September Numbers & October Goals + A Linkup

Happy October! I can’t believe September is already over, but I’m almost glad it is because October means fall and more football and birthdays and fall break and getting that much closer to two of my favorite holidays. As I stated last month in my August Numbers and September Goals post, this is a new thing I’m starting to write about every month, and I got my inspiration from Becky @ byBMG. I just thought it was such a cute idea, so I’ve used that inspiration to make an idea of my own! So, here’s what I’ve been up to this past month and what I hope to do in the month to come!

August Numbers and September Goals + A Linkup

It’s August!! And this first Monday of the month, I’ve decided to start a new tradition! I’m creating my own idea from some inspiration I got from Becky from byBMG and posting all about some of the things I’ve been up to over the past month and some of my goals for this one. So let’s get started!

High Five for Friday

        It’s Friday! You know how some weeks it seems to take forever to get to the weekend? Well, this was one of those weeks. But it’s finally here now, and I’m gonna celebrate! Though I have to say, this week hasn’t been all bad…

        1. I’m setting up for my first ever giveaway!!! I’m so excited I can barely stand it! I’m not a hundred percent sure what day it will start, but it will most likely be September 7^th through the 14^th (both are Mondays, by the way). Unfortunately that seems like an eternity away, but that’s because the book I’m giving away doesn’t even come out in stores until the 1^st, and the copy I’ve already ordered to give away won’t get to me until the 3^rd. Plus, that will give me some time to actually read my copy so I can tell you how wonderful it is so that you’ll want to win the giveaway even more. What book is it, you ask? Just the one book I have been looking forward to the most ever since I first heard of it. It’s called The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After and it is by Christian Recording Artist Kyle Kupecky and his wife Kelsey, who is also the daughter of New York Times Bestselling Author Karen Kingsbury. Here’s the description:

        Only God could have written a love story as beautiful as Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky’s. from their teenage days thousands of miles apart when they separately wrote letters to their future spouses, to a chance meeting backstage at a concert, their story brings hope and inspiration to every girl.

        It’s easy to get impatient for the future to play out, especially when it comes to love. Before long you find yourself chasing the perfect guy and trying to write your own happily ever after. But the truth is, your best future won’t be found chasing boys—it’ll only come by first chasing God.

        In The Chase, Kyle and Kelsey take turns telling their story, with Kelsey sharing secrets to a godly relationship and Kyle revealing the truth about what guys really think. Together they’ll show you how to put God first, protect your heart, deal with the loneliness and peer pressure that come along with purity, and see yourself as God does.

        Are you ready to trust God with your very own happily ever after? Let the chase begin!

        Doesn’t that sound amazing! I’m absolutely dying to read it. Anyway, keep an eye out for my giveaway; I’ll be posting more details soon!

        2. This week I have to give God a huge, huge thank you for the blessings he has given me. The main reason I say this as one of my highlights is because of the people God has placed in my life, and how much they mean to me. You see, I’m going to be moving (not far, just residences) next week, and an absolutely amazing couple who goes to my church—and are also more like family to me than anything else—have been going above and beyond trying to help make this move as easy as possible. Last Sunday, they had mentioned something about helping me out, but I had been quick to assure them that, while that meant the world to me, I didn’t want them to have to go out of their way and that they didn’t have to do that.

        Well, they knew they didn’t have to, but they wanted to, so on Wednesday they brought it up again, and they—along with my best friend—had me sit down and write out everything else I needed before move-in day so they could help me pick it up. I cannot tell you how blessed I felt as I sat there among some of the people I love the most as they tried to help me by reminding me of things I might need that I hadn’t thought of, and then offering to purchase it for me. I have never been so thankful for the way God gives you exactly the blessing you desired, right when you needed it most. And I’m not talking about the act of helping as much as how loved I felt by their offer. Even if they never actually did a single thing to help, just the way they offered and the way they showed how much they loved me meant more than they will ever know.

        3. More nail designs! The middle nail on that hand is a little messed up, but that’s okay (I’m not very patient when waiting for them to dry). Unfortunately I have to say this isn’t my favorite design, but I do like it nonetheless. And I am positive that I will be doing stripes again—I really want to try chevron by I’m not sure if I’m brave enough yet. Speaking of nail designs…

        4. I’m working on my very first nail tutorials! Isn’t that exciting? While they aren’t going to be videos (I know I’m not brave enough for that just yet), they will be step by step instructions with quite a few pictures to lead you through! I’m thinking I will have at least one design every 1^st and 3^rd Monday, although I’m not entirely sure just yet. We’ll see, but either way, I will have some tutorials soon! Since I’m moving, it might not be until next month, but rest assured, they are coming!

        5. Last but not least, I just read The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson. I know I always talk about books, but I really couldn’t help it this time. The Captive Maiden was absolutely amazing! I read it all yesterday, and I loved every bit of it. I have never, ever melted into a little puddle as many times as I did reading this novel. It was by far one of the sweetest books I have ever read, and the suspense just about killed me! I cannot wait to review this book, but I’m waiting until Tuesday since I own this one and want to post it as a part of my regular “My Bookshelf” posts I always do on Tuesdays. So, look out for that review, because I will have a lot more gushing—and swooning—over this book to do!

        Happy Friday!

Linking up at High Five for Friday.

All credit for the photo of The Captive Maiden goes to my sister Allie. Check out her blog here.


All credit for the italicized synopsis of The Chase goes to Kyle & Kelsey Kupecky and Revell Publishing.

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday! This is my first time linking-up at High Five for Friday, so I’m super excited. My sister has been doing it for a while now and she loves it, so I thought I’d give it a try! Here goes!

                1. Although I feel like all I ever post about is books, I have to mention one of the novels I read a few days ago because it really was one of the highlights of my week. I absolutely love to find stories that not only are interesting, fun stories to read, but also bless you in little ways you never expected they would, and Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter was one of those books. Even now, three days after I finished it, I cannot stop thinking about it; it was that great.

You can check out my full review here.

                2. I’ve started my first audiobook!! I know, I know, I’m a little late jumping on board the ‘audiobook train’, but I was so worried I wouldn’t like them nearly as much as physical books. So I kept putting off trying my first one, insisting I would—just not yet. However, this week I picked one up from the library, just for the fun of it—and with my life picking up speed over the next few weeks I knew I would need to go over to the dark side (ha ha). Anyway, I knew it was time. And I love it. I’m listening to Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiavarini and I cannot get enough. The book is wonderful, so that helps, but it’s also great to be able to get some of my reading done while painting my nails or cleaning or doing whatever else it is that needs to be done. I’ll let you know my full impression of both the story and the audiobook after I finish it in the next couple of weeks.

                3. I have a confession to make. I have become totally and completely obsessed with nail art. I don’t know how or why—up until a few weeks ago I rarely even painted my nails at all—but all the sudden nail art became one of my favorite things to do. Although it is slightly time-consuming, depending on the design, I love coming up with different designs, color schemes, and patterns, like the ones in the picture below (I did those yesterday). I’m thinking sometime in the next week or so I’ll do a post about my most recent nail designs and give you some steps on how to do them. Nail art might become one of my new things! We’ll see…

                4. I’m getting a haircut today! I know, I know, that’s a highlight of my week? It’s just a haircut, right? Wrong. I haven’t had a haircut since May, and I sorely need one, but with everything going on I just haven’t had a chance to get one. So that is a really big highlight for my week. Last time I went I got my curly locks cut into a nice asymmetrical-bob-sort-thing, with the front being a bit longer than the back. I also got layers (curly-hair typically must have them), and I got the back stacked a bit, which I really loved. So today, I’m just getting it shaped up and back to that haircut because so far—with my short hair anyway—that is my favorite style so far.

                5. I have closing program practice tonight! I’m super excited because I know it will be loads of fun. My church, for the last couple of years, has done a summer long Vacation Bible School instead of just the week long one, which everyone really has come to love. Each year, at the end of the summer, they put on a closing program for the whole church, where they sing their VBS songs and show pictures of what they’ve done and learned, and there are usually a few skits. This year, the skit is a bit longer and has a few more characters than usual, so our children’s director asked a few people who weren’t in the children’s department to do the acting instead, so that she could really get the point across, and it would be fun for the kids to watch. So, I am one of those actors, and it is a blast. The skit is adorable and funny, and I love the rest of the actors; they make everything hilarious, including practices. There is never a dull moment with any of them, and since one of them is my best friend and the other two are absolute goofballs, I am sure tonight’s practice will be more fun and less work.

                So, that’s my week! Happy Friday!!!

Linking up at Bright on a Budget. 

All credit for the photo of Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule goes to Amazon.

Currently—August

        Here’s my currently most for the month! This month I’m…

        Creating this super cute painting. Ever since I read How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck I have been obsessed with the idea of loving well, so I wanted to put that on a painting where I could see it any time I looked at my wall. And my specialty when it comes to painting is flowers. Especially sunflowers and daisies. So I thought I would paint something that incorporated those, featured colors I like, and had ‘love well’ painted across the middle. Now keep in mind, this painting is only halfway done. I still have to paint the darker purple lines (that outline the petals) on the daisies, darker yellow lines (same thing) on the sunflowers, add little yellow dots that look like seeds to the middle of the daisies, and little brown dots to the middle of the sunflowers. Then I will paint on some small light pink flowers all spaced out around the background before painting on "love well". I can promise you it'll look much better once it's finished.

        I’m currently wishlisting…I’m not sure what I’m wishlisting. Usually, if I want something badly enough, I just go on ahead and get it, unless it costs an extreme amount of money of course. So, I’m not exactly what is on my wish list. Maybe some new nail polish and nail art supplies. I’ve become kind of obsessed with nail art recently, and I don’t have many nail supplies. Also, books are always on my wish list. I could always use some more; my bookshelf has a few empty crannies.

        I’m currently hoping…that someone will come to my house and tell me I’ve just won a million dollars! No, I’m kidding. Although that would be nice. Anyway, I’m hoping that the lock-in I’ve been planning for the youth group at my church goes well. This is my first time planning one (youth ministry training!) and I hope all goes smoothly. I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks.

        I am currently eating some amazingly delicious pancakes. My genius of a mother came up with the idea for using the Trim Healthy Mama cake-in-a-mug recipe for pancakes, and let me tell you, it’s really good. Especially with peanut butter or syrup on top and a side of bacon and eggs. Obviously I’m still in love with my mother’s cooking (who ever stops?). She really is talented in the kitchen. Hopefully I take after her.

        And, I’m currently watching a couple of different things. When I have a lot of time on my hands, I like to settle in on the couch with my writing notebook and watch movies or shows like Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings, but on a regular basis, I don’t actually watch that much TV. I do, however, have a couple of shows that I cannot miss, so they are constantly being recorded. Shows such as Girl Meets World—because I grew up on Boy Meets World and love getting to see more of Cory and Topanga—Bringing Up Bates because I just love their family, Duck Dynasty—because who doesn’t love that show? I also love Fixer Upper—Joanna has my exact style—and When Calls the Heart—although that is currently in-between seasons.

        So, that’s what I’m up to this month! Happy August!

Linking up at Anne in Residence.