Our Nesting Place Blog

Thankful Thursday

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Happy Thursday!! What a fast week it has been. I feel like our days have been so jam packed! It’s also been sort of a rough week, and I’m happy to have some things I’m THANKFUL for to share today!

Girl Time : This past Saturday Kate and I were able to go out for some girl time to a wedding for one of her teachers. It was so special to be there with Kate. It was her first wedding, and she knew both the bride and the groom, so it was a really neat experience for her. We took it ALL in. She got to sit on the center isle for a front row seat of the bride walking down the aisle and the ceremony. She got to sign the guest book. We got to go to the reception where she had wedding punch, and catered BBQ, and wedding cake. Then she got to see the bride and talk to her for a bit. It was a really fun and special time for Kate!

Family Time: My birthday was Saturday, and my dad surprised us by showing up Friday evening .. all the way from West Virginia! It was a really nice surprise, and he brought birthday cake! I’m so thankful he was able to make the trip, and it’s something I’ll remember for many years to come.

My list this week is super short, but extremely sweet. This past week we were plagued with another marathon round of sickness which took out just about everyone in the family (but me). Tristan was sick with vomiting, and other unpleasant things, from Wednesday – Sunday. Work is busy for both of us. We are just feeling tired. I’m hoping the week to come is wonderful bringing us lots of things to be thankful for.

Thankful Thursday

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Happy Thursday! Today is the beginning of a weekly blog post that I’m doing with one of my best blogging friends, Elaina. She and I have talked quite a bit about 2020 and the attitude we want to have in this new year. We want to create a positive space for us to thrive and in the meantime (hopefully) create a positive space for people to visit. She had such a great idea to share weekly what we are thankful for. This was such a good “assignment” for me because it forces me to see the positive. Too many times I focus on the negative. We don’t get to talk very often, but when we do, it’s always an encouraging and caring conversation. She genuinely cares about my life, what I’m doing, and HOW I’m doing. I’m so happy to meet her here each week to talk about the things I’m thankful for.

So, without any further delay, here are the things I’m thankful for this week!

Friendship : One of the prayers I pray most often is to be able to connect with ladies I can be friends with. That’s such a slow process for me for some reason. I’d love to have a group of girl friends do to life with, but in the meantime I’ve been blessed with some great work friends. Ladies who I can talk to about intermittent fasting and bible devotionals and kids and recipes. It just fills my tank to interact with them. I am a VERY keep to my self kind of person, and that doesn’t always foster the greatest friendships, as you can imagine. I’m hoping to open up more as the year goes on!

Bible App : one of my friends talked about how she made it through the whole bible in 1 year by listening to it on the way to work each morning. There’s a chronological reading plan that you can follow, and that’s the one she recommended. I go to my reading for each day, and then play it and listen along while I’m driiving in each morning. It’s a great way to start my day, and I feel like I’m learning so much already. The reading is like listening to someone tell you a story, and I think I’m getting a lot more out of it this way. I’m definitely thankful for her recommendation!

Archery : Tristan’s archery team made it to the state tournament and I can’t help but feel so thankful for this thing he enjoys. You all know Tristan, you know he’s a small guy. He’s not super athletic. This is so perfect for him, and he’s doing really well. I’m SO happy he’s able to be a part of something like this. If he continues to do well, this is something he can do all through highschool.

My Life : I’m nowhere near where I want to be in life. I feel discouraged quite often, but I’m hoping 2020 can minimize that a bit. I spend way too much time feeling like I’m not measuring up and I’m not where I should be by this point, but all in all I’m so thankful for my life. Thankful for my family and my job and that I have a safe place to live. I’m working on being more in the moment and not worrying about tomorrow. Just being thankful for where I am each day.

I hope you have somethings you can be thankful for this week! We saw some snow here today, that was special. Happy almost weekend!

Faith + Trust

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One of my oldest blogging friends, ELAINA, and I have been talking briefly about our word for the new year. It’s been a long time since I’ve focused on a word like this, but almost immediately my word (or words) came to mind. My main focus this year is to pray big prayers over our life. By doing that, it causes me to do something that I really struggle with : have faith and TRUST God.

Visualize ice skating .. for the past several years I’ve lived my life with one hand on the wall. Out in the middle are blessings and happiness and fun and friends and my hopes and dreams (and God), but I’m so scared of falling that I never let go of the wall. I’ve spent so much wasted time clinging to what I think is safe. But at what cost? I’m missing out on so much, and I’m tired of missing out.

That brings me to my word for 2020. I think I’m going to focus on 2 words this year and more than likely use them interchangeably.

I need to have faith that God is going to hear my big prayers and trust that he’s going to take care of my family and answer our prayers. I’ve mentioned more than once that I’m so scared to surrender completely to God, because I’m afraid he’s going to take something away from me in order to test my faith in Him. One day I may elaborate on that a little more, and to some friends I have, but just know I have a real fear. I do understand that it’s a stupid fear, but it’s a real fear nonetheless.

But like I mentioned earlier, my focus this year is to pray and ask God to do some big things in our life and in order to fully surrender to him and for this to really mean something, I’m going to have to have FAITH and TRUST.

Here’s to an AMAZING 2020!

Cute Christmas Finds

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I’ve done so well to get all my Christmas shopping done early this year. This doesn’t always happen! (this doesn’t EVER happen) While I was browsing some of my favorite online stores and shopping for Christmas, I ran across the CUTEST Christmas things. I need to save all my money in 2020 so I can purchase all of these things for myself next Christmas!

RIFLE PAPER COMPANY

(Click the item name to follow the link)

  1. Christmas Tree Die-Cut Gift Tags
  2. Mistletoe Die-Cut Gift Tags
  3. Be Merry and Bright Gift Tags
  4. Nutcracker Wrapping Roll
  5. Holiday Lights Wrapping Sheets
  6. Festive Stripe Wrapping Roll
  7. Nutcracker Gift Stickers
  8. Nutcracker Holiday Paper Tape
  9. Letters to Santa Die-Cut Christmas Cards
  10. Christmas Tree Embroidered Pillow
  11. Holiday Bouquet Tea Towel
  12. Christmas Tree Advent Calendar

LINDSAY LETTERS

  1. Starry O Holy Night Sky
  2. Noel Forest
  3. Wild & Sweet
  4. O Little Town of Bethlehem

GRACELACED

  1. Noel Gift Wrap
  2. Winter Wonderland Gift Wrap
  3. Botanical Christmas Gift Wrap
  4. Praise His Holy Name Christmas Cards
  5. Rejoice Notecards
  6. Let Us Adore Him Christmas Cards

I could spend all the money I have at Rifle Paper Co. It’s one of my favorite stores!

Filed Under: Fun

New Year – New Goals

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This is one of my favorite times of year. I love Christmas and all it represents and I love how warm and cozy everything feels with the decorations and scented candles and fireplaces. I also love this time of year because it’s right before a new year. New beginnings after a long year. I always feel so excited and ready for a fresh start.

I’ve been planning for this time for quite a while. We moved to a new city / state this year and it feels like we’ve been trying to adjust ever since. This Christmas we will have been here a year, and I’m ready to start living. It’s probably a little early to already have my goals set, BUT – I wanted to have them established and start making small progress towards them in December so that when January 1 hits I’m not overwhelmed with trying to start a bunch of new habits at once.

I love sharing my goals, and I love hearing about YOUR goals. Here are mine below. Some are fun and silly, but others are probably more like work. Balance! If you feel like sharing yours as well, please do!!

LESS SCREEN TIME : It feels like we are becoming more and more dependent on our phones and iPads. I want to spend more time as a family and doing things far more important than scrolling Facebook and Instagram. I’m going to try to really limit my screen time when I’m with my family in the evenings. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while but never fully pulled the trigger. No time like the present!

READ 12 BOOKS THIS YEAR : I wish I could be someone who read all the time. I know it sounds silly, but it makes my brain feel good to read. This year I’d like to try and read 1 new book per month. With less screen time, maybe I can do more reading. My kids have to read every evening for school, and I thought I could join them and read my book at the same time. If you have any good book recommendations, I’d love to hear them!

BE A BETTER PARENT : Our life feels hectic (and this is something I need to work on in 2020 as well) and I feel like our evenings are so frantic and stressful sometimes. I’m too focused on the things that need to be done (race home to cook dinner, clean up after dinner, pack lunches, bath time, clothes for school / work, homework, etc) that I never stop and look at my kids and just spend quality time with them. I don’t make them feel as loved as I’d like to. Everything feels like work and nothing feels like what I’d like home to feel like. I have some mini goals written down for this, but the main thing is I need to alter my focus.. I need to determine what’s more important.. I need to remember what matters in the long run.

TAKE BETTER CARE OF MYSELF : I am so tired, ALL THE TIME. I’ve gained so much weight. My body hurts and aches and I’m too young to feel the way I do. I feel like I’m wasting precious years being unhealthy. I need to focus on my health physically and mentally. This is at the top of my list for the new year.

BE FINANCIALLY FIT : College and moving and not having a job for a while took a toll on us financially. We were doing SO GOOD for so long, but right now we have some catch up work to do. This stuff gives me so much anxiety, and I’m hoping to hit it head on and not be scared about it.

SIMPLIFY : I want to simplify every aspect of my life. Finances, health, marriage, parenting, household, etc. I want to break things down to the foundation, to the things that really matter the most, and then focus on that moving forward. Excess creates stress, and I want to live as stress free as possible.

CELEBRATE EVERYDAY : I want to find something to celebrate as often as I can. Make life fun and fulfilled. Create a happy environment for my kids. Eat pie on National Pie Day.. haha. Just loosen up and not be so serious all the time. Life was meant to be enjoyed.

I’m so ready for a brand new year. I have said over and over that “2020 is going to be my year”.. I hope I’m not wrong!

Life Lately

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Hi Friends! It’s been so long since I’ve updated. I feel like so much has happened since we moved here! Lots of changes – and I’d say all for the better.

Looking back to one of my lasts posts, I was talking about my goals and one of them was to get a job. Well, since then I’ve had two jobs. The first one was with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. I had interviewed there three times, and was beginning to think I wouldn’t get a job, but thankfully the Ag Department gave me a chance. I was their Admin Assistant, working for a small unit of 5 people. I started there towards the end of February. In April, I received a message back from the people I interviewed with in January – my very first interview in Arkansas. I followed up with them, and they offered me a position with the State of Arkansas in the Office of State Procurement. I wasn’t looking to leave UAEX, but when Procurement offered me the position, it was something I would have been stupid to turn down. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be where I am now. It’s a very rewarding job where I stretch my brain daily and learn so much. I feel like I’ve gained some invaluable knowledge in the short time I’ve been there, and I’m just so thankful they allowed me to join their team. I get to do some really neat things, and meet some really neat people. I get to be a part of things that are bigger than me, and I just love that feeling. I feel like I’m doing a job that’s important, and that matters. It’s been a great move for me.

Shelby has also had two jobs since we moved. He started out at Chenal Country club (the reason we moved to Arkansas) and a short time after he started there he was offered a job with Cobra Puma Golf as a Sales Representative for AR, MS, and LA. It’s kept him super busy, and I feel like he’s always on the phone with someone or emailing with someone trying to help them and meet their needs. He travels quite a bit, and I know that he will have seasons where he travels more than others. He works from home, and that has been an adjustment, but he’s getting there. I’m so thankful for the flexibility that it’s added to our family. Things have come up where he’s needed to step in when I couldn’t, and if he had the job at Chenal he wouldn’t have been able to do that.

I feel like God knows what we need, he knows what’s ahead, and he places us in positions to be successful. Neither of us predicted we’d be where we are now, but here we are and we are so thankful for what has transpired.

Harper was 6 months old when we moved, and now she’s a busy 13 month old. She’s walking and talking and eating us out of house and home. We call her “Happy Harper” or “Hoss Cat Harper”..haha. This girls L O V E S to eat, and I think that’s one of my favorite things about her. She makes life so fun. She’s so good. She listens so well, and doesn’t give us any problems. I feel like we can take her anywhere at any time and feel confident that she’s going to be behaved and not cause us any stress. I also realize that she’s going to get older and more independent and the days of her being sweet little obedient Harper may be numbered .. but for the meantime we are going to enjoy it! She’s got that light blonde hair that sticks up on top of her head when we put it in a ponytail, and people are drawn to her. She loves the attention, haha.

We are still living in our townhouse. The kids have some sweet little neighbors to play with, and there’s a new bakery going in right behind our house that we are so excited about. For a moment we were in the mindset of purchasing a house, but we’ve had some chances to reevaluate and look ahead and I think we are going to stay put for a little while longer. This gives us the chance for our dream home in our dream location to open up. I’m happy to be able to focus on the kids and on each other and on having a great rest of 2019, and not have to focus on trying to find a house and move.

Tristan and Kate just started a new school year. They’re so excited and happy to be back with their friends. They are happy that they’re not the “new kids” at their school this year, and they get to be there the entire year. It’s such a great school. We moved to the city we live in for the schools, and it’s turned out to be a great decision. The hardest part for us is establishing those routines, so that’s what we are in the trial and error phase of now. I’m hoping we can nail down a solid routine, I feel like we’ve struggled so much in the past.

For myself, and moving forward, I’ve got a list of things I’d like to start working on. I’ve just been hanging on the last several months, and I think it’s time I start doing some things for myself. We are hoping that this new school year can sort of be a new beginning on other things as well. We are starting to feel settled, and now we need to focus on making life the best it can be. For me, that starts with trying to get myself in a good place.

I’m so happy to be back to my blog. I’ve missed being able to share in this space. I’m so thankful for my friends to read and encourage me.