insta-s'weeeet!

linking up with jeanette for another week of insta.

i'm still on a blog sugar high,

digesting all the sweet i consumed last weekend!

did you know that sugar is an important source of energy for the body?

 well, blog sugar definitely energized me!

i came away with a renewed appreciation and passion for blogging.

watch out!

one of the highlights of blog sugar was getting to be with blog friend turned real life friend, kristen.
a.k.a "idaho mom."

she brought me cookies.

to say "i love her cookies" is an understatement.  i do NOT share them.

i've vlogged about her cookies here and here.

otis spunkmeyer should beware.

kristen's love language is gifts.
{i reeally need to be a better gift giver}

she brought me presents for my birthday.  which is 48 days from now.

{maybe you should make a paper chain to count the days till the big day
when i am in my middle upper 30's}

 one of the gifts was the game "tune baya."

kristen has been around me enough to know "everything's a song."

if this post was a song it would be to the tune of carley simon's "your so vain,"
and i'd be singing
"i bet you think this post is about kristen's cookies,
don't you, don't you."
{i think that was funnier in my head then it was in writing)

victory rd. get'n some sugar with idaho mom!

do you see my pleated poppy wristlet clutch there on the table between us?
i love it.
perfect size.
you should go buy one for yourself now.

post blog sugar breakfast at the old vine cafe in costa mesa

with these  blog sugar girls

did. not. disappoint.

the perfect meal to sustain me for the 6hr drive home alone.
{someone should travel with me next year. think about it}

i arrived home to my favorite sweets~

my family. 

the kids saw traces of cookie{s} on my lips, and roared in unison, 

"where's the cookies!?!"

i bribed them to play tune baya with me by paying them with cookies.

and now for a non-sugar, non-kristen, non-cookie update...

i've got big news! 

BIG. 

HUGE!

we are EXPECTING!!!

 a new refrigerator.

the proud parents are expecting it to be delivered late october.

{couldn't resist}

we're also in the market for new toilet seats.

i'm kinda bummed  {no pun intended}

about not having the same brand of toilet we had before.

i liked saying i was "going to church."

{"church" was the brand of the toilet}

 

and because you want to know every detail about my week

i was almost viciously attacked by a snake!

because noah MADE me "come and see it."

{cool moms get past their snake phobias to look at snakes}.

it was a tiny gopher snake {chills}.  

it was all snakey.

in the photo noah is antagonizing the snake with a fishing pole. 

he's one smart cookie {not}...

speaking of cookies i need to wrap this post up so i can go eat one four. 

until next week

{when i'm 5 cookie lbs heavier}

wiww~ blog sugar weekend wear

i'm linking up with my s.i.l., lindsey

{who i love.  a whole lot}

for another edition of wiww.

i stepped out of my wardrobe comfort zone 

and into my 

i-wish-i-could-pull-that-look-off  

zone this week, 

and wore skinny jeans most days with cowgirl boots. 

{i am from the "cowboy capitol of the world," and should be able to pull that look off right?}

BUT,

you won't know whether i pulled it off or not

because i didn't get any pix.

i'll just have to wear the same outfits i wore last week this week and wiww them next week.

{did you get that?}

okay enough about what i wore that i didn't take pix of. 

here's what i did wear and who i wore it with

{because i got to be with some amazing people this week}

i wore this dress w/ these shoes.

to have dinner with my friend, beth, friday evening.

{melanie, beth, and i at "big emily's" wedding in 2007}

beth  lives in the middle of cali.,

and generously allowed me to crash at her place friday on my way to blog sugar. 

we snuck away from her darling family and had dinner together at p.f. changs.

yummmmy. 

but even more delicious than our dinner was our conversation.

we talked about God the entire time.

{sorry mr. chang for occupying our table 3+ hours} 

God alive and moving.

{chills}

it was so good for my soul, 

and the perfect start to kick off my blog sugar weekend. 

dress- gap clearance

shoes- old navy

belt- maurices

******************************************************

blog sugar outfit

after pointless hours of shopping for something to wear to blog sugar

i read this post,

then landed on this outfit that i already had in my closet.

blog sugar was so much fun.

i miss the girls already.

a lot. 

pictured-

a cuppa kim, me, idaho mom, and keeping up with the johnsons

{i must have said something hilarious to make kim laugh}

top- boutique san luis obsipo

cream cardi- target

skinny jeans- old navy

boots- online somewhere

lisa leonard necklace

cross necklace- from newt, an older gentlemen from our previous church that now resides in heaven.

{i love it}

***************************************************

monday a.m. a few of us met up for an eye pleasing

and mouth watering breakfast in costa mesa

pictured-

marigold rd., me, sarah markley,  the outdoor wife/a deeper story, and idaho mom

top- somewhere a few years ago

gray belt- forever 21

gray cardigan- target

skinny jeans- old navy

boots- bass outlet {buy 1 pair get 2 pair freee!!}

lisa leonard necklace

this photo from our morning together sums up the entire weekend for me

EVERY SINGLE  woman i spent this sweet weekend with

inspired me

by the ways they

intentionally

SHOW UP FOR LIFE.

they embrace who God has uniquely created them to be

in their blogs, 

then use their blogs

for His BIG glory.

i'm realizing that i too need to embrace who God has 

uniquely created me to be.

 that i need to

SHOW UP

for whatever it is He wants to do here

at

Victory Rd.

for

His Glory.

overdose on sweetness

this weekend i traveled south to long beach, ca.

for blog sugar.

 i went to see Jesus,
in real lives. 

Real lives 
who

He has redeemed,

  has provoked to action,

  is leading in grace,
inspires to create,

  is sustaining,

  is purposing to praise.

lives

that

He stirs to tell~

 through 

blogging. 

Real lives that 
make HIM known,
and 
who daily cause me to
"taste and see that the LORD is good" 

 

and  blog sugar was good.

so good.

and it was sweet.

oh. so. sweet!

the event was so sweet that 

I HAD TO SHARE 

some of the blog sugary goodness with you! 

for your sake
i made a complete fool of myself 
{you're welcome}
and 
VLOGGED
some of your favorite bloggers at the event.
enjoy!!

****************************************************************************

blogger's pictured~ 

collage 1: the pleated poppy, idaho mom, simply joy, top of the page, and life rearranged.

collage 2: idaho mom, name your joy, cuppakim, happy days, and forever folding laundry

collage 3: name your joy, idaho mom, cuppakim, bringing up burns, angel face designs, and   sarah markley

collage 4: the driveway of life, whatever, joy's hope, top of the page

Vlogged Bloggers~

{in order with links to the best of my ability}

the pleated poppy

idaho mom

lisa leonard

cuppakim

confessions of a paper freak
flip flop follies

bringing up burns
angel face designs
keeping up with the johnsons

minivan diva 
dolly mama
in my boy's nest
denim & dandelions {formerly 2 cool 4 my minivan}
name your joy
happy days
top of the page
life rearranged
forever folding laundry
larson lingo
sew chatty
fairly fabulous
daily dose of sugar mama
rags to stitches
upside down kate
everyday extraordinary

insta-sweet

linking up with jeanette 

for another week of insta-goodness!

 toasting marshmallows for s'mores on the beach with friends.

papa dan & emilie canoeing.

 apple pie gum.

yum! it's like thanksgiving in my mouth.  

house inspections.

 In-N-Out, the number one reason i will never move out of cali.

ketchup & mustard instead, add pickles, with grilled onions.

how do you In-N-Out?

dropping our  jr. highers off at youth group.

i still can't believe i am the mother of two jr. highers!

one last  jump in the lake to knee-board followed by a trip to miller's for ice cream

i asked michael to pick me up some "flowers" for our anniversary.

ben & jerry's cinnabon are my kind of flowers.

oreo cookie pancakes!
my kids' response was, "you rock, mommy!"



and because i've not consumed enough sugar this week....

i'm headed to BLOG SUGAR!!!!

where i'm going to overdose on sweetness
seeing
her. 
her. 
her. 
her. 
her. 
her. 
her.
her.
and
her 

Happy Friday!

Do you Remember the 21st night of September

Michael,  

When I think about our marriage, our life together, one word describes it~ ABUNDANT. 
{Abundant: available in large quantities; plentiful.  Having plenty of something}

John 10:10b says that  "Jesus came to give us life, and life abundant."   

As a girl I hoped that my life would be different.  I dreamed of being loved and wanted.  I hoped I could be. Hoped hard that I would be {tears}.  Hoped that my story wouldn't always be of loss, abandonment, and rejection.  I hoped there would be a BUT GOD to my story.  Hoping that my no-good story which began tragically would turn a page and be a God-glorifying story.
That "But God" was Jesus, Who gave his life for me AND then lavished on me high and wide and long and deep LOVE!  
"But God"wasn't done! God was just getting started.  In addition to ALL He'd given me in Christ, He gave me you, Michael!  You, to share ABUNDANT Life in Christ with.  You to experience large quantities of JOY, GRACE, EXPANDING FAITH, FREEDOM, FUTURE, and LOVE with. 

What a gift these past 15 years have been!   Being your wife is next to Jesus the BEST GIFT EVER! 

Now, in the words of Ren McCormic {Footloose}
"LEEEETTT'S  DAAAANNCCEE!!!"

Do you remember the

21st night of September

Love was changing the minds

of pretenders

While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing

In the key that our souls were singing.

As we danced in the night,

Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya - say do you remember

Ba de ya - dancing in September

Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

My thoughts are with you

Holding hands with your heart to see you

Only blue talk and love,

Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Happy 15th Anniversary!

MADLY INsta-LOVE

it's official! 

i'm in insta-love. 

{swoon}

who knew taking pix and sharing them 

INSTANTLY 

could bring so much pleasure.

{apparently you insta-fridayers did}

here's an insta-glimpse
at our
goodbye,
hello,
HELLO,
week.

saturday
the girls on the last night in our home of 6.7 years

{the longest i've ever lived anywhere}

we're thankful for the memories made there...

have great expectation for what is ahead.

sunday
could the kids be more excited about moving to the lake!?!

monday
great minds think plaid alike

 monday

the plaid bunch had visitors while we were out.
"the hagen's were here"
 {note in the sand}

monday

you read that right,
WE ARE IN ESCROW!

over a month ago we attempted to place an offer on this short-sale house.
bank wouldn't even look at it our pennies.
we prayed.
moved everything into storage.
prayed.
kept our eye on it.
prayed. 
camped-out at our house for a week.
prayed.
then it dropped in price $15,100
we made an offer.
prayed.

we were told it could be up to 3-6 months before we got a response.
prayed.
then moved to the lake house.
prayed
1 week later
{the day after we moved in to the lake house}
we're in ESCROW!!
a 30 day Escrow.

i'm so excited i could jump into the lake with my clothes on!

tuesday

while grocery shopping at a discount grocery store tuesday night 

we saw the homeless man again that lives in the parking lot there.

after the manager goes home he volunteers by 

collecting the carts and bringing them inside.

{there is an agreement that he does this when the manager
is gone because this is a liability}

this tuesday while he worked he humbly sold flowers

{that appeared to have come from the trash}.

this man serves.

faithfully. 

this homeless man 

stirs my heart

that 

has been stagnate.
he stirs it 

to 

something not about me, 

but 

about 

God's glory...

in this man.

please join me in fighting for him in prayer.

 

monday

&

wednesday

a bit of after dinner skiing and knee-boarding.

we are going to take FULL advantage of the 30 days we have on the lake!

thursday

michael "working hard for the money" 

home school charter photography.

thursday

september 15th...

remembering

caleb.

though we look forward with great expectation to a new home 

here this side of heaven, 

we KNOW

that the true home we desire is not here. 

we celebrate that our son LIVES there

in "God's love better than life"

{psalm 63:3}.

happy friday, friends!