A Few Favs: Pinterest Edition

 Everything I have liked from the web this past week is of course from Pinterest. So many good things on there, right? Sometimes I go to Pinterest just to find cool graphic designs of Bible verses. Sometimes I go there just to look at mountain pictures. I guess I go there to get inspired. Is that bad?

 These lemon and raspberry cupcakes look DELISH. And they are so pretty. Can't wait to make them and eat them.

 If you know me, you know I love, love, loveeeeeeeeee mountains. I want to live in the mountains more than I want just about anything. I would love to live in the middle of these mountains. Oh gosh. I'm homesick just looking at that picture.

 I love this reminder. Plus there are mountains in the background. Double like (love).

 I'm glad for Octobers. Because I love fall, especially in Oklahoma. Can't wait to wear beanie and sweater. Mmmmm.

Do you have any favs from around the web you'd like to share?

Happy Monday - I hope your week is filled with lots of hope, joy, and nice big hugs.

A Garden Update: Worship and Solarization

 I wish I could be updating you all on all my awesome veggies in my garden, but I can't, because there isn't one! This year, I had high hopes for having a successful veggie garden. Then as 2011 came to an end and 2012 began, life got much busier, and I found myself having to re-prioritize. And that's okay. 

  For a long time I had been asking God to give me a hobby I could be passionate and excited about; a way I could worship Him through my creativity. Kevin worships through writing music, and I have friends who worship through painting and even baking. Praise God for that, right? But none of those things ever spoke out to me when I tried them. Then, God in all His love and grace, placed the desire to garden on my heart. It was no coincidence that we moved into a house with a big garden plot in the backyard around the same time.It felt so good digging my hands in the dirt. I loved having that time to connect with the Creator of all things, and I still do.

Adventures in Oil Pulling

 Yes, oil pulling. Yes, it's awesome. And weird. But mostly awesome. Oil pulling is a form of  detoxing. In the morning on an empty stomach, you simply swish oil (sunflower, olive, or coconut) in your mouth for a short period of time, usually 10-20 minutes, but people have done it for over an hour! During that time, the oil is drawing all that nasty stuff {toxins} from you body and into your mouth. Yum. Some folks' mouths get so dirty, they'll have to spit it out and repeat the process. TMI? Maybe. But it could improve your health! Oh, and don't swallow. That defeats the purpose of detoxing.

 I used unrefined, expeller pressed virgin coconut oil from Whole Foods. I believe it ran me around 6 or 7 bucks for 14oz. But the oil you use is your prerogative. All you need to swish is one spoonful. Coconut oil comes as a solid, but once you put it in your mouth, it turns liquid. Mine has been sitting out a while, so it's kind of creamy. Did I mention it tastes yummy, too?

swish swish swish! I would have put a picture of me spitting, but no one wants to see that.
So far, I haven't noticed any drastic differences, but it's only my third day to try. I do have a headache today which is a symptom of detoxing. Or maybe it's from mowing the lawn.

Benefits include an overall cleaner system, clearer skin, whiter teeth, fresher breath, clearer sinuses, and hundreds more. To read more in depth about this process, check this out. And for more testimonies and uses for coconut oil, click here. If you give this a shot, I would love to know! I will keep you updated on any benefits or symptoms I might experience from this, too. Happy pulling!

At the Drive-In (not the band)

 Last Friday was Brandon's 11th birthday. We decided to celebrate with pizza and the drive-in. It was so fun to see all the sweet people join together to celebrate B. He had such a blast. At one point, he took his shirt off and went running into the distance at the drive-in. "I thought I was goin'  to jump over the fence!" It's hard to know sometimes with him.

 Tomorrow, I hope to have a post about my most recent experiment in oil pulling. It's not as weird as it sounds...or maybe it is. I'll let you be the judge.

p.s.- We are closing on our house today. Hooray! 25th & Skillern will be officially ours. Crazy!

A Few Favs

 Is anyone else pining for fall like I am? Looking back at these pictures from Colorado makes me yearn for it even more. Hurry up October!

Here are a few favorites from around the web this past week.

• The absolute sweetest baby announcement ever. Such a cute little family!
• I made this cookie recipe last week, and yum, they were delicious.
• This site helps you plan your garden for you. So great for beginners like myself.
• COCONUT OIL! You guys, it's just awesome. Make sure to read all the comments, too. 

What are your favs this week?

Have a wonderful Monday. Make sure to keep cool and hydrated out there. It's going to be a hot one! And make sure to love on someone today. There's always someone who could use some :-)

Porter Peach Festival

Last night, Kev, Erika, Penni, Chris, and I drove down to Porter, OK to check out the first night of the Porter Peach Festival. We all tried delicious treats made with the fresh Porter peaches: peach ice cream (above), peach ice (below) and not pictured was Chris' fresh peach cobbler with ice cream. Yum! It was just about time for the Miss Porter Peach Pageant, but believe it or not, it got rained out. We were all shocked to see all the rain and lightning and high winds headed our way. Our trip was cut a little short, but it was fun to just to take a short but sweet trip out of town for a couple hours.

  

Do you all have any weekend plans? The festival goes until Saturday evening in Porter. It's definitely worth a 30 minute drive! Today is my baby brother's 11th birthday. We'll be spending the night with him eating a delicious dinner and going to see Spider Man at the drive-in. So excited!
Have a wonderful weekend!

p.s.- that chicken on a stick was literally some of the best chicken I have ever had. Who knew fair food could actually be quality?

Photos for Your Tuesday

Did you know Kevin is good at everything he does? Painting, drawing, music, carpentry, electrical, looking cute...you name it, he is good at it. At one point in time, before we even knew each other, Kev did photography. And...he was good at it. I guess he probably still is, but he doesn't get behind the lens too much these days.

 These are just a few of my favorites that he took. I love that one of Kev's dad and brother. They just look plain cool. I believe they're all film, which is that roll of black stuff you put in a camera and then develop it after you take the pictures...do you remember that?

p.s. - I just remembered Kevin isn't very good at math. I know he'd be upset if I said he was good at everything. So, there you go. Happy Tuesday!

A Few Favs

picture taken from Door of Hope Church. Isn't it dreamy?

The internet is a magical place filled with wonderful ideas and pictures and books and other time-wasting things. Here are a few favorites I've found around the web this past week.

• Happy Tape - How fun is this? I don't actually have any yet, but I'm imagining wrapping many future Christmas gifts with it. Or even just put in on the wall for decoration.
• My new summer read - I am loving this book! It couldn't be any more fitting for me right now. Excited to apply the Word to my passion of gardening.
• This farm house on Longest Acres blog. Can you imagine living on a farm in that beauty? Oooo... dreaming...
• DIY bed legs - love the options for color and design. Perfect idea for future bedroom furniture.
  
  
  Any favs you'd like to share?
  
  p.s.- Have you checked out 
  Lisse Lives Life or Mandy the Outfitter? Worth your time!

The 4th!

my favorite fireworks. they remind me of the weeping willow tree my that was in my aunt's front yard a long time ago.

I love the 4th of July. Not as much as Thanksgiving or Christmas, but it's in my top 3, I guess. There's just something about cookouts with family, eating juicy watermelon, and watching fireworks light up the sky while you go deaf from the explosion that makes my heart happy.

Today, we're just going to take it easy by the pool, then have a small but delicious cookout with friends, and enjoy some fireworks by the river. Do you have any fun activities planned? Whatever you end up doing, stay hydrated out there! I made myself sick mowing the lawn yesterday because I didn't drink enough water. Lesson learned!

Hope you have a wonderful mid-week celebration! Be a blessing to someone today!

Weekend Fun in KC

These are a few shots from our birthday trip to K.C. this past weekend. We had a blast!

1, 2, & 3 // Nelson-Atkins Museum
4 // Crazy building in downtown K.C.

5 // Hotel we were in for the weekend (super swanky looking, huh?)
6 & 7 // Union Station (totally worth the drive just to hang out here.)