March Playlist

The sun is shining, the birds are singing....it's a great day for a new playlist. This week has been weirdly difficult & stressful, but it's amazing how the right songs can take that away for just a little bit. Hopefully yours has been better, and if not, here are a few songs to help you escape. Happy Thursday (or as I like to call it, "Almost-Friday")!

Spring

"Earth laughs in flowers..." --Emerson

Springfield Trip: Part Two

You know it was a good trip, when you can't even fit four days into a single post (you can find part one here)! We had such a blast in our few short days, though; it really was bittersweet driving back to KC. Springfield is really such a special place, and I do miss it every single day. Here are a few more snaps from our trip:

I love being downtown. Those old buildings are wonderful. Springfield doesn't have much of a skyline, but it does have a lot of history, and there are few places where you can feel that as much as the area around the square (and C-street!).

Springfield Trip: Part One

Last week was spring break for me, and I took four days away to spend some time with my mom in Springfield. I managed to see a couple friends, too, but not nearly as many as I had hoped, so I'm looking into taking a solo trip later this spring or maybe summer. In the meantime, here are a few snaps from last week!

Spring Break

Spring break has officially begun! I'm off to spend a few days back in good ol' Springfield with my momma. Can't wait to do some thrifting, catching up, and visiting at all my favorite spots. It might be a little quiet around here for a couple days, but I'll be back later this week. Everyone needs a little break every once in awhile, right?

5 Favorites: Lush Bath Bombs

One of my very favorite things about living in the Kansas City area is how close we are to a Lush. Don't get me wrong, I know KC has a lot more to offer, but I have fallen in love with Lush, and I have fallen hard, my friends. I started out with bath bombs (which are still among my favorite things), and have slowly tried more and more products. I must Instagram them a little too much, because fairly often I get texts from friends who are first-time shoppers asking what they should try. After a little run I made awhile back, I decided to photograph some of my favorites + share them here.

1// Guardian of the Forest: Okay, it's nearly impossible for me to pick an all-time favorite, but this one is definitely in the running; it's my favorite scent for sure! It's a clean sort of earthy, and I've gotten used to the idea of green bathwater. :)

West Bottoms Weekend

On Saturday, Tyler and I went to West Bottoms, which is an old industrial part of Kansas City. The first weekend of every month is what is locally known as "West Bottoms Weekend." There are a ton of antique vendors and stores that open up (some of them are only open during these weekends and other special events), food trucks come in, and it's just the best sort of chaos. This was the first time we had joined in, and we didn't really know what to expect. Most of the stores are housed in old factory buildings, some sharing space, and you can literally walk out of one store and into another without even realizing it at times. I'm pretty sure you would actually have to dedicate the entire weekend if you truly wanted to get through everything; most shops are packed to the brim with treasures (and people!), and they're multiple stories high. Needless to say, it was a blast, and we came away with a few goodies--and some new favorite shops--for our trouble. 

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A few weeks ago, I made tortilla soup and posted some pictures on Instagram with the full intention of posting the recipe, but you know how that goes. I made the soup again last weekend, though (I honestly make it about once a month--it's that good!) and this time I was committed. 

My sister-in-law made this while I was staying with her from a recipe she found on Pinterest, and it instantly became my very favorite soup. (You can try the original here). When I made it, I adjusted a few things, for four major reasons:

1// I like my food extra spicy (hence the cayenne pepper)

2// I like my soup extra creamy (hence the extra masa harina)

3// I'm a lazy cook (hence the canned chicken)

4// I really hate pinto beans (hence.....um, no pinto beans)

Liturgy

It's been awhile.

Since I've been in a church, I mean.


But this morning I joined the Episcopalians for liturgy.

I know very few people with a linear faith, who have never
wavered,
doubted,
wondered, if.


I'm certainly not one of them. And I don't know if I envy them or not.


But I think not.


Because the opposite of faith isn't doubt at all.


It's certainty.


The lines of my faith are
variegated,
intersecting,
and tangled.


I trace and retrace the same steps to make sure they're still imprinted in the floor,
and sometimes I find them missing.


And I go looking.


For days,
for months,
for years.


And then, sometimes, I stop and sit awhile


and look up.


And find them dancing on the ceiling.

Favorite February Posts

Spring is officially around the corner, you guys! Bring on the warm days, longer daylight in the evenings, and flowers everywhere. I'm IN. As much as I do love myself a good snowfall (and rumor is we might get one Thursday), I'm more than ready to pack away my sweaters for another year. But before I get full on March fever, I want to look back at a few of my favorite posts from the past month:

1// Our Travel Trailer Redo is Officially On at The Room Journal.  My sweet friend Layne and her husband bought a travel trailer to renovate and she's documenting her step-by-step progress on the blog. She has such fantastic taste, and I'm loving following along with her process.

2// Atlanta--Her at In the Midst. Man, Mallory just nailed exactly how I felt (and still feel, to some extent) about moving to Kansas City. It's this weird mix of homesickness and excitement, and this post definitely made me feel not-so-alone.

3 & 4 // Palm Springs Kitty Scratch House and Cinnamon Roll Casserole at A Beautiful Mess. I'll probably never be comfortable enough around power tools to be able to make that cat house, but if any project could convince me to give it a try, it would be that one. SO adorable. And all I need to say about that Cinnamon Roll Casserole recipe is YES.

5// With or Without at Nice & Quiet. SUCH a good reminder.

6// A Day at the Seaside at The Tea Drinking English Rose.  Waaaaaaaaaaanderlust!