Sunday Social

1. What is your favorite holiday season tradition?

I love that we always put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving.. I like to enjoy all our decorations for as long as I can! I also love going to the Christmas Eve Service.. I love all the services leading up to Christmas but something about the Christmas Eve Service just helps to make sure I slow down and really remember why we celebrate!  

2. Do you have a certain holiday movie you watch more than others? If so what is it?

I love all Christmas movies but my favorite one that I could watch over and over is ELF! It cracks me up! My husband always makes fun of me but I think he secretly likes it too! 

 3. Show us your favorite decoration or pinterest decoration you wish you could have 

I wish I could make something like this for my tree.. I can never find a tree skirt that I really like or they cost a small fortune and I just can't bring myself to spend that much! I've thought about just getting some pretty fabric. 

4. What is your favorite holiday song?

Mary Did You Know

I love Silent Night by David Crowder Band

(and pretty much that entire album) 

Wish by Joy Williams  

5. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

I'm not picky! I love just about anything sweet or chocolate! It seems like between Thanksgiving and New Years I can't keep the sweets out of the house! I love making cookies with the kids and they love sharing them at all the parties we get to attend! 

6. What is on your wish list this year?

I really can't think of much I want this year..  The only thing I've mentioned so far is this ring! I really think the idea of it is really special and I'd love to have one! Infinity Ring with his and hers birthstones, and anniversary date.

Oh, How Pinteresting!!

My inspiration to workout.. I really do love to workout once I get there and I always feel so much better after! 

Since now you know I love to workout I guess it would only be right to show you why!! Yes I love food.. I'm not picky I just love food!! I want to make this ASAP!! Maybe I'll wait until I have a reason but better yet I might need to try it out before just to make sure it really is as good as it looks!

I love to use my crockpot! I'm hooked on these chicken and dumplings!

Love this.. 

I stopped getting fake nails several years back and I can't stand looking at my nails now so over the last few months I've started painting my own. Painting my own nails has got to be one of the hardest things I've ever tried to do so I'll take all the advice I can get! It seems like I do pretty good on the lighter color  polishes but man are the darker colors hard.. I always feel like I make a mess and get too much or not enough polish on. I'm going to try this method later on today and see how it goes! 

It's OK Thursday

It's OK.....
.. to feel like this week is going by so slow! It should be Friday!! 
.. to be completely happy that I'm getting my hair done this morning! It's way over do!! 
.. to be counting down the days until Thanksgiving break so we can sleep in!!
.. to be completely sick of all the negative/ugly post on Facebook over the last few days/weeks!! 
.. that I got Netflix so I could watch Downton Abbey and some how now I am obsessed with The Secret Life of the American Teenager! 
.. that I always tell myself that I put off Christmas shopping until the last minute because I work better under pressure! 
.. that I really want to start a book club but the only person I know that likes to read as much as I do is my Grandmother!


 

The Love Dare Day 2

Day one went fairly well I think. We celebrated our baby's 6th birthday with a family dinner of pizza and left over cookie cake! It's hard to not be in a cheerful mood when celebrating! I'm really trying hard to think before I talk and to watch my tone. 

Day 2 Love is kind Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32
I will never understand why it is so hard to show intentional kindness to those we are close to. Sometimes I honestly think I am more kind to complete strangers or people I hardly know. If I love my family with all my heart why is it so hard to be gentle, helpful, willing, and the first to initiate kindness? I really need to work on this area so today I will focus once again on kindness. I will put day one and two into practice today and move on to day three tomorrow. I feel like I'm letting little things steal my joy. I will not continue to let satan steal my joy and keep me from being the wife and mother God has called me to be. If I take my focus off of God and His word, His promises I am leaving a door open for satan to fill my head with lies. Kindness is love in action. So today I am going to put love in action and be patient and kind to all of those around me. I have to totally rely on God for this. I can not do this on my own. When I am weak he is strong. Lord let your love shine through me today! 

The Love Dare Day 1

Most people have heard of The Love Dare (It was featured in the movie Fireproof several years back).. Well, I have started reading it and doing the daily dares many times over the years but never finished. To be honest I'm not even sure I've ever made it past week 1. I really feel that our marriage after 11 years is in a place that could really use it. So this morning I searched for the book everywhere and finally found it so here goes nothing.  

Day 1: Love is patient Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. - Ephesians 4:2 NIV 

It seems like somedays I have absolutely no patience at all.. Not with my husband and not with my kids! I'm embarrassed by the way I act and by the words that come out of my mouth. I don't want my husband or kids to ever look back on life and remember me the way I am most days! I want them to feel nothing but love and acceptance. I want them to think of our home as a place where it is ok to make mistakes and a place where they can be themselves! A safe place from the rest of the world. I want our home to be a place that my husband (and kids) love to come home too. A place he misses during the day. I want to be the phone call during the day when he just needs to be cheered on! 

The dare for day 1 is to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. So far it's almost noon and I haven't been overly loving and nice but I haven't been negative and ugly either. I will start now being more intentional in what I'm saying, doing, and thinking. I pray for God to give me the wisdom and love that I will need to change the things in myself that need to be changed so that I can be the person he wants me to be.  

Friday's Letters

Dear Husband, you are amazing!! I love you with all my heart and I know I don't say it or show it nearly enough.. <3 Thank you for always putting up with me..

Dear Friday, I love you and I've miss you so much! I can't decide if swimming or shopping needs to be done this weekend.

Dear Starbucks, I think I need you this morning. I've been doing so good without you but heck it's Friday and I can't get you off my mind.

Dear Friends, I know I've totally sucked at being a friend lately but I plan to change that.

Dear Scentsy, I'm always happy that August is 10% off.. and thank you so much for doing Bring Back My Bar. I'm loving my Cranberry Mango and Pineapple Paradise! And I can't wait to order some stuff out of the new catalog!

Dear School Year, I'm really not ready to see you yet.. I feel like summer just started! I need at least another month..

Dear Bootcamp, I'm thinking we should meet again soon. Summer took me from you and well now I can't seem to make myself like you!

Oh, How Pinteresting... My first one!

I admit I have a pinning problem.. I feel sorry for all my friends whenever I get to going!

Source: google.com via Brittany on Pinterest

If it weren't for the clouds I probably wouldn't appreciate the sunshine!

Source: cherrybam.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Summer PLEASE slow down!! (and yes I am still upset that I wasn't at the Brothers of the Sun concert Saturday)

Source: goodthingsarewildandfree.tumblr.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Love this!

Source: randomh0tness.blogspot.com via Brittany on Pinterest