A Challenge

I'd like to issue a blog challenge to all my readers. 

Are y'all scared?! 

It's actually really simple...or so it should seem. I'd like to challenge y'all (and myself) to just live in the moment this weekend and be intentionally happy. And by that I mean be happy for no reason and for any reason. Be happy that you woke up this morning, that you were able to eat breakfast, that you have clean water, that you have eyesight, that you can breathe without oxygen, that Christmas trees exist, that candles smell so good, that puppies are precious when they sleep. Just be happy. 

That's my goal this weekend. 

I hope y'all have a great one!

Love, love!

These Three Things - From Here to Eternity

The sweet blogger guest posting for my "These Three Things" series today is one of my absolute favorites! It's Courtney from From Here to Eternity! She is so sweet and funny...and I totally adore her passion and love for her husband and their marriage! They really are like Barbie and Ken! : ) I definitely consider Courtney a real life friend and I think y'all are just going to love her!

Oooooh my lanta! I am so SO excited to be taking over Megan's blog today :) I seriously adore this girl. Someday we're going to be next door neighbors that craft, attempt to cook, and vacation together. You just wait and see ;)

Anyway, today I decided to share the 3 things that define my Christmas season. Christmas just wouldn't be the same if these weren't in my life....

1. My Hubs

Then again... I need him every month of the year ;)

Need I say more? :)

2. Christmas Music

Music has always been a huge part of my life. My dad is a local rock star so we grew up learning how to play all kinds of instruments and music always filled our home. In fact, I have to play a Christmas piano solo in church on Sunday.... so wish me luck :) Anyway, walking through a busy mall, with the smells of Christmas treats lingering, and hearing Christmas music through out the stores just puts a big smile on my face. I don't know what better way there is to celebrate Christ's birth than to sing it at the top of your lungs ;)

Here's one of my favorite Christmas songs: Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant

3. My Savior - Jesus Christ

 

Source: nativitysceneoutdoor.com via Lauren on Pinterest

The gifts, the traditions, the decor, and the treats are all such fun things to look forward to this season. But the true meaning of Christmas is to be kind and giving to friends, family, even strangers. It reminds me to be as Christlike as possible, and remember the miracles and blessings God grants each day.

Thank you for having me, Meg :) Wishing you and your awesome readers a very Happy Holiday!



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Oh, Court, I just seriously adore you SO much! I love that you did a Christmas themed three things...and I totally agree with you on all three! Thanks for reminding all of us about the REAL reason for Christmas!

Thanks for guest posting!

Love, love!

The Rest of the Pictures

First of all, I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to all the bloggers who linked up with me yesterday for Sometimes and Always! I absolutely loved reading all the posts...y'all were creative and hilarious!! 

I'm so excited to share the rest of our one year wedding anniversary pictures! The ones today are my absolute favorites and I just adore them so much. They were all taken by the amazing Brandi Smyth Photography!

(See the first round of pictures here!)

The amazing banner in the pictures above was created by the sweet Sara at Seeing Purple Stars! She makes so many precious things in her shop and we were blessed to get something so unique! These pictures are so perfect because of that adorable banner. Thank you, Sara!!

We didn't smash cake in each other's faces at our wedding, so it was so much fun to do it for our anniversary. Although I'm pretty sure that the hubs didn't think I was going to actually do it. (insert evil laugh)

All pictures were taken by Brandi Smyth Photography. Do not use them without her permission! 

Love, love!

Sometimes and Always #4

Today is the first ever link up for Sometimes and Always! Grab the button and join in! 

Sometimes: I wish that I was a celebrity. 

Always: I would despise the constant paparazzi. I would have to actually get dressed to go to Starbucks. 

Sometimes: I want to say something mean when I'm talking to a rude patient.

Always: I keep my cool and refrain from getting myself into trouble. 

Sometimes: I want things to be MY way all the time.

Always: Compromise is hard, but it's good and healthy and keeps us all happy.

Husband's idea of "compromise" on our Christmas mantle. We shall see. : )

Sometimes: I wonder what it would be like to be a "big wig" in hospital administration. 

Always: I want to be able to stay home with our babies one day, not be in a high stress office job. 

Sometimes: I just want to cry when people say they don't believe in God. 

Always: I pray for them. 

Sometimes: I have to take a little break from replying to comments and reading blogs. 

Always: I'm forever grateful for how blogging (and y'all!) have changed my life!!

Link up if y'all have some Sometimes and Always comments to share! And thanks so much for all the sweet words about our anniversary pictures yesterday! Wow. I was totally blown away by all the precious comments. I'll be posting the rest of the pictures tomorrow, so come on back! : )

Love, love!!

Picture Love

As most of y'all know, we had our one year wedding anniversary this past October. To celebrate, I forced talked the hubs into taking anniversary pictures. 

I have fallen absolutely in love with this local photographer (Brandi Smyth Photography) and we will be using her for every single picture for the rest of our lives! : ) As long as the husband agrees, of course. 

Enjoy!

I have a few more to share, but I figured that was enough for today! : )

(All photos are by Brandi Smyth Photography. Do not use them without her permission.)

Love, love!

Words

We don't/can't always understand or comprehend the things of this world. 

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Things happen beyond our control, despite our attempts, against our wishes. 

The friends who lose a baby, the parent who succumbs to cancer, the best friend who betrays you, the teenager who dies in a car wreck, the grandparent who develops Alzheimer's, the child who commits suicide due to being bullied, the mom who dies in childbirth, the husband who gets killed in combat fighting for his country. 

There are some really bad things in this world. It's true. We all know it. We can't understand why. We don't have to understand why. We just have to turn to God and say "Lord, I need you."

He wants to be there to pick us up. He wants to be the shoulder that we cry on, the friend that we turn to, the hand that we hold. He loves us...He loves YOU. 

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A little deep for a Friday, but hey, that's what spilled out onto the screen. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love, love!

These Three Things - Fabulous but Evil

I'm so excited to have the ever wonderful Tara from Fabulous but Evil here today for my weekly "These Three Things" series! This girl is the creative mind behind the infamous "Target Tuesday" link up. She also started the more recent "Link Love" where she spreads bloggy love to other blogs for posts written during the week. Basically, it's amazingly sweet and she's amazingly selfless. Plus, she's totally gorgeous and pretty dang funny. Read on and enjoy!

hi. my name is tara and you can usually find me blogging at fabulous but evil. i am super happy to be here sharing these three things that define ME! i blog about all kinds of random nonsense, so that's exactly what you are going to see here today! if you follow my blog or follow me on twitter or know me in real life, you'd know that these three things are things that i am pretty much obsessed with.

[one]

mean girls! 

um. hello! THISISTHEBESTMOVIEEVER. i have been obsessed with this movie since it first came out in 2004! i find ways to quote it daily. don't be surprised if i randomly ask you: "is butter a carb?" or yell out "YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US" if you're not wearing pink on wednesday! and guess what? the title of my blog is actually a quote from mean girls! 

[two]

cheeseburgers!

y'all. i'm addicted to cheeseburgers. ADDICTED. they are like a little taste of paradise. what's crazy is i never eat cheeseburgers at restaurants, only at fast food places! mcdonald's, wendy's, burger king, sonic, whataburger, in-n-out.. NOM NOM NOM. for serious, i went and got a cheeseburger for thanksgiving dinner. and actually, i'm craving one right now.

[three]

unicorns!

i don't know how you could not be obsessed with the most amazingly magical animal ever. unicorns just scream rainbows and glitter and happiness to me, so i love them. hubs even bought me a little unicorn that i named 'princess sparkles!' she rides around with me in my car. speaking of unicorns, please go find out your unicorn name. mine is: 

Windflower Golden Nostrils

"Windflower is silly and loveable.

She is as golden as a sunrise,

and she dances in clouds of falling stars."

what three things define you?

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Ahhhh, Tara. I totally adore you! Anyone who is a friend of cheeseburgers is a friend of mine! Plus, your unicorn name is amazing! I just checked mine and it's "Tulip Charming Reins." I'm not gonna lie...I kinda love it. Tulips ARE my favorite flower! : )

Thanks so much for being here!

Love, love!

Life Lately

A quick look at some things that have been happening around our little household:

Decorating for Christmas.

Buying fall stuff on clearance. 

Playing with cute puppies. 

Painting nails.  

Enjoying the cold weather!

Throw in a lot of working, a little bit of sleeping, tons of eating and some snuggling/loving...and that's been our life in a nutshell. And y'all know what? We are loving it. It's really been on my heart lately to be intentionally grateful at all times...and that's what we are doing. We are just enjoying this sweet time in life, relishing in the day whether it's busy or boring, and riding the hills and valleys of this ride called life. 

Love, love!

Sometimes and Always #3

Sometimes: I wish that I lived up north somewhere because I adore cold weather!

Always: I'm really glad that I don't ever have to shovel any snow. 

Sometimes: I wish I was a puppy so I could curl up by the heater and sleep all day. 

Always: I like human food too much to be a puppy. 

Sometimes: I think about getting up early on my days off so that I can get stuff done. 

Always: I end up sleeping in...until at least noon. 

Sometimes: I look at the healthy options on a menu when we go out to eat. 

Always: I never end up ordering the healthy options. : )

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(Question...several people have asked me to make Sometimes & Always a link up. Would y'all be interested in that? Leave me a comment if y'all would link up and I'll definitely consider it!) 

Please welcome my sweet sponsor Amy from Oh So Charming!

Amy is totally adorable and her blog is full of beautiful photographs, creative inspiration and fun fashion. Head on over and make a sweet new friend! Plus, she has a giveaway going on right now! Enter it here. 

Love, love!

PS: I still have 3 sponsor spots open for December! Special holiday rate of only $10!