on house hunting

 I've been a little absent the past week. Our computer decided that it just didn't want to work very well; half of the keyboard works and half doesn't. Such a love/hate relationship with technology. But it has also been a very busy couple of weeks at work and when my schedule fills up, blogging tends to take the hit.

First off, it's August. Can anyone else not believe it? I am just stunned that summer is already almost over. As much as I am not wanting summer to be over, part of me is ready for these next couple of months. First off, we have a lot of fun traveling coming up. We're heading to Tampa in a couple weeks, Austin for Labor Day and we just found out we'll be going to Phoenix in October. So that is all very exciting! I've never been to any of these cities and I love going to new places!

But to be real honest, one of the reasons I am secretly ready for fall to get here is because it means that we are realistically closer to moving into a house. Now, mind you, we don't have a house yet, nor have we put in any offers. But I feel like I have been thinking and waiting for the time to come when we are actually ready and in a place to do so, and that time is coming quickly.

The past couple of weekends we have looked at houses, eight total so far. Last weekend was tough. The first house we looked at was, well, gorgeous. I fell in love with the kitchen instantly. I loved the white built-ins and fireplace. The backyard was huge and it had a willow tree, too. Against my better judgement, I quickly fell in love with the house. But just as quickly as I fell in love, we had to break up. We found out the owners accepted an offer the night before. Ugh. Needless to say, I was a bit heartbroken. We were finally in a house that we could really see ourselves in. But, it obviously wasn't the house for us.

The second house we visited was out of our budget. And the third house...well, we didn't even get to see it because the current owners were home and informed us that they sold the house on Wednesday. Seriously. Talk about a hope crushing house hunt. Although deep down inside, I know that God's hand is in all of this and that He has the right house for us. And these were not it. But my humanness was disappointed and sad. I am so excited about having a house of our own. I am excited to have a yard and a place where we can settle and feel like we are putting down some roots. I know it will come, but patience is hard sometimes. God's plans are always, always better than my plans, but waiting for it to unfold can be a challenge.

Thankfully, I learned to reassess my expectations a bit about the house hunt. And my wonderful, very patient and understanding husband, gently reminds me that it's just a house. It's a material item and while having one would be great, it does not define our joy. He's a smart one, I tell you. We're off again this weekend to look at some more houses and this time I'm trying to be just a little more patient.

year one: what i've learned so far

As we get closer to the one year mark, I have been thinking a lot about all that I have learned during this first year of marriage. Although in the marriage ball game we are still just rookies, this past year has been one of growth and new experiences. Not only have I learned a lot about my husband, I have learned a tremendous amount about myself. I have learned a whole lot about life and I am amazed at how marriage really teaches you so much. I have learned that no matter what I do, my husband and I will never have the same appreciate (or lack there of) for spicy food. I have also learned that I am a bed hog. It was never a problem before, but now it is a weekly conversation. But it all seriousness, I have learned a few life changing things as well.

1. marriage just makes you married

I read that line somewhere and it resonated so much within me. I believe, especially as girls, that we feel like we will have it all figured out once we get married. We will know what we want out of life, we will no longer feel insecure and that it will all be just peachy within your relationship. Well, I hate to bust your bubble, but that is most definitely not true. If anything, marriage amplifies any issues or conflicts that were already existing. You and your spouse are both broken, sinful humans and that doesn't change once you get married. Now, you are just married, broken, sinful humans trying to do life together. Now don't get me wrong, I love being married but it doesn't change who you are or who your spouse is. There are still days when I feel insecure about myself. There are times when I struggle with knowing what I want out of life. Those things don't go away once you get married, but the beautiful thing is now you have someone to share in those things with. To talk to on the most intimate level and know that they love you regardless.

2. forgiveness and grace are the best gifts ever

I never fully understood the concept of grace until I got into a good, healthy dating relationship. One of the hardest lessons I learned was how to forgive well. Come to find out, I can be quick to hold a grudge over little things, even against myself. But that doesn't go well with having a healthy, joyful heart. I have had to learn the true meaning of forgiveness and grace. Not only has this concept helped in all my relationships, but it has helped me understand God in a new way. And it blows my mind to know that God gives us that same kind of grace when we are willing to accept it. And that has been life changing in so many ways.

3. communication really is important.

Just in case you didn't know already, men and women are very different. From our physical make ups to the way we process information. And if you want to learn that first hand, just get married. Again, don't get me wrong, I am thankful that my husband is different than me. God purposefully created us that way. Plus, I would probably be very annoyed if I had to deal with someone just like me all day. Yet, I have learned that men and women also communicate differently. I had always heard that communication is the key to a good marriage but I didn't realize how crucial that was. I have always thought I was a good communicator. Turns out-- I'm really just a good talker. Real communication takes effort and energy and is so worth it. Taking the time to have genuine conversation and discussions will make the difference between a mediocre marriage and a healthy, connected one.

As we come up to our first anniversary, I am reminded everyday of how blessed I truly am. I am so thankful for the man that Jake is and for all he has brought to my life and our marriage.

And all I can really do is say thank you, thank you, thank you.

five on friday: afternoon edition

I full intended on writing this blog this morning, but frankly I was just too exhausted. So you are getting an afternoon/early evening edition. I am linking up with some great ladies for Five on Friday!

1. We're still trying to catch up on sleep from last week, but it has been a good but busy work week. So we're both thankful for Friday. We're ready for a little relaxation together.
2. The boutique is having it's biggest sale of the year right now, so there is a whole lot going on there. Seriously awesome shopping deals!
3. My mom visited yesterday to do some blueberry picking. We walked away with 43 lbs of blueberries. They are my favorite so I am super excited to finally have some yummy fresh berries.
4. I finally got this cook book in the mail this week! I've already tried one recipe and am extremely please with how it turned out. I can't wait to make more recipes. I feel like I just keep flipping through the pages with excitement.
5. Lastly, we're going on our first round of house showings tomorrow!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am to actually visit the houses I've been looking at online. Eek! 

That is all for today's edition of five on friday. Now I'm off to spend some much needed relaxation time with the hubs!

Happy Weekend!

wedding picture gawking part II

So I wrote this blog a long long time ago and promised that I would post most pictures of the our wedding day. Welp, I sure didn't ever do that, so I figured it was time to hold up to my end of the deal. As we're getting closer to our one year anniversary, I still look at these pictures all the time (maybe I should get a hobby?). But they are just so wonderful and I cannot say enough good things about our photographer, Kim. So without further ado, here are some ceremony & post ceremony pictures!

 

 

I promise I will post reception pictures soon!

summer bruschetta

 

One of my favorite things about summer is cooking with lots of fresh ingredients right out of the garden (or from the farmers market). There is nothing like fresh fruits and veggies that can make your taste buds just dance. Now, I am not one who typically loves tomatoes as a major ingredient. I enjoy them in recipes but can't just eat them plain. That is why I love bruschetta. You can enjoy tomatoes as a primary ingredient but have other flavors to compliment them.

The other day, I found myself with a handful of extra tomatoes and basil, so naturally the best way to use those items is in summer bruschetta. I used parts of this recipe but also just added what I thought would taste best. It's easy and delicious.

Start by cutting up your tomatoes, you want them in bit size pieces but not so small that they just all end up mushing together. I used five good sized tomatoes. Once they're chopped, put them in a bowl.

Next, I added three gloves of garlic (adjust to taste).  I chopped 6-8 fresh basil leaves and added them to the bowl. Then, I added one tablespoon or so of olive oil and approximately one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Also, as a little salt and pepper (to taste). Mix them all together and you're done!

See simple enough! We didn't have any french bread at the time so I toasted some regular bread and we cut it up into smaller slices. We just spooned some on our bread and scarfed it down enjoyed! We stored it in the fridge for a couple days, but it really didn't last very long in our house. It is so fresh and filled with summer flavors that it's hard to not eat it in one sitting.

So if you find yourself with some extra tomatoes, this recipe is a great way to use them up!

a fair amount of fun

We have returned from the land of corn dogs and cotton candy. But to be honest, it is a bit bittersweet for me. As much as I love sleeping in my own bed and taking a shower with an excessive amount of hot water, I so miss the faces, conversations and laughter we shared. My favorite part of the whole fair is spending unplanned time with my family-- aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings. We rode rides and played skee ball. We watched a rodeo and a lawn mower derby. We shared stories and lots of laughs. We all tried stealing the baby from one another so we could hold her yet again. It's what family and tradition is about. I loved each moment of the weekend and am so thankful to have it. 

And since I'm so darn exhausted, I'll just leave you with a few pictures to tell the rest of the story. Yes, there were tigers at the fair. And yes there were many more animals than chickens but I failed to photograph most of them.

**Just a little FYI-- that is my baby cousin and my parents great niece. Just in case you were wondering.

it's that time of year again

If you know anything about my family, you know that when fair time comes around life as we know it pretty much stops. And guess what?!? It's that time of year again. It's time to head back to Illinois to see the animals, eat some seriously bad for you food and spend some much needed time with the fam. So I am going to be checking out of the blog world til next Monday. But you can still keep up with me via other social media outlets. And don't worry, I'll give you a full recap when I return!

If you haven't already be sure to check out my Facebook page and follow along on Instagram.

Have a great week!

Oh and I'm linking up with the Blog Hop today hosted by The Dwelling Tree and All My Happy Endings.