Amazing Ladies

date night with our mom's at the gorge to see brad paisley

andrew and I are so blessed by our mothers. we are very close with both my mom and his mom and for this i am extremely thankful. they offer unending support. realistic advice. untiring encouragement.

they each love both of us. we each have a special, individual relationship with them; not just because we are future in-laws, but because we are in-dividuals.

they have raised us to be two individuals who are prepared for one another. i often stop and think how thankful i am that our parents had such strong (and conveniently similar) values, so that as we grew we were being fashioned for one another. what a gift!

{i happen to think they are pretty beautiful too.}

more pictures of the evening:

mom and her not-so-amazing binocular skills

campbell's

mom and i : labberton ladies

the gorge was so beautiful that evening, we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather

preparations

This whole marriage thing is staring to seem real. As in, the wedding is actually going to happen. The people are going to home, the priest is going to be there, in front of everyone we are going to officially begin our life together.
The two of us.
Just us.
He and I. (and God of course!)

We are starting to make plans for that life. For what it will look like when we are husband and wife. For where we will live and what we will do and how it will all work. These are things that we have been talking about for a long time, but now, NOW, they are becoming concrete. Now we have to act, make a move, and actively prepare for our life together.
I couldn't be more thankful, or excited.
It's coming. The two of us. Together. Married.

Seattle {Sunday}

Andrew planned a quick trip to Seattle for the two of us to celebrate our 5 years together (5 years!!). I was so excited that I did not have to do the planning or deal with details. We finally made it to a Mariner's game. We have been talking about going every summer for the past few years and somehow our busy schedules have not allowed us to whittle out time to go. I jumped onto StubHub and got our tickets for $3.99 a piece! I was shocked. My brother teased me for being so cheap and purchasing such horrible seats, but really all I want to do is go to the ballpark, people watch, and have some junk food. Andrew didn't seem to mind the nosebleed section too much either. We ended up having the most gorgeous weather that day and we both left the game with pink cheeks and noses, I had worn my Uggs because I thought that we would freeze! Sun in Seattle is always a pleasant surprise.

I thought this was so funny. This man had a whole kiosk that went around with him on his segway.

Andrew watching the pitcher warm up.

On a recommendation from our friend Lauren we ate dinner at The Pink Door in Pike Place Market. They had delicious Italian food and great atmosphere. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed some more of the beautiful weather as we looked out past the market to the waterfront.

we think we are funny.
I love the look on Andrew's face in this picture!!

Seattle {Monday}

Andrew and I went to breakfast on a recommendation from my friend Lauren. She said that we should check out Lowell's in the market, and she would not lead up wrong! We got up early enough to get to the restaurant before it was too crowded. This ended up paying off because we got a table by the window on the very cozy second floor. Just looking at the restaurant from the entrance in the market I would have never guessed that it was this big inside! The view was perfect - right out to the water where we watched the ferries come and go. It was a dreary sort of day which made the warm restaurant that much more inviting. If you find yourself in downtown Seattle looking for breakfast, I highly recommend this place!

Andrew's drink of choice: fresh squeezed orange juice, and mine: coffee.

After breakfast we were ready to shop but apparently we are a little to eager for this town! The shops that we wanted to visit did not open until 10 am but Nordstrom's opened at 9:30. This is Andrew waiting every so patiently with me for Nordie's to open. And then we was the one that ended up buying clothes there!

A little bit of life

Last week I got to spend a lot of time with these two girls. Maybe it was the intoxication of the fair food, maybe it was the country music, or getting caught in the rain with them. Whatever it was I couldn't help but reminisce about how these girls have taught me to be a little bit country. Because of them I have ridden a horse, learned to love country music, sung at the top of my lungs at countless country concerts, looked at steer butts, cheered on pooper scoopers at the community parade, learned about: rodeo, fair, farm life, working hard, toughening up. All of these things are memories and lessons that I cherish.

Grandpa Jeep

Mom and Dad recently spent a few days with their darling granddaughter. She is almost one! I can't believe it! Mom has always been head over heels for her but Dad seems to be falling more and more in love with this little girl! Of course he loved her to begin with but now he will just start laughing to himself as he's thinking about her, tell stories about her, and count the days until he gets to see her again.

Wedding Planner

She may not look it, but this woman, is my wedding planner. She has amazing taste in color, decor, flowers. She is original ideas. She has ideas old and new and fresh and different and classic all rolled into one. I can tell her what I'm thinking and she runs with it, coming up with something more interesting, dimensional and beautiful than I could have thought. Thank goodness she's on my team. She is going to make my wedding ideas realities.
Did I mention she's a lot of fun too?

Lost in the Rush

I thought I would have so much time.
Thought I would be bored, lazy, well-read, relaxed and rested.
Thought that I would wonder what to do with myself.

Here I am at the other side of my relaxing summer months wondering what in the world happened.
I had little time.
I was never close to bored, or well-read or well-rested. Possibly I was relaxed and maybe even a wee bit lazy once or twice.
I did not ever want for something to do with myself.

Instead I: laughed. sighed. talked. and talked. smiled. visited. caught up. read. not well-read, but read. splashed. lounged. ate. cooked. planned. packed. unpacked. repacked. drove. flew. biked. hiked. sang.

Danielle's Visit

I drank lots of delicious, local, only-in-Seattle coffee, recommended by our lovely guide Garrett,


ate a ridiculous amount of Belly Flops, Lauren and Danielle helped,


shopped with Naomi, almost cried when she left,


saw the sights (literally a hop, skip and a jump from Lauren's digs),



and remembered how much I miss her.

Bummin Around Bend

We spent the last weekend in Bend, OR visiting my cousin Brady. We miss him terribly so it was a lot of fun to go down and spend the weekend in his town and have him show us some of his favorite spots. We ate amazing food, drank local wine and beer selections, and got a taste of the hippy lifestyle. Brady rides his bike everywhere and I can see why! This town is so biker friendly and seriously it seemed like we didn't go a minute the whole weekend without spotting someone biking, kayaking, running, walking along their merry way.

Brady is Dominic's hero. It was obvious to see how much he loved spending time with him this weekend.
















My Aunt Christine never fails to liven the night up, this time, her costume of choice was an inflatable witch. She disappeared for a few minutes and returned in this. What a hoot!

On our way home mom and I stopped to see the Crooked River crossing. We laughed on the way down about it and vowed to actually pull the car over and explore it on our way home. Over the years we have crossed it many times on driving too or from California. It is the strangest thing, you are just driving along, unassuming landscape surrounding, and suddenly the earth drops out from underneath you.

Big Thunder

Dad was excited to have fellow riders on his favorite ride. When he and Mom go to the park together he has to ride it alone.

Dad's favorite ride is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. He insists on keeping his hands up during the entire ride. This picture makes me smile because this was my first "roller coaster" and I will always hold close to the memory of Dad and I riding it with our hands up for the whole ride!

Andrew Better Watch Out

Andrew is starting with his first wife.... that will probably be enough to do him in!
Did I say wife?! That must mean that I'm going to be a wife!!! Strange.

Happily Ever After

My parents are still in love. Our whole trip to Florida my parents were holding hands, seriously, the whole time. Andrew kept teasing me about how in love my parents are and just imagine...
I acted like it bugged me, grossed me out, etc, but in all reality, I think it is so awesome that my parents still like each other, enjoy spending time together and still like to hold hands! So many couples don't make it that far. Andrew and I are so lucky to each have a set of parents that have set an amazing example of what marriage looks like. When we sit down to plan our wedding, and more importantly for married life, we are so blessed to have two hand holding, in love, compromising, patient and genuine married couples to serve as examples to us.

** Andrew and I went back and forth joking whether Dad was holding Mom's hand as a loving gesture or as a sort of leash, if you will. Mom gets really excited when she gets in a Disney park and will, without shame, leave us all in the dust. (You MUST keep up!!!)

Taste of the South

I had to take Andrew to Cracker Barrel. It was one of my favorite places to eat when I lived in Florida because it had fun breakfast fare. When we sat down to order Andrew looked over the menu and order some country breakfast deal with eggs, ham, hashbrown casserole, grits (grits? what are grits?) and biscuits. He actually had the choice between grits and fried apples, he swears the I told him to order the grits. It really went more like this, the darling waitress asked, "Fried apples? or Grits?" Andrew turns to me with a look on his face that said, "What the hell are grits and why the hell did you bring me here?" He chose the grits. mmmmm grits. I like grits. Turns out, Andrew, does not.

The hashbrown casserole didn't go over well either. Why is there crap in my hashbrowns? I ordered hashbrowns and I got hashbrowns and cheese and onions and crap all mixed together?!?? Babe, you ordered hashbrown CASSEROLE. Try it, you'll love it.

otherwise engaged

Last year Andrew and I got engaged, on an unassuming Thursday evening, what an exciting event! This year we had plans to celebrate our engagement with a fancy dinner and time together. We were both looking forward to it! However, early that morning happened to be the time that God had picked for something else. I had to hold my cat that morning, suddenly a very sick cat, and let him go. A day that I had expected to spend celebrating, planning, rejoicing, I instead spent mourning, remembering, and praying with a very achy heart.
Later that morning Andrew called to wish me a good day and talk about what happened, "just one year ago today..." He asked me how my day was going so far and the floodgates opened. After work that day instead of taking me out to dinner, he took me into his arms and let me cry and snot and wimper all over him. I was one sad girl! That night we did not do much of anything, watched TV and I cried some more. He talked with my parents who were equally as sad, although Dad's a good fake. And that night I realized that there is nothing more romantic than knowing that the man that I get to marry loves me no matter how exhausted, unshowered, tear stained, sweatpant clad, falling apartedly I may be, and he still wants me to be his wife.

Maybe that same romance explains that HUGE smile on my face. I am a very lucky woman.

Coon Huntin

The sexy headlamp/raccoon locator.

This week has been a rough week. Tonight after the finale of The Biggest Loser as my mother and I toddled off to bed she walks past the back door and lets out a horrible gasp. There was a HUGE raccoon on our back porch! Raccoons = cat killers. We have had enough of that for one week, so Mom and I decided to take action into our own hands. We made a lot of noise, shined lots of lights, made some more noise, and then she sent me out to snatch the cat food. I have to do some backtracking here. We do not normally have cat food on the back patio, however, we had a cat until last week that had a huge heart for strays. I joke not. J.C. was a friend to the homeless. This cat that we have been feeding was a friend of J.C.'s that is extremely skittish. Although this cat was very hungry, he was also very afraid of people. So, J.C. would sit by him, as a kind of mediator, letting him know it was okay to relax enough to eat. Mom also has a very soft spot for throw-aways. Between her and J.C. we had no choice but to feed this little guy and feed him we have! But now, this food has attracted unwanted visitors. We will continue to feed our little guy under a careful watch to be sure that no one is sitting at the table uninvited! Coon, beware!!

J.C.

He was a very particular kind of cat. He liked to drink from his water dish best when it was placed on top of the toilet. Go figure. I found this quite hilarious and made fun of mom for doing it for him, until one day, there I was picking the water bowl up off of the floor so that J.C. could drink on top of the toilet.


I keep thinking that I'm going to see him waiting to go on a walk. Yes, we walked him. He liked to have someone with him. A companion. He liked to go around the house. And why go alone, when you could take a friend?
You don't realize how much you rely on them until they aren't waiting at the door for you. He isn't waking you up in the middle of the night to watch him eat. He isn't leading me to the bathroom so that he can jump on the counter for a scratch and some love.
I miss him.

Simple Pleasures

These shoes are amazing. Amazing. They are comfortable, so comfortable! Several people had recommended them to me, and oh my, were they right! I have been living in them. I wear them with sweats, with nice jeans, with summer dresses. These babies go with everything! Also, I really like what the owner of the company is working for. For each pair of Tom's that is purchased a pair is donated to a child without shoes, one for one. Not many companies go one for one. Check them out here: www.toms.com.

I have been watching this plant grow, willing it to bloom. I picked this plant out last year at the nursery because I LOVE peonies. This year it has grown and budded with much vigor. This baby is ready for spring! I have been watching those buds hoping to see them burst open...nothing yet. Still waiting...I'm learning patience. This seems to be a theme in my life over the last year. Keep waiting. I'm learning.

Shirt Re-do

I had a shirt that I didn't wear anymore because those puffy sleeves make my shoulders look huge! Huge I tell you. I was walking it out to the "donate" pile when a wonderfuly horrible idea crossed my mind. I could re-fashion it! Oh heavens...

So I cut off those puffy, shoulder bulking sleeves (that felt good), and then the neckline and got to work. I managed to jam the sewing machine, but after much determination, and about an hour later, my Mom got it to release. Thanks Mom! Did I mention how great my mom is? I started by pinning one of the sleeves the way that I wanted it, then I got tired of pinning and figured it wasn't all that necessary and set straight away to tacking it down. I took the material from the sleeves and a few pearls and added a couple of flowers to the front. It turned out pretty well, didn't manage to grab a photo of the day I wore it. I think my hair was super out of whack, I.E. I didn't do it at all. Anyway, hopefully I'll post a picture of it soon. I think Mom was shocked that I could whip something like that out.

What's in a Name?

Last weekend we were at my grandmother's 100th birthday party. We had to wear name tag's explaining our relationship to the family. I made Andrew's name tag :)

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls, I have decided, take a lot of practice.
Yeast. It's a tricky thing. Temperamental. Likes to be pampered. A princess and the pea of sorts, everything has to be just so.
Gooey. Or too gooey? Not gooey enough?
The future mother-in-law asked me why I was making cinnamon rolls.
I said, "Practice."
"Practice for what?" she asked
"Life," I answered honestly, and then added, "to become a good wife." That was a lie, they all knew it.

Perfecting Imperfection

I feel like I could relate to her decision, so much so, so much said that I had been wanting to say. Not that it's necessarily life changing, more along the lines of life tweaking, something small that makes a big difference.

I have a confession.

I have a scrapbook that I haven't started because I'm afraid that the pages won't be perfect. That I have to get better before I start. But how do I get better if I don't start? But what if I start and it's all wrong? What if I look back years from now and think of how crappy my scrapbook looks, picking out all of the flaws?
But what if I never start, and those memories are not recorded?
The issue here is that I need to start, and learn to accept the imperfections. One of the things that I enjoy most it to look back at pictures that were kept in albums. History recorded. The other day I was given an album from my aunt that had a picture of my parents when they were dating.

DATING.
Also, the album contained a picture of my dad's first car, and oh the stories it provoked from my mother about that first car.
A picture of my grandparent's wedding anniversary.
Showers thrown before my own parent's marriage.

Those are so precious to me. They are nowhere close to perfect. And in that, lies the secret. Someone was willing to splay out their imperfect record of day to day life. Of what mattered to them. And what was reflected to me, was the perfection of a imperfect world. A perfect gift. I'm not as concerned about giving future generations a gift, but to keep a record is something that is important to me. I get so much joy and realize so many blessings in being able to look back at the chronicle of my life so far. I don't live in a perfect world, so I should not expect that my pictures need to be edited before they are shared, my words don't need to be publishable before they are written, and my scrapbooking skills definitely do not need to be flawless before I have even started.

100.

She asked my dad to take a picture of us smiling at one another. I think it shows us enjoying one another.

Eyes that have yet to see even one full year looking into the eyes that have seen 1oo.

She is 100. 100 years here. 100 years of life.

Moments.
Relationships.
Struggles.
Triumphs.
Laughs.
Tears.
Experiences.
Heartaches.
Joys.
Loves.
Prayers.

Today marks her 100th day. Although she often does not remember me at first glance, she eventually realizes who I am. One thing that is striking to me is that she always connects with my voice. When I call her Gram Clock, she knows it's me, her youngest granddaughter.It's odd that on this, her 100th day, it really does not matter that she doesn't recognize me: she has worked her way through this world and is prepared for the next. She may not always know me, or others that she once knew, but ONE that she always knows is HIM. She still knows HIM because HE was always there with her. HE was included. She made the choice to walk with HIM, to follow HIM. Not only is she still aware of HIM, but also of HIS WILL. She told me a few months ago that she had never planned to live this long but that this life is what HE had planned for her. She hears HIS voice and knows that HE is near.