Turkey, pie and pumpkins

Chris and I spent our Saturday with some very good friends making a turkey dinner together - it was like a practice round for #17 on "The List". Well... not really. All I did was make the stuffing.

My bad. I'm learning about honesty. *Ahem*  It was like training! Oh, oh - I brought the pumpkin pie too (and yes, it was homemade)

I must say though, that the three of us ladies did an amazing job and pulled together an amazing meal! Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, carrots, turnip, perogies... let's just say the belt felt a little tight!

So it turns out that other people are not me

Huh.

So, what you're saying is that every person is their own person and has their own thoughts and reacts differently to different situations?

Yup.

I'm not sure why this is new information, really.

Respect and Love (to not copy the book title)

I am so very lucky. I know a lot of women in a lot of different stages in their lives.

Isn't it amazing how someone can give you a peice of advice that is so wise, and so powerful that you actually take it? You take it, and you use it - integrating it into how you live your life.

That happened to me without me even knowing it. For some time know I have been thinking about the concept of respecting my husband. It has been brought to my attention by observing other women that are... perhaps lacking in this category. I knew I wanted to write a blog post about it, but as I sat down to explain where this concept first came from, I realized it came from a simple peice of advice that I was given at one of my bridal showers. I was given an amazing book filled both with recipes, and words of wisdom from all the ladies in the room. Forgive me for paraphrasing it, but it went something like this:

While part of your role of a wife will be to point out  where certain areas need improvement, be careful not to cut down or make fun of your husband. The words you use can be damaging.

Obviously she said it much more eloquently. Actually, I kind of butchered it.

26 in 26

Ok. I have a confession. This idea is completely stolen. (Sorry Sarah!)

What's the old saying? Imitation is the purest form of flattery? Something like that. Either way, I'm doing it.

I turned 26 a couple days ago, and I have decided to make a list of 26 things I would like to do in the next year. Some are brand new, some are things I've been talking about forever, and just need a reason to do them, and some are things I've done many times, but now that I'm married, and madly in love, I sometimes just daydream about romantic picnics and skating with hot cocoa.


So, without further adieu, in no particular order:

1. Make Foccacia bread  Done!

2. Go Snowshoeing with my love (There's a story here...) Sadly it looks like this won't happen- if there is any snow before my birthday, I doubt it will be enough *knock on wood*

3. Make homemade salsa (The homemade is kinda implied, huh?)

4. Grow my own herbs Done! Worked great in a planter on the deck!


5. Draw. Anything. (Something I used to really enjoy and constantly swear I'll start up again)

De-Coding our Wedding Vows

So I was reminded by a good friend the other night that mine and Chris's wedding vows were a little... hard to understand perhaps. They were deeply rooted in our Christian faith, both biblical, and personal, and probably sounded like a load of hooey to most of the people in the room.

We knew going in that there would be a lot of raised eyebrows from family and friends that aren't well versed in "Christianese" as we jokingly call it. You see, there are a lot of words and phrases that church go-ers tend to use that are used no where else. It's kind of a bad habit, to be honest, because really, how are we supposed to explain our faith to non-believers if we scare them off by talking about how the blood of the lamb will cover all their sins?? Creeeeepy.

Why I hate The Notebook

I used to love The Notebook. I watched it over and over with every break up and cried my eyes out, swearing that perhaps ____ and I would be like Noah and Allie. Maybe we WERE destined to be together, and it would just take a few years for us to make our way back to each other. It was comforting- it made me believe in love when it was much too hard to on my own. I even watched it while IN relationships. Swearing that mine and ___'s love was just as strong. (Sound familiar?)

Chris and I broke up after we dated for only a few months. I was heartbroken- watched all the appropriate movies, ate all the appropriate ice cream (gained all the appropriate pounds) I was devastated, but still held on to the hope that maybe we would get back together.