If you're normal and you know it...

We had a good time at D's office Christmas party last weekend!!  The photo booth was a total hit!

We're in a new city, but it feels like we have plans every night.

I love that.   So many new friends in our lives.

We're getting to explore a lot of new places, hear a lot of good music, shop a lot of good vintage, and a lot of the time we stop and say, "Do we really get to live here?!"

We are so blessed to love our life so much. 

Austin, TX has been so good to us. 
It is everything we were missing plus 19 billion.
It's beautiful here, and we get to experience that every day

The greenbelt trails are just out our back door and they go for miles.  Jury is still out, but we're pretty sure Bird loves it there.  She hunts and smells and plays hide and seek with us while we hike for hours.  It's so good.

The place we're living for a few months has endless well-kept yards for her us to roam.  

6:15am is our favorite, but we'll take it any time.

We're so thankful that she is feeling 100% better.  Maybe too good- she never asked to go outside in Houston, but has since developed a talent for turning the door handle with her nose.  Yesterday she met 2 hot-tempered beagles and a gentle standard poodle.  She's making more friends than we are.

Before we left Houston, we were able to donate Devin's yoga class package to someone in need of a good stretch at one of the best studios in town.  I don't know who you are, but I hope those down-dogs are serving you well.

 My friend Kelly talked me into a 30 day eating challenge- no grain, no sugar, no dairy, no alcohol.
It's fairly easy...easier than I thought...but can a girl get a glass of wine?!?

Fail.

I failed.
On day one.
I didn't give to anyone.
And I went shopping at a boutique with my mom. 
In my defense, she gave me a $100 giftcard.  And then I spent more.
And I got some RAD pants. 
Also...
In my defense, I was crying all day thinking my dog had kidney failure.
She doesn't.
But still.
So starting over!

Today I had the privilege to donate to a friend of ours who is traveling to India with one of my beloved organizations, As Our Own.  Our friend will be going to the home site to meet all of the girls who live there, traveling to see the brothels, and working with the staff.  We're excited to hear all about it.

31 days

Oh, hey!

The past month has been a whirlwind for Devin and me.  We are moving and, as I type, I find myself sitting in an empty townhome with a dog, an air mattress, a bike and a rotisserie chicken.  That's bare bones livin', my friends.  Meanwhile, the man of the house snoozes on a king size Tempur-Pedic, can heat up his coffee that he didn't have to go buy, and rides his bike on the trails of the beautiful city of Austin, Texas.  We are living apart for 10 days while I finish up work here (work may include but is not limited to finishing up any leftover packing, tending to a dog who was spayed 3 days ago, doing the boring things like returning the cable box, and oh my real job, too).

Have you moved recently?  Do you know this phenomenon that results in bleeding money?  We know it all too well these days between Bird's vet bills, moving supplies, utility start up fees, double rent, and gas to and from Austin.  It's exhausting and makes you feel pretty guilty when you need a new dress for your dad's 60th birthday party or you want to buy 3 pair of boots in one day (this is all hypothetical).  We are really blessed financially, but it still stings to spend spend spend and spend and then your dog pees blood and you spend some more.  NBD.

2 days into my 10 days of solitude (read: living alone with the dog and the internets), I started thinking about how we spend our money.  I can't think of a time Devin or I have wanted since we were married almost 4 years ago.  Not once have we had to wait for the next paycheck to buy that dress/bike/shoes/bike/phone/bike and we do thank the sweet Lord for that.  It's a stress I am good to never have to live with (I hope the big guy heard that). 

Moving to another city can really bring the focus all on yourself- where will I live, where will I work, will I find someone who can cut my bangs without making me look 12?  Then you start to buy things to prepare and celebrate for your new life like 3 pair of boots in one day.  And I'm here to say that I think we have lost sight of what we both truly love to do with what God has given us: give.  It's something D&I have always done via autopay, and that is far less than intentional, don't you think?

So this morning, sitting in church alone with coffee on my shirt (it's only up from here, right?) I decided to do a 31 day challenge.  I will intentionally give to someone every day for 31 days (time, money, food, help)

AND! I won't spend money on myself...no clothes, jewelry, shoes (burn), or anything that's not a necessity.  If that sounds easy, let me remind you that I work in a retail store.
And I am obsessed with the new stuff. 
That we get in every week. 

Also, my brother and I won't be able to facetime and laugh about who made the most random amazon prime purchase.  THIS IS ROUGH.

My prayer is that my eyes are re-opened to the people around me who are in need.
Because they're there.  I work with them.  I see them every day.
Ew, and I ignore it. 
Because I am moving and need things to move like new boots.

31 days coincidentally ends the day before Thanksgiving- just in time for the season of giving!
And eating.

I've been meaning to show you this for a while
and by a while, I mean, like, the 8 months I have been on this blogging hiatus-weird-sporadic-thing

I have referenced my friend Janice here many times
here
and here
I talk about her mostly because I want to be her
and more-so because I secretly want to steal her garden and recipes and everything she is good at (which is also everything).

Check this out

I die.

She has so much abundant fruit and veggie
and that cool little scooter she rolls around on so she doesn't have to bend over.
It makes my heart so so sick with jealousy!
Not the scooter
the garden
and the scooter.

So since I can't have this garden, and my townhouse garden gets eaten by birds and rats (you heard me), I made a pinterest board about the garden of my dreams where I would grow so much deliciousness and give 80% of it to families who can't afford to feed their kids healthy food.

D, when we move, I think this is a must.

The joy of patience.

My friends, back in May I did something I have never EVER done before. 
And it was painful. 
And it tested every ounce of patience in my body. 
And it caused me to lose sleep many many nights.
And it was worth it.

Because when you pre-order something on Amazon, it DOES arrive in the mail someday.
And that day is a glorious day.
And today was that day, friends. 
Today was that day.

Behold.  Baked #3.

She is here and I have spent all afternoon reading her on the couch.
The chapters are broken down into their 10 favorite baking ingredients.
My favorite chapter so far?  "Booze".
Stay tuned.  You know I'll be all over snapping pictures before Devin has a chance to take a bite.

Vancouver

Charleston.