Our Favorite Things: iTunes Podcasts

I've been a little obsessed with knowledge lately. Not all knowledge, cause frankly, a lot of things bore me to death, but one of the goals I added to my personal goals for 2011 was to know more. I realize this sounds really vague but I promise, it's way more detailed on my list. There are about eight different categories of things that I'm starting to crave to know more about. The biggest thing is Christ. My walk last year was fairly stagnant for the most part; it wasnt until about half way through the year that I threw up my hands, let go of everything I was holding on to, and dove into my relationship with my Redeemer once again. As this year began and I started on my personal goals, a greater knowledge and understanding of Christ and Biblical histories was one of the first things to make the cut. One of the things that has helped me dive into learning more is iTunes Podcasts. One of my favorites is Voddie Baucham's podcast but I'm adding more and more to my library as the days go by.

So, what's your favorite podcast? Comment below and the first to comment and leave your email address will receive an iTunes gift card! Woot woot!

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Health Mag

Being that it's January, I'm fairly certain health is on the forefront of nearly everyone's mind. Or at least women, because when we see the flood of commercials on eating healthy and working out and feeling good, we tend to get a little, how shall we say, desperate to feel better and look better.

Towards the end of 2009 was my desperate to feel better and look better moment. I'd been married for a little over a year, finally got out from under a job I absolutely couldnt stand and took the plunge into doing what I really love full time. It was around that time that I got a piece of what appeared to be junk mail. Being that I was still a little lost when it came down to what my day to day schedule should look like now that I was working from home, it was one of the few pieces of junk mail that I'd ever looked at. Turns out, it wasnt exactly junk mail; it was my delta rewards points telling me that they were about to expire. At the time, Andrew and I were desperately searching for a home to buy so I knew that traveling was out of the question. I went on the website provided out of curiosity...maybe I could get a free ticket with my points or something. No such luck. I did however qualify for about half a dozen different subscriptions to various magazines. Enter Health magazine.

I've never really been one for the latest fads but I love healthy foods. I love how I feel after a hard workout, I love when my refrigerator is full of vibrant fresh colors and I love love love to eat a whole box full of strawberries in one sitting. 2010 became the year Andrew and I really embraced a healthy lifestyle, and luckily, through dedication, Health magazine and encouraging each other when we really didnt want it, it stuck.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: The Truth Project

I've re-written this post three times now. The first draft I wrote about five paragraphs. The second draft, only one. I'm still on the fence wondering if I should have put more of my heart out there in this post but I really want to let God speak rather than myself.

There are times in life when I go through ruts. Okay, so there are a lot of times in life when I go through ruts. Sadly, the ruts are self inflicted and I'm left pondering my guilt and punishing myself for being so well, to put it bluntly, lukewarm. While I would love to say that I wake up every morning and spend an hour in the word with my Father, I would be lying if I tried to say that. Someone once told me that church on Sunday's isnt supposed to be your main "meal". Church on Sunday should be that weekend splurge of going out to eat but that your main every day meals, the ones that keep you nourished, should be in your personal times with the Lord. Admittedly, I've been starving. Excuses pile up and I wind up looking at them in shame. Luckily, our Savior isnt about guilt and shame, pass or fail. He's about the relationship.

The Truth Project has become one of the main tools in my walk with the Lord lately. I've hit a rut of laziness in my walk and these videos and the truth of the Word of God are pulling me through. It's challenging everything about what I believe. It's breaking me down to the very core of my beliefs and verifying that what I believe is TRUTH. If you've never heard of the series, I would strongly suggest you find them on youtube or visit your church office and ask if you can buy them or rent them from your church library. They are some of the toughest, hard hitting, mind altering, preconceived notion shattering videos I've every watched. {Like how many descriptive words I used there?} So, while you may feel like your head is a spinning top after this, Our Favorite Thing? The Truth Project.

Our Favorite Things: Candy Corn

I've been a pretty lame person these past few days. Seriously, if I didn't know any better, I think I was kin to a slug, or a sloth, or something equally as slow. I don't want to do anything. It takes a great deal just to convince myself to put on anything other than work out clothing, because really, spandex stretchy pants are just so darn comfortable! In part, I'd like to blame the weather. It's not quite cold, it's not quite stormy, it's not quite hot and not quite, well...pleasant in the slightest. And as much as I'd like to say I'm above weather induced moodiness - I'm totally not. I'm also going to blame the Halloween candy that's taunting me. Really, how can you come out of a gym only to see leftover candy corn in a bucket in the pantry and not be a little irked!

So, today's favorite thing is an ode to all things Halloween. Candy corn! Once a year, I buy one bag of candy corn in October. Usually it'll last me till early December but it makes me feel like I'm five again wearing my Dorothy dress and glittery shoes. There's just something about eating candy shaped as a tri-colored corn that makes me just a tiny bit sentimental.

As Andrew and I stood in line, me clutching my bag of candied goodness, I sighed and stated that I loved candy corn. Andrew then shattered all fall cheer by stating that he hated candy corn. The corn and pumpkin shaped candy goodness hating scrooge! I then shielded my candy corn from him as if he had hurt the little bags feelings and added that to the list of things that Andrew will one day love. Number one: Monopoly. Number two: Candy Corn.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Puffs Plus Vicks

I wanted to stay curled up under a pile of blankets. I glanced over my left shoulder to see Garland totally passed out on her back, feet in the air, randomly twitching at some imaginary prey she was dreaming about. A small smile tugged at my lips. At least one of us stay in bed all day.

After attempting to join the land of the living to get some work done, I retreated back to my sweats and makeup less existence and called my mother. "How much do you love me today?" I asked her. Now seriously internet, I'm considered a grown woman and I still call my mommy when I'm sick...and occasionally my dad when I'm afraid of a spider - occasionally {Andrew tends to get that job these days}. A short while later, my doorbell rang and there stood my mom with soup and boxes of tissues. Who doesn't love a good mommy!

I don't wish being sick on anyone...but if you're ever sick, totally grab up as many boxes of these tissues as possible. I've gone through four of them in the past week. I must have had my head buried under a rock because I didn't even know they existed. Puffs Plus VICKS is like the best thing since sliced bread. Seriously! {Wow, I just became increasingly aware of how much I want to use the word seriously...hmmm} You breathe in the most amazingly refreshing scent of VICKS when all you're trying to do is breathe! So, while I don't want any of you guys out there getting this little head cold I cant seem to shake, if you do, these are totally worth the trip to the grocery store...even if you are in sweats.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Chocolate Hot Cocoa

I'm allergic to nuts. I'm pretty sure if you've followed my blog for awhile, you might have picked up on this somewhere along the line. And if you know me really well, you probably know that I actually have had more allergic reactions than I like to let on. Because really, feeling like you're dying and being all itchy and swollen isn't fun for anyone. Especially at weddings. And yes, this has happened like three times. I used to think that I was fairly cautious about what I ate but since I didn't have a life threatening reaction, I didn't think too much of it.

However...lately I'm starting to see this happening more often and I'm reacting more and more severely. And the two Benedryls that I down whenever I eat something I shouldn't isn't really cutting it anymore. So now I'm much more cautious...not really for me but because I'm tired of seeing Andrew looking at me wondering if he's gonna have to throw me over his shoulder and race me off to the hospital at a moments notice. Really internet, seeing those green eyes look at you like that, totally makes you want to grovel, plead for forgiveness and melt into a puddle of mush.

So, now that it's fall and the weather is begging for warm beverages and movie nights curled up in blankets on the couch, I was bound and determined to find hot chocolate that I could drink . I'm usually shocked by the types of foods that coconut oil sneaks into {oddly, a nut allergy includes coconut oil...I thought coconut was a fruit - who knew!} and hot chocolate is one of them...that and the best gummy bears on the planet. Yesterday I went out in search of coconut oil free hot chocolate. And I found some!!!

Thank goodness for Harry and David's. Not only are they home of the best coffee on the planet, but they know can satisfy my need for hot chocolate! And note: it's not only hot cocoa, but it's dark chocolate hot cocoa. Hear that sound? That's the sound of angel's hallelujah choir.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Cupcake Vineyards

I never claim to be a wine connoisseur, not by any stretch. And actually, until this past year, I didnt really like wine. My dad however, loves wine. I would definitely say he is a wine connoisseur...or at least he's learning to be. Growing up, my dad was always very, very good about taking my brother out on daddy date nights. Whenever he'd take me to a nice restaurant and order a glass of wine, I'd think one day I can order one with him. As a teen, I'd see my dad with a glass of red wine and think to myself one day I'll sit with him and have a glass of wine. In the mean time, I would grab my trusty bottle of Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice from the fridge and play pretend. So, when I turned 21 I was all sorts of excited to finally be able to be a daddy's girl and enjoy a glass of wine, not Welch's finest with my dad. One problem: I hated wine.

Now, if you havent picked this up from my blog in the past or if you dont know me well enough in person to know this, you dont tell me that I cant do something. So when my taste buds were pretty much saying yeah sorry, that dream of wine with your daddy, so not gonna happen...keep on with the grape juice you dreamer I forced it. I hear you laughing...yes I forced myself to like wine. I tried whites, reds, pinks, bubbly kind, fancy kind, cheap kind {oh yeah, I totally Boones Farmed it up for a while!} until finally I found one! It was a sparkling white that was like, insanely sweet. Once I found that one, I then found a local winery with a blackberry wine I couldnt get enough of and then from there, a really really expensive one I had with my dad. But I still didnt have "my wine". I didnt have a bottle in my pantry or an "oh, I recommend..." wine. And then it happened. I found the most amazing wine and I found it totally by the sheer genius of marketing. I was standing in the wine aisle staring at the bazillion different labels and this happy little one danced in front of me and jumped in my cart. Seriously, I saw the name cupcake and the happy little cupcake logo and the next thing I new, a Petite Sirah was in my cart.


"You're picking one because the label is cute?" Andrew asked in complete awe and with a slight smile pulling at the corner of his lips. Yes internet, he was mocking me...laughter was all but busting out of him when I rolled away in our squeaky cart and a bottle of wine that I picked because the label was pretty.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Fresh Start

Alrighty, so I realize something as I'm writing this. This post has the potential to make people think I dont shower. Seriously internet, I shower! Please dont think this is me not showering because it's not. Dont start floating that around the grapevine, sheesh!

Now girls, it's Monday. I'm sure many of you out there are running around crazy already from your jobs, your life, your schedule, etc. And I bet at least one if not more of you didnt have as much time to devote to your hair as you would have loved. Andrew laughs at me but sometimes I'll have this amazing hair and I'm not going anywhere. Seriously, I have the best hair days on days when all I'm doing is sitting in my office. Hence today's favorite thing!

TRESemme FRESHSTART - have you guys seen this stuff? It's amazing! You spray it in your hair and let it sit for a few minutes, brush it through and viola! Your hair smells clean, looks clean, and your hairdo from the day before instantly transcends to the next day. I love this stuff. So not to be all like a commercial but seriously, go grab some of this and see how many days you can push your hairstyle. But please, dont forget to shower.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: OPI

I'm realizing that lately, the "favorite things" in our favorite things posts are usually all my favorite things. Such is life when I'm the one writing the blogs! Muahaha! Sorry Andrew.

The other day I went in for a mani/pedi with one of our past brides who has become more than a client, instead, a friend. Together we sat and sipped wine as we enjoyed a relaxing two hours of manicures and pedicures. During that time I decided to go a bit more adventurous! Usually, I swear by OPI Bubble Bath but this time I decided to go polar opposite. BLACK and not just black, Black Onyx to be exact. So as I glance down at my black fingernails typing feverishly over the keys, I'm still debating which is better. You decide!

Here are my OPI favorites: Second Honeymoon {the color I wore on my wedding day oddly enough} Bubble Bath {my go to color for every occasion} and my new favorite, just discovered the other day: Mimosas for Mr & Mrs.

And the color in question, Black Onyx...to be a favorite or not be a favorite...that is the question! But pretty much, OPI just cant go wrong!

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Soybutter

In highschool, Megan and I used to eat trail mix on a regular basis. We would sit outside of our Algebra class, on the cold laminate flooring fists full of trailmix. Whenever we'd run out, we'd go to Foodworld, but our usual bags of pretzels, nuts, M&Ms and raisins and then proceed to make the biggest batch we could. It was a running joke that whenever I ate peanuts my ears would get itchy. Not an irritating itch, but like that itch you get when your ears wont pop...just more, well, itchy. My parents would laugh and Megan would roll her eyes and we'd continue to eat the mixed goodness.

I'm allergic to nuts. It wasnt until a drive home from work one day that I realized this. Before I'd gotten in the car to drive home, I'd eaten one chocolate covered cashew. Just one. As I drove home, signing and belting out whatever happened to be on the radio, I realized something: I was biting my tongue...a lot. A call to my mother and a doctors appointment later, I was in fact allergic to pretty much any nut known to man. And coconut...because apparently, despite it's fruit-like existence, it's a nut. Usually this allergy isnt half bad. I'm not so allergic that cross contamination bothers me, and I'm not sure if Andrew will kill me if he eats a nut then kisses me {we dont test this theory} but if you look at it from the standpoint of how it saves you from many much poundage of deserts that you can no longer eat, it's great.

So, how is this related to this weeks post of Our Favorite Things. Well, there are a few things I miss. I miss Snickers, and Reese's Cups and Puppy Chow. {Enter heavenly angel's awe here} Then I found Soybutter! So, while I still cant eat a Snickers or a Reese's Cup, I can make Puppy Chow. And, I can eat a PB&J sandwich...just, it's called a SB&J in our house. So here's to nut allergies and the existence of soy!

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Red Vines

I cant seem to decide. You know, everyone says you can only be one or the other. You cannot possibly be on both bandwagons....you just cant. Or at least, that's what I've been told. And if you know me, I have this tiny little problem where if you tell me I cant do something...um...I kinda sorta make it my mission in life to prove you wrong. Yes, I know, lovely little character trait of mine.

All this to tell you one of our favorite things. Well, okay, my favorite things. Andrew finds these absolutely disgusting, no matter which bandwagon you happen to be on. Today's favorite things? RedVines!!! Heavenly yummy goodness. At the moment, I'm on the RedVines bandwagon. But, I really really like Twizzlers too! A friend of mine recently told me that she couldnt believe I like RedVines "they're the poor man's Twizzler!" she explained. But there's just something about the squishy gummy factor that I like! And Twizzlers, well, they're near perfection when drinking a Diet Coke through the tiny hole in the middle. So here's to riding two bandwagons at the same time!

vs.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Burt's Bees

You know, one of the things about living in Florida...bugs. We have tons of bugs. Little bugs, big bugs, even bigger bugs, bugs that bite, sting, and creepy crawl. The joys of Florida. Lately we've been doing a ton of shoots out and about and getting all sorts of bit up. Now, most people get bit by mosquitoes and they're fine...they itch a little, get a little red bump. But that's most people. Me on the other hand, they swell up like something nasty. A tiny little bite and I swell and itch for two weeks. And then I found it. The mother of all bug biting remedies. Burt's Bees Bug Bite Relief! Best stuff EVAR! And there's just something about the smell that brings me back to middle school summer camps...the tea tree oil, lavender, and lemongrass - breathe in the memories.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Our Favorite Things: Aloe

It's July! I'm not really a summer fan; I'd much rather live year round in Fall and Spring {grass is always greener right?} July's in Florida are usually pretty miserable...usually. There's generally a hurricane or two, insane heat and humidity, the roads get extremely crowded...and so on and so forth. But instead of assuming this July is going to be hot and miserable, I opted on launching a new blog segment. You know, to keep things interesting! So these segments are pretty simple: I talk about one of our favorite things! I know, simple right?

If you've ever received a letter from us, or a gift or a packaged DVD, you know that we close everything up with antique red wax and a customized seal. It's something we like to do because of how intoxicated I am by letter writing. I love old ink, papers, hot wax as it melts over the envelope...I just love it and when making our brand, it was something I wasnt willing to give up. So, as I packaged up a few DVDs, I melted the wax as the smell filled the office. And then it happened. I dropped a nice dime sized amount onto my middle finger. If you've ever had a flaming hot drop of wax on your skin, you'd know you cant rub it off cause it makes it worse. And I couldnt run to find a tissue because I was still holding the melting wax stick in my hand. So I sat there. Very painfully, I sat there moaning and biting my lip as I waited for the wax to dry. Once it dried, I started at the task of peeling the wax off my finger...yeah, that felt pretty.

In light of my stupidity...enter the Aloe Vera plant! This stuff is amazing! I dont know if it's actually a remedy for wax burns so dont quote me on it. But I've had a nice little strip of it between my welting finger and a band aid. So, aside from a nasty welt that seems to keep getting grosser, this has been my best friend for the past two days.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie