Friday Favorites: all the things edition

Happy Friday, friends!  I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals, and her friends Erika and Narci, for this blog post. 


This week is proof that what I said about the days after my birthday being a downhill slide toward Christmas is true.  I had time to sit down and write on Monday, but every other day has been a blur, but I got (almost) everything done, and I feel like the Lord helped me with all of it, but I'll share more about that in a few minutes.  Here is a look back at my favorite parts from the week past.

My favorite movie arrived on Sunday after I ordered it on Amazon last Friday, but sadly, I've not yet had the chance to sit down and watch it.  It WILL BE watched this weekend sometime.  Maybe tonight when we come back home, and I'll see if the hubs will join me in watching.

My husband bought me this beautiful necklace for my birthday, and I love it!  It's a heart shape, and the stone is an opalescent pearl.  I've worn it everyday this week, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

We ended my birthday celebration that night by watching another of my favorite movies of all time, White Christmas.  He liked it!  That surprised me.

I enjoyed a glorious day at home all day on Monday, and then this lovey and I had dinner out at a favorite Mexican place.  We always have fun catching up, and that night was no different.  We went to put gas in my car after dinner (real life) and then we got Starbucks.  Also, who knew that Starbucks closes at eight on week nights?  It was because of that, that she rode with me to get gas.  There was one open until nine by my Costco, and since I needed gas anyway, we did that and then got yummy hot drinks.

Christa is one of my favorite people on this earth, and I am so grateful for her friendship!

I love this verse.  On Tuesday Jonah and Noah Christmas shopped with my mom-in-love, and while they did their thing, I did mine.  As of Tuesday morning, we had practically ZERO gifts bought for Christmas.  We had a few for other people, but none just about, for all the people under our roof.  I share this picture, because the Lord gave me some perspective this week, regarding all this.  Sometimes He does that, and always just when I need it.  I had a different attitude when I went to shop that day, and had a really good quiet time with that morning and while I drove to all the different spots I needed to go to (I love to pray while I drive), and He helped me while I got most of it done.  And then that night, after Toddley's parents left to go back home after dinner, he finished up what I didn't get.  #teamwork

The whole reason why I share the verse along with this story is because God is in all the details of everything we do.  When we live life with Him, and when we surrender to Him and allow Him to be fully Lord over our lives, He leads us.  He guides us, He determines our very steps.  When I pray, those are the kinds of things I ask Him to help me with: for Him to be honored in what I do, to lead me and to help me be a good steward of my time and money, and for Him to guide me in my day, and to use me in everything I do.  And He always does.  This should not surprise me anymore, but I never want to get over Him doing that for me in my everyday life.  I can never thank Him enough for all of this, but I thank Him for it all the time.  

The Lord is just so good, so sweet, so kind, and so loving.  And the older I get and the more I know Him, the more beautiful He is to me.

I have much more to how Tuesday and Wednesday went, but just know that He literally provided for us like only He can do, down to the very dollar amount.  I can't make all this up, even if I tried.  But He is so good, and so faithful.  He deserves all the glory I can give to Him, because He does everything in my life!  None of it is me, but it's all Him and His divine providence.

On a lighter note, I finished up things with shopping on Wednesday, and that night Todd and I went to an appreciation banquet my worship pastor gives us each year for all the music department and tech team.

I spent yesterday with my mom, and we got our nails done.  This might be my new favorite, and shockingly, the color is not OPI, but a brand that they have at that salon.  I love how white my nails are, and then I asked for glitter on top, for the new year.  I love them and have already gotten several compliments on them.  Mom found this color for me, and I'm glad she did!  I had glittery red on before this color, and I was ready for something more neutral.  Who am I?  I never used to do neutral on my nails, I always did bright and dark/other fun colors like blue and green.

After my day with Mom, I came home and rested for a while with my feet up, because they always hurt, and then Todd and I left to finish up some secret Santa stuff we're doing as a family.  We did that and ate dinner and shopped more, then got some drinks again from Starbucks.  I went back to my favorite drink, a hot chai tea latte.  This picture was actually from a couple of weeks ago, but I loved all the Christmas cups from here this year!  Last night when we got our drinks, they were out.  :(

I'll leave you with one last picture, one of my favorites of my boys from years gone by.

Man, I loved those years!  I love where they are now, too, though.  These guys are all just so much fun to be with, and I really like them too and their fun and talkative personalities.

Tonight starts our Christmas celebration with Todd's family.  We'll be doing that tonight and tomorrow.  Today I'm spending the day with my dad, but in a different way because he's a tiny bit under the weather.  I'm taking him some yummy lunch, though, and I look forward to being with him at his house. 

Thanks for reading my blog, friends!  I hope you have a great day and weekend.  Love to all!