Favorites – WamiesWorld

5 Christmas Gifts I am Loving

Published on January 28, 2019 by Jamie ShugartLeave a comment

My family is great at giving gifts, but my husband is like no one I have ever met before. Not just for me, but for many other people, he is very intuitive and can instinctively pick out things that they will enjoy, just by knowing them. Needless to say, many of the items on my list were gifted to me by Will.

Recommendation: if you don’t know what to give someone as a gift, or you don’t know how to let people know what you want, make a public Amazon wishlist and share it with everyone. You can also encourage others to share their wishlist with you. I have my wishlist set up so that if someone buys me something off my list, it won’t spoil the surprise and it leaves the item on the list for a few weeks once purchased.

All of the items on my list of Christmas gifts I have been loving have been well used and well loved almost every day since they were received. I’ve linked each one to Amazon in case you are interested!

LapGear Designer Lap Desk

This first gift was a very intuitive gift from Will that I hadn’t thought to ask for. I had a lap desk from childhood that I used all of the time. I mean ALL of the time. I left it in our storage unit while we were in Arizona and, as I am sure many of you can guess, it was lost when our unit flooded. I was not expecting Will to get me one for Christmas, but he went beyond that and got one for each of us! Not only has it been incredible for use while blogging and editing photos for photography, but it has also been very beneficial during game nights and the occasional meal on the couch in our bonus room.

He got two of the beige quatrefoil desks, linked above.

Giantex Bedroom Wooden Full Length Mirror

This mirror was on my Amazon wishlist for a while. I got hooked after seeing similar mirrors at the Christmas Tree Shop and on Instagram influencer pages. I was surprised and blessed to find two of them under the tree this year and get to have one in my room and one in our guest room!

After returning from Arizona and losing my cheapo full length mirror in our storage unit fiasco, it has been lovely to finally see my full outfits again. Our girl Blue also enjoys building a relationship with the puppy in the mirror. haha.

Spring Form Pan

My mom came in with the win and got me a spring form pan! It was an awesome surprise, especially because Will and I were able to buy a food processor on Black Friday back in November so that I can make cheesecake. I have already tried them both and made a super delicious chocolate swirl cheesecake that was to die for, even after we accidentally dropped it (crust side down) in the yard.

Land’ End Hooded Squall Winter Jacket

God bless the Lands’ End squall. It is wind proof, waterproof, hooded and fleece lined. I have put this coat to good use, through photoshoots and cold winter days, it has yet to let me down. I took photos of a house in a downpour recently and was completely dry and warm afterwards. Another time I took photos of a house in freezing temperatures and felt nothing but cold hands because I neglected to wear gloves. It is legit, cozy, and absolutely what every adventurer needs on their list. Bonus: Lands’ End has great sales and coupons so you don’t have to pay full price. Like ever.

Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle Cooperative Deck Building Card Game

Last but certainly not least was an awesome gift from my sister and brother-in-law. Will and I had many date nights involving this game and recently beat the seventh game. However, with four players we have yet to get past game two, so we are enjoying the strategy and variables.

It is a deck building card game that includes seven games (just like the seven books/years). There are four heroes (Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville) that must defeat the villains who are trying to gain control of different locations. Each game gets more difficult with different obstacles and abilities being added in each deck.

Next up, I think I may look into getting the expansion, which adds another hero and some other cards and items. Who knew I would love a deck building game? All it took was a Harry Potter theme, I guess.

Have you and your loved ones started using Amazon wishlists yet? It seriously makes gift giving so much easier. Whenever I think of something I need or want during the year, I add it to my list! #LifeHack

Let me know your favorite Christmas gifts you have been loving down in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and don’t forget to join the family and subscribe if you haven’t already.

Until next time,
Jamie out

Our 5 Favorite Things We Did in Arizona

Published on October 29, 2018 by Jamie ShugartLeave a comment

Our four months in southern Arizona are over! We will always have our memories, and I have a couple more blog posts lined up, but our extended honeymoon has come to a close. That being said, we spent much of our time in the desert exploring. Here are our five favorite things we did while in Arizona this summer.

We went on a really long hike

We have already blogged about our Grand Canyon experience, but if you missed it, here are some sunrise photos, and here is the complete story of our hike.

The Grand Canyon has been on my bucket list for a while. It is one of those things that you sit and dream about, like Rome, or the Great Wall of China, or Iceland. It is a destination I was dying to experience. And boy did we experience it.

We got up at three in the morning to drive to the National Park and arrive in time to watch the entire sunrise over the canyon walls. We then spent the next seven hours hiking along the rim. Clearly it was a dream come true for this hike loving, National Park exploring, photography enthusiast couple. The Grand Canyon is so much more than just a giant hole in the ground.

We made reading a priority

Back in North Carolina, life and busyness got in the way. We were often running around and stressed, trying to be at every event, plan a wedding, work 50 or more hours a week, and sleep when we could. Arizona has been much more relaxed and manageable for us. One thing we were able to really enjoy was making reading a priority.

Most nights you will find us reading a good book in bed before turning out the lights. The weekend usually involves at least a few hours of dedicated book time. And the goal has generally been to read one book a month. This is something that I seriously hope we can continue once we get back to North Carolina.

Books I have been reading: the Harry Potter series.

Books Will has been reading: the Inheritance Cycle, “Just Walk Across the Room” by Bill Hybels and “Ghost Soldiers” by Hampton Sides.

We made some friends

I have always said that it is the people that make or break a place. Well the people in Arizona have absolutely made it for us. The community we have experienced, the church family we found, and the friends we made have not only made these four months in the desert so much sweeter, but have made saying goodbye so much harder.

From the movie nights, hiking trips, lunch dates, and hotel breakfasts, we had an absolute blast with everyone.

We toured a mine and ate really good food

On one of our first weekends in Arizona, we visited Bisbee, which you can read about here. We didn’t quite know where to go, where to eat, or what to do. After a few hours in the hot weather, we drove back home. But ever since then, we had a hankering to tour the Bisbee copper mine.

The weekend of Will’s birthday, a couple we met took us to the Queen Mine Tour and followed it with dinner at Cafe Roka. I definitely recommend both things should you ever find yourself in southern Arizona.

We wore our jackets, hard hats, and flashlights in the mines and rode a train to the very back. Our tour guide showed us how miners would drill, what drills they used throughout the years, their dynamite techniques, and other mining habits to include how they went to the restroom. I got to demonstrate for everyone. Who thinks this should be our Christmas card photo this year?

After our tour, we went to the historic district for our reservations at a seriously delicious Cafe Roka. We all ordered the filet on a bed of mashed potatoes and veggies. The starters, salad, soup, sorbet, entree, and dessert sampler platter left nothing wanting. We had a fantastic time and will definitely come back the next time we are in Bisbee. We highly recommend it.

We explored a cave

Our absolute favorite adventure, despite having hiked the Grand Canyon Rim Trail, was exploring a cave in Coronado National Memorial. It was so cool! Caves and caverns are super fascinating, a little scary, and very very fun to explore. This cave in particular was at the end of a short hike up the mountain and was not guided. We climbed down a hill of rocks at the cave mouth (which distinctly reminded me of the movie “Descent,” although I tried not to think about that) and then used our headlamp and flashlight to explore its depths. You can read more about that here.

Will and I are so excited to head back to the east coast and North Carolina! We are seriously looking forward to seeing my family, eating my mom’s cooking, hanging out with our Taco Tuesday crew, and reconnecting with our church fam.

Have you ever been to Arizona? What was your favorite part? If you enjoyed this post, give it a like and don’t forget to join our family by hitting that subscribe button if you haven’t already.

Until next time,
Jamie out

our 5 favorite worship songs

Published on September 3, 2018 by Jamie Shugart2 Comments

As we spend our time in Arizona, we are taking a break away from playing with the worship band at our church back home in North Carolina. Finding new worship songs together (or reconnecting with old ones) has been really special.

When Will listens to music, he listens to the instruments and the melody and very rarely notices anything about the lyrics. I, on the other hand, can stand a simple and predictable melody if the lyrics are powerful and they tell a story or connect with an emotion that I relate to.

Here are our top five worship songs we have been digging recently.

#5: So Will I (100 Billion X) by Hillsong United

This is one of Will’s absolute favorite songs. Personally, I think it has way too many words for a “worship” song, but the message is super powerful and it hits you right in the feels.

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

#4: No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music

“You rescued me and I will stand and sing, I am a child of God.” This song hit me hard a few weeks ago as I struggled through my own inadequacies. Luckily we’ve made some great friends in Arizona and have found a great church (AND WILL IS THE BEST), so those lies that tell me I am unwanted and unloveable are being squashed. I really connect with this slightly old worship song.

PS. To anyone who thinks that marriage will complete you, that’s a lie. Only God can do that.

From my mothers womb
You have chosen me
Love has called my name
I’ve been born again, into a family
Your blood flows through my veins
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God

#3: The Secret Place (Acoustic) by Phil Wickham

Will asks to listen to this song basically every time we’re in the car. He’s having some kind of love moment with it. Phil Wickham is a tremendously talented musician and guitarist and his duet with Madison Cunningham is exquisite.

You are my only hope
You are the Rock on which I stand
You will not let me go
I know that I am safe inside Your hands
In the fading light when night is breaking
I know You will always be waiting
You’ll always be there

#2: You Say by Lauren Daigle

Lauren’s voice is the Adele of the Christian community. Fo real, though. And like I mentioned above, listen to those lyrics. This is a really good song for anyone who is walking through their valley or a difficult season of life.

Your worth does not come from your friends, or your family, or your children, or your significant other. And placing that responsibility on their shoulders is completely unfair. What happens when they have a human moment? Will your self worth and your belief in them shatter in that moment? Or will you put all your hope and trust in something much more solid than the shallow bedrock of feelings? Only truth is solid and unchanging and reliable.

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe, oh I believe
What You say of me

#1: Here in the Presence (Acoustic) by Elevation Worship

From the moment we both heard this song, it has constantly brought Will and I to tears (don’t tell him I told you that). I cannot explain it in my own words as well as the lyrics of this song do for itself. “I know your past is broken // You can move on, it’s over now // Here in the presence of the Lord.” Lay it all at the foot of the cross. He’s got you. You don’t need to carry your burdens any more.

Tired of running, running
Be still and know He’s in control
Here in the presence of the Lord
Pour out your heart before Him
Open your arms He’ll hold you now
Here in the presence of the Lord

Honorable mentions: Do It Again by Elevation Worship and Who You Say I Am by Hillsong Worship.

Should you be interested in our other favorite worship songs, here’s a link to my Spotify playlist.

May you all have blessed weeks.
Love you guys,
Jamie out.

our 4 favorite things in Arizona

Published on August 13, 2018 by Jamie Shugart3 Comments

Happy Monday, friends!

I super love writing favorites posts, because I get to share a little piece of what I have been loving. My standard favorites posts from back in the day (click here for examples) would have me all up in my personal day-to-day, and you know I have been getting down with some T-Swift and Gilmore Girls these days, but what I want to share with you today are four things we have loved the most so far in Arizona!

#1—The food!

My new life goal is to only eat Mexican food for the rest of our time in Arizona.

No but seriously, the tacos are out of this world. My parents grew up in southern California, I have lived in San Diego, and have been to Mexico twice. I am well versed in consuming authentic Mexican food. Any time I move somewhere far away from the border, I get a little sad about leaving the legit carnitas tacos and sopapillas behind!

When Will and I found out we were temporarily relocating to Arizona, the FIRST thing I got excited for was Mexican food. My first taco that I bit into was pork and pineapple and I never ever want to eat anything else ever again.

Okay well… maybe I’ll make an exception for In-N-Out, because their animal style burger satisfies my soul, and I cannot get away with a trip to this iconic California dining experience without one of their chocolate shakes. It may stick to my hips temporarily, but it will live in my heart forever.

#2—The storms

We are dead in the middle of monsoon season, and it is to die for. Every roll of thunder, every crash of lightning, every gust of wind has me running to the window or outside my suite to get a peek at the incredible weather sweeping across the desert valley that we are blessed to call home.

The air quality is so exquisite that as you drive across the plains, you can see the billows of clouds for miles and miles. You can see a rain storm from a great distance because it looks like a great black cloud has been smudged down to earth.

There is lightning almost every day, whether near by or far off, and it slices through the sky and clouds with an incredible ferocity. Unlike Florida’s typical afternoon storms that make you feel like you need to get indoors immediately otherwise you will be drenched and electrocuted, the monsoons here are more of a spectator’s storm. Usually.

#3—The mountains

Mountains vs. Beach.

I PICK MOUNTAINS! Everywhere you go, they are different. Will grew up in a Utah valley and I was born in Nevada, in the shadow of the Carson and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. The desert mountains have their own unique beauty and characteristics that just scream home for us. We both love camping, hiking, national parks, and lakes. Mountains are just home.

There are some great mountains right around us here on the Arizona-Mexico border. We had the blessing to explore Ramsey Canyon a couple weeks ago, but we also have a great mountain right behind our hotel that we love to climb in the evenings at golden hour.

#4—The friendly neighborhood dinosaur

Last but certainly not least, is this dinosaur we discovered one day as we were driving home from Tucson. He lives outside a McDonalds in Benson and we pulled over immediately upon seeing him so that we could introduce ourselves.

According to the internet, this ravenous raptor is not the only prehistoric dino that lives at Arizona McDonalds across the state. Apparently there is a T-Rex at a Tucson location and he has lived there since 1994, shortly after Jurassic Park came out. I definitely think he deserves a visit next time we go to Tucson!

If there’s anything to love about Arizona, it is that the state appears to share my love for dinosaurs.

As Will and I marvel at how fast our time in the desert is slipping by, we are definitely trying to take advantage of this opportunity to explore a new place. There’s so much to love here! If you have been to southern Arizona, let us know what your favorite things are!

If you enjoyed this post, give it a like or leave us a comment about what you would like to see next. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already and we’ll see you next time!

Jamie out.