So long 2013!

2013 was a busy/exciting year for us.

That being said...2014 has some pretty big expectations to live up to!

 This year we each chose one little word to kind of guide us through the year.

(idea from Ali Edwards at : http://aliedwards.com/2013/12/one-little-word-2014.html)
 

Mine is:

Nourish/Nurture

My hope is that 2014 will be about growth...
*encouraging growth within my relationships with others
*tending more to and caring for the things that are important rather than just trying to get things done just to say I did it
* choosing foods/products that are better for me...that will nourish my body
* growing in my relationship with God
 

Jakes word is: Moderation
 

Along with our words we set some goals for 2014
 

Some of My goals for 2014:

Add another raised bed to our garden.

Start a small garden with the daycare kids.

Start incorporating more whole foods.
Try kombucha

Make a rain barrel.

Take more time to nurture relationships with others.

Grow stronger spiritually.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!!!

 

 

 



December

Because this is the first Christmas living together in our own home, we didn't have much to decorate with. That didn't last for long though! Over the past few weeks I have been working on some simple little home décor projects to spice things up a bit. 



12 day advent for the daycare kids

 

 

a winter wreath

 

the mantle

and of course we decorated our first Christmas tree together!

 

Now I just have to finish some Christmas gifts!

 

 

 



 

Meet Boone

 

Meet Boone our new golden retriever puppy!

We picked him out on Sunday October 13th at Winkleman's Gun Dogs which is located in Rockford Illinois.

So far...he has been a pretty good puppy...other than the fact that he escaped from his cage while we were gone yesterday and pooped all over our bedroom. Thankfully we have family that was willing to help clean up the mess!

 

 

Disgusting

But he's so cute!

Plus, he's all clean and the room is clean...so I have to forgive him right?

 

Let's go on a treasure hunt!

 What is letterboxing?

Before I recently stumbled across a blog post on letterboxing, I had never heard of it.
After doing some more research, I was super excited to take up this hobby and try it myself. Simply put, letterboxing is a scavenger hunt for little boxes hidden around the country. In these boxes there will be a stamp (usually hand carved), a logbook (This is where you will use your own personal stamp to make your mark), and sometimes an inkpad.
Why is it fun?
* the hunt (it pretty much makes me feel like a little kid on a treasure hunt)
* it is free
* the clues take you to places you wouldn't normally visit on your own
* quality time with my husband (do it with a partner, it will be more fun)
*hand carved stamps!
How to letterbox

1. For clues go to either: http://www.letterboxing.org/  or  http://www.atlasquest.com/ and look up letterboxes in your city. Most likely, there will be quite a few near you.

2. Get your supplies ready. You will need: a stamp ( Right now I am using a pre-made stamp but am hoping to carve my own within the next few days), a notebook (You will use this as your own personal logbook.) an Ink pad, a pen, a trail name ( a fun little alias that you will go by) and the clues.
3. If you have all of your supplies then you are ready!
4. Follow your clues! The hunt is on!
5. When you find the box: Stamp your logbook with the stamp that was in the box. After you have done that, take a moment to look through the logbook that was in the box. On a blank page, use your personal stamp and then your pen to log your trail name, the date you found the box, and the city you are from.
That's it! When you are done, be sure that no one else is around, seal the box well, and re-hide it where you found it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasons

 

 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

 Ecclesiastes 3:1

Don’t forget to take a step back, breathe, and savor every bit of this season in your life. Maybe you are struggling with being content with what you have, or maybe you are feeling overwhelmed with all you have been blessed with. Wherever you are, don’t rush through this season of your life. Find joy in the small things...and big things that make this season unique. There is always something to be thankful for.

 

Today I am especially thankful for: my husband, homemade grape jelly, dinners with my family, friends that live close by, pumpkins, a clean house, nature walks with the daycare kids...and a lot of  things in between.

Raspberry Honey Jam

 

What you will need:

1. 6 packs of raspberries

2. 1 ½ -2 cups of honey…it just depends on how sweet you want it

3. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (I use bottled organic lemon juice)

4. 2 granny smith apples 

 

(makes enough to fill about 4 8oz. mason jars)

 

Instructions:

1. Puree your apples (I use my blender)

2. Put your raspberries, apple puree, and honey in a large pot and stir.

3. Heat the mixture on high (stirring occasionally) until it begins to boil.

4. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

5. After 20 minutes, use a potato masher to mash the berries.

6. Continue to let it simmer for an additional 20-40 minutes (the longer you let it simmer, the thicker it will be).

* while your jam is simmering, sterilize your empty jars. 

7. After your Jam is done, you can either freeze or can it.

 

If you choose to can it:

8. Pour the hot jam into your sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch of headspace(be sure not to contaminate by touching the rims, the under side of the lids, or the inside of the jar).

9. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth, then place the lids and rings on the jars.

10. Carefully place your jars in your boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes.

 

Enjoy! 

 

My favorite way to eat it is on a homemade English muffin!

* link to information on how to sterilize jars: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_01/sterile_jars.html

 * link to more information on canning jam: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/prep_jam_jelly.html 

September 9th

4 years ago: Jake asked me to be his girlfriend.

1 year ago: Jake was baptized & asked me to be his wife.

In the past year: We have planned a wedding, bought a house together, got married, and done a lot of  things in between!

I love you Jacob Murphy!

Excited to see what this next year brings!

 

 

 

The Honeymoon

In late spring we were contemplating whether we would go on a honeymoon or not. When we decided we were going to, we had no idea where we wanted to go. I love the beach, but didn't love the idea of a long trip. We also wanted to do something a bit different, and since we both had been to the beach before, we decided we wanted to start looking into other options. I had heard about Gatlinburg TN before, and through a Facebook friend I found Black Bear Ridge Resorts. They had so many cabin options, and they looked absolutely beautiful! We decided to book the "Beneath the Stars" cabin through them which was a one bedroom cabin equipped with a whirlpool, a full kitchen, a living room, one bathroom, and a pool table. Oh and did I mention the rocking chairs and hot tub on the deck that hung over the mountains! They did not disappoint! During the week we visited Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Each town had so much to see and do. Here is a breakdown of some of the stuff we got to experience.

Sunday: We left around 5:30pm and drove  through Illinois. At 11 pm, approximately halfway through the trip we stopped for the night at a hotel in Greensburg Indiana.

Monday: We drove the rest of the way through Indiana, passed through Ohio and Kentucky, and finally arrived in Pigeon Forge Tennessee around 5:30 that night. The view from our Cabin was beautiful! Although the pictures are lovely they just aren’t the same as actually standing there looking out over the mountains.

 

Tuesday:
*We ate some lunch in the cabin, looked through brochures, and decided to visit Laurel Falls. The hike there and back was a bit over 2 ½ miles. During the hike we saw a bear that had her four cubs with her. She was about 100 feet from the trail which was a bit scary after we learned from a nature guide that she had charged at him the week prior!

 

 

that tiny black spot in the middle is the bear

 

 

 

 

Wednesday was a very busy day. We:
* Went to the Hollywood Wax Museum
* Visited the Moonshine Distillery and sampled all but two flavors (peach, strawberry, lemon drop, pink lemonade, apple pie, blueberry, blackberry, hunch punch, grape, and white lightning)
* Tasted some wine
* Went to Ben & Jerry's (Our first time ever at an actual Ben and Jerry's which I was very excited about since their chocolate fudge brownie ice-cream is my favorite!)
* And...Jake attempted to teach me how to play pool.

 

 

Hugh Hefner

 

Tobey Maguire

Scream

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith

Will Ferrell

 

Michael Jackson

 

 

Thursday:

* We Visited Ripley's Aquarium
* We Shopped at the Tanger Outlet Mall

 

 

 

 

 

Friday: We headed back to Illinois to start our life at home as husband and wife!

We can't wait to go back!

 

The Wedding Vendors

Simply put...our wedding was amazing. Wouldn't change a thing about it...not even the unity candle catching fire...or dad stepping on my veil...it was great! The weather was surprisingly beautiful, we were surrounded by our amazing friends and family, and our vendors were incredible!
That being said...here are my thoughts on the vendors

Melody Ann Photography: We heard about melody through my cousin whose wedding was back in October. I was extremely impressed with those photos. When it came time to choose a photographer for our wedding, I didn’t have to think twice. I immediately contacted Melody and set up a time for my mom and I to meet with her. Communication was never a problem. She was always on top of things. In May she did an engagement session for us at Rock Cut State Park. She came prepared with a Pinterest board full of ideas that catered to the vintage type feel I was going for. Within a few days a sneak peak of our session was posted for our viewing pleasure. They looked amazing! August 3^rd (our wedding day) Melody did not disappoint. I could not be happier! Overall she is very reasonable, and so much fun to work with. No doubt, I would recommend Melody to anyone looking for a photographer!
 find her at: http://melodyannphotography.com/ 

 

 

Simply Vintage: I first learned about Simply Vintage through my Mom who is friends with one of the owners. We checked out their Facebook page and were extremely pleased with what we saw. Simply Vintage is a small locally owned vintage rental business which is owned by Brittany and Traci. Their inventory consists of anything from mason jars and chalkboard signs to large rustic doors. Communication was never a problem. Brittany was sooooo helpful with suggesting props and such that would go with the rustic/vintage theme of our wedding. We loved working with them and will absolutely recommend them to anyone interested in renting for their next party or event!
find them at:  https://www.facebook.com/SimplyVintageEventRentals 

(i love signs from simply vintage)

Titan mobile DJs: I also heard about Titan Mobile through my cousin who used them at her wedding back in October. Although they are based out of state, communication was never a problem. Every few weeks we emailed back and forth just to make sure we were on the same page. In June, Dan’s (the DJ) partner met up with my parents over at the barn just to make sure all of the technical elements were taken care of. That provided me with peace of mind. The evening went over without a hitch. By the end of the night almost everyone was on the dance floor. If you are looking into hiring a dj for your next party, Titan Mobile is the way to go!
find them at: http://titanmobiledjs.com/index.html 

Cake Whimsy by Kynda Lynn: My family has known Kynda and her family for years. She has provided cakes and treats for many church events/celebrations I have attended, so I knew from the start that I wanted her to make our wedding cake as well as the cakes for my bridal showers. We were not disappointed! I was especially pleased with the lovely tiered cake she made for the wedding. It looked exactly as I had pictured. If you are ever looking for a cake that tastes as good as it looks call Kynda!  
find her at: http://www.cakewhimsybykyndalynn.blogspot.com/ 

ABC Catering: We learned of ABC catering through one of the bridal expo’s that I attended. They were great to work with and the food was amazing (although I only could eat like half of what I put on my plate due to the constricting dress I was wearing…ooops)! In addition to food, they provided set-up, tableware/ linens, a friendly staff, drinks, and an ice cream bar. Overall they did an incredible job and we couldn’t have asked for better service than what they provided. Use them next time you are looking for a caterer! They won’t disappoint!

find them at: http://www.abccatering.net/www.abccatering.net/Home.html 

 

The Barn at Midway Village: When I began looking for a wedding venue, I knew I didn't want the traditional banquet hall. Although I inquired about a few places such as prairie street brew house and Williams tree farm, the Barn was the first and only venue that I actually visited.It had the rustic feel that I desired and was right next door to the church where we got married. It was perfect!

find it at: http://www.midwayvillage.com/wordpress/rentals/

 

 

 

Howdy

Hello! Welcome to our blog! My hope is that this blog will be the place where I can document our everyday life...Not just the big stuff that I am already documenting in scrapbooks and such...but the small things...the things that make my heart happy...like successfully completing a new canning venture...or simply trying a new recipe to serve to my new husband. I hope this blog will grow as we grow...with recipes, pictures, projects, and memories we wont want to forget...simple as that...thanks for stopping by!