a simple white sunday

I know I've been silent a long while...life has just gotten so busy! It's like I'm on fast forward. So lately I've just been trying to learn to balance my life and work. I work endless hours on the clock and at home. And realized at the start of 2016 that I needed time of doing absolutely nothing. Doing this is actually more difficult than working for this girl=) 

Sunday we got our first snow, here in Indiana. It was a lovely, wet, damp snow...sticking to everything in sight as it floated downward. After church I came home to a cozy afternoon of just me. After tramping around outdoors in my lovely white world and taking a mini photo session of myself in the blissful wonderland. I settled to an afternoon of reading and drinking tea.

I sat quiet and concentrated on how my drink smelled, tasted and felt. This may sound dumb, but I don't think I've just enjoyed the simple act of drinking, in - well I can't remember when.

I sat in front of my window and did nothing except watch the snow fall and marvel at all God's beauty around me.

I let go of the guilt of doing absolutely nothing, for an hour on Sunday. I've decided that by doing nothing on Sunday I was actually giving myself a chance to be more productive and mindful in the future. 

Until next time,

Cheers!

~Photo-a-day~ Nov 19-Nov 25

I went to my first Amish benefit dinner Friday night. Our neighbor kids took me on a tour of their school house. Picture a “Little House on the Prairie” school and you’ll will be imagining it perfectly. I totally could have gone to school like this. I mean they have the perfect play ground for recess and a stove inside for heating their lunches…

Samuel came home for Isaac’s birthday last weekend. He looked so good, just three weeks and he looks so much more like a man older. I wish he was nearer so I wouldn’t notice the change. His move hasn’t been anything but a good decision, so far. We all miss him, but thus is the life of adults. We all move on. He’ll be missing Thanksgiving with us, but he’s coming home for Christmas…and I’m going to visit him in January=)

Our entire family was together Saturday night for Isaac’s 17th birthday party…it was a fun night. I couldn’t help but be thankful for all these wonderful people God has blessed me with to call my family.

Samuel, Isaac and I did the weekly grocery shopping for our mom, together Saturday morning. The music was a bit loud at times and we might have pushed the cart a tiny bit too fast. But we got it all done in an hour! I was pretty proud of ourselves….haha! I love hanging with my brothers. They kept throwing food to one another. I think when I handed Samuel a large spaghetti squash and he throw it to Isaac who wasn’t expecting it, I could have died from embarrassment.

 

Day 323

~I feel…~

….so ready for this work day to be over. One good thing about my second job is I get to be outside.

Day 324

~work~

After I work my 7-4 job and then go an work horses till seven thirty, I finally arrive home to this. This is where I work on my dad’s business books every evening.

Day 325

~play~

As an adult, my definition of this word has changed a bit. This is what I do for play…make card/scrapbook…I have such a good time. Friday night I was making more Christmas cards for soldiers, while waiting on my bread to bake=)

Day 326

~my home~

It’s feels amazing to see this face again…he’s still calling this home. Soon that will change and Tennessee will claim that right in his heart. sniff

Day 327

~a treat~

Baking treats with Casey…I love this photo of her=)…I spent Sunday afternoon with this fabulous girl, cooking up more amazing things=)

Day 328

~technology~

Making Amish noodles for the first time. I’ve helped an Amish family make these once, so when mom told me we needed noodles for Thanksgiving, I jumped at the chance…I borrowed this pasta maker from my bosses wife. It worked like a charm=)

Day 329

~currently reading~

Mom is reading the “Little Duke” to Isaac for some part of his school. I remember her reading to me back when…those were the days.

Its taken me a bit longer to get this post up today Works been super crazy today and I had to work solid over my lunch break. When, of course, I normally write this.

Tomorrows Thanksgiving!!! Where has this year gone. I can’t believe it’s already here…

I’ll be running a 5K (click here for more info) in the morning bright and early…with my best friend! I can’t wait=)

casey crocker’s Sweet Potato Casserole

With Thanksgiving as our inspiration this month, Casey made Sweet Potato Casserole…I’m sure you all already have your pumpkin recipes baked for the season. So here’s a yummy Autumn side dish that will help to break up the pumpkin monotony… it’s is just SO delicious! Oh and look at all that color…they were so orange! I enjoyed this dish so much I might make some for my mom’s sides Thanksgiving meal. Now of course that I know how to make it=) thanks to Casey….

Casey cooked the sweet potatoes before hand in her crock pot. I’ve only heard of this, but haven’t ever tried it. She just wrapped them in foil, placed them in the crock and they cooked on high for four hours. Talk about super easy! They were cooked to perfection…and smelled amazing!

Click here to find the recipe and make this for yourself=)

They were still a bit warm…=) BTW isn’t her outfit choice so cute! She even had the silver nails to go with it=)We dídn’t have the eggs the recipe called for sooooo…Carl (Casey’s amazing husband) ran to the store and picked us some. See why I say she’s lucky, girlies…=)I loved this casserole dish…so beautiful! I just wish the marshmallows wouldn’t loose this puffiness…She decorates her house with all sorts of amazing things like this…candles in coffee beans. And you can just image what it smells like when the candles get warm. Heavenly!!! coming from a former coffee addict=) It looks as good as it tasted!

I love a plain sweet potatoes, but you can always make it better. At least once a year for the holidays.

What’s your favorite casserole?

 

~Photo-a-day~ Nov 12-Nov 18

This cold weather is insane…I finally broke down and bought myself a pair of coveralls for this winter! If I had been using my brain I would have bought these this spring, instead, when they were on sale. oh well! this is what I get for not using my it. They are wonderfully warm. They make working in the barn sooooo much more enjoyable! so it’s okay if I look ridiculous in them=)

I’ve officially begun Christmas shopping…that is online, of course=) And my first set of packages should be arriving any day now. I love online shopping!!!! It’s sorta like a Christmas gift to me, I get to open it=) Then of course rewrap and give away again=) Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best days for this. Free shipping, plus huge savings! This is one day out of the year that I indulge in hot chocolate. I make myself a cup and sit in my pajamas and slip, shop, smile and repeat=)

I only have a month and a half left to take a picture a day=) and I haven’t missed one day, it’s crazy awesome!!!

Day 316

~opposites~

Hannah and I made Christmas cards for the soldiers, while watching “Flicka” and one evening. We are completely opposites in everything…the way we clean, our interest, our movie choices (haha I don’t think she was really enjoying Flicka, come to think of it…) and in making cards. We don’t do it alike at all! But she can sure make a beautiful card and we sure had a ball that evening together. With sisters like mine, who needs friends?!?!?Day 317

~junk~

I love coming home to mail on my bed…but please no junk mail!!!!!! =)Day 318

~something new~

Hannah’s new phone…she finally upgraded to a smart phone. Watch out! she’s now joined the phone addict club=) 

Day 319

~I wish…~

“I wish is was warmer out here”…hunting this morning was also referred to as “the time I froze”=) read more about my hunting joys here

Day 320

~colorful~

I made this Amish Pumpkin cake…it was so dense. I used a healthy recipe…my all time favorite recipes to make (honey instead of sugar etc.) but I never got a chance to taste it. My mom and dad loved it=) I made the whipping cream as well…adding honey to it for sweetener also=)

Day 321

~watching~

Ever since the snow fell, Merry’s been coming to the house and sitting outside the glass doors. She just sit there and watches as I eat breakfast. I usually give her a piece or two of bread. I don’t know why she doesn’t stay in the garage, where it’s warm.

Day 322

~ a landscape~

This was a bummer….all day I was envisioning this amazing photo I was going to take of the snowing landscape around my work. But noooo…I forgot and by the time I finished at my second job (and remembered) it was, of course, dark. And I had to settle for this picture, of a picture, on a page in a French cookbook I was drooling over=) yeah this is what I do for fun!?!?! haha =)

I hope your weeks been fantastic so far!

Happy Wednesda!!!

 

~Photo-a-day~ Oct 22–Oct 28

This week I passed 300 days of taking a “photo-a-day” felt sooo good! I only have 64 days left =)

Joseph had a party at his house on Friday evening. He just bought this house (it’s his first) and decided to throw a house warming game night =) For the bit of time I was there, I had a wonderful time. Euchre was my game of choice for the night =) I left early to have time to make cupcakes and still get to bed at a decent hour. (I volunteered to work the following day) I wouldn’t say twelve is a decent hour, but it’s slightly better than what it could have been.

Victoria and I made camouflaged cupcakes together for JT’s birthday party, Saturday night, pictures coming soon=) It was awesome to learn the process of making something from a box mix. It’s true! honestly I’ve always cooked from scratch so this is new territory for me. She also taught me how to make icing…now that is something I could really get into.

October seems to be so full of birthdays for this family…it’s our fullest “ birthday month”  of the year. After JT’s party I stayed up even later making Apple Dumplings for Joseph’s birthday party the following afternoon. They were heavenly, I actually ate one this time =)  We spent the afternoon playing scatagory. So. Much. Fun.

These photo’s looked a bit rushed, if you ask me. What do you think?

Day 295

~fall is…~

Fall is pumpkin spice…EVERYTHING! From candles, to pancakes, to pie, to a latte`.

Day 296

~a number~

Day 297

~orange~

This was taken after dark…one of those “oh that’s orange” moments =)

Day 298

~decoration~

JT’s party was camouflaged themed. We all wore camo and the entire kitchen was decorated in the same. Thanks to Jamie (Jonathan’s girlfriend) for putting this all together. I played hide-n-seek, later that night, with my nephews. Out in the dark yard. I haven’t played in a few years. It was fun to be a “kid”, again, for just one night.

Day 299

~leaf~

Day 300

~hidden~

Free kitten signs up and so far still not a single takers for this little guy.

Day 301

~starts with “H”~

Easy one!!! lol! Starts with an “H”. Hannah =)  I love this photo of her…positively dreamy =)

Happy Wednesday =)

Please let me know which photo’s are your favorite=)

My trip to New Bern…=)…

 

I spent the night of my birthday packing. I was flying to North Carolina early the next morning for a quick weekend trip to visit a girlfriend of mine….a birthday gift to myself, hey! it was my 21st haha=)  ….and I didn’t get started packing until about 12 o'clock (when all my siblings had finally gone home or to bed) and so when I finally had my shower etc. and was completely ready for bed it was way after 2:00 am. And on top of this I had to get up at 4:00 am…surprisingly I woke up to my alarm and I was pretty much awake, after only a few short hours of sleep=) (I slept a lot on the plane) My first trip to do solo and it was so much fun! It was so enjoyable traveling alone that I will be doing it A LOT more before I die=)

You know those trips you look forward to and think about so much, that when they happen there kinda a let down. Due to your expectations being way too high. But this visit wasn’t like that at ALL.  It was everything I imagined…no it was even better! Anne worked out all the plans, what we were doing each day etc., before hand and it turned out to be a magical weekend…one spent with such an incredible family. I will never be able to be thank them enough, for everything! They have no clue how welcome and special they made me feel.

Anne is a wonderful friend, we met several years back at a mutual friend’s wedding… She’s put up with me growing up, all my awkward life phases etc. I don’t know how and she still likes me…haha=) She’s a dear friend and I’m so blessed to have her in my life. I’m so grateful that God allowed our paths to cross.

So naturally I took pictures…enjoy=)

A turbo prop was the plane that flew me into New Bern NC from Charlotte.  The left landing gear had some problems and so our flight was delayed an hour, waiting on this to be fixed…sitting in this stuffy, warm little plane…with all those other people..fun right?!?!?Finally here at the Robinson’s home…this is the lovely mom of the family. she loads of fun=)and Kate…if I didn’t already have so many sisters I’d want her as my sister…=)And the incredible Anne…with the birthday cake she made me=) it was soooo good! This is Nicholas Spark’s house…no kidding! this completely made my day/weekend=)We went into the most darling toy shop… It really was…Mini photo shoot of the ANNE=)Kate=)Sisters <3Sharing coffee…I LOVE this one! She’s so beautiful!It was closed, but I got to look through the window=)The Robinson’s home…On our way to Cape Lookout we passed an island with wild ponies…they were perfectly perfect! I’ve only read about these and have never seen them before. Incredible! I left my zoom lens behind so this is as close a picture, as I could get…The Mr and Mrs=)She laughs all the time…you can’t help but be happy when you’re around her.There was barely anyone at the beach…it was sprinkling on our way out to this island, but it stopped. And we were just there for the window of good weather, it started raining on our way back=)  We went and saw The Hundred Foot Journey (just us girls) the last night I was there…we headed outdoors to take pictures of their dresses=)Lunch…did I say the food was amazing?!?!?!?And Anne took my camera=)hot chocolate…don’t tell anyone please=)Indianapolis at night…from the sky=)

And thus concludes my 21st birthday! It was so fun and relaxing.

Have a wonderful weekend! And enjoy this weather, fall will be here before we know it. Personality it could come sooner than later, I’m ready for summer to be gone…can’t wait for Autumn=)