Quality Time

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.” -Thomas Jefferson

This past weekend I was blessed to take an extra day off to spend a little bit of quality time with Jeremy. During the week and even on the weekends, it seems to get so busy that it doesn't feel like we spend all that much time together. Not this weekend though, because we made an extra effort to make this one different.

Our plan for Friday was to go to a local corn maze. Neither of us had ever been so it seemed like the perfect thing to do. We wrote down the directions and headed out the door. But about 20 minutes into our trip we realized we were lost. After about 40 minutes we headed back home. It was lunch time by then so we had some delicious pho, from one of the friendliest restaurant in town might I add. :) And then it was round two of 'operation: corn maze'. We made it to the farm, ate some honey sticks and took some fun pictures. What gets me is that we finally made it to the corn maze and then paid to get lost in the maze. Sounds silly to you too?!

On Saturday, after a quick trip to the gym and a delicious breakfast at my favorite juice bar we headed for the theater with my Mom in toe to see the movie Courageous. Let me just tell you it was AMAZING! Worth every cent of that very expensive movie ticket receipt! :) There aren't that many good movies out these days so I'd highly recommend going directly to your nearest theater and watching it now!!

And finally on Sunday, we went to church and then we spent the rest of the afternoon cooking together and having quiet time with the Lord. We still had plenty of things on our 'to-do' list but we did them together and it was wonderful. I have the best husband ever! We even have plans for another extended weekend together real soon!

In Celebration

...of us. Today marks 2 years of wedded bliss with my hubby Jeremy. What a wonderful ride it's been thus far. Nothing too eventful has happened but we have loved and helped one another along in this crazy thing called life.


I was just telling a friend the other day that God is the greatest matchmaker and boy is He. When Jeremy and I first met, I knew there was something special about him. He is my friend and personal comedian. He is my teacher and excellent cook. He is my protector and provider. He is my heart. I love that man and look forward to many more years by his side, through the good times and the bad, richer or poorer and everything in between!

Marriage 101

In the last few weeks I have been contemplating marriage and all that it involves. There is a lot more to it than just planning a beautiful wedding and saying 'I do'. But what do you do in a marriage to make it successful? I am not an expert by any means but I do know from my own experience the things that helped our marriage grow and also the things that caused little bumps in the road.

You've heard it said that marriage takes work and boy does it ever. Even the happiest of couples end up in disagreements so it is best to prepare ahead of time for these situations. Jeremy and I have been fairly good at dealing with the various little issues that come up between us, but there are times when it takes a little more work to get past them. Communication is key. I know it sounds clique but it truly is. If one of us is not understanding the other correctly or doesn't know all the facts, it can prolong or even make worse the situation at hand. And be watchful of the tone of your voice when speaking with your spouse. It can have a huge impact on either finding a solution to the problem or escalating it. At times I have snapped at Jeremy for something and that obviously does not accomplish any good. However, when I speak in a calm and kind voice expressing my feelings, we are able to move towards a resolution.

Marriage is about commitment. You are now married to the one you'll spend the rest of your life with (at least we hope). All too often you hear about people who were married and then are suddenly divorced. What happened to the commitment? In typical marriage vows it plainly says 'I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, pledge to be faithful to you til death do us part.' It saddens me to see so many people walking away from the very ones they vowed to never leave even in the hard times. Our first dance as husband and wife was to a song that speaks of how our marriages are worth fighting for, after all, our marriages are not like gym memberships that you can sign up for and then cancel at any time. The promises that are made and contract that is signed is meant for keeps.

And last but certainly not least, marriage needs plenty of affection. Who cares if you look a little silly calling each other by pet names, you and your 'Cutie pie' or 'Bun Bun' (my name from Jeremy :D ) will keep that fun, loving spirit alive in your relationship. It is about showing love and demonstrating it on a daily basis. Give kisses and hugs often. Do kind things for them throughout the day like helping with the chores or sending a 'I'm thinking about you' text message. It's all the little things that show someone you care.

I feel so honored and blessed to call Jeremy my husband. He is a wonderful man who has been an amazing support and help mate. As christians it is our duty to uphold the biblical principle of one man and one woman in marriage for life. We need to support and help prepare young couples for lasting marriages. What a truly blessed thing God has ordained!

State of Our Union

Tonight we recognize the annual event where the President of these United States speaks to the nation about the situation of our country, otherwise known as the state of the union address. The purpose of the speech is to inform the citizens of how things have been going thus far and to discuss any issues that may need to be resolved, in an attempt to bring the people of the country together to have one vision to move forward and conquer those issues.

Like the discourse we receive from our commander in chief, this is a great opportunity for married couples to get together and have their own state of your union, the marriage union that is. All too often I think couples get busy while going about their various daily tasks that they forget to talk with their spouse about any issues or concerns that need to be addressed. I say let’s take this time each year, with the speech from our president as a reminder, to address our spouses about the many victories in your marriage relationship and move forward together with a united vision for the future together.

Our Sweet Day

This Sunday, Jeremy and I will be enjoying our 1 year wedding anniversary together. To celebrate the occasion, we will be road tripping throughout the great state of Washington and staying in Leavenworth, a cute little Bavarian town filled with sauerkraut, schnitzel and lederhosen.

Throughout this last year, Jerm and I have had some good times and some growing times. There were definitely growing pains as we adjusted to living together. He still can't seem to find some of his stuff (woops.. I didn't know he needed that!) But above all, we have held onto the fact that God brought us together. He has blessed our union and is an integral part of our relationship and how we relate to one another. Sure there are times when he drives me bonkers (and I suppose he might feel the same) but we made a commitment between God and ourselves to love, honor and cherish each other as long as we both shall live. Here are three things I've learned thus far from being a wife:

1.) One thing that I think has blessed our relationship is prayer. There are some things best left up to the Lord. He is the one who showed us the ultimate example of what love is and He is able to help and strengthen the bonds of marriage between a couple.

2.) We are best friends first and foremost, who love each other and love to make the other laugh. Laughter can constantly be heard at our house. Keeping that fun alive and kicking in your relationship keeps you young, keeps you happy and keeps those bonds strong. Who else is gonna laugh at your silly jokes but your spouse? :)

3.) And finally, forgiveness is a big part of marriage. When two people are together, they are bound to have misunderstandings and hurt feelings as a result. I can't tell you the number of times I know Jeremy have been forgiving of me when I am acting childish or selfish, or vice versa. Because we love each other, we know that the moment of our spouses lack of better judgment will soon pass so we forget and continue on as usual. Again, Christ has given us the best example of this when He continually forgives us for our daily short comings. Keeping that in mind definitely helps!

Jeremy is my husband, my best friend, my biggest supporter, my favorite comedian & my helper. Looking forward to spending many a year praying with, laughing with and forgiving with my J-mo!

Preparations & Plans

As we come closer and closer to my bff's big day, so do the other wedding festivities, i.e. bridal showers and bachelorette party. Because of this I am in preparation mode collecting all the materials, prizes and decor for the pre-nuptial parties. The kitchen & recipe shower is coming up and the invites are going out tomorrow. I am so excited to see it all come together. Here is a sneak peak for you.



Don't you just LOVE weddings!?

Projects, projects, projects

In the works:

*Finishing up a scripture embroidered nursery pillow
*Finishing up a baby quilt
*Working on (and trying to figure out) my new Knit Wit
*Making a cute little tea towel apron
*Preparing for the AWANA games coming up March 13th
*Planning an awesome girls only party, because I want to see my friends and try this delish new punch recipe. Mmmm... I could try it out now but I'm afraid I would end up drinking it all myself and that would not be good; better save it for the party!

I also want to note that this was quite possibly the best Valentine's day I've ever celebrated. Not only did I have my wonderful husband to share it with (who is my favorite comedian and spoils me with sweets :) ) but knowing the great love that God showed us, shows us and will yet show us is remarkable. Even when I have a random case of spiritual amnesia, He is there to call me back, to love me and help me get back on track.



"Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:26

So blessed

These first 6 months of marriage have been awesome. I live with and laugh with, learn with and grow with my other half, or like I call him, my best buddy!

We've been through a lot together and I feel so fortunate to have him by my side. But even more than that, he has been such a blessing in my spiritual growth. We were led to the Lord a year and a half into our relationship and he has been so supportive. He is my teacher and my helper. He is my friend and love.

Last night I went to a bible study with a friend. It was late when I got home but I knew I had a sink full of dishes to clean from our dinner that night. To my surprise, Jeremy took care of them for me. It may not seem like much but it was such a relief for me. I got ready and hopped in bed with my beloved. My helper. My blessing!