driving on a summer night with the windows down, taking in deep breaths.

borrowing my aunt Wendy's hair binder.  Something about borrowing those thick hair binders, I just love.  I feel like it's a friendship bracelet or something (:  I'm dorky, but when my friend, Angela, lent me one of hers, I wore it as a bracelet every day!

sunny nights when it feels like everyone around you is on vacation or something.

quiche at cute restaurants

noticing each other's quirks

being at my Grandma & Grandpa's house late.. well, really all the time, but late at night especially, just because of the lights & familiar smell.. even if it's just quick to grab something, it feels like home.  And Grandma & Grandpa will both ask about your night (:

Being told to drive carefully by Grandma & Grandpa, and later by aunt Wendy (:

people watching.  Gosh, people are pretty fascinating.

Taylor, Emily, & Wendy.. cousins & aunt, but also dear friends, too (:

^^the scene in the above picture, because it was taken tonight in a happy summer place (:^^

I have a zit. 
A honkin huge,
red,
swollen,
ugly
ZIT. 
and it's right there on my lip.  And it hurts like the dickens.  And it's hard to cover up.
It's a problem.

haha and the reason I tell you all about this little personal problem that should probably have been kept personal (:, is because today, after work, my aunt Wendy called me while I was driving home and asked how my zit is doing (:
And she had me on speaker phone with my cousins and aunt Kathy and they all interjected their advice about how to take care of it and what to do about it and told me about their own zit stories.

this made me really happy, because I just love them all a real lot!  Their sympathy and excessive suggestions about my zit just really warmed my heart.  They love me! (:

Oh, this family of mine!  This crazy, wonderful family of mine.  How glad I am to have you as mine!
Thanks for that funny moment.

We eat pretty darn well at the Speich house.  For this I am oh-so-grateful.  My parents really aren't into "crap" (: (processed foods) and I'm learning so much from them.  But this summer, my dad' s signature creation is kind of an imitation "Lara" bar, if you've heard of them.  We seem to always keep refilling our stock, almost on a weekly basis because they're just so de-lish and we can't seem to get enough of them around here!  I was wary of them at first because the dates imitated raisins a little too much and I despise raisins, but now even I can't get enough of em! (: They're really good for you, too.  So if you're looking to eat healthier, are bored this summer, or what have you, you definitely gotta try these bad boys!

Here's what you'll need:
Lindt's 3.5 oz. 90% cocoa dark chocolate bar
unsalted raw almonds - 2 cups
coconut flakes, unsweetened - 1/4  c.
flaxseed, ground - 1 tbs
fresh dates - 16  oz.
unsalted almond butter - 2 tbs

* it is recommended to add your choice of additional flavor
to the dates mixture; goji berries, dried blueberry, or dried
cherries.* mmm!

First, you'll need to remove the cores from the dates.  This is easily done with a spoon.  Set the dates aside.

Then in a food processor, chop chocolate, almonds, coconut flakes, and flaxseed, until evenly ground, but not too fine.  Once chopped, divide the mixture into two separate bowls

^^^Put half of the chocolate-almond-coconut-flaxseed mix back into the food processor, now adding 1 tbs  peanut butter and 1/2 of the dates (8  oz.).  Chop until evenly blended, but not too fine. Put mixture on a wax paper  lined cookie sheet. Set aside.

Take the other half of the chocolate-almond-coconut-flaxseed mix and put it in the food processor.  Add the other tbs of peanut butter and half of the remaining dates (8 oz.).  Chop until evenly blended, but not too fine.  Add this  mixture to the other half on the lined cookie sheet. 
(Doing this one half at a time prevents the mixture from clumping and thus not blending evenly.)

Place flattened mixture in freezer for an hour or so to allow it to firm up.

With wax paper still over the top, cut into bar size pieces.

Store bars in tupperware in layers with wax paper separating each layer so the bars don't stick to each other. Store in  freezer to keep bars firm.

Makes about 20 bars.

haha, oh, Dad!

A couple of days ago, my dear friends Angela, Marissa, and Trent stayed at my house for the night before they went to go serve Jesus around the world. (I feel like I always say "dear friends," but gosh, I just don't know how else to put it! ha, they really are SO DEAR to me! ...but I'll work on trying to find a new phrase haha).  Trent and Marissa are going to Kolkata, India, and Ang is going to Mexico City. 

I was surprised at how refreshed my heart was by their presence and love.  Sharing a meal with them, talking with them about their trips, watching the way they interact with my family and each other, watching the light in their eyes as they express genuine contentedness... it's Jesus.  They make me want to love Jesus more, because of the way they live.  I really don't know how else to say it.  They are making Him known.

Three of the most beautiful souls I know, changing the world with their love for God.

Yesterday, my little sister Sidney and I watched Harry Potter (Deathly Hallows Part II, obvi. (;) and at one point while we were watching, I looked at my sister and realized woah.. she's thirteen...
almost fourteen. 
I think I forgot that.  My Noomsie baby is really growing up. 
Of course, I got really sentimental and later looked through some old pictures and found a couple from her at Christmas about eight years ago.  She's such a beautiful person.  I love Sidney.  I'm so proud of who she is. 

^^^I took this one last summer.  Whatta beauty.  I'm so thankful this beautiful soul was placed in my family.

There are certain moments in my life that I know I want to hold on to forever and ever.  Moments that are just really special to me that I hold really close.
One of them is that day when my family drove to Eau Claire to drop me off for the first time, two years ago.  As we were driving, I looked in the rearview mirror from the backseat and saw my dad, who was in the driver's seat, crying.  I had only visibly seen my dad cry one other time in my life and it was from a distance; the other time was on the phone, so this moment was really impactful.  I love my dad... a whole lot.
I see Jesus through him,  and the way he loves me, my sisters, my mom, and other people.  He has taught me so much about loving people.
He is a good man.. the best one I know and I am so thankful for him.. on Father's Day, and every day, too.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Seriously, it's my favorite.  I love watching the youtube compilations of funny clips because it's hard to find the full episodes without paying anything,
but you guys, I seriously giggle to myself watching them.. they are SO FUNNY!
Uncle Phil fat jokes, Will's relationship with Carlton, and any of the dancing that goes on in this show are my favorite...
But I also appreciate the deep real-life moments that happen, too.
..one of the greatest shows of all time, I would say.

So, this crazy weird thing happens to me when I wake up in the morning and see sun...
I freak out.  I do a little happy dance in my head and it makes me just want to cry.  haha I just don't quite know what it is about that glorious sun, but I'll tell ya what, I am one very very HAPPY camper today!

Thanks, God.  You know what gets to my heart.

Some happy songs for your morning, too. (:

*and we are soaked in all the grace that we've been given, unchained from all that we have done.
Your mercy's rising like the sun on the horizon, we're coming home.*