Get this, friends. A law is soon to be passed making Mexico City the first place where you can get a marriage license that is only good for TWO YEARS.

Yup. You decide to get married and you sign a marriage license, just like normal. Only difference? In two years, you have the choose to shake hands, and walk away. No fees to pay, nothing to split, no paying to change back your last name. This type of marriage license allows the marriage to be annulled with no penalty after the two years. The contract simply ends.

You decide you want to be married to that person for life? You just sign another form, extending the marriage license for life.

What made officials chose two years? "Two years is the minimum amount of time it takes to know and appreciate what life is like as a couple, "Lizbeth Rosas, another supporter of the legislature told a Spanish news station.

Hmm... So do you know what is SO sad? From a logistical, common-sense standpoint, this probably makes a whole lot of sense. Save people the pricey lawyers, the court fees, the changing of the name back to her maiden name and talk about the title of being a "divorcee". This two year marriage probably will save a lot of nasty divorces and just having to jump through all sorts of legal hoops.

I NEVER thought I would live in a time where something like this was actually real. I just get so sad sometimes when I think about how in some ways, the world we are living in is just going farther and farther away from the world that He wanted for us.

Like really, half of all marriages end in divorce. We are allowed to spend THOUSANDS of dollars that we DO NOT have just because we have a piece of plastic with our name on it. I can literally text my mom while I'm in the living room and she is in the kitchen asking her to bring me my ipad so I can see if it is true that Hailey and so and so broke up by stalking her Facebook profile relationship status. Now, I am NOT saying that divorces and using credit cards are 'bad' or "ungodly." All I am saying, is how I am kind of mad at myself for seriously thinking for a minute that a two year marriage license is a good idea.

In a worldy way, yes, it may be. But to Him? Different story.

The material world we live in is just soooo easy to get caught up in, and it is sooo different than the world God is promising us.

I am soo guilty of getting caught up in all of this of this too, and I also agree that many good and necessary things have came from these developments. I just want to be reminded that my treasure isn't here, even when the world is trying to convince me it is :) and it is reallllllly tempting to bust out the good ole American Express whenever I step foot into Nordstrom's :)

and God is promising me a relationship forever, not just a two year trial. ;)

okkkaaaay. You know it's time to find a new hobby when you see these pillows from apartmenttherapy.com, and really consider learning how to use the good ole sewing machine just so you can make them...

Then I realized... ummm. those are seriously SO weird. and not really my thang.

Any ideas anyone? I think I need to take a crafting break, it's starting to get to me :)

This Week

While I know some colleges have already started, lots of major universities are starting school this week. This week STILL brings me butterflies.

As in, I am SEVEN YEARS past my first day of college and I still almost break into tears when I see the kids (are they still even considered kids?) with their parents at Target filling their carts with stackable bins and microwave popcorn. I literally have to run out of Costco because I get so teary-eyed when I see the "fun" parents taking their son and his three college player football roommates through the bakery and stocking up on Costco Chocolate Muffins. (Totally acceptable breakfast food, duh :)

Like seriously, driving to the bank I saw this girl waiting at the WWU bus-stop. She had on her cute shiney new Nike runners and a cute new LuLu sweatshirt. I had a red-light so I was kinda watching her, and she seriously re-bobby-pinned her bangs like 7 times.

College seems so carefree and like such a fun time of our lives. Living on our own for the first time EVER, we can eat whatever we want, do our laundry however few times we want, kiss as many boys as we want, drink as many "lemonades" as we want...

Growing up and now (even after college) I still feel like college should be such a fun time! They don't have to wake up at 6AM like us working folk and Mom and Dad still help with the bills. :) Your responsibility? Go to class and make new friends :) Umm... Fun?? :) In theory, it should be a piece of cake, surrounded with parties and partner "studying" sessions with the cute guy from the basketball team.

This week, if you live in a college town, or have college kids or friends who are leaving to experience the world on their own, give them a little break :)

I need to stop complaining that the grocery store has been PACKED these last few days and Fred Meyer's was out of instant oatmeal (well Peaches & Cream is left but who likes that??) because of the swarms of college kids. I need to stop being annoyed by all the bikers on the road this weekend (environmentally- conscious WWU students :) and just give them a little bit more grace.

I pray for everyone that has started school in the last few weeks, or are about to this week. I pray that you know He is with you, AT ALL TIMES. Evveeeennnn if your momma may not be ;)

My "Pinterest" Wreath Attempt

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the holidays. So. I got on the pinterest and blog world cool kid train and tried my hand at a wreath. How hard could they be?

The style I tried?

~You get ribbon (Michael's has rolls for 99 cents) and cut all the ribbon into strips about 6 inches long.

~Then, you just take your wreath and tie the ribbon around it in a pattern.

Ran out of ribbon halfway around the wreath. Back to the store I went, and of course they didn't have the exact same ribbon. So there are some differences halfway if you look closely ;) But who can tell, right? Orange is orange :)

The "real" pinterest wreath was supposed to face the other way. Mine? Looked like a wet rat from that direction. So I decided to flip it over :)

I finished making it at Drew's, he politely declined me leaving it at his house.

My mom said I couldn't put it anywhere in her house.

So, I told someone at work I would bring it for them. She looked at it, looked at me, and then said, "Sure yeah, I'll take it. I'm sure Aaron (HER SIX YEAR OLD SON) would love to play with it!" hahahaha. Needless to say, perhaps wreaths will not be my claim to fame? :)

Oh my gosh, you guys.

This last weekend when I was at 'Grandma Sleep-Over' we went shopping :)
and she bought me some boots. I am IN LOVE WITH THEM.

So. Fast-forward to work, I'm wearing a cute little tunic (I know, I sound so hippy-ish huh?) with leggings and my cute new boots.

PS. When I first got this tunic my sister said it looked like I was wearing the Thanksgiving table's tablecloth... (I like it. It's one of my earthy outfits ;)

So I am strutting around Wal-Mart at my lunch break looking for a laundry hamper feeling pretty darn cute in my new boots (strutting around Wal-Mart? hehe just picture me :). No luck with the hamper so I take my 10 yogurts (they were on sale!!!) and my SmartWater to the 10 ITEMS OR LESS CHECKSTAND.

I can feel my heart start beating a lil bit faster and I feel the sweat coming on. I am a goody-two-shoes. I HATE breaking the rules. So, I am SO nervous that they are gonna call me out in front of everyone for having 11 items in the 10 item line. Why I didn't move to the regular line? Umm... I had to be back to work in 8 minutes :) (so maybe I am not THAT scared of breaking the rules?)

I am getting flustered as I stack my items on the conveyer belt thing. All of a sudden... I am being PULLED towards the cash register.

Back-up. This little blousey tunic thing has two REALLLLLLY long strings coming from the v-neck. Like long. Like down to my knees.

You guys. ONE OF THEM GOT STUCK IN THE CONVEYER BELT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like imagine your headphone cord getting stuck in the treadmill wheel thing.

Umm.. Same sitatuion, but WORSE. I was like almost facefirst into the checker-lady when she finally pushed the stop button :)

She opens up some little trap door thing and untangles me.

I would have preferred I got called out on the loudspeaker in the Super WalMart for having 11 items in the express lane. First and Last Name. Address maybe even. They could eveeennn say my weight :)

I have never been so mortified.

God knows when to humble us, huh?
I doubt anyone was looking at my cute new boots when I was leaving that store. More like my bright red face :)

What Women Fear by Angie Smith

Here's the part we need to cling to:

If what we are being called to do is in God's will for us, we truly can't fail.

I know it sounds like I am making a flippant statement that should be on a poster with a guy hitting a golf-ball, but what I mean is that we simply may not have the same meaning as God for the word "failure"


Go get this book :) It's not all fuddy-duddy and hard to understand. I promise :)

Even with my 'happy' pills, and my friends, and my family, and my cozy house, and my boyfriend, and my awesome job and my car and my health insurance and my kitchen-aid mixer and my education...

Sometimes I look out of the window at work and think 'there has GOT to be more to life than this...'

Auto-Correct

I bet we all have done it. Typed something on our phones and then "genius" autocorrect changes it. TO SOMETHING WAAAY WRONG AND OFF.

So I got this website from this cute blog.

I was laughing so hard I was crying. Go read them :)
My favorite "appropriate" one:

I have officially decided that this Fall I am going to have an ice-cream sundae party and we will eat our sundaes out of these chocolate cups.

I think the party will also be on a Sunday, so it can be Sundae Sunday ;)

wanna come?

simplesong.typepad.com

I passed this sign driving...

Saturday Night

My Saturday NightMagazines, my cute grammy, a little halloween artsy project and nail polish.

heaven ;)

The towel?? Welllll. That is a "food towel." When us granddaughters sleep over at Grams, we are allowed to eat in the living room by the TV and fireplace ONLY if we first put down a "food towel." :) She also was flipping through the channels and asked me if I was allowed to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter. Then she turned to me and burst out laughing. She always has to ask Jenna Mae and Megs if they are allowed to watch certain shows :) She forgot I wasn't 6 anymore :)

She also said I have graduated from the "food towel" and I didn't need it, but old habits are hard to break :) Plus, dark grey nail polish on beautttiful cream carpet? Yikes :)

Fall is upon us here in the good ole Pacific Northwest:) and really... could it get ANY prettier? :)

This was a REAL picture of our pretty little sky right here in Bellingham! Taken last week from the top of Alabama Hill by my good friend Michael James.

Check out Michael's business Liet that he started with his little bro and get some cool swag. :)

These guys are awesome, awesome,awesome :)

Full Disclosure :)

I can't actually believe I am writing about this.

I don't know why or how it started, maybe my parents know? haha

As long as I can remember I have been a little bit of an "embellisher" or I like to refer to it is "over-exaggerating."

Ya know, like... I would tell my parents that 25 kids came to the birthday party instead of only 10.

Silly things, things that did NOT matter at all.

Liikkeeee. We had to wait in line for an hour when it probably was like 35 minutes.

I have NO idea why I do this but I don't even realize I am doing it.

Soooo.... Something I have worked on the last few years has been not exaggerating :) Just telling EXACTLY what happened. Like saying oh my gosh look at the cute purse I got for 20 bucks when it reaaaaalllly was like $27. Ugh. Dumb habit.

So yeah. Something I have struggled with.

My new theory? FULL DISCLOSURE!

Sometimes, if I don't wanna go on a run with Drew, I would try to sugar-coat my excuse. Now? "Ya know what, Drew. I don't want to go running. I am feeling really lazy and wanna finish this episode of TeenMom. Call me when you are finished"

Or... Instead of pretending like I ate a big lunch and am still full, "Ya know what Grandma. You're shrimp fettuccine smells delicious, but I don't really want any. I don't really like seafood these days." :)

I am a REALLY big people pleaser, so this is something I constantly have to strive to do :)

I think I am protecting the person or something, by "not hurting" their feelings.

So. When I found out about this? I was OBSESSED. Full disclosure and tell-it-all attitude is my new thang :)

This is seriously one of the most genius things I have EVER seen.

You can SEE your bread the entire time it is the toaster so you don't have to keep popping it up to make sure it's perfect :) What a concept :)

Ya know what I am gonna do this weekend? FIND ONE OF THESE!!!!!!!!!!!! No more burnt toast for me :) I can also justify the pricey cost of this little appliance by telling myself every time I use it, it can serve as a constant reminder in my daily life to not exaggerate pointless stories.

;)

(p.s. how do you think you get the toast out of the toaster?...)

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment

~Proverbs 12:19

Writing

Jess and I took Milly kayaking. She hated it. We loved it. :)

I also saw something amazing. On the freeway last night coming home from work I saw a car. And above their license plate it had a SCROLLING READER BOARD! Like ya know... Red digital letters that roll across the screen and say something??? I almost crashed but I just HAD to see what it said.

CANADIAN AND PROUD OF IT, PROUD GRANDPARENTS OF NICKIE AND CASSIE.

scrolling over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

I was so disappointed. If you are going to have something as cool as a scrolling reader board on your car, at least put something entertaining. That way, when cars crash because they were trying to read the message, at least it would be worth it :)

(I may or may not have given the man a slight dirty look when I passed him :)

I love, love, LOVE quotes. Anything that has words on it really. :) I have waaaaay too many cards, prints and random quotes all over. That being saaaaaid, I never realized how critical I am of the words that I read. Like really? That poor man in a jean jacket should not have had to have been mean-mugged on I-5 because I thought what he wanted to share with the world was silly. :)

I mean, really. What did I want the scrolling board to say? An inappropriate joke? A surprising statistic?

I need to be more forgiving. Sometimes I spend like 5 minutes trying to word a text message the right way, or I can't figure out what to write in the sympathy card so I won't even write it. And that, my friends, is stupid.

Write in a journal, write on a sticky note, write a note to your kid on a napkin and put it in their lunch, heck, even just write a grocery list :)

even if it's not worthy of being on a readerboard in downtown NYC or wouldn't make Oprah's book club, you have NO idea how influential your written words can be :) Hey, they might even be so influential you make me crash my car trying to read your bumper sticker :)

little e got her first tutu... and started crawling :) A coincidence? I think not. :)

Surprise Dining

Before this picture was taken, we had spent 3 hours at a restaurant in Seattle. All the reviews online said, "They kill you, and then you wake up in your bed." Like multiple people said that. Umm. Weird?!?!? This restaurant has maybe five tables, doesn't take reservations and doesn't seat more than four people in a group.

So this restaurant? You pay a price when you walk in the door ( a pricey little cost, I might add) and then the waiter asks if you are allergic to anything.

After that? He brings you whatever he wants to bring you. 5 courses of surprises :) Each course paired with a glass of wine or cocktail.

As in... I have no idea what I ate.

We are pretty sure we had some lamb and maybe some saki? :)

The point of this place is to not have any expectations of your food, and to enjoy the dining out experience.

and can you tell we enjoyed the experience? :) Especially the 6+ drinks ;) which might be why I thought it would be a good idea to wear sunglasses in the dark :)

check it out :)

Throw your Dubs Up

"Throw your Dubs Up" is the slogan written on the shirts for the "Dawg Pack" or UW's student section this year. hahaha.

It's funny how football season doesn't really ease you into it. I mean, yeah, there are pre-season games, but its like all of a sudden. BAM.

NFL Thursday night

Saturday College Football

and then Sunday... and whoops. Don't forget about Monday Night football ;)

These are dedicated to the man sitting next to me at the Husky game Saturday that insisted on yelling "Surf's up" and "Hawaii 5-0" whenever he wanted to cheer against Hawaii.
These are dedicated to him to prove that I still had fun, even though he was by far the most annoying person I have ever experienced at a sporting event :)


and he thought he was sooo clever :) Surf's up? Come on, buddy, you gotta have something better than that.

wellll. and my sister sat next to a lady wearing a fanny pack full of jelly-roll pens, as she colored in a "color-by-number" drawing. She was at least 60 years old.

go dawgs ;)

9-11

If you don't read Glamour magazine, go buy the September issue.

It has a collection of stories written by young women who lost their sisters, brothers, boyfriends and mothers on that clear day 10 years ago. Sheila Weller collected these letters that those left behind have written to their loved ones a decade later.

Dear Shell,

How I wish I had the power to turn back time, to protect you. That's what sisters are supposed to do. I was two years older, but we were inseparable. And so of course, we were roommate in New York City, each working for a different company. My office was in downtown Manhattan, yours was in the World Trade Center.

When a mysterious explosion rocked your office and you called me that morning, how I wish I would have stayed on the phone and comforted you. Our conversation was so innocent. I said, "I wasn't a bomb; it was just a place that hit your building. Your going to be okay." JUST A PLANE? What did I know? We b****** about how you'd lost your cute shoes in the blast; I told you a pedicure after work would fix everything.

Within an hour of our conversation, my building was evacuated. I made a sign that said, "Shell, meet me at the plaza" and hung it in my office lobby. You didn't show up at the plaza...

I love you Shell,
Always, Erin

Erin Bratton, 35, lost her sister Michelle. Today she is an elementary school counselor.

Dear Pete,

Five weeks before our wedding day, you left our Greenwich Village apartment and never come back. We had our honeymoon tickets to the Caribbean and you had chosen the song to our first dance...

The day of our wedding approached. Mom called Vera Wang but they had already shipped the dress, so a nice person on the phone said, "don't worry," we wouldn't be charged for it. It's still wrapped in plastic at my parent's house. When I called to cancel our honeymoon villa, the man on the other end brown down in tears after I told him the reason. "I had to say, "I'm sorry to be upsetting you."

Pete, sometimes I wonder what you would think of me now, after all I'd been through. I'm so much more at ease in the moment, not so preoccupied with tomorrow. Remember how you would tell me to "just relax buddy" and "it will all be fine"? I finally get it.

Thank you for what you taught me.

Love Forever,

Karen

Karen lost her fiancee. Today she works at the Narional Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

These are just a few of the stories, maybe throughout this week I will post a few more.

I hope I can learn from these brave women about what really matters in life.

The Homeless Man at the Microwave

I used to give money to homeless people all the time. But then once, I gave a homeless man a $20 (by far the most I had EVER given anyone) on my way to the grocery store. We were having enchiladas and margaritas so I also had to swing by the liquor store to pick up some more tequila. The same homeless man was in the liquor store buying a fifth of vodka. :( So since then, I have kind of given up on that that. Bad I know, but it's the truth.

Me and my friend at work were talking about this homeless guy that sits by Taco Bell with a sign that says, "It's really hard to get a job..."

We were laughing at how that was all it said, and how true that is. Not that we were agreeing with his way of making some dough, but we just appreciated the honesty and the simplicity.

I always kinda smiled to myself when I passed him and his little sign on my way to work. He had hot pink hair too. (Not really important, but for some reason I feel like I can't leave that out :)

So on Wednesday at lunch I was jetting over to the outlet mall at lunch when I saw this other guy. The reason I looked at him was because he was signing "I'm too sexy for my shirt" at the top of his lungs. Of course the light turned red, so I was stuck next to weirdo-singer. I rolled up the window and read his homeless sign. "It's really hard to get a job...

ummm had he STOLEN that sign from the other homeless guy at Taco Bell????

I didn't really care but thennn.. I got back to work and was microwaving my lean cuisine (PS. the Asian spring roll lean cuisine are apparently two servings. That completely defeats the purpose of a Lean Cuisine? Does it not???)

I was telling my coworker about how the sign we loved was being used by another bum and we were laughing.

Of course, this OTHER guy in the lunch room happened to join in our conversation. He told me how he used to work for a homeless shelter and the cardboard signs are like a homeless person's PRIZED POSSESSION, their "identity." He said that taking someone else's sign (especially if it was creative) was like stealing their wallet! It is their identification and lifeline. I thought about how awful it would be to have lost your sign (creative sign at that) and then see someone else using it! Would you confront them? I feel like it would be like losing your purse and then seeing someone else using it in the mall for shopping.

I felt so bad for the Taco Bell homeless guy. He probably didn't even know where his sign went and would have to think up something totally new and witty :(

Ya know that feeling when you realize you can't find your wallet or your purse? Liikkkeee. instant panic sets in. And why wouldn't it? It's only a little bag with ALL OF YOUR MONEY, YOUR CREDIT CARDS, your birthday coupon for a free drink at Starbucks and your lipgloss that you spent $17 on. Your gum, your car keys, the pictures of your babies, the address of your job interview. All the important stuff. Not even to mention if your CELL PHONE was in that missing purse. Umm... Your line of communication to EVERYONE and how the heck will you know your boyfriends phone number to call and tell him to come pick you up because your keys are lost in your purse. I get antsy just thinking about not knowing exactly where my purse is.

Just like the homeless man's identity was in his missing sign, I realized just how MUCH my identity is rooted in my purse. How much is in my checking account. How "cool" my cell phone is and how many texts I have in my inbox. Just how big the number of pounds is listed for my weight on my driver's license. What I would have to do if I didn't have my sunglasses to hide my time-to-plucked eyebrows.

My identity is so in my purse. And my purse is just a piece of cloth. (well... expensive cloth, I shall say :) I mean yeah, if you happen to carry hundreds of dollars cash in your purse, then that is a bummer. But... debit cards can be cancelled, make-up can be bought again (even if it is REALLY hard to remember what shade you finally found that looks good on you) and stamp cards from the coffee shop can be re-punched. (actually, probably not but you get the point. Those people are stingy with their punches :)

I just want to be more aware of where my "identity" comes from. Is it from how many Facebook friends I have or how many "likes" I get on my status updates? Is my identity from Jesus? Is it from my job? What material things do I realize I put soooo much time and effort in? My computer? Ugh. I wanna get to the point where I would not have a heart attack if I lost my purse or my laptop.

Where does your "identity" come from? :) It's a crazy thing to think about :)

Sometimes God calms the storm.
Sometimes He lets the storm rage
and calms his child.

Fantasy Football Experience #1

Remember when I talked about how I was "allowed" to participate in this year's Fantasy Football with Drew and his buddies (isn't it weird how guys call their friends "buddies" and girls don't?). Anyways... The draft date was set, September 3rd, blah, blah, blah.

Okay fine. Go to Drew's, bring my laptop. Sit on the couch. When it is my turn, I tell him who I want to pick, he tells me who I should draft and we go from there. Painless, so I thought. Why do they get so worked up about it anyways?

Wellll. What anyone failed to mention to me when I agreed to this little game was: IT WAS A LIVE DRAFT!

Yep. As in, we alllll sit in a room together and make our picks. Out loud. So Drew couldn't really help me, and there was the very high possibility of me being completely laughed at.

The party room at a pizza restaurant in Seattle at 5:30PM. (That is right, my friends. We got to be in the reserved party room. They take this very seriously. Just as serious as our 4th grade end of season soccer party :)

So Drew makes a list of the top players of each position. I print it in pink ink. Bring my pink highlighter and my lucky pen. (I decided if I am going to be the only girl, I might as well play it up. :)

The car ride to Seattle consists of me naming off all the players on the list and Drew telling me what team they played for. He tried to convince me I needed to focus on their stats and last year's performance, but what color jersey's they wore and their mascot was good enough for me.

(sidenote: Since my parent's don't have any boys, I think my Dad decided that he would make it his personal life-mission to make sure we liked/understand/watched all sports. So, I mean, I know quite a bit about sports for a girl. It wasn't like I completely had no idea who to draft. Just like the 18th best tight end in the NFL? Ummm... No. Freakin. Clue.)

I also made sure I got a run-down of who was hurt or wouldn't be playing so I wouldn't embarrass myself too bad :)

We got there, ordered our pizza and chose cards for who got to have the coveted FIRST PICK of the 2011 Fantasy Draft.

Guess who?

Me.

Yep. :) There was definitely a collective groan from the other 9 people (all boys).

It was awesome. I know who all of the people on my team are except one (darn kicker) and I even got a Seahawk! :) Throw in an ex-convict and Drew Brees, and I am set to play :)

I thought that was pretty much the point, but now I apparently have to "set up" my team online and make sure my roster is ready to go for the Saint's first game tomorrow :)

Drew kindly offered to register me for a yahoo account and get my team "registered." How nice I thought. The real reason? So he could name my team.

I log on, and find out I am the manager of "Team Hello Kitty."

I DETEST Hello Kitty. I mean, I know there aren't really many 25 years olds that "like" Hello Kitty, but I especially don't like it. Not even when I was little, not for my future kids ;)

I made these cute football cupcakes to bring to the boys (idea courtesy of my sister and I believe through pinterest?) . Thought I'd try and calm the waves that a girl got to play in their fantasy draft. Get on their good side, ya know.

They ate the cupcakes, but they were sooo crumbly. Like you had to use a fork to eat them, or just spill crumbs EVERYWHERE.

Yup. I forgot to put eggs in the cupcakes.

So I have a fantasy football team named "Team Hello Kitty" and I made football cupcakes that I brought to TEN GUYS and forgot the eggs.

Maybe there is a reason girls should leave Fantasy Football for the boys :)

Whatever. GO TEAM HELLO KITTY and I'm sure the cupcakes were much healthier without the eggs ;)

Blogger Meal

So. I have gotten these three ideas off of blogs, and I think we should call a day, "Only Eat Things that Other Bloggers Have Posted"

So here is what we shall eat:

BREAKFAST:

Smores

... typical graham crackers, chocolate and marshmellows... WITH A PIECE OF BACON! I have heard the salty/sweet combo is actually pretty good...


from Jennifer's blog

LUNCH:

"Ranch potatoes"

... Cut up little red potatoes or fingerling potatoes. Add them to a skillet with some olive oil. ADD A PACKET OF RANCH DRESSING SEASONING. Stir. Umm. Can you say AMAZING? This sounds so amazing and so simple.


from Kelly's blog

DINNER:

Rice Crispie Cake Batter Cake

... Make your normal rice crispie treats but add in 1/2 cup of YELLOW CAKE MIX after you melt the butter and marshmallows! Makes the rice crispie treats just a little doughier, chewier and cakey-ier. That sounds like the best combination I have heard in a long time. :)


from Kelly's blog


The reason we are eating the smore is for breakfast is because it has bacon and I am sorry I can't find anything for dessert. Please forgive me ;)

"Church"

This weekend at church we talked about just what a "church" is. Sometimes even when I hear the word "church" I cringe.

However, God wants it to be clear that a "church" is not a building. It is not an address, it doesn't even really get defined as any type of shelter at all.


"Church" is about the people.


This was major news to me. I had absolutely no idea.


Historical background:
-Jesus ministers for about 3 1/2 years. He does miracles, he teaches and he serves.

-Jesus goes to Jerusalem, and before he is crucified, he rallied up his disciples.


Ya know what?

That was about 120 people, in a old building in Jerusalem.

and what did he tell these 120 people of his "church?"

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," Matthew 28:19-20.

Do you know what the absolutely AMAZING part is? These 120 people did exactly as Jesus told them. Ya know how I know?


Here I am, thousands and thousands of years later, across the world, praising the same exact God.


I get intimidated when I talk to the 89 year old NEIGHBOR about where I go to church, and she can barely even hear (even when she is wearing her hearing aids). These 120 disciples had to go to Samaria for goodness sakes! (As Pastor Grant told us, that would be like Jesus telling us to go to Tacoma and spread his love, and the kicker? Actually going :)


They did it. Look where 120 people got us today. It was a movement. God wants us to know that church isn't about getting your coffee, shaking hands with the usher, sitting next to your third grade teachers daughter and watching the fog machine behind the worship band.

I even sometimes finding myself rolling my eyes when I hear about a church that only has two services on Sunday morning. Psshh. What kind of "church" is that? They can't even have more than TWO Sunday morning services! Church began as a movement. And ya know what movements do? THEY MOVE :)


I just can't stop thinking about that. Am I moving? Or am I perfectly content to sit in my chair at church on Sunday, sing the worship songs and pray at night before I go to bed and ask somewhat rudely, "so where do you go to church?" when something mentions being a Christian.


Is that moving? Is that "going" like Jesus commands us to do?
Nope. I need to listen to Jesus and do exactly what those 120 disciples did.

Pastor Grant challenged us to see if Christianity could be as simple as loving God and loving others. It's easy for me to practice the loving God part, but the loving others? Sigh. That requires me to get up and move.

Are you up for it?
I'm sure glad those 120 disciples were.

Just imagine what we could do if we all just starting going. :)


Are you "moving?" :)

Lime Green Love

I forgot my camera soo I am stealing these pictures from random places. A whole post on the bride will be soon :)

First off all. G0 check out avintageposter.com. They have such CUTE posters for every occasion. She sends you a PDF of your design, and then you can decided how big you want it printed. Very affordable and SO easy to work with :)

We celebrated Jen & Travis last night.

We had just gotten our cake (the groom's cake was funfetti! :) and were walking back to our table. The photographer tapped Drew on the shoulder and asked if he "could get a picture of his date." Wait. A second. That's me! I set down my cake plate, run my fingers through my hair, check my teeth and right when I turn around with a big smile on my face, I notice the photographer is snapping pictures of Drew's piece of cake...

He had said, "Can I take a picture of your CAKE?"

not "of your date"

Whoops. My bad :) We all got a good laugh though.

The weather was beautiful, and the bride even more gorgeous. She was flawless.

Everyone learned that I know every. single. word to "Bust a Move" and I rediscovered my love for red wine.

Before the couple left, we all walked down to the beach and light off "wish lanterns." They were SOOOO cool. It kinda looks like a miniature hot air balloon. You light the wick, and then when the lantern is full of hot air, it just takes off into the sky. Right before it takes off, you make a wish for the couple's life. Then you look into the sky and can see 20 glowing mini start floating away :)

Happy Wishes for the happy couple! :)

1 John 3:18: My children, let us not love in word or in talk, but in actions and deeds.

Try to read that and not smile :)

Cray Cray

We made it to Friday, everyone! :)

It has been a loooooooooong week and I am sooo tired. I am so tired but kinda hyper because it's a 3 day weekend, and Jen is getting married and I am so tired. That makes for a kinda crazy Lindsay. Or as Khloe Kardashian would say, I am feeling a little "cray cray" on this Friday evening ;)

I like to write random things but then when I finally have something to actually take pictures of and blog about, what do I do? I don't take a single picture! :(

This week we hosted Jen's bridal shower! It was sooo fun and Jen just glowed that bride-to-be glow :) = No pictures from my camera. We forgot to take this down so I was able to snap a picture. My dad informed me today that he wants to leave the chalkboard up all year round.

Direct Greg quote: We could write"Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Holidays!. Or. When I come home from the tennis club after winning a match, you could write "Congrats Greg!" on it!"

I think all that "crafting" I did the last couple weeks has really caught up to me. I don't want to look at scissors or a "scrapbooking gluestick" (did ya know there was a difference between regular glue sticks and "scrapbooking" glue sticks? Either did I. Apparently I was missing out. can't tell the difference... Sorry Jo-Ann Fabric's employee...) for a good month. :)

So, in the meantime, I am going to celebrate Jen & Travis this weekend and enjoy my new craft. It's a little project I like to call, "check out the clearance section at Michael's craft store and see what goodies you can find for ONE DOLLAR!"

and in my sabbatical from all craft stores and paper cutters, I am going to count my blessings.

and on this Friday night, I must go finish with my new self tanner. Told ya I am feeling a little "cray cray" tonight! I mean everyone tries a self-tanner for the first time in years the night before a wedding, right? ;)

Brown, Orange, Yellow...

Yep. It's official. M & M's in the fall colors are out :) M & M cookies are going to made this weekend.

PS. I know I am pretty pale and don't have a very nice tan, but those are NOT my bare legs. I am wearing tan cords thank you very much. :)