Lonestar Lagniappe

It has been several days since the elementary school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and I know our nation is steel reeling from this attack.  I am not a mom or a teacher, I did not know any of the victims, I did not know the shooter.  Still, I was surprised at how this news affected me.  It is incredibly sad to me that tragedies like this happen.  It is incredibly sad that the shooter (in this case, in Columbine's case, in any other case...) feels like his rampage is a good decision.  Whether or not you are a proponent of teachers carrying guns and children being locked down at school everyday...be pro-prayer .  In my opinion, our nation is in a fragile state, in every facet imaginable.  We need to be prayer warriors for America.  For our leaders.  For our children.  For our future.  I receive a daily devotional from the Proverbs 31 ministry.  The one that was sent today offers a new perspective on how w...

Right now I dig / love / need / enjoy... ... the sunshine - it comes directly through my window at work in the afternoon for about 2 hours, and that makes me happy. ... sweet tea - I am southern, so this comes as naturally as saying "y'all" and "fixin' to".  I had some Chik-Fil-A tea for lunch today, a welcome treat! ... lighter traffic - a lot of people are taking off this week because of the holidays, and that is making my commute better!  Thank you, peeps, for being off the road, you are greatly helping my road rage. ... Christmas lights - don't they just make you smile!?  LOVE them!  we only have them on our (teeny tiny) tree, but I still love them!  (iPhone pic, sorry!) ... house-hunting - well, sort of.  I love looking on HAR.com and Zillow.com dreaming of having a house of our very own!  (soon!) ... morning walks with LB - normally, I hate these because they ruin my hair (such a girl, right?), but now that the weather is cooler ...

Hello friends!  TGIF!  Man, this week has been a long week...and I don't even know why!  I had to literally roll myself off of the bed this morning to wake up. *thud!* hello, floor.  hello, Friday.  My first thought?  'I get to sleep in tomorrow!'  My second thought?  'Why the heck did I just roll out of bed 3 feet to the floor?  Ugh.  Coffee.'  I'm pretty sure LadyBug rolled her eyes at me and told me not to be so dramatic. That being said, I'll give a quick round up of this week in an Instagram photo!  (These are iPhone pics - excuse the quality!) 1:: New Perfume from Anthropologie !  I love me a new scent! 2:: Hubby found this beauty in my tire this weekend...awesome!  I'm glad he fixed it for me...one of a zillion reasons I'm glad he's so handy. 3:: LB was ready for the Texans game...too bad we got smoked! (But since it was by Tom Brady, that eases the blow.  Hehe.)  Maybe this weekend, boys!...

Hello friends! Happy Hump Day!!  It's time for Wednesday Pins-day! I'm linking up with the Vintage Apple for Oh, how Pinteresting!  Here are some fun things I pinned this week! :) Source: someecards.com via Christina on Pinterest Source: tyanatalksbeauty.blogspot.com via Kacey on Pinterest Source: ohhappyday.com via Melissa on Pinterest Source: break-of-dawn-1.blogspot.com via Claire on Pinterest Source: google.com via Tara on Pinterest Source: sheknows.com via Lauren on Pinterest And there you have it! I hope you are having a great week thus far! :) xoxo

So, I have started following Ashely over at Adventures of Newlyweds .  She is a believer, hilarious, and talented!  No, I'm not creepy.  I just read her blog faithfully and therefore know a lot about her.  Ok, maybe I am creepy?  She does a segment called 'Friday's Letters', and I'm going to (try to remember to) join in on the fun!  And since I can't figure that whole button thing out, a link to her blog will have to do! *Me and Hubby on my 27th Birthday.  Isn't he handsome?* Dear November:   What the heck?  Where did you go?  And why were you so busy?  It's now 18 days until Christmas and I'm still trying to use the excuse "But it's my birthday month!"  * Sigh * Until next year.  Dear Texas:   It is December 7th, Christmas season is in full swing, and you are 80 degrees outside today?  Let's get it together, I want to wear my boots and I want my hair to cooperate!  kthanks.  Dear Pandor...

Friends! I realize this might not be my most popular post to date, and I’m ok with that! I appreciate your open mind. But also please note, I am not judging you, your family or your friends in any way if you choose celebrate Halloween. This is just my side...   Halloween is such a touchy subject, especially with some Christians. Why? I believe it is because of what the holiday has turned in to over the years. As one article puts it, “ Halloween is a day of pagan celebration. Whatever its true roots, today it embraces and festively commemorates many things ostensibly evil. Witches, demons, death, degradation, spell making, hauntings, and the list goes on.”   A s Hubby and I believe, that is not the best use of our time or energy as Christ-followers. I will say, in all honsety, I did attend Halloween parties in college, and I did dress up. But as a more mature believer (and person in general), I now have a better understanding of the impact that my witness and ...

A friend of mine posted this article on facebook about Biblical Womanhood.  It is not long.  But it is a good reminder to the church, and women, about how we need to be fed, trained in, and living our faith.  And I like the intro. (mainly because that's where I am in life)... " The call for biblical womanhood is here and now, regardless of your station in life, and it’s not when you’re married or have your first child."   Take a moment to read it... Biblical Womanhood     Have a great weekend! xoxo

"Keep the earth below my feet, For all my sweat, my blood runs weak. Let me learn from where I have been, Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn.   And I was still but I was under your spell, When I was told by Jesus all was well. So all must be well. " -Mumford and Sons, Below My Feet

Who am I kidding, of course you do!  I got LadyBug this year's howl-o-ween costume at Target in the clearance section.  I put it on her...and she mainly just tried to eat it.  I'll have to put it on her everyday until the 31st (when she will wear it ALL day) to make sure she gets used it!  (She hates me.)  See if you can guess what it is from this video.  She was rather uncooperative during filming...   Isn't she the funniest horse you've ever seen?  Of course, I probably wouldn't be happy if I had a strange person on my back...   (just so you know, yes, I am losing it...that should be obvious by this video!)   xoxo

I know I need one, too...but today my blog got a tiny make over!  I rearranged the icons, picked new colors, fonts, and a new background pic.  This may not excite you, but since I love rearranging, this was fun for me! I also figured out how to add a signature at the bottom (yahoo!).  Now if only I could figure out how to make the font that the posts show up in match everything else...

I love music.   I mean – I LOVE music.   I wish my life had a sound track and I could walk around with big speakers and blast my music for all to hear.   I’m pretty sure I can think of a song for every situation…ever.   Music speaks to me, from head to toe, right down to my soul.   No matter the genre, no matter the singer, no matter the beat – I feel connected to every song that I hear.   And I love it that way.   What joy music brings to my life. It seems that in every season I am going through there is a perfect song that someone else has written which I can bop my head along to and enjoy (and trust me, I do bop my head along!).   Notice I said “that someone else has written”.   Maybe I’m crazy, but somehow I feel comforted that someone else has been/is going through what I am – happy, sad, angry, glad, joyful – the good, the bad and the ugly.   Someone had to experience it to write about it, right? What comfort music ...

Hi Friends! As I mentioned in my last post, I recently had foot surgery on my left foot.   While I am happy to (hopefully) be having a good recovery and to (hopefully) be walking soon, I have been more or less totally non-weightbearing for 12 days now.   The first few days after surgery are a blur of pain meds, naps, saltine crackers and sprite, but now that I am finally out of the “fog” that has been ruling my life, I am ready to share the valuable lessons I have learned during my recovery thus far (other than the fact  that my feet look terrible with no pedicure!).  Prepare to be amazed at my “valuable” discoveries…   ~     Discovery #1:   Purchasing Books before surgery (and planning to read them while you are recovering) = not a good idea for Jordan!   I thought I would have loads of time to be reading between the meds I would be taking and bed resting that I would be doing, BUT the pain meds put in a certain funk for about a we...

...are making me LOOPY!  No really, they are making me CrAzY!! Let me explain... On Friday I had a left 5th metatarsal chevron osteotomy...basically I had a bunionette on my left pinky toe and it bothered me to the extent that I decided I wanted to get it surgically fixed.  So, my Doc fixed it by operating, and the operation entailed putting 2 small screws in my foot.  This is why I am taking pain meds (ick!). I have had surgery before, but I can't ever remember taking pain meds, so this is a whole new experience for me.  The RX is a pretty strong one, and I am having some funny reactions/experiences.  At first, I was taking one every 4 hours to stay ahead of the pain.  About 2 pills in, I began realizing that my body was on fire...ON FIRE...and I was itching SO bad! :( When I looked in the mirror, I did not recognize myself!  My face was so swollen and red and itchy!  It was terrible.  So, along with adding a Benadryl to my pill reg...

Summer Reading... Hi friends!   Nothing too exciting is going on these days, so that is why I am posting about summer reading – LOL.   (Just go with it...) I am a terrible reader.   And I mean terrible in like a zillion different ways.   I get distracted ½ way through the book and might never finish, I read about a chapter a month (s…l…o…w…), I read several pages/chapters and then realize I have no idea what is going on and I have to go back and re-read them….I could go on.   Reading never was my strong suit.   That being said, this summer, and this year in general, I want to read more.   I have 2 books that I am reading for my “summer reading”: 1.            Gold (available July 3) – I hope this is as good as it seems!   2.       The Circle Maker – (which I have already started). What are you reading this summer?  ...

Sometimes a reminder is just what you need, isn’t it?   I ran across this on Pinterest and I really liked it.   In case you don’t know, little sayings like this are my favorite things.   Maybe ever. So just remember, maybe today isn’t your best day ever, but it’s not the end of the world!   “…for his compassions never fail; they are new every morning” Lamentations 2:22b-23a peace and love! JKB

If I may, let me brag about my adorable nephew for a second.  (Yes, I am partial, but hey, he's totes adorbs!)  Yesterday, we were at my parents house swimming/grilling burgers for Memorial Day.  We came in from the pool to eat lunch, and of course, all attention was on Jonah-man!  He was getting ready to eat, and I slapped a mustache sticker on his face (ok, no, I didn't literally slap it on him, I placed it lovingly...).  Anywho, he kept pointing from his mustache to Papa Kates' mustache.  Eventually he pointed at my camera and then to his face, as if to say - "Take my picture, Aunt Jo!"  So I did just that.  Here are 2 of the pics.... Jonah-man and Papa Kates showing off their mustaches. WHAT A CUTIE.  omg.   Anywho, that you for letting me have my brag moment!  He is the best.  And I get to have a niece in July!  I wonder how she will look in a mustache...?? peace, love, and funny mustaches! xoxo aunt...

“Have patience, have patience, don’t be in such a hurry; when you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient too - and think of all the times that He has been patient with you!” That is a song we learned waayyy back in the good ‘ole days in Sunday School.   (I also remember the clean-up song…but maybe that one was from Barney?!)   Anyhow, the saying is true: “ Patience is a virtue ” - and of it, I have little to none.   I’m working on it! :/ Just recently I got frustrated, and I mean FRUSTRATED, with a craft I was making.   Really?   I know.   It’s a craft for crying out loud.   And yes, crafting made me lose my mind.   By the end of the evening, the craft was on the floor – and so was I.   Why was I so frustrated?   Because I couldn’t wait one more day to get it done.   I was just so excited to see it come to fruition that I had to have it done.   And it got the better of me! ...

A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to get to go to the beach for a whole 7 days!   It was really fun, and by all accounts really needed.   Since we moved to Houston, almost exactly a year ago, it has been go, go, go for us.   With hubby starting his first job after graduation and with me working 3 part-time jobs until this January when I started a full-time job, we have been on the go!   It was fun to get to go relax and reconnect, just the 2 of us (oh, and Ladybug, too!) at the beach.   We went to a place called Seacrest Beach (sadly, no Ryan Seacrest sighting happened), which is about 40 minutes east of Destin.   We stayed in a 2 bedroom bungalow that was just precious.   Here are a few pics from the trip. Our Home for the week ~ Bungalow #25 Our View to the Ocean!  LB's first trip to the sand - She HATED it! Can you tell?? Ahhhhh Dinner the last night in Rosemary and this is what LB did the WHOLE car ride...

Hi all!   Can you believe it is mid-April already?   I can’t – it seems this year is flying by!   I must say, today’s post is super personal.   I wrestled for a few days with the idea of writing it on my blog, thereby releasing it to the vast audience of cyberspace (or, since I’m convinced not many people read this, those who randomly stumble upon it while googling something strange).   As you can see, I have chosen to post it.   That being said, here is a warning: this is a very personal blog – sorry to delve so deep and share so much!   Read on if you dare ;) You’ve heard of a fun-sucker, right?   The guy or gal who always has to ruin the party, the parent who always says no, or the friend who always sits in the corner pouting?   Not cool.   Fun-suckers are just not cool , y’all!   But have you ever considered someone or something a joy-sucker?   Yes, I think I just made that term up – but roll with me.   Similar to a ...

We had a great message at church this weekend.  It was about anxiety - something that I struggle with!  Needless to say, one of our pastors, Ben Young, killed it.  I have put the link below...and I encourage you to watch it!  He brings it in this sermon, and what a great reminder to us all that God's got the whole world in His hands, so don't worry! The Cause and Cure of Anxiety Peace, love, and NO worries ;) xoxo Jo

  “ If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet~ This weekend Daylight Savings Time began.   While this time of year initially bugs me (who really wants to lose an hour of sleep anyway??), I end up really loving it.   I love to run outside, so the fact that it is lighter longer is very good for me!   But more importantly, this signals the start of spring! (I know, I am so observant.)   Everything and everybody seem a little bit more refreshed and full-of-life. March 20 is the first day of spring this year… YAY !   I have to say - I think this is my favorite part of the year.   I. LOVE .   Spring.   The colors are brighter, the air is better, the sunshine is sunnier, my closet is cleaner, attitudes perks up, I use more exclamation points than normal (!), I try to be outside more, my Pinterest board stars livening...

I recently began listening to a band called NEEDTOBREATHE.  They have some great Christian songs/lyrics.  I can't stop listening to one of their songs called "Garden".  Read the words below...this is a great reminder and a great prayer: Father, let me heart be after YOU. Garden, by NEEDTOBREATHE: "Won’t you take this cup from me, ‘Cause fear has stolen all my sleep. If tomorrow means my death, I pray you’ll save their souls with it. Let the songs I sing Bring joy to you. Let the words I say profess my love. Let the notes I choose Be your favorite tune. Father let my heart be after you. In this hour of doubt I see, But who I am is not just me. So give me strength to die myself, So love can live to tell the tale. Let the songs I sing Bring joy to you. Let the words I say profess my love. Let the notes I choose Be your favorite tune. Father let my heart be after you. Father let my heart be... ...