Montana

We enjoyed a fabulous trip sans kid to Montana this past weekend. It's been YEARS since we have been away for more than a night or two. Andrew had the chance to participate in a colloquium for a group out there and they invited me to join. We were treated to fabulous dinners and even a tour of a ranch. He had a great time, but I had the best time. ;)

While he was in sessions, I drove to Yellowstone National Park. It was breathtakingly beautiful and it felt like a crime to enjoy it by myself! It was a delightful drive, though and I really enjoyed the alone time. What a treat to see a black wolf (rare even for those who live locally, I guess), bison, elk, longhorn sheep, and so much more. I had never been west before and it quickly became a priority for vacation in the next few years with the kids.

What a welcome trip. We have had such a challenging and confusing year and feel like it will never let up (we welcome your prayers). We were so thankful for the time away in a beautiful area of the country!

This ended up being a full rainbow with a partial double - gorgeous!

The view from where we were staying! 

The Lodge - a boutique inn known for their fly fishing.

Yellowstone River

I loved the texture of these. 

Hot springs - so remarkable and smelled like sulphur (ick!).

Bison crossed the road in front of me.

Beautiful waterfall - close to where the wolf was spotted. It was too far away for me to successfully photograph, but it was awesome to see!

A herd of bison roaming free in the park.

Another waterfall - about a 1/2 mile hike off the road - totally worth it.

On the drive back to the Lodge.

Something New

Saturday night, some friends of ours arranged a surprise evening. We met up at a local Mexican restaurant for fantastic food and then we had a 30-minute private salsa lesson. Of the five couples, only one knew how to salsa. And despite our initial nerves (we are really, really not good dancers), we had a great time! It was a wonderful workout, we actually caught on a little, and we had a chance to watch others after our lesson as people started arriving for the "dance party."

While I don't think salsa dancing will become our new hobby :), we would try it again. I think it probably gave us a little more confidence when we are at weddings or events with dancing. All in all, a fun evening with great friends! Here's to trying something new!

Beautiful Companionship

Something I have found encouraging and beautiful lately is seeing couples that have been married for 15, 20, 40, or even 60 years loving each other. I noticed this a lot during the past week and couldn't help but think how sweet! They have been walking down the path of life together for many years, have often raised children, no doubt have experienced pain and heartache amidst the joys of life and are still passionately in love. They hold hands, exchange glances, tease each other, spend time together, and unashamedly show the world that they love each other. They are not just enduring or staying married because it's convenient - they find pleasure in one another. In a culture with little respect for the covenant of marriage, I find it refreshing!

Marriage is a lifelong commitment, not a trial run or test drive. It's a beautiful, challenging, joyous journey. Your spouse knows you better than anyone else. For me, my husband is my best friend, my confidante, my love. We don't have a perfect marriage because we are imperfect people but we work at it and we love each other. I pray that we will have many years together. And someday I hope to be the cute, silver haired couple strolling hand-in-hand enjoying companionship and loving one another while surrounded by our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. May God be glorified in our marriage.

Date Night In

My husband and I struggle to actually have date nights. Between schedules, sitters, and cost, it's just tough but we know it's important!

So last night, we decided to feed the boys and play with them for a little while before putting them to bed. While Andrew started to get them ready for bed, I began our dinner (grilled chicken, sweet potatoes and green beans, salad, and cheesecake w/strawberries). After tucking the boys in, we enjoyed a leisurely semi-gourmet dinner with uninterrupted conversation out on the deck. We finished the evening with a new movie.

So we had dinner and a movie without ever leaving - it was wonderful and cheap! We felt as relaxed and rested (if not more so!) as when we go out. We are going to *try* and do this more often! It totally works for me! For more ideas visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Happy Father's Day

We are a blessed family to have Andrew as our leader. His constant love for our sons is amazing. He is quick to suggest Daddy-time and surprises the boys with occasional trips to the donut shop on Saturday mornings. He patiently lets them help work in the yard and around the house but spends an equal amount of time wrestling with them and just letting them be boys. One of their favorite times of day is when Daddy gets home. Despite a busy career that often includes evenings, Andrew makes the most of the time he is able to spend with us. He often gets up with the boys and gives them breakfast so he can visit with them before heading off to work. We are so thankful for him!


Here is what the boys have to say about their Dad -

Patrick: I like to play with him and watch a movie with him. I like to play dump trucks with him. Eat pizza with him. Go outside. I love you.

Calvin: Daddy is at work. Watch tv with Daddy. Play with dump truck. I like to hug Daddy and play soccer ball. Bye-bye. Thank you, I love you, Daddy.

I knew when we married that he would be a great dad and I looked forward to God calling us to parenthood. Through everything, he has been a faithful and loving father and husband. He has insisted on being at doctor's appointments, surgeries, and other appointments and has been totally hands-on. I couldn't ask for a better partner on this journey we call parenthood and I wouldn't want to be on it with anyone else. Happy Father's Day (a day late! :))

A Tribute

Well, I'm officially loving my new ride. It took months and years to be okay with a minivan but I'm more than okay with it - I LOVE it! And I'm willing to admit it! :)

The sad part of this change was saying goodbye to our Honda. We didn't know it would be such a sudden farewell. It really was not in good condition and was an automatic that we were having to drive as a manual :), it had no air conditioning, no radio, and a window that didn't close all the way... But it was my first car. I bought it 6 months out of hygiene school with only 69,000 miles on it. I bought it the week before Andrew proposed. That was way back in 2001 - the car was already 10 years old.

That car took us on our honeymoon, moved us to Florida & back as our only car, and has been with us through building our house and the blessed addition of our sons. We put nearly 100,000 miles on it. We have lots of great memories tied to that car and we will miss it.

Goodbye dear, old, faithful car. You witnessed the beginning of our lives together. You brought joy to our children when they saw Daddy coming home in his red car (yes, it became his :)). And you lasted until we were able to replace you - yes, you have been replaced but you will never be forgotten. Thank you for your years of service.

Birthday Fun!

This was truly one of my favorite birthdays! My kids were adorable about it being my birthday. Last night, I asked them if they knew what tomorrow was - Patrick reached up and touched my nose and said, "It's your birthday." I was so surprised! Calvin said, "Presents, Mama!!" Patrick then told me that they were giving me, "A movie (or mobie as he says) and M & M's." Calvin told me, "There's paper to rip." And they were right.

This morning I was awoken by the same great kids. :) After church, we came home and I started on meal stuff. When everyone started arriving, Calvin danced around the kitchen with his arms in the air singing, "Birthday party, birthday party!" When we finished eating, the boys decided it was time for presents. They were eager to help - Patrick opened a card and present for me and Calvin helped with unwrapping as well but he also confirmed who the presents were from. They were so cute about it. Calvin sang happy birthday when it was time for cake and Patrick looked on - he's a little nervous about singing publicly. :) This evening when the boys were playing outside, Calvin made me a sand cake and brought it to the deck. He was so proud. Patrick thought it was a great idea, so he made one, too. :)

All in all, a wonderful day spent with amazing people. I'm so blessed. I think this year will be an exciting one as I anticipate the big 3-0 next year. :)

Celebrating 6 Years!

Six years ago today, I married my wonderful husband. He is not only my best friend but my rock. Our love has only grown deeper since that day we said, "I do." God has richly blessed us with two amazing children and we are so thankful!

Our Wedding Day - it was much warmer than the 22 degrees today!

6 Years Later

We celebrated with a matinee movie and a great dinner at an Italian restaurant downtown. It was so relaxing! Our favorite memory from six years ago today is when he first saw me in my dress and the few moments we shared before pictures and the ceremony. It was perfect!

My Husband, My Hero

It's midnight and I'm not in bed, yet. Hopefully soon. My husband came home and rescued me from my tough day and from my self-pity. Actually, he ran errands for me, picked up one of the kids, and came home ready to do whatever needed done. He is THE BEST!

We will have nearly 30 people (babies, children, moms, and a couple of grandmas) tomorrow for the boys' party which is why today's fiasco was all the more stressful. I've been busily preparing for over a week but it still seems like the day before is crunch time. The boys are looking forward to their Valentine Party, though and I really am, too! I am also looking forward to taking a nap afterwards. :)

Anyway, thanks for all your kind comments and reminders. We are off to catch a few zzz's. I am very thankful to be sleeping some better.

R & R

First, hooray for the GIANTS! I was so pleased (and surprised) that they beat New England! Go Manning brothers! :)

Andrew and I enjoyed our last-minute weekend away. We stayed downtown at the Hyatt (thanks to Priceline.com). We had been thinking about a getaway since October and this weekend worked out for my parents to watch the boys - we were so grateful! The boys were able to mostly keep their routine, go to church, etc. and they had been begging Papa to play with the train table.

We enjoyed a relaxing couple of days with no schedule and very little responsibility. We needed it. We rested, talked, shopped, talked, ate, slept, talked...you get the idea. :) We found cute clothes for next year for the boys at Children's Place. They were on clearance for 50% off the lowest price and I had a 20% off coupon so pretty inexpensive and great quality clothes! Not much shopping for ourselves really - isn't that the way of it?! :)

We really enjoyed seeing the movie Juno - I'll write more on that another day. We ate lots of great food and I appreciated the cooking break. On Saturday, we took advantage of Auntie Anne's free pretzel day - yum! They were so good!

So, it was a wonderful, refreshing, much-needed weekend away. It was the first time since bringing the boys home (Oct. '06) that we have been away. They did great but I missed them so much! :)

U2 Date Night

Saturday night, my husband surprised me with tickets to U2 3-D at our local Imax. It had gotten great reviews from various sources and was a bit cheaper than a concert ticket. :) It was crazy! It was not as loud as a concert but it made you feel like you were kind of there and it was so fun seeing the performance and band up close. The music was, of course, wonderful with the exception of a couple of songs that were strange renditions of classics and a couple of songs that should have been included. :) And Bono's theology is way off as he essentially equates Jews, Jesus, and Muhammed but if you can get past that, it was an interesting and exciting experience! We had a blast!

U2 is one of my all time favorite bands! I love Joshua Tree and The Best of the 90s cds the most. I have dreamed of seeing them in concert but have never had the opportunity - maybe some day. This experience totally made me want to go to a concert and I definitely want to be in the mosh pit! I think their music is awesome and I appreciate the humanitarian work that Bono is involved in.

We finished our evening at P.F. Chang's - a restaurant that I love but usually forget about. :) It was so delicious and was a great way to end our date. If you are looking for something different and you are a U2 fan - go check it out!

Date Night!

This afternoon, I decided to see if I could find a last-minute babysitter and surprise Andrew with a night out. Aunt Margaret (my youngest sister - home from college) agreed and will feed the boys, bath them, and put them to bed so we can go out! Thanks, Margaret! Date nights are rather rare between Andrew's schedule and our family schedule; it's just hard to find time. So, I'm excited for dinner out and a movie!

We are also looking forward to a relaxed family week next week - Andrew will be off from work. I can't wait - the boys will love having him around and we really need some time just to be together! So, I'm off to hang with my hubby - I think I've convinced him to see Enchanted, he's a good man. :)

**The picture is from this summer...we don't have very many pictures of the two of us these days. :)

Happy Birthday, Andrew!

Today is Andrew’s birthday! I’m so thankful God brought him into my life. He is my best friend, confidante, and lover. He completes me. We are different and we come from very different upbringings but God in His wisdom knew that we needed each other.

This year has been one of the most exciting as our roles as husband and wife expanded to include being parents (we had only been home for 5 days on his birthday last year). It is with joy that I have watched Andrew excel in this new role. Our boys are so excited for Daddy to get home and the weekends are our favorite because he usually gets to be home with us for two whole days!

Throughout our journey to becoming a family, he was my rock and encourager. I’ll never forget the look on his face when we first laid eyes on our children. A father’s heart is so incredible!

Andrew is a sweet, generous, caring person. His love is constant and his patience is amazing. He challenges me to be a better person, a stronger believer, and a true football fan. :) He makes me feel important. He assures me that everything I make is wonderful – I’m sure it’s not. :) He tells me I’m pretty and creative even when I tell him repeatedly that I don’t believe him. :) He does the dishes many nights because he knows I dislike doing them. He is a handyman and does many home projects. He supports me in my roles as wife and mother and my work as a hygienist. He loves me for who I am - crazy ideas, slight OCD and all.

I’m thankful to God for the gift of my husband. I’m thankful for the man God is constantly molding him to be. I pray that God will give us many years together and that we will continually serve God better together than we ever could have a part. I love you, honey.

Happy Birthday to the greatest guy ever!

Flowers!

Andrew surprised me with a dozen of these beautiful roses earlier this week - they are so pretty!!!

This is our clematis that bloomed over the weekend - I love the vibrant purple color against our yellow house! My parents gave me the gorgeous trellis for against the chimney and the clematis is climbing it.

Happy Father's Day - A Little Late

Happy 1st Father's Day to the wonderful man I married. You are an awesome Dad - our children are blessed and I am blessed by your example. Thanks for all your wisdom and kindness. You are loved! Being parents is the greatest journey and I'm so glad we are in it together.

We Did It!

We had a great time on our first (albeit short) family vacation. Our church was having a campout Friday to Saturday and with our crazy schedules and lack of family time we opted to stay until this morning. It was a great time! My sister & brother-in-law, Liz and Luke, were with us until last night which was alot of fun. The boys loved it and were pretty good though they seemed to think obedience was optional at times. :) Anyway, we will definitely camp with toddlers again - we were so thrilled that it worked!

We love to camp, there's just something about getting back to nature in the midst of our busy lives. The weather was perfect and the state park was beautiful! Seeing the creative, wonderful work of the Lord through His creation is such a good reminder of what an awesome God we serve. And to think, He cares for each of us!

Stay tuned for pictures...

Us

Here is my honey and me - the other happy couple.

The boys looked adorable but sadly we didn't get pictures other than the professional ones - somehow they just weren't into it. :) They played in the nursery at the reception and gave Daddy and Mommy a break for the evening.

Of Love & Years...

On this day, 5 years ago, I married my best friend. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. When I see the fantastic children we have together (an amazing gift from the Lord) and look around at the home, church, family, and friends He has blessed us with, I rejoice. I love you, Andrew - more than the day we married and I pray that our love only grows deeper over the next 5 years and for the rest of our years together. Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Valentine's Day

Let me start by saying that I'm not a big fan of this holiday. BUT we did have a very nice evening. In the interest of saving, Andrew and I decided that we would not exchange gifts and would not go out to dinner. Instead, we put the boys to bed early, I cooked dinner, and we watched a movie. It was so relaxing! Andrew's gift to me was cleaning up the kitchen.

Our menu was: Best Ever Chuck Roast served over rice, green beans with bacon & onion, fresh rolls, and for dessert we had shortbread with raspberry almond filling garnished with raspberries, almonds, and chocolate almond sauce. All in all, one of our favorite Valentine's Days ever! How did you celebrate?

BTW, quiz results will be coming...I'm sure you've all been waiting and checking daily. :)

Skipping Winter

Sounds like a good plan to me.  Andrew was telling me about a new retirement “village” being built here in Indianapolis.  I told him that we would never buy there – when/if we retire, we will move someplace that is warm all year long. :)  He agrees.  One year in Florida spoiled us for life.  

I admittedly like the occasional snow on Christmas and I do like winter clothes but that’s pretty much it.  I’d rather turn down the air conditioning in my house to make it cold enough to wear sweaters. :)    

Still, fall remains my favorite season even though it signals the impending doom we like to call winter.  Bah Humbug!