tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89709410546260795722024-03-04T23:43:17.616-08:00A Bundle of FunA Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-47428091381369036922013-07-12T11:43:00.002-07:002013-07-12T11:43:21.121-07:00Exciting NewsIt has been a few months since I have blogged. It has been a crazy last few months, to say the least.<br />
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Some new things going on in my neck of the woods......<br />
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Well, I'M PREGNANT!!! That's right! After a year of trying for a baby, God has blessed us with a little one. We are overjoyed! I still can't believe it! At times, I think that I will wake up and realize that this has all been a dream.... So needless to say, I have been in baby mode the last few months. I'm two weeks away from my second trimester. I can't wait to be out of my first trimester. However, I have had a mild case of pregnancy symptoms thus far. So for that, I am very thankful. My official due date is February 11th, which makes sense, since half of my family's birthdays are in February. We wouldn't want our little one feeling left out. now would we? ;) We are very thankful that God has answered our prayers. While we wait for the arrival of our baby, I am going to try and get as much sleep and rest as possible. Which has been pretty easy so far considering all I have wanted to do lately is sleep!<br />
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That is definitely the most exciting news I have. We also recently got a a new puppy named Hank. He is pretty much adorable. Hank is pretty cute, but the holes he has been digging in our yard, not so cute... Hank and Duke have become great buddies! <br />
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Below are some fun pics of pregnancy announcements, doggies and our first ultrasound that was taken a few weeks ago!<br />
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Our baby pretty much looks like a gummy bear here :)</div>
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So, what's new with you?! </div>
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-7433504022518310402013-04-15T10:04:00.001-07:002013-04-15T10:13:17.253-07:00DIY CoatrackMy husband is awlays outside. Spring, summer, fall and winter, you name it, he is outside. We moved in our new house last January. I was always finding coveralls and coats laying by the front door, so I decided a coatrack was a must. I have been in to DIY projects latley. I decided I would try and make my own coatrack with the assistance of my husband, of course. Aferall, he is the handy one in our family. <br />
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It is now April, but we finally got around to making the coatrack last week. It was SUPER easy and inexpensive. <br />
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What you will need:<br />
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1. A wooden board. (size will depend on the space and how many hooks you want)<br />
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2. Hooks of your choosing. (I bought mine at Hobby Lobby when they were half off)<br />
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3 Stain<br />
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I stained the board and my husband screwed in the hooks, it was that simple! See below for the final product. Thanks for stopping by :)<br />
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-59317343293473681872013-04-03T10:01:00.002-07:002013-04-03T10:17:14.658-07:00DIY Spring/Summer WreathHi All!<br />
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I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful day! It is nice to see the sun shining and the temperature rising!<br />
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With the weather getting warmer, I have had the gardening and outdoor decor itch. I have mentioned before that my husband and I recently bought a house. Now that the inside is mostly finished, I am ready to tackle the outside projects. We have a big front porch that is crying out for some fun decor. I decided this week that I would get started on sprucing up the porch. I wanted to get a spring/summer wreath to hang on our front door. If you don't already know, I am a Pinterest junkie! I pin way more than I actually create, but when I do create something off of Pinterest, I am never disappointed with the results.<br />
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I went to Hobby Lobby and did some research. I could by a nice wreath anywhere from $30.00 to $60.00 dollars. I decided I would create my own hoping to save some cash!<br />
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What You Need:<br />
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1. A medium size twig wreath (I bought mine from Hobby Lobby for $7.00)<br />
2. 4 of your favorite large size flowers (I decided to do two different colors for contrast)<br />
3. A wooden letter (I used "R" because of my last name)<br />
4. Paint to color your wooden letter. (I used a light purple color)<br />
5. Hot glue gun<br />
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<b>Total Cost: $23.00</b><br />
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This wreath would make a great gift! It is inexpensive, and you can personalize it!<br />
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See below for the final result (it is a little blurry, but you get the point). I had a lot of fun making this wreath, and I am sure it will add fun and color to our front porch!<br />
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-35212279358357522662013-03-11T13:32:00.001-07:002013-03-11T13:32:50.670-07:00Junk=TreasureYou know the saying, "One man's junk another man's treasure?" Boy, is that saying true!! This past Saturday, I went to a family friend's house. Some people would call her a "picker". You know, people who go to estate sales and demolition sites to find what most people would consider junk? Well, that is her! I have been wanting to find an old ladder to display blankets and picture frames. I knew I could find what I was looking for at this friend's house.<br />
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I have shared before about my Pinterest addiction, I get so many cool ideas from Pinterest, but I am proud to say that I got this idea from my good friend, Leah Wright. Check her out at <a href="http://www.leahjayewright.blogspot.com/">Living the Proverbs 31 Lifestyle. </a>Leah is very crafty and creative!<br />
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There are so many creative ideas that you can use ladders for. I love how versatile they are! See the finished product below!<br />
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This is a creative and inexpensive way to display photos and quilts. Total cost $10.00. Can't beat that!</div>
<br />A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-30913382874087808962013-03-11T13:19:00.004-07:002013-03-11T14:03:35.746-07:00Bubble Up Pizza BakeHi Everyone!!<br />
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It has been a while since I have blogged. I have been super busy!! Things have finally calmed down a bit, so here I am!<br />
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Last night I tried a new recipe! It is called Bubbled Up Pizza Bake. I found the the recipe off of Pinterest. I don't know about you, but I HATE cooking on Sundays! It is my day of rest, and I don't want to have to be in the kitchen. However, we still have to eat, so this creates a problem. Most Sundays we go out to lunch after church. We normally eat a light dinner in the evening, because we are still full from lunch.<br />
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My husband and I have both been sick, so we decided to stay home all day yesterday. We slept in until 11:00 AM. I know!! It was heavenly :) The extra rest was much needed. Since we didn't go to church, we didn't have our normal Sunday lunch. When supper rolled around, we were both hungrier than normal. I wanted something that was filling yet easy to cook, hence, Bubbled Up Pizza Bake! It was a hit, super easy and my husband loved it! See Below for the recipe :) If you follow me on Pinterest, it is under my "Favorite Recipe" board. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cans (12oz) golden layer buttermilk biscuits (Pillsbury Grands! Jr)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 jar (15oz) pizza sauce <i><b><a href="http://kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com/2011/07/quick-easy.html"><br /></a></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups mozzarella cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">your favorite pizza toppings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">cooking spray</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Instructions</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>-</b>Preheat oven at 375 degrees<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Cut biscuits in fourths</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>-</b>Put biscuit pieces in a bowl and combine pizza sauces</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Stir in 1 cup of cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Pour mixture in a 9x13 greesed pan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Add remaining cheese ant toppings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Bake for 30 minutes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Enjoy :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">** This dish is a great family dish,because you can section off the Bubble Up Pizza Bake and add each individual's favorite toppings!** See pictures below!</span></div>
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-81950021565133795152013-02-07T11:01:00.000-08:002013-02-07T12:27:17.306-08:00Skittles and Sour Patch KidsI am on my lunch break, so I am going to make this post short and sweet.<br />
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EXERCISE!! I know most people dread having to talk about exercise, let alone doing it!<br />
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I have been married almost 5 years to my husband, Michael. It is safe to say that I have put on a "few" pounds since I have been married. I don't want to be one who lets myself "go" because I am married. Several months back, I noticed myself getting a little "fuller" so to speak. I am short and have a tiny frame, so just a few extra pound shows on me. I probably have put on 10 to 15 pounds since I said "I do." I decided to do something about it! Not only did I want to lose some weight, but I wanted to be healthier.<br />
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I believe eating healthy and exercising should be a life style. I never have liked the word "diet", because I don't like feeling limited and bound to something. Back in late summer, I decided to change my life style. I started walking 2 to 3 miles 3 to 4 days a week with my sister-in-law, Julie. I also decided to change the way I ate. I have never been one to "pig out" on a regular basis, but I definitely struggle with having a sweet tooth. Most women like chocolate, I enjoy a good piece of chocolate now and then, but I am sucker for skittles and sour patch kids. My family teases me, because they say my candy choices are like a child's! :)<br />
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I never really had to monitor what I ate until recent. I have become more aware of what I put in my body and have started to monitor my portion sizes. By doing this, I have lost 9lbs since September. I am close to my pre-wedding weight!<br />
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I know most women struggle with feeling secure in their body. How couldn't we with all the garbage out there in magazines and on television! It is also important to point out, that we have to be careful not to make our beauty our idol. It is easy for us to become consumed with our weight and appearance. It is important to remember that God looks at the heart! <br />
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<a class="bibleref" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+139%3A14&version=ESV">Psalm 139:14</a> <span class="note"> </span>
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I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.<br />
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<a class="bibleref" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A1-6&version=ESV">1 Peter 3:1-6</a> <span class="note"> </span>
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Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if
some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct
of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not
let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of
gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the
hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and
quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the
holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to
their own husbands, ...<br />
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It is important to remember that we are made in God's image, and He does not make junk! With that being said, it is also important to be good stewards of what God has given us. Our body is a holy temple. I want to live a long and healthy life. I believe by being consistent with exercise and monitoring what I eat, I can help keep my body healthy. I believe it comes down to consistency and discipline. I allow myself to enjoy my "guilty pleasure foods", but I try to keep it in check.<br />
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Hope this inspires some of you out there! You don't have to torture yourself with unrealistic diets. Be consistent in exercise and make better food choices. It is as simple as that! Now go outside and put on your running shoes and enjoy this beautiful day!!<br />
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<br />A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-11300832497438390342013-02-04T14:56:00.004-08:002013-02-04T14:56:39.481-08:00Slow Cooker Italian BeefMichael and I recently went over to some friends house and had some of the best Italian Beef I have ever had. I asked my friend for the recipe and thought I would share!! Super EASY and DELICIOUS!!!<br />
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<b>INGREDIANTS</b><br />
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1. 2 1/2lb Chuck Roast<br />
2. 3 cups of water<br />
3. 1tsp of salt<br />
4. 1 tsp of pepper<br />
5. 1 tsp of dried oregano<br />
6. 1 tsp of dried basil<br />
7. 1 tsp of onion salt<br />
8. 1 tsp of garlic powder<br />
9. 1 tsp of dried parsley <br />
10. 1 bay leaf<br />
11. 7 oz package of dry italian style dressing mix<br />
12. Pepperonichnis<br />
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<b>INSTRUCTIONS</b> <br />
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Combine ingredients (except meat) in a sauce pan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Place roast in slow cooker and pour mixture over meat. Cook on low. After 8 hrs shred meat and add pepperonichnis for the last two hours and serve!<br />
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-Casey<br />
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<br />A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-30533887915498359692013-01-31T10:04:00.004-08:002013-01-31T10:09:51.472-08:00DYI Laundry Detergent As I am sure many of you do, when I go grocery shopping, I tend to buy most all off brand products. however, there are a few exceptions. I have always had to buy named brand laundry detergent and my husband has to have Heinz Ketchup. I know, we are a little goofy. I am picky about how my laundry smells. I am a Gain girl through and through. However, laundry detergent is very pricey. My friend, Jordan, invited me to a DIY party. I decided I would try and make my own laundry detergent knowing I probably would switch back to Gain. I am happy to say that I am extremely please with my DIY laundry detergent. It is very inexpensive and it does a fabulous job getting out stains. I have also noticed a difference when I wash my whites. I know many of my fellow bloggers also enjoy a good DIY product, so I thought I would share. It is SUPER easy to make and very affordable. One batch lasts me about 3 months. Please see directions below.<br />
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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:<br />
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1. 1 bar of Felsnapa soap<br />
2. 1 cup of Borax<br />
3. 1cup of Washing Soda<br />
4. 5 gallon bucket<br />
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DIRECTIONS:<br />
1.Boil a large pot of water on the stove.<br />
2. Grate soap.<br />
3. Add soap to boiling water (slowly)<br />
4. Once soap has dissolved add borax and washing soda.<br />
5. Continue to stir until dissolved.<br />
6 Poor mixture to the 5 gallon
gallon bucket and then fill it completely warm to hot water.<br />
7. Stir while pouring<br />
8. Let sit for 24 hours.<br />
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I was told to use 1/3 cup of detergent for big loads. I tend to add a little bit more, but that is my personal preference.<br />
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I promise, you won't be disappointed. :) Happy Washing!!<br />
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<br />A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-56759549525891636842013-01-31T09:35:00.002-08:002013-01-31T10:34:12.080-08:00What I Wore Thursday???I have never posted a "What I Wore Wednesday" blog before, but decided I would give it a try. Unfortunately, this is "What I Wore Thursday" due to working from home yesterday.<br />
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I have to "dress up" for work every day, but that does not mean I have to wear the same boring black pants and top every day. I enjoy fashion and mixing things up. I also enjoy bargain shopping. I rarely pay for anything full price. When my husband and I lived in Springfield, we shopped at a second hand clothing store that had all designer named brands. WE LOVED IT! I dearly miss that store. The outfit that I wore today, like most of my outfits, was a bargain! <br />
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I received these boots two Christmas's ago. I LOVE these boots. I wear them all of the time, because they are a nude color and go with EVERYTHING! AND the best part is that they are super comfortable. I am all about comfort. I have had so many compliments on these boots. I think every women needs a good nude pair of boots that they can match up with anything. </div>
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I love fashion, but I also like saving money. I will buy my clothes from anywhere. I have had a new addiction of colored skinny jeans. I love color, and what a better way to brighten up your look then some skinny colored jeans. I bought this pair of pants on Black Friday. I spent a whopping $10.00. SCORE! I got the top for $12.00. Total of $22.00. Not too shabby. </div>
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This is one of my new favorite purchases. I did "splurge" on this watch. They just came out with these watches at Target. I love the look of this watch. You can wear it with dressy clothes or casual. </div>
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To sum it up, you can still look great without draining your bank account. It takes some digging at times, but if you look hard enough, you will walk away with a great outfit and a bargain! </div>
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-66903676407041357182013-01-30T11:31:00.000-08:002013-01-30T11:34:31.727-08:00Building a Better Marriage@A Blossoming Life-I Had to share! <a href="http://ablossominglife.com/">A Blossoming Life</a> has been doing a series on building a better marriage. My friend, Jordan, over at <a href="http://lilywhite-designs.com/">Lily White-Designs</a>, was asked to do a guest post as well as my friend, Carrie,over at <a href="http://carriethishome.com/">Carrie This Home</a> , Both of their posts caught my attention, so I had to share. To check out the whole series go to ablossominglife.com <br />
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Here is Jordan's post...</div>
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<h2>
<span style="color: #c43ac4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Building a Better Marriage: The Honest Truth</span></h2>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding: 0px;">
As Jared and I were sitting on our couch he looked over at me and said,
“Can you believe we are actually married??” We both laughed, and then
started talking about the whirlwind of events that God ordained to bring
our paths together. Before I was with Jared, I had been very cautious
with even titles in relationships. I didn’t want to be called anyone’s
“girlfriend.” (Here you can insert your judgments on my commitment
fears, they are probably true) Then, as I look back at my joy upon
Jared’s proposal after only a brief 4 months of dating, I am in awe of
God’s work in my heart and life.</div>
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If any of our decisions would have been even slightly different, chances
are we would have never met. Let alone fallen in love. More over,
gotten married.</div>
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Reflecting on these times doesn’t bring about praise for our decisions,
and we don’t exalt the strength of our love, it brings about our praise
of God for his hand in our life. I say all this to make the point that
if you are married, God did it. No matter if it’s difficult right now,
or sunshine and roses, God put you together. Marriage is the best way
for us to preach the gospel to ourselves. In those difficult times,
instead of questioning your marriage, let it be a time that you can
reflect on your understanding of what God did for us in Christ. When you
feel mistreated by your spouse, remind yourself of the way that our sin
caused Christ to be mistreated, and his continual forgiveness of our
shortcomings. When your patience is running thin, remind yourself of the
patience Jesus has for us in our slow and stumbling process of
sanctification. Of course, it is easier for us to simply point out flaws
in our spouse. Instead, take time to evaluate the response that you
feel. Do you really understand the gospel? If so, how does it change the
way you feel, act, and speak?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding: 0px;">
One thing that Jared and I are both very passionate about in our
marriage is honesty. Honesty even when it hurts, even when it is
embarrassing, even when it makes us rethink everything. As Jared and I
struggle with sin, we tell each other. Seriously, like everything. I
know what it feels like to look someone in the face and spill your
deepest secrets, and I know the warmth of being held as tears are shed.
God made us one flesh. We want to take advantage of what God gave us and
help each other fight sin in our lives. We have no secrets. We know
each other’s weaknesses, we keep each other accountable, and we pray for
each other to become more like Christ. I plead with you, don’t wrongly
think that your spouse isn’t strong enough to hear you out. As we have
already established, God put you together! There are an exponential
amount of reasons for that. Don’t you think it’s in the realm of
possibility that one of those reasons would be to help you become more
like Jesus? I think so.</div>
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Also, Jared is my best friend. I treat him like it. I admit there are
days that I fail at this. But, it is one of my goals to always treat him
like my best friend. I don’t want to stop having fun together,
laughing, playing, loving, sharing dreams, making out <img alt=";)" class="wp-smiley" src="http://www.ablossominglife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> ,
being excited to tell Him about my day, sharing celebrations, and
tears. He is the one God gave me. He is my life long love. He is the one
I will spend all my days with. He is my lover and my best friend. I
want all those things that I loved about him from the beginning to just
keep piling up, as we get older. We have this little joke where we say,
“Today I love you 1 billion, 5 hundred million, 72.” And each time we
say it we add a bigger number. It’s really true. God keeps growing our
love for each other, and He’s gonna keep doing it, because He put us
together. He’s gonna keep showing us our sin, and reminding us of how he
rescued us from it. To Him be the glory in everything, even in our love
story.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding: 0px;">
xoxo, Jordan. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;">And now for Carrie's post...</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
This post first appeared at <a href="http://www.ablossominglife.com/" target="_blank">A Blossoming Life</a> as
my first guest post! As a new blogger I was really honored to be asked
to do a guest post. Amy is doing a great series on Building a Better
Marriage so to see the whole series check it out at<a href="http://ablossominglife.com/" target="_blank"> ablossominglife.com</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Today I’m sharing some marriage tips that my Hubby and I have learned over the years.</div>
<h3>
My Story</h3>
The Hubby and I have been married for over 10 years and we met in
college. Before getting married, we first made sure that our life goals
and aspirations were on the same page. We both are following Jesus the
best we know how and this is the biggest priority for the both of us.
We both eventually wanted to have kids, but not right away. We both
wanted to live in the area where we went to college. Beyond that we
weren’t too sure what our life would look like. But we knew we wanted
to spend it together.<br />
So we got married and here we are ten years and two kids later!<br />
<a href="http://carriethishome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Tractor.jpg">
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<h3>
No One Has The Perfect Marriage</h3>
Before I go on I think it’s important to recognize an important fact:
no marriage is perfect. Don’t think that anyone has the perfect
marriage because it simply doesn’t exist. Every marriage has strengths
and weaknesses. Marriage is between two imperfect people so there will
be PLENTY of problems that will come up. It’s how those problems are
dealt with that makes the difference.<br />
<h3>
Little Tips for A Better Marriage</h3>
<b>Serve one another</b>. The most important tip I can
give comes from Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or
conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Put your spouses needs ahead of your own. Put off selfishness and
seek to serve your spouse. Your spouse should do the same for you.
When two people come together serving each other’s needs amazing things
happen.<br />
<b>Share interests</b>. My hubby and I are very different
so most of our interests are also different. I love to blog, my hubby
loves to ride his bike. Hubby loves to watch Rocky movies. I’d rather
watch a romantic comedy. We find ways to support each other’s
interests, even if it’s not as “interesting” to the other. Blogging is
not the Hubby’s favorite thing to do but he shares my interest by
encouraging me with blog posts and helping me with grammatical
corrections. The Hubby loves cycling and talking about bike parts.
Those two interests are not my favorite things to do. I’ve learned a
couple of things about bike components because it’s something the Hubby
LOVES to talk about and then we can talk about it together.<br />
Sometimes our interests are the same, like with photography. We both
love to take pictures and mess around with new settings on our camera.
It’s fun to share an interest that we both enjoy equally.<br />
<b>Invest time into each other</b>. Play games, go for
walks, workout together, go on regular dates. A couple of years ago we
noticed in the evenings when we have time together we would just veg in
front of the TV. We were acting more like roommates instead of spouses.
We both had to put a priority on spending active time together, not
just co-existing. In trying to change that, we discovered game called
Monopoly Deal and we both LOVE to play it. After the kids go to bed we
put on some music, play the game and chat with each other. It’s a great
time to connect with each other.<br />
<b>Enjoy things together</b>. One thing we love to do
together is watch Top Gear (the UK version of course!) We both LOVE it.
Yes I am a wife who loves to watch Top Gear. Why? I have a general
interest in cars but it’s not as much as my hubby. I LOVE the show for
the cinematography (cinematography is the way they capture scenes). The
lenses and high-speed cameras they use to capture a car going over 200
mph without blurring amazes me. We often pause the show to comment on
the amazing feats a car is accomplishing or an amazing shot that we wish
we could replicate with our camera.<br />
<b>Don’t harbor bitterness or anger</b>. This is one of my
biggest struggles. When I get upset, I have a bad habit of keeping
score of all the wrongs that person has done to me and I want to hold on
to bitterness. Ephesians 4:26-27 says<sup> ”</sup>Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,<sup> </sup>and give
no opportunity to the devil.” When I choose to talk to my hubby about
what’s bothering me focusing on forgiving and finding a solution to the
problem, I’m much less likely to harbor bitterness. After all, hasn’t
Jesus forgiven me of all the junk I’ve done?<br />
<b>Support their God-given purpose</b>. Right now my
God-given purpose is to stay home and raise our two kids and help other
women close to me. My husband supports my purpose by providing for our
family, giving me time to invest in other women, and giving me a break
from mommy duties when I need it.<br />
My hubby’s purpose now is to teach on multiple levels. He teaches
high school science and also teaches Sunday school. He’s also built to
encourage others. I help support him in his purpose by helping him
grade papers at night and giving him time with friends that need
support. We often have people over for dinner as a way to bless
and encourage them. This is a great example of God using our gifts
together and it’s really fulfilling for both of us.<br />
I hope this post was helpful to you! What was the best marriage advice someone gave to you?<br />
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A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-27811417634589211962013-01-28T11:49:00.001-08:002013-01-30T11:12:54.333-08:00DIY Kitchen Island Hello Bloggers!!<br />
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I have recently shared how my husband and I bought a new home! I have had a lot of fun decorating our new house, but with that comes $$$$! There were several things that I wanted to do to our new home, but of course, everything comes with a price. I don't know about you, but I love doing projects and finding ways to save money. Pinterest has become a dear friend of mine. I love doing projects, but am not always the most crafty. God knew what he was doing when he put Michael and I together, because my husband is a pretty handy fella. He can do most anything, which is helpful considering my Pinterest addiction! Our new home was crying out for a kitchen island. We did some pricing, and found out that it can be quite pricey to buy one. You can buy a cheap kitchen island at your local Target, but they are not always sturdy. After much shopping, my husband and I decided to to build a kitchen island. We were able to save a couple hundred dollars doing it this way, and we knew it would be well built.<br />
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We found the cabinets at Home Depot. They were having a sale on their cabinets...SCORE! We bought the butcher block from Menards. It was cheaper than we thought it would be, that is always a nice surprise! We were going to order a custom counter top, but found it was cheaper to do butcher block, and I liked the look better. Michael and my father-in-law put the cabinets together, added bead board and built a shelving unit on the end of it as well as a towel rack. I did the painting. I have black rustic cabinets, so I wanted to play up a color in the kitchen. I decided red was a good color, and I played up red in other parts of the house. That is one of the perks of building it yourself, you can customize it how you want. It took some time, but in the end we got our perfect kitchen island and saved some money. A good deal all around!! Below are a before and after picture of the island!<br />
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Go and have fun and make a project of your own and share! Would love to see the results!<br />
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-CaseyA Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-80536912719323322872013-01-23T18:23:00.003-08:002013-02-04T14:39:47.532-08:00UpdatesIt has been a while since I have blogged.... I went over to a family friend's house to help her start her blog, and decided it was time to post a blog of my own.<br />
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Here are some updates on what has been going on in our neck of the woods...<br />
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My husband and I moved to our new home out in the boondocks on January 1st. What a great way to start off the new year!! For those of you who know us, you know how we have wanted to be back to Southern Illinois for a couple of years now. We got married in 2008 and immediately moved to Springfield for my husband's job. We made some life long friendships and some great memories, but were very happy to find out back in March 2012 that my husband was getting transferred to the Carbondale office. We rented a duplex while looking for a permanent home. We found the perfect home for us back in October and am happy to say that we are all moved in and settled. It has been fun playing house. Here are a few pictures of our new home.<br />
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It has been a crazy start to 2013, but look forward to what the year holds!!<br />
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-CaseyA Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-50115077855789312972012-12-07T06:44:00.002-08:002012-12-07T06:47:59.024-08:00Pinterest FunWell, I am home sick today. The good news is, I have time to catch up on my blog. I have been intending to write a blog this week, but time has not allowed. Have you ever had one of those weeks where you have gone non stop? That has been me this week. That is probably why I am sick....<br />
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I am sure many of you are on Pinterest! I for one love Pinterest! My sister told me about it several months back. I don't have Facebook, so I am always the last to know about the latest "thing". Anyways, I am hooked! I find it to be so helpful and resourceful. My husband and I are in in the middle of moving to a new house, so I have been on Pinterest even more lately finding decorating ideas and DIY projects for the home. My mind has gone crazy with all the possibilities. I do have to admit, that I pin projects way more than I actually complete them, but I guess that is part of the fun! I have been a little sad this year, because I have seen so many fun Christmas decorating ideas. This year I am not decorating for Christmas, I am not even putting up a tree! Can you believe that?! I LOVE Christmas but with being in the middle of moving, it just wasn't worth it to put it all up to only have to take it down in a few weeks. Next year I will be pinning Christmas ideas for sure! I would like to share some of the fun projects I have completed off of Pinterest. I would also like to share some of the fun ideas that I hope to complete in the next few months!<br />
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These are the projects that I have completed. These aren't the actual pictures of my projects. I would have like to share the pictures of the ones that I have done but some of them are in boxes...<br />
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1. I have an obsession with mason jars! I love that you can take a simple jar and do so many different projects with them. mason jars can be pricey. Thankfully, my mother-in-law was given a ton, so I was able to use some of those. Here are a couple of projects I have done with mason jars.<br />
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A. I took two mason jars and used curtain rod brackets to mount them on the wall. I put flowers in mine. I like this idea, because you can switch out the flowers for each season.<br />
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<img alt="For flowers next to the kitchen sink/window!" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/168322104792589102_Y67NAsxa_b.jpg" style="height: 287px;" /><br />
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B. This is basically the same idea as above, but you get an old metal milk crate, put mason jars in the crate and add flower, candles or whatever else that makes you happy.<br />
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<img alt="" class="rg_hi uh_hi" data-height="192" data-width="256" height="192" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRY4On5YaMjYET_2N1Xm5jLiHfGWvC4nPJb8nqA3ex9Z9Q9Ifml" style="height: 192px; width: 256px;" width="256" /><br />
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2. I was sick of always having mail on my dining room table, I saw this idea on Pinterest and knew I had to make it. My parents were in the middle of remodeling there house. I knew that they had some old shutters laying around. They were just going to throw them away, so I grabbed them. All it took was a little spray paint to spruce the shutters up. This is also a fun gift idea if you are needing any ideas this Christmas. You can even personalize it by tinseling your name on top of the shutter. Super easy and fun! <br />
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<img alt="now i know how to get rid of the desk near the front door and put one of those old shutters up next to it! Perfect for mail." class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/266908715385921608_tVH8RGFc_b.jpg" style="height: 273px;" /><br />
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3. I was looking for a way to decorate my bathroom. I stumbled across this idea on Pinterest. Unfortunately, I did not have any scraps lying around, so this project did cost me some money. However, I found ways to keep the cost down. I bought an old picture frame from Good Will. I bought my scrap paper from Hobby Lobby and the sheet metal from Home Depot. (The most expensive item was the sheet metal). I found a piece that was a little damaged, so they took some money off. There are always ways to save, you just have to be inventive. This project serves as wall decor and a makeup holder.<br />
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<img alt="Magnetic Makeup Holder" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/17803360997278414_h2P3xazV_b.jpg" style="height: 186px;" /><br />
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4. This seems to be a pretty popular thing these days, taking old windows and putting pictures in it. I love this idea. What a creative way to display photos. My sister-in-law, Julie, and I were yard saling one morning. We found two old windows for $5 dollars a piece. Not too bad. This was another inexpensive project.<br />
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<img alt="Love the yellow desk and the old window frame/photo frame above it" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/112167846940005984_N8AEvktx_c.jpg" style="height: 901px; width: 600px;" /><br />
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I have also made several new recipes off of Pinterest. I always feel that I make the same things over and over. I love being able to change things up, and Pinterest allows me to do so.<br />
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Here are some of my future projects that I plan on completing.<br />
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<img alt="Crates - can buy new ones at Joann's for $9 and stain or paint - instructions on this site - Cool idea!!" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/upload/256001560037930362_Xb1xbler_b.jpg" style="height: 192px;" /><br />
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<img alt="wood crates" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/275212227199217015_vmOgCSyI_b.jpg" style="height: 295px;" /><br />
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<img alt="Someone suggested to use the 'H' in 'Home' to add the word "Christ" at the top...very cute!" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/139611657168622832_Ub7NXfba_b.jpg" style="height: 264px;" /> <br />
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<img alt="Repurposed cabinet doors" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/110408628334941523_0q0j2PuX_b.jpg" style="height: 153px;" /> <br />
<img alt="I want to make something like this!" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/54324739225574448_lbD5shHX_b.jpg" style="height: 144px;" /> <br />
<img alt="Hang pictures of messy kids in the laundry room using pant hangers. This is so cute!" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/upload/11681280253096796_VdCMN5Ap_b.jpg" style="height: 130px;" /><br />
<img alt="Door Knob Curtain Tie-Back" class="PinImageImg" data-componenttype="MODAL_PIN" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/166562886189353360_oPiq0KKx_b.jpg" style="height: 288px;" /><br />
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What are some things that you have made off of Pinterest? I would love to know!<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
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Casey <br />
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<br />A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970941054626079572.post-36020134107380185962012-12-03T07:53:00.002-08:002012-12-03T07:53:26.315-08:00Cholesterol<br />
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I would like to share with you about a hair product that my hair stylist recently told me about! It is SUPER INEXPENSIVE! You can find it at your local Walmart. It costs a little less than two dollars. I, like most women, love to get my hair done. I like to experiment with different colors, but with that, comes DAMAGE! A couple of months a go, my hair stylist, Lydia, told me about this product called Cholesterol. I recently started going to her. Normally, when I would get my hair done before, my stylist would try to sell me products that they sold in the store, which can be a little pricey. I was shocked when my new stylist told me about a product that was not sold in her store and was so inexpensive. She told me how she uses it and how amazing it is. After I left that appointment, I went and picked me up a jar. I have been using it for about two months now, and I LOVE IT! It has made my hair stronger and shinier. I thought that I would share the love with you today! I encourage you to try it, you won't be disappointed. Cholesterol is basically fat, which is pretty gross. However, it does wonders. I use it about twice a week. After you shampoo your hair, apply cholesterol and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse. I could tell a difference after the first time using it. Below is a picture, so you will know what to look for. I have only looked at Walmart, but I am sure that other stores sell it. If you have any questions, just ask!<br />
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-Casey<br />
A Bundle of Funhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02642742112246437498noreply@blogger.com1