The Pilot's Wife

In less than 24 hours I have completed a fascinating book that my good friend Carrie lent me, The Pilot's Wife, by Anita Shreve. (This was a former Oprah book club book and was written in '98.) I have been wanting to read her work for awhile, and yesterday Carrie brought over several of them for me to take on my trip to Mexico. (Yes, I am leaving for Cozumel in 12 hours and have yet to begin packing due to my entrancement with this book.)

I am very impressed by Anita Shreve and the way that she writes, and I was very disturbed by many of the things in this book because they were so real and gripping on me emotionally. The major plot of the story is about a woman who is widowed when her pilot husband is involved in an airplane crash (doesn't give me peace about flying tomorrow :)) and the investigation that follows. Her world is shattered when she learns that her husband is living a secret double life with another family, and all of her once-fond memories are now weighted with this all-consuming discovery. She cannot even grieve her husband because she realizes that does not know who he really was. There were so many things that she was naive about--bank records, his accomodations while traveling, his childhood. It really blew me away and made me feel sort of nosy, although I guess I'd rather be nosy...

Reading this book affected me personally. In my life, I have been blessed with a dad who has shown an example to my sister and me of how to be a good husband who not only loves but enjoys every aspect of his wife and his marriage. I am so thankful for that. I am also blessed with a great husband who seeks to be God's man and is selfless in giving love. However, I have also, in my life, experienced the pain and destruction that unfaithfulness in marriage causes for anyone related to the situation through several friends' and family's experiences that I have been closely connected to. For a long time, I wondered if I would ever be able to trust a man besides my dad. For a long time, I put off the thought of being in a serious relationship with anyone because I was afraid that I could not trust "him." For a long time, I kept Patrick at such an arm's length because I could not differentiate him from another... Thankfully, God continues to heal my heart by reminding me to trust in HIM. Thankfully, God is showing me that love can be pure and good and true--even when it gets hard.

One of the things that struck me in this book is when the wife, Kathryn, is talking to her friend Robert. He mentions that having a memorial service to honor her husband is something that God would want her to do. She reflects that never, in her 16 years of marriage, has she thought about what God would ask of her and Jack. Those words made me sad. I hope that no matter how high or low I feel spiritually, that I will always strive to do what God asks of me and Patrick. In premarital counseling, Jim emphasized in every meeting that "marriage is HARD WORK." He said it over and over, and I'm thankful for that. I have learned from situations that I've been involved in that people don't just wake up one morning and decide to be unfaithful (emotionally and/or sexually). Instead, somewhere, at some earlier point in time, the couple has stopped working at their marriage, has stopped connecting, and has a void that desires to be filled. Thinking about that freaks me out because it is so easy to just put your marriage in "cruise control" and coast along... I am committed, now more than ever, to work and pray and seek God in our marriage.

Upon finishing this book, my reactions are similar to how I felt after reading The Shofar Blew, by Francine Rivers... although at that time, I felt like I was watching that book being lived out...

Next on my list of Anita Shreve's are All He Ever Wanted and Wedding in December. Thanks, Carrie!

In less than 24 hours I have completed a fascinating book that my good friend Carrie lent me, The Pilot's Wife, by Anita Shreve. (This was a former Oprah book club book and was written in '98.) I have been wanting to read her work for awhile, and yesterday Carrie brought over several of them for me to take on my trip to Mexico. (Yes, I am leaving for Cozumel in 12 hours and have yet to begin packing due to my entrancement with this book.)

I am very impressed by Anita Shreve and the way that she writes, and I was very disturbed by many of the things in this book because they were so real and gripping on me emotionally. The major plot of the story is about a woman who is widowed when her pilot husband is involved in an airplane crash (doesn't give me peace about flying tomorrow :)) and the investigation that follows. Her world is shattered when she learns that her husband is living a secret double life with another family, and all of her once-fond memories are now weighted with this all-consuming discovery. She cannot even grieve her husband because she realizes that does not know who he really was. There were so many things that she was naive about--bank records, his accomodations while traveling, his childhood. It really blew me away and made me feel sort of nosy, although I guess I'd rather be nosy...

Reading this book affected me personally. In my life, I have been blessed with a dad who has shown an example to my sister and me of how to be a good husband who not only loves but enjoys every aspect of his wife and his marriage. I am so thankful for that. I am also blessed with a great husband who seeks to be God's man and is selfless in giving love. However, I have also, in my life, experienced the pain and destruction that unfaithfulness in marriage causes for anyone related to the situation through several friends' and family's experiences that I have been closely connected to. For a long time, I wondered if I would ever be able to trust a man besides my dad. For a long time, I put off the thought of being in a serious relationship with anyone because I was afraid that I could not trust "him." For a long time, I kept Patrick at such an arm's length because I could not differentiate him from another... Thankfully, God continues to heal my heart by reminding me to trust in HIM. Thankfully, God is showing me that love can be pure and good and true--even when it gets hard.

One of the things that struck me in this book is when the wife, Kathryn, is talking to her friend Robert. He mentions that having a memorial service to honor her husband is something that God would want her to do. She reflects that never, in her 16 years of marriage, has she thought about what God would ask of her and Jack. Those words made me sad. I hope that no matter how high or low I feel spiritually, that I will always strive to do what God asks of me and Patrick. In premarital counseling, Jim emphasized in every meeting that "marriage is HARD WORK." He said it over and over, and I'm thankful for that. I have learned from situations that I've been involved in that people don't just wake up one morning and decide to be unfaithful (emotionally and/or sexually). Instead, somewhere, at some earlier point in time, the couple has stopped working at their marriage, has stopped connecting, and has a void that desires to be filled. Thinking about that freaks me out because it is so easy to just put your marriage in "cruise control" and coast along... I am committed, now more than ever, to work and pray and seek God in our marriage.

Upon finishing this book, my reactions are similar to how I felt after reading The Shofar Blew, by Francine Rivers... although at that time, I felt like I was watching that book being lived out...

Next on my list of Anita Shreve's are All He Ever Wanted and Wedding in December. Thanks, Carrie!

My country tis of thee...

Happy Birthday America!

I love the 4th of July. I always have. Some of the reasons I love this particular holiday are...
1.) cook outs
2.) watermelon
3.) homemade ice cream
4.) fireworks
5.) red, white, and blue
6.) time with family

I have many memories of beach trips, lake days, cookouts in the back yard, and always ALWAYS some good ole' homemade ice cream. This year we were able to meet all of the items on my list except for spending time with family... SAD. We are leaving for Mexico on Saturday, and with the holiday being in the middle of the week, we were unable to make a trip anywhere...
Since we couldn't be with our family, we decided to have some friends over who are also transplanted to Montgomery and couldn't be with their own fams.

I have really come to love having "parties," especially when there is a theme. I have been looking in magazines all month (well, including June) trying to come up with fun theme-ish food items, decorations, etc. Unfortunately, our party-planning budget is pretty tight, so I was not able to bring any of these ideas into fruition... Instead, I just came up with some make-shift, spur-of-the moment decorations, but it was fun and definitely 4th-of-July-ish. We took a few pictures to document the event... (Note: Pictures were taken after the party-which means that most of the food is gone, and, yes, I did halfway reset the table for effect. Also, we sort of forgot to take pictures of our friends who came... But we had fun, Hannah, Jan, Lindsay, Jeremy, Lance, and Jeremy!)

We ate hamburgers with all of the fixins, baked beans, chips watermelon, homemade ice cream, and chocolate chip cookies. Yum. Then we played an intense game of Cranium: guys vs. girls. It was neck and neck, but the girls were victorious!!! Overall, it was a fun night. God bless the U.S.A.

Happy Birthday America!

I love the 4th of July. I always have. Some of the reasons I love this particular holiday are...
1.) cook outs
2.) watermelon
3.) homemade ice cream
4.) fireworks
5.) red, white, and blue
6.) time with family

I have many memories of beach trips, lake days, cookouts in the back yard, and always ALWAYS some good ole' homemade ice cream. This year we were able to meet all of the items on my list except for spending time with family... SAD. We are leaving for Mexico on Saturday, and with the holiday being in the middle of the week, we were unable to make a trip anywhere...
Since we couldn't be with our family, we decided to have some friends over who are also transplanted to Montgomery and couldn't be with their own fams.

I have really come to love having "parties," especially when there is a theme. I have been looking in magazines all month (well, including June) trying to come up with fun theme-ish food items, decorations, etc. Unfortunately, our party-planning budget is pretty tight, so I was not able to bring any of these ideas into fruition... Instead, I just came up with some make-shift, spur-of-the moment decorations, but it was fun and definitely 4th-of-July-ish. We took a few pictures to document the event... (Note: Pictures were taken after the party-which means that most of the food is gone, and, yes, I did halfway reset the table for effect. Also, we sort of forgot to take pictures of our friends who came... But we had fun, Hannah, Jan, Lindsay, Jeremy, Lance, and Jeremy!)

We ate hamburgers with all of the fixins, baked beans, chips watermelon, homemade ice cream, and chocolate chip cookies. Yum. Then we played an intense game of Cranium: guys vs. girls. It was neck and neck, but the girls were victorious!!! Overall, it was a fun night. God bless the U.S.A.

A Not-So Guilty Pleasure

This post is for anyone who has a chocolate-loving sweet tooth while also trying to maintain the waistline... ME! I posted earlier this summer about a new website that I found that provides nutritional values to menu items at various restaurants; now I'd like to share some new, extremely simple cake recipes that I got from my mom and aunt that make eating chocolate cake guiltless!

1.) Cola Cake
Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can diet soda

Directions:
Mix cake mix and diet soda for two minutes.
Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

2.) Choco-pumpkin cake
Ingredients:
1 box of chocolate cake mix (During the holidays, substitute chocolate cake mix for spiced cake mix.)
1 can of pumpkin
1/2 cup of water

Directions:
Mix ingredients for 2 minutes
Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

*Note: These recipes are lower in calories and fat because you are omitting the eggs and oil. Nutritional values will vary depending on the cake mix of your choice.

Instead of icing or ice cream, I have been serving it with lite coolwhip.

I have made them both, and they are ooey-gooey and moist, delicious, satisfying-my-sweet-tooth desserts! Enjoy!

This post is for anyone who has a chocolate-loving sweet tooth while also trying to maintain the waistline... ME! I posted earlier this summer about a new website that I found that provides nutritional values to menu items at various restaurants; now I'd like to share some new, extremely simple cake recipes that I got from my mom and aunt that make eating chocolate cake guiltless!

1.) Cola Cake
Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can diet soda

Directions:
Mix cake mix and diet soda for two minutes.
Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

2.) Choco-pumpkin cake
Ingredients:
1 box of chocolate cake mix (During the holidays, substitute chocolate cake mix for spiced cake mix.)
1 can of pumpkin
1/2 cup of water

Directions:
Mix ingredients for 2 minutes
Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

*Note: These recipes are lower in calories and fat because you are omitting the eggs and oil. Nutritional values will vary depending on the cake mix of your choice.

Instead of icing or ice cream, I have been serving it with lite coolwhip.

I have made them both, and they are ooey-gooey and moist, delicious, satisfying-my-sweet-tooth desserts! Enjoy!

A lost art...

Disclaimer: ranting ahead...

There are several things that are pet peeves of mine about wedding/social etiquette:
1. Not RSVP-ing to weddings, showers, birthday parties, dinners, etc. This especially bothers me when someone shows up that did not RSVP. It is a simple common courtesy to let a host/hostess know whether you can attend the specified event so that they can plan accordingly. I have not always been the best at this, but after showers I have hosted and our wedding, I have vowed to pay that respect.
2. Not sending a gift after receiving an invitation. It's just rude and lazy.
3. Not sending a thank you note. This is probably my biggest pet peeve and current rant. While numbers 1-2 can be frustrating social faux pas, not sending a thank you note is simply unacceptable. Don't you think? Both Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt agree that thank you notes for wedding gifts should be sent within 6-8 weeks after a wedding. They even suggest that for gifts received prior to a wedding, one should send a thank you within 2-3 weeks. I will even go as far to say, though, that a thank you note is always better late than never.

Many people get overwhelmed at writing thank you notes because they want to make them personal. I definitely appreciate a note that makes me feel special and my gift valued over a generic "blah" note; however, the overwhelming feeling is not an excuse to not write a note. And if it does take you (*someone*) over a year to write your thank you's, please make your note dang good. A once close friend sent her thank you note 10 months after her wedding, and it was so impersonal, you would think we hadn't even known each other.

One of the last mini-lessons that I shared with my seniors this year was the "how-to's" of writing a thank you note. I emphasized to them that graduation gifts that go unthanked will not lead to future gifts for college graduation, weddings, babies, etc. We talked about 1) acknowledging the gift; 2) its use; 3) and the hope for a future meeting with the giver. It's that simple.

I realized today that 5 out of the last 8 wedding/baby gifts that I have given (some to friends and others to aquaintances) have gone unthanked. This is problematic to me for a couple of reasons:
1. Did they get my gift? Some were sent in the mail, and what if they got lost? I even asked one of the girls over Christmas if she did, indeed, receive the gift... She did. Still no thank you.
2. Is thank you note writing a lost art? I hope not...
3. Do people in general appreciate others' generosity? I hope so...

I think I am going to write a thank you note to a friend for her personal, appreciative thank you note... sigh.

Disclaimer: ranting ahead...

There are several things that are pet peeves of mine about wedding/social etiquette:
1. Not RSVP-ing to weddings, showers, birthday parties, dinners, etc. This especially bothers me when someone shows up that did not RSVP. It is a simple common courtesy to let a host/hostess know whether you can attend the specified event so that they can plan accordingly. I have not always been the best at this, but after showers I have hosted and our wedding, I have vowed to pay that respect.
2. Not sending a gift after receiving an invitation. It's just rude and lazy.
3. Not sending a thank you note. This is probably my biggest pet peeve and current rant. While numbers 1-2 can be frustrating social faux pas, not sending a thank you note is simply unacceptable. Don't you think? Both Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt agree that thank you notes for wedding gifts should be sent within 6-8 weeks after a wedding. They even suggest that for gifts received prior to a wedding, one should send a thank you within 2-3 weeks. I will even go as far to say, though, that a thank you note is always better late than never.

Many people get overwhelmed at writing thank you notes because they want to make them personal. I definitely appreciate a note that makes me feel special and my gift valued over a generic "blah" note; however, the overwhelming feeling is not an excuse to not write a note. And if it does take you (*someone*) over a year to write your thank you's, please make your note dang good. A once close friend sent her thank you note 10 months after her wedding, and it was so impersonal, you would think we hadn't even known each other.

One of the last mini-lessons that I shared with my seniors this year was the "how-to's" of writing a thank you note. I emphasized to them that graduation gifts that go unthanked will not lead to future gifts for college graduation, weddings, babies, etc. We talked about 1) acknowledging the gift; 2) its use; 3) and the hope for a future meeting with the giver. It's that simple.

I realized today that 5 out of the last 8 wedding/baby gifts that I have given (some to friends and others to aquaintances) have gone unthanked. This is problematic to me for a couple of reasons:
1. Did they get my gift? Some were sent in the mail, and what if they got lost? I even asked one of the girls over Christmas if she did, indeed, receive the gift... She did. Still no thank you.
2. Is thank you note writing a lost art? I hope not...
3. Do people in general appreciate others' generosity? I hope so...

I think I am going to write a thank you note to a friend for her personal, appreciative thank you note... sigh.

Opened Eyes!!!

Maggie has been born!!! These are the 3 girls from the litter. They are 18 days old and have just opened their eyes. I cannot wait!!! I have been waking up thinking about her... Lindsay and I held two little bichon puppies today at the flea market, and we played with Sugar (our cousin's pup) Tuesday night. Both times I have melted. So we're deliberating over her registered name... I have a slight aversion to anything with Margaret. No offense, just not for my puppy. Mom mentioned Maggie Magdalene. Patrick vetoed it. I love Maggie Moo ice cream, but isn't that sort of cliche? Any ideas for a unique registed name, pass them along!

Maggie has been born!!! These are the 3 girls from the litter. They are 18 days old and have just opened their eyes. I cannot wait!!! I have been waking up thinking about her... Lindsay and I held two little bichon puppies today at the flea market, and we played with Sugar (our cousin's pup) Tuesday night. Both times I have melted. So we're deliberating over her registered name... I have a slight aversion to anything with Margaret. No offense, just not for my puppy. Mom mentioned Maggie Magdalene. Patrick vetoed it. I love Maggie Moo ice cream, but isn't that sort of cliche? Any ideas for a unique registed name, pass them along!

bathing suits and pajamas

I love my friends! This weekend is going down in the books as one of my favorite EVER. 4 of my best girls (Lia, Kelly, Andrea, and Mindy) made the trip down to Fun-gomery this weekend to reunite, and I had been looking forward to it for months... Now that it is over, I am a little sad, but still laughing at all of the fun that was had. At good ole' DLHS, I was blessed to be a part of the class of 97. I loved so many things about our class and have so many great memories of unique friendships, and that is what made high school not just bearable, but SO much fun for me. There were 9 of us girls who were pretty tight, and we still get together for holidays, weddings and babies, summer trips, and random spontaneous events. These girls are so special to me!

This weekend we celebrated Andrea's pregnancy (she finds out boy/girl news today!) and Kelly's upcoming adventure to Japan (she is going on an 18-month stint there with her cool husband who is an engineer for Nissan). We also brought recent pictures and videos of vacations, weddings, and babies to just laugh, cry, and share the special things in each others' lives. We definitely missed Tara, Nicole, Jenny, and Kristen, who were unable to come, but I promise you, girls, you were definitely there in all of the conversations and walks down memory lane that we went through... And we pretty much covered them all from...

• Spring Break trips
• Tara's campout
• Stewart and Brad's lakehouse weekend
• Spartan Cheerleader
• Lia's bachelorette weekend
• our fateful Gatlinburg trip
• the Charleston summer
• New Year's at Karkau's
• STARS Spunky and the cigar
• 8th grade Washington and the bus mess
• Basketball with BA
• sleepovers at Nicole's
• Class Days
• Homecoming dress disasters
• Junior/Senior dates
• old boyfriends
• all our crazy guy friends
• our Senior song... All the places I remember...
• Getting pulled over in Panama city, sun roofs

and so many others that I can't remember. All weekend was spent staying up late talking and laughing, wearing only bathing suits and pajamas, grilling out, sitting on the back porch, and swimming. We did take a nickel tour of Montgomery, and we all just had fun. One of our main goals was to name all of the 124 graduating seniors in our class. We got to 109 and then stonewalled. I've got one more to add girls, Cliff Chunn... If you think of others, let me know.
My favorite thing about the weekend is that no matter how we all change and go our own directions, our friendships remain the same. We pick up where we leave off, and we laugh until we cry.

I love my friends! This weekend is going down in the books as one of my favorite EVER. 4 of my best girls (Lia, Kelly, Andrea, and Mindy) made the trip down to Fun-gomery this weekend to reunite, and I had been looking forward to it for months... Now that it is over, I am a little sad, but still laughing at all of the fun that was had. At good ole' DLHS, I was blessed to be a part of the class of 97. I loved so many things about our class and have so many great memories of unique friendships, and that is what made high school not just bearable, but SO much fun for me. There were 9 of us girls who were pretty tight, and we still get together for holidays, weddings and babies, summer trips, and random spontaneous events. These girls are so special to me!

This weekend we celebrated Andrea's pregnancy (she finds out boy/girl news today!) and Kelly's upcoming adventure to Japan (she is going on an 18-month stint there with her cool husband who is an engineer for Nissan). We also brought recent pictures and videos of vacations, weddings, and babies to just laugh, cry, and share the special things in each others' lives. We definitely missed Tara, Nicole, Jenny, and Kristen, who were unable to come, but I promise you, girls, you were definitely there in all of the conversations and walks down memory lane that we went through... And we pretty much covered them all from...

• Spring Break trips
• Tara's campout
• Stewart and Brad's lakehouse weekend
• Spartan Cheerleader
• Lia's bachelorette weekend
• our fateful Gatlinburg trip
• the Charleston summer
• New Year's at Karkau's
• STARS Spunky and the cigar
• 8th grade Washington and the bus mess
• Basketball with BA
• sleepovers at Nicole's
• Class Days
• Homecoming dress disasters
• Junior/Senior dates
• old boyfriends
• all our crazy guy friends
• our Senior song... All the places I remember...
• Getting pulled over in Panama city, sun roofs

and so many others that I can't remember. All weekend was spent staying up late talking and laughing, wearing only bathing suits and pajamas, grilling out, sitting on the back porch, and swimming. We did take a nickel tour of Montgomery, and we all just had fun. One of our main goals was to name all of the 124 graduating seniors in our class. We got to 109 and then stonewalled. I've got one more to add girls, Cliff Chunn... If you think of others, let me know.
My favorite thing about the weekend is that no matter how we all change and go our own directions, our friendships remain the same. We pick up where we leave off, and we laugh until we cry.

Shout outs!

Lindsay and Daniel Meek just celebrated their 1-year annniversary, and Mom and Dad just celebrated their 30th year of marriage!

Thank you for being good examples of marriages. Can't wait to see you ALL next week.

Lindsay and Daniel Meek just celebrated their 1-year annniversary, and Mom and Dad just celebrated their 30th year of marriage!

Thank you for being good examples of marriages. Can't wait to see you ALL next week.

Pool Party via the "Calypso"

I am whipped. So is Patrick. He got back from camp late Friday afternoon; we had an intense work-filled Mexico meeting for several hours on Saturday; and then well went full-force in planning our "Summer Kick-off" party for the teens at Landmark. We did not sleep this weekend.

Just before he left for camp, we realized that our Kreepy Krawler, i.e. pool cleaner, was broken... Not what we wanted to hear. We priced these contraptions, and to our dismay, regular-priced they were in the $400- 500 range, and even on Ebay, they were going for around $350. A huge would-be dent in our "Maggie fund." That's when we were charmed by the Calypso pool cleaner... We bid on this product on ebay and got it for about 1/3 what we would have paid for anything else. Thank goodness! Our lifesaver product arrived just in time for Patrick to come home from camp. (Yes, I swam in a dirty pool last week...) It was amazing what a difference a working cleaner made on the lining of our pool, and now it's so clean you can't get me out of it.

Our summer kick-off turned out great. We had around 40 teens, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, ate homemade ice cream made by Jeremy and Hannah, and swam, played 4-square (sort-of), and volleyball/badmitten. It was a good bonding time dunking kids in the pool, playing "Categories" and catch off the diving board, and hanging out. A fun time was had by all.

Then we crashed, and we're still recovering. We are, however, grateful for our Calypso which made the whole thing possible.

I am whipped. So is Patrick. He got back from camp late Friday afternoon; we had an intense work-filled Mexico meeting for several hours on Saturday; and then well went full-force in planning our "Summer Kick-off" party for the teens at Landmark. We did not sleep this weekend.

Just before he left for camp, we realized that our Kreepy Krawler, i.e. pool cleaner, was broken... Not what we wanted to hear. We priced these contraptions, and to our dismay, regular-priced they were in the $400- 500 range, and even on Ebay, they were going for around $350. A huge would-be dent in our "Maggie fund." That's when we were charmed by the Calypso pool cleaner... We bid on this product on ebay and got it for about 1/3 what we would have paid for anything else. Thank goodness! Our lifesaver product arrived just in time for Patrick to come home from camp. (Yes, I swam in a dirty pool last week...) It was amazing what a difference a working cleaner made on the lining of our pool, and now it's so clean you can't get me out of it.

Our summer kick-off turned out great. We had around 40 teens, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, ate homemade ice cream made by Jeremy and Hannah, and swam, played 4-square (sort-of), and volleyball/badmitten. It was a good bonding time dunking kids in the pool, playing "Categories" and catch off the diving board, and hanging out. A fun time was had by all.

Then we crashed, and we're still recovering. We are, however, grateful for our Calypso which made the whole thing possible.

Eating out without packing it on...

This post goes out to all of you weight watchers out there...

In following through with one of my summer goals of eating healthy, I have been researching nutritional values and figuring out how to eat out without putting on the pounds. I walk with a dietitian on Thursdays who I have been pumping for tips; I have a friend who has been on Weight Watchers for a year who has lost 28 pounds, and I asked her how she planned her meals. She gave me several helpful websites that have been a springboard of information. During the summer, I like to eat out for lunch pretty often since during the school year I am locked in at Lee; it's also a good time to get together with teens or friends. However, I stress out at restaurants because I want to be healthy and make good choices without being annoying. Well, I will worry no longer thanks to Dottie's Weight Loss Zone. Looks can be deceiving, so just scroll down to the button that says, "Restaurants." Included in this list are almost all of the restaurants that I frequent, and I am now able to make informed choices. Hope this helps any of you who are interested.

This post goes out to all of you weight watchers out there...

In following through with one of my summer goals of eating healthy, I have been researching nutritional values and figuring out how to eat out without putting on the pounds. I walk with a dietitian on Thursdays who I have been pumping for tips; I have a friend who has been on Weight Watchers for a year who has lost 28 pounds, and I asked her how she planned her meals. She gave me several helpful websites that have been a springboard of information. During the summer, I like to eat out for lunch pretty often since during the school year I am locked in at Lee; it's also a good time to get together with teens or friends. However, I stress out at restaurants because I want to be healthy and make good choices without being annoying. Well, I will worry no longer thanks to Dottie's Weight Loss Zone. Looks can be deceiving, so just scroll down to the button that says, "Restaurants." Included in this list are almost all of the restaurants that I frequent, and I am now able to make informed choices. Hope this helps any of you who are interested.

Windfall: My Summer Filler?

Thursday night I watched NBC's new summer show, Windfall. I was intrigued by the show because I am familiar with several of the characters: Dylan McKay from 90210--yes!; Kate Warner from second season 24--the girl whose sister is a terrorist and woos Jack; and Sarah from 24 Season 3--the girl who is wrongly framed for being an insider mole and then demands "two pay grades" in a saucy little voice... Then there is the premise of the show: 20 friends go in for lottery tickets and when they win, they split their winnings of 380,000,000. The show is basically about how the money affects their lives and relationships. I was glued to the tv Thursday night. The jury is still out on how I feel about it, but it will provide me with a summer filler from my tv withdrawals... I hope.

Thursday night I watched NBC's new summer show, Windfall. I was intrigued by the show because I am familiar with several of the characters: Dylan McKay from 90210--yes!; Kate Warner from second season 24--the girl whose sister is a terrorist and woos Jack; and Sarah from 24 Season 3--the girl who is wrongly framed for being an insider mole and then demands "two pay grades" in a saucy little voice... Then there is the premise of the show: 20 friends go in for lottery tickets and when they win, they split their winnings of 380,000,000. The show is basically about how the money affects their lives and relationships. I was glued to the tv Thursday night. The jury is still out on how I feel about it, but it will provide me with a summer filler from my tv withdrawals... I hope.

In Cold Blood

I just finished watching Capote. It took me three times, and he really creeped me out, but I'm glad I watched it. I loved that Harper Lee, a fellow Chi Omega and a major reason for me pledging, was in it. I plan on rereading To Kill a Mockingbird and then following up with Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. My mom and dad both really enjoyed it...

I just finished watching Capote. It took me three times, and he really creeped me out, but I'm glad I watched it. I loved that Harper Lee, a fellow Chi Omega and a major reason for me pledging, was in it. I plan on rereading To Kill a Mockingbird and then following up with Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. My mom and dad both really enjoyed it...

Some of my favorite things...

Yesterday I spent the day in Auburn. I get a good feeling every time I drive on campus--something just clicks and makes me peacefully reflect; it's quite inspiring. :) Living in Montgomery, you'd think I'd visit quite often. Sadly, it's not often enough. I had a gift card to use from speaking at a retreat, a free day since Patrick is at camp this week, and some friends to catch up with... It was a good, refreshing, fun day, and I thought I'd write about some of my favorite things about the place. Disclaimer: This list is inconclusive; it just includes things I did yesterday...

1. The Auburn Christian Student Center: I don't really know how to begin to put into words how this place impacted my life. I thought I knew what being a Christian looked like before I came to Auburn, but I say with conviction that my faith was solidified through my involvement with this ministry. Jim and Mary are spiritual heroes to me. I learned that being a Christian didn't mean being perfect or even "good." I learned how to share my faith and study with someone who was seeking to know God. I saw lives transformed. In this imperfect, but genuine place I learned a little more about what I wanted my life to be like. Yesterday, I got to see Jim and Mary and spend time with one of my best friends who is interning there for the summer. It was good.



2. Chi Omega : Before coming to Auburn, I had all of those Lifetime movie channel preconceived notions about sororities. I went through RUSH to meet people (since I knew no one), and I was surprised by Chi-O. It was not carbon copies of girls, but unique individuals who intrigued me. I pledged, and my life has been blessed through that organization with some of the coolest friendships I have experienced... All of my roommates in undergraduate years were Chi-O's, and during our Junior and Senior year, we were privileged (at the time we really believed this :)) to live at this big old house called the Chi-O mansion that had been passed down from pledge class to pledge class. I have so many fond memories from there, and I spent a big part of yesterday with one of the "mansion girls"--as we were called.

3. Amsterdams: The home of the famous "turkey wrap" with honey mustard and sweet potato chips. I'm salivating as I write this...

4. Heartstrings: The best gift shop on the planet... and the place where my gift card from the retreat was from. I remember thinking during my last days at Auburn, "IS there life after Heartstrings...?"

5. Momma G's: There's not much better than a Momma's Love combined with the famous nachos... (doritos with melted pepper jack cheese... I've tried to recreate them at the house, and I can never do it...) Yes, I ate the whole thing by myself, and, yes, I'm salivating once again!

Anyway, it was a good summer day, and it helped me not miss Patrick so much... Sigh.

Yesterday I spent the day in Auburn. I get a good feeling every time I drive on campus--something just clicks and makes me peacefully reflect; it's quite inspiring. :) Living in Montgomery, you'd think I'd visit quite often. Sadly, it's not often enough. I had a gift card to use from speaking at a retreat, a free day since Patrick is at camp this week, and some friends to catch up with... It was a good, refreshing, fun day, and I thought I'd write about some of my favorite things about the place. Disclaimer: This list is inconclusive; it just includes things I did yesterday...

1. The Auburn Christian Student Center: I don't really know how to begin to put into words how this place impacted my life. I thought I knew what being a Christian looked like before I came to Auburn, but I say with conviction that my faith was solidified through my involvement with this ministry. Jim and Mary are spiritual heroes to me. I learned that being a Christian didn't mean being perfect or even "good." I learned how to share my faith and study with someone who was seeking to know God. I saw lives transformed. In this imperfect, but genuine place I learned a little more about what I wanted my life to be like. Yesterday, I got to see Jim and Mary and spend time with one of my best friends who is interning there for the summer. It was good.



2. Chi Omega : Before coming to Auburn, I had all of those Lifetime movie channel preconceived notions about sororities. I went through RUSH to meet people (since I knew no one), and I was surprised by Chi-O. It was not carbon copies of girls, but unique individuals who intrigued me. I pledged, and my life has been blessed through that organization with some of the coolest friendships I have experienced... All of my roommates in undergraduate years were Chi-O's, and during our Junior and Senior year, we were privileged (at the time we really believed this :)) to live at this big old house called the Chi-O mansion that had been passed down from pledge class to pledge class. I have so many fond memories from there, and I spent a big part of yesterday with one of the "mansion girls"--as we were called.

3. Amsterdams: The home of the famous "turkey wrap" with honey mustard and sweet potato chips. I'm salivating as I write this...

4. Heartstrings: The best gift shop on the planet... and the place where my gift card from the retreat was from. I remember thinking during my last days at Auburn, "IS there life after Heartstrings...?"

5. Momma G's: There's not much better than a Momma's Love combined with the famous nachos... (doritos with melted pepper jack cheese... I've tried to recreate them at the house, and I can never do it...) Yes, I ate the whole thing by myself, and, yes, I'm salivating once again!

Anyway, it was a good summer day, and it helped me not miss Patrick so much... Sigh.

UnAmerican!!!

That's me.

I didn't vote yesterday in the primaries.

It's not that I just didn't get around to it; around noon I intentionally decided not to vote. I felt angry at the whole idea for some reason...

What does this say about me? What happened to all of my SGA/politically active days from college?

Did you vote?

That's me.

I didn't vote yesterday in the primaries.

It's not that I just didn't get around to it; around noon I intentionally decided not to vote. I felt angry at the whole idea for some reason...

What does this say about me? What happened to all of my SGA/politically active days from college?

Did you vote?

what kind of coffee are you?

Rainy afternoon drinking some coffee... yum.

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Rainy afternoon drinking some coffee... yum.

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Graduation Completed.

(Pic taken from Jen's page... thanks :))
Deep breath. School year 2005-2006 is finally completed. Today was my last day of work, and I feel complete closure with the class of '06 after graduation last night. I told myself this last year, but I forgot, so I am reminding myself again this year: I need to always remember the positive, sentimental feeling that I get at graduation. It's those types of feelings, and bringing them to mind, that get me through rough times. I have been down about my job lately, and last night reminded me why I was in education. The smiles on those kids faces are priceless. They are so proud of themselves and so appreciative of their teachers--especially the ones who know they barely made it (i.e. needing a 79 on the final exam to pass the class and making an 80... I had three of those) and that they owe you big time. For the past two years, I have been a "line leader" for the ceremony, and while it can be quite chaotic, it is so cool to get to see and wave and hug every kid as they are about to walk on the stage for their "big moment"--for some, the biggest moment of their lives... Warm fuzzy, definitely! I am excited about my summer away, and I'll be ready for a brand new crop of students and a new school year come August...

(Pic taken from Jen's page... thanks :))
Deep breath. School year 2005-2006 is finally completed. Today was my last day of work, and I feel complete closure with the class of '06 after graduation last night. I told myself this last year, but I forgot, so I am reminding myself again this year: I need to always remember the positive, sentimental feeling that I get at graduation. It's those types of feelings, and bringing them to mind, that get me through rough times. I have been down about my job lately, and last night reminded me why I was in education. The smiles on those kids faces are priceless. They are so proud of themselves and so appreciative of their teachers--especially the ones who know they barely made it (i.e. needing a 79 on the final exam to pass the class and making an 80... I had three of those) and that they owe you big time. For the past two years, I have been a "line leader" for the ceremony, and while it can be quite chaotic, it is so cool to get to see and wave and hug every kid as they are about to walk on the stage for their "big moment"--for some, the biggest moment of their lives... Warm fuzzy, definitely! I am excited about my summer away, and I'll be ready for a brand new crop of students and a new school year come August...

Circa 1999

7 years ago, 3 friends and I embarked on a summer adventure to Charleston, South Carolina. We sublet an apartment from some College of Charleston girls(see pink building picture), took off from our respective colleges (none of which were the same), and made a life for ourselves in this spectacular city. We all got jobs, worked as little as possible to pay the bills, and enjoyed every facet of the city, beaches, and surrounding areas. We made a list of all the things that we wanted to do during our time there, checked them off one by one, and had a blast doing every single thing. There were more good times than bad, and the summer of 1999 was a defining time in my life and in my friendships with these women. I absolutely fell in love with the city and have since then read every book I can find that is set there. (Pat Conroy being my all-time favorite author!) Since our adventure there, I have only been back to visit once, but I have thought about it so often...

In just a few days, Patrick and I are going to Charleston!!! We have had our trip planned for several months now, and we cannot wait. I am going to get to do all the romantic things with him that I dreamed of doing with someone I loved that summer... :) We have a list of restaurants in which to dine, places to visit and tour, and walks to take. I can't wait to show him the Citadel, the CoC, the beautiful antebellum homes, Rainbow Row, Isle of Palms, Folley Beach, and so much more!!! We are staying at a Bed and Breakfast on the Battery (pictured below), and our view is amazing. I'll try to take some good pictures and post them when we get back!

7 years ago, 3 friends and I embarked on a summer adventure to Charleston, South Carolina. We sublet an apartment from some College of Charleston girls(see pink building picture), took off from our respective colleges (none of which were the same), and made a life for ourselves in this spectacular city. We all got jobs, worked as little as possible to pay the bills, and enjoyed every facet of the city, beaches, and surrounding areas. We made a list of all the things that we wanted to do during our time there, checked them off one by one, and had a blast doing every single thing. There were more good times than bad, and the summer of 1999 was a defining time in my life and in my friendships with these women. I absolutely fell in love with the city and have since then read every book I can find that is set there. (Pat Conroy being my all-time favorite author!) Since our adventure there, I have only been back to visit once, but I have thought about it so often...

In just a few days, Patrick and I are going to Charleston!!! We have had our trip planned for several months now, and we cannot wait. I am going to get to do all the romantic things with him that I dreamed of doing with someone I loved that summer... :) We have a list of restaurants in which to dine, places to visit and tour, and walks to take. I can't wait to show him the Citadel, the CoC, the beautiful antebellum homes, Rainbow Row, Isle of Palms, Folley Beach, and so much more!!! We are staying at a Bed and Breakfast on the Battery (pictured below), and our view is amazing. I'll try to take some good pictures and post them when we get back!

puppy dogs and codes

Well... Patrick and I have been doing a lot of thinking, praying, researching, and we think we are ready to add a puppy dog to our family! What in the world!!! Since Patrick has yucky allergies, we need a dog who won't shed or bother his sinuses. We have decided on getting a Bichon Frise. Sugar Sweet, my cousin's dog, has greatly influenced our decision, and we spoke today with the owner of her parents. Our "Maggie" will be born in 2 weeks, and we'll get her in 9 weeks if all goes as planned. I really miss my "Cassie," and I love my sister's "Sadie," and I'm going to be obsessed with my sweet little "Maggie."

In other news, we went to see The DaVinci Code this weekend. It was a good thriller with cool cinematography tricks. There has been so much controversy about first the novel, and now the movie. When I was doing campus ministry at The University of Alabama, this book was all the rage because it was shaking so many people's faith. I was particularly interested in the book since I was in the middle of my Masters in Biblical Studies. The truth is that the book is purely fiction, and while interesting, it is based on inaccuracies and simple fallacies. We heard a sermon yesterday on "Cracking the DaVinci Code," and I was worried that it was going to be one of those, "Christians should stay away from this movie and boycott it lalalala stuff." It wasn't. I appreciated Buddy's approach. He said from the start that he had read the book and seen the movie. He gave our members some facts to help dialogue with those who might be struggling with some of the ideas that were presented. Then, he focused on how people today aren't influenced as much by Christian or non-Christian evidences as much as they are by watching others live out their faith with authenticity. I agree completely, and I recommend the movie. Then, call me and let's talk about it over coffee or tea...

Well... Patrick and I have been doing a lot of thinking, praying, researching, and we think we are ready to add a puppy dog to our family! What in the world!!! Since Patrick has yucky allergies, we need a dog who won't shed or bother his sinuses. We have decided on getting a Bichon Frise. Sugar Sweet, my cousin's dog, has greatly influenced our decision, and we spoke today with the owner of her parents. Our "Maggie" will be born in 2 weeks, and we'll get her in 9 weeks if all goes as planned. I really miss my "Cassie," and I love my sister's "Sadie," and I'm going to be obsessed with my sweet little "Maggie."

In other news, we went to see The DaVinci Code this weekend. It was a good thriller with cool cinematography tricks. There has been so much controversy about first the novel, and now the movie. When I was doing campus ministry at The University of Alabama, this book was all the rage because it was shaking so many people's faith. I was particularly interested in the book since I was in the middle of my Masters in Biblical Studies. The truth is that the book is purely fiction, and while interesting, it is based on inaccuracies and simple fallacies. We heard a sermon yesterday on "Cracking the DaVinci Code," and I was worried that it was going to be one of those, "Christians should stay away from this movie and boycott it lalalala stuff." It wasn't. I appreciated Buddy's approach. He said from the start that he had read the book and seen the movie. He gave our members some facts to help dialogue with those who might be struggling with some of the ideas that were presented. Then, he focused on how people today aren't influenced as much by Christian or non-Christian evidences as much as they are by watching others live out their faith with authenticity. I agree completely, and I recommend the movie. Then, call me and let's talk about it over coffee or tea...

So close I can taste it...

Summer, come quick! I have 3 more "pseudo" work days, and then summer will have arrived. Thank the Lord, it couldn't come at a better time. This weekend has felt like summer. I've just felt more relaxed, spent some time outside, and enjoyed life. I've also had a chance to reflect and gather some thoughts and goals for how I want to use these 10 weeks of my life with no Lee High...
1. Time with family. We have a trip planned to Louisville to spend time with the Crawfords, a week in Nashville with the Deans, and an end-of-summer trip to Atlanta with the Crawford, Dean, Meek clan. I'm sure missing my family, so this chunk of time is extremely valuable to me. 2. Vaca... And that's coming quick. Patrick and I will be spending the last few days of May in my favorite city in the US, Charleston. More to come on that later...
3. Get in shape. I'm sick of eating crap and feeling bloaty and lethargic. I WILL do something about it this summer... Get ready, Ash and Aiden, I'll be calling...
4. Get back on track spiritually. I've been stuck and stagnant for too long. I'm ready to live the joy of my Lord. I'm excited about my new "Kristy Crawford" Bible that Patrick got me for "Teacher Appreciation Week" and 7 months of marriage. I'm also excited about a Beth Moore study that I'm planning to be a part of this summer on Thursday nights. It's Patriarchs, and my mom said it was excellent. Any of you Fungomery girls who are interested, let me know, and we'll make a girls' night out of it.
5. Read and Write. I have my list of books for the summer that I'll share with any of you who are interested, and I have an article for Teen Life Ministries that is long overdue. Sorry, Al. It's on "The Value of Women in Ministry."
6. Get Tan! Last summer I hardly used our pool. This summer, it will be a daily occurence. Come swim with me!
7. Use our home and my time for ministry and fellowship. I'm planning Mondays with Landmark teen girls, different age groups each week, swimming, or shopping, or lunching... I hope to have friends and reach-out friends over for cookouts and pool parties too.
8. Friend time. My DLHS homegirls are coming one weekend in June to send Kelly off to Japan, celebrate Andrea's pregnancy, Mindy's new motherhood experiences, and get caught up on our babies and marriages, jobs and interestes and lives in general. Can't wait!!! I'm also looking forward to time with my friends here who I see so rarely.
9. Youth Ministry! I'm going to Cozumel with the Landmark teens. It's my second year to go and work with Ciudad de Angeles. We have a great group going this year, and I can't wait.
10. Cook. I got some great cookbooks as wedding presents, and I'm excited about trying new recipes... Get ready, Patty Crawdy!
11. Learn Spanish. See #9. Last year in Cozumel, I just smiled and giggled. This year I hope to communicate a little better...

Think that's enough? Well, I am excited, and I hope that my excitement drives this! I hope everyone is getting excited about summer...

Summer, come quick! I have 3 more "pseudo" work days, and then summer will have arrived. Thank the Lord, it couldn't come at a better time. This weekend has felt like summer. I've just felt more relaxed, spent some time outside, and enjoyed life. I've also had a chance to reflect and gather some thoughts and goals for how I want to use these 10 weeks of my life with no Lee High...
1. Time with family. We have a trip planned to Louisville to spend time with the Crawfords, a week in Nashville with the Deans, and an end-of-summer trip to Atlanta with the Crawford, Dean, Meek clan. I'm sure missing my family, so this chunk of time is extremely valuable to me. 2. Vaca... And that's coming quick. Patrick and I will be spending the last few days of May in my favorite city in the US, Charleston. More to come on that later...
3. Get in shape. I'm sick of eating crap and feeling bloaty and lethargic. I WILL do something about it this summer... Get ready, Ash and Aiden, I'll be calling...
4. Get back on track spiritually. I've been stuck and stagnant for too long. I'm ready to live the joy of my Lord. I'm excited about my new "Kristy Crawford" Bible that Patrick got me for "Teacher Appreciation Week" and 7 months of marriage. I'm also excited about a Beth Moore study that I'm planning to be a part of this summer on Thursday nights. It's Patriarchs, and my mom said it was excellent. Any of you Fungomery girls who are interested, let me know, and we'll make a girls' night out of it.
5. Read and Write. I have my list of books for the summer that I'll share with any of you who are interested, and I have an article for Teen Life Ministries that is long overdue. Sorry, Al. It's on "The Value of Women in Ministry."
6. Get Tan! Last summer I hardly used our pool. This summer, it will be a daily occurence. Come swim with me!
7. Use our home and my time for ministry and fellowship. I'm planning Mondays with Landmark teen girls, different age groups each week, swimming, or shopping, or lunching... I hope to have friends and reach-out friends over for cookouts and pool parties too.
8. Friend time. My DLHS homegirls are coming one weekend in June to send Kelly off to Japan, celebrate Andrea's pregnancy, Mindy's new motherhood experiences, and get caught up on our babies and marriages, jobs and interestes and lives in general. Can't wait!!! I'm also looking forward to time with my friends here who I see so rarely.
9. Youth Ministry! I'm going to Cozumel with the Landmark teens. It's my second year to go and work with Ciudad de Angeles. We have a great group going this year, and I can't wait.
10. Cook. I got some great cookbooks as wedding presents, and I'm excited about trying new recipes... Get ready, Patty Crawdy!
11. Learn Spanish. See #9. Last year in Cozumel, I just smiled and giggled. This year I hope to communicate a little better...

Think that's enough? Well, I am excited, and I hope that my excitement drives this! I hope everyone is getting excited about summer...

Grey's Anatomy... whoa!

Anybody see the finale last night? What did you think? Who should she choose? What about Izzy? thoughts, predictions, opinions welcomed. I was floored... and a little embarassed at one point... I think I'm going to watch it again right now!

(BTW, I'm home early today because our school had to let out due to backed up raw sewage! What in the world...)

Anybody see the finale last night? What did you think? Who should she choose? What about Izzy? thoughts, predictions, opinions welcomed. I was floored... and a little embarassed at one point... I think I'm going to watch it again right now!

(BTW, I'm home early today because our school had to let out due to backed up raw sewage! What in the world...)

little here... little there...

I haven't had much to say this week. It seems like a lot has happened, but I've been too tired to even try to articulate it here on this blog... So, here is my week in a list.

1. Research Papers completed!!! This has been a major highlight of my week. Toward the end, the grading went faster because the papers were worse. Sad, but true.
2. Personal/Mental health day... I took Wednesday off because I couldn't deal with the jungle 5 whole days this week. It was a great day that started off with a rainy morning spent reading in the bed, a lunch date with Patrick, Mother's Day card and gift shopping, and a rainiy afternoon at Starbucks... grading research papers...
3. Babies Galore!!! First 3 new expectant mothers... now 4 new little friends! Amy Hall Reynolds is now the proud mother of Rylee Grace Reynolds; Katie Stewart Holliday gave "little Robert" a little sister, Lillian Louise Holliday (Lilly); Jennifer Corwin Brewer gave birth to little Davis Brewer; and my sweet little Shar'keia gave birth to a sweet little girl with a full head of hair! Plus, we had a baby shower for a teacher at school... babies, babies, babies!
4. I did something I never thought I would do... (see #3) I went to visit one of my 17-year-old students at the hospital after giving birth. Sweet Shar'keia, who is not only my student but also my wonderful teacher's aide, had a baby girl Thursday afternoon. I took her some "Baby's first books" to the hospital and was greeted by a room full of young women and babies. She was adorable... She will be a wonderful mother... I pray for her and that her life will be blessed. She has taken a rough path, but she is smart and kind and motivated. Her mother made me cry.
5. Read three books: A Moveable Feast, White Hot, and Promise Me. I'm currently zipping through Annie Freemen's Fabulous Traveling Funeral. Good stuff.
6. Visited the Adullum House. Last night our LIFEgroup went to the Adullum House, an orphanage/foster home that cares for children whose mothers are in Tutwiler Prison. There are 26 kids there. Last night, we cleaned the rooms and bathrooms, did laundry, and held babies. The older kids were out on a "field trip," so we had the 9 youngest to play with, feed bottles, and burp. It was truly humbling.
7. Slept in. After falling asleep last night on Kevin and Britani's floor, this morning Patrick and I slept LATE. We woke to a rainy Saturday morning, and we have just enjoyed our day together. What a blessing!

Next week my main goal is to live out my faith. I felt negative last week. Tired. Drained. I pray that my joy will shine through this upcoming week to everyone I come across. God has been good to me. I need to remember that.

I haven't had much to say this week. It seems like a lot has happened, but I've been too tired to even try to articulate it here on this blog... So, here is my week in a list.

1. Research Papers completed!!! This has been a major highlight of my week. Toward the end, the grading went faster because the papers were worse. Sad, but true.
2. Personal/Mental health day... I took Wednesday off because I couldn't deal with the jungle 5 whole days this week. It was a great day that started off with a rainy morning spent reading in the bed, a lunch date with Patrick, Mother's Day card and gift shopping, and a rainiy afternoon at Starbucks... grading research papers...
3. Babies Galore!!! First 3 new expectant mothers... now 4 new little friends! Amy Hall Reynolds is now the proud mother of Rylee Grace Reynolds; Katie Stewart Holliday gave "little Robert" a little sister, Lillian Louise Holliday (Lilly); Jennifer Corwin Brewer gave birth to little Davis Brewer; and my sweet little Shar'keia gave birth to a sweet little girl with a full head of hair! Plus, we had a baby shower for a teacher at school... babies, babies, babies!
4. I did something I never thought I would do... (see #3) I went to visit one of my 17-year-old students at the hospital after giving birth. Sweet Shar'keia, who is not only my student but also my wonderful teacher's aide, had a baby girl Thursday afternoon. I took her some "Baby's first books" to the hospital and was greeted by a room full of young women and babies. She was adorable... She will be a wonderful mother... I pray for her and that her life will be blessed. She has taken a rough path, but she is smart and kind and motivated. Her mother made me cry.
5. Read three books: A Moveable Feast, White Hot, and Promise Me. I'm currently zipping through Annie Freemen's Fabulous Traveling Funeral. Good stuff.
6. Visited the Adullum House. Last night our LIFEgroup went to the Adullum House, an orphanage/foster home that cares for children whose mothers are in Tutwiler Prison. There are 26 kids there. Last night, we cleaned the rooms and bathrooms, did laundry, and held babies. The older kids were out on a "field trip," so we had the 9 youngest to play with, feed bottles, and burp. It was truly humbling.
7. Slept in. After falling asleep last night on Kevin and Britani's floor, this morning Patrick and I slept LATE. We woke to a rainy Saturday morning, and we have just enjoyed our day together. What a blessing!

Next week my main goal is to live out my faith. I felt negative last week. Tired. Drained. I pray that my joy will shine through this upcoming week to everyone I come across. God has been good to me. I need to remember that.

Baby Fever

So, the saying really is true: Things come in 3's. On the same day, I had 3 friends (extremely close friends, at that) call to tell me that they are pregnant! What in the world?! All three of these women are spectacular, and they will all make incredible, Godly mothers. I just want to know their babies! I am not ready to have a baby. I'm not. But whoa...

So, the saying really is true: Things come in 3's. On the same day, I had 3 friends (extremely close friends, at that) call to tell me that they are pregnant! What in the world?! All three of these women are spectacular, and they will all make incredible, Godly mothers. I just want to know their babies! I am not ready to have a baby. I'm not. But whoa...

R.A.K.s

So, it went something like this... I'm sitting in my classroom talking to my fun, funky, smart, creative friend/coworker about how I've been enjoying my afternoons at Barnes & Noble, drinking a cup of green tea and reading a chapter of A Moveable Feast (continuing in my literary obsession with Hemingway, I am). She asked why I had not bought the book, and I told her my hangup about buying lots of books, my feelings about Trade Books and the library, and that I had to really LOVE a book to buy it for full price. We continued on in our conversation and said our good-byes for the day. (She leaves after 5th period.)

Fast-forward to 7th period. I'm sitting in the library with my class as they take their STAR reading tests, and in my lap falls a wrapped package with a sweet card. I turned around to my friend, and she said, "I hope you don't mind... but I couldn't stand the thought of you not having a book that you absolutely love." STINKIN' MADE MY WHOLE WEEK! (p.s. Barnes & Noble has the coolest wrapping paper ever!)

What an awesome Random Act of Kindness... It really got me thinking about taking the time to notice things in people I am around, what they like, what they need. It made me think about becoming a better friend to those who have befriended me so selflessly. So, I thought I'd open up a conversation... What are some random kindnesses that have been shown to you? What are some things that you've done, or would like to do, for those around you?

Thank you so much, Carrie! Love you, girl...

My Hemingway quote of the day... "Do not worry. You have always written before, and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know." ~my inspiration for the moment...

So, it went something like this... I'm sitting in my classroom talking to my fun, funky, smart, creative friend/coworker about how I've been enjoying my afternoons at Barnes & Noble, drinking a cup of green tea and reading a chapter of A Moveable Feast (continuing in my literary obsession with Hemingway, I am). She asked why I had not bought the book, and I told her my hangup about buying lots of books, my feelings about Trade Books and the library, and that I had to really LOVE a book to buy it for full price. We continued on in our conversation and said our good-byes for the day. (She leaves after 5th period.)

Fast-forward to 7th period. I'm sitting in the library with my class as they take their STAR reading tests, and in my lap falls a wrapped package with a sweet card. I turned around to my friend, and she said, "I hope you don't mind... but I couldn't stand the thought of you not having a book that you absolutely love." STINKIN' MADE MY WHOLE WEEK! (p.s. Barnes & Noble has the coolest wrapping paper ever!)

What an awesome Random Act of Kindness... It really got me thinking about taking the time to notice things in people I am around, what they like, what they need. It made me think about becoming a better friend to those who have befriended me so selflessly. So, I thought I'd open up a conversation... What are some random kindnesses that have been shown to you? What are some things that you've done, or would like to do, for those around you?

Thank you so much, Carrie! Love you, girl...

My Hemingway quote of the day... "Do not worry. You have always written before, and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know." ~my inspiration for the moment...

My weekend=My "new" kitchen!

So...this post is to inform you of how Patrick and I, along with our dear friends Britani and Kevin, spent our weekend--redoing the kitchen!!! Please indulge me with some before and after photos:
Ok, so notice the beautiful fruit wallpaper, the mongo fan/light fixture, the overwhelming 80's feel... (If you can't tell, click the image so that you can see it all on a detailed level.) Now, let me just preface all these details by emphasizing how grateful I am to have a house, a kitchen, etc... I was determined to not jump in and change anything when we first bought the house because of several reasons: 1)Most of our available funds went toward the down payment; 2) My sister got married a month later; 3)I then planned a wedding and got married. In addition, I wanted to spend some time in the house and decide what was important to me and unimportant. The kitchen was fine and spacious, but as the months went on, I became certain of one thing: The fruit had to go! So, our weekend went as follows:

1. Choosing a paint color: Home Depot's "Shy Blossom," a pleasant green hue that both brightens and calms the room.

2. Removing the existing wall fungus (consisting of 4, and in some places 5, layers of wallpaper). This process consisted of renting a steamer, scraping, sanding, using emulsifying glue, spacling (sp), sanding some more, and, sigh, FINALLY painting. Actually, the painting turned out to be the easiest part...

3. Replacing our white ceramic plastic knobs with knobs with a dull nickel finish.

4. Changing out light fixtures (Patrick, again, impressed me with his handyman skills).

5. Purchasing new kitchen chairs (on sale at Pier 1) to go with our lovely hand-me-down ratan table base from the beloved parentals

6. Purchasing chair cushions (again at Pier 1)

7. Purchasing a curtain valance

8. Purchasing some wall art to complete the overall mood of the room... And TADA!!!













Well, it may not be quite Trading Spaces, but we are very pleased. Come over, and we'll cook you dinner! One note: We definitely underestimated how long this project would take... so if you ever consider putting up wallpaper, call me so that I can talk you out of it. We are going to take some time off before Project number 2...

So...this post is to inform you of how Patrick and I, along with our dear friends Britani and Kevin, spent our weekend--redoing the kitchen!!! Please indulge me with some before and after photos:
Ok, so notice the beautiful fruit wallpaper, the mongo fan/light fixture, the overwhelming 80's feel... (If you can't tell, click the image so that you can see it all on a detailed level.) Now, let me just preface all these details by emphasizing how grateful I am to have a house, a kitchen, etc... I was determined to not jump in and change anything when we first bought the house because of several reasons: 1)Most of our available funds went toward the down payment; 2) My sister got married a month later; 3)I then planned a wedding and got married. In addition, I wanted to spend some time in the house and decide what was important to me and unimportant. The kitchen was fine and spacious, but as the months went on, I became certain of one thing: The fruit had to go! So, our weekend went as follows:

1. Choosing a paint color: Home Depot's "Shy Blossom," a pleasant green hue that both brightens and calms the room.

2. Removing the existing wall fungus (consisting of 4, and in some places 5, layers of wallpaper). This process consisted of renting a steamer, scraping, sanding, using emulsifying glue, spacling (sp), sanding some more, and, sigh, FINALLY painting. Actually, the painting turned out to be the easiest part...

3. Replacing our white ceramic plastic knobs with knobs with a dull nickel finish.

4. Changing out light fixtures (Patrick, again, impressed me with his handyman skills).

5. Purchasing new kitchen chairs (on sale at Pier 1) to go with our lovely hand-me-down ratan table base from the beloved parentals

6. Purchasing chair cushions (again at Pier 1)

7. Purchasing a curtain valance

8. Purchasing some wall art to complete the overall mood of the room... And TADA!!!













Well, it may not be quite Trading Spaces, but we are very pleased. Come over, and we'll cook you dinner! One note: We definitely underestimated how long this project would take... so if you ever consider putting up wallpaper, call me so that I can talk you out of it. We are going to take some time off before Project number 2...

Come on, ABC!

So, here's my rant for the evening... My number 2 and 3 shows, Grey's Anatomy and Lost, respectively, are a weekly inspiration to me. Seriously. However, I have lost all patience with ABC this season because of its inconsistency in showing the new episodes. It seems like I get totally into a show one week, and get ready to watch my TiVo'ed episode the next, only to find that it was a repeat of a previous season, an "overview of the series" (That's why the first seasons are out on DVD, people!), or a 2-hour Alias special. Bump that. (No offense, Alias fans. Love ya.)

I truly believe that 2 of the best shows on television are losing ground because they haven't had the chance to get into any kind of flow this season, and that is a shame. Tonight, for example, I was looking forward to coming home from church to enjoy what I thought to be a riveting new episode of Lost, yet it turned out to be another season recap. Same deal Sunday night with Grey's Anatomy. I have seriously contemplated writing ABC as a disgruntled fan to complain about the whole ordeal. I plan to continue to be a faithful watcher--I've invested a lot into Meredith, McDreamy, Kristina, Jack, Sawyer, and Kate, but my patience is running thin... Is anyone out there with me? Get with the program, ABC! Give us our shows!

Thank goodness there is no break in the seasons of 24. I'm afraid I'd claw someone's eye(s) out with all that pent up suspense.

So, here's my rant for the evening... My number 2 and 3 shows, Grey's Anatomy and Lost, respectively, are a weekly inspiration to me. Seriously. However, I have lost all patience with ABC this season because of its inconsistency in showing the new episodes. It seems like I get totally into a show one week, and get ready to watch my TiVo'ed episode the next, only to find that it was a repeat of a previous season, an "overview of the series" (That's why the first seasons are out on DVD, people!), or a 2-hour Alias special. Bump that. (No offense, Alias fans. Love ya.)

I truly believe that 2 of the best shows on television are losing ground because they haven't had the chance to get into any kind of flow this season, and that is a shame. Tonight, for example, I was looking forward to coming home from church to enjoy what I thought to be a riveting new episode of Lost, yet it turned out to be another season recap. Same deal Sunday night with Grey's Anatomy. I have seriously contemplated writing ABC as a disgruntled fan to complain about the whole ordeal. I plan to continue to be a faithful watcher--I've invested a lot into Meredith, McDreamy, Kristina, Jack, Sawyer, and Kate, but my patience is running thin... Is anyone out there with me? Get with the program, ABC! Give us our shows!

Thank goodness there is no break in the seasons of 24. I'm afraid I'd claw someone's eye(s) out with all that pent up suspense.

shout out to Hemingway

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Ernest Hemingway to my 11th graders during the last few days--so much so that I think I am going to make him my new literary obsession. We read and studied his short story, "In Another Country," and watched the A&E biography of him (thanks, Jen). Previously, I only read this particular short story and The Old Man and the Sea. Now, I am on a mission to find A Moveable Feast because I am particularly interested in his love for Hadley and their time in Paris. I looked at Trade Books today, and I had no luck. Amazon, I'm on my way... Anyway, to honor the late Mr. Hemingway, I have chosen some of my favorite of his quotes to pay my respects... Humor me.

"All my life I've looked at words as though I was seeing them for the first time."

"Courage is grace under pressure."

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

"We are all apprentices in a craft where noone ever becomes a master."
My kids actually enjoyed and appreciated our study of Hemingway. I think they liked the life of adventure that he lived--especially his 4 wives... What a womanizer! But what a writer!

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Ernest Hemingway to my 11th graders during the last few days--so much so that I think I am going to make him my new literary obsession. We read and studied his short story, "In Another Country," and watched the A&E biography of him (thanks, Jen). Previously, I only read this particular short story and The Old Man and the Sea. Now, I am on a mission to find A Moveable Feast because I am particularly interested in his love for Hadley and their time in Paris. I looked at Trade Books today, and I had no luck. Amazon, I'm on my way... Anyway, to honor the late Mr. Hemingway, I have chosen some of my favorite of his quotes to pay my respects... Humor me.

"All my life I've looked at words as though I was seeing them for the first time."

"Courage is grace under pressure."

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

"We are all apprentices in a craft where noone ever becomes a master."
My kids actually enjoyed and appreciated our study of Hemingway. I think they liked the life of adventure that he lived--especially his 4 wives... What a womanizer! But what a writer!

On the Wings of Love

R.E. Lee Prom 2006: On the wings of love, and what a love fest it was! This was my first prom experience since my own 1997 Jr.-Sr. Banquet at ole DLHS. I must admit the two events couldn't have been more polar opposites, and I definitely had more fun last night than I did at my own "prom." It was funny because I don't remember one single teacher or adult at my prom, but all night long these kids kept coming up to us wanting to make sure that we saw them all dressed up and take their pictures. I have never seen my kids look so beautiful and handsome, and I have never seen them break it down any harder. I had to hold myself back from hitting the dance floor myself... :) They played all the classic rap songs, and when they started playing country, everyone left! The above picture is of my English department friends: Lisa, Marie, and Jen. We were doing our "prom pose" giving a shout-out to the theme... hence our wings of love. I'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

R.E. Lee Prom 2006: On the wings of love, and what a love fest it was! This was my first prom experience since my own 1997 Jr.-Sr. Banquet at ole DLHS. I must admit the two events couldn't have been more polar opposites, and I definitely had more fun last night than I did at my own "prom." It was funny because I don't remember one single teacher or adult at my prom, but all night long these kids kept coming up to us wanting to make sure that we saw them all dressed up and take their pictures. I have never seen my kids look so beautiful and handsome, and I have never seen them break it down any harder. I had to hold myself back from hitting the dance floor myself... :) They played all the classic rap songs, and when they started playing country, everyone left! The above picture is of my English department friends: Lisa, Marie, and Jen. We were doing our "prom pose" giving a shout-out to the theme... hence our wings of love. I'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

You GOTTA to be kidding me!

So, today I finally bit the bullet and began grading my stack of research papers. I am averaging about 15 minutes per paper, and I have graded 18 of the 85 that were turned in. (Sadly, I have 91 seniors, and not turning in a research paper usually equals not graduating since the paper carries such a heavy weight.) Some of those 15 minutes have been pretty grueling, so I have been trying to keep some humor running throughout the process. I have been jotting down the ludicrous, hilarious, pitiful, bogus things that my students have been writing, and I thought I would share some of the best ones with you.

Now, before you think I am a horribly mean person, let me make this disclaimer: I love my students. They know that I love them. HOWEVER, we spent 6 weeks on this paper, and I covered every detail repeatedly--so much so that I felt like a broken record. Before you judge me too harshly, remember that I have spent about 4.5 hours drudging through these things. I have graded 5 "A" papers that I was supremely pleased with... but onto the goods...

"The author's attitude, stated or implied, is toward the subject."

"The way Chaucer's style was, it was amazing."

"Wordsworth received a good grounding for this classic poem."

"The type of style that Coleridge used for this poem was strangeness and awkwardness."

"Romeo and Juliet were basically two lovers at first sight--they went threw a lot together."

"All through his life he wrote, wrote, and wrote."

"On the other hand man versus nature is like when a dog appears before all of the jailors and prisoners."

"There are really only 6 main characters: Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame."

"After reading the book, many realize that it is suspenseful."

"This British Literature Research focuses on a poem. The chosen poem was chose, because it seemed easy to research a simple poem."

"This poem has a nine point five rating."

Comment on which one of these strikes your particular interest, funny bone, gag reflex... Well, I'm back to some more happy readings...

So, today I finally bit the bullet and began grading my stack of research papers. I am averaging about 15 minutes per paper, and I have graded 18 of the 85 that were turned in. (Sadly, I have 91 seniors, and not turning in a research paper usually equals not graduating since the paper carries such a heavy weight.) Some of those 15 minutes have been pretty grueling, so I have been trying to keep some humor running throughout the process. I have been jotting down the ludicrous, hilarious, pitiful, bogus things that my students have been writing, and I thought I would share some of the best ones with you.

Now, before you think I am a horribly mean person, let me make this disclaimer: I love my students. They know that I love them. HOWEVER, we spent 6 weeks on this paper, and I covered every detail repeatedly--so much so that I felt like a broken record. Before you judge me too harshly, remember that I have spent about 4.5 hours drudging through these things. I have graded 5 "A" papers that I was supremely pleased with... but onto the goods...

"The author's attitude, stated or implied, is toward the subject."

"The way Chaucer's style was, it was amazing."

"Wordsworth received a good grounding for this classic poem."

"The type of style that Coleridge used for this poem was strangeness and awkwardness."

"Romeo and Juliet were basically two lovers at first sight--they went threw a lot together."

"All through his life he wrote, wrote, and wrote."

"On the other hand man versus nature is like when a dog appears before all of the jailors and prisoners."

"There are really only 6 main characters: Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame."

"After reading the book, many realize that it is suspenseful."

"This British Literature Research focuses on a poem. The chosen poem was chose, because it seemed easy to research a simple poem."

"This poem has a nine point five rating."

Comment on which one of these strikes your particular interest, funny bone, gag reflex... Well, I'm back to some more happy readings...

Back to reality... already?

So, we're back from the beach... already. Our vacation flew by, but it was so wonderful while it lasted. I don't know if I will ever get tired of going to Destin because of all of the fun memories I have with family and friends. This being our first vacation together since our honeymoon, we learned a lot about how we envision beach trips and how compatible we are on those trips. (I actually gave him a run through of all of my "friend" beach trips along with several "family" stories our first night at dinner. He obliged me by listening and smiling...) Luckily, we learned that our ideas of "fun at the beach" are very closely aligned.

A few learning moments... First, in our excitement about getting away and our rush out of the house after an extremely busy week, we forgot some important equipment. #1) Our bikes. We got bikes for our birthdays 2 years ago and have ridden them about twice each and never together. Bikes would have been perfect for this trip. We seriously thought about turning around to get them an hour out of Montgomery, but seafood was calling our names more loudy. #2) Our camera. Who goes off to the beach and forgets their camera? Well, the Crawfords did this weekend. Patrick is usually "Mr. Camera" as he catches every photo opportunity. This weekend we saw beautiful sunsets. We dressed up in our new springy beach attire. We got a tan. We were on our first married vacation. There will be no pictures to document this event.
How sad, but we learned a valuable lesson. #3) No tennis rackets. We always talk about playing tennis, but we never do. We missed another opportunity. Oh well.

A few wondeful moments... Well, Patrick and I both agree that a good vacation has to be marked by one thing: GOOD FOOD. And good food we did enjoy. The Back Porch's fish sandwiches, twiced baked potatoes, and cole slaw, Baytowne Wharf's (at Acme's) fried shrimp and oysters, oyster po-boys, fries, and hushpuppies, and ultimately the Red Bar's Saturday night special: Crab Cakes, pasta, and salad. Um, my mouth is watering in sweet remembrance. We also splurged on Key Lime pie for dessert and continued a Dean tradition by stopping off in Andalusia to pick up a 7-layer caramel cake at Dean's Cake House. (But we walked it off every morning to avoid the pooch/bulge on the beach.) We walked every morning and afternoon to talk, dream, laugh, and people watch which we both enjoyed doing. We read for pleasure. There is nothing better than an escape read at the beach. Patrick, who usually reads nonfiction, informative books, even got hooked on a Vince Flynn book. (His books are like reading a season of 24...) I must admit that him reading pleasure fiction thrilled me beyond belief... We shopped at the outlets and found great deals at BP and JCrew. We just got away and relaxed, and it was so good for our marriage.

Now it is back to the real world, and though we were sad to leave, we were excited to have something to come home to... Thank God for good weekends!

So, we're back from the beach... already. Our vacation flew by, but it was so wonderful while it lasted. I don't know if I will ever get tired of going to Destin because of all of the fun memories I have with family and friends. This being our first vacation together since our honeymoon, we learned a lot about how we envision beach trips and how compatible we are on those trips. (I actually gave him a run through of all of my "friend" beach trips along with several "family" stories our first night at dinner. He obliged me by listening and smiling...) Luckily, we learned that our ideas of "fun at the beach" are very closely aligned.

A few learning moments... First, in our excitement about getting away and our rush out of the house after an extremely busy week, we forgot some important equipment. #1) Our bikes. We got bikes for our birthdays 2 years ago and have ridden them about twice each and never together. Bikes would have been perfect for this trip. We seriously thought about turning around to get them an hour out of Montgomery, but seafood was calling our names more loudy. #2) Our camera. Who goes off to the beach and forgets their camera? Well, the Crawfords did this weekend. Patrick is usually "Mr. Camera" as he catches every photo opportunity. This weekend we saw beautiful sunsets. We dressed up in our new springy beach attire. We got a tan. We were on our first married vacation. There will be no pictures to document this event.
How sad, but we learned a valuable lesson. #3) No tennis rackets. We always talk about playing tennis, but we never do. We missed another opportunity. Oh well.

A few wondeful moments... Well, Patrick and I both agree that a good vacation has to be marked by one thing: GOOD FOOD. And good food we did enjoy. The Back Porch's fish sandwiches, twiced baked potatoes, and cole slaw, Baytowne Wharf's (at Acme's) fried shrimp and oysters, oyster po-boys, fries, and hushpuppies, and ultimately the Red Bar's Saturday night special: Crab Cakes, pasta, and salad. Um, my mouth is watering in sweet remembrance. We also splurged on Key Lime pie for dessert and continued a Dean tradition by stopping off in Andalusia to pick up a 7-layer caramel cake at Dean's Cake House. (But we walked it off every morning to avoid the pooch/bulge on the beach.) We walked every morning and afternoon to talk, dream, laugh, and people watch which we both enjoyed doing. We read for pleasure. There is nothing better than an escape read at the beach. Patrick, who usually reads nonfiction, informative books, even got hooked on a Vince Flynn book. (His books are like reading a season of 24...) I must admit that him reading pleasure fiction thrilled me beyond belief... We shopped at the outlets and found great deals at BP and JCrew. We just got away and relaxed, and it was so good for our marriage.

Now it is back to the real world, and though we were sad to leave, we were excited to have something to come home to... Thank God for good weekends!

Sun, Sun, Sun! Here we come!

This is the day that I have been WAITING for!!! At 3:30 Patrick and I are getting in the car and heading south! TO the beach. All I've been thinking about is getting tan, eating seafood, and shopping at my favorite outlets. We have budgeted our whole month's date money for this fun weekend trip, and we are ready to live it up. :) Red Bar, here we come... Get those crab cakes ready! Also, this trip is kind of sentimental cool because it's our first vacation together as married people, and it's also taking us back to the destination of our wedding--nearly 6 months ago. I'm so thankful that we have this opportunity to get away and celebrate what the Lord is doing in our marriage, relive our favorite memory, and enjoy our favorite place in the world. Castaway Cottage, here we come! (This picture was taken on our honeymoon in Seaside right outside our honeymoon cottage.)

This is the day that I have been WAITING for!!! At 3:30 Patrick and I are getting in the car and heading south! TO the beach. All I've been thinking about is getting tan, eating seafood, and shopping at my favorite outlets. We have budgeted our whole month's date money for this fun weekend trip, and we are ready to live it up. :) Red Bar, here we come... Get those crab cakes ready! Also, this trip is kind of sentimental cool because it's our first vacation together as married people, and it's also taking us back to the destination of our wedding--nearly 6 months ago. I'm so thankful that we have this opportunity to get away and celebrate what the Lord is doing in our marriage, relive our favorite memory, and enjoy our favorite place in the world. Castaway Cottage, here we come! (This picture was taken on our honeymoon in Seaside right outside our honeymoon cottage.)

What's your theme song?

This result couldn't have been more perfect! It has made my afternoon very happy. Think I'll go sit outside and enjoy the sun... Take this quiz, and tell me what song you got!

Your Theme Song is Beautiful Day by U2

"Sky falls, you feel like It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away" You see the beauty in life, especially in ordinary everyday moments. And if you're feeling down, even that seems a little beautiful too.

What's Your Theme Song?

This result couldn't have been more perfect! It has made my afternoon very happy. Think I'll go sit outside and enjoy the sun... Take this quiz, and tell me what song you got!

Your Theme Song is Beautiful Day by U2

"Sky falls, you feel like It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away" You see the beauty in life, especially in ordinary everyday moments. And if you're feeling down, even that seems a little beautiful too.

What's Your Theme Song?

Home Makeover

Patrick and I are approaching one year of home ownership. It is a strange feeling but also an empowering feeling. That first year was so wild, and we were lucky to just get settled in. We had looked for a house in good condition that we wouldn't have to do much to to make it liveable, and we were extremely blessed in our find. The Evans family had lived in this house for 30 years and they were immaculate housekeepers, landscapers, blinds-cleaners, painters, etc... I have really just been trying to maintain all of their hard work and not kill any of the plants. Now that we have settled into our life, our home, our marriage, we are starting to dream of the things that we want to do with our peaceful abode. Of course, we will be "designing on a dime" since we don't know how long we will be here--and since our funds have a definite limit (...although our tax refund has enabled us to even dare dream. Thanks, Dad). But we want to do things to increase the value of our home and to try our hand at decorating.

Project #1 has been our yard. Patrick is an excellent yard boy(MAN), and last weekend we worked around the clock trying to get our yard/pool in Spring/Summer shape. We planted flowers, pulled weeds, trimmed shrubs and monkey grass, added all the necessary pool chemicals, flushed the dead algae, etc. Needless to say... it was quite a task and whipped us pretty good. It also sparked my interest in plants and flowers (which I usually kill without even trying), and I am going to pay more attention to those sections in my Southern Living. My grandmother Holt is a "Master Gardner" as well, so I know I can get some help from her.

Project #2 has been fixing bathroom appliances. We replaced a toilet seat and both faucets in our bathrooms. (I was quite impressed with Patty's plumbing skills as well.) We've also decided to freshen up the look of our kitchen cabinet knobs and bathroom knobs. Simple. Inexpensive. Fresh.

Project #3 is going to be painting the kitchen. I've tolerated the fruit wallpaper for a year, but it is beginning to wear on me. I'm thinking a soft olive green... something in that family. We are also gearing up for Project #4: the floor. We are in the research process right now as this will be the most costly of our improvements. I'm even thinking of consulting with my mom's decorator, Nan, on the matter. We are thinking laminate flooring in the living room/ dining room/ hallway, tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, and carpet in the family room and bedrooms. We are looking for deals and timing and advice, so if you have anything to offer, please comment. Linds and Daniel just finished their floors, and they look great! If you talk to Linds, ask her about her cool screened in porch floor that she and Daniel painted themselves!

In other news... I haven't had much creativity lately, so I've been slacking on the blog. But I have been enjoying this beautiful Spring weather and keeping myself VERY busy. Our yardwork/housecleaning weekend proved to be purposeful because this past weekend I hosted a baby shower for my friend Valerie. We took some hilarious pictures that I'll post later. Patrick and I also had our Lifegroup (a small group Bible study compiled of our married and single friends at church) over for lunch on Sunday. We had a blast, but it was another exhausting weekend. We're going to the beach this weekend since we have Friday off, and I can't wait for some SUN! I'm in the process of grading final research papers, so I'll try to post some funny lines from those in the near future... Until then, peace out.

Patrick and I are approaching one year of home ownership. It is a strange feeling but also an empowering feeling. That first year was so wild, and we were lucky to just get settled in. We had looked for a house in good condition that we wouldn't have to do much to to make it liveable, and we were extremely blessed in our find. The Evans family had lived in this house for 30 years and they were immaculate housekeepers, landscapers, blinds-cleaners, painters, etc... I have really just been trying to maintain all of their hard work and not kill any of the plants. Now that we have settled into our life, our home, our marriage, we are starting to dream of the things that we want to do with our peaceful abode. Of course, we will be "designing on a dime" since we don't know how long we will be here--and since our funds have a definite limit (...although our tax refund has enabled us to even dare dream. Thanks, Dad). But we want to do things to increase the value of our home and to try our hand at decorating.

Project #1 has been our yard. Patrick is an excellent yard boy(MAN), and last weekend we worked around the clock trying to get our yard/pool in Spring/Summer shape. We planted flowers, pulled weeds, trimmed shrubs and monkey grass, added all the necessary pool chemicals, flushed the dead algae, etc. Needless to say... it was quite a task and whipped us pretty good. It also sparked my interest in plants and flowers (which I usually kill without even trying), and I am going to pay more attention to those sections in my Southern Living. My grandmother Holt is a "Master Gardner" as well, so I know I can get some help from her.

Project #2 has been fixing bathroom appliances. We replaced a toilet seat and both faucets in our bathrooms. (I was quite impressed with Patty's plumbing skills as well.) We've also decided to freshen up the look of our kitchen cabinet knobs and bathroom knobs. Simple. Inexpensive. Fresh.

Project #3 is going to be painting the kitchen. I've tolerated the fruit wallpaper for a year, but it is beginning to wear on me. I'm thinking a soft olive green... something in that family. We are also gearing up for Project #4: the floor. We are in the research process right now as this will be the most costly of our improvements. I'm even thinking of consulting with my mom's decorator, Nan, on the matter. We are thinking laminate flooring in the living room/ dining room/ hallway, tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, and carpet in the family room and bedrooms. We are looking for deals and timing and advice, so if you have anything to offer, please comment. Linds and Daniel just finished their floors, and they look great! If you talk to Linds, ask her about her cool screened in porch floor that she and Daniel painted themselves!

In other news... I haven't had much creativity lately, so I've been slacking on the blog. But I have been enjoying this beautiful Spring weather and keeping myself VERY busy. Our yardwork/housecleaning weekend proved to be purposeful because this past weekend I hosted a baby shower for my friend Valerie. We took some hilarious pictures that I'll post later. Patrick and I also had our Lifegroup (a small group Bible study compiled of our married and single friends at church) over for lunch on Sunday. We had a blast, but it was another exhausting weekend. We're going to the beach this weekend since we have Friday off, and I can't wait for some SUN! I'm in the process of grading final research papers, so I'll try to post some funny lines from those in the near future... Until then, peace out.

Deal or No Deal

Anybody into this show? It quite possibly could be my new addiction...(like I need another TV show...) Anyway, a friend of mine from high school, Laura Karkau, will be on the show that airs this Monday night. She has been stonefaced about how it all went (She tried out for the show in Nashville and the Wildhorse and then flew to LA to tape it.) because of all of the network's threats of lawsuits. I hope she takes home a million. Tune in to NBC at 7 p.m. to see...

Anybody into this show? It quite possibly could be my new addiction...(like I need another TV show...) Anyway, a friend of mine from high school, Laura Karkau, will be on the show that airs this Monday night. She has been stonefaced about how it all went (She tried out for the show in Nashville and the Wildhorse and then flew to LA to tape it.) because of all of the network's threats of lawsuits. I hope she takes home a million. Tune in to NBC at 7 p.m. to see...