Look Whoooo's Turning 1 {A Party}

In March my little niece turned one. I can't believe it's been a year since we met her! My sister-in-law pulled off a great (and adorable!) first birthday party for her with an owl theme. It was too cute not to share. Enjoy!

The Birthday Girl!

Owl cupcake toppers (handmade!)

Also good as little lapel pins!

Some table details

Some owl goodies

The to-die-for smash cake (which I ended up eating some of ;) )

It's her party, and she'll cry if she wants to!

Green and pink baloons

Goody bags

Outfit (tutu, onsie, hair clip)  made by her mommy. So talented!

With mommy and daddy

Loved the photobooth idea.  Will definitely be remembering that one.

Happy 1st Birthday, Princess!

All pictures via my sister-in-law's Facebook except for the one of the "lapel pin." That one was taken with my cell phone;)

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I'm thankful for family in Atlanta.




Because sometimes it's fun to get away, even if "away" isn't very far.

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In This Marriage

It's my anniversary this month! It will be two years since me and hubs tied the knot. There is no possible way that I can believe that it has been two years already. Anyhow, is it bragging to say that I have an awesome marriage? If it is, then this is me bragging. Here are a few things that I've learned on the go that I thought would be fun to share.

My top 10 secrets to an awesome marriage:

1. Marry someone you have fun with

Do I have to explain this? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with someone who bores you to death? Think of your best friend. I'm guessing you have fun with this person. Your hubby is your new best friend. Have fun with him.

2. Never take yourself too seriously.

This is really an overall life rule for me. Let's face it: when you are with someone so much, weird things are going to come up, weird things are going to happen. Learn how to laugh at yourself. Honestly, it just makes life more fun.

3. Let things go.

Don't hold on to past grievances. Deal with issues as they arise, and then leave them where they belong: in the past. Everyone makes mistakes, you wouldn't want the husband pulling out your fault list every time you made one, so don't do it to him either.

4. Pick your battles

Some things are worth going to battle over. Some things are not. If you don't want to be fighting all the time, then choose to only "discuss" the things that are major issues. You've heard the phrase "making a mountain out of a mole hill," if everything is a mountain then you will never be able to cross them all and you will never move forward. So knock over those mole hills without causing an incident and move on.

5. Prioritize

I'm just going to say it: your marriage is a big deal. Your spouse is a big deal. Look, your husband is your partner in life. You need to invest in him. And you need to make time for each other. Date night is not something that should fall by the wayside once you get married. In fact, it is even more important. There are so many little things that demand our attention everyday, make sure you remember to shut them all out once in a while and focus on each other.

6. Don't keep secrets

There is no place for secrets in a marriage. I'm telling you: either they WILL come out, or they will eat you alive. Why did you marry this guy if you don't want to share your life with him? I'm not saying you have to share every unimportant detail with each other. I honestly don't want to hear what my husband did every second of every day (and I'm nosy!). If it's an issue/important/dangerous to you or your marriage, spill the beans.

7. Try new things

There are no two people who are exactly alike. We are all unique and we all have different interests, including your spouse! Maybe you hate museums but he loves them, hit up a local one some weekend. Maybe the thought of sushi freaks you out but he has been craving it since you got married, (barring allergies) try it out! Not only will this allow you to experience new things (and maybe surprise you), it will also get you out of a dating rut (not that YOU ever get in one) and, most importantly, it will show your man that you care about him and the things that he cares about.

8. Make time for yourself

I know you love your husband. And if you're a newly wed, you probably want to spend all your time together. That's great! But make sure you also make time for you. Read a book, go for a walk. Don't get into the vortex of "us" so much that you forget about "me."

9. Speak up

Something bothering you but you're too afraid to say anything? Is there something you've always wanted to try? Bring it up (in a loving and open minded way). What's the worse that could happen, really? I said it before and I'll say it again: you want to spend the rest of your life with this person. Might as well get things out on the table now rather than holding on to them for the next 20 years. Your husband can't read your mind (or so I've been told).

10. Get dirty, a lot

And have fun with it. You know what I'm talkin' about. That's all I'm gonna say.

I'm Positive

If you haven't been able to pick up on this so far, I am a very introspective type of person. One of the things I've been introspecting about lately is negativity. Earlier this year I started to notice that I had a bad attitude about a lot of things. And, more recently, I've noticed that I've let my bad attitude spill over into my online life. I really don't need to be tweeting, updating facebook and blogging negatively. Sure, I could argue that these are my personal outlets and I should be able to vent. I could also bring up the argument that neglecting to post negative things (i.e. when I'm upset/frustrated/sad ect.) leaves out the whole picture of my life and makes me fake. And I DO think there is a place for being honest about how you feel. STILL, I don't think that gives me a free-for-all pass to be spewing negative things about the internets. So if you've been noticing, that's why I've been gone lately. I've been taking some self inventory and really trying to decide how to curb this bad habit of mine. I don't want to be fake (and God knows I'm not a perky, happy-all-the time person), but I DO want to be a positive and uplifting person. I don't want to let my emotions control my life and what I present to others. 

And this doesn't just apply to my online life. I really desire to be a more positive person in all areas. I want to smile more, and have lighthearted interactions with people more. I want to be (and feel!) happy (yes I think they can be different things).

Anyway, that's what's going on in these parts. Cross your fingers for more posting soon:)

P.S. I know I've made a few changes to the blog again, including the name. Not sure that's what I'm going to go with yet, but we'll see. I just really enjoy changing small things and I can't, for the life of me, seem to land on a name I want to stick with yet. Sorry if that's confusing and/or annoying. Le sigh.

Eat, Pray, Love

I meantioned a little while ago that I really wanted to re-ignite my love of reading. I was a little afraid that this would be a hard task. And there have been times when it has been, especially when I can't seem to find anything I want to read. But lately things have been going really well and I have been devouring books in a way reminisant of my childhood. I even added a link to my sidebar in order to keep reading at the forefront of my mind. On it I listed many books I would like to read, as well as a list of books I have read so far this year. It's over there if you want to take a look. ----->

Anyway, the last book I read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

For a long time I was hesitant to read this book (or see the movie!) because I knew it contained beliefs that I don't share or endorse. However, after reading The Happiness Project, I was really interested in the whole "taking a year to find yourself" concept as well as interested in reading another memoir-type book. I'm so glad I did. I loooovvveeedd this book. Yes, the parts I don't agree with were still in there, but I was able to look into them and see truths that the author probably didn't even realize she was writing. And I was able to pick out the things that I don't believe and put them to the side. My faith is solid and will not be shaken by a book.

Anyway, for anyone who doesn't know, this book is about a women who, after a rough divorce and a patch of depression, decides to take a year and travel to Italy, India and Indonesia to pursue pleasure, devotion and balance and find out who she is. The book is fascinating and I found myself wondering how someone could really have a life like this: one that sounded so much like a story. I was able to pull a lot from it and enjoyed it (pretty much) the whole way through. Probably what I liked the most was her writing style. Elizabeth Gilbert is (apparently) amazing at creating word pictures. This is my favorite quote from the book:

"We sit on the beach and watch the dangerous waves, watch the lean brown and white Indonesian and Western surf-cats slice across the water like zippers ripping open the backs of the ocean's blue party dress."

Looking forward to seeing the movie now!

Ignite Recap

***Every time I go on a retreat at my church I keep the little notebook for a while and then I end up throwing it away. I really want to keep the notes but I hate having stuff around my house that I have no idea what to do with. The other day I realized that I could post the notes on my blog! That way I always have them AND other people can possibly benefit from them too! These are from the marriage conference that we went to in February.***

"When two of you are just alike, one of you is not needed." -Joe McGee

Jimmy Evans-Session 1-God's Indestructible Plan for Marriage

Ephesians 5:21-33-Standard for marriage.
-This is God's plan, there is no plan B

1. The roles in Eph. 5 make us attractive to our spouse

• you're not the boss, Jesus is
• 1 Peter 3- chaste & respectful behavior
• Honor is the key to a man's heart
• You're either your spouses dream-maker or dream-breaker 

2. The roles in Eph. 5 release our potential

• 1 Corinthians 11:7
• Men are the glory of God, women are the glory of their husbands
• Proverbs 31- she turned a non-elder into an elder. Treat him like he is one before he is.
• A husband is a greenhouse, a wife is a good cheerleader
• celebrate everything he does right
• say negative things in a positive way

3. The roles in Eph. 5 disable our sin nature

• Eve's sin was not talking to Adam and not waiting on God
• Women's sin nature is independence
• Men's is irresponsibility
• (Adam was standing right there and didn't say anything)
• The way Jesus treats the church is the standard

4. The roles in Ephesians 5 make us sensitive to each other's needs

• Men:
• Honor (where you want him to be, not where he is)
• Sex
• Be buddies and have fun
• Supportive home
• Women:
• Security
• Soft, non-sensual affection
• Open and honest communication
• Leadership

"Without sex and fun, your marriage is a business, and a bad one."

"In a good marriage you just understand how much we need each other."

"The atmosphere women need for sex is the same as men need for opening up."

"You're at your best when you're having fun."

Jimmy Evans-Session 2-Disarming Destructive Fear-4 Features of Marriage in the Garden

1. Intimacy with God- Identity, Security, Purpose

• People love you based on what they don't know, God loves you knowing everything
• When you set your spouse up to be Jesus, you curse your marriage

2. Equal Partnership
3. Common Purpose-Genesis 1:27-28 "them"

• God wont give you different purposes
• "Why did God put us together?"

4. Total nakedness without fear or shame- Genesis 2:25, 2 Timothy 1:7

• 4 Curses of Fear
• It makes us selfish-1 John 4:18
• It makes us sinful
• It makes us say negative and damaging words- Proverbs 18:21
• It makes us stupid
• Fear dance: hurt, want, fear, react
• Fear is a prophet spirit from hell
• Fear is a Godless future

• Sources of Fear
• Desires-greatest fear matches greatest need
• Design-priority of marriage (jealousy)
• Damage from past
• Demonic spirits

• Disarm destructive fear:
• Take off your fig leaves (be honest about your fear)
• Take responsibility for your behavior
• Put faith in God
• Treat fear as an enemy and don't let it control you (expect fear and then inspect fear, and then reject it)

Jimmy Evans-Session 3-Striking Your Sexual Match

 Sex is for:
1. Reproduction
2. Comfort
3. Pleasure
4. Didn't get this one...
5. Confidence
6. Intamacy
7. Protection from outward temptation

Genesis 2:24-The key to sexual fulfillment is serving each other

3 Steps to Striking Your Sexual Match

• Strike your Spiritual Match
• Matthew 19:6- Marriage is spiritual and sacred
• Strike your Emotional Match
• Care about your spouses feelings
• work, money, children, sex
• "Just because I'm saying it doesn't make it right, it just makes it real."
• Allow each other to complain without shaming

How to create Sexual Intamacy:

• Commit to meeting your spouses needs faithfully and energetically
• 1 Corinthians 7:7-license of use
• Understand and respect your spouses different needs and desires:
• Men:
• Mutual satisfaction
• Connection
• Responsiveness of wives
• Initiation of wife
• Affirmation
• Women:
• Affirmation
• Connection
• Non-sexual touch
• Spiritual intimacy 
• Romance ("I'm thinking about you when I don't have to.")

"If one person only initiates sex, the other is suffering self esteem"

Joe McGee-Session 4

"A spouse is anointed by God to point out character flaws in your life."

"Marriage is nothing but two doofuses growing up together."

• 3 Jobs for a Man:
• Ephesians 5:25-Lover
• 1 Corinthians 11:3-Leader
• 1 Timothy 4:8-Provider
• 3 Jobs for a Woman:
• Genesis 2:18-Helper
• 1 Timothy 5:14-Home Manager

• Proverbs 29:18-Not knowing where you're going frustrates you
• Habakkuk 2:2
• If I don't move, God can't move. It's not legal.
• Psalm 139:15

• Who are you?
• What are you doing here?
• Where are you going?

• Proverbs 15:2-Just because a thought hits your brain does not mean it's from God.
• Be careful when you judge someone else, because it takes one to know one.
• The devil doesn't steal junk, he steals stuff that's good.
• You can't steer a boat that's not moving. Start moving.

1. Learn how to talk
2. Whatever you talk about is gonna need money
1. You're blessed or broke for your attitude
2. You're supposed to leave money behind
3. You are what you think
4. Order precedes increase

How to be a great lover:

1. Have the right motive
2. Didn't get this one again... (he talks fast!)
3. Avoid societies expectations
4. Eliminate routeins
5. Practice tenderness
6. Set perimaters
7. Comfort zones
8. Never criticize response
9. Practice hygene
10. It's ok to laugh

•  Boys like things, girls like people.
• Women know when you're lying.
• God is not moved by pity, He's moved by faith. He's not human.

***That's it. Sorry it's so long. :)***

Psalm 73

I've been reading the One Year Bible and I have a confession: I haven't really been enjoying the Psalms. Doesn't that sound horrible? I know that sometimes different parts of the Bible speak to you in different times and in different ways, but this has really been bothering me. Today, however, was Psalm 73 and it really spoke to me. I especially  like it in the NLT version, so I thought I would post it here:

A psalm of Asaph.

 ¹ Truly God is good to Israel,
      to those whose hearts are pure.
 ² But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
      My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
 ³ For I envied the proud
      when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
 ⁴ They seem to live such painless lives;
      their bodies are so healthy and strong.
 ⁵ They don’t have troubles like other people;
      they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
 ⁶ They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
      and clothe themselves with cruelty.
 ⁷ These fat cats have everything
      their hearts could ever wish for!
 ⁸ They scoff and speak only evil;
      in their pride they seek to crush others.
 ⁹ They boast against the very heavens,
      and their words strut throughout the earth.
 ¹⁰ And so the people are dismayed and confused,
      drinking in all their words.
 ¹¹ “What does God know?” they ask.
      “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
 ¹² Look at these wicked people—
      enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

 ¹³ Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
      Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
 ¹⁴ I get nothing but trouble all day long;
      every morning brings me pain.

 ¹⁵ If I had really spoken this way to others,
      I would have been a traitor to your people.
 ¹⁶ So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
      But what a difficult task it is!
 ¹⁷ Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
      and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
 ¹⁸ Truly, you put them on a slippery path
      and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
 ¹⁹ In an instant they are destroyed,
      completely swept away by terrors.
 ²⁰ When you arise, O Lord,
      you will laugh at their silly ideas
      as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

 ²¹ Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
      and I was all torn up inside.
 ²² I was so foolish and ignorant—
      I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
 ²³ Yet I still belong to you;
      you hold my right hand.
 ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
      leading me to a glorious destiny.
 ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
      I desire you more than anything on earth.
 ²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
      but God remains the strength of my heart;
      he is mine forever.

 ²⁷ Those who desert him will perish,
      for you destroy those who abandon you.
 ²⁸ But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
      I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
      and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Hope you have a happy weekend!