A Southern Christmas

For our very first married Christmas, we decided to spend it with Zach's sweet family. Originally, I was okay with this because I knew I'd be coming home to my family even if I didn't spend the actual Christmas Day with them.

Well, then we moved. So needless to say, I was a little emotional about being away from my family for the first time. I haven't seen my family for two months and I wont see them for another two months and I miss them. So much. But luckily for me, I am beyond blessed by my inlaws. I could never have dreamed of a better family to join!

So here's our week in pictures :)

Red sparkly Shellac manicure, Christmas lights, making homemade caramel, the stocking my MIL picked for me!

lots of sleeping, bonding with Logan, and a new tradition of Christmas Eve jammies!

clues to find hidden gifts, friends, and a book from my husband

our first married Christmas, southern dinner [!!], Zach and his awesome dad, and my beautiful Sister in law[who might slap  me for showing her belly..that I'm obsessed with]

Overall, it was amazing! I wouldn't trade last week for the world and I'll say it again, that I LOVE my inlaws!

The Magic Behind the Camera: Holson Photography

Ever wondered where my incredible 'blogger profile pic' came from?

Please, allow me to introduce you to the darling Heather of Holson Photography.

She just happens to be hilarious, beautiful, and most of all super talented! I wish we could've done our engagements in Seattle so that we could have used her for those too. It was super important to Zach to do them in Marietta (his hometown) so I respectfully obliged like a good wifey.

We didn't want to see each other before our ceremony because we're all traditional in some ways, which btw I am SO glad we didn't! It made walking down the aisle so so so special. We decided that since we wouldn't have unlimited time between ceremony & party for pictures, we'd ask Heather to do a "trash the dress" a few weeks after the wedding. I had never heard that term before asking her and when she said it I about fainted. She quickly reassured me I didn't have to actually trash my dress. [here's us]

Anyways, where was I.. Oh yeah, Heather! Check her out if you're in the Seattle area because she is seriously amazeballs!! [whenever anyone says that word, I always think of her cus I heard it from her first. True testament to her awesomeness]

One day I'll share our day-of wedding photos, because those are pretty stellar too :)

Thanks again, Heather!

We Grow Up So Fast

Do you ever wake up one morning and realize, "holy crap, I'm actually growing up" ?

Yeah, me either. More like while I was walking around the other day.

I was working alone and reminiscing about Christmas growing up full of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, fires, hot tubs, and laughter. Both my parents come from huge families so there usually wasn't a quiet moment around the holidays. Both sides of my family are so so special to me but I always loved going to my dads parents house because all of us cousins are only a year apart.

Now, when I think back to holidays growing up I have little snippets of memories (my family has never been one for many pictures) but mostly it just makes me feel warm & fuzzy thinking about what an amazing family I have on both my mom & dads side; happy, healthy, supportive, and loud.

So anyways, back to my point. I was working alone the other day going through the memories in my head and all of a sudden it dawned on me that I literally will never be in those places again. Since my adolescence, one grandma has passed away, the other grandparents are snowbirds and won't come north for Christmas, and all of us older kids have pretty much scattered around the country.

What I realized is that Christmas will forever look different. I don't know when exactly all that happened, but never will I wake up in the loft to the smell of my grandma's breakfast (always including bacon!), surrounded by cousins. Never will we drive from California to Washington to spend Christmas morning with my mom's parents.

But, as I realized all this, I didn't feel sad. I felt so excited for the future and blessed to have sweet memories of the past. I can't wait til we have a bunch of kids to take to THEIR grandparents house, to sleep with their cousins. And until then, we will spend holidays alternating parents, who happen to live on opposite coasts, and enjoy the new meaning of Christmas as a married couple. Im so looking forward to making memories with my husband and his sweet family.

Here I sit on a plane headed East, missing my own family, and excited for learning about what Christmas has looked like for Zach while he grew up and getting to spend time with my wonderful in laws.

Merry Christmas, y'all :)

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken & A Trick!

It's time to share one of my very favorite crock pot recipes! This recipe is super duper easy & tastes delicious. I love getting recipes off of Skinny Taste because I know that not only will they taste amazeballs, but they are usually healthy & that means they wont upset my stomach [I'm sensitive to dairy, gluten, sugar, etc etc etc]. So pretty much means that I can always count on Gina to provide me with an all around "good" meal. Also, her recipes are healthy but not skimpy. They are always always always filling, and even Zach agrees! He is a tough one to satisfy, he is not afraid to tell me 15 minutes after consuming a meal I worked hard on, that he is STARVING. But never with this meal! Without further ado, I give you:

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken a la Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• salt to taste

What to do:

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice. Voila!

Now you have a delicious meal for only 190 calories per serving. Pretty stellar if I do say so myself!

I forgot the cilantro, and the fact that I live 45 minutes from a grocery store made it so that we just went without. It was still delish, but I do love me some cilantro.

And now for my trick that I am so graciously sharing with y'all! Do you know how to shred chicken easily & without getting it under your finger nails? It's okay, I didn't know either until a few months ago. I used to wait until it cooled, then pull it apart with my hands [which I hated, because I loathe touching food with my bare hands]. 

Until one day someone showed me this!

Please excuse the awkward angle & poor lighting. Apparently photography is not in my husband's future.

All you do is use two forks to pull the chicken away from the other one. You can make it as fine or chunky as you like depending on how much you shred each part. Piece of cake, right?! You're welcome.

Now go crock & shred away!

Let me know if you make it & what you think of it!

Well Done

When it's your time to leave this world, what will people say about you?

Source: heartbeatoz.tumblr.com via Katie on Pinterest

Last night, I saw on Facebook that someone on Young Life staff had passed away. I didn't know him well, but I did work with him for a month about five years ago and remember him being a very genuine, vibrant, and witty man. He has two little boys and a beautiful wife who are still living, and my heart breaks for them. I cant imagine life without Zach anytime soon, especially if we had a family. I don't know them, but I am praying them.

What my heart doesn't break for, though, is the fact that this man is so undoubtedly in heaven. I was reading through what people had written on his facebook wall, lots of stories, memories, but mostly were countless young men and women, in high school or in college, or in their twenties leaving a note saying that this man had lead them to Christ. Without him standing up strong for what he believed in, and doing what God asks of all of us, to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, it appears that hundreds of people would not know their Savior.

However, the post that stood out the most to me simply said, "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

That's all; no story, no thank you.

This made me think, if I got cancer, was in a car accident, slipped on ice and fell into a coma, whatever... what would people say about me? When I get to the gates of heaven, what will God say about me?


Yes I work at a Christian camp, yes I led Young Life & mentored teenagers for two years, yes I invite my family to church often; but what about my thoughts? What about  my actions?

Source: 320sycamoreblog.com via Katie on Pinterest

The words in that quote are beyond meaningful. I know the only way to be preaching the Gospel without words, is to have my heart fully hidden in Christ (so filled with His love & compassion there is no room for my own selfishness). When I read the posts on this man's facebook wall, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that God must be pleased with him.

I can only pray that God is pleased with me too. I'm pretty dang good at talking the talk, putting on a happy face. But when we start talking real, I don't always know if my intentions are in the right place & I'll be the first to admit that my thoughts are not always pleasing in God's eyes.

A verse my favorite Marlene (my mentor) always reminds me is to "hold every thought captive to God". It took me awhile to grasp the meaning of this verse, but I think it's time to start remembering this every day.

Source: etsy.com via Katie on Pinterest

So by the death of a man who I barely knew, the Lord is speaking to me. I know He can speak to you too, if you'll listen.

These lessons aren't always easy, but I know its time for me to start thinking about my day to day life. Am I pleasing God? If today was my last day, do I think the Lord would say to me, "Katie, well done my faithful servant" ... maybe He would. Maybe I am too hard on myself. But I know have a lot of room to improve and grow.

My prayer will be that my life will be one that is worth someone saying Well done, good and faithful servant.

A New Name

Hi, it's still me!

Just a new name & URL. I didn't feel like my sunroom fit me anymore, and wanted the name of the blog to fit the style a little better.

If you do keep up with me, make sure to update the link URL cus I went ahead and changed that too, just to keep y'all on your toes, k?

So welcome, and thanks for keeping up with what's goin' on with me lately :)

Snowflakes That Stay on my Nose and Eyelashes [Favorite things December Edition]

It's time to share a few more of my favorite things! I just get so excited about them I feel like you all should know about them too :)

1. Nordic Pine Soy Candle 
smells like a real christmas tree :)

2. White Choc Peppermint Creamer

my favorite holiday latte, out of my very own fridge. swoon.

3. Sunsets Like This [even better in real life. this photo doesn't do it justice]

4. That my iPhone Screens Are Christmasey 

lock screen

home screen

5. Homemade Advent Calendar [awesome wedding gift!] 

Thank you to Laura Lester. You're amazing.

Merry Christmas, y'all.