Texas country weddin'.

On a cool, gray January day, underneath a rustic wooden open-air chapel surrounded by trees in the East Texas country, two of our dear friends got married. 

Paul and Brooke were made for each other in every sense of the phrase - one of those couples that makes you feel like all is right with the world because they are together.  They both grew up in Athens, TX, where Paul's family is known for their restaurant/catering business, The Cherry Laurel.

There were chandeliers hanging from trees.  The bouquets and boutonnieres were made of buttons, and the programs were printed on vintage handkerchiefs.  It was classy and casual, sophisticated yet understated.

My husband and Paul met over 10 years ago when they served in orphanages in Romania together.  Their team formed a lifelong bond, spending entire summers holding babies and changing diapers.  Steven and Paul still call each other several times a week to talk about manly things like Paul's new chainsaw or beekeeping supplies, or how to weld a fence.  Brooke is a stunning beauty and a creative, kindred soul - when we first met her, it was like she'd been with us all the while. 

On her wedding day, Brooke's style resembled June Carter Cash or Loretta Lynn - a down-home but classy Southern beauty.  Her sense of style permeated everything...

The barn where the reception was held was pretty much a dream.  Yes, it's exactly how the barn will be on my farm one day.

My favorite thing about the wedding, though?  The people.  They didn't have agendas, weren't trying to be cool or trendy.  They were just true, friendly, unpretentious folks.  Young boys opened doors for me without hesitation. People smiled as my toddler walked up to their table trying to steal their food. 

I got to talk with Brooke's dad during the reception - he was as "Long Tall Texan" as it gets, with a cowboy swagger, wearing Wranglers and a cowboy hat that looked like it was his everyday attire.  I told him how much we've loved getting to know Brooke, how the two of them together felt so perfect.  He nodded and replied, "Paul is a good man.  When he asked me if he could marry m'daughter, I told him I'd had him picked out for her all along."

I wanted to stay all night, drinking red wine out of plastic cups and dancing to old Country music.  It made me miss Nashville; it made me love Texas.  It made me love love.

It is going to be ok.

by dazeychic on EtsyOn days like this, when the laundry basket is sitting on the kitchen table, filled with crumpled {clean, yet to be folded} clothes, and my living room floor is trashed again with crayons and raisins and receipts and an old moldy carrot I found beneath the sofa, and I have so many pressing tasks to do on the computer for our small business that my toddler has to watch The Muppets Take Manhattan for the millionth time and I almost cry because I feel terrible, I have to stop and remember something:

It is going to be ok.

When I purchased this print for Luci Belle's nursery as I prepared a place for her while I was still pregnant, I had no idea just how often I'd have to remind myself of this simple phrase.  Oh, around 55 times a day, it turns out.

Motherhood is wonderful and taxing.  On top of that, it's important not to neglect my husband and to help keep my marriage thriving, I have a neverending list of jobs to do for Urban Acres, two very needy Dobermans, and dishes and laundry and dirty bathrooms and a list of friends I wish I could invest in right now.  I seem to flake out lately and feel frustrated because I can't juggle everything.  I haven't done anything creative in a week and I feel like my soul is dying, so I stayed up until midnight writing this post.

On insane days like these, I take a deep breath, remember I'm not perfect, and remind myself to love my husband and my child the best I can.  And when all else fails, I stop and have one of these:

Yes, at 4pm today, I finally stopped running around like a crazy person and realized that neither I nor my child had eaten lunch.  So, I did what any desperate mother would do and whipped up a large, frosty, rich chocolate shake and chugged it down like there was no tomorrow.  Then, I put my daughter in her high chair and gave her a few spoonfuls of the chocolately goodness and watched her eyes fill with delight.  Then, I let her take the spoon from me and "feed" herself until a chocolate mustache formed over her lips and chocolate dripped all down her shirt {no bib today, of course} and probably stained it forever because I'm out of Oxy Clean.

These are the moments to remember - the mess and all.

When my husband comes home from work and kisses me all over my face, I remember,

It is going to be ok.

When my dear friend Linda buys me a $20 bottle of my favorite wine because she knows I need to loosen up a little, I remember,

It is going to be ok.

When my 18-month-old folds her hands in prayer before dinner and can say "Jesus" ("Shee-shus") already with sign language, I remember,

It is going to be ok.

It is going to be ok.

3 simple joys.

Here are 3 simple joys I've experienced lately...

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams - the best ice cream.  EVER. 

I mean, c'mon...butter, ice cream, and almonds all in one container?  Sign me up.  "Where can I get some?" you might ask.  Check out this page on Jeni's website. Love the simplicity of her site too, and that adorable font used for the logo!

~ ~ ~

My Christmas amaryllis.

A sweet gift from Melissa, it feels like Christmas is still hanging on a little bit.  And it's about to bloom!

~ ~ ~

A grassy meadow right near our house.

After we sold almost 700 Urban Acres Groupons, I've been in front of the computer pretty much nonstop lately!  Insane, but good insane.  Still, my child has been watching a few too many videos, and I've been feeling really badly about that.  So it was great to get out yesterday and enjoy a sunny afternoon with my girl, laying in the grass and climbing hills...

Loving Our Kids On Purpose.

It just makes so much sense...

"God is a safe place.  Because sin has been dealt with in the New Covenant, we no longer need to be punished or controlled but need to learn to manage our freedom responsibly, which changes the goal of government as well as the goal of parenting.  When love and freedom replace punishment and fear as the motivating forces in the relationship between parent and child, the quality of life improves dramatically for all involved. They feel safe with each other, and the anxiety that created distance in the relationships is chased away by a sense of love, honor, and value for one another." ~ Loving Our Kids on Purpose, p. 43

The premise of this book - Loving Our Kids On Purpose by Danny Silk - is building a heart connection with our children and teaching them to manage the freedom they've been given, modeling the way God interacts with us, His children.  When God sent Jesus, something new was created, something much greater than rules or The Law - a relationship. 

No, it's not about letting my 18-month-old do whatever she wants, without any boundaries.  If that were the case, then today alone, she would have jumped off the bed onto her head, drawn with crayons on the blinds, and eaten dog food.  It's that I love her enough to stop and teach her in that moment, rather than screaming "STOP DOING THAT!" while I continue surfing Facebook. 

My challenge is to redirect and show her how to use her energy without falling on her head, how to be artistic without defacing the blinds {although sometimes the mess just happens, and you deal with it!}.  It's about respecting her as the unique, divinely created individual that she is.

One of the greatest bits of parental advice I've received so far is on this simple plaque from Etsy.  I must repeat it to myself several times daily as I alternate between pulling my hair out and being thankful - "Luci Belle is not an inconvenience.  She is a human being, for God's sake.  When she's tugging on my leg saying 'Mama!  Mama!  Pease!', stop doing the dishes.  Stop, kneel, and LOOK at her." 

It's not easy, and no parent is perfect.  The other morning, I cursed out loud multiple times and smacked our naughty dog in front of my daughter, and even though she had no clue what I was saying, she saw what I was doing.  Ugh.  I acted rashly and violently.  I immediately burst into tears, so not proud of myself at that moment. 

Loving well and loving on purpose isn't the easy way.  The easy way is to react, to inflict punishment out of anger, to say, "Just do it because I said so."  What's difficult is getting into the nitty gritty of real relationship and loving intentionally.  I want to establish trust with my children, to walk through life with them.   And above all else, to love them well.

God help me.

Pinterest project: DIY birdfeeders using bird seed, cookie cutters, & gelatin.

These adorable birdfeeders are the perfect winter project to foster creativity and also make the birds happy!  I saw this on Pinterest and thought it would be a fun and inexpensive way to provide food for the birdies all winter.   Do it on your own, or with kiddos!

You only need a few items:

• Bag of bird seed for small birds {I got mine at Target.}
• Box of Knox Gelatine {Get at any grocery store.  The box has 4 packets inside.  Gelatin is completely safe for all birds as well as weatherproof!}
• Water
• Cookie cutters in various shapes
• String or twine
• Wax or parchment paper

For the cookie cutters, use simple shapes such as a star, heart, or circle.  You don't want to use very complex designs because they won't hold together well.

Here's the tutorial that I used - so easy! 

After taking about 30 seconds to make the birdseed mixture, I pressed it into the shapes and added string and let it dry overnight...

Come morning, I simply removed them from the cookie cutters.

Cute, eh?

Ready to hang them from the trees!

Come, birdies, COME!

Watch out, world!

An incredibly thoughtful Christmas present

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A crafty girl with an entire list of things she wishes she could sew

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Amazingness to come {hopefully!}

Stay tuned...

The joy and peace we know.

Christmas tea party.

A few days ago, my dear friend Melissa invited Luci Belle and I to her cozy, Christmasy home for a traditional tea party. 

Can you believe this?  It looks like a page out of Country Living...

Since I met Melissa in the fall of 2004 when I was a part of a Bible study she was leading, she has been a friend, confidant, and spiritual mentor to me.  I sat on her sofa multiple times sharing my heart, sharing things with her that few others knew. 

In her home, everyone feels comfortable.  People feel special.  As you can see from the tea party setup, she doesn't hesitate to light the good candles, use the silver tea service, the china, the vintage place settings...all for just an "ordinary" weekday. 

When we arrived, Luci Belle started exploring right away...this place was a toddler's wonderland!  Lots of things to touch and explore...collections of Santas, plush sheep, wooden nativities, angels, and lots of ornaments.  And the best part?  As a mother of three grown children, Melissa doesn't put anything within a child's reach that could be easily ruined or broken.   Ahhhh.  So I could relax, too.

What I love the most about Melissa is that she's a servant who walks with Jesus.  Two things she taught me that I try to constantly remember...

1) Always be thankful.  This is the only way to live and have joy amidst any kind of circumstances. 
2) Never talk negatively about your husband to anyone. 

Wise words from a wise woman.  I hope I can bless and encourage others the way this woman has blessed my life!

-ing.

Here's a random collection of inspiring things I wanted to share...

Reading {books}:

Orange Jumpsuit by Tara Leigh Cobble.  I highly encourage you to read Tara-Leigh's three wonderful memoirs.

Loving Our Kids On Purpose by Danny Silk.  God wants our hearts first, then our obedience.  It is out of a love relationship that a desire to obey follows.  The premise of this book is building a heart connection with our kids, first and foremost.  Love it.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  Reading this for the second time through and discussing it with a friend.  Will write more about this soon...

Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.  Great, dry humor, and a quick read.

Reading {online}:

The 5 Best Toys of All Time.  YES.  My daughter has more fun playing with paper and plastic recycling than anything in her toy bin!

Blessed Are The Entitled?  Interesting post on how Christians seem to feel entitled at Christmastime, which isn't a very Christ-like quality.

Santa, Strategically.  A pretty balanced view of how to keep the real meaning of Christmas the focus without totally giving up the fun tradition of Santa Claus.

Watching:

Why, Christmas movies, of course!  See my list of Christmas movie essentials.

Cooking/eating:

Homemade coconut milk ice cream.  A new staple in our house!  Mix together in a blender: 1 can coconut milk (not the lite version), 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 egg yolks, dash of cinnamon, dash of sea salt.  Add some cacao nibs or chocolate chips if you'd like.  Process through an ice cream maker, and voila!  Dairy-free, sugar-free amazing ice cream in about 20 minutes.  Your gut will thank you.  We often double the batch and then store the extra in the freezer in a tupperware.

Roasted winter veggies.  It's practically an every-night essential these last few months with so much squash in season.  Here's how: Cut up some butternut squash, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and perhaps some Brussels sprouts.  Or even get crazy and add some beets.  Keep them in large bite-sized chunks.  Put in a bowl and toss with melted coconut oil, salt, and pepper.  Spread in single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30-45 minutes at 425 degrees until tender and caramelized.  As far as a cold-weather side dish goes, it doesn't get much better than this!

Discovering:

How To Be An Unschooling Family.  This post is from one of my very favorite blogs, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly.  When I read this post about unschooling in their adorable cottage in Colorado, my heart quickened within me.  THIS is what I want to do with our family.

Back to the Land, Reluctantly.  This article is a unique, entertaining perspective on the whole "urban homesteading" phenomenon, because this woman did not do it to be trendy, she did it out of necessity.  "It quickly became obvious that anyone with a rectangle of sunny ground outside can grow stuff; you just need to think about what grows up and what grows sideways so that you can get it all in there properly."

Mothers In Crisis: Ethiopia.  So many organizations are doing incredible work with orphans around the world.  But how about helping mothers before they get to the point of having to put their children up for adoption?  Mothers In Crisis' goal is keeping families together...love it.

Afghanistan: Touch Down In Flight.  An absolutely stunning video of imagery of the people of Afghanistan.

Seeing:

The incredible fall we've had in Dallas.  I haven't seen one this stunning since I moved here in 2004.  Every day there is a new golden tree to admire...

Listening:

My friend Jeremy Cowart used to be my source for all things cool in the music world when I lived in Nashville.  But since I no longer live near my dear Cowarts, let's just say my music selection leaves much to be desired.  Until someone gives me some good suggestions, I'm still listening to Gavin DeGraw like it was the year 2005.  Help?

Late fall gorgeousness...

Wow, we were really spoiled this year in Dallas...