december mix

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happy december! have you been enjoying your holiday season so far? this whole time of year is so very sweet to me. i love the change of seasons from warm to cold. i love that thanksgiving and christmas are so close to each other which means double the festivities. i love how people seem happier and cheerier, more giving and more generous. i love time spent with the most important people in my life-my family and friends. i love that, more than presents and fruitcake, christmas is the celebration of my Savior's birth. 

this playlist was so fun to make. there are just so many good christmas songs out there. i couldn't decide which ones i liked best, so i chose them all. happy christmasing! (i've been listening to christmas music since halloween. haters gonna hate.)

*december playlist*

kay thompson's jingle bells : michael w. smith

cold december night : michael buble

welcome to our world : michael w. smith 

merry christmas, happy holidays : n'sync

please come home for christmas : the eagles (absolute favorite christmas song)

christmas (baby please come home) : darlene love

carols sing : michael w. smith

all i want for christmas is you : michael buble

snow globe : matt wertz (free!)

cinnamon and chocolate : butterfly boucher

joy to the world : david archuleta 

white christmas : otis redding

christmas is all around : billy mack

the christmas waltz : michael w. smith

hark the herald angels sing : drew holcomb and the neighbors (free!)

have yourself a merry little christmas : andrew belle


merry merry to you and yours!

dates with kelly

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in the past two weeks i have been on two GREAT dates. OMG! DATES! ok, don't get too excited. they weren't with my future prince charming-dennis quad wasn't available when i called-but my friend kelly really knows how to have a good time. she even paid for my coffee. that makes it an official date, i'm pretty sure. 

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last tuesday, we went to one of my favorite coffee shops in raleigh, the third place. before i moved here, my mom and i would occasionally drive up from southern pines for the day. the third place was always our first stop. we needed liquid energy before we hit the town. the atmosphere is nice and cozy, and, hello, they make leaf shapes out of the foam. what you're looking at is my nutella latte. kelly got a festive (and more delicious) eggnog latte. i guess i'll just have to make another visit to get my own. if i have to. 

after coffee, we headed to ornamentea for a try-it tuesday project! every tuesday, ornamentea features a different jewelry craft for only $3. you can make as many as you like and all the materials, supplies, and tools are provided for you. i'm a cheap date. 

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kelly and her tongue hard at work.

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ring-a-ling!

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our finished pretties. i might give this as a christmas present. to myself. 

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since we enjoyed our time together so much, we made plans for a second date (second date!) to grab cupcakes at the new daisycakes location in durham. daisycakes was a mobile cupcakery, selling out of an airstream trailer, up until about a month ago. they just opened a sweet little cafe and bakery in downtown durham where they serve cupcakes (obvs), pastries, coffee, and savory foods.

{photo credit: me and kelly}

{photo credit: me}

banana cake with caramel frosting and
vanilla dream with rainbow jimmies. 

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{photo credit: kelly}

i think i look best in photos when i'm wearing my pj/gym clothes, and i'm about to eat something wonderful. photograph your subjects in their natural environments, right?

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kelly is the best. i really hope she asks me out again.

p.s. if you live in the raleigh/durham area, make sure you head to daisycake's website to get a coupon for a FREE cupcake. 

the lovely *thankful* list. part four.

happy thanksgiving! i have many things to be thankful for. 

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my family. they're loving, gracious, aggravating, encouraging, selfish, silly, forgiving, generous, annoying, inspiring-everything a family should be! i love them so very much. couldn't have picked them better myself. 

my friends. these characters add flavor to my life. they are my biggest support system, and i would be one sad duck without them. 

my faith. i'm thankful that i have the freedom to worship God without being persecuted. i am thankful for diversity and even when we don't believe the same thing, we can learn from each other.

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my country. i am so thankful to live where i do. honestly, i take it for granted so often. i have the freedom to live my life without worry or fear. 

i am thankful that, even though i am working today, i have a job and a paycheck. 

my creative spirit. 

my five senses. love those guys. 

the fact that i went to wal*mart yesterday, the day before thanksgiving, and made it out alive. miracle. 

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i'm thankful that my parents still let me bring my laundry home when i come visit. 

i'm thankful for laughter and how certain things, like this video, never fail to make me laugh.

i'm thankful that the starbucks at work is open today because i forgot my coffee in the car. saved the day. (although, i hope they close early so that the baristas can go home.)

for live online coverage of the macy's thanksgiving day parade. one of my most favorite thanksgiving traditions.

for small pleasures in life: grocery shopping, black coffee, pajamas, favorite songs, chocolate chips, running in the evening, leaves falling, dinner with a friend.

happy, happy thanksgiving! enjoy this time with your family and friends. enjoy eating until your pants get snug. be thankful for the things you take for granted. give. be gracious. 

scene from this morning

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we are a people with a future-not spiritual nomads or wanderers, but a people of purpose and destiny. the past is over. the future stretches out before us full of promise and possibility.

we are a changed people-new people. not avoiding decisions that must be made, nor running from responsibility because of the mistakes and failures in our past, we look toward a future based on a newness of heart created in us by God. 

no longer haunted by the past, we are free to choose-to make new commitments and follow new direction. in our freedom we set new standards and find new strength by which to live. 

we have called upon our merciful God, repented, and begun to have the hope of a new heart and a new start-the beginning of a total renewal. 

what a relief! to know that we have a God who forgives-to know that we have a God who understands, and who can heal and help us. He will teach us His ways; He will make us more like Himself; He will lead us in the right direction.

free to capture the vision of His majesty. to seize the significance of our salvation. to catch a glimpse of His beauty and the reality of our redemption. 

we are renewed. 

-neva coyle

pumpkin oatmeal

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this pumpkin oatmeal recipe caught my eye as soon as i saw urban nester post it a while back. i'd been meaning to make it for breakfast, but i tend to be lazy in the mornings, and reaching for a spoon and a jar of peanut butter is just easier sometimes (all the time.) BUT, i like breakfast. i really do. so, on one of my recent days off, i pulled myself together and got to work.

ingredients

1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites (her recipe called for four, but i only had two eggs. also, ever heard of adding eggs to your oatmeal? me neither. it kind of freaked me out.)
walnuts
honey to taste

preparation

cook oats on the stovetop until they are almost done. quickly stir in egg whites, canned pumpkin, and cinnamon. stir until well mixed. let the oats finish cooking. when oats are done, divide into bowls and top walnuts and honey.

{photo credit: me}

{photo credit: me}

if there was a contest between myself and pumpkin oatmeal for most photogenic in the morning, i think we all know who would win. let the fact that i don't have a picture of myself enjoying this oatmeal guide your answer.

{photo credit: me}

{photo credit: me}

the final result was yummy but the pumpkin flavor was very light and not very sweet. if i make it again, i think i'll either add more pumpkin or more sugar/honey. and maybe some raisins because raisins are just so very delicious.

power to the pumpkins.

know me and love me

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it seems we need someone to know us as we are

-with all we have done-

and forgive us. 

we need to tell. 

we need to be whole in someone's sight. 

know this about me, 

and yet love me. please. 

-sue miller

it's not too early