diff --git a/src/eval.rs b/src/eval.rs
index ca71fed..9d4594b 100644
--- a/src/eval.rs
+++ b/src/eval.rs
@@ -30,10 +30,107 @@ pub fn eval(
     vars: Rc<RefCell<VTable>>,
     funcs: Rc<RefCell<FTable>>,
     sym_loose: bool
-) -> Result<Ast, String> {
-    eval_inner(ast, vars, funcs, sym_loose, true)
+) -> Result<Ctr, String> {
+    let mut car = ast.borrow().clone().car;
+    let mut cdr = ast.borrow().clone().cdr;
+    let ret = new_ast(Ctr::None, Ctr::None);
+    let mut iter = ret.clone();
+
+    // doing an initial variable check here allows us
+    // to find functions passed in as variables
+    if let Ctr::Symbol(ref tok) = car {
+        if let Some(val) = vars.borrow().get(tok) {
+            car = (**val).clone();
+        }
+    }
+
+    // another check to detect if we may have a function call
+    if let Ctr::Symbol(ref tok) = car {
+        if let Ctr::Seg(ast) = cdr {
+            if let Some(func) = funcs.borrow().get(tok) {
+                return func_call(func.clone(), ast.clone(), vars.clone(), funcs.clone())
+            } else {
+                return Err(format!("Couldnt find function: {}.", tok))
+            }
+        } else {
+            return Err(format!("Arguments to function not a list!"))
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut none = false;
+    while !none {
+        match car {
+            // if LIST: call eval inner on it with first_item=true
+            Ctr::Seg(ref inner) => {
+                match eval(inner.clone(), vars.clone(), funcs.clone(), sym_loose) {
+                    Ok(res) => (*iter).borrow_mut().car = res,
+                    Err(e) => return Err(format!("Evaluation error: {}", e))
+                }
+            },
+
+            // if SYMBOL: unwrap naively
+            Ctr::Symbol(ref tok) => {
+                if let Some(val) = vars.borrow().get(&tok.clone()) {
+                    (*iter).borrow_mut().car = (**val).clone();
+                } else if sym_loose {
+                    (*iter).borrow_mut().car = Ctr::Symbol(tok.to_string());
+                } else {
+                    return Err(format!("Undefined variable: {}", tok))
+                }
+            },
+
+            // if OTHER: clone and set
+            _ => {
+                (*iter).borrow_mut().car = car.clone();
+            }
+        }
+
+        match cdr {
+            // if SYMBOL: unwrap naively, then end
+            Ctr::Symbol(ref tok) => {
+                if let Some(val) = vars.borrow().get(&tok.clone()) {
+                    (*iter).borrow_mut().car = (**val).clone();
+                } else if sym_loose {
+                    (*iter).borrow_mut().car = Ctr::Symbol(tok.to_string());
+                } else {
+                    return Err(format!("Undefined variable: {}", tok))
+                }
+
+                none = true;
+            },
+
+            // if LIST:
+            //    - iter.cdr = new_ast(None, None)
+            //    - iter = iter.cdr
+            //    - car = cdr.car
+            //    - cdr = cdr.cdr
+            //    - LOOP
+            Ctr::Seg(next) => {
+                let n = new_ast(Ctr::None, Ctr::None);
+                iter.borrow_mut().cdr = Ctr::Seg(n.clone());
+                iter = n;
+                car = next.borrow().clone().car;
+                cdr = next.borrow().clone().cdr;
+            }
+
+            // if OTHER: clone and set, and then end
+            _ => {
+                (*iter).borrow_mut().cdr = cdr.clone();
+                none = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Ctr::None = car {
+            if let Ctr::None = cdr {
+                none = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return Ok(Ctr::Seg(ret))
 }
 
+/*
 fn eval_inner(
     ast: Ast,
     vars: Rc<RefCell<VTable>>,
@@ -54,6 +151,8 @@ fn eval_inner(
     let res_car;
     let res_cdr;
 
+    // Handle Function Case
+
     match process_ctr(
         ast.borrow().clone().car,
         vars.clone(),
@@ -113,8 +212,10 @@ fn process_ctr(
 
     match ctr.clone() {
         Ctr::Symbol(token) => {
+            print!("[+] Detected Symbol: {}\n", token);
             let mut tok = token;
             if let Some(s) = vars.borrow().get(&tok) {
+                print!("[+] Found symbol value\n");
 
                 // is function, or variable alias?
                 let mut pass = false;
@@ -141,12 +242,15 @@ fn process_ctr(
             if first_item {
                 if let Some(f) = funcs.borrow().get(&tok) {
                     if let Ctr::Seg(args) = rest {
+                        print!("[+] Calling function: {}\n", tok);
                         match func_call(f.clone(), args, vars.clone(), funcs.clone()) {
-                            Ok(a) => return Ok(a.clone()),
+                            Ok(a) => {
+                                print!("[+] Function Call Result: {:#?}\n", a);
+                                return Ok(a.clone())
+                            },
                             Err(s) => return Err(s)
                         }
                     } else {
-                        println!("AC::: {:?}\n", rest);
                         return Err("evaluation: args to function not a list".to_string())
                     }
                 } else {
@@ -160,7 +264,7 @@ fn process_ctr(
         },
         Ctr::Seg(tree) => {
             // if list is_car then we need to set first_item to true
-            match eval_inner(tree, vars, funcs, sym_loose, is_car && first_item) {
+            match eval_inner(tree, vars, funcs, sym_loose, is_car) {
                 Ok(ast) => {
                     Ok(Ctr::Seg(ast))
                 },
@@ -172,3 +276,4 @@ fn process_ctr(
         _ => Ok(ctr.clone())
     }
 }
+*/
diff --git a/src/func.rs b/src/func.rs
index 331b013..94d522a 100644
--- a/src/func.rs
+++ b/src/func.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,13 @@ pub fn func_call(
     let mut n_args: Ast = args.clone();
     if !called_func.eval_lazy {
         match eval(args, vars.clone(), funcs.clone(), called_func.loose_syms) {
-            Ok(rc_seg) => n_args = rc_seg.clone(),
+            Ok(rc_seg) => {
+                if let Ctr::Seg(ast) = rc_seg {
+                    n_args = ast
+                } else {
+                    return Err("Panicking: eval returned not a list for function args.".to_string())
+                }
+            },
             Err(s) => return Err(
                 format!(
                     "error evaluating args to {}: {}",
@@ -166,15 +172,32 @@ pub fn func_call(
                 );
             }
 
-            let result = eval(f.ast.clone(), vars.clone(), funcs, called_func.loose_syms);
+            let mut result = Ctr::None;
+            let mut iterate = f.ast.clone();
+            loop {
+                if let Ctr::Seg(ast) = iterate.borrow().clone().car {
+                    match eval(ast, vars.clone(), funcs.clone(), called_func.loose_syms) {
+                        Ok(ctr) => {
+                            if let Ctr::Seg(ast) = ctr {
+                                result = ast.borrow().clone().car;
+                            }
+                        },
+                        Err(e) => return Err(e)
+                    }
+                }
+
+                match iterate.clone().borrow().clone().cdr {
+                    Ctr::Seg(next) => iterate = next.clone(),
+                    Ctr::None => break,
+                    _ => panic!("function body not in standard form!")
+                }
+            }
+            
             for n in 0..f.arg_syms.len() {
                 vars.borrow_mut().remove(&f.arg_syms[n].clone());
             }
 
-            match result {
-                Ok(r) => Ok(r.borrow().clone().car),
-                Err(e) => Err(e)
-            }
+            return Ok(result)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_eval.rs b/tests/test_eval.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93033ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_eval.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+mod func_tests {
+    use std::rc::Rc;
+    use std::cell::RefCell;
+    use relish::ast::{Ctr, Function, Operation, ExternalOperation};
+    use relish::ast::{new_ast, lex, eval, VTable, FTable, ast_to_string};
+    use relish::ast::{func_declare, Args};
+
+    // TODO: write generalized testing routine on top of list of inputs
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_singlet() {
+        let test_doc = "(1)".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc.clone()) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced) => {
+                        if let Ctr::Seg(reduced_ast) = reduced {
+                            assert_eq!(ast_to_string(reduced_ast), test_doc)
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_embedded_lists_no_funcs() {
+        let test_doc = "(1 (1 2 3 4 5) 5)".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc.clone()) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced) => {
+                        if let Ctr::Seg(reduced_ast) = reduced {
+                            assert_eq!(ast_to_string(reduced_ast), test_doc)
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_function_call() {
+        let test_doc = "('one' (echo 'unwrap_me'))".to_string();
+        let output = "('one' 'unwrap_me')";
+        let test_external_func: Function = Function{
+            name: String::from("echo"),
+            loose_syms: false,
+            eval_lazy: false,
+            args: Args::Lazy(1),
+            function: Operation::External(
+                ExternalOperation{
+                    arg_syms: vec!["input".to_string()],
+                    ast: new_ast(Ctr::Seg(new_ast(Ctr::Symbol("input".to_string()), Ctr::None)), Ctr::None)
+                }
+            )
+        };
+
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+        if let Some(s) = func_declare(ft.clone(),
+                                      Rc::new(RefCell::new(test_external_func))) {
+            print!("Error declaring external func: {}", s);
+            assert!(false);
+        }
+
+        match lex(test_doc) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced) => {
+                        if let Ctr::Seg(reduced_ast) = reduced {
+                            let out_doc = ast_to_string(reduced_ast);
+                            if out_doc != output {
+                                print!("Erroneous output: {}\n", out_doc);
+                                assert!(false)
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /*
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_embedded_func_calls() {
+        let test_doc = "1".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced_ast) => {
+                        // write tests here
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_bad_vars() {
+        let test_doc = "1".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced_ast) => {
+                        // write tests here
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_bad_func() {
+        let test_doc = "1".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced_ast) => {
+                        // write tests here
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_verify_all_elems_cloned() {
+        let test_doc = "1".to_string();
+        let ft = Rc::new(RefCell::new(FTable::new()));
+        let vt = Rc::new(RefCell::new(VTable::new()));
+
+        match lex(test_doc) {
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Lexing error: {}\n", e);
+                assert!(false)
+            },
+
+            Ok(initial_ast) => {
+                match eval(initial_ast.clone(), vt.clone(), ft.clone(), false) {
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        println!("Evaluation error: {}\n", e);
+                        assert!(false)
+                    },
+
+                    Ok(reduced_ast) => {
+                        // write tests here
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }*/
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_func.rs b/tests/test_func.rs
index 736d1dd..611ebac 100644
--- a/tests/test_func.rs
+++ b/tests/test_func.rs
@@ -352,6 +352,36 @@ mod func_tests {
         }
     }
      */
+
+    #[test]
+    fn eval_lazy_func_call() {
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sym_loose_func_call() {
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn too_many_args() {
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn not_enough_args() {
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bad_eval_arg() {
+
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bad_eval_fn_body() {
+
+    }
 }
 
 /* TESTING TODO: