Word-Filled Wednesday: Matthew 6:25

Here is my first attempt at adding text to a picture:

I will be leaning on this verse very much in the coming days as today marks the start of the Lenten season.  I will be abstaining from all desserts/sweets and alcohol until Easter at least.

Since Chris and my wedding, we have been in such a love-bubble... but the truth is, that love-bubble has included a lot of food, and some struggle to establish our cooking/eating/restaurant habits.  I have grown into a pleasingly plump little wife and, with the Lord's help, I am hoping to shrink back to the size I was just a few months ago.

Lent is going to be a wonderful season to lean on the Lord, become very aware of all that I am eating, and re-establish some control and normalcy in healthy eating habits in our life.

Thank you, in advance for your prayers as my mind and my body crave sweets.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

I love the Lenten Season -- in so many ways, it is more joyous than Advent because we're preparing for when Jesus willingly gives Himself for the sins of the world and, not only that... but conquering the grave and raising from the dead to promise us eternal life forever!  I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

Praise God, and Happy First Day of Lent!

Treasuring the Present: Simple Joys with my Hubby

This past weekend, Chris and I were inseparable -- it was wonderful!

We love being inseparable, and most vacations and summers, we try to be... but during the school year and especially the months of February to April, we have A LOT going on and time together is less frequent.

This weekend, we had a wonderful time being inseparable!

I love the simple joys with my husband --

• washing two big dogs in our bathtub
• playing games with friends and strangers at a Game Night
• curling up in bed watching "Notting Hill" and Chris laughing at all the parts that makes me cry
• working out at the gym together (twice)
• commiserating with our sore muscles together
• trying a new church in our area
• hearing a great message and singing praise to the Lord together
• sleeping in

Life is so wonderful as long as its with my hubby!

I love the exciting and unique parts -- like the airline tickets we just booked to Mexico in November (YAY!) -- but I also love the simple and ordinary parts.  Life is so much better being Chris' wife than it ever was before!

Who Let The Dogs Out?

I am so excited for a non-working Monday!  My hubby and I had a WONDERFUL weekend together -- which has been rare since New Years -- and *BONUS* we get three days off together, not just two!

We spent Friday night and Saturday dog-sitting for friends of ours.  We loved having Butters spend Saturday with us, and Lloyd, especially loves time with his three-year-old lab-mix friend.

We went for a hike/walk in the mountainous area surrounding Rifle.  The weather has been very Spring-like, so we were excited to get out and enjoy the mountains with the dogs.

We did not expect the mountains to be SOOOOO MUDDY!  We stuck to walking on the road when we realized how muddy everything was -- the dogs of course ventured everywhere -- including through the mud...

Lloyd and Butters were excited to explore

It turns out Lloyd likes to climb

You can make it, Lloyd

Lloyd made it to the top, but the sun was such that the pictures didn't turn out...

Coming back down

Butters had some interesting habits -- like burrowing into the snow

Where is Butters going?

What do you hear in the snow, Butters?

Look at that snow fly!

The dogs found an elk skeleton -- I tried to explain,
this is what Dad tries to bring home every hunting season

Lloyd found plenty of sticks for us to throw

Hubby getting ready to throw for Lloyd

Lloyd, this stick might be a little too big

"Butters, come on!"

"I'm coming, Lloyd!"

If you can't already tell... I had fun playing with my camera...

I love this puppy!

Dog-prints

He's really muddy!

I took lots of pictures of dogs, and some pictures of the beautiful scenery where we were walking...

We don't have much snow...

This is my favorite picture

Both dogs were grateful for the walk:

"Thanks, Mom!"

"That was fun!"

Trying to keep the mud in the car under control... trying

Due to all the mud... Saturday afternoon was spent giving both dogs a BATH!  Yes, we were that brave!  It was very necessary if the dogs were going to be allowed in the house after the hike.

This was Lloyd's first bath!

Isn't he the most adorable drowned rat?

Two clean, sweet-smelling dogs!

By Saturday evening, Chris and I had to take luke-warm showers (because the dog baths took all of our hot water) to get ready to head over to friends' house for a game night.

Butters went home before bedtime and we all slept SO well Saturday night.

It was nice to have our bed back to one puppy at our feet and one kitty at our head.  We had a great time, though, Butters.  Come back anytime.



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Lloyd's First Sleepover...

Our little Lloyd had his first slumber party last night!

These guys are so cute!

 We puppy-sat for friends of ours who have a three-year-old lab mix named Butters.  Lloyd and Butters are so different, but they love to play and wrestle and tire each other out.

Lloyd was so tiny next to Butters the first time they played --
our little boy is growing up

We are aware every day that Lloyd is still a puppy -- and now a growing, adolescent puppy... but watching him with mellow, mature, obedient Butters makes Lloyd look like a toddler.  In puppy-training, one step at a time, and be grateful.

Poor Lexie isn't even used to her little brother in the house, and now we brought another dog in for the weekend.  She watched the dogs from a perk above our kitchen cabinets for awhile.

At least I feel safe up here

I'm not getting down any time soon

How many more of these species will I have to deal with?

Then, she and Butters kept checking each other out... it was actually adorable how they just kept respectfully staring at each other...

"You are not the black dog I am used to."

It was like watching a staring contest

"Just don't mess with me and we'll be okay"

After all the playtime, Chris and I clamored into our queen-sized bed with our two big black dogs to try to get some sleep.

No snoring, guys

This place is going to the dogs...

Better not to ask.  :-D

Caffeinated Randomness: Classic Theme Songs

I have not participated in caffeinated randomness in a very long time ... mostly because I haven't known where to find it... but it has been found at Lost in the Prairies

Today's randomness is brought to us by:  Classic Sitcom Theme Songs

Last week, Chris and I got home from the gym and I was very high on endorphins.  While in the shower, I started singing classic tv theme songs, and I had to wonder, "What happened to the great old theme songs?"

I'm sure many of you have sung along to the following sitcom songs (or at least the reruns of the sitcom songs):

Growing Pains


Family Ties


Brady Bunch


Reading Rainbow


Who's The Boss?


Charles in Charge


Laverne and Shirley


Cheers


Fresh Prince of Bel Air


Full House


Perfect Strangers


Okay, I realize there are a lot of theme songs on my blog right now... but, seriously, what better way to brighten your Friday than singing along to these great songs?  Enjoy!  I want to hear some singing...

What happened to television theme songs?  Basically, there is only one theme song I sing along to in present day.  You guessed it...

COLLEGE GAMEDAY!


To embrace the randomness yourself, visit Lost In the Prairies.

As of Late: February 2012

I very much enjoy Christy's monthly "As of Late" posts.  Feel free to join here.


I enjoy the little monthly guideposts to remind me what has changed from a month ago, how God is working, how our little family is changing and all for which we have to be thankful.

• Lately, Chris and I have joined a gym and set a goal and reward for ourselves -- hit the gym three times each week between now and the end of March, and we will earn an ipod alarm clock for our bedroom... wish us luck!
• Lately, Chris has been on the go like CRAZY and we are SO looking forward to this weekend -- no grad school classes (just grad school work), no skiing outreach with middle schoolers, and no school on Monday
• Lately, I've been feeling more settled in our little town of Rifle, which has surprised me.  Usually it takes me a full year to really settle into a location, but between our couples dance classes, the after-school frisbee class I teach, and the PEO chapter I found in Glenwood Springs, I am really starting to feel pretty settled
• Lately, I am gearing myself up to give up desserts (all sweets) and alcoholic drinks for Lent.  I was not raised in a church that INSISTED on a Lenten sacrifice, but I have found over the years that often the Lord will prompt me to go without something that has begun to have too big a role in my life during the Lenten season.  It is a great season to realign my heart to lean on the Lord.  I'm trying to gradually eliminate these things from my diet this week so that my body (and my mind) isn't so surprised come Ash Wednesday (Feb 22).
• Lately, I feel like several things in my life are endless -- laundry, dirty dishes, the need to vacuum, and our puppy wanting to play -- if I think these things are endless now, I can't imagine how I'm going to feel when we have children
• Lately, I'm starting to get tired of my long hair, and I'm starting to calculate when I will be giving it to Locks of Love -- probably soon
• Lately, I've been sick, but I'm feeling much better -- just a little lingering cough
• Lately, I've been inspired by friends who have given their blogs a mid-winter makeover... perhaps a blog makeover is in my future as well
• Lately, I have not found the time/motivation/interest to get into a new book... ever since I finished Gone With The Wind, I have not found a new book to hold my interest and I miss reading... any suggestions?
• Lately, I've made a Shutterfly photo album of our Honeymoon pictures, that I gave my hubby for Valentine's Day and it made me remember that I haven't put any of our Honeymoon pictures on the blog yet -- probably because I haven't finished putting wedding pictures on yet  :-D

Here are a few pictures from our Dream-Come-True Honeymoon

Ready to board our 14-day LOVE BOAT cruise!

Mariner of the Seas in the Mediterranean

We dined every night in "The Sound Of Music" Dining Room

There were three formal nights on the cruise

Husband and wife in front of the Pantheon in Athens, Greece

Rug salesman in Kusadasi, Turkey -- they looked like flying carpets

We competed as the newlywed couple on "Love and Marriage" gameshow

In the Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

In love on the cruise deck at sunset

Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy

After throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain

Our maid-of-honor, Kelley was in Rome when we were, so we got to visit with her (here we're in front of the Castel San'Angelo)

From the top of the Vatican City Dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Vatican City

Roman pizza is AMAZING

Honeymoon suite surprise in Budapest

And those are just a few highlights -- our honeymoon was a once in a lifetime adventure, dream come true!

What have you been up to lately?