Fashion Friday: Thanksgiving Style

I always have Thanksgiving with all of my cousins and aunts and uncles on my Dad's side of the family. We have always rented our church for the occasion because nobody has a house big enough to hold everyone! As we are all getting older it's getting harder and harder to get together all the time, but Thanksgiving is the one time that we are all there!

What I wore: Dress: Target // Blouse: Kohls // Cardigan: Target // Tights: Target // 

Shoes: Payless (old) // Necklace: Bauble Bar

My family dresses pretty casual for Thanksgiving, but I always have to use any excuse to dress up :)

I love this necklace from Bauble Bar. I had been eying it for a long time, and then they sold out! So when it came back in stock I had to get it. It was a little on the spendy side for me, but I had some points stored up from previous purchases so I scored it for cheaper.

After we eat, we always bust out some games. Mexican Train Dominoes is a must.

    I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!
I'm glad that Christmas music is finally on the radio!

 

Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving Day Prep

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I purchased this unfinished Turkey Monogram through GroopDealz a while back, and just yesterday I finally got it out and got crafty. You can't get it at GroopDealz anymore but you can get it at Unfinished Wood Co. I painted it using Martha Stewart gold paint and glittered the E using Martha Stewart glitter as well. I need to go back and paint the inside and outside edges, but I was lazy yesterday.

I just love glitter!

I also finally got around to buying chalk so I could write something on this cute little sign my sister-in-law made me for Christmas a couple of years ago.

I am thankful for my family & friends and all of the blessings I have received throughout my life.

In everything give thanks
1 Thessalonians 5:18
 

Wednesday Wisdom: Piece of my Heart

via pinterest

There seems to be a lot angry opinions out in the world these days. I'm not going to pretend that I don't have them myself, but I've decided it's more important to share love then to spew anger. There are a lot of injustices in the world, but my facebook comments are not going to help anything. Prayer and love it what this world needs. So I have made it my goal that regardless of what others' opinions are, I am going to love them and show them kindness anyway.

Happy Wednesday!
 

Monday Revelation: Let it Go!

At 26, I feel that I pretty much have myself figured out by now, and yet I still make new discoveries. This year at has really come to my attention that I am a bit of a control freak. Recently I had a situation where I made plans for an event for the dance team I coach. At the last minute some of the girls informed me that they had made their own plans. I felt really disrespected and frustrated with them. Instead of letting it go and giving it to God and remembering to honor God in everything I do, I made a deal out of it and in the end a couple of the girls decided not to go. There is more to the story, but I was so upset about what happened and how things were going to work out that I couldn't sleep, I couldn't relax, and I was getting grumpy with my husband, who is an angel, and always the sound of reason in my anxious, control freak life.

I reached out and asked for prayer and for God to help me to LET GO of things and to not worry and let him take control. When I left for the event the next morning I was still feeling uneasy about how the day was going to turn out. I was listening to a Christian radio station (Klove) on my way to meet the team.

In the past year I have started making an effort to listen to Christian radio, only in my car. I usually get really tired of listening to the Christian station because I just don't really enjoy the style of music they play, but the more I have listened, I have come to enjoy some of the music and appreciate the songs I don't really like for their encouraging words. 

The DJ on Klove that morning said that she had been drawn to read the book of Malachi, a book she doesn't usually read, and a verse stood out to her about being thankful and honoring God no matter what and to LET GO. In that moment I knew God was using her to talk to me, because those exact words came to me the night before when I was not honoring God and I was stressing out and getting grumpy. For a long time I have been praying for God to speak to me, and I often feel like I never hear anything from God. I'm sure God talks to me all the time and I'm just not looking and listening for it, but for the first time I truly felt like God was directly speaking to me.

I'm sorry I don't remember what the verse was, and I read through Malachi and it didn't jump out at me. If I find it I will update this post and include the verse!

So today, on this Monday, I encourage you to honor God, no matter your circumstances, and LET IT GO! Give it to God and be thankful.

Happy Monday!

 

Football Fashion Friday

 Last weekend a family member gave my mom & I free tickets to go to the Beaver game! My Dad has season tickets and my brother is currently a student at OSU so we all went together. Love this picture of me and my youngest brother in front of the MU. He is getting his degree in Political Science and has just finished up helping campaign for a candidate for the election.

 My mom & my brother. You can see Gill Colosseum in the background.

 My mom & I had seats in the end zone. It was a cold day but there were beautiful bouts of sunshine off and on. This picture was taken right before we scored a touchdown.

 Love all that orange and black!

 The end of the game. Well, we lost. Seems to be happening a lot for us this season. Just not our year. But we stayed til the end to support our team. We're Beaver believers no matter what!

 My Dad has a special pass that gets us in to watch the Radio interview with Mike Riley after every game.

 Sorry it's blurry, I didn't want to use my flash! I know we're going through a rough patch with the team this year but I have always liked Mike Riley. I am glad he is our coach!

 My family + some family friends.

 Reser Stadium!

What I wore: Hat: Beaver Store (Child Size!) // Sweater: Victoria Secret // Shoes: Nike // Mom's Shirt: Beaver Store

End of the night with my mamma. Even though we lost, we had a fun time visiting, and people watching and cheering on our team!

 OOOOOOSSSSSSSSUUUUUUU Oregon State Fight Fight Fight!

Let's hope we win this weekend!

Go Beavers!

Wednesday Wisdom: Pray Without Ceasing

 Just thought I would share something that's on my heart. Sometimes I get so weighed down and frustrated and overwhelmed with life. I get so stressed out that I can't control the outcomes of things no matter how hard I try. I've faced so many setbacks with coaching so far, and teaching has definitely not been easy either. I hurt for my students that have behavior problems, and students who are more than likely going home to broken families, neglect and other things. I hurt for my friends and family who seem to be having a hard time in life. I hurt for the people of the world who face atrocities that I cannot even imagine. So often I feel utterly helpless until God hits me over the head with a hammer: The answer is PRAYER. I wish I could say I am a prayer warrior, but the truth is I am not. I go through spurts. Sometimes I am on fire consistently praying, and I would have to say that most of the time I am a lazy Christian. Lately I have been in a slump. About a week ago I had an issue come up with one of my students that really bothered me and I took care of it, but it still upset me. Prayer was not my first thought, but fortunately, God sent me a reminder. Remember next time when you feel helpless, that you are not. You have the most powerful being on your side. He wants to help.

Pray without Ceasing.

Happy Wednesday!

Fashion Friday

The weekend before Halloween, Joel & I had plans to go to a pumpkin patch and pick out pumpkins and get apple cider and take cute pictures (my idea of course), but it ended up raining all weekend so we didn't go. I still wanted to have a reason to get dressed and get out of the house though, so Joel suggested we go get some things we needed at Bimart and then go get hot apple cider at a cute little coffee place in town. Well we ended up taking too long at Bimart and Joel had to go to his football meeting so we didn't get coffee...so I got dressed cute just to go to Bimart. Oh, and I went to Walmart later too because Bimart didn't have the movie I was looking for. Oh the life of a small town girl--getting dressed up to go to Walmart!

What I wore: sweater: Scarf: Kohls // Sweater: Target // Shirt: Old Navy (old) //

// Leggings: Old Navy // Boots: Target //

I am soooo glad it's Friday!
Have a great weekend everyone :)

 

Wine Tasting

This last weekend I went wine tasting with my cousins and our guys. We went to the Willamette Valley Vineyards tasting room. I only took one picture of the room and I really wish I had taken more. I have never been to the Willamette Vineyards before and their tasting room was so beautiful. There is a firepit in the middle of the room with couches around it and there is a grand piano in one corner, and behind me in this picture is windowed doors going to outdoor patio seating with a beautiful view. I definitely would like to go back for a date night or a girls night! After our wine tasting we each bought a bottle or two, and ordered some appetizers to enjoy the beautiful venue.

lips: Maybelline in Plumb Perfect // Eyes: Wet 'n Wild in Walking on Eggshells

My lovely cousins & me on the outdoor patio. I'm the oldest...I didn't get the height gene ;)

I snapped this picture of my hubby with the pretty view in the background.

What I Wore: // Cardigan: Target // Top: Victoria's Secret (similar) // Leggings: Publik // Booties: Payless Shoes (old) //  // Necklace: 1 year anniversary gift from Hubby :) //

I love this picture of my hubby & me. It was a fun outing and the fall weather made for some beautiful pictures.

Happy Monday!