The Blur That Was December

Well.....looks like my New Year's resolution should be to blog more. If "better late than never" is still acceptable, here are a few blurbs from the last month.

We celebrated Chase's 26th Birthday by starting the morning at the Rick and Bubba show. Chase listens to the show every morning, and we've managed to book Golden Ticket seats 2 years in a row on his birthday. (I realize that I look like I'm with child in this picture, but I assure you it's an optical illusion. Don't judge me.)

Chase studied for, and took his National Dental Board exam (a 12-hour, 2-day test). That was rough, but on the bright side....he finishes school in May!

Our GFBC Young Married group had our Christmas Party at the Doss Ferry Clubhouse, and Clay managed to find an even tackier sweater than last year. As soon as I get a picture, I'll post it.

We spent Christmas Eve in the hospital, as Chase's Grandmother was admitted for kidney failure. Some very sweet members of his parents' church brought delicious BBQ plates to us, and we had a 'picnic' as the kids called it.

Chase's mom and I were making breakfast casseroles and getting all of the 'Santa' gifts ready late into the night. We all enjoyed a Christmas morning brunch with Chase's great Aunt and Uncle, whom we love dearly. Here's a snapshot of some of the food, and a new apple cinnamon coffee cake recipe Chase's mom found.

Below are a few pictures of baby Henry. I kept him for a little while so Aunt Crissy could do some post-Christmas shopping.

A Call of Christian Conscience

Please read the declaration in its entirety, and consider signing. Print it, post it in your home, carry it in your Bible, be bold in your conversations. Take a stand.

Below is a portion of the declaration as well as an excerpt that I found particularly powerful.


We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call upon all people of goodwill, believers and nonbelievers alike, to consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled, and the elderly are severely threatened; that the institution of marriage, already buffeted by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is in jeopardy of being redefined to accommodate fashionable ideologies; that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are gravely jeopardized by those who would use the instruments of coercion to compel persons of faith to compromise their deepest convictions.

Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense. In this declaration we affirm: 1) the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life; 2) marriage as a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and nonbelievers alike, to be the most basic institution in society and; 3) religious liberty, which is grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image.

We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season. May God help us not to fail in that duty.

Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryodestructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other antilife act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.

May I add, in the words of Rick Burgess after speaking at his 2 year old son's funeral, "Now get up out of that pew and draw your sword."

Saving Bank

Alternate title: "How Chase and I Survived Dental School on One(small) Income"

I will preface this blog by stating that what I am about to mention did indeed come from a broadcast I heard on Focus on the Family. (How did you guess?) This broadcast, titled "Frugal Living in a Tough Economy" allowed me to identify strategies Chase and I were already using to save money as well as give me a few more ideas on how to save some serious dough. If you know anything about my family you know that we all carry the gene for saving money. It's honestly in our blood. That being said, I am very fortunate that most of the "money saving tips" being offered in the media are nothing new to me because I was blessed to have been raised that way. (Thanks Mom and Aunt Sandy....all those times you left us in the hot car while you shopped at Goodwill....you thought we weren't learning? ha)

I would encourage you to visit this link to listen to the original broadcast in a Two-Part Series.

Once you do, I'm sure you'll want to buy the book HERE and the companion cookbook, which offers up tons of recipes you can serve for $1 or less per serving.

If you're still not convinced, you can visit the website "Miserly Moms"

Here are a few of the most basic steps you can take to save some serious moo-lah for your family.

1. The largest waste of your food budget is typically in convenience foods (any item that has been somewhat pre-cooked, pre-washed, pre-mixed, etc). These products tend to cost anywhere from 3 to 5 times more than making it yourself. This includes basics like Bisquick (5 times more expensive) and pancake syrup (which you can make for 11 cents a bottle). I have got to STOP buying bagged salads, ha.

2. Know when it's more cost effective to make it than to buy it. For example: Marshmallows run about $1 a bag....not worth the time and effort to make it. Often times, I can take advantage of the Publix BOGO sales and double coupons and end up with a name brand product for pennies. Don't try to make everything homemade.....even if The Duggars homemade laundry detergent sounds like a good deal (and it is).

3. TRY to plan your meals around the store's sales ad. The items on the front and the back of ads are "loss leaders" (meaning the store loses $$ on these). These are the good deals. The author claims you can cut 35% of your weekly grocery budget just by shopping the loss leaders. If you can't plan ahead or don't have time to make it to more than 1 store to shop the loss leaders, a store like Wal-Mart is probably the place for you. I go online to view the Publix ad where I can click on sale items and have the site print out my grocery list complete with details about the size of the can on sale, etc. I use the printed list to gather all of my coupons and go to Publix to buy exactly what's on the list....and nothing more.

4. Sams and Costco: Buying in bulk doesn't always save. For example: Paper products tend to be 250% more expensive than if you're buying the products elsewhere on sale as a loss leader. Peanut Butter is typically twice the price at warehouse stores, and cereal is outrageously more. Things that ARE a good deal at warehouse stores can be: some dairy products, produce, batteries, vitamins.

5. PRICE GOALS. Keep a log of items you frequently buy (staples in your home). Know what the typical retail price is. Write down what a regular sale price is as well as the lowest you've paid for an item. That way, you will know when something is a good deal by using your price goals as a base. The idea is, "I won't pay more than $____ for laundry detergent."

I will spare you my dissertation on coupons, but if you don't currently use them and are interested in starting.....check out websites like hip2save.blogspot.com (link on the right hand side of my blog). It tells you where the weekly deals are, and when to use those coupons you've been clipping.

The Importance of Our Words

I heard the following story on the radio this morning, and couldn't help but post this for my friends & relatives that teach children in the public school system and in a church setting.

Two years ago, Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Morrissey wrote that Bulls first-round draft pick Joakim Noah would never become a productive NBA player. In fact, Morrissey was so certain the ex-Gator forward would be an NBA bust that he said he would slather his June 2007 column with salsa and eat it if Noah ever turned out to be a "useful" basketball player.

Flash-forward to today, where Noah is averaging 11.4 points and 12.4 rebounds in 32 minutes of action.

Useful? You bet. Hungry? No choice.

That's right; a man of his word, Morrissey showed up at the Bulls' practice facility on Monday, with offending column and salsa in hand, and ate a small chunk of the Tribune newspaper in front of a beaming Noah and Bulls rookie James Johnson. Seeing as this is the Internet age, cameras were rolling.

See the video HERE .

Dear Santa

I love Etsy






I love Amy Butler fabric.







I love coupons.






And I love, love, love this coupon organizer.

The fact that I'm so in love with a coupon organizer scares me a little bit, but if I'm going to save loads of bank on groceries it might as well be in style. And again....Amy Butler fabric....you can't go wrong.


Not to mention the fact that my current coupon holder is falling apart......literally. We've shared some good times, but I think we're nearing the end.

Halloween Recap

Halloween was a BUSY day this year! My dear friend Kristie arranged for a girls day at the spa and we all enjoyed lunch and lovely pedicures at Ross Bridge. After that we headed to work at the church's Fall Festival where we all proudly froze our freshly painted toes off. Here are a few pics from the night. We were too relaxed to take pictures at Ross Bridge.

Chase with Madelyn (dressed as a Kangaroo)




Katie, Me, and Kristie freezing

Mile High Man Weekend

Chase's best friend Stephen and his wife Bethany moved out to Colorado not long after we all got married, and we miss them dearly. We've been trying to make plans to take a trip out there for a while but it just hasn't worked out. This year, Chase's fall break fell on a weekend when Bethany would be out of town so he and Stephen began plotting a man weekend in Denver. Chase spent 4 nights in the Mile High City. While there, they went hiking, did some sightseeing, and went to a playoff game.

Henry's Debut

Henderson (Henry) John Tucker arrived on Thursday, October 15th to a crowd so big we annoyed all the nurses. I was so busy with the video camera that I didn't get many pictures, but here are a few.

And I LOVE him. I mean I really love him, with a love that I have never felt before when holding other newborns. I can't think of any particular reason why I would feel such a strong connection, and an immediate love for a child, but it exists. I live an hour and a half away. And I miss him.

Crock On

Now that the temperatures here are beginning to drop, I've been bringing the Crock Pot out a lot more often. For some reason, I've also had a craving for Mexican food. I found the following two recipes on Tasty Kitchen (which I love). I've gotta give credit to my husband for preparing both of these while he had a few days off school. It was so nice to come home and not have to make dinner.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

• 4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts Frozen
• 1 envelope Taco Seasoning
• ½ jar Salsa
• 1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup (or Nacho Cheese Soup)
• 1 can Green Chilis

Add your chicken to the slow cooker and sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top. Add the salsa, soup, and green chilis. Give it a good stir, and walk away. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. About 10 minutes before you're ready to eat, use 2 forks to pull the chicken apart and give it another good stir. This was SO GOOD! I served it over some hot Mexican rice, and we scooped it up with Tostitos.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

• 1 can (15 Oz.) Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes (we used Ro*tel)
• 1 package (10 Oz.) Frozen Corn (we used canned corn)
• ½ cups Onion, Chopped
• ½ cups Red Pepper, Diced
• 1 can (10 Oz) Enchilada Sauce
• 1 can (10 3/4 Oz) Can Condensed Cream Of Chicken Soup
• 1-½ cup Milk
• 2 whole Chicken Breasts (we used tenderloins)
• 1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded

In a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of the mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. The soup can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Funny story...because I'm working on humility. Lest the devil get a foothold and I become prideful in my barely there domestic abilities, I recently made Panera Bread imitation Potato Soup from the blog, "A Year of Slow Cooking".

I apparently have not yet mastered the domestic craft of storing soup because the next day when I planned to serve it as leftovers it was no longer my rich, creamy potato soup. It had morphed overnight into one large bowl of mashed potatoes.

They were the best mashed potatoes I've ever had.

L-O-V-E

My friends are the most beautiful people I know. Seriously.



And they make beautiful babies.

Visit Maggie's Blog

Photo Credit: Leigh Ann Hall Photography

The Other Woman

There's another woman in Chase's life.

It's no secret. Everyone knows how she feels about him.

She lights up when he walks in the room, smiles at him from across the table all night, and even has the nerve to climb up in his lap when I'm sitting right beside him!

But, you know, I'm ok with it.

I think she's pretty cute too. :)



Madelyn and Chase

Flour Arrangements

My dear husband will vouch for me when I say I love to watch cooking shows. I often get in trouble for filling up the DVR with them, so I try to be selective now. I've tried my hand at a few southern recipes from Down Home With the Neelys, butter filled creations with Paula's Best Dishes, and even a few Italian dishes with Giada de la Cleavage...err Laurentis. I think I just like her show because I like to say things like prosciutto in her Italian accent. She makes words like rotini sound fabulous. Enough about those other chefs, my absolute favorite is Ask Aida because she does well at explaining things for new cooks like me....and she slices things really cool. Which is why I forego the 10th commandment and desperately want

this knife

and this pretty little Martha Stewart dutch oven (on closeout at Macy's!)

Chase is one of the most easy to please when it comes to food. This is a GREAT thing for someone like me who constantly uses him as my new recipe guinea pig. He typically tolerates it, and most dishes get a, "That was good." BUT Sunday night, I tried my hand at a recipe for Sweet and Sour chicken and

1. I got a "That was really good."

2. It actually looked like the picture of the recipe, which almost never happens.

The recipe is posted below and is SO simple. I found it on Tasty Kitchen, a site from the creator of The Pioneer Woman Cooks (i.e. my cooking Bible). Try it tonight!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper
• 1 cup Cornstarch
• 2 whole Eggs, Lightly Beaten
• ¼ cups Canola Oil
  
  FOR THE SAUCE:
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Ketchup
• ½ cups Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
  
  Cut chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg (yes, this will be messy but it will be worth it, I promise!). Fry in a little oil until browned on all sides but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish.

Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken.

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees F. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced, about 6 to 8 minutes.

"You Watch, You Wait, You'll See"

I shared a few months ago about how I had made it a regular habit to listen to the "Focus on the Family" broadcasts on my way to work in the mornings. It seems like every other day there is a story that I want to share with you, but I can't resist sharing this one. Please listen to the testimony of Anne Kiemel as she shares her heart.

Listen to Anne Kiemel's Story

Her story is especially timely as the first ever Orphan Sunday will be held on November 8th. Our church will participate in this day. Please prayerfully consider this ministry at your church as well.

A couple in our young married ministry adopted a baby last December. To follow their personal journey (or for a good laugh) please visit her blog, Consider Joy.

Hints (not) From Heloise

I'm all about keeping it simple, especially when space is minimal in the Tyson casa. A short cut or helpful hint makes my day. For example, I recently started sorting all the silverware while loading it into the dishwasher. I was a little apprehensive at first, thinking that the spoons would 'spoon' and not get clean. But, it works! Now unloading the dishwasher basket is easy peezy.

Here are two more helpful hints I came across this week.

1. Real Simple Magazine (which I adore) suggests putting a marshmallow in your brown sugar container to keep it from getting hard.

2. The Simply Dwell blog has a new, hopefully less messy, idea for cleaning ceiling fans...with a pillow case! Ours desperately need cleaning, and I might try her method this weekend. If you've tried this before, let me know!

Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer...

We did a little tailgating this weekend for the Alabama vs. FIU game. Here are a few pics...

Allow me to introduce...

William Barrett McKelvey

born September 11th
6 lbs 14 oz
21 inches long

He's a cutie! (see his long little fingers?)He belongs to our good friends Grant and Maggie. Chase and Maggie are in Dental School together, and Chase was actually there when her water broke at Dental School, ha. Several of us from our young married class made the trip to the hospital Friday night.

Jonathan & Kristie



Josh, Katie, & Madelyn


Further proof that everywhere we go.....we thoroughly enjoy ourselves.

Let the countdown begin...

231 Days Folks. 231 Days away...

nope, not Christmas

not graduation (although I need another countdown for that)

not until a birthday or other milestone achievement

and certainly not a baby if that's what some of you were thinking!

231 Days until the Junior League of Birmingham's Bargain Carousel!!!

If you've been fortunate enough to experience this with my Mom, you should laugh out loud right now at the memories. If you haven't, you should definitely join us in line this year...about 12 hours before the doors open (no we don't wait outside that entire time like the crazy people at Best Buy on black Friday). There are some seriously good bargains to be had, but I think now I just do it mostly for the experience. It's laughable. Picture thousands of people flooding into an old Belk store like they're at the running of the bulls or the Kleinfeld NYC dress sale......except these clowns are armed with shopping carts and trash cans to carry their loot. It's not for the faint of heart.

Aunt Sandy (errr, Uncle Richard) mark it on the calendar NOW haha.

www.jlbonline.com

winner winner chicken dinner...

If you know me, you know that I absolutely never win anything (even though I enter practically everything). In fact, I'm almost positive that the majority of my business cards have not been handed to esteemed members of the business community, but rather dropped in fishbowls at restaurants (don't judge me).

Imagine my surprise when I received a call from Birmingham Works, a local magazine, telling me that I had won an original piece of art! I originally entered the contest because I just loved the painting. Admittedly, I'm not a fine art curator so I didn't understand what all the fuss was about when they came to present the art to me and take my little picture for the magazine. As it turns out, the artist is a well known, gorgeous woman who has recently relocated from Georgia to Birmingham. They also gave me a copy of the Southern Living magazine in which her story is featured. I am now the proud owner of a beautiful canvas that I'm told is worth about $650 (and yes, Chase promptly asked me if we could sell it on Ebay). The picture below is not of my painting, but of a similar one. When I decide where to hang mine, I'll add another picture.

Cat Tesla Art

Excuses, Excuses....

I've been pretty bad at blogging lately, but I am having trouble uploading pictures....and I just can't post without pictures! (I'm a visual person - I blame my mother) Never fear: it's a long weekend, and I intend to figure out iPhoto while Chase is watching 24 hours of college football on Saturday.

Speaking of football, the official college season kick off was last night, and so all of our board games and Phase 10 cards have gone into hibernation until the season comes to a close. We all met up at Full Moon BBQ last night, stuffed ourselves, and then came back to our house to watch the pretty uneventful game.

It's so funny to see how excited Chase is for Saturday's Alabama game (and every other game that's airing on the channels we have). You would think it's Christmas morning. It's endearing, really. I love my football-lovin man.

I get pretty excited about football season too, but for all the wrong reasons. My dear friend and very good cook Katie starts making her famous cream cheese Rotel dip. This is soooo much better than the original Velveeta/Rotel combo. I've made it, once, in her absence for a Super Bowl party and it was super easy....but it always tastes better when she makes it. This dip and puppy chow (i.e. chocolate/peanut butter/powdered sugar covered chex cereal) are regulars at the Saturday get-togethers. I love it...and so do my thighs, unfortunately.

Katie's Cream Cheese Ro-Tel Dip

5 bars of Cream Cheese
1 large can of Ro-Tel
2 lbs of sausage (mild or hot)
1 bag of Tostitos Scoops

Place your crock-pot on the lowest setting (8 or 10 hrs). Brown your sausage and do not drain. Soften the cream cheese bars in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Place softened cream cheese bars in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour the sausage and Ro-Tel on top of the bars. Do not stir! Let it warm for about 15 minutes, and then stir. Once all of the ingredients are mixed up, turn your crock-pot to “Warm”.

Helpful Hints: Start making the dip about an hour before you want to serve it. Also, the longer the cheese sits in the crock-pot, the more likely it is to burn to the sides. Reynolds makes clear crock-pot covers that are definitely worth the investment. No messy clean up at the end of your party!

Mums the Word

Last weekend I made a quick trip home for my Aunt Crissy's baby shower (more to come on that later). On Saturday, we loaded up all the girls and drove to the Limrock Nursery. It's a total hole-in-the-wall place with a sweet old man who sells beautiful plants for dirt cheap! We each bought a few mums. I'm hoping mine will add a little color to our pitiful front yard. I will post some pictures when they bloom!

Life After Chapter 40...

... not Life After Chapter 7......or 13......those things I can't give advice about, but Chapter 40 is something entirely different.

On Sunday we had the pleasure of worshipping with Dave Edwards in our morning service. He delivered God's word in such a powerful way, invoking laughter and conviction and absolute praise. If he is going to be anywhere in your area, I strongly recommend going to hear him.

Below are my notes (an outline) of his message from Genesis Chapter 40.

"Frustration (or Chapter 40)"

Frustration = any time our expectations and reality collide.

Bibilically, the number 40 has extreme significance. It's often used to describe a period of testing. In our lifetime, we will all pass through our own Chapter 40.

(i.e. in our finances, marriage, raising children, sickness, etc.)

What to Do When We Find Ourselves in Our Own Chapter 40:

1. Recognize it as God's course of preparation (Genesis 40:3-5)
   - We shouldn't be so quick to view tough seasons as punishment from God.
   - God knew he would raise up Joseph as a great leader, but early on he had a problem with his mouth, and it often got him into trouble (i.e. thrown in a pit). God would take Joseph through a season of preparation.
   - We have to walk through these seasons because there's something on the other side.
2. Refuse to compromise (Genesis 40:14-15)
   In moments of frustration, we all have it in us to rationalize doing something we would never normally do. When a door of opportunity comes that will allow us to bring an immediate end to a Chapter 40 season, we can not compromise. Why?
   A. It prolongs the process (It cost Joseph another year in prison.)
   B. You'll miss the blessings of God. (Chapter 40's not all bad. Spiritual gifts are often uncovered during these times - Joseph's ability to interpret dreams.)
3. Request courage for the duration (Genesis 40:21-25)
   - We can not go through Chapter 40 alone, and we weren't intended to.
   - We need to daily request courage from God to endure until he brings us out on His terms and in His time table.
   - The good news is that after every Chapter 40, there is a Chapter 41!!!(and about a million Biblical examples of this) For every season of testing, there is a season of success.
   
   He ended his message by taking us all through what he calls The Chapter 40 Prayer. I wish I could remember all of the words, but the heart of it is just to ask God daily (sometimes hourly),
   

" Lord, give me the courage to stay with You
in my head
in my heart
and where you have me."

I have since taped this prayer to my bathroom mirror (for Mom, who is the queen of taping verses to our bathroom mirrors for years - and you thought we weren't paying attention).

What We've Been Up To....

We've been busy since the last time I posted! It all started last Wednesday night with our church's annual "Raise the Praise" worship service, part of the tradition we lovingly refer to as Awesome August.

Friday night Chase and I met up with another couple from his dental school class and went to see David Crowder Band at Briarwood. My ticket stub says "concert", but if you're familiar with DCB then you know that it was definitely a worship service. Two large projection screens displayed the words to every song, which made it even easier to sing along. It also allowed me to reflect on the words I was singing. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what I was singing before but I think I actually learned the real words to some of the more upbeat songs. God has truly given DC an amazing gift, in both songwriting and musical ability. The songs ranged from bluegrass to techno and DC played everything from a keytar (google it) to a wireless controller from the video game Guitar Hero. Amazing show. Amazing God.

Saturday I decided to further sharpen my domestic skills and attempt the Ooey Gooey Chocolate Ice Cream Cake pictured below. It was an all day affair (as in, a lot of steps and a lot of waiting in between each one). However, it was worth it. Thank you Paula Deen, thank you very much.

Click the cake to see the recipe

I took the cake to Josh and Katie's for 'Game Night'. For those of you not fortunate enough to witness a game night, here's a recap... Food, card games, arguing about the score, laughing at each other, board games, food, making fun of each other, arguing about game rules, food...and we usually quit just before someone's marriage falls apart (because we always play boys vs. girls). Typically Madelyn (Josh and Katie's lil one) chews on whatever game piece she can get her hands on: her go-to choices are usually the deck of Uno cards or the red Apples to Apples cards. However, this time it was our Cranium game that suffered a casualty when one of the dogs chewed the foot off of the little game piece. It was actually pretty funny and the game piece was so ugly to start with you barely even notice the missing foot.

Sunday morning = hard to get out of bed. But, alas, it was my turn to bring breakfast to class so I popped some sausage balls in the oven (which , by the way, always make my house stink - is it just me?). After church we rushed home to grab a quick bite to eat and then drove back to the church for an afternoon of yardwork with all the other YMs (young marrieds). We're about to wrap up our "Summer of Love" series based on the Francis Chan book, Crazy Love. This book is a MUST READ. Buy it today. Seriously.

One of the YM leaders had arranged for us to meet the practical needs of people in our community and week one=yard work. Our team of about 7 knocked out 2 yards in a few hours. I have never in my life picked up a weed eater, but I did on Sunday. Thanks to Josh for cranking it up and giving me a quick lesson, and a BIG thanks to Chase who always does the weed-eating at our house. I'll stick with the riding mower, thanks. We were blessed to be able to minister to some pretty amazing people (everyone has a story). I'm not sure what the next few weekends will involve, but I'm looking forward to it, and will bring a can of bug spray next time!

Blah Blah Blog

I've come to the conclusion that I'm terrible at this blogging thing, so here's a little bit of what has been going on with us...


A few weekends ago we drove up to Huntsville to see Matt and Sarah tie the knot.....unfortunately I didn't get any good shots - but the wedding was beautiful. I did grab my dear friend Ashley for a picture before she begins her 11 month journey across the world... seriously. Follow her HERE .

We also celebrated my Grandad's 80th birthday with a LOT of people and even more food. I think he was surprised to see so many old friends. After dinner he opened a ton of gifts. If you know my Aunt Sandy, then you know what came next. Several people shared a favorite memory or something that they admire or love about Grandad. He hates to be the center of attention, and he tried to laugh it off, but it was very emotional. I can't imagine how encouraging and humbling that must have been. We love you g-daddy!

Anniversary

Just two short years ago I married a man who, believe it or not, is more wonderful today than he was on July 28, 2007. I can hardly believe that two years have passed. We reminisced last night, with every statement seeming like it began with, "This time 2 years ago we were _______ ," or, "I remember feeling _______." The last two years have certainly been a growing process, but we're learning more about each other every day (and given our recent uncontested win of The Newlywed Game, I am further convinced that we are absolutely perfect for one another).

Below is one of our engagement pictures, taken in Big Spring Park.

And here's a shot from our wedding day...

Photo Credit http://www.mikerossphotography.com/

And just for fun, here's one from the honeymoon in Riviera Maya, Mexico.