• Dairy Free - Dips - Four Ingredients - Sauce - Sugar Free - Whole30

    Homemade Mayo

    March 4, 2020

    I was never taught much about cooking growing up. Homemade wasn’t what we did. Most of the food we cooked came from a package or a box. But when I started Whole30, I found that most of the packaged foods contained sugar. Sugar feeds candida. I had to find an alternative to a lot of things – especially condiments. Soon, after I started changing my food choices I stumbled upon a paleo/Whole30 food blogger, Danielle Walker. She shared how to make your own mayo. Say what? I was naive. Never in my life had I thought about making my own…

  • Beef - Dinner Recipe - Health - Whole30

    Hearty Beef & Veggie Bowls

    February 3, 2020

    Today is day 21 of my Whole30. This time is much easier than the first time I did the Whole30. The first time was extremely difficult. The first time I did the Whole30. I thought about sugar all the time. I wanted it. It consumed my thoughts. I craved it like the Cookie Monster craves cookies. Not giving into those cravings was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Yes, even harder than labor and four c-sections. You have no choice about having a baby. Labor happens whether you want it to or not. But everyday you are doing…

  • Family - Personal - Photography

    Liv & the Dogs

    January 31, 2020

    Our dogs with Liv-she absolutely loves them. Bentley is the fluffy one. He’s half German Shepherd and half Great Pyrenees; he also weighs 115 pounds. Yup, that’s right. He’s a bear. Schaden is a pure German Shepherd. They are the best dogs (most of the time. ha!). We love them like crazy. When I saw Liv sitting there between them, I just knew I had to grab the camera. This is the good stuff that I never want to forget.

  • my little ninja photo
    Family - Personal - Photography

    My Little Ninja

    January 20, 2020

    When he came out dressed like a ninja, I thought it would be worth documenting. He’s passionate about life. Always moving-and never predictable. He’s one of my favorite people. I think I’ll keep him-at least until he’s eighteen.

  • Bathroom - Fixer Upper - Watercolor

    Bathroom Remodel

    February 6, 2019

    It’s finished. Sigh of relief. Fixer uppers are no walk in the park. But when we finally crossed the finish line for this project, a spark ignited somewhere in this “design soul” of mine. This fixer upper journey is more than remodeling a house-it’s telling a story about us. Our family. God’s goodness. The adventures-the hard and the easy-that shape us and make us grow. Houses are stories. Before This photo was taken before the wallpaper peeled off, the water stains set into the carpet, and those black tiles started falling off in the shower. It was bad. For as…

  • Bathroom - Fixer Upper

    Fixer Upper Bathroom

    December 22, 2018

    The Temporary Shower The bathroom demo has begun. It’s only 3 days until Christmas. I hesitated starting the demo over the holidays. Since we only have one shower, we had to improvise and make a temporary shower in the basement. This shower is primitive. Some of you will wonder if I’ve gone completely crazy. But I’ve learned through this fixer upper journey to be flexible and willing to do things most people wouldn’t do. This 1956 mid century bathroom was exactly the same as when it was built. The pink tiles, floral wall paper, and the pink fixtures reminded me…

  • Fixer Upper

    Fixer Upper Update: A Basement Demo

    March 25, 2018

    Basement demolition started last week full force. Everyone-including the four kiddos joined the hammering, ripping, bashing, and breaking.  All of us have enjoyed the adventure so far. We decided we would do the basement because the last 2 summers we’ve been without air conditioning. Basement Before Photos In these photos, you can see the asbestos tiles.  We had those removed before we moved into the home. The basement is actually sectioned off by that large orangey wood wall.  The man who built it took pride in how he put it together.  It was tough taking that wall down!  When we…

  • Fixer Upper

    Our 1956 Fixer Upper

    February 25, 2018

    The journey you take when you embark in renovating a fixer upper is bittersweet. They eventually become what you dream about, but the journey to get there is long. I’ll be the first to admit that fixer uppers are hard work. But the stories these walls could tell, well, it makes all that hard work worth the effort. Just imagining the history gets me all nostalgic inside. It’s almost been two years since we purchased our fixer upper. It’s our first one and although it has it’s challenges, I wouldn’t change it for the world. We were meant for this…

  • Personal - Photography

    Fireflies and Wonder

    July 17, 2017

    His eyes light up. No words, but you can tell his heart is beating faster. You watch him hunch over, close to the ground.  He’s in his own little world. A perfect world where there is adventure and happy endings happen every day. Then you see him capture something in his hands.  He’s careful. In fact, you’ve never seen him move with the care he is showing now.  He turns toward you slowly. Again, you see the light in his eyes. Holding up his clasped hands, he says, “Look, I caught a firefly.”  His voice is barely above a whisper.…

  • Personal - Photography

    Fourth of July

    July 11, 2017

    This Fourth of July, our friends from Alabama came to visit us.  We’re so thankful for them.  These are the times my kids will remember forever.  Good stuff, ya’ll. Good stuff. There’s nothing like hanging out with good friends.  Ya know?  Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July.