A Personality Revelation: The Languages of Apology

Several years ago, my husband and I heard about the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, and we really think it is an awesome marriage/relationship tool. It helped us understand ourselves and the ways we give/receive love. I highly recommend reading it, if you haven't already.

Well, now I just discovered that the same author has another book called The 5 Languages of Apology and WOW! What a revelation into myself and what I am looking for when others have wronged me. I took the assessment at the bottom of the page, and I scored highest in the "Expressing Regret" category.

My secondary language was "Accept Responsibility."

I definitely resonate most with the "Expressing Regret."

I am super interested to see what McPreachy scores, and I think this could be very helpful to me as I try to apologize in a way that is meaningful to him.

Check it out, and let me know what your results are!

10 Years Ago...

... I married the love of my life.

Happy 10th Anniversary to my wonderful, thoughtful, honorable, endearingly nerdy, logic-loving, pancake-making, problem-solving, sermon-preaching, penny-pinching, rule-breaking, over-researching, makes-me-laugh, loves-me-unconditionally, hot stud of a man.

You are the most amazing husband, and I'd be lost without you.

Vintage-esque Necklace: A Christmas Gift Re-cap

This year I made 80% of our Christmas gifts, which was 95.5 % wonderful.

The .5% big bummer is that I couldn't post all the fun crafts I was making since several of my 5 blog readers were future recipients of said crafts. So now that Christmas has come and gone, all the gifts safe and sound in their new homes, I can come out of hiding and show you a fun necklace I made for a few BFFs.

I got the idea from this darling blog/store. I Love the AMAZINGLY cute necklaces they make... but couldn't really afford that price tag.

So I ordered some 1 inch chandelier crystals here.

Then I ModPodged fabric on the back of said crystals and attached them to a chain purchased at Michael's. Simple!

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

For the packaging, I just took some cream-colored ponies... er... card stock and made 2 slits in the top, which I slid the chain into. Then I tied it all up in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon.

The gift tags were made using Trader Joe's Holiday Bags, thanks to a tip from my friend Katie. They were free and SO fun to make. Here's how.

Another fun gift I made this year were coffee cozies! I made a few for friends and also for Bennett's teachers. They were so cute wrapped up with homemade chai tea mix or with a Starbucks card tucked inside the cup.

Here's a picture of the cozie I made for myself.

I was inspired by these darling cozies sold on etsy.

So there you have it... those are just a few of the things I was up to all December long!

Blogspiration: The Best Chapstick Ever!

For Christmas stocking-stuffers, I made this chap stick recipe from Passionate Homemaking...


...and it is seriously the best chap stick I have ever used.

Now I know I am prone to exaggeration, but this time I'm serious. If you don't believe me, let me first mention that I am a complete chap stick snob. I am very particular when it comes to my lip balm. I don't just lose my head in wild infatuation... I am very level-headed when it comes to such serious matters.


But this one stole my heart... I am in love.


It is amazingly moisturizing, but not greasy or waxy. It has a subtle scent and creamy consistency. It is free of dyes, perfumes, chemicals and most importantly, petroleum (which is NOT good for your lips, though it's in almost all chap sticks). It is the perfect chap stick.


It was very easy to make even if you aren't into making your own beauty products.


A few notes:

• I made mine on the stove top in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (not a crock pot like Lindsay did).


• I added a bit (not too much) of peppermint and vanilla essential oils. Cinnamon would be scrumptious too!


• I purchased all my supplies on Mountain Rose Herbs.

Make a bunch and give them as gifts... or hoard them all for yourself! :0) Either way, your lips will be luscious and moisturized.

Happy Smooching!

A Trader Joe's Fandango: My New Cookbook!

Remember when my sweet thoughtful Mom bought me this cookbook last year?



Well she did it again!

Looky Looky what I got for Christmas! I am SO excited.



Ingredients from my favorite place in the world?

Check.
Simple, easy recipes?

Check.

Meals that have been thematically planned around every season/holiday?

Double Check.


Can't wait to get cooking!

Here are a few that caught my fancy:

• Chicken Chile and Super Chili Dip (part of the Super-Bowl-themed menu)
• Bananas Foster Baby Cakes (part of the Mardi-Gras-themed menu)
• Bow Tie Pasta with Ham (for an Oscar night Party... get it... bow ties?! Oh my word... I LOVE themed food!)
• The St Patrick's Day Menu of Cider-Glazed Corned Beef and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. I've been wanting to tackle Corned Beef on St. Patty's Day for a few years. I think this is my year.
• Heart of Darkness Chocolate Torte. Need I say more?
• Bountiful Berry Tart (from the Spring-themed Menu)
• TJ's Tortilla Soup (Cinco de Mayo Menu)

Those are just a few of the new recipes I'm excited to try! :0)

Thanks, Mom!

Merry Christmas To You (Although It's Been Said Many Times, Many Ways)

Merry Christmas!

What a fun Christmas morning we had celebrating Jesus' birth! There were presents, traditions new and old, and merry-making a-plenty!

It seems that Bennett's Christmas presents every year have a theme. When he was 1 it was Thomas, when he was 2 it was Lightening McQueen, last year was dinosaurs and this year was all about Star Wars!

Mallie got her first doll house...

... and a princess bean bag chair.

Princesses need thrones after all.

And they need pretty fingernails too!

I know this Princess is certainly happy to have such a studly knight in shining hoodie (that's hooded sweatshirt for those of you who are no longer hip).

For breakfast we had sausage egg casserole and this DELICIOUS Christmas Coffeecake. I am definitely making this coffeecake a Christmas morning tradition. So festive and scrumptious!

I prepared the batter the night before, stuck it in the fridge and just popped it in the oven in the morning.

Here it is after we hacked into it.

During breakfast, we read through the Christmas story and reflected on the meaning behind Christmas.

Then we spent the rest of the morning playing, playing, playing with our new toys! And crying, crying, crying when nap time came.

Now everyone is fast asleep, and I'm drinking my third cup of coffee and reveling in the beauty and peace of this wonderful, chilly day.

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends and family! I hope your heart was touched by the miraculous truth of our Savior's birth.

Christmas: A Pictoral Guide

Like all of you, I have been busy, busy BUSY during this month o' Christmas. But it has been a good kind of busy... a joyous, merry, can't-find any one's shoes, don't have time to blog or do laundry, sticky-fingers from candy canes, hustle-and-bustle-kind-of-busy.

We've been baking up a storm, listening to Christmas music, learning about Jesus' birthday, picking out our tree, going to Christmas Pageants, decorating the house, driving around looking at Christmas lights, drinking cocoa, reading Christmas books, eating candy canes, singing "We Three Kings" a million times :-), sending out Christmas cards and loving this wonderful season. Here are a few pictures of the Christmas season so far...