home.

Some have been anxious to see our house and the progress we have made in settling in. There is still work to be done, painting and hanging pictures and such. But so far the settling in has been coming along quite nicely. See for yourself...

The kitchen 'nook' we call it.

Our beautiful wine 'cellar' and chiller.

The upstairs living room.

Where the magic happens!

Notice the bread maker on the left counter... that's B's favorite appliance!

Our 'get-away'

We picked the furniture out together... our first compromise!

The only room we have painted so far, I did the texture on the window wall!

Our upstairs guest bath. Don't mind the plaid floor... it will be a wood floor VERY soon!!

The downstairs TV room... can you tell who's room it is??

Or what sport/team he is for??

Goes down to the basement/laundry room & out to the garage.

That's about it... we have a few other rooms that are being completely redone (the office, the basement guest room/bath and my craft room).

We love it and we call it home!

Plan B...

We have been planning for the last couple of weeks to go on a camping trip this weekend and got pretty much geared up for it... then this morning we checked the weather of where we were going to be staying in the mountains and it was 40% chance of thunderstorms and scattered rain...

So it came down to risking it or maybe just waiting a couple more weeks til the weather gets the rain out of it's system (if it does...)... We did have a few camping tools to get that we didn't have yet... so we decided to wait.

Instead we went down to REI (for those of you who don't know what that is, it is a HUGE candy store for anyone who loves the outdoors!) and found out they were having a 'Garage Sale' (just a big sale really) and since their stuff is pretty pricey we took full advantage of the discounts :)

We got a double sleeping bag for one! A couple of other gadgets: a LED lantern, water filtering system, a mess kit (cooking set), B got some rain gear and I got a new pair of hiking shoes!! Overall we felt like we made out pretty well and now we are more excited than ever to get out and put our new gear to use!!

Here is a few pics of B playing with his new toys:

Spork anyone?!

Our new mess kit... so compact!!

The double wide sleeping bag!

One month down...

So today marks exactly one month from our wedding day! Small baby steps, right?! We think so. When we were engaged we decided that once we were married we were going to celebrate the little things, the milestones along our journey so we keep the excitement going! It doesn't happen on its own, relationships take work! You only get out what you put in.

Tonight we are going to make dinner when we get home from work and then we are going to treat ourselves to a Coldstone! Nothing fancy but what the heck! We can always think of a reason for ice cream!!

But seriously, I do like the idea of keeping the romance going and why not! It will be a long road ahead if we aren't even enjoying it. Every year we plan to make it a point to celebrate our anniversary. No matter how 'small' the celebration is we are going to make a big deal out of it! Our pastor at church who married us gave us the idea of taking turns surprising each other each year. Since B planned our honeymoon I get to pick next years!

{Any ideas....?!}

I am truely blessed to be married to the most romantic man in the world! (Sorry ladies, it's true he's taken!) He has gone out of his way to help me around the house, and doing things he didn't even do when he was living on his own! He tells me it's just as much his responsibility as mine since we are both working full-time jobs right now. And he encourages me to the things I want to do, for example I really want to do more entertaining! Not anything fancy, just open our home to people hanging out and fellowshiping. We live so close to our church and it would perfect for the high schoolers or other young adults our age to come over after service or to hang out on Saturday night. And he is all about it and even helps me come up with new ideas of how to plan stuff!

I love him so much! Even more so than I did just 31 days ago...

a few more to wet your appetite...

Here are a few more pictures from the photographer. They were so good I couldn't keep from sharing them! Enjoy!

Bubbles!

Fairy Tale

LOVE THIS ONE!!!

Flank Steak in a wine and mushroom sauce...

What a day!

I stayed home from work today and got a tiny taste of when I'll be able to stay home full time!!

I am looking forward to that so much but also understand that God has placed us both where we need to be for the time being. I am so thankful for the encouraging glimpse He gave me today, but I must press forward with the task He has equiped and prepared me for right now. Not only do I long to follow God's plan in my life and marriage, but I also want to be supportive of B and his future job change (hopefully with in the next year). He so deeply desires to become a fire fighter and is taking all the steps necessary (schooling and physical training) to get ready! If he needs me to work in order to help support us while he is transitioning, I'll glad do what I need to do, even if my heart is in staying home and caring for our family.

So my day was filled with the realization of how much a full time job it is to be working in the home! How my mama did it with 3 kids just amazes me! I am developing a new admiration for stay at home mom's. God bless 'em!

The time sure flies by...

I started my morning with doing my bible study... it's sooooo good I went ahead, since I didn't have a time crunch like usual. After I got up and I around I began to tidy and clean up from room to room. Throw in some laundry and vacuuming. Then I ran to the store for bread making ingredients... so I could bake B some bread in our bread machine!! (He loves that thing!) Then I got dinner going in the crock pot (WOW! I'm so proud of myself and how it turned out! B had three helpings :) ) Meanwhile I baked up some cookies, since that was his request since I would be home all day. Did some more laundry, cleaned the bathrooms and dusted our bedroom furniture. I got to do some more organizing and meshing of our stuff. That has all been slow coming since we work full time all week and want to spend our weekends together.

Over all, I would rate the day a 10. Although I spent the whole day doing some kind of work, the time flew and I got a lot accomplished... and now B and I have a whole weekend all to ourselves to hang out and do what we want instead of having to clean the house and organize! Thank goodness for sick leave!!

We also got a little teaser from our photographer today! Here's what he sent us so far... there are about 1,000 to come!

Our guest book table.

My dress and shoes before I got dressed.

B's cuff links.

You may now kiss the bride!

This one is my favorite!!!

And this one is B's favorite. So far...

Love and Respect... kinda like Waffles and Spaghetti...

In our 25 days of being married what have we learned so far:

1. Chicken doesn't cook well in a crock pot.

2. Changing your name isn't as fun as it sounds.

3. Just because wedding gifts are still coming in the mail doesn't mean you should wait til they stop to start writing thank you notes.

4. If you lose your cell phone and go out and buy a new iPhone... the old one will show up!

5. Jelly fish sting.

6. Other people were right when they said the first year will be tough (we have only been in the first month and hit some bumps!), but they were wrong about where the problems would be.

7. God at the center makes all things work out the way they should.

8. Our weekends don't become freer and less stressful, now that the wedding is over.

9. We have to MAKE time for just each other.

10. A budget is key. Making one that you both agree on is the challenge.

11. We can't jump in to a ministry at church just because the wedding is over. There is still alot of settling in left to do.

12. It's probably not to helpful for our relationship to share our disagreements with anyone else.

13. Offering to give a back rub or foot massage (instead of having to ask) is help to keeping the romance up.

14. Checking pockets before doing the laundry is important. Unless you like having melted chewing gum in dryer.

15. Do the fun things (like camping and hiking) now while the weather is nice. We can paint the walls when it's cold outside.

16. Keep your hobbies. Take interest in each others hobbies.

17. Embrace each others families. Their your family now too.

18. Sharing space means we can no longer just throw our clothes on the floor.

19. COUPONS!! They rock!

20. Riding to work together (or even better, riding a bike to work together) saves money!

And the most important thing we have learned so far is:

***Communication is the most important aspect of a relationship. Gotta have it. Along with that guys need/crave respect as much as women need/crave love. Other wise you end up on the 'Crazy Cycle'.**** (read Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs to find out more.)

Stay tuned for more lessons learned...

Another day... another $0.25...

B and I were ready for our first real weekend together since we have been married and home. The weekend before last weekend we both had to work because we had drill. And the week after drill is so draining - being here for 6 days straight (4 of those days being 10 hr days). We had the rest of the week before last week off after we returned from our honeymoon, but it was mostly spent adjusting from jet lag and doing laundry. So we had to get all of our gifts put away and really settle into the house and make it ours.

The house has been a bachlor pad for quite awhile, roommates moving in and out. Now B has his last 'roommate'. :) And she is hanging curtains and painting walls! We will be sure and post before and after pictures of our progress as we go so you can all join in.

As for the both of us adjusting to living together, I think it's going pretty well. No fighting or arguing so far! The time just flies and each evening we come home from work and fix dinner. We talk about our day and do the dishes together. Then we usually shower and maybe do a few things around the house. Sometimes we watched a movie. But before we know it it's after 10! And that is late when you have to be up at 5 to work a 10 hour day...

Our sleeping in the same bed has had to adjust a little bit too since I am used to sleeping in my own queen bed, and that means in the middle... B wakes up to me pushing him off the edge of the bed! Poor thing... I just told him to snuggle up to me and keep pushing me back to my side.

I am so excited that I finally got our kitchen all put away and completely organized!! That is a huge relief as our lives center around the kitchen and when it's chaotic then I feel so overwhelmed and stressed out. But all of our new appliances and toys are in their own spot and I am loving it!

After we get the kitchen all settled in, B and I went to his grandparents house to visit and they wanted to give us our wedding gift from them... we got a standing mixer!!!!! I know we will use it. Everyone I know who has one uses the heck out of it so I'm thrilled to be able to use it and have easier clean up.

{Real life fairytale}

So the fairy tale wedding was everything I could have dreamed of! I should say that I never really, as a little girl, had big dreams of my wedding, atleast not planned out with every little detail! I always knew that I wanted to marry someone who cared about those details too and that we would plan our wedding together, even those little details! Maybe to many it seemed far fetched that a guy would care about the flowers or the color of the bridesmaids dresses, but I convinced myself that that guy was worth waiting for. The guy that we would share the whole experience together and make decision together, all the while growing and learning more about each other. (sapping romantic, I know, but that's me :) )

I suppose I compromised a few times along the way, and thank the Lord, He cleared my vision and showed me that I was settling for less than what I always dreamed of. But He hadn't. And He knew all along that guy I always dreamed of, that would want to be my best friend and care about the things I cared about, that he was out there. He was out there because God Himself was preparing him just for me! And only when the time was right and we would both be ready, did He bring us together!

I won't get into that story now, maybe another time. (Some of you already know it)

After the wedding, we headed to the islands of Fiji. (In case you are wondering where that is, it's NE of New Zealand/Australia.) It is a beautiful country and many Americans are realizing that as they are buying whole islands to get away from it all on. We stayed at a wonderful resort that I would recommend to anyone intrested in going! It was on the Island of Taveuni (pronounced ta-vee-unee) which is called the 'Adventure Island'. There are still quite a few villages there with the local people who farm and live right off the land. No plumbing or electricity. Of course the resort we stayed at had those things, but we didn't have a television or telephone in our room.

We stayed in a little bure (pronounced bu-rae) which was basically like our own little hut where we would walk to and from the main lodge on a sweet little path, right over a creek, surrounded by colorful plants and flowers! Amazing! Our bure was like our own little condo for the week, minus the kitchen. We had a little sitting area with a mini fridge and a patio. Our bed was made out of bambo and had high posts with sheer fabric that drapped around, it was very romantic. On our patio in the front we had a hammoc that we enjoyed one sweet afternoon. On our back pation we had a stone wall for privacy and an outdoor shower with our own bathing pool/hot tub and into the hot tub poured a waterfall right from the wall!

At the main lodge is where we ate our meals (gourmet meals btw, with the freshest ingrediants you could imagine!), they also had mountain bikes we could ride and snorkeling gear we could borrow. There was also a pool but we spent our time swimming in the ocean, it was like warm bath water and so clear it looked blue!

While we were there, they had many activites for us to choose from! We went on a hike to view some water falls! They come down from a lake that is at the top of a mountain at the north of the island. The lake never stops pouring down in to the waterfalls! The water is so clear and fresh, no wonder they bottle it up and sell it! We also took a tour down the west coast of the island where we visited the island chief's village, stopped at the 180 deg. dateline meridian (where the time zones begin and end so there is a 24hr time difference from one side to the other!), and also stopped at a local hotspot...

They call it the waterslides because the rocks form a natural waterslide down a lower pressure waterfall. And the water is deep enough that you don't really hit the rocks as you slide down! When you reach the bottom it's a pool of water that greets you! The kids have entertainment while the women are doing the laundry in the river.

Another day we took a day tour out to an island off of Taveuni called Korolevu (pronounced Kora-le-vu) and we went snorkeling in the best coral reef off the island! The water was so clear and there was so much to see. The little fish would swim around us like we were a part of their natural habitat!

The rest of our time we just laid around and relaxed. We spent a lot of time down at the resorts private beach just enjoying the water and surroundings. We also spent a lot of our time reading and talking, just enjoying each others company, just enjoying being married!

If you would like to see more pictures of our great adventure honeymoon, send us an email and we will send you a link to view them. kt_the_bug1206@hotmail.com