Europe Part 1

Our first stops in Italy were my favorite. Lake Como was probably #1 of the whole trip.



(This picture mysteriously shrank.) We hiked up a few miles into the mountains in Lake Como for some incredible overlooks.

The lake climate is amazing and it is just breath-taking everywhere you look. Sprawling gardens, beautiful hiking trails, balconies built high into the mountainside. Everyone here seems relaxed... there is no car traffic and you couldn't hurry somewhere if you tried.

This is the view from our hotel room balcony in the early evening. Can you see what we didn't want to leave?

Italy Stop #2: The Cinque Terre. Gorgeous! We hiked some trails and would have been content to do so for days and days.

We didn't want to leave our Cinque Terre village, either. Our little loft hotel room is in the upper part of this cliff sticking out into the ocean. Talk about a room with a view!

We're Back!

We are home from Italy! I'll post some of my favorite pics soon, but here is one of my new all-time favorite places. (Lake Como... incredible.)

Speaking of incredible, here's a little announcement that spurred our somewhat impromptu trip overseas... I could have posted this sign across my pack for our little 10-day adventure:

That's right, folks. Brad and I took along a very small passenger! Having been married just a few months, you can see why this is what we call "the surprise of our lives." We are thrilled and still a little in shock that with an October due date, we'll have a two-month-old on our first anniversary! We know God's timing is always perfect... and He continues to teach both of us so much though we still feel like we have so much to learn. We can't wait to see where this new adventure will take us... and are incredibly thankful to have so much support along the way.

Here are a few lessons I have learned (or re-learned) lately:

1. God is in control, even when we think we are.

2. It is not possible to eat too much gelato.

3. It is very possible to eat too much pasta.

4. Pregnancy hormones and jetlag are a pretty brutal combination.

5. The European foot paddle for flushing a toilet is pretty much the greatest invention ever.

Bad Blogger...

I know I am... I'll try and do better. Sometimes I have a hard time completing a thought in my own head, much less an entire post. Am I the only one who feels so A.D.D. sometimes?

I realize that I must, in the proper blogger etiquette, catch you up on all the very important aspects of my life that you may have missed in my absence:

1. I couldn't sleep last night and was wisely spending my waking hours watching American Idol. Did anyone else see the little orphan girl find her sister during the charity promo? Was anyone else bawling like a baby? Good grief.

2. I do not understand this fashion trend:

Please don't be offended if you own a pair... I just don't get this one. With shorts? Really? If you haven't seen this, they are making appearances on the feet of high school- twenty something girls all over the place. I notice them everywhere I go now. (Or some variation of them.)

3. People of Blog Land, you gotta try mashed cauliflower if you've never made it. It looks just like mashed potatoes, has 110% of your daily vitamin C requirement, and tastes veggie-licious. Add a little milk, garlic, etc., and even paprika if you want to be fancy. Mmm... There are recipes all over the world wide web.

4. Brad and I are coming up on our 4-month anniversary. Hooray for us! We are having so much fun and are about to head to ITALY next week! More on that later... we'll have wedding pics soon, but our photographer posted a couple of his favorites. I hope it's ok if I re-post a couple here... (His name is Fred Egan so I'm giving him due credit!)

Our wonderful wedding party

I love this one: Isn't he the cutest groom ever? Ricky did the ceremony and my brother is in front.

Best part of this pic is my dad's face as he pelts Brad in the head with rose petals.

My sister...

is AMAZING. It's not her birthday, there is really nothing particularly special about today, but I just had a need to tell the blogging world that I am indeed blessed to have such an incredible person in my life. She is such a wonderful friend, brilliant at everything she does, and goes out of her way to show people how much she cares (example: planning my entire wedding including... to name just a few... taking engagement and bridal photos, choosing decorations and music, designing and printing invitations, basically being in charge of the entire reception... all while working and raising 4 little kids.)

We've always been close, even through the years when I was annoying and always wanted to borrow her clothes.

She is the perfectionist in the family.

She has always been really funny... and very creative at finding ways to have fun.

I'm not sure why she gave me a mullet here, though.

My mom used to dress us alike, which I probably thought was cool.

As you can see, I followed her everywhere. Poor girl.

Thanks for being a great big sister, Mollie! Can you imagine your life without your siblings? It sure would have been more boring...

A month and counting...

We've been married one month today. Ahh... sweet, isn't it? I am going to post pics a little backwards because I don't have any from the wedding yet. SO- here's a couple from our trip to the amazing Playa del Carmen where we are already dreaming of returning next year. (We could have easily stayed another week.... 6 days was not long enough!)



I don't think that's our footprint...

This place is amazing- my mouth fell open when we stepped on the resort.

It was the perfect time of year to be at the beach- gorgeous!

This tree was too big to fit in the frame.

It really couldn't have been a better trip. I'll have to tell you in a later post about an incredible discovery! Love to all...

A Soundtrack to Life

If your life had a soundtrack, what songs would play? What songs would you wish to be true for you but just aren't? The reasons for asking this question are:

1) I often think, "If life were a musical, what song would I be singing at this moment?"

2) I think Heaven just might have some musical-like components.

3) You know that Third Day song, "There's a light at the end of this tunnnel, there's a light at the end of the tunnel, for you...?" Well, I had a dream in which I was running away from a giant tornado... and that song was playing, like a soundtrack, except the lyrics were "There's a light at the end of this funnel, there's a light at the end of this funnel..." I woke up at 3 a.m. cracking up.

This is my middle niece eating snow last Easter. I'm pretty sure there is a soundtrack playing in this girl's head all the time. (Most likely High School Musical.) Last week, she was being a pirate on the front porch and she jumped up onto the railing and sang, "Behold! The pizza man!" She is the queen of randomness- so hilarious.

Life is good....

We brought Stellar Kart in concert a couple weeks ago. It was AMAZING. If you haven't listened to their stuff, you are missing out! You should consider adding them, Hawk Nelson, and Family Force Five to your playlists. A little Christian Alternative can turn that frown upside down, mister! :)

So... at the risk of a little TMI, here's a weird story: Last night I had a dream that I was waiting in line to get on some really awesome swings with a whole lot of other people. When it was finally my turn, I ran up to one of the swings, then turned to the guy next to me and said, "Hey, I REALLY have to go to the bathroom. Can you save my swing for me until I get back?" He said he would. I then woke up (for real), and got out of bed because I actually DID have to go to the bathroom. I went back to bed, back to sleep, and resumed the dream right where I left off. Dreams are so incredibly fascinating to me. Anyone ever kept a dream journal before? Or just had a really weird/memorable dream?

Here's the pic we chose for the paper for the engagement announcement. Isn't Brad the cutest thing EVER?! My sister took these while we were in Colorado and I think she did a really great job. She had so much equipment that someone had to walk along behind her to hold the flash/battery-thing because it was so heavy (not ideal for hiking!) This spot by the waterfall is gorgeous. I highly recommend visiting Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I've been there 2 summers in a row and I still want to go back!!

Random summer moments with the family

I mentioned in my last post that my Colorado trip was too amazing for words. Here's just a couple visuals to help explain why. This first one is Brad and me on Trail Ridge Road in the National Park. So incredible!

This one is my stud brother posing for an Abercrombie modeling gig he's workin on.

This was the beginning of our 6 hour mountain climb. The whole group made it up (my brother and Lauren (his gf), my dad, my sister, and brother-in-law, me and Brad. It was quite an accomplishment!)

I was at my parents' house a couple weeks ago and my nephew was learning to ride his bike without training wheels. It was so much fun to watch. The picture below is him "testing" his helmet on the driveway to see if it works.

And this pic doesn't even do justice capturing the extreme cute-ness that is my youngest niece, Maegan.

I didn't really have anything much to say in this post except brag about how precious my family is. Feel free to comment on how much you like them, too. Ha ha.

Catch up

My kiddos in a "mud" pit (more like "rocky water" pit, but still so fun)

Summer is pretty much over (in terms of scheduling, that is, NOT in terms of weather unfortunately.) I haven't been blogging because... well, is it possible to be really busy and really lazy at the same time? If so, that's my excuse. So here's a couple very pivitol things that have happened to me lately just so you can catch up on my life:

1) I went to Colorado this summer to one of my all-time favorite places EVER. Rocky Mountain National Park rocks my socks off (as my JH kiddos would say.) There were 8 of us in a 2- bedroom cabin with one bathroom. It was too fun to suffciently describe in this post.

2) I started learning about china this last week (the plate kind, not the country.) I don't know much about either kind of china come to find out. Question: You married peeps, did you register for China? Why or why not? Would you do something different if you had the chance? I feel kinda like an old woman talking about stuff like this.

3) A couple weeks ago I was edging my lawn and my weed eater caught on fire. I wish that I had this on video so I could add the visual to this post. Needless to say, it didn't work so well after that, and the scene of me standing in my driveway with flames and smoke coming out of it was priceless.

You're pretty much up to speed on my life now. It's hard to believe I could fit so many significant events in one post, I know. More to come!! :)

My Summer on an Air Mattress

What would I do without my Coleman queen-sized air mattress? Well, I'd spend a bundle on chiropractic care, for one. I travel so often once the summer hits (and sleep on the floors of various gyms and churches around the country- glamarous, I know!) that I find myself saying a little "thank you" prayer each time I unroll and inflate this little gem.

The pic is from my latest trip with my hilarious 6th graders. This was one of the smallest groups we've ever taken, but they were mighty big fun. Ha ha.

My 7-year-old nephew left me with this great joke as he headed out for his final tee ball game last week, and I'll do the same for you. I'm just thoughtful like that. :)

What makes this sound: "Oooo, ooooo?"

Answer: A cow with no lips.

That kid CRACKS me up! More to come.... eventually....

NEWS FLASH!

I AM ENGAGED! A surprise proposal by the lake at sunset is enough to make any girl swoon, but I gotta say that I couldn't be more thrilled because I am going to marry the most amazing guy ever! Brad put together the perfect evening- to my astonishment he kept everything a complete secret- we headed to dinner at the Gaylord Texan after the proposal where I was shocked (again) to find our families waiting with cameras and gifts for an amazing engagement dinner that I'll never forget. I'm still in shock!*****************

A reenactment of the proposal*************

Greeting my surprise guests********************

Dinnner with the families***********************

He picked out the ring all by himself!!************

With our siblings******************************

With our parents

It couldn't have been a more amazing night. My head is still spinning! :)

Worms and Record Labels

Yesterday I was almost attacked by a mutant earthworm. In moments like these you re-discover that "girly squeal" that apparently we never completely grow out of. Despite my near-death experience, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE having my own backyard. It is heavenly. It has become the place that I unwind, pray, and just try and BE STILL for a moment. Do you guys have places like this in your homes?

In other breaking news, earthworms aside, my amazing cousin has a debut album being released in a couple weeks and you'll be able to stroll into a music aisle near you and find it sittin on a shelf. Pretty cool... for many reasons. To name a few: 1) he's very talented 2) he's only 17 3) I've heard there is a shortage of indi-emo-rock artists in the world 4) God has worked in this guy's life in an AMAZING way. What a story! Here's just a glimpse of where he's been:

About 4 years ago my cousin and his family (my aunt, uncle, and his older sister) were on vacation in Colorado. As they were hiking around a mountain, my uncle started to feel ill and lay down on a bench. He stopped breathing and died right there in front of his wife and kids. Not surprisingly, this sent my cousin (then about 12 years old) into a very dark time in his life. He withdrew and fell into a severe drug habit, ultimately leading to an extended period of rehab- and a fierce battle with depression. God met him in the valley, however, and has slowly helped him to a peak- where he is thriving in his passion for music. And now there are teens around the WORLD who watch him closely and are influnced by his heart and his life. Praise God!

Sometimes I just picture myself with my jaw dropped before the Lord, completely in awe of all He does. I think my eyes might just pop right out of my head when I see Him face to face someday. Maybe with my new spiritual body I'll be able to pop them back in. Ok, that's a little gross. Sorry. (But not sorry enough to delete it. Ha!)

Random things that have nothing to do with each other except that they are on the same post...

Under the threat of being fined by Elisa Jane, here ya go:

1. I went to pick up my mountain bike from the hospital (bike shop) today over lunch. When I walked in, the man behind the counter said to me, "Can I ask you something? How much do you weigh?" I looked at him in astonishment for a second then replied, "Why?" He proceeded to explain something about my tire pressure being at too high a setting- for a much bigger person. I explained that I only weigh 90 lbs, but usually have 2 or 3 friends with me on my bike which explains the need for excess tire pressure. Ha. What a presumptious question to ask a woman!

2. I begin my annual class series this week for my 8th grade girls to help prepare them for HS. It is one of favorite times- we have a blast. Question: Looking back, what do you wish you had known/someone had told you as you entered high school?

3. I had a retreat last weekend (theme: "KING") and as part of the fun we had teens "jousting" with pool noodles loaded with peanut butter up on stage. They wore T-shirts with targets on them and ran at one another, attempting to get closest to the opponents "mark." It seemed fool-proof except we loaded too much PB on the noodles and at the first run, I'M STILL NOT SURE HOW THIS HAPPENED- a huge (I mean HUGE) glob of PB was launched 15 feet into the air and stuck to the projector screen about 15 feet up. Let's just say, I totally fell apart as the MC of the event and we will probably never be allowed back at this facility. Ever.

Love you guys. Ta ta for now.

Whoa...

Life is full of things that just amaze me. Here's a few examples:

1. There is a windchill factor of 6 degrees here this morning. I wore shorts this last weekend. How does that happen?
2. I met a woman named Bonkey this week. How does that happen?
3. A friend of mine told me her sister-in-law had a baby over the weekend... except no one knew she was pregnant- even her. As a woman in her forties who was told she could never have children, she attributed her weight-gain to depression (due to the emotional pain of "infertility") and attributed her physical "symptoms" to pre-menopause. She went to the doc when she was 4 mos along and they even put her on hormones for the "symptoms." HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? She thought she was sick when she went to the hospital, and came home with a 6 1/2 pound, full-term baby girl. Try explaining that one to everybody.

By the way, I realize #3 sounds like something I made up. I didn't. And just so you aren't too traumatized by that strange story, here's a joke to leave you with from one of my hilarious youth group-ers:

Question: How does Hitler tie his shoe laces?
............................................................
............................................................
wait for it............................................
................................................................
................................................................
Answer: In little knot-sies.

Have a good one!

Starts with a "B"

Last week my five-year-old niece got a birthday card in the mail that said:

What starts with "B," ends with an "R," and has two "E's" in the middle?

(Open card): "BIRTHDAY CHEER!"

So... it is assumed that the sweet sender of the above card (my niece's Bible class teacher), upon seeing the cute little bear on the front, sent this without realizing what it said. Since both the sender (an older lady) and the recipient (a five-year-old) were oblivious to the hidden message, it was up to my clever sister to catch this and point it out to the rest of us. I told her it needs to go in my niece's scrapbook- (you scrap-bookers know there are stickers for EVERYTHING. I'm thinkin little Budweiser di-cuts?) Kidding. Kind of.

So here's a totally unrelated question for the day: What is your favorite stress-relieving activity? What's that self-indulgent thing or activity that always makes you feel like a million bucks? I would like to collect all your ideas, then try them all in a "Day of Extreme Spoiling" for myself sometime. So don't let me down.

Christmas and peacocks

Sometimes I look around and think, "life is pretty stinkin' fun." I had a glorious weekend, topped off with my first family Christmas of the season (my Dad's side of the family- always a highlight.) After a beautiful mountain bike ride around Grapevine Lake on Sunday, I got to sit and watch the sunset over the cliffs by the water. Does it get much better than that?

Here's a couple more reasons life is fun from the family Christmas:
1. I came out of the "Blanks family annual white elephant exchange" (which typically results in the most ridiculous junk ever) with a sweet laptop whose only crime was a faulty battery. (Understanding some of my extended family's very comfortable financial situation, I suppose this is unacceptable laptop behavior. Fortunate for me, indeed!)
2. My nieces and nephew are hilarious and constantly giggle. Throw in holiday foods with high sugar content and the prospect of gifts and it's almost heaven for them.
3. There was a peacock watching us open gifts through the second story window. I'm not sure how to explain this one.
4. I spent time reading my grandmother's textbook for her high school homemaker's class from 1935. Girls, let me just tell you we would have all failed that class MISERABLY. No wonder her house was always so amazing and she seemed to be able to do ANYTHING. And if you ever need advice on how to properly store a hat, just let me know.
5. It doesn't matter how old we get, the grandkids will always sit at the "kid's table," which is cool because we can still throw food and escape scolding by the "adults."

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! Looking forward to seeing you girls from up north soon! Wee!!

They say it's the little things...

And one little thing that makes me smile is a Sonic drink. Why? Well, the reasons are many, so here's a little list to start the ball rolling. Additional reasons are welcome and expected.

Why I love Sonic:
1. Because it's America's drive-in and I'm an American.
2. Because I feel like a wish is granted as I push a button and a drink appears at my car window.
3. Because they put a little picture of a tater tot wearing a santa hat on the cup.
4. Because it's an acceptable excuse to leave the office- almost like golf.
5. Because I can order a "Large Diet-Cherry Coke with easy ice and three extra cherries" and not be considered high-maintenence.

The holidays always bring about these deep thoughts and life ponderings for me. Heavy stuff, I know.

I am a homeowner!!

Well, people, after what seems like months and months of paperwork and waiting, I am officially the owner of my very own little house and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am so thankful I just feel like I could burst. I moved a couple days ago and am still in shock. I'll post pics soon, but in the meantime, I have a question for you artistic/interior design-savvy types: I would like to paint the boring white kitchen but the counter tops are a dark pewter almost green-ish color. The cabinets are a natural medium-color wood. Suggestions? Anyone have a favorite paint color they have used or seen? I welcome any ideas!

Ever been referred to as a "filly?"

Why is it that sometimes the most ridiculous songs get my feet tapping and have me singing along until I realize the stupid lyrics I'm rockin' out to in my car? Ok, so it's difficult to to assign the term "rockin' out" to country music. I admit to liking country music. But only some of it. And only sometimes.

I found myself cranking up the volume on a song yesterday and feeling my mood lighten the way it does when you hear a particularly fun and favorite song on the radio- except I've only heard this song a few times and here's what I was singing:

I gotta go before she runs like a fast little filly
She's a five alarm fire, a hot bowl of chilli
An' she's burnin' a hole in this hillbilly
An' I can't let her get away
I gotta say somethin' kinda funny, just a little bit crazy
That'll make her want to think about bein' my baby...

A HOT BOWL OF CHILI? You've got to be kidding me. Yet... I find myself humming along and loving this song even as I'm typing these dumb phrases. How does that happen?

Now, there is a line that must be drawn on the stupidity. So don't even get me started on how much I can't stand the "Two Pink Lines" song. Anyone know what I'm referring to? It's so awful I laugh out of sheer horror every time I hear it- I simply can NOT believe they even play that song on the radio, much less that it's a HIT.

Any stupid lyrics in your head that you have a hard time admitting? If so, why not confess it and entertain us all on the world wide web.

Why I love my job...

Well, there's lots of reasons, really, which I won't go in to at this time. But one reason that I love my job is that you just never know what the day may hold around here. For example, yesterday I spent 3 hours in a very interesting lecture on some pressing theological issues, followed by participating in a photo shoot which was intended to mimic the Beatles Abbey Road album, and then put together a powerpoint slide of pictures of people hoarding Pop Rocks and fart putty. Like I said... you just never know.

Speaking of Pop Rocks, that has got to be one of the weirdest inventions in modern culture. Seriously, I don't think we gave whoever invented those got nearly enough credit. You think he's rich? Still alive? I have a vague memory of Christina getting a Pop Rock in her eye in junior high. Did that really happen? I also remember her getting a blood vessel sucked out of her eye at the dentist by those sucking tubes they stick in the back of your mouth. Sorry if that grosses anyone out. It looks grosser in print than when you just say it. I don't know how this post has ended up on this subject.