new years resolution.

happy 2012!

i haven't been able to think too hard about my resolutions for 2012...but here are a few that seem to be calling my name.

1. be more consistent in my menu planning. a cute printable like this should motivate me.

Source: thesisterscafe.com via Shannon on Pinterest

2. make a book list. but here's the kicker....stick to it!

Source: thecaptivereader.wordpress.com via Nadine on Pinterest

i have so many of books to read in print

but i adore reading on the kindle. 

first world problem.

3.  last but not least, continue to grow into the wife and woman God is calling me to be.

[my Bible, proverbs 31]

so, what are your resolutions..?

thanksgiving weekend.

we were so blessed to travel to georgia for thanksgiving this past week.
i cannot believe how much food i ate...but it was all fantastic.
my momma is the best cook in the world, so we are fed well there even if it isn't a holiday.

justin and i have so much to be thankful for this holiday season, i am so overwhelmed by how God has provided and kept us safe this past year in particular.

my dad did the turkey on their big green egg.

it was probably definitely the best turkey i have ever had.

we had a huge spread for thanksgiving lunch.

we were so full that we didn't really eat again when my brother and sister-in-law came for dinner. 

we successfully took our Christmas card picture.

now the tough part...getting them in the mail...

mom and i braved the stores on black friday, of course.

then a great dinner with justin's dad and stepmom at j.alexanders.

yummy.

hope you had a fantastic thanksgiving weekend with friends and family.

to kick-off the official Christmas season.

here is cooper, my brother's new puppy.

how precious is he!??!!

4th of july.

hope everyone had a great holiday.

 justin and i had a quiet weekend in town. we started packing up our summer house...which is making this whole "we are buying a house" thing a reality.

we spent the 4th with some friends from church, the tuscaloosa symphony orchestra played at the amphitheater and ended with an amazing fireworks display!

it rained most of the afternoon, but were so thankful that the clouds cleared up and rain stopped before the show.

He has risen.

this easter morning, let us not get caught up in our easter dresses, a bunny or lots of candy. 


let us remember the reason for this day, the reason we have hope. Our Savior who died a gruesome death, resurrected three days later and redeemed His people from our sin and death.

mark 16:1-7
 "¹When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ²And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" ⁴And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back— it was very large. ⁵And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. ⁶And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."

1 corinthians 15:17
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."

romans 6:8-11
^"8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."