If you know me at all, you know I’m an old soul. I love tradition, I’m fascinated by old things made new or repurposed, and I’ve always valued the “old fashioned” way of doing things. The simple way of life has always beckoned to me, breathed life into my spirit, and to be honest… seemed kind of out-of-reach.

We live in a world where everything is (practically) instant. I’m not complaining, really, because without all the great things technology has brought us, I wouldn’t be able to sit here, sipping my coffee, writing this while my little one sleeps. Without it, I wouldn’t have these photos that my friend has captured so beautifully.

Nonetheless, there’s something to be cherished about a slower way of life. Sitting on the front porch drinking sweet tea, letting your little one splash and play in a good ol’ sink bath for as long as they want, making homemade bread from scratch, eating supper outside on warm evenings, taking the time to sit down and write a note to a friend, a snuggly baby napping under a handmade quilt…  these are all some of my absolute favorite things. They’re all things I want our children to grow up appreciating.

I am in a season of life, right now especially, where I have to make a conscious choice to pursue the way of life I’ve expressed loving so dearly. It’s so easy to feel the need to plan every weekend, have my phone in my hand 24/7, and miss the little opportunities to savor homemade happiness. So, if you’re like me, and you crave the simplicity that comes from slower living, make the conscious effort to cultivate a lifestyle that makes it a priority.

Take more pictures. Let them make messes. Fill your home with the smell of goodies baking in the oven. Leave your calendar blank for the weekend. Sit on the porch. Drop by and see an old friend. We’ll all be glad we did…

Photos by my dear friend Meredith Fields, whose talent, sweet spirit, and love for the Lord inspires me daily.

My little Landon,

I can’t believe you are 9 months old. I have been looking at the last few pictures of my pregnancy today and I am still in awe of the miracle of your life, and so humbled that Jesus allowed me to carry you and have the honor of bringing you into this world. It was worth every single second of pain and every single minute of waiting.

I remember thinking that first time I looked into your eyes, that my heart could never hold more love than it held at that moment. I couldn’t believe you were mine. I couldn’t believe it was over (whew!), and I couldn’t believe that your Daddy and I were about to take you home with us, with no training or anything (haha!).

Every month on the 24th, I reflect on the last month of your life and the milestones you’ve reached, each new “first” you’ve experienced, and how you’ve grown. This month, however, just seems a little extra special. It’s just amazing to me that you’ve now been outside of my belly for the same amount of time that you were inside my belly (actually, a little longer, since we didn’t make it quite to 40 weeks)! I know, it’s a little silly, but you’ll see, I’m sentimental about little things like this that other people don’t pay the slightest bit of attention to. With time, I hope you’ll learn to love that about me just like I love it about my own Momma.

The last 9 months with you have been the greatest 9 months of my life. I look at you some days and wonder what I did before you got here. That’s a little ridiculous, because your Daddy and I had a great life together, just the two of us. We were always up for anything, we went on spontaneous weekend trips, and sometimes we went out for tacos at 9:30 on Tuesday nights. But, you… you completed us. You have added SO MUCH JOY to our life, darling. We prayed for you, we dreamed of the family Jesus would give us. And He gave us you.

You have a sparkle in your eyes that I pray never dulls. You have the sweetest spirit that captivates everyone you come in contact with. You smile all the time, have the most adorable giggle, and love music and going to church and being outside. I can’t wait to hear your sweet little voice call me “Mama,” but until then, I’ll just keep melting over how you look at me, how you pat my face in the mornings, and how you rest your sleepy head on my shoulder.

Some of your favorite things right now are riding in your wagon (a hand-me-down from your big cousins that’s quickly become a favorite), going to the park and swinging until your sweet little eyelids get heavy (you fall asleep in the swing every time), and playing in the sink when I give you your bath. Watching you grow is just fascinating to me. You are so much like your Daddy already, I can only imagine the ways you’ll become more like him as you get bigger. Your sparkly blonde hair and big blue eyes make you the spitting image of him. You might not fully realize yet how wonderful your Daddy is, but you’ll see with time. He works so hard so that I can stay at home with you, he prays for you every day, and he takes delight in seeing you grow and learn new things. He is going to be your best friend and will shepherd you towards Jesus in a way that a Daddy should.

I want you to grow up in a home full of laughter. A home where you know it’s okay to make mistakes and messes. A home where you know you belong. A home where you see how much your Momma and Daddy love each other and are a better husband one day because of it. I pray that you come to have a personal relationship with Jesus early in your precious life, that you learn to trust Him, that your deepest desire is to be like Him…

I’ll love you forever, and always more than the day before.

Love,

Momma

Being ignored hurts. Knowing someone is harboring bitterness, anger, and resentment towards you hurts. Feeling like there’s nothing you can do to mend the brokenness in a relationship that you have cherished your whole life hurts. It may be something you caused and have asked forgiveness for, it may be a big misunderstanding, or it could be circumstances that were out of your control. But see, that’s where the two words that can change your entire life come in…

But, Jesus.

For my language-arts-teaching husband, that’s probably not even considered a complete sentence. But, when you understand what it means, all the grammatical rules you’ve ever learned go out the window. You see, we don’t deserve anything. The Bible tells us that apart from Jesus, there is no good thing (Psalm 16:2). We definitely don’t deserve forgiveness from our sins, we don’t deserve the free gift of salvation, and we don’t deserve the selflessness of God to send His only Son to die in our place.

But, Jesus.

He doesn’t see us as undeserving. He looks at us with eyes of love. He sees us as His treasure and He cares about our hurt (1 Peter 5:7). When we feel the hurt that brokenness brings, we can’t handle it with grace on our own. We can’t forgive. We aren’t able to move past it at all, actually. But, Jesus can. He will. He has. He is able. 

You see, when we try and handle hurt on our own, all the ugly comes out. The this-isn’t-fair mentality, the my-feelings-are-hurt whining, the revenge-will-make-me-feel-better and the they-deserve-the-cold-shoulder response… it’s all so, so dangerous. Because, you see, friend… as a child of God, we are called to honor Him with the way we handle the hurt. Without giving it all to Him and allowing Him to guide our response, there’s no way to work through it in a way that shows others His goodness, grace, and mercy through us.

I would be lying if I said that it’s not sometimes a daily struggle to fight the fleshly desire to take dealing with hurt into my own hands. If I told you that this is something I have already overcome, it just simply wouldn’t be true. But again, even that striving, is something I could never accomplish apart from my Father. When we lay our burdens down at His feet, He carries us through and teaches us to walk in His grace, day by day.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

I feel called to share this today, kind of as a continuation of this post from a few weeks ago, and it’s my prayer that you’re encouraged! We have a good, good Father!

I’ve been meaning to share these recipes, but I keep forgetting and they’re both so simple, neither really “deserves” it’s own blog post. So, here ya go friends!

Best “Fixed Up” Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 ranch dressing packet (I always use Hidden Valley)
• 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

• Mix together and chill. Guaranteed to be as good if not better than your favorite restaurant ranch. So good. Fattening. But so good.

Best Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 8 cups, plus 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 6 cups rice crispy cereal
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Line a 9×9 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
• In a large pot over low heat, melt butter. Once butter is melted, add in 8 cups mini marshmallows, stirring constantly.
• Once the marshmallows are just melted, remove from heat and stir in cereal and salt until just coated in marshmallow mixture.
• Now stir in the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan and lightly press in evenly. You don’t want to pack them down, because that will make them hard, so just lightly smooth them out int he pan.
• Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

These are probably my husband’s all-time favorite treat and this is the best recipe I’ve ever tasted because of the pillowy goodness that’s made from adding the 2 additional cups of marshmallows at the end. I found this recipe here.

I made bracelets for 2 years. 100% of the profits went towards mission work, both in Haiti and here at home (sending a child to church camp where the focus was on missions, helping families who were going through difficult times, etc.). I loved the creativity of making bracelets, was constantly blown away by the opportunities Jesus laid before me, and I was so thankful for the wonderful people it brought me in contact with all over the world. Just before I found out that we were expecting Landon, I felt the Lord leading me to end my business. I struggled with it because I was doing so well, but in my heart, I knew that season was coming to an end. I ended Renmen Abonde on a high note at a big community craft fair, where I made over $1600 for missions in just a few hours. It was all Jesus.

I had a wonderful pregnancy and the last 7 months since our little boy was born have been even sweeter than I could have ever imagined. See, Jesus knew that this new season of motherhood was coming. I didn’t have a clue, but He knew, and He protected me from feeling torn between Renmen Abonde and the responsibilities of taking care of myself and a new baby. He protected me from allowing my thriving business to just fizzle out. He protected me from the guilt and frustration I could have felt if I hadn’t ended it in the right way at the right time. His time.

I have always been creative. I was the little girl hosting “cooking shows” from the bathtub and making miniature doll houses out of moss and bark from the yard. At different times of my life, there has always been some creative outlet that I’ve put my heart and soul into. When Jesus called me to end Renmen Abonde, I had to trust Him. I knew there would be something else at some point, in some form or fashion, and sure enough, there is. He’s so faithful.

I got the idea to make pacifier clips because I wanted something beautiful, yet functional, that was unlike anything I could buy at the store. I wanted something special, something different, something with that quality and timeless style that you can only get if it’s handmade. I started looking around on etsy and pinterest, and while I was able to find a few things that suited my taste, I was blown away by the cost. And that’s when I realized, I could make that myself, and for a fraction of the cost. After making a few and being thrilled with the look, feel, and versatility, I realized there are other Momma’s who would love my clips as much as I do for their little ones! So, once again, my creative heart has found a new love, and in the true nature of our Savior, it’s something that’s meeting me right where I am.

See, when I was a college student, bracelets were perfect. It was just where I was in life (not that I don’t still love bracelets, but I just mean that fashion isn’t exactly my first thought in the mornings nowadays). My first thought now is my little boy and how to love him better and meet his needs to the best of my ability. So, these pacifier clips are not only fitting for where I am, but they are a sweet reminder of how Jesus works. He meets us right where we are and loves us, provides for us, and guides us in every season.

My grandma, who we all lovingly called “Baba,” called me Punkindoodle. She passed away a few years ago, and went Home to be with Jesus and my Paw. I named Punkindoodle Paci Clips in her memory, and my hope is that the love and appreciation for tradition that she instilled in me is evident in each and every clip I make. They are all unique and special in their own way, and you will find that they don’t distract from your little one’s outfit like most clips sold in stores do. Instead, they will complement and be a soft, helpful tool to keep your child’s pacifier, rattle, or teething toy within reach, off the floor, and away from germs.

Thank you for reading and allowing me to share my heart behind this new venture. Jesus is in the details, and it’s because of Him that I am proud to share my story.

To order, email punkindoodlepaciclips@gmail.com

Be sure to like Punkindoodle Paci Clips on facebook and follow us on instagram!

Fabric clips are $8, leather clips are $10, bundles of 3 (which include one leather clip) are $20 (Shipping fees do apply)

My cousin Heather and I share recipes all the time and it’s so much fun. She brought this apple bread to Thanksgiving this year and I fell in love with it. I’m not a huge apple fan – I mean, don’t get me wrong, I can throw down some hot apple pie topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream – but for some reason, I just usually don’t usually make apple treats. This, however, has already become one of my favorite things to keep in the house for when guests stop by and I just want to offer them a snack, or to have with coffee in the mornings during my quiet time.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk
• 1 apple, peeled and sliced into thin pieces

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan well, so that it doesn’t stick when removed.
• Whisk brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside (this will be used to toss your apples in).
• Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and softened butter until creamy. Then, addd in eggs (one at a time) until incorporated and then add vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Then, stir into the wet ingredients. Mix milk into batter until smooth.
• Pour half of the batter into prepared loaf pan.
• Toss your peeled and thinly sliced apple in the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.

• Next, add half of the apples coated in the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture to the loaf pan. Lightly pat the apples into the batter.

• Pour the remaining batter over the apple layer and top with the remainder of the apples coated in brown sugar and cinnamon, lightly patting them into the batter once more.
• Bake 45-55 minutes (I have found that I needed to bake mine 50 minutes in my metal loaf pan and 55 minutes in my glass loaf pan). When a toothpick is inserted into the top, it should come out clean.
• Flip your loaf out of the pan, then flip back over so that the pretty apples in all their brown sugary cinnamon goodness show!

The original recipe can be found here.

Those who know me most personally know that I have been struggling with a broken relationship this year and it’s been weighing on my heart in the worst kind of way. There have been months where I have been angry, sad, frustrated, and confused. I have accepted responsibility for my attitude, apologized, been ignored, had my words misconstrued, and been talked about. I have gone back and forth in my mind between deciding not to care anymore, because I feel like I’ve done my part and the ball is in the other person’s court now to work towards restoration, and being devastated over the brokenness that this has brought to my family.

I came across this quote about a month ago (and it’s been 4 solid months since this person has spoken to me, and over a year since things have not been right between us), and it just really resonated with me.

In the midst of being ignored when I reach out, time after time, letting them know that I’m praying for them, wanting to be a part of their life, and thinking of them, it’s easy to get discouraged. Maybe you’ve been there too? But, I want you to know something, friend! The Devil is the author of dissension. He wants your family to fall apart. He loves for relationships to be broken. He craves the heartache that miscommunications and lies and jealousy brings. John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy.

Just before Landon was born, I did the Armor of God Study by Priscilla Shirer and at the time, I had no idea how Jesus was using it to prepare me for what was to come in the months ahead. It is based on Ephesians 6, and it teaches you to remember that our problems are not with one another, but with the Devil himself- and allowing him to creep in and steal our joy and our peace and our strength is what makes him the happiest and most successful. If we can remember, right there in the midst of the hurt, that it’s Satan who we are up against, not the other person, then we can start to claim God’s promises and work towards the restoration that only He can bring. That all starts with prayer, the most powerful weapon a relationship with our Father equips us with. When we focus on prayer, He wills us to cross those oceans and climb those mountains – you know, the ones people tell you not to go to the trouble to cross or climb when people aren’t loving you like you should be loved. When we’re steadfast in prayer, obedience doesn’t necessarily become “easy,” but it does become something we want, because when you’re constantly in conversation with the Father, your heart starts to line up with His, and the more you know Him, the more you love Him… and the more you want to be like Him.

It’s only by His grace that I am able to still want restoration, after this person who I’ve been so close to was not there for me at the most important time of my life, has never even held my little boy or taken the time to be a part of his life, and has completely ostracized me. That’s what obedience will do. It will strip us of our selfishness and allow us to lay our pride at the feet of Jesus. It will make what’s most important take center stage, and help us focus on having a heart like Christ.

I write all this to say, that you should never give up. If you’re in a situation where you think you’ve done all you can do, keep fighting for what lines up with the heart of Jesus. I’m not saying you should allow yourself to be hurt and rejected over and over again, because that’s not healthy. You don’t even have to reach out to the person. But, what you can do every single day, is pray. Pray your heart out for them. Pray for forgiveness, for peace, for restoration. It’s hard to be angry with a person that you’re fervently praying for. Over time, the Lord may soften their heart and I can almost promise you, that He will work in your own heart too, because He sure has in mine through all this. Keep crossing oceans.

Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11

My friend, Ginny, brought this dip to our Sunday School get together a few weeks ago and everyone fell in love with it. It is so delicious! I could hardly wait to make it myself, and when I made it for my family at Thanksgiving, I ended up tripling the recipe because the first batch was gone so quickly!

There’s actually no potatoes in the dip itself, but it’s actually made up of the toppings you could put on a loaded baked potato… so chives, bacon, cheese, and then of course that zesty ranch flavor that just tastes so delicious on a potato. It’s really easy to make, too!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 4 ounces of cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
• Bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• Chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon of powdered ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

• Combine sour cream, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese until mixed well.
• Mix in ranch mix, crumbled bacon and chopped green onion (leave out some for topping, if desired), and Worcestershire Sauce.
• Chill at least 2 hours before serving (the flavors really come together the longer you chill).
• Serve with wavy potato chips, Frito scoops, or spread onto Club crackers!

Original recipe can be found here.

*Note: I would definitely recommend doubling the recipe, because it doesn’t make very much and that way, you would be using the full block of cream cheese. Also, my favorite dipper of choice with this dip are the Frito scoops (they hold up better for dipping).

I don’t know about you, but the day after Thanksgiving I go a little Christmas crazy! Bring on allllll the decorations, Christmas music, cookie baking, and card sending! I love everything about this season, and this year it’s even sweeter as Gray and I celebrate our 3rd Christmas in our little home, now with the sweetest little addition.

I’ve mentioned my sweet friend Meredith on the blog before (remember our beach pictures?) and she’s the genius behind this cute Christmas scene. We took these photos on her land, where she and her husband will begin building their new home in the Spring. It was a beautiful day, just cold enough, and it was so much fun to see her vision come to life. She worked so hard and I think these pictures show her talent and heart behind her work.

I know I will cherish these photos of my sweet boy’s first Christmas forever!

I have been on what seemed like an unending pursuit of the perfect chocolate chip cookie for quite a few months now. I must have tried 20 different recipes (just ask my husband) and although some of them weren’t “bad,” none of them were worth sharing. However, I’m excited to say that because of this recipe, the search is over. These cookies are, hands down, the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted.

What I like most about these cookies is that they aren’t at all cakey. They are crispy on the bottom and chewy and delicious on the inside. It’s the perfect cookie. I have never seen a recipe like this, where you mix the melted butter with the brown sugar first and then have to let it sit for 5 minutes. I don’t know if it has something to do with the chemical composure or what… but I do know that it made a huge difference. Also, the one egg + one egg yolk probably plays a big role in keeping these bad boys from having that icky cakey texture.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag of milk chocolate chips

Instructions:

• First, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheet with tin foil.
• Put brown sugar in a large bowl, melt both sticks of butter, and pour the melted butter over the brown sugar.
• Stir the melted butter and brown sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Next, add egg and egg yolk.
• Then, stir in vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients slowly, mixing until combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Scoop small balls of dough onto foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.

• Let cool on a wire rack (cookies will become slightly crispy on bottom and chewy in the inside as they cool).

This recipe makes a ton of cookies. I was able to take quite a few to a friend who just had twins and still have a cake plate full in my kitchen, and take some to another friend at church!

You can find the original recipe here, one of my new favorite blogs for kitchen inspiration!