Life Lessons

Huckleberry's always creeping on my baked goods..

I wanted to take a break from Friday Letters this week and instead just share some things that life has been teaching me lately.

So, this week I've learned that...

My husband is only human. It's amazing how quickly I can forgot that my husband's not perfect. And even more amazing how personally I take his faults. When he leaves the refrigerator door open while pouring himself a glass of milk, it isn't a passive aggressive attack on me. It's funny how the quirks you found funny when you were dating are now grounds for battle in marriage. But hey, he isn't perfect and Lord knows I am so, so far from being perfect myself. At the end of the day, he is still my rock, my covenant partner, my number one. The little things need to remain little, not ignite WWIII.

If something is important to you, get it done yourself. I think a lot of time we (or at least I) rely on other's to get the job done. Maybe because we don't want to add anything else to our overflowing to-do lists, or we simply don't want any extra responsibility on us, especially during the holiday season when we already feel stretched too thin. But if something is genuinely important to you, get the job done yourself. Relying on others will oftentimes result in disappointment. If it's important to you, make it your responsibility and see it through. And then if something falls through, you only have you to blame instead of building resentment towards another.

It's easy to make friends, if you only put yourself out there. Ever since I moved to Washington, I've craved intimate friendships. Of course Steven's childhood friends adopted me as one of their own, but everyone is in different places in life. I missed the companionship of my girlfriends from back home. After making excuses for about a year, Steven and I joined a young adult's Bible study, and by the time we left I honestly felt like I had made 12 new friends. As crazy as if sounds, I can't wait to go back next week! It took long enough, but we finally got out of our comfort zone and amazingly, we discovered that people like us! It really isn't hard to make friends if you just put yourself out there. More than likely people will like you too ;)

Hugging a dog will relieve you anxiety. Seriously. There is nothing more I need to say about this one. They just have magical powers.

What has life been teaching you lately?

Saw It. Pinned It. Did It.

If you saw my finished Pinterest desk, you may have noticed the framed cork board. I wish I could say that I come up with this stuff on my own, but I don't. Here's was the inspiration curtesy of Pinterest.

Here's what you'll need.

- An old frame (I got mine at a yard sale for $1)

- Cork board

- Fabric

- Picture Hanging Equipment (Something like this)

- Staple Gun

Measure the frame to determine what size cork board you'll need to purchase (mine was 16x20).

If necessary, paint and distress your frame to your liking. Then take the cork board and fabric (for my frame one yard of fabric was more than enough) and pull the fabric taunt against the cork board. Flip the cork board over and use your staple gun to staple the excess fabric in place.

Place the cork board into the frame and then mount your picture hanging equipment. (That should consist of two saw brackets, one in each of the upper corners of the frame. Then simply strung the picture wire.) Trust me, it sounds more complicated than it is!

And you're done! A beautiful, custom cork board!

Isn't Pinterest amazing??

Let me know if you give this DIY project a try yourself!

mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Remember when I told you I made 36 mini cheesecakes because I'm clinically insane? Well, they turned out really, really good. They are a little time consuming to make, but worth it if you love cheesecake! Here's what you'll need.

- 9 Oreo Cookies
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) and 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs
- whipped cread for topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 medium muffin cups with paper baking liners. Split Oreos in half. Place one cookie half, middle side up, in each cup.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in granulated sugar and the cocoa until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Evenly divide among cups (cups will be almost full).

Bake cheesecakes 25-30 minutes or until centers are firm. Cool for 15 minutes and then refrigerate for one hour.

Smaller than a post-it note :)

A Case of The Mondays

My morning started off with miscommunication and a bad cup of coffee. Steven says I have a case of the Mondays, I think I just have a case of the mornings --every morning. I'm simply just not a very able-bodied, functioning human being before 10 am. And that makes me testy. So instead of ranting, which I certainly feel like doing this morning, I'm going to show you some of my favorite captured moments from this weekend. You're welcome.

But first, a photo of Huckleberry in his festive Thanksgiving scarf that so many of you have been dying to see since last Friday. Sorry I didn't post this sooner! It was on my instagram though, so if you aren't already following me there, click here! Huck added the big, sad puppy dog eyes for some extra drama.

My handsome hubby blowing leaves off our garage roof. This is obviously a favorite moment because he's on the roof and not me. Also, that ladder is an early Christmas present curtesy of his leading lady. (That's me, people.)

Huckleberry and Herschel taking an afternoon nap together under my desk.

Herschel being particularly cute.

And my favorite..Huck watching Jurassic Park intently. He was barking at the velociraptors and then tilting his head to listen to their response. He is too cute.

Unfortunately, we didn't get our tree this weekend, but I did get a swanky new blazer and that's almost as exciting ;)

Friday Letters

This is the only photo I took on Thanksgiving. I even forgot to take a picture of me and Steven! Fail.

Dear Thanksgiving - You were yummy and relaxing. Just what I needed. Dear Work - I love working from home and think I should be able to do that every day. No need to shower, no disgusting coffee, and my pup sleeping under my desk...it's pretty much perfect. And the best part is I am insanely productive when I work from home. Not only do I get all my work done in a much more timely manner, but I also wash the dishes and mop the floors. Really, we need to make this a permanent arrangement, kay? Dear Husband - Thank you for making me feel so special and loved, especially on the holidays. You make the ache of missing my family disappear. Dear Huckleberry - When you came home from daycare on Wednesday in your festive Thanksgiving scarf I just about died. You are too cute. Dear Friends - Thank you for being there for me even though you're far away. I feel so blessed to have friendships that have withstood 16+ years and 3,000 miles. I know it's really rare so I plan on holding on tight forever. 

I hope  you all had a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones! See you Monday!

Being Thankful

Last Thanksgiving was the first time I have ever spent a holiday away from my family. And although I was surrounded by Steven's family, I felt lonely. I have a feeling that this year will be no different, but when I reflect on the last 12 months it's easy to see that I have so much to be thankful for --like Chapstick and York Peppermint Patties, central heating and new tires on my Jeep, and having an especially handy man for a husband. 

On a more serious note, I am thankful for my family who have always been so supportive of me (even my crazier decisions like moving across the country!), my few friendships that have withstood the test of time and distance, my cute fur babies who have somehow made life seem more full, and my husband who makes me so proud I swear I could burst! 

It's a good thing to sit back and take the time to reflect on all you have. So let's do that and be grateful.

Also, I'm guest posting on Megan blog today. So if you want to read more about living with a the cutest Golden Retriever on the planet!! and some of the characteristics of that breed, go here! 

The {Finished} Pinterest Desk

I promised I would post pictures of the finished version of my Pinterest desk the hubby made me, and post I will. But first, if you didn't see the inspiration photo and the beginnings of the construction process, go here!

Secondly, I'd like to apologize for the quality of my photos. I should have taken them during the day for better lighting. But seriously, I'm just not a photographer and it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference :)

So without further ado, here is my lovely, 9ft. Pinterest inspired desk!

To the left of the computer, Steven cut a circular opening to run the cables through. He then attached the surge protector to the bottom of the desk. That way the multiple cords for the computer, lighting, etc. aren't simply lying on the floor. 

Sadly, my office is still pretty sparse, but I have added a few details that I really love.

I found this cute, three tiered bird detail at Michael's. It's great for holding small office supplies like tacks, paper clips, and the all so necessary miniature, glitter clothespins ;)

Things Left To Do:

• Pick out and hang a curtain for the office window
• Buy a filling cabinet with lock for important documents
• Build a shelving unit on the wall opposite the desk (I'm thinking something like this)
• Hang the cork board
• Find decor for the office walls

Weekend Review

This past weekend was busy, busy! Saturday morning I made two loaves of sandwich bread for the work week ahead, cleaned the house from top to bottom, and then made a lasagna. I'm pretty sure I should win an award for being so domestic. On top of all that, that night I had to put in some overtime for work editing a proposal only to wake up on Sunday morning and discover that the due date had been extended for another week! Balderdash! I was tempted to punch someone in the face, but the only person around at the time was Steven so I refrained. 

And that was just my Saturday!!

On Sunday, I made 36 mini cheesecakes for my office's Thanksgiving potluck today. Yeah, 36 mini cheesecakes. Because obviously I'm crazy. It's safe to say I don't want to be near an oven for at least a week. 

But do not fret, there were some good moments this weekend too. Like a Breaking Bad marathon with the hubby and beating him in an intense game of Phase 10 (have you even played Phase 10?? Such a fun card game!) 

Also, like every weekend, I took some cute pics of the pup. This one in particular is a true gem.

Notice Huck's apprehension? He's silently saying, mom, it's behind me isn't it? Waiting to strike!

See it? Let's zoom in to get a better look.

Herschel stalking him prey. Huck and I live in constant fear. He left a dead bird on the doorstep Saturday morning...I think it was a warning.

Hope you have a great Monday! If Monday's are even capable of being great. And prepare yourselves for a home office reveal later this week :)

Oh yeah, Thanksgiving is Thursday. This year is going by way too fast!

Friday Letters

Dear Readers - I finally got an instagram. I know I'm really behind the times, so please forgive me, but I think it's awesome!!  Dear Herschel - You're funny. When you put your paws on my face and give me kitty kisses it makes me laugh. Partly because you're cute, but mostly because it tickles. Dear Car - This weekend you are getting Washington plates. Kinda makes me sad, but it's the next step for me to become a true Washingtonian. Dear Thanksgiving - You are less than a week away! Turkey! Nom nom.. Stuffing! Nom nom... Mashed Potatoes! Nom nom... this could go on, but I think I'll stop here. Dear Husband - I know you think we need a truck, but I'm convinced our next purchase should be a pygmy goat. Just think it over, will ya? 

Repurposed TV Stand

Piece by piece, my living room is slowly coming together! 

Shortly after Steven and I moved in, my mother-in-law gave us a nightstand she picked up at a yard sale. Steven removed the top drawer, cut out a hole in the back for wires, and we have been using it as the TV stand in our living room.

When my mom came to town, we decided to give this old nightstand new life with a little paint job and distressing. We sanded it, applied three coats of paint, and then slightly distressed it.

I love the finished product! 

This new look is a much better fit for the overall feel I want for our living room! 

Now, if only we had a furnace in that fireplace...  :)

Bainbridge Island

Luckily, when my parents came to town last week we were blessed with a few pretty days here in Washington. Look! Blue skies!

So we decided to drive to Seattle and take a ferry to Bainbridge Island. Steven and I have been to Bainbridge once before, and I just love all the cute speciality shops, bookstores, and eateries! There is just something about small, quaint towns that I can't get enough of!

From custom made furniture and Pacific Northwest art to simple holiday decor, there is plenty of variety in their downtown shopping center. Even an outdoorsy woodmen's shop that Steven loved! 

I should have purchase this two dimensional canvas to hang over my bed! Oh hindsight!

After shopping for a while we grabbed lunch at a diner down by the water and then ended the day buying some chocolate at a local shop {which was amazing and of course I don't have any pictures to show you because it's in my belly}.

My parents stay in WA wasn't long enough! I wish I could have taken them around the area more, but I think they enjoyed this little day trip. {And actually, my dad and Steven were able to go to the Seahawks game on Sunday, so I know that was fun for them at least!} My mom and I spent a lot of time shopping {duh} and doing DIY projects around the home. All in all it was a great visit and I hope they are able to visit again soon!

My 17 Year Old Self

Like most high school yearbooks, each member in my graduating class of 2007 was instructed to pick a quote that would stand beneath his or her senior portrait. Oftentimes, boys pick something ridiculous like Billy Madison's famous line "You ain't cool, unless you pee your pants." (Actually, I am pretty sure I saw that quote beside my husbands graduation picture in his yearbook. Go figure.) But for most graduating girls, we take this task very seriously, as if those words spoken by some dead author,  poet, evangelical, politician, etc. were spoken just for us, at this particular moment in our life, and will somehow unveil our destinies.

We pour over quotes, stressing over each syllable, sweating over each punctuation mark, nauseating over every pause until, at last, we find the perfect fit. Something clicks. We feel a connection. We have discovered our lives purpose. Angels are singing, bells are ringing, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Beneath my 17 year old selves graduating portrait lies this quote credited to Mark Twain,

                           "Twenty years from now you will be disappointed by the things you 

didn't do than by the one's you did. Explore. Dream. Discover." 

While looking through pictures from this past weekend with my parents I thought of this quote and couldn't help but laugh aloud at the 17 year old version of me. I altered the above quote before submitting it to the yearbook staff. The quote in it's entirety reads, "Twenty years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the one's you did. So throw off the bowliness. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Do you see what I did? I omitted the risk. The man who penned this quote (whom I discovered years later is indeed not Mark Twain but a modern day author named H. Jackson Brown Jr.) was implying more risk than I was willing to take. His words spoke to me, but I wanted to live a pretty life with no regrets. One where pain and tough decision never occurred. I wanted to explore, dream, and discover all that this life had in store for me without "sail[ing] away from the safe harbor." 

What the 17 year old version of me didn't understand is that you can't live life with no risk and be happy. With the risk comes heartache, tears, and sometimes suffering --but, more importantly, with the risk comes joy. A joy in knowing that you made it, that you took the necessary steps to bettering your life, that you had the faith, the courage, and the ability to leave your safe harbor and cast the winds in your sails.

Moving away from all I even known and all I ever loved was a risk. I feel the pain every time I give a loved one a hug knowing that I won't see them for another six months. I feel the heartache when I hang up the phone after a conversation with my best friend, wondering when I'll be able to talk to her face to face again. I feel the despair when nostalgia sets in for the holidays and I long for the comforts of home.

Oh, but I feel deep joy and contentment when I wake up next to the one I love! I feel overwhelming gratitude when I look around at the lovely home I live in surrounded by these tall, mossy Pacific Northwest trees. I feel satisfaction in knowing that I was brave enough to leave my safe harbor. And I feel blessed that the Lord has such great plans for me.

The risk is scary, but the reward is worth it.

Weekend Review

1. Strawberry cinnamon milkshake for dinner

2. Operation Christmas Child shoebox full of goodies

3. Antlers patiently waiting to be mounted above our fireplace 

4. New favorite candle - Fireside Memories

Not pictured is a nature walk the hubby, pup, and I took because I forgot my camera (blogger fail). But all in all we had a great weekend. Best part? Washing the sheets and making up a bed in the guest bedroom. Why, you ask? Because mom and dad are coming to visit on Wednesday!! yay!  This will be their first time to Washington, their first time seeing my home, and their first time meeting Huckleberry! That's way too many firsts. I can't wait to show them everything and just spend some quality time with them. 

Honestly, living so far away from my family is hard. Like really, really hard. I didn't think it would be so rough, but sometimes a girl just needs her mom and dad no matter how old she is. 

On another note, Steven said that putting cinnamon in our strawberry milkshakes would be gross, but I ignored him and did it anyway. It was not gross. It was awesome.

Oh yeah, don't forget to vote people!

Sorry for the random Monday post :)

How was your weekend?

Friday Letters

Via
Do you know who Jim Elliot is? If not, I encourage you to look him up. He was an amazing individual who was murdered serving the Lord. I basically love his widow bunches and bunches and have read almost every book she's ever written. She's awesome.

Dear Husband - I like staying  up and talking to you under the covers in the dark. I like that you believe in me and encourage me. Frankly, I just really like you. Dear November - Woah! I cannot believe you are already here! And I'm excited because November means eating mass quantities of food with no judgement (because that's what we Americans do for the holidays) AND seeing my parents in just a few short days! I am so excited for mom and dad to come to Washington for the first time!! YAY! Dear Blog Friends - Wanna hear something funny? You know how on your blogger dashboard you can go to stats and then view the search keywords people most commonly type into google that directs them to your sight?? Well, the top two most searched keywords leading people to my blog are "worst pumpkin carving" and "horrible carved pumpkins." Haha! That absolutely cracks me up! They obviously are being shown to this post. Seriously, how funny is that! Made my day :) Dear Weekend - I really don't have any plans for you yet, but I am completely fine with that. I just want to be lazy and sleep in till noon {Ha! I wish}. A girl can dream though, right?

Hope you have a great weekend!!

Saw It. Pinned It. Did It. - Homemade Stromboli

If you've been reading along this week you know I've been in a bit of a cooking frenzy as of late. But I wanted to wait and share my favorite Pinterest inspired dish today for the Saw it. Pinned it. Did it. link up! And I can actually say this week that I did it and not my husband. So high five to me.
Here's the original pin.

Via I thought these homemade stomboli pinwheels would be perfect for a Sunday game day dinner! And the photo above made me salivate so basically I didn't have a choice. I had to make it.  Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated pizza dough *(Or you can make you're own! I made my own dough and follow this recipe). 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 pack thinly sliced salami 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach sliced mushrooms Italian seasoning coarse salt and pepper Extra virgin olive oil Directions: Roll out pizza dough on flour surface into a large rectangle. Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle dough with Italian seasoning. Lay salami our in a single sheet, slightly overlapped. Sprinkle salami with chopped spinach and mushrooms, etc. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese. Roll dough up into a log. Rub the top of dough with the olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown. 

Feel free to add any additional veggies you'd like in your Stromboli. Just remember the more stuffed you make it, the longer you may have to cook it.  If you want to get the Stromboli into bite size pinwheels, wait until the Stromboli cools and then cut the bread diagonally. This makes it the perfect size to dip in Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing. Mmmmm. Also, this was the very first time I made pizza dough from scratch and it was so simple and tasty! It is definitely worth it if you have the time. The recipe I followed makes enough dough for two Stromboli's, so I simply froze the rest of the dough to use later!  If you missed my Saw it. Pinned it. Did it. post from last week, click here! Happy Thursday, friends!