{Oh, praise Him}

Sometimes you just need to know life is going to work out. That everything is going to be okay.

I've been pondering a lot of "life" things, lately.

We don't always feel that way- depending on what may be going on. But it's the truth, is it not? Doesn't it always start to look up at some point?

I'm believing for that. Hoping in it. Trusting the Lord.

I can see a light at the end of this tunnel... and for that I am happier than I thought I would be.

Thank you Lord for what you do... are doing... and are going to do.

Oh happy day loves!

O.

Today I had a realization.

But let's backtrack for a second.

I've always loved Jackie O. You know, Jackie Kennedy-Onassis. Yeah, her. She's beautiful. Oh-so-regal. And I've always wanted to be her. Ok, so I don't know her at all... but I want to at least look like her. And have her clothes.

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

So back to my realization. I believe Jackie and I would have been kindred gypsy spirits. I think Jackie liked herself some gypsy style and didn't even know it :) I mean, how can you deny it? She loved to tie her hair back with a scarf. And I bet if there were a lot of pictures of her wrists, she would love bracelets too. Just sayin'...

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Ok. That's all for my totally weird and random rant. I know I'm not alone in my beliefs about Miss O... Who's with me?

happy ranting loves!

it's that simple.

I read REALSIMPLE Magazine. I've been subscribed for about a year and a half and couldn't tell you the amount of money I spend buying issues off the stands before that.

I love reading it. I always feel slightly less crazy. More organized. Light-hearted and not alone after reading. It really is a simple magazine {no pun intended}. The layout is perfect. Colorful and eye-catching.

One of the millions of reasons why I love it... the editor's note in the beginning. She is hilarious. Maybe she doesn't mean to be. But every time I read the note, I'm laughing and thinking to myself "Oh, Kristin. We're such good friends. I'm so glad you came over today."

Yeah. I might be crazy.

Kristin Van Ogtrop {managing editor} has her own blog on the realsimple website.


http://simplystated.realsimple.com/author/kristinvanogtrop/

Seriously, try just reading ONE of her entries.

Anyway, I just wanted you to know about the hilarious editor's note in my life. I must continue on, however, because this issue has what looks to be like a 'to-die-for' summer drink recipe section.

found on pg. 104 in RealSimple July 2012 issue.

The things are that important in life...

Happy Sunday!

beaching.

Today was so sunny. And I love sun. I mean, I really. love. the sun.

So i decided to make my backyard a little tanning area. I laid out a large blanket {which Chase took up most of}, brought out my big glass of water and some tune-age. Oh yeah, I was even in my bathing suit. I know right- in my backyard?! Yep- in my backyard.

Anyway, as I was soakin' up the rays, I realized how much I actually hated my itchy, grassy 'beach'. Still love the sun. Hate 'beaching' in the grass. I then spent the remainder of my time outside
reminiscing about my real beach days. When I lived in Hawaii.

{just a side note: i didn't just live there and go to the beach every day. I was working with a mission organization called youth with a mission. I just beached when I had free time}

{another side note: the above side note was really long. Sorry}

All this to say, today I really missed living near a beach. A real life beach should be in everyone's life. Right? Yeah. That's right. Let's figure out how to make that happen...

Happy Saturday to you... and to you- near the beaches of the world- I'm sticking my tongue out at you. So there. {but really it's just cuz i'm jealous. don't mind me.}

my summer in an {insta}

Summer is still in it's beginning stages. Even though weather wise it feels like the middle of July around here {ick!}, it's only the first week of June. And yet it seems like I've had a full summer... Wanna see? Good, cuz I'm gonna show you anyway :)

See. Such a wonderful summer already. {all the photos were taken on instagram- which i'm slightly addicted to. Follow me: eliserachelle}

Happy Friday loves!

colorful colorado

here i am. as promised. seriously searching for motivation still. i don't know what my deal is. i'm just pooped. all day, every day.

anyway, i am really excited to tell you all about my recent trip to Colorado. i love it there. my reasoning for going was my beautiful sister-in-law is getting married, and we were celebrating her with a bridal shower last weekend! it was really fun to have family together and meet some of her fun friends :) i love meeting new people. and as you know, my amazing cousin (la prima as i like to call her) lives in CO as well... so i killed two birds with one stone and spent time with both sides of my family while there. now, mind you i was only there for a total of 5 days. with a day on each end for driving. and boy was i all over the place in those 5 short days! we (i drove down with my mom-in-law) got in thursday and spend that evening, friday day and friday night talking, planning and modeling everything wedding. as well as the scheduled shower friday evening :) it was really fun! i am that person that everyone hates at showers b/c i actually enjoy cheesy games. yeah, sorry. i can't help it.

 Then saturday morning, Stormie can to pick me up. We spent the day eating at a favorite sandwich place and shopping at the beloved Forever21- where i found some great deal, btw. Saturday evening we went to church where more family was leading worship (always love when i get to worship with family).

We then drove approx. 3 hours to a little tiny town called Holyoke to visit some dear friends for the weekend. It was SO good to spend quality time with them! We ate amazing food (of which i'm still working on getting rid of the weight from ;) and Wrex taught me how to shoot. Seriously- so.much.fun. I've already been trying to convince the hubby that I need a gun... for protection of course. ...ok, and maybe to practice shooting balloons. We saw The Avengers in a sweet 'small-town' theater as i would call it and played with chickens, ducks, horses, a cow i named elsie (Wrex hates when i name animals. haha), and picnic-ed across the NE border where i received my first sunburn of the season (yipee!)

 Monday afternoon we headed back to Brighton, straight to a park for a Rhoades' family birthday party. Gavin and Gemma's (who belong to May of MayDae) birthdays are close so we were celebrating them together :) It was great to see the fam, if even for a short while.

On tuesday, i spent the day at Stormies house (which is darling and you can read about here) and my dear friend Robbin came to visit. And guess who she brought with her? Baby Clara!!! She's just over 3 weeks old and as cute as a button... I love her. It was really good to visit with Robbin for a while and love on Baby Clara.

That evening Stormie brought me back down to Aurora where we said our {dreaded} goodbyes and i headed in to pack and hit the road wednesday.


Here are a few randoms i snapped and loved.

This is a view of where we picnic-ed. An even tinier town where there was an old flour mill turned museum. It was peaceful and fun :)

An old hydrant. I thought it was kinda cool. It reads "american darling".

Inside the museum. An original scale they used to weigh the grain when it came in.

Sister-in-law and her fiance. Menchies it yummy!

Phew! Do you feel like you're out of breath reading this? I am, and i'm just typing it. I warned you... it was a packed 5 days. And i wouldn't have had it any other way. Until next time, Colorado.

lazy day

Seriously you guys. I have no drive to sit down and write a blog. And this saddens me. I have so many things to write about. So, today I shall not. But I promise that starting tomorrow I'll have my blog-writing-drive back. Cross my heart.

Happy Lazy Saturday, peeps!