About a year ago, I randomly went on an overnight oats recipe pinning spree, and then I made a bunch of great recipes forgot all about it. Anyone else ever do that? I think I’m the world’s worst for having great intentions to make all these amazing Pinterest recipes, only to get busy with a million other things and forget to even try them!

Well, a few weeks ago, my sister-in-law asked me if I had ever heard about overnight oats and the rest, they say, is history. There are literally thousands of recipes for different variations of overnight oats, but today I’m going to share our favorite: brown sugar cinnamon (yum!).

Now, before I share this recipe, I need to address all skeptics. Yes, you eat this cold. Yes, it’s kind of weird to eat oatmeal cold. BUT I promise, it’s delicious. I am personally not even a huge fan of (regular hot) oatmeal, but this is just totally different. Because it’s made the night before and “rests” in the refrigerator all night, the texture is more like a pudding; creamy, but with a little bit of chewiness to it. Is chewiness even a word? And the flavor? It’s literally like a party in your mouth! So, just try it, okay?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of overnight (old fashioned) oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 (heaping) teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions:

For this recipe, you need two pint sized mason jars. Start by putting one cup of oats in each jar.

Next, pour one cup of milk in each jar over the oats. Then, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to each jar.

Secure lid tightly and shake.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup (or honey).

Divide this mixture and spoon into jars.

Stir, then secure lid tightly and shake one last time.

Place in the refrigerator overnight (at least 6-8 hours) and enjoy the next morning!

Our ladies beach retreat is a weekend that I look forward to all year. Each and every year, without fail, it’s always a special time of fellowship, worship, and rest. Caswell is truly a dream for “getting away,” tucked away between Oak Island and Southport, surrounded by the Creator’s canvas. There’s something so soothing about being by the ocean.

This trip was a big milestone for me because it’s the first time I’ve ever been away from Landon overnight! It’s crazy to think that he’s never even spent the night at my Mom’s house once in the past 11 months, but since I’m still breastfeeding, we just haven’t tried it. He did great, took his bottles like a champ (thank God for frozen breastmilk, amiright Mamas?!), and had a fun time being spoiled absolutely rotten by my in-laws!

We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather from the time we arrived on Friday until we packed up to come back home on Sunday. It was sunny and breezy and ideal for shorts and sweatshirts (my FAVE)! We stayed in a new house this year and all fell in love with it. It was closer to the water (the houses in Fort Caswell are set up in kind of an oval shape on a peninsula surrounded by water) and we left the windows open at night so we could fall asleep to the crashing of the waves and wake up to the seagulls… ahhh!

The theme of this year’s retreat was “Lavender Spa” and we studied the Psalms together. There was a white sheet hung on the wall where we each added words or phrases at different times throughout the weekend, leaving us with a beautiful visual reminder of Jesus’ faithfulness and abounding love. The most meaningful and profound exercise for me was when we got eyeliner pencils and wrote a lie that we have believed about ourselves at some point in our lives on the palm of our hands. Then, we talked about how Satan tries to make us believe those lies, but if we fill our spirits with Truth and cling to Jesus and His Word, we know that those lies have been washed away. We got a wipe and cleaned our palms completely, leaving no trace of the lie that once hindered our ability to live fully for Him, and then each took turns going up to the sheet on the wall and wrote the Truth that took the place of that lie. To see “unworthy” replaced by “I am His daughter and He will never leave me” was powerful.

We ate good food, laughed until late into the night, and spent time investing in sweet, sweet friendships. These girls are all so precious to me! Already looking forward to next year!

Every now and then, I see a piece of jewelry that I just really fall in love with. I find myself attracted to whimsical, unique pieces that you don’t see every day, but still have a sense of timeless style about them. When I came across belle. A Signature Collection, I could hardly even choose a favorite piece.

In 2012, Sarah (the owner and designer) first opened belle. part time, as an extension of her lifestyle blog Belle in the City  and since then it has turned into a full time business. She adds a personal touch to each item and no piece is the same, which makes each one even more special. She loves Jesus, is super creative, and is a fellow North Carolinian! You can read more about her here. Be sure to follow belle. A Signature collection on instagram and facebook to see the latest styles!

Last week, Gray and I spent some much needed time away in the mountains. He was off work for Spring Break and there’s really no place to rest as well as my grandparent’s home in Banner Elk, NC. It’s so beautiful and peaceful, and just about 20 minutes from the little college town where Gray and I met.

I grew up going to Grandfather Mountain often, but hadn’t been since college, and neither had Gray. It’s funny, because the last time I went, I never imagined the next time I’d be walking across the swinging bridge would be with my own little boy! I’ve been in a constant state of awe about how Jesus works… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… He’s so faithful!

Just wanted to share a few pictures from Landon’s first trip to Grandfather. He was so sweet and so much fun the whole time. He smiled from ear to ear the whole time we were on the swinging bridge and loved looking at the animals, especially the otters! It was such a special memory… the only thing that could have made it better is if my Baba and Paw could have been there to share in his joy with us!

Maybe you’ve been using essential oils for years, or maybe you’re like me and are kind of new to the oily bandwagon. I have been interested in them for quite a while, but just in the last six months or so really began using them in our home.

So far, I’ve diffused lavender, eucalyptus, and Thieves. Thieves is made by Young Living and smells like a heavenly blend of lemon, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary. The scent is homey, warm, and welcoming. Young Living boasts that Thieves is possibly their most versatile and beloved blend.

You might be wondering why it’s called “Thieves,” and I was too (I’m just a nerd like that, I guess). Come to find out, it gets it’s name from a legend of four 15th century French thieves who wore a special combination of botanicals, which they believed helped protect them while they were robbing. Later, upon their arrest, they are said to have received a lesser sentence from the French authorities on the condition that they share the ingredients used in their secret formula.

I could hardly believe all the different amazing products that Young Living makes using the blend of naturally derived ingredients that is Thieves. There is a huge selection of products:

• There is a home cleaning line, offering a great way to replace the harsh chemicals used in other cleaning products with more pure, natural ingredients. This line features things like all-purpose cleaner, heavy degreaser, glass and mirror cleaner, and even carpet spot cleaner and refresher.
• They also have other unique products made with this special concoction of ingredients like disinfecting wipes and spray, hand soap and waterless hand purifier, and even toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.
• They even have cough drops, mints, and fruit and veggie spray.

The oil itself can be used for much, much more more than simply diffusing, as well. Just a few of the ways you can use it:

• Rub a few drops on the bottom of your feet to keep your feet fresh.
• Add a drop in your hot tea (delicious flavor boost)!
• Keep your trash cans smelling fresh by filling them with water and a few drops of Thieves. Let sit for an hour and then rinse and dry.
• Put 4-6 drops of Thieves on a washcloth and use it as a scented dryer sheet to enjoy the warm, fresh scent on your clothes.
• Put one drop of Thieves on your toothbrush before brushing  to freshen breath.

The possibilities are endless! Another thing I love about Thieves is that it’s safe to be used in homes with small children and while breastfeeding. You should always double check before using any kind of essential oil, because some oils (such as Ylang Ylang or peppermint oil) are not recommended while breastfeeding.

My new friend, Nelz, is a Young Living Consultant and she is passionate about Jesus and products like Young Living’s chemical free alternatives that help us take care of our bodies and live happier, healthier, more abundant lives. You can order any Young Living product from her by clicking here, and I know you’ll find her to be a pleasure to work with. She is super sweet and knowledgable about the products, and she is more than willing to answer any questions you might have. She even has a FAQ page, which you can find here.

Nelz gifted this bottle of Thieves and roller to me in collaboration with Coffee Date With Kate, but as always, all opinions are my own.

Every year, I make the same cake for my Momma’s birthday. If you’ve never tasted a Pig Pickin’ Cake, your tastebuds are missing out! It’s the perfect cake for springtime… the mandarin oranges and pineapple are just so delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 (11oz) can mandarin oranges, drained (reserve 1/3 cup of the liquid)
• 4 eggs
• 1 (20oz) can crushed pineapple, not drained
• 1 box (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding
• 1 (8oz) container cool whip, thawed

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease two 9 inch round cake pans, then dust with flour.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, mandarin oranges, and the reserved 1/3 cup of orange liquid.
• Beat with electric mixture on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Wait 10 minutes, then flip cakes out onto a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• To make icing, combine crushed pineapple and dry pudding mix and stir until well blended. Then, gently stir in whipped topping. Do not ice cake until it is completely cooled.

Optional: Save a few pieces of mandarin oranges from the can to use as a garnish! 

Also… how beautiful is my Momma? That’s her in the middle in polka dots holding Landie Bug. She’s so loved by so many. Just had to share this picture from her birthday lunch!

I don’t know about you, but I’m so thankful to see Spring come this year. It’s not that Winter was all that terrible (after all, we only saw snowflakes twice!), it’s just that my heart has been craving the sunlight that pours into my kitchen window on crisp mornings, where you can find me sipping my coffee as I listen to the birds chirp through the screen door.

This Spring sure looks a lot different for me than last Spring did. I think back to those mornings I waddled out the door right after the time changed, dreading my almost-hour-long drive to work in the dark. It was a hard season. My feet (actually, all of me…) were so swollen, I wasn’t able to sleep, and I was filled with so many questions about what the little life I was carrying would be like, and of course about delivery. I was nervous, excited, scared, you name it…

This Spring, I’m still kind of an emotional wreck, if we’re being honest (because HELLO have you seen how fast our boy is growing!?), but I have grown so much in the last year. Jesus is so faithful. This past year hasn’t been easy, ya’ll. Grayson and I have been stretched thin, challenged in ways we’ve never been challenged before, and forced to make some really hard decisions. But, oh… He’s taught us so much through it all. He’s stood by us, He’s given us more than we deserve time after time, and He’s woven our love story together even sweeter with memories that tell of His grace and His love with every fiber.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the Heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Photos by my dear friend Meredith, whose talent and sweet spirit are second to none. See more of her work here!

What encourages you to do whatever it is that you love to do? I mean, what sets your soul on fire? What inspires you? What gets you excited all over again, like you were the first time you realized how much you love to do “your thing?”

For me, “my thing” is writing. I’ve always loved to write. In middle school, I had a teacher who noticed my love for writing and always encouraged me, and even sent notes home to my Mom telling her I had a real talent with words. I journaled every day for years (a habit I wish I could pick back up, but just haven’t had the time since Landon was born, ironically when I need to be journaling the most). I have used Coffee Date With Kate for several years as a way to share both deep thoughts and convictions and favorite recipes and travel photos. And lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what it is that drives me to write and refuels my passion in the “dry spells.”

When I think back to my childhood, I see a love that has remained throughout the years, that I now realize has shaped my passion for writing. That is, the love of reading. In elementary school, I couldn’t wait to walk in a single-file line to the library every week to pick out the next Boxcar Children book. Yes, we had a week to read the book we picked out, but I had finished mine the day after I picked it out. I could never put them down once I got started.

I don’t read Boxcar Children books anymore, but I still love to read. Everything from Nicolas Sparks to Lysa Terkeurst fills my bookshelves (and coffee table, and nightstand…) and then, of course, there’s also a long list of blogs I follow daily. So, what I’ve realized, is the more I read, the more I write. There’s a correlation for me between reading a great book that I just can’t put down and opening my laptop or sitting down with my journal and a pen. Something about a blank page, just waiting to be filled, really does thrill my soul.

Now that I realize that I am inspired and driven to write in this way, I feel like I have almost a responsibility to take the time to refuel my spirit and keep the fire burning. I think it’s really important, whatever “your thing” is, to figure out what ignites the passion, keeps you in love with that thing, and makes you better. Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers.

Pinecones are so beautiful to decorate with indoors, whether you string them up and use them as a garland, use them as a filler for an apothecary jar, or create table centerpieces with them… the possibilities are endless!

Today, I just wanted to share a few tips for how to prepare pinecones for use indoors. Because they are usually filled with tiny bugs, you can’t just scoop up an arm-full and use them on your table (yikes!). However, the process to take care of that little problem is so easy and then your pinecones can be used over and over again!

1. Gather up your pinecones
2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees
3. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil (when you bake the pinecones, sap and debris will come out of them and this step makes cleanup so much easier)
4. Place the pinecones on the lined baking sheet (they can be piled on top of each other)
5. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour
6. Allow the pan to cool
7. Tap pan on countertop (pretty hard) to shake out any remaining debris (the debris comes out much easier after they’ve been baked)
8. You’re ready to decorate!

I laid my pinecones out on some newspaper and lightly coated them with white spray paint in order to give them the appearance of having frosted tips. You could also spray them with glitter for a beautiful rustic, yet elegant touch.

Landon got all of his first teeth at the same time. All four of them decided to pop through his sweet little gums within just a week or two of each other, and if you’ve been-there-done-that with your own little ones, you know that it wasn’t without some pain and a few sleepless nights. Add in biting while nursing and you have a pretty miserable situation. Landon is just about the sweetest natured little boy you’ll ever meet, so when he’s fussy, you can bet that there’s a reason.

I am so fortunate to have an arsenal of women that I can go to at any hour of the day or night with questions. My Momma, first and foremost, but also my aunt, my mother-in-law, my cousins, and some very dear friends have just been a wealth of knowledge and encouragement for me as I learn how to be a Mama. In them, I see Titus 2: 3-5 come to life in a way that I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for. As you get older, I think you really do come to appreciate quality relationships more and more.

I talked to one sweet friend in particular, who has been a huge advocate for me when it comes to breastfeeding and is a big believer in homeopathic remedies and natural health, about his teething pain and she gave me a special concoction of oil (Gum-omile Oil by HerbsPro) diluted with olive oil to rub on his gums. She was so sweet to share it with me and as she was explaining how it works, she encouraged me to test it on my own gums first, to make sure it wasn’t too strong for him. Then, she said, “my Mom always told me to be the cupbearer for my kids.”

Cupbearer.

It’s not a word you hear everyday.

I knew what a cupbearer is, but couldn’t remember the last time I had heard that word. In Bible times, Kings had a cupbearer who would taste their food or wine before they ate to make sure that no one was trying to poison them. Wikipedia explains this role like this:

“A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold the position. He must guard against poison in the king’s cup and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it. His confidential relations with the king often gave him a position of great influence. The position of cup-bearer is greatly valued and given only to a select few throughout history.Qualifications for the job were not held lightly but of high esteem valued for their beauty and even more for their modesty, industriousness and courage.”

I went on about my way, followed her instructions, and tested it out before I used it to help soothe him. Day after day went by and I couldn’t stop thinking about that word. Cupbearer.

I hadn’t mentioned it to Grayson until Sunday morning on our way to church. Over coffee in the truck, I asked him, “what do you think it means to be a cupbearer for your child?”

He was a little taken aback at first, I think just because it’s such an uncommon phrase. We talked about what it means to us, both as individuals and as a team, and I explained how after Kristi had shared with me the week before, I couldn’t stop”chewing” on it, trying to process it. I really felt like Jesus was speaking to me, but I couldn’t figure out what He was saying.

My Sunday School teacher is amazing. She’s one of those women who literally just oozes Jesus. She walks into the room and you just instantly know that there’s something different about her, and whatever it is that she has… you want it too. She carries herself with a grace and gentleness that is unmatched, and I am so thankful for her. She puts so much time and heart into preparing our lesson for Sunday School every week, and each and every Sunday, I go into the service truly prepared for worship and having learned something or having been challenged to grow in my walk with Jesus. It’s such a blessing.

Well, if you’re one of those people (like my husband) who always tries to guess the end of the story before you reach the last page, you may have already guessed what happened next. We finished prayer requests and began our lesson and Vikki told us to open our Bibles to the first chapter of Nehemiah, and what does it say?!

I (in my totally not-dramatic-at-all fashion) said “CUPBEARER?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” I explained why I was in such shock, and kept reading the last sentence in the first chapter of Nehemiah over and over again:

“I was cupbearer to the King.”

Okay, Jesus. You have my attention. What in the world?

You see, Nehemiah was in a very similar situation as Esther, which is a story I was a little more familiar with. One of my “life verses” comes from Esther 4:14, when Mordecai encourages Esther to be brave and approach the King on behalf of her people, saying, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

I shared all of this at a Bible study that my friend Meredith and I are both a part of, and when she was editing the photo session she did of Landon’s sink bath, she texted me this picture and said, “Katie, this picture can preach. Cupbearer.”

And that was it. I knew I had to write about it. It had been weeks since I had shared this story at Bible Study. Meredith and I had never talked about it since then. The fact that she even remembered, the fact that she captured the essence of being a cupbearer so perfectly as I tested the temperature of the water, the fact that once again, this word came up and stopped me dead in my tracks… I truly believe that it’s all Jesus.

I wish there was a neat, tidy ending to this story. I wish I could say and then, I realized why this word followed me around and we all lived happily ever after. But, to be honest, I’m still trying to figure it out and it both thrills my heart and terrifies me at the same time. Obviously, we are called to protect our babies… which means we make sure the bath water isn’t too hot and we blow the food to ensure it doesn’t burn their little mouths and we make them wear coats and hats to protect them from the cold. But for me, this word cut straight into the deepest part of my heart. I don’t know yet, what it will mean in the years to come, but I do know that when you feel Jesus speaking to you, you better listen up.