by Kimberly | Apr 28, 2015 | Arkansas, hearthopejustice
It is so neat to see what the Lord calls your friends to do. Currently, I have friends telling people about Jesus all over the world, including Nepal where the earthquake just happened, in Baltimore, where the riots are happening, and I have a sweet friend who is about to head to South Africa to love on babies who have no parents.
My friend Sarah, from Little Rock, tells a bit of her story:
“I am thrilled to be headed towards South Africa to serve the Lord with 1Hope Ministries International. After spending almost 10 years as a pediatric nurse in Arkansas, I’m excited for this new challenge of spending my days discipling young women to know and love Jesus Christ. I’ll primarily be working with interns in their late teens/early 20s who come from all over the world to volunteer at the Muphamuzi Baby Home, a home for abandoned babies awaiting “forever families.” I’m currently about $20,000 away from my fundraising goal and working to get my house on the market. As soon as funds are raised and my house it sold, it’s off to Africa for me! Can’t wait!
1Hope: http://1hope4africa.com
My Blog: http://1hope4africa.com
You can purchase a
heart.hope.justice print (justice for loving and taking care of orphans) and with each print sold, Sarah gets 10$ toward her remaining funds left to raise. I’m not going to South Africa anytime soon, but want to help support those who are going.
by Kimberly | Oct 13, 2014 | Arkansas, food, The Charming South Kitchen
Another week is here. This one is a big and busy one for us.
We celebrate our little turning ONE! I can’t believe it! I feel like a lifetime has passed in the last year with so much happening in the life of our family.
And the littles and I are heading to Little Rock to follow-up with a nutrition study we were doing and see lots of friends and celebrate his birthday up there. We can’t wait.
Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
Funfetti Pancakes
Baked Breakfast Tacos
Oreo Brownies (for a women’s event on Thursday night)
Spaghetti Casserole (for my mister while we are away.
So, not much going on but plenty in our books. I’m making another cake for the birthday too, so will be sharing pictures of that.
by Kimberly | Sep 7, 2014 | Arkansas, Georgia, Link Love, north carolina, restaurants, Sundays in the South
Since I’ve lived all around the South my entire life, I thought I would share with you just a few of my favorite places in each of the states I’ve lived in. This will definitely give you the travel bug – and I hope you can live it out to the fullest! Enjoy the Around-the-South tour and dream on this Sunday – that God would enable you to see more of the world He created!
Florida: The Sunshine State
Hontoon Island was a relatively new find for me. Traveled there last year. Your littles will love the little ferry ride over to the island. There are also good hiking and biking trails – but most of these trails aren’t conducive to strollers. Moss abounds!
If you are looking for a hole in the wall seafood restaurant – you need to come here. My Dad has ties to the owners and I love their fried grouper sandwich.
The best chicken and yellow rice and cuban bread – EVER. My first trip I remember to this Florida (chain) but staple, was in high school with my Spanish class after going to the Salvadore Dali museum. A must EAT!
And one of my favorite places in the city that I being an adult in – and one that I love and could retire in forever because I love it so – Barnacle Bills. Only thing you ever need to get there is the Datil Shrimp. Enough said.
I attended this private school most of my schooling years (except for half a year). I loved the principal then and my teachers. Some of the ministries I got to be a part of and friendships made still impact my life today.
The college I went to was in the heart of St. Augustine. College for me turned out to be different than I though mostly because we had no football team.
North Carolina: The Tarheel State
Oh, this could be a while. I love it here and consider it home more than any other place I’ve lived. Its where I fell in love with the Word, ministry, college students, the ocean, my husband, and where I became a momma for the first time.
Guglhupfs – best pancakes hands down.
Ketchie Creek Bakery – 5 flavor pound cake – need I say more?
I went to seminary here. The first time I saw the campus I knew I was going to love it there. Arrived on campus 4 months after my initial introduction.
I fell in love with missions, college students, and brooklyn tab while doing ministry at The Summit.
Had my first road trip with my husband and our first random stop was to one of the older cities. Loved it.
Kentucky: The Bluegrass State
I wasn’t here for a long time, and the seminary I worked for became home – and I loved the ability I had at the time to travel all the time and see people and things that I never would have otherwise.
Where I fell in love with Meditteranean food.
Where I grew to love this ministry and all that is stands for. And Dr. Mohler spoke in our Sunday School this morning – and this ministry will have such a vital role in the church in the coming years (maybe even more so than before). Owen and Courtney – you and your teams have my prayers as they always have!
And how I fell in love with gospel centered preaching was by listening mostly to this man at this church.
Arkansas: The Natural State
I was here the briefest and made some really sweet friends. It is also where I fell in love with my second little boy!
ARWB – thank you Stephanie and Debbie and all of you other bloggers. Yall were a great community! Hopefully we will have that in GA soon!
Georgia: The Peach State
I’m growing to love this state more and more. I’ve always had ties to this state and now my husband and boys are here. Lovely combination
This is the church we get to be a part of. Thankful for faithful preaching each week.
This is the bestest place in the state for me. I’ve been going here since I was a kid and get to go with my family in 2 weeks.
And then the islands and Savannah – get me to the ocean!
There you have it. If you have lived in one of these states – what are your favorite things to do, see, eat? Help me out!
by Kimberly | Apr 11, 2014 | Arkansas, creatives
Last night I had the fun privilege to enter through the doors of i o metro in West Little Rock – and be wowed by their new spring line of interior furniture and accessories for any home.
IO Metro hosted me and some of my Arkansas Women Blogger friends to help spread the word of their new spring line. Their line is full of charcoals, grays, navy, cobalt, oranges, tangerines, and aquas. The food was delicious and so were the beverages!
Thank you iometro for hosting us and spoiling us with prizes and giveaways.
For the giveaway – are you ready??? This was my favorite prize they gave away – and I didn’t win it – but I did pick it up to give it away to one blessed reader! You either have to be local – or be willing to pay for shipping – or have it hand delivered. The white bird cage is about 2 feet tall – and beautiful!
This White Bird Cage Candle Holder is so easy to use in every room of your home:
1. Put it in your living room as a statement piece of light with a soft candle flickering in it or some bold flowers to let spring in your home.
2. In your bedroom, you can light a candle to help a night of romantic chilling with your husband.
3. If you use it in your bathroom – make a bath much more enjoyable by putting a soothing candle in it – just adds beauty.
4. If you are hosting ANY type of shower you can put a candle, or flowers, or a show-stopper tower cake or the star cupcake or a tower of cookies in it.
5. Use it when celebrating the birthday of someone you love by setting it in the middle of the table with their dessert cupcake with a flickering candle.
6. Use it on your patio for adding elegance to your next outdoor party!
Creativity flows from everywhere. You don’t have to have everything from the latest magazine – but gather inspiration and look around you – incorporate your creativity into everything!
To enter giveaway:
1. Leave a comment on how you would like to use the white bird cage candle holder.
2. For an extra entry: follow iometro and thekd316 on instagram and leave a comment here telling me you are following both.
(Disclaimer: I was invited to the blogger party as a part of the Arkansas Women Bloggers, and was given the bird cage to giveaway, but was not compensated in anyway for this post. All thoughts are my own. Thank you IOMetro
I will announce winner on Monday morning!
by Kimberly | Mar 16, 2014 | Arkansas, creatives
Bakeries. Just the sight of them makes me want to stop, talk to the folks who run them, and eat their fabulous goodies that adorn their windows. This one is no different. How I came across Sweet Love Bakes was cool. I asked some friends if there was a good place in Little Rock (local, not grocery store or pre-packaged) to get macarons because I wanted them for our Valentine’s dessert. All friends pointed to the same bakery – Sweet Love Bakery which is only miles from our home. 
So, the husband and I went in there, sampled their peanut butter cookie (of course) and took home some French macarons for the dessert the next night. Pink Champagne and Lavender Honey. Oh. My. Gracious. So light, deliciously flavored, and hit the spot. I emailed Kelli right away to see if I could come to take some photos of her bakery and interview her. She was delighted and we made a plan for a couple of weeks ago.
Kelli was hard at work preparing for a weekend full of delicious treats including an anniversary, a birthday, and goodies for the bakery shop. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and for the French macarons and cupcake. They were amazing and the husband loved the cupcake filled with lemon curd! Enjoy getting to know her and if you need any bakery needs here in Little Rock or Central Arkansas, please stop by.
How did you get started in baking?
Kelli has been baking for nearly 10 years and got started doing family baking. She had the opportunity to make a cake for her grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. That’s not intimidating. Her grandparents were thrilled to say that their granddaughter had made their cake. With many other family opportunities, reading, and practice – she was hooked. She loves to create art and knows that it is only temporary – but a temporary meant to be enjoyed – not immortalized!
What inspires your creativity?
She loves following other bakeries/chefs. That will get her creative juices going. Also, different mediums. (That was really interesting to me. So other mediums can inspire your love and creativity in the kitchen too).
What would you say to encourage others in their pursuit?
You really have to pay your dues. Its taken her ten years to get to where she is and she started Sweet Love Bakery two years ago. She wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the demand and business if she had started the bakery 10 years ago (side note: she has her business degree, so that helps in running the bakery). Quality can’t suffer as you grow. Quality has to only improve! When you are ready – it will happen! Be prepared!
What is your favorite creation?
Her polo cake. And that’s also her biggest lesson. Watermark your photographs. (I’ve started doing this because of our conversation.)
What is the hardest part of owning Sweet Love Bakery?
You can’t take things personally. You try your best to get things just right for the customer’s specifications, then let it go. You should always be learning and improving.
What do you think about French Macarons?
They are so time consuming and precise! She has learned about flavorings and colors from making so many of them though!
by Kimberly | Feb 28, 2014 | Arkansas, photo shoot
I got to know Kathie when we took a short road trip down to Fort Worth, Texas for a photography workshop given by Casey and Kristin. It was a fun short trip a year ago this weekend. Meaning…it was missions weekend last year and this year is the missions weekend at our church. How timely!
Last weekend we got to head out to Two Rivers park here in Little Rock, just minutes from our home, on a gorgeous evening about dusk time, and take some photos of her with her love. Thanks Richard and Kathie for letting me share your lives with my readers! It was a joy taking your photos!
