[life] Monday, Monday

Outfit Details:

top: TJ Maxx (similar)// shorts: Walmart 

sandals (old): Gap (similar)// earrings: Kendra Scott 

Last week was our first "official" week of getting back into the swing of things. No "events", no traveling, just a regular week. And boy, have we craved that. I think when life gets hectic and the busyness takes over, one can realize how often they take advantage of just a regular, "boring" week. I like events and having a full calendar (not TOO full, let's not get crazy), but there is beauty in routine. 

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:5

What does your week look like now that summer is slowly dwindling away?

(No lie, this is how Chloe & Oliver got into bed last night. Has nothing to do with this post, but why wouldn't I post a picture of them looking precious?)

[five things]

Okay, so apparently I took the entire summer off from blogging. Whoops! Getting inspired again... bear with me.

 1//Some pre-dinner snackage on pineapple

This week, I started my second part-time job: now I've got TWO. Sounds a bit daunting, but it's only 10 hours/week at each place, one of which is with my husband, so I'm really excited about the flexibility I will have. Compared to a classroom job that I was used to for 5.5 years, I'm excited to wake up when I want to, eat lunch with my husband, and plan my days accordingly.

I was inspired by Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere to start posting "five things" on Friday that happened during the week or things I have been enjoying. Sound fun? Read on!

 2// Enjoying some nightly truths via She Reads Truth (available online and the app store): daily devotionals and bible readings for women. Plus they have super-cute scriptural/hymn wallpapers for your phone, and daily images (like above) that you can share on social media.

 3// Emily's blog: have you read it? Fashion, food, travel, beauty. Plus she's written two (I think?) books that I want to snatch up!

4// Have you heard of KEEP Collective? It's a branch off of Stella & Dot, where you can host parties and earn rewards, and sell it yourself as your personal business. My friend Jen hosted a party at her house on Tuesday and I ordered a rose gold/saddle bracelet with a "faith" key (what they call the variety of charms) to go on it. It's like a charm bracelet, but a flat version. Check out their website: it's fairly new and the fall line just released... gorgeous! (I don't sell it or anything, I just think they're cute!)

5// Y'all, it is HOT in Texas. I am ready for fall, which really arrives around end of November/December here... bummer. So when I found this article on Pinterest, I got pumped (via Stylishlyme). What style of boot do you like?

Happy weekend!

[life] The Last... June 2015

Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX: where Shiner Beer is made!

Y'ALL.

I am the worst! Let's just say I took June off for blogging vacation. Sound good? I have about 45,234 posts to write: our summer has been CRAZY so far, and it'll only speed up as we go into July! But I wouldn't have it any other way... summer is fabulous.

I did this post in May and many of you enjoyed it, so I thought I'd do another round for June! Feel free to borrow the questions and write your own post, then let me know in the comments so I can go check it out!

Thing I ate: Chicken Caesar Salad for lunch from a local restaurant


Thing I watched: Alfie's vlog on YouTube (I like when the YouTubers get together on each other's vlogs... so when I saw him and Zoe going to Tanya's house, I thought it'd be more entertaining... but it was a bit boring)

Account I followed on Instagram: Liz Marie's (LMB) Blog Shops account. It's where she posts all of her amazing finds! I love her blog and regular account already, so when she created this one, I knew it'd be a good one!

Activity I did: Deposited our checks (#payday) into the bank.

Product I used: Maybelline's Baby Lips in Coral Crave. Has a smooth application, keeps my lips feeling nice and smooth, and provides a subtle hint of color! It is a bit more pink/orange than this picture shows, but it's a great, natural color!

Time I was shocked: on Facebook, of course, reading some hurtful/impolite things that were said about others. I really enjoy FB for keeping up with family (especially since we live far away from them) and long-time/no-see friends, but sometimes it really is just about drama. It's so nuts! Does anyone else feel that way about social media sometimes? That's why I usually gravitate more towards Instagram: a cute picture, a little blurb, that's it! It still has drama, but not nearly as much.

Cute thing I saw: again, on Facebook. Ha! With all the drama, there does come a hint of cuteness and joy. I thought this was more "funny" than "cute" because it is TOTALLY. ME. Just ask Nate, ha! I don't know who/what "Dave" it is, but one of my friend's shared it.

There you have it! Another month, another list. Hopefully my month-long vacation doesn't turn into two months of rest and being away, because I do enjoy writing, posting, and connecting with you all! Let me know in the comments if you plan on using the list too: I want to read!

"...The great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him." -C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

[life] The Last... May 2015

This picture doesn't really have anything to do with this post, except that it was taken in May... and this is May's edition of "The Last"!

Borrowed this post idea from Lindsay at Pursuit of Pink- I thought it would be a fun blog edition each month! I changed a few from what she posted, but feel free to click the link to see her responses!

Thing I ate: A chocolate chip cookie (breakfast of champions). We purchased cookie dough from a school fundraiser for one of the youth at our church, and of course I had to immediately make them when we got home. Chocolate Chunk for the win.

Thing I watched: Texas Rangers baseball as they took on the Boston Red Sox (and WON!)

Account I followed on Instagram: Sadie Robertson from Duck Dynasty. I definitely DON'T watch that show... I'm not big into reality TV... but I am obSESSED with Dancing With The Stars (which I know is "reality", but it's more of a dance competition/reality... give me some slack!) and after the DWTS finale on Tuesday, I wanted to see everyone's pictures, so I followed Sadie. Great Christian gal too, such a sweetheart!

Activity I did: Took the dogs to the vet... It's always such an ordeal! Oliver is super chill about it, but Chloe gets all riled up. I mean, she KNOWS the vet building and what they do in that building. She is not a fan. They both were getting their yearly vaccines, and Chloe is allergic to one of them... the vet forgot, so he had to give her Benadryl as well, plus we started her on steroid pills for the next two weeks because her allergies are really bad... Long story short, I'm on Chloe-duty today making sure she doesn't have a reaction. Poor gal.

Product I used: Bath and Body Works "Wild Madagascar Vanilla" Fragrance Mist. That is my everyday scent. I use Chanel perfume on special occasions... but 9 times out of 10, I'll be sporting my B&BW. Mmmm...

Time I was shocked: One of my sweet friends revealed to me that she was pregnant with her second baby after they had been trying for a while. Of course, I was shocked in the best way!

Cute thing I saw: This on Pinterest... my word! Original source here.

 

There you have it! My "last" things I have recently done. Want to join? Copy the questions and post your own blog about it! Let me know in the comments so I can read yours too!

[life] 20 Random Facts About Me (and my first YOUTUBE video!)

Y'all. I made my first "regular" YouTube video! I had already posted two videos on my channel (both were from our travels), but I felt that adding ::hopefully:: a weekly, or even bi-weekly, video would give a voice and personality to my writing on the ol' blog! Plus I am an avid YouTube video watcher... there are loads of channels that I enjoy!

Anyhoo, my first video is 20 random facts about me! I thought this would be a good introductory video so you can get a sense of me and who I am. Obviously I am a novice at editing videos and the camera goes in/out of focus at times (ugh!), but I'm pretty proud of what I made!

Without further ado, here it is! Feel free to "subscribe" to my channel to get the latest videos I create, or you can just wait for the blog post... I'm sure I'll do a post for each video I do!

P.S. Does anyone else hate the sound of their voice being recorded? I'll have to get used to that!

Let me know of any other video ideas you would like me to create: there are plenty of YouTube "tags" out there that I could do, but if you have any ideas, send them my way. Happy Friday!

[life] I Can't Live Without... the Texas Rangers #3

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

 

Now I know I have quite a few Texas readers/subscribers, but I'm not sure of how many other states and countries are represented. Also, I am not sure of how highly you may view your area sports teams... but at our house, we BLEED Jesus and the Texas Rangers! 

Since Nate and I are both native Texans and lived in North Texas (me)/East Texas (him) for the majority of our lives, we have been bred into the Texas Rangers fandom. We both remember attending games as children and that devotion hasn't withered into our adult-age.

If the game is on TV, we are either watching it live or recording it to watch later. I am not a big "sports aficionado", but Nate has been an excellent instructor, teaching me the ins and outs of the game. I have always known the gist, but to know plays and positions... I feel pretty professional! 

My parents live about 10 minutes away from the Ballpark in Arlington (it is now called "Globelife Park", but throwback Rangers fans will ALWAYS know it as the Ballpark), so any time we go to visit my family and the Rangers are in town, we make a point to attend the game. So much fun! Baseball really is America's Pastime and I love the history, class, and nostalgia that goes along with a good ol' baseball game. Plus the food... you MUST indulge in ballpark food when attending a game! My go-to's are always a bag of cotton candy and some garlic Parmesan fries. Delish!

So what about you? Are you as devoted to your hometown team as we are? Where do you live, and what team(s) do you support? We also BIG HEART the Dallas Cowboys (football), and of course we support the Dallas Mavericks (basketball) and Dallas Stars (hockey), but we don't avidly watch those two sports as much as we watch baseball and football. Oh, to be Texan :)

[life] Guys Behind the Blog // May 2015

 Linking up with Betsy for Guys Behind the Blog: May

This is such a fun link-up! I like getting Nate involved in the ol' blog. Every month, Betsy compiles questions for us all to ask the fellas in our lives. See Nate's April responses here!

For the month of May...

1 // What is your favorite family tradition?

 "Like, ours...?"

(He gave me a glare as I typed that... ha!)

"Stop typing!" 

(... Thinking... Scratching the beard... )
 

"My favorite family tradition of ours, daily tradition, is walking the dogs. Year tradition, driving to Dallas and Tyler to see our families for the holidays."

2 // Who's your male celebrity crush? 

"Dave Matthews because he's a ninja on the guitar and all he wears is jeans, boots, and t-shirts."

3 // What song best sums you up?
"Washed by the Water" by Needtobreathe 

(This question took quite a bit of thought because Nathan is an avid music fan... He loves it, loves all different styles for different reasons... I mean, he IS a Music Business major... So music really is his business!)

4 // What three things do you think of the most each day?
"You (as in, me: Chrissy). Theology. Eternity."

 

5 // What is your most embarrassing memory?

"Probably getting pulled over by undercover police because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I happened to be in a parking lot when police were waiting to do a drug bust and they thought I was the guy." (Good thing he proved it wasn't him, ha!)


There you have it! Another glimpse into the mind that is Nate. Betsy's link-up will go live on May 28th, so be sure to follow her so you can read about other blog fellas! How would your guy respond to these questions? Have a great week!

[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] I Can't Live Without... Photography #3

Linking up with Katie at ...for Lauren and Lauren for the "I Can't Live Without" link-up!

I am a HUGE fan of photography! I'm not a professional photographer: I have no idea about light quality, ISOs (?), or how to work those fancy cameras. I'm more of a point-and-shoot gal, knowing how to have "good" light w/no shadows, and how to crop a photo to get the captured moment perfectly.

I love how photos tell a story and help remember a moment in time. Lately, Nate and I have tried to not be as "technology"- dependent and focus more on being IN the moment rather than have a phone or camera attached to our face the entire time... But I just really enjoy going back and looking at photos to see a fun or beautiful moment in time!

Here are a few of my favorite photos and moments in time:

Sunset in Destin, Florida (celebrating our 4-year wedding anniversary)

 The gorgeous landscape of our favorite Caribbean location: Roatan, Honduras

 Sneaking a kiss with Nate in a private, secluded cove in Honduras

Listening and enjoying an awesome Dave Matthews Band concert with Nate (his favorite band)

Family vacation in Cozumel, Mexico

Of course, our wedding day: this is one of my favorite photos from that day. The way we are looking at each other and how we are still so completelyyyy in love. Blessed.

One of our favorite places in the world: The Ballpark in Arlington (it will always be called that to me, although it is now called Globe Life Park)

Another favorite place: WALT DISNEY WORLD #kidsatheart

Enjoying the company of my favorite furry children friends: Chloe and Oliver

 Getting ice cream on an incredibly HOT Texas summer afternoon with our best friends

Graduating college with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education: #lifegoals

And us, today: still can't believe he's all mine!

While reminiscing and looking at these photos, I couldn't help but smile. These moments have captured just a second of an amazing day, week, or life event. Looking at these glimpses in time help me look back on what memorable moments they each were and help me remember the event(s) in full.

What are your favorite photos? We all have the obvious: vacations, marriages, babies, etc. Any out of the ordinary?

Have a great week!