Kiki La'Rue {Giveaway from Forever Newly Wedded}

 One day, I was scrolling through Wifessionals, like I do everyday, and saw something really neat. Katilyn had asked her Sponsor to give away something they really liked. I thought that was the perfect way for her readers to really get to know the ladies on her sidebar-so naturally, I asked if I could also use this for my awesome Sponsor!  My sweet friend Karla @ Forever Newly Wedded has something AWESOME for you.  No, I mean really.  I asked Karla if she would do a giveaway based off of something she liked.. & like me, she loves to shop so she came up with the best idea..    A $50 Gift Card to Kiki La'Rue!!!    I really, really want to enter, but I will resist and let one of you win yourself some awesome clothes!  Go visit Karla and say something nice, because she is awesome! 

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Yummy, Easy, HEALTHY Recipes

 Since I don't have much time to really blog, I decided that I would share a couple of really yummy, very easy, and very healthy meals we love around here!  It has been quite the journey to a healthier lifestyle, that I shared about in my first vlog, but it has been SO worth it. I can honestly say I feel so much better. I have way more energy and I actually crave good foods. Nathan and I have even take it so far as to not eat out anymore. I have to admit we have eaten subway and sushi once this month but we chose those over my favorite, Red Robin, so I am very proud.    A lot of my ideas have come from my bloggy bestie, Teressa. She has encouraged me to live a way better, healthier life and I am so grateful for her.  She shared a delicious banana ice cream recipe just last week on her blog.  Oh.my.yum.  It is SO easy to make and super yummy.   *Tip: Since we use so many bananas, I buy at least 2 big bundles, slice them, then freeze them so I always have them on hand. 
 I also get a ton of inspiration from my sweet friend, Karlie. She doesn't have a blog but she shares SO many awesome recipes on her Instagram.  She is pregnant with her second little guy and is just the cutest! 
She makes a "Popeye" Smoothie that my husband and I seriously have EVERY day.

You'll Need:

1 cup non fat vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1TBLS almond or peanut butter
 1 frozen banana
 (*slice before you freeze, makes it so much easier)
 3 cups packed fresh spinach.
Throw it all in a blender and serve. #nom

I know the spinach sounds gross, but I promise, this smoothie is SO delicious. You won't be disappointed! Plus it's packed with so much good stuff and will give you a ton of good energy!

Another favorite around here is the honey almond crusted Salmon. We also have this about once a week and again, it's so easy.

You'll need:
 2 Salmon filets
Honey
Dijon Mustard
Chopped Almonds/Walnuts (whichever you prefer)

1. Preheat oven to 400 and spray a pan with olive oil.
 2. Mix 1/2tbsp of Honey Dijon mustard with 1/2tbsp of honey..brush it on and then add the almonds.
3.  Cook @ 400 for about 12 minutes or until fish is flaky. 
4. Enjoy! 

*Tip- I paired with whole grain rice and zucchini. For the zucchini, I just threw it in the oven with the Salmon and topped with some salt, pepper and Parmesan.  


I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do! I plan on sharing EVERYTHING we eat on a normal week soon. I will include breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner & dessert so look out for that! Please don't hesitate to email me with any questions! 
 

{SO What} Wednesday

    SO WHAT If:
-It's Wednesday and I haven't blogged since last Thursday. Holy cow, we are SO busy.

-I don't have time to blog much this week. Sorry friends, would love to, but time just will not allow. 

-I went WAY over our grocery budget this month. I haven't figured out how to eat healthy while on a budget.. tips?

-I made my husband help me rearrange our whole bedroom just so I could sleep under the air vent. My two-story house and I aren't exactly friends.

-I can't stop eating the almond butter I found at Sam's Club. I mean seriously.. it's WAY better than peanut butter. OH MY YUM.

-I like it so much I bought raw almonds today and fully intend on trying to make homemade almond butter. 

-I use my food processor at least once a day. I LOVE having one. Thanks sister :)

-I text my BFFL and Bloggy Bestie every day. When you have really amazing friends, you can't help but share life with them. Thank you girls for being so amazing.

-I refuse to work downstairs anymore. I know I annoy my husband.. but I think he secretly likes it ;)

-Our anniversary is in two days and I still haven't gotten my husband anything.. I have time & I already know what I am getting him!

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Happy Friday.

I was so blessed to meet with some of the most amazing woman leaders in our church this morning for coffee.  I had to leave early because I had to work and I was genuinely sad. I love the times we get to meet, even if it's not often and very short.     We just shared our lives. There was no set topic. We weren't "meeting" to talk about our roles or ministry but just to be with each other and love.    I prayed for them on the way home. Thanking God for their hearts and who they have been in my life.  Praying that in some significant way, the Lord would reveal His love to them today. In a way that would be unmistakeable but new and personal. Before Access, I had never personally experienced what it meant to have a church body serve as your family.   Now I know.   My heart is so full and I just feel so much gratitude to Jesus for allowing me to be a part of this small, but amazing church plant.  I never, in a million years, would have dreamed I would be married to Nathan, doing youth ministry together at a church that I am overjoyed to call my family. But that's God right? Always exceeding our expectations.  Because this promise, loves, is yours. He will do great, wonderful things in your life. Trust Him. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 I want ALL of you to know, I really feel the Lord leading me to a new place in prayer with Him. After this months #shereadstruth plan, I want to be a daughter of the King who prays for those in need. For those hurting, for those happy, for those who need Jesus. Or, Intercessory Prayer. Please email me at jess{dot}mileham{at}gmail{dot}com if there is ANYTHING, big or small, I can be praying you about. I want to be a part of the Lord changing lives and healing your hearts because lasting change, whole, beautiful change, only comes through Him who loves you more than you could ever know. Happy, happy Friday dear friends.

{SO What} Wednesday

SO What if:

-I ate 3 cookies last night. It was Nathan's birthday and I just couldn't help myself. Cookies are my weakness.

-We ate out for the first time in 2 weeks and my husband got really sick the next day. It's caused us to realize why we aren't eating out. In the midst of his pain, my husband even cried out "I am never eating out again!"

-I am still really sore from a hike we did on Saturday. It ended up being 8 miles and 4 hours long. I wanted to die.

-I secretly love the show 'Man Woman Wild' and want to be just like her. My husband is awesome at that survivor stuff and it'd be fun to be "lost" with him. . Even if I am such a baby and would probably cry the whole time.

-It cost us like a bazillion dollars for Nathan's pump. I am beyond excited that he has it and will be able to use it soon. Such a good thing for his health!

-I've been super OCD about a clean house lately. I don't what it is.. but it's all bothering me. Clean it all!

-I haven't blogged a whole lot lately. See below.

-I feel overwhelming busy with real life. If I named everything we have going on this month (not to mention my husbands Birthday and our Anniversary!) it would take up the whole page.

-This post doesn't have any pictures. I just didn't have time.. but you can follow me on Instagram if you really wanna see my face ;)

-I attempted to get up from my computer just now with my headphone still on and almost tripped. I always forget I am wearing them..

Happy Wednesday Friends!

The Hubs

I am feeling especially grateful for my husband today. I mean, it is his 26th Birthday! When did we get so OLD?!

Happy Birthday my sweet, sexy husband. I love you more than I ever thought I could love another person & I am so glad you were born.

In honor of his Birthday.. I figured I would tell you all why I love him so much.

We both grew up in a small town so he has a love for hunting and fishing. I am so thankful for this because our freezer is usually stocked with 100% lean Elk. Healthy+Yum. Isn't he the cutest hunter ever?! ;) I was going to show you the one with his elk.. but it's gross. I just couldn't do it.

Let me just quickly tell you about a hunt we went on recently. Yes, we. I like to go with him. Until he shoots something. Which happens every time. I am not sure why exactly I have not figured this out yet but it always ends with me sobbing.

Anywho, We were walking hiking our butts off through a flippin' forest in 20 degree weather while it was snowing. I fell down the hill a couple times and Nathan (I am literally laughing just thinking of it!) went to walk down a hill and somehow lost his balance then stopped himself by straddling a small tree. He claims it's because he refused to let go of his gun to save his life. Haha. Oh my.

He loves the Cowboys. Don't hate, so do I.

 

He studies the word of God like it's nobody's business. It is probably my favorite thing about him. He loves God so much that you can truly see it in the way he treats me and others. I will gladly come second to God because I know the impact God has on His life and how it effects who he is. 

He's a youth pastor. Second fav. thing :) He is so amazing with students and they LOVE him. Whenever He is teaching I am always hanging onto every word. It's not just because he's my husband, but because he allows the Holy Spirit to speak through him. Oh, and, whenever he's teaching.. I find him extremely attractive. Like, more than usual.. It's just so hot to me that he loves God and wants to tell the world about it. Any other Pastor's wives out there with me on this one? I mean, I can't be the only one, right??

He is HILARIOUS. Ok, mind you, he is NOT one of those crazy, typical youth pastors. He is actually pretty soft spoken and definitely not loud and outgoing. But when we are together, which is all day, I am laughing most of the time! We also do the weirdest things.. Seriously we are so weird when we are alone. We have silly nicknames and very odd inside jokes. Any other married couples like that?! It's normal.. right? ;)

He loves Zombie movies and TV shows. I don't like scary but I don't mind zombie stuff so it's cool.

He is good at everything. He's good at cooking, computer stuff, hunting, singing, playing instruments, (like the guitar and piano and bass and so much more.) It's really unfair.

He is so super handy I love it! He can fix anything and remodel a whole bunch of stuff.  He once took a wall down in our house, by himself, and put our wood floors in. He is a professional painter, even though he doesn't do it now, and he knows a ton about cars. He has a jeep that he's been working on for a while that's super old but also super neat.

He loves me. This might seem like the obvious one. I mean, we are married. But he loves me in a selfless, unconditional way. A type of love I have never experienced before. A love that truly helped me understand how loving God is. I've shared before that he let me go for a time. But he continued to love me and pray for me, waiting for me to see that he never planned on going anywhere. He has NEVER judged me for anything. He listens to me and encourages me to always do the right thing. He prays with me and for me. He studies with me. He answers all my Bible questions.There are many times I can't believe he even still loves me after the things I do or the things I say/think. He is the only one besides the Lord that I have poured my soul out to and he is so kind and gentle when I do.

It takes a lot to make him mad. He loves people in a way that I truly desire to do myself. He always looks for the reasons why they are acting a certain way instead of getting mad at them for said actions. He gives second chances like you wouldn't believe. My husband is truly living proof of what someone's life looks like when Jesus is their everything. The Lord shines through him and you can see His work in everything my husband does and says. 

This verse describes how I feel about him..  

"... When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go..." Song of Solomon 3:4 

(abbr)

I love you PBNFH. There is so much more I could say about you. Being your wife will never get old. You're my favorite. I hope you have the BEST birthday. 

 

{FAB} Friday

  These Fab things are going on in my life:   -This whole month is awesome. We will celebrate 4 years of marriage & my husband's 26th birthday. I love that man.    -We are heading to Sedona tomorrow with my BFFL to go hiking. Something Nathan and I really love doing!    -The Lord has proved His faithfulness over and over to me this week. I am so thankful for friends who pray for me and friends I can pray for. Community is a powerful thing.   

-I am loving the #SheReadsTruth plan right now. Reading about Jesus declaring "Not my will but yours be done, Father." This is my prayer and I am just looking forward to what the Lord decides to do as I step out of fear and into faith.    -Girls weekend is in t-minus 3 weeks and counting. I am beyond excited.    -The new series, Infected, has been a huge hit at youth and I can't wait to see what God does with it this week.   

  -Eating healthy has been so great. I crave "good for you" foods now and we haven't eaten out since March 31st.. which is SO hard with our busy life. I'm proud :)   -Got to see this little beauty earlier this week. Love her sweet face.  

    Have a GREAT Friday friends! :)

Wifessionals {A Guest Post}

I have been following Kaitlyn's blog for some time now. I love reading her posts because she is kind, sincere and honest. Did I mention she loves the Lord?
& how adorable are her and her hubby with their growing little family?
I am so excited to have her share some advice on my blog today. Enjoy! :)
  

What a lovely, romantical picture....

It's safe to say, on the evening of my 25th birthday, I was pretty convinced a day like this picture would never come for me. You can read about my crazy love story and all that it entailed here.

So I'm Kaitlyn and you will usually find me blogging over at Wifessionals. I absolutely love Jess, so when she asked if I'd like to come share some things about marriage on her blog I was thrilled.

Ryan and I haven't been married for long, just about 10 months now. Although a lot of people tried to tell us that the first year of marriage can be really hard, we've found it to be quite the opposite.

This is not saying that we haven't had our fair share of disagreements, but Ryan and I always try to "fight fair". It's something we talked about in pre-marital counseling and even though it sounded silly at the time, it really has been something we've tried to apply.

So what is fighting fair?

When you disagree about something that is totally fine! You are two separate people with two different minds. It doesn't mean your marriage is failing because one of you likes Tide and the other wants Gain. Where the issues arise is when you don't handle your disagreement in the right way.

1. Stay Calm. You don't need to fly off the handle. I know that sometimes when you aren't seeing eye to eye (especially if it is happening frequently) you may start freaking out when you find yourself disagreeing AGAIN. Breathe.

2. Think About The Disagreement. Is it something small? Finding out one of you wants children and the other doesn't is a MAJOR issue, but trying to pick a restaurant for dinner is not. Ryan and I are really good about choosing our battles. We don't want to be upset at each other all the time, so we usually try to stay pretty laid back and easy going.

3. Respect. This is the biggest piece. Arguments go haywire when you start name calling or disrespecting each other. Don't cut each other down, no matter how frustrated you are getting. Yes, state your points, but don't start attacking your spouse. You can usually avoid this by refusing to use the word "You". Instead of saying "You never let me pick a restaurant! You are so selfish!" try turning it back on yourself. "I would love to suggest somewhere for us to go tonight. I feel like we never get to eat sushi." By not using "you" or disrespecting your partner, you are keeping them from getting on the defense as easily.

Above all else, when you are about to bite each other's heads off, think about why you married them. Remember how you felt the day you got engaged. Ryan and I have gotten into a handful of hurtful disagreements, but in the end, I know I wouldn't choose to be with anyone else.

He is my best friend and completely understands me. Yeah, he can annoy me, but I know that I can be just as annoying. He is actually a lot more gracious when it comes to our relationship. It takes a lot for me to set Ryan off, even though some days I know I am being a total "B".

So when I am tempted to yell at him because he won't stop tapping things or acting like he has a weird accent, I remember that he is so very patient with me, and I know I need to be the same with him (:

When all else fails, tickle each other, make a weird face, do the Harlem Shake...anything to burst out laughing or smiling. It's hard to stay mad at someone when you can't keep a straight face.

Easter 2013 {In Photos}

Because I'm lazy, I opted out of So What Wednesday this week. To hold you over, here are some of my favorite Easter Photos.

Love him.

Some of our High School girls

The Datria Clan + Zach 

My husband being a stud. 

Kami (our pastor's daughter) cuddling the animals in the petting zoo.

Joe photo-bombing.

 Mylia giving hugs, so cute!

Lastly, our inability to take a normal picture with any fictional Character.

Struggles.

Question:
What are you currently struggling or grappling with in your life?

I had no intention on writing a post today. Until I saw this one.
I think it is so important to share where our hearts are and our struggles in this life.
Lately I have been struggling with the thought of trusting God with my WHOLE life.
You know that thing your pastor always says?
"Are you trusting God with most of your life, but there is that one area that you won't let Him have?"
And I'm like, no. I'm good.
For a long time I believed that. I am such an open person.
Especially with the Lord. I want Him to change every part of me.  Not because I'm good, but because I am not. So I really believed, there wasn't anything I was holding back.
Then I realized, there are at least 2 areas that I have not fully given to the Lord.
One is money. I talked about this a while back. So believe me, I have been convicted of it and have been mulling it over for some time now.
Recently, we were given a gift by an anonymous family in our church.
Whoever you are, and if you are reading this. THANK YOU.
I have NEVER been more blessed than by those of you with full hearts of giving at Access.
The note was the sweetest. Thanking us for what we do at Access and how much they appreciated us.
I want to give them a hug. Maybe cry.
Unfortunately for me, their hearts are so filled with Christ's love, they didn't even want recognition for this incredible act of kindness.
I asked my husband, what should we do with this gift?
He told me the decision was mine.
I hate that he did that. I don't want to decide.
Because I am having this dilemma.
Do I want the gift? Duh. I want to take it & use it for a little mini vaca for my hubby and I so we can have some time alone.
Would it be wrong for me to do that? No. Maybe it would even be good for us to take some time for ourselves and focus on growing our marriage.
But there is a question lingering in my heart and in my head.
Do I need the money? The answer is no.
I know some of you think I'm weird.
Someone gave you money girl, it's yours.
But here's the thing. I don't believe it is. And after writing this post, I am convinced that the Lord wants to bless me in a better way than just excepting this gift and using it on myself.
Is this hard for me? UM YA.
That's my struggle friends. I want to use it.. thus the struggle.

  The other is all about me needing to let God have control in a specific area of my life. It's something that I always thought was my decision.
I didn't need to consult the Lord on this.
It was my way or no way.
How wrong I am for thinking like this. As if I have some sort of control over my life anyways?  As if I get to decide what's best for me?  No. I don't want decide because I know I am only human and what God has for me is so, SO much better than I could ever come up with on my own.  Prayer is always welcomed & fully appreciated. :) 

We LOVE our Readers {{A Giveway}}

See those girls on my side bar? They're the BEST and since they love you all so much, we decided to give ONE lucky WINNER a ton of awesome stuff!

$20 Target GC from Lyndsey @ Football & Glitter (this girl went above & beyond! Show her some love!!)

Completely customized package of hair accessories from Laura @ Laura Rahel (Check out her blog for more info on this awesome prize!)

2 Pairs of Custom Rosette Earnings from Kassie @ K+J=Love

Ad Space from Cat @ This Little Life of Mine, Emily @ Newlywed Moments & Lauren @ Simply Free!!

AND because we love YOU (and Starbucks) SO much, Teressa @ Newborn Mama, Kassie @ K+J=Love, Cat @ This Little Life of Mine, and Jess @ Jmn Way (me) decided to pool our funds together and throw in a $25 Starbucks GC!!

So, go on, enter your little hearts out & be sure to read the official rules on the rafflecopter :)

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