The Way We Are

Judah

2012-01-06T11:56:00.004-06:00

So, it's been about half a year since I've posted. And the last time I wrote, I let everybody know that we were expecting our second baby. And since that time, our little one has arrived. Already seven weeks old - here is our precious Judah Nicholas.

Judah - One who praises God

Nicholas - Victory of the people

We are blessed beyond measure with the gift of this little boy - we love him to distraction and are excited to see him grow.

I also thought you might like to see a picture of Elijah with his little brother - he loves his baby so much!

Life is definitely crazy busy taking care of my two boys, but I am loving every moment! Hopefully I can share more with you here. There are no promises here, and no guarantees, but I will attempt to post when I can!

Another Chapter...But How?

2011-06-23T09:20:00.003-05:00

Is it okay that I'm just going to sit down and write out some thoughts? I know it's been almost a year, and I'm okay with that. But there are some things on my mind, and I figure, why not put them here?

I am trying to wrap my mind around the idea of time. How is it that almost two years have passed since we first met our Elijah? How is it that well over two years has passed since I first sat down here and shared that we were expecting a baby. And I shared pregnancy tales and thoughts, and dreamed about meeting my little one. And now, in six days, he'll be two. A two year old boy. Who loves trouble, and adventure, and fun, and excitement, and mischief. Who loves to laugh, and hug, and run, and play, and wrestle, and jump, and swim, and color, and sing, and dance, and read. Elijah is full of life, and joy, and laughter, and love. He far outweighs any expectations I had of raising a child. He is our little love. And I just cannot believe he's two. So still...I cannot wrap my mind around the idea of time. Where has it gone? How does it pass so quickly? How do I try and dig deeper into time, and try and saturate myself with it? To appreciate every moment? It just goes too quickly.

How is it possible that after what seems like only months, we have a two year old, and another little one on the way? In less than six months, we will go from a family of three, to a family of four. Isn't that amazing? Elijah will take on the new role of big brother, and Nick and I will be parents of two. It's amazing and unbelievable. All we can say is "thank you, Lord, for another blessing." I don't know how the time passed right before our eyes,, and I can't explain why...but our life is marching on, and it's full of wonderful things.

Happy Birthday, to my almost-two-year-old boy. I love you Elijah, deeply and fiercely. And to our new little one...we love you to distraction and are very much looking forward to meeting you!

One

2010-06-29T23:52:00.002-05:00

Our baby boy turned one today. I can't believe it. I'm full of joy and amazement at the wonderful little person he's becoming. I'm in disbelief that an entire year has come and gone already. All I can say is - I have loved every minute of it. And I'm certainly looking forward to the next...and the next...and the next... Happy Birthday, my little man. I love you a million baby kisses and cuddles.

2010-04-07T14:09:00.005-05:00

Our son is 9 months old. How did that happen you ask? Well to be honest...I do not know. Apparently, what I've been told is, there are 12 months in a year. And every 4 weeks, another month passes. And I guess, 4 weeks have passed 9 times already. But I can't believe it. There has to be some mistake. Right? There's just no way that I can have a 9 month old son...

But I guess...when Elijah warms my heart the way he does...I find I am just loving 9 months...

my cup runneth over

2010-02-01T00:10:00.005-06:00

Hello? Hemmpph (clearing throat.) Crack, crack (knuckles cracking.) Tap tap...this thing on? Hello? Hello. Hi. Yep. That's right. I'm here. I'm here! Oh and let me tell you - it feels so good to be here. Here - sitting at the computer, clicking and clacking at the keys, staring at the bright screen, anticipating the completed post. It feels great! I've missed it. I have. I really have. But let me tell you, in the...few months I've been away, I've been having a really wonderful time. I can't apologize to you for not being here, but I've missed you just the same. I've missed the great blogosphere. So many days ideas for a post fly into my head, and I think "I've got to sit down and write!" But something comes up and another day passes. And then another. And another. Until I find myself in today, at midnight, sitting down, with nothing to do but tap out my rambling babbling exhausted thoughts.

I love different. But, different is...different. Meals aren't the perfectly planned out and executed productions they used to be. Meals happen when they happen. And life moves on. The dust may collect a bit longer than it used to. Life moves on. The laundry still gets cleaned, but maybe not folded and put away quite as quickly. And life moves on. And I love it. I love the crazy chaotic undetermined perfectly irregular days that we have. Because in those crazy days, we experience Elijah. In his beautiful quirky cuteness.

Elijah is growing. And watching him grow is one of the biggest adventures and pleasures I've ever experienced. Watching him learn to recognize my voice and my face, and watching his eyes light up when you enter a room. Watching him drool and chew and slobber to work in that first perfectly tiny and perfectly cute bottom front tooth. Watching him sit in his highchair and take his first bite of cereal, and quickly proceed to spit it back out. Watching him try and try and try try again to roll over to reach his little buddy, the very hungry caterpillar. Watching him perfect his jumping in his jumper.

Watching him laugh and giggle and cuddle with his daddy.

Our baby is growing. He's growing right up in front of our eyes - and I'm loving every single big and tiny moment of it. The past 7 months have been fascinating to say the least. Elijah captures my heart with every coo, every smile, every yelp, every whimper, every sleepy sigh.

My cup runneth over, again and again...and with very good reason. Don't you agree?

The Way We Are in Randomography

2009-11-04T21:33:00.008-06:00

Pictures...2 Parts

2009-09-04T12:54:00.009-05:00

Part One - Elijah
By request, I am going to keep this post to mostly pictures. I have many pictures from the past couple of weeks. The story they tell - in their randomness, is our sweet baby, and how ridiculously fast he's growing. And also, of course...how ridiculously cute he is! So there really is no rhyme or reason here...just ridiculously cute pictures!

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Part Two - Grace

Grace is a sweet little friend of Elijah's. She's also the daughter of some friends of ours - Craig and Chanelle. Grace was born in February, so she's 5 months ahead of Elijah, but we can tell - they're already the best of friends :) Grace is a sweetheart, and one night when Grace was over I was able to get some really adorable pictures of her. Grace is able focus on Elijah and she wants to play with him...Elijah at this point, just kind of lays there. Just give him some time... :) Nick likes to call Gracie Elijah's little girlfriend. You can see why...she's absolutely adorable!

7 Weeks

2009-08-18T17:35:00.004-05:00

Seven weeks. Our little baby Elijah is seven weeks old already. 7! Where has the time gone? For those of you that are apart of the world of motherhood, you know what I mean when I say, I do not feel like it's been 7 weeks - I feel like it's just been one giant day. The constant nursing, the constant time and attention toward the baby, and the sheer exhaustion of it all. The days that roll into nights that roll into days that roll into nights... BUT, I have to confess something: I LOVE IT ALL. Why? Because it's my baby boy. It's my precious Elijah, and I just cannot get enough of this sweet little boy. I can't. I walk out of the room for a second, and I actually miss him. I love watching him, kissing him, snuggling him, holding him, rocking him, singing to him. I love nursing him in the middle of the night. I love that special time that he and I get together. I love his cooing and his now real smiles of delight. I love his ridiculously long and crazy hair. I love his cute little button nose, and his adorable little chin. I love his itty bitty teeny tiny toes. I love his soon-to-be-pudgy baby thighs. I love his sighs of contentment when he's full, or being cuddled. I love his curiosity and his desire to see everything. I. Love. Him. I love him. This undying love I have for him...it's so hard to express. But I am full to the brim with absolute love for this sweet sweet baby. And more and more everyday, I am in awe of our sweet Savior, and the love that he has for us, His creation. If this is how much I love my baby, I cannot even imagine the magnitude of the love our Savior has for us. We are so incredibly blessed - blessed to be children of God, and blessed by God to have children. Thank you dear sweet Jesus, for this unbelievably precious and most beautiful gift - our sweet baby Elijah.
Being a mom is everything I had hoped it would be, and then so much more. I love every teeny tiny aspect of it, and I am just in awe of this tiny creation God has blessed us with. I love watching him grow and learn and become more and more alert each day. Parenthood is much much more than I ever dreamed it could be. I know, I know...first time Mommy here...but I just cannot help myself. I am 100%, undeniably, undoubtedly, head-over-heels in love with our beautiful little baby.
This little collage of pictures is chronological - from week 1 to week 7. Can you believe how much he's grown and changed already?

Our Son...

2009-07-07T11:34:00.003-05:00

I will keep this short and sweet. But I wanted to officially introduce our precious miracle - our son. Beautiful, sweet, blessed by God. Already 1 week old. And I could not love him more - my heart is full to bursting with the overwhelming love I feel toward my child. I can't help but praise my Jesus with every look I take at our Elijah. Created by God, named by God, loved by God. Everybody, this is our son.

Elijah - The Lord is my God
Richard - Strong Leader

37 Weeks and Some Progress

2009-06-26T11:28:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the 37 week marker, and I am so happy to say that I am officially full term. I could have the baby any day, and it would be safe and healthy. At my appointment this week, I found out I am already 70% effaced and dilated 2 centimeters. That made me very happy. I am trying not to expect to go early, but when I get good news like that, I can't help but wake up every day thinking "will today be the day?" As a first time mom, I can't tell you how much I wish the answer to that question was "YES!"
This morning I woke up and my thought was a bit different. Today I thought "Today is the day..." And I'm not sure why. My guess is that I just want today to be the day. But if for some reason I'm right...today could be the day! :)
Thanks to the help, love and support of many friends and family, we are really quite settled and ready to go. I am so blessed to have such dear friends that are wanting to take care of me, and they have been so wonderful in helping me get everything we need ready for the baby's arrival. So thank you, dear friends...you know who you are. Nick has been wonderfully great and supportive, and he does so well when I'm irritable, cranky, emotional, swollen and exhausted all at the same time. (These days...it seems that most of the time I am all of the above...) Last night Nick got the car seat in the car, and it looks great - however it's going to look absolutely perfect when our tiny baby is in it!
Everybody tells me that now is the time to rest and relax and keep my feet up. And while my body is agreeing with that, my mind is just so busy. I have so much I want to accomplish yet. My kitchen seems to be in a constant state of disarray, and I certainly can't bring a baby home to a messy messy kitchen. I have meals I want to make and freeze, and a baby's room I can't stop arranging and rearranging.
Anyway...sorry for the hodge-podge post. I am scatter brained and all over the place. But despite all that, or above it all - I am just genuinely ready to meet my baby. As that time draws closer and closer, again I just want to say thank you to everybody that has been so incredibly wonderful in helping us and supporting us, and thank you for your prayers. We definitely feel them.

36 Weeks, and Sneak Peak

2009-06-18T14:43:00.005-05:00

36 Weeks.

Today marks 36 weeks for me and Baby. According to the ultrasounds we've had, and the way the baby is measuring, they have said all along I'm measuring about a week further along. So today could mark 37 weeks. And you know what? I hope they're right! As we finished up birthing classes, and we're putting the finishing touches on the nursery, and getting the car seat in the car, and washing all the baby clothes...it's all becoming very real. And I cannot wait to meet this Baby. I know I say it every time, but the closer we get, the more I want to meet this person! As the picture clearly reflects, my belly is a belly of a woman that is very pregnant. I feel it and look it. Why have I not posted any other pregnant pictures besides that of my belly, you ask? Trust me...you don't want to see them. Let's just say, the equation of 36 weeks pregnant + hot muggy summer weather = one swollen mama :) When I look down at my feet, which I can only describe as sausages, I remind myself to laugh and say "this is all worth it." Why? Because it is! If having to retain water and swell up like a balloon is part of bringing this most precious and adorable Baby into the world, then I say, bring on the swelling :) To my beautiful, energetic, adorable Baby: I love you I love you I love you.
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Sneak Peak.
So after the last post, all of you wrote back with the same opinion: pick the blue! And I couldn't be happier about that, because we did decide to go with the blue. And I'm so glad. It's beautiful! So now that we've repainted (well Nick painted, not me) we were able to get the crib up and the bedding washed and ready to go. So I thought I would give you a little peak at the nursery. We don't have the dresser up yet, but I thought you'd like to see how the nursery is progressing. Once it's all set up, I'll show you before and after pictures too! But for right now...here are a few pictures to wet your appetites!

34 Weeks and counting

2009-06-04T14:45:00.006-05:00

Week 34.
So today marks the 34th week of pregnancy for me. Yep. 34. Thirty. Four. Pretty nice huh? I'm getting really anxious to meet this baby! I don't have too much to say at this point - I'm still growing, as baby grows. I just thought I would post another picture so everyone can see what the belly is looking like these days :)

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Can I Get a Little Help?

So awhile back Nick and I had picked out some baby bedding for the nursery. We just settled on the wall colors a few weeks ago, and the painting was done Monday. Then we bought our crib. And our crib was pictured in this beautiful room with this lovely light aqua color and design. Nick said, "oh we should paint the room that color!" and I agreed -the color was so lovely. But we already had the bedding, and I had searched and searched for baby bedding in those colors that was neutral. And I had no such luck. Everything was either way too girly, or it was evident it was made for a baby boy. Since we don't know what we're having - we need something neutral. So yesterday the crib and pack-n-play came, and the pack-n-play is this beautiful light aqua color and brown. And I just love it! and I said, "I sure wish we could have done the nursery in these colors." So I ran to the computer, just to check one last time to see if I could find something. And to my complete surprise, I did! We ordered it, and it's on it's way to us right now. Now this is where you come in. Which do you like better? The one with the light greens, cream and brown? Or the one with the light aqua, white and coffee? Whichever one we don't pick will just go back to the store! So help! What do you think?

Option #1 - Bunny Meadows Bedding Set

or
Option #2 Pinwheel Bedding Set

28 Weeks

2009-04-27T14:55:00.005-05:00

Just For a Laugh...
At the clinic at 25 weeks...

Receptionist: (In a super concerned voice) Oh hello there! How are you feeling these days?
Me: (Trying to stay chipper) Oh! Just fine, thanks.
Receptionist: (Still concerned) My goodness you look like you're just about to pop!
Me: (Clearly no longer chipper) Um...actually no. I've still got 3 months left.
Receptionist: (Embarrassed but still concerned) Oh...well it's just because you're so petite! Hehehe (awkward laughing).
Me: Yeah. Petite. Uggh...
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9 months. When you think about it, it really does sound like a bit of time, doesn't it? I mean, if you start in January, you end up in September, and you've passed through winter, spring, summer, and you begin fall. 9 months is a long time. Or so I thought. On November 21st we found out we were expecting our little bean in July. November to July? That sounds like a long time. But now we find ourselves with, at the most, 12 weeks left until baby comes. Twelve. Weeks. Where has the time gone? Where?! We have an empty nursery that still needs painting. We have baby gear that needs to be gotten, and I have so many books to read between now and then, my head is spinning. Not to mention the fact that after all of that is said and done, there will be a baby...our baby...here. Whoa. 12 weeks until our baby is here. It's crazy, it's amazing, it's overwhelming. And I just cannot believe how quickly the time has flown, and how soon we get to meet this incredible little person.
Pregnancy is definitely an interesting journey. And it's so different for every woman. I always wondered what it would be like to "be" pregnant, to have that bump, to carry a child. And now I'm experiencing it, and it's so much different than I could have imagined. A good different. I cannot explain the sheer joy I get whenever baby moves and rolls and plays. It's indescribable. I cannot tell you what it's like to see my form and frame change week after week, as this baby continues to develop. I can't tell you the excited jitters I get as I daydream about meeting this person. There are fears, and anxiousness sometimes...yes. But overall, I am overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed with love for my child, and I am overwhelmed with how my Savior has been revealing Himself to me through this. God has really grabbed my attention through this time. I cannot help but think of Him more and more as I watch what I can only describe as a miracle, form inside me. How He's designed everything is immaculate and beautiful.
Anyway...I wanted to give an update since people ask, (for you Mom!) and I figured the least I could do was post a picture, and tell you how I'm feeling these days. :) Besides what I mentioned above...yes, there are cravings at midnight. Happily, most of the time, those cravings are some form of crunchy cereal. Why? I don't know. Yes...there are some emotional dips. Happy, excited, then crabby and sad. Or sometimes it's happy and sad at the same time. Sleeping in all the 26 years I've been alive has always been one of my favorite things. Now? Not so much. For some reason it just doesn't agree with me. Oh how I miss it...Hot flashes? Ohhh yes. The thermometer read "57 degrees" the other day, and I could have sworn it was at least 85. July is going to be interesting. But overall, it's just plain wonderful.
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P.S.
Oh...and if you're thinking to yourself "my goodness she looks huge!"...here's a little secret for you. I look huge...because I am huge. So although you think you're doing me a polite favor by saying things like "oh wow - LOOK at how BIG you are" or "you look really uncomfortable" or "WOW Becky, LOOK at you" or "WHAT are you going to look like at 9 months?" or anything else like that...I appreciate the concern over my ever growing belly, but I'm aware of the hugeness. So no need to tell me. Thankyouverymuch.

A Smattering of Thoughts

2009-03-17T16:06:00.007-05:00

Baby News...

The weeks are flying by, and now that I'm really growing and changing, and so is Baby, I thought it might be kind of fun to give you some visual updates! At 20 weeks we had the ultrasound to take a look at Baby and make sure everything is healthy and on track. And we had the time of our lives seeing our precious baby on that screen. The magnitude of the miracle growing inside me is simply breath taking. The fact that God's hand is on every minute detail of development in our child is undeniable. Below is a profile shot of our baby - precious, no?

I am now almost 23 weeks, and since it appears my belly is ever growing, I wanted to take some pictures. (This is mostly for my mom, as she can't see me on a weekly basis.)

I have to chuckle when I look in the mirror and see see that bump! It's getting so big! and so is the babe inside. What once started out smaller than a seed is quickly on it's way to a pumpkin! Keep growing Baby...keep growing!
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And Jonah...

My 1st nephew and Godson, Jonah, will always always be the apple of my eye. There is a special place in my heart for him, and I am touched every time I have the opportunity to spend time with him. His laughter is infectious, his smile is beautiful, and his heart is so big. He just turned three, and he is a complete delight.

To our precious Jonah Man - you are a gift from Heaven. We are amazed at your bright mind and your loving heart. We pray God's blessings over you as you continue to grow and change. Never stop being your incredible self. Happy Birthday - We LOVE you!

Time Is Ticking Away

2009-02-24T09:00:00.002-06:00

So where my time is concerned...I seem to have less of it. Less time in the evenings to watch movies, read, hang out with friends, and BLOG. Where I used to stay up until 10:30, 11, or even 12 some nights, I'm usually (if I can) in bed by 9. I would stay up later if I could, but you see, I have this bean sprouting into a watermelon inside of me that takes up a lot of my energy. It wipes me out!
All this to say - I threw Nick a surprise 25th birthday party the 1st weekend in February. I was determined to get pictures up here from that night. I have the pictures. I just haven't had the time to get them up here. One thing I'm determined to do before the baby gets here...
I have a slew of pictures of my forever cute nephew and Godson, Jonah. If you could only see his big huge Indian eyes, and his eternally long eyelashes...you would fall right in love with that little boy.
I even have pictures of my ever growing belly. I can't believe it - but this week marks the halfway point for me. Can you believe it? I'm almost 20 weeks, and the baby is doing some serious growing. My shape seems to change weekly these days, and the baby is starting to kick up a storm.
And I'm sorry that I've shared none of this with you. :( Time is just slipping away from me. Before I know it, our little baby will be here! and then I will struggle to find the time to show you pictures of his/her beautiful little face.
But anyway - I have not forgotten the blog world...it's just it's a lot harder for me these days to dial in! Until the next time (which I'm hoping is much sooner than later) ...

I've Got Babies On My Mind...

2009-01-26T09:11:00.003-06:00

Well, yet another month has passed. I'm not doing so good on the following through with the "writing more soon" thing, am I? Oops.
Well, here I am today, about to blog. Hooray! In my last post, I mentioned that I had a good reason for not writing for 5 weeks, and it was true. Again, the same holds true here. Another 5 weeks has passed, and I've been preoccupied. With what you may ask? What could hold most of my thoughts captive? What could sway me from sitting down and taking time to blog? Well...the answer is: I've got babies on my mind. Okay, well - I've actually got one baby on my mind...MINE! I still go into shock every time I say that. But Yes, it's true. I am pregnant! Nick and I are going to be parents - can you believe it? Sometimes I can't. You see where all the thinking and preoccupation comes into play here?
Anyway...we found out about our little bean back in November, and I finally decided I could tell the blog world :) Our little precious baby is expected to join us July 17, 2009. I am 15 1/2 weeks along, and there is a little baby bump starting to show. I am going to attempt to give updates concerning our tiny babe, and how we're both growing and changing. :) I have my 20 week ultrasound coming up, and then we'll see real pictures of the baby! Can't wait to see them and share them with you!
Most of all - we are so thankful and blessed for this teeny little gift. Jesus has blessed us greatly with this tiny little miracle. We cannot wait to meet you - our Little Baby.

Blogging Hiatus...and a Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T10:36:00.006-06:00

Oh my goodness gracious - has it really been a month since I've blogged? Oopsies. Sorry about that. I know, I know...nobody wants to hear excuses, but believe me when I tell you that we've had a lot going on in the last 5 weeks. Really and truly. But I'll get to that in a later post.

But right now, let's talk about Feliz Navidad, Joyeus Noel, Mele Kalikimaka, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Glædelig Jul...MERRY CHRISTMAS! Christmas is just days from now. Okay...actually just two. Yikes! What I'm hoping is that later, I can come back here, and update this post with...you guessed it...actual pictures. I have pictures of our sweet little place, decorated with lights and a cute little Hermie (from Rudolph) Christmas Village, a count-down-to-Christmas counter, and of course, our tree. So cross your fingers...we're hoping I'll get those pictures up sometime before Christmas Day.

But I want to talk about Christmas because well...it's my favorite holiday. I'm sure that some of you share that feeling, and some don't. And I'm sure some of our reasons for why it's our favorite are the same. But can I share them with you anyway?

1. I love Christmas because it brings with it a sense of nostalgia. Christmas has it's own scent, and everything about it is lovely - the lights, the snow, the trees, the food. It's all just so very nostalgic.

2. I love Christmas because it's a time for family and friends. This is the time of year when (most of the time) we get to spend time with loved ones from near and far. It's a special time to connect and share.

3. I love Christmas because it's a time to give. Not that giving isn't good all year round but it's universally a time to give. And I love that. It's a time that many people put "self" aside and think about others. I think as a whole, we need to do that more often.

4. The #1 reason I love Christmas is because it's the season that we come together to celebrate the birth of our sweet Savior Jesus Christ. To acknowledge that He came to earth as a tiny baby. To recognize that He was selfless and gave Himself for us. It's quite a humbling thought, isn't it? It's a time for us to be thankful and realize, that we are truly loved. Not just by friends and family, but by Jesus. Will you join me in loving this season? The season of our Savior's birth?

I pray that you all are incredibly blessed this Christmas season. That you have the opportunity to notice the nostalgia in the air, that you have the opportunity to spend time with loved ones, that you have an opportunity to give, and that most of all, you take the time to remember the true reason we celebrate Christmas. Merry Christmas, everybody!

Randomography: Take 1

2008-11-18T21:51:00.009-06:00

Updated: After reading what Jess had to say, I realized she has a good point. What is randomography? Well, essentially it's Random Photography. It can be any random pictures you like, and somehow - they still tell a story. And sometimes, it's more fun just to let the pictures tell the story, rather than words. Hopefully that helps you makes sense of the somewhat random pairing of photos below. Thus ends my sad attempt at defining this made up word. Thankyouverymuch.
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Before I start, I need to declare that this is not my original idea. I have borrowed it from HERE. I saw it as a great idea, and I'm going to try it out for myself. So...without further ado...

I woke up this morning to find this out of my window.

and this...

and this.

Pretty, no?

I have turned 26. It has come and gone. But not without some great pics (and hopefully more to come!)

Below are just of the few of the people who are my constants, and who made my day, my day.

(Where's my husband you say? He's behind the camera in this one!)

I Digress

2008-11-06T09:21:00.003-06:00

Do you ever find yourself going through a dry spell? Where you just can’t find anything to write about? I do. And the thing that really bugs me is when I have an urge to blog, but have nothing of consequence to say. It’s a little funny here in this blogging world (well at least for me): I feel as if I constantly need to come up with creative, enticing, entertaining and witty posts. But if I’m here to show who I really am…sometimes, I’m just not creative. I’m not entertaining, or witty. Sometimes, I’m just me plus no extras. And I would like to think that it’s okay. But it’s just harder to write when I feel like I have nothing to say. I have half started recipes, with no pictures. I have pictures, with no recipes. I have random pictures of random people, things and places, but not much of a story to tell. Maybe it’s hard for me because I want something to say. I think what I need to realize is: who cares? I don’t have to say anything earth shattering or share pictures that will “change your life.” I can, but I don’t have to. It feels good just saying that. Maybe I’ll just stick with randomness. And, if THIS is any indication, randomness doesn’t seem like such a bad thing after all. His words and pictures can be random…but somehow they always tell a story. Thanks for listening as I work my way through this…oh, and look at that – I can already feel the dryness lifting…

It’s the Great Pumpkin…

2008-10-31T10:23:00.006-05:00

Today I’m not here to poll you on whether or not you agree with Halloween. I’m not here to ask who thinks it's right or wrong to let children go trick-or-treating. There are more important things to discuss! Today, I’m here to talk about a little something called tradition.

Growing up, my sister and I got to dress up on Halloween, and go trick-or-treating with Dad. It was tradition. It was also customary for my mom to make our costumes. We went as clowns, ballerinas, ghosts, princesses. We trick-or-treated in the rain, in the snow, in good weather. It was all the same to us – we loved it. We got to be children, and play dress up, and spend quality time with Daddy, and to top it all off…we got candy. I’m all for tradition :)

Another tradition? We would watch this…

Yes we would. I don’t care if you hate Halloween. I don’t care if you love it. Do yourself and me a huge favor – and watch it. Please? Thanks. And while you’re at it, please warm some cider, pop some popcorn, and eat some Halloween candy. And since you're already in the kitchen, could you warm some cider and pop some popcorn for me? And share some of your candy with me? Thanks.

Oh! And have a Happy Halloween!

I Get by With a Little Help From My Friends

2008-10-27T22:25:00.009-05:00

What would you think if I sang out of tune

Would you stand up and walk out on me?

Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song

And I'll try not to sing out of key

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

What do I do when my love is away

(Does it worry you to be alone?)

How do I feel by the end of the day,

(Are you sad because you're on your own?)

No, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends.

To you...you know who you are.

The Coen Brothers Were Here

2008-10-21T21:44:00.005-05:00

The Coen Brothers. You know...the brothers that grew up in St. Louis Park Minnesota, who wrote and directed Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? (just to name a few), and most recently - No Country For old Men. Yep - those brothers.

They were here. Right where we live. Filming. Not just in our neighborhood, but on the property where we live.And I missed most of it! McDreamy went out this morning and saw ALL the trailers and tents up and people buzzing around. All the cast and crew had gathered together to enjoy breakfast together.

Sadly, Nick didn't grab the camera (and there were intimidating security guards) and couldn't get any pictures. So right when I got home from work, I grabbed the camera, and we ran out and took a few last parting shots as the trailers were pulling out.

I guess they have been here for 3 days, filming A Serious Man.

Is it okay that I thought there was a feeling of eeriness in the air? And the only reason I say that is...well, it's the Coen Brothers. They make scary, disturbing, unsettling movies. And they were here. And the eeriness? Well I suppose it's just because I'm one big giant scaredy cat. Nonetheless, despite the eeriness, they were here. Filming right where we live. I like that.

Fall Has Fallen...and Food Friday

2008-10-16T21:13:00.005-05:00

For the past two weeks, the trees have gradually been losing their boring green color. Replacing it are vibrant oranges, reds, yellows, pinks. There is a crispness in the air. It smells like fall, and looks like fall. Every morning for the past week, upon arriving at work, I said to myself "I need to bring my camera and take pictures." Not that there aren't pretty trees in the city...it's just that of course, there are a lot fewer of them. I work out in the suburbs, and the neighborhood I work in is a cornucopia of Fall's prettiest gems. I finally remembered to grab my camera on my way out the door this morning. These pictures are not perfect, photography wise. I didn't use any special features, or attempt to do anything with them. Really, all I wanted was to capture God's incredible creation, and share it with you.

See? Now do you understand why it's so easy to love fall? God's fingerprints are all over it. He has created the trees to change from green into all of these incredibly gorgeous, breathtaking, each unique and different colors. I am in awe. Will you join me?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I've had this recipe sitting ready and waiting on my computer for quite some time now. But I had the pictures on my old point and shoot. I just pulled the pictures off, and remembered this recipe. So here it is. My Club Sandwich. Yum.

Downtown

2008-10-09T21:53:00.006-05:00

I got home from work today, and Nick says, "Let's go for a walk." I say, "Okay." It's been a long day, and I am very much in need of some time spent with my husband and best friend. We have a beautiful city, and nothing thrilled me more in that moment than thinking of walking in the brisk autumn air, with my husbands hand in mine. So we grabbed our camera, and walked out the door.

Recipes: Times Two

2008-10-06T20:13:00.006-05:00

I miss the blogging world. I feel like I rarely get to visit much these days. Which makes me sad. I look forward to being a part of it, and sharing in it, and reading. Life has been hectic and busy, to say the least. But I finally have a night of nothing to do. I can hardly believe that as I write it. But it's true, and here I am, actually sitting down at my computer, writing.
Fall is upon us in the Midwest. And as I've stated before, it's my favorite time of year. And one of my favorite things to do in the fall is visit the apple orchard...which we did! We spent a wonderful afternoon there. And Nick proved that he is the king of picking apples. What kind of a husband would willingly and voluntarily climb to the top of the apple trees to get his wife the biggest fattest apples? The devoted loving kind of husband, that's who :) Ahhh...just one more reason in the un-ending list of reasons why he's my McDreamy.
Anyway...from my peck of apples, I decided to first make an apple crisp.

And to go along with the "fallishness" of the dish, I decided to make Chicken Wild Rice soup.

Jessica and Dave brought over delicious Cheese Muffins (yum!)

and we had the first Autumn meal of the year. And it was quite tasty.

Seeing as it was my first attempt at homemade Chicken Wild Rice soup, I thought I would share it with you. It is creamy and full flavored, and soul soothing.

(Click on image to enlarge recipe)

______________________________________________

I'm Swiss. Something I haven't shared before, but definitely not something I'm reluctant to share. My grandpa and grandma were both born in Switzerland. They moved to America, met, fell in love, and had eight children. Yes, you read that right - 8. Anyway...Europeans have a deep love for good food. My grandpa came from a family of bakers, and my grandma cooked homemade meals for the family everyday. Her expertise in the kitchen and my grandfather's love of food passed on to their children. And inevitably, that was passed on to their children's children (that would be me.) For as long as I can remember, I have loved food. Now unfortunately, food has not always loved me...but I've learned to work with it. You learn to eat deliciously sinful things in moderation, and you learn to make healthful dishes into tasty meals you'll make over and over. I am about to share with you a recipe that is deliciously sinful and you should try and make in moderation. Key word: try. The recipe I'm referring to is my Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I. Love. Them. Love them. My dad loves them, my husband loves them, my friends love them. They are a cookie to be loved.

And now, I'm sharing them with you. Typically, I'm kind of selfish about this recipe. I like being the one that has the great cookie recipe. But, I feel like I would be doing you a great disservice by withholding this recipe from you. They will change your life.

So make them. Eat them. Love them. Repeat!

(Click on image to enlarge recipe)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-01T22:40:00.001-05:00

=
All you need to have a wonderful girl's night.

I Just Can't Tell You

2008-09-25T11:14:00.004-05:00

Blogger's Block: When one experiences a complete mental freeze and one cannot recall any information, stories, etc to relay through one's blog.

It's been awhile since I've written...and all I can really say to that is I have blogger's block. It's true - I really do. I can't think of a single thing to write about...because I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that we went to Port Washington, Wisconsin this weekend for a wedding and had the best most wonderful time. I can't tell you we saw old friends, that the bride was blushing and beautiful, and the groom has never looked happier. I can't tell you...because I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that we saw Jonah this weekend and had laughs and hugs and kisses. I can't tell you that he's as funny as ever and just as sharp as a tack and as cute as a button. I can't tell you because I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that we went to the beach at Lake Michigan and just walked in awe of God's beautiful creation and I may have some pictures coming...because I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that McDreamy asked me to make Chicken Club sandwiches, and I made them for the first time and they were so delicious that I may post the recipe tomorrow for Food Friday. I can't tell you because I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that after weeks and months and months and weeks of researching new cameras, that I have finally picked one (thanks for the help Jess) and ordered it, and it's on its way to me right now. I can't tell you that it's a Canon Rebel XS and I am so excited and thrilled to be getting it. I just can't tell you because, once again...I have blogger's block.

I can't tell you that this weekend we are going to the Apple Orchard (one of my favorite things) and I am just so incredibly thrilled to see Fall approaching us. Stupid blogger's block.

I really wish I could tell you all of these things. But I just can't...because I have blogger's block.

The Apple of My Eye

2008-09-17T21:18:00.008-05:00

Alternately Titled: Fairly Wordless Wednesday

Everyone - meet Jonah. My nephew, Godson and the sweetest little thing to grace this earth.

Super Jonah

See what I mean? How can someone this adorable not be the apple of my eye?

Food Friday Monday

2008-09-15T22:33:00.004-05:00

So I know today is not Friday, and I have been wanting to get this out on Fridays...but whatever. Today is Monday, and today is the day I am posting another recipe. K? Good. So here goes. This is my Chicken Tortilla Soup. I like it because instead of cooking the tortillas into the soup and them getting mushy and weird like noodles, the soup is served with corn tortilla chips on top. YUM! I have always enjoyed getting the chicken tortilla soup out, and decided to recreate it home. This is what I came up with, and I'm very pleased with it. And this recipe is just a starting point - it's very versatile. If you like more heat, add more heat. If you like nasty disgusting overbearing cilantro, go ahead and add it. Different veggies? Go ahead and try what you like. This soup is spicy and warm and comforting, and great for any cool fall night or blistering winter day. I hope you like it.

(Click on picture to view full size)

This or That. Or This, or That.

2008-09-12T11:35:00.012-05:00

Alternately Titled: HELP!

As I call out on my sidebar I'm not a photographer, but I wish I was. It's true. Recently, I've been totally ensconced in the world of photography. It's something that seems (to me) actually quite challenging. All the settings. Oh the settings! So many different things to remember, and then to remember to apply. But it seems to be a project that I'm willing and ready to undertake. I want to do this. I want to know how to take great pictures, and I want to take great pictures.

(Click on XSi to read more about it)

So first things first. I need a camera. Well...I have a camera, if you can call it that. I've had it for four years *gasp*, I know...it's time to put that baby to sleep. My old standard point-and-shoot has done it's duty...but can you believe it? It serves up a whopping 3.2 mega pixels. The pictures I take would probably look better if I just hand drew them, instead of attempting to catch the brightness and clarity through my somewhat pitiful camera. Therefore, I've been doing some research on options for my new camera. Let me say this: there are so many options. No...there are too many options. How in the world am I supposed to choose? Out of the mouths of many, I've heard "Canon or Nikon are sure bets." Which is true. They're reputable, well advertised, and widely used. But I decided I needed an experts opinion. So I visited my local National Camera Exchange. I explained to Roger that I was looking to get into photography, that I didn't want a professional's camera, but I didn't want a standard point and shoot. I was immediately expecting Roger to grab the Canon XSi, which I've heard/read so much about. But he didn't. Instead he grabbed the Olympus E520. Heard of it? He went on to tell me why it's a far superior camera to both the Canon XSi and the Nikon D40!

(Click on the Nikon D40 to read more about it)

At that moment, I felt like somewhat of a brand snob. You know...the kind of person that buys product based on brand name? oh come on...don't look away and pretend you don't do the same thing. I have to admit - at first, I was reluctant to hear what he had to say about this "quiet brand" I'd so far heard so little about. Anyway...Roger explained that the E520 was superior in make and image quality. Their lenses are specifically made for the digital SLR cameras, as opposed to Canon and Nikon that still use standard film SLR lenses. Olympus also has the image stabilizer built into the body of the camera, as opposed to each individual lens (which is what canon and nikon do). Therefore, the picture tends to be much sharper, and the lenses themselves aren't quite as pricey. By this point, the E520 is starting to sound pretty good.

(Click the E520 to read more about it)

But on the other hand, am I ready to jump into the digital SLR world? I keep going back and forth and back and forth. They have "transitional cameras" such as the Canon PowerShot G9. These cameras are more advanced than the standard point and shoots, but not quite a digital SLR. Should I go with something like that? Children are in the near future, and I would much prefer to shoot with a dSLR with them. Is it worth it to buy a transitional point and shoot now, and then in 2 years, upgrade to a dSLR? What do I do? What would you do? Every person I spoke with at NCE recommended going with the E520.

(Click the Canon G9 to read more about it)

You would think by this point, I would have made my decision. But if anything...I'm more confused now than I was before my camera search began. Help! I'm sure ~~some~~ most of you know much more about this than I do. So please...tell me what you think/know! I would love feedback. Thank you for taking the time to read this ~~boring~~ delightful post and share your opinion!

Not a Comedy After All

2008-09-10T14:45:00.004-05:00

Warning: May contain some heavy content. (It's just one of those days.)

Work. A word or topic that I've yet to touch on this blogosphere. Questions such as: Is it taboo? Is it appropriate? Is it bad? Is it good? Well you know what? After NOT writing anything even remotely close to a post on my job, I have decided to say "forget it!" I'm writing about work!
Let me explain: If you work at a job like I do, there are daily happenings that one cannot ignore. Impossible. It's comedic, it's tragic, it's entertaining all in the course of one day.
Comedic? you ask. I work for a company that has a warehouse. In the warehouse we have a gentleman by the name of, well? we'll just call him Gerry. Gerry is 65 and on his way to retirement. Gerry is tired. Gerry is the definition of tired. Ever day at exactly 9:30 am, one can find Gerry at his workbench, on his stool, sitting up, and sound asleep. ASLEEP! Our company also has a company van. At 11:00am everyday, Gerry can be found (are you ready for this?) IN the company van, in the passenger's seat, buckled in, again sound asleep. Now if this occasionally happened, maybe it would be a little more understandable. The hilarity of this situation increases - just wait. The president, boss, head honcho, "knows-all, sees-all" of the company, DOES KNOW about Gerry's daily snoozes. He knows about them because he sees Gerry sleeping. And every day, it continues like the day before. Boss knows, boss doesn't care, Gerry continues to sleep. After awhile, when walking passed the van, one can't help but chuckle, or chortle, or giggle at the sight of little Gerry snoring away in the van. Sleep away Gerry...sleep away.
Entertainment? We have another gentleman that works in the back for us. Let's call him Chuck. Chuck is from Thailand. Chuck knows about 10 words of English. Therefore, Chuck constantly has questions concerning the shipments he's sending out, or the packages he's supposed to be packaging. Here in the office, there are two lovely ladies: Pearl and Rosie. Pearl and Rosie have zero tolerance or patience for Chuck. Sorry Chuck! Daily, I get to hear renditions of "He shipped the wrong part again!" or "It's gone to Canada, instead of England!" Then little Chuck will rush into the office and try and explain for 10 minutes what happened. Exit Chuck: Pearl and Rosie burst into laughter/tears and sing the age old tune of: "I didn't understand a word that poor man just said!"
Tragedy: We have a wet-behind-the-ears sales rep. Let's call him Sam. Sam is a Caucasian who grew up in the suburbs of middle-America. Hi Sam. Sam talks only in what I like to call "fake" Ebonics. Period. Examples: "What up, Homes?" "S'up?" "It'll be a'ight." "Man, that's totally phat." Let me remind you again that Sam grew up in the suburbs of middle-America. So here's our new rep, calling current customers, speaking to them in this "accent" that is really and truly only doing himself a huge disservice. Oh Sam. Every time I hear him on the phone I cringe and try and plug my ears and wince and wish and wish that he would just stop.
So we've got comedy, entertainment, tragedy, and...plain reality. Where does the reality come in? Well, in all honesty, all joking and fake names aside: the company I work for is drowning. In this bad economy, our company is sinking. And I sit here day in and day out, counting the lack of money coming in, counting the lack of incoming calls and wondering how we can survive to make it through another day. (Is it okay to say this here?) I'm worried and concerned. And despite the painful comedy that goes on around here...I'm finding myself thinking: this isn't very funny at all.

Girls DO Have Fun

2008-09-09T18:04:00.006-05:00

Alternately Titled: Ode to Girls Day

This past weekend Nick was out of town. (For those of you confused, Nick = McDreamy. One and the same.) He was having one of those rugged-manly-backwoodsman kind of weekends. That left me to fend for myself. If you can call it fending. I was able to have a really wonderful Saturday with the girls. To start the day off, a large group of us went to this garage sale that was the talk of the town. Seriously. Laugh all you want. But this is the garage sale of the year and people talk about it for weeks. They even make "lists" of things they are looking to get. I was a first-timer, and had no list. I walked away with a never-before used Starbucks mini-mug. Yeah...exciting. BUT...despite my lack of a list, I heard from most that this year was a disappointment. The garage sale was...okay. My dear friend Jessica quite agrees with her post of Mildly Disappointed. My sentiments exactly Jess.

After leaving the mildly disappointing garage sale affair, the three of us girls headed to one of the best farmers markets I've seen here so far. It was huge, it was full of people, and they had a little bit of everything. Not just food, (and boy was it yummy food) but they had shops of all kinds. The sun was out, and the cool soon-to-be-autumn breeze was blowing. It was lovely. We dinked around there for awhile, and then headed to a place called "Litens"...I think. Litens is the largest party warehouse I've ever been to. They have everything for everything. Any theme, any color, any utensils, party favors, hats, cardboard cut outs, and on and on and on and on and on. You'd think we'd get overwhelmed...but that was not the case. We exclaimed over and over "They have everything." And, "why have we never heard of this place before??" It was a find a I tell you...a find. After exploring all we wanted, we got down and silly...and had a blast!

After we were done exploring Litens, we grabbed some iced coffee and headed to the lake. We walked and sipped coffee and sat and chatted and people watched...and it was lovely. The girl time we get is always fun and spontaneous and somewhat girly...and just plain wonderful. Note to Kellie: Thank You, for wearing those pink earrings. Thank. You. Nobody pulls off 80's jewelry/clothing like Kellie, and I have to thank her for it...because nobody can make 80's fashions look so....good? All in all, I had a rockin' weekend with the girls (yes-I did just say rockin'...) and I can't wait for the next one!

Mother Daughter Day

2008-09-02T22:17:00.009-05:00

This past weekend, we were able to travel home to Wisconsin...yes, I am a cheese head. And yes, we do like to eat cheese as a snack...get over it already! Anyway... My parent's place, and the home I grew up in, is not too far from Madison, which is a great city, if you've never been. My Mom and I had the opportunity to spend some good quality time together on Saturday. It was the Badger's first game of the season, so McDreamy and my Dad devoted their Saturday to cheering them on. That left me and Mom to head to Madison. We took in a farmer's market where we browsed breads, veggies, and some delicious local cheese. We walked away with a bag of fresh garden veggies, and some yummy 'Tuscan Dream' cheese. I think one of the coolest things about that little trip was that my mom grew up with the cheese maker. They talked small talk, he told stories of my grandfather, and he was able to refer me to some great local cheese makers up where we live. If I remember correctly, his name was Greg. So...thanks Greg!

After the farmer's market, my mom took me to Penzeys Spices. I'm assuming there are those of you that have already heard of it. And surprisingly, there is a store right where I live. Anyway...Penzeys Spices is a cornucopia of incredible spices and herbs from around the world. There are samples of everything in their store. Spicy Indian curries, smokey Hungarian Paprikas, fragrant Saffron from Spain, heavenly Dutch cocoa and on and on and on. And, the best part of it all, is that it's not over-the-top-take-your-breath-away expensive! Thanks Penzeys!

Finally, Mom introduced me to Vom Fass. Never heard of it? There is only one in the United States, and it's in Madison, Wisconsin. It originated in Germany, and they also have a store in England. Vom Fass translates literally as 'from the cask' and this is the core concept of the brand. Often described as an Aladdin's Cave for food and drink lovers or a Sweet Shop for Grown-ups, Vom Fass stores house a fine selection of fruit vinegars, exquisite oils, selected wines, exclusive liqueurs and a wide choice of spirits, all bought from the cask. I walked into the store, and just stopped. The casks are organized by content, and beautifully arranged. You are introduced to the store by one of the many professional chefs they have on staff. They take you from cask to cask to sample any and everything they have to offer. If you decide you'd like to purchase something, you choose from 50ML all the way up to 500 ML. Then you choose from a plethora of uniquely designed bottles. They fill the bottle, and an artist on staff writes the name of the contents on the bottle. It's extravagant and a bit pricey, but well worth it. I walked away with a flask of Avocado Oil (if you've never heard of it...look it up and be amazed at how versatile it is!) and a bottle of 25 year aged Balsamic Vinegar. The whole experience was just so unique, and special since I was able to share it with my mom.
As I get older, I expected that the age difference between myself and Mom would grow more noticeable. However, it's quite the opposite. I feel that gap less and less. Instead, we seem to be growing closer and closer together. She's one of my closest friends, and I'm so blessed to also call her Mom. Mom, if you're reading this...thanks for the girly fun this weekend. I look forward to the next time...and the next time...and the next time...you get the picture...
With that, it's time to say goodnight. So, goodnight.

Food Friday

2008-08-28T22:01:00.014-05:00

This is my version of Honey Mustard Chicken. It's quick, it's super easy, and it's y-u-m-m-y! It received a "It's really good!" from McDreamy. If it's not McDreamy approved, it doesn't get written up. (Well...maybe not every time, but I do want to make most of my foods friendly to everybody!) I do want to let you know up front, my 'secret ingredient' in this is curry powder. If you're not a fan, you might want to give this one a skip. However, if you're adventurous and daring - give this a try! It makes my taste buds sing, and I hope it will do the same for you!

Click the above image to see the full recipe.
(Or, check out my new recipe box on my sidebar!)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-27T11:23:00.002-05:00

Testing, testing....

2008-08-25T21:26:00.010-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I love to cook. I love to read through cookbooks...okay, I love to read through cookbooks multiple times. I love to watch the Food Network and try and learn all kinds of crazy things from those chefs that just know SO MUCH about everything. I try to soak it all in, and then I run into my kitchen, and try and see if I can apply anything that I have learned. Many times, I will get a hankering to make a meal that I've never made before. Then I'll sort through all the information I have in my head about foods similar to that, and jot down ingredients I think will work. Then I shop. And then I go home, and attempt to create it. And since this is my blog, and I can do what I want here, I'm going to start posting the recipes that I've succeeded at attempting. Sound fun? I know some of you are cringing at the thought of getting enjoyment out of cooking. And some of you are stressing out. But if you're like me, and find the kitchen world entertaining...join me on this little adventure! Sorry if you're not the food junkie I am...I can't help it (it's in my genes!!!) Really-it is.

Last Friday McDreamy said he was craving Italian, so I decided instead of making the standard spaghetti and meatballs, I'd make lasagna. I've made lasagna before, and liked it...but haven't loved it. So I made some mental notes, and when I got home, I tried it out. We both decided it was delicious, and it really hit that "soul food" spot on the tongue. Comforting, rich, a little bit special. So I'm pleased to share it with you. You may not want to use this as a staple lasagna recipe, because let's face it...it's not figure friendly. But, for a special occasion or meal, this suits very nicely. If you'd like-try it out. If you hate it, let me know. If you like it, let me know. I am no self-proclaimed anything, let alone a chef. I love input and opinions! Please share!
I don't know how to do fancy things with this blog yet...so click this picture above and it will pop up the full recipe with picture. Enjoy...and have fun!

Vacation Vignette #2: Tropical Paradise

2008-08-22T20:12:00.018-05:00

Finally-as promised, here it is. The 2nd Vacation Vignette. I told you I would do it tonight, and I did. I just wanted to remind you I'm good at my word. So without further ado, here it is.

Coming from the Midwest, we are used to seeing lots and lots of green. Green trees, green grass, green pastures, green plants. Green. We're also used to seeing normal everyday animals, such as robins, chickens, cows, crows, squirrels, cats, dogs, deer, occasional mice, etc. You get the picture.
On vacation, those 'normal everyday' plants, trees, animals weren't there. Of course, the first thing out-of-towners notice when visiting Florida, is the palm trees. EVERYWHERE. I didn't take a picture of the palms trees, because well...everybody has seen them. But nonetheless, they are everywhere there. I didn't see one single oak or maple or birch tree while we were there. I kind of liked the change in tree scenery.

The second thing I noticed were the lizards. Lizards, you ask? Oh yes. Lizards. And not just one here or there. They're everywhere. I eyed the first one after just pulling up to our condo and crossing the sidewalk. Initially, I thought it was a little birdie scurrying across the pavement. But then I took another look, and saw this guy:
Gross. Then I saw his brother, and his dad, and his mom, and cousins, and aunts & uncles, and grandparents. They scurried across the pavement surrounding our pool, and the sidewalks lining the roads. I was a little afraid to walk through the grass, for fear of accidentally stepping on one. Yikes! Here's the last picture I have of those creepy little slimy things. I wasn't brave enough to take more than that.
Yeah-I don't like them either. Sorry to subject you to the sliminess of these little creatures. But my vignette about the 'tropics' wouldn't be complete without it.

The third thing that caught my eye were all the gorgeous, unique, never before seen by my eye flowers and plants. And they were everywhere. In abundance. Just looking at them made me smile. There was one day where it stormed really hard, and right after it stopped, I grabbed my camera and headed outside. These are the shots I took. And I apologize-I wish I knew the names of these beautiful creations, but I don't.

There were many many many more beautiful flowers and plants there. But these were my favorite. God is so amazing to put a touch of His beauty on His creation. It's simply breathtaking, isn't it?

Post of SummerFall

2008-08-22T12:14:00.017-05:00

Okay okay. I KNOW that this is still not Vacation Vignette #2, but I will post that tonight. I will. I will!
In the mean time…a while ago I saw the Post of Summer at The Slug Blog, and I got inspired. I suppose I could do that, but I wanted to change it up a bit. Today is August 22, which means in 4 weeks, it will be Autumn. I know that some of you are groaning and moaning about summer leaving us. I love summer. I do. But I don’t mind it leaving us. What I moan and groan about is the impending doom of the long cold blistery winters. However, before Antarctica settles in for a solid 6 months, we here in the Midwest get to experience this beautiful season called Fall. And, I’m so glad…because it’s my favorite season. So, as a tribute to Fall, let’s give this a shot. Share with me what you are looking forward to! What are the things that make you love Autumn? I can’t wait to read what you come up with!

Drink that makes me Love Fall : Fresh Apple Cider!
I am very much looking forward to getting FRESH apple cider from the orchard and drinking it warmed on a crisp cool Autumn evening.

Food that makes me Love Fall : Butternut squash soup!
There is something so…fall-ish about this! It’s earthy and hearty and smooth and warm…and beautifully orange!

Television Series I’m Most Looking Forward to Returning this Fall : The Office
It’s just been gone for soooooo long. I cannot wait for September 25th!

~~Movie Most Likely To See This Fall~~ BOO!
I WAS going to put Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but dang WB, because of that, I’m not answering!

Clothing Item That Makes you Love Fall: The Sweatshirt!
The sweatshirt is by far my favorite favorite item of clothing…and let’s face it…you can’t wear a sweatshirt when it’s 95 degrees outside!

Expected Destination That Makes you Love Fall: The Apple Orchard.
It’s the crisp cool autumn air, coupled with the scent of fresh apples, dirt, trees, and all those delicious Fall treats that they have.

Favorite Activity that Makes You Love Fall: Four wheeling at the cabin.
Out of any season, four wheeling in the Fall at the cabin, is my all time favorite

Favorite Place that Makes You Love Fall: The Cabin
It’s not even my cabin, (Thank you Thank You Jess) but I love it. I love it in all seasons. BUT, The Cabin in the Fall takes the cake. It is indescribable.

Jesus Moments

2008-08-21T08:07:00.010-05:00

I know this isn't the 2nd vacation vignette as promised. However, I feel compelled to share something with you, and feel I'd be remiss if I didn't.
As I vaguely call out on my sidebar, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. He's my Savior and my Lord. Even after saying this, sometimes I find myself forgetting what it fully means to say that. However, Jesus doesn't forget, and always seems to demonstrate it when we're least expecting it, but most needing it.
There is a storm that I have personally been dealing with for a long long time. Over the years, it will increase to incredible heights, and then recede. It seems to be a perpetual cycle. During those moments, or days of increased strife, I quickly lose my footing. I don't forget that Jesus is there. I just feel disconnected and removed. I attempt to pray, to seek my Lord and ask for guidance and discernment. And I wait, hoping to hear His voice, or feel His hand on the situation. But inside I feel alone, I feel desperate, and unsure, and I feel a deep deep sadness and hurt and pain. And instead of looking for my Savior, I find myself looking for my fixer. "Lord, somehow, please fix this! I can't bear this burden, I can't carry this anymore. I am desperate, and I need this to pass!" and I wait...hoping that somehow, the storm will disappear, the hurt will lessen. And while I wait...I become more and more desperate, grasping for anything that will make it "better." But I am so overwhelmed by all the feelings and emotions, that I feel myself becoming less joyful. More guarded. So obsessed with trying to get myself "out" of the storm. A cycle that continues until I feel so completely drowned, alone and hopeless, I am unable to take another step. The idea that "This will never end. I give up. I can't handle this or beat this" runs and reruns in my head.
I have been in that storm for a few days now, and my spirit just feels broken. Just like any morning commute, I had my radio set to the Christian station here. I like the "feel good" chatting and the uplifting music. Most mornings, the words on the radio just kind of melt in the air around me. I don't really take them in...I just like knowing that they are "there." This morning however, my Jesus decided to remind me that he's not my fixer, but my SAVIOR. A song came on the radio. Not a new song, but a song I've heard many times, and sung many times. I believe it was originally written by Hillsong and titled "Mighty To Save." Today, a sweet, clear, crisp woman's voice came through my speakers. My ears perked up, and I reached to turn the volume dial up. And although I've heard this song so many times before, I actually heard it this morning. This is what I heard.

Everyone needs compassion, A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me. Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior, The hope of nations

My Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save, He is Mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me, All my fears and failures
And fill my life again. I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in. Now I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus

After the first few words of the song, I felt the Spirit of my Jesus sweep over me. He was speaking to me. I heard Him tell me how mighty He is to SAVE me, how compassionate He is, how 'never failing' He is. How He is able to wipe away all my fears and my failures. How He can erase the hurt that has corroded my heart. I began to weep. Not tears of sadness, but of overwhelming relief. Of release. Of intense healing. Of restoration. Of joy. Of promise and love. I was overwhelmed that my Lord would come to me and tenderly and lovingly remind me, exactly what it means to call Him my Savior. The tears continued to fall as I spoke to Him, thanking Him for refusing to give up, even though I had. Praising Him for His saving grace and loving Him for reminding me of it. I know a lot of people refer to those moments as moments of divine intervention. However, it seems too impersonal to me. I like to refer to them as Jesus Moments. Moments when I am completely aware that the Spirit of my Jesus is with me, pouring into me, washing over me.
When these moments come, I believe the appropriate response is to share. And I don't know what, if any, storms you may find yourself dealing with. But know that I am praying that our Lord will gently and lovingly remind you, exactly what it means to be your Savior.

P.S. I want to give credit where credit is due. The sweet clear voice I heard on the radio was Laura Story. Beautiful.

Vacation Vignette #1: The Beach

2008-08-15T18:12:00.023-05:00

Here it is - I'm going to post about our vacation in groups with pictures, or vignettes, if you will. It helps me keep my thoughts organized, and helps you make some sort of sense out of my ridiculous ramblings.
Of COURSE one of our favorite parts about our trip was the ocean and the beach. We mostly had hot sunny days. All we brought were our beach chairs, our books, our crosswords, our iPods, and our camera. We spent a good chunk of each of the days just soaking up the sun, playing in the waves, digging for shells in thee softest white flour-like sand I've ever seen, and enjoying doing absolutely nothing. I am beginning the long and challenging process of learning about photography. Right now, I have a pretty dull, mundane, boring, run of the mill, point and shoot camera. However, since it's all we've got, that's what I used. So in between running in the big salty waves and sweating and bathing in the sun, I tried my hand at taking some pictures.

That's my steamy McDreamy. He's not a fan of getting his picture taken. Oh well!
(Side note-do you see how beautifully blue the sky is?)

Well, not one of my better looks. Do you see the crusty sand plastered in my hair? And the sun brings out those darn freckles quicker than you can say "macula".
Here he had just come in from shell searching. He's a world renowned Shell Seeker Champion. It's true. More on McDreamy's skills in a future vignette.

The whiteness of the beaches + the blueness of the skies = pure. bliss.

Meet Sal, the Seagull. I spent forever trying to get as close as I could to Sal, without him flying away. And I just shot and shot and shot until I was able to get a picture that I was somewhat happy with. It took me quite awhile, but there he is...in all his glory.

This sweet old man was collecting shells (the brown bag is full of them), and he decided to take a break, and just watch. He plopped his cute little old self down, and sat for quite some time. I didn't know him, but the picture was so cute...I couldn't resist taking one...or two...or three.

Coming soon: Vacation Vignette #2: Tropical Paradise.

Twiddling My Thumbs

2008-08-14T11:13:00.006-05:00

I have failed to mention that McDreamy and I went on vacation. A LONG overdue, much needed, sleep-in-the-sun, bathe-in-the-ocean vacation. It was lovely. It was bliss. It was hard to come back! We spent a week at Clearwater Beach in Florida, and although it was HOT and MUGGY, we toughed it out due to all the beautifully cool and refreshing ocean we had at our fingertips. Okay-we didn't "tough it out" at all. We enjoyed every minute of our time there.
All of this to say...we have been back for TWO weeks, and I have been wanting to write about our trip, with all the great pictures we took. However, my pictures are all at home on our computer, not at work. Not a problem normally, but our internet has been down forever, and I'm really getting upset! I have stories and pictures of conch "babies" in their shells, magicians escaping imploding buildings, experiencing FRESH whole crab for the first time, etc etc. And I refuse to write about all those things WITHOUT their corresponding pictures. The pictures complete it! I just wanted to state all the above information, and let you know that eventually, sooner or later (preferably sooner than later) I will have a GIANT GIANT GIANT post of our perfectly wonderful vacation! Coming soon...

Fogo de Chao

2008-08-04T21:11:00.011-05:00

McDreamy and I just got home from an evening out downtown. We decided to go all out, and celebrate our 2nd year of marriage at Fogo de Chao. For those that don't know-it's a Brazilian Steakhouse, and though the price may take your breath away-it was worth every single penny. We both agreed it was by far, the BEST dinner we've ever had out. EVER. Hands down. 15 different kinds of spit roasted meats: beef tenderloin, filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye, chicken, pork tenderloin, lamb chops, pork ribs - just to highlight a few of the delectable meats that passed our lips. Fresh vegetables, Prosciutto from Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, fire roasted peppers, etc. Delicious. Every single bite. I wanted to try a bit of everything, so I made a great effort to only allow myself a tiny bite of each option. Even so, I don't remember that last time I was this full. The service was some of the best we've ever had. Fogo de Chao is a well oiled machine, and the team they've put together is made to make you feel like you are the only two in existence. And to top it off, our server gave us dessert on the house, in celebration of our anniversary. The 14 block walk back to our place was a good thing...we needed some time to walk off all that food! Sometimes, splurging pays off. Now, enough talk about food...it's time for us to continue our anniversary celebration. Ciao!

Our Day

2008-08-04T16:44:00.006-05:00

Today is August 4th. Normal to everyone else...incredibly special to us. As far as I'm concerned, it will forever be the most special of days. The day that my husband and I celebrate the anniversary of our vows and commitment to each other.
To my husband: my love and my life. Happy Anniversary.

Midnight Pizza

2008-07-23T11:30:00.004-05:00

It's probably not necessary for me to even state this: but McDreamy is a sports guy. Always has been, always will be. He loves watching sports, playing sports and coaching sports. And to top it off-he's GOOD at sports. He's athletic (of course) and I quite enjoy watching him do his thing. Anyway, during the summer McDreamy likes to join a couple rec softball leagues. His Tuesday night league was in the playoffs, and since it was their last night, I decided I would go and be supportive. The game was scheduled for 6:25pm and we thought it was single elimination-you lose and you're done. However, after they lost the game, we found out it was actually double elimination (you lose TWICE, you're done.) It typically wouldn't be an issue, but his games are played in a town that's about a 45 minute drive from where we live. So it can get kind of late. So although I did want McDreamy to win the second game, I also wanted him to lose so we could get home at a decent hour. (I know I know...but sometimes it's hard to be supportive when I'm tired and my stomach is growling...just keeping it real here folks.) But, luck was on his side, and they won their second game. THIRD game scheduled for 9:25. THIRD game actually started at 9:45. Uggh...I knew at that point to just give up and give in. The game ended a little before 11pm, and I was ready to get on the road and get home.

At this point, my brain and stomach were crossing signals. My brain was telling me that I had been up since 6 and needed sleep to make it through another day. My stomach was telling me that if I didn't eat, it was going to mutiny and keep me up all night growling. Sigh. I wish I was one of those people that could just put off eating like "eh, no big deal. I don't care about food." HA! Darn it...why can't I be one of those people? But, I'm not. Oh well. So we got home and simultaneously declared "I need food!" (Ahhh...one of the reasons I married him-he shares my love of food!) And McDreamy convinced me to order pizza (okay-if I'm being honest-I really didn't need any convincing. At all.) Gloriously cheesy, hot, greasy pizza. At midnight. Is there anything better? Really? And don't judge me...I'm sure you've been there too. And we don't make it a practice to eat pizza at midnight...but YUM-pizza at midnight! (Alright-I guess it's okay to judge a little...) But...if there's anyone out there that read this and then thought "I'm not the only one!" let me know, so tomorrow I can hang my head a little higher from knowing that I too, am not the only one!

Chinese Take Out

2008-07-16T09:28:00.007-05:00

Living in the city provides some wonderful conveniences: Coffee shops on almost every corner, unique stores within walking distance, farmer's markets, trendy non-chain restaurants with "only the best local ingredients", pizza delivery until 3am, and Chinese take out. Growing up in a small small town, or as my friend Jay says "a village", I was not familiar with all these city conveniences. Moving to the city at 18, I was blown away. And I have learned to love these things. Especially Chinese take out. I love Chinese food, and I love the idea of delivery right to my door. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to cook. Love it! But cooking Chinese food is time consuming. You have to drag out the Hoisin, the oyster sauce, the vinegar, the sesame oil, the cornstarch, and on and on and on. Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood. And sometimes, if it's too hot out, or I'm tired and I want to just relax, I like the option to order take out. However, the tiny hole-in-the-wall place we used to order from, has gone WAY down hill since I moved here. I mean, B-A-D. I stopped eating the meat...because let's face it, it wasn't real meat. Then, they decided to start cooking all their food while smoking, (Why? I'm just as baffled as you) so our food tasted like cigarette smoke, not Chinese food. So for the past couple of months, even if we had wanted to, Chinese take out was not an option. But then lo and behold, the other day, we found a pile of take out menus from a NEW place that opened up close to us. I was so excited! So last night, we decided to take the plunge and order. And I have to say, it STUNK. One question: WHY DO ALL TAKE OUT PLACES USE FAKE MEAT? WHY? Come on...I know when I order chicken, and I get something that neither LOOKS like chicken or TASTES like chicken-it's NOT chicken. It's rubbery, chewy, slimy...sorry for the detail-but I need you to grasp how disgusting this is! I should know better I guess. When there is a picture of my meal that looks like this:all yellowish and fake looking, I should know not to order it, or attempt to eat it. Nope. No. NO. So anyway...we choked some down, and regretted it afterward. Fake meat is not good for healthy digestion, if you know what I mean. I just would like to know...why can't take out be tasty and real and appealing? Why does it have to be yucky and fake and unappealing? Why? Why can't I order take out, and it look like this:

THIS is what my taste buds are craving when I decide to order take out. THIS is what my stomach wants to enjoy and easily digest. You know? Where have all the good take out places gone? Where? Can't you see I'm upset? I know, I know-it may be silly...but as a consumer of Chinese take out...I think I have to right to be a little miffed. So that's it. Conclusion: Bad fake Chinese take out leaves me feeling miffed. Thus ends my ranting and raving of the ever disappearing good take out. Amen.

The 4th

2008-07-08T21:20:00.016-05:00

Dad's first Rockband experience

As McDreamy mentioned in his earlier post, my family made the long trip up to the city for the 4th of July. Mom, Dad, Sis, Brother, Sister-in-Law, and of course, The Bean. Since McDreamy and I live so far away from the family, we cherish every moment that we get with them. The times with them seem oh so special, and we begin the count down to the "next-time-we-get-to-see-them" seconds after we watch them pull away. This past weekend, we took Mom, Dad and Sis downtown to the farmer's market, and it was wonderful. The food, the people, the city. The Bean got to experience his first trip to the zoo,

and he was THRILLED. They guys went golfing, and we all went to the beach for a day. Dad experienced "Rock Band" and I think, had the time of his life. And of course, it wouldn't be a weekend with family unless we had pounds upon pounds upon pounds of food. And we did! Mom loves to cook, Sis loves to cook, Sis-in-Law loves to cook, and if you don't already know...I love to cook! Of course The Bean never stopped entertaining us with his funny little comments, and we all seemed to try and soak in as much "family" as we could.

The four days flew by so incredibly fast, and as always, we found ourselves wishing we could just have a little more time. But it was beautifully wonderful. It was almost idyllic. Enjoy the pictures. The fam.My beautiful sister-in-law

The Bean and his Daddy

Grandpa and The Bean

I love Blogging

2008-07-02T20:17:00.007-05:00

Hello everyone, this is my first time on this blog thing. My wife Bea has been badgering me for weeks to write something so here I am...writing. Me and Bea are preparing for her family to come up to the big city and stay the 4th of July weekend. We are really excited to see them. Bea tells me that her mom and dad are bringing with them a guy that is about 2 feet tall. I thought it was weird that they brought this little man wherever they went, but then I found out it was our godson The Bean! I love that 2 foot guy very much! I told the Bean that I would be the uncle that would let him do what ever he wants, so I think that's why we have a special bond. Farewell for now gang, this is McDreamy signing off.

Scuba Diving, Four Wheeling, and No Pictures

2008-06-30T13:04:00.006-05:00

McDreamy has recently had the opportunity (along with his brother and dad) to take courses to become certified to scuba dive. Their final diving sessions were this past weekend, WAY up north. And when I say WAY up north, I mean so far north, that gas station parking lots are filled with four wheelers instead of cars. I believe the statement was made: "You know you are really in the boonies when there are more four wheelers than cars at the gas station." Despite the incredibly long car trip in a small car, stuffed to the brim with breathing tanks, scuba gear, and luggage, the trip was a success. The guys did their final diving in an old coal mine that is now completely submerged underwater. An entire forest was underwater, surrounded by croppies and sunnies and all other possible lake fish you can think of. Unfortunately, no pictures were taken during this time!!! It's an outrage, I know, and very sad. Pictures of my husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law in scuba gear would have come in handy in the future, if ever I had the need for blackmail. So sadly, there are ZERO pictures to go along with the scuba diving stories.

Did I mention already that this all took place WAY up north? Oh. Well...it's an important piece of the story-so don't forget it! My brother-in-law's wife's parents (AKA-my sister-in-law's parents) are retired and live for 9 out of the 12 months in their cabin on the lake. (The other 3 months, they are hot rodding around the country in their JUMBO motor home. You know, the kind where you could fit an entire football team WITH their gear in it, it's so big? Yeah...that kind.) Anyway, we stayed with my sister-in-law's parents at their cabin, which sits on 90 acres of land. 90 acres of beautiful, big, open spaces, perfect for four wheeling. Now, I have to say this: I do not care if you have grown up in the city, that you are so "city" that you don't even know what a cow looks like. I don't care! Deep down inside everyone, there is a desire to be a "little bit country." And my desire for that taste of "country" comes to the forefront every time I get near a four wheeler. There is just something about it. Being out in literally, the middle of nowhere, with a machine that drives through mud, rocks, tree limbs, meadows, etc, It all just seems so...NOT smack dab in the middle of the city. It's just you and nature. Period. There's something just very basic and refreshing about the whole experience. Going so fast the wind whips your hair and takes your breath away. The subtle smell of exhaust and mud and grass and wild flowers. The idea that you can seemingly go on forever and never encounter another human. Even having to spit the occasional bug or piece of grass from your mouth. These are things that really cannot be experienced anywhere but out in the middle of absolutely nowhere. And I love it. And unfortunately, my words are going to have to be enough to paint you a picture, because I have none to show. But just know, that up north, way north, at a cabin by a lake, on miles and miles of beautiful "uncivilized land", I visited that part of myself that is just a little bit country.
Sorry about the no pictures thing...we'll get some up next time!

Cowboys, Horses, Love Stories, Recipes & More!

2008-06-19T09:25:00.007-05:00

You would think, from the above title, that I will be writing about each individual item. However...I'm not. I will say, these items DO happen to be some of my favorite things. Oh yes. But what excites me even more...is that I have fallen in love with a website that has all these things! And it's called The Pioneer Woman. I have Jessica to thank for telling me about it. Didn't I tell you? She's the one that always introduces me to the great things in life! But anyway, if you're looking for a place to read about rugged cowboys, their horses, etc. Please visit this site. If you're looking for a place to read an incredibly "tingle your toes, goose bumps all over your arms, warm you through and through" good 'ole love story, PLEASE visit this site. If you're looking for FULL FAT, stick on the ribs, comfort food that touches your very soul recipes, visit this site!
I suppose I should back up a tad. This website was created by a woman named Ree, who was a big L.A. city girl, who fell in love with and married, a rugged, backwoodsman cattle rancher. Yep. No kidding. And moved all the way far far FAR out into the country in Oklahoma. Yep. Hundreds of cattle, horses, and miles and miles and miles of gorgeous green land. Needless to say, this woman has SO many stories to tell. She writes daily blog postings about the happenings on their ranch, their children, her rugged hubby, etc. She also posts many many yummy recipes...step by step-with pictures! (I love that part!) In addition to those things, she also is a photographer (where does she get the free time while home schooling 4 children? where?!) and posts tips. She ALSO has a section for Home and Garden. I'm not kidding...this woman knows about so many things! And to top it all off...she is HYS-TER-I-CAL! So so so funny. Oh! I almost forgot the best part. She is writing the story of how she met her hubby (whom she calls "Marlboro Man"), and fell in love with him. It's called "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" and it is soooooo good. Being the romantic that I am...I fell in love with Ree, Marlboro Man, the ranch...and every little thing about them! Read it! Please! It will make your day. I guarantee. Now, this all may seem like one giant commercial for this website, but I am telling you, you will never be the same. I feel like Ree is my friend. And if you're having a rough day...this will get you through it. Sometimes, the only way to make it through my day, is to read a bit from Ree (AKA Pioneer Woman) and all my troubles seem to fade away. and OH! did I mention yet the rugged cowboys. Yeah...they're everywhere on this site! ;) I'm serious...check it out: it will change your life!

Black As The Night

2008-06-05T16:37:00.004-05:00

Thunderstorms can sometimes seem too big to handle. It sometimes is eerily interesting to watch the storm form over a few hours. It starts as a gloomy day, and then blackness slowly creeps over the horizon. You hear the rumble of the thunder in the distance start to become the BOOMS that crash and rumble your home. The distant lightning becomes the huge bolts that jet down right outside your window. The pitter patter of softly falling rain is now the rude pounding of raindrops the size of quarters. And the gloomy skies have now completely transformed into skies as black as the night. It's in those moments sometimes, where the storm finally hits, and I sit here watching, that I am taken back in time. I am 8 years old all over again, excitedly dreading the storm that is certain to come. I'm anxious and excited and terrified all in the same moment. The booms seem to rumble all the way through me, and the lightning bolts seem to strike so close I can feel a slight charge shoot from my feet up to my head. But being 8, I get to crawl deep under my blankets and shield myself from it when it becomes too much. Sadly, now - I have no blankets to shield me, and I am sitting here, dreading having to battle this storm that is as black as the night.

Dates, The Beach, and Green Bottles

2008-06-03T19:59:00.017-05:00

The weekend of Memorial Day, McDreamy and I spent the weekend with my brother, his beautiful wife, The Bean, mom, dad, and my sister. We had SUCH a fun time. The Bean is simply hysterical...and SO SO SO smart. For his 2nd birthday, he got a Lightning McQueen car that he actually drives. So at dinner, he looks at me and says, "Aunt Bea , who made my McQueen car?" And I sort of laughed and said, "Oh, probably somebody over in Asia." To this The Bean replied: "Who's Asia? Is she one of my neighbors?" One of many times where he proves he can be WAY more interesting to converse with than some adults...we love him!! We also went down to the beach that weekend, and we wanted to post some pictures from that too.
Moving on...date night. Date night is something that we have recently re-established in our marriage. It's not that we didn't go out on dates anymore...it's just that they were random and scattered, and life always seems to get too busy to have date night. So, a couple weeks ago, we decided it was necessary, and boy oh boy am I glad! Wednesday nights are our official date night, and they have been SO MUCH fun!!! It just really gives us an opportunity to connect with each other totally uninterrupted by the rest of our lives. So hooray for date night!
Finally...I have come across a company over in the UK by the name of Bottle Green Drink Co. Check out their website: http://www.bottle-green.co.uk/. It looks really fantastic, and I've been trying to get in touch with them to see how to get their products here, but so far have had no such luck. If you have any ideas...please let me know!

On The Radio...

2008-05-16T14:13:00.017-05:00

I'm on my way to work this morning, listening to Cities 97, and I hear that Bryan Adams is on tour right now, and he happens to be coming to the city tonight. You know how you love some things, just because of the memories that are attached to it? Well...my college days were filled with afternoons of laughing, hanging out and talking with my friends, not doing homework, listening to music...some of which was Bryan Adams. My dear dear friend Jay, (the one who got me into blogging) also was the one to introduce me Bryan Adams. So every time I hear his music, it throws me back to "those were the days..." . So I heard him on the radio this morning and thought, "I'm going to dig out his CDs when I get home and have a few moments of nostalgia." So...a few hours pass non-eventfully at work...and then we get a phone call from a guy inquiring about one of our products. Typical...except he says he's only in the city for one night, and isn't familiar with the area. He says he's in town with Bryan Adams, and would anyone be willing to drop off the cases they needed in exchange for a couple of tickets to see the show? So I said, "Yes!"
Here I thought my reminiscing would consist of looking at old pictures and listening to Bryan on the radio. Instead, I get to reminisce by actually SEEING him in concert.

I Left My Heart in Tampa and Other Musings...

2008-05-08T10:15:00.020-05:00

McDreamy is in Tampa for the week, traveling with the baseball team. Great for him, sad for me. He's a coach, and he travels a lot. So I just miss him- a lot. Any good ideas on how I can pass my time and not feel so lonely? We typically live for the weekends, and summers. I can't wait for summer to start! And when he gets back, he's going to do a post with pictures from their trip!
On a different note altogether - I am part of a Jane Austen book club, and I absolutely love it. I've never been in a book club before, but it's fantastic. If you have never been part of a book group before, I highly recommend it. After college, I went through a spell where I could barely look at a book, but I think that season has passed, and I'm so hungry for literature. Any other great book recommendations? Send them my way!
Lastly, and randomly (hey-if I can't be random here, where can I be?) we have the cutest nephew and Godson in the world! Before he was born, we named him "The Bean" and for this blog, I believe it's appropriate to keep that name. The Bean is now 2, and we adore him. His mom and dad nominated him for cutest baby in the USA...look how adorable he is!

His First BandAid

Baby Elephant

Here We Go

2008-05-07T14:33:00.013-05:00

So, this is new for me. My dear dear friend (Jay) has been trying to convince me for months to set one of these things up. (She's always introducing me to something new! love it!) So, I'm giving it a go. I think it's going to be fun. My name is Bea (B) and I'm married to the man of my dreams. He's my McDreamy, and although it may sound cheesy to you, if you have your own McDreamy, I think you'll understand. Looking at my blank boring blog right now makes me want to start blogging all the time! I need to fill up this page! Oh! By the way, this blog isn't just mine. It's for me and McDreamy. This blog, I guess, is going to be about us...and the way we are! So hold onto your knickers...