Two posts in one night?!? Linking up over here with the Gypsy Mama.
Dive {Start 0112}
Several years ago we were merely acquaintances with out a clue about how our lives would intertwine. We were both invited to a friend's cabin. It was summer but the night we decided to go swimming, the water was cold.
I dove under the calm/freezing water, not knowing that I was really diving into a relationship that would shape my life.
And afterwards, we sat on the end of the pier, each wrapped up in a towel, looking at the stars. We sat there til we couldn't feel our toes and our breath turned to steam. We sat there long enough to know that we both wanted more.
{Stop 0117}
Happy {almost} three years, baby!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Goal wrap-up
My 2012 Goals:
Make bread. Yep, I did this well and will continue to make bread. My favorite recipe is this one for sandwich bread.
Make a quilt. Nope, this didn't happen. Maybe I'll try again this year....
Have one internet free evening a week and one internet free day a month. This worked out great as long as I could remember to do it. Writing "internet free day" on my google calendar wasn't all that helpful since my reminder was on-line. I will continue this during this year with a paper reminder system.
Increase our giving. Check, did this.
Continue our "state of the union" weekly updates. We did this about 50% of the time in some form. It is really important for us.
Research CSAs and hopefully find a good fit for us. Done and done. I LOVED our CSA and we did well at cooking all the veggies. We may look for a farm that has a work share as Christopher is interested in working at a farm in exchange for our boxes. (Hopefully I'll tag along a few days but we think it would be too big of a commitment for me to do the whole thing.)
Finish memorizing Colossians. This did not happen. Will try again this year.
Be more intentional about building relationships. While this is a really vague goal, I think I did what I intended to do.
2013 Goals:
Record all credit card purchases. Per my husband's request as sorting out the budget is pretty difficult when the item simply says "Amazon" -- gift? household? misc?
Plant and tend a vegetable garden. It doesn't have to big or grand ... just a garden.
Finish memorizing Colossians. I will try this one. more. year.
Complete 12 projects, one each month. Finding and scheduling time to be creative is important and reflects positively on the rest of my life.
Find a cleaning schedule that works for us. Working random days does not lend itself to consistent ... well, anything. Cleaning usually gets dropped off the list first although I know there is enough time in my week to clean, I just choose to do something else instead.
Begin using a daily planner. I'm going to try this one first. This does include a place for a gratitude journal also which will be a nice practice to start up again.
Read a book a month. Specifically read the Chronicles of Narnia series and a book or two by Wendell Berry (any suggestions about where to start?).
There you have it.
Make bread. Yep, I did this well and will continue to make bread. My favorite recipe is this one for sandwich bread.
Make a quilt. Nope, this didn't happen. Maybe I'll try again this year....
Have one internet free evening a week and one internet free day a month. This worked out great as long as I could remember to do it. Writing "internet free day" on my google calendar wasn't all that helpful since my reminder was on-line. I will continue this during this year with a paper reminder system.
Increase our giving. Check, did this.
Continue our "state of the union" weekly updates. We did this about 50% of the time in some form. It is really important for us.
Research CSAs and hopefully find a good fit for us. Done and done. I LOVED our CSA and we did well at cooking all the veggies. We may look for a farm that has a work share as Christopher is interested in working at a farm in exchange for our boxes. (Hopefully I'll tag along a few days but we think it would be too big of a commitment for me to do the whole thing.)
Finish memorizing Colossians. This did not happen. Will try again this year.
Be more intentional about building relationships. While this is a really vague goal, I think I did what I intended to do.
2013 Goals:
Record all credit card purchases. Per my husband's request as sorting out the budget is pretty difficult when the item simply says "Amazon" -- gift? household? misc?
Plant and tend a vegetable garden. It doesn't have to big or grand ... just a garden.
Finish memorizing Colossians. I will try this one. more. year.
Complete 12 projects, one each month. Finding and scheduling time to be creative is important and reflects positively on the rest of my life.
Find a cleaning schedule that works for us. Working random days does not lend itself to consistent ... well, anything. Cleaning usually gets dropped off the list first although I know there is enough time in my week to clean, I just choose to do something else instead.
Begin using a daily planner. I'm going to try this one first. This does include a place for a gratitude journal also which will be a nice practice to start up again.
Read a book a month. Specifically read the Chronicles of Narnia series and a book or two by Wendell Berry (any suggestions about where to start?).
There you have it.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Vacation 2012
Some pictures and memories from our road-trip vacation:
- We drove through 11 states down to Florida and back with Christopher's entire family.
- Loki spent most of the 45+ hours of driving on the lap or on my feet. A little too much togetherness.
- We spent a little bit of time helping Christopher's sister's family moving into their new home. They live in a little lake community in rural Orlando.
- Chris and I drove to Satellite Beach to visit my cousin and his family. We ate at the same taco place we went to when we visited for their wedding several years ago. We went to the beach and played with their little boys.
- Then we left Loki with our family (who graciously watched him the week we were gone) and sailed away on a cruise ship to visit the Western Caribbean.
- We went snorkeling in Honduras and learned that isn't the best activity for us because I can't see much without my glasses and Christopher's beard made it hard for his mask to fit properly. We also kayaked that day which was a nice redemption for that excursion.
- We had ice cream ... every afternoon. Ice cream, in my mind, is within the definition of vacation. Usually not everyday but poolside ice cream overlooking blue waters quickly became our standard afternoon activity.
- We spent a lot of time walking around the promenade deck and talking about various things in our life. Being removed from the responsibilities of our daily life and the stress of work and school really helped us connect and see things clearly.
- We went to Altun Ha, Mayan ruins in Belize. We were a little too early for the end of the Mayan calendar, though!
- We met a couple on the cruise who invited us to drive with them around Cozumel, which was my favorite day of the cruise. The beaches were beautiful and we ate fresh seafood in the sand at a little Mexican restaurant on the ocean.
- And then, at the end of the week, Christopher's parents brought Loki to the port to pick us up. We were pretty excited to see him. =) ... Oh yeah, and the rest of the family, too. But, who are we kidding, really Loki.
- We celebrated an early Christmas with our family in Orlando and we enjoyed spending time with them. Christmas with kids around is decidedly more fun than with just adults. The three dogs also added to the fun.
Since coming home, we've been doing a little bit of Christmas-y things and are keeping with the low-key, relaxed vibes that came from our vacation. Our shopping is done, our little tree is up and decorated and only a little bit of snow would make it feel more like Christmas.
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your family and friends!
- We drove through 11 states down to Florida and back with Christopher's entire family.
- Loki spent most of the 45+ hours of driving on the lap or on my feet. A little too much togetherness.
- We spent a little bit of time helping Christopher's sister's family moving into their new home. They live in a little lake community in rural Orlando.
- Chris and I drove to Satellite Beach to visit my cousin and his family. We ate at the same taco place we went to when we visited for their wedding several years ago. We went to the beach and played with their little boys.
- Then we left Loki with our family (who graciously watched him the week we were gone) and sailed away on a cruise ship to visit the Western Caribbean.
- We spent a lot of time walking around the promenade deck and talking about various things in our life. Being removed from the responsibilities of our daily life and the stress of work and school really helped us connect and see things clearly.
- And then, at the end of the week, Christopher's parents brought Loki to the port to pick us up. We were pretty excited to see him. =) ... Oh yeah, and the rest of the family, too. But, who are we kidding, really Loki.
- We celebrated an early Christmas with our family in Orlando and we enjoyed spending time with them. Christmas with kids around is decidedly more fun than with just adults. The three dogs also added to the fun.
Since coming home, we've been doing a little bit of Christmas-y things and are keeping with the low-key, relaxed vibes that came from our vacation. Our shopping is done, our little tree is up and decorated and only a little bit of snow would make it feel more like Christmas.
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your family and friends!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
These last two months ...
So in the last two months ...
- We welcomed my brother John's long-time girlfriend and short-time fiance into our family. They had a beautiful wedding and a fun reception at Lindsey's parents' ranch. I'm excited for them as they begin their marriage and look forward to many future memories.
- Christopher gave a presentation at a conference in New York and finished studying for his Qualifying Exams which he passed last week. Yay! I'm proud of his hard work and dedication and excited that he has this milestone behind him. Per our agreement, I took over much of the housework, cooking and Loki duties - tasks that we usually split or he just does (like the cooking). I've enjoyed cooking new things using the produce from our CSA box and I've learned that no one really cares if the dust bunnies swirl around another day ... or two ... or three.
- In the midst of DQE studying we entertained Christopher's family in Milwaukee for a weekend.
And I went to Chattanooga with a friend to attend a conference. Maybe more on that later - let's face it, I haven't been the most consistent blogger. But there are several idea floating around my head ...
- After a relatively small accident our taurus was considered "totaled" so we bought a car. More specifically, a 2007 Prius which we named "Gorgeous" but I call him "Geo." Although it was a little sooner than we intended, we were glad to pay for him outright and make Dave Ramsey proud. It was great to see the rewards of our frugal-ness.
- I canned lots and lots of apples with friends, adding to our zombie-apocalypse cellar.
So, what's next? We are going on a road trip-vacation. The road trip part is with Christopher's family and the vacation part is the two of us on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Here's to a week of relaxation, good food and spending time together!
- We welcomed my brother John's long-time girlfriend and short-time fiance into our family. They had a beautiful wedding and a fun reception at Lindsey's parents' ranch. I'm excited for them as they begin their marriage and look forward to many future memories.
 |
| I wish the horse in the background showed up in this picture! |
 |
| Roasted Pepper Soup. I can't tell you how many times the fire alarm went off while I was roasting the peppers. Probably wouldn't have been a big deal it is wasn't in the middle of the night. Not my best Susie Homemaker moment. |
 |
| A lot of this happens in the mornings. |
- In the midst of DQE studying we entertained Christopher's family in Milwaukee for a weekend.
- After a relatively small accident our taurus was considered "totaled" so we bought a car. More specifically, a 2007 Prius which we named "Gorgeous" but I call him "Geo." Although it was a little sooner than we intended, we were glad to pay for him outright and make Dave Ramsey proud. It was great to see the rewards of our frugal-ness.
- I canned lots and lots of apples with friends, adding to our zombie-apocalypse cellar.
So, what's next? We are going on a road trip-vacation. The road trip part is with Christopher's family and the vacation part is the two of us on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Here's to a week of relaxation, good food and spending time together!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Loki, our little social butterfly
Disclaimer: This post is mostly about my dog. If you stop reading now, I wont be offended.
A year ago, Loki had one doggie friend, an older cocker spaniel (my in-law's dog) who he has known his whole life. Today, he has four (with one partial, I'll explain). We thought he was "beyond help" for getting along with other dogs and had stopped actively trying to change that.
Enter Penny, a tiny tea cup poodle, who came to visit us last fall. Whether it was her size or her timid nature, Loki didn't say boo to her - just sniffed her butt and went along his business. We were surprised, but then again, maybe he thought she was too small to be a threat.
This summer some good friends of ours got Lucy, a sweet little rescue dog. We knew that they needed to be friends because we see Lucy's owners often and we'd like the dogs to be able to be together. To our shock, their first meeting went well. Lucy and Loki worked out their differences pretty much on their own; Lucy, being a puppy, wanted to play with Loki, being an old dog, and he would have none of that nonsense. Now, they have come to an agreement and it seems like he sometimes tolerates a small amount of playing. They have romped in the woods together, attended many parties, and have shared their toys. A few weeks ago, Loki was invited to a party and met Milo. He was content to let Lucy enjoy playing with Milo while he scouted out the ground near the grill.
So, that's four dogs, which is a significant increase. After many years of believing one thing about our dog, we have begun to believe another, and - perhaps - have begun to let him be a dog. We are more confident with him when we approach other dogs and we know that, after the initial rough meeting, he will probably do okay. The "dog aggressive" label that he was given has slipped and we are amazed as he shows us what he is capable of if we let him.
He does have one "partial friend," the verdict of which will be decided this coming week. Christopher's sister and her family have a nice little dog, Scout, who ventured to the U.S. alone from Asia a few weeks ago. Christopher picked the dog up at the airport and she spent a night here with us. We think (hope) that the disorientation and trauma of being flown halfway around the world alone and being picked up by a total stranger didn't allow Scout a fair chance at meeting Loki. Loki, however, did great and even responded calmly when she kinda freaked out in the middle of the night (doggie version of jet lag?). We think that Scout will do better with her family in a different environment.
So, what can be gleamed from Loki's recent increase in dog friends? Sometimes we get labelled and end up in a rut because we don't allow ourselves to experience anything else. Maybe all we need is a little push out of our comfort zone to help us realize that we are capable of more than we ever thought.
A year ago, Loki had one doggie friend, an older cocker spaniel (my in-law's dog) who he has known his whole life. Today, he has four (with one partial, I'll explain). We thought he was "beyond help" for getting along with other dogs and had stopped actively trying to change that.
Enter Penny, a tiny tea cup poodle, who came to visit us last fall. Whether it was her size or her timid nature, Loki didn't say boo to her - just sniffed her butt and went along his business. We were surprised, but then again, maybe he thought she was too small to be a threat.
This summer some good friends of ours got Lucy, a sweet little rescue dog. We knew that they needed to be friends because we see Lucy's owners often and we'd like the dogs to be able to be together. To our shock, their first meeting went well. Lucy and Loki worked out their differences pretty much on their own; Lucy, being a puppy, wanted to play with Loki, being an old dog, and he would have none of that nonsense. Now, they have come to an agreement and it seems like he sometimes tolerates a small amount of playing. They have romped in the woods together, attended many parties, and have shared their toys. A few weeks ago, Loki was invited to a party and met Milo. He was content to let Lucy enjoy playing with Milo while he scouted out the ground near the grill.
 |
| Hanging out with Lucy. |
He does have one "partial friend," the verdict of which will be decided this coming week. Christopher's sister and her family have a nice little dog, Scout, who ventured to the U.S. alone from Asia a few weeks ago. Christopher picked the dog up at the airport and she spent a night here with us. We think (hope) that the disorientation and trauma of being flown halfway around the world alone and being picked up by a total stranger didn't allow Scout a fair chance at meeting Loki. Loki, however, did great and even responded calmly when she kinda freaked out in the middle of the night (doggie version of jet lag?). We think that Scout will do better with her family in a different environment.
So, what can be gleamed from Loki's recent increase in dog friends? Sometimes we get labelled and end up in a rut because we don't allow ourselves to experience anything else. Maybe all we need is a little push out of our comfort zone to help us realize that we are capable of more than we ever thought.
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