Did you notice I was taking a break?
I know, it was very mean of me not to tell you I was going on Blog Vacation!
It wasn't so much a vacation, but a regrouping & creativity break!
In the process, I got some inspiration & decided to invite some gals to join me on a journey.
You know Laura, but I'm not sure if you know Liz.
If you don't know Liz, you'll get to know her.  She's great!
The three of us will be kicking off a new blog in February!
Get prepared!
We've got this cool plan not to leave you hanging like I so often do!
See! This change will be good for us.
So, allow me to introduce to you...
What is Everyday Present?
Great question. My dad used to tell me "Kara, don't wish your life away!"
Everyday Present is a challenge to live in the present every single day.
It will be a lifestyle & personal style blog.  We'll be posting about our daily lives and 
our challenge to live everyday in the present. 
Plus, we'll be posting some daily outfit posts!!
I know!! I'm also so excited about the outfit posts. 

I know you are wondering what will happen to this blog.  It will be strictly photography.
Don't worry, I'll be around once in awhile.

So, join us on February 1st over at Everyday Present for our kick off party!
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Stuff I Say! 12/26/2011
 
I just saw this last week and laughed so hard!
It makes me feel sorry for:
My husband.
My dad.
The IT guy at work!
Anyone who talks to me all day!
(Excuse the title: there's no cussing once it plays)
"HUHHH, did I lock the door?!"
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Guess Whoo?!! 12/22/2011
 
Guess WHOOO'S pregnant!
NOOOO...not me.
Belky!
My sweet friend, Belky, is having a baby in January!
I got to throw her a baby shower...
Our friend, Emily, also hosted and she is an amazing chef!
So, I provided the decorations and platters.
She provided the amazing food!!
Yogurt Parfaits
Milk & OJ:
Tray was bought for $5 at the local thrift store.
Milk jars were borrowed from a friend.
She bought Starbucks drinks in the bottle 
& saved them.
Straws are from Hobby Lobby!
French Toast:
Isn't that so cute...I bought that platter for $5 at a thrift store.
Emily & I are all about good food and decorations!
Belky is all about games.  She wanted tons of games.
So, we played a cute "Guess Whooo" game.
Each guest brought their baby picture and we guessed who each was!!
It was so fun!
I love parties & showers where you have the opportunity
to show friends & family how much you love them.
Belky & Stuart, we love you!
~Kara
(and Emily)
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Festive 12/20/2011
 
A local museum in Tulsa each year has a festival of trees.
Sally took me and Erica out for lunch Friday and then we all enjoyed visiting the trees.
OH and Hobbs joined us!
I am usually always obsessed with Hobbs,
but having not seen him for a full three week...
I was aching to hold him!!
The trees were pretty and interesting...
But Hobbs was the cutest!
Do you notice anything different about me?
Erica & Hobbs!  Aren't they so cute.
I promise...Erica's hair always looks good!
This week, we plan to spend Christmas Eve with family & friends.
Mostly with Josh's family...
Josh's brother, Dan, will return home soon.
Which means Erica & Hobbs will go home too.
So, we have to spend as much time with them as possible!
So, Christmas Eve with friends & Josh's family.
Then, Christmas Day with my family...meaning my parents!
This year, both sides of our family are not whole.
We eagerly await Dan's return home.
And we look forward to seeing my brother's family on skype!

We are so blessed!
What are you doing for Christmas?
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Oh Holy Night! 12/07/2011
 
Do you have a favorite Christmas song?
I can't remember what mine was growing up,
but about 4 Christmas' ago, we sang "O Holy Night" in my lil house church.
A lady asked us all to stop and choose the line that really meant the most to us.
"long lay the world in sin and error pining, 'til he appeared and the soul felt its worth!"
This song is so powerful that I can't understand how you can sing it without fully believing it!
So, I had to find a video for you to watch...
Mariah Carey just wouldn't do....the cast of Glee just wouldn't do...
OH, but David Phelps!  He sings this song like he believes it with every fiber of his being!
Skip to 1:25 and watch David belt this out!!
Didn't you just want to jump up at the end with the Gathers and sing with him?
I seriously had tears in my eyes!
Josh from the other room said, "WOW, who is that?  THAT was powerful!"

I wait all year to be able to sing this song without people thinking I'm nuts!
Happy "Oh Holy Night" Season!

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Merry Christmas!
~Kara
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December means decorating and partying!
My house is still not put together from Christmas decorating.
It will be in a few days...I just have a few more things to do.
Before decorating, though, Laura & I met up...she won us tickets...for the BEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR!
Maybe not the best, but the most girly thing I do ALL year!
THE CHRISTMAS GATHERING! 
(I said that in my sing song voice)

I know what you are thinking "the most girly thing you do all year?  
You went to a style blogger conference earlier this year!"
Just go with me...
They say the Christmas Gathering is like Oprah's Favorite Things!
Seriously...and we didn't have to pay for it!
I love decorating, taking pictures, and hosting.
So, this event is so fun for me.
I usually get TONS of ideas for the year from it!
The party hosting portion was my absolute favorite!
For Christmas, I would rather make you a present or
 have you over for dinner to show you how much you mean to my family.
So, the cooler it is...the more detail...the more cuteness...it's all for you!
Merry Christmas!
What is one thing you love doing for your friends or family at Christmas?

Enjoy the Christmas Season!
~Kara
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Its December, I was so happy to see December 1st.
Awhile ago, I shared a bit about my job.
In case you don't remember, here is a short review and why I love December!

I am a volunteer coordinator for a local Gospel Rescue Mission!
The Fall is our busiest time of the year.
In November, my world is turned upside down with preparations for Thanksgiving.
What I love about it is getting to meet tons of new volunteers for the holiday
and reconnect with volunteers I haven't seen in awhile!
I LOVE that part.
Although I love it, it is extremely draining on this introvert!

Here's how I revamp and stay present when its hard!
I get a little goofy!
For most of last week, we had media around capturing Thanksgiving at the Mission!
I was so tempted all week to crack jokes and smart off (in a nice way), but I couldn't. I had to be professional and calm.
So, when the Mission's cameraman was around, I let it out!
But its now December!  
My party month...
I have at least 3 parties planned so far. 
I'm tempted to plan more.
I work hard through Thanksgiving and party thru New Years!

How was your Thanksgiving?

Merry Christmas!!

~Kara
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Purpose 11/16/2011
 
I found some stuff that you guys just HAVE to see!
Seriously, I'm in love!
Buy It!
Buy it!
Buy it!
Why am I showing you these pretty things?  Well, during Orphan Sunday, my mom asked a great question.  "You said we can buy things that support adoptions/orphan care.  How do I find these place?"

Mom, here's my favorite store that you can buy from! :D
These are just a few of my favorites...the jewelry rocks too.
So, go buy with purpose!! 
Noonday Collections!
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Together 11/14/2011
 
Hey hey...its Monday!  
NOT last Monday, but I'm still keeping my Monday word.
So, its been about 3 weeks since our Together 4 Adoption trip!
We haven't done a lot, except work and debrief...and answer friends' questions!
We had to do it quickly, because last Sunday was Orphan Sunday.
Ready to hear about it?
Disclaimer: Before we get into it, I need a disclaimer!   I like to keep things light here.  
I'd much rather share crazy stories about me teasing my niece, Ev, or share about the new outfit I bought!  
But today, I'm going to share about something close to my heart!
So be warned!
Josh and I have talked about adoption since we were dating!  
We've talked about it since we've been married, but not much.
A few months ago, we came across a conference and showed our friends.
We all began taking off work and praying!
We took the whole week off, but Friday was the actual beginning!
I can't remember much of what the general sessions taught.
However, I did learn one over arching lesson!
The good thing is, I think it's the lesson they were trying to get across.
*We love, because Christ first loved us!
*We give, because we were dead in our sin without his gift of life!
*We don't give because other are the "least of these", but because we are the "least of these!"  Without Christ we have nothing!
That was a major part of what I learned.  I've been taught it since I was little, but I don't think the WEIGHT of it hit me until the conference.  Everyday, I work with people that others call "the least of these", but I call them friends and neighbors.  So, it always annoyed me when people said "I want to help the least of these."  I know it comes from Matthew in the Bible, but it always irritated me!  But the fact that WE ALL are the least of these.  We don't give people a hand up...as if we are above others.  Jesus is the only one who gives a hand up.
So, Saturday morning, they started out the morning with The Stewarts' story.  TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE!
Then, we sang "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!"  MORE TEARS!
With that precursor, Bryan Loritts ROCKED the morning General Session.
He challenged us to know our history and drink from the life of William Wilberforce!
Anyone who teaches from the life of William Wilberforce is awesome.
I bought the DVD of his teaching...you can borrow it!
He challenged us to be a generation of William Wilberforces.
TEARS EVEN MORE.  Not just me...Josh and I both were challenged and brought to tears several times that morning!

After Saturday, we went out to a sports bar to watch the Rangers and play darts.
This pictures is the two exhausted (emotionally & physically) people!You are probably wondering what the rest of the conference was about.
I don't remember the rest!
Just kidding I do!  BUT there is too much to share.
Here are a few bloggers who could write it much better than me:

Cate from Gathered from Afar!
Noel Piper
Urban Servant
Dennae from Thankful for Adoption

There is so much more, but those are the main things I learned. 
There IS an orphan crisis...143 million lives strong.
“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” 
― William Wilberforce
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Arizona Vacation 11/06/2011
 
Tonight, Josh and I are sharing with our church about what we learned at Together 4 Adoption!
So, tomorrow I'll give you my debrief.
Until then, I thought I'd show you a few more pictures from our Arizona trip!
We had so much fun!
We shopped a lot, visited a ghost town, relaxed, shopped, 
visited the Grand Canyon, & Sedona!
Oh and we stayed at a retirement home!
I know you are wondering...
Yes, our room came with a walker!
The ghost town!  We couldn't resist touching the cactus...except just the thought of touching it scared Josh.
The Grand Canyon!
Beautiful Sedona!
I'll be back tomorrow with a little about our Together 4 Adoption debrief!
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