Static.

Always apologies for the silence on my end. Life has been busy - isn't it always - and I just haven't found time to write. I've still been sewing some...a few new things on the Etsy site and enjoying some sweet time at home in the evenings with my guy. I'm so thankful that he's been on first shift since about June. I'd forgotten in the 18 months prior what having a life, eating dinner together, and seeing each other's face in the daylight actually looked like. It is lovely and sweet.

Things are busy at work, gearing up for a new year of fun. I'll be with a group of our girls all day Saturday for a team building and training session prior to our National Convention in October. The 12 of us - 2 adults and 10 teenagers - are headed to Salt Lake City, Utah for 5 days in addition to our council's national delegates and some executive staff. Convention is always loads of exhausting fun. Its been a while since I've flown anywhere and almost exactly 3 years since I've had to fly while keeping my eyes on a pile of teenagers so it should be interesting/stressful/hilarious/educational.

I'm also looking forward to a fun craft weekend in Asheville with my sweet friend Dani + more lovely ladies. I've been pinning ideas to Pinterest like a mad woman and already plotting what craft supplies to take (all of them?). I'm super excited to get away for a weekend and just hang out. However, my good friend K is in the have-a-baby zone about that time so we'll see if the best laid plans include a trip back to Knoxville for a baby welcoming.

Chad and I have been talking to the pastor at our church about starting a college-aged small group for the folks from Covenant College who go to our little place on the mountain. Everyone seems to be on board and this Sunday is the last of 3 meetings at the church to see who is interested. There are about 6 girls who have been coming regularly so we are excited about getting it off the ground. It means we are committed to being there every Sunday night but I think the consistency will be good for everyone. Pray for us will you? This was, frankly, my idea first and Chad and I have prayed a lot about it before we jumped. I am a little nervous about being the role model, confidant, and friend to this group - I know how much grace I have been given and I want others to see that in me too.

My life is full and I am more aware than ever of the good parts and the time spent with people who mean the most to me. Maybe that is why words don't make their way here as often.

Been sewing!

I've been sewing a lot and I've added a few new things to my newly minted Etsy store.

Check it out at St. Elmo Sweetness.

Here's a few things:

I made 3 of these embroidered, free hand french knot things in 3 different sizes because I thought I wanted to hang them in the bathroom. I've changed my mind, due to them not fitting in the space like I wanted so why not sell them!

I have 3 of these little card wallets on there which are perfect to stick in your pocket and go! Fun patterns on each of them...

My current obsession is making these fabric pennants/flags. I have about 5 different color combinations on there with plans to make more. It is an easy way for me to get rid of my fabric stash and I've really been enjoying making them. 

If you want to purchase something, I'd love for you to (of course!). Since my 6 readers are also friends, use the "Friends15" code at checkout and get 15% off your purchase! Yay!

6 years.

We both agreed that it feels more like 3 years but 6 years has flown by.


This guy I'm married to...I can't imagine someone who would have fit me more perfectly. It is so amazing to see how our relationship continues to grow and stretch and change as the years go on.
I am so thankful for him... his calm nature (admittedly, bordering on TOO laid back sometimes) but providing the voice of reason when I get worked up about something...the way he puts his relationship with God at the top of his priority list and is constantly studying and reading the Word...the way he makes me laugh - and when I get to make him laugh and his face lights up.



I love being his wife. He is so consistent, kind, generous, and hard-working. He gives, gives, gives - expecting nothing in return.

So, a little throwback to that sweet day in the park by the river.

 I'm glad we had nearly 4 years of dating to decide that we wanted to get married. I'm glad that our marriage is built on a strong friendship - that we actually LIKE hanging out together and just being friends. I like that he rolls his sleeves up. I like that he lets me be silly and weird and loves me just the same.

As we have made it our sometimes tradition, we are going to take a picnic to the park and eat in the same spot we got married. I love this guy - and I hope we get 70 more years together.

August Birchbox!

Pretty good Birchbox this month! Thought I would just do one picture instead of lots of low quality, phone pictures. You are welcome!

Amika dry shampoo - I am really excited to try this. I have been seeing things from their line for a while now - with bright, fun colors - and I am excited about trying this product.  The full size is a teeny but cheaper than the dry shampoo I currently own and periodically use so it will be good to see how it goes!

Laura Mercier eye gel creme - smells good, eyes are a problem area for me so will be good to see how it works. Nice little jar!

ModelCo shimmer bronzer - I saw this one on the teaser and wondered if I would get it. I don't often do bronzer - I like pinky blushes too much but it looks like a nice color so I'll try it!

Super goop hand cream - I've gotten lots of things from this brand and haven't loved them (mostly because I have a pretty set skincare routine) but I will happily put hand cream in my purse and enjoy it!

Hello breath spray - this is the lifestyle extra this month.  I've seen this brand in the store and wondered about it. Pink grapefruit mint makes me a little nervous and a full size mouth spray for $11.50? Unlikely to purchase but it'll be fun to tuck away too!

Yay Birchbox!

Best laid plans.

Chad and I do our best to be super responsible when it comes to finances - cutting anyplace we can, turning off the AC (ahem, not my choice) when it is cool at night, and sticking pretty religiously to the Dave Ramsey envelope system (don't get me started). This means that we don't just decide to go on vacation and go do it, though we are willing to still be a little spontaneous when we can! We've been saving for over a year (since our trip to Seattle/Portland last spring!) to take a week off and go do something fun and we finally settled on Savannah. Neither of us had been in years and it would be a fun mix of historic sites, lighthouse climbing, walking, and beach sitting. Plus, neither of us can just drop out of work for a week without quite a but of warning.

We rented a little cottage in downtown which I found on VRBO.com for an awesome price. We were pretty excited and geared up for our trip but I got an email from the rental company a couple of weeks ago letting us know our reservation had been cancelled (insert a giant WOMP WOMP here). Apparently the city of Savannah has been fighting local rentals/people without hotel licenses (like VRBO or Air BnB) because they aren't getting their cut/paid taxes for these rentals and recently the City Council won a round and changed the laws. So, unless we wanted to rent the cottage for 30 days (nope), our vacation plans would have to change.

And they have!
We aren't going anywhere! Yay (?) (!)

I'm obviously pretty bummed about our original plans changing - and both my mom and my in-laws have tried really hard to find us another place to stay - but I think we will just try a little stay-cation. We will probably go check out a few nearby state parks, do some hiking and maybe camping for a day or two, and work on some projects around the house. Our 6th anniversary falls during this time so we'll celebrate and enjoy a week off work and just hanging out together. I think it will be fun to just be tourists in our own town. We'll make the best of things, not spend all our hard-saved money, and start thinking about next year's vacation!

Busy weekend...slow week.

This past weekend was a lovely mix of busy/loud and sweet/quiet.

Last week, the staff at work spent the week training on a new computer program that will help us manage lots of things better - membership and getting people signed up into new troops is the top of that list. One of our JC staff members came back with us from Knoxville and spend the night at my house Saturday night in preparation for a fun Saturday. E and I hosted a shower for my sweet work friend K - whose pregnancy is well-watched, loved, and wanted. We decided to host a rather non-traditional shower and do a picnic/pool party instead of the typical did your baby float out of the ice cube/what chocolate bar is melted in this diaper business. I think it was a great success even though some of our favorite folk weren't able to come. We ate tons, laughed, and loved on K and baby MG. I love these women that are in my life - thankful that we bridge the gap between work and life so beautifully - and take care of each other along the way.

Sunday was quiet, calm, and I spent 90% of the day in my pajamas. I watched 3 movies on Netflix (sadly, Chad had to work) and cleaned up a bit from having company. It was such a nice change of pace from a crazy go-go-go day Saturday that I loved every couch-bound moment. Two romantic comedies and a thriller later, I was happy to head to dinner with Chad's family. A little more grilling out (happy summer food!) and some good chats and the weekend was deemed a success.

Our computer program and new website went live about an hour ago and I'm excited about all of the possibilities. Good stuff coming.

SCUBA - days 4 and 5 (pictures!)

Day 4: We finally got to dive in the ocean. I brought all my SCUBA gear with me and had completely convinced myself to dive with the girls. It was a shallow dive - 25 or 30 feet to the artificial reef - which is my favorite kind of diving. I gear up and swam about 100 yards out with the girls and located a large quantity of jellyfish with my un-wetsuited body. The girls had on wetsuits and were mostly covered and this protected; I was not. Knowing myself, I decided that I would probably not enjoy a dive while being stung by jellyfish and decided to swim my gear back. A letdown for me but the girls powered through and had a really good dive. I only got stung 4 or 5 times on my legs before I could get out and the girls just had a few on their lower legs as well. Now they know it isn't unbearable and they can tolerate it enough to dive!

We also went into Okaloosa Island to play at the beach and then dinner and shopping in Destin. Loads of fun this day - the girls and chaperones were both exhausted!

Day 5 (technically 6): a long drive home. When I finally arrived back in Chattanooga, I'd been traveling 12 hours thanks to a last minute trip back to the dive shop for the girls to sign paperwork. Pretty sure I slept another 12 hours that night. :)

Spring water selfie.

Me and one of my awesome team mates, MPT.

We already knew how cold the water was at this point...just trying to convince ourselves to make the plunge.

Some of our girls in the springs...

Sunlight in the springs...