A Weekend in Pictures: Eureka Springs

 Kev and I stole away to Eureka Springs this weekend. We went back in March, but it was so cold and it wasn't a popular time to visit, so hardly anything was open. The weather was still a bit brisk this time around (we even got sleeted on, what?!), but the town was much more hoppin'. It's definitely a beautiful time of year to go with the fall colors starting to poke through.

 Let's talk about how awesome that tree house is. There are about 5 or 6 houses similar to this that you can rent out. We wanted to this time, but they were all booked. I would love to live there!

 Traveling with Kevin is probably number one on my most favorite things to do. Sometimes we talk about selling everything we have, getting an RV and traveling the U.S. to tell people about Jesus. Who knows if that will ever happen, but it's fun to dream!

Did you have a good weekend? I hope you're getting to enjoy this weather, too. It's so good for the spirit!

Fair Time (because there's not a better title)

 Bet you thought I was never coming back here, didn't you? I guess that's been partially true. I just haven't been in the mood to blog because  a) I thought of nothing interesting to share and b) maybe I'm lazy. So, I'll make no promises. It makes it more suspenseful if I don't blog everyday, anyway...right?

 Kev and I took Brandon and Thomas to the fair on Tuesday night. It was B's first time to go, and I think he loved it, minus all the walking. "Uhhhhhhhhhh my legs are gonna fall off," after he sits on the dirty and cricket infested pavement in the middle of the midway. What a kid.
 And when did Thomas get 6 inches taller than me? STOP GROWING UP, THOMAS! I don't want to be the shortest in the fam, but it's looking like I am going to be... unless Brandon stops growing for some reason.
 Oh yeah, I forgot to mention we collectively ate: donut burger, pineapple whip, giant pretzel, corn, slushie, and a funnel cake. Terribly delicious.

Adios, friends. WEAR A SWEATER TOMORROW AND ALL WEEKEND BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE COLD!

Chore Chart!

 One of the {small} ways to make any household/community run smoothly is for everyone to chip in and clean together. I can remember being a kid and having my parents introduce my dad's hand drawn chore chart to the kids. It had the pictures of the chores and the punishment we'd receive if we didn't do them (which happened more often than not, sorry Mom and Dad!). Thankfully around here we're all considerate and independent adults, so no parental punishment will ensue. Whew!
 I've been very bad at making a chore chart for us and our roommates, but since Mandy is getting back into town and Erika is almost (not really) done housesitting, I decided we better get this ball rollin'! I'm so excited to get it lamenated.

  I can't wait to mark those spaces in with big giant Xs! It's no secret that I like to clean...
Do you have anything that helps keep you on task with chores? I'd love to hear!

Happy Friday! We'll be enjoying this awesome weather all weekend. Mmm mmm.

*I will be putting a full-size printable up in the next few days*

Sweater Weather is Better Weather

 People of Oklahoma and surrounding states, sweater weather is almost here. That's something to get excited about, am I right? Sweaters apparently make us crazy and weird (but what's new?). But for real, stepping outside in the morning to an almost-crisp-not-as-humid morning is so wonderful for my soul. Isn't it amazing how God speaks to us even through the seasons? Mmm mmm, it is good!

 So, this is probably the 257th post you've read about the impending fall weather. But that's okay, because they're all true. So long, summer! Hellllllllllllo fall, and hello hopefully legitimate winter that follows.

*more "substantial" posts to come...maybe*

Oh Baby, Baby

 My brother, Michael, and his family came to visit from Florida last week. They spent a wonderful five days here. It was such a joy. If you can't tell from the following pictures, I'm pretty obsessed with my super sweet nephew, Will. Boogies and all.

ZZZzzz....

what I wish I were happening right now

     There hasn't been a whole lot of sleep going on these past few nights, and I am tired. I'm thinking 8 o'clock sounds like an appropriate bedtime for me. Other than lack of sleep, what a great weekend and Monday so far! I've been enjoying the hint of fall crispness in the air. I think it'll come earlier this year, praise God!
 

In more exciting news, my oldest brother and his family are coming to visit from Florida this Wednesday. It has been ONE WHOLE YEAR since I've seen any of them, and haven't even met my nephew, baby Will yet. I am so pumped! Now if only I could fly my sister in from Australia, we'd have the whole crew. I'm sure much Skyping will take place. Family + food = one of the best things in life.

Have a wonderful week! I'm not sure I'll be around much this week, but hopefully next week I can get back to some blogging that's worth reading. Hopefully...

60th Anniversary Memories

 Here's a little (long) video my siblings put together as a gift to my grandparents for their anniversary. There were too many memories to even put in without the video being so long. If you have 23 minutes, check it out!

Monday in Pictures

 Hi everyone! I accidentally took an unexpected break from blogging. Whoops. Kev and I have been busily looking for new cars this whole week but with absolutely zero luck. Oh well, onward we go! Other than that, I have nothing substantial to write about this second (what's new?), so I will leave you with weird pictures we took today on our day off.

The cowboy one is my fav. Have a wonderful week!

Loving Lately: Kale Smoothies

Smoothies are the perfect summertime breakfast. They're quick, cold, and refreshing. Lately, I've been super into kale smoothies. They are so yummy! For those of you leery about adding greens to your smoothie, don't be! You can hardly, if at all, taste the kale. It has such a subtle flavor but jam packs your smoothie with tons of nutrients, unlike eagle eggs.

Here's how I've been making my green mango banana smoothie:

• 1 banana
• ~1/2 cup of frozen mangoes
• 1 handful of kale with ribs removed (use spinach if you don't have kale on hand)
• ~1/2 cup of pure apple juice
• 1 heaping tablespoon of coconut oil (works best at room temperature)
• a few ice cubes for good measure

Combine all ingredients and enjoy! If you don't like mangoes, you could substitute any fruit you'd like. I'm sure OJ would be delicious, too. Yum.

 Do you have any favorite smoothie recipes you'd like to share? I'd love to have 'em.

 Happy Monday! I've got a feeling this week is going to be a good'n.

What are you loving lately? Head on over to Winged Writer and share your link!

A Few Favs

Oh, internet, what goodness did you bring in for me this week? I wouldn't know, because I haven't browsed it very much. Here are a few things I did manage to stumble upon that are noteworthy (to me, anyway).

Free Rice - This site is awesome! For every answer you get correct, Free Rice gives 10 grains of rice to the World Food Programme to help end hunger. Educate yourself and help those in need! Double win.

Hunter Rain boots - Yes, the are outrageously priced and I could never justify spending that much for boots just for them to get dirty in the garden. But this photo makes me anxious for fall so I can get outside and dig in the dirt.

Forks Over Knives - People of America, PLEASE WATCH THIS! I know I am not going to convince anybody on here to change the way they eat, so do yourself a favor and watch for yourself. Let's take advantage of the awesome whole foods God gave us to make us and keep us healthy.
It's inspired me to start off by making small changes to my diet, like blending up a kale smoothie every morning. Delish and nutrish. Maybe I'll share that recipe next week.

Speaking of recipes, Penni of Banjelope has delicious, made-from-scratch recipes you must try. Trust me, I've had some of them, and they are mm-mm-good.

And, woohoo, it's Friday! Tonight, I'm attending an artisan bread making class. I think we're trying our hand at baguettes. Yum! Also, Scales of Motion is playing at Joe Mama's Pizza, so if you like pizza and music, you'll definitely want to be there. If you just like pizza and hate music, get the 5 dollar pizza from Little Caesar's. Or make this homemade pizza.

Happy weekend! Share a smile with someone today!

1 2 3

Are you guys tired of looking at pictures of us yet? Yes? Well, sorry about that. Maybe I'll post something different tomorrow...like a picture of my weird cat or some mountains.

Until then, here's a little trip down memory lane.

I think 3 years looks best on us. Kevin says our hair is a little more contained in the 3rd year picture.

I guess we both decided it would be a good idea to comb our hair after 3 years.

08.08.09

all photos by Kris Payne

"Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away..." Song of Solomon 8:7

3 years later and more in love than ever.
Kev, you rock at being an awesome spiritual leader, husband, and best friend.
Thanks for loving me like Jesus loves us.
Here's to many more years of love with you!
Happy Anniversary, Hon.

60 years of wonderful

 Saturday night, we celebrated my grandparents' 60th anniversary and my Papaw's 87th birthday.  Wow, what awesome milestones to celebrate! My dad got in touch with Tommy Crook* and asked him to come out and give a private concert. I'm pretty sure my grandparents loved it (we all did). Tommy played lots of old tunes that my grandparents knew, including the song Papaw's brother sang at their wedding. It was so special. And seeing them dance was heart melting. So devoted and in love after all these years. It's inspirational, people! Oh, and I can't forget to mention that my brother, Joe, made the most delicious meal for us all: maple glazed salmon, cilantro lime rice, broiled pineapple with cayenne pepper, and a yummy salad. Mmmm.... Thanks Joe!

All photos by Erika Bartel

 I asked my grandma what the secret to 60 years is, and she replied "Endurance!....and commitment and forgiveness. Especially if you can learn to forgive and forget."

 I think she's on to something.

*If you live in Tulsa and have never seen Tommy Crook live, you need to! I believe he plays some nights at Lanna Thai. Call them for details, though!

Sixty + Eighty-Seven

 Today is such a special day. My Papaw turns 87, and it is also my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. 60! They got married on his birthday. "Less dates to remember," is the reason my grandma gives. Smart lady.
 I could give many sweet memories of them, but that could be pages long. If you've had the pleasure of meeting my grandparents, you know what a true blessing they are to everyone. If you haven't met, well, you better get to it. You're missing out on some top notch stories and delicious meals, my friend.
 I'm so thankful to have them both around, and I so can't wait to celebrate them both this weekend.
Happy birthiversary to my favorite people in world!

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!