The Bright Eyed Brunette

 Happy Monday, friends! Hope you all had a great weekend. Things were pretty good here on the homestead!  Harvest on the Arkansas Grand Prairie Trey was being a good uncle, taking Wrenley for a Ranger ride. Silly girl at church :) Makena and I went to watch The Conjuring 4.  It was so good! Carl and I went to the new houseboat We have such big plans for this little space! He is my BFF! We were able to recharge and are ready for the week ahead! Much Love, Beth

 Life has a way of surprising us--sometimes with joy, other times with challenges we never saw coming. The truth is, none of us knows what tomorrow holds, and at times, that uncertainty can feel heavy. But in the middle of the unknown, there is one thing we can choose: hope. Hope isn't just wishful thinking. When the future feels shaky, hope can sound like a fragile word. But biblical hope is not about crossing our fingers and wishing for the best--it's about anchoring ourselves in the promises of God. Hebrews 6:19 calls hope "an anchor for the soul, firm and secure".  Even when life feels stormy, that anchor keeps us steady. Right now, many farmers are feeling the weight of uncertainty. Lack of profit, export difficulties, and rising costs, have left some wondering how they'll make it. For families who depend on the land, each day brings new worries--will there be enough money to keep going? While there is such concern, in the midst of the struggle, there are sto...

 Happy Hump Day, friends! I want to share one of my favorite recipes. If your family loves taco night, wait until you try this cozy twist--Taco Soup! It's everything you love about tacos (bold flavors, customizable toppings, and kid-approved goodness) but in a hearty, one pot meal that's ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, chilly evenings, or even when you're hosting friends and need something simple but crowd-pleasing. Bonus: it makes great leftovers, which means tomorrow's lunch is already taken care of! Ingredients 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey 1 small onion, diced 1 can corn, drained 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can Rotel 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade) 1 packet ranch seasoning  2-3 cups chicken or beef broth (depending on how thick you like your soup) Instructions In a large pot, brown the ground beef/turkey with the diced onion. Drain any excess grease . Add in the corn,...

 Let's be honest: making friends as an adult can feel harder than parallel parking on a busy street. You're busy. They're busy. Everyone's juggling jobs, families, and about 47 different responsibilities. Suddenly, friendships feel less like "let's hang out" and more like scheduling a doctor's appointment three months in advance.  But here's the thing: God never meant for us to live isolated. He designed us for community. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Translation? We need people who encourage us, challenge us, and walk with us in faith. So why does it feel so awkward? Because friendship in adulthood doesn't just "happen" anymore. It takes intentionality. It means putting yourself out there, and when it feels uncomfortable. It means being brave enough to say, "Hey, want to grab coffee?"-even if it feels like you're asking someone out on a date :) H...

 Well, that's all, folks. That's the (unofficial) end of summer. I'm sure we still have plenty of 90-degree days ahead, but I am officially done with summer! We had a busy weekend here on the homestead. Carl was off a little early on Friday, so we went down to the river to look at a potential houseboat. It is small, but it definitely has potential. Here are a few pictures from that afternoon. We are definitely river people now! Carl had to work on Saturday. We had hoped it would rain enough to at least have Saturday off, but that didn't happen. He was able to make it to Wrenley's birthday party that afternoon though. We celebrated with a mermaid birthday party! She's my favorite little girl in the world. She is sweet and sassy! Someone got her this dress and shoes. She put them on without hesitation. Sunday was our 5th Sunday service at church. That essentially means we are there from 9:45 to 2. We ran a little behind that morning because we had to cook. We had ...

 There is something magical about getting up close to animals, especially when you don't have to travel around the world to do it. Recently, we took a little day trip to the Safari Wild Animal Park and Preserve in Como, Mississippi.  How Wrenley feels about long car rides! Me too, Wren. Me too! As soon as we drove through the gates ducks started coming right up to the car. I was a little concerned that Wrenley would be scared, but she absolutely loved them! She was ready to feed them and boss them around :) We walked through the petting zoo area first. The first animals we saw inside were the goats. Wrenley was a little afraid of the bigger goats because they acted like they were going to jump out of the fence, but she was smitten by the baby goats. She thought they were "so cute". She wasn't scared of feeding them at all. Alpaca My dad went right in and started feeding the birds. They are pretty, but they have unpredictable bowel movements! My mom was like a kid in a...

 Happy Monday, friends! Life has been pretty interesting here on the homestead. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that I just felt off. It started with fatigue and a headache that wouldn't go away, then nausea. I thought it may have been a migraine, so I took a Nurtec (which always helps). It didn't this time. I remember making the comment to Carl that it felt like I did when I was pregnant. Smells made me nauseous and that usually only happens when I'm pregnant. Carlie was here getting Wrenley and handed me the test and said, "Go take it". I told her I didn't want to waste her test, but she insisted. Long story short, I took it, and then we forgot about it. I saw it sitting on the counter after Carlie left.  It was as positive as positive could be. Of course, when I told Carl, he thought I was playing a trick on him. We drove 20 minutes into town at 9 p.m. to get another one (3). All three were positive. We went to bed in shock that night, not really thinking this ...

There's something about the weekends that feel like a breath of fresh air--two short days that somehow manage to hold a whole collection of memories. It was a great weekend here on the homestead, but to be honest, I could have used another day! On Friday, we were supposed to be moving Carlie and Caleb into their new house, but there is no new house now. It turned out (during the final walk-through) that the foundation wasn't in good shape. I don't know why the inspector didn't notice that two weeks ago. I can only explain it as being of God. He was taking care of them, and that was just not the house for them!  But their house is sold. Thankfully, Caleb's parents have offered to have them stay there until they find something, and they know that they can always stay here if they need to. We are continuing to pray that God sends them the right house. Carl and I helped move a few big things on Saturday,  and Carl will help Caleb move the last bit today at lunch. It was...

Happy Friday, friends! We made it through another week here on the homestead. Today, I am linking up with  Andrea  and  Erika  for another Friday Favorites :) This week has flown by! On Monday, Wrenley started her new "school year" at daycare. Even though she is in the same school with a lot of the same kids, she moved up and is now officially in PreK! She has had to adjust to new teachers, but seems to like it so far :) She is BeBe's big girl! 💓💓💓 At the beginning of the week, Carl asked if Makena and I wanted to go with him and Trey put some corn and salt blocks out for the deer. Say less, sir! Of course, our answer was yes :) Our chariot and driver Trey and Maggie Hopefully, our hard work pays off! Also came across this guy. He was around 5 ft. long and had 14 rattlers. Don't ask how I know that 😟 We always have a good time when we hang out with our guys, and that is most certainly a favorite! Watching my girl do her thing at work will always be my favorite!...