[diy] Mini Mason Gift Jars

Bad blogger... I thought I had scheduled a post for Friday before we went out of town this weekend, but I realized I hadn't finished it yet... and then yesterday, I was busy prepping our house for visitors for the evening... so my MWF post schedule was messed up. Yikes! But here I am today with what was supposed to go up yesterday... Onward!

This weekend, my mom, aunt, and I coordinated a bridal shower for my cousin and his fiance! They are getting married at the end of the month and are so super precious, so we were excited for the opportunity!

 

One of the tasks delegated to me was creating party favors for the guests. My mom and I use Pinterest to the MAX when it comes time to plan a party or event, and this was no exception. We found a few cute gift jars and decided that's what we would do.

Luckily, my friend's mom is a pro-canner of all jams, jellies, and pickles (and I'm sure other items), so I enlisted her help! She found us the CAHUTEST (word?) mini mason jars and helped us create apple jelly for the shower. I don't have a specific recipe to share with you all, but you do need a jelly/jam machine (pictured below while I measure out sugar like a boss)... I don't have a machine like that, but I hope to acquire one day because it is super fun! We even sampled the jelly (quality control, you see) on English muffins... yum!

After we canned the jelly and the lids were sealed, my mom and I found the ::perfect:: shade of peach (the wedding colors) fabric to use in the lid, and then we used twine and a "thank you" gift tag found on, of course, Pinterest at the website Oh So Very Pretty (free printable!). We purchased a tag punch-out from JoAnn's, and in a flash, our mini mason gift jars were done!

Aren't they cute?! My mom kept telling the guests, "Chrissy made that HOMEMADE apple jelly!" She is so sweet: gotta love a mom who continues to talk you up and brag on you, even as an adult! Blessed.

Do you like to host showers? What kind of favors, if any, do you create? See more of the DIY Gift Ideas I have found through Pinterest.

Have a great week!

[life] Spring & Summer Bucket List 2015

We have been enjoying beautiful weather in Texas so far this spring. A few scattered storms, here and there, but the temperatures have been lovely! Upper 60s in the morning to mid-80s by the afternoon. We Texans relish in this time, because before we know it, it'll be summer and the temps will be in the 100s!

I compiled together a list of the 10 things I want to do more of during the beautiful spring and summer months. They are in no particular order, but I think you'll notice #10 is my favoriteee. Read on!

As Texans, we enjoy a variety of scenery. My favorite? The beach. No, they aren't the Bahamian beaches I have come to know and love, but they are beaches nonetheless. The closest is a little over two hours away from us, which would be perfect for a day trip.

We have an amazing group of core friends here where we live. We have the best times getting together, talking, and of course- EATING. Recently, we have had everyone bring over their meat of choice and we have a big ol' cookout: each couple brings a side or dessert. It is the best!

There are some fabulous local venues that have live music events on the weekend. Nothing on a major scale, but low key: acoustic, small crowd, fabulous views at the different venues. There's nothing like enjoying a cool beverage with some live music playing in the background. Nate will actually be singing/playing at a winery this summer, so I'll definitely dedicate a blog post to that when it happens.

Remember that group of friends who loves to cook-out? The girls are BIG into crafting and I love it! Hopefully we can get some more crafts worked into our schedule this spring/summer.

Y'ALL. Last week, I learned how to make HOMEMADE JELLY. It is divine! One of our friend's mom's has a jelly/jam machine and we made apple jelly. It was so fun, we vowed to do it again and again this spring/summer. Yum!

One of the local wineries near us shows movies every Saturday evening during the summer. You can bring a picnic, chairs/blankets and of course they serve their beverages too. It makes for a fun evening with friends... just bring bug spray!

Nate and I are blessed to live in an area of Texas with lots of little "treasure" towns nearby. We can take day trips in a variety of directions and explore cute/quaint towns that we have never visited before. We hope to add a few new stops this summer!

As our church's ministry assistant (and also the pastor's wife), a lot of event planning falls on my shoulders, such as Vacation Bible School (pictured above: our dear friends who helped volunteer during the week). Lots of fun events are on the calendar this spring/summer, including after church luncheons, a church water day at the local water park, baseball games, small group events, concerts, youth camp, and of course VBS. Whew!

Usually our spring/summer is full of wedding activity. We currently have two, possibly three on the calendar this year. My cousin is marrying a gorgeous gal that we have already basically had in our family since they started dating in high school (10 years ago)! Another wedding is a cute couple from my home church, and Nate is actually conducting the ceremony. My mom is close friend's with the bride's mom, so it will be an extra-sweet ceremony.

 

Of COURSE this will be on our spring/summer schedule! TEXAS RANGER BASEBALLLL. Unfortunately, we missed Opening Day last Friday (sadness... I don't EVEN want to talk about it), but we already have 3+ games geared up between now and July. Can't wait to cheer them on! We are actually watching them on TV right now! #devoted

What are your go-to events for spring/summer? Of course, I could add and add on forever, but 10 seemed like a good starting point. There will be some snow-cone and ice cream consumption as well!

Happy weekend!

[food] Pinterest Recipe Round-Up #1

Alright, we should preface this post with the fact that I am not a baker nor chef. I enjoy the concept of cooking, but sometimes it doesn't translate to my fingertips. But I am trying to get better, thanks to the likes of Pinterest!

The past month, I have declared my commitment to try out new (easy) recipes to easily incorporate into our eating menu or to make a fun/new dessert for us to enjoy throughout the week or to take when visiting friends.

Today, I am sharing three EASY recipes I found through Pinterest. I will link the original sources, so if you want the recipe, check it out there. The pictures below are all my own creations/interpretations of the recipe. Enjoy!

one//Easy Potato Skins from I Heart Naptime: Y'ALL. These are delicious. I am a bit impatient when it comes to preparing baked potatoes, but these were so incredibly easy. Slice potatoes. Butter. Season. Bake. Top. Bake. So easy, so good! Nate and I may have devoured this entire pan...

two// S'mores on a Stick from Cupcakepedia: The Wednesday before Easter, our church had an evening service and fellowship afterwards. My contribution were these bite-sized s'mores on a stick. Oh my HEAVENS. Simple to make: Toothpick. Melted chocolate. Crushed graham crackers. Refrigerate. Easy peasy! They were a huge hit: next time I think I'll use more chocolate, but overall... divine! And I am all about bite-sized things (see above, ha!).

 

three// Hot Milk Cake from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures: Nate and I aren't big into sweet cakes with tons of sugar and frosting, so when I was perusing Pinterest for a simple cake that had everyday ingredients in it, I was stunned to find this recipe. This is an old recipe dating back to the Depression Era. How cool is that?! It is a bit more technical than the two prior recipes I shared, but you guyssss.... It uses warm milk in the batter! It tasted SCRUMPTIOUS. Firm, but moist. Filling. A perfect treat to end your night. The hardest part was getting it out of the dang bundt pan! I highly recommend this cake if you're looking to use simple ingredients you already have on hand.

Do you use Pinterest for your weekly/monthly/special occasion meals? I feel like my personal cookbook needs a shake-up every now and then, so I like to check out how to make the same things in new ways (hence the potato recipe above, or a new way to present a sweet at a social gathering, or an enhanced recipe on ingredients I already have at home). If you have any go-to recipes, leave a link and I will check it out!

Have a great week!

[life] I Can't Live Without... Small Town TX and its Quirks #2

I'm linking up with Katie at "...for Lauren and Lauren" for another "I Can't Live Without" link up!

This week, I'm sharing about my deep admiration for small town, TX. I'm not talking Dallas, Austin, Houston, or San Antonio (although all those places are lovely as well). I'm talking about the small towns you will have NEVER heard of, even if you're a native Texan, unless you've vacationed there or driven through.

These little gem stones are what make our great state so... well, great! Texas is stereotypically known for horses, cowboys, boots, spurs, and all things western. Yes, many of those things exist. No, they do not exist everywhere nor does every Texan partake in them. For example, I haven't "ridden" (I use that term loosely) a horse since I was 7-8 years old. I have never been to a rodeo. I just bought my first pair of cowboy boots back in August '14 (mainly because we were attending a wedding in a field... in the summertime... and I feared bugs!), and I have never seen someone wear spurs in real life.

These small towns in TX and a few quirks of TX are so near and dear to me. Anytime you visit one or see a quirk, you can't help but smile. The wide skies, the rolling hills... seriously. There can't be another place like it! Check out my favorite gems below:

Galveston, TX: Texas has some pretty okay beaches! Nothing like Mexico or the Bahamas, but our great state has a wide variety of areas (desert, mountain, plains, hills, and beaches).

Warrenton, TX: A teeny tiny town that comes alive during a huge antique show that occurs twice a year. Beautiful skyline, beautiful scenery, tons of JUNK.

 

Round Top, TX: This town has the cutest square! At a population of 90 (yep: 9-0), there isn't a wide variety to do... but stop by the quaint church, eat some yummy Mexican food, or grab a pie at Royer's and you'll be set.

Wineries: Did you know many of the smaller areas in TX have wineries? Small town wineries are amazing because you get to know the owners, they are almost always never crowded, and you create a sense of community and belonging with the people you frequent the establishment with. Plus the landscape is gorgeous!

 

Bluebonnets: Excuse me, but did you know that the Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas? These beauties pop up all over the fields and highways in mid March-April. They are only here for a short time, so snag your Bluebonnet pictures quickly! The red flowers are called Indian Paintbrushes (they tend to grow alongside Bluebonnets).

Hidden architectural gems: Throughout Texas, many beautiful sights are to be had that are off the beaten path. Nate and I were driving to a larger city one afternoon and just so happened to drive through this miniature tunnel. We were fascinated with it! 

Fredericksburg, TX: This town is known for its Main Street, antiques, wineries, and yummy food. It's a bit larger than the other places I have mentioned, but it is such a fun and relaxing place to visit and wind down when wanting to escape the big city life.

Bastrop, TX: Again, another small/big town in Texas, Bastrop is starting to blossom with big-chain stores such as Academy and Hobby Lobby. It is near Austin, but still far enough away to have a small-town feel. This town also has an adorable Main Street with great food and fun shopping (plus, who can resist a Mom/Pop ice cream shop?!).

Did you enjoy your lesson on TX today?! Ha! I am a born and raised Texan, I have never lived in another state. Does your state have as much "pride" as Texans have for TX? I have always wondered! Do share, and if there's a special place(s) or quirk your state has, leave it in the comments below. Nate and I are always up for a road trip!

[life] I Can't Live Without... My Favorite Wine #1

[participating in a link-up over at ...for Lauren and Lauren: join us! building up the blogging community once again]

Now, for starters, let me clarify. I, as a Christian, am not of this world. Material possessions are just that: MATERIALS. They will not last nor will they sustain us for life. Only Christ can do that: if you would like more information on how to build a loving and lasting relationship with our one true God, please PLEASE let me know! I would love to share!

Point two: this series with Katie (and there's another gal doing it too at Pursuit of Pink) is titled "I Can't Live Without...", which is a way to share with fellow bloggers things they currently like or enjoy. So I am going to post in that regards: these are things I can most definitely live without (see paragraph above) but they are things that I truly do enjoy and think are worth their cost.

Clear as mud? Am I being that person? It's okay :) Read on!

Okay, by the looks of these photos, it makes it look like I drink... a lot. But I really don't. I shared these photos to show what I LIKE to drink, which is mainly water. 99% of the time. But I have been known to order a fruity drink on a cruise, a margarita at a Mexican restaurant, or down some hot chocolate when it is BEYOND FREEZING outside.

But this week's post is not about any of these things.

This week, I would like to share the thing I'm enjoying the most (well, besides water: water is THE best)... this wine from... WALMART. I know, high class up in here. It is the Beringer Pink Moscato. Yum!

Its cost: $4.97. Yep! I am not that big of a drinker, like I stated above, but we have some really awesome wineries down in our area of Texas (South TX), so I'm slowly learning to figure out what I like in regards to wine. I am in no way a red wine person... far, farrrr too dry for my taste. So far, I know I like Sweet White and Pink Moscato. This wine was first given to me by a girlfriend at her home. It's great for beginners! And you feel classy/grown up at the same time. Ha!

This will be a weekly series shared by Katie, so head over to her blog to read what everyone else is currently enjoying. Who knows? Maybe next week I'll share a favorite clothing item, book, or restaurant...

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Have a great week!

[love] Anniversary Recap

Sorry for my lack of posting: the past month has been crazy! After our anniversary weekend, Nate was admitted to the hospital! Crazy, I know. He had appendicitis and had to get his appendix removed, which knocked him out for about a week or so. He couldn't lift over 20lbs, so I had a LOT to do around here, especially since we were leaving to go to the beach for the week with his family. Crazy! So we had the appendix episode, we were at the beach, I had GT training for 5 days, it was the 4th of July and we were out of town, and then I've been in my classroom basically all week trying to get a head start on setting it up (I got new carpet this summer so my room was a wreck)! I know, these are ALL excuses. BUT here's a post that was meant to go live the day before Nate's appendix... whoops! I have missed y'all!

 
To see my review of the hotel we stayed at during our anniversary weekend, click here.

Nathan and I were excited to spend our five-year anniversary weekend in Austin, which is only 1.5 hours from our home. We felt less pressure to "do" everything and "eat" everything we wanted, simply because we can go back anytime. It was so nice! Here's a recap of the things we saw and ate (of course!) during our weekend. I'll let the pictures do the talking :)

A snippet of the times we had in Austin: such an AMAZING city and there is plenty more that we want to see and do! Thankful that it is a short distance away. Everything we ate was delicious (as you can tell from the pictures above) and the stores/shops we visited were so fun. I highly recommend a trip to ATX if you have never been!

Happy Sunday! And here's hoping that a regular posting routine will soon commence...

P.S. I am taking part in a Scavenger Hunt with the gals at BlogHoppin, which is a teacher blog: if I get at least 105 points between now and Aug. 6th, I will be entered into a drawing to win some FAB prizes, which include a Canon Rebel camera!!!! So, sorry to be blowing up y'alls Instagram feeds, but #sorrynotsorry ;) Have a good weekend!