life. High Five for Friday {Busy Busy Bridesmaids edition}

This week has been pretty busy with wedding prep things for my lovely friend Carissa's wedding. Busy, busy, busy but I love it. Their is so much bonding that happens when you are working on a wedding- what's not to love? 

So in honor of Carissa's wedding-  here are my top five exciting things for this week related to the wedding :)

 

1. We finally finished the design for the wedding invites- the design was lead by myself :)

 

2. We had an invitation making party where lots of skills were discovered! Such a great group! Thank you all for your hard work!!!!

 

3. At the invitation making party, Andy (the groom) was put on fabric duty. He had a fabric measuring tape and everything!

 

4. I worked with Carissa's mom to design these lovely invites for her Bridal Shower (yep, I made all those little flowers from scratch!) 

 

5.  I took Carissa to get her wedding dress fitted. This was really fun, especially since Saundra did the fitting- she was like a second mom to me growing up. 

What are your favorite things about preparing for a wedding??

love. breakfast hash

 This week, I am going to post my recipe for Breakfast Hash. For me, its defently a saturday morning breakfast where I have a little more time to make something and I want something delicious after a long week. I hope you enjoy!!!

Nicole's Breakfast Hash

Take 3 potatoes cut them up, put them on a greased frying pan at medium heat. Season with your favorite herbal blend. Mine is herby.

 

Cut up some bacon.

 

Wait until your potatoes have been on for at least 10 minutes, then add the bacon. Season. Cook until the bacon is edible and you potatoes are soft.

 

Then add some eggs. I used about 7 total.

 

Mix it up and allow the eggs to cook in. Season again.

 

Add cheese on top and allow to melt. Then serve.

life. oh how pinteresting {adorable faces edition}

This week I am linking up with the Vintage Apple for my top ten pinterests for this week. 

I kinda am a fan of themes. So here are some adorable faces. 

So which ones were your favorite?? 

{source for pins}

life. crash

So this week I decided that for my smell the roses task I would venture only slightly (ok 2 hours) outside of my city to the beautiful Oregon Coast. 

 

You can see why, its GORGEOUS!!! {source}

I teamed up with my wonderful friend Elise and Saturday morning we embarked on our journey.

We didn't get that far. Here's what happened:

Elise was driving us in her awesome Subaru and we were at an intersection turning left on a protected green arrow. All I can remember is seeing the arrow and in the corner of my eye towards the drivers side I saw a car coming straight towards us. As I turned my head towards the scene it happened. 

Impact. We caught air... Land.... and Jerk!

We had just been hit by another car. 

We were stunned. I got out of the car, Elise followed because she couldn't open her door where the other car had hit us. At this point we were at a busy intersection of a small town. We knew we were supposed to do something, but we were still in shock that we weren't sure what is was that we needed to do. We went to the other car to see if the driver was all right. Elise had to pry her door open, but she was able to get out. The lady's airbags had deployed and we could see that her mouth was bleeding. It just so happened that another lady came that knew her and took her aside to help. At this time firefighters and police men were arriving on the seen. Elise went to move her car so that we could clean up the area so people could get by. Eventually they got everything cleaned up and sent us on our way- Elise's car was drivable, but super damaged.

Here is the thing. We got hit in the weakest part of the car. We got hit hard- I'm pretty sure the lady was going at least 30 (to our near stand still) and their is no evidence that she saw us or tried to break. 

But guess what. 

We are totally fine (well minus some whiplash and a bruise from the seat belt). God totally protected us. I really think we should have been hurt more. No airbags. No shattered glass. We didn't hit our heads on anything. It was just the Lord. He loves us. Even in the experience itself, I wasn't scared at all in that moment of impact and aftershock. I was totally peaceful- stunned and shocked, but yet peaceful.  

So today, I'm thankful for God's love and protection.

Here is a photo of the aftermath

Life. High Five for Friday!!!

Hey Everyone! Its that time again....

Its FRIDAY!!!! So happy it's finally here!!

Once again I will be linking up with the lovely Lauren for high five for friday!!

Here are my top 5 favorite things from this week!

1. Last September I tried out running... and failed. BUT for the past 3 months I have been working out at a cross-fit type gym. So last Saturday, I tried running again- it was amazing!!! I ran so much longer and better than I have ever done before!!!!

2. My lovely friend Carissa has a birthday coming up, so I designed these invitations for her. :)

3. Have you heard of Lucy? I love this store and just bought these yoga pants there!!! SO AMAZING!!!

4. On Thursday, It snowed.... again. I got to go into work 2 hours late! 

5. With all my extra time Thursday morning, I put together this delicious breakfast hash- My very own recipe! (which I will be sharing on Tuesday) 

life. time

Time is a funny thing. It passes both quickly and slowly, and sometimes we don’t realize how much time has actually passed. Yesterday I got a phone call from a high school friend and it was super fun to catch up. Then I thought to myself- how long have we known each other. The answer: 12 years!! I suddenly realized how quickly time passes us by and how much I have changed since then. So for this post I decided to make snapshots of my life. Here it is:

Grade school:

Home schooled

Avid Figure Skater

Desired Career: Dolphin Trainer

Jr. High/ High School:

Total Band Nerd/ Slight Choir Nerd

Softball player wannabe

Desired Career: Professional Musician

College

Business Finance Major

I Did EVERYTHING: Spanish, Business club, Chapel leadership, diving team. You name it, I did it.

Desired Career: Financial Analyst

Present:

Work for my church

Avid Weightlifter

Desired Career: Entrepreneur

Time. It’s a funny thing. How has life changed for you?? 

life. bloglovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

people. from the mouths of kids

It's not everyday that a mass email cracks me up as much as this. Enjoy :)  

KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING 25 STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH. 
6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD, WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.

8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY, WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

love. Guilt Free Chocolate Banana Pudding

So today, I am linking up with Jessica from  Lovely Little Things for Smell the Roses.

This weeks task was to try out a new recipe. 

There is one thing you should know about me- Sometimes the creative juices just start flowing and I launch myself into a new project. Its part of my ISTP personality (yes, I did just figure out my meyers briggs). Anyway, Instead of trying a new recipe- I created my own! 

Here it is: Nicole's Guilt Free (yet quite tasty) Chocolate Banana Pudding

Here is what you will need:

1 Ghirardelli 100% cacao chocolate bar if you dont like super dark chocolate then go with maybe 60%

1 can of coconut milk

2-3 bananas that are super brown (the bananas are used as a natural sweetener to the chocolate, so use accordingly and to your taste- I happen to like super dark chocolate) 

Bananas for toppings

Step 1) Melt all of the chocolate in your coconut milk over medium heat on stovetop.

It will end up looking like this.

Step 2) Take you bananas and mooch them up

Add those bananas into the mix. At this point you may want to turn your heat down to simmer and just mix it together for about 3 minutes. 

Step 3) Immediately blend your chocolaty concoction. I recommend blending 1/2 to 1/3 at a time to get the smoothest results. 

Step 4) Put the pudding into a container (with lid) and store in the refrigerator over night to cool. (but if you are impatient like me, try putting it in the freezer for an hour and then see how you like it.) 

Step 5) Serve with cut up bananas (it serves as great decoration and also balance to the rich chocolate.) 

Thats all for now. I hope that you enjoy this pudding. I love it because it is 100% natural with ingredients that your body will thank you for eating! 

Happy Monday!!! 

 

Love. Friday

I am sooooo happy that Friday is here!!!!! 
Even though the week didnt seem to long, its nice that its the weekend. 
So, to wrap up the work week, I am linking up with Lauren for High Five for Friday. 




So here are my top five most exciting things from this week!!! 

1) I got my very first Birchbox EVER!!! love it! 

2) Monday it was super windy and we lost power at work for over an hour!! Which meant I got an extra long lunch break! :)

3) Yesterday, I made my very own fresh and healthy chocolate banana pudding!!! It was rich, creamy and tasty!!!

4) I just bought an app for my iPhone that records my sleep patterns and wakes me up using my rem cycle!!! Its sooooo cool!! its called Sleep Cycle and it was only 99 cents!!!

5) Tuesday, I woke up to this!!! SNOW!!!! :) 

People. Hosea

Perhaps my most favorite book of the Bible is Hosea. To me, this book speaks of God's radical and jealous love for us. God wants us when we couldn't care less about him, when we are the ugliest and when we are trying with all our strength to do our own thing. In total complete rejection, God loves us. God even pursues us then in ways that we can't see. Hosea 2 says that he puts up barriers (to things that we want) and puts up walls so we end up going around in circles- directionless and aimless- hopeless {realizing that we need God}. At this point, if it wasn't God, it would seem kinda creepy, but with Him its pure and holy. He wants the best for us, and the best is His best. I love that he even loves us when we do come back to him half hearted. He loves us so much that He strips the crap out of our lives. Hosea 2:14 says that He allures us and speaks tenderly to us. He brings us back into a whole relationship with Him. God's love is crazy good and just plain crazy in itself. Its so intense and mindblowing- we aren't even capable of loving Him back to the same degree that He loves us. Thats how big our God's love is. 

life. Oh how Pinteresting {places edition}

Happy Wednesday Everyone!! Once again, this week I will be linking up the The Vintage Apple for my favorite pins from this week. 

This weeks theme: Favorite Places 

love.Venice I want to go...right now! {source}

The Coast of Spain- I have been dreaming about going to Spain since Freshman year of High School! I hope it happens!! {source}

Madalga, Spain- Again, Spain. I can't help it :) {Source}

Dear Valley- I am sooo ready for some snowboarding and how gorgeous would it be here!!! {Source}

The Big City- I would love to take an east coast trip soon! I have yet to visit the Big Apple!! {Source}

The Caribbean- So, right now it's really cold here in Portland- I could use some a lot of sun! {Source}

Stockholm, Sweden- So pretty & I heard they make pretty good chocolate :) {Source}

Boston- ok. part of my east coast tour!!! {Source}

Paris, France- My ultimate dream!{Source}

I have no idea where this is, but I would love to find and visit!! {Source}