It's been unbearably hot around here the past few weeks. Temps have even reached triple digits. Putting clothes on, blow drying your hair, and putting make up on are just chores now. Even if I wear skirts and tank tops I still feel like I'm melting, but I can't very well walk around naked. I'm pretty sure there's a law against that.
And so I am looking ahead to a wonderful fall season. I think fall has really become my favorite. Ever since we experienced our first fall in 2008 I can't get enough of the crisp cool air, the colorful leaves, and the layers of clothes I get to wear.
I don't think I'll be able to buy anything new to wear for this fall (we're saving up for our move to Denver in January!) but I can get inspired by these amazing Fall Collections and do some wardrobe remixing to achieve similar looks. [By the way no one is better at wardrobe remixing than the Clothes Horse]
Here are a few of my favorite Fall 2010 Collections:
There's a reason I chose Kate Spade frames when I got new glasses. I love this label...even though I've never owned anything by Kate Spade (except my glasses of course). The colors are so fresh and fun. I love the idea of wearing bold colors in the fall.
Orla Kiely is the very definition of adorable. When they did a line for Target I snagged four cute plates and cups (husband would not allow me to buy more...which is for the best I suppose, I might have gone overboard). I think their Autumn/Winter collection is so refined and sophisticated. And the colors are definitely very autumn-y.
I'd never heard of Lauren Moffatt before but when I saw this collection I swooned. It's fashion perfection. I'm a sucker for the dresses and tights combo...and those little knit hats are adorable.
This is another designer I had never heard of (I'm really not up to date on fashion designers...I kind of just like what I like). But I saw this collection and fell in love with all the colorful patterns. Patterns are a great way to make an otherwise boring outfit interesting.
Alex has been wanting to see Switchfoot for a long time. Any time they've played a show in town we haven't been able to go for various reasons. So when he heard they would be playing in Raleigh this month I finally decided to be a nice wife and get some tickets. Anything to make my husband smile. It is one of his favorite bands after all.
They opened up for the Goo Goo Dolls (I was less than enthused about this) at the new amphitheater in downtown Raleigh. First, let me say that I love this new venue. It's got a smaller more intimate feel to it. It seems that no matter where you're sitting you will have a great view of the band. We had seats in the first section to the right of the stage and I felt like I could see every sweat drop. I hope I get to see more shows at this venue.
Alex and I arrived just in time to see Switchfoot kick off their set. They did a great job. You could tell they were so excited to be there playing their music. They did a good mix of new and old songs. My only complaint is that the set was too short. But I guess that's what happens when you're not the headlining band. (By the way, WHY was Switchfoot opening for the Goo Goo Dolls??? I didn't even know the Goo Goo Dolls were still making music. And could there be a worse name for a band than Goo Goo Dolls?!)
After their set we headed to the back of the amphitheater since the band would be there to sign autographs and take pictures. It was really neat to meet them, even if it was a little rushed. All the guys were really nice and smile-y.
We stayed to hear the Goo Goo Dolls play three songs and then we were out of there.
It was a great little date night with the husband in downtown Raleigh and hopefully we'll get to see Switchfoot play again. Maybe at the Red Rocks in Denver???
If you weren't already aware, I LOVED Hanson while I was growing up.
It all started in middle school for me. I just fell in love with the music and the boys (especially Zac).
I was a loyal fan. I had all the CD's, my walls were plastered with their posters, I never missed a television appearance... Okay, maybe I was just a little obsessed.
My dad even drove me and a couple of my friends to Ft. Lauderdale to one of their concerts. Pretty much one of the most exciting moments of my life...even if our seats were all the way in the back. I also went to another one of their concerts a couple years later with another friend. Again, very exciting!
Over the years I moved on, I didn't keep up with their new music. The posters came down, the t-shirts were given away, and I have no idea where all my CD's went. But then Alex and I were at an OK Go show a couple of months ago at the Lincoln Theater in downtown Raleigh and I saw a poster advertising an upcoming Hanson concert with opening band Rooney!
Well, I just HAD to get tickets. I called up m'girl, Kat and we were ready. My friend Megan Desko (who helped me with these cookies, remember?) also wanted to come (Hanson Lovers, Unite!). So last Saturday night we got in my car and headed to the grand Lincoln Theater.
[Side note: Poor Megan forgot her ticket at home, but my iPhone 4 saved the day...she was able to pull up the e-mail with the PDF of the ticket and show it at the door...another reason I love my iPhone 4!]
Rooney was a great opening act. I really enjoyed their set. I don't think they had a bad song in the bunch. Alex was bummed when he heard Rooney was the opening band because he really likes them. Ohhh well, sorry, babe!
Then Hanson came on and it really was so exciting! I couldn't believe how many people were there. As a Hanson fan you always feel like you're the only weirdo in the world that likes them...but there were a lot more people at the show than I expected there to be. And it really is too bad that they have such a bad rep. They get made fun of a lot and people think they're dumb...but they're honestly great musicians. I was impressed with their vocals and musicianship. They all have great sounding voices and have improved so much on their instruments. They've been in the game for 15 years now and they're still going strong. Impressive if you ask me. They really are more than just MmmBop. So maybe you should give 'em a listen. You may be pleasantly surprised. ;-)
The show was great and I realized I may not be crazy over them anymore (I've got my hot husband to go crazy over), but I still love the music and I will continue to be a fan. Who's coming to the next Hanson concert with me?!?
And here's a little MmmBop for you...because I don't care what anyone says, it's a great song. ;-)
I love documentaries. I like that they show reality (and I'm not talking about Jersey Shore reality). I like learning about different topics and seeing parts of people's lives that I may not have ever seen. I just love documentaries. So here are a few of my favorites:
1. The Business of Being Born
The first time I saw this doc I was amazed! It's no secret that women nowadays are terrified of the whole birthing process. I love how this movie really takes away all those fears and shows how normal and truly beautiful birth is. I've always been interested in having an all-natural birth, but there are so many nay-sayers out there ("You're gonna want that epidural! Are you crazy?!"). Well, according to this documentary, I'm not crazy! It can definitely be done (as long as the pregnancy is not high-risk). I love the idea of having a water birth either in a birthing center or at home with a midwife.
Watch this movie. Alex watched it with me and he loved it too. It's nice having a supportive husband who sees the beauty in birth. Get educated, people...don't be afraid of the birthing process! Do research and make an informed decision. If you decide you still want to go the epidural route, that's fine, it's your birth, but don't make decisions out of fear and ignorance. You don't have to be afraid. Be empowered.
2. Danielson: A Family Movie
I saw this years ago and I loved it. This film focuses on Daniel Smith, a very eccentric musician/artist. He led a band made up of his siblings and they were actually pretty popular in the indie/Christian music world. Daniel is a bit disturbed and it's fascinating and sometimes a little scary seeing his ups and downs. The music is interesting and there's even an appearance by Sufjan Stevens, a family friend. I love music and creativity and seeing that whole world...so if you're into that you may enjoy this film also.
3. The September Issue
Okay, I think you all know I love fashion! It's not my life...but I appreciate fashion and all the creativity and aesthetics that goes along with it. This doc follows Vogue as they prepare for their biggest issue of the year, the September issue. The focus is on Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and legend in the fashion world. As interesting as Anna Wintour is, I was really fascinated with Grace Coddington. She is the Creative Director at the magazine and in my eyes, an absolute genius. She would pull together the most beautiful photo shoots. When you first look at Grace you don't really think much of her (at least I didn't), but as the film goes on you begin to realize that this woman knows what she is doing and seems to almost effortlessly make these incredible fashion photo shoots happen.
4. Food, Inc.
I'll admit, I avoided seeing this movie for a long time. I didn't want to know how my food was being made. I just wanted to eat, drink, and be merry. But I finally broke down and decided to watch it (thanks to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution) and it rocked my world. I was so disgusted with...everything. I hated seeing how cows and chickens were treated and what they were fed. I hated seeing how American companies would take advantage of undocumented workers. I hated seeing how local farmers were being bullied. I was just disgusted with the food industry in general. This film really exposes a lot of ugly truths. Since watching the film I have tried to make some changes in how we eat. I shop for produce at the local farmer's market and only buy beef that is grass-fed and I purchase cage-free eggs. I'm trying to make a change, but it's difficult. If there is anyone out there who has advice on how to eat organically and sustainably (while not spending a whole lot of money), please share. This movie is really eye-opening and I highly recommend it. It's not just about eating healthy...it's also about being humane.
I think when we move to Colorado, this will be even easier to do because it's such a healthy state and it seems that the people there are big advocates for eating sustainably.
Those are just a few of my favorite documentaries. What are some of your favorites? Any recommendations? Which one should I watch next?
This past week our church had a week of local outreach with ServeRDU.
You might remember my post about this from last year.
This year I was able to participate in several different projects (the perks of unemployment!) and I loved every minute of it.
On Monday our small group hosted a picnic for refugees that came to the States from Nepal, but are originally from Bhutan. Many of these refugees had been living for years in Nepal (they fled from Bhutan because of ethnic cleansing that was going on) and had to leave because Nepal felt they could no longer care for these refugees. There are a few people in our small group that are actively involved in ongoing ministry with the refugees so that is how we came to know of them. This is the organization that has been helping them out.
A group of us went to the apartment complex where many of these refugees live and were able to help cook their food with them. Well, I really just chopped vegetables and watched them cook. ;-) Then we loaded up the cars and headed to a park nearby where we enjoyed their delicious food (seriously, it was so good!), chatted with them, played games, and learned some traditional Indian dances that they enjoy.
The kids loved Jaxon. He was in doggie heaven running around with them, getting his picture taken, and enjoying all of the attention. The picnic was so much fun and I loved getting to know the refugees.
Tuesday evening the Pregnancy Support Services of Wake Forest wanted to do a photo shoot for some of their clients. We all know how expensive it can be to hire a professional photographer for maternity and family portraits, so I, along with four other photographers, went to a beautiful farm in Wake Forest to shoot some photos for these clients. Again, it was so much fun and I loved chatting with all the different moms and moms-to-be. So many of them expressed their appreciation for PSS of WF and are so thankful for all the different practical programs they offer. They really walk with these women and their families through their pregnancy and even offer help after the baby is born. They are doing great work there.
(our location - Horseshoe Farms in Wake Forest, NC)
Wednesday morning I helped with a baby shower being hosted for one of the clients from PSS of WF. I was really just there to take pictures...capture the moment. :-) The client and her boyfriend loved the baby shower. They were really blown away by all the great gifts. The girls in charge of putting the shower together did a great job. Again, it was great to see how PSS of WF has really committed to help this couple figure out how to care for their unborn child.
Finally on Saturday I was back at PSS of WF with a big group of people to help do a deep cleaning of the center. We scrubbed and vacuumed and mopped until it was looking shiny and new. It was a joy to be able to serve them in that way after all the ways they have served our community.
I hope everyone else from the Summit enjoyed their service projects as much as I did. Check out this brief recap video about our ServeRDU week and click here to see how you can stay involved with local outreach in the community.
I love old hymns.
I'll admit, I didn't always love them. I used to be a punk teenager that thought I was too cool for hymns. Who wants to listen to old boring songs?? Laaame.
But over the years, I've grown in my appreciation for these beloved spiritual songs of the faith. I love how these hymns have so much theological meat to them. They're beautifully written. They don't just say, "I love Jesus...God is awesome...Praise Him." They say so much more.
One of my favorites is called "Be Thou My Vision."
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Another old favorite is "My Hope is Built," (I know it as "On Christ the Solid Rock").
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.
Here are the lyrics to Before the Throne...this one seriously gets me every time. The beauty of my God and the deep unconditional love He has for me is so overwhelming.
Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea A great High Priest whose name is love Who ever lives and pleads for me My name is graven on His hands My name is written on His heart I know that while in heaven He stands No tongue can bid me thence depart No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within Upward I look and see Him there Who made an end of all my sin Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free For God, the Just, is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there! The risen Lamb My perfect, spotless, Righteousness The Great unchangeable I AM The King of Glory and of Grace One with Himself I cannot die My soul is purchased by His blood My life is hid with Christ on high With Christ my Savior and my God With Christ my Savior and my God
We've had a great time with Jaxon the past few weeks that he has been a part of our family. He is incredibly sweet...and spoiled! He loves to be cuddled with and if you stop petting him he will nudge his little nose on your hand to let you know that you should keep petting him.
He's very sweet with everyone he meets...other dogs, however, that's another story. We're considering enrolling him in obedience classes to help with his aggression/anxiety towards other dogs. I'm sure he will get over it if we keep working with him...because really, he's so sweet!
All Dog Blog somehow saw my blog post about bringing Jaxon home and featured our little pup on their blog. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the post. Click here to see it.
I adore the Cranes.
Thomas, Leslie, and now little Baby Judah are great friends to us. I did Leslie's maternity photos a couple months ago and now Judah has joined us (he was born on our wedding anniversary, May 31st!).
I am so impressed with Thomas and Leslie. They are first-time parents and they are doing such a great job. God has really been blessing them and we are thankful!
Thomas' parents (who are missionaries in Africa) traveled to NC to see their first grandbaby. Thomas' brother, sister, and brother-in-law are also in town and it's the first time the whole family has been together in quite some time. So of course, a family photo session was in order! Don't you just love how babies bring families together?
We went down to Joyner Park in Wake Forest to snap some photos. They're a great family and I really enjoyed spending time with them.
Here are a few of my favorite images...and you can check out more at my flickr account.
Our church, the Summit, is currently doing a series called "Fatherless."
Here is what the Summit has to say about the fatherless and the church's role in the lives of orphans:
Though we were once "fatherless" and far away, we have been redeemed and brought near by the blood of Jesus. We have been adopted as his sons and daughters. Join us as we talk about the implications of this for our personal lives and what it means for our responsibility toward those who are "fatherless," both here in RDU and around the world.
This weekend, Trevor Atwood (college pastor at the Summit) gave a message entitled "Adoption: Identity & Inheritance." It was truly incredible. Trevor and his wife, Keva, have adopted two boys (Micah from Russia and Isaac from Ethiopia). He talked about we have been adopted by God through Jesus Christ and related that to his experiences adopting his sons. The way he delivered his message was truly flawless and touching.
The clincher for me was at the end of his sermon when he said, "If we truly believe the gospel, all of our lives will demonstrate a love that is not self-focused...but a love, like God's, that sacrifices to bring others to the realization that they have a Father that loves them... We will reach out to those in need, those experiencing the brokenness of our world, to show them that there is a heavenly Father who will make all things new. Race, disease, special needs, finances will not keep God's church from adopting orphans because sin has not kept God from adopting us."
Powerful stuff. I suggest you go HERE and listen to the full message. You truly will not regret it. It's truly a beautiful, eye-opening explanation of the gospel, our adoption, and what our response should be in light of these truths.
One more quote that really grabbed me: "If the gospel story of our adoption is true...then from Durham to Raleigh to Chapel Hill to Mebane to Garner to Wake Forest to Cary to Apex to New York City to Denver to North Africa to Central Asia and back again, the stories should be flowing like legend of the way God's church has taken care of the orphan, the widow, the marginalized, the alien, and the outsider...because that is what we all were without Christ!"
Again, such a powerful message and one that all of us who call ourselves Christians should listen to and consider. Click here to hear the message yourself.
And if you're interesting in reading another story about adoption and the gospel pick up a copy of Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore. I just bought it yesterday and can't wait to read it (I have a few other books I need to finish up first).
Jaxon is finally home!
We drove about an hour and a half to pick him up yesterday and he instantly became part of the family.
It's amazing how calm and gentle he is. He's very well-trained (potty and crate) but doesn't really follow commands yet (sit, stay, etc). It's okay. We'll keep working on it.
He's very sweet and lovable. He follows me everywhere I go and loooves to be cuddled with.
Yup, it was pretty much love at first sight.
Of course, Alex made a little video to commemorate the occasion. Check it out below. (if you're reading this on facebook be sure to click here to see the video on my blog) We hope to get him groomed soon...just waiting on some papers from the schnauzer rescue. He's going to look so handsome.
I've been posting quite a bit this month...I guess that's what happens when you graduate from school and don't have a job. Meh.
Anyway, I had to share this neat website I found called Music Philosophy.
A designer named Mico decided to combine his love for music and typography in this project. Every week he adds a new design with a different song lyric in which he graphically interprets the philosophical implications of the lyric. He does a great job. Incidentally each of these designs looks great as an iPhone wallpaper...so find your favorite lyric and download it now.
We all have pet peeves.
Whether it's noisy eaters, nail biting, drivers who don't use their turn signals, bad grammar, bare feet, emoticons (which I happen to love by the way), etc etc. Pet peeves are all around us.
Well I have found a whole list of new pet peeves since moving to North Carolina! Hoorah!
First of all, what is the deal with men calling their wives "my bride"? WHY do they do this? It's the most annoying term of endearment I've ever heard. "I'm going out on a date night with my bride." "Can't wait to get home to my bride." "I love my bride, she's the best." BLEGH. Remember that day when she got all dressed up in white and you wore that dorky tux? That's when she was your bride. Now she's your wife. I don't know, maybe they're trying to keep the honeymoon phase going, but it is truly so so annoying.
These same men are usually the ones who have some sort of smart comment to say about guys who are dancers/artists/musicians. As if a man being a dancer/artist/musician makes him less manly somehow. Are you kidding me?! Male dancers are amazingly strong, agile, and could probably kick your butt without even trying. Male artists and musicians are much more talented and creative than you could ever hope to be.
Watching football and dressing like a slob doesn't make you manly.
Enjoying art, dance, poetry, or playing the piano doesn't make you un-manly.
So let's cool it with the offensive comments.
(In case you hadn't guessed, that there was my second pet peeve)
And then there's these women who get pregnant and have to make every single conversation about their "delicate condition." I'm happy for your little miracle, but can we please talk about something else for a while? This YouTube video was made for them:
So that's it. I'm glad I got that all off my chest. I feel so much better now.
I've written about my feelings on adoption before. It's a beautiful thing.
Well, those sentiments extend out into the animal world as well. I'm not gonna lie...I did NOT want a dog. Alex and I had many many...many...discussions about it. He really wanted one, I was adamantly against it. Some of ourfriends even jumped in on the debate. But I just wasn't having it.
Over time, however, my heart softened. I began doing some research and finally came to the conclusion that if we were to get a dog...he would have to be a miniature schnauzer and he could not be a puppy (house training? no thanks). There are so many abandoned dogs out there who need some lovin'. So why not welcome one of them into our home?
So we searched on petfinder.com and found the dog of our dreams.
He is a four year-old salt and pepper mini schnauzer...and according to his "foster mom" he is as friendly as can be. We are so excited to adopt our little schnauzer...especially because it's been about a month since we first filled out the application through the Schnauzer Rescue. It's a long process since they want to make sure their dogs will be going to a good home.
On Sunday Alex and I will be driving out to Asheboro to pick up our pup. We'll be posting pictures next week! In the mean time, here are a few pictures from the petfinder website:
This past Monday (May 31st) Alex and I celebrated two years of marital bliss.
As I mentioned in my previous post, we spent the day driving home from D.C. and stopped in Richmond for a bite to eat.
But I also got a great idea for a little anniversary gift from a blog online. Aren't these cookies sweet?!
Unfortunately I can't remember which blog I saw this on...so if you've seen this please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!
Anyway...
I'm not exactly an experienced baker, so I asked Megan Desko for help. She makes beautiful and delicious cookies and I could not have pulled this off without her.
She made these cookies for Leslie's baby shower:
And she made these for small group one night:
Check out her blog...she's so talented!
It took us two nights to get the job done...and I could not be happier with result. I got a cookie jar from Target and presented Alex with his gift on Friday before we left for D.C. He loved them! (he's seriously a cookie monster)
As a graduation gift my parents took us to Washington D.C.
Alex and I had never been before, so it was a real treat to be able to experience this city with my family. We did all the regular touristy things...monuments, museums, botanical gardens. We also got the chance to wait one hour in line at Georgetown Cupcake (so worth it) and visit with my dad's sister and her family (they have six amazing children...I loved getting to know them).
We also got to experience Rolling Thunder. I have never seen so many bikers in one place in all my life! It was interesting.
Oh, and best of all we were able to visit Restoration Church. This is a church plant that's less than a year old being led by two SEBTS graduates. It was so encouraging to see them doing what we will hopefully be doing next year. They're doing great work in D.C. Please be in prayer for this young church and give if you are able.
On Monday Alex and I drove back home to Raleigh. We stopped in Richmond and had lunch in Carytown to celebrate our two year anniversary. It was deeelicious. Carytown is a really quirky place, we'll definitely have to go back and spend more time there.
Thanks mom and dad for a great trip! It was so awesome getting to spend time with you in D.C. <3
We're back from our trip to DC and I have a lot to catch up on!
First I wanted to share a few photos from my graduation last Friday.
It was a great day and I am so happy that my family could be there to celebrate.
I am so thankful for my parents...they paid my way through school and I could not be more grateful. They're always there for me and inspire me to do the best I can.
My sister and grandmother were also there. Two strong beautiful women that I love. It's always nice to spend time with them.
And of course, my wonderful husband. What a man. ;-)
