Rock Hopping

Chris took off the whole week this week to work on the house. He's done a great job! His dad actually was in town from last Friday until Tuesday. They worked hard and finished up the sanding/mudding of the laundry room, textured, finished electrical, and got a lot of little odd jobs out of the way. Chris and I primed the walls and ceiling (I forget how many coats we did--too many!) and painted both. Chris then tiled the floor all day on Wednesday from 10am until 3am! We slept in the next day and took off for a fun day away from the house, exploring our favorite Texan state park; Enchanted Rock. We went once when we first got married and vowed that we had to go back with Marlow. It was a blast and just a beautiful day. We both got a little sunburned, but it was worth it. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Thursday.

18,772.8

That's how many miles I drove in 2007 for my job. Good job, Corolla.

My Latest Etsy Find

I like this a lot.

Too Far Away

There are days that being so far away from family is difficult. And I've been in that season for quite some time now. They are roughly 20 hours away, too long of a drive over a weekend. I wish I could just hop on a plane for a few days to get my fix, but that's not possible. It's been months since I've seen them and it's just hard sometimes. I love my husband and his family that live close, but nobody can replace your own family. If you live near yours, I hope you're thankful.

Let me introduce you to some of my favorite people:

Mom
This woman's got it together on the inside and out. She is who I think of when I read 1 Peter 3:4 that talks about "having the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of worth in God's sight." I don't understand how I came from her because I can be such a loud, obnoxious, spastic person sometimes and she is so gentle with her words, careful to think before she speaks, and just naturally tender and calm. Those are great qualities in a mom. She has always put her family before herself. She is steady and constant. She is so good at making much out of little whether it be in entertaining children, cooking, camping, or budgeting. She is a friend to everyone and doesn't judge others. All feel welcome in her presence and even seek her out for advice. She is thoughtful and makes it her business to bless others.
Dad
No one could replace him. Together, he and my mom are a unit. They are individuals, but they operate together and unity is really seen in their marriage. My dad is a hard worker. He doesn't complain often and can always find good in a situation. He is a jokester and though sometimes they are just too much for me to handle, he's always making someone chuckle. He's good at brightening your day with a hug or a back rub or sticking food in his mouth in a weird way that makes it just look gross and funny at the same time. Basically, he's a big kid. :) He is a great father and always worked hard to provide well for his family. He is creative and remembers in detail things that happened years ago. He can make up a themed song on the fly and has a endless appetite for all things chocolate. I love my dad.

Andy
My big brother. I am so proud of him. Proud of him for the small things and proud of him for the big things. He is a man of wisdom, always seeking answers to life's questions first from God's Word. He desires not to live life like an ordinary person, but to live radically for Christ, each day making a difference for His name. He is funny and always has a pun to share. He's intelligent and knows much more about computers and electrical things than I could ever want to know. He also has a good memory for random information. He makes much out of little and is easily pleased. He goes out of the way for you and likes to be the one in the background taking care of things while others are in the spotlight.
Mandy
I couldn't think of a better sister-in-law if I tried. She's got everything I've always wanted in one. She's got such a sweet disposition, a truly caring heart, she's funny when tired and funny when not tired, and best of all, she reflects Jesus. Her conversation and attitude and thoughts are align with God's. She is a great listener and empathetic to others. I love her spunk and the fact that she's so comfortable to be around. In fact, I'd say that she is a relaxing person to be around. You don't feel a need to be someone you're not, to impress her, or to entertain her. She's so talented at crafty things and I envy that. She's good with kids and very creative.

Aaron
Oh where do I start? In a sibling kind of way, I've been in love with him since I met him in the womb 23 years ago. It's been said that we have been the best of friends and the worst of enemies, but I'd say we have always been on each others' sides. If I think of someone I really love, he comes to mind. I've looked up to him for as long as I can remember. There is so much to admire about him. He's creative and smart. He is so good at problem-solving and thinking out of the box. He's loving and always seems to notice the unnoticed ones. I feel safe with him. I know he'd take care of me and look out for me. He's so thoughtful and a great helper. And he has a great memory, too. He's good at thinking up new inventions and alternative solutions. He's sweet and kind-hearted, always making me laugh. One of my favorite quotes from him took place in the spring of my Junior year of high school. I was trying on prom dress options at home and was determining which would be the one. I was frustrated because I wasn't exactly fitting into them as I would have liked. The zippers didn't zip and the clasps didn't clasp. I remember venting about how I felt ugly and fat. Aaron's response was unforgettable: "Carey, you're not ugly. It just doesn't hold all of your beauty."

Today

Chris woke up and "went to work." He's in his office, but he's having to work from home. Ugh. Not fun on a Saturday.
I have been sprawled out on the floor every since I woke up, making cards. It looks like a disaster, but the finished products are fun.

Marlow has been cuddly and sad that we are not more active with him today. Hopefully later we'll head for the park.

It's cold outside and I've been going out to our wood pile every half hour or so to bring another load of logs in.
Also...here's a picture of our finished Dining Room. Eventually I'd like to get some kind of buffet or corner hutch, but that will be down the road. I also plan to put up three ledges with pictures.
Butternut Squash Risotto with Sauteed Edamame and Zucchini for lunch.

Happy Easter!

Taken 3/7/08 in our backyard

Quik Laundry Saves the Day

Last night after work we ran, ate a quick dinner (see picture below), and headed out to the Quik Laundry around the corner to bust out 8 loads. Since we are doing our Laundry Room right now, the washer and dryer are in the garage and we didn't want to keep bringing them in and out, hooking and unhooking. So, just like college days, we packed the car with dirty clothes and brought Scrabble to play. Chris is allergic to fabric softener, so it was a big deal for him to come with me and hang out for 2 hours. You can see that he was thrilled.

Take Two

I'm trying to take more pictures of my food. This dish is Indian-inspired, but concocted of things I found in my fridge. Eggplant, onions, tumeric, allspice, coriander, cumin, red wine vinegar, white wine, marinara, vegetable stock, feta, chickpeas, thyme...with naan.

Celebrations

This weekend consisted of work and play. During the day, we worked on the house a lot and got a lot of yard work done. Friday evening we met friends, Scott & Lydia, for dinner downtown at Bess Bistro (Sandra Bullock's restaurant--her sister is a pastry chef and created the dessert menu) to help celebrate Scott turning six years old on Leap Day! After dinner festivities took place at The Ginger Man and we celebrated for several hours more before heading home. Saturday evening took us to another friend's place for a wine tasting party. It was fun to actually be invited to one instead of working it as an event for my job. It was a Bordeaux/Bordeaux-style night, so every couple brought 2 bottles within the varietal and we enjoyed a horizontal flight, comparing and contrasting, being wine geeks, and enjoying the vine.

At Bess Bistro

Cheers!