P H A I N

I have seriously been slacking. This time of year it seems I take on more while simultaneously taking it easy, if that makes sense. This Month I... -Started attending a Bible Study It's on Hosea and has really made me examine myself closely. It hasn't been comfortable and that's probably the biggest recommendation I can give. You don't grow when you're comfortable! - Saw Knives Out Truly one of the more enjoyable movies I've seen in recent months! Clever, well-made, and kept me guessing the entire time. 10/10 would highly recommend! -Celebrated Thanksgiving This year we didn't get around to doing a puzzle but everyone brought games and was such a good time! Good food, good company, and a full day of family fun. And most importantly, I won both games of Settlers of Catan.  I'm sure more happened but it has all been eclipsed with rushing around followed by bouts of abso...

You guys! This month went by so quick! And since we got snow at the end of the month, it felt more like winter than fall. October, while busy, was a little more sedate, settling into work rhythms and taking some down time. This month I... -Turned 30 I celebrated with a little get together with friends indulging in pizza, apple pie, and games, I believe a pretty good time was had by all. I hope this year will be one of the best yet, I have lots planned and hope I don't let it overwhelm me, it's all about balance and growth.  - Settled into a new church home Matt and I have been visiting a new church for several months now and we both feel like we're very welcomed and are excited to be part of this new community and beginnings of new friendships. - Hit up some amazing estate sales Seriously, it's one of our new favorite pastimes. We went to a sale in Atchison, MO, in a house built in the 1890's. We both fell in love with the house! So much charac...

Day 1 & 2 Yellowstone. Probably the most diverse scenery I've seen in the span of 2 weeks. I had planned on going to Yellowstone in 2018 with Samantha, on the way back from California, but ended up coming straight home from San Francisco. So, of course, I started planning for a trip specifically to see Yellowstone. I threw out the suggestion to my family that we should all go, and most of them agreed! Having 9 of us go introduced some difficulties but ultimately we got it all worked out and started planning what all we wanted to see along the way. The first day was just driving, we headed to Sioux Falls, SD. Day 2 was jam packed full of sights! The first stop being the Corn Palace. About half of us had been there before, but it never ceases to a-maize! (See what I did there? Eh? No? Too corny? Ahem...moving on.) Next was a ghost town in Okaton. Abandoned places isn't everybody's thing, I know, but since it was right off the highway, we stopped and...

This year I'm turning 30! So I thought I would mark the occasion with a few things that I've learned so far, and most of them I still have to work on, but here goes! 1. Progress, not perfection. I struggle big time with wanting things to be a specific way and I always end up disappointed when things don't match the vision in my head. Roll with the punches a bit! And celebrate progress, even if it doesn't quite match what you had envisioned. 2. Compare to yourself, not others. I find I tend to put myself down whenever I look at someone else in envy. But if I look at where I was a year ago, I'm pretty proud of the progress I've made. 3. You can't pour from an empty cup - know your limits. Raise your hand if you have a hard time saying no! I would stress myself out endlessly by saying yes to anything someone asked of me. It's okay to say no, your well-being is more important than pleasing everyone. Boundaries, especially for yourself, i...

This month I... -Was a vendor at the Oddities & Curiosities Expo (It was actually at the end of August, but, whatever.) This went so well! I sold my target amount and received so many kind comments and even had people return to buy more! I'm looking forward to next year and hoping to maybe expand to a couple shows. I was able to snag a couple amazing things while at the expo, including this adorable kitten! -Started wedding planning We booked our venue and found a photographer, both in our budget! -Saw IT: Chapter 2 If it's September, I'm already watching scary movies. But that's true nearly year round. -Walked around Parkville Nature Sanctuary  -Carved some acorns and pinned more butterflies! (Which you can find on my instagram!  https://www.instagram.com/eclecticcuriosities/ ) September has flown by and I'm looking forward to fall weather in the coming month!