Dreamin'...

It's over 100 degrees here today (as it has been most days this past week)...and all I can think about is fall.

Pumpkin spice lattes...

 (via Pinterest, pinned by Molly)

Cute boots...

Scarves...

Browns, oranges, and greens...

Leaves falling and cool breezes blowing...

Pumpkins, acorns, and pinecones...

 (via Pinterest, pinned by Ashley)

Halloween and Thanksgiving...

Please, oh please, can it be that time already?!?

(to see more of my fall loves, check out my Fall board on Pinterest)

The Good Life

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, we went to visit our sweet friends in Colorado last month.

It's amazing to me that we've been there three times now and we still haven't seen all there is to see around where they live! It's gorgeous there, and I feel like every time we leave, a little piece of my heart stays behind.

Side note: I'm listening to my Young the Giant station on Pandora while I'm writing this. I love it. You should check it out sometime.

The first day we were there, we walked around downtown and went to a museum. I always find it fascinating to learn about the history of an area and to look at old pictures of what things used to look like.

(All taken inside the museum)

Our second day was mostly spent relaxing and hanging out with their kiddos. They had their second child since the last time we'd been there and he's adorable. This was only our second time spending time with him. He's such a happy kid.

 (Phin)

Our third day there, we went to a really cute soda shop called Squeak. They have a whole bunch of different flavors of soda. They encourage you to smell the different flavors before you pick one, and you get to pick the color of your soda as well if you want. They had so many amazing different options, but I knew what I was going to get as soon as I saw the name.

 (The flavor bottles of the sodas, my husband sniffing one, and part of the list of the different flavors they offer)

 (With our yummy sodas)

(My Butterbeer soda. Just the way I pictured it would taste after reading all those Harry Potter books)

(The boys)

We spent our fourth day driving to a few different places. We stopped a couple of times to walk around and explore.

Em and I also went out dancing that night with a friend of hers and had a blast.

Our last day there, we drove up to the top of Pike's Peak. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there. It started to rain while we were outside and we had to run inside very quickly. It was cold up there, so the rain was coming down in ice chunks.

 (The view from the top of Pike's Peak)

(This little guy kept peeking up at us while we were taking our pictures)

 (Em and I on top of Pike's Peak!)

 (The hubby and I)

(All of us, taken with Emily's camera)

(Playing down by the water on the way down the mountain)

We then headed to downtown Denver to eat dinner and walk around. It reminded me a little bit of San Francisco.

(The capitol building in Denver)

Some of the other things we did while we were there (that aren't pictured):

We ate at Which Wich, Chipotle, Chik Fil A, Old Chicago, Cy's Drive In, Jimmy John's, Pita Pit, and Smash Burger.

We went to their Bible study with their friends that they have each week. They are going through a book on marriage and it sounded amazing from what everyone else was saying during the discussion. Josh and I fell in love with the format of their study, the honesty of everyone in the group, and the fact that everyone was very real with who they are. It was very refreshing for both of us.

We saw the Dark Knight Rises. While my heart still breaks for those involved in that horrific shooting not far from where we were, it was a good movie and I really enjoyed it.

We also had some great conversations with our friends. We always have amazing conversations with them and it always makes me wish we saw them more often. They challenge us, encourage us, and get us. We feel completely comfortable with them, and I'm pretty sure they feel pretty comfortable with us as well.

We were sad to leave, but so grateful that we were able to make it out there again. I'm already looking forward to our next trip...whenever it may be.

Goodbye to You

Today, my husband's paternal grandfather passed away.

It was sudden and unexpected and threw us all for a loop.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were just over there yesterday BBQing with him...and today, he was gone.

I've experienced or been privy to quite a bit of loss since I started writing this blog. And yet, somehow, I am never prepared for it.

When my grandpa passed away, we knew it was coming. All of my immediate family was there in the room with him when he died. We prayed over him, we said our final goodbyes, and told him it was ok for him to let go...and he did. It was one of the saddest, most beautiful moments I've ever experienced in my life.

We didn't get to say goodbye today.

Yet I know that this was God's plan all along. God took him at the perfect time...even though it may not have seemed perfect to us.

(Josh's grandparents at our wedding)

It just made me realize how often I don't tell the people I love how much I care about them. It makes me think of that Nickelback song, If Today Was Your Last Day. What kinds of things would I say or do if I knew tomorrow was it for me?

I hope the people in my life know how much I love and appreciate them...but I know it never hurts to say it...and to say it more. I know I love hearing those words from other people.

My prayer is that all of us learn to appreciate and love those in our lives a little bit more. Even though death is hard and the pain stings, love always remains.

(Thanksgiving 2011)

Goodbye to you, Grandpa B. I am thankful for the man you were in both mine and my husband's lives.

Life Lately

This past month was a busy one (as are most months these days). 

I thought I'd share some pics of some of what we've been up to.

My July Love Club package came! Such adorable stuff inside!

(A gorgeous Love Knot headband from just.lovely.things, organic caramel from Baby Boy Bakery (which was dee.lish), a pretty necklace from Anchors to Ashes, note cards from River & Bridge, a five song EP from Sharaya Mikael, and lavendar bath soak from Dr. Teal's)

We took my dad out to a baseball game for his Father's Day present. My sister, her hubby, and my mom came with us, too. It was fun, but our team lost.

 

Me and some of my girlfriends took our friend E out for a night on the town as a going away bash. She and her hubby moved out of the state to start a new adventure, so we wanted to have one last girls night with her before they left. 

We went out to dinner and then tried to go dancing...which didn't turn out to be very successful...but we still had a lot of fun. 

 

We had our annual worship and baptisms on the beach with our church. It's always such an amazing time.

One of our students from the college group decided to get baptized. It has been amazing watching this young man's transformation over the past year and a half. 

We took some pics with D and E on their last Sunday at church. They had a going away party before they left, but we were out of the state, so we weren't able to go. It was hard saying goodbye to them, but I'm so excited for this next step they are taking.

We also celebrated my hubby's best friend's birthday with dinner at BJ's. I tried their cream soda for the first time and it was so good!

We also took a trip to Colorado, but that deserves a post all its own.

July was a busy but blessed month.

Photo a Day in July

It's that time again!

I still can't believe it's already August...but I feel like I've been saying that as every new month approaches. One of my Facebook friends posted earlier today that Christmas was only 145 days away! So very crazy...

I followed the photo challenge that fatmumslim created again this month.

 1. Self portrait (rocking the awesome headband my sister made for me) 2. Busy (had a busy day with this little beauty)

3. Best part of my day (so far - Jack in the Box tacos and a Coke) 4. Fun (my hubby and one of my nieces on the 4th of July) 5. On the floor (I love that mat) 6. Chair 7. Garden (dying rose bushes, more like) 8. Lunch

9. Big (TV) 10. My favorite color (purple) 11. Letter 12. Texture

13. Open 14. Building 15. Finger 16. Sign (made by my sweet friend)

17. My addiction 18. Plate 19. Animal/insect/pet (my boss's dog) 20. Eyes

21. 9 o'clock 22. Upside down 23. Mirror 24. A stranger (in the airport)

25. Heart (I heart clouds) 26. Sunshine 27. On the road 28. Cup

29. Last thing I bought (dinner!) 30. Calm (on top of Pike's Peak) 31. Toothbrush

(via fatmumslim)

Do you participate in this challenge or one like it?