Five on Friday::Chasing God Book review::GIVEAWAY!!!

TGIF!!! I am going to the Melting Pot tonight for a salad and dessert (definitely non paleo. definitely worth it!) and I cannot wait! Girl talk and chocolate. Yes, please!!!

I'm linking up here again today for Five on Friday!

{one} I just ordered the boys' Peter Pan birthday invitations and am going to get started on the stuff I need to put together for the games portion of the party. The invites are kind of vintage Peter Pan and I am in love!  I am getting so excited about all of it! One of the things that I thought I was going to give up on this year was making the cake. See, I'm a DIY'er. I love doing everything AND it saves money. Total win-win. But, this year, I was determined to let that go. UNTIL I got the quote price back for the cake I wanted and it was $299!!!! Umm.. no thank you. Looks like I better start reading up on how to work with fondant! (insert wide eyed, scared emoticon!!) Thankfully, my sister in law is going to help!

{two} As I had mentioned before we are signed up for another half marathon in April. I'm not going to lie.. I have not been crazy excited about it. Until I ran in a 15K (9 miles) a couple of weeks ago and got bit by the racing bug again. Something about a race is just so much fun. And I'm not even hugely competitive. Much more so with myself than I am with others. Anyway, it's becoming fairly obvious that I am about to have to start giving up some of my workout classes and focus more on running, which I'm still not thrilled about. But, you know what would make it better? These pants. 

found here

I mean. Come on! I'm pretty sure they are more for yoga/pilates/barre, but I'd be willing to give it a shot! 

{three} I am mentally starting a countdown for our Florida trip this summer. A few nights ago I looked up the house again and noticed that they had added a playground and bikes for you to ride around town. I know I haven't mentioned this (because really, why would I?!?!), but one of my dreams is to ride a bike around destin in a cute little sundress. Bonus points if it is a vintage bike with a basket full of fresh flowers in the front. Call me silly or easy to please. I'll accept either! 

{four} A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was wanting to read Chasing God by Angie Smith. A few days after that, I got asked if I wanted to review her book. If you read her blog, you know you are going to laugh and have an "aha" moment all at the same time. This isn't one of those books that you'll read once and be done. It is one that you'll come back to many times.  It's a book that you read and feel like you are sitting in front of her and having a conversation. One that is raw and honest. One that isn't sugarcoated, but doesn't leave you feeling like you can't be the Christian you desire to be. One that will undoubtedly reassure you of the love our God has for us. A love that everyone dreams of and the kind that can only come from Him. Angie states early on that 

"The goal of this book is not to present you with a formula for living out Christianity. It's to offer my thoughts on the difference between looking for Him and looking at Him." 

If the amount of highlighted sentences in this book are any indication, I'd say she did a great job. 

{five} In addition to reviewing the book, she also offered a book to giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FIVE on Friday

Whoop Whoop! It's FRIDAY. TGIF. Husband home for the weekend. Going out tonight for a girlfriends 30th...Need I say more?

{one} How many of you fellow bloggers out there open up the page to start writing and posting pictures only to realize that some of them are stuck on your phone? To some it might not be a big deal to go grab your chord and go through the process of downloading them. But to me, it is. In the past I have resorted to emailing them to myself. UNTIL I was introduced to Image Transfer. All I did was open up the app, choose the pictures I wanted to send, go to the website they told me to go to on the computer I wanted to send the pictures to, and hit download. Done. GAME.CHANGER! Thanks, Libby, for introducing me. Anyone else have any life changing apps for me??!!

{two} I have heard rumors of a Starbucks coming to our area for a while now. There have been some new little strips going up around town, one of which we pass on our way to church. Matt and I say every Sunday how awesome it would be to swing by and grab some coffee on our way (Not that we would have time, mind you. What is it about being late to church? We CANNOT make it on time. Something always seems to happen). Anyway, my mother in law sent me this picture with the caption "You can stay here now!" haha.. she knows me too well! 

Then on the way to bootcamp my father in law called to tell me the same thing. I think they have me pegged! 

I also have to say that I am a huge fan of the new sleeves. Aren't they cute?! 

{three} I joke all the time that Cade is about to be 2, but is really going on 4. I'm not sure if it is the second child thing or if it is just his personality or both, but he is constantly cracking us up. Whether it be shooting us with his Buzz Lightyear laser or noticing the big boy stuff like superheroes, he is ahead of the game with some of the funniest stuff. One of the sweetest, though, is praying. Connor noticed that Cade was paying attention to him while we were praying and mimicking everything he was doing. So, thankfully, he has been setting a really good example!  I'm not sure I've actually heard any of the prayers Matt has made lately because I can't help but stare at them and smile. 

{four} Sign ups for Connor's first season of soccer is tomorrow!!!!!! I am so excited to see what happens with this. I can see this going both ways. I can see him clinging to my leg not wanting to go out there or totally surprising us and doing well. My gut is telling me that he will surprise us. I pray that my gut is right. Not because I will be disappointed, but I just want him to have fun! I'm already envisioning his cute little self in that soccer get up. I can't even handle it. I can also envision us having to tie Cade to the ground. Like I said before, he doesn't realize he is younger! 

{five} This excruciatingly cold winter has killed my skin. My hands specifically. While browsing IG the other night I saw a post for DIY body Butter. It looked easy, so I decided to give it a try. I followed the recipe from Paleo Cupboard, only omitting the essential oils. Only because I wanted an unscented lotion. So, all it took for me was 1 c. coconut oil and 1/3 c. almond oil. Mix it together using a hand mixer and voila... you've got yourself some lotion! 

 At first I kind of felt greasy, but once that settled in my skin was so smooth! Plus, it lasts longer while washing dishes since it is oil based!

So, there you have it. Linking up here, so check it out! Hope y'all have a great weekend!!

FIVE on Friday

I have seen so many lovely ladies join in on  this link up and while I'm trying to get back into the groove of blogging, I figured this would be a great way to start! The link up par-tay is hosted by Darci, Christina, April and Natasha (all of whom have seriously cute little spaces on the interwebs. Definitely go check them out!!)

{one} I went to see Lone Survivor with a girlfriend last night at the late show. First off, let me just say it is so, so good. And pretty intense. I'm not sure if it was that or the cup of coffee I drank on the way there, but I had a hard time going to sleep. I think I got about 5 hours, which is not near enough for me. Momma likes her sleep. But, seriously, highly recommend the movie if you haven't seen it. 

{two}Matt and I have started training for our 2nd half marathon. I have been having a horrible time with my shins and was thisclose to hanging my running shoes up. I took a week off and enjoyed some extra classes at the gym and even did a little workout at home. Then Wednesday MawMaw called and asked if she could come watch the boys for a couple of hours. I checked the weather and while it was supposed to be in the mid 20s, it was sunny with no wind. I decided to go for it and ran outside. And knocked out 7 miles!!! Pain free! To say I was elated was an understatement! I never got cold until I stopped and then it took me almost 45 minutes to regain function in my hands. HA! 

{three} I am the worst online shopper ever. I so want to be one of those girls who can see something and just order it so carefree, but I'm not. I'll go back and forth for what feels like hours worrying that I won't like the way it looks on me, won't fit right, color will be off, etc. Which, is why I bring in the help of my sister in law (hi ape!)  to just tell me what to do :) Thankfully, she told me to order the pair of pants I was looking at and now I am so excited to be able to wear them! I found this look on pinterest that I knew I had to recreate 

source unknown

I am getting started by ordering these pink pants. They are so cute and can be uncuffed or rolled down some more. 

here

Now to just find that amazing lace top..HA! 

{four} We went to a Harlem Ambassadors game on Monday night because I knew the boys would love it. Cade especially. Turns out I wasn't wrong:

This child hears even the slightest beat and starts breaking it down. Saying "Bo, Bubba, Bo, Bubba" the whole time. Cracks me up.  

{five} We are watching the Superbowl at my BIL's house with a few friends. While I am super excited about hanging out and do want Peyton Manning to win, I could care less about the game. If anything, I'm just excited that it is kind of a "night off" from cooking! Please tell me I'm not the only one! 

Hope y'all have a great weekend!!