Kacey Musgraves on the Rhinestone Revue

It is always a good thing when I get a phone call at the end of 4^th period with a 615 area code because that can only mean one thing: I won concert tickets.

This particular time, I happen to have forgotten that I even entered for these, but I was still excited when I found out I was seeing Kacey Musgraves at the Ryman on the Rhinestone Revue tour.

And it was every bit as spectacular as it sounds.

My mom and I do our best to keep up with ABC’s Nashville, so of course I was familiar with the talent of the first openers, Lennon and Maisy.

Being on "Nashville," they have filmed a few scenes on the legendary stage, so they did have a leg up on their successors, nerve wise.  They were as calm and collected as could be. With some help enhancing their stage presence, Lennon and Maisy could headline some big tours one day. Without a doubt.

From watching "Nashville," I knew they could sing, but after seeing them live, I can attest to Maisy’s unreal range and Lennon’s natural grit. They only sang a handful of songs, but their standouts were “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” and “Call Your Girlfriend.” Their cover of Cage the Elephant's “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” had the entire venue on their feet. Really. They got a standing ovation. They’re absolutely incredible.

Andrew Combs on the other hand...I wish I could say the same about the Hank Williams wannabe.

With a crooked hat and outlaw stage persona that I just don’t think matches his sweet, down home character off stage . As a musician, he was good for the first few songs, but they soon all sounded the same. Slower, indie vibes and the same chord progressions were all I got from him.

(His drummer did have a thing with his left foot that he would shake/tap it ridiculously fast regardless of what tempo the song was. It made his set more entertaining for sure.)

After a 30 minute set change, it was finally time for Miss Kacey Musgraves to take the stage.

Y’all. She is so ridiculously talented. It is absolutely absurd. Listening to her live in comparison to listening to her album, there is no difference. She is so true to her simple “Dime Store Cowgirl” sound and roots, both live and recorded. Between songs, she was sure to give the song’s background or thoughts about her nerves, boots, or personal trainer with her standard colorful vocabulary, giving her not only a better and more memorable stage presence than her openers, but also coming off as one of the most personal artists I’ve seen. I really love seeing artists for who they are, so for there to be no censor really earned some brownie points with me.

She sang her old hits, her new hits, and other people’s hits. Doing an acoustic rendition of “Merry Go Round,” a disco dancing performance of “Pageant Material,” and a jamming cover of TLC’s “No Scrubs” gave a different feel for every section of the concert.

Her “No Scrubs” cover was my favorite performance of the night (only second to her acoustic, tear inducing edition of “Merry Go Round,” of course).

Her stage décor was so perfect for the theme of small town pageants with streamers and a disco ball.

And yes, her band is wearing pink light up suits.

 The Rhinestone Revue was easily one of the most dazzling nights of the year (ha, pun totally intended) and reminded me that there’s still hope for me even if I’m not “Pageant Material.”

Stay sparkly,

Lauren

Tuesday Treasures

September 8, 2015

A.P. English is going to be the death of me, so I'm at least requesting proper grammar on my tombstone, since that will be my cause of death after all. The work load is absolutely ridiculous, and I'm not one to mind working a lot. I just keep reminding myself there is more to life than English. But anyways...

Since being 16, I've gotten to be all cute with Ems. For our first celebratory cute date, we settled on the Egg and I. 

The Egg and I is a regional brunch restaurant chain that I just love. You sit on wooden benches and they give you a whole pot of coffee, which is always a selling point for me. Our cute little brunch date consisted of ordering the same meal (and taking pictures of it), drinking an entire thermos of coffee, and solving all of life's problems. After years of not liking eggs, something in me has changed, and I've recently started to  love omelets and scrambled eggs. Emma and I actually both ended up ordering the Egg Byte Omelet (mine without the mushrooms) with hazelnut coffee. 

Twas a good morning.

One of my favorite aspects of God is his faithfulness. He is exactly who He says He is, and He does exactly what He says He will do, which makes my heart rest at peace and reassures me of my future daily. Over the past few weeks, She Reads Truth  has done a study through Daniel, chapter by chapter from the lions to the dreams and prophecies. 

Daniel is a story of faithfulness on both ends. Daniel remains faithful to God and more importantly, God remains faithful to Daniel. I finished this study on Friday, and looking back, Daniel 10-12 ended up being my favorite. Though I love Daniel's attitude in Daniel 3 ("And if not, He is still good"- Daniel 3:18), Daniel 10-12 impacted me the most. 

You should totally read it for yourself, but in short..

After years of praying for God to let him and his people return to Jerusalem, a decree is issued that allows that, but at this point, Daniel is too old and frail to travel. He knows those who are going will face hardship and he mourns those hardships, so he prays. He prays night and day and fasts for 3 weeks straight for wisdom for the new nation. After 3 weeks, He finally hears back from God in the form of an angel.

Much like us, Daniel had to have been discouraged because he did not hear God. The angel tells Daniel that his prayers were heard on the first day, but the angel was caught in battle against the prince of the kingdom of Persia, a spiritual demon, for 3 weeks. 

It is such a literal depiction of the war going on all around us, but it is also a example of how God allows suffering for greater good. Daniel's persistence until he heard God serves as an example for us, but there was probably also spiritual growth for Daniel, drawing him much closer than ever before. The angel continued on explaining a prophecy so grand that the only One who knows it is the One who holds it in His hands. 

"When evil forces work hard to thwart God's purposes, we can only be sure that something significant is at stake." 

-Missy Fuller, She Reads Truth

I take so much from seeing this example in Daniel. When it feels like there is no answer and you are diligently praying and seeking God, just know that He hears you and He is coming!

She Reads Truth is just starting a new plan, and it's never too late to join! Sign up here to join an amazing community of sisters.

This week has also been full of good music. Maddie and Tae came out with a new album, Thomas Rhett released new singles for his album that is coming soon, Brett Eldredge released "Wanna Be That Song," Ben Rector did too...and he was really the selling point.
I used to say "if it ain't country, it ain't music," but in recent years, I have learned that's not true. Believe it or not, Ben Rector is the one who really made me believe that. I was actually obsessed with "The Walking in Between" for a while, and it is still in the my top 10 favorite albums ever.
He has so much control on his wide range and the right amount of elegance and ease when he belts that is is impossible to not love listening to him. His true lyrics, minimal editing effects, and soothing voice won me over in a heart beat. I'm not too sure what to call his genre...most of his songs are also what I would call "easy listening" or "feel goods." Some are upbeat, cruise worthy songs but some are also slower, bluegrassy love songs. They are also clean and real and pure and cute and I just love him. I also think that personally, he is also a good person. If you ever have a chance to go look through his twitter, check out #BenOnAPlane. Or even just go through his regular tweets. He's funny. He's real. He just seems like a solid guy, you know? (His wife is also a VERY talented writer, this is her latest writing and my current favorite)
"Brand New" is his fifth studio album, sixth released album if 2014's Live in Denver counts, too, but eighth if all of his EP's are included. All of his albums have done exceedingly well on the charts, and he has gone on tour with big names like Dave Barnes and Five for Fighting. I have no doubt that 2015 and "Brand New" will be any different.
You can get "Brand New" through iTunes or Amazon. You can also listen to some of my favorite BR songs through Spotify as you finish reading this post.

My aunt moved to a new apartment this summer, and on Friday, I went down there for the first time since moving all of her boxes. It looks very nice..very Pinterest, if you ask me, but I got to spend some bonding time with her and her roommate. We ate dinner, and I learned to play a new game..It's called Ticket to Ride. 

Your board looks like a map with trains going all directions, from city to city. Basically, your goal is to complete the most/longest routes and to block your opponents' path to complete their routes. I am totally obsessed. I loved it, and I'm buying it as soon as I can. Stephanie said it used to only be sold at Barnes and Noble, but it's available at Amazon, too. (Honestly, what isn't available on Amazon?)

If you even sort of know me, you probably know how excited I was on Saturday, considering college football came back. I got to watch my boys do my favorite thing and sing my favorite song with my favorite people, and I couldn't have been happier. It may have had a 90 minute delay, but rain or shine, it's great to be a Tennessee Vol,

 

xoxo and gbo,

Lauren

The Holy Spirit Works

The Holy Spirit works in incredible ways, both then and now.

Our bible story this week was from Acts 2 when the spirit overtakes the hundreds of people throughout the crowd.

Our craft was so insanely simple. We took 3 popsicle sticks and cut 1/4 of them off, drew faces on them, and then had them color in bubble text of saying Jesus, representing that they all spoke the same language, and they all understood the name and love of Jesus. 

It's so simple that it may have not even crossed your mind.

Tuesday Treasures

September 1, 2015

I know last week didn't have a Treasures, but I have good reason as to why...for those who didn't know, I turned 16 last Tuesday, which only added things to do and places to go to my ever so busy schedule, leaving no time to blog :(

Over the month of August, I had to read a lot of books, but they were books for school and not my choice. Sin and Syntax is just not my kind of book. Weddings by Bella on the other hand... I'm a sucker for a good, cheesy romance novel, and that is exactly what Thompson wrote. The 4 book series is full of laughter, love, and lots of pastas. Bella Rossi is an adult who is trying to figure out how to manage her family's wedding company while also searching for love. Born into a first generation Italian clan, Bella's roots and habits are very different from the culture of Texas that is around her, so when a couple wants a "boot scootin wedding," Bella is met with a problem and a handsome cowboy. I  swooned throughout the books when they talk about him..I just love good ole southern boys who love Jesus, their mamas, and George.

Whether your from the heart of Texas or from Florence, Italy, you're sure to enjoy hanging out with the Rossi clan through all of their adventures. 

                

All four books are available through Amazon. 

Book 1: Fools Rush In

Book 2: Swinging on a Star

Book 3: It Had to Be You

Book 4: That's Amore

Much like any other families, my family has our own birthday traditions. With my maternal grandparents, we have a dinner of any foods we want (for example: french toast, green bean casserole, ambrosia, and banana pudding for dessert). With my paternal grandparents, we go out to a birthday lunch wherever we want. We typically go out to lunch with them anyway, but we are so bad about going to the same place from week to week (Logans). I decided for my birthday that I didn't want Logans. I wanted the Cool Cafe. After realizing they were open on Sundays, it was decided.

The Cool Cafe is off of Hillsboro Road by Mack Hatcher in Franklin. It's a meat and three with some of the best fried chicken I have ever eaten.

They are known for their chicken, and Sunday was no different. Crunchy, crispy outside and moist, juicy inside. It was delicious. Their okra is also wonderful for those of you who don't like soggy okra either, Their cornbread also deserves honorable mention here because it was very nice, too. Not too dry, but still the traditional cornbread taste in a not so traditional square instead of muffin/

If you're ever out that way, you should definitely stop there. It's never too crowded, it's a relaxed atmosphere, and it's excellent food.

Cool cafe is just the coolest. 

Now being a real, stereotypical teenage girl, I love cheesy stuff. Especially when it is uplifting and encouraging other girls. One of the girls I follow on twitter posted a link to this article.  Comparison is the thief of joy! In these recent weeks, I've really paid attention to that, and noticed how much I compare myself to those around me, but after reading this, I decided 16 is going to be a year of no comparison. I'm never going to get anywhere if I keep comparing myself, so from here on out, I'm proud of who I am and what I've accomplished. And on the days I don't exactly feel this way, I'll fake it until I make it and eventually, I'll really believe it. And you should believe it, too. 

As with any birthday, is it really a birthday if you don't have cake? My other grandparents always have us over for dinner around our birthday and it is any meal we want. This year, it was "tantrum chicken" (aka western chicken), green bean casserole, and mac & cheese with Texas sheet cake and ice cream for dessert. But what you may not know is that Texas sheet cake is no regular cake. Texas sheet cake is far better, and you literally bake it in a baking sheet. It is less dense and the icing on it is thousands of times better than on a standard cake. Once you have Texas sheet cake, you will never go back to regular cake again. 
Betty Crocker actually has a very similar recipe to the one my grandmother uses.  The only difference is that Betty Crocker uses pecans in their icing, and we don't simply because we don't like pecans very much. The next time you have a birthday or a reason to bake, Texas sheet cake would be a nice change from the norm. 

For those of you wondering, I did pass my license test. The test administrator actually said I was an excellent driver, so no worries for you who drive the same roads of WilCo. 

Yes, I will drive safe. Yes, I will drive the speed limit. No, I won't text and drive.
-lauren

I Can Pray

Every week in Sunday school, we stress the idea that prayer is important. On a regular Sunday school morning, we pray 4 times in that one hour of class. We pray before the story, after the story, before snack, and then an open ended prayer at the end for all of the kids to pray about whatever that want. If you ask me, it's only fitting that we do a lesson on prayer.

This story was a collection of verses from Matthew 6. The story takes place when Jesus is sitting on the mountain side preaching to the masses. He gives instructions on things like giving to the needy, fasting, worry, and also prayer. He tells the people to not pray like those in the synagogue or those who are praying for attention, but to pray genuinely with all you are. He then gives the example of the Lord's Prayer that displays the different aspects a prayer has: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and sacrament.

To teach this to a 3 year old, we really focused on the fact that you can tell Jesus everything and that he wants to hear about everything -- big and little. 

For their take home, they made a "spinner" out of 2 paper plates, a brad, and some paper. 

 It does require about 10 minutes of prep work, but it's just cutting.

One the sheet of paper, draw a circle that is the size of the center of the paper plate and cut it out. If you're feeling lazy, here's the circle that I used without the things they can pray on it. 

 On the sheet of paper, I mentally divided it into four sections and wrote in three of the sections things they can pray for, leaving the fourth one blank. I've learned that vague and simple things like "for my family" or "for my school" works best. 

Leave one plate in it's original, whole circle form, and on the other plate, cut out a quarter of the plate. On this 3 quarter plate,  write "I can pray..." and Matthew 6:6, or another reference about prayer.

For them to make it, I had them color pictures of the things they can pray for as well as come up with an additional thing to pray for to fill in the blank quarter.

Once they colored it, I had them glue the circle onto the whole plate. Then, I took the quartered paper plate and brad and assembled the spinner part. 

From bottom to top, it should go whole plate, circle glued onto plate, quartered plate, and the brad.

If you were to make this with older kids, they could write "I can pray.." and the chosen reference. 

One mom told me that her son took it home and keeps it on his bedside to decide what to pray for each night before bed.

Relatively simple yet useable at any point in life as a reminder to pray about everything.

Tuesday Treasures

August 18, 2015

It is a rainy Tuesday in Nashville which only makes me want crawl back in bed and finish my book, but sadly, that did not get to happen. There have been many joys this week despite the sad weather. 

For those who didn't know, my grandfather is one of my most favorite people on this planet. He loves me with such a genuine, constant love and is such a role model of mine in every single way. If you know him, you'd know that he is almost always seen with a coffee cup and blue shirt when he teaches his Sunday school class.

On Sunday, I go to meet my parents after service and I am greeted by this:

It turns out that his Sunday School bought a bobble head for him, and the resemblance is uncanny. 

Such a small, humorous gesture of appreciation brought such a smile to my face then, and as I type this, I am grinning ear to ear as well.

If you're interested in a replica bobblehead, check out https://www.likenessme.com/ to order one.

Even in the dark skies, yesterday was filled with color and life because of the Lilly After Party Sale.

Until yesterday, I had never participated in the APS, but I now know I am participating in every other one to come. 

Yall, these deals were crazy.

$298 Annabelle dresses for $99, $69 shorts for $44, $70 scarves for $29. 

It was every Lilly lover's dream.

If my funds were more thorough, I definitely would have bought a few dresses and a scarf or two, but I couldn't swing much more than a top or two.

I purchased the Amelia Island Tunic in Resort White and I am so excited for it to come in. I have wanted a tunic like this for a long while and now, I finally have one. When it comes in, I will be sure to let you know about the fit and wear of it all.

I'm already saving up for the next APS, which happen twice a year so in case you missed out, I'll be sure to post some tips and details for it! 

Much like the south has Cracker Barrels and Waffle Houses, the north has Friendly's. Friendly's is sort of like a Steak n Shake for those who are familiar with that chain. They're known for their ice cream and milkshakes.

When we were in Pennsylvania, I got to taste Friendly's food and desserts multiple times as there was one right next to our hotel at Hershey. 

Their coffee ice cream is my personal favorite, but my mom's favorite is a slice of Watermelon Roll.

Watermelon Roll is basically sherbet ice cream with chocolate chips in the shape on a watermelon. Sadly, they didn't serve it in store and Mom never got her slice of Watermelon Roll Cake while we were up there, but when I was shopping with my grandmother on Saturday and found Friendly's Watermelon Roll Cake. I promptly put it in our buggy and surprised her once I got home.

Her face when she opened it was priceless. I hope I never forget that look of excitement she had. Sure, it was just a piece of ice cream, but it brought so much joy to her that it made my heart happy. 

I know I've sung the praises of She Reads Truth many times before, but they shared a wonderful quote in one of their recent devotionals:

"What I do is because of who I am; what I do does not make me who I am."

Everything I do is because of the events and people and beliefs I have, but what I do does not define all that I am. I am more than my daily cup of coffee or my excitement about new music and concerts. I am more than anything anyone could ever try to make me, and you are, too. Not to get cheesy, but remember this. Don't let anyone try to define you because you can be whoever you want to be.

xo,

lauren 

Tuesday Treasures

August 11, 2015

This week has been so busy. Balancing golf with school and church and babysitting has actually been very hard. I'm typically good about managing my time, but it's hard to manage time you don't have, you know?

Going back to school means going back into dress code. Our dress code is cap sleeves and nothing 6 inches above the knee. My Nike shorts are more than 6 inches above the knee, which means that right there eliminates most of my summer attire. So...we went to Old Navy. I found these jeans, which I am currently wearing as I write this. I have worn Old Navy jeans for as long as I can remember: classic skinny or midrise sweetheart fit since day one. They are cheaper price wise, but just as high quality as department stores. I wear mine out! They come in many different fits, colors, and styles. I guarantee they have a fit that flatters every body type.

If you didn't know, my most recent accomplishment off the golf course was making my grandmother shortcake from scratch (and it turned out totally wonderful. Of course, what is strawberry shortcake without whip cream?

Originally, my plan was to make the shortcake and whip cream from scratch, but I chickened out and just bought a can. I explained this to my grandmother and she insisted that she show me how to make fresh whip cream, so Sunday night, we did just that. Really all you need is a cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix it together with a mixer until peaks form! This makes about 2.5 cups of whip cream, but if you need more, just use the whole pint and double everything else! 

The stuff in the can has nothing on this fresh cream. It is so much richer, and I really do think everyone should try fresh whip cream at least once.

In the summer, I am very very bad about throwing my hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Honestly, it's a good day if I just brush it. I'm very low maintenance, but I do enjoy "dressing up" just as much as the next person. I love how my hair looks when I curl or straighten it. 

For promotion Sunday at church (all the kids and students move up a grade), I decided I was gonna do just that. I used a 1.5 inch Remington curling wand and 1 inch sections of hair. I'm normally not this happy with the curls I get, but I loved these, especially once they relaxed and curled around each other. I'm still trying to master the whole barrel/mermaid curl, but until I can get that, I'll gladly settle for these.

I also broke out my Lilly and Jacks for promotion Sunday :) #lovemyjacks

Part of my morning routine before school is listening to really good, uplifting music to get in a fresh mindset. I typically play my "good morninggg" playlist with Young and Free, Matt Maher, and those kind of people, but I felt adventurous Sunsay morning and played iTunes Radio's Christian station. I lucked out and found a gem. It is Beautiful" by MercyMe.

"Days will come when you don't have the strength

When all you hear is you're not worth anything"

When I first heard this, school was starting in less than 24 hours. I was about to immerse myself in a world full of "you're only as good as your clothes" and "your grades are how I see you." 

I stopped fixing my hair and sat on my bedroom floor with my eyes closed.

"You are made for so much more than all of this
You're beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His"

For me, it is so easy to believe that my grades are my value and that the score of my golf game is my identity.  And I forget that I am so much more.  I am treasured, sacred, and His. I am not the 42 I shot at Brentwood Country Club. I am not the size of the jeans on my legs. I am not the Vera Bradley lunch box in my hand. I am a child of God who is priceless to the One who gave His life for me. 

Thank you for reminding me, MercyMe. 

Don't you forget it this week either.

xoxox,

Lauren

Chicago 2015

I sit here over 2 weeks later, and I am still trying to put into words everything that happened on my trip to Chicago at the end of July.

It is always amazing to me the many different ways God reveals himself when we take the time to listen. 

 Working with this excellent team, I went up to Chicago, and we put on kids' carnivals with games and bible stories in hopes of connecting families with Reborn Community Church.

It was amazing how God brought together so many different people with so many different gifts. We all come from different homes and different backgrounds, but we were all united because of a belief in Him, and His glory was definitely the outcome. 

After church and some last minute planning and on Sunday night, we headed out to the parks bright and early Monday morning. 

Im the parks, we played games (sack races, tic tac toe, connect 4, etc), made balloon animals, and painted faces.

Each day, we were at a different site, which gave us so many opportunities to meet new kids and love on them in ways that don't always recieve at home. 

Cherish and I played Fish In A Bowl for at least an hour, if not more. She was so satisfied sorting the green, pink, and orange balls among the 7 bowls, something so small. Through this precious 3 year old, I could see a message about being content. 

I personally am so bad about becoming unsatified with things after a short period of time, but Cherish could have (and probably would have) sat and sorted balls all day. She didn't ask about snack or when we were going to do story. She sat and was content with all she had and was doing. So many times, I am not that way. I am almost always thinking of what I'm doing next, when really, that ruins what I'm doing now.

Much like Cherish, Denaeja taught me an awful lot, too. 

At this specific park, there was a preschool next door, and during their free time, the teachers brought them out to play at the carnival. These kids were on a class schedule, so they had to leave before we got to tell our bible story, which is really the main point of the carnivals. 

BUT!

Their preschool ended at 1:45 and our carnival didn't end until 3, so a select few came running back across the field when they got dismissed -- Denaeja was one of them.

Both when she was with the class and when she came back, Denaeja and I hung out. She drew hearts on my cheeks, and I drew a butterfly on her forehead. 

Once she came back out, she asked what she had missed, so I began to relay the story of Abraham to her. 

For those who may not know, Abraham is a man who obeyed God when God told him to pack up all his things and move. God promised Abraham as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and His promise came true. When we were being trained on telling these stories, we were told to emphasize that God has a plan and that He is faithful in every way. 

After I told D this story, she looks at me and says, "God has a plan for you, too!" 

If you know me at all, you should know how badly I stress. I stress about basically everything, but when I heard her reassure me that God does have a plan for me, I almost cried.

He reveals himself in the most unsuspecting ways. 

Despite my experience last year, foolish me went into this trip trying to pour into these kids' lives, but really they poured into mine. 

They are so trusting and so content. They are also so open minded, which is something I admire very, very

much. 

God not only broke my heart for this beautiful city, but He has begun to break my heart for the lost people, even at home. Coming back, I am so much more aware of the lost and broken around me, and I'm ready to share the Good News with them. 

My prayer these next fee weeks is that God will give me a content heart like Cherish and a trusting heart like Denaeja, but also for a completely broken heart for those around me.

"Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in His sight."

- 2 Samuel 10:12

xox,

Lauren

(For the touristy side of it all, check out this post.)

Tuesday Treasures

August 3, 2015

Life is starting to get crazy and crazier as school beings to approach. It seemed at first glance that I could only see the treasures of life when everything is calm and relaxed, but I'm so thankful that isn't the truth. Though this week has been primarily spent babysitting, there's just as much joy in watching Paw Patrol as traveling the streets of Pennsylvania.

SRT is where it's at, y'all. SRT stands for "She Reads Truth," which is a daily bible study via email or the app. They never fail to have the most wonderful daily devotions. They just completed a study called "Women in the Word" that went through the Bible book by book and studied the lives of the women in the Bible. It covered the majors like Mary and Eve to the unsung heroes such as Joanna and Pilate's Wife. Their devotions are short, but so insanely rich and applicable in any walk of life!

They actually started a new study today called "This is the Gospel," and I know that I personally can not wait to start it. I've been a "she" for almost a year now, and SRT has definitely made a difference in how I look at every situation.

SRT is middle Tennessee based and have writers of all different kinds, but they are all united by a passionate love for Jesus.  

You can sign up for their daily emails here or you can download their app for your iPhone or for your Android.

This past Friday was my grandmother's birthday, and one of the birthday traditions we have on that side is a homemade family dinner. For all of our birthdays, Amma cooks for us, but this year, I decided that I was going to cook dinner for her, and that is exactly what happened. We had chicken enchiladas roll ups and strawberry shortcake. The enchiladas are a family recipe, but when my grandfather and I decided we should make shortcake,  I was a little stumped. Buying the pre-made sponge cakes from Publix just wasn't appealing to me, so I scoured Pinterest and found an excellent shortcake recipe. It claims to be of Amish origin, and I do not doubt that at all.

It takes about 30 minutes and is hundreds of times better than the pre-made ones. This recipe makes a nice biscuity base and delicious flour, sugar, and butter topping.

When I made it, I made 9 servings because I cut the 8x8 pan into 3x3 rows and the serving sizes were just right. 

We did learn that it doesn't keep well over night, so it is best to make it the morning/day of your event.

I got so many complements about this cake and it is so addicting! This recipe is great because the toppings can be way more than just strawberries. My brother put cinnamon on his, and the original author/s dad puts milk on his. The possibilities with this recipe are endless! I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an easy dessert base.

I feel like I'm preaching to the choir when I say coffee is the best conversational drink, but it really is. This week, I got a wonderful opportunity to catch up with a very very dear friend and role model of mine that I look up to with all that is in me, and we caught up over breakfast and coffee. My heart is so full after our conversation, and I am more encouraged than ever. If you're ever trying to get to know someone or to catch up, breakfast and coffee is a great place to start.

Kyle Donn is a genius. This week, I came across an article of his called "Sexy Christianity." I know, you're probably as skeptical as I was when I saw it, too, but believe me, it is worth the read. Not so much focusing on the sexual side of Christianity, Donn questions the "believers" motives who succumb to Christian social trends and reminds all who read that our sights should be on God's approval. Not man's. Check it out when you have 5 minutes. It is brilliant.

You can also read more from his blog, http://kyledonn.com/.

Even when it's busy, you just gotta look for the little things.

xo,

lauren

Tuesday Treasures

July 28, 2015

For the ride up and back to Chicago (post coming soon), Apple Music was my best friend. When it first came out, I immediately made the switch from Spotify (all motivation goes to my inner teenage girl who occasionally wants to jam to Taylor Swift). It has taken me well over 2 weeks to get my playlists even half way decent, but with time, they'll get there.

To me, Apple Music isn't as appealing to the eye as Spotify. Spotify looks more sleek and user friendly, while Apple Music is bland.

Spotify also has some features that Apple Music doesn't. Spotify checks the playlist before you add the song, while it is very easy to double up tracks with Apple. Spotify's playlists are also a thousand times better. Apple's "playlists" are really only about ten songs long, which really isn't even a real playlist to me.

I've loved the library that is available on Apple Music, but that's really about it.

Friday Night Lights is absolutely golden, y'all. I'm only on season 2, but I am in love. I never have missed football season more or wished I grew up in a football town more than when I watch this show. Within only a matter of episodes, you fall in love with the Taylors and Tim Riggins. It's a quality show full of drama and love. I'm watching through it on Netflix, but it is also available on Amazon and other retailers.

I don't know how often you go to Chicago, but if you're ever in Chicago, I definitely recommend a stop at Rudy's Bar and Grille. For our "free night" on our trip, my group made a stop at Rudy's on East Madison, and it was wonderful. Our table split an order of fried pickles that were more expensive for the serving size and quality, but they were a great taste of home throughout the week of no sweet tea. For my entree, I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich without the bleu cheese and a side of their homemade chips. Now you see, I'm very picky about house made chips. I have had the best ones (Bricks' Cafe), and ever since then, I have only been impressed by a few, and Rudy's is one of them. They were so delicious. If you're ever looking for a decent, family friendly restaurant in Chicago, I highly recommend Rudy's. 

To close out this week of Chicago themed treasures, I have to include the bean. It's totally wrong if I don't. Another stop on our "free night" was at the large mirrored object in downtown Chicago. Despite the many hand prints and the streaks on it's reflection, the bean is pretty cute. In all honesty, I think the bean is pointless and a waste of money, but it makes for some cool pictures and creative captions, so it's all balances out. For example: 

"Hey how ya bean?" "Thanks for bean my friend" "Bean friends with you never gets old" "It's bean a while since my last selfie, so here you go" 

See? The possibilities are endless. 

Bean thankful for everything makes life so much happier.

Sorry, I couldn't help it :)

xo,

lauren