Sorry for a break in posts

Last week messed me up.

Wednesday April 27th was mine and John's one year anniversary!!!  But our plans were ruined and we ended up celebrating under the crawl space praying we would live.  After that we both went into work like dogs mode.  I worked at the hospital for 4 days straight and he worked in PG all weekend with the recovery effort and helping his cousins.  Didn't get to see each other much, except when I stayed at his Mom's for two days because of no power... I have been so drained and so depressed about all of this.  Just made me feel so small and so silly.

Anyways.  Enough of that.  We ended up celebrating for real last night and it was just perfection.  We ate at Mccormick and Schmidts and had our own room! and nice music and lighting and the food was wow!  we had sushi and fish and chocolate cake!  I got him (us) a waterproof videocamera so that we can save our adventures and he got me a BEAUTIFUL diamond necklace and jewelry box he knows me so well! its a simple single diamond and the box is hand painted with butterflies :)

Gosh I am a happy gal!

They Finally Met!

Mine and John's parents met today!!!  We got pizza after church and had such a good time we decided we needed ice cream as well!  My mom and his mom hit it off of course :)  And John's brother and my sister were there and made the whole group complete.  We shared stories of growing up and where everyone was from and of course football and the usual ridicule of John's Auburn fan-dom.  Sigh.  What a great day!

Another plus was going to church again for the first time in a while.  I actually really enjoyed it and didn't mind the fact that it was a Baptist church, or the fact that it was an overflow of alot of college acquaintances.  The fact is that it is just good to be in a good environment with people our age from similar backgrounds that are all trying like we are to have a Christ centered life and stay relevant at the same time.  not an easy task thats for sure.

How do you serve God completely while at the same time not becoming a stick in the mud?  

Thank goodness for an outdoorsy boyfriend!

Yesterday I was bored and contemplating going to the mall just to have something to do, when John called me up to see if i wanted to canoe a creek by his work.  Of course I answered a resounding YES and in half an hour there we were!  We fished and floated and paddled and saw a beautiful and tranquil setting.  I was at peace.  When I am old and can't leave my hospital bed I will think of days like yesterday.  I can't say it enough; everyone should have a love for the outdoors and adventure, and be with someone that does the same!

All photos are courtesy of John :)

A Beautiful Wonderful Place

Yesterday I miraculously got cancelled from work!  So my parents and me and John went fishing! John and I canoed to the waterfall while mom and dad hiked it.  We even took a pitstop to jump off a rope swing!  My heart is reawakened from being in the hot weather and being able to jump in the water! 

We didn't catch any fish, but still basked in the sun, got good exercise, and got to enjoy a spectacle of drunk rednecks tubing and canoeing past us!

The next few pictures are not from yesterday, but capture the day pretty well.

 My fish friend from last trip!

 Daddio looking all cool fishing in his G.I. Boots :)

John doing all the hard work of canoeing while I take pictures

I hope everyone else had a good weekend as well!  Looking forward to a wonderful spring/summer!

Consistency

A word that I lack.  Here's to my new goal of writing at least weekly.  Here goes!

One thing I have been consistently doing is a running program called couch to 5k.  I love it!  I am trying to spread the word to everyone I know.  I am just as bad as the rest at making myself follow an exercise routine, especially running, but something about this approach and its corresponding iphone app has gotten me going.  I usually run every other day now, or at least 2-3 times a week.  It is a 9 week program and I am finishing week 5 today! And I feel great!  I have more energy at work already and am not so ashamed and guilty about eating.  My goal is to be running 30 minutes at a time by May to be beach body ready for weddings, vacations, and picturespicturespictures!

What are some goals you are consistently working towards?  How do you stay on task?

November.
My arch nemesis, second only to December, maybe third, because January is always lurking... anyways.  Here's to hoping.  For fires in fireplaces, kayaks in little river canyon, smores, ironbowl, turkey, deals on extra secret christmas presents, and actually having someone to share all the above with this year.  I look back and can't recall having a significant other at christmas, my birthday, or valentines day. ever.



maybe this chart i found explains why:

how funny is that! mostly, i believe the trends are due to the majority of facebookers being college coeds and not wanting to be "tied down" on breaks like christmas and spring break, and there is to much pressure to plan meeting family on the holidays, and where to go together on spring break.  

Oh, I pray the trend does not hold true for my life this winter, because that warm sunny face of someone special sure does keep me going when its cold and dreary :)

Cooking together is one of the sweetest parts of community, friendship, and love.

Last night, me and nine of my friends got together and made tacos, mexican pasta, fajitas and all sorts of delicious things. True, the kitchen was crowded, and the divvying up of funds made me stressed but sitting down with everyone was the most heartwarming time to just look at the friends that have withstood the test of time and distance.

I am starting my book Eat, Pray, Love, mostly just because I want to see Julia Roberts in the movie based on the book!

All this to say, I feel so feminine in my cooking adventures and yet so accomplished. I definitely can understand women who feel like that is how to show love. Such a thoughtful process. Cooking for my boy is a whole different kind of fun. Its nice to help each other we sometimes cook for the other after a long day at work or school and its just a sweet gesture. I think boys are just hardwired to be smitten with a girl in an apron and reflexively make profound realizations of "You're awesome, AND you can cook!? How lucky am I?" haha So endearing!

I will plug my favorite cooking website here. Allrecipes is a great resource and you can even insert the ingredients you want in the recipe finder and it will find one with the ingredients you have in your pantry!

Heres to cooking and eating with friends!