meet Gunther.

it's finally happened, y'all. i finally got my orange kitten for my birthday last week. 

let's just say that i am in love. 

meet Gunther, my orange tabby. he is nine weeks old. 

likes: 

• snuggling with mommy 
• watching dad play video games
• chasing his toy dragonfly 
• chasing his tail
• walking on mom's keyboard when she's using her laptop
• exploring anything and everything 

dislikes:

• being alone

here is a picture of him when we brought him home last week:

                               

the shelter had named him comet originally. i love this picture of him so much!

looking out the window on the way to his new home!

"don't leave me mom!"

getting out some energy

"pay attention to me!"

"where i like to nap."

very interested in my morning tea

morning snuggle time... boy, does he make it hard to start getting ready for work in the mornings!

i am in love. 

Gunther was born on the very day that we moved to toledo and was ready to be adopted just in time for my birthday. since one of the perks of moving here was getting a kitten, i'd say this was pretty meant to be. i believe our Heavenly Father cares about the "little things" our heart desires... and yes, He blessed me with this orange ball of sweetness! 

Guest post at Heart Stirrings-Praying for your Future Spouse

Hi ladies! I am honored to be posting on Natalie's blog today. Today I am talking about my experience praying for my husband. Check it out here! Thanks so much Natalie for asking me to be a part of your blog today :) 

two layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

This past weekend was Brian's birthday and carrot cake is his absolute favorite. This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it never fails to please. 

ingredients:



cake

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 2 tsp of heaping cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of finely grated carrots
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts

frosting

• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1 stick of softened, real butter
• 2 tsp of vanilla
• 1 box of confectioners sugar
• 1 cup of chopped pecans

For the cake...

• Combine oil and sugar. Mix well.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well.   
• Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add carrots and mix.
• Stir in nuts.
• 
• Pour batter in 2 greased and floured nine inch (round or square) pans. 

For the frosting...

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. 
2. Gradually add confectioners sugar. 

Frost each layer of cake when it is completely cooled. Easy peasy! 

(if you happen to be making this cake for a boy who loves lego blocks, light up the cake with some lego candles! yes, my hubby is 28 and loves legos.) 

dear hair...

dear hair,

it's no doubt that we have a strained relationship. i admit my thoughts about you aren't always the kindest. and on that note, i owe you an apology. 

i'm sorry that i compare your flat fine and thin tresses to ladies with more voluptuous manes...in doing so i have accused you of not being very feminine and that is just not fair. the truth is, the girls with the "voluptuous manes" would kill for your utter sleekness and naturally pin-straight tresses. your silkiness makes you fine...and i'm not just talking hair-type-fine...i mean, really, you're fiiine. 

i'm sorry that i have accused you of looking like dirty dishwater. i have been angry with you for not making up your mind of being blonde or brown. i try to take pride in being "natural" by not coloring you and then there i go criticizing you for not being the color i want. i can be so wishy-washy sometimes. and from this day on, you shall no longer be called "dirty dishwater," but "caramel blonde." 

and finally, i'm sorry for hating your crown on the back of my head. i must sound ridiculous... here i am, a girl who loves princesses, yet i have hated the very crown you have bestowed upon me. oh, the irony. from now on, i shall think of it as my mark of royalty...even if it does create hair-styling complications. 

the truth is, God made you and you are a part of me. if He says that i am wonderfully made, well, then you are a part of what makes me wonderfully made. and while i may take you in to the salon in a few weeks and have you adorned with color to "change it up," you really are beautiful the way you are. God even says that you are my glory. so thanks, hair, and i will strive to take care of you and to use kinder words when addressing you.

love,

me

p.s. my husband just said you look nice... how did he know i was writing to you?? 

via

so obviously, i was having a rough time with my hair and being a little critical. and i realized that i can be very harsh with myself. do you ever find yourself being overly critical about your body? or even your quirks, tendencies, and actions? have you ever stopped to recognize the tone you use with yourself? 

 so while this post was me kind of making fun of myself a little bit, i really do hope it inspires you to use kind words about how the Lord made you.... and to remind you that you are Wonderfully Made. 

girls day numero uno.

today was a wonderful afternoon with these ladies:

they have been so good to me since moving to the area and today they took me out to explore downtown toledo a little, as instructed in my scrapbook! 

 we were craving pizza, so we we didn't go to tony packos, but we did eat at a delicious place called pizza papalis! i had a yummy tuscan chicken flatbread and it was fantastic. 

libby glass outlet was a lot of fun... there are TONS of dinnerware and kitchen finds there for great prices. the wheels in my brain were turning the whole time about coordinating gifts and making crafts out of their items! i will definitely be going back.

 we also went to a fun candle/antique shop. here are some of the cute antique pieces: 

thanks ladies for a fun day and for loving me! i cant wait to try the other adventures in my scrapbook!  

approaching every day like Christmas morning.

Remember Christmas morning as a child? Remember the magic of shiny paper & bows, of full stockings, of bells & twinkling lights? Nothing can replace the enchantment of Christmas as a little one. There is just nothing like it. 

Confession: Even at 23 years old, I’m still the first one awake Christmas morning. I’m the annoying one who drags her husband, younger siblings, and parents out of bed so we can get the day started. After tossing and turning all night out of sheer excitement, there comes a point when I just can’t take it anymore, and we are all getting up now, whether this family of mine likes it or not!

I have been reading 1000 gifts, by Ann Voskamp. When reading this morning, the chapter was about humility and child-likeness. Children are excited about everything. Everything is wonder and joy and bounty to them. When you are small like a child, everything is big to you. Maybe this is why God commands us to have the faith of a child...why He says that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who have this kind of faith. Maybe this is why He says that the humble will be exalted, that the meek will inherit the earth...because when you’re like a child, everything is joy! When everything is joy, your heart receives gift after gift. The whole point of the chapter was about stooping down low and abandoning expectation in our lives. Our job is to be small. God’s job is to be big. The smaller we become, the bigger the Lord is to us, and the bigger the gifts we receive are. 

I’ve been told that I am child-like... not childish, but child-like in my joy. I consider faith to be one of my spiritual gifts. However, I’ve noticed these virtues slowly fading. Maybe it’s from new adult responsibilities and burdens, maybe it’s from witnessing so much brokenness around me, maybe it's from simply growing up (don't grow up...it's a trap), but bitterness and discontentment have slowly crept in and gotten the best of me. It’s become a gross kind of pride that I hate and I know the Lord hates it even more. 

Back to my reading this morning... as I was reading this chapter, God impressed upon my heart that in His Kingdom, every day is like Christmas morning. There are surprises and gifts in store for the day. There are presents to open. We only need to lower ourselves before a big and Mighty God to receive them.

My new years resolution this year is to "open" 1000 gifts and record them all. Here are a few presents I have opened:

11. warm forehead kisses that take me by surprise

12. decaf cupcake lattes in glass mugs

14. raindrops popping on the roof like popcorn

16. going out with no agenda except to explore

Yes... my Heavenly Father's heart is bursting with love for me... He is always giving! 

wake up every morning to this  via 

He must become greater; I must become less. -John 3:30

what i'm loving: city craft fabrics.

check out these gorgeous and whimsical fabrics from city craft. here are a few of my favorites: 

typewriters gold

can't you just imagine some place mats made out of this?! 

buck fushia pink

i am seeing a tea-towel and an a-line dress with this one! 

cycling green

a dress. definitely a dress. 

fair maidens natural

this would make an awesome throw blanket or pillow in a little girl's room. or a table cloth for a little round table with the perfect tea-set on top. can you see it?

zebra natural 

this would make an amazing summer-time table cloth!

oh goodness, i could go on an on. are you in love yet?