Get Dinner on the Table!

I'm super excited to be joining the writing team at Grace for Moms. Y'all know I want to help women get in their kitchens with more joy and less fuss and stress. Because, who wants to sit down to dinner when they are frazzled and mentally spent? Not me. I've gathered up my best and simplest tips for getting dinner on the table. I'd love it if you would hop on over to their blog and be blessed by it. 

PS: Jessica Wolstenholm created a fabulous printable and is offering it for FREE on the blog post....go check it out! 

January Goals

So I've shared with you my overarching themes/hopes/goals for the year, and now it's time to narrow down and share a little bit of the practical on how I'm going to make those things happen in the day-to-day. I'll be choosing a handful of goals for each month that fall into my bigger hopes. I love having them written down in my PowerSheets (see previous post for details) so that I can refer back and know exactly what is worth spending my time on for the month. From there I have weekly goals and daily goals. 

It's one thing to set some hopes and dreams for the year and it's another things entirely to see those things comes to life in the hustle and bustle of life. We can choose to get swept away in busy or we can intentionally enter each day to make what matters to us actually happen. So, here's where I'm at for January:

There you have it! Some lofty ones to push myself, but some practical easy ones -- all lined up with the core of where God is leading me in this season. 

If you missed my previous two goal-setting posts, here's some insight into my hopes and dreams for 2015 & Part Two: Digging deeper into the heart of my goals.

Linked with Goals with Grace

2015 Goals: Digging Deeper

Setting goals feels like an actual commitment to me. I'm taking a stand and saying "I'm actually going to do this." But here's the thing, there is GRACE and I need it. To the depths of my core I need it. AND I need to know it's okay for my goals to change. I think this is why I love the PowerSheets so darn much. Every 3 months there is a refresh that prompts you to reconsider your goals and refine them further where needed. 

Things can change. So, maybe I'll see you in 3 months with a new pretty graphic of goals. Who knows. Until then...I encourage you to really pursue what God is guiding you in this year. Don't let 2015 be an accident......live on purpose for what matters at the core of who you are. Dig deep enough to figure out what that is and then live in it. 

Here are my overarching goals for 2015 with some deeper thoughts fleshing them out:

1. If you text me in the middle of the day with a prayer request, chances are I'm going to stop right then and pray for you. My pastor calls this "shot-gun prayers," the times when we tell God of an urgent need. I wouldn't necessarily consider this a conversation with God, and that's what I want to grow in this year. I want to spend my mornings praying for more specific things. I'm using Val Marie's Prayer Journals to help me with this. 

2. I am working with a branding consultant to create a new website in 2015! Woohoo! I truly believe this site will be a deeper reflection of who I am and of my values. I want to spend the next year building a story around my brand and creating a genuine community of people around my business. 

3. This is three fold -- pursue community with moms in my church, pursue friendships with moms in the community & neighborhood, and invest time in the Embrace Grace mama's. 

4. I hate the feeling when I look at the calendar for the month and every single weekend is packed full with events. I know this is going to be a hard one since my sister in law AND best friend are both getting married this year. Both these events and everything that comes along with them are going to be such blessings in my life, but as an introvert, I know I need to plan to spend time alone. I want to be intentional about saying no to some things so I can say yes to those two relationships and still have time to rest and create memories as a family. 

5. I have been using nap times as crazy work crunch time lately. I enjoy being able to get so much done during these times but I want to be intentional about scheduling at least one of Reaghan's naps per week where I can just "be." For me this includes reading, painting for fun, cooking for fun, have a friend over, or take a nap myself. 

6. This is so important to me. I haven't had anyone speaking into my life on a consistent basis for a couple of years. Since there are so many places where I am pouring myself into others, I have this achy feeling. Like I have no water left in my canteen and I'm parched with thirst. I'm desperate for an older woman who has weathered the roads of marriage and motherhood before who can speak into my confusing and broken places. 

7. I want to be intentional about reading, listening to and just soaking up knowledge on gospel-centered parenting. I also want to be present with Reaghan as she grows to get to know her specific needs and how we can parent her well through them. Jordan and I both want to lead her to Jesus rather than towards perfectionistic obedience. I've got my eye on some Jessica Thompson books but I'm open to resources and book suggestions!

8. I want to have at least one (hopefully more) meet ups with local bloggers and small business owners in the Denton/Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I'd also love to find other Influence Network members in my area and grab coffee. I have been loving this little online community but I crave that face-to-face interaction with these women and want to move forward with making that happen. 

9. I also want to really dig deep into my church community. I honestly don't know how this will play out, so hopefully #1 will help me in this area ;)

10. I want to be available for my husband. So much of 2014 I found myself saying "no" to my husband. Saying no to being available emotionally, spiritually and physically. Sometimes because I just couldn't physically or mentally muster up the energy to be there for him but sometimes, selfishly as well. I want to be available at the end of my day to spend time with him, spontaneously dance in the kitchen, talk about scripture and pray more together as a couple. Our nights (and weekends) are our only times to really work on our relationship, so I hope to structure my days in such a way where I feel freed up to invest in that, rather than being a tired frazzled mess when he comes home from work :) 

Now, most people choose one word to define their hopes for the year, but as I sat on this for a while I really feel like these three words came to mind:

Pride has been a big ugly gross thing in my life for years. I want to look back on this year and see that God really broke that bond for me in many ways. 

I've noticed that much of discontentment or unhappiness in life is centered around my choice to sit in frustration. When I choose joy when Reaghan throws all her food on the floor, or patience when my husband forgets something important I told him, my perspective changes, and I am so much more calm. This isn't meant to be fake, just simply choose (in God's power) to be patient, kind, unselfish, loving, etc :)

I want to be surrendered. I have a lot of plans for the next 6 months specifically, and I want all those plans to be humbly from God as well as constantly sitting in an open hand. 

What are your word(s) for the year? I've loved reading about this on Instagram and other blogs. Cheering you on as we keep each other accountable! 

2015 Hopes + Dreams

Firstly, let me just say that I have NEVER been a goal setting type of person. I have literally had countless conversations with people where I've actually bashed making resolutions and goals. HA-HA.

Well, I'm still weirdly afraid of January 1st fever and the ridiculous need to make resolutions that you know..you KNOW.. are going to be out the door come March. Even when we have the best of intentions and desire to do the best of things with our year, month, day...life just gets busy and we either forget, move that thing down the priority list, or struggle in it and therefore give up altogether because we feel so bad that we "failed." 

That's not how I want to spend the first weeks of my year and certainly not what I want to be feeling on December 31st of 2015.

Each year brings such an opportunity for new life. New wisdom and new opportunities. So does every other day of the year, but something about starting a new year just feels like a clean and fresh slate. 

2014 threw me for a loop. I left campus ministry in a flash, had a brand new baby, and was staying home daily all alone (a very new thing for me). It started off pretty depressing to be honest. I had a lot of transitioning into this new lifestyle as a mom. But you know what happened? I was met by God in the most amazing way. In some of my biggest times of need, in the middle of the night feeding Reaghan or at the end of my rope or lonely as all get out, HE was there for me. He guided me towards some creative passions I haven't been able to explore for quite some time because I haven't had time. And He did something beautiful in that.

Now I'm on the cusp of what feels really exciting and scary. I'm stepping out into the brand new (to me) world of creative entrepreneurship and it's really kind of crazy. I daily feel like I have no clue what the heck is going on while simultaneously feeling a kick of adrenaline in my gut.  

Although goal setting still freaks me out (I may have been incredibly nauseous setting the below goals this past week) I truly deeply believe in the power of intentional living. The reality that we can live on purpose and not by accident (a Lara-ism I've come to really enjoy) and that if we sit down to think, pray and dream about making the things that matter most to us happen, that they actually CAN happen if the Lord allows. 

So, here are 10 things I'm hoping for and dreaming about in 2015. Just a little snapshot of what I hope this year will hold for me + my family. 

PS: I've used Lara Casey's PowerSheets to help me get to this list...I highly recommend them. 

Alright, this is getting long and I like short posts...so I'll come back another day and share a little deeper into each goal and what they mean to me. 

Have some goals of your own? Share a link to your blog/instagram/whatever below and I'd love to cheer you on! 

Does God Even Care?

I mentioned a couple posts back that I am building a new brand focusing on my passion for helping people get into their kitchens and use it as a place to bless others. My heart and mind can't stop dreaming of all the small and big ways I can work to make this happen for people. 

I have been working with Brigette Turner on my branding and can I just say, I have been moved to tears, squeals, and nerve-induced stomach aches because of her ability to just GET ME and the heart of my brand. I cannot wait to show you some sneak peaks soon...so be sure to follow me over on Instagram for all the details. 

It has been so incredibly important that I know for sure that God cares about the stuff that my brand and business is about. I have all these dreamy thoughts that set my heart on fire, but I had a moment of uncertainty recently where I really wondered -- does God even care? Does He care about getting food on people's tables in a meaningful and joyful way? Does He concern Himself with the mom who is struggling for inspiration in the kitchen? Does He care about a simpler and more relationship-filled life? What I found in the Bible has been sooo encouraging and affirming. Here's a small snapshot:


* God is a creator, and has given me creativity as He designed me in His image (this was really important for me to understand, and root in my heart. Watch Tim Keller for more)
* He cares about inviting strangers into our homes:
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in" (Matthew 25:35)
* He cares about encouraging others (2 Cor. 7:13)
* He cares about refreshing company (Romans 15:32, 1 Cor. 16:18)
* Investing in relationships is more significant to Jesus than the preparations that go into hospitality (Luke 10:38-42)
* God intended food to be enjoyed freely, but because of the brokenness of this world, we must work hard for it. 
* Food is a provision from the Lord that brings joy (Acts 14:17)
* Food does not bring us near to God (1 Cor. 8:8)
* All of this Romans 12:9-13
* Jesus eats with the lowly and outcast (Matthew 9:9-13)
* Jesus is radically welcoming -- He cared most about the hurting, weak, children, and the sick. 
* In the end there will be a marriage supper, a feast with all God's people rejoicing around the table. 
* "On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines." (Isaiah 25:6 )

Christmas Magic and other thoughts...

Age seems to bring the realities of life with burdens and stresses that still continue on throughout the holiday season. This year in particular has felt like a straight up fight to keep the focus on Christ during this season. December has probably been the busiest month of the year for me so far, and I have a hunch it's really not supposed to be like that. This makes me want to structure my year around making next December a month of rest and reflection. Running a million miles an hour while simultaneously trying to rest and reflect? For the record, that doesn't really work very well. 

However, how sweet God is in the midst of chaos and crazy. 

The magic of Christmas truly is in the miracle of Christ's birth. There really is no amount of gifts, cups of hot chocolate, fires lit and snuggles in thick wooly quilts that can compare to the beauty and magnitude of Christ coming to the world as a baby. As I sit and show Reaghan the nativity scene in our living room, I love telling her "look, Jesus was like you!" It helps my heart relate to him so much deeper to know that he came in such a humble form to meet us right where we are. 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:17

I'm a huge fan of traditions. I want Saturday morning traditions, and dinner time traditions and bed time traditions and holiday traditions. I'm obsessed. But this year, Reaghan is only one so it's been hard to think of traditions that we could start that would make sense for her age. Some things on the list are: reading the Christmas story from the The Jesus Storybook Bible, taking pictures with Santa, and going to look at lights. 

I love when she comes into the living room and points to the "TEE!!" (tree) with excitement! Decorating the Christmas tree has always been my absolute favorite Christmas tradition. We used to do it on my birthday every year growing up. We are definitely the family with sentimental mix matchy ornaments, so hanging them on the tree is like a fun trip down memory lane. 

For traditions that will last through the years, I have my eye on this Christmas Memories Book (which I saw on my friend Hayley's coffee table the other night). I hope to get it soon and start recording memories for this year. 

I also have my eye on this Advent Calendar for next year!

I've been following the hashtag (#mddadvent) on the Advent Calendar and getting super excited to do fun and meaningful things with Reaghan next year surrounded around Christ. 

What traditions do you plan for your family and kiddos? Have you felt the slump of Christmas as an adult and wished you could get back to the magic? 

Also! I'm linking up with some wonderful bloggers....have a blog? Join in on sharing what Christmas looks like for you. 

affiliate links used....all compensation I receive goes straight back into this blog!

My Cooking Spot // Sweet + Savory Salmon

During the winter my husband and I love to eat our fill of stews and soups. Made with homemade bone broth to keep us healthy and because a warm bowl of stew is just so comforting to eat alongside a fire on a chilly winter night. We like to mix in some lighter meals to balance it out and this week I was craving the lightness of a salad. We baked this salmon, flaked it with a fork and mixed it in with some greens, cherry tomatoes, blueberries and homemade vinaigrette. A super simple dinner that we absolutely savored.

I love that this can be prepared all in the morning (perhaps before you leave for work) and the only work required in the evening will be to pop it in the oven!

You can find the salmon portions in the seafood section at your grocery store. We have been using plain goat yogurt and loving it's tangy mild flavor, but feel free to use any kind of plain yogurt here -- Greek, full fat milk, or any other. We use coconut aminos instead of the regular soy sauce to avoid soy as much as possible and choose a healthier option. And it tastes exactly the same! I've seen it in the natural/organic section of our grocery store, or you can pick it up online. I also keep my salmon in the freezer until I'm ready to make this dish, so it doesn't go bad sitting in the refrigerator for a few days!

This recipe serves two people, but if you'd like to add more, just add one salmon fillet per person and a 1/2 cup of warm water to the marinade.

See the full recipe at My Cooking Spot today!