first class,

and Mr. Greer sat down in front of me!

Followed by years of marriage, babies, 

and loads of laughing.

we're engaged!

I love this guy!

I admire his servant heart,

always doing the jobs others don't want to do.

I am encouraged by his diligence,

working hard even when it seems fruitless.

He is steady and loyal.

I say this quite often because 

I feel so strongly about its truth,

he is the FUNNIEST person I have ever met,

and laughing is one of my most favorite things!

photo via Lane Moss Photography

While our life together hasn't been easy,

its been fun, full of growing and little girls.

We are stronger because of it all,

and we will continue to grow our love.

Bud,

I have been greatly blessed to have you as my husband,

the "Yea Yea" to our girls,

my pilot on our adventures,

and  my best friend.

Thank you for working so hard for us,

for loving us so abundantly,

and for leading us boldly.

Yours Forever

Who are you thankful for today?

Hello November!

It's November!!!

Yesssss!

Last year I shared a picture everyday
on Instagram/facebook/twitter of things I was thankful for,
and it was wonderful how my 
perception changed.
So this past year, I told myself,
I needed to make more of an effort to 
share my "thank yous" all year long,
and I feel, while looking back,
that I appreciate so much more
about our life,
even when it can be ridiculous,
frustrating, and rough.
So in effort to maintain this outlook,
let Thankful November begin!

---

Right now,
I am thankful for the relationship 
I get to see grow
between Nora Girl and the Cord.

goofy faces

spunky attitudes

their unicorn pumpkin

 They love being superheroes together.
They will play/wrestle/sing/dance/chase
all day together,
and moments of just talking to each other are rare,
so as soon as I saw this I took like 30 photos in a 3 minute window,
here are my three favorite.

Happy November!!

sunset at the pier

Now, I really really love grey fall mornings,

but today,

today I am missing the beach.

I miss it's simplicity and warmth.

Back on our vacation,

we had the most wonderful evening on the pier 

watching the sun set over the water,

following a pod of dolphins,

and enjoying the fishermen's show.

i spy a dorsal fin

our walk back to our hotel along the beach was quiet and special.

friday feet

It's friday! 

Yes! What are you all up to this weekend?

Our weekend is full of pumpkin patch fun,

costume designing and making,

and roast!!!

And have you all checked out my friend and wonderful cousin in law,

Samantha's blog or Etsy shop?

Please do both, she is incredibly inspiring, and has started a great Christmas Exchange 

that sounds like loads of fun!

Without further ado,

from California,

Samantha's Friday Feet ::

"I'm constantly learning new things; 

things about social media, things about sewing, things about life. 

And Jesus has been teaching me how valued I am. 

It's been a tough to grasp, 

but he is patient and works slowly to heal my brokenness."

Also, check out these instagram submissions

from @annairwin23

full of autumn!!

Thanks Anna!

And don't forget to instagram your feet today using 

#arhfridayfeet

Have a wonderfully splendid weekend!!