For Your Heart & Home
At one point or another, I think it's fair to say that we've all experienced waiting for an answer to prayer or a dream to be realized. They say there's no such thing as an "overnight success" and, impatient people that we are (just me?!), these things rarely happen as quickly as we'd like. - [...]
When it comes to momming right now, I see two extreme themes: Hustle or survive. I hear moms openly relating with each other about how hard it is to juggle it all during this strange time that still has no end date. And some really struggling (rightfully so!) On the other hand, some moms seem [...]
It's a weird time to have a baby! It's a weird time for us all in one way or another though. Over the past few weeks my feelings have wrestled between disappointment over unmet expectations and guilt for having a pity party when so many others are so much more severely impacted. They've moved towards [...]
We're expecting baby #2 in just a couple days so I'm making my lists and checking them twice! For me, preparation means peace of mind. Before having my first son, I spent hours on Pinterest reading blog posts and checklists about what to take to the hospital - there's TONS of great resources out there [...]
I have talked A LOT about the love languages so if you've been following for a while, you probably know what a fan I am! I think understanding our own and each other's can be so helpful to loving each other well. We keep this template on our fridge as a daily reminder of how [...]
I shared this blog post last year and thought it would be fun to resurface the ideas in light of the love week! 😉 Only this year - I'm adding one more! Because it's a leap year now and the extra day of the month deserves an extra idea! So here's my bonus idea for [...]
Before I talk to you about organization, I thought I'd share a little blurb from today's instagram encouragement: I had GRAND plans for January! I was ready to take on this new decade with so much intentionality and anticipation! But somehow, the first month is already over and it kind of ended up feeling more [...]
*Templates can be found at the bottom of this article! ❤ *If you're the mama of a baby, you may like these templates (found at the bottom of this older post) better! The topic of self-care tends to make me uncomfortable. You too? I don't love the buzzword meaning it's come to hold of splurging and [...]
Does it seem crazy to you that it was a whole year ago we were throwing out everything that didn't "spark joy" and de-cluttering our houses along with everyone else in America influenced by the Marie Condo craze?! The year FLEW by and, if the first half of January is any indication, it's only getting [...]
Am I the only one who's felt a little overwhelmed by the hype of a new decade and all it's "new you" possibilities?! We shouldn't already feel burnt out by 2020 on day 3, right?! Asking for a friend.. 😉 Well, in the words of my last January self, "Goals are good. Goals aren't God." [...]
This one's for the moms of littles who don't necessarily consider themselves a "crafty" or "Pinteresty" mom! Because boy oh boy, is it the season of seeing what every other mom is doing on social media is and wondering, "How do they have time to build that doll house by hand AND make bakery level [...]
It's no secret that I love making the most of every opportunity to create magical memories around the holidays! And I LOVE sharing those ideas with you... Just take my latest blog posts, "Mom's Make the Magic" or "How-to Make a Homemade Holiday Advent Calendar (in under an hour!)" for example! But the other side of [...]
One hour before it was time to leave town for Thanksgiving celebrations and you know what I was doing? No, not packing - too predictable! 😉 I was creating my first DIY advent calendar of course! When I get inspired to tackle a DIY, I tend to just jump in and figure the rest out [...]
This week I sat on the couch with a dear friend grieving her mom going to heaven earlier than you ever think your mom will. I can barely imagine how that must feel. My heart hurts for hers and inevitably feels a heavy sense of appreciation for my own mom, remembering that our future on [...]
The older I get the more I think the end of the year is becoming my favorite! Don't tell summer 😉 There are plenty of reasons to love it, but I think the best part is a universal shift in focus. Fun and joy become a priority. Our schedules fill up with gatherings and we [...]
I've heard it going around that, "September is the new January." I don't know about you, but I totally feel this way! The change in weather and the holidays around the corner make me feel like anything could happen! All the hustle and bustle of this time of year is so exciting, but it can [...]
Today is the first day of fall! I don't know about you, but this time of year always makes me think deeply about new seasons. I love the fresh start feeling fall brings. I always have. Don't you remember the way the first day of school felt like a chance to be whoever you wanted [...]
It seems like every living room magazine cover and Pinterest picture is complete with a perfectly styled coffee table that looks like it's never touched. Do you ever wonder how they actually use their table for coffee? 😉 Or think it looks nice, but feel unsure about where to start in achieving your own look? [...]
I know Starbucks has officially come out with their pumpkin spice drinks, but this is your friendly reminder that summer is not actually "over" until September 21! And if you're a Pacific Northwest local, a little rain doesn't stop you anyway! 😉 That means there's plenty of time to soak in the great outdoors - [...]
We're in full on remodel mode at our house and projects are happening everywhere. If you don't follow along with us on instagram or hadn't heard, God recently provided a way for us to buy the house we've been living in unexpectedly and we are SO thankful! Also so ready to start making it our [...]
Last month we celebrated 6 whole years of marriage! It doesn’t even seem possible, but then again, I’m just a few years away from being with Jordan for more of my life than not, so it does kind of feel like we’ve been together forever! A whole lot of learning has taken place over those [...]
It's been a while since I shared a recipe here and this one is easily one of my favorites ever. We've been making an extra effort to open up our home and prioritize community this summer, but sometimes that also means extra work and that can be enough to hold you back from extending an [...]
We've had a whole lot of reasons to celebrate and parties to plan recently so I decided to round up my best tips for maximizing meaningfulness in your even planning! Because isn't that the whole point?! Thoughtfulness is THE secret ingredient that takes an event from "fun party" to sentimental moments and memories! A while [...]
Once there was this job I thought was surely mine. I hadn’t even graduated college yet and I really wanted it (I thought I did anyways), but that job was not mine. It was my first big rejection and it wasn’t fun. When I didn’t land that job I was embarrassed and even a little [...]
I've been thinking a lot about the power we have as women to shape the future memories of our family. Now that I'm a mom, I look back on fond childhood memories with a whole new understanding that there was very likely a parent behind that memory - fostering an environment, creating an experience, and [...]
Let me introduce you to my husband (& Finnley's dad), Jordan! If you follow along with me on instagram or have been reading here for a while, you’ve probably heard of him a time or two 😉 I’m not just being nice when I call him my better half! He’s a gem - the kind [...]
Not too long ago, I looked forward to making summer bucket lists with my own little fam and I pinned fun ideas for how to display them together... well you better believe that this year our list is on the fridge and I'm already having so much fun with it!! You know what I wish [...]
The other day on instagram I shared that birthdays always feel bittersweet to me. I wrote about my 24th birthday and the way I cried sad tears about getting older because I was overwhelmed with the sense that time is running out for me. I recognize that 24 is pretty young and so is 26, [...]
In the last 30 days I hosted two bridal showers for my sister, a 1st birthday party for my son, and a Mother’s Day lunch for family and friends. It was a party planning marathon and I'm combining all the fun DIY and budget friendly tips from each of them in this one packed post! [...]
Recently I shared my best tips for furniture flipping and we went step by step through my latest DIY project! If you haven’t read that yet, you can right here! 🙂 I’ve always had a love for DIY and it’s something I’ve taught myself through a combo of the internet, learning from others, and a [...]
Recently I shared about how The Guest Room all started with some DIY projects in the spare room of our little apartment. If you haven’t read that yet, you can find it here - hope it encourages you 🙂 At that time, we were approaching DIY for a profit and we learned a ton of [...]
A couple years ago, Jordan and I started new jobs, moved to a new city, and started fresh in almost every way. We had led very busy, full lives up to that point and that year was a time of forced rest and intention as individuals and in our marriage like we’d never had. It [...]
FEARLESS! That was going to be my word for 2019! I chose it prayerfully and purposefully. I chose it hoping God would align events and opportunities in my life throughout the next year that would allow me the chance to exercise this declaration and grow to really claim the identity of a woman who laughs [...]
After becoming a mom I felt this weird insecurity about going back to church. Getting there in the morning felt like so much work and the fear of throwing our son off his schedule was an easy excuse so I let the worries about the little things keep me from showing up. I know church [...]
My very first real date was on Valentines day in 2009 (with my then childhood crush/now husband!) We ate a heart shaped pizza and went to a movie… good times 😉 It has been so special to call him my valentine through so many stages and seasons of life, but it makes coming up with [...]
Our first Valentine’s Day together, Jordan was 16 and his driver’s license was so new he couldn’t even legally take me anywhere! So let’s just say we had lots of living room dates that year! From then on, we spent most Valentine’s in the gym at a basketball game or working around an evening practice. [...]
The concept of knowing ourselves is kind of odd. I mean, who knows you better than you?! The funny thing is, life has a way of making us question, "who the heck am I?!" I'm not just talking mid-life-crises (or quarter-life-crises or new-mom-life-crises... a very real thing, I'm learning!) The most famous psychologists throughout history [...]
Hey there! Remember when I said, “New Years Resolutions are SO 2018”?! Well, this goals oriented girl is learning a lesson in following her own advice and letting go of unnecessary expectations! For instance, one of my intentions for the new year was to be more consistent around here. Ideally, I’d love to send new [...]
I don't know if it's the Marie Kondo craze or just the fresh start feeling of a new year, but I feel the need to out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new everything in my house! It seems like everyone I know is on this bandwagon, but between saving our home budget for a someday downpayment and now having registered for [...]
I turned 20 the month before getting married. The people close to us weren’t surprised (actually, we even got a few “finally!”s) but from most people we heard, “Why would you do that?” “You’re so young!” “You have your whole life ahead of you!” And my personal favorite, “Say goodbye to freedom, fun, and romance!” [...]
Haaappy New Year! It’s the first day of 2019 and I cannot believe how much life last year brought (literally! 😉 ) We wrapped it up with a snowy adventure and rang in the new with a slow day of reflecting, resting, and enjoying each other! I have a bittersweet love for the last days [...]
Some days being a stay at home mom is magical and I soak in the blessing and privilege it is. Other days, I really miss feeling a greater sense of day-to-day purpose and I feel… less than privileged. Maybe even less valuable in this world. Isn’t it funny how quickly our sense of identity can [...]
Happy December! As much as I LOVE providing great meals for my family, I don’t actually enjoy cooking all that much. Thats why I usually aim for meals that are homemade and delicious, but require minimal ingredients and time to prepare. Ideally, I like to make at least one meal a week that's a favorite [...]
“I do not fear… I have God. It was for this that I was born.” -Joan of Arc A while back I attended a women’s retreat with my church. During the weekend we were encouraged to listen for what God was speaking over our next season and to declare that word for our lives. I [...]
“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” (Acts 2:46) The more women I talk to the more I hear this same thing, “I need more friends! You too?! Oh, I’m not alone!” Oh my goodness it’s sad and relieving all at once because I have felt like that [...]
One of the most meaningful compliments I can receive is someone sharing that they look up to my marriage. Mostly because (as easy as Jordan makes loving him 😉 ) it’s probably the thing I’ve worked the hardest at. We’ve been working towards loving each other well for 10 years now! There are a lot [...]
Podcasts are my new obsession! I started getting really into them when I was commuting for work and these days I try not to have the TV on much while I'm home with Finnley so I'm all about listening to podcasts. Sometimes when I just feel like the voices of the world are getting to [...]
Praying over my husband has been a game changer! I believe God uses it to not only bless his life, but to change my heart towards my husband to be more like God's heart towards him. To give you some suggestions for how to start praying for your significant other, I've created this prayer page [...]
I think I’m super funny when I tell people that donuts are my Love Language. 😉 But really my top Love Languages are Words of Affirmation and Receiving Gifts. (Pretty sure donuts count as gifts though!) There have been times in our marriage when either my husband, Jordan, or I will feel like we could [...]
You might've heard a mom joke that, as painful as delivering her baby was, as soon as she met that tiny miracle she forgot the pain. While I'm not sure I'd exactly say I've forgotten the physical challenges of bringing a baby into the world, I'd definitely do it again in a heartbeat because my [...]
The Guest Room 