finish this | link up week 6

This is my first link-up with Nicole {Three 31}, Lisa {The Coastal Chicster}, Becky {The Java Mama}, and Jen {The Arizona Russums}) for the weekly series called Finish This.  And with this being Valentine's week, the prompts are all about love-y dove-y stuff :)

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 1. I celebrate Valentine's Day by...

making some sort of love notes or something handmade.  Usually Valentine's Day, while important, does not get any room in the budget for gifts, so my instincts are to go to something handmade or service-y to show my love.  This year I made coupon books for my boys with little coupons for one-on-one time, extra video game time, and even a mandatory family dance party :)  Hubsy is getting little love notes hidden around the house, in his car, etc.  It will be fun to see how long it takes him to find them all :)

2. My heart goes pitter-patter for...

eyes that express adoration.  You know...."that" look.  The one Hubsy gives that says "you are awesome, I'm so hooked on you".  Yep...that one.

3. When looking for romance, my best advice is...

initiate.  Since I've been with Hubsy for almost 20 years, my advise is more for those already in a relationship.  Hold hands, even if your just running errands.  Be sure to hug him and take a moment to re-connect when he gets home from work.  Even just for those few seconds.  Give his bum back a little rub when you pass by ;)

4.  My favorite love story (real or fiction) is...

The Notebook...enough said.

5. The best relationship/love/dating advice I ever received was...

Hmm....this one is a toughie.  I don't think I've really been given much in the way of relationship advice but here are a few things I find to be true and inspiring.

Wishing you all a love-filled (in all its various forms) Valentine's day!

industrial farmhouse | lighting

When I first got married, I wanted everything in my home to be "just so" and look very "adult".  I think I was trying to convince myself that I truly was all grown-up ;)

Now I find myself gravitating to decor pieces that are constructed from substantial materials and perhaps a bit worn looking.  A reflection of how I view myself now ten years into marriage?  Maybe so!

I'm sure moving to the country has a wee bit of something to do with it as well.  Open fields, old barns, and run down bridges can be very inspirational!

One thing our sweet new abode needed was some new lighting.  And let me tell you, when it comes to industrial farmhouse style...the lighting is where its at!

Just look at these drool-worthy fixtures....such texture, such character!

1. chicken wire lantern
2. wrought iron sphere
3. classic bell pendant
4. harlowe wire and glass pendant
5. nautical lantern
6. whitney pendant


A unique light can make a huge impact on the feel of a room.  If you follow me on IG you'll know I went to my favorite source, Pottery Barn and chose this Rustic Glass Pendant.  Ain't she a beauty?!

Rustic Glass Pendant

I had so much fun picking out new lighting. 
Are you in the market for some new lighting? I hope these provide some inspiration for you as well!

in a word

Whew!  Moving can take a lot out of you and leave you drained.
Hubsy and I completed all of our move entirely ourselves, just us two.  And I. Am. Exhausted.
Our holidays were crazy hectic with the move smack dab in the middle plus being "homeless" for a week but there was still joy to be had and we cherished it!

So now we are starting a new chapter of our lives right in conjunction with the New Year.
Change is all around me.  Some welcome, some...not so much ;)
So amidst all this change and preparation for the future, my word for 2014 has been embedding itself deeper and deeper into my mind.

e·lim·i·nate [ih-lim-uh-neyt] 

to omit, especially as being unimportant or irrelevant; leave out:

It may seem a little weird that I chose this for my word.  Most people pick more inspiring sounding words but this is the one that speaks to me.   Folks, it's time for the unnecessary to go.  And believe it or not, our lives are filled with way more excess than we think.  I'm not ready to chuck it all and head for a hut in the wilderness (I like indoor plumbing thank you) but I am ready to seriously reduce all the "what-not" I've got in my life.  The truly unimportant things as well as some seriously important but bad-for-you-and-gotta-go things.  And in a big way, this move was the first step. 

I mentioned before that we have downsized in home space.  At first I was relieved to be getting rid of some things that I felt obligated to hang on to because it was a gift or it helped to fill up a room that hardly got used anyway but now that we are on the other side of the move I'm finding that even more needs to go.  And that's not always easy or relieving.  What if I need that pretty bowl one day?!  What if I want to have two gray sweaters so I don't feel like I'm wearing the same thing all the time?  Well, there just isn't as much room and I refuse to live in cramped feeling quarters just to fit in what really is a luxury and not a need.  Don't mistake, our new home is plenty big enough, it's just that Hubsy and I have collected so much "stuff".  Learning to simplify has been on our hearts for some time now and we are slowly starting the process.

I also want to eliminate the unnecessary busy.  My time is precious and it's time I started treating it that way.  Include some quality "me" time.  Rekindle my time with the Lord.  Connect with my kids.  Take time to "create" on various levels.  More to come on this.

  
If you follow me on Pinterest (you can follow me here) you might have noticed some of the health related pins I've been pinning lately.  Eliminating toxins from my life (as much as I can reasonably do).  Eating clean and organic, detoxifying, healing our hormones....these are all topics that I've begun to feel quite passionate about and will begin to share some of my journey here on the blog as well.

  
Did you pick a word for 2014?  What was it?

Happy hump day friends!

 

trimmings & trappings

I think everyone would agree that moving at Christmastime is something you try to avoid at all costs.  Unfortunately sometimes it can't be avoided.  It's hard to feel festive when your walls are bare and there are boxes everywhere.  We did manage to put up our Christmas tree, Santa needs somewhere to bring presents don't ya know ;)  We are doing our best to get into the spirit despite the fact that our home is becoming increasingly barren.

There is something to be said for preparing your home and making it a joyous reflection of the season.  Giving your children the wonder of Christmas magic, the sparkly lights, the heartwarming smells, showing them the significance that something really big is about to happen...celebrating Christ our Savior's birth.  Showing His love through so many ways.

So while there's not much festive decorating, cookie baking, twinkly light hanging, etc going on for us this year, I've decided to live vicariously through these beautiful images from my Holiday Cheer Pinterest board.  Follow me on Pinterest here!

Let's get to it shall we?

how I would love to walk up to this front door, real live greenery is my fav

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can a kitchen sink get any cuter

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absolutely making these lighted Christmas "presents" for on the front porch next year

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how about these sweet nests full of presents

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epsom salts make the perfect snowscape

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simply and adorable

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I think we could all use a little more jingle in our lives...am I right?

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December 2014...it's so ON baby!

How will you be decorating this year?  I truly hope all of you are having joyful holiday season and letting your creative juices flow!

I've also asked all that follow on IG to share their posts that mark the Christmas spirit with #holidayjoy, will you join in the fun?  Follow me on IG here.

Have a wonderful week my friends!

its unoffically official

Images from my "Country Living" Pinterest board.  Follow me at Krista@behindthemoon

So it's finally "kinda-sorta-unofficially" official.  Gotta sign on the dotted line buuutttt....

After 6 awful long months, Hubsy, the rowdies, and I will finally be moving to the country!  I am so completely relieved to get this process over and start a new chapter in our lives.  Back in this post I talked about my frustration with knowing if this was going to be God's plan for us or not.  Well, He's kept us guessing until the very end ;)
Not gonna lie, it was a pretty difficult process and only a few people really know all the twists and turns we had along the way but you want to know the best part?  Not only is God gifting us with this dream come true but He also made my sister an instrumental piece of the puzzle.  How cool is that?!

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Living in the country is something we have always wanted but considered more of a retirement-type of thing until about a year-and-a-half ago.  I think my mid-life crisis actually started at about 35 because what I used to consider "someday" things have turned into "gotta do it now" things.  Right now.  Like now, ya hear.

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The more we thought about it the more we wanted this for our kids so they could have the time to enjoy it before girls friends became more important and their focus shifts to their own budding adulthood. Not to mention, we just need more space.  More space for Hubsy's business equipment, a large garden, and hopefully one day...chickens. Eeek, I love the thought of having chickens!  The whole idea of living a little more self-sufficeintly and naturally really resonates with me. And so while we will be gaining land, we will be downsizing house.  This is a little daunting but also very exciting!  Living with a little less "stuff"....I can almost hear myself taking a nice deep cleansing breathe and feeling the freedom of it :)

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 And so....these are the things I am looking forward to, all of which will be surrounding our new home.

open fields

dirt roads

farms

quiet

livestock

rolling hills

four-wheel riding

wildflowers

barns

playing in the creek

fences

fresh local honey

cleaner air

views upon views upon views

So much to be thankful for.
Wishing you and your families a blessed and very Happy Thanksgiving!

am I ever really there?

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Have you ever had an idea/concept/truth all the sudden sink in... even though you've heard it over and over again?

It's a God thing.  Sometimes He needs to open your heart to "hear" the message and that can take time.

I'm a Barenaked Ladies fan.  Have been since Hubsy and I met back in 1995, he took me to see them in concert and I was hooked.  So needless to say I've been listening to them for a long time.  "For you" is one of my favorites and there are these lyrics in there that just hit me one day about a year ago.

"If I hide myself wherever I go 

Am I ever really there?"

--Lyrics from "For You" by Barenaked Ladies

I never considered myself as having low self-esteem, but maybe I did?  I do care what people think of me.  Problem is it seems I spent most of my life caring to the point that I would try and alter people's perception of me or I would just clam up and not share much of myself.  I would rather someone not have much of any opinion of me than really know me and dislike me.
I was not living authentically.  I was not practicing true self-acceptance.  The day those lyrics finally hit me, I pondered if I am hiding portions of myself, am I really truly living?  Am I having authentic experiences?  Um...no.  

Self acceptance is the only way to true happiness.  It's an extension of how God sees you.  As a unique and irreplaceable treasure, flaws and all.  I'm learning to embrace the things I once thought of as flaws.  Changing the way you think and act is not easy.  It takes time, not like flipping a switch or anything.  But I am truly so much happier and feel at peace more often having begun to put this into practice.

Sadly I have to admit that I was even hiding parts of myself from friends and family.  I would often just stay quiet and not share much.  Lately I've been sharing more and more about my opinion, my faith, and my thoughts with those I once would not have.  Authentic relationships is what I crave now.

How about you?  Do you hide yourself?

what is it about cable?

Seriously...what is it about cable knit sweaters that makes you just feel oh so cozy and secure?
I think the secret's in the structure the roping detail provides.  Any way you braid it, it's a timeless beauty.

Now wouldn't you just love to wrap up in some of these cozies?  And maybe join me for a lovely cup o' coffee?  We could chat about our vulnerabilities because our cable knit sweaters would make us feel more secure in doing so ;)

Which is your fav?  I can't decide!  However I'm really loving the pairing of a lace detail with #3.

1.  Fold Collar Sweater
2.  Green Heather Sweater Dress
3.  Cream Cable Sweater Twin Set
4.  Blue Cable Cardigan
5.  Cream Button Up Cardigan

 Happy Friday my dear friends...stay cozy!