Tailgate Tuesday:My Dilemma

Today I'm linking up with Erin from lovefunandfootball for Tailgate Tuesday!

I am so excited about this time of year.  Cool breezes, grilled burgers, cold beer, standing around a tailgate for hours decked out in your team's colors.  Ahh, I can feel it coming!

Well, actually I can't this year since we've moved to Hawaii and all. I think the same hot, sunny, summer feel will consume our next 3 years.  Hey, I can't complain!  But I will certainly look forward to celebrating football in all of it's goodness when we visit the mainland for the holidays.

For now I think we'll be catching games around church in the early morning hours.  Breakfast and football, now that's a new combination!

I was born and raised a Virginia Tech football fan, and still very much am.  Jon being a Wisconsinite has so graciously played along by adopting VT as his collegiate team.

However, NFL is a completely different ball game.  Literally.:)

I have only followed NFL for probably the past 5 years or so.  For several small reasons I chose the Baltimore Ravens as my team and love love loved them.  However, I was completely devastated by the Ray Rice scandal as I was a huge supporter of him.  I'm still not sure of the ins and outs of it, but something just doesn't settle in me that a team could possibly be aware of such behavior and not say anything sooner.

So I've basically been in limbo as I've semi-followed my beloved Ravens, trying to decide on pledging loyalty to another team.

Jon, a true Wisconsin man through and through, is obviously a PACKERS fan and has hardcore been trying to convert me since we met.  Ya see, there are a couple of reasons why I continue to refuse. 1) It is absolutely frigid there, and I fear frostbite if I ever attend a game. 2) That would mean Jon wins. :)

While I continue to deny any affection for the Packers, I will share some cute Packers things on this Tailgate Tuesday.

 

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Is there a major football rivalry in your house?

Weekending: #wisconsinbound

Hi everyone! Sorry I'm so late getting this out! I have been fighting to catch up on nearly 40 hours of travel and some crazy time changes.

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!  Today I'm linking up with Ashley, Biana, Meg and  Lisa.

This was a huge weekend for us as we traveled to Wisconsin to celebrate the wedding of Jon's cousin, Tom, and his gorgeous bride, Stephanie.  Seriously, the.sweetest.couple.ever.

We got out there Friday morning, and of course as with every trip to the great dairy state, we had to hit up Culver's for some cheese curds.  Cheese curds for breakfast? #surewhynot

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I then proceeded to crash for several hours while Jon got some time with Tom running wedding errands and such.  They are BFF's.

We had the rehearsal Friday night. (Jon was a groomsman.)

Saturday, Jon and I were able to sneak in a cafe date at Berres Brothers Coffee, a place Tom and Stephanie took us when we visited on our move out to Hawaii.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful.  Stephanie chose to use so many colors in the wedding, and it really could not have been more fun.  The night was full of visiting with family flown in from all over, dancing our faces off, and celebrating the marriage of two of the sweetest people I have ever met.

I can't wait to see what the future has in store for them. I would love if our babies could grow up together.

Love you, Tom and Steph! Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!

On our way home, we had a 7 hour layover in Seattle that we definitely made the most of. The airport there has this awesome rail that runs smack into the center of the city, so that's where we headed.

As crazy as it sounds, HAWAII HAS NO CHIPOTLE.  Naturally we went straight there and lined up for our burritos.  Man.  I don't know how we live without Chipotle.  Come to Hawaii, please.  We then crossed the street for cappuccinos at the most darling cafe, totally Seattle style.  After cappuccino, we headed over for a stroll at Pike Place Market.  I love the flowers there and have taken approximately 683952127 photos of them.  Before leaving, we swung by Specialty's for the most.amazing.cookies.ever.  My awesome sister-in-law introduced us to these sweet bites when we visited her on our move out.  Our family knows how to eat, y'all.:)

What were you up to this weekend?

Five on Friday: WAR Feature

Happy Friday, ladies!

I'll be linking up with April, Amanda, Karli, and Andrea for Friday 5 and Friday Favorites. Go visit their blogs and show these ladies some love today!

One thing I've really felt the Lord tug on my heart about for this blog is featuring organizations or shops He is using to really make a difference.

While Jon was stationed in North Carolina, we got involved in an organization called The Defender Foundation.  One night of reaching out to women (and men) who find themselves in human trafficking and/or prostitution situations and my mind still remembers the names and faces of these dear, sweet, lost people.  God's children, they are. Every single one of them.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing organized crime in the United States.  Organizations like Women At Risk, International are seeking to save at-risk women and children from this horrendous, illegal industry.  I found out about WAR when they partnered with Defender to do a jewelry sale at our church in NC.

All products are made by or sold in support of these precious women.  They have everything from jewelry, to home decor, and even things for children and men! Today I thought I would share 5 pieces that I absolutely adore.

Happy Shopping, Ladies! :)

Thoughts for Thursday

Happy Thursday!  Today I'm linking up with Annie.  Show her some love today!

 

This my friends is where I share a little piece of my heart. Ready, go.

Any big move can make you feel like you've had a rug pulled right out from under you.

The most difficult challenge for me is staying connected to the Lord in the midst of all of these changes.  Even in the most beautiful of places, with the most wonderful of husbands, I am disgusted by how much I find myself distracted from just listening for Him.

Jon gets up early. Like super early hooah style.  I've been pulling myself out of bed with him so I can see him off and stay on relatively the same schedule.  The first thing I've been doing in the mornings is getting into God's Word. (well of course after I make a cup of coffee you know...can't be falling back to sleep on the Lord.)

I've been so hopeful for this time, and I still am, but to be real, I'm surprised at how much I'm still struggling to hear Him. I know He's there. No doubt about it.  I feel like I can so easily fall into the morning routine of checking social media or turning on the Today Show. (I <3 the Today Show... Jon and I were on it in January)<--- You see, there I go getting distracted again.

Once I get to clicking on Instagram or Facebook or into the day's latest headlines I feel like my mind has already been compromised over things that are so fading.

So I've been getting up super early, and getting right into what the Lord has to say about this life.  What's so crazy to me and so disgusting is still the attitude of my heart.  For example, I read something like Proverbs 2:3-5: 

yes, if you call out for insight

    and raise your voice for understanding, 

 if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures, 

then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.

and I think, yeah, this is me seeking insight.  This is me seeking understanding, Lord.

What really struck a nerve with me was "if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures" because immediately I thought, gee, the only thing I've been seeking like silver is a font for the blog and I've been searching like my hidden treasures were included in the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  Sad, I tell you. And mighty difficult to swallow.

The Lord wants so much more for me.  For you.  I'm still so unsure of how exactly to seek Him, or what that looks like.  However, what I'm beginning to realize, probably for the 63789783788th time is that seeking things of this world is not seeking Him at all.

What's Hap-'pinning' Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, Ladies!

Today I am so so excited to be linking up with Jessi for her first round of What's Hap-'pinning' Wednesday! Join in on the fun!

I wish I could say that I had some new, exciting theme to this Pinterest share, but nope, I don't.  I'm still living in a hotel and pinning my little heart out with home decor inspiration.  You can find more evidence of this guilty pleasure here and here.:)

So let's get to sharing! This is what's hap'pinning' in my life lately.

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 What's hap-'pinning' with you ladies today?

Back to School Traditions

Happy Tuesday, y'all! Today I'm linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday! 

Today we're sharing our favorite back to school traditions.  Although Jon & I don't have any little ones of our own to send back to school this year I thought I would share some of my favorites from this time of year.:)

Crayons
As silly as it seems, I remember a fresh box of crayons being a huge deal to me.  They always get so broken and worn down throughout the school year, and a new, sharpened box = my fav as a kid.

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Hi-C Juice Boxes
I'm not even sure why these were such a big deal, but I thought that a box of juice with a straw was the most legitimate thing ever.

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Personalized L.L. Bean Backpacks
I feel like everyone has loyalty to either L.L Bean or Lands End for these. My family was an L.L. Bean family for whatever reason.  We didn't get these backpacks new every year in our house, but it was a tremendous decision to pick the fabric color/print and the color/style of your font.

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Little Debbie Cakes
Okay, so reflecting on this I'm realizing that my sugar addiction started at a very young age.  Little Debbie's are probably not what I'd recommend as a healthy option, but they were in fact a staple in my school lunch.

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What were some of your favorite things heading back to school?

A Weekend Recap

Happy Monday, pretty ladies! Well, almost end of Monday...even better, right!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Today I'm linking up with Ashley, Biana, Meg and  Lisa.

Friday night, Jon had the idea to hit up a Thai restaurant we had been meaning to check out, so we did just that. Our friends had recommended this place, and they were right on! The food was excellent.

Of course, being the sweet tooth that I am, I convinced Jon that we needed to check out Liliha Bakery across the street as well. After all, one coco puff never hurt anyone. #saidnooneever So, yay! He said yes! I got a cocoa puff and he got cheesecake, his favorite if he's got to eat dessert.  Both were okay, but seriously nothing I've discovered here has anything on Leonard's malasadas. Nothing.

Saturday, we slept in and lounged around until we went to a cookout at our friends' house.  It was such an awesome time being with the ladies whose husbands work with Jon. I really do feel like we're going to become a tight little community.  Of course the guys (and all of us girls) wanted to watch the Ronda Rousey fight, and whoa, was it a fight. I tell you what, that girl is serious. She could beat up Jon and I both at the same exact time. No doubt.

Sunday, we did our normal Sunday routine. We headed to church, then lunch at our favorite little cafe, and then to get Jon a haircut while I grocery shopped at the commissary.  It may sound totally lame, but this is one of my favorite days where Jon and I simply do life together, and I love it.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  Tell me, what did you do?