This week I’ve been devoting a significant amount of my free time to camp preparations. I take cabin decorating very seriously. There’s nothing I dislike more than a bare wall (well, okay not exactly true, but still). I love color, and I’m determined to create a fun, bright cabin environment that makes campers smile. In… Continue reading Camp Counselor Prep
Today it has been five years since my mom had her cancer-removing surgery. I praise God that my mother is a survivor. During one of my undergrad writing courses, I had the assignment to write a biography. I thought it only fitting to share this biography on my mom on the date of her five-year anniversary.… Continue reading Five
Whew! It’s been quite a weekend! If you’re like me, Independence Day equals family gatherings galore. There’s an abundance of food, amateur fireworks and the dreaded questions from distant relatives of what you’re going to do with your life. I’m not complaining though–potluck food is the best! I made this Blueberry, Strawberry and Jicama Salsa,… Continue reading Blueberry, Strawberry & Jicama Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Whole Wheat Chips
This past Sunday evening I returned from a five-day high school church conference in Grand Rapids, MI. I went to CDYC, a Missionary Church conference, with my home church as one of their leaders. Apparently when you wear the exact same t-shirt as a group of high school students, combined with athletic shorts, it transforms… Continue reading Free to Choose
The gravel hits hard against my well-worn running shoes. I hear their chatter, see their grins. I see myself with a pasted-on smile. I stop suddenly, look down at my feet and wince. Gone is the heavily sunbeam that greeted me on my pillow this morning. Instead dark clouds cover the country sky. It’s just… Continue reading Writing a Story from a Paint Chip Sample
The Indiana summer humidity is full-on strong. For me, that means the heat drains my energy, and that I will rely even heavier on my summer staple items when it comes to picking an outfit for the day. My first summer staple is a crossbody purse. I am absolutely a purse girl. I love crossbody… Continue reading Summer Staples
Last Friday I had a DIY crafting day with my cousin. She made a pallet coat hanger (which looks so cute by the way). I still had pallets left for yet another pallet creation, but I decided to opt out for a simpler project. My dad has a woodworking shop in the barn with a… Continue reading DIY: Wall Art from Scrap Wood
Sweet potatoes are by far my favorite type of potato, and have some benefits over traditional white potatoes. They contain 400% of your daily needs of vitamin A (good for eye health). They also have more vitamin C (good for your immune system), fewer calories, more fiber and less total carbs. And most importantly in… Continue reading Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Wedding season can sometimes be rough for a 20-something single. Sooner or later at the reception you know they’re going to do a bouquet and/or garter toss. And you know they’re going to call all the unmarried people to gather in a mob. And then you have to fight each other for an object flying… Continue reading Bouquet Pickup
It was love at first sight when I saw this hat at Kohl’s. Okay, that’s a weird verb choice. It was like. It was like at first sight when I saw this hat at Kohl’s. And right then and there I thought, “This is going to be the summer that I actually wear hats.” My hat-wearing… Continue reading It’s Not Summer without a Straw Hat
Rachel Batdorff 