Spring swap. {ideas}

   If you signed up for the Spring Swap, you should have heard from your partner sometime over the weekend! {If not, be sure to let us know.} And now the fun begins! Guys, there are only 2 days left until Spring...and who doesn't love an excuse to go shopping? In case anyone is feeling stuck on what to include in their swap package, here are some of my Spring favorites that I think would go great in a package for your Swap partner!

candles// I always break out the fresh, floral scents during Spring. So clean and light!
scarves// Bright and lightweight scarves are just about the epitome of Spring
bright polish// corals, teals, and pastels are my favs
flowers// But honestly, who doesn't love fresh flowers or seeds for their garden?
mason jars and cold drinks// I find myself putting away my stash of hot teas and breaking out lemonade and iced teas when the weather gets a bit warmer
bright accessories// Etsy, Forever21, and Target all have the cutest bright accessories- prints, pencils, vases. So many cute options!

   I really can't wait to see what ends up in everyone's mailboxes! Be sure to get to know your partner and ship your package by March 31st!

What's on your Spring must-have list? 

Spring!

   You guys know that there are only 9 days until Spring, right? I have a legit countdown happening on my kitchen chalkboard. It sounds so silly, but it really does help get through these really long, cold days. Or, in Indiana's case, these 60° days followed by forecasts of freezing rain and 4 inches of snow. I mean, come on.
   Another thing that helps pass the time? Having a reason to celebrate! I am over the moon excited about this year's Spring Swap. My favorite part? We've opened it up to bloggers and instagramers! And we're beyond thrilled at the turnout. There are still 4 days to sign up- so be sure to join us and spread the word! Just sign up via the form below and we will email you with all the fun information. You will be randomly matched up and be able to get to know the person you will be putting a package together for and who will be sending to you. Fun, right???

// spring swap timeline:
3/14 |  last day to sign up!

3/15 |  swap partners will be emailed out. email me if you have not heard from your partner by 3/16.

3/31 |  deadline to mail off your package

4/7   |  link up

// price range:  $20

// a little more information: 

+ this swap is open to {almost} everyone! You only need a blog or Instagram account to participate!

+ you will be paired up and swapping with one person. This makes for more fun and a chance to really get to know your partner!

+ once you receive your partner's information, make sure you EMAIL THEM right away. And, of course, stalk away on social media! {in the least creepy way possible}

+ commit to the price range - it really is a bummer when someone gets gypped! 

+ if you need inspiration, be sure to check back here for some fun ideas in the next couple of week! 

+ please make sure you mail your package out BY the deadline. If you can't make this happen, just let us know!

+don't forget to link up with us  {by blog or instagram or both!} on April 7th!

Spring swap 2014!

 

 

Hello, Springtime! Stormy and I are so excited to host our 2nd Spring Swap this year!  We had such a great turn out last year, we couldn't resist doing it again. If you've never joined in a swap before, I can basically guarantee you'll love this! If you love Spring, pretty packages, and making new friends, this swap is for you!

So how exactly does this fun happen?  You will sign up via the form below and we will email you with all the fun information. You will be randomly matched up and be able to get to know the person you will be putting a package together for and who will be sending to you. Fun, right???

// spring swap timeline:
3/14 |  last day to sign up!

3/15 |  swap partners will be emailed out. email me if you have not heard from your partner by 3/16.

3/31 |  deadline to mail off your package

4/7   |  link up

// price range:  $20

// a little more information: 

+ this swap is open to {almost} everyone! You only need a blog or Instagram account to participate!

+ you will be paired up and swapping with one person. This makes for more fun and a chance to really get to know your partner!

+ once you receive your partner's information, make sure you EMAIL THEM right away. And, of course, stalk away on social media! {in the least creepy way possible}

+ commit to the price range - it really is a bummer when someone gets gypped! 

+ if you need inspiration, be sure to check back here for some fun ideas in the next couple of week! 

+ please make sure you mail your package out BY the deadline. If you can't make this happen, just let us know!

+don't forget to link up with us  {by blog or instagram or both!} on April 7th!

Spring swap!

  This year, I teamed up with Stormy for the Spring Blog Swap {see past years here & here}. We had such a great turn out! Today, everyone is linking up their fun spring packages. I don't know about you, but there couldn't be a better time to start celebrating spring. The snow in Indiana is melting and we have warmer temps on the horizon! So exciting!!!

  I was paired with the lovely Ashlea...who lives way up in Washington state! I had so much fun getting to know her and really loved hearing all about her little family. We had way more in common than I thought- and I had a blast putting her spring box together! But since that little package had to travel to the other side of the country- it'll be a few days before hers arrives. Be sure to check out her blog to see what I sent!

 **Update! I got my little spring-y package in the mail yesterday! I was so excited to open in and see what Ashlea sent me. 

   I had shared with her that I am excited to get my garden started this year and she sent the most adorable gardening gloves. A girl can never have too many pairs! She also sent a jar of wheat grass seeds and I am SO EXCITED to create a new centerpiece with them. I'm now on the hunt for the perfect planter! Since my sweet little box had to travel all the way from WA, it must have gotten a little jarred on the trip, because 1/3 of my box was shattered :( I was so bummed to find the purple pot Ashlea sent had been broken to lots of pieces. But what can you do? I still love my gloves & seeds :)
  Be sure to check out what everyone sent & received! We'll leave the link open for awhile so everyone has time to receive their package and come back & share with us :)



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  Happy spring!

Up & Doing {March}

  Its taken me a bit to come up with some goals for March. February was so good and full and stretching. And it kind of set the bar high for March, you know? So I've kind of decided to go a completely different direction this month. And since its taken me a week or so to drum up some goals I'm committed to, I've got to get my boot-ay in motion to make up for the week or so I've missed!

  Instead of focusing on specific goals from three broader areas (me, him, them)I just chose goals that I really to work on in general. Sometimes you have to divert, you know?

Walk the dogs. Yes. I literally mean I need to walk my dogs. I'm living on the wild side this month, I know. Ever since we moved into our house {over a year ago!}, we've gotten out of the routine of walking our pups. And Lord knows they miss it. And need way more exercise than just chasing unfortunate ducks & rabbits around our yard. And hey, I can definitely use more exercise. So, my goal is to walk them every other day. Don't judge me daily dog walkers- I'm easing my way back in! 

Spice Spruce up the master. Guys, our master bathroom is lame. At best. Its definitely the last-on-the-list room for everything {decorating, organizing, cleaning, etc.} While we don't have tons of moolah to pour into making it cute, I really want to do something. Maybe move the dog crates? And put some clothes away? That alone would make it classier. So, my goal is to make it a room we love. Shop our house, organize a bit, rearrange, and maybe buy a few small things or hang a frame or two.

Connect offline. Thanks to Lauren, I've got a new favorite blog. And it's inspired me to be more intentional about taking internet friendships offline. I really how internet-dating-ish that sounds. But really, I connect with a lot of you on a regular basis through commenting and emailing every once in a while. Maybe even a Twitter shout out here and there. But I want to connect in real life! Pen and paper, text message type  of connecting. That's part of the reason I love the Spring Swap- it gives me a chance to get to know a handful of bloggers and connect that way. So, I am going to be intentional about connecting with other bloggers this month. First, through the Swap. {you can help me out by joining in the fun! I'd love to get to know you better and help you connect to other bloggers in real life!!!} Second, just by taking a few online friendships offline. Eek, I'm so excited!

  I am finding that I totally geek out each month with the whole goal-setting habit I'm creating. I love it. I feel productive. There's forward motion, growth, and well, fun stuff. Do you have goals for this month? I'd love to hear them! 

Back and ready to swap!

   Hello interwebs! After taking February off from blogging & blog reading, I'm feeling so refreshed and happy to be back. And instead of feeling overwhelmed by the nearly 1000 item in my GoogleReader, I simply marked all as 'read' and am starting fresh. *sigh* Its good to be back.
  And what better way to celebrate being back to blogging and this new month {helloooo Spring!} than kicking off the 3rd annual Spring Blog Swap?

  I'm so excited about this year's swap. SO excited. Last year, I got paired with Stormy- and really, the rest is history. Love that girl. Can't WAIT to meet the little bean she's growing! But seriously, because we were matched up last year...we became really great friends. Like, emails back and forth, care packages when one of us is sad, really honest word vomit texts kind of friends. So when planning for this year, it only seemed right to team up with her.       So, if you're looking for a fun way to make a new friend or just bless some stranger- this is for you! If you need a pick-me-up from this long, dreary winter and getting some Spring-y goodness in your mailbox sounds good- this is for you! If you just want another package in the mail and don't really want to put much thought or effort in or make a new friend- this isn't for you. Sorry :)
  Here are all the fun detail! Sign up by Friday, March 15th. We will randomly match partners and let you know who you're matched with on Saturday, March 16th. Once you're matched, get to know you're partner! Have they seriously had the toughest winter ever and could really use a fun book, cute nail polish, and bright print to cheer them up? Are they obsessed with gardening and crafts? Are they expecting a little one in the next few months? Find out about them. Get to know them. And then put together a really wonderful package for them of spring-y goodness! Think pastel polishes, craft supplies, wildflower seeds, crisp candles, floral scarves, upbeat mixed tapes cd's, the possibilities are endless! But make it spring-y and make it personal. And keep it below $20. You may be a millionaire {said in the Slumdog Millionaire voice}, but I'm not :) Packages should be mailed by Friday, March 22nd. Once you've received your goodies, come back and link up with us! We'll all be posting about the swap and our partners on Wednesday, March 27th. 
Ok, so what are you waiting for? Sign up here.
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Easy lazy day cookie bars.

Have I mentioned how thankful I am for this blog break and some really wonderful blog friends who are guest posting for me while I'm out? So thankful. Jenny is no exception. I love this girl. She has a heart of gold and such a beautiful resilence- even when life gets really, really hard. Love her. Can't say it enough :)  

Hey y'all! I am Jenny and I blog over at Strickly Stricklands! I am so happy to be guest posting today for Katie as she enjoys some time off from blogging! We have become close blog friends over the last 6 months and I just adore her!  Katie is a sweetheart and I admire her strong faith in the Lord! 

Today I am going to share a super easy recipe for some delicious cookie bars! The original recipe calls them lazy day cookies, but after making them a couple of times and changing up the recipe some, I renamed mine Easy Lazy Day Cookie Bars!

I am a big sweet eater! I like to have something sweet on hand for those cravings I get! Usually you can find me in my kitchen on Sunday afternoon baking up a storm! As much as I love my KitchenAid mixer,  there are some days I don't want  drag it out or spend the afternoon baking. One day I found this recipe for Lazy Day Cookies. It looked simple enough to throw together without messing up that many dishes.

Easy Lazy Day Cookie Bars

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon water (if needed add more)

1 cup milk chocolate chips

2 small bags of M&Ms (or half of a large bag)

  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in the microwave. While butter is melting get your other bowl ready by pouring in the cake mix, 2 eggs, water, chocolate chips & M&Ms. Don't mix yet! Once butter is melted add to the other ingredients. Mix well. The butter will melt the chocolate chips and M&Ms some but that is ok! (to me this is what made them so good!) Pour into a greased 9x13 dish or 2 brownie pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Slice into bars and enjoy!

I changed a few things with the recipe. I've made them by my recipe twice now and loved the way they turned out and by the original recipe one time but didn't like them at all. Play with the recipe. If you don't like chocolate chips or M&Ms then add what you want! I think that next time I will add in some chopped pecans. You can even use a different type of cake mix!The possibilities are endless! They don't really have the consistency of cookies nor do they have the consistency of cake. Its weird to explain. The best way I can describe it is that they taste like the cookies cakes you can get Great American Cookie! They are delicious right out of the oven but I found that they are even better once they have cooled down and a few days after baking!  

Let me know if you make these and what combinations you use!!! Happy baking!