The Life...I Mean Wife of a Med Student

Valentine's Day Dinner

2012-02-14T10:43:00.002-08:00

These are made and cooling in the fridge. Babies and I walked to Kroger this morning and got the ingredients for a Valentine's Meal at home...steak, mashed potatoes, asparagus, bread with olive oil dip, and salad.

I got the recipe at The Pioneer Women Super easy, Super quick. Can't wait to try them!

Verses to Pray...for your children or your friends children (and yourself too I suppose)

2012-02-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

I got this from my friends blog and think it's an awesome way to incorporate scripture into your daily life for your children. I want to be able to have scripture verses to back up what I teach my kids, starting now, even though they don't understand me yet. I'll hopefully get into a habit of it.

Day 1- SALVATION
Lord, I pray you will bring my children to "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10)

Day 2- GROWTH IN GRACE
I pray that my children may "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18)

Day 3- LOVE
May my children "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us" (Ephesians 5:2)

Day 4- PURITY
Grant, O God, the grace and strength needed for my child to "keep (himself) pure" and to "flee youthful lusts" (1 Timothy 5:22, 2 Timothy 2:22)

Day 5- LOVE FOR PARENTS
God, I pray for love and harmony in our family. I ask especially that You would "turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:6)

Day 6- RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY
Teach my child to "obey (his) parents in the Lord" and to "honor his father and mother". Teach him also to "esteem" his pastor "very highly in love for his work's sake", and to be submissive to all spiritual authorities You choose to place over him. (Eph. 6:1-2, 1 Thess. 5:12)

Day 7- MERCY
In this hard-hearted and self-centered culture, I pray for my child that he might value the needs of others and blessings which result from doing so. You have promised "blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." I pray that blessing for him. (Matthew 5:7)

Day 8- LOVE FOR GOD'S WORD
May my children grow to love God's Word and to find it more desirable than "much fine gold:sweeter than honey and the honeycomb" (Ps. 19:10)

Day 9- LOVE FOR GOD
Lead my child deeper and deeper into a loving relationship with You, O God. May he "love the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength" Instill in my child a soul that "follows hard after You" and clings passionately to You. (Matt. 22:37, Ps. 63:8)

Day 10- CHOICE OF LIFE MATE
May the "Lord God of heaven send his angel before (my child)", and direct his paths to Your choice of a mate, so we too can say "the matter comes from the Lord...the Lord has spoken" (Gen 24:7,50-51).

Day 11- A SERVANT'S HEART
God, may "this mind be in (my children) which was also in Christ Jesus (Who) made himself nothing and took upon himself the form of a servant" (Phil. 2:5,7)

Day 12- CONTENTMENT
Teach my children "in whatever circumstances they find themselves, to be content" (Phil 4:11)

Day 13- RESISTANCE TO THE DEVIL
Oh Lord, give them an awareness of Satan's power without undue fear, and teach them to "resist the devil" with the "whole armor of God" (James 4:7, Eph. 6:13)

Day 14- BIBLICAL SELF-ACCEPTANCE
God, I ask that You lead my children into a deep understanding of who they are in Christ. Help them to see that they are "accepted in the beloved", that they are "complete in Him", and that their "sufficiency is of Christ" (Eph. 1:6, Col 2:10, 2 Cor 3:5)

Day 15- A FORGIVING SPIRIT
Protect my children, O God, form the "root of bitterness which troubles" so many today. grant them that they might forgive others "even as Christ forgave "them" (Col 3:13)

Day 16- WISE CHOICE OF COMPANIONS
Lord, lead my children to choose to "walk with the wise", and the wisdom to understand that "a companion of fools will be destroyed" (Prov 13:20)

Day 17- FEAR OF GOD
Lord, teach my children that the "fear of the Lord is a fountain of life" and may they be satisfied by drinking of it. Teach them the meaning of this fear and lead them to apply it to their everyday life. (Prov 14:27, 19:23)

Day 18- FAITH
I pray that a seed of faith, even the size of "a mustard seed" may find root in my child's heart and move mountains of difficulty. (Luke 17:5-6)

Day 19- BIBLICAL VIEW OF GOD
May my children see You so "high and lifted up" that all else will pale in significance to that vision. (Is. 6:1)

Day 20- Holiness
Dear Lord, lead my children's steps that they "might share His holiness." (Hebrews 12:10)

Day 21- Strong Worship Life
Teach my children to balance their service with their worship of You. Help them to "choose that good part which will not be taken away." (Luke 10:42)

Day 22- Wisdom
Lord, "wisdom is the principle thing for my children. Help them to get it, and in all their "getting, help them get understanding" as well. (Proverbs 4:7)

Day 23- Consistent Prayer Life
May my children feel such a kinship with You, O Lord, that they may "pray without ceasing." (I Thess. 5:17).

Day 24- Work Ethic
May my children learn that "in all labor there is profit" at an early age, and apply themselves to work "heartily as to the Lord" (Prov 14:23, Col. 3:23).

Day 25- Choice of Career
God, lead the steps of my children to that time and place where ":it shall be told [him] of all things which are appointed for [him] to do." (Acts 22:10).

Day 26- Gratitude
Create in my child a heart of gratitude, that he might "give thanks for all thing" and "in everything" for this is the will of God for him. (Eph 5:20, I Thess. 5:18)

Day 27- Trust in God
Dear God, as the Lord Jesus Christ "committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" even in His darkest hour, so let my children learn to trust You even in the midst of suffering. (I Peter 4:19)

Day 28- Joy
O God, guide them to Your side for "in Your presence is fullness of joy." Protect them from dutiful service and may they "serve the Lord with gladness." (Psalm 16:11, 100:2).

Day 29- Humility
May my child "humble [himself] in the sight of the Lord" that You might "lift [him] up." (James 4:10)

Day 30- Self-Control
May my children come under the control of the Spirit and enjoy the fruit of "temperance" or self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23).

And here's an updated picture of the ones I'm praying for daily.

Goals

2012-01-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

I've not been on here since the day Kurt got back from his month away. We left the following day for Christmas travels and more visiting on potential residency locations. I have an update to post tomorrow on what's been going on since then, but tonight I wanted to just write about goals that Kurt and I talked about tonight so they are more cemented in my mind.

Computer-Can't get on it until my devotions are done and check FB only once a day. It's crazy how addicting it can be to check it through out the day for no reason at all!

Eating- Snack on Fruits and Vegetables instead of whatever I can get my hands on

Exercise-Hour long walk and/or P90 video earlier then later in the day. Somehow if I keep putting it off, it often doesn't get done. Same as with my devotions!

Devotions-First thing in the morning! and then think about it all day!

Kids-make the effort to get them outside to get fresh air!

Kurt came up with his goals for the same categories. It was fun talking it through. It seems like there is always something to work on/change/improve! I think it's good to evaluate your life from time to time and get re-focussed on what is important and matters.

So here's to trying to accomplish what I've set out to do!

Day 18

2011-12-15T19:21:00.001-08:00

Again...nothing. I'm not sure that you even will check tonight b/c of your night shift. But...we'll see you tomorrow. Love you and drive safe!

Day 17

2011-12-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

No pictures today. I'm REALLY tired and going to bed! I need you to come home so I can go to bed early again! I have been staying up WAY to late at night on the computer!!! Goodnight and see you in 2 days!!!

Day 16

2011-12-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

Since we are working on moving to bottles I decided that the babies have to learn how to hold them on their own. It's hard to give 2 babies 2 bottles at the same time!

Day 14 and 15

2011-12-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

No pictures from yesterday (Day 14). I'm not sure why? We were busy getting the house ready for the baby shower. That's probably why.

So...Day 15
We did lots today! Went to the grocery store. Babies were smiling at everyone that looked at them. They had a really good nap...finally! and went on 2 walks with friends. The weather was perfect.

We had so much fun skyping this morning!

Your nose really isn't that big in real life. I like how they are both looking.

Luke's face is funny here.

And this was just cute how Mae and Mac were laying the same way.

I counted down the days with the twins this morning. Mae made her excited gasping sound. We all can't wait. Mac too.

Day 13

2011-12-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

We had a really good day today. Babies were happy and fun to be around. Who wouldn't be when you sleep from 8-7:30? Just had a little rough time this evening but they need to get their exercise right so they sleep through the night?

I like how Luke is looking at the toy. He's like "Oooh"

He is so cute!

The White's came over for dinner and games so we had to get some "Christmas" pictures of the dogs. Aslan just stood there nicely with his on and Mac kept knocking it off. It was really funny watching them.

Day 12

2011-12-09T19:32:00.001-08:00

This picture was from yesterday. They kept holding hands. The flash kind of shocked them too.

These were this morning. Mae's first time really noticing Mac and grabbing/pulling his hair. Of course he just sat there and let her.

So funny. I'm glad we stayed at Katie's for the night so when Mae started doing this, she quick grabbed the camera. I know how much you love Mac and I knew you would like this.

Day 11

2011-12-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

No pictures today...Sorry. I promise for them tomorrow and we get to skype too! That's almost better then pictures. Love you!

Day 10

2011-12-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

It rained ALL day. There wasn't but maybe 2 hours today that there wasn't a baby in my arms or in the living room. I really can't wait for you to come home not only so that we are all together, but honestly for the help too!

Luke got to sleep with me for a bit this morning since he woke up at 4:45. I don't know what's up with the early wake ups this past week?

Can you see the booger on Mae's face?

I thought Mae looked cute in this one.

And this one.

The new way to give one a bottle while I nurse the other.

Luke got to take a nap with me while I walked around the house. He was screaming and waking Mae up.

And finally a shot of the 3 of us. I held Luke so much today because he was so fussy from not feeling good that I felt guilty I wasn't holding Mae.

I had started doing this for you to keep up with us but in the meantime I realized it has been good for me to have something every day to do (on top of taking care of the kids, Mac, the house, and myself!)

Day 9

2011-12-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Sorry, todays post isn't very exciting. Babies stayed home all day and didn't do much. It was rainy out and they both have colds. So I'll just give you some pics to look at.

I thought you would think this was funny. This was during my attempt to take Christmas Card pics. Mac's head was up then Mae fell over and so he just laid his head on her.

Thanksgiving day picture

I like this one. They both look like they are contemplating something.

Well, goodnight. Talk to you tomorrow. 10 more days. We can do it!

Day 8

2011-12-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Luke,Mae and Mac hung out with me in the kitchen while I cleaned up and put dinner together. Mae was sucking her thumb a lot today. It's her new thing.

I tried to get a picture of the 3 of us for you. It was kind of hard by myself. This was my 3rd try with the self timer and Luke was not happy about it. I gave up on trying to get a good one. This is the best I got.We spent a lot of time today with Katie and Rylie. Luke looks scared, Mae looks uncomfortable and Rylie looks goofy.

We missed skyping with you today! Can't wait to see you (on skype) tomorrow.

Day 7

2011-12-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

We didn't really do much today. I did "home church" and listened to Tim Keller while the babies napped. I made lunch for Katie, Adam, and Rylie and then went on a walk with Meredith, Addie, and Aslan. I always like Sundays with you so I really missed you today. I didn't take out the camera today but thankfully Danny took one of us after our walk so you could have a picture.

Day 6

2011-12-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Check out that cloth diaper bubble butt! This is supposed to be nap time. They don't look too tired here.

I put them in your favorite pajamas tonight and we prayed for you that you would be safe, happy and a good testimony. We prayed that the babies would sleep good and that they would be protected and that you and I would have wisdom in raising them. We thanked God for our family.

Not the best picture and excuse the mess (could there be 1 more pattern in there?) I had a very limited time to capture the picture as Luke was already starting to fuss.

Day 5

2011-12-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Day 5
They played with their feet more. Luke hasn't grabbed his yet but he can lift them almost up to his ears. Mae studies hers and Luke just kicks them around.

We went to the Christmas Festivities downtown with Rylie and Katie and met Buddy Christmas while we waited in line to see Santa! We didn't end up getting to see him though. He had to go get ready to "light the tree"

I propped up the bottles with the blanket. It worked great and I just pushed them along while they drank! Mae caught a little nap while we waited for "the lighting of the tree."

We tried out the new frozen ice yogurt place on Main Street. I had vanilla with hot fudge, peanuts, recess pieces and crumbled recess cups.

Then we hit up the farmers market area where they had free hot chocolate, Christmas music playing, and vendors. We REALLY wished you were with us tonight. It wasn't the same without you.

Day 4

2011-12-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Day 4
Mae grabbed her foot for the first time and held onto it for a while.

I dried Luke's hair this way after his bath and it stayed spiked all day. He looked really cute.

They played nicely in their room with their toys.

I hung a new banner in their room that Katherine gave them in exchange for pictures I took of Ellis.
I thought you would like this one of Mae with Mac. They are going to be best friends.

We REALLY miss you and LOVE you! 4 days down...15 more to go.

Let the Countdown Begin

2011-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

19 Days till we see Kurt again. So...I'm going to post a picture or pictures and a little bit about our day every day until he is home (mostly for him) but if you care to read, go right ahead. I should have started this the first day he left but just came up with the idea today so I have to play catch up. Just to clarify...the "you" I'm referring to is Kurt until he is back home with us.

Day 1We just got back from spending Thanksgiving with you in PA. We are all ready for bed and happy we are back with Mac but sad you're not here.

Day 2Nate and Cammy are in town (I know you know this because we talk on the phone but for others who are reading this, I'm explaining) so we all got together for a potluck. I can't believe how big the group has gotten! 7 kids. We missed you last night! Everyone helped me though with the kids. We have the best friends!

Right before bed. I promise, I didn't set this up. Mac loves his brother and sister.

Day 3
We are just home all day so I was trying to get a good picture of the twins with Mac for Christmas cards. It didn't really work. So, here's just a few to show you.

Making Faces

2011-11-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you can make all these crazy faces and still not get a smile! Othertimes they smile in their sleep. What? Doesn't make sense. Oh well...still cute without a smile.

Excuse my laundry and dirty dishes on the couch! I promise, I got to those right after the kids went to bed.

Find Joy in the Little Things

2011-11-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

This little octopus brings much joy to my kids every day. They just lay there and stare at it, smile at it, and every now and then bat at it. It makes me happy watching them be happy

Making

2011-11-16T11:59:00.001-08:00

I made Apple bread yesterday. Delicious. Next time I make it, I'll half the amount of flour with oatmeal and use olive oil to get it to taste exactly like my sister in laws.

See the hats (the really small ones that the babies are wearing) I made those on our last road trip.

I made this hat for my cousin to give to her friend. She is going to add a bow or flower to it.

At my brother's rehearsal dinner 2 years ago we had the most amazing Reuben sandwiches. I have wanted to make them ever since so I got all the ingredients yesterday and we're eating it tonight for supper. We'll see how they compare!

4 Months

2011-11-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

4 Months...

They have started noticing each other. I'll often catch Luke looking at Mae and then start smiling. He already seems to look up to his big sis. So cute to watch. It's really sweet when they are looking at each other. Today for the first time I was watching them look at each other and they started making "cooing" noises to each other. I love it! They also sometimes hold hands while they are nursing.

Mae weighs 12.4. We think she is so beautiful. She is a really easy baby that loves to eat, sleep, and play. She loves to make little noises and try to talk back to us. She likes to lay on her play mat or sit in her bouncy seat and bat at her toys. Sometimes she can hold onto them and put them in her mouth. She's getting good at pushing up on her belly and looking around for long periods of time. She smiles a lot and loves when her Daddy gets home from work.

Luke weighs 10.14. He's our little guy. He has a very sweet personality and loves to be held. He is starting to make little sounds. He smiles for everyone. All you have to do is look at him basically and he smiles. I catch him laying on the play mat looking at this octopus that hangs down and he'll all of a sudden just smile at it. So cute! He seems to love his sister already. He is always looking at her...smiling. I love it! He has started to bat at his toys that hang over his head. His legs are getting stronger so he likes to "stand" up when you hold him. He loves to sleep and starts sucking his thumb or fingers when he is getting ready to sleep.

I can't believe that we have had them for 4 months already! They are a lot of fun right now and seem to be picking up hew things every day. So happy to have my little family to take care of.

To Do List

2011-11-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

This is not my typical "every day" to do list like, make bed, pay bill, get dressed, etc. You know, the kind you put really easy things down so you can cross them off during the day and feel really accomplished?? No, No, this is my "Fall-heading up to Christmas and winter list".

1. Crochet hats for my family
2. Listen to music more during the day
3. Get good at taking walks with the babies and Mac, i.e. not fall off the curb as I try to pull Mac along!
4. Make Christmas stockings for the babies
5. Have people over more for dinner
6. Plan game nights
7. Take a picture a day
8. Blog more
9. Take time to do devotions
10. Improve on my meal prep and make good meals
11. Spend time with the babies individually
12. Look for the good in people instead of the negative

There. I've got a lot to work on. Thanks Em for the idea.

Halloween

2011-10-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

Luke was a hot dog and Mae was a skunk.

Mac was a Dr.

Macs friend, Aslan, was a resident

Going Blonde

2011-10-22T11:34:00.001-07:00

I made up my mind on the way to the salon to go ahead and highlight my hair. After getting it to my natural color I was feeling it was so dark and kinda drab so I took the plunge. I like it now but will probably regret it when it starts growing out and I see dark roots in pictures. I also decided to get bangs which will bug me and be in my eyes. Oh well. I said I wanted blonde hair and bangs and that's what I got.

NY

2011-10-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Kurt's gone for a month in Maine for a rotation so I am in NY with my parents for the help and company. So glad I'm here. Here's how we spend a portion of our evening every few days...Skype with Kurt/Daddy. They haven't quite figured it out.

Baby Room

2011-08-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

I love how the room turned out! I think it fits with the style of our house perfectly! It was a little challenging making the room gender neutral since they are both sharing it. The only thing to me that would top it off is wood floors with a large area rug. We still have to hang pictures of the babies up after I find the frames I want. I might do another window frame kind.

I'm Back

2011-07-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

First of all I am so happy to introduce our 2 new little ones, Luke Harry and Mae Elsie, born June 22. Lot's more updates to follow!

I had a little surprise 3 weeks ago when I went in for a regular Drs. appointment at 34 weeks only to find out I was in labor (didn't know it) and dilating quickly. I was sent by ambulance to Roanoke and had our babies 24 hours later. Needless to say I had lots I still wanted to do in the last few weeks before I thought their arrival would happen. Things around the house my friends and parents took care of for me but they couldn't blog for me. Hopefully I'll get caught up soon.

So, 1 thing I wanted to share was some maternity pictures my friend, Mary, took for me as a gift. They turned out exactly as I was hoping and have been put into a project I had on my list for the babies room. I'll post about that soon enough.

5 Years and Counting

2011-05-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Who would have ever thought that these 2 little kids would grow up and marry each other??Here's us over the past 5 years. It's been a blast and can't wait for the next 5!

While He's Gone

2011-05-10T11:42:00.001-07:00

So Kurt is gone for the month doing a rotation. I'll be honest, I was really nervous about him leaving. What was I going to do in the evenings? Who was I going to talk to? Who was going to help with Mac? What if I get scared in the night? Silly, I know, but I still felt that way. I have never been left home alone in our almost 5 years of marriage. I'm always the one that leaves to visit family or whatever. Well, I'm happy to say, that even though I miss him a lot (it's only been 3 days) I am doing way better than I expected. I have prayed about this time and I really feel that God is taking care of me and my needs.

Kurt and I have been skyping at night and it is sooooo fun! We laugh a lot! It's a nice way to end the day. I'm really looking forward to the end of the month when he'll be home! Mac misses him too.

Joys of Life

2011-05-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

These 2, Peonies and iced DD coffee just make my day...any day.

Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Wake up time was 4:45 to catch the Royal Wedding. It was pretty fun. We had coffee and croissants. Friends came over and even Mac climbed up on the couch with us to watch.

So now, I'm exhausted and I get to do an all nighter at church tonight with my 5th and 6th grade girls. Needless to say, I have laid around on the couch all day at work today.

Being tired these days makes for a crabby/teary Me. Look out Kurt!

Friends

2011-03-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

I was just looking through my pictures and was realizing how blessed we have been with such awesome friends here in Blacksburg! I will REALLY miss living here.

Feels Like Spring...for now

2011-02-17T13:38:00.001-08:00

Buds are coming up in front of our houseSitting on the porch enjoying the hot sun
Looking forward to more spring weather where I don't have to bundle up 3 kids with hats, coats, and gloves just to get out.

5 Years Ago

2011-02-14T12:47:00.001-08:00

On our first married Valentine's Day we were snowed in...to 3 feet of snow. Today we celebrate our 5th Valentine's Day as a married couple. I can honestly say I married the absolutely right guy for me. I am more in love now then I was back then. I can't wait for the next 5!!!

Here's my Valentine in that storm...I think he's pretty cute!

I guess it's time...

2011-02-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

To announce we are having twins this summer! (I think most people know already :)

So here they are...
14 Weeks

Mac loves the babies too

Goals for this Week...

2011-01-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

to make some extra money!

-sell old snowboard and boots
-sell old camera and flash

Anyone interested?

A little homemade

2011-01-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

I made most of my Christmas gifts this year but didn't get a chance to take pictures of all of them. I've been really lazy and that is why I am now posting this almost a month after Christmas. Oh well, here they are.

My mom was the recipient of a quilt

A lot of people got Christmas style hot pads
I also made my very first Christmas wreath which was given to my in laws

Homemade granola and cookie mixes were passed out as well

I really like doing homemade gifts but would like to start a little sooner for next year.

The burp cloths below were not for Christmas gifts but just to give as baby gifts to a few friends. The backs have towel like material.

Finally

2011-01-03T12:33:00.001-08:00

A new camera!!! After many many months of saving and much deliberating I made a decision and went with the Cannon 60D. Many more pictures to come!!!!!!

Christmas Spectacular

2010-12-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

We headed to Lynchburg to watch the Christmas Spectacular with Kurt's family. If I had a camera I would have been able to post some pictures along with this little blurb. There's my pouting. Here's my patience...I'll get one all in good time!

Anyways, we had a great time with family. Looking forward to Christmas to be together again!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-29T12:43:00.001-08:00

Warken Thanksgiving was held at our place this year. 11 of us crowded around a table decorated for fall and full of delicious gourmet food. It was so special to be together. Dinner was followed by a night walk, birthday party for Claire, and 2 games that kept us laughing all night long. I'm really thankful for the good time we had as a family. I'm thankful that family made the long drive just to be together. I'm thankful to God for giving me the family I have. There is a lot to be thankful for!

Happy Late Haloween

2010-11-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little late, but it's really funny and it's perfect for wishing a Happy Halloween!
Enjoy!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/189400/saturday-night-live-weekend-update-garth-and-kat

Until Next Year

2010-10-22T12:28:00.001-07:00

Birthday week has come to an end. It was filled with coffee and croissants in bed every morning, no cooking, long evening walks, coming home to "jobs" being taken care of, a very thoughtful note, a gift card to get something of my choice, and a fun birthday dinner out with friends. Thankful for my husband for making me feel special and making the week fun. Thankful for friends to celebrate with. I'm feeling good at 27!

Today

2010-10-20T11:56:00.001-07:00

Unexpectedly I only had to watch the baby today for about an hour. It was the perfect time to go on a walk. It rained this morning so everything was wet and the fall colors were just popping! I LOVE this time of year. Anyways, it was a much needed break from having all 3 kids and I just got to walk and pray enjoying the beautiful Fallness around me and thinking of things I have to be thankful for.

Weekend Getaway

2010-10-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't been on here in a while. I think it has something to do with not having a camera. I like having pictures to go with my posts. Oh well. I'm also down a computer too until my new power cord comes in.

If you want/need a shopping getaway go to Short Pump, VA. It literally has EVERYTHING in a mile radius. Kurt signed up to go to a Family Practice Conference. By going to these things we get a free hotel (this one was brand new), free really good food, and a little getaway. The downside...Kurt is busy with conference stuff.

I spent a few hours wondering around all the stores dreaming and sitting in all the comfy couches. I came home with a shirt from H&M for $8 and a new wedding ring for Kurt. He losts his in the river this summer.

Well, that's it! On another note, Fall is here and I am loving the cooler weather!

Without a Camera...

2010-09-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

I feel kind of stranded. I usually have my camera with me wherever I go just in case I want to take pictures. It is always sitting out on the kitchen counter or the table just in case Mac is doing something funny or cute, or I made some awesome meal (not very likely), or some craft, or WHATEVER I WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF AT THAT TIME!!! I am feeling a little lonely without it. I also have no pictures to add to my current blog posts. Oh and here is the worst part...I get hired here and there to take pictures for people (engagement, family, newborns, etc.) and I have to borrow my friends camera. Don't get me wrong though...I am VERY thankful for his generosity while I save up for a new one. I just feel bad having to borrow.

My dad took my camera back to NY to the place I bought it from and I got a call today saying it was the lens that has totally gone bad. I know have to decide do I want to just buy a new lens just like the one I had, a new BETTER lens, or a new better camera then what I had. I think I am ready to upgrade on my camera since I am doing more "professional" type pictures with my camera. The main thing is the $$$$$$$$$$!! I wish it grew on trees for once. I have been saving all I have been making from photo shoots and almost have enough to get something.

Decisions, Decisions...for those of you that know me, I am pretty indecisive, so this is hard for me. I'll have to make a decision here soon though, so I'll keep you updated!

For now, I'll keep researching cameras and lenses and I'll keep trying to find the BEST deal. I'll also keep looking at websites and blogs I like of different photographers and drool over their pictures!

Trip to Canada

2010-09-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Somehow in my super busy summer I missed posting about our trip to Canada for Kurt's dad's retirement party. It was a complete surprise to him that we were all going to be there as you can tell by the look on his face in the picture below. This was taken right after Gary got home from packing up his classroom and we all ran out of the house (all 3 of his sons, their wives, and 4 grand kids).

He was so happy to see us all and we were so happy to see him so surprised! We had a great weekend celebrating his retirement and also his 60th birthday. It was fun to all be together. It had been a while.

I'm really thankful for my in-laws. They are great examples of how to be a hard worker and they have a great marriage. They have always been very welcoming to me and have always made me feel a part of their family. It's fun to be a Schubert!

On our way to the airport we went to Niagra Falls. It was pretty much as I remembered it from when I visited there last...maybe when I was 7 or something. We got caught in a rain storm but got to see a pretty cool rainbow over the falls in the mist.After the falls we got in our rented bright blue Nissan Cube (a little embarrassing but kinda fun since we would NEVER buy a car that ugly) and headed to the airport for our trip home.

Family Practice Conference

2010-08-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

So we headed to SC this weekend for a Family Practice Residency thing. I don't know what it was called. I didn't really care. All I cared about was the free hotel, free food we were going to get, and having a "weekend getaway". We went with our friends, Katie and Adam. (We go most places with them). While Kurt and Adam were in workshops Katie and I hit up the free shuttle bus and went out in the blazing heat to a River Walk first of all and then downtown Columbia to a Latin Festival. Sweat was pouring off of us as Katie had to carry her little girl everywhere b/c she forgot the stroller. I got the sweaty back from carrying the backpack. We met the guys back at the hotel for dinner and then hit up the hot tub and then watched a movie. Woke up to have a great breakfast with made to order omelets and then headed back home.

So, now we are back getting ready for Kurt to start his surgery rotation tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. This also means I have to start riding the scooter to work since I don't have my bike yet. So, I will also need to have another practice run this evening. I'm really thankful for our little trip this weekend. It was so nice to have a little time with Kurt. There is something about staying in a hotel that makes the time fun. It makes me feel special in a way.

Well, looking forward to this week and seeing what life will look like this next year...
Let 3rd year begin!!!!!!!!

Tonight

2010-08-25T18:45:00.001-07:00

My parents left today from a 4 day stay. I'm always sort of bummed when they go. Also thinking about Kurt going back to school. Life is going to be back to "normal" and I'm anxious to know what this year will be like. Kurt has had 2 months off...I've been totally spoiled!!!!! The last 2 years of med school have been the same and now we are moving onto a new phase (rotations) for the next 2 years. Who knows what this year is going to bring...kind of excited...kind of scared!

I'm reminding myself of Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

Also Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and petition with thanksgiving in your heart present your requests to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

I love praying those verses and reminding myself that God is in control. I'm also really thankful for a husband who cares about me and how I feel.

So for the next 4 days I'm going to really treasure my time with Kurt. I'm not going to take having him for granted and I'm going to be the best wife possible.

I'm praying TONIGHT about peace for this upcoming year!!

Camping in NC

2010-08-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

I got some unexpected time off of work so we decided to go camping in NC with our friends. Kurt's break is over soon and we will all be back to "normal" life before we know it. We loaded the car and set out on a 6 hour drive to Carolina Beach and State Park for 2 nights. We picked up boogy boards and beach chairs from a friends grandpa on the way. We were packed in tight.

We headed straight to the beach when we got there. It was BLAZING hot!!! Mac got to experience his first ocean swim. He liked it alright. He jumped the waves and got his head crashed on by a few too. He LOVED to roll in the sand and dig until he could find cooler sand to lay in. Good thing there was a hose at the parking lot to rinse him off.

After we spent a few hours at the beach we headed to the state park to set up camp and have dinner. Little did we know that this would be the worst night for us. We were all in a 7 man tent, 4 adults, one 90 lb dog, and 1 baby. It didn't get below 80 degrees with 100% humidity and NO breeze. Oh and lots of bugs. Mac was up most of the night standing as close to the screen part panting like he just got back from running a marathon. It was horrible. We were all sticky and sweaty. I could keep describing it but you can just imagine it!

We got up pretty irritated. It was kind of comical. We were so annoyed that it was funny. We tossed back and forth the idea of driving back to VA that night just to avoid having to spend another night at the State Park. We made breakfast and went on a little nature hike looking for Venus fly traps (supposedly they only grow in that area) and headed to the beach for the day. We had so much fun boogy boarding and walking the beach. While there we found out you could camp on the beach, so Katie and Adam went back and took down camp. We would take anything over another night at the Park. At least at the beach there would be a breeze.

Since camp was all packed up and it was sooooo hot we made dinner in the only shade available...right next to the bathrooms at the beach. It was pretty funny. We showered in the outdoor showers and packed up for the night.

We carried only what we needed for the night on the beach. It was so beautiful sitting by the ocean as the sun went down. There was heat lighting in the distance. We fell asleep to the sound of the crashing waves. I won't say I slept great but better than the night before for sure.

We woke up a little more refreshed, not quite so hot, and very sandy to a beautiful sunrise!
That concludes our NC camping trip. Of course we stopped at DD for ICED coffee and bagels on our way home...always a great way to end a vacation.

Transportation

2010-08-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

We needed to get a 2nd car since Kurt will be having to drive up to 40 minutes for his rotations. Instead we decided to get a scooter and 2 road bikes. We'll see if this was a good choice come winter time. Oh yeah and also on rainy days.

I decided I needed to practice driving the scooter before I HAVE to drive it, so today was the day. I made Kurt follow me in the car while I "scooted" to work. It only took me a little over 20 minutes. (note the sarcasm). Kurt's only advice when I reached my destination was "you can go a little faster." Well, I did it and I feel good about it. I'm ready to try it on my own next time. Hopefully our bikes will get here soon so I can bike most days to work. I love accomplishing 2 things at once...getting to work and back home + exercise!!

Can't you just see me know...cruisin down the streets of Blacksburg!!!

We're back now

2010-08-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

That's a common phrase that Jack (the little boy I take care of) yells out to his mom or dad whenever we get back home from the park or pool. It's pretty cute. Anyways,with saying "we're back now" I was referring to being back in Blacksburg. We were gone for 3 weeks on vacation. We went to WI, Canada, NY, and PA all visiting family and friends. It was a blast and soooooooooooo nice to be away from "normal" life for a little while. It was so refreshing and exactly what we needed. Our time was spent bike riding, swimming, hiking, boating, tubing, having game nights, making campfires, eating, and catching up with family and friends.

So now, we're back and getting back to "normal". I'm working but Kurt has off till the 30th still, so our evenings are spent doing as many fun things as possible. So far we've gone to the river, went out for pizza, went to a driving range, gone on scooter rides, and hung out with friends. It's great being back and Kurt still having time off. Kurt has some projects he is doing like re-doing the top to a free table we got (pictures to come soon).

The 30th will come to quickly and Kurt will be back to school, rotations to be exact. He starts his first month in surgery. I can't believe he has been through 2 years of med school. Looking forward to the next 2 and where life will take us.

So for now, we're enjoying the rest of the summer and savoring every last minute of it. Oh, and eating lots of tomato mayonnaise sandwiches with fresh tomatoes from friends gardens.
I LOVE SUMMER!!!!

Relaxing

2010-07-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Mac loves Katie and Adam. Good thing they like him too.

On Vacation

2010-07-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Kurt finished his boards (that could be a whole blog post in itself, maybe one day), we went out to dinner to celebrate with friends, we moved into our new apartment, Kurt's parents came to visit and then we headed out for a 3 week vacation traveling all over the place.

Our first stop, Lake Geneva, WI to see my brother and family. We drove, or should I say, Kurt drove all night. It was a LONG night. Definitely not a big fan of the all nighters. I did drive through Chicago which was pretty nerve racking. I'm not used to traffic and REALLY fast crazy drivers. I made it though and am glad I did it.

Here are the highlights of our WI visit...
-being with my family and getting to hang out with them-game nights, Scategories was especially funny
-celebrating Lily's birthday complete with a scavenger hunt Kurt and I made up for her to find her gift and races in the field.
-2 18 mile bike rides with Emily
-biking into town for Starbucks-first photo shoot "out of state"-Having a vacation from taking care of Mac. My neices fed, walked and played with him constantly
Our second stop was in Canada to see Kurt's parents for a few days. We spent a day at a really cute lake town swimming, walking around the town, and drinking Tim Horton's ice coffee. The other day we went around to some really fun antique and craft shops, picked raspberries from Kurt's parents garden, played Scrabble, and made homemade french fries for supper. We had a really nice time just relaxing and not having anything specific to do. It was a great visit with my in-laws. (Kurt will love that I put that picture up of him. :) Also, notice all Scrabble. Not only am I a HORRIBLE Scrabble player but I had bad letters)

Our next stop and where we are currently are is in NY to see my parents, family and friends. My parents recently moved to my grandparents house which is right on the lake so it feels kind of like a real vacation coming up here now. Waking up and having coffee on the screened in porch over looking the water is so nice. Our friends from Blacksburg came up for a few days so we have been doing a ton. It is always fun for me when I get to show people around where I live. It helps me remember how much I appreciate the Adirondacks and where I grew up. We have been going out on the boat, swimming, walking, relaxing, having campfires, and going out for ice cream. We also hiked one of the high peaks in the ADK park and went to a rodeo. We have been having a blast!!! The rest of our time here will be spent with my parents and catching up with friends.

So...we have 1 more week and then back to work and "real" life. I'm heading out for Stewart's ice cream now. I'll be back with more on our vacation.

Happy 4th

2010-07-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Mac at his first 4th of July Parade...my first time not in NY for the 4th.
We spent the day at the parade in town, then off to a cookout at a friends house complete with swimming in the pool, then to the fireworks, and finally home to do sparklers with our friends.

World Cup

2010-06-17T19:20:00.001-07:00

I came out from my bedroom the other morning and found Mac watching the World Cup all by himself. I guess he enjoys it like we do. I have found that even though I'm not THAT into watching the games I find comfort in just having them on while I'm home. It reminds me of my home growing up. If soccer was on TV it was ON. I like being reminded of home and my family. I miss them and wish I could be "watching" soccer with them.

Cookbook Party

2010-06-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to write a new post about the cookbook party but have kept putting it off. However my friend wrote one on her blog and she puts it perfectly so I am just going to put a link to hers so you can read about it.
Is this a little lazy??? I think so!
(click on the blue "friend" to read about it)

Summer Potlucks

2010-06-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

Summer Potlucks have begun. We meet every Monday night at 7 at our friends house. Anyone is welcome. It's great, the food is great, the company is great, and dogs are welcome!!! There is a different food theme each week. So far we have had "barbaque" and "mexican" (my favorite) Who knows what the next one will be!!!

Another Quilt

2010-06-08T18:46:00.001-07:00

I made this quilt for my cousin's baby girl that will be born in July! I'm so excited for them and can't wait to meet Addison when she arrives. My cousin and her husband have been waiting a long time for a baby and she is truly a gift from God. I hope Addison will gets lots of use out this and it will keep her warm for many years.

I love the colors and the fabrics, so soft and sweet, perfect for a baby girl. I used the really soft fleece for the backing and I love how it turned out. It slides around a lot when sowing which made for puckers, but it makes the blanket feel so cuddly. It will be hard to use regular fabric...if I ever go back to that.

Apology

2010-06-07T19:03:00.001-07:00

I'd like to take this time to apologize for my really bad writing skills. I never know how to phrase something and so I just go with whatever. I looked back on a few posts and was a little embarrassed. Unfortunately that is also how I talk sometimes so it at least makes sense that I would also be a bad writer...and speller for that matter. So...Sorry if my writing is choppy and doesn't always make the best sense.
There...I've admitted my writing faults and I'll keep on writing and you'll keep reading...hopefully!

Passing it on

2010-06-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Last year I learned how to quilt from my good friend Katherine and I have now passed on the skills to another friend. She had NEVER used a sowing machine so there were lessons learned in that aspect too. We picked out the fabric together and then she went to work. She would call with questions, she would run over to my place for me to help her, I would stop by her place to fix something, etc. She did awesome!!!! I'm so proud of her and can't wait to teach someone else. It is so fun! She gave the quilt away this weekend to her good friend so now I can post about it. I didn't want to risk the VERY small chance of the friend reading my blog...I don't even know her! But who knows who's out there reading my stuff. (yeah right)

Wrong Way

2010-06-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

So...we took a wrong turn today coming home from having lunch with friends at the Home Place (a family style southern cooking restaurant about a 35 min. drive from Blacksburg) We arrived home safely 2 hours later. Katie said it best this way, "we hit the low point when we stopped in a VERY small town to get directions, finding out we were about 1 and 1/2 hours away, it was pouring rain, we were pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and Rylie (Katie's baby) was screaming." Happy to say though that we all (Kurt, Adam, Katie, and myself) all kept very good attitudes during the drive despite the fact that the guys had A LOT of studying to do and all the other circumstances. We got to see a very pretty part of Virginia (and some pretty dumpy parts) that we probably would never have been through had we not missed that left hand turn.

Oh well...we have another fun memory to add to the 100's...Kurt is still studying at 10:15 trying to get done what he needed to for today...and I got to watch New Moon tonight with friends. Looking forward to Eclipse in 2 weeks!!!!

There's just something about...

2010-06-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

Having sweet tea with lunch that makes it feel like summer is here. It never hurts to have fresh tomatos, strawberries, and radishes from friend's gardens or freshly picked. (oh and free Panera Bread) :)

Reading your Bible with a hot cup of coffee and flowers on a beautiful morning to get your day going

Having fresh flowers around to make our "home" just feel cozier

Taking a good nap and lounging around the house ALL DAY

Baby Quilt

2010-05-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

I made this on my week off for my boss's baby. It is pretty small, perfect for laying on or maybe to cover up in a stroller. I free motion quilted it for my first time. Can't wait to see baby Maribell use it.

Celebrating 4 years

2010-05-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our 4 Year Anniversary has come and gone and it was Great!!! We went out to dinner to one of our favorite places and got to sit outside. The weather was perfect. We had an appetizer PLUS our meal. That's a treat! Went on a walk, got pictures done in an old time photo booth, came home had our own Ben and Jerry's ice cream and watched the season finale to the Office and 30Rock. In my mind...a perfect way to celebrate this year!
It has been a really fun 4 years and can't wait for the next 4. Wow, a lot can happen by then!!! Excited to see where we'll be at in life.

New Find

2010-05-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

I found this today!!! There is sooooooooo much to read! I'm especially interested in her photography section. Well, back to the site!
Have a great weekend!

Weekend

2010-05-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

The weekend was spent with family and friends. I LOVE those kind of weekends. We watched a movie, had dinner, and taught Settlers of Cataan to friends. Went hiking with a friend and spent Sunday with Kurt's brothers, wives, and kids.

Sick

2010-05-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

If you are sick in our house you can be sure that Mac will be right there to comfort you and keep you company.

Recouping

2010-05-01T12:07:00.001-07:00

I am home now recouping from a sleepover with 5th and 6th grade girls. It was fun, crazy, and LOUD! It was the end to 2010 year of Pioneer Girls group from church. We had a great year and hopefully the girls learned a lot about how to be better young women for Christ. I have definetely learned a lot about myself and how to be used by God. I'm now going to relax and maybe take a nap! I didn't get much sleep last night!

Another New Place

2010-04-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Old Place (well, current place)

New place we will be moving into! Come for a visit!!!!

New street we will live on

Spring Break Trip to Florida

2010-04-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our annual trip to Florida. This was our 4th year doing this trip. We LOVE it!!!! It basically consists of swimming at the pool, playing tennis, eating, drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee, spending time with my grandparents, playing Settlers, going to some park and some beach. It is literally the best vacation! We have soooooo much fun with my brother and his family! This year we went to Disney which was definitely magical. We could not have walked into the park at a more better time. As soon as we walked in there were tons of people with huge smiles on their faces watching a parade go by with all the characters and with loud music telling us we were going to have "The time of our life". The girls were so awe struck. It was perfect. I cried but wasn't willing to admit it until Emily looked at me and said she was crying. Ridiculous, I know, but so much fun!

I am so thankful for the time Kurt and I had to be together away from school and work. It was refreshing and came at the perfect time for us for where we are at in this stage of life. We got to talk about a lot which was really special. It's nice having a 12 hour car ride together to laugh and talk about goals and the future together.

I'm also thankful for my grandparents who make this trip possible. They provide a place for us to stay each year and food to eat. They are so generous! I love them so much! They are so fun to be with!

One more thing I'm thankful for is Andy and Emily. They really mean a lot to me and I am so glad that we are close. Their kids are amazing and I love them so much!

So that sums up our trip. I'm back home now and went back to work today. It was hard, but it will get better as I get back into the swing of things. Kurt's back to school and will be busy until July 2nd. Then we'll have vacation again together!!!! YES!!!
Remember you can click on the picture to see it bigger

1 More Blanket Done

2010-04-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

For some reason I can't get the underline to go away so this whole post will have it I guess. I'm not going to spend to much time trying to figure it out.

A few months ago I blogged about the new fabric I had just gotten to make my nephew River a blanket. My goal was to have it done by our trip to Florida so that I could give it to River (and more so to my sister-in-law) in person. I'm so glad I did!!!!! It was so fun to hand it over. There is a sense of pride when completely a blanket/quilt. This one is not technically a quilt. It is more like a duvet only you can't remove the down blanket from it. The whole thing is sowed together and can be thrown into the wash. It is so cuddly and as you can tell from the pictures River loved it!

My Man's Birthday

2010-04-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

He turned 27 on Friday. The Birthday Boy likes his day to be pretty low key, no parties, no big gatherings, no drawing attention to him what so ever. So, he picked dinner...egg salad sandwiches on good bread, good chips, good drinks (sweet tea), and cherry pie. What this boy wants, he gets. So, we made his wish come true and added a fruit salad. We celebrated with our close friends on Thursday since they would be gone on Friday. Kurt also wanted his gifts Thursday night instead of Friday so once again...what the boy wants, he gets...for his birthday. He asked for a gold chain, but if you know him and the way things he asks for, you would know that he doesn't REALLY want a gold chain. Instead I thought really hard of what he likes and what he has said he has wanted in passing and got him a jar of pickles, a DD travel mug, and a book that he has been wanting, What the Dog Saw and other adventures by Malcolm Gladwell.
So here's a Happy Birthday to my man! You are a great husband and friend! I love you so much and can't wait for this whole next year until your next birthday!

Care Package

2010-04-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

We are going to Florida next week and meeting up with my brother, sister in law, nieces, and nephew. We'll be with my grandparents down there. So, this weekend I put together a little care package to send the girls to have for their long road trip. Kurt helped out with the drawings. I think they are so funny. The girls called today and thanked us for their package. My cousin and I used to play Car Bingo on car trips. It is a great way to pass the time.

Shout Out

2010-04-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

I'd like to give a HUGE shout out to Tim Hartman for recovering my pictures last night after almost 2 hours of trying different things out.

As most of you know I have stepped out in my photography and am trying to have a little business with it. Well, last Thursday morning I had a photo shoot for two brothers both graduating from high school. It was the first time taking pictures of someone I had never met. I bought a brand new memory card on Wednesday night, took a few pictures with it to make sure it worked properly, got ready for the photo shoot in the morning, and went to bed. Thursday morning came, I met the family, took a TON of pictures of the two brothers, and went to work. Friday afternoon I went to upload the pictures, all 370 of them, only to find out that they weren't uploading properly. Every single picture had a portion of it covered up by a solid gray section. I tried uploading again. No luck! I tried it on Kurt's computer and on both of my bosses computers. Still...no luck. I was doing my best, thinking "this is OK, it will work out somehow, don't get stressed out". I was dreading having to call the family and explain what had happened. I took the memory card to CVS and copied a few of the pictures onto a CD to see if this would work. I had a little better luck this time...about half of the pictures I copied had the gray portion covering the picture. Now, what?

Thankfully, Tim was able to come to my rescue!!! I couldn't be more grateful to him for solving the problem. He still is puzzled as to what happened exactly and he could explain a bunch of things that I couldn't, but one thing is for sure. I have all 370 pictures on my computer and I can know get to editing and get these pictures into the right hands...

Thanks again Tim!!!! You are a computer/camera genius!!!!! Be expecting a meal for you and your wife sometime next week!!! and maybe some cookies!!!

Recent Happenings

2010-04-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

A lot has been going on since my last post. Somehow though I have gotten away from blogging about it all. Here's a catch up and then hopefully I'll get back in a rhythm. Some have pictures, some don't.

-Mac got his first haircut. It's a pretty drastic change, but we like it and he is much more comfortable in the heat.
-I finished Twilight and New Moon. I'm half way through Eclipse. A bunch of us girls got together and watched Twilight one rainy Sunday afternoon. Once everyone in the group (ehem...Meredith) finishes New Moon, we'll watch that one.

-I don't care that much about basketball, but March Madness came (and will be over tonight). We have had a lot of basketball watching nights with friends. I mostly cared about the friends part.

-Kurt ran an 8k after almost zero training. He did great but felt like he had been in a car accident the next day. I just cheered him on and took pictures. Maybe I"ll run next year????
-I got 2 wisdom teeth out. It was supposed to be an easy in and out thing, but the one ended up being impacted and so the hammer drill and stitches were required. I was awake for all of this!!! I'll spare you the pictures!

-I have had a few more photo sessions to add to my portfolio.

-Spring arrived and it has brought summer like temperatures and beautiful flowers!

Future Garden

2010-03-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

I like to dream about my future garden. A garden in our very own backyard with a nice fence around it. This garden was in colonial Williamsburg and was so perfect. I wish it was mine.

First Cookout for the Season

2010-03-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

One memory we will have forever is having cookouts in the middle of the parking lot while living at The Mill. The spring weather is here so in honor of the First day of Spring and for the love my husband has of hotdogs, we celebrated with a cookout. Looking forward to many more!

Williamsburg, VA

2010-03-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

We spent last weekend in Williamsburg, VA with our friends, thanks to their parents that let us use their time share. It was a great getaway.
Highlights included...
-walking around Colonial Wiliamsburg. It made me think of a simpilar time in life...no cars...big stores...internet...etc. Just your town with cute houses, white picket fences, fun gardens, the 1 local store to shop at, homemade things, etc. Don't get me wrong though, I know the settlers had to work very hard for their living and went through many hardships!!
-eating some GREAT sandwhiches at The Cheese Shop. You should go there if you ever visit Williamsburg
-Dunkin Donuts run with Kurt Sunday morning
-Good quality time with our friends. This was our 2nd vacation with them. We're already planning the next!

*You can click on the collage to view it bigger.

The Suspense is Over

2010-03-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

My 2nd quilt is complete! I have been finished with this for a little over a week know, but there was one little thing I needed to fix. I also didn't want to post pictures of it until I gave it away so that I wouldn't ruin the surprise. My best friend here in Blacksburg's little girl is the recipient of this baby quilt.I hope it will keep her warm for years to come!

It was fun making it and is all from left over material from another quilt I made for my nieces. So, there you have it folks. I guess I can say I am a quilter...kindof. I know what to do anyways. Don't look to closely though, it has a very "homemade" look to it.

Next project...my nephew River's quilt. I have started cutting the material. The goal is to have it done by April when we will see my brother and his family in Florida!

Photography by Cindi

2010-03-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! I'm REALLY excited to announce my new website...

www.photographybycindi.weebly.com

Check it out and spread the word!!!

TGIF

2010-02-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I only have 2 more hours of work and then I'm free for the weekend! Remembering back to my younger years, around 10-13 or so, I loved Fridays because of TGIF...the Friday night shows! However I am glad for this weekend because my plans don't include much. Drinking coffee will definitely be happening...it's freezing here! I had a pretty nice tan going this time last year. I'm ready for my pasty white look to be gone and replaced with a nice healthy sun-kissed look. Maybe I'll call and schedule my hour long massage Kurt gave me for Valentine's day?

I signed up for a veggi co-op this week from Sausser Farms. It starts the end of May and goes through October...I think. I get 5 pounds of vegetables each week of my choice plus a dozen ears of corn each week during corn season and 1 pumpkin in the fall all for a mere $35!!! Here's to hoping the vegetables are in good condition! This is my first time doing this and I am excited!

Another thing I noticed this week and think is pretty funny is that it's not enough for the little boy I take care of to simply step of the edge of anything (i.e. bottom stair, the curb, some squishy stair at his bouncy bears class) like everybody else. Oh no, it definitely requires an all out JUMP. Maybe I should start doing that. It seems alot more fun!

Ok, so this was a random post, but a post none the less. It's for all my faithful readers out there!
Oh,yeah I just remembered that I DID have something kinda fun to post about but it will have to wait till another day as a picture has to be included in it for sure! I'll give you a hint. It includes fabric. Anyone excited?!

Bring on the Lists

2010-02-24T12:05:00.001-08:00

Things I currently like to consume for a snack...
-spoonfuls of nutella
-homemade protein bars (recipe to come)
-homemade granola (recipe to come)
-string cheese
-Olvaltine in soy milk
-nacho chips and salsa or homemade hummus (recipe to come)

Things Mac likes to consume at any time of the day...
-my underwear. He is up to 6 pairs now.
-pens and highlighters
-cotton batting from his bed (I need to patch that up)

Top 10 Ten Things To Do In My Free Time

2010-02-16T11:31:00.001-08:00

My Current Top 10 Things To Do In My Free Time are...
1. Read my Bible
2. Read the Twilight Series
3. Look at pictures to get ideas
4. Watch the Olympics
5. Go on a walk with Kurt and Mac
6. Tidy up the apartment
7. Talk on the phone with family or friends
8. Work on some sowing project
9. Watch Survivor on ABC.com
10. Take pictures

Happenings

2010-02-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a pretty lucky girl. I got a gift certificate to get a massage that came with a very sweet note from my very sweet husband. To top that off, we went to see Valentine's Day (I would NOT reccomend it) and out to dinner at a new restaurant. It was such a fun day celebrating our love! How corny!!! However it is fun!

I have seen alot of banner's on different crafty blogs for all different holidays so I decided to make one for Valentine's Day. I went with "LOVE" instead of "Valentine's Day" because I do enjoy crafting but not that much. Shorter less difficult projects are my style!

Also, this winter I picked up knitting. If the picture below doesn't make it look confusing I don't know how else to capture it! I am hoping that my next hat will go a lot quicker and smoother. The other thing that is a big bummer is that after all the time I spent on it, it is WAY to big. I was making it for Kurt and if put on properly it goes down to his mouth. I should just cut out eye holes and it could be a face mask. One other thing about knitting...those sharp pointed needles hurt your fingers!
I know that hat looks like it's not that big here but it isn't all the way down on my head.

Oh, and I got a new coat!!!

Olympics Party

2010-02-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

There were 12 adults, 1 dog, and 1 baby packed into our SMALL apartment to watch the Olympics. There was LOTS of good food, many laughs, good conversation, and Olympic ceremony watching. Super fun night! Once again...glad for friend!

One more

2010-02-09T11:16:00.001-08:00

A good workout = pulling 2 kids on a sled up hill over and over and over again!

I was wondering why the right side of my upper back was hurting this morning until I started pulling kids around in the snow now for day #2!

A.M.

2010-02-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

7:30 a.m. start time + 1 good friend + 2 cute dogs + lots of fresh snow + snowshoes + walking where we wouldn't normally go= fun times, great memories, 1 friend that now likes snowshoeing, and a great early morning workout

Cute

2010-01-28T12:08:00.001-08:00

Just a fun picture to leave you with today. A VERY large portion of my day to day life is spent with these two and I LOVE it!

Rotations

2010-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

We have reached a big milestone in med school...rotation assignments. We found out on Monday that we will be staying right here in Blacksburg. Kurt will have all his rotations in a 30 mile radius of here which means he won't have to leave me for whole weeks at a time! I am thankful for that! When we were getting to put down our requests for rotations regions part of me wanted to go to a new place for a new adventure but the more realistic side of me wanted to stay here. We have GREAT friends, I have a job that has been a huge blessing, we have a church (although I'm not super attached to it), and we know the area. I didn't want to have to start all over with all those things again for only another 2 years before we moved AGAIN for Residency. So, when the day came to find out I called Kurt at least 5 times to see if he found out and my friend to see if she had heard anything from her husband.

We planned a celebratory dinner at Moes with all our friends. There were about 15 of us there 6 of which were med students . I was reminded again how blessed we are here with the friends God has brought into our lives! Everyone got their first choice and all are staying except for one couple is moving to NJ but that is where they requested.

God is good and I am reminded of that pretty regularly these days!

Winter Project

2010-01-20T11:46:00.000-08:00

The material has arrived for my winter project to begin. It will be used to make a quilt (kindof) for my nephew River. Excited to get started. I'll post updates!

Check it out!

2010-01-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

My friend Katherine is having a raffle for one of her quilts if you donate at least $5 for either her to send to Samaritans Purse or to a an organization of your choice that is helping out with the disaster in Haiti. You just have to let her know.

It's a pretty cool idea that she has going on and her quilts are awesome!! She's the one that taught me how to make a quilt. Just think, a homemade quilt for only $5. That's awesome!!! I do know if you donate more than your name can be entered in more than once.

Check out the link, she has all the details and it's not confusing if you are thinking it might be!!!

http://rhymeswithquilt.blogspot.com/2010/01/stitchin g-hope-haiti-relief-project.html.

It's Friday!

2010-01-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

While at our friends house last night, I said, out loud, "man, I keep thinking tomorrow is Friday but then remember it's only going to be Thursday!" To my great surprise, everyone starting laughing and said "tomorrow IS Friday." That made for a much better evening!

Work-1 Thess. 4:9-12

2010-01-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

I started back to work yesterday after a 3 week break and needed a little reminder as to the reason I am working. I honestly enjoyed my last week home being a "Stay at home dog mom" as I liked to call myself meeting Kurt for lunch at school, taking my time making dinners and actually enjoying it, working on "projects" around our apartment, making lists of things to do, running to the post office, you know, things like that. It is hard sometimes being the "bread winner" of the family but it is the season of life we are in now. I am choosing (or trying to choose) to be positive and thankful for a job and a great family to work for. I mean you can't really complain about a 3 week paid Christmas vacation, right? I do somehow find something to complain about though...I'm working on that too.

Anyways, I have been introduced to Tim Keller's free sermons on line by my great sister-in-law (I prefer to just say sister. It feels like we are) and brother (my brother's great too). There are so many to choose from and so as I was scrolling around looking for one to listen to during my NOT guilty pleasure during the kids nap time, I found one titled "Work". I read the description and it seemed to be exactly what I needed.

I made myself listen to it again while I was making supper so I could take it in better. Basically I came away with the understanding that a reason for a job is to help others...an expression of love and to strive for an inside quiet/rest while doing it. God doesn't want us to be restless with our lives. Maybe my job isn't as ideal as I think it should be, but I can be thankful that it is a job that really helps out a family and I can find ways in my job to be creative and use the talents God has given me. If I realize I am working to please my God then my attitude can be adjusted better.

If you are wanting some awesome sermons to listen to check Tim Keller out. They are great for car rides or while making dinner or just for a quiet time in the afternoon. I promise you will be encouraged!!

Semi Homemade

2010-01-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

There's something about making things. I love the personal touch you can add to them and the creativity involved.

This year's Christmas was semi-homemade for me. I bought most of the gifts we gave away, but made a few. We got some great homemade gifts from my brother and his wife. Emily made me 2 bracelets, granola and salt scrub for the shower. Andy made Kurt an awesome paddle and me a wooden spoon. From my end came homemade soap and jelly, some ornaments using cookie cutters, scrap book paper and pictures (the ones I made for my mom have pictures of her grand kids in them), and coffee coozies.

I have big plans for next year already and plan to get a jump start on them during these winter months.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and maybe get some good ideas for yourself.

Broom Ball

2010-01-10T16:21:00.000-08:00

A classic game of Broom Ball was played Saturday night with a group of friends followed by soup and games. It was freezing cold but it is VERY rare to have a frozen pond so we had to take advantage of it. No one down here has ice skates or hockey sticks so we improvised and had a great time. It was a lot more fun then it sounds. So glad for friends here who like to have a good time.

Thoughtful

2010-01-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

This arrived in the mail as a surprise. It pretty much made my day! I'm looking forward to the day that we can do exactly what the card said.

Finally!

2009-12-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Finally my creative juices are starting to flow...I know, I know, a little late for all my Christmas gifts to be homemade, but I am managing to pull some things together. I have a problem with just going out and buying gifts for people off a list. I prefer to think of something on my own that they would LOVE or better yet making something. Since I am getting a late start for this year I have plans to work on a few things during the winter months for next year. I am already soooo excited!!! The bummer part is that I can't post pictures of them b/c certain someones may see them. I am enjoying trying to be a more thoughtful person and am thankful for the Christmas season and that it makes me think of others.

Christmas Lights

2009-12-13T11:00:00.001-08:00

Kurt and I decided to drive around and check out the Christmas lights around town last night. We did our best to make it as "Christmassy" as possible. We dressed warm, got Dunkin Donuts coffee and listened to Christmas music on the radio as we drove around. No snow, BUT a winter weather advisory was in effect. Christmas Lights don't look quite the same without snow on them. We wrapped up the night with a movie while awaiting the news of our friends child's birth. It was a night to remember!

Hymns

2009-12-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

I just got this with birthday money. The words have been such a blessing. There is something about the lyrics in hymns that have such a deep meaning. I love every song and they have been speaking directly to my heart and mind. I come home from work and put it on and it helps to focus my life on the One who cares for me more than I can even imagine. I came across this artist on Pandora. I have the Hymns ones called Roots Run Deep. If anyone is looking for a gift to give someone that can be a blessing as well, I recommend this CD. Check it out!!!