Dinner.

I made chili-lime chicken burgers for dinner last night, or whatever order you want to put that in.

 I found the recipe on Pinterest, but more accurately here.

Not too shabby for a chicken burger! I didn't have red pepper flakes or pepper jack cheese (we just used cheddar)...but in the end I thought they needed a little kick, so I guess those things with pepper in them are important after all!

One of the best smells, yes?

Then...we went to see The Hunger Games, what a night! I liked the movie, not as good as the book...but pretty much what I had pictured! 

To RUN!

My husband just got back from a week long, spring break trip with some of the high schoolers in the youth group. While he was gone I decided to start running. 

I hate running.

But I did it. For what reason, I wish I knew.

Somewhere in the middle of it though I had an epiphany...don't laugh.

MY best doesn't have to be THE best. 

It sounds small, but it's big - at least for me. 

It's safe to say I have a little voice of comparison in my head that I have had to learn to quiet over time. Its sounds like this: why run if you can only run a mile so far? why blog if no one is reading? to be a healthy eater you have to have no gluten, no dairy, no this, no that. you're marriage isn't their marriage. your style isn't her style. 

But, it's nice here in Colorado. So when Kurt left and I had an open evening with the dog, I thought - lets run. 

So we did. 

It was the DOG's fault!

I told myself this: run for as long as you like, and the moment you start thinking "I don't like this, why am I doing it- I'm no good?" stop and walk. It worked...it took the pressure off to be perfect and instead let me just enjoy the act of running. I stopped 3 times on my first run, twice on my second, and not at all on my third - which was two miles. 

Almost immediately I started wanting to do lots of things...because just because I wasn't prefect at it, didn't mean I couldn't do it. It's so...obvious, but the devil is so devious with out minds! Fear and expectation are such real things.

So, here I am. Blogging. Because I don't need to have the perfect header or photoshop touches or tons of followers. I enjoy blogging, and that is a good enough reason. 

The Lord is so good at peeling off our layers. 

One of my all time favorite excerpts about this is from the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It is when Eustace has turned into a dragon and is finally able to shed off his scales. The first time I read it, I cried. I still do in fact...

Then the lion said - but I don't know if it spoke - 'You will have to let me undress you.' I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now.  So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.

'The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart.  And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt.  The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off.  You know - if you've ever picked the scab of a sore place.  It hurts like billy - oh but it is such fun to see it coming away.'

Also, regarding the picture...I want to do THIS. 

Obsessed: navy blue

Recently we re-painted our guest room...navy blue. I am the queen of whites, grays, taupes...light colors. Lighhhhtttt colors. Then 2 weeks ago I saw a navy blue room on (where else) Pinterest. Within a couple of hours my husband (who should have run screaming when I mentioned painting...) and I were bringing home cans of Old Navy by Benjamin Moore.

Now we have a GORGEOUS navy blue guest room and I am chomping at the bit to keep redesigning. For some reason I keep gravitating towards duvet covers...these are the ones I have my eye on...realistically we might not be able to afford a new one right now, but it's ok to look right? Right.

Lee Brice

I have fallen back in love with country music lately. I didn't ever not like it, I think maybe I just forgot. 

For the record, I'm the same way with tea. Anyways, Pandora has helped resurrect my country side and I always love it when this song comes on. 

Lets talk about booties.

The shoes, I mean. Don't be gross. 

I'm talkin' about em here at Shannon's pad. 

Happy Saturday!

On deck for us?

Kurt is off skinning an animal.

I...am going to the mall.

Ahh marriage. 

My new favorite tea...

I'm one of those people who loves the seasons and what each one brings. I try not to be, but I am...and the truth is, it's more fun that way. At least for me...

When fall rolls around I'm ready and waiting for apple cider and pumpkin anything. I am eager for wool sweaters, crisp leaves, and the occasional night with the fireplace raring. 

Lately, though there has been one thing that I can't seem to get enough of with each season... tea.

Typically I'm an on and off tea drinker, but I'll tell you what changed that.

A free tour at Celestial Seasonings.

*hides face in pillow - like Meg Ryan when admitting to have met NY152 online...

A while back, Kurt and I went just for fun (it's free!). Your ticket is a sampler of tea and within no time you're donning a hairnet (Kurt had to wear a beard net too. I couldn't sneak a picture of him though...) and standing in the mint room wondering how you were ever able to breathe before that moment. Seriously. 

It not only gave me more appreciation for tea...it gave a new outlook on Celestial Seasonings. Before I saw it as the tea with the over the top illustrations on it and steered for other options that didn't look like they would come alive in my cupboard at night. 

Sometime between breathing in the mint magic and learning that all the art on their boxes is by a local artist...I was hooked. 

This fall I have been drinking the Cinnamon Apple Spice...and tonight I picked up Candy Cane Lane. As someone who tends to dislike green tea, I have a lot of faith. (I'm a little obsessed w/ mint now, can you tell?). 

The moral of the story? Try it. 

Now instead of feeling 4 years old when I pull out my tea, I feel...well, happy. Could be the mint fumes...but still. 

If you're not so sure, one fail proof option is the Sleepytime tea. There is a reason it's been their best seller since they opened their doors. Chamomile...spearmint...lemongrass...a little bit of everything you need to feel relaxed. I add some honey and a drop of milk too...never hurts. :)

Today I'm talking about money. OOOoooOOooh.

And I'm talking about it here.

Happy Tuesday!