Favorite Posts from 2014

I can't believe it's almost 2015.
The years just fly by, especially as a mama.
Today I wanted to take a look back of 2014 when it comes to this space.
Maybe you've been coming to my blog for a while now, maybe not.
Here are some favorite posts from this last year.
They may be favorites of my readers or favorites of my own.
Enjoy and I hope you'll stick around for 2015.
I'm sure there will be lots to share!

I love this before we were 5 and then we were five because there's beauty in both times.
We were blessed when we were a family of four,
but then our family grew and we are blessed so much more.
It's so fun to see your family grow and change!

Writing about friendship was something I wrote about a few times in 2014.
This post about losing a friend (and the lessons it taught me) was healing in a way.
Longing for mom friends was a post that a lot of other women could relate to!
I felt less alone knowing that and I think other women did as well!

Reflecting on life that has been painful, but beautiful because it led me here
was a post that was good for me to write. As well my battle with depression.
Other posts when it comes to hard stuff that got a lot of views were my posts about
my struggle in being vulnerable and my story not just being about me.

And so I prayed was a pretty popular post about
praying for the baby stage before Sutton was born.
The prayers I prayed are still be answered today,
I believe, because she's such an easy baby still!

As I head into the new year this post about
struggling as a stay-at-home mom is good for me to read again.
I wrote about how some days I just don't want to be mom,
but how I also want to be more present. It can be such a battle!
Five Ways I'm Not Failing As a Mom is also a good post for me to come back to.
It's so easily to feel like I'm always failing, but that's just not true!

When it comes to being a mama this post
about why I love co-sleeping got a lot of views too!
As well as this post about my kids
not wanting me to be any other mom, but me!

My coffee bar post was a big hit too along with my whole30 posts.
As I look back over these posts I realize that ones that people
were drawn to the most are the more personal ones.
This does my heart good in knowing that it's okay to put stuff out there,
to write from the heart, to be vulnerable.
I hope 2015 brings a whole lot more of that!

Looking Back

This weekend I did some looking back on this blog.
I went back to the very beginning when I started blogging here.
It was after getting married and having our first baby, that I really got into blogging.
It was good for me to look back and remember why I still started writing in this space.
I didn't start blogging for other people, money, ect.
I blogged for me. I blogged to document life. I blogged about my family, our memories.

Looking back I saw...

Braden's first time flying.

How he was always on my hip.

A fun date with my husband!

Question after question about motherhood.

I still have some of the same!

How I promised I wouldn't mess up my kids.

This was a good reminder for me!

These words and how the feeling still comes with every baby.

Time goes so quickly.

Our 1st Anniversary!

Can't believe it's almost been four years!

Family photos of us as a family of three!

Announcing baby number 2

When Mae was born.

And two being hard. 

I could post on and on about all the memories and moments I posted here. 

There's lots of them and I am so glad I shared them in this space.

I'm glad that years down the road I'll have it all to look back on. 

That's why I've blogged for over three years.

And that's why I'll continue to blog. 

As I looked back, I realized I miss documenting. 

I miss posting the little moments or just pictures of my kids growing and changing. 

I'm going to try to do that more because those are the things that are important to me.

Those are the moments that bring me great joy and touch my heart.

They are, after all, the reason I started blogging in the first place. 

Why do you blog?

Has it changed over the years?

Are you happy about that or wish it'd stayed the same?

Three things blogging isn't about

I love to blog. I think it's fun to have my own space that is just for me. 

I've been blogging since before I had my son (not here, elsewhere),

but I don't claim to know everything or much of anything about blogging. 

However, today I wanted to share three things I am certain that I do know! 

This post is for those who are thinking about starting a blog 

or those who maybe are feeling a bit discouraged when it comes to blogging. 

Read on if you want to know three things I believe blogging isn't about! 

Blogging isn't about...

Writing for others. 

I fully believe that writing in this space is for me. 

Do I like that people read it? Yes, of course! 

Do I want people to read it? Yes, of course!

But I don't cater to other people's needs/wants when it comes to this space of mine. 

If you're blogging just for other people then your blog more than likely won't last long. 

You'll burn out and it will be a struggle to find things to blog about. 

Blog for YOU. Write what you want. 

If no ones read it, so what! 

Don't start a blog (or continue to blog) only for others! 

You won't enjoy it that way!

Numbers. 

This kind of goes with the former. 

Don't start a blog in hopes that you'll get thousands of people reading your blog.

It takes time to grow your blog and if it's all about numbers to you, 

then you may end up disappointed.

Again, write for you and if you have a handful of people who love to read your blog 

and follow you, I'd say you're doing pretty good! 

That's what I tell myself anyway! 

I appreciate the people who really do take an interest in this space.

That's more important to me than having 1,000+ followers. 

Making money.

Can you make money blogging? Yes. 

Will you be rolling in the dough? Maybe, but probably not. 

First of all, it takes time to get to the point where you can make some money. 

It also takes work. 

People aren't just going to hand you money (that'd be nice, wouldn't it?). 

Often you have to sign up (or be reached out to) by companies/individuals 

that want to pay for working for them 

and there are often requirements to work for those companies.

You can also give people the option to advertise on your blog to make money,

but again that takes time and effort. 

If you have the time and effort to put into it, great! 

If you don't then that probably isn't the best option.

Which is the reason I don't, because sometimes I barely even have time to blog. 

Doing extra just doesn't work for me currently. 

Now, you might be wondering if I make money blogging since I'm saying all these things.

I make some. A ton? No and I doubt I will because as I said before it takes a lot of time.

I don't blog just to make money, but the companies I do work with 

and the money I do make, is appreciated! 

I'm by no means a blogger who knows it all.
I'm not a blogger who knows everything about blogging,
because boy oh boy is there a lot to go into it!
I am, however, positive that if you're blogging for these three reasons,
then you are blogging for the wrong reasons!

Would you add anything to this list?
Do you agree? Disagree?
Why do you blog?

Roots

This past month I've really been struggling with this space. 

Actually, I've been struggling with social media in general. 

It can take up so much time, when time needs to be spent elsewhere. 

I've been asking myself some hard questions about this blog. 

Should I quit blogging? 

Do my kids get too much exposure on the internet?

Should I make my blog private? 

Or maybe I shouldn't blog as much? 

Truthfully I'm still wrestling with these questions and feeling very unsure. 

I don't think stopping blogging all together is the answer for me. 

I enjoy it too much and its become an important thing in my life. 

However, the other questions, well, I'm just not sure about the answers. 

Especially because of Braden, Maeva and soon Sutton. 

I really started getting into blogging because of them. 

It truly is the reason for this space,

but some times I think about it a lot and start to worry. 

I don't think blogging about your children is a bad thing at all,

but maybe it should be different for us.

Which makes me think maybe this should be a private space. 

I'm not ready for that to be my final choice right now. Maybe later. 

I love sharing my life too much....

with family, friends, and even other bloggers who've become friends.

I also think that maybe, some times...

I write about things that may encourage or share about God. 

Those things are important to me, so I'll do that. 

But it will be different around here. 

This space is going to be more about going back to my roots, 

why I started blogging in the first place. 

My kids and tracking the important things, 

the moments I want to remember, and lots and lots of pictures. 

It is going to be for friends and family who really want to see what's going on. 

It is going to be for me... a space, a journal to write out the important things. 

That's why I started this space, that's what is most important to me. 

It doesn't mean I won't post about other things,

but I want them to be the real things, the life things...

Maybe I'll lose some followers. Maybe that means there will be a lot less posts. 

Maybe that means a lot of the other stuff just falls away. 

I'm really unsure of what it means, so...

I'm going to take it post by post and follow my heart. 

Do you struggle with this ever? 

I feel like I've read about it a lot lately. 

It is a hard balance, for me. 

I know some bloggers are awesome at it, but I'll probably never be that type of blogger! ;)

A new name + design

Notice anything new around here?
Think your at the wrong place?
You aren't! Just yesterday I was KplusJequalsLove.
As great as that name was, it just didn't feel like it fit anymore.
I wanted something more fresh and simple.
I wanted some more me and is there anything more me, than coffee? ;)

As much as I love coffee there is much more in this name.
Coffee clearly is brewed, but I think a lot of things can be.
I think a lot of things can freshly fill up my life and refresh me just like coffee does.
My family, faith, and so much more can do that!

 

This blog name is absolutely what I wanted 

and expresses more of my life and what I want in it.

I want family and faith to be "freshly brewed" every single day in my life.

I want to constantly have those things in my life, I want to be filled up with them. 

I cannot take credit for coming up with this name, however. 

As much as I knew I wanted a new name I struggled to come up with one.
I wanted one with meaning, but could not think of anything at all. 

One day my wonderful friend Kristina told me she dreamed about my blog.

Let me tell you it was a pretty funny image including kangaroos! HA! 

We talked more and she mentioned Freshly Brewed. 

The second I saw those words I knew it was it. 

It was so ME and if you notice are name is sorta, kinda in the title, which adds a little fun! 

Thank you friend, for helping me come up with something amazing! 

The other amazing thing? Look at this design!!! Seriously in love!

I had always been a fan of Erin Lauray's work and I was not a bit disappointed! 

I knew that I wanted a coffee theme, but that was about it. 

I had no idea what that looked like, but Erin totally did! 

She came up with the best design for this space and I couldn't be happier with it. 

Seriously, those little coffee mugs and the coffee ring in the header? LOVE! 

If you need a new design I highly suggest her. 

Thank you so much Erin for being so pleasant to work with and making this space awesome! 

Welcome to my new space friends! Happy Friday! 

 

A thank you + some news

I didn't plan on posting today, but I actually feel like I'm about to burst at the seams. 

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to all the nice comments I received on yesterday's post. 

I was so hesitant to share a part of my life that has caused great pain + has left me feeling judged.

I appreciate it more than words can say. It means so much to my heart. 

God is good in all He does and He has healed me so much!

I hope that my story shows that and is able to help at least one girl or woman somewhere...

I also have some exciting news. Probably more so for me than you. Ha.

If you follow me on twitter or facebook you've probably seen me mention my blog needs a change. 

Mostly, a new name. I've thought about it and thought about it, but came up with nothing. 

Then, the other day a blogging friend of mine mentioned that she'd had a dream about my new name. 

So funny! The more we talked the more ideas she threw out.

I absolutely fell in love with one of her ideas, which will soon be my new name! 

I cannot wait to announce my new name along with a new design that will come next month. 

It's hard to keep it a secret, but I am aiming to! ;)

Happy Thursday! I hope it is a blessed day! 

As a blogger... + favorite reads

I have lots of different things swirling around in my head when it comes to blogging lately.

A few promises I've made to myself, more than anything. 

One promise I've made is to always be kind. I know some of you are blogging thinking, "Obviously..."

But guess what? That definitely isn't how everyone is.

Just pain breaks my heart. 

I've seen so much negativity and flat out mean posts + comments. 

I don't ever want to be that type of blogger or person. That's not who I am. 

If I don't agree with or don't like something I will be kind and respectful.

I will not be mean because that does no good only hurt.
And I don't want to hurt.

My second promise (which is way less serious) is to leave a comment on every blog post I read. 

I want to do this because...

I want other bloggers to know I'm reading their words.

I'm not just scrolling through. 

I want them to know that I appreciate them as bloggers. 

Plus, I know how it feels when I've written a post and no one comments, but I know it's been read. Honestly, I feel kind of lame and like I said/did something wrong. 

Maybe that seems like a silly reason, but I appreciate my readers taking the time to comment. 

It does take time, but it's time worth taking! 

Now, onto posts I've read this week and loved! 

I'm so happy that I decided to dedicate Fridays to sharing my favorite reads.

I've been a blog reading machine this week and I really enjoy it! 

Almost all of these posts somehow involved motherhood. 

Apparently, I just needed to be uplifted this week in that area! Enjoy! 

I am a mom plus - This post by by NapTime Diaries brought something to the surface of my heart. I am more than a mom, even if I'm not sure what I am more of.

To parents of small children  - This is just one of those posts that parents need to read. Definitely one that had me nodding and laughing because it's just so true.

Am I thin enough? - This post made me want to cry because this is where I am. Not feeling thin enough and wondering if I ever will. But here there is truth and kind words spoken.

Become unstuck - I enjoyed this post because it's practical. As mom's we have to take care of ourselves inorder to take care of our children. Here are a few tips on how.

Last Tuesday - Be sure to read this post by Grace from Camp Patton. I laughed multiple times! So funny, this woman!

Breakthroughs - I love how Gina writes. It just flows and fills my soul. It's truth and beauty. I loved this post because of that... she writes about how relationships change, how they aren't always going to be the way we think they should, or how we want them to be. Just read it.

What it means to be a mom for the first time - I love, love, love this guest post over at Gussy Sews by Arianne. Really, there isn't much I can say about it. Her words are just beautiful and brought tears to my eyes.

On the current state of things - You guys really want to go check out this blog! Her writing is real and true to herself. I loved this post (and many more) because I could relate to it. It's about blogging and doing it for herself. It's just a wonderful post!

A toddler activity - Love this activity to do with toddlers from Sunny with A Chance of Sprinkles! So funny and easy! We like both those things over here!

Lately - This post by one of my blogging friends was refreshing to read! It was positive and that is what I loved about it!

I could have posted more, but decided 10 was enough! 

Do you have any favorite posts from this week? 

Do share! 

A lie I've believed

There's something that's been on my heart lately when it comes to blogging.
I write these words not just for myself, but for others as well.
Just I case someone can relate, just incase someone is struggling with the same thing.

There's a lie that I've boughten into when it comes to blogging.
The lie is that I'm not good enough.
I, at times, especially lately have felt that way.
I'm not good enough because I don't have as many followers as her
Or my blog doesn't look professional enough.
I struggle with feeling ordinary and boring.
I've caught myself thinking that a lot lately.
I must be boring because I don't have as many blogging friends as her,
I don't go to all these events,
Or I don't have all these neat topics to write about.
I'm not as good as her because I don't have a professional taking my pictures
or I can't go buy new clothes or the newest gadget whenever my heart desires.
Lies, lies, lies!

I don't know how I came to believe this.
I think it's been building up for a while now,
because the truth is when I started blogging I didn't even care about those things,
at least not the way I seem to now!
Blogging, for me, was never about those things.
It was about writing for me and my family.
It was about keeping an online journal of the life I live and if people wanted to read it, great!
If not, that's fine because this is my life and regardless of what others think of my life, I love it!

More importantly than others thinking I'm enough, Go does!
I know that God loves me.
To Him, I am important, beautiful, and more than enough.
I struggle with feeling at peace in the blogging world and here in this space.
I'm asking Him right now to give me peace here...
with what I have in my life and with my words.
Because peace from God and being thankful for what I have is what really matters to me.

If you struggle with this, please read these words and hold onto them.
You are enough to God. He is the only one you need to please.
Remember that and hold tight to it, friends!

Because life is full

Life has been full of...

Multiple Christmases

Some photo shoots

Husband on vacation

Mommyhood

And other things, I'm sure (My memory fails me at times. I blame mommyhood). 

All of this, is why I haven't been around much. 

I go back and forth on blogging.

Some days I think about just quitting this little blog because it does take a lot.

Other times I think I want to really get into it. 

I don't just blog for others, I blog for me. 

It's something I greatly enjoy doing, but at times it's just another thing, I "need" to do.

I also get discouraged because my blog hasn't grown in a while. 

I often wonder if people even read my words.

When I start feeling that way, I take a break. 

I take a break to remind myself of what's important.

My relationship with God. Being a wife. Being a mother. 

I take a break to remind myself that I write, for myself mostly

My blog isn't the most important thing in the world.

So, I take a break to focus and come back with more passion and creativity. 

I'm back now, feeling more refreshed and wanting to write my heart out more...

Because my heart has a lot to say.

God, Family, and Blogging

I've been struggling with blogging lately. 

I used to blog almost daily, but then I had a newborn + a toddler.

Most of the time it just wasn't possible.

There have been times when I've really missed blogging,

But other times when I've seriously thought about giving it up. 

A while ago I wrote about being addicted to the internet 

And how I feel felt like it took away from things.

I felt like it took away from my time with God, 

focusing on my children and husband, and the apartment. 

That's what the internet does and I feel like for me, it always will be an issue. 

Later I wrote about being on the computer less and I was.

Was I perfect? No. Was I where I wanted to be? No. But it was better.

That's why I've thought about giving up blogging + the guilt.

Part of me feels like I've abandoned my blog & blogging friends.

I don't post as often as I would like or as much as I feel I should. 

I rarely get to read other blogs and if I do, I rarely have time to leave comments.

I hardly ever respond to comments left on my blog. I feel so bad about that!

I tell myself I'll get better, I want to get better!
There never seems to be enough time or coffee! ;) 

I struggle with these feelings, but I also know that life isn't about blogging. 

Life is about living for God and doing what He places on my heart to do. 

There's a lot to learn from God and I am trying to get back to a good place with Him.

Life is about Him and my family.
That's what I'm trying to focus on.

All this to say I'm sorry I haven't been around much.

I'm sorry I don't post often or read your blogs the way I have before!

Gosh, I sure miss reading blogs!

I'm sorry for not commenting or responding to your nice words.

Please know they mean much and warm my heart! They make my day!

All that matters is Him and them

Today I want to write about something that has been on my heart for a while. I've been meaning to write it out, but for some reason, just haven't. I guess maybe because I'm a bit embarrassed by the truth, Or I don't want others to feel like I'm judging them. 

Blogging has changed for me. I mean, its still about writing things out, still about sharing my heart. 

There's one area I've noticed a change in...And its wanting. Wanting more things. I read a ton of blogs, so many that I cannot keep up with them all. I read lots of posts that are heartfelt, inspiring, encouraging, uplifting, but I also read posts about fashion, products, books, blog conferences. 

And those posts... they leave me wanting things. 

I hate that. I'm embarrassed by that. 

I read blogs and at times come away wanting things I didn't know I wanted until I read that post. 

I get on twitter and see tweets about things people just bought or want. 

I see the same on pinterest and even facebook at times. 

And all those posts leave me wanting more than I have. 

They leave me feeling ungrateful for what I do have. 

They leave me wishing I had more money.
At times it causes me to spend more than I should.

I hate that. I cringe at that. 

I guess its one of the reasons I haven't been keeping up with blogs as much as I used to.
I don't get on blogger to read blogs the way I used to. 

Because I don't want to be ungrateful. Because I don't need more. 

Because I don't need to spend money that we don't have. 

Because I just don't like the feeling of wanting. 

Because things really don't matter. 

The bank account may never be huge and I'm okay with that because money isn't really what matters. 

What matters most is God and my family. 

Really I don't need anything more than that.

Give me Jesus and give me my husband and babies and all is right in the world.

That's all I want, that's all I need.

Is this a struggle for anyone else? How do you deal with it, if it is? 

Your worth is in Jesus, not the internet

on pinterest found via one step beyond the horizon

There's something that bugs me about blogging.
I've written about it before, but once again it's pressing on my heart.
Maybe somebody needs to hear it or maybe its the fact that I need to remind myself.

At times blogging feels a whole lot like a popularity contest.
Actually, all of social media seems that way.
I'm cool because...I have this many friends on facebook, this many people follow me on twitter and instagram, this many people follow my blog, and I'm friends with so and on on the internet.

I don't mean to downplay these things because I think social media great. Facebook is a great way to stay connected with friends and family. Twitter and instagram are fun. I really enjoy blogging and I know that to some people it is more than a hobby, it is a career. I also know that some have made some of the closest friends via the internet. Like I said, all these things are great, a fun part of life, BUT THEY AREN'T ALL OF LIFE.

I do enjoy all these things, BUT THEY AREN'T WHERE MY WORTH IS. I hope people know that and feel it. Yes, I love that people actually read my blog, but if no one did, so what? I write for me. If someone reads it and likes what I have to say, great. If they don't, well that's fine too.

My worth is not found in that.
My worth is not found in adding another friend on facebook.
My worth is not found in how many people respond to me on twitter or retweet things I write.
My worth is not found in how many people follow me on instagram.
My worth is not found in how many people read my blog or in blog comments.
My worth is not found in who I'm friends with.
My worth is not found in any of these things.

My worth is found in God.
That's where it all is.
That's the only place it needs to be.
I hope you know this to. If you're struggling with feeling like those things have to be perfect, feeling as if those things are what make you worth something, know those things aren't true.
Nothing is perfect. No matter how hard you try, it won't be. It's not suppose to be because the only thing that will fill you with satisfaction is Jesus. Look to Him and let all else fall aways.

What life is and isn't about

Sometimes social networking gets to me. 

It really sucks me in and I spend far too much time on blogger, twitter, facebook, and pinterest. 

I am thankful for these sites because they do keep me connected with friends or the blogging world, but other times they can bring me down. 

This is especially true about blogging. To me blogging was never really about posting everyday, how many followers I was going to acquire, or about who I'd become friends with in the blogging community. Yet, it has easily become that and I am not happy about that. 

I don't need to post everyday, but when my heart wants to write or share. 

I don't need to have a ton of followers because that isn't why I started blogging. I write for me. 

I don't need to be friends with so and so. I am thankful for the friends I have met and would love to meet more people, but these things... that's not what life is about. 

I won't be defined though social networking. My blog or twitter or whatever isn't who I am.
Yes, I share pieces of myself in those places, but what defines me is God. 

God knows my heart...He is who its important to share all things with.

I may not have a ton of blog followers or friends via the net, but God loves me.

That is what defines me. That is what life is about. 

Life is also about being a good wife and mother. Its about loving people and growing. 

I don't ever want to lose sight of those things.

On taking a break

I'm back from a blogging break and thats what I want to write about today!

Sometimes I need to take breaks from blogging and social networking as a whole.
I'm not always very good at it because I do enjoy it and it tends to suck me in. 

I get tired of it, though because it feels like it takes a lot of work.

Thinking about what to write, having pictures, editing pictures, and getting my words right.

I find myself, often, thinking, "Oh, I could blog about this!" 

I am glad that I have things in my life I want to blog about, but I don't want to think about what to blog in my life more than I live my life! Know what I mean?

I've also realized that I have the type of personality that lets other things get in the way of other things I should be doing! I think that I've let that happen with blogging (it used to be facebook, but I gave that up for multiple reasons).  Honestly, I don't know how other wives and mothers do it -- they work, take care of their home and family, have a relationship with God, AND blog... plus a string of other things. Its a lot of work and I see some amazing women out there doing all these things. I realized the other morning (when I decided to take a break) that I needed to stop and do other things.

I needed to stop and play ball with my son.

I needed to stop and clean.

I needed to stop and pray.

I needed to stop and enjoy time with my husband. 

I needed to stop and do something else.

I just needed to stop and be away from the computer for a bit. 

I didn't do as well as I wanted to, but it was nice to not have to focus so much on my blog, twitter, or whatever else I get sucked into on this little thing we call the computer all day! I want this to be a goal of mine...to not sit on the computer all day long because as much as I love social networking, I do have a real life to live!

Happy Sunday friends!