Give love, pour it out

Hey babes!

I hope everyone is having a great week, fall is creeping (not so sneakily) up on us in the beautiful foothills of Virginia.

Lately I have been in a funk, a funk of dealing with work, friendships, and just irritability. This past week I have been hurt by some people in my life and it left me feeling bitter and grumpy. That is so not my personality. I love people (well, my people but I'm working on it) and I was down in the dumps because people I loved were hurting me, how could they do this?

I spent about a day and a half feeling sorry for myself until the Holy Spirit nudged me to quit my ugly behavior. My best friend moved away so we have been doing a Bible study and texting about what we're learning, during our conversation I was made aware of how I let sin creep in and show its ugly face in my life. I saw how I was letting my hurt get in the way of loving others, and how I was letting it bring me down. While I may need to work on forgiving some people in my life, last night I felt rejuvenated and felt prompted to pour out love, not just to my people, but to all people in my life. Christ's love fills my heart, I have that blessing, and it is my responsibility to share that love with others, regardless whether I necessarily want to or not.

Today I have been encouraged by a few things and I wanted to share them with you.

"The whole point of what we're urging is simply love-- love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God" 1 Timothy 5-7 The Message Remix

Friends, I am so impacted by those words, a love uncontaminated by self-interest it is not about me, it's about Jesus, and His love is oh-so perfect.

I was also encouraged by this short lyric from David Crowder's song "I Am"

"Love like this sets our hearts on fire"

When I allow the Holy Spirit to work in my heart and my life, that's how I feel, like my heart is on fire. This feeling definitely isn't constant for me but it's all about seeking His face, allowing His love to change you, and giving His love to others.

Sweet, sweet friends, let me know if I can be praying for you or if I can do anything.

Xx,

LG

The Wagon

Good Afternoon y'all!

Last time I wrote to you, it was about #whole30. Well I didn't fall off the wagon, I jumped off and let the wagon roll off a cliff. To say that I was struggling is an understatement- I know it's super difficult and normal to experience headaches, fatigue, etc. but I was going through much more and I made the decision for my health and sanity to stop whole 30. When I told my husband and some of my friends, they were relieved because I just wasn't myself. With that said, I did learn a lot and I'm looking forward to giving it a shot again in the future.

Though I bailed on whole 30, I am proud to say that I hopped on another "wagon" and completed my first race, running the Virginia 4-miler and finishing under my goal time! I shared on instagram a little bit about my story, but I'll be sharing more about that in the weeks ahead. Y'all to finish this race was huge for me, and I am so happy that I stuck to training and duked it out- running on weekends and after work wasn't always easy but I am officially addicted to running.

I can't wait to share more with you in the weeks ahead! I hope you use the photos below as encouragement!

Xx,

LG

Whole 30 {Part 1}

Good Morning beauts!

So you may have heard of this crazy thing called "Whole 30" which is generally thought of as "that thing crazy people do when they want to torture themselves."
While I can partially agree with that, I am proud to say that I have accepted the #whole30 challenge.

What is Whole 30? If you've never heard of this, or don't know much about it, check out their website to learn more! In a nutshell (haha, Whole 30 joke) it's an initial 30 day challenge where you cut certain things out of your diet, not only is this great to detox and heal your body, but it also acts as a "reset" button for your taste buds and can really help change the way you eat and look at food. So what are you cutting out?
-No dairy (of any kind, no yogurt, goat's milk, or sheep's milk)
-No sugar (yes that includes Stevia and honey)
-No grains (quinoa, oats, corn, etc.)
-No beans or legumes (yes that means your beloved peanut butter is off the list)

There are a few other rules, but for more info take a look into the program on their website. This is my first week at Whole 30 and I can already tell a difference in how I'm getting stronger- I'm learning to combat my food cravings and surprisingly I'm starting to love my black coffee with just a little plain and unsweetened coconut milk! I have some great friends who are doing the challenge with me and I highly recommend having that support! If you're looking to set out on your own and try the challenge, the website offers great support.

I'm journaling week 1, and I'll be sharing how it went, along with my survival tips, tricks, and how to prepare! Stay tuned for more, and tell me, have you ever tried the #whole30 challenge? If you're thinking about doing it, don't hesitate and jump right in!

Xx,

LG

Fall Projects: Pinterest Style

Good Afternoon y'all!

I don't know if it is the early release of the #PSL or the cool breezes that have been visiting us, but I am in full Fall mode...the pumpkin candles are out and warm tones are all over my home now. I'm usually one of the "hang onto summer as long as possible" people, but this year I am welcoming the lovely foliage and crisp temps.

I have very few decorations for our home, though my collection is slowly building- after my Grandmother passed I was lucky enough to be able to inherit a lot of her lovely decorations, as well as precious heirlooms that have added a special touch to our abode. Since I'm building my seasonal decor stockpile there are a few craft projects I'd like to try, which is a fun affordable alternative to buying everything. Below are a few Fall projects I'm hoping to tackle in the upcoming weeks (watch, I'll probably finish them right before it's time to put Christmas decorations up, I just know it)

1. Jars, candles, and acorns. Maybe I can add a little glitter for good measure?

2. Buntings and painted pumpkins galore

 

 3. What I like to call "stick candle." If I can create this without burning my hands with hot glue, it will be an ultimate success. I'll keep you posted.

 

In addition, I'd also like to make a few painted signs- I also have some serious pallet projects in mind!  What are a few fall projects you'd like to accomplish this year? 

Xx,

LG

It's good seeing you.

Hey y'all!

First let me apologize for my absence, I could give you a list of reasons why I haven't posted that is a mile long, but ultimately it just boils down to my work and school. I mentioned a few posts ago that I had accepted a full time job! As exciting as it is to finally have a full time position, trying to adjust to that, school, life, and taking care of a puppy has meant that there has been 0 time for blogging. At the end of the day, I typically find myself in Nike shorts, running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get stuff done.

Now that I've adjusted to full time working life, I am making it a conscious effort to post once a week, of not more. (Pace yourself, Laurel, jeez).

With that being said, I'm hoping to be posting about my vacation once I finally make it to Rhode Island- today has been spent waiting at the airport while my husband and I have been rerouted to 3 different airlines and about 10 different flights.

Newport, I can't wait to see your beautiful views and New England charm!

Xx,

LG

Why proper running shoes are important.

Good day ladies!

I hope that everyone is having a great week thus far! I start my new job on Monday so I'm thoroughly enjoying my last few days of part-time work. I have so much down time, what am I going to do when I can't sip my coffee for 30 minutes and take 15 minutes to get out of bed? Grown up problems.

Anyway, today I wanted to share a little bit about my "shoe fitting experience" and how much it has changed my running and fitness routines.

So I used to be anti-running, it was literally the bane of my existence and just thinking about it made me want to throw up...fast forward to today when I couldn't get enough and even pushed myself to go .5 mile further than I had originally planned. Someone made running kool-aid and baby I'm drinking it!

When I wanted to get into running I had to be pretty cautious, I've had 4 surgeries, 2 of them being major reconstructions so I didn't want to injure myself and undo the progress that I've made over the years. I started with light interval running and worked up, when I ran my first mile I was elated! Now that I'm building up even more I found my feet and hips hurting terribly and I didn't feel like it was just because of all that my body has been through, it was my shoes.

After doing some research I learned a little bit more about the different types of shoes and what they have to offer. Minimalist, lightweight, tons of support, gel, air pump, angel fluff. It's enough to make your head spin. At first I thought that I could just fit myself with some shoes and I'd be dandy. Wrong-O!

Source: supination

Every person has different running form, feet, and anatomy when it comes to this and having a proper shoe can help to improve a lot of discomforts that runners face. Turns out, the shoes that I was running in had just about 0 support, and regardless of their cushiony feel, my feet were suffering.

I turned to a great store for runners where an incredibly helpful and knowledgable guy helped me find the perfect pair of sneaks. He fitted my feet, checked them out, saw me walk and do some other rain-dance type of stuff and voila! He picked 3 pairs of shoes for me to try. Turns out the first pair that I put on were right for my feet but I entertained the other two just for comparison. I can't tell you how much these shoes have changed my comfort and performance. Seriously y'all, if you're a runner or fitness gal, get the right shoes for you!

If you're a runner, what are your go-to shoes? I'm loving my trusty pair of Asics!

Xx,

LG

New new and changes.

Gooood morning y'all!

I hope that everyone is getting into the summer swing- any fun vacations planned? I'm dying to go on a beach getaway.

Today I'm sharing some news with you! After interviewing for almost 6 months, I'm taking a full time position with a different company. I currently work part time (and retail) so having a "big girl job" is great for me, and my husband! Is this even remotely close to my dream job? Absolutely not. I just feel blessed to have landed a full time position in this market, and to top it off, I get to work with some of my best friends!

With that being said, I'm currently trying to put together some office appropriate outfits that I can wear with confidence. I don't own much in the way of business or office clothes, so shopping here I come! With the help of Pinterest and my very own J.Crew personal stylist (she's my best friend) I'm looking for simple chic outfits I can mix and match- see some of my inspiration below!

Miranda Kerr is perfect.

Summer perfection!

How do you style your work attire?

Xx,

LG

Detox.

Good morning babes!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, to say we've been busy in an understatement. I finished up my two Spring classes and immediately started up the summer term, in the midst of that WE GOT A PUPPY!!! If you follow me on instagram, then you've probably seen him, if not, stay tuned for a post with a million pictures of our little (and I do mean little) fur baby.

With summer activities quickly approaching getting toned and fit are definitely on the brain-- after my eating habits during finals week and moving, it's definitely time to detox and boost my body with the nutrients it needs! Now, I'm not talking about the crazy detoxes where you eat a walnut a day and drink bottles of sketchy looking goo that makes your bowels unhappy. That's not something I'm interested in but if you are, more power to ya!

To me, detoxing involves changing my diet around for a few days-a week just to flush out some of the bad stuff that may be lingering. If you've never detoxed before, I suggest easing into a plan that may be a little less restrictive and easier to follow. Try cutting out dairy or wheat, or stick to a vegan diet for 3-5 days, then ease back into your normal diet. In addition to changing what I eat, I also drink a cup or two of warm lemon water each day, and try to drink unsweetened green tea and plenty of water. You'll be surprised at how much your body can change just by doing these things for a few days.

Many of you know that I have a juicer (duh, I'm obsessed with it) so if this is an option for you, doing a juice cleanse might be a good option! Maybe try juicing for 3 days the first time, then see if you can go for a week the second time around. Ultimately when juicing you want to alkalize your body, so stick to more pH neutral foods.

Great food options when cleansing (whether juicing or not) include:

• Beets- these are miracle workers for your gallbladder, they aid in digestion and beets also help clean out some "sludge" that may be lingering in your gallbladder.
• Lemons- though these aren't pH neutral, they do help to detoxify and reduce bloat
• Apples- there's a reason they say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"
• Ginger- this metabolism booster will help flush out gunk, and it's wonderful for an upset stomach!
• Grapefruit- this fruit will kick your liver into high gear! 

So why not give it a try? Who knows, maybe you'll love it, and after you detox you'll be more likely to stick to a clean eating regime! If you have any questions, or would like an outline of the type of detoxes I do, let me know! Also, I'm not a licensed physician or nutritionist, so consult with your doctor before beginning a detox or cleanse. 

Xx,

LG

That time again...finals.

Good morning y'all!

It's finals week for me and I am exhausted I've never had to juggle school with real life wife stuff, work, and everything else in between, usually my job is just to be a student : )

With that being said, I want to offer some motivation for you beauties, especially for you who are also in the season of taking finals!

Hang in there babes!

Xx,

LG

Save me {Mess:Past}

Goooood morning!

So you may or may not have seen this article trending on the internet, if not, give it a read because it's beautiful and shows the gospel so well!

When reading it, I could totally relate- no, not because my husband was wild in high school, but because I was and many of the moments captured in the above article I experienced with my now-husband. If you met me now you wouldn't recognize the girl I was in high school- I drank, a lot, partied, serial dated, and had very little self respect (among many other things). My senior superlative in high school was "party animal" enough said. My husband I have joked many times about how much we would have dislikes the other in high school, we were so different from each other and from who we are now.

I cringe thinking about some of the decisions I made and for a long time I carried a lot of the guilt and shame associated, but that's the beauty of The Gospel, my sin and shame is covered, washed away, and I'm left sparkling and beautiful. For years I had to battle my old self, I had to overcome the temptation to slip into my old ways, I had to find my identity in Christ and not in who I used to be.

Yeah, I was tan. Also, my friend did my eyebrows so don't judge.

One of the hardest parts of my reckless decisions wasn't how it wrecked me, but how I saw it break my husband's heart. My husband is truly amazing and a great man of God, so when it came time for me to share my past with him (before we were married, or engaged), I could do so without fear- though I could tell it hurt him, never once did he look at me differently. As a couple we had to battle some of the pain that was brought upon us, but we couldn't have done that without The Lord's strength and guidance.

Ultimately I had to remember that my life before my husband was also my life before Jesus.

Often I reflect on my life and wish that my parents had lead me more to The Lord, not that I'm blaming them for their decisions because they were wonderful parents, but sometimes I feel as if I could have saved myself from a lot of grief if I had known Jesus sooner in life, but thinking like that is terrible. God has a perfect plan, and though He wills for us to do good, so frequently our free will allows us to learn lessons, however painful they may be. Without my past life I wouldn't know the redeeming power of The Gospel to the extent that I do, I wouldn't be able to share my story with others, and I wouldn't be who I am today.

So thankful for this sweet guy-- almost 5 years ago!

While I'm not proud of the things I've done, I'm thankful for what I've learned and I'm ever more thankful for Jesus, because through Him I can let go of it all.



Xx,

LG

Holistic Health.

Good morning babes!

Growing up my mom integrated a good amount of holistic treatments, as a kid I thought she was being silly- I thought that that taking things like Echinacea wouldn't do anything to me, but as I come into my adult years I find myself aligning more with my mom's approach. Now, let me start by saying that I am not an expert, and I'm also not someone who only uses holistic medicine- actually I feel as if I balance modern/western medicine and homeopathic remedies pretty well. God gave us herbs and God gave us medicine, let's use what God has given us and create a healing cocktail!

With that being said, I want to share with you some of the "natural" remedies that have worked for me!

1. Oil pulling. Okay, so swishing oil around in your mouth may seem like cuckoo crazy to you, but it doesn't cause any adverse side effects and it doesn't take much effort, so why not give it a shot? I have noticed that my teeth feel and look better, and my skin looks better! Here's a little blip about oil pulling that I found on Pinterest-- check out the link if the image is too small for you to read.

2. Supplements. I've taken these off and on for years, but I notice a difference with a few that I take regularly. And for those of you who don't think they have any effect, I once took evening primrose oil for a few weeks and I didn't get my "cycle" for 2 months (it's an estrogen stabilizer), so they clearly have effects. Look into what's best for you, but I take biotin (it really makes my hair grow), flax seed, evening primrose, and others depending on what my body needs!

3. Chiropractic care. No, chiropractors are not crazy witch doctors, but definitely do your research before you go see one- there are different types of chiropractic and not all of them are going to work for you.

4. Natural beauty products. Seriously y'all, some of the stuff I've tried works much better than store-bought-chemical-laden nonsense. Check out pinterest for ideas, but I've tried coffee grounds for acne treatment (works swimmingly), coconut oil as facial moisturizer (this is actually all I use), essential oils for scarring (tea tree oil, enough said), and a few others- give it a go!

5. Juicing/Diet. Food is both the greatest poison and greatest medicine we have. I can clearly see changes in my body based on what I eat- when I was having gallbladder problems, I switched my diet around and was able to manage my symptoms without having surgery! Chances are that there are easy dietary changes you can make to alleviate a multitude of symptoms. If you're interested, check out "The Diet Cure" by Julia Ross, she goes over a lot of great information, and shares years worth of clinical research.

Have you tried any home remedies? If so, what works for you??

When all else fails {Dealing with Stress}

G'Day lovelies!

How was everyone's Easter weekend? Wonderful I hope!

Today I want to talk a little bit about what to do when life sort of explodes, the list of things to do gets piled up, time runs short, and you start to run out of steam. For me that has been my life for the past month or so, I feel like I can't catch my breath! I've been juggling a move (packing, cleaning, etc.), family nonsense, the death of my grandmother, work, school, and marketing my horse to be leased. I'm sure that I'm forgetting a few things but you get this jist.

When I was in college (undergrad) I learned how to prioritize, schedule, and get stuff done! There were many all-nighters and 4 o'clock in the morning bedtimes for me but somehow I managed to get it done. Since I have to be slightly for socially functional in my life after college (leggings aren't appropriate on the daily) I have to get to bed at a reasonable hour- so here are a few things that I do to relieve stress and get things done!

1. Write it down. It helps me if I have a list of everything coming up, if it isn't scheduled into my day I have a hard time making it fit.

2. Prioritize. Is getting your haircut #1 on the list, or are there a few things that can wait? Make those decisions and get cracking on the super important stuff.

3. Take a few minutes to unwind. If I run myself at full capacity without slowing down, even for just 30 minutes, I get pretty ragged and anxious- it helps to take a short period of time to just decompress. For me that includes going to the gym, reading my Bible on our patio, or watching an episode of my favorite TV show.

4. Get sleep. As impossible as it may seem, you need to make sleep happen! Your body needs that time to recharge, so get as much as possible.

5. Eat. This usually isn't a problem for me since my life practically revolves around food, but don't skip meals! Take a few minutes at the beginning of the week to plan a few easy, quick meals to keep you running.

And if all else fails...

6. Have a meltdown. Sometimes you just need to cry it out, it's hard holding it in 100% of the time, so have a good crying session, then pull yourself back together.

Xx,

LG

Because of Jesus.

Happy Good Friday!!

What a bittersweet day it is! Can we talk about how difficult it must have been for Mary, and all the followers of Jesus to witness him dying? Or how about how difficult it was for Jesus to bear the weight of our sins and shame so that we can be made clean? Yet he did it with beauty and grace. Talk about amazing.

In this season we are particularly reminded of everything that Jesus did for us on the cross-- I know that my heart feels so full knowing how loved and precious I am, and you are too!

Because of Jesus I can:

-Face tomorrow knowing my eternal fate is sealed

-Forgive myself for the past, and for the future mistakes I'm inevitably going to make

-Love others regardless of their sin, because they're forgiven too

-Stop striving to be perfect

-Have faith that my marriage will be for the long haul

-Face my fears and those who persecute me

-Celebrate life!

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful week, happy Easter weekend friends!!

Xx,

LG

Hiatus and Hurting

Good morning beautiful babes!!

I can't believe I've been gone from blogging for so long! It has been a rough couple of weeks for me and the time has just slipped away. I have a few posts coming that will go into detail, but in the past 3 weeks I've been swamped with school, managed to pack and move 99% of our apartment, and mourned the loss of my darling Grandmother.

So for now, here's a little mid-week inspiration!

Source: pinterest

Xx,

LG

New home: New Adventure.

Good morning, snow bunnies!

Well, it's moving week, a time we've anticipated since settling in our first apartment. Our first home together was not what I would have envisioned. We had absolutely zero closet space (I mean that literally), a portable washer/dryer unit (yes friends, portable) sketchy neighbors to-boot, barely functioning appliances (did I mention that I broil everything because our oven coil is broken?), outdated everything, and old carpet that sort of grosses me out.

As much as I didn't love our apartment, things were starting to come together, from our living room gallery wall to the bathroom shelves, it was starting to feel...familiar.  Our new apartment is actually a place where my husband lived for the 2 years prior to our wedding, so I've been there plenty of times before- though as I was moving a few boxes over, it felt different, it was no longer his bachelor pad it was our new home! Unlike our current residence, the new place features a patio, backyard, walking trail to a creek, new appliances, a second bedroom, and NO carpet. Along with being spacious, it has approximately 5 closets. I'm in heaven. I can't wait to get settled in and decorate, hopefully I'll be able to post a few home tours on the blog for you lovely readers to see : )

Looking back on the past 11 months spent in our apartment, I almost feel sad leaving it behind. These walls have seen some of our best and worst moments as newlyweds, and just when it begins to feel like 'home' it's time for a new space, new memories, and another year of a wonderful marriage.

Xx,

LG

Giving thanks.

Good morning babes!

I seriously hope that everyone is having a great week! I feel like I've been all over the place this week, though I'm not totally sure why.

So. My birthday was last week, and that's not a cue for all of you to wish me a happy belated birthday, I just want to let some feelings go.

My birthdays aren't ever really anything special, for some reason it makes me uncomfortable to celebrate "me" and usually my friends forget that it's my birthday or don't really do anything. I think the last time I actually celebrated my birthday was when I was 10 years old and we went roller skating. Once, my husband tried to plan me a surprise party and no one showed up. I used to have some gems for friends.

This year all of that was different, this year I had such a genuine outpouring of love, I honestly didn't know what to do with myself. On Tuesday, two of my best friends took me downtown to walk around and take pictures, before heading off to dinner at one of my favorite spots.

As I walked in the door to the restaurant I heard a voice say "We're here for you!" and as I turned, a group of my friends were there to surprise me for  my birthday. My husband put the whole thing together, and quite honestly I almost cried.

My besties, Emily and Katie 

Of course Katie and Emily were involved in the whole setup as well, Katie actually helped pull off my engagement so she knows how to be sneaky : ) My friends and I grabbed a table while the husbands got a separate spot so they could do whatever it is that guys do. I enjoyed my favorite gluten free pizza and tiramisu. The night was perfect.

My beautiful friends, Emily, Lindsay, Danielle, Emily M, and Katie.

On my actual birthday, Katie swung by the apartment to bring me a gift and coffee. Seriously, I can't get enough of this girl and how well she knows me.

My hubs wanted to make my birthday special, so he decided to plan a day for us in Charlottesville. We had a fantastic lunch and hit up a few of my favorite stores (hello Trader Joe's). Though for some reason the day felt like it was missing something. Just the night before my heart had been so full from my dear friends, good food, and lovely gifts. What was wrong with me? As we went around Charlottesville, I realized that I had to snap out of the fantasy that my husband was going to take me Anthropologie or Kate Spade, and turn me loose, letting my buy the whole store. I felt myself becoming to discontent with all of the beautiful things I had, and wanting more, wanting new things that I don't already have. If being a newlywed doesn't do anything else for you, it most certainly will make you humble, at least it has been a humbling experience for me.

Once I woke up from my little self-pitying episode, I felt so convicted about how I had felt and acted. For starters, I'm sure I hadn't shown my loving husband just how grateful I was to spend the entire day with him, something that rarely ever happens because we work totally different hours, or the fact that I appreciated his thoughtfulness. No, I had been too busy being selfish to consider those things. The day after, I woke up feeling sad, mainly because of how materialistic and selfish I had been the day before.

After feeling wrecked and apologetic, I was able to bounce back. How? Because of Jesus. I may be a selfish wretch, but his beautiful, perfect love covers all of that. Life is sweet because I know I'm always restored and forgiven, and because my angel-of-a-husband loves me regardless of my sin. That friends, is love.

I hope everyone is having a great week!
Until next time!

Xx,

LG

Birthday wish list

Hey Babes,

How's it going for everyone? Sick of the snow yet? I know I'm ready to head outside with my blowdryer just to melt this crazy white stuff.

I can't believe that it's March already!  With my birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, I thought it appropriate to think of a few items that I'd be delighted to unwrap on my special day.

1. Hunter Wellies. These were on my Christmas list, and though I intended to buy them with Christmas money, somehow I didn't get around to it. Don't even ask me how.

2. Kate Spade Beauty number 1. Does this even need an explanation? 

3. Kate Spade beauty number 2. It's beautiful and perfect. (Though I would like the soft leather version if they had it in anything other than black)

4. A Goldendoodle. If you know me then you're probably aware of how doodle obsessed I am. My hubs has looked into treatment options, the cure? More doodles.

5. A vanity desk. For all my papers...and beauty supplies.

source: pinterest

6. Another Erin Condren notebook. I absolutely love Erin Condren products, they're cute-to-boot and the quality is phenomenal! I was given a journal for Christmas over a year ago so I'm excited for another one! (This was on my list but my darling hubs has already given it to me)

Well that about does it! What are some items that are currently on your wish list?? How about wishing for warm weather?

Xx.

LG

Gluten free Oat Muffins

Good Morning babes!


Since I've been on my gluten free adventure, making baked goods has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me. Too gritty, too slimy, I've thrown out more cakes than I can count. Well, fear not because this recipe is fast, easy, and delicious! Did I mention that this recipe could easily be made vegan? It's a win/win.

What You'll need:

5 cups rolled oats

1 tsp. salt

2 3/4 cups water

1/4 cup milk, use almond or coconut milk if you're dairy free/vegan

1/2 cup oil (I used coconut and olive oil)

1 over ripe banana

1 egg

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or chocolate chips, nuts, etc.)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

What you do:

In separate bowls, mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Mash the banana and add into the wet ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix well

Add the batter to a cupcake or muffin tin (with liners)

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until done

I hope that you enjoy these as much as I have, my hubby even approves! Eat them for breakfast with peanut butter or take them on the go as a snack!

Enjoy!

Xx,

LG

A Few Things I Love About My Husband

Good day cuties!

How's the weather treating everyone? It's 54 degrees today in Ole' Virginny so I'm not complaining, here's hoping that the black snow melts. Seriously, that stuff is gross.


A few days ago, the sweet Karissa from Karissa and Company posted a precious blog post about 10 things that she loved about her husband and it inspired me to do one as well!
In relationships and especially marriage, it's important to speak positive words about your spouse, it breaks my heart to see spouses talk about one another behind the other's back.

Sometimes I joke about the silly things that my husband does that drive me crazy, but at the end of the day I get a good laugh about how wacky I am. If he thought about my annoying habits for even 5 seconds, my husband would have an incredibly long list. Seriously guys, have you read my post about how weird I am? If not, you can find it here.

The funny thing about marriage is that sometimes you see your sin more clearly through the other person. One day as I was tidying up the house and getting irritated about all the little things that got left behind my husband or myself, it hit me that there are plenty of things that I do that must annoy him as well. Perhaps my huge pile of clothes that need to be put back in my closet, or how about my crafting supplies that are often scattered around our living room. Sometimes when by putting the magnifying glass on your spouse, it comes right back and you see your own flaws more clearly.

With that being said, here are just a few things that I love about my husband!

1. He is patient.

Seriously guys, my husband is a saint. He is so unbelievably patient with me, all of my projects, dreams, fears, he just sits by me and lets me get everything out. I can be a little wound up at times, yet he doesn't show his frustration and for that I'm thankful.

2. He understands my humor.

Have I told you about how weird I am? My humor is different than most, and often dry and inappropriate, yet he gets that about me and laughs at my jokes.

3. He's my bestie.

Will my husband ever replace my best girl friends? No. But he's my very best friend. When I had no friends, my husband gladly went to Target with me to look at nail polish and makeup, he goes shopping with me, and he listens to my "girl talk" with no complaint. 

4. He's my biggest fan.
Yet another cliche thing people say about their significant others, but I mean it. He's always rooting for me and he's always excited for me. When I got my part-time job at a small boutique, he took me out to celebrate. Case and point.

5. His expectations are realistic.
I LOVE that my husband is practical and realistic. He doesn't expect me to greet him every day with my hair and makeup done, all the laundry folded and put away, and every surface in our home scrubbed and sparkling. Whether I'm fresh-faced or still in my gym clothes, he always seems excited to see me.

What are some things that you love about your significant other/spouse? I'd love to hear what you have to say : )

Xx,

LG

Hearts, Sparkles, and Cupcakes {Featuring Tiny Prints}

Good Morning beauties!!!


I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and Valentine's day!


When I first received an email from Tiny Prints, I was super excited and very inspired to come up with something girly, fun, and functional. I mean, who doesn't love darling stationery?
For those of you who aren't familiar with the brand, Tiny Prints is a partnership brand of Shutterfly, which is also a "sister" to Wedding Paper Divas. If you haven't used Shutterfly or any of the other brands, you're missing out! I used Wedding Paper Divas for a our save the dates and invites for our wedding, the quality of product and customer service is fantastic! I've also ordered from Shutterfly, my favorite item being a custom calendar that I put together as a gift a few years ago. Everything with this company is so easy and stress free!

With Valentine's day approaching it was the perfect time to put a little something together with a few of my best friends. Though I'm married, I don't celebrate V-day with my hubs, we both don't have much interest in the 'holiday' so I prefer to spend the day celebrating with my closest friends; this year I was able to do just that. Since I had a pink and glittery Valentine's tea party approaching, I selected the perfect gift tags that were festive and captured my personal style very well. Being the personalization lover that I am, I opted for custom gift tags, which I felt would be easy to style and would add a little special sparkle to the event. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the regular plans were changed but I was still able to celebrate with cupcakes and lots of hearts! My best friend Katie, from Katherine Couture helped me put this beautiful display together, she has such an eye for fashion and photography so she was a huge help!

There are so many things that can be done with the gift tags! Aside from placing them on gifts or party favors, they can be used to "sign" a handwritten letter, seal an envelope, stick on "soda shop" straws to add detail, or spruce up cupcakes as well! Take a look below at how I styled these beauties.

Be sure to give Tiny Prints a look, they have beautiful stationery, business cards, you name it! I know that I have my eye on a few pieces, here are some of my picks! 

For all you glitter girls:

Glitter thank you!

For the feminine beauty:

Tea Rose thank you

How about these moving announcements? What a great idea! My husband and I are moving soon, so this would be a great way to tell everyone that we have a new address!

Homespun announcement

Tell me what you think? Is custom stationery something that you love as much as I do?

Xx,

LG

Reasons why I desperately need a dog.

HAPPY SNOW DAY!! I hope that everyone is tucked safely away with their loved ones!

This is the first snow day that my hubs and I have ever been able to spend together, so needless to say I'm excited and happy : )

Since before we were even married, I've been talking about getting a dog...you could say I'm obsessed. At least once a week I look up the hashtags for goldendoodles on Instagram (it just snowed, so this week's are going to be gold) and I bring up the topic roughly twice a day. I. have. a. problem.

Our current apartment doesn't allow dogs, but we are moving the first week of March so my obsession is going straight to "Threat Level Midnight" once we are settled in the new place. Batten down the hatches hubby, things are about to get crazy.

If you've ever heard me talk about my dogs at home, then you know I'm out of control.
Case and point.

Both of these pups (mainly my little moo-moo, whose real name is Muffin) have nursed me back to health and brought many smiles to my face....so without them and their snugglefluff I'm just deprived.

So here are some of the reasons why I need a dog.

1. I'll have someone to listen to me all day. I talk a lot

2. I'll be less scared when I'm alone

3. Snuggling. Enough said.

4. I'll have to take it for walks, so then I'll get more fresh air and as a result I'll be healthier.

5. It's a need, not a want.


Are any of you puppy crazy? I can't wait to have a little fur baby of my own! Trust me, as soon as it happens, you'll be notified!

Xx,

LG