Five Favorites, and January 2015 Planning Pages

1. My fireplace is finally functional! I think this is my favorite favorite of all- no leaving the best for last going on here. Zeke still has some finishing touches to do- we'll be removing some more of the woodwork (sad, but that's what the insurance company requires), and putting up some great tile, but we can actually use it! And we have been. Every night this week.

2. Once upon a time, I used to take figure skating lessons. I know, I know. I was pretty terrible- I was too scared to actually do any jumps, and my balance was laughable. so spins were pretty much out of the question, but I did skate a lot in high school- I would put in about 5 hours a week at the rink. So when Zeke suggested we go, I was so excited!

Of course, I'm very out of shape and it took a while to get my "ice legs," but it was so much fun.

3. Peppermint hot chocolate in a giraffe mug. Need I say more?

We can just pretend you can't see those cords in the background, kay?

4. My super-creative mother-in-law asked Zeke if he had any old mattresses... and then turned bed springs into Christmas trees. So cute.

5. And (I didn't take a picture of it), but my door of Christmas cards is filling up. I love Christmas cards. There's something so special about getting cards in the mail, and then the glitter and pictures and joy... it's wonderful. Growing up, my folks put all the cards up along the windowsills, and I would spend at least ten minutes a day looking at them. Now that I'm older, I appreciate the little extra burst of color in my house from all the cards, and I take a couple minutes to pray for friends and family a couple times a day. Ah, Christmas cards. I just love 'em. 

<<<>>><<<>>><<<>>>

In other news, in printing out my December planning pages last month, I realized that I really jumbled the last few days of December... so I attached those days to my January 2015 daily planning pages for ya. Sorry about that!

January 2015 Daily Planning Pages

A note about printing: These pages are 8.5 x 5.5 sized, so they should fit in Martha Stewart small format binders, A5 size binders, and Classic size binders. You may need to trim a little.

You will want to print these double sided, flipping on the short end of the paper (or top-to-bottom printing). They'll look a little crazy at first (i.e. the pages don't seem like they're in order) but it should work just fine. After printing, cut the pages in half, and three-hole punch the edge you cut.

Oh, and if you're looking for monthly calendars for 2015, my calendar pages are also available as a free printable!

This post is linked up with Jenna at Call Her Happy for 5 Favorites, today. 

A Sick Day and Some Niblets.

{REAL}

I woke up with the beginnings of a cold sore (do you get those? awful.), and the headache and almost-like-a-fever symptoms that usually come with it. Oh, and outside looked like this...

{PRETTY}

Pretty, yes. But I'd rather just stay in bed all cozy and warm...

And since I didn't have any immediate things to do at work, I decided to take a sick day.

And really, I just wanted an excuse to lay on the couch all day and watch Gilmore Girls. So I did.


I actually napped for a lot of the day (while the stupid cold sore manifested itself in all it's nasty glory... yuck), until Zeke came home to keep me company.


He made me this...

{HAPPY}

It had three peppermints in it. Yum. Talk about happy!



And we watched this...

{FUNNY}

Yes. There is a "show" on Netflix (the Wii streaming kind, anyway) called "Fireplace for Your Home." You can choose a fireplace with festive yuletide music, or without music. And there's a fish tank one, too! Who knew?

Definitely a worthwhile sick day.

And now for something completely different...

Some Niblets

Around the blog lately...

I've been getting lots of comments/e-mails about my post about posting baby bump pictures on Facebook. Thank you all for your warm wishes and prayers- it means a lot.

We're still working through my series on singleness and dating from a Christian perspective. Somehow, what was planned to be a four-week series exploded... it's a huge topic, so I suppose I should have know that would happen...

Around the blog formerly...

I've been seeing lots of hits on my Budget Bride series recently! Looks like the wedding planning has begun!

And around this time a year ago, I used a carpet shampooer and thought deep thoughts about it. This year, I have a new vacuum cleaner- one with a clear canister, and the same philosophy still applies.

Around the web this week....

I'm notorious for apologizing for "the mess" when people come over... it drives Zeke crazy... so I loved this post.

And if you haven't seen/heard about Kim Kardashian's picture on the interwebs, don't go looking for it- I'll give you the Cliff Notes: Kim Kardashian posed mostly nude for a magazine cover, showing off her bottom and obviously Photoshopped waist. Now go read this awesome response - it's worth it.

This cold weather is reminding me that it won't be long until Advent, then Christmas... and I haven't thought of any co-worker gifts for this year! Last year I made cute little felt ornaments... they're somewhere in this post here...  And I think I'd like to do something similar. Any ideas?

And apparently I'm not the only one under the weather--- see more illness inspired PHFR over at

  Like Mother, Like Daughter!

My Entryway- A PHFR

This post brought to you by a mid-week slump! You're excited, I can tell. 

{Pretty}

There's just something so pretty about being greeted by a clean entryway first  thing in the morning. Ah. Feels like peace.

{Happy}

Zeke has this pair of moccasins that just make me so happy (more so when he's wearing them, but you catch my drift). He looks like a cute little boy in them... and he doesn't look like a little guy very often!

{Funny}

Hiding amidst the pile of Zeke-shoes are these...

 ... scuba flippers. I'm not really sure.

{Real}

Just in case the clean-entryway picture made you feel fits of jealousy, here's some reality to set you straight. 

When we moved in to Peace (our house), I put up this curtain that's entirely too long for the window. I told myself that I'd go ahead and actually cut and sew the curtain to fit someday... it's been almost two years and my quick fold-and-hand-stitch job is still holding on well.

Linking up today with Like Mother, Like Daughter!

October Update

Because, let's be honest, it's hard to keep up in the blogging world!

<> Work's going well- we're out of the fire and into the furnace- summer camp is over, but Fall youth retreats are starting up today. 75 middle schoolers say what?

("AAAAAH!" and "I just drank three Red Bulls on the bus ride here!" That's what they say.)

<> With all the transitions and stuff, I've been really relying on my planner. So, yeah, I've been posting about that a lot.

<> We went on a three-day vacation to the Black Hills last week, and it was awesome. And just what I needed.

<> I still need yo' tips on Fall fashion. Link.It.Up.

 <> Zeke's been making lots of dehydrator food (so, like, jerky and apple chips and dehydrated watermelon, which he really likes and I really hate), so there's that.

 <> Still not pregnant. I was hitting a wall with my regular family doctor about that (she wanted to put me back on birth control to "reset" my cycle, and yeah, no. No Pill for me.), so we decided that seeing a NaPro might be our best bet. We'll be on the same page as the doctor as far as no IVF and no birth control, at least.

We started using Creighton two weeks ago, went for our first follow up on Tuesday. I'm kind of loving the no-temping thing.



<> I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks last week, but I was completely underwhelmed. Zeke took a sip and said, "This doesn't taste like four dollars."

Anyway, I thought maybe I was out of the Pumpkin-Spice-loving stage of life, but then I got some Pumpkin Spice creamer, and yeah, it's pretty wonderful. Maybe the Starbucks guy was just a newbie?

This post is linked up with Jenna for tl;dr, and with Jen for 7QT! Because there were seven things!

Five Favorite Fall {Cold Season} Things

Okay, so, you know the awesome vacation we took? That was wonderful and beautiful and just so needed? When we slept and ate and slept again, then saw some beautiful things and went back to sleep?

We headed back home on Wednesday, and by mid-drive, Zeke's sinuses were totally swollen. He went through a box of tissues, and the half-roll of toilet paper I stole from a restaurant bathroom. (Is that gross? Illegal? TMI? I don't even know, but I just couldn't handle that "snarf-cough-blech" noise he kept making. Choices.) And of course, you spend 7 hours in a car with a large, germ-infested man, and... yep. I've got it, too.


So while I wanted to do a 5 Faves Fall post, I've got snot in my brain, so... yeah. You get cold-season favorites. You're welcome.

(Full disclosure: Some of these are affiliate links. That meas that if you click on the picture, it'll take you to Amazon, and then you decide to buy something, I'll get a little teeny commission at no cost to you.)

Fuzzy Socks

Because when you're all stuffed up, there's nothing like the feeling of stepping on cocker spaniel puppies.


Oil Diffusers

Seriously. I love this thing. And my sinuses love this thing.


Essential Oils

and

to use with my diffuser. I'll be honest, I'm not an oil snob. I know that the essential oil brand wars are out there, and that people have chosen sides, sister against sister, and there has been bloodshed (well, hurt feelings, anyway.) I don't really get all into that. These are two oils that have worked for me. I like 'em.


Copious Amounts of Netflix

Source

Having the sniffles is a great excuse to watch three seasons of Gilmore Girls. Right? RIGHT?


Soup That I Didn't Have to Chop Vegetables to Make

Soup is good, but chopping millions of carrots and onions and simmering? I don't mind it when I feel okay, but sinus headaches and chopping do not a happy Adrie make.

I keep a couple of these around for just such occasions. Yum.



Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to disinfect my keyboard, cuz I just sneezed all over it. Ew.

Linking up over at Call Her Happy! 

I Told You that to Tell You This: Apple Chips, Farm Cats, and a Link Up

~1~

This has been a weird week in chez Little. I worked all last weekend, so had Monday off (and did nothing. Seriously. Nothing.), and then worked late on Tuesday night, came in early on Wednesday with a "last minute run to Menards"-that-ended-up-taking-all-of-three-hours-chaser. I just feel very... off kilter. My routines! I need my routines!

~2~

That said, I need you all to pray for us, please. Something has (just now, like, this very morning) come up, something that would really throw off my routines, but my heart strings are being tugged. Strongly. I'm just not sure that Zeke's are being tugged the same way, and I can be really really impulsive and I jump right in where he looks before he leaps. And you know, just this morning, so he probably hasn't had time to even think about any of this, but it's big on my mind.

I do realize that I'm being very vague- but maybe just pray that we'll very clearly see God's will and doors will open wide if this is the right thing. And if it is the right thing, trust me, you'll hear all about it.

~3~

A lighter, {happy} note: We have tons of apples. Zeke's folks have an apple tree that was majorly overloaded this year... so we came home with tons of 'em. Just trying to be helpful, you know. 

So Zeke decided to dehydrate them and make apple chips. So yummy! 

 ~4~

While at the farm- I thought this was so {funny}

 

Two cats who just loved walking like this. Too cute.

~5~

While I know I'm really blessed to have meals provided for us during the summer (and the no-clean up, no grocery shopping that goes along with that), there's just something wonderful about reclaiming my kitchen each Fall.

Chicken stock in progress.

~6~

So, I no longer have ballet flats due to an unfortunate "while at a retreat, someone took them" situation.

Wait, I didn't tell you about that yet?

Okay, so two weeks ago I went to a retreat. There were a lot of ladies there, and it was rainy. (The rainy part is important, here.) The first night, there was a very nice lady who won a door prize, and she mentioned that her luggage had been lost in the airport. Bummer deal, for sure.

Anyway, my group went for a hike, and my trusty ole ballet flats went too, and got really muddy. So, instead of cleanin' 'em up before dinner (we were late already), I put them in the shared bathroom and put on my other pair of shoes, figuring I'd avoid tracking mud everywhere and I'd clean them later. But when I went back later, they were gone. I looked around, checked the lost and found... nothing.

Until the last day of the retreat, when I saw the door prize lady who lost her luggage. She was wearing my shoes. Huh? But I then I thought, "Well, she might have the same pair!" and then also "She's way taller than me, she probably has bigger feet. So she couldn't be wearing my shoes."

But then I noticed her heels hangin' off the back of them. Those shoes were way too small for her. And I was pretty darn sure they were mine. But how do you go up to someone you don't know and say, "Hey, are you wearing my shoes?"

Weird, the whole situation.

~7~

I told you that to tell you this-

I'm kind of lost without my ballet flats. I gotta get myself a new pair, but until then, I've been trying to work my customary skirts-with-ballet-flats outfits minus the ballet flats. Flip flops have worked great, but now it's getting colder...

So I need help. Because, as I've said, I'm really not much for fashion.  

Here's my outfit for today...

Ignore the messy office in the background. And the garbage can. And the fact that my cardigan is a button off.  There are reasons I don't do this.

... and that's my only idea. (Although I must say, the dress is a {pretty] one. Thank you mother-in-law!) So, I obviously need some help. I asked for help on Facebook, too... but I figured I'd ask again... because desperate.


Link up here with your favorite cowboy boot/skirt outfits. Or just any cowboy boot/skirt outfit. Any outfit at all.

You know what? Let's get wild- link up ANY Fall outfit! 

And, because, you know, the Fall is the perfect time to wear... Fall outfits, this link up will be open for a while. I got no rules. Go crazy.

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Thursday!!

Currently.

This is yesterday, actually.

READING: Registration forms. Ha! Just kidding. But really. And also One Thousand Gifts, still. I re-read each and every chapter because there's just so much there. Oh, and also a really (really) bad YA book... but I'm reading it anyway because I need some entertainment.


LISTENING: to acorns dive-bombing the sidewalk.


SMELLING: the pumpkin candle on the desk next to me. It's nice.

WATCHING: Our Netflix works again (Praise WiFi), but only a little. And only before 10:15, and only if no one is using a microwave. Or thinking about microwaves. So, between long sessions of red spinny "loading" thing, we've been watching Longmire. In choppy little segments until 10:15. 

WORKING ON: Getting back into the swing of meal planning. I know- we haven't had campers around for like, a month. I've just been forcing Zeke to microwave freezer-burnt leftover hot dogs for the past month. (As long as the microwave is NOT on while I'm trying to get Netflix to work)... Ketchup is a vegetable, right?

WISHING: That I could go home now, instead of waiting for the guests to come in. But I'm happy they're coming. I just wanna go home. You know?

WEARING: Almost this exact same outfit. Minus the scarf, plus a Camp zip up. And a slightly different Camp shirt. Because that's how I roll.


WANTING: So, I've gotten back into using my little planner, right? Which is awesome. And helpful. But the trouble is, now I want a new binder. I like the one I've got, but I'd like something leather-ish. Like a Filofax or even a Daytimer or... I don't care. And I love the ones in mint green or that vintage rose color. But those are so expensive! Even the used ones are like, $70.00. Ugh. I should stop looking 'em up.

NEEDING: A little more coffee. Just a little.

FEELING: Kinda sleepy! This cold and dreary weather is to blame, I'm sure!

Seven Reasons I'm Not a Fashion Blogger. (And Why I'm Glad You Are).

I'm not a fashion blogger, obviously. Not even close. There are lots of ladies out there who write a little about fashion, but wouldn't call themselves "fashion bloggers..." I'm not one of those, either. I don't blog about fashion at all, really. And there are good reasons for it. Very, very good reasons.

~1~

How do people have those nicely blank or artsy backgrounds? Seriously. I attempted to find a single blank or artsy-cute wall anywhere in the vicinity and came up empty handed.

Ignore the light switch. And the remote holder thing.

~2~

It seriously took me five minutes just to angle the camera so I was actually in the frame, and I ended up using a tri-pod thing, two books, and an orange. And don't get me started with the original photographer I had in mind. Zeke was no help with this at all.

Taken while the camera was falling off the coffee table.

Those of you who have five-year-olds photograph you- HOW DO YOU DO IT?

~3~

My house utilizes the fluorescent lights of photography death. Took a buncha editing to remove the cringe-worthy effect I had going on.

 ~4~

The majority of my clothing is "Camp-wear"- theme t-shirts from old programs, t-shirts from camps where I no longer work, t-shirts with the Camp logo... it's like an unofficial work uniform. Of t-shirts. Including one with a Lego guy on it, another with a giant spatula, and one that says "CAMP IS GOOD."

~5~

I don't actually buy clothing often at all (partially because of #4).

~6~

And when I do buy clothing, it typically sticks around for a while.

~7~ 

And finally, I'm not a fashion blogger because... I'd much rather leave it up to all of you who do it, and can actually do it, and come up with adorable outfits that I would never have come up with on my own. Because I need the inspiration.

And also because so many of you -

I'm looking atcha, Grace and Haley and Anna and Kendra and Rosie, and this list could get very long...-

you remind me that looking nice, looking put together, is important. Even if the only people who see you today are your children. Or your husband. Or the lady with whom you share an office. It matters. And you remind me of that. (Hence the scarf in my outfit today. Ta da! So fancy.)

So, thanks.

And keep roping your seven-year-old into photographing you. =)

This post is linked to Fashion on the 15th- Hi, Anna!-and with Jen for Seven Quick Takes.

Acorns and the Sky is Falling

{Pretty}

My flowers have started blooming again, despite the bunny rabbits. 

{Happy}

Acorns crunching underfoot (and smacking me in the head as I walk under those huge oak trees... but that's not quite as happy...)

{Funny}

One of the benefits of living right on site is that I can see my office from my house.  The other day, I realized that I'd left the office light on at Camp. Whoops. So I sent Zeke to go grab some milk from the main kitchen, went and got my keys, and headed to the office to turn out the light. 

Zeke was hiding, in the dark, in the welcome center... and jumped out at me when I walked in. 

Apparently, I looked super scared... I jumped and jangled my keys at him and then froze.

I tried getting him back for a couple of hours... but he just doesn't scare as easily! 

{Real}

So, I really wanted to bring this guy home... 

But timing wasn't right and I knew the timing wasn't right but I got my hopes all up anyway. And when once again, I was disappointed by wanting and not receiving, it hurt and sort of emphasized, once again, the whole none-in-the-oven thing.  Which makes me feel just a little like everything is crashing down around my head. 

So, you know, pray for over-dramatic little me who spent last night running around going, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" (Not literally. But almost.) I just feel a little like I'm running through a pool full of jello. Stuck in place, no matter what I want.

<Sigh.>

Of course, that pales in comparison to the loss experienced on this day thirteen years ago in New York and Pennsylvania. Keep those families in your prayers today, too! 

Have a fantastic weekend, all! 

Head over to Like Mother, Like Daughter for more PHFR!

What "Enough" Looks Like Lately

My small group started a new book for this Fall. I love my group, I love the ladies in it, and I love the community that I've found through this group... but I was a little uncertain about the book, to be honest.

I can be a "book snob" when it comes to small groups or book clubs. I like reading things that are a little outside the box- when there's a book that everyone is reading and everyone recommends, the popularity actually turns me away from it.

So when it was announced that we'd be reading a book that I'd heard a lot about, that a bunch of people have said "changed their lives," a book that many people have told me that I should read... I thought, Oh no... I'm gonna hate this. But I love my group, and I trust them, so even though I was a little hesitant, I got the book.




A couple of months ago, I came up with a word for 2014. Different from a resolution, this one word was supposed to help me focus on a theme, a topic that I wanted to improve upon for the year. I chose the word "Enough." I was really struggling with feeling like I'm not enough just the way I am.

But then, as things do over the course of a year, things changed.

Feeling like I'm not enough wasn't the struggle anymore, so much. Nope.

As the months went on and it became clearer that we will struggle to have children, I became less concerned about being enough, and more certain that I didn't have enough. I don't have enough life in my home, I don't have a healthy enough system to allow a pregnancy, I don't have enough time.

Deep in the recesses of my heart, a whisper of doubt started to erode my soul, to steal my joy, to make me ungrateful.

God doesn't love me enough.

And while I try to fight back against that whisper, tried to focus on the good and drown out that slippery voice, it lingers. It's a thorn that festers and tears at the fabric of my life.



I started reading the book for small group last week. I was sitting on the couch, reading Chapter One for our Monday small group meeting, and Zeke sat on the couch next to me on Craigslist. (Is your husband a Craigslist junkie? Mine has been looking for goats recently. I have no idea.)

Anyway. I started reading through the chapter, and came across this line:

"Like a rash that wears through our days, our sight becomes peppered with black voids. Now everywhere we look, we only see all that isn't: holes, lack, deficiency."

I burst into tears. (And made poor Zeke the goat-finder a very confused man.)

Because that's what I've been dealing with. That's what I've been feeling. Those big black holes in my vision are stealing my joy, are making me feel like God doesn't love me enough.

And she put it so perfectly into words. She took my hurt and the stuff I'm struggling with and she named it, made me feel like she understood and wanted to help- that she'd figured out how to heal those holes a little bit.

That's what "Enough" has looked like for me, lately. It's not about me anymore, no. It's about the fact that God has so richly blessed me, given me such good gifts- so much more than enough. He's more than enough. I'm learning (slowly learning) to see that again.

(If you're curious, this is the book my group is reading. I can't put it down. Seriously.)

How are you doing with your resolutions? Throughout this year, have they morphed like mine has?

This post is linked with Amateur Nester.

All The Grouchies Up In Hurrr

Fridays make me grouchy.

Correction. Most days make me grouchy.

Source

I know, I know. How can you be a big ole crank if you're surrounded by laughing children learning about God? And families finding their stride in faith and re-learning how to love each other? Don't get me wrong, I know that Camp is pretty awesome and powerful and life-changing. And I know, I know, that I'm blessed to be part of it.

But for the love of Pete.

My overly-organized perfectionist self doesn't deal well with all the flexibility.

All the "Oh, we also have another three people who decided to come to Camp with us! So we need different housing. Rightthisminute. And we'd like the most luxury housing you have available."

All the "Oh, actually, my child has a severe peanut allergy, thankyouverymuch. You'll have to remove all peanut products from the camp store. No, I didn't call about it in advance."  (They apparently didn't read this post.)


I like to be prepared. I spend hours making door signs and name tags and spreadsheets and invoices. And then the people show up, and it all CHANGES. 

So then I decide not to stress about it. To go with the flow. But the issue there is being flexible makes more work for me, too. And then more people are cranky with me because I didn't have accurate-ish numbers and we're running out of food and three families are sharing one counselor. Sprampfed if I do, Sprampfed if I don't.

But for the most part, I can overlook it. They're just people after all, and people make mistakes. I get that.

This week, though. THIS.WEEK. We gave a full scholarship to a family. That means they don't pay for anything. Not programming, not housing, not even food. They've gotten full scholarships for many years. I know, generosity and all, but really? They haven't paid anything ever? It's over $12,000 in free camp, all added up. That's a lot.

And then they came to my office the other day to complain. First, the counselor running the camp store "wasn't very nice" when they asked for a reduced cost on a t-shirt. And secondly, because they don't eat pork, and the chef didn't know that. So now the cook is providing an alternative menu for this family. (Can't they just not eat the pork and eat salad bar and rolls and green beans instead?!? Apparently not.) AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING FOR ANY OF IT, ANYWAY.

Saying little prayers up in this joint. Because jeez. I'm so far from the love of Christ with these folks, it's not even funny. I'm really trying to channel the "if he asks for your cloak, give him your tunic, as well" thing.

But the wind's a'blowin'. Crab.Bee.

When the Lights Go Out

We got slammed with quite a few big storms last week, as did quite a bit of Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. (And I hope you’ll join me in praying for Pilger, Nebraska, where the community has suffered many injuries and lost loved ones because of this storm system, as well as all the places in the Midwest experiencing major flooding).

At about 4:00 in the afternoon last Monday, the sky went so dark it looked like it was the middle of the night, and the wind was really blowing. We had the radio tuned to the weather in the office… until the power at the radio station went out.

And then our power went out.

With 110 people- 27 families- at Camp.

What a difference attitude makes! When the lights flickered twice and then everything went dark, it became quickly apparent that attitude is everything.

Some of our campers made the best of it- enjoying supper by the glow of candlelight in the dining hall, smiling and doing their best to help out, sharing flashlights and rain gear. Other campers were less gracious- scowls and complaints, some even leaving early. If they had a good attitude, they had a good time, despite the inconvenience and discomfort. If they had a bad attitude, they had a bad time.

Life brings a lot of unexpected, unplanned circumstances beyond our control. You can either see it as an adventure, or as an issue.

Choose to make it an adventure.

If your invitations didn’t turn out the way you hoped, if the tea light candles don’t fit in your centerpieces, if uninvited guests show up, if your grandfather leads arousing sing-along of God Bless America at the reception- it’s all part of the adventure.

Don’t let it get to you… and let that adventure-attitude carry you into your marriage with grace. When the basement floods at your new home? When he loses his job? When you have to move again?

Life will not always be fun, or romantic, or convenient. Sometimes it will be sad and disappointing and hard. But it’s worth it. You’ll learn and grow and become. But the learning and growing and becoming depend on you taking your circumstances and choosing to find the adventure. Even when the lights go out.

"Like" A Little Wife's Happy Life on Facebook to catch more Intentional Engagement posts!

Other Posts in the Intentional Engagement Series:

SMOOTH AS A RIVER ROCK: HAVING AN INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT

BUDDING FRUIT AND DOING SOME NARROWING DOWN 

WEDDING PLANNING CAN MAKE YOU DULL: YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR WEDDING 

DON'T SEND DOVES, OR PLANNING A MARRIAGE RATHER THAN A WEDDING

JUNE AND WINNING AT YOUR WEDDING

DECIDE AND DEFINE: TIPS FOR PLANNING A NOT-OUT-OF-A-MAGAZINE WEDDING

This post is linked to Amateur Nester.

An Answer Me This without Pictures, and A Hunky Husband Life Hack

1. When's the last time you got a new bathing suit? 

Just a couple of months ago, actually! The exclamation point is because, well, I don't usually get new swimsuits.

My last suit (nicknamed by Zeke- "the appropriate suit") looks like this....

... okay, so I had a particular picture in mind, but I can't find it! You'll just have to do some imagining. It's blue.

It's got a nice skirt to it, but it's a little low cut... and I've had it for quite a few summers, so it was getting to that sorta-stretched out point... so we got me a new one! And I don't have any pictures of it, either. But it's not as low cut, still with a skirt. And I like it a lot. 

2. Who made the last incoming call on your phone?

Mah hubby. Zeke was calling to see if I'd heard from the people coming to fix one of our boat lifts at Camp. It was a thrilling and romantic call. 

3. If you receive communion, do you receive it in the hands or on the tongue?

Sort of the hands? Protestant, so we do the whole "pass the platter" thing at my current church. But I'd really prefer to receive communion from an actual person. 

4. Do you have a tattoo?

Ugh. You had to ask that one, huh, Kendra?

Yes, I do. Read here. 

5. How many dinner plates are in your house?

Too many. We have 12 from our wedding, and 10-ish from Grandma's house. And we use approximately three plates total per week in the summer. 

6. Do you have an accent?

Nope! The benefits of being Midwestern.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

and, because it's sort of like a Monday <cough, behind, cough>... 

A Hunky Husband Life Hack

All right, this one needs a little explanation. 

So, Zeke has a habit of taking things that Camp requested he get rid of, and putting them to use in our own home. Like my orange pleather couch. 

This window air conditioner is broken. The thermostat doesn't really work very well (it always shows that it's 70 degrees), and for whatever reason, it's set to not turn on until it's about 98 degrees in the room (are you singing boy-band songs in your head?), and you can't change the settings because that part is broken, too. 

Zeke found a solution. 

I came home to find that Zeke had taken the little table, doiley and all, from the bathroom, and re-situated it below the air conditioner.

Because the obvious solution was.... Put the sensor inside of the wax on the Scensy.

The wax doesn't get hot enough to damage the sensor, but stays at a pretty consistent above 98 degree temperature. So if the Scensy's on, the air conditioner is on. And, bonus, the air conditioner fan blows the lovely Scensy smell around the house! 

That guy.

How We Do Essential Oils and Sore Man Blend {Works for Me Wednesday}

Essential oils have been somewhat of a "big thing" for the past year or so. Or maybe it's been longer than a year and I'm completely out of the loop. No matter the case, after the interwebs and real-life friends started buzzing about the benefits of essential oils, I was intrigued.

First, I like smells. I attach memories to smells, and very strongly so.

Second, using essential oils in place of general painkillers or whatever was a big draw. My maintenance guy husband comes home with lots of aches and pains most days, and being able to reduce the meds while still having some relief sounded pretty great.

So I looked into it some more, and realized that the popular name brand essential oils simply don't fit into our budget.

And so I started looking into other options, and found that there are plenty of not-as-fancy-not-as-organic-not-as-effective essential oils on the market- and for lots cheaper.

Now, I'm not saying that those big name-brand popular essential oils are a rip off. Not at all! I know (from experiencing them compared to my cheapo oils) that the more expensive ones do tend to be of higher quality, no question. But for the way I'm using them? I don't think the higher quality is necessary.

Here's how we use essential oils in our household.

The first, and most popular way (especially from Zeke's perspective!): as massage oils.

Like I said before (and lots of other times), Zeke has a physically demanding job, and he gets sore muscles often. Even more often than I have to mend his clothing. If you can believe that.

Zeke likes to have his feet rubbed before bed, and usually his shoulders, sometimes his forearms... you get the idea. So we use Sore Man Blend (well, that's what we call it, anyway), and he says it helps... although that could also just be the massages.

I mix up Sore Man blend (as well as a version of Thieves oil blend, and a relax blend) in little glass bottles with a dropper built in- like these so that I don't have to mess around with making the blends every time we use them.


I also put some lavender in my unscented lotion- and when I'm having trouble falling asleep or feel stressed, a little lotion helps to calm my mind and body.

We also use essential oils in cleaning products. I use plain white vinegar and water for my general cleaning spray, unless I have some orange-peel infused vinegar around. I like to add some essential oils to my cleaning spray to give it a nicer smell.

And I've found that mixing up some lavender in the cleaning spray helps to calm those all-the-extended-family-is-arriving-for-Thanksgiving-in-one-hour-and-the-house-is-a-disaster nerves. 

And that's about all.

See, we don't use our essential oils for very much, and we don't take them internally. Maybe someday we'll be more dedicated EO users, but for now, these few uses are enough and frankly, I don't think spending a huge amount of money on oils is necessary for us right now.

It works for us!

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"Sore Man" Blend

A Hunky Husband Favorite

2 drops Ginger
1 drop Black Pepper (I typically omit this one)
3 drops Lavender
2 drops Fennel
3 drops Peppermint
2 drops Eucalyptus
1 oz carrier oil (I use almond oil, typically)

Apply topically as a massage oil (not to be ingested!)


Linked up with Works For Me Wednesday.