April 11, 2016

Finding Lovely Everywhere I Look... a Book Giveaway!


So, if you know me in real life... then chances are really good you know that Mondays are my Introverting Days. 

I plan nothing.

If I am winning the day,
I go nowhere.

I know. Don't be jealous! It's divine!



And add in the glorious return of Sunny Mornings and Patio Time... aahhh - I have come to LOVE Mondays! And I need them! And here's the thing... whether you are an introvert or an extrovert or somehow a little of both... you need yourself some Mondays, too! (Resisting urge to hashtag #treatyoself... #andclearlyIfailed.)

Or whatever day of the week that you can pencil in some down time and create a little space for your soul to breathe!

So this is Monday... and I have been (gasp!) working all day - but it was quiet,-empty-house,-go-at-my-own-pace kind of work. It was creative,-but-under-a-deadline kind of work... which all basically means it was bossy-in-how-I-didn't-get-any-patio-time-out-under-the-beautiful-afternoon-blue-skies kind of work. But lovely, just the same.

Because it was feeding my soul. It is holy work and it is lovely in that it gives me room to fully inhale and slowly exhale and it's work that points me back to Him. And really, that is ultimately what brings real refreshing, right?

So - for fear of shooting myself in the foot come "What I Learned..."-time, when I clearly browse through my Instagram account to remind myself of what I learned... well, I am wanting to do an old school #1000gifts style post... and a new school #LookingForLovely style post because here's the deal:

1. Counting gifts or looking for lovely things that feed my soul cause time to slow just a bit and once you start looking, you just never get used to how much you will find... to how much you may be missing all around you, if you don't slow to look! 


and 2. I ordered extra copies of Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs and it arrives tomorrow and I can't WAIT to get it into a lucky readers' hands!

So - at the risk of quite possibly repeating some of these things at the beginning of May... here are just a few Lovely things that I am finding and capturing from the last week or so...


Here we go...


Lookie... I made Empanada's! They were so good! 
Thanks, Susan, for all your Tasty Tuesday posts!


And with the leftover filling, we made Pizza! 



I mean, come on! Can you EVEN with how flirty Spring is being around here? 


My Honey, who NEVER wears a backwards baseball hat sat down and I snuck this photo and sent it to our girlie because, we are nothing if not Gilmore Girls junkies... 
so of course she responded in kind!

Again, with Springtime and how he keeps wooing me outside!
Sun tea, patio sitting, a new magazine (about patio sitting!),
a new book, barefoot chillin' with the cat,
and a little (or a lot of) Dave Barnes.
Yep. All kinds of Lovely here!

I know? It's starting to feel a little showy-offy to me, too! 

This was Friday... a wide open day set aside
to begin work on a new Spoken Word piece...
A to the Men for fresh flowers, Starbucks, and Coffee Nut M&Ms! 

This was our Friday night spent with friends!
Lovely (delicious) Carne Asada,
bottomless iced tea (ya see what I did there?), and golf!

And this is the adorable Lovely that showed up and showed off on Saturday!
A morning coffee date with friends at an adorable little local bakery...
a visit from Mr. Bentley - as he tried to 'help' in the garden,
delivery of beef for BBQ season from Zaycon,
and a movie night with my Honey at the end of the day! 

Sundays' Lovely featured my new Sari skirt from Darn Good Yarn
and another great day at Dad's House

Sunday evening wrapped up with a walk with my Honey, and this little Lovely,
because when you are empty nesters, no one is the boss of you
and you can have basically ice cream for dinner!
(Georgia Peach flavored froyo topped with
fresh strawberries, mango, and coconut!)

Oh yeah... and then there is this...


I wrote about how much I loved this book from Annie last week! You can read that full review HERE... but all you really need to know is that I loved it so much that even though B&H was kind enough to send me an advanced copy for free - I went ahead and ordered three more copies because it's that good! Chances are really good I will be ordering even more because, as I said before - I can't think of anyone who couldn't benefit from this book! 

What that means for you, sweet reader, is one of those copies is up for the taking!

I know we just had a Giveaway celebrating ten years of blogging but with all this flirty Spring weather, and all the Lovely to be looked for and found... I just can't help myself! So one lucky *U.S. Resident Reader will win your very own copy of Looking for Lovely... 

Enter to win:



P.S.  I'm linking up with these lovely writers:

Kelly Chripczuk  for #SmallWonders 


Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday


Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory











34 comments :

  1. Three lovely things about my Monday:
    Sunshine
    Coffee
    Lovely co-workers

    Thanks for offering the giveaway!

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  2. Having an introvert day is such a great idea! I tend to overbook myself ALL the time, and never truly have time to recharge. I think I need an introvert day!
    Monday was a rough day, so it's a good exercise for me to find 3 lovely things ...
    1. Sweet friends who encourage me in the midst of their own darkness
    2. Resolution to a small, but nagging issue
    3. Seeing God's provision and favor

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    1. I love this, Melissa, because you are so right --it's on those tough days that looking for lovely really does come in handy! It doesn't pollyanna the hard away - but it reminds us that God is near! Praying for you, my friend! xoxo

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  3. Several comments! First, thank you for mentioning those Tasty Tuesdays! Secondly, hubs and I had Gelato for Sonday night supper #emptynestrocks; thirdly, Monday's? I love the day - I do come to work (at home, upstairs) but it's a rather restful kind of day. I don't write on Monday - I might gather and ponder but I don't write. Some Monday lovely: blue NC skies; sit up in bed and watch 3 Fixer Upper's; iced coffee in the afternoon! xo

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  4. Three lovely things ...
    Time with my daughter
    Time with precious ladies at church
    time with awesome husband

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    1. Oh yes... those are three lovely things, indeed! Thanks for stopping by, Amanda!

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  5. I always love visiting, and when I don't, I start feeling the tug for Karrillee's joyful posts..bits of inspiration of the everyday, reminder to slow down and glimpse joyful moments in each day! I love your Monday time..how precious you have a day for soul care..and I always love your photos! Being a visual person, I really sense the beauty in your day, the celebration of the lovely moments!! Annie's book sounds wonderful!

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    1. Aw - You are too sweet, Kathy! Yes... I am a visual person too (obvs!) which is why I am in love with Instagram! You would LOVE Annie's book! Thanks for stopping by and as always, you are welcome any time!

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  6. I love your lovely and understand the need for an introverting day. What a gift you have given yourself. As for Annie Downs!! I love her and her books and would adore getting my hands on a copy of Looking for Lovely. I have not doubt it will bless many.

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    1. Honestly - my Introverting Day is a gift to everyone! LOL! (For real tho!) I am blessed that I am in a season where I can set aside a whole day - but I remember the seasons when that sounded so dreamy and so impossible! I think it's vital to set aside SOME time - even if it's just a ten minute walk or a half hour here or there doing something that feeds your soul! And yes you are right... this book is going to bless many! It already is!

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  7. Well, not I'm craving Mexican food and a Monday! ;) I love to set Mondays aside when I can too. When everyone is back into their routine after the weekend, I can take a day to regroup and yes - do all the introverty stuff that fills my soul. This Monday and next are full on my calendar, so I'm switching it up to Friday and looking forward to the goodness to come. Thanks for sharing all your lovely goodness with us.

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    1. LOL! Well - happy to help, TiffanY! ;) Amen for having a Monday on a Friday! Now that is a great start to a weekend! Praying for you to look for lovely and to slow to Sabbath -on whatever day you can manage! xoxo

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  8. Three lovely things

    Went to work (lots of people don't have a job)
    My son & I went to Cub Scouts
    Got to spend time with my daughter

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    1. Oh Miranda... yes --that is one of the benefits of looking for lovely is finding the blessings that so often get taken for granted! I love this! (Plus Cub Scouts and time with your girlie! NICE!!!)

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  9. Monday was a little crazy - back to work after Spring Break. Let's look at the weekend. My three lovelies ...

    1 - Finishing my first round of 21 Day fix and learning to believe in myself again - also knowing I'm making huge strides in my health.

    2 - Tea with an old friend that I've been out of touch with for over five years. Losing that friendship was so hard. Re-kindling it has been so sweet.

    3 - Family time walking around the neighborhood. We haven't walked together for so long. At it was a beautiful sunset with plenty of light to see everything that's in bloom.

    I haven't been writing or visiting blogs much lately, but I always love your words. Your review makes me want to read this - I need some lovely!

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    1. Hehe... yeah - after Spring Break and all... I sort of guessed you may have skipped back to the weekend! ;) Still - I love your Lovelies... so proud of you for completing 21Day Fix and reconnecting and walking with the fam... so much goodness and grace there! You will LOVE this one by our Annie!

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  10. Oh, Mondays are such difficult days to find lovely. But I like the challenge. :)
    1. Holding my co-worker's baby girl after a hard day at work.

    2. My car needed a new starter (not so lovely), but some awesome church friends came to my rescue. Community is lovely!

    3. $0.99 Snapple. Because, really, it's the little things. :)

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    1. I love this so much Court! Yes - some Mondays ARE a challenge in and of themselves, right? So glad you could find Lovely even there... (which is really sort of the point!) Yay for babies and Snapple and community (boo for car trouble!) Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  11. Oh how I love you friend! Looking for Lovely is one of my lovely things at the moment. Tonight we had church council and the Pastor and I got to excuse ourselves for a little while. So I brought my book along and read. I just tweeted to Annie that I think we are the same person in different bodies. Not everything is the same, but so much of her story is how I felt growing up. What a gift...it does feel like she is sitting across the table from me chatting while we drink chai teas. So much THIS: "Because it was feeding my soul. It is holy work and it is lovely in that it gives me room to fully inhale and slowly exhale and it's work that points me back to Him. And really, that is ultimately what brings real refreshing, right?" And now I am craving froyo friend! Love you!

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    1. I just knew you would love this book... so glad it found its way to you! And amen for FroYo! ;)

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  12. Thanks for hosting this giveaway, Karrilee! I can't *wait* to read this book! Let's see, three lovely things about Monday: homeschooling my kids, accidentally buying myself a new pair of jeans while shopping for my teenage son, and making plans to meet writer friends at the Festival of Faith & Writing this weekend!

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    1. Ooooh Kate! I 'accidentally' do things like that, too!!! ;) And all the feels and excitement for you attending the Festival of Faith and Writing!!!

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  13. I love you and your precious life and I cannot wait to get my hands on Looking for Lovely!

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    1. For you, I would hand deliver it! (If only I could!) xoxo

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  14. What a fun-filled post, Karrilee! Something I really needed today. Mondays are not often lovely, which makes it the perfect day to look for the lovelies! Like, butterflies in the meadow, packages in the mail and pictures of my sweet nephew. Have a blessed week!

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    1. Oh - those ARE three lovely things! Thanks so much for stopping by, June!

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  15. 3 lovely things about Monday:
    1. my baseball team won
    2. My kids took showers without screaming and protesting for hours
    3. Tuesday was date night so it was a full day of anticipation!

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  16. Karrilee, three lovely things about Monday:

    1. Falling at God's feet
    2. Given a true compliment from my administrator
    3. Allowed to carry somebody's heavy burden for them because God placed me there

    (truly Monday was hard, but God's love was very real and lovely)

    I'd love to read Annie's book, if I win. I plan to if I don't, but I know I'll read it sooner if I do. :D

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    1. Good luck, Tammy! I just know you are going to LOVE this book! So glad that even in the Hard of Monday, you were able to find such lovely parts!

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  17. The lovely thing about my day was a friend blessing my little girl by giving her a side pony tail at church, which is a huge deal to a three year old. My girls were so excited about it that I copied the 'do for my six year old when we got home. :-)

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    1. Ah yes... side ponies! So fun! Thanks for stopping by! Here's to another Monday, full of lovely!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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