Time For Change...

It's not even been 3 weeks since my last post, and I already feel SO behind on this blog! We have had SO MUCH going on, and I'm excited to document it all. What a crazy, overwhelming, exhausting, emotional, sweet and memorable time of life this is for us, as we prepare for the arrival of our baby girl.

I have been telling Chad that I really want to change the name of this blog to reflect more of what we are trying to accomplish in our life, and the journey we are on together, especially as we are adding to our family. We are both fascinated with the writings of Henry David Thoreau, and have spent much time talking about how we can live more simply, authentically, and deliberately (intentionally), savoring moments and experiences and relationships instead of worrying about "keeping up with the joneses." We have noticed over the years that it's not like us to do what everyone else is doing, or what everyone thinks we should do or when we should do it...and we are realizing that how we do what we do is what makes us who we are and makes us happy in ourselves and in each other. (Did you catch all that?) We genuinely love our life together, with all of the wonderful people and experiences who have helped shape us, and we recognize that living simply and deliberately gives us the space (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) to appreciate it all the more.

So, we are working out a new blog title, although the web address will most likely stay the same. I can't say whether it will stick, but if anything it's a start in the direction we want to go!

Below, for your reading pleasure, are some quotes from Thoreau that relate to this topic....

From Walden: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach...I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."

"As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness."

"He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul's estate."

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live."

"I make myself rich by making my wants few."

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads."

Channeling The Pioneer Woman

Some of you ladies may know about Ree Drummond, the "Pioneer Woman." I'd hear of her in passing in various female circles, and thought to myself, "Well, there's absolutely NOTHING 'Pioneer' about me;" thinking she was all about life on a ranch and the wild West and all that.

And then I got bored... and so I checked out her website... and several hours later I realized I was completely fascinated and captivated.

Just yesterday I was asked what my current hobbies are, and I responded, "Right now it's photography, cooking, and blogging." HELLO! This is what her site is all about! As if to confirm the site is totally "me" (well, minus the farm stuff), I logged on today and was immediately confronted with Ree's recipe for Homemade Glazed Doughnuts. I think she must have posted it just for me.

Anyway... it's a great site if you want to look at gorgeous pics, dream about yummy food, and be thoroughly entertained with how Ree writes about life in the country with her cowboy. See you there!