The Golden Vlog // October

I'm so excited for this month's Golden Vlog because a) I missed September; b) there's a fun giveaway going on this month; and c) Faith has put together a really fun team of hosts for this link-up moving forward!  I've been given the opportunity to join Faith and this team to host the Golden Vlog each month, and I'm really pumped to get to know these girls better and plan out future prompts for this fun link-up!

It's always really cool to get to know your favorite bloggers and blogging friends via video, and the Golden Vlog is perfect for that!  If you haven't ever joined in, here's the scoop:  each month, our team will be putting together a theme and series of questions, which we'll announce as the date for the next link-up gets closer.  Sometimes the questions are silly and sometimes they're serious.  You film a short vlog of yourself answering the prompts, and then post and link-up with us!  The link-up goes live on the second Thursday of each month!

This month, we're going deep and talking about insecurity.  Watch the video to hear about one insecurity that I've struggled with.

Life w/ Mrs G & the Artist ~ Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin
Amanda Moments ~ Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Brave Love Blog ~ Instagram | Bloglovin | Twitter
Heavens to Betsy ~ Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
My Favorite Adventure ~ Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Here are the Rules . . .

1. You must follow your hosts on at least ONE form of social media to linkup w/ us. 

2. We want to see your face! How many times you roll your eyes, and if you talk with your hands! So link up a post featuring your VLOG answering this months questions! Please link up a post not your blog's home page, and be sure there is a VLOG (video blog) featured! This is the Golden Vlog after all ;)

3. Add the button above or a text link to one of the hosts to help us promote this crazy thing!

4. Spread the love! go watch, listen, and comment on other blogs and make some new friends!

If you have any questions at all or want to be included on our monthly Golden Vlog Letter with next months questions just email [email protected]

*all links not featuring a vlog or this months questions will be removed!

And to kick off our new role as hosts, we're giving away a fun box from Sesame Gifts!  Sesame has these sweet gift boxes that you can order for yourself or send to a friend...and one lucky reader will get a box of their choice up to $35!

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An InLinkz Link-up

Want to join in with us and post the button on your blog/post?  Grab the HTML code below!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.lifewithmrsgandtheartist.com/2014/08/golden-vlog-linkup-series.html" rel="nofollow" title="Life w/ Mrs G & the Artist"><img src="../../../-bXOrcXNNfJ0/VhQiG4s7X2I/AAAAAAAAB-0/KQ22Bccyq_4/s1600/goldenvlog3.png" alt="Life w/ Mrs G & the Artist" style="border:none;"/></a></div>

Grateful Heart (and a giveaway!)

It seems like forever since I last joined up with Emily over at Ember Grey for her Grateful Heart Monday link-up.  These used to be such a staple for me, but busy schedules have meant that I've had a little bit of trouble fitting it in here and there.  

Additionally, I've been a much much worse blogger this summer than I ever intended.  I guess life and planning a wedding does that to you, huh?  Call it poor planning, but it just is what it is.  I do have a packed schedule for you guys while I'm away getting married and laying on a white sandy beach for a week, and hopefully I'll be back in full force once all of that is over!  

Anyway, on the topic of gratefulness (because that's what this post is supposed to be about, after all), I just need to say how grateful I am for all of you!  For your consistent encouragement, prayers, and even just stopping by this space, even when I haven't had anything new to say.  I can't tell you how blessed I was last week after I published my post on wanting to experience joy and received comments and emails and tweets offering up prayers for me and my family!  

I'm also so grateful to be able to share some good news today...my dad's scans were all stable last week, which is like a huge weight lifting off of our shoulders.  He is battling some major fatigue and other side effects from his treatment, but just knowing that the way he is feeling is because of the treatment and not the cancer is really reassuring.  

So thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart!  Your prayers and love mean the world to me.  

On a separate note, it's pretty dreary here in PA today, so to bring a little sunshine to Monday, I've partnered with a few other bloggers to offer you a giveaway!

I picked up a Day Designer a few weeks ago and it is literally the best planner I've ever day!  I love it and wish I could just sit around writing in it all day (no joke.  #nerdalert).  So we're giving away a Day Designer and lots of goodies to go along with it, including some of my personal faves...washi tape and PaperMate Flair pens!  Check out the photos below to see what bloggers are involved and what you could win!

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HTB Happenings

Hey friends!

Welcome to the weekend!  I hope you're enjoying summer as much as I am!

Here's what you might have missed this week on Heavens to Betsy:

HAPPENINGS:
+ I picked up this lipstick at Anthro the other day and I'm totally smitten!  It's a great tinted lip balm and the packaging is too cute!
+ I've had this jade plan for moths but finally just got it into a proper planter.
+ I made all of the guys boutonnières on Thursday...checking things off of the list!
+ Our office was closed on Monday for the holiday and so my work schedule was thrown off a little...I'm glad to be at the weekend!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
+ I shared 3 resources that have been instrumental in our wedding planning!
+ I shared a yummy Blueberry-Mint Iced Green Tea recipe the other day!
+ Did you see my thoughts about The Bachelorette yesterday?
+ I joined in on The Golden Vlog this week!
+ If you have a new mom in your life, check out this gift idea!

CHECK OUT THESE POSTS:
+ Beth's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream looks delicious!
+ I'm drooling over these Watermelon Mint Popsicles from Laura!
+ I love Madison's cute little baby bump and list of pregnancy must-haves!
+ Shelby's smoothie recipe looks super refreshing!
+ These money-saving tips from Danette are great!

And here's a great giveaway for you this week!  Because who doesn't love a shopping spree at Target?!

 How is your summer going? I've got a way to make it even better! I've teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you a $190 Target gift card. Find out how you can enter to win below!

It's Grilling Season!

One of the things that I love most about summer is breaking out the grill!  It's one of my favorite ways to cook and luckily, AJ loves to grill too, so we spend a lot of time over the summer grilling for our families.  From your typical grill foods like burgers and hot dogs, to more complex things like ribs and salmon, we love experimenting with different things and discovering new recipes!

In honor of the start of summer and grilling season, here are a few of my favorite grilling recipes from some of my favorite bloggers:

Dad's Best Grilled BBQ Ribs Recipe

from According to Laura Jean

Texas Fajitas

from Sustaining the Powers

BBQ Turkey Breast

from A Prioritized Marriage

Cheddar Jalapeño Onion Ring Burgers

from Wetherills Say I Do

Buffalo & Bleu Stuffed Burgers

from A Savory Feast

Mexican Corn Salad

from Sustaining the Powers

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

from Wetherills Say I Do

Grilled BBQ Ribs & Dry Rub

from Heavens to Betsy

GIVEAWAY DETAILS // 

Prize:  $100 worth of Pampered Chef products of your choice

Co-hosts:  Jenn's Blah Blah Blog // Some of This and That // Virtually Yours // Life is Poppin // Sisters, What! // Heavens to Betsy // A Hot Southern Mess // No Time for DIY // YogurtHydro

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck! (Please email [email protected] with any questions.)

Rules:  Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily.  Giveaway ends 6/23 and is open to the US only.  Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog?  Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

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Lashes for Days // Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash

My friend Melissa hosted a virtual makeup party a few weeks ago with Jill Cassidy, an independent Younique consultant, and "invited" me to it on Facebook.  I didn't really think too much of it...I like trying out new products but I also like to be able to actually check products out in the store before I buy.  As I started getting notifications from the group, I quickly realized that this company's pride and joy was it's mascara.

If you have been reading Heavens to Betsy for a little while, you probably can guess:  I was immediately intrigued.

As a girl who has the unfortunate fate of getting her dad's basically hair-free genes and the tiniest, stubbiest eyelashes, I love my mascara.  (For real though...my lashes are practically microscopic!)  Melissa has a similar lash situation, so after reading about Younique's Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes mascara for a little while, I finally just texted her.  I wanted the real deal about this product before I dropped $30 on it!  I had seen photos of what the mascara apparently could do, but I was still skeptical...I wanted the dirt on it from someone I trusted!

Melissa couldn't rave enough about it, and with Younique's 14-day money-back guarantee, I figured I had nothing to lose and I took the plunge and ordered.  I don't often devote entire blog posts to rave about just one beauty product, but girls....this mascara is the bomb [dot] com.  When I'm wearing just one coat, my lashes look longer than they ever have before!  It's so awesome, in fact, that I'm reconsidering my obvious need for falsies on my wedding day...this mascara might do the trick all on it's own!

Applying it is a bit of a fascinating process...there's a transplanting gel that basically looks like your typical mascara.  You sweep a coat or two of that on, and then lightly sweep the fibers over your lashes, and follow that up with another coat of the transplanting gel.  I was a bit apprehensive when I first tried it, but it only took about two minutes to get the hang of it.  And the coolest part is watching your lashes get longer and more voluminous as you apply!

Another thing that I love about the Moodstruck 3D Fiber lash mascara is how light it is...you would think that applying a minimum of 3 coats of product to your lashes would weigh them down, but it's amazing.  I've never worn a mascara that is so light I can't even tell I'm wearing it, and friends, I've tried almost everything your drugstore carries!  Because of my short lashes, mascaras usually gunk up around my lash line and then I can always see my weighed-down lashes when I blink.  Not anymore!  It's the best feeling.

If you're anything like me, you're probably a little bit skeptical of online companies that you might not have heard of before.  I get it!  I was too...but I'm so glad that I tried out this mascara.  Even though it's a bit pricier than I'd normally spend, it's proven to be absolutely worth it!



I don't feel like I can properly review a makeup product without showing you a photo of myself wearing it, so here goes.  This is not even half of the magic of Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes at work....I brushed on a quick coat in the church parking lot on Sunday morning and worked six hours, then went for a run, then a walk with my mom, and did some stuff around the house.  So if you need any proof of whether or not this mascara holds up, here is is.  The real magic here is that you can actually see my lashes.  Sadly enough, that's not always the case!



I've partnered with Jill, (who's awesome, by the way!), to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to try out Younique's Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara!  I'm so excited to give someone else a chance to try this great product, and if you're looking for longer, more voluminous lashes, then I highly recommend that you check it out, whether you win or not!  Check out the Rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway and good luck!

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*This post was in no way compensated by Younique.  All opinions expressed are my own...I just really love this product!  The giveaway is sponsored by Jill Cassidy's Younique Boutique!  Thanks Jill!

My Spring Wardrobe Inspiration (& a Giveaway!)

I'm going to be completely honest with you...spring is not my favorite season to dress for.  I love the onset of warm weather, but I just have such a hard time finding clothes that I love for these finicky months!  My spring go-to plan is to layer, layer, layer.  Well, that's actually my plan every season!

I love having a wardrobe that can transition from season to season, but there's also something about spring that makes me want to shop for just a few new pieces to add to my closet!  I'm trying to be really good and not spend money on new clothing, but a girl can dream right!  Check out some of my wardrobe inspiration:

Sabado Dress, Anthropologie // Stripe Scuba Fit & Flare Dress, Gap

Button Down Blouse, Painterly Print, Target // Fluttered Flores Blouse, Anthropologie

Stripe Flared Skirt, Gap // Dotstripe Top, Loft

And because I think YOU deserve a spring shopping spree, I've teamed up with eight other fabulous bloggers to give one lucky reader the chance to win a gift card to Gap worth $150!  Check out these awesome ladies (and go leave them some love on their blogs!) and enter to win below!

Heavens to Betsy // According to Laura Jean // The Ashley Maria Blog

The Gift of Gab // Elizabeth Loves // Mandy Living Life

Flowers in My Hair // Danise Jurado Blog // Grace Believer

Enter below to win a $150 gift card to Gap!  All entries will be verified, so please play fair!

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I Heart Target.

No joke, friends:  Target is my jam!  When AJ and I got engaged, we knew without a doubt that Target would be one of the first places we registered, and some of my favorite items on our wedding registries are on our Target wish list!  

Spring is just such a time of renewal in my mind...I'm ready to clean out my closet and replace some of my staple pieces, and refresh my home decor.  But I'm also really trying to save some money, so I've been trying to just window shop a little and not spend money...or use gift cards!  And luckily, I still have a few left over from Christmas to my favorite place!  So here are a few things on my Target wish list this spring!

Coral Tote // This bag is so cute!  I love a good structured tote bag and this pop of coral is perfect for spring.

Hammered Gold Serving Bowl // Truth be told, quite a few of the things on this wish list are straight from our registry, including this bowl!  We are going for a boysenberry, white, and gold color scheme in our kitchen, so this gold serving bowl (along with it's small counterpart and two gold serving trays) was a no-brainer on our registry.

Scalloped Throw Pillow // I love the texture of this throw pillow, and gray is always a go-to neutral for me!

Wire Basket Organizer // Another pick from our registry, this wire basket organizer will be great in an entryway for holding keys, mail, sunglasses, and scarves and gloves in colder weather!

Metal Milk Crate // Have you seen these at Target recently?  I love having baskets for throw blankets, magazines, and other loose ends, and these milk crates are super cute!

Road Bike // Ok, so this isn't the most high-quality road bike ever, but I really am considering investing in one so that I can get out and ride this summer!  I already own a cruiser bike which I love, but it's too heavy for longer training rides, and I'd love to get out of the cycling studio and hit the road this summer.

Floral Bib Necklace // If scarves are my go-to in winter, long necklaces take the cake for me in summer, and this colorful bib necklace is not only super cute, but will dress up any shorts and tank outfits this summer!

There you have it...my spring Target wish list!  I love shopping at Target because it's a one-stop shop, and because you can find great deals and savings!  Mandy just wrote this bomb.com post on ways to save money at Target, and she is spot on!  Between my RedCard and Cartwheel, plus coupons that they give me when I checkout, I love watching my savings pile up.  Plus, they just have such cute stuff!  But one lucky reader will get to have a little Target shopping spree...check out this giveaway to enter to win a $400 gift card to Target!

// GIVEAWAY DETAILS //

Prize: $400 Target Gift Card

Co-hosts: Jenn's Blah Blah Blog • Memoirs of a Clueless Woman • The Nerdy Fox • Taffeta & Tulips • Dressing Dallas • Michigan Saving and More • Allisonleighann. • Simply Stine • The Fashion Stir Fry • J. Frances • Peanut Butter and Whine • TheItMom.com • The Girl Next Door is Black • Here We Go Again Ready •  Artwork by JM • A Medic's World • Chasing My Halo • Virtually Yours

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck! (Please email [email protected] with any questions.)

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 4/8 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!

Enter below and good luck!!

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WHAT'S TOPPING YOUR TARGET WISH LIST THIS SPRING?

Paypal Cash Giveaway! (& Happy Birthday Madison!)

today was just one of those days that got away from me....you know?  i had every intention of blogging this morning and it didn't happen, and now, here we are and it's 9:22pm and i'm sitting on the couch with my mom watching the bachelor and i realized that my post never went up this morning.  the day escaped me, but yet i was still super productive.

anyway, i didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to share this exciting giveaway with you all...i love taking the opportunity to offer giveaways to my wonderful readers from time to time, and what better reason for a giveaway than to celebrate a birthday?

the lovely madison of wetherills say i do celebrated her birthday last week and decided to throw a little giveaway-party and share some paypal cash with one lucky reader!  there are only a few days left to enter, so enjoy and good luck!

betsy from heavens to betsy | mandy from mandy living life | mar from t.o. & fro 

nina from flowers in my hair | daisy from simplicity relished | katie from hot tea and the empty seat 

britt from my little sunshines | becca from becoming adorrable | helene from helene in between 

katie from twin stripe | grace from grace cho | susannah from feast + west 

hayley from a beautiful exchange | jenna from a savory feast | madison from wetherills say i do

enter below to win! giveaway ends march 12th at 11:59pm est. be honest and follow the requirements for each entry, they will be verified!

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Grateful on a Snowy Monday

happy monday friends!  i'm not sure where you're reading this from, but if you're in new england, new york, or new jersey, stay warm this week!  winter storm juno is headed right towards aj in boston (where they're predicting two feet of snow!) and it looks like we might get a few inches here (on top of the six that we got on saturday).

i'm kicking off the week with a little list of a few things i'm grateful for today...some are big and some are small, but getting into the habit of gratitude is something that has done wonders for my heart and my attitude!  if you aren't busy, join in on ember grey's weekly grateful heart link-up with me!

here's what i'm grateful for today:

+ that we were able to leave the house for a bit today (as of yesterday, we were hearing predictions ranging from 3-18" of snow!)

+ getting to the gym yesterday (my body is starting to get back to craving working out a little)

+ i've made it through 9 whole days of whole30!  this thing is not easy, and i'm not feeling particularly great today (which they say is normal), but i'm proud of myself!

+ aj and i scheduled our first premarital counseling session...grateful that we go to a church that values premarital counseling, and that we can schedule these sessions for when aj comes home!

+ a productive afternoon meeting

+ evenings spent with good friends

+ a bunch of things to look forward to coming up soon

+ warm tea

what are you grateful for today?

oh, and just to sweeten your monday...here's a giveaway for a few gift cards that would be perfect for date night (ahem, valentine's day!), or a night out with your girls!

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Giveaway Day!

i try really hard to never center a post around a giveaway.  i like to add giveaways into posts with more content, and i don't think i've ever offered more than one in any post.  but i'm traveling today and i wanted to give you all the opportunity to enter both of these giveaways that i've partnered with other bloggers to be a part of, so, today, we're going for it.... #hatersgonnahate.

emily ley simplified planner

the christmas season is such a spirit filled, cozy time of the year, but there is nothing quite as refreshing as a new year and new plans. there's so much hope & eagerness to see what the new year will hold.

to get you on the right track & ready for all that 2015 has to offer, i've teamed up with jenni from frankly my dear & several other ladies to give away one lucky a reader a sold out 2015 Daily edition of emily ley's simplified planner in happy stripes!

 the williams journey // blonde freedom // joyfully organized // new home, new name, new adventure // simply complex mom // park avenue // rachel rewritten // heavens to betsy // frankly my dear // oak + oats 

one simplified planner will be given away in happy stripes. open to those with a valid us address for shipping. all entries will be verified. no purchase is necessary to win. giveaway will run until 12/21 at 11:59pm. winner will be emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. 

good luck!

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brighter day

i've also partnered with some other wonderful bloggers to offer one reader this clutch and these silver foil earrings from brighter day!  these are so cute and would make a great addition to any wardrobe/accessories collection for the new year!

according to laura jean // heavens to betsy // dearest love

wetherills say i do // alsi atelier // the little things

a Rafflecopter giveaway

have fun and good luck!

Grateful for the Word (+ a Journaling Bible Giveaway)

i'm starting my monday off with a grateful heart.  today, i'm so grateful for the bible.

i'm also going to be completely honest with you....i'm really really bad with spending time daily in the word.  i've been getting better, but it's a struggle for me!  i'm so grateful that god has given us his word to turn to in all seasons, and the more i dig into it, the more i want to read.  a few months ago i did a post with tips on how to get into the habit of opening your bible, and i've been really trying to implement those tips in my own life!

one of the things i did for myself was purchase a journaling bible.  if you search #journalingbible on instagram, you'll find a myriad of inspiring and amazing things that people do with these bibles!  they have extra wide margins for writing notes, but there are so many ideas, from scrapbooking to illustrating, that people get so much more creative than just writing notes!  i personally have been loving hand-lettering different verses that jump out to me in the margins.  plus, this bible is just pretty!  i have the antique floral version, and i felt like i finally had a "grown up" bible when i took it out of the packaging.

using this bible has not only inspired me to get into god's word more regularly, but to also be creative about reading and interpreting scripture!  i already love hanging scripture on my walls so that i'm constantly seeing it, and this new practice has just given me even more inspiration.

and so that you can check out the journaling bible for yourself, i've teamed up with lauren from 34 magnolia street as well as a few other ladies to give one away!  specifically, we are giving away an esv journaling bible, as well as a $30 amazon gift card! the giveaway runs from today through 12/14, so these will ship just in time for christmas. we are specifically giving away the bible pictured below - it is leather with a dainty leaf print on it. for a better picture and to see the inside, you can check out the specific bible here.

be sure to check out the lovely ladies below and visit their blogs when you enter to win below! :) good luck!

34 magnolia street  ||  heavens to betsy  ||  mandy living life

wetherills say i do  ||  my little sunshines  ||  a sweet aroma

this giveaway is open to US residents only. entries will be verified upon closure of contest. giveaway runs 12/7/14 - 12/14/14. good luck!

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Grateful Heart (+ a Giveaway!)

well, it's a rainy gloomy monday here in pa!  it's the kind of day that i wish i could spend in sweats curled up with my favorite blanket, a warm cup of tea, and a good book, ya know?  but since i'm working this morning and taking aj back to the airport this evening, i think it's a good day for a little re-centering of this grateful heart!

it was a crazy weekend, aj was home because our church was releasing it's first worship album (which he engineered and produced), and we had a huge concert last night that he ran sound for.  it was so fun and awesome to see months worth of work come to fruition!

a special shout out goes out to my daddy today!  it's his birthday, so leave a comment and show him some love.  he's the biggest source of inspiration and positivity that i know.  he's been battling cancer for about 18 months now, and just had chemo on thursday, so unfortunately, he's spending his birthday (hopefully on the upswing), home from work and still recovering.  but his strength and faith in the great healer is unmatched....i'm so grateful that he is my dad!

here are a few other things my heart is happy about today:

warm rooibos tea

short monday morning meetings

a great night of worship last night

some extra time with aj

dark red nail polish (i'm addicted)

a cuddly puppy that has now been with us for a year!

and just to sweeten your monday, how about a giveaway?  i've teamed up with some awesome blogging friends to give away a gift certificate to better life bags!  i love businesses that give back or are doing awesome things, and better life bags is one of my favorites.  they employ women living in detroit to create these beautiful bags, giving the women a source of income and a stable work environment.  i love the mission behind this company and whoever wins this giveaway is going to be a lucky duck!

i am swooning over all this gorgeousness! and you know what? you can even design your own better life bag online and pick your own fabrics and everything! how cool is that? 

in order to spread some christmas cheer your way, i have teamed up with some of my sweet blog friends to give one lucky winner a $100 gift certificate to use towards one of these gorgeous bags!! yay! 

oh simple thoughts /frankly my dear / sincerely , lo 

the girl who loved to write / a beautiful exchange / life with the casterlines

the quiet place /wetherills say i do / heavens to betsy

all entries will be verified so play fair! and enter to win below! :)

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Starting today with a Grateful Heart

it's been a while since i joined in on ember grey's grateful heart monday....mondays around here have just been crazy with meetings and not feeling great, and blogging has fallen to the wayside.

but my heart has so been needing this...a moment to focus on some of the little (and big) things that i'm grateful for!

boots & scarves, and that it's (finally) chilly enough to wear them!

pumpkin carving with the fam this weekend

roasted pumpkin seeds (yum!)

a fall harvest party with my class this thursday!

getting back into running after a few weeks off

fun times with friends planned
exciting things happening at work
taking some time to relax and get work done this weekend
booking a good number of photoshoots for the fall!

and just to make your monday a little sweeter, here's a chance to win a $120 target gift card!

check out a few of these lovely ladies and their blogs, and then enter to win below!

heavens to betsy // glitz & gritz // wetherills say i do // this crazy cass life // a savory feast

life behind the lens // set free // the truelife of kmk // arroway // according to laura jean

taniaknowsbest // two miracles // seven graces // my little sunshines

life with the casterlines // all the joys // simple moments stick // the bitsy button // butcher's niche

simply love // little things + big stuff // annabel & alice // the beauty section // life w/ mrs. g. & the artist

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

giveaway runs from 10/27 at 12am set to 11/4 at 12am est. available to us residents 18 years and older. no purchase necessary.

i hope you'll join in with us and tell us a little bit about what your heart is grateful for this week!  head on over to ember grey and link up with us!

what are you grateful for today?

Learning to Rest

last week, i was a little bit absent from this space.  life just caught up to me, and i needed a break.  i've been so diligent with writing and scheduling posts over the weekend, and having a constant and consistent presence on my blog, but last weekend was just busy in every way...aj was home, my parents rode the philly ride to conquer cancer, and i was still battling a sinus infection and bronchitis. so this last week, once i was able to exhale, things like sleep and catching up on work just took priority.

last wednesday night, i walked into my room after a twelve-hour work day, dumped my bags on the floor, sat down at my desk, and lettered these words:  rest and abide.

god has been slowly whispering to my heart these past few days...rest and abide.  it's been one of those times where life feels like it hasn't slowed down since mid-august.  where the demands of work, relationships, and just life in general have me learning the power of saying "no" to things.  where i've felt nothing short of overwhelmed and dried up at every turn.

and when i get overwhelmed, i get weepy.  to be honest, it doesn't really take much to make me cry...aj often refers to me as a human faucet.  but i hit a wall on wednesday night, with work still to do and friends still to have dinner with and appearances still to keep up, and blog posts still to write, and finally, i decided to shed the guilt of not being present here, or not producing the content i wish i was writing.



at one of those dinners with friends the other night, blogging was a topic of conversation, and one girl was sharing wisdom from an influence network class she had just watched.  "don't let your blog become your kingdom"...those words hit me so hard.  had my blog, the space i've been working so hard to build and the community i've been pouring myself into, become my kingdom, or was i still using it to really do what i have always wanted it to...spread god's kingdom?

(funny, as i write this, i'm sitting backstage on sunday morning listening to our pastor preach...about "your kingdom, or god's?"....think jesus is trying to tell me something?)

i think that we as bloggers, or anyone with an online presence, walk a fine line.  it's so easy to raise up our blogs or our online lives to a high priority...because after all, what will our 750 instagram followers do if they don't see the photo of that latte we picked up at starbucks this afternoon?!

the reality is that our online lives do matter, but only to the point that they are glorifying the lord, and no further.  once they become our kingdom, then they are worthless, and all of the influence we have and all of the followers we've gained mean nothing.

learning to rest is tough...chances are, if you're a blogger, you've spent plenty of late nights at your computer at 11:30pm crafting that perfect post and editing those photos to top it off.  and let's be real, you probably have seen more of those nights than you care to admit.



but i think that it's important to find intentional places and spaces that will encourage you to rest, to consider the influence you have, and to care for your spirit and your heart.  and one of those places is the influence network.

about a month ago, after watching instagram like it was the news all weekend as so many of my blogging friends gathered together at the 2014 influence conference, i decided to take the plunge and purchase a ticket to the 2015 conference.  it's a time to for women with creative hearts to gather and talk about the unique influence they have right where they're at.

and because i'm so excited for next september, i want you to be there too, so i joined up with a bunch of other wonderful, god-loving women to offer you the chance to win a conference ticket.  you don't have to be a blogger to be there...you just need to love jesus and want to know him better.

so i hope you'll consider entering, and if you don't win, then i hope you pray about investing in a ticket to the conference!  i'd love to see you there.

what is the influence network?

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two lucky readers will win a ticket to the 2015 influence conference. the conference is a three day event held in indianapolis, indiana at the westin hotel. you will meet women from all over the country who are seeking to learn the right tools for their passions. there will be workshops, classes, speakers, coffee, & shopping. there will be bloggers, mothers, small business owners, writers, and the list goes on & on. 

two places at once     //     what she saw     //     rivers & roads

oak & oats    //     amy cornwell     //     simplicity relished

rachel rewritten     //     trusty chucks     //     wear flowers in your hair

she lives free    //     elah tree     //     mandy living life

vallarina creative     //     camp patton     //     23 and 9 creative

ann swindell     //     heavens to betsy    //     a beautiful exchange

wetherills say i do      //     oh simple thoughts     //     frankly my dear

you do not have to be a member of the influence network to enter the giveaway or to go the conference but i encourage you to check out the network and consider joining!

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**please note that this giveaway is in no way sponsored by the influence network. 
we are a group of independent women who are joining together to make this conference happen for two of our readers. the two recipients will only receive tickets to the event & are responsible for all other expenses, including but not limited to travel, lodging, meals, parking, etc. if for some reason either of the winners cannot attend the conference they will be expected to contact one of the hosts immediately so that another winner can be chosen.