To end the Gospel Carols series (since, you guys, only 4 more sleeps till Christmas!), I wanted to talk about a very familiar song, “Joy to the World.” We all know the first couple parts of the song, but the two I love most come at the end. As long as I’ve been singing “Joy…… Continue reading Gospel Carols: Joy to the World

Okay, I know. “The Little Drummer Boy” is probably one of those Christmas carols you might not love. Too many rum-pum-pum-pums. I, too, am not usually really feeling this one. Unless it’s in this episode of The Office: But a couple weeks ago, Ben and I won tickets (thanks, Fox Sports Tennessee for selecting my…… Continue reading Gospel Carols: The Little Drummer Boy

Hope you all have been listening to “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” over the past few days! Another song that has been encouraging me this Christmas season is “What Child Is This?” I think, with this one, we tend to linger over the image of the sleeping baby Jesus—as we should! That’s part of what’s…… Continue reading Gospel Carols: What Child Is This?

Every year, my church hosts Carolfest at the beginning of December. We sing Christmas carols, our pastor (in a Santa hat) hands out a few fun giveaways, the kiddos dance around in their Christmas jammies, and we celebrate the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. But what strikes me every time is…… Continue reading Gospel Carols: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

A while back, I was chosen to be on the launch team for Melanie Shankle’s latest book, Church of the Small Things. I’d read all of her previous books and even gave my favorite of the three, Nobody’s Cuter Than You, to my bridesmaids as gifts to ask them to be in my wedding. (I couldn’t get…… Continue reading (My) Church of the Small Things: A Book Review

One of my coworkers and I had a lengthy discussion one day at work about the kinds of books we liked to read. People usually know I have a degree in English and a master’s degree in writing, so when I reveal that most often, I’m reading a celebrity memoir, I lose most of my…… Continue reading Thanks, Goodreads.

Time for a quick update: what I’ve been baking, new places I’ve explored, and new things on my calendar. Ever since I started watching The Great British Bake Off, I’ve been fascinated by the different names for ingredients (caster sugar, plain flour, strong flour, and my personal favorite, bicarbonate of soda), as well as measuring in…… Continue reading Bicarbonate of soda, wheels up to Michigan, and being back in the saddle again.

One of my favorite bloggers, Landyn Hutchinson from Living with Landyn, says “all the things” all the time, but she uses it as a descriptor. As in, life is so great; it is all the things. Now that life is basically back to normal after what I have respectfully and fearfully dubbed The Sickness, lots…… Continue reading From Butchertown Hall to Montgomery & back: all (7) of the things.

Ben and I have been watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. Imagine a Food Network baking competition but all the contestants are fairly confident, relaxed, and nice to each other. The event takes place outside in a tent, the contestants have all week to practice their bakes beforehand, and the judges are critical…… Continue reading On your mark, get set, bake!

Perhaps you may have noticed that I’ve been absent from the blog since March. The only way I know to recap what has happened since then is a list (and even so, one with only the main events, as this became a months-long extravaganza), so here goes: In March, after starting that miracle medication, my…… Continue reading So here is what happened.