Strawberry pickin'

BEFORE
AFTER

We were told we could eat as many as we wanted while we were picking. They were delicious and we are still enjoying them. Blackberry picking is in June. I don't think that I have every had a blackberry before, but I started liking raspberries. Do you know if they taste similar? Chris likes blackberries. Maybe I can find a good cobbler recipe and we can go pickin' again!

Ahhh...the delicious smell

I wish you could all be here to smell the house. Chris and I cooked one of our bags of the Amish Friendship Bread (AFB) and the house smells of warm cinnamon and sugar. I wish that the 10th day would have been yesterday so my parents could have sampled it.

If you want one of the starter bags of AFB, let me know. I'll do my best to get it to you. I come to Columbia once a week and Augusta once every other week.

Before it goes in the oven

As it goes in the oven

Ahhh...

Two of a Kind

Well, I am back to write my second post on our blog. I know you all are very excited to read. This post is in honor of my mom. My mom is not your typical girly-type mom. She is a no frill, jean and t-shirt type of gal. She would rather be out in the yard mowing the lawn or burning a huge pile of debris and playing in the fire than going shopping with the girls. She is an independent, strong-willed, logically thinking engineer. For years and years she would always tell me that I shouldn't pick on her for how she acts or behaves because I was just like her. I tried so many years to deny it and tried to refuse the fact, but now I have come through my denial and have come to admit that yes, WE ARE JUST ALIKE. It even gets to the point that when we are around each other that my dad will leave the room. You know what though, there isn't any other person that I would want to have as a mom. She has taught me so much and has been such a great friend. Mom, I love you!!!

For your enjoyment and mine as well, here are some pics of my mom....

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

My Mom...the one that puts everyone in her family before herself, the one that was at every dance recital, baseball game, hi-stepper competition, golf tournament, etc...the one that always makes sure our favorite snack is always stocked in the fridge or pantry, the one that can get me to buy anything when we shop together, the one that does more cleaning in my house when she visits than I do, the one that helped with every step of the wedding planning, the one that taught me how to be a thrifty shopper, the one that loves my dog so much she won't give her back:), the one that my dad can't live without, the one that I can't imagine I'll ever compare to.

Happy Mother's Day to you! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. You mean the world to us!

I could get used to this

I'll be sure to post pictures soon of our fun day. Chris was off of work today and I used one of my remaining vacation days and we both had a fun, relaxing day. I scheduled a "couples massage" in the morning and then we went and picked strawberries at a fantastic farm in Enoree, SC. We also did a little bit of shopping for Mothers Day and then came home and cooked dinner. Chris prepared some delicious steaks and seasoned potatoes and then he helped me make homemade shortcake for our strawberries. These are the days I dream about. On the way home from picking strawberries, I told him that this day was like Valentines in May. :) Actually everyday is like Valentines Day for us!

It doesn't get any better than this!

Simply Beautiful

This is a picture of two necklaces that I bought on Friday. Can you tell the beads are made of rolled up paper from magazines and calenders? Some tiny letters can still be seen on the beads before they are glazed. This is how it all started:

A few weeks ago Chris and I were at our small group meeting and one of the other members had on a beautiful necklace that was filled with rich, vibrant colors. Of course all of the girls thought it was just as gorgeous as I did. The member wearing the necklace is a teacher at Riverside High School, which happens to be right next door to where we live. She invited us to a jewelry show that the students were hosting on May 1st that was to be held at the school. Well, those that know me, know that this could lead to two of my favorite things, jewelry & food! The girls in the small group decided to go to the show and then come back to my house for dinner (thanks Christina!) and dessert (that Chris made). We bought a total of over $100 of jewelry that will be so fun to wear and support a great cause. In fact, 3 of us had our new necklace on this Sunday at small group! The best part, the money raised from the sales goes back to various organizations including ones in Uganda, Africa.

Now, will all that being said...guess what I saw on the Today show while I was on vacation today. It was meant to be :) I have included a list below as well as link to various websites to learn about this project and how you can support the cause.

The link is HERE from the Today show.

http://www.lightgivesheat.org/

http://www.suubiafrica.org/

http://www.beadforlife.org/

PS-I wore one necklace to work and everyone loved it--a great conversation piece.

eggs in the ferns

This is what I found the other day when Chris and I were outside. As sweet as it is, I really just hate having birds nests in the ferns. They weigh the plant down which ends up breaking the basket and hooks that they hang from. As soon as the birds arrive, I'm moving the nest and then putting moth balls in the plant. I was able to get the moth balls in the other fern before a bird decided to make it home. Does anyone else have another idea to keep birds away besides moth balls. And by the way, the warning on the box says not to use it in plants to keep birds away. Whoops...1 rule broken.
Also, we have a bird feeder right outside our back door. We refill the entire feeder each day. Yes, each day! I promise these birds are the fattest, stingiest birds I have ever seen. They fight each other and knock each other off the feeder. Chris finds it simply amazing that I purchased a $9 bag of bird seed. Don't these birds know we are in a recession?

We are famous!

Not really famous, but we have been featured on another blog! Check it out and be sure to notice all of their other great products!! Garnish was so easy to work with and even offered a 10% discount on my first purchase. When you are planning a wedding, every bit helps!

A little late

Below is a picture of our gifts that we left at the hotels for our Out Of Town (OOT) guests. They were so fun to make and were filled with all sorts of goodies, including 2 personalized bottles of water that my mom made and personalized chocolates with our initials on them. For some reason the white boxes reminded me of the old Chic-fil-A boxes from when I was younger...much younger. Do you remember those?
Anyway, I included a picture of the outside of the box. I'm a little bias, but I do think they look great! :)

A lazy day

Chris is working today so I'm just relaxing on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. There are a few things on the to-do list I'm working on.

Write thank you notes-DONE
Wash 2 loads of clothes-DONE
Unload dishwasher-DONE
Make picks for Fantasy Nascar-DONE (this is a fun competition Chris and I have going)
Workout-
Clean bedroom-
Pay Verizon bill-


I still have lots to do. Gotta run. Enjoy your weekend!

All you can eat!

There are a few Chic-fil-a restaurants (CFA) in the upstate that offer all-you-can-eat nuggets. For around $8, you can get unlimited chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink. I assumed that most CFA offered this delicious deal, but have since learned of some friends that haven't heard of such. I'm so sorry! Come visit us on a Wednesday night in Greenville and we will treat you to all-you-can-eat at CFA.
Are you wondering what the total was for Chris? 36. I had predicted 50. I just don't know where he puts that food sometimes. Oh I'm so jealous!

Zebra Stripe?

...yes, you heard me right. Today I almost got a zebra stripe hearing aid. Did you even know there was such a thing? For my entire life I have dealt with a hearing loss considered moderate to severe. In middle school I got 2 hearing aids and hated them. I remember attempting to wear them to my algebra class with Ms. Bradley. They sounded weird and I really didn't think they were "cool." I remember one morning in my parents bedroom, I was saying goodbye to my dad before I left for school. He asked me if I had been wearing my hearing aids. I had to tell him no and I just started crying. Why? I was afraid my friends would think they were weird. I was afraid I wouldn't have a boyfriend. My dad then used this time to teach me a life lesson at the age of 13: my true friends wouldn't make fun of me and that if someone didn't want to be my boyfriend because I had a hearing aid, then he wasn't good enough for me anyway. Very true, but still hard to believe when you are 13 years old.
Fast forward 6 years to college. I attempted hearing aids again. I still hated them. I still thought that friends might not think they were cool and that no one would ask me out. So, in my desk at Clemson they sat.
Fast forward to 2005. I finally decided I had had enough of the "what?" "huh?" "repeat that, please." I did get one hearing aid for my right hear and life changed! I could hear a clock tick, I could hear sirens, I didn't have to ask people to repeat themselves (as much). My audiologist suggested that I get 2 hearing aids, but at the time I could only afford one at the cost of $2000+. Good news though! My insurance at work will now cover the cost of a hearing aid every two years. WhooHoo! That was the best news I've heard in a long time...no pun intended :) Today I met with an audiologist in Greer and in 2 weeks I should have a new hearing aid for my left ear. The matching one won't come to 2011, but I am so excited. I did order one that was considered champagne colored, although I could have picked one out that was lavender, light blue, silver, pearl white, zebra, Hawaiian floral, or orange. I think Chris would have probably picked out the orange one. I thought a color might be fun, but if the lifespan of a hearing aid is 5-7 years, I really should probably get something simple. Do you think I should get something different? Left me know. You only live once, right?

...and I thought I loved you then

As of today, Chris and I have been married for 77 days! Everyday I find another reason to love him more and more. From the sweet messages he texts or writes me to the acts of service he does for others to the encouraging words he shares with me and his flexibility in difficult situations...he just has a soft heart and a heart for the Lord. For those that know him well, I'm sure you would agree. I fell in love with this precious man almost 20 months ago in late summer of 2007 and now he is my HUSBAND to have and to hold forever and ever. There are so many unknowns ahead of us right now, but there isn't anyone I would rather have holding my hand along the way.

One thing that we love to do together is sing to songs that are playing on the radio. Sometimes we make up our own words, sometimes we sing duets, and if he's lucky...I even have some dance moves that I can do to the songs. Well, one of our favorite songs on the radio right now is the new song by Brad Paisley, Then. I have pasted the lyrics below in case you haven't heard it. So, slow down for 3 minutes, sit back and enjoy this song and cuddle up with the one you love.

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you

You had me mezmorized

And three weeks later, in the front porch light

taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight

I hadn't told you yet but I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life

now you're my whole world

I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl

Like a river meets the sea,

stronger than it's ever been.

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then

And I remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,

You were so surprised

There were people around, but I didn't care

Got down on one knee right there once again,

I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life

now you're my whole world

I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl

Like a river meets the sea,

stronger than it's ever been.

We've come so far since that day

And I thought I loved you then

I could just see you, with a baby on the way

And I could just see you, when your hair is turning gray

What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more

But I've said that before

And now you're my whole life

now you're my whole world

I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl

We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in

And I'll look at you and say

And I thought I loved you then

And I thought I loved you then

We are NOT participating in the recession

Chris and I signed up to attend a Dave Ramsey event called Town Hall For Hope.

April 23 @ 8pm

Tired of hearing the fear, doom and gloom that’s filling the airwaves? Join Dave Ramsey for a nationwide town hall meeting and discover what’s happening with the economy, how we got here, and where we’re going. Plus, Dave will answer your questions live throughout the event!

*************************

The event is free and is being hosted at over 1700+ locations throughout the country. Let us know if you have plans to attend in your town.

We have to go!

Chris and I both enjoy traveling, although we haven't done much together. Our budget for traveling was minimal while we were planning the wedding. Now we are still in recovery mode, but are looking forward to visiting some fun places. Nashville was so much fun and we learned that we travel well together...thank goodness!! We both enjoying sightseeing, but also enjoy relaxing on the trip as well.
I saw these 2 hotels today on the Travel Channel and they look like places that would definitely be memorable. Check them out when you can.

Madonna Inn: Don't be confused. This has nothing to do with the blond, 80's singer. The Inn is located in California. One hundred ten unique rooms now exist, each decorated differently to suit many individual tastes...rock rooms, waterfall showers, rock fireplaces, European fixtures, and fine furnishings to name a few. Prices range from $179-up/night. A few of my favorites are Cabin Still, Caveman, and & Desert Sands. They even have a Golf Room.

Dunton Hot Springs: Just across the mountain from Telluride, Dunton Hot Springs Resort & Spa is a romantic ghost town, set in an extraordinary alpine valley. The hotel has earned the title of #1 Luxury Hotel in the U.S. for by 2009 Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award. Yes, this is much more expensive, but the environment is completely different. It's just as if you have stepped back in time. Oh yeah, you can even rent out the entire town for only $10,000 until May 15 and that includes meals & accommodations for 42 people. Seems like alot at first, but might be a good deal for the right occasion. My two favorite are Brjoerkmans Cabin and Echo Cabin.

If you know of anyone who has ever stayed at either of these, please leave a comment. As we all know, websites can be quite deceiving sometimes so I would like to get a summary from a reliable source. That's it for now.

Happy Trails to you...

Today

Right now Chris is making cookies and they smell de-licious! I guess after a fun day of hiking, cruising around the mountains, and watching basketball he has worked up an appetite. It's all good!

We don't have much on the agenda tomorrow. I tackled 10 thank you notes today, and will attempt another 10 tomorrow while he is sleeping. This week and next, Chris is on night shift. This means he is at work by 6pm and gets off at 6am. Long day, but PLEASE do not feel bad for him. After two weeks of night shift, he has a full 7 days off. Yes...7 days off! I so enjoy having him at home instead of him staying up in the mountains at his parents property. I feel like I have explained this 100+ times, but in case you don't know our living situation here it goes:

When Chris works: he stays in the mountains at his parents property*.

When Chris doesn't work: he stays with me in Greer.

*=a piece of land near Ceasar's Head State park that consists of 1 bed, 1 gas stove, fridge, and a plug-in heater. The shower and toilet are outside. The toilet is a compost toilet and has to be churned each time he uses it. Get my drift?

The last time he was off for 4 days in a row I came home to tulips on the kitchen table and a 6'1" cutie pie standing in the kitchen playing a love song on his guitar. Literally, a picture perfect moment. If only there were a way to capture these moments forever.

Tuesday's Gone

Hey everyone this is Chris. Yes I am actually making a blog entry. I am going to be doing this weeks ten things that I am thankful for. Here we go....

1) I am thankful that Amy has made this blog to keep all of you informed of our growing relationship.
2) I am thankful that tomorrow is my last day of the work week, and then I rotate to nights. (I hate mornings, so nights are much better in that sense, but I don't get to see Amy as much so that is a downer).
3) I am thankful we get to see my family tomorrow. They are up here working on details of the house they are going to build over in Caesar's Head area.
4) I am thankful that Amy and I are growing closer together each and every day.
5) I am thankful that I have a wife who has a great financial sense about her, especially in these days.
6) I am thankful that Amy and I have a relationship that we can laugh together at absolutely nothing at all.
7) I am thankful that we both have jobs that provide a good lifestyle, a roof over our heads, and food on the table
8) I am thankful that we have friends and co-workers that will come to our rescue no matter what (i.e. if one of us should run out of gas; even if we have a company car and a gas card to use).
9) I am thankful that Amy accepts me in spite of my downfalls and quirks, and loves me unconditionally.
10) Lastly, I am thankful for the way that Amy falls asleep on my chest at night and starts to snore a little. There's nowhere else I would want to be :)

I hope these little things in life that I am thankful for help you in your everyday busy lives to stop and think what life is really about.

How could I forget?

Honestly, I really did think about my post for this past Tuesday but just never sat down long enough to post the blog. I'll go ahead and update for this week so I can be on schedule when Tuesday rolls around again. I'm thankful...
1. a few more Thank You notes have been written.
2. that I was safe on the road this week...14+ hours of driving.
3. my friend has a healthy boy on the way.
4. that Chris was so willing to help me move furniture. We rearranged the den.
5. we were invited to a dance party next weekend!
6. my schedule allowed me to take 1/2 day off of work this week to take care of much needed errands. Verizon family share plan, joint checking account, rocking chair shopping.
7. I saw my mom this week. She met me in Irmo with a container of cucumbers and tomatoes. Yum!
8. that I will be in Lawrence and Ann's wedding. Chris will read scripture.
9. for a husband that truly enjoys cooking.
10. for friends that share the love of God.

I had so many hours on the road this week that I had lots of time to think. I started thinking about the previous company car that I just turned in. Although, never was it a car I would buy (it was a Dodge), but it certainitely had emotional value for me and Chris. This was the car we made our trips back and forth in to Columbia while planning out wedding. This is the car we drove to Clemson that night he proposed to me. And, this was the car left in from the church after we became husband and wife. I'm sad to think that the next person who owns that car will have no idea the memories that were made in it.
Does anyone else get attached to their cars? I remember as a child, my mom crying in the driveway of a friends house while the new owner of the Ford station wagon my parents had just sold drove away. This was the car that my mom & dad had brought my brother and I home in from the hospital. At the time, I just didn't understand. Why wouldn't she be excited about another car, I certainitely was.
Now, I understand completely.

Interesting Information

As you all know, I work for Enterprise and love it. I am actually on the verge on my 8 year anniversary with the company. Enterprise is a company that has grown to be the largest rental car company in North America by focusing on completely satisfying customers and taking care of their employees. Check out the latest information about our founder, Jack Taylor. Pretty cool stuff, right?

THANKFUL TUESDAY!

Yeah! It's that time again. Sorry I'm a day behind, but last night I was writing thank you notes. I promise to do better about keeping up with my schedule as promised. I am thankful that...
1. ...Chris and I have organized all the gifts and returned duplicates. Huge accomplishment!
2. ...I received my new SS card today. Enterprise was able to change my work email address.
3. ...dinner plans have been made with a high school friend after months of talking about it.
4. ...the wedding video came in. I highly recommend a videographer!
5. ...my cousin is experiencing God's embrace through a difficult time.
6. ...I have a baby shower to go to this weekend for a lifelong friend in Columbia.
7. ...Enterprise gave me a new car this week.
8. ...it snowed! I love a snow day.
9. ...friends that make me laugh!
10...my dad got his cast taken off on Monday. Now he has a little more mobility than before.