happy birthday husband

j-

today you turn 26. welcome. i hope you enjoy it as much as i have so far. i know birthdays aren't as big of a deal to you as they are to me, but my prayer is that you feel loved and celebrated today. you deserve every bit of it. you work so hard and i am so proud of all you do. i am so thankful that God had a different plan for my life than i did because that means i get to share it with you. you are my favorite part of each day. whether its spending the whole day together or talking over dinner, it doesn't really matter. all that matters to me is that you are there. i never really imaged a husband as good as you. neither of us is perfect but at least we can fail at being perfect together. and so far it has been pretty fun. so i look forward to all the birthday to come in our lifetime together and i hope that this one is extra special...because it's today. happy birthday babe.

love you,

sha

(P.S. - Another Happy Birthday shout out to this dear friend!)

friday finds

Happy Friday! There isn't a whole lot going on in the Bend today (minus the Te'o girlfriend hoax). A little reading, yoga, cuddles with the pup...not too shabby. One of my most recent reading finds is this book. I am loving it. It's a really easy read and I am just zipping through it. As a new wife and homemaker, I am constantly searching for idea, tips, and musings to help me find my niche in taking care of my home. Growing up, I helped out at home with dishes, laundry and general cleaning, but for some reason now that I have my own home to take care of I have taken a special interest in different ways to do so. (This could also be because I have extra time on my hands since I'm not working. I'm sure my desire will change once I'm back to the eight to five grind.)

What I am loving so much about this book is the ideas are simple and have been around for some time. And to be honest, I've probably heard my mother and grandmother share some of these tid bits with me but it wasn't something top of mind at that stage of life. I haven't come up with any new cleaning methods or products, but I am getting a lot of satisfaction out of using household items versus harsh store bought chemicals.

And if there is one thing that I have learned so far it's that vinegar and baking soda can basically solve all of your problems. Seriously, it seems as though those two ingredients hold so much power and they easy and cheap!

So today, I am attempting to get the moldy smell out of my bath towels and also cleaning the inside of the dishwasher. And I'm accomplishing both with just those two miracle products. I'll let you know how both ventures turn out. If you are a fan of a more old fashioned and simpler way of doing life, I'd suggest you check out this book, or maybe you could even borrow mine when my nose isn't stuck in it.

And just because I think she's cute...here is Winnie's rendition of a downward dog.

resolutions

There is lots of talk these days of resolutions. Exercising, eating healthy, spending less money, getting organized. So many changes we want to make in ourselves in the fresh start of a new year. Truth be told, I am not much of a resolutions person. I figure if there is something that I want to change in my life that I should do it when it is necessary, especially since the new year only comes once a year. So I don't have any great new exciting resolutions to share with you. In fact, it's quite the opposite, I feel.

The past year has been a great one, no doubt. Yet, it has also been a bit exhausting. A whole lot happened in a matter of just 365 days. So many weekends traveled, friends and family visited, boxes packed and unpacked, and wedding activities galore. It was wonderful and I truly loved each and every moment that came with it. But now, I am ready for some rest. Days with nothing planned, evenings at home with my hubs, weekends where I don't have to get out of my pj's if I don't want to. This year I want to spend it being a twenty-something wife. That's it. That's all there is to it.

I am still in the process of finding a new job, but the search is  going very well. Two interviews in! However, I am a bit hesitant to jump back in to work just yet. As much as I enjoying having a career, the past few weeks have been so welcomed. Now, thankfully I have a husband who works very hard and is able to provide for us while I am in the job hunt, or this story might be a bit more panicked. Yet, there have been many days where I can simply rest and do those normal things that I enjoy. I have loved getting our new home set up and feelin' like us. Of course, it's not finished yet, but it's definitely getting there. I am finding new recipes and making yummy dinners. I've even started my second book and second puzzle. (Come to find out, I love puzzles)

So as this new year begins, I look forward to a year of just plain ole' married life. 

first Christmas as mr & mrs