tomato soup.

the weather dropped forty-five degrees in a 24-hour period over the weekend.
welcome to oklahoma, y'all! 

i wanted soup, but we didn't have any, so i was perplexed.
that's when i got the idea to come up with a recipe all on my own.
this was either going to turn out really awesome or really not-so-awesome.

i found tomato soup and wanted to see what i could create.
(oh, i should mention i've never had tomato soup before.)

VIOLA!

ingredients: 

- tomato soup

- 1/2 cup of milk

- a few pinches of rosemary

- pepper.

top with parmesan goldfish.

it was so so so so good.
in fact, it was so good that i had it for lunch again today.

what ingredients do you put in your tomato soup? i'd love to know!

over the weekend.

5 activities:
- i was feeling adventurous and got the skinny peppermint mocha at starbucks. so good.
- actually completed a project inspired by pinterest.
- went on a little shopping trip with mama.
- i made up a recipe involving tomato soup. and it was uh.mazing. 
- caught a cold. boo.

4 lessons:
- if i am shopping and go look at the same sweater three different time, just buy it.
- not being able to sleep in anymore is a blessing.
- it's okay to get in the Christmas spirit, as long as it's after halloween.
- i realized that it's okay to blog several times a day. it is, after all, my blog.

3 things i'm thankful for:
- ice scrapers.
- cozy slippers.
- the weekend.

2 things i'm currently diggin':
- tomato soup. where have you been all my life? (ps: if you have a great recipe, share it!)
- the release of the final book in the matched series, reached. one of my favorite book series!

1 quote from something i read:

"singles: God will bless you with a spouse. He just wants you to be whole first. #twohalvesdontmakeawhole."

the beautiful and inspiring @EmonneMarkland 

ponderings of the heart.

all day long, i have read status after status, tweet after tweet regarding veteran's day.
but as i sit here... i feel like it's just not enough.

our veterans deserve more recognition than a few days out of the year. they should always be honored. they have seen terrible, horrendous sights and experienced conditions always described as "hell". they pay with their time, missing important days like birthdays and actual birth days. can you fathom your husband not being there for the birth of your child? what if your wife were overseas, in a war zone, while you celebrate your child's fifth birthday? you can try to imagine it all you want, but there are families who live it every single day. their loved ones fight for this country, paying with their time, and some... with their lives.

but you won't hear them complain. when you thank a veteran or soldier, they humbly nod, usually saying that it's their job. just like i chose to work for my grandma and just like you chose your current employer, men and women chose the united states of america. and they know the job description when they sign up.

they are brave and selfless. they are heroes.

out of the 365 days on the calendar, let's honor our past, present, and deceased military members 365 days.

when you go throughout your daily life, remember the freedoms you have weren't free. 

if you have served or are serving this great nation, thank you for your selfless act of bravery, for protecting the freedoms we so easily take for granted, and thank you for being totally and completely awesome. i pray for you and your family every day. you are true american heroes!

tidbits of life.

pretty flowers. edited with a great photo app called afterglow.

mama's taco soup. i've had it for lunch and dinner two days in a row. it's that good.

flannel and waves.

chocolate chips in my oatmeal, or as i like to call it: a bowl of bliss.

homemade turkey pizza and a salad.

a cuddly kitty.

caramel iced coffee.

penguin socks and sweats. comfort at its finest.

a heavy but hopeful heart.

disclosure: this is my blog, my opinions. you may think i am close-minded or outdated. calling me every name in the book won't change my mind.  
i stand for what i believe, just like you do.

there has been a weight in my heart this week. a kind of sadness that i couldn't pinpoint until mama confronted me last night. she straight up asked me, "what is wrong with you?" [i love that about her. no sugar-coating] once she asked me that question, it was like the floodgates of my heart opened. 

i'm sad... for this country. for the people of this nation. 

after the election tuesday night, i am not going to lie... i shed a few tears. the remarks and comments i read were disheartening. quite frankly, i felt like some people were flipping the middle finger to God.

my heart just hurts.

biblical morals are shoveled aside like manure. a life is now a choice. and don't get me started on "legal marijuana".

this world needs Jesus. as believers, we must continually fall to our knees in prayer for one another, for our leaders, and for the lost. we should stop pointing the finger at others and take a look at our own lives first. we need to love others despite our differences. if we're not loving people, how do we expect them to believe Jesus does?

but i have hope.
hope that Jesus will continue to change the hearts and lives of others. hope that people will continue to stand for traditional values and the Word of God.

i find comfort in john 16:33b:

...here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. but take heart, because I have overcome the world.


ultimately, my hope is in Jesus. His words, His love, and what He did on the cross. He is my hope. OUR hope.

photographic memories.

i was going through a box of old photographs recently. my grandma gracie always had a camera in her hand and took pictures of everything. sound familiar? we have three large tubs full of pictures she took years and years ago. when i have spare time, i go through them,reminisce, and laugh at the hairstyles and clothes.

daddy's girl.

my grandpa dale, who was in the navy.

my grandparents. i love this picture so, so much.

my mama and the lumberjack...uh, i mean my daddy.

baby brother and i

growing up, i watched tv with my feet on the tv. weird child.

 

pulling daddy's ear.

wearing daddy's shirt, still as bald as ever. sooner born, sooner bred.

 a fashionista from the beginning.

someone once told me that i take too many pictures. i took it as a compliment. my hope is that one day, my children will spread out the pictures i've taken and feel the same joy i get when i hold those pictures in my hands.

over the weekend.

5 activities:
- planted tulips! i'm so excited for spring.
- made extra space for my scarves using hangers and shower curtain hooks.
- went through a box of old pictures. i love when a picture can take you back to that exact moment.
- spent WAY too much time playing gems with friends.
- had a lazy weekend. and it was awesome.

4 lessons:
- i can't sleep in anymore.
- adding chocolate chip to oatmeal is one of my smarter decisions in life.
- i am never too old to watch scooby doo.
- putting grated parmesan cheese in a salad is another smart decision i've made in life.

3 things i'm thankful for:
- corny jokes.
- God's 'no'. it isn't a rejection, it's a redirection.
- coupons. because who doesn't like to save money?

2 things i'm currently diggin':
- these awesome jeggings from kohl's.
- reading everyone's thankful posts for november.

1 quote from something i read:

"in the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery."

[proverbs 28:23] 

yes, yes, yes. can i get an amen?

tidbits of life.

a dandy sunset.

passion tea lemonade.

i seriously cannot stop playing gems with friends.

green lights.

i planted tulips! they are purple and red, my favorite colors. we will see how good my green thumb is come spring.

the neighbor's horse is my friend. he watches me while i walk and take pictures in the pasture.