Satisfaction.

Sometimes you need a sweet reminder.

This was just that this morning.

Life's ruts seem to remind me that there is a better life ahead in heaven and I need just put one foot in front of the other and live the life here as best I can.

The rest will be cake. Literally, I am hoping for lots of cake in heaven. ;)

Thank you Lord for reminding me that the best is yet to come...

Source: justachapter.tumblr.com via Mallory on Pinterest

Yummm

This recipe made an epic black bean burger!

I have tried many a veggie burger in my day and they have all been "eeeehhh". This one is a keeper!

Check it out at: Secret Pocket

So good...I may dream of this puppy tonight...

Source: secretpocketblog.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Laallaaa Summer Laallaaa

I do love waking to the cool breeze of the spinning ceiling fan & happy birds.

Here are a few of my favorite things that get me through my day:

1) I wore this outfit yesterday with a new necklace that I got from Cost Plus. So comfy and cool...I may have to wear the same thing today. ;) 

2) Before getting dressed it is vital for this girl needs to put on her sunscreen lotion. (This one smells yummy)

3) Iced Coffee; this goes without saying...

4) Bronzer and lipgloss. I love to apply these a few times a day when I need a pick-me-up. The Buxom lip gloss is the best!

What are your favorite summer essentials?? 

Summer Essentials! by jilliebeans featuring rope sandals

Old Navy gauze skirt
$20 - oldnavy.gap.com

Old navy
$15 - oldnavy.gap.com

Rope sandals
$59 - jildorshoes.com

House of Harlow 1960 vintage jewelry
$164 - asos.com

Bare Escentuals cheek bronzer
$24 - sephora.com

Bare Escentuals lip gloss
$18 - bareescentuals.com

Philosophy sun care
$26 - nordstrom.com

How to Make Iced Coffee
squidoo.com

New Product Wednesday

I just bought this pretty the other day and I am awaiting its arrival later this week. Anxiously!

Rabbit Wine-Chilling Carafe 

With warm days and BBQ's to throw it is hard to keep the wine cold and crisp.

(Without ice cubes which are a no-no...!)

Once I have given this a try I will let you know how I like it. :)

Hot & muggy paint day!

Another activity that has kept Lilly completely entertained is finger painting!
So much that I had to make her art corner official.
What activities do you find keep the kiddos entertained when it is just a little too hot out side?

Lilly is so proud of herself.

Random flower shot. My hydrangeas and butterfly bush are in their prime. 

Love free fresh flowers. ;)

Okay, focus.

Here are more paint shots.

There is just something so fun about getting messy!

Happy Tuesday everyone!!
oxox

My loves. Lilly & cupcakes.

We have been trying to be creative with our time here since Daddy is traveling A. LOT.
Not to mention our weather has been a bit hot and muggy. Today severe thunderstorms are in the forecast.
Yay...

Lilly really does love being a big girl. Look at this smile!

The end product:

But look what I find when I turned my back for one second...

You little stinker!!!!

It was worth it to her...no doubt!

I wanted to get creative with the frosting since the ingredients in most things these days disgust me.

I found this amazing & easy recipe: 

Clean Eating Nut Butter Frosting

This is what I decided to do with my cupcake that night...peanut butter cupcake sandy paired with a little splash of vino of coarse!

Happy Monday everyone!!
oxox

Thankful for cool food on this hot day...

Here she is. The new baby in our family of appliances.

Love her! Happy to report that the current temp in the fridge is 35F.

PS Never doing a side-by-side fridge ever again.

PPS Thank you Martha Stewart and Staples for solving a few of my stainless steel woes. 

These decals are awesome!

I mean; would you look at all of this room! (Yes, I get excited about this sort of thing.)

While I was shooting these pictures my girl was out enjoying the sunshine!

Was hoping to get to the beach today but its 99F with 70% humidity. I do not think that is going to happen.

So pretty!

Happy Summer Solstice everyone!

oxox

Chapters.

Looking back I have been totally blessed to have loved in some amazing places.
Each place holds a special place in my heart & within each place I met some amazing people and learned some valuable life lessons.

I am frightened at the thought that I may be one of those people that never settle down in one place.

I am already itchy here in New Jersey and those of you that know me know I have been struggling with this for quite some time. I have been here for 7-years which is by far a record for me. Yikes!

Here are a few places I have lived along the way...

This is my home town. Quincy, CA

Truly beautiful. This will always be home.
I am ready for a visit this summer!

Source: adasplace.com via Emily on Pinterest

I moved from Quincy when I was 18 to Durango, CO to attend Fort Lewis College.

Breathtaking Colorado mountains surround this city. There is nothing like it.

Source: google.com via Patricia on Pinterest

Source: bit.ly via Nicholas on Pinterest

From Durango I moved to San Francisco.

I will always love San Francisco...so much.

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Stacey on Pinterest

From San Francisco to San Mateo to Burlingame (all within the Bay Area) I moved to Shell Beach; just moments from downtown San Luis Obispo.
This was hands down my favorite place on earth. Unfortunately, some yucky life happened there and I had to move on. I miss you Shell...so much!

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Virgie on Pinterest

Currently, I am on the Jersey shore. We have a beautiful home and we are raising one little energetic girl.
(We live on the far right of this shot 2-blocks from the marina.)

Source: google.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Lord, where shall we go next? Only you know and I am ready when you are...
Where are some of your favorite places you have lived?

You know who you are.

Obviously we all need encouragement.

Today I found these awesome images to get you through today.

There are a few of you that need this more today than others and this is for you. I am thinking of you. I am praying for you.

I love you...

Source: shetakesflight.tumblr.com via Dani on Pinterest

Source: bravegirlsclub.com via Dani on Pinterest

What I know.

I know to roll with the punches.

I know that tomorrow will be a new day.

I know that there is more food at the grocery store. (this is a blessing)

I know that when I went to get Lilly her morning milk I opened the fridge and it was HOT in there:
Yes, that says 99 degrees. It is hotter in there as we speak.
Frig...!

I know that I freaked out.

I know that I was worried at the thought of replacing everything in the dang thing.

I know that my daughter has a kind heart, came over to me and said "its going to be okay Mommy" (she is her Dads daughter).

I know that she then invited me over to her table for a tea party. "It will make you feel better if you have some tea Mommy". So I did.

I love that face!

Now, the aftermath. (A small portion of the aftermath & if only I could send you a whiff of the smell I had going on this morning in this kitchen...SOGROSS!)

Whole bunch of recycling to do today.

Why hello life saver coolers. I will be getting lots of use out of you this week/ weekend.

Happy Thursday everyone.

I am off to buy a new fridge and do some grocery shopping. Good times.

Moments of rest.

This message for those of us that for some reason feel guilty for resting.

Take a moment in your crazy day...to rest.

:)

Source: happythings.tumblr.com via Live on Pinterest

Faces.

Would ya look at this face!? Too cute, too funny...I just love her.

Happy Tuesday everyone! (is it really only Tuesday?)

Occasionally Lilly is allowed chocolate.

Her face after she killed a cupcake!

Chocolate face:

Her favorite thing tho...watermelon!

Watermelon face:

Do not know why we started making faces at each other when we are eating but here I am obviously making a crazy one.

Laughie face:

Really, when I get the camera out and say smile she does this...why!?

Cheese face:

We have quite the sea shell collection lately.

Daily Diva face:

Broken Mirrors...

Source: printable.tipjunkie.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Read a great post today and it made me want to dance...I am thankful for a God that created me just the way he wanted me.
Time to stop looking in the cracked, dirty mirror and Let. Him. Love us...just the way we are.
Happy Monday everyone!