Camping Essentials

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Camping Essentials:

1. camper (tent camping is not my thing)
2. campfire
3. the ocean (I love going to the coast)
4. tarps
5. comfy outdoor chairs
6. blankets
7. knives
8. coffee and creamer
9. smores ingredients
10. firewood
11. flip flops
12. tank tops
13. jet shoes
14. flashlights
15. books
16. water
17. camping journal 
18. bathroom :)
19. bug spray
20. soap
21. games
22. fire clothes
23. lots of food
24. lots of snacks
25. hiking shoes
26. sneakers
27. sweatshirts
28. broom
29. outdoor rug
30. protein bars
31. rope
32. flint
33. lighter
34. paper plates and paper towels
35. can opener
36. baseball hats
37. clean-up bags
38. clothes for different kinds of weather
39. towels and washcloths
40. toilet paper
41. sunscreen
42. batteries
43. whistle
44. first aid kit
45. maps/directions
46. fanny pack
47. sunglasses
48. grocery bags
49. garbage bags
50. reservation confirmation
51. bungi cords
52. duct tape
53. note pad and pen
54. cell phone and charger
55. travel clock
56. work gloves
57. hot chocolate
58. scissors
59. fire extinguisher
60. nail clippers

Favorite Beauty Product

This is absolutely my favorite moisturizer for nighttime. It is free of any chemicals and dyes. It makes my face feel so smooth, and it keeps my dryness at bay.

Quote of the Day

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I believe this so much to be true. When the boys were little, they pretty much played in the dirt and the mud all summer long...every single day. They loved it! A little dirt never hurt anyone.

Throwback Thursday

I absolutely love these photos of Cam. I have always loved bandannas on people...I always loved it when Michael wore them when we were dating. I really loved them on the boys as well. What a stinkin cutie Cam is here.

Song of the Week

Things I Love

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1)  Chemex Coffee Maker

I seriously want one of these. I am not a huge coffee drinker...mainly because I don't like the bitter flavor of it plain. The only way I like it is to add sweetness to it in the form of flavored creamer. This claims that it will make very sweet coffee (and the reviews boast that as well). I would love to try this.

2)  Olives

I love love love olives. (not the fake ones in a jar, but the real fresh ones at the market) I have been making chicken every single day...and it has olives with it. I absolutely love it.

3)  Iced Tea

I have been drinking 2 glasses of green tea iced tea every single day--no sugar. I really have come to love it. It is so refreshing. I usually drink it while I am blogging. My mom used to make sweet iced tea in a green pitcher. I haven't had sweet iced tea in a long time.

4)  Coffee Ice Cream

Okay, so I love coffee ice cream. It is just so refreshing. Breyers has the best in my opinion, but I can rarely find it in our store. I remember going to the fair, and I would either get coffee ice cream or mint chocolate chip ice cream.

5)  Ceiling Fans

Right now I am loving these the most. It is really hot here, and our ceiling fans are running non-stop. We do not have air conditioning, so these are all we have to keep cool. Surprisingly, they really do take enough of the edge off to stay somewhat cool. When it gets really hot, you have to sit right underneath it.

Grandpa's Homemade Ice Cream

I loved my grandpa on my mom's side. He always had a smile on his face. In this photo he is holding my sister. One of the special memories that I have of him when I was growing up was he always made homemade peanut butter ice cream on Christmas day. He would always joke with everyone coming through the door that he wasn't able to make it this year. He always gave many different excuses...like there was no ice available to make it, they lost power so they couldn't make it, and many more. It was his fun way of messing with all of us every year...it is one of my fondest memories. I can still see him standing there as we walked in...and him immediately joking about the ice cream. And...that ice cream is still a family favorite.

Book: Not my Will

One of my favorite books of all time is "Not My Will." It is a tearjerker. I first read it when I was a teenager, and I have read it many times since. I even had Michael read it.

     Eleanor's secret love for Chad could mean losing her inheritance and giving up a life long dream.                    Will she follow her own will, or make the hard choice to submit her life to Christ's leadership?

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Pinterest Finds

I could live at either one of these places. They are so beautiful.

Tuscany, Italy

Crete, Greece

Weight of the World

Do you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders? Do you try to take everything on yourself?

I am so guilty of this. I always have good intentions...I tell myself to give it to God. Sometimes I need a good "kick in the pants."

Ever since I began having anxiety issues 13 years ago, I do struggle more. I do my best to live in the "right now," but it is not always that easy. Because I am a person of organization, I am always trying to figure out my life...what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, 5 years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, etc. I am such a planner, so I want to have a plan in place.

What I have learned though is that planning is good, but things don't always "go as planned." My dad's death and Michael's dad's death are examples of that. My miscarriage is an example of that. Moving here is an example of that. Leaving our church in PA is an example of that.

What I am trying to work on is living in the moment, letting go of that weight, and giving it to God. God knows my future anyway, so why not just let him shoulder it all. He is way better at it anyway.

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Juicer and Blender

I love a good juicer and a blender. I have had the Vitamix blender for 4-5 years now, and I use it everyday, sometimes 2-3 times a day. I love it so much for making smoothies, but I also love it for grinding almonds or coconut into flour.

I also love my juicer. I have the Jack Lalanne juicer, and I really like it a lot. It is easy to use, you can juice things whole, and it is really easy to clean. I know that the Champion juicer claims to be able to make juice 2 days ahead of time, but it is so hard to use. You have to chop everything up small, and it makes a big mess. I don't like it at all.

I recommend juicing and making smoothies every day. It is the best way to get your fruits and veggies.

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Glimpse of my Weekend

This was a great weekend. We finally got the comet moved out of the back yard and the maverick moved in its place. We also picked up Dad's car for Cam. Michael and Cam did some work on it as well. They changed the back brakes, and they bled the brakes as well. Cam also cleaned the interior. Here are some photos.

Movie: Meet the Parents

Meet the Parents is one of my favorite movies. I have seen this 4-5 times, and I still laugh like crazy every time I see it. I love it.

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What God has taught me

A couple of years ago, I heard a message by James Merritt (one of my favorite speakers from a church in Atlanta). It was about making decisions and choices in life. Here is what I took away from that message.

6 Questions to ask:

1. Will this cause me to compromise my character?
2. Could this put me in a potentially bad situation?
3. Could this hurt my influence with others?
4. Would this go against God's Word or God's will?
5. Will this draw me closer to God or further away?
6. Is it illegal, immoral, or unethical?

Throwback Thursday

Cam always looked so good in green. This was one of my favorite outfits for him. I just love his chubby little cheeks. I cannot believe that this cute little boy is now almost 18 years old. It just does not seem possible.