Christmas at the McDaniel residence

After a late and slow start, Christmas has arrived at the McDaniel house! Since I have a tendency to overwhelm myself in DIY projects, I've picked a few this year to focus on(christmas apothecary letters, the mantle, a Christmas card holder and table settings). 

Word to the wise, shop early if you want wooden letters for Christmas projects. I had to go several places, several times to find the letters I needed. 

How cute did these turn out? Definitely thinking about combos that would work for year round(Easter, 4th of July)

After seeing a plethora of beautiful and stunning Christmas mantles on Pinterest, I decided I wanted something fabulous too! It's still a work in progress but I combined a bunch of designs I liked and tried to incorporate some of the things we already had. 

I grabbed a bunch of old window panes from the MIL's antique booth a few months back and knew that one would be the perfect centerpiece for this Christmas display. I attempted to buy snow spray but ended up with frost spray(which doesn't show in this photo but is really neat). Bought various letters to spell out hope and also found a wintertime bough and tree for half off at Hobby Lobby to complete the look. The snowman nutcracker, star, cross, holiday scent warmer and pinecone Santa's were already ours. 

The stockings have been hung with care and we have a plate designated for Santa's cookies(tho it looks like some presents have already appeared). 

I knew I wanted a better and easier way to display all our Merry Mail we receive. I love getting mail and I save all photo cards I receive. I knew there had to be a cute way to display all the holiday cards we get other than playing Tetris with them on the fridge. So I got on Pinterest and this is what I found. 

DIY Christmas card holder inspiration:

This is what we ended up with. 

I think this turned out really cute! It's probably my favorite DIY project of the season(prolly cause Mac got really into helping me with it). The picture doesn't do the sign justice, the letters are a beautiful green glitter and it just makes me happy to be able to look at all the people we consider blessings in our lives. 

All the dishes I have so far were bought at the dollar store. I wanted to go elegant for the dining room but colorful and bright for the kitchen. Things I would like to add in the future (maybe ill stumble into some great after Christmas sales): table cloths for both tables, cute cups, serving dishes and silverware for the kitchen, elegant bowls/salad plates and monogrammed napkins for the dining room. 

Of course when I went to Hobby lobby the other day they had an adorable candy cane dish set that I want! Just gotta be patient...

Some additional Christmas decor....

Looking forward to a wonderful Christmas. I'm sad I will be missing my OH family, but how lucky to have wonderful family in TN(Memphis & Nashville) who make me feel so welcome! The hubs and I are just doing stockings this year(though if you've seen the size of our stockings, that's still a lot!!) because we bought ourselves a GIANORMOUS king sized bed for Christmas(pics to come when we actually get our bedding). 

 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 

Upcoming projects: replacing the mantle and decorating the TV wall in the living room.

Thankful

Ten things I'm thankful for this year

1. God's unconditional love and grace

2. A husband who isn't afraid to get in the 'trenches'

3. Wonderful family, in-laws and friends

4. 2 awesome fur-babies

5. My health and the health of those around me

6. A great boss and steady job

7. The opportunity to work with a youth group

8. A beautiful roof over my head and the yeep

9. My iPhone.(what did I do before google?)

10. Hope 

I'm so grateful for the time I got to spend with my family in Ohio. I got to spend time with each one of my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews and that is EXTREMELY rare. It was a true blessing. 

"In everything give thanks: for this is  God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Go Buckeyes!!!!!!

Christmas 2013

Dear Santa, 

Here are some of the things I've had my eye on. I hope I made the nice list this year! 

Beauty products

1. Bumble and Bumble Surf shampoo & conditioner

2. Christian Dior Creme De Rose lip balm

3. Sheseido OR Shu Uemura lash curler

4. Giorgio Armani's Eyes to Kill Waterproof Eye Pencil(Waterproof Smooth Silk Eye Pencil) 

5. Stainiac cheek and lip tint

6. Origins Drink up intensive overnight mask

7. Khroma In the Flesh lip set

8. Michael Todd True Organics Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser

9. Marc Jacobs Lolita Eye Pallette

Clothing:

1. Vintage-y Ohio State t-shirt or long sleeve shirt

2. Rhinestone statement necklace(been loving this old JCrew one)

3. Spanx leggings(read a lot of good things about this brand)

4. Navy dress

5. New coat(loving Green or pale pink)

6. Long John style PJs(VS)

7. A new work out get up(Albion Fit)

8. Gray booties

9. A neutral colored loose fitting shirt

Electronics:

1. Cricut monogram cartridge

2. New phone case

3. Canon digital camera(to replace my broken one)

4. Phone car holder

5. Embroidery/serger combo(Singer ses1000FS)

6. Car system adapter for the IPhone5 so I can play my sweet beats

7. Canon rebel camera

8. Bose sie2i sport head phones

9. Library app for phone

For the Home:

1. Monogrammed bar ware 

2. Hanging dry 'rack' for laundry room

3. Upholstered Stools 

4. DIY Farmhouse table

5. Ballard designs mirror for fireplace

6. Storage shelves for attic organization

7. Korean cookbook

8. Address embossed for envelopes

9. Industrial light fixture for entryway

Christian Dating for young women

These are the notes I used when talking to a group of young women about Christian dating. They are things I think would be helpful if I found myself entering the world of dating in today's time. And all of these principles apply to women throughout dating, engagement and even marriage. Much of the info is paraphrased from the site referenced at the bottom. 

Dating:

YOU ARE (already)LOVED. God says to his daughters in Jeremiah: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." (31:3) Until you have tasted God’s eternal, steadfast, redeeming love, hold off on looking for a man. You may just end up settling for a quick love that cannot fill your core heart’s longing. Even if you are not currently being pursued by a man, you are constantly being pursued by Jesus

** First and foremost you should respect and listen to the guidelines your parents(and authority figures) set. If you aren’t ready to talk about it with your parents, you probably aren’t ready to date. Here are 3 things to help get you ready and begin navigating the dating world.

SET STANDARDS:

Talk to your parents about dating.

- Albeit embarrassing, it shows true maturity of being ready to take the first steps in dating if you can talk to your parents/authority figures. This way you can establish rules of what is accepted and what is not so it is clear to all parties involved(ex group dating vs individual dating). It is better to communicate with them how you are feeling now, rather than sneaking around and getting in trouble.

Think about your personal emotional and physical boundaries. With that being said, it is a biblical standard to remain pure until marriage

Create a list of qualities that you would want in a man/partner but be realistic. No person(including yourself) is perfect and any man/partner is going to let you down once in awhile. The good news? God will never fail you. 

     * - Would you date a non-christian? (Ex of why it’s not a good idea is b/c they will not have the same standards as you and may not respect or understand your rules and morals)

 

DEFINE YOUR IMAGE:

Ask yourself the following: 

     - How do you define your self-worth?

          - True beauty emanates from a woman who boldly and unabashedly knows who she is in Christ.

     - What are you doing to be a Godly woman(particularly when it comes to men)?

     - How do you portray yourself to others? (Ex: Selfies/social media-what message are you sending)

          - Are you showing people your true depth or are you just surface value? "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."Proverbs 31:30

Be MODEST: Dress to Kill(any impure thoughts and desires) again, what message are you sending by what you wear? "But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:4

Submission. This is often an ugly word in modern women’s minds when it comes to submitting to a man. But in true biblical sense it first means to submit to Christ. 

          *- Will you submit to Christ in your decisions concerning dating and relationships?

 

GUARD YOUR HEART:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

***You have to guard your heart now so that your future husband is not robbed of it later down the road. The decisions you make now will affect you later in life. That is why dating should be reserved for mature Christians. People who can guard their heart.

We first talked about your core heart longing. The core place in your heart belongs to God, no one else.

     - Daddy-issues: You are not looking for a dad-duplicate or a dad-replacement in a man. You have a perfect heavenly Father. No man(father or boy friend can do what God has and will do for you)

Women have a tendency to be givers. This is the way God created us. But often we let our giving become a controlling factor in our life, especially when it comes to men.

      - Who are you giving your time and energy to? If it’s not God first, then you should wonder if you are in a healthy and Christian relationship. A Godly man will want God to be at the center of your heart. A Christian man will expect to come second after God.

**Remember that being single is a blessing. This is the time that you have to become a Christ follower. Develop the gifts that God has given you so you will be a Godly wife when you choose to get married.

TIPS FOR DATING:

Error on the side of modest

Be honestly you

Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you expect flowers on your birthday, then you should tell him what your expectations are so he has a chance to meet them.

Be direct. It is unfair of us to complain about guys being confusing if we do the same thing.

     - If you do not want to go out with someone, then (politely) decline.

     - If you aren’t interested after a time, let that person know

Have fun! 

Don't create unrealistic expectations

http://theresurgence.com/2012/03/19/for-the-gals-8-principles-for-dating/http://www.crossway.org/blog/2011/06/16-christian-dating-principles-part-1/

More college football, a wedding and 2 babies?!?!!

Since I've been to 2 OSU games this year, I guess it's only fair that we go to an Auburn game. Especially since they are doing SO awesome this season. So a few weeks ago, we took a TN road trip and headed east to Knoxville. 

For anyone who loves college football as much as I do, I highly recommend taking a trip to UT. Their campus is gorgeous, with a mountain and river backdrop that is straight out of a nature magazine. And the atmosphere on a football Saturday is quite electric. A great way to spend a Gameday Saturday if I can't be in the 'Shoe. A huge thanks to the N family for hosting us, it was so great to catch up with them and finally meet sweet baby Ava May. 

In crafting news, I've again remembered why I am hesitant to start my own business. I was asked to make a veil for a friends sister and nearly had a mental breakdown doing it. I got it finished and even got to be present at her final fitting where we 'jacked her up.' The look on her face made the time and effort worth it. But I'll tell ya, I think I now know why some veils are so expensive. Lots of detailed work!!!!!!

Custom made ivory tulle veil. Double layer, finger tip length with a scalloped beaded edge. 

Definitely one of the most detailed veils I've ever made. It turned out really lovely, and I'm very proud of my handiwork. 

(The face that made it worth it!!!!)

As far as thanksgiving decor, I think I've decided that since I will be in Ohio for thanksgiving, I will not be going all out crazy. This gives me the opportunity to buy some things on sale in December and get some great ideas for next year(as well as give me a lot of time to prepare). 

I have however started on some ideas for Christmas and I can't wait to start on some crafts. 

Welcome to the world sweet babies Claire and Matthew!! I'm so very thankful that you and your mommy S are healthy and I can't wait to meet you at Christmas!!!

Halloween Brunch

Halloween has arrived. And this year, I've gone DIY craft crazy! Most are improvised Pinterest crafts and I think they all turned out really well. 

(Picture heavy)

Dollar store and Target stuff

DIY sharpie Halloween dishes and spooky table with glittered candles

The black candles were expensive so I made some sparkly ones myself

DIY holiday topiaries. These will be used for several holidays! 

Paper circle fan bouquet, yarn candy corns, felt wreath(may be used for thanksgiving), my Martha cake stand with orange ribbon 

How cute is this towel my mommy bought for our house? 

We had friends and their families over on Saturday to hang out for brunch. 

Food and friends!

Sweet Bella and her buddies

Looking forward to an upcoming trip to Knoxville and Thanksgiving(be prepared for more DIY decorations) 

Happy fall y'all! 

Go Ohio! Beat the Hawkeyes...

Another fabulous weekend! Got to go home to Ohio to attend OSU homecoming festivities, and my niece's beautiful baptism. 

Warning, Picture heavy!!!!

I have been apprehensive about being on the Memphis OSU alumni club board bc of time. But luckily, being VP presented me the opportunity to attend the alumni leadership symposium on Friday. I got some great ideas for our group and met some wonderful people. After the symposium, I was able to participate in the parade with the other alumni cheerleaders and had a blast at Cap City with my M2. 

Saturday's weather left something to be desired. But after a stop at Target to get myself a Buckeye hoodie-I was ready to go! For my first 'fan experience', I had a fab time! Got to watch the game with my parents and my great aunt Joan, who has been a Buckeye fan dive way before I was born! 

Sunday was a great family day as my youngest niece was baptized at St. Paul's in Westerville. Got to spend time with each K and E(possibly the cutest children alive). 

Also got to eat at 94th aero squadron with my pops before I flew back south for the winter. But I forgot to get a picture of us at dinner. 😕

A wonderful weekend but boy am I tired today! I will see them all in a month for turkey day and will get to see my aunts new restaurant as well! 

I hope these young Bucks gain the same thing I did from my college cheer experience-How Firm Thy Friendships....

3-day Weekend at the Lake

Today is gray, chilly, and depressing. Fortunately for me, this past weekend was not. I spent my holiday weekend soaking up the fresh air and rays in 'the Natural state' of Arkansas. 

A few weeks back, M's aunt asked if we would like to spend this weekend at her lake house. We jumped at the chance and I am so glad we did. Despite the scary ride to the house and a torrential storm downpour on Sat morning, the weekend was a success. We watched the weather like amateur meteorologists Sat morning and decided to take out chances around noon to hit the Tannenbaum golf course. For the first time attempting to golf in a few years without my own golf clubs(we borrowed my neighbor's sons and they were actually a bit too small), it wasn't terrible. I definitely have (a lot of)room for improvement, but the weekend was about family and we sure had a great time on the course no matter how many times I whiffed the ball(it was too many too count).

The rain never came back the rest of the weekend. We got in 2 days of boating, several gourmet meals and I even managed to get some Halloween crafting done while there. 

On the golf cart ride home

Caprese skewers

Candy corn yarn cones

On a boat

Half pep, shroom and onion/half basil & 'mater

Finished up a great weekend by putting out our 'pumpkin' for the year, and working on the backsplash(and no, it's still not done). 

Heading to Ohio this weekend for homecoming, very excited to see more family and friends! 

Happy October!