Hey!
I finally have a good solid amount of time to upload pictures and write. I really hope you've been having a great weekend. :)
Today i went 'treasure hunting'. I found some great things, and this very moment my creative juices are flowing and i can't wait to get started on projects around the house. I know that we may be moving in a month but as my mom said, you can take things with you!
I will tell the story through pictures, it's more fun to read that way!


This is my sweet man who did NOT feel like treasure hunting today. :)




STARBUCKS happy hour is the best.<3


Ikea...what an incredible store. My first experience was wonderful and overwhelming all at the same time. I was stoked to be going here today and found a few great buys which were not expensive at all. I made a mental wish list for the future already.

We bought this little table. I'm going to paint it and put a little lighthouse lamp on it i believe. I'm trying to do our second bathroom in a beach theme. Any ideas for what color i should paint this table? I was excited that it was only 5 dollars!

Then i found an apple cutter that I've been meaning to buy for a long time. Also a couple little jars for scrapbooking accessories. I think i did pretty good with not buying too much in a store that amazing!
We also went to a thrift store and although we didn't find anything it was still fun to look around.


Now dear friends...on to the most exciting part of this day for me! With my target gift card i bought a sewing machine! It was such a steal. I had looked up the one i wanted online and when i went into the store i saw a tag that said there was a special promotion. It was on sale along with a free carrying case. I saw the date for the sale ended on the eighth so i found an employee to ask about it. He actually was really nice and gave me the deal! (even though i'm pretty sure it was over with and they forgot to pull the sign off). Anyways it was really exciting, and after that i went to Joann fabrics to pick out a pattern for a pillow. As i was looking through patterns i realized i'm going to need to get a beginners book on how to sew because i'm lost! Still, this new hobby will be a lot of fun and i can't wait to get started. There's so many cute projects you can sew and i'll make sure to post pictures as i begin this new journey.





There you have it! My brand new sewing machine.

<3

I'm going to write a little more about what i've been dealing with this past week.
Last night i stayed up pretty late looking at online sites like country home and country living. In my mind i'm dreaming up a beautiful home that's so comfortable and cozy. I'd love to have a cottage style home. I know that since my husband is in the navy this might not be a reality for us but isn't it fun to imagine? There will be a lot of chances for us to decorate new homes along the way and i'll find joy in that!
Today as we were driving back from ikea the route back was gorgeous! I'm not kidding i was practically jumping for joy because we were driving through the country side and there were farms and for miles and miles i didn't see anything but green rolling hills. It was beautiful and inside my soul leaped for joy. I trust in those moments that God is loving me through something so simple and boring to some, but to me it is beyond words beautiful. I couldn't stop smiling and then i wanted to cry because i longed for a place called home in the middle of nowhere. Don't get me wrong, i love people but i also love the comfort in a home in the country with crickets playing a symphony. The smell of fresh cut grass, and the moments of silence. I told Darren that i longed for a home in the country, away from all the busyness and fast paced lifestyle. The idea of watching the sun rise and set, on a front porch swing is bliss! Yet i have to trust that God's plans are far greater than mine.

I wanted to share an exert from my journal entry two days ago.
"I have only been at true peace when I have surrendered to God every part of me. A blessing to have experienced rest for my soul, but a burden for the days I am not up to obedience. It's a struggle and I realize what hinders me from joy some days, simply my own stubbornness. How God deals with me is beyond me, but I am thankful for each minute he spends next to me. I love him with every inch of me, I really do. I could never forget him or the closeness between us.
Today God allowed something beautiful to happen. I was given the most quiet of days. Nothing to think deeply about, no feelings of inadequacy, no anxiousness because the quiet was way to sweet and something i needed so badly..."

This week was full of struggles left to right. There are moments it seems being a christian would actually make life easier as well as perfect but honestly it's not like that. Making the mistake to believe a Christian's life is picture perfect can be tragic in the end! We stumble and fall every day and sometimes sin trips us up very badly. Wherever our fall takes us, God's grace begins. Choosing obedience is not my first reaction i'm sorry to say. However it is a learned skill that i'm working on daily. I still stomp my feet and complain when things don't turn out exactly how i believe they should. (not literally but you get the point :))
The other day felt like a time out straight from God. Bitterness crept into my heart and i didn't deal with it, Instead I let it fester into something not so pretty! I needed a day full of quietness. Throughout the day i was able to be still before Christ and He was able to work out the ugly in my heart. That evening i wrote about it and realized it was exactly what i needed, a time out. Even grown ups need those from time to time.
Don't be too hard on yourself and don't take life so seriously. It's important to let loose and enjoy the simple things! I want to encourage you to do this because it's a huge struggle i deal with constantly. I am very quick to think everything through and often i miss out on a handful of moments that could have brought happiness my way.

This week i stumbled onto one of my favorite musician's blog. Her name is JJ Heller and she sings songs that are classified as indie/folk. Reading through her blog brought so much warmth! I walked away with a tender heart, a big thank you to her! She shared pictures of her family, home, vacations, ect. It was a picture of a woman who loves God and genuinely enjoys life! This woman has an understanding of balance in a way that i envy. She has a beautiful little girl that is so tiny and adorable, and you can just tell how sweet their lives are since she came into this world. Their marriage seems like a blast! Have you ever met a couple that you just thought, man i wish i could have what they have! Well that's this couple, i'd love to spend an evening with them, it would be full of laughter and good conversation.
Over the past few days and especially since reading this blog i've been encouraged to do a few things.

~Enjoy life! SMILE.
~Pick up a few hobbies. It's fun and good for the soul :)
~Stay healthy and fit.
~Try new recipes and don't be so critical with the finished results.
~Don't be afraid to try new things. Like writing music, singing, learning the guitar or piano (they've been collecting dust!)
~You have one life, and it's your choice how to spend each day...don't spend it laying in bed until 11! ;)
I'm learning a lot and being encouraged to grow. Life can be beautiful, it's all in how you view it and that takes the right attitude.

Have a wonderful night!

~laura

A Picture Post<3
Hello Everyone! Hope you had a great weekend.
Darren and I had a great weekend away with each other. Although it didn't go according to my plans it ended up being really nice. Friday night we headed into Philadelphia and as we were driving to the hotel all i could think was, 'is it too late to find another place?'. I think my husband was trying to be macho man because he told me it was fine and not to worry! It seemed a little sketchy to me though. When we came in they were just getting our room cleaned, but the people were nice. It was one of those hotels where the door opens to the outside. This means one thing....BUGS. After killing a few we settled in and turned the t.v. on and snuggled. We had a nice conversation on the two hour trip and it was so nice to relax! THEN.....i looked out of the corner of my eye and saw something crawling on the bed by my feet. I flew out of the bed and yelped. There was a big spider ON the bed. Darren killed in and took care of it very quickly. However i stood with my hands over my face for awhile refusing to get back into the bed. It was a romance killer let me tell you, but Darren was so great. He made a lot of jokes about it. (I love that about him) We laughed about it for the rest of the night and i eventually climbed back into the bed. Then Saturday we headed out to the braves v. Phillie's game and the braves won! We had Philly cheese steaks and saw the liberty bell. Also picked up a parking ticket. All in all it was a nice weekend away with Darren and I'm glad we were able to see a new city and make a few more memories.

Sunday i spent a lot of time cleaning up the house and doing laundry. I stayed up late planning meals for the next two weeks. I'm really excited for all the cooking and baking ahead of me. Tonight i worked out with Denise and then went to the commissary. It feels nice eating right and working out! After dinner Darren and I took a walk which turned into a run...a very fast run. We were sprinting together and i felt 6 years old! We were racing, then we ended up jogging the rest of the way. We had a great night together. He even helped me fold some of the laundry after i begged him for ten minutes. As my friend Denise told me, it's how you ask. Sometimes you have to be specific in your requests.
I went over to Denise's tonight to bring some food over and sat with Isaiah for a little while. He's almost four months and has stolen my heart! Seriously, that little guy is the sweetest. He cries like all babies but he's a lot of fun. Tomorrow morning i'm going to babysit for a little while and i'm looking forward to it. I look forward to motherhood more and more these days. I recognize the responsibility that goes along with being parents but there is a lot of joy as well.

I posted a couple pictures from our trip, The military spouse appreciation luncheon, and a little look into 'Laura's Kitchen'. I wanted to share kitchen pictures because i spend a lot of time in there and it's a happy place for me! Hope you enjoy looking through them.


Denise and I :)



Julie, Denise, a new friend, and I

Yummy lasagna! For the first time, it turned out nice.

My fridge is where i post my encouraging notes, mostly from my grandma. And some verses to live by.

My favorite candle! This one makes the whole house smell great. I love the smell of a Carmel, vanilla, sugary candle. It's heart warming i think. Something about lighting a candle always puts me in a good mood. Today i lit this candle and played Jim Brickman...made for a very relaxing afternoon!

My williams Sonoma soup/lotion! My sister in law has the same set and i'm in love with it, so when we went shopping i picked the same scent. It's great soap. I feel very cute when i use it because it smells amazing.

My cookbook stand is a huge help. I recommend to all you ladies to invest in one. There are a lot of cute ones out there. I bought mine at books a million in the cookbook section.

I made these tags and wrapped the ribbon around these jars from target. I love the 'country' touch is has. I'm still looking for a country style store around here but haven't had much luck. In Indiana there were a couple great places to find things that would fit well into that style but we didn't have the money to buy a lot then. I guess it's okay that i'm not finding a store, it will save us money. :)

This was our yummy dinner! I think it's important to sit at the dinner table or together and have a nice dinner together. I always feel bad when families never eat together, because growing up it was were the best conversations took place. I love sitting down thanking God for the meal, indulging in delicious food (most of the time!), and then talking with Darren.

Me! In my new apron that has an 'L' printed on the front. I love it! Making lasagna for the first time. It didn't turn out like my mamma's but i think she'd be proud still.

This was sunday's dinner. We had breakfast for dinner and it turned our really good. I love being able to stay at home as a wife. I'm finding more energy now to put together better meals and not be lazy and always go out to eat.

This is Saturday at the ballgame. It was very windy in philly! I almost lost Darren's hat a couple times :p. I am falling in love with baseball more and more, i never thought i'd enjoy it as much as i am. It's fun to have a team you like and know the players.

THIS is the place..the hotel we stayed in with the spider. ;) The great thing was the next morning when i walked out and we saw a beautiful view of a lake.

SEE! It's not sooo bad. I stood out here for a little bit and enjoyed the view. It made me forget about the creepy bugs and sketchy area.e

Hope you enjoyed the pictures! It didn't take so long to upload them thankfully.

Last night I spent a little time in the book of Daniel. Whenever i open that book something special happens. I don't feel lost or the need to understand exactly how or why this particular book i'm reading came to be. I understand the truth in each word. There was a certain measure of protection as the bible was passed down and put together that brings great comfort. I read it, and am aware of the words penetrating through my heart like no other book does. God speaks loudly through those words. You can't deny the way these books and chapters intertwine with each other. They each fit together perfectly and as i read more and make connection i feel like i'm solving a puzzle. There are very exciting moments when i'm reading, because it's coming alive to me.

Today as i was doing laundry i realized how much i love the quietness. Peace is needed in our crazy world! I'm encouraged to take time away and sit back to breathe...we're too fast paced and forget to enjoy life. There are opportunities missed when we're too busy. I don't have a full plate right now and would like to add a couple more things in the coming months. I want to be able to serve people more with my time. Not go crazy with a full schedule but at least a few times a week be involved with helping someone or maybe be involved in a church. Which brings me into a guilty confession...

Darren and I haven't been going to church since we moved to Maryland. There is no excuse. At first our schedules were a little crazy and then when life settled down Sunday became a time we slept in. I listen to sermons online all the time and spend a lot of time in the word and speak with God quite often. I know this has been a conviction i've been ignoring. I kept saying well the next place we're at i'll make sure we find somewhere to go. I don't like 'church shopping', as you can see i completely avoided it all together. It's not okay though. We need to be in a church, learning about God, having fellowship with other believers, giving, and being involved. I'm completely guilty of being lazy...and i'm sorry! I know as a christian this isn't an example of Christ. This Sunday Darren and I are going to a church. Although we may only be around for a month more we realize it's important to go. This final push came from my beloved mother. I call her on mothers day and get scolded! Such a mother thing...;) I love her though, and know i needed to hear what she said! It's not easy to be corrected, but listen to the corrections because most likely it's from God.

Alright i'm going to head to bed! Have another fun filled day tomorrow and need to get to bed a little earlier. Talk to you again soon!

~Laura