What's Up Wednesday

 I'm over here doing the happy dance that March is almost here.  We are still up to our knees in snow, but each month, is a month closer to nicer weather.  So bring on March.

Since it's the last Wednesday of the month, I'm sharing what we've been up to this month. and linking up with Mel, Shay, & Sheaffer.

What we're eating this week

Stir fry
Pizza
Breakfast

And, honestly I'm not sure what else.  Some weeks I just end up winging it.  This is one of them.

What I'm reminiscing about

I love looking back through old photos and reminiscing about how little my babies used to be.  This picture also reminds me that I need to make my kids sit still for more sibling photos.

What I'm loving

link

 I'm loving this dress that I ordered last week.  I'm waiting for it to get here, and I'm really hoping I like it.

What we've been up to

Driving, driving, and more driving.

 I shared yesterday, how Gracie has her driving permit.  She needs 50 hours of driving time before she can get her license in August.  We already have over 7 hours in, but we still have a long ways to go.

What I'm dreading

We have a couple of orthodontist appointments this coming month, which means a couple trips out of town.  I don't always mind going in because it means I can stock up on Costco and swing by a Starbucks.  But in this weather, where we've been getting snow and then rain in the same day, driving 100 miles each way, isn't my favorite.  We'll just take our time though... so really I shouldn't dread it... but I do.  ;)

What I'm working on

I've been trying to work on blogging more consistently.  January, I did so much better than this month, but I'm going to keep on working at it.

What I'm excited about

Dan and I are looking at going to Jamaica!  My sister said she'll keep the kids, so we just have to book it.  Eeek!  I get so excited and nervous!  I love going and exploring with Dan, but at the same time, I hate leaving the kids at home.  I know they'll be fine, but we always end up missing them.

What I'm watching/reading

A couple of the books that I've read this month are:

The Mistress, by Danielle Steel

It Ends With Us, by Coleen Hoover

What I'm listening to

Nothing new.

What I'm wearing

 Check out this post, where I recently shared my favorite pieces from my closet.

This is vest that I bought, has been on constant rotation.

What I'm doing this weekend

 The kids don't have school on Friday, and as of yet, we have no plans!  Exactly how I want it!  I love a weekend that is open and free to do whatever we wish.  This doesn't happen too often, so Dan and I are excited.

What I'm looking forward to next month

I'm looking forward to it being a month closer to nicer weather.  We may still have snow until May, but I'm hoping to start seeing a bit more of the sun, with some warmer temperatures.  And by warmer temps I'm hoping in the 40's.  ;)

What else is new

Not much.



Enjoy your day!

 XO,

Chartering New Territory

Gracie passed her written driving test almost 2 weeks ago... which means she now has her drivers permit.  It's so weird and exciting, all at the same time.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.  Dan and I have already taken turns letting her drive, but no matter how responsible your kid is, it is soooo weird to be sitting in the passenger seat, while they drive you to town.

I'm telling you all, it seems like she was just 5 years old yesterday, and all of a sudden, this is my reality.  My girl is growing up, and there is no stopping her.

She has a prom dress, that is waiting to be worn next month. 

She's on the last couple months of her freshman year.

She has her own debit card, that she's learning how to manage.

We're talking about big things in life, like eventually looking for her first job.  Finding a reliable used car.  Maintaining good grades, so we get discounts on car insurance.  Not falling in love with the wrong boys.  Big stuff, like that.  And in the mean time, I'm over here trying to figure out how I became the adult, and I'm scrambling to figure out how to raise one as well.

My nest is far from empty, but from my tiptoes, I'm starting to glimpse into that future.  It's bittersweet, but also a bit scary.   So, while this girl of mine is paving the way for her siblings, and is chartering new territory with us... I'm going to squeeze her extra tight, and soak in as many moments, both big and small, from each day, because I'm seeing more and more, just how fast the years go by!

XO,

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, Friends! 

Basketball ended last weekend, and we are sooo happy to have our weekends back!  It was a long season.  The season started all the way back in November and we've been busy running Gracie to practice or games, 6 days a week.  It's been fun, but crazy!  So this weekend, we've already warned the kids, that we aren't doing anything more than we have to.  We're hoping to just enjoy a relaxing weekend at home.

Here are a few of my favorites this week.

These girls are the best!  Having friends who love you, in spite of all your crazy quirks, is priceless.

Gracie posted this picture on her Instagram account of her cousin and her.  I love how close they are.  Belle is 8 months older, and she lives across the field from us.  They act like sisters one day and best friends the next.  I'm so thankful that these two have each other.

We may be up to our knees in snow still, but our spirits are quickly lifted with blue skies and the sunshine.

This is the book I'm currently reading.  I snapped a picture while I waited for the kids to get off the bus.  I've gotten better lately, at packing a book with me wherever I go, and it's made a huge difference on how much I've been able to read.  Last month I read 6 books!  This Danielle Steel book is my 4th one for this month.  Having more time to read lately, is definitely a favorite of mine!


And my very favorite thing this week is... 

Dan and I are booking a trip for just the two of us!!!  We haven't narrowed down exactly where we want to go... but I'm hoping we'll have it booked this weekend.  I just want to be at the beach with warm, sunny weather, and have time to just unwind with my man.  We're looking at going to the Caribbean, and honestly, I don't know that I care which island we go to... I'm just ready!  So if you have any islands that you loved, let me know!  I'd love to hear what you recommend.

That's it for this week...

I linked up with Andrea, Erika & Narci.

And Christina, April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

Have a great weekend!

XO,

My Loves

Today I'm linking up with Andrea and I'm sharing a bit about my loves.  I'm not a huge fan of Valentines Day, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to share my family with some of you who might be new to my blog.

These people right here... they're my world.

My husband Dan, is such a good husband and father.  He's a strong leader, but can be a big pushover as well, when it comes to the kids and I.  He is so selfless, and will do anything to make us happy.  He loves to travel as much as I do, which is fun.  We always have a couple of destinations on our mind, whether we have plans to go somewhere or not. He's been a huge Seahawk's fan since he was a kid, and has turned the rest of our family into fans as well.  Well, except for Emma, she's still on the fence.  But, we've decided that if that's how she needs to rebel, we'll take it.  ;)


Gracie is 14, and is in the 9th grade.  She's a Daddy's girl through and though.  She has a sweet and gentle soul... but is as stubborn as can be.  You can't talk this girl into anything or out of anything.  She loves music and giving out hugs.  To this day, we still get parents and teachers, saying how they love their "Gracie hugs."  Haha!  She just loves everyone.  She loves her siblings, even though they bug her like crazy.  If one of them gets hurt or is crying because they're sad, this girl will burst into tears for them.  Her heart is just so sweet.


Jesse is 12 and is in 6th grade.  He's a bit of a Mama's boy, who thinks of his Dad as his best friend.  He is quick witted, funny and has a big heart.  He is great at math, and we think a lot of that has to do with the amount of football he watches.  ;)  He's constantly watching scores, on both the games and on his fantasy football teams.  There is always math going on in his head.  Jesse is very much a brother in every sense of the word.  He picks on his sisters, and teases them until they cry.  But he's also the first one to stick up for them if someone else is teasing them, or making them sad... he'll come out madder than a bull.  He's also my thinker... he can easily sit down with me and talk scripture for a half an hour at a time.  He has so many questions and is so inquisitive... it's fun.


Emma is 9 and is in the 3rd grade. She's a sweet girl with a soft heart.  She's my baby and my little buddy.  She wants to be wherever I am.  She's a little mother hen, who tries to help manage and take care of everyone in the house.  I have to constantly remind her that I'm the Mom, and that her siblings don't appreciate the helpful demands from her to get their work done, wear their retainer, or go to bed.  She's a natural born Mom & teacher all thrown in one.  She has an endless amount of energy, and wants to be doing something 24/7.  This girl doesn't require or even want much for down time.  She wants to be baking, crafting, helping with dinner... something at all times.  She loves babies as much as anyone... just like her Mama.

Now, I wrote sweet and kind things about my crew, but don't get me wrong.  We have our good days and our bad days.  We say things we shouldn't.  We fight... we're normal!  But we also happen to be a family who loves the Lord.  We are so thankful for the grace and mercy that He gives us each and everyday.  He is our Rock, and our Greatest Love of all.  I pray He is yours as well!

Happy Valentines Day!

  XO,

10 Favorite Items In My Closet

Happy Friday!!!

Today, I'm mixing it up a bit and I'm sharing my 10 favorite items from my closet.  I have to say that summer clothes are my favorite pieces to wear, but since it's winter, I decided to only show you my favorite winter items.

I don't remember where I got this buffalo plaid infinity scarf, but it's one of my favorite scarves.

I've had these Ugg boots, for a long time and they are still my favorite thing to wear in the winter months.  They are so comfortable.  They keep my feet warm, and they go great with leggings, or skinny jeans.

I bought this black long sleeve shirt from Athleta this past Fall, and it's still on regular rotation in my closet.  It's as comfy as it looks, and it's holding up great for as much as I wear it.

I love this vest. This green is my favorite color, along with my second favorite color... black.
(I ordered it from an online boutique and I don't see that it's available anymore.)

In the Fall, Spring and Winter up here in Montana, I'm always cold.  I'm always layering up.  So I have this Northface vest in both the white,

and the black. 
You could safely bet that I am wearing one of these, at lest 3-4 times a week.

The Born booties that I have look exactly like these but without the tassels.  I'm not normally a big tassel fan, but I actually think this is cute how they've tied it in.  This is one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes that I own.

My Big Star skinny jeans are my favorite, and I wear them way too much.

These leggings are my favorite.  They are so comfy and they have a nice wide band at the waist for a little extra support.

This cardigan, (aka the blardigan) gets warn a lot.  Most of the time I just wear it around the house, but you can most definitely dress it up as well.


Okay, so that's my top 10...  tell me about one of your favorite items from your closet!

Today I linked up with Andrea, Erika & Narci.

Christina, April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

And Erin.

Have a great weekend, you guys!

 XO,

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, everyone!

This has been a long week!  Gracie had been sick and they think she had the mumps.  We haven't gotten the test results back from the state, but what???  That's why we give our kids their MMR vaccines.  And then to top that off, Dan's been home all week with the flu.  He was the only one in our family who didn't get the flu shot.  Well, you can bet that next year he will be getting one.  ;)

Anyways, we are celebrating that the weekend is here.  The kids and I have a lot going on, so I'm not sure how relaxing it will be, but it's the weekend, so we should be excited... right?!

Okay, onto Friday Favorites...

I'm sure I'm like everybody else, but I often forget how pretty it is where I live.  I think its so easy to take the beauty around us for granted when we see it day in and day out.  On the way home the other day, I snapped a quick picture on my phone.  I couldn't get over how pretty it was.  It's sunny days like those that make me so thankful to live where I do.




On Wednesday I shared what I've been reading lately.  There are a couple of books that I really enjoyed if you are looking for something new to read.



And speaking of books...

I just finished reading this yesterday afternoon.  It's not the kind of book I typically read, but I really liked it.  It was so far removed from anything we would ever experience, which is what I think made it so fun and interesting.  It had a couple scenes, but nothing graphic.

 Recipe
Emma and I made these spicy chicken taco's after seeing somebody post the recipe on Facebook.  We made a pan of Spanish rice to go with them.  My younger two weren't crazy about these, but Gracie, Dan and I really liked them. 


I didn't have have a lot to share today, as life's been a bit busy, but if I can get my butt in gear, I'm hoping to share and link up next week about 10 favorites items in my closet.

Today I linked up with Andrea, Erika & Narci.

And Christina, April & Natasha with Five On Friday.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

XO,

What I've Been Reading Lately

I've read a few books lately, and thought I'd share them with you.  If you've read any of these, I'd love to know what you thought of them.

The Captive Heart, by Michelle Griep

This one was probably my favorite book of 2016.  I finished it not long ago, and I'm still thinking about it.  I just found the characters in this book so fun.  Especially the male character.  He comes across as so rugged and gruff, but I think he's quite endearing and humoring!  This is one of those books that I wished was twice as long.  I couldn't get enough of their story.

Two By Two, by Nicholas Sparks

 

This was the weirdest book that I've read by Nicholas Sparks.  I wouldn't have known it was written by him, if the cover didn't say so.  I picked this one up on Cyber Monday, and wow, was it different.  This book stressed me out, and I kept telling Dan that I wasn't sure that I could finish it.  Ultimately, I had to know what happened, so I kept reading.

I can't say that I liked it, but I can't say it was bad either, because obviously I kept reading it.

Anyone else read this one?  What did you think?

The Innkeeper Of Ivy Hill, by Julie Klassen

This one was different than I expected as well.  It was a lot slower paced than I normally prefer, but once I realized that it was supposed to be more of a 'Little Women' kind of book, if that makes sense...  I just took my time and enjoyed it for what it was.  Which is a book about a woman trying to save the family inn, back in an 1800's English village.  I can't say that I loved this book, but I found it quaint and kind of relaxing compared to some of the faster paced books.  (I had received this one from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Dan and the kids gifted me this for Christmas.  The Undoing of Saint Silvanus, is Beth Moore's first novel.

It's a long one with 480 pages.  I loved the New Orleans setting, and the characters.  I think Beth Moore is a great author and did great for her first novel... it was just a little too long in my opinion.  It had some suspense, but not enough to keep me interested for quite that long.

An Uncommon Courtship, by Kristi Ann Hunter

An Uncommon Courtship is about a couple who are forced to marry to save her reputation.  They are forced into a marriage that neither of them signed up for or wanted.  They have to figure out how to love and be married to someone they don't even truly know.  These kinds of books are some of my favorites.  So much awkward tension and humor.  These two characters are a bit different than some that I've read before, but I still enjoyed it.  They just have you shaking your head from time to time.  (This is another one I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)



To Suit A Suitor, by Paula Kremser

I just finished this one over the weekend, and I really liked it.  The characters were cute, as well as their story.  It's another fun and easy read.  She has been trying to catch a husband for the past 3 seasons, without any luck.  She promises her mother that she will marry whomever her mother chooses if she'll just allow her to escape from London for a time.  But before she even arrives at her cousins house, she has an encounter with a man, she's thankful she'll never see again (or so she thinks). 

So that's what I've been reading lately.

Today, I'm linking up with Johannah.  I can't wait to see what everyone else is reading.

 Have you read any of these?  What are you reading?  What should I be reading?