The thing about eating outside...

... it makes you feel like you’re on vacation.


You linger -- longer than you would at the regular (indoor) table.  You kinda forget about all the dirty dishes you just made back in the house, because out-of-sight, out-of-mind, amiright?

If you're eating breakfast, it's a great way to set the mood for the day.
If you're eating supper, the fresh air seems to melt away the stress of your day, one sip of wine at a time…

Since Memorial Day, we've made it a point to eat outside as much as possible.

This particular morning the birds were chirping, the sun was rising, and Grace was cute as ever.  I could have basked there for hours.   I looked at Zac and said, "I wish every morning started like this."  Slow, sunny, and serene... (and with homemade pancakes & bacon!)

Our deck is literally 2 steps from our kitchen table, but when you open that patio door and step foot on the deck, it’s like entering a whole new world.  In fact, I feel like anytime you eat outside, it’s special.  Whether you throw a blanket on the lawn & call it a backyard picnic, or eat ice cream at the shore, or even pull down the tailgate & eat nachos from the gas station -- it just feels good.

I challenge you this week, to cook a meal at home & serve it outside on your patio or deck.  It’s the best mood booster.
And a great way to slow down, while practicing to be more present.

I love deck weather.  Cheers to dining alfresco all summer long!

The night the sky was on fire

One week ago today, God created a masterpiece.

I had the hardest time capturing it on my camera, because I was too lazy to use a tripod.  In fact, we almost missed this all together...




It was storming earlier in the evening, so we had settled in to watch a movie.  At about 8:45pm my mom texted me "Check out that sunset!"

So we popped our heads up from off the couch & immediately went outside.

I had never seen a sky like that before in my life -- and I apparently wasn't the only one -- Snapchats were being sent like crazy & my entire Facebook feed was photos of the sunset (which, I'd much rather vs. some of the crap that ends up on there) :)

View to the northeast...

Mother Nature, she sure is amazing!

Momma & Bambi

It's no secret that Zac is obsessed with hunting.  In fact, I've written about it a couple times: here & here.

He spends hours doing all things hunting related -- planting food plots, cutting shooting lanes & checking deer cams.  He saves all his deer cam images to try to figure out patterns with the deer, and where he should sit & when.
(I sure hope this year his hard work finally pays off!)  

Anyways, I came across these images his Cuddeback caught a few weeks ago & they are too precious not to share!

Now if only he caught Thumper (the pink-nosed rabbit) & Flower (the skunk) on his deer cam, then he'd have the whole Bambi cast!


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How you know you are getting old.

Today, I am one year closer to the dreaded 30.

I find myself thinking lately, that I am getting old.   Because, things that bother me at 29, surely did not bother me at 20.

I know, I know... in the realm of life, twenty-nine is NOT old.  However, I've complied a list that proves I ain't gettin' any younger.  Can I get a 'Amen' to any of these?? ;)

How you know you're getting old...
You wear heels to a wedding on Saturday, and by Tuesday your feel still hurt.  You might even lose a toenail.


You like dark chocolate & bold coffee... and you like DECAF coffee after supper, or whenever you eat something sweet.


You went to the bar for drinks with friends, and you complained about how loud the music was.


You say things like: "Why on earth did she start a group text at 9:00 PM on a Sunday night? Now, my phone is going to be blowing up all night."


Clean sheets day = best day ever.


You only shop at Kohl's when you get a 30% off.


When sitting pretzel-legged for more than 3 minutes, your legs/feet fall asleep <--- (you used to be able to sit this way for hours!)


On Friday evenings, you'd generally prefer to watch a movie & be in bed by 10.  Hey, it's been a long week.


You are super annoyed by all the "young teens" hanging out at the mall.  Also, you hardly ever go to said mall anymore.


You have designated "house shoes" (shoes you only wear in the house) that you slip into immediately after taking off your work shoes because your feet & back will hurt if you don't have some kind of arch support while cooking/cleaning/etc.


You feel accomplished after a good Saturday morning cleaning sesh.


On Sundays, you meal plan.


It takes you a minimum of 4 weeks to pick out a new washer & dryer.


You get upset when your husband leaves all the lights on.


You start finding random chin hairs... like, WTF?


You see a young woman at The Frosty Tip with a shirt that shows off her belly button ring & a face full of make-up -- you comment to your husband about how you would never let your daughter leave the house like that.


You start finding GREY hair.  At age 27.


When you realize that you are turning into your mother....

Travel: The Grand Canyon {South Rim}

One of the things that allured us to vacation in Vegas was the proximity to the Grand Canyon – a place neither of us had been, but always wanted to see.

We originally had planned on taking a day trip to the North Rim, but thank goodness I did a bit of research beforehand, because apparently the North Rim is only open seasonally from May 15th - October 15th each year.  Since we were visiting May 1st - 7th, that wasn't going to work out.

After a bit more research, we decided to explore the South Rim, which is about 280 miles (or a 4½ hour drive each way) from Vegas.  We read online that the South Rim is ‘less touristy’ than the West Rim, and its views offer more of what you think of, when you think of the Grand Canyon – whether that’s true or not I can’t say since we didn't go to West Rim, but I can tell you the South Rim was breathtaking.  My photos don't do an ounce of justice to this magnificent wonder!

I’m not going to lie – the drive was a bit boring, but the desert mountains are fun to look at, especially coming from the Midwest.  The landscapes out there are just so different than what we’re used to.  On our drive, we spotted javelina, pronghorn, & wild horses, so that was kind of neat.

We stopped in Kingman, AZ to fuel up, and got robbed by stopping at the first gas station we saw.  Seriously, we paid $0.25 more per gallon than if we’d just drove a few more miles; there were much cheaper gas stations in town.  So watch out for that!

After passing through Williams, AZ, it’s just a bit further until the park entrance.  The South Rim is part of the Grand CanyonNational Park, so there’s a fee to get in.  We pre-purchased the $30 entrance fee in Tusayan, AZ, at the National Geographic Visitor Center to bypass the long lines at the entrance gate.

Once in the park, there are numerous parking areas, but it’s highly recommended to park and take the free shuttles for sightseeing, which is what we did.  We found this short video helpful when planning our trip: How to See the SouthRim in 4 Hours or Less.

I was surprised by how much was in the park – lodging, grocery, restaurants, etc. – I guess I didn't know what to expect.  What even further surpassed my expectations was the Grand Canyon itself.  It’s SO MASSIVE.  Pictures can’t even begin to exude the magnitude of this canyon...

We hiked a few paths around the canyon & spotted mule deer & elk bedded down -- they didn't even care we were there (they must be so used to people).  We also saw a few creepy crawlers & lots of different birds -- Zac was in heaven.

We lucked out with the weather, too.  It was slightly cool with a brisk wind at times, but the warm sun helped us to never feel too cold.

I highly recommend adding the Grand Canyon to your bucket list!