Muhahaha, it's alive!

Our jack ('n the bean stalk) is bearing us beans! Just look at those baby bell peppa's. And one of our tomatoes is actually the color of red. Booya! The leaves are looking kinda dead even though I water them every day & a lot too. Any gardeners who know about wilt-y leaves? Or how about when we can actually start picking & eating? Those two details seemed to have escape me when I planted them. :) Still working out the kinks...guess, it goes to show how much faith I actually had in growing something edible. Didn't think I'd get to this stage...hee hee

Photography

We LOVED our photographer, Don Cutbirth, for our wedding. He was so professional but low key. We didn't even realize he was around, taking pictures the whole wedding. And they came out beautifully. One of his shots was used for the Castlewood Club website, how cool is that?!?

Castlewood Wedding Page


And his contact info: doncutbirth@mindspring.com; http://www.doncutbirth.com/

Fair Day

Last Sunday (after Kohl's spree), we went to the Fair with my folks. Good times! I haven't been to the fair in FOREVER. Last year for some reason we didn't go...oh, yeah, William working nights & my first attempt at teaching summer school--both extremely exhausting... so I was so excited to do it this summer. We walk around the gardens, exhibits, animals, & people-watched (my favorite). And of course, no fair experience is solidified until the eating of the funnel cake topped with strawberries, powered sugar & whipped cream. Yum! Thankfully we biked to my parents & walked to the fair--hopefully discounting some of our candy & junk food. Here are some pictures from the beautiful gardens! And of my husband playing. Somehow those are the only pictures I took. :)

I love this show!!

It's so dang addicting!!--which is probably why I'm limited to watching only at my parents & at nights when I'm nannying. Currently, I'm stuck on "So You Think You Can Dance". Now, I'm a huge proponent against TV watching. It totally wastes precious time & just like the computer, I'm never really refreshed when spending lots of time with it. But, I can totally validate this one, folks.



These dancers are so talented & (if you ignored the Pussycat Dolls bumping it as they "sang" last week during judge de-briefing time) the show is quite clean. It really inspires me in a weird way-- I love to dance & haven't been besides the Saddle Rack country dancing & various other clubs. But what about classes for hip hop or jazz? It's such a great workout & helps with flexibility. I can't help but want to get up and move to the music. So fun! Anyway, I have actually looked online for local dance studios & in our city's summer courses. I know it's so expensive but maybe. And Cat Deeley is super sweet & gorgeous. I love her dresses on the show!

PLUS one of the couples is WILL & JESS. Come on, how cool?

Reason 2,334 Why I Love Being Married...

I finally get some ability to modify my husband's wardrobe. :) So a few weeks ago, my dear, handsome husband went to church wearing a collared shirt that I hadn't seen him wear before (nor will see again). Apparently, this shirt was given to him (at this point, no problems) TEN YEARS ago. It was so worn out with holes around all the edges of the shirt & collar. I'm sure its striped design was a beauty in its own time (late '80s) but not now. Not the cute vintage that I love so dearly.

So after church, we did something I've been longing to do but have given much grace & delay in order to at least give my husband some time to adjust to a wife: we shopped for him. I've been still learning about his sizes and what styles I can get away with so it was a wonderful afternoon experimenting in Macy*s. We still had some gift cards from our wedding so I figured those would love to know it went toward a wonderful cause: new clothes for William. Those who know William know what an amazing feat this is: William AT A MALL, shopping for HIM. He frequents Goodwill, Salvation, other people's closets, etc. which I love as well, but this was so overdue.

Welp, he was such a good guy & didn't complain at all. He did say that he was 100% sure he wouldn't like anything there. I'm so glad we found great, clean, stylish, formalish shirts that he loves & feels comfortable wearing. We did mostly surfer-style which has gone a bit country--Good news for William. We got such a deal & walked out with 6 new shirts.


On Sunday, we went for new shorts at Kohls. I love Kohls although I don't frequent it as much as I'd like. Where else can a cheap girl get Elle & Vera Wang for such an affordable price? Eh, I digress. There's a great deal going on now so we got William really nice shorts for cheap. But I promised I wouldn't reveal which brand because it's too preppy. We were so pleasantly surprised with how well they looked (and not that preppy, either). We are 2 for 2 on William's clothes adventures. It's so good because it really builds his confidence in me! Just building steps for the future, here. All in my wifely duties!


And of course some cuties for me:

My Summer Color!

Is officially my color this summer. I have no idea how it happened but I've been drawn to it everywhere I go. My nails are orange, shirts, vases I want to buy for our house. I always think of my sister 'n law, Dorothy, who LOVES this color. It's so bright & happy like yellow but with a wilder edge to it. It's juicy & fun too! Summer has such fun colors to enjoy & wear. It definitely perks me up, especially when I forgot my cup of coffee as I walk out the door.

What's your color this season?

Friends With Big Hearts

Recently, I've been blown away by amazing people. We have dear, dear friends who have done so much in the name of the Lord. They have sacrificed money, status, time, energy, mental strength, etc. to love others. All of which aren't inherently evil, by any means--just things that I find distract me daily. Mostly it's loving those who are hard to love that is so dang difficult. But these friends make it a point to DO something, not just talk about it.

I wanted to highlight some of our friends that we have know through the years that give their life (whether career, time, talents, finances or all) to ministry: loving others, and bringing the gospel--through videos, song, blankets: the ways to love others are endless & yet I am challenged every day to do just that. I jump to complain about the annoying or mean mom that e-mails me heartless words instead of focusing on how I be a positive change in their child's life while spending a year with me, in class. I want to save myself from grief/annoyance instead of lovely reaching out to others. Poop. But thankfully I have great friends who are good examples for me. Here's just a small listing:

Kate Hurley-- a traveling musician (awesome organic music too!)
http://www.vilgiate.com/kate/
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=48904293

Tim & Kirsten Jenkins-- missionaries in Europe spreading gospel to closed countries through videos
http://www.missionarygirl.org/blog/

Sarah Masciana-- local missionary to those in need
http://laborofloveministry.wordpress.com/

Joey Brunette --YWAM Staff in Hawaii
http://www.brunettetravels.blogspot.com/

It's been a growing experience for me as I marry & talk with William about a family. A family is a ministry just like any other organization or group that files for non-profit status, in hopes of bringing Christ to others. A mother or father has just as much responsibility with their own children as a youth pastor does with his high schoolers. They both are leading little ones to know who Jesus is & why he died for us. It's a pretty daunting task to think about, but an exciting one too. No matter where the Lord leads us, William & I will be missionaries: in our career and with our family. Even if it's just our nieces & nephews for now! :D

Happy Father's Day..

to the father of my future children. Another great part of this past weekend was watching William with two of his many nephews. He is so great with kids, especially when it comes to teaching them. William spent most of the time showing Alex & Zach how to wash dishes, set the table, cook, speak to others (especially each other) with love & respect-- just all around gentlemen. It was awesome. He also taught them about playing pool, wrapping up long cords, and other manly duties! :) I just sat back and watch this amazing man of God do his thing. Of course I knew he was great, but I'm so elated about how wonderful my husband will be as a father. He will be a gentle but solid leader of our family and that makes me so excited & confident!

Update on Garden

Silly, I know..but I need to post more updates so here's one... about my ever growing garden. We have over a dozen tomatoes growing from the one plant I potted awhile ago. I also have 2 baby green bell peppers now and the green bean vines are crazy. I now completely understand the whole 'Jack & the Beanstalk' thing. This thing is a monster & started to take sun from my other plants. I'm so hoping that the flowers will soon bear some beans to make this giant thing worth it! :)

Weekend in the Mountains

I got finished my first year of teaching and to celebrate William & I left Friday afternoon for the woods. One of his many brothers works at the Young Life Woodleaf camp. It was such a blast to get away from everything & enjoy nature. Man, I have been missing that so much. We hiked, canoed, ping-ponged, swam, and rode these things called ridge runners--basically caged motored cars--around a dirt course. We walked everywhere. It was fabulous. We did leave 'the blob' for our next trip up. I did, however, read my InStyle magazine & a book during the long weekend. WOW! Such personal accomplishment that has been abandoned this year. William even got some information about working on staff there which is exciting. I'd love to work for a Christan camp again. And to do it as a married team would be a dream come true. We also stopped in Vacaville to visit & dine with an old friend of William's. The couple are having twins in late December. They were so cute.