It's My Birthday Month

Yes I believe in Birthday Months.

(The only thing better is your actual birthday and birthday week to party harder)

Yes I believe in Half Birthdays.

Hey if it was allowed by my husband I would celebrate another month of my life every month:)

So as my Birthday is approaching I have made a list to help the people in my life.

Tory Burch Flats

New Throw Pillows From Etsy

Pottery Barn Table Runner

Pandora Beads

So my Birthday is the 23rd if any of you bloggers want to help out with my list :)

Finding Blessings in Mourning

Last week my grandfather passed away.

Here is some context.

My grandparents split when my dad was young. 

They both got remarried and my whole life I have seen my Grandpa Hart( My dad's dad) and Grandma Donna( his wife) 2 times. Once I was 5 and I briefly remember and the second time I was in high school and they took a road trip across the country and visited. He didn't watch me graduate high school, college or get married.

My Grandma and her husband Louie however were a different story. At one point we lived with them. My parents were teenage parents so we didn't start with much. I remember Louie in almost every significant memory I have. Birthdays, holidays baptisms, confirmations, graduations and my wedding. 

( Grandma and Louie at my wedding)

Louie passed away on Thursday. He was driving a car full of my family ( him, grandma, my aunt, her two kids and boyfriend) in his van when he had a heart attack driving 60+ mph.

My aunt some how jumped into the front seat and slowed the car down.

During this time of mourning I am finding loads of blessings. While Louie is gone no one else was hurt, it could have been so bad. Louie was such a blessing to my life. He loved me more than I could describe and treated me just as he did his biological grandchildren. He always told us to call him Louie since we still had our grandfather and didn't want to take his place but reflecting back he was such a wonderful grandfather and I wish I would have let him know it everyday. He loved my grandmother with every part of his body and he loved my family even more. 

So I am blessed. Louie was a blessing to my life and while I am sad and mourning I will treasure every memory.

Recharging

Beware. This post is random.

So yes I know it has been a while since I have posted but it hasn't been because I haven't had anything to post about.

The month of January has just flown by and I didn't realize that I wasn't pausing to appreciate the daily happenings of my life.

Since coming back from Christmas break I haven't caught up at work. 

We have had 3 days of early releases or delays which have thrown my teaching plans out the window.

( I am actually on a 3 hour delay today which is why I am writing)

I am a huge type A person.

When I leave school I don't bring work home, home is time for me to relax and enjoy my husband. When I leave Friday I have all my copies and plans ready for the next week, I have all my papers graded and I am ready to enjoy my weekend.

Well in the past month I have broken these rules everyday.

Hence the not blogging. I typically read others and write my blog when I get home from work and schedule them for different days of the week. This way when Andrew is home I can focus on us time. However since I have been bring my work home I don't end up writing till the mornings while he is asleep.

Then it starting cutting into my quiet time with God so I stopped blogging. I knew at the moment I needed a recharge. A month of planning less(Hey a girl can't quit cold turkey) a month of taking things as they coming and getting back on track.

This past week as I was listening to the Elevation Worship Station on Pandora there were some lyrics from a song that really struck home.

Our God is Fighting For Us Always

We are not alone, we are not alone.

Its what I needed to hear. While I have been overwhelmed with everything that the world and my life is throwing at me, he is fighting for me to slow down and I did realize it.

At church Pastor JD talked about that during our quiet time we should spend time reading the Bible, praying, and reading literature about scripture over a 30-45 minute span. I do read the Bible and then spend time praying every morning but I do not read literature about scripture everyday and when I do its at night. I am excited that Andrew and I are starting a quiet time study together on the book The Reason For God: Belief in a World Of Skepticism by Tim Keller. I can't wait to see what it does to bring out quiet times together and reflect.

How do you recharge? Do you get in to deep before you realize you need to slow down?

How do you know??

How do you know he loves you?

How do you know he's yours?

And yes Disney's Enchanted is the inspiration for this post

Dating.

While I am married I believe dating is so important to any relationship.

What's even better?
Impromptu dates :)

Yesterday was my first class of the semester and we got out early. Andrew and I had a long weekend with my family and we barley saw each other.
Now lets add that I was kinda cranky before I left for class.

Hence I called Andrew and asked him to get dressed and be downstairs in 5 minutes.
Then off we were to late night coffee and crapes :)

This weekend we are spending our Saturday at the Raleigh Natural Science Museum.

It's so easy to get into a habit of just going out to eat. 
Why yes that is a date, how much thought goes into it?
How often does the conversation just pass the time?

Planning dates that engage you in new experiences and new conversations help your relationship grow.

What dates do you plan for you and your spouse/significant other??
I would love to have some extra ideas!

Spicy Sausage, Chicken and Kale Soup

I know what you thinking

Really Kale soup... its seaweed

( if that crossed your mind you and my husband would be bff's)

But really Kale and other greens are such the crazy right now and I love them so I have to be pretty creative to get Andrew to enjoy it

Spicy Sausage, Chicken and Kale Soup

Lets just say Andrew enjoyed it!

 The gnocci I used had a wierd after taste so I am going to have to buy a different brand next time but besides that I can't wait to make it again!

3/4 lb ground Italian sausage

1/2 pound of shredded chicken

  1½ tsp crushed red peppers

      1/2  large diced yellow onion

  2 tsp miced

 10 cups chicken stock

  1 lb of gnocci

  1 bunch of kale

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

 In the same pan, sauté  onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

 Add chicken stock to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

Add the gnocci and cook until soft

Stir in the sausage, chicken and the kale, let all heat through and serve.

This recipie served 10!. We ate it for 2 days and freezed the other half for later!
Hope you enjoy it! 

 

Furniture Dreaming

So I have dreaming lately of what furniture I want for our master bedroom.

Hopefully soon this will become a dream come true cause I am holding out for it cause its perfect

(umm hello tax return)

Here is the bedding we currently have on our bed

Source: wayfair.com via Brianna on Pinterest

I love it so much, it softens and opens up our room so much!

So here is my inspiration

Claudia Bed in the antique pewter-- Pottery Barn

Source: potterybarn.com via Brianna on Pinterest

Stratton End Table-- Pottery Barn

Source: potterybarn.com via Brianna on Pinterest

Stratton Extra Long Dresser-- Pottery Barn

Source: potterybarn.com via Brianna on Pinterest

Minus the Lamps.. Add tall pillar candles

Source: homedesignspins.com via Brianna on Pinterest

Hmmm.. does pottery barn have a credit card????

Click here to see the rest of my design board for our room :)

Dancing with Ashley's DIY

So I am back and heading to work today and officially missing my Grandma and my family who are still loving it up together in Charlotte. But I am excited to have Ashley as my last guest poster. Check out her DIY

Hi!  I'm Ashley from Dancing with Ashley. A big thanks to Brianna for having me today! 

A plain sweater plus a bit of fancy ribbon equals a whole bunch of sparkly fabulous(ness).  Those of you who know me, KNOW that I hate JoAnn's Fabric Store with everything in me.  Yes, I had to ask a lady where I could find some thread, and yes, I left with a stress rash all over my body.  (Ok, the stress rash part isn't true, but that's how JoAnn's makes me feel).  Too many sewing supplies and not enough sewing talent to navigate through it all.

Anyways, I would give you a step by step on this, but all I did was sew some fabric on to my sweater, ironed it flat at the end, and that's that.  A new sweater for Ashley!

Have you tackled any DIY projects lately?