Summer ✽ Autumn

I somewhat feel like I now have a tag blog, I so often have one of these posts (with one more coming next month!)), but they are so much fun... haha :). So thank you to all those who think of me and my humble little blog when you are tagging people :)!

Today I am going to fill out two tags at once; one very opportunely looks back at summer, and the other is a little questionnaire for September, the beginning of fall, so it seemed the perfect way to combine the two posts and the blending of the seasons that many of us down here in the south are seeing at this time (because fall treats and flip flops are both the norm here right now, right?)

Speaking of which - Happy Autumn, y'all <3!

Blessings of Summer 2018 Tag

THE RULES

*Please thank the person who tagged you! -Thank you, Alyssa :)!!!
*Please include these rules on your blog!
*If it is past the summer, for example: Winter 2019, you can use this tag as “Blessings from Winter 2019 Tag!”
*Write 10+ blessings from God during that season in your post!  Include pictures!
*Tag 4 bloggers!
*If it’s a new season, bloggers can re-tag those who were already tagged a previous season!  (So if this tag circulates, instead of potentially dying off, we can keep it going by using it again each season.  Like, if a blog friend of yours doesn’t get around to doing it till mid-fall, they can re-tag you to do it again for fall 2018!)

BLESSING OF SUMMER 2018...

The hardest part about listing all my blessings is that I always think of all the little moments, and I feel like y'all are probably more interested in the big events... haha :). But, here we go with a few of my favorite things from the past months :)!

Abbi and Emmi enjoying a fun birthday outing!

1. Summer starts and ends with us celebrating family, with 6 birthdays from June to mid-September (Andrew and Tori will take care of our fall birthdays this week, and Bethi and the middle boys take care of spring birthdays - we currently have no winter birthdays in the immediate family!). Each and every member of the family is a gift, so it is wonderful to have a day set aside for each to remind them of how thankful we are for them!

First sibling pic with 10 <3!

2. The most important birthday of our year deserves a special mention all it's own! Isaac Charles Lee joined our family this summer, and has been delighting out family ever since <3. Baby Bear smiled on purpose at 2 days old, and he's been hitting milestones and proving that he's very alert ever since then. He is just the best little snuggle bug, and he's currently sleeping in my lap while I type this. He was the best blessing our family was given this summer <3.

Blueberry picking...

Rock climbing...

Riding ponies for the first time...

I love this picture of Noah!

Our zoo had so many babies this year! Here is the koala...

And if you look really, really, really hard, you might see the baby gorilla, haha :). 

3. Summer obviously isn't summer without enjoying some sunshine! (Although autumn leaves are even better ;).) We enjoyed the outdoors several times this summer with trips to the zoo and going blueberry picking, water fights and a couple picnics in the back yard! And Bethani, Andrew and I enjoyed even more as we tended our garden (which did somewhat better than last year's, but we shall not mention how disappointing it was) and went on walks :).

Father's day outing!

4. One outdoor outing we took was quite unusual. Andrew, Bethi, Daddy and I all went to a state park one night to see the synchronized fireflies! They had a very short trail marked off with lights for main viewing, but we took one of the side trails to get to the lake. The walk there was quite pleasant (for Bethi and I - Daddy and Andrew were attacked by bugs left and right), but coming back was not nearly as fun, as only Daddy could see more than three feet ahead of him, haha. But, it was worth it to see all the fireflies lining the tree tops, all flashing their lights at the same time :)! It was definitely a neat experience!

Peter hit several milestones this summer, including loosing his first 2 teeth, and beginning to read!

5. My summer was filled with several unexpected times of fellowship! Our church held an afternoon for the woman to come together and knit/crochet, which Bethi and I attended and greatly enjoyed! I also met up with a friend last minute when she ended up in town, and reconnected with a friend via blogger  - and I also got to meet Ashley, the sweet blogger from Precious Moments! She and her mom attended a wedding, and on their way by they stopped in at our church, that was so neat :)! Our church friends also blessed us greatly after the arrival of little Isaac, with cards and gifts and meals.

6. Small blessings are always my favorite... we can't forget bible time, coffee, snuggles and books with littles, plants, and all those wonderful things! 

Mama has always homeschooled year-round so that we can take breaks when it's important to us, instead of when other people are used to; it just works better. So several times over the summer, Noah came to do puzzles beside me while I worked on shop to-dos, so he wouldn't be a distraction during reading time :).  

7. With summer came several opportunities for me to volunteer at extra events held by the church that  I work with that has a special needs ministry. It was such a blessing to get to invest in the people that I have come to love a little more, especially since the respites, that I usually help with, are always on break through the summer months.

 Mama stenciled this onsie!

And this blanket <3. 

And these are a few of my favorite personal projects :).

8. No season of life is ever complete for me without a couple of things having been accomplished... crafting, and reading (and probably cleaning out my boxes and drawers, at least quickly). Our summer was filled with a very special reason to craft, preparing for Isaac's arrival! Hand lettering, fabric stamping, crocheting, knitting... there was plenty of everything to keep us plenty busy!

9. There were many books that I enjoyed reading... a couple of my favorites were "Girl Defined" and "Women of the Word", both of which I highly recommend to everybody! I also got some time in for some fun fiction books. Right before Summer ended, several of my siblings, my Mama and I all started going through a bible reading with many, many other ladies through an online ministry that a church runs. It has been so neat to go through it with so many other ladies who each notice different things that the text brings to light. And it has been so much fun to all be at the same place and better able to discuss what we are reading, learning, and noticing for the first time!

Fourth of July.

10. Our summer came to a close with the events of hurricane Florence. Thankfully, but the time it hit land, it had already started to lose it's force, and we and all our friends in it's path were kept safe! Our family personally didn't even lose power, we just had a very rainy, cozy Sunday, which was the perfect day for me to get some cleaning and work done to be ready and caught up a bit for autumn. Despite how blessed we were, though, there were several deaths and damage caused by the storm, and I know that many of those affected would be grateful for continued prayers.

And I realize, looking back at my summer, that I probably want to think about taking more pictures than I do. Actually, it's something I have been working on recently. But. 1. I still don't think about it as much as I would like, because I get too busy/think I have plenty of time later, and 2. My phone camera is really not that great, and so it's not a very great encouragement to remember more when I do remember, haha...

Now it's your turn! Any of you can take this tag and fill it out :)! What blessings do you think of when you look back at your summer?

But, I'll also tag several of you especially :)...

-Kainoa from Kainoa's Corner.
-Ashley from Precious Moments.
-Maddy from Little Bit of Sunshine.
-Hosanna from Having a Heart Like His.

Go ahead and do whatever season you get around to ;). Haha!

Hello September Blog Tag

(Or, you know, the "September means fall and fall lasts longer than the beginning of September, so this tag is still relevant tag" ;)...)

THE RULES

*Thank the person who tagged you. Thank you, Maddy!

*Answer the questions.

*Nominate at least three other bloggers. 

*Write out at least ten new questions or just copy these. 

*Include the guidelines in your post, use the tag picture, and try to avoid nominating bloggers who have already been nominated. 

THE QUESTIONS

Fall or autumn?

Autumn. Always Autumn. I may say fall, because that's just kind of what we call it here in the USA, but I will always think of it as autumn. I promise there is a difference ;).

Favorite fall activity?

Baking spicy sweets and going for a walk when it actually feels/looks like fall :)!

Sweaters or hoodies?

Sweaters. I love sweaters! Although I admit, they are kind of hot down here until about January... haha!

How would you describe the perfect fall day?
The perfect fall day would include baking + doing something crafty, a walk outside with a crisp wind blowing and the colored leaves rustling, followed by a warm cup of coffee + a fall treat enjoyed while reading/watching a fallish book/movie (not a book or movie about fall, because there seem to be few, but a book or movie that has the comrade-ish, beautiful, thoughtful feeling of fall). And then a family supper enjoyed leisurely, and a few moments before bed spent journaling about + thanking God for some of my many blessings :)!

Windy or rainy days?
Windy. That way I can get outside and enjoy it!

Apple pie or pumpkin pie?
Mmmmmm, my mama's pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream! We actually just had some for Andrew's birthday, delicious!

Do you like apple cider donuts?
I have had them once - we went apple picking with my grandparents, and they "treated" everyone. I was skeptical at first about fruity donuts, but now that I have had one, I kind of want them again every once in a while.

 
Favorite fall time drink?

Warm coffee. What other answer did you think I could give ;)?

If you could go to one state in the USA, just for the fall scenery, where would you go?
Just for the fall scenery? Let's just say Virginia, but the truth is I would do more than look at scenery while I was there, haha (I like to multi-task/do the most productive things when given a choice - if I were taking a trip, it just makes sense to say hello to friends at the same time). BUT, it DOES have such gorgeous colors when fall comes <3. Here in SC, half the trees are pines, and they aren't that fallish, but Virginia has next to none, and they have pretty falls!

What color leaf do you like best?
Hm. That's a tough question. I think orange, but I also love red. Yellow and brown give nice contrast, but I wouldn't want those to be the only colors :).

I tag...

-Alyssa from Here is Love.

-Molly from A Ramble Through the Woods.

-Bethi from Gratefully His.

Here are my questions for you girls! (For what is, I guess, now the Hello Fall tag ;)...)

-What book do you think has the qualities of fall in it? 

-What is the first thing you want to do when autumn gets here?

-What is your favorite fall treat?

-Favorite thing pumpkin?

-What is one thing that most people think is a fall activity that you may or may not indulge in in secret year round?

-Do you like another season better than autumn?

-Is the scenery pretty around you during autumn, or do you have to pretend fall has come?

-What are 3 things you are grateful for?

-Do you enjoy apple picking?

-What is your favorite bible verse about gratefulness?

And now I'm going to wrap up this post... but I will be back very, very soon... because October and Write31 are just around the corner!

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri

Recipe Review: Homemade Iced Caramel Macchiatoes

Last year, I was talking with a friend about my Write31 series, and she told me, "Write about coffee". And I was kind of like, "I do that all the time. How would I make a whole post out of it?" (Or worse, a whole series, haha.) So I didn't. BUT, I got really excited about this recipe when I found it, and wanted to share it with people... and then I remembered that conversation and laughed and went for it; but never actually got around to editing it, haha.

Today, I realized that I had overlooked posting yesterday before I went to a church event, and that I wouldn't have time to get a full post out before I left the house again today (at least, if I went with my current post ideas, and finding a new idea would take even longer). So I almost decided to skip this week's post, but then I remembered this draft, and thought y'all might enjoy this now as much as later! So, without further ado...

One day this summer, I was struck with an urge for some coffee... but not just a cup of coffee, I wanted a fun coffee. A creamy, cold coffee, but one that was a little different from what I usually make (just milk+sugar+coffee with ice, usually eyeballed, because I'm a toss-and-hope-for-the-best-cook quite often). I have seen some little charts floating around with all the nifty measurements about this drink holds so much steamed milk and milk foam and espresso and this or that syrup, and I kind of wanted to experiment. So of course I went straight to pinterest and looked for a recipe to try ;).

I found this one, and I was impressed by how it had that professional look of being "layered"... http://eugeniekitchen.com/iced-caramel-macchiato/. I totally spontaneously made the vanilla syrup in the link and some double strength coffee. It wasn't hard at all, and waiting until the syrup cools to add the vanilla syrup was a good call, so that it didn't cook off and lose that vanilla taste!

Then I researched how to do the milk, because I was getting differing opinions on whether I should simply pour it, steam it, or shake it, because I guess the warm and iced ones are different. I decided to shake it in a mason jar to twice it's volume, and whether it changes the taste or not I can't say, but it certainly helps it have that "look" to it. I'm almost obsessed just with the different colors, haha. It was layered and so pretty, and that thrilled me as much as the taste, though it may sound silly. I didn't get a picture of that one, but I just made another one, and although it didn't do quite as well (Abbi was rushing me and I didn't shake the milk as long as I should have, haha), you can kind of see it :). I made one for Tori, and she was like, "Woah... this looks... fancy."

I used some caramel sauce we had on hand the first time, but the next time I made up some more vanilla syrup, I decided to make the caramel as well, while I was already in the kitchen. That wasn't hard, either, though I was worried I was going to burn it. I didn't, and, it fact, next time I will decide not to even worry about it, and just keep melting the sugar until it's completely smooth, because I left a couple small sugar lumps in the finished syrup, and had to strain it out, but it was still yummy :). It bubbled a LOT when I added the water, so it sounded dangerous, haha. But  it was just fine.

It's yummy with whipped cream on it, too ;). Bethi seemed to really enjoy both of the ones I have given her, and Andrew said it was really good, even though he point blank thought coffee was nasty last time I gave him any, haha. I definitely love this recipe, and I drink too much coffee when I have these syrups sitting in the fridge ;)... Also... Noah approves...

Because this onsie is a lie, and who could say no to that face? Neither Mama nor I drank coffee for several weeks at one point, and this child went crazy when he saw Mama's first cup afterwards, haha...

And now, I need to be off to accomplish some things before I get busy... the story of my life ;).

Do you like coffee? What's your favorite coffee drink :)? Are you interested in trying this recipe now?

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri

99 Life Lessons from 21 Years

Hello, all my wonderful readers :)!

Today is a little bit special... it's Wednesday, which means a new blog post, but it's also my 21st birthday. Sooooo, I thought I would do a special little post of reflection :). The lessons included in this post are NOT extensive at all, and they range from super serious to rather humorous.... but I didn't want this to get too long either, so I just included some of the best things I thought of first, and it's really not very organized, either... but that's kind of like life, isn't it? Hmmmm, that sounds like another life lesson ;)! So, here are 99 lessons I have compiled as I look back a bit...

 

1. Resting is, ironically, a verb - it takes effort.
2. You may fail. Don't let it discourage you.
3. You may fail again. But it doesn't define you.
4. People who make a point to go out of their way to make sure that you are really okay are the best people. Cherish them.
5. The instagram app is so much better than using desktop.
6. Hymns and sermons are a great accompaniment to baking and crocheting, but know when enough is enough. Sometimes your brain needs a break from all the words.
7. Love the small things in life and you will never be disappointed.
8. No matter all the good intentions you have or all the care you give, if the soil is not ready for the seed, there will be no harvest (yes, this is a metaphor that goes much deeper than our sad garden of late years).
9. Be the first one to introduce yourself. It's hard, and can be awkward. But you never know what blessings may come from it.
10. Find someone to invest in. It doesn't have to be much; just making sure to say hello to the lonely lady at church each week will brighten up her whole week.
11. Read more - you won't regret it. And it's okay if you are reading fiction or re-reads. Not every book has to be a learning opportunity. Just keep whetting your appetite for books.
12. It is very true that what you sow is often what you reap.
13. My identity is in Christ, and in Christ alone.
14. Homemade cookies in ice cream while laughing and sympathizing with best friends and ignoring the movie you are supposedly watching is one of the most refreshing things.
15. Baby pictures are really. hard. to take - especially when you aren't a photographer. (Okay, but pictures are hard to take when you aren't a photographer ;)...)
16. Practice makes better.
17. Better is okay; nobody becomes a professional overnight.
18. Walks and coffee are still the best ways to connect with others.
19. Don't be afraid to say yes to a spontaneous meeting with friends, even when it's difficult; it will be a blessing.
20. Learning to speak up in the face of confrontation is a good thing, but don't take it further than you should.
21. Know your limits, but never stop dreaming.
22. Being needed is still what gives me purpose, but it's okay to be needed in different ways now.
23. The Lord has placed so much beauty in this world, and it is a wonderful privilege to get to see it.
24. Take the time to notice the way change is effecting the people around you. Sometimes, you have to slow down to move forward.
25. Take the time to notice the way the people around you are changing themselves, too. And don't forget to encourage them when you see growth.
26. Learn to wait like a sane person when you feel like panicking disproportionately.

27. Make time for the things that matter to you, because time will never make itself.
28. To help with that, don't wait for the perfect time to do something before you do it. Use the moments you have.
29. It's best to say no if you really need to, instead of saying yes when you can't or don't mean it.
30. But try to put others first as often as you can when you have a choice; it's so rewarding.
31. Playing pretend with a whole lot of little boys (and an exuberant little girl) is more fun than you may think for someone with only half an imagination. Don't let your lack of creativity stop you from investing.
32. Social marketing isn't as hard as it feels. (But blogging is still so much better.)
33. Sometimes, you need to put your phone on airplane mode, put up your laptop, and enjoy life, no matter what it takes.
34. The hammered dulcimer is a beautiful sounding instrument. Also, celtic music is gorgeous. Musi .is a gift in itself. Enjoy it!
35. I cannot shield any heart from the consequences of sin, or break any heart over the impact of that sin, but I can pray and confront. Just never forget that with confrontation must always come love.
36. No matter how much it hurts to feel helpless, do your part and then lean on the Lord. He is the only one who can use our words or actions for any good.
37. When your world is falling to pieces, whether in actuality or just in your emotions, cry out a prayer to the Lord. When fear or pain is deep, lean on Him.
38. But don't forget, when you are crying happy tears, to come before Him again. He deserves all our praise - especially because He is so ready to comfort in those hard moments.
39. Do that thing you should do BEFORE it becomes annoying to you that it still needs done. It will be much more pleasant.
40. When your mind is spinning and you feel like you just need a break, go ahead and take one as soon as you can; but take it wisely. Don't sit on the couch and scroll through Pinterest. Go for a walk, spend some extra time in bible study, maybe even take a nap. It seems counter-intuitive to do more "work" at that moment, but the truth is, usually, you need refreshing more than "a break".
41. The memories a handkerchief can invoke are amazingly many. Cherish those you have while you have them.
42. God's plans are not our plans, but we can trust Him. Sometimes, the hardest things we face are for God's glory. (And sometimes, the most unexpected changes in our plans are the best.)
43. Sleeping by yourself is literally one of the loneliest things every after sharing your room with four sisters and a baby. But use every moment to the fullest... it's a great time to eat chocolate to make yourself feel better ;).
44. Sometimes, God gives us situations that are similar to those in the past to bring healing through their differences.
45. Every one should read "Woman of the Word" by Jen Wilkin. And "The Valley of Vision".
46. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard" is still true.
47. Lessons and reminders can come in literally any shape or form.
48. It's incredibly fun to have an even number of boys vs. girls in your family!
49. If you are ever unsure of what your favorite color is, just compare the items that you and your mom put in the amazon cart (without consulting each other first) for you to consider between. #obviouslyblueforme
50. Simplicity is best, but don't be afraid to make that moment, event, canvas, outfit, plan, just a little more than bare-bones. Let your simplicity carry personality.
51. Keep a running list of gift ideas. It makes the last minute decisions so much easier.
52. Homemade caramel macchiatoes are just as good as Starbucks. Enjoy them. But don't make too much of the syrups, because you will use them until they are gone, no matter how much coffee it takes.
53. Ice cream from the church freezer can create a great spontaneous bonding time.
54. Don't be so busy wondering what people's opinion of your life is, that you forget to continue perusing God's plan for your life.
55. Try not to ever let a chance to celebrate with or thank some one get away from you. You will regret it.
56. Shower kindness on others, and you are bound to find your own rainbow.

57. Our parents have a huge respectability to teach their family the Word of God, but they can not embrace that Word for us; this is something we must do ourselves.
58. Curly Girlz Font is used e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e, y'all. As someone who works with fonts regularly,  and that font frequently (I created my custom canvas years ago before I realized this last December), I can say that with certainty.
59. Dependence on Christ is joyful freedom.
60. Night vision is apparently a good thing to have, and I 10/10 recommend taking someone who has it with you when you are walking through the woods at 9 o'clock at night. (Or driving...) But seeing the synchronized fireflies in the trees is totally worth the panic that not being able to see your Dad three feet ahead causes.
61. There is nothing like having best friends for your siblings. Don't neglect to foster those relationships, they mean the world when they are developed <3.
62. Pray about it before you talk about it.
63. Calculated shipping is wonderful for someone who has a fear of overcharging shipping and so tends to undercharge. (This will always be my first tip for online sellers.)
64. Nothing is more beautiful than someone who is walking through their own valley reaching out to make sure that others are being taken care of.
65. You do not have to know a person for their life to change your's. God places each person on this earth for a reason, not matter how short (or long ago) their life may be.
66. God has placed us in the context of family, both personal and spiritual, for a reason, and it is such a blessing to be given a helping hand in life's trials.
67. Tears are a blessing in the midst of pain, but your journey can't end there; in the midst of the rain, trace the rainbow, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His goodness and grace.
68. Friends can be made in the most un-looked for places, and serving the Lord together creates such a strong bond.
69. Consistency in the small things is better than a lot of effort for something big now and then.
70. It is so fun to blog with other bloggers. In the past I have blogged "by myself"... but several of you have joined me here in the past year, and it has been so much more fun!
71. Planning ahead is exponentially more more important each year, I am convinced.
72. Virginia really is beautiful. There is the cutest cul-de-sac in our neighborhood that reminds me of our VA neighborhood, and Bethani is 99% sure I am obsessed since I found it. I miss it more than I realized.
73. Things don't get easier the longer you wait. Trust me on this. Prepare, yes, by all means. But sometimes you just have to do the thing before you feel prepared.
74. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you tried and you won't have to wonder.
75. You never know when you have been given a path to walk so that you can encourage others in the same path down the road.
76. When everyone you trust is telling you the same thing, you just may want to listen, no matter how hard it is.
77. If you want a great bonding experience with your siblings, I honestly suggest watching a meteor shower at a windy lake. But I would suggest bringing more than one blanket.
A lot of my favorite memories take place at night outside, actually.
78. Circumstances can change us to an extent, but God made us who we were meant to be, and we can't deny the gifts and work He has given us - or the weaknesses He has given us so that in Him we may find that His strength is bigger than our own.
79. Never be content to stop learning; pursue the things you always thought of learning "someday", now.
80. Lemon water is great for headaches, and you CAN acquire a taste for it (I literally crave it now, and a couple years ago I wasn't a big fan, so trust me on this).
81. Learn to take notes on anything, but organize them frequently or it doesn't help.
82. Don't keep the clothes that are cute but you know you'll never be comfortable in for one reason or another, or you don't know how to style. It's just useless stress to try to find some way to make them work.
83. Don't hold on to your routines at the expense of people, but they make life so much more comfortable, so try to have some where you can.
84. Learn to take a compliment graciously. Not with entitlement, not flippantly... but realize that you don't have to always explain to people that they don't see it all. It's a trap that is easy for perfectionists to fall into, and there are times you will see that the compliment-er needs to be reminded, for their own sake, that everybody slips at times, but for the most part... learn to say thank you. And let that be enough.
85. Be transparent. Be raw. Be honest. Be encouraging.

86. Give grace. And more grace.
87. But help others grow, too. Don't give lazy grace that shields them from learning.
88. When you don't feel like enough, remember this: you aren't. That's why you need (and have) a wonderful Savior who is.
89. You become what you brush shoulders with; in social media, conversations, relationships, books, whatever, seek out what is true and pure and noble and convicts you to become what you should be.
90. Being present is important, but don't be afraid to document, too. A goal of mine is to take more pictures and videos - especially videos - of the little things that my siblings do that I love. They will be cherished to look back on when they pass these phases they are going through.
91. Take the time to organize often enough that it saves you time in the long run.
92. Work for your dreams, but don't miss what is going on right now.
93. Close friends don't have to talk all the time, but make sure you talk SOME time.
94. "When you're tired of fighting and chained by your control, there is freedom in surrender - lay it down, and let it go."
95. What you thought at first were weeds may turn out to be flowers, but learn to tell the difference. You can't let all the weeds grow just to test them. Learn each plant, and tear out all that might hinder growth of the right plants.
96. Stretch yourself. Not to the point of being miserable, but enough that you don't get stuck in a rut.
97. Notice the people around you that make you feel cared for. Thank them, and learn from them; take those things they do for you, and try to share it with someone else.
98. Keep an extra bible study or edifying book on your book shelf for those times when, despite your daily time in the word, you feel starving for more.
99. Rest in Christ - lean on Him. Trust, surrender, obey and praise. He is worthy of it all, and gracious enough to accept our humble offerings.

What is one of the most important lessons you have learned? What do you have planned for the week :)?

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri <3

Sunshine Blogger Award

I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Maddy from Little Bit of Sunshine :)! 

I love this award/tag. (Also, those sunflowers.) I mean, even just it's name sounds so cheerful and kind, and I see it as an encouragement that, "your blog brightens my life when I read it, thank you"; so it's special fun that I have received it! What an honor, thank you so much, Maddy!

When y'all read this, I will be taking a little internet break, so I thought this would be the perfect none time-specific post to schedule for that time ;). I'll moderate and reply to all the comments when I come back on, don't worry! 

Now, to fill out the tag that came with this award :D!

Rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link their blog. (Thank you again, Maddy!) 
• Answer the questions the blogger who nominated you provided.
• Nominate new bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer.
• List the rules and have the Sunshine Blogger logo present in your post.

1. Do you play a musical instrument? 

I have mentioned this a few times on my blog, and at least one of you has rolled your eyes at me for the answer. *cough, cough* BUT, the answer is sadly, not really. But I do on occasion play the piano with lead sheets. I would truly love to play an instrument, but what I would really love to learn is violin, and we don't really have one... also, I don't really need another hobby/learning experience right now. What I need is better time management for the ones I have, haha...

2. Fiction or nonfiction books?
Hm. This is tough. See, I LOVE true stories + thought provoking writing, and I want to say nonfiction. But the truth is, I love vibrant and beautiful stories and writing, and I feel like it's easier to find a personality in fiction books, haha. There are a few books that I love the writing/story of that are nonfiction... a couple that come to mind are "The Family Nobody Wanted", and "The Princess Adelina". But when I want to relax with a book, I will frequently reach for fiction. (I think another reason for this isn't always the writing styles; I think another part of that is that when I read fiction, I just read, while when I read theology, biographies, or other nonfiction, I usually feel compelled to take notes/store things away to look into later, and it's more study time than relaxing time. Also, I have several bible study books that I love the personality and writing style that comes through, but I don't really consider that "just reading" either, because I will dissect those things so much and stop to take so many notes, lol!)

3. Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate or vanilla what? In some things we must be very specific. 

Vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate everything else ;).

4. Cars or trucks?

Cars. I can almost assure you I will never own a truck. Nothing against them, I just am not a truck person at all, haha. 

5. What's your middle name?

Kirstin Lavon. Each of us children all have two middle names :). Lavon is a family name that has been passed down several generations :)!

6. Top three favorite blogs?
Ughhhhhh. This is really, really hard, because I like more than three blogs and don't like to play favorites :P.

-Having a Heart like His.

-The Barefoot Gal.

-The Book Wyrm (except she never posts anymore, hmph.), The Introverted Extrovert, Here is Love... can I get by with cheating anymore?

7. Why did you start your blog?

Because my mom started one. Haha! Seriously. I remember that November afternoon (which got dark very early that day) when Mama and I sat down together and set "Home Life" up while we passed new butterball baby Andrew back and forth between us. I was 9, and it was almost 12 years ago. My first post was hilariously jumbled, and I was so proud the first time my Mama linked to my blog on her blog. I will say I have come a long way, but I am also glad I started when I did, because it's just fun to look back on :).
As to why I started *this* blog... suffice it to say that a stalker situation and a desire for a new title were enough to make me move, haha. So Forget Not His Benefits is "only" 5 years old. But I do pray that the Lord can use my little ramblings to bless others, encourage them, and maybe put a smile on their face :).

8. Dogs or cats?

Do I still have a reader here that is confused about this one? Cats, always and forever. Call them (or me) a snob all you want, I won't believe it and I love them. But I wouldn't mind a golden retriever someday, either. (I'm really just an animal person in general, if I'm honest.)

9. Indoors or outdoors? 

This also requires some "if/then"s. I would never want to LIVE outside. But I require sunshine to function (it can be coming through a window if need be), fresh air to stay motivated, and plants to admire. I'm definitely an outdoors sort of person, despite not spending much time outdoors. (South Carolina heat is brutal, but fall is not too far away!)

10. Favorite summer activity?

This is hard, because things like going to the zoo and going for walks and eating ice cream, and normal people's "summer activities", we literally do all year around (again, South Carolina, haha). So, I guess blueberry picking? That is, by necessity, a time-specific thing ;). 

11. Favorite food?

Brownie sundaes. 

Yes, I know, that's not real food. Just pretend. You didn't ask for a certain group on the food pyramid ;). Caramel, almonds, brownies, ice cream.... mmmmm. You can't go wrong.

Now I would like to tag...

1. Tori (so you'll have a post idea, since having none is your excuse for not writing.)

2. Alyssa

3. Abbie

4. Hosanna

5. Ashley

6. Molly

7. Bethi (how old are you again?)

8. Elanor

9. Jessica

10. Kelly-Anne

11. And you, if you'd like to snag it!

Here are the questions I have for y'all!

1. What is your earliest memory of your favorite hobby?

2. What is your earliest memory of someone sharing the gospel with you?

3. What 5 songs would be included in your "life sound track"?

4. What do you put on your brownie sundaes?

5. What pet would you most like to have?

6. What is something the Lord has laid on your heart to do?

7. Are you a night owl of a morning bird? What is your favorite thing to do during your "peak time"?

8. What is one thought you have always wanted to share with your readers, but you've never really found a way to make a blog post out of it?

9. Why do you think that people write?

10. What is one book you have read this year that you would recommend to us?

11. What do you think of when you hear the word sunshine?

And for the rest of you, let me know in the comments; do you like fiction or nonfiction books better? What are you most looking forward to about fall? (Because I will pretend it is here on September 22nd, even though it won't feel like it, haha ;)...)

Rejoicing in Hope,

Bri <3

August in Review ✽ Monthly Recap

(Two months on time in a row. Wow, I am on the ball. I'm not sure why... hahaha!)

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Little Cutie <3.

Playing a joke on us, licking ice cream that has eyeballs ;).

They attached allll the markers together until they could touch the ceiling with them, haha.

Josiah = Very happy... Noah = Very tired ;).

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We had a wonderful August... most notably, little Isaac joined our family! He's continuing to do well, and has hit 10 lbs at just three weeks! He's already smiling, and he's such a happy baby. We all love him <3!

We also celebrated three other birthdays this month - Mama's and Daddy's on the 26th (they are exactly 3 years apart!), and Abbi's big #10 birthday on the 29th! Thanks to Isaac we have 4 birthdays in less than 3 weeks... that's a third of our family's birthdays, hahaha!

Other than baby excitement and birthdays and visits from family so they could meet Issac... actually, that's enough, right? Haha! We've not done too much else out of the ordinary, just life. And all trying to get a turn for baby snuggles ;).

One day both Bethi and I stepped outside and decided it felt like fall, and we were so ready to go for a walk... but it took us a few days to work one out, and by the time we did it was sooooo nasty hot out, haha. Oh well. We enjoyed ourselves anyway... we found the cutest cul-de-sac in the neighborhood (it reminds me of our Virgina neighborhood), and then we came home and ate cookie dough and watched a Family Affair episode (which, if you like cute old TV shows, is currently free on Amazon Prime, as Mama kindly pointed out. You're welcome ;).) Our cucumber plants gave us a few more cucumbers, but now they are dying off. One tomato got eaten and the other fell off the vine while it was still green... so I don't imagine we shall get any of those. Our bell peppers are doing way better than I thought they would, though! And our basil came back, even though it's growing season is over, go figure. We can grow that overtime, but not the stuff we are actually working for... haha! That's fine, though, because basil is "my" seasoning. I love. the smell of fresh basil! Mmmmm.

I've been making an effort to read a bit more (again) this month... I would say that on the whole (sadly) this is working... of course, I will also say that I am pretty sure 65% of my reading has involved reading "Should I Share My Ice Cream?" to the little boys, which Noah has at least 50% memorized, and it's adorable to hear him "reading it" to Josiah... they are so cute! I have been reading "Woman of the Word" by Jen Wilkin along with my usual bible reading, and it has so much truth in it, I am loving it (and Mama suggested a conference session dealing with Psalm 139 by her that was great, if you want to check it out on youtube!). I continue to read through the bible at a pace that allows me to stop and "dig in" whenever I need to... I just read Hosea, and there were passages I hadn't noticed before that were just beautiful pictures of how loving our Lord is even in His discipline of sin... we could truly never earn the amount of love that God has shown to us, and yet He bestows it upon us anyway, in a display of His glory. How wonderful He is!

And now that it's September... I'm beginning to think about the Write31 blogger event! I can't quite decide on a theme to spend the month on... I have lots of ideas, but I don't want to bore y'all, either. Sooooo, does anyone have a suggestion of something you would like to see a series on here at Forget Not His Benefits?

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"Tori, Katie sent you a hug."
Tori: "Where?..."
Me, sarcastically: "In the mail."
Tori: "Okay. I feel hugged." Haha!

"We have no ice cream. This is a public crime."

Bethi: "It's like cleaning out your drawers - you think it will take 5 years, and it takes 5 minutes."
*blinks* "How clean are your drawers??? Just 5 minutes?!??!!?!"

(Jokingly): "Wow, Noah, you are work!"
Noah, looking straight into my face: "I forgive you." *hugs me* LOL!

Abbi, talking about our church's mission team: "But how do they choose who to help?! *I* can't choose *ice cream*!!!"

Tori: "How smart are you, Noah?"
Noah (who only ever answers 3 for any number question): "Three."
"How cute are you?"
"FOUR."
Annnnnnd, he knows it...

Noah: *chokes on water*
*reaches for  milk* Because it's totally different and won't make him choke, right?

Bethi: "You're phone has a sensitive notification. Be careful with it, you might hurt it's feelings."

*about 10 hours after Isaac was born* "Isaac said hello earlier."

"Good job, Isaac! You'll be a pro at picture taking by tomorrow!"
*Isaac cries at the thought*

Mama: "I should video tape this sometime. Then you could go get a job as a photographer's assistant."
Haha! The first baby photo shoot I remember helping with was Emmi's six months photo shoot. I've been involved with every one since then, and I do love it. But Isaac was an awesome little subject, too - so alert and content, he made the rest of it easy!

Abbi, in awe at the boxes of 3 dozen donuts given us by a friend after Isaac arrived: "Is THAT a box of donuts? It's so... big!!!!"

Josiah: "Croutons are spicy."
Tori: "Wow, he's more sensitive than I am."

Cooking whole wheat noodles for the first time in years (we usually use rice): I (think???) they might be done???? *drains them and hopes for the best* Then I remember... this used to come naturally? Lol!

Aunt Tessa, explaining the water play game she's come up with: "Whichever team's bucket is empty first, wins!"
Daddy: "...You may not pick up and tip the bucket over just to win."
To Aunt Tessa: "I know how they think. They think like me."
*Aunt Tessa stares a bit confusedly at all this unexpectedness*

Noah has stuck stickers to his sippy cups:
Cup #1, milk:" "Hang in there!"
Cup #2, chocolate milk: "NICE!"

Tori points to a hippo: "What is that?"
Noah: "A squeaky pig!"

Noah's hands are two birds: One says "caw, caw", and one says "tweet, tweet", and they talk to each other all the time. This has been going on for a while now.

Josiah: "I hope we are having gonemade pizza!"

Noah's head pops up from his play pen when he wakes up: "I should go to Bri's bed!"
You totally should, buddy <3.

Bethi to Andrew: "Hello shrimp."
A.K.A, Andrew is taller than everyone but Daddy at this point.

Noah pulled my covers down for me at night before getting in bed and asking me to cover him up xD.

Tori: This person is 100 years old on Mama and Daddy's birthday.
Me: Who?
Tori: You know, the main lady from that movie.
Me: HOW OLD IS THAT MOVIE?!
Tori: Not the actress, the lady she played, Bri...

"Did you just pick-pocket him?!"
"No! Hey Andrew, can I have a hug?"
*sneaks Andrew's watch out of his pocket*
AND HE NEVER NOTICED UNTIL SHE SHOWED HIM.

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I have been super busy creating this month, although I haven't added too much to the shop lately. Here are a few new makes, all special requests....

The winning canvas design from Under The Tapestry's 3rd anniversary contest! I had fun with the design of this one, I love the font and the vine! I used to do these vines on handmade cards all the time, but I hadn't thought of adding it to a canvas before!

A little fake goldfish for those "perfect pet" aquariums that people are making inspired by Pinterest. (Funny side note... we made some of these for craft time during the summer camp I helped at this summer, except with the plastic fish, instead of crocheted, and there was actual water in the jar... which translated to some careful propping of the fish on the underwater plants, so they wouldn't be floating belly up, oops. Haha!

Some of you said yes to adding the hearts around the ice cream cone, and so here is the updated new chalkboard! I love this one!

Little dinosaurs! These were a custom order, so they are already sold, but I would be happy to make some more - or some of their friends!

Also made this month: two birthday gifts (which I shall share sometime soon) and a tiny hedgehog toy, along with finishing Isaac's baby blanket (which necessitated texting my aunt for an hour as we worked on the placing of the appliques, because I didn't want Mama to see it until it was done and I wanted advise, haha!).

Under The Tapestry turned 3 years old, and we celebrated with a sale and a discount... and my shop was also featured over on Alyssa's blog. That was such fun, and proved again that the music chalkboard (which was originally inspired by and designed for Alyssa herself!) is the most popular item in my shop ;). NOW, Etsy is having a Labor Day Sale through the 3rd, and everything in Under The Tapestry is 20% off :D! Including custom orders, so let me know if you want something that isn't currently listed ;).

And here are the posts that I shared on Forget Not His Benefits this month, if you haven't had a chance to read them :)...

On My Bookshelf

Grateful Hearts

Baby Name Challenge Tag

And there should have been another post, but I decided not to even try to post on Abbi's birthday, haha. And then I was only two days away from this post, so I decided to wait ;).

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So, that's a glimpse of all that has been going on in the last month for me! I would love to hear about your month - what were the three best parts of it? What do you think I should blog about every day in October? If you are joining Write31 too, let me know, because I would love to follow along!

Rejoicing in Hope,
Bri <3