Drone

Hi and happy Saturday! I just wanted to pop in and share some things I’ve been loving lately. I enjoy looking back on posts like this and seeing what I was cherishing in my life at the time.

So, here are a few things I’ve been loving lately.

Decorating

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At the beginning of 2015, I made a goal to decorate mine and Jimmy’s house more, but the process has been pretty slow. Okay, extremely slow. I want things to be “just right” and I’m picky. This combination of factors means that Jimmy and I have been living in a house with blank walls, no curtains, and ugly paint colors in most rooms. We’re okay with it though, because making a house a home takes time (and we know how incredibly blessed we are to have a home!).

We have so many improvements and updates we want to make–and we will–in due time. The process is half the fun! Anyways, my mom and dad gave me a gift card to TJ Maxx for Christmas, so I was able to buy a few things for our mantel and bathroom. I’m currently obsessed with succlents, and picked up a few to display around the house. Every time I see them I get so happy!

Eight O’Clock Coffee

I’m a big fan of coffee. Not just for the effects of caffeine or the taste, but mostly the rituals that go with it. Reading my Bible, writing in my journal, and savoring a warm mug of coffee in the morning is one of the best parts of my day. Jimmy and I have slowly turned into coffee freaks. It started when he gave me a Keurig for our three-year dating anniversary in 2011. We have explored different coffee shops around Pittsburgh, ground our own beans, fell in love with Starbucks, and on and on. We were grocery shopping at Walmart and Jimmy suggested we try Eight O’Clock Coffee beans. I’ll admit I was skeptical because they were so cheap (like less than $5 for a bag!). We gave Eight O’Clock a try and we’re hooked!

Coloring

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I bought an adult coloring book over the summer and it has proved to be a phenomenal way to unwind at the end of the day. Who am I kidding, though, I actually pulled out my coloring book first thing this morning! I bought my mom and sister coloring books for Christmas, and they keep sending me pictures of pages they’ve colored. I’m hoping to plan a coloring party with them soon.

Sleep

Having Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Friday this holiday season meant that Jimmy and I both had off work and were able to get some extra sleep. Having a slow, lazy morning after a good night of sleep is a huge blessing that I’ve relished lately.

One thing I’m not loving…

Getting a drone stuck in my hair! Jimmy and his brother were playing with a mini drone in our office while I was on the computer and they accidentally flew it into my hair. Luckily they were able to get it out without having to cut my hair. We all got a good laugh at of that one, more so once the drone was free ;).

What are you loving lately?

All in all, our Christmas was lovely.

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Jimmy and I headed to church on Christmas Eve to celebrate with our congregation. We watched Hannah along with all of the teens and kids in our church sing and play music. It was absolutely beautiful. Afterwards, we headed to my parents’ house to exchange gifts, eat cookies, and catch up. My brother was with his wife’s family and Hannah was with her boyfriend’s family, so it was just Jimmy and I with my parents, and of course the dogs!

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Jimmy and I headed home from my parents’ and were both excited to sleep in on Christmas! I think we slept until 7:00 a.m., a treat for us 5:00 a.m. waker-uppers. I think sleeping in gave me a headache, though. Nothing a little coffee and Advil couldn’t fix ;). We exchanged gifts after having breakfast and Jimmy played with his (a drone!) while I started preparing the house for our guests to arrive in the evening.

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We had Jimmy’s dad, siblings, and dad’s girlfriend over for dinner and to hang out. We all exchanged gifts and enjoyed chili, broccoli cheddar soup, corn muffins, and challah.

Every time Jimmy and I host a get-together, we are hyperaware that we don’t have a lot of seating in our home. Our couches were given to us by different family members (which is why they’re all mismatching), our kitchen table seats two, and someone usually ends up sitting on the floor. You know what, though? It’s cozy and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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After exchanging gifts, we played card games, drank smoothies, and watched Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel. My father-in-law and Jimmy are avid Gold Rush fans, and they like to tease me because Jimmy and I watch it every Friday night and I fall asleep halfway through the episode.

We’ve been watching Gold Rush for years, and I looked back and saw the first time I mentioned it on my blog was in 2012! One of the people on the show got a black lab mix a season or two ago, so I’m always excited when I see the dog. His name is Dozer, and every time he’s in a shot, I’m like “LOOK JIMMY, IT’S DOZER!!” and he’s like “Yup…a dog..” haha.

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After everyone left, Jimmy and I tried to stay up a little longer and watch a Harry Potter movie, but we were tired from all the fun! Christmas 2015 was absolutely delightful. Jimmy and I were so happy he didn’t wake up with the flu like last year, so we felt extra felt blessed that we were able to celebrate Christ’s birth surrounded by family and friends. I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday as well!

Living My Full Life

Lately, I’m loving…