god is good

First of all, just wanted to say that God is so good...my dad has been in Chile the past month (I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but my family is seriously considering moving there in the near future--more on that later!) and he was flying home this weekend. Well, this morning one of my friends asked me if I'd heard about the earthquake in Chile and, I can't lie, I kind of freaked out. I was like, "What?! My dad's in Chile!" and immediatley grabbed my phone and tried to call my family I don't know how many times. I finally got a hold of my grandma, and (how cool is this?) my dad's flight left five hours before the earthquake. How awesome is that? I got to talk to him a little while ago, and he's safe and sound. So, that's my little praise report of the day!

The conference was amazing! I got to meet so many great girls and heard some really inspiring stories. And they had amazing food. Even better than my grilled cheese.

Looking forward to a game night with some girls in my dorm and watching this movie later:

I love this movie. It's not super exciting and it won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but it's a fun weekend, girl-time movie. And, who doesn't love Amy Adams? The first time I saw a preview for Enchanted, I was like, "Oh my gosh, it's me!" I was one of those kids who thought I was a princess until, I don't know, middle school. Anyway, maybe I'll even work on some homework this weekend. Maybe.

xo

heather 

happy friday!

Sunshine + getting ready to reggae music + new stack of library books = best friday ever.

I'm very easy to please. I don't know about you guys, but a sunny day always puts me in such a great mood. My class was cancelled this morning so I had my sister over for grilled cheese sandwhiches...yum. I love what a seasoned chef I've become since Freshman year :)

I'm so excited about this weekend because my school is hosting a womens' conference about life after we graduate...you know, that whole future thing we all pretend doesn't exist. I hope I learn a lot because...well...I don't have the faintest idea what I'll be doing after next year!

Oh, and I'm seriously considering buying one of these:

(source)

I know, random, right? I've always loved them, and I think it's time I learn how to play. I've never been the super musical type, but I think I need to be able to play at least one instrument.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

xo
heather

beach day (I wish)

You know what sounds so good right now? A warm, sunny beach day. Life can be so crazy and stressful, but a day at the beach makes it all just disappear. Me and my friends are planning on going to Charleston, SC for spring break and I can't wait!!

In the meantime, I'll just drool over these...

(from here)

One of these days, I'm going to wear heels to the beach. Or not.

xo

heather

free pancakes

Man, it's been a while since I last posted. I went home for the weekend and a bunch of us all rode together...so fun! There's nothing like a road trip. It was the perfect weekend to go home, too. I don't know where you all are from but it was some kind of warm in North Carolina. My sisters and I laid out for I don't know how long. It was barely sixty degrees, but after all the snowy weather we've been having, it felt like summertime. So I come back to school, wear a skirt to classes and realize that, yes, it's still February and waaaay too cold for skirts, no matter how cute!

Anyway, me, my sister, and my friend Jess went to IHOP tonight for some free pancakes. Mmm...is it just me, or do pancakes taste even better when they're free?

Goodbye, diet.

Ooh, and I got that little dress I wanted, only in a different pattern. My sisters and I all wanted the same dress, so we each got a different pattern so we can share. Aren't sisters great?

Ugghh, can't winter end already? I mean, sweaters are great and all but I am definitley ready for some dresses.

Okay, I didn't want to post this picture because I look kind of bald and cross-eyed but how hilarious is the mustache I got out of a vending machine? Random, I know...

xo

heather

nicaragua scrapbook

This week has gone by so quickly and yet so slowly at the same time. So many exams and papers and quizzes, but hallelujah for equal amounts of coffee, chocolate, and The Office! While *studying* yesterday, I managed to distract myself by making this little hair pin:

And, just for some more randomness, I thought I'd post some layouts. These are from a scrapbook I made of a mission trip to Nicaragua I went on a couple summers ago. (Sorry if some of them are a little blurry).

This one is of my first zip-lining experience (if you haven't gone before, put it on your bucket list! It's so much fun!)

Nothing says "good morning" like rice and beans for breakfast.

Have a great rest of the week!

xo

heather

favorite scrapbooking supplies...

1. fabric
It's like patterned paper only more fun.

(source)

2. sequins (and buttons)

While it does bring back memories of dance recitals of years past and the hideous costumes we wore that were made entirely of polyester and sequins, it is pretty cute on a scrapbook layout!

(source)

3. grid paper

See, math is good for something!

4. paper doilies

They're so pretty.

(source)

5. ink pads

I ink the edges on almost all of my pages. It gives them a vintage-y feel.

(source)

And here's a little recipe book I made, just for fun...

How cute is the whale ribbon? Target, dollar section. See, college kids can shop!

xo

heather

my favorite valentine's day

I've always liked the idea of Valentine's Day, but, let's face it. When you don't have a date, it just sucks. End of story.

But if I ever get a little down around Single's Awareness Day, I always remember my best Valentine's Day and it never fails to lift my mood.

I was in middle school and in that awkward phase where I felt anything but desirable. Oh braces and bad perms, how vividly you are etched in my memory. Anyway, it was Valentine's Day, the day when all the pretty girls got carnations delivered to them in homeroom by their latest crush. To get flowers from even the most unnattractive boy was a big deal.

So the day went on and I watched as all my friends got their own beautiful, highly coveted flowers. I could only wish that I was cute enough to get a flower from a boy.

I must have said something along those lines to my friend, Hilary, because she shrugged and said, "Here, you can have my flower". And proceeded to hand me the ugliest carnation I have ever seen. The petals were so dead they were black, and (I kid you not) there was a spider web inside of it. But I can't tell you how ecstatic I was to have my very own flower to carry around for the rest of the day! It completely turned my day around because, well, it doesn't take much to make me happy.

Sometime later in the day, a girl looked at my rather lackluster flower and said, "You should take that to the office to see if you can trade that in for a better flower; I think they still have a few left over". So I marched up to the office and asked the secretary for another flower.

"Here," she said, pulling out a tub of beautiful pink carnations, "you can have them all if you want. We were just going to throw them away, anyway".

I could barely contain my excitement as I walked back to class with an armful of big, beautiful carnations. The other girls all had one, but I had a whole bouquet! And, don't worry, I gave one back to Hilary.

I just loved it because it was a reminder that even though I felt awkward and gawky, God thought I was beautiful and loved me enough to give me all those flowers to prove it. Isn't that so like Him? Knowing just how much God loves me is the greatest Valentine I could ever recieve, and I mean that in the most un-cheesy way possible.


I hope you have a fabulous Valentine's Day!

xo
heather

loves

Hope these pretties inspire you this Valentine's weekend!

(from weheartit.com)

I'm also loving...

this dress from here

this little ruffle pin...in my favorite color :)

find them at yourwishcake

love this shirt so so much! My birthday isn't until June, but I am so starting a birthday list!

find it here

happy friday!!

xo

heather

compost cookies

Okay, so I was watching Regis and Kelly this morning (I know, I'm so cool, right?) and they featured this recipe for cookies that look so amazing. It's the weirdest thing ever--you put a bunch of snack food into the batter, like pretzels, goldfish, chips, candy, whatever. Um, goldfish in cookies? Genius.

Compost Cookies

Live with Regis and Kelly - Recipes: "INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
1 3/4 cups AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cups Your favorite baking ingredients!
(Kelly used mini chocolate chips, raisinettes, rollos & cocoa krispies)
1 1/2 cups Your favorite snack foods (chips, pretzels, etc)
(Kelly used goldfish, ritz, & fritos)


DIRECTIONS:
Yield: 15 6oz cookies

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On a lower speed, add eggs and vanilla to incorporate. Increase mixing speed to medium-high and start a timer for 10 minutes. During this time the sugar granules will fully dissolve, the mixture will become an almost pale white color and your creamed mixture will double in size.

When time is up, on a lower speed, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix 45-60 sec just until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have incorporated. Do not walk away from your mixer during this time or you will risk over mixing the dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

Scoop cookies onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for 9-11 minutes."

Enjoy!

(recipe courtesy of Regis and Kelly, photo courtesy of here)

Exams, nasty weather, and God in the midst of it all

"Every good and perfect gift

is from above,

coming down from the Father

of heavenly lights"

James 1:17

(The Message)

I just love this verse. I'm a details person-I love the little things in life, and I think this is where I can always find God. When I'm asking the big questions and am just totally confused by life, God always does something to let me know that He's there, even if it's something as simple as encouragement from a friend or a perfect song coming on the radio with lyrics that really speak to whatever it is I'm going through.

My favorite "little things" lately:

(weheartit.com)

Staying up late into the morning finishing a good book

 I am definitley a morning person and normally turn into a zombie somewhere between ten and eleven PM, but lately I have loved staying up. It's so relaxing, with our little twinkly lights on in the apartment and everyone else asleep. So nice after a long day of classes and homework.

The perfect espresso...

I got this cafe au lait at a little coffeehouse in Chattanooga and it was amazing. A cafe au lait is basically a shot of espresso with a dollop of whipped cream. Definitley makes you feel like a hard core coffee lover! So good.

Vintage-ness

 These are some old fashioned milkshake makers from the 50's I found at an antique store a while back...they kind of make me want to drop out of school, buy some poodle skirts and open a diner.

Relaxing music

I got this CD at Starbucks a while ago and I love it!! It's all of the old big band and swing, Ella Fitzgerald type of music.

Even though this semester has been crazy with homework and exams, I've had so much fun meeting new people and getting involved on campus. And it's so nice having my sister Christy with me at school. Just the other night she popped into my room at, like, eleven at night and was like, "Hey, wanna go to Wal-Mart?" and it was just what I needed after a hectic day. I love randomness like that. :) People look for God in the big problems and situations, but I love seeing Him in even the smallest areas of my life. Makes me happy.

monday, monday...

Another busy Monday BUT I got to wear the silk scarf I found when I went thrifting over the weekend!

So it's not the best picture (not to mention the fact that my hair is virtually nonexistent) but, you know.

Oh, and next time you're in Starbucks be sure to pick up one of these:

Mmm, best mochas ever! And if you're not a coffee person, it makes great hot chocolate.

The whipped cream may have helped.

I've been meaning to dye an old pair of flats and I'm thinking about doing something like this:

Minus the song lyrics.

Aaaand I thought I'd post some more scrapbook pages:

(Lee University is where we go to school, just to clear up any confusion!)

(blue shoes pic from weheartit.com)

xo

heather

costa rica (part 2)

Here are a few more of my favorite Costa Rica pics:

This was at a coffee plantation we drove past on our way through this gorgeous, practically deserted valley in the mountains. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.

This one of Christy is one of my favorites.

It's kind of hard to see in the picture, but there was a panaramal view of the ocean at one of the houses we stayed at on the beach. It was prefect scenery for morning coffee :)

Sunset in Tamarindo...

Hope everyone has a great Super Bowl Sunday and eats plenty of buffalo wings! Speaking of sports, I am soooo excited for the Olympics to start! I don't know what it is but there's just something about it. I could give up American Idol, The Office, and even those ridiculous makeover shows I love, but I there is no way I'd miss the speed skating!

xo

heather