favorite things

1. peppermint mocha coffee creamer. I've been drinking this for weeks now even though I probably should've waited until after thanksgiving to bring out the Christmas flavors but its just so.darn.good!
2. "Ruth" by Kelly Minter. I've read the book of the bible, Ruth, many many times but didn't look past the love story of Ruth and Boaz to see much else. This book has opened my eyes already to God's pursuing of us, how certain circumstances have a purpose that we often miss, and so many more lessons. It's a super easy to read/understand study and great to do with someone else. I'm doing it in discipleship with my little!
3. Orlando's. I know that seems goofy but Cody and I cannot seem to get enough of their "down and dirty tortellini". We may or may not have eaten it three times in one weekend.
4. thanksgiving candle. this candle from bath and body works quickly became one of my new favorites once I smelled it. My mom wasn't the biggest fan. But the smell of warm, hearty food, spices, and fall scents made my house smell so warm and cozy!
5. Sparking Berry Garland candle wax. It's not the brand of Scentsy but that's what it is. I actually got it last winter (I have a trend of buying my candles out of season, when they're much much cheaper) so this is the first time I've actually gotten to burn it and it smells so so good! and Christmasy!
6. breaking free by beth moore. this is another study I'm currently doing, but this one on my own. I'm only two days in and I've already learned so much through Isaiah! I had tried to read this before and put it down because I didn't see it going anywhere but reading the first 2 chapters has already grown me so much. It's amazing the maturity that can happen over time!

deck the halls

Christmas decorations are up! Even if they are only up for the two weeks until I go back home for the break, I couldn't not decorate our apartment! Cody helped me decorate once we drove into town on Sunday night :)

my dad made the middle of my mantle with chalkboard paint so that I could draw a "fire" on it in the winter!

total cost for decorations- $10; $5 for the supplies to make the glitter deer picture and $5 for ornaments for the vase and tree, purchased at a thrift store. Everything down was hand-me-down from my mom...free!

 DIY anthropologie candle holder I made the other day with branches in my backyard, hot glue, and a candle holder I had

 Ella really appreciates having all these toys at her convenience! 

thanksgiving

unfortunately, I've had to deal with the stomach bug this entire break which has made being social (and eating) pretty much impossible. I haven't felt very up to par but did manage to take some family pictures in our backyard and make a craft to decorate the apartment with!

Brother and I

 the family

I wanted to make this canvas picture to put on the mantle back at my apartment. I decided to go with the colors white, gold, and red with Christmas decorations this year and this was an easy, cheap decoration to make to add to my collection!


I bought a canvas at JoAnn's; printed an outline of a deer off the computer; used mod podge and glitter and hair spray to secure it all

Once I drew out the outline of the deer, I decided that it was smaller than I'd like so I made the drawing bigger then started painting mod podge on in little sections at once

Then I poured alot of glitter on top and shook it off and did the same but in red glitter for the nose!                              

DIY scratch off invitation

although I knew Cody was going to go to my formal with me, I wanted to take advantage of any opportunity to do something cheesy for him! So, I made a DIY scratch off to ask him. Oddly enough, the day that I bought supplies to make this we were at the store and bought a scratch off and he let me do all of it (thats the best part, unless you win money, right!?) and so I subtly dropped a "I'll let you do one sometime!"

All the supplies were card stock to print it on, acrylic paint,
dish soap, white crayon


I started by writing the cheesiest poem that I could come up with, ha.

color the scratch off area with white crayon

mix a little paint with dish soap and paint it on. I did multiple layers and as you can see, it's not really smooth. It would have been if I had allotted more time but I was trying to get it to his house before he got back from school.... so I broke out the hair dryer to finish it!

once scratched off, you can see it reveals the underneath!

I also made some chocolate covered strawberries, what person doesn't want chocolate covered strawberries?! as you can see, those too were alittle janky. the chocolate was tired of being melted by the time I got to the "?". not my best but oh well.

I love this boy and I'm so glad he appreciates my cheesy/girly/romantic gestures :)

favorite things party

I had wanted to have a "favorite things" party ever since I saw it on pinterest last year. It just worked out perfectly to do it this past weekend and have a few girls over for desserts and to trade our favorite things! 

here's how it works: each girl brings 5 of their favorite thing (most girls brought 5 of the same thing, others brought 5 different things); nail polish, coffee cups, candles, drinks, etc.; each girl writes their name on 5 sheets of papers; once started, each girl draws 5 slips of paper out (and hopefully doesn't get 2 of the same names or their own) and gets to take home the "favorite thing" of the person drawn!