Thank You

I'd like to thank my mom and sister for driving seven hours to Virginia to keep me company while my husband was away last week. Mr. Price spent five days in Durham, NC repairing roofs with the mission group World Changers. I was so glad to have some company for three of those five nights. Even though I didn't take them on any exciting excursions, we still had some nice quality time together. I can't wait to do it again!

This week's favorite links

Before I share some of my favorite links from the week, I thought I'd show you a few pictures from Memorial Day weekend. I took my first trip ever down the creek. On a raft that is! It was so much fun. And we think we may have seen A bear track.





More tracks...



Now I've got lots of party inspiration for you...plus a really inspirational story.

1. Now this may be my kind of party. A party for two.

2. I love parties with cool color combos.

3. We're not the only ones who love Peter Island!

4. A grown up version of this would be great for my husband.

5. You've got to read this series of posts about a writer who visits the Philippines with Compassion International. Scroll to the bottom and then read up. Blog world is in reverse order.

6. Mr. Price and I use our check cards like there's no tomorrow. So we are thinking about giving this a try. It might be as exhilarating as throwing out all my stuff.

Minimalist Living

I wasn't kidding a few weeks ago when I said I wanted to embrace minimalist living. Check out the pictures of this home:

photos from littlebrownpen

I don't know if this blogger considers her style to be minimalist, but it sure looks that way to me. I love to organize. But now I just want to throw all my "stuff" away. To have an apartment not bursting at the seams with stuff seems so freeing and exhilarating.

I've taken a few little steps to clear my clutter.

I went through all my magazines. I ripped out all the good articles and recipes and filed them.



I cleaned out my stationery drawer. As much as I'd love to bring back the lost art of letter writing, I just don't use note cards. I saved two sets. That's all I need. I will be donating the others to the Rescue Mission where I know someone else will enjoy using them.

I am also getting rid of a few knick-knacks around the house that go unused. I had tons of old hotel toiletries. Don't know why I even have those. I cleaned out my Christmas decorations. I've been holding onto these decorative tin cans thinking I would use them one year for gifts. But I haven't.



I'm giving away a few clothing articles.




And finally I went through some of our pens. Looks at all the pens! We only need as many as Big Al can hold.



I've gone through some stuff, but it feels as though I've only scratched the surface! I've been thinking I should make a list of categories such as kitchen, linens, office, pictures, books...and if something doesn't fit into one of those categories, or even if it does and we don't have space for it, we can't buy it or keep it.

Wish me luck!

Happy Weekend!

Hello Friends! I hope you all have a splendid Memorial Day weekend. I've got just a few links for you to enjoy during this extended weekend.

The YouTube video above is the band at NorthPoint Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Instead of shunning our culture, NorthPoint embraces it to create irresistible environments for its attenders. The band's montage of love songs is just one way they succeed in creating these environments. This song kicked off the series to Love, Sex and Dating, a topic I'm not sure many churches would have the boldness to preach.


Here's some inspiration for your Memorial Day meals.

This would be a cool birthday surprise for a person who loves puzzles.

I'm tired of the stuff that clutters our apartment. I really want to embrace the minimalist lifestyle. Oh to have the power to throw out my old yearbooks.

An interesting tidbit of news.

Wouldn't this be so cute for one of your summer picnics.

I LOVE

QUILTS

Yes, I love quilts. I love the weight and feel of them. I love the way they fit on our beds. I love how sentimental they can be.

The first quilt I ever remember having was made by Willie Lou. She was a sweet lady that helped my mom iron clothes, cook dinner and watch my sister and me. She made the quilt with fabric from a set of curtains that used to hang in our house. I think the curtains were made by my grandmother. I loved how the curtains could be re-purposed into something else useful and meaningful. I don't have any pictures to share with you, unfortunately.

The second quilt I owned was not hand-made, but when I saw it in the Pottery Barn catalog I just had to have it. I loved the luau inspired patchwork! The quilt along with the coordinating palm tree sheet set and shower curtain helped transform my college bedroom into a tropical resort. It now lays on the bed in our guest room.



As the cold weather subsided this year, we threw off our down comforter and replaced it with a very special wedding gift. Mr. Price's cousin made us a quilt! She used my wedding color, yellow, as the main fabric color. I love the way it fits so nicely on our bed. It provides just enough warmth and security for the warmer nights. I know we will enjoy this quilt for years to come.




Do you have a sentimental quilt? Or have you ever made a quilt? I'd love to make a quilt using all my old sorority t-shirts. See how this blogger re-purposed some of her used fabric.

Bummer

Blogger decided to crash yesterday. That may not mean much to you, but it does to me and thousands of other bloggers. You see, I spent most of my day off yesterday composing a blog post that is now lost in cyberspace, never to return again. And since I can barely post something once a week, I was really bummed that my work was gone.

Anyway, I do have a few links to share with you today. Do you have any big weekend plans? We're attending a young adult fellowship at church tomorrow night. I'm whipping up the ingredients in the picture above so I can take a sweet treat! Can you guess what I'm making? I hope you have a lovely weekend!


Aren't these invites amazing? I need to throw a party soon!

Oh My! These treats may not be Better than Sex, but apparently they will Knock You Naked.

I bet this book will just make you hungry.

All about THE dress.

Super Easy Recipe

Today I have a super easy recipe for you. It only includes three ingredients: a sweet Vidalia onion, butter and a beef bouillon cube. Mr. Price introduced this recipe to me soon after we were married. I have to admit I was quite skeptical at first. I love onions, but only used them to garnish or enhance a dish. I'd never eaten them all alone. Now my mouth just starts watering when I think of a tender, sweet, butter and bouillon flavored onion.






Here's the recipe.

Peel your sweet onion.

Slice the bottom just enough so it will sit upright on a microwavable plate.

Cut a hole in the top that is wide and deep enough for some butter and a bouillon cube.

Now layer a small amount of butter, bouillon cube and another dab of butter in the hole.

Cook your onion in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes until tender and easy to cut with fork.

Enjoy all the juicy goodness!!

Weekend

Our wonderful weekend included...

a Good Friday Tenebrae service at Journey Church. This was the first Tenebrae service I have ever attended. Tenebrae is Latin for "darkness" or "shadows". The service usually takes place on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday. I think it was very meaningful that our service took place on Good Friday, as that day some 2,000 years ago was certainly a dark day. During the service seven candles are gradually extinguished while a series of readings or psalms are read. At Journey Church we recited the seven last words Jesus spoke. Throughout the service Mr. Price and the AWE (Acoustic Worship Experience) Band led the congregation in several praise songs. It was a great time of worship! You can view a few pictures of the service and the AWE band on my facebook page.

On Saturday a group of 10 girls from Journey Church met up at Valley View Grande Movie Theater to watch Soul Surfer. The movie is based on the inspirational true story of pro surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm during a shark attack, but didn't lose her will to surf. I think it's a must-see movie. We all know movies that encourage Christian values are hard to find these days.

On Sunday it was another Easter at the Abbott's. The Abbott/Price family has been so thoughtful to include Mr. Price and me in many of their family get-togethers. You can view last year's Easter picnic here.

This year the weather was again perfect for dining outdoors. There was plenty of wonderful food and desserts to enjoy. The sun was blazing and there was an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos.

Mr. Price and I dream of having place like the Abbott's. I love how they always give God the glory for blessing them with a home to host family and friends.






How was your Easter? Please tell me, do you have any special traditions?

Links for your weekend

i haven't posted any inspirational links in several weeks! here are a few for you to dive into this weekend.

Did you know Martha Stewart was a model?

This video makes me wish I had of stuck with dancing.

Who doesn't love eating and a good view?

Need a new prayer routine? Try this.

One pretty cool DIY project.

My big 3-0 is coming up soon. I'd love to throw a party, but I'm getting bogged down thinking about when and where to have it. But I'm loving this party inspiration.

e-mealz

Do you dread figuring out what you'll eat for dinner?

Do you feel like you are eating the same meals over and over?

Does menu planning bore you?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, boy do I have something to show you. There's hope for all of us who like to cook, but dread all the planning and shopping that accompany it. Let me introduce you to E-mealz.

E-mealz is an online service that does all your menu planning so you can spend more time with family and less time in the grocery store aisles.

For only $5 a month, the talented team at E-mealz creates weekly dinner menus based on your grocery store's weekly specials. Not only do they provide the menu, but a shopping list categorized by aisle.

I have no problem paying $5 for someone else to scour the weekly grocery specials and then create a dinner menu. It's still saving me time and money!

Oh, and no need to worry if you are on a special diet. They have several plans to choose from, such as Low-Fat, Gluten Free, Portion Control, Vegetarian and Low Carb.

If you don't have a Kroger, Publix, Aldi, Walmart or Ralph's in your area, you can still save time and money by using their Any-Store meal plan.

After hearing about E-mealz from Dave Ramsey, Mr. Price and I decided to give it a shot. E-mealz requires you to buy a three month subscription, but you can cancel anytime before the next quarter to discontinue.

I've been pretty pleased with the service. The recipes are easy and not time consuming. Now that I am working two part-time jobs, I don't want to come home and cook a complicated meal. I haven't been crazy about every single recipe, but all in all I think it's a wonderful service and has been a great help!

If you decide to try E-mealz, please comment and let us know how you like it.

I LOVE

madewell


jcrew


emersonmade

STRIPES

lately, i've really been drawn to stripes. check out more of my faves at anthropologie, old navy, jcrew and loft. and loft again.

2nd Helpings - a new local favorite

The Rescue Mission is a big deal in Roanoke. It's actually the largest rescue mission in the state of Virginia. I've actually heard that because Roanoke has such great programs for the poor, many other cities in Virginia bus their poor and homeless to Roanoke so they can receive adequate care.

The Rescue Mission often provides shelter for over 300 people each night. It also offers meals, health care and a recovery program for addicts.

As you can imagine, none of this would be possible without generous donations and committed volunteers. The Mission operates two stores to help generate income, The Thrift Store and 2nd Helpings.

2nd Helpings has quickly become one of my favorite places to visit. I've been volunteering there since October 2010. All items sold at the Thrift Store and 2nd Helpings are donated by local citizens plus a few local corporations.

2nd Helpings is a shop, gallery and cafe all in one. The shop receives all the "up-scale" donations received by the mission. It's not uncommon to find big name labels. Needless to say there are many bargains to be had!

The shop is set up just a like a department store. You'll find men's, women's and children's clothing. Accessories such as shoes, ties, belts and jewelry can also be found. There's an excellent selection of home decor, linens and furniture.

One hot item the shop sells is Orvis dog beds! Orvis is a big contributor of dog accessories and home furniture. If you've ever perused an Orivs catalog or store, you know what quality items they have. At 2nd Helpings you can find these items at a third of the original price.

Domestications and The Company Store are two other businesses that occasionally donate items.

The gallery and cafe like to support local artists and suppliers. You'll find paintings, drawings, photography, pottery and hand-made jewelry in the gallery, all from local artists.

The cafe features bagels from the Roanoke Bagel Company and ice cream from the local dairy, Homestead Creamery. The food is delicious! I've never been disappointed. My favorite items are the homemade soups and the Drumstick Dash, which features Boar's Head turkey, sweet raspberry aioli, creamy brie cheese and field greens on a whole wheat wrap.

It is certainly a pleasure shopping at 2nd Helpings. Where else can you find great merchandise, be inspired by great artwork and satisfy your hungry appetite, all while supporting a worthy cause?

The shop, gallery and cafe are open Monday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm.

If you are in the Roanoke area and haven't stopped by 2nd Helpings, you are really missing out! I can't wait to take my family when they make their next visit!

A Wish List

I love to take pictures! Mostly because I like to document even the most insignificant occasions. I own a Nikon D70, but most of the time I'm not sure what to do with it. I usually just set it to aperture priority, and hope I get lucky.

After spending lots of time browsing blogs with great photography, I've come up with a little photography wish list. Photography is no cheap hobby! All those interchangeable lenses, accessories, books and one stylish bag to keep it all in, will put a dent in your budget.

But I don't see any harm in dreaming.

Take a look at my wish list, and please feel free to leave a comment about your favorite photography gear!



1. Kelly Moore Posey Bag - When I am out and about with my camera, I am usually carrying a very old camera bag, plus my purse. This Posey bag not only looks great, but would eliminate the need to fool with two bags. It has room for a couple of lenses plus the camera body. The front section is perfect for personal items like credit cards and lip gloss. I love the slate grey color!

2. Nikon D90 - I would love to upgrade my Nikon D70 to this D90. The D90 is a newer model with enhanced features including video.

3. Canon PowerShot G12. I would love to have a camera that I could just throw in my purse and have ready at a moment's notice. I don't carry my D70 everywhere I go because it is so big and bulky. I have read some really great things about this Canon. It's a point and shoot, but with manual controls. One of my favorite bloggers uses it, and so does Martha Stewart!




4. Nikon ML-L3 Remote - I'd love a remote control. It would be so much easier than setting the self-timer. It would also help me take sharper shots by reducing camera movement.

5. Nikon Zoom Normal- Telephoto 55-200mm/f4-5 - I bookmarked this lens, but don't exactly know why. I'm sure that some blogger has it in their collection. From reading the customer reviews, it looks like a good lens for shooting sports, and taking pictures from a distance.

6. AF Nikkor 35mm f/2.0D - This is one of Pioneer Woman's favorite lenses. It is a prime lens which means it does not zoom. If you want a close up you have to actually get your camera closer to the subject. If you want to include more of the surroundings, you have to create more distance between you and your subject. Right now I own a 50mm/f1.4, which is also a prime lens. I think I'd like the 35mm, because it would give me more focal length.



If I ever want to make photography a serious hobby, I'll need to learn a lot more about aperture, shutter speed, exposure and composition. I think the books above will help.

7. Scott Kelby's Digital Photography - His books are praised for his easy to understand language. He doesn't get into the technical terms. If you want to know how to shoot a waterfall or a landscape, he tells you specially which camera settings to use. He doesn't go into detail explaining aperture or shutter speed. Yes, this sounds like my kind of book.

8. After I get a handle on shooting in Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority, Understanding Exposure would probably take my pictures to the next level.

9. Expressive Photography by the Shutter Sisters - Shuttersisters.com is a collaborative website for women photographers. I flipped through this book during a recent trip to Barnes and Noble and loved it!


I don't know a photographer today who doesn't use Adobe Photoshop to enhance their pictures. I have access to Photoshop, but it overwhelms me to think of learning how to use it on my own. I'd love some personal instruction from Pioneer Woman or Scott Kelby. Can anyone get me the hook up?

10. The Pioneer Woman

11. Adobe Photoshop

12. Scott Kelby

Please tell me what's on your photography wish list!

Music Monday

Unfortunately this Music Monday is not written by Mr. Price, but it is about music. Last night our church had a special service of worship. Journey's two campuses got together in one location to celebrate a parent-child dedication, communion, two baptisms and music from a new acoustic group. Mr. Price was part of the new band playing cello and guitar. The group has been practicing for several weeks, and it was fun to finally see the fruits of their labor (or should I say hear the fruits of their labor). I've had fun listening to the set list while Mr. Price practices, so I thought I would share the songs with you. I was able to find Youtube videos for all but two songs. Take a listen and then let me know your favorite in the comment section.

This World by Caedmon's Call.

Something Beautiful - Needtobreathe




Fix You - Coldplay




Nothing But the Blood of Jesus - Hillsong United



Held - Natalie Grant




Faithful - Enter the Worship Circle.