Reorganization

This summer we have had many visitors (and are always ready to welcome a few more!).  With family and friends staying with us, it has been a constant reorganization of our "things" in order to best accommodate everyone.  While for some this would be hard, let's be honest…I love to organize!

It all started in May, with moving the living room and den furniture around.  My mom and aunt were here for a long weekend.  They were great about helping to create more of an open and welcoming front room!

(view from the front door)

(my favorite entryway table....a great find from Scott's Antique Market!)

Then we had some friends from high school visit in June and my focus shifted to the guest room closets.  While I love our work-in-progress house, there just is not a lot of room for storing things.  This has led me to my current long-term project, which is to reorganize the utility/laundry room!  It is a work in progress to be sure, but pictures will come soon!

After spending two weeks with us, today my sister headed back north.  I spent the day tackling some more reorganization.  While tackling 5 loads of laundry, sweeping the floors, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms - I also decided it would be a good idea to move the furniture in our bedroom around.  I moved the bed and the dresser, in addition to switching clothes between our (one) dresser and the under-the-bed baskets we have. What a day...I am feeling productive AND exhausted!

I love heading into a new week with a clean and organized house.  So, here's to a productive week!

30 or 5

As you can see, I didn't quite make it to 30.  Instead of considering this a failure, I am going to celebrate the fact that I made it to 5 (which is better than 2, or 3 or even 4)! In every new adventure there is a beginning….

More to come!

Day 5: A Photo of Whatever You Please

Summer memories in Atlanta almost always include:

Turner Field or "The Ted" as it is known.  It is certainly one of my favorite places to go in summer!

I will admit, major league baseball is not my #1 sport.  For me, what makes this place special is the environment.  I simply always enjoy a game more in person (than on the television).  I love going to a game with friends, tailgating, the food (especially funnel cake!), people watching, and of course...the cheering/the Tomahawk Chop.

A couple of weeks ago, we had some friends in town from high school and had the opportunity to go to a Braves game together.  So fun!  It was even the weekend that Chipper Jones' number was retired (see the #10 on the field).

  

A wonderful time with great friends on a beautiful summer afternoon!

Day 4: Photo From a High Angle

Really, this is about perspective.

Life lesson: what may seem at first to be a significant challenge (height), can always be taken just one step at a time....and, there is often a railing is there as a support!

This picture is actually an appropriate representation of my life at the moment.  We are in a period of change.  It is an exciting time for our family and we are so excited to welcome baby E into our family. And in this time of change there is also an element of uncertainty.  To be honest, my initial response when considering the unknown is to be stressed and worry about what is to come.  But, as C often reminds me, stressing and worrying over the future doesn't actually make anything better (and often times prevents me from enjoying the present).

Thinking back on times of change in the past, I realize how much I have grown as a result of trusting in God and "letting go" of my desire to know what is to come.  We have been truly blessed with supportive family and an amazing group of friends (otherwise known as our "railing") who are walking with us through this time as we begin a new chapter in our family.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Day 3: A Photo of My Favorite Place to Be

My favorite place to be is outside.  I love taking the dogs hiking, sitting on a porch with friends/family, reading a book by the pool or the ocean, going on walks around the neighborhood or having dinner on a local restaurant patio.  They are all good.  Every moment of it.  There is just something about being outside makes me happy (well, minus the bugs of course!).

I even love being outside so much that we got married outside...in July, in Georgia!  Here is just one of the reasons I fell in love with the venue:

Look at that view!  And all of the...well, nature.  I love it.

Even with all of the rain we have been having this summer, I have been blessed with time outside during a family vacation in Mexico, several Saturdays at friends' pools and a day at Lake Oconee at a family lake house.  It feels strange to say, but despite the summer winding down (school starts August 5th here!)...I am looking forward to a few more weekend adventures in the great outdoors before heading into fall.

Day 2: What I Wore Today

Today was all about comfort, especially for a Saturday!  Black capris and a gray and black stripped shirt completed the picture.  (Sorry, I do not have an actual picture...but this exercise is ultimately about being more intentional about writing).

We spent the day taking our first baby-to-be class.  I will be honest and say while the class was great...the amount of information shared was slightly overwhelming!  However, I now have a better idea of what topics I feel good with and what elements I need/want to learn more about.  A major plus was that the class was given by the staff at our practice, so it was great to hear more about their philosophies and vision!  All in all, it was a wonderful day and we are getting even more excited to love on this baby!

Announcement

Well, it is official...things are changing in the Engsberg house....we are growing from a family of 4 (2 adults & 2 dogs) to a family of 5!  We are looking forward to welcoming Baby E into our family!

We shared the great news with our immediate families in early March over the phone.  I really wanted to come up with a creative way to share our news with them, but I was too excited to wait any longer!

But when it came to telling our grandparents, sharing our news became a completely different story.  Baby E will be the first grandchild for either of our parents; he or she will also be the first great-grandchild on my side of the family and for one of Curtis' grandparents (in addition to being the fifth great-grandchild for his maternal grandfather).  With this added perspective I turned to the internet (namely, Pinterest) for some inspiration.  Given that it was right before Easter, I found some great inspiration:



And ultimately, here is our Sunday afternoon project:

We filled the numbered eggs with the messages to help share our news and the rest of the eggs were sweet Easter treats.  From the calls and messages we received, they not only loved the message but the candy too!

We sent an e-card in mid-April to share the good news with extended family and then the process of sharing with friends and colleagues began.  I love that we were able to be intentional about sharing the news with people in our lives through time spent together!

We are so excited about our growing family!

Day 1: A Photo of Myself

This has become my go-to picture for almost anything.  I feel like it reflects my style in so many ways...classic and vintage (black-and-white), relaxed and fresh all at the same time.

I love photography!  It is another skill I wish I had better developed...maybe next to tackle on my bucket list after blogging?.  It always makes me happy to look at photographs of times with friends and family, remembering all of the moments that have been shared.

Best of Intentions

They say that in order to make something a habit, you have to do it for 30 days in a row.  Blogging or writing has not become a habit of mine...yet.  I give this disclaimer as I am still passionate about making writing/journaling/blogging one of my habits and it is this desire that continually brings me back here despite my absences.  Recently, I have come across a few 30-day blogging challenges on Pinterest and have been inspired to challenge myself to complete one.  With the best of intentions, I am trying to change my habits and turn a passion into a practice!