Klessmas Time

Dada Time

2012-01-31T05:15:00.001-05:00

For our little family Sunday is Saturday and Monday is Sunday. As an air traffic controller (in training...), Dre works shift work. He works different hours on different days making our schedule a bit unique but we are continually grateful that he has this job and one he enjoys so we really have no complaints about the odd schedule. Besides, at this point he doesn't have any overnights yet so we're counting ourselves lucky while he completes his training. While having a husband/daddy who works on weekends and evenings is a little less than fun at times it does have its advantages. One of my favorite parts is our Mondays. So far they've been quiet home days with an adventure or errands thrown in. They certainly make up for the days we don't see much of Dada or we go to bed before he's home from work.

Behr is more and more interactive every day. The ceiling fan, living room curtains, Mommy, and Audrey tend to be the primary recipients of his attention and coos and laughs. Over the weekend he spent about 15 minutes laughing to himself (sweetest sound EVER) while lying on the ottoman staring at the ceiling. Yesterday morning (our "Sunday") after Behr finished a feeding and was pretty awake around 9am it was all about Dada. He was sitting upright in my lap and tried his hardest to roll himself off my lap and toward Dada while cooing and smiling and laughing away at Dada's snores. Poor Dada didn't get to sleep in after that because I woke him up to play with the little boy so desperate for his attention. I don't think he minded. ;-) The rest of the day Dada was his favorite person. He wanted Dada to hold him, settled down quickest in Dada's arms, had special time helping Dada make lunch, and played video games with Dada. It was the sweetest thing to see him have a preference for his dad and something I can't wait to see grow more and more. I treasure our family time but we only have those times because God has blessed us as a little family. I can't wait to make memories on our weekends (or whatever day Dre has off in the future) together as a family and in particular watch Behr grow in his excitement and joy over spending time with his dada.

We love you Dada! Hope you have a great "Monday" at work; we're praying for you as you train and can't wait to have you home with us after work. You're both of our favorite person in the world!!

Cliche

2012-01-24T15:28:00.000-05:00

Everything "they" say is true... It goes fast. Really. How are we at 7 weeks already?? That's almost two months. How can I possibly have a child that's almost two months old already?? It's worth every sleepless night. Every one. Even the ones I was so out of my mind tired I attempted to nurse my pillow or freaked out that I couldn't find Behr (who was peacefully sleeping in his bed). And you can survive quite comfortably on far less sleep than you imagine. I think I get 5-6 hours a night which really is pretty amazing. I'm grateful for the 4-hour stretch Behr does consistently but can't wait for it to be 5-hours. The few times he's teased me with 5-hours have felt radically different than the 4-hour ones. They change so much and so quickly. I already miss things that Behr doesn't do or look like anymore. His skin has stretched out as he's grown and he doesn't have the mountain of wrinkles anymore; his hair has thinned; his "Grandpa face" isn't quite the same as those first weeks when he'd wake from a deep sleep. You will love them more than you can fathom. I've loved this boy since I knew he "was" and obviously I love him more and more as I get to know him and care for him. But man. There are times Dre will just start laughing because he's just so overwhelmingly happy to have this boy or it will make me tear up to realize the baby waking me up in the middle of the night is ours. What a miracle life is. What a wonderful adventure we've begun.

One Month of Behr

2012-01-06T19:26:00.000-05:00

Week 1 // My favorite little monkey pose, all folded up. I love special mama-baby snuggles in the morning. This is the closest to capturing my favorite little "old man" face that he makes that I've gotten.

Week 2 // His first bath in his little PujTub which he loves. As soon as he's in there he just sits and stares at everything in the kitchen and sucks on his fingers.

Week 3 // Looking so big and starting to put on a little chunk.

Christmas Day 2011

To celebrate his third week of life (and Christmas) Behr made his first road trip and went up to Long Island to spend time with his Great Grandpa and Grandma. It was a sweet trip with lots of memories including meeting family, his first hotel stay, rest stop adventures and...

Visiting Rockefeller Center on his 3 week "birthday". Behr has a very adventurous daddy--and none of his siblings will get such a special trip. It was a little much for mommy.

Snuggle bug in the Holiday Inn Express.

Week 4 // Rocking his special gnome top from Aunt Squama's trip to France this summer.

And yesterday, one day shy of one month, we got our first genuine smiles! Love this little face oh so much! Can't believe how much he's grown and changed already and can't wait to watch as he keeps growing and making us love him more and more.

Four Weeks

2012-01-03T23:52:00.000-05:00

It's not that I didn't believe the time would go fast or that an itty bitty baby would grow and change a little bit every single day. But living that is a whole different story than being told that. Four weeks ago I had a baby. Can you believe that? I still can't. I've been trying to write down my "birth story" all day today and still am not done with it--and that's really something considering I barely remember much once we got to the hospital. ;-) Behr will have it all written in his baby book (something he'll probably never care to see but I will treasure) so I don't think I'll post it all here. The big highlights are below...

My water broke around 4:45pm outside of Giant while I was waiting for Dre to pull the car up. It had been a week since I'd had any sort of consistent contractions when my water broke--and I still didn't have any for five hours.
While waiting on contractions we went to Home Depot for our Christmas tree. We did laps there with my sister until the store was closing hoping for contractions but nothing. We came home and Dre and the Christmas Angel (Caleb) put lights on the tree.
540 lights and an hour and a half later I was definitely in labor and having contractions hard enough to need Dre's help tracking them and applying counter pressure to my hips.
We left for the hospital a little before 1:45am. I was admitted and checked in at only 3 centimeters--which definitely disappointed me since I was 1 cm at my last appointment. The contractions had been so close together and so consistent for almost 3 hours that I was sure I'd have made more progress than that by the time we got to the hospital. The midwife went to go lay down and Dre and Jan tried to encourage me that I hadn't come to the hospital for nothing and that no matter what there was going to be a baby soon.
Time is pretty much a blur from then on. I labored and Dre applied counter pressure to my hips. Jan encouraged me, encouraged Dre, got ice for me and coffee for Dre, and kept our families wonderfully updated. I really can't imagine at all going through all of that without both of them being there to support and help me. It proved more comforting than I could have anticipated to have my two best friends by my side.
Just before 3am things the midwife checked my progress and I was 7 centimeters. Whew! Progress. The news was encouraging because the contractions hadn't felt significantly more intense than the ones at home (though they were painful) but they were exhausting and I was about ready to be done. The news was also rather intimidating because hearing I was at 7 cm and feeling my body changing a bit meant I was nearing the all consuming "transition" stage and I wasn't sure I could bear more. But there wasn't much of an option. ;-) Thanks to water therapy (ie. "the tub"), Dre almost breaking his back trying to apply counter pressure to both my hips for every contraction, Jan encouraging us and helping communicate with the nurses and midwife where we were at and keeping Dre awake and encouraged, time continued to march on. Eventually Jan and Dre were pretty sure I was getting to the other side of transition and I was starting to tell them I thought I wanted to push (or had to--I don't think I really 'wanted' to at all).
At about 7:30am the midwife checked me one last time, I was at 10 centimeters and ready to push. I then decided I couldn't push and pretty much wanted to no longer be conscious anymore. I was exhausted. I was afraid of contractions because I couldn't relax and couldn't function anymore with their intensity. The only option really was to push and so I did. Five pushes later I heard my dear husband crying (I knew he'd cry ;-)) and little Behr was here.

Kristen made this video for me (?) of the night Behr was born; I've been rather "unemotional" since Behr was born--go figure--but this gets me pretty close to tears every time. I am so grateful to have her as a part of our "family" and home and her help with Behr to give my arms a break when he's fussy or help share the Behr snuggles. I can't wait to tell him someday how she waited all night for him to be born in the waiting room with Caylub passed out cold on Jan's pillow (another story). My mom used to tell me who was in the waiting room waiting for me and those are relationships that are still meaningful to my family and I love that and pray ours with K.Snyd is the same.

Having hip labor was nothing that I had expected. From the first contraction to the last one it increasingly felt like my body was going to split apart from the pain or my hips were going to pop out. Somehow I had no idea that hip labor existed. It really threw me to have nothing I had anticipated being comfortable or pain relieving to do much. The only thing that "helped" was Dre applying counter pressure. Behr is worth every moment of pain during labor and every bit of discomfort during pregnancy but whew! The memorable quotes for Kristen and my mom after delivery was me telling them that Behr was going to be an only child. Still not totally convinced our family will have more children but we'll see. ;-)

I still am at a loss for words for how to describe how much having a baby and watching my husband with that baby has made me fall in love with him more and more. I have never been as cared for and helped as much as I have by Dre in the last almost twelve months. While he (as predicted) sleeps through Behr's wakings in the night if I need him he's quick to get up and help me with whatever Behr or I need. I love that Behr responds to his snores and his voice more than almost any other sound around. I love how little Behr looks like in his dada's arms and can't wait to watch their relationship grow. -- Dre was amazing while I was in labor. If for no other reason taking birthing classes was well worth it for how it prepared him to anticipate and understand what was happening and how to help or just wait on things. He was patient, attentive, and "present" the entire time. He made the perfect "coach." :-) He was up all night with me and yet helped with the baby and never complained of his less than comfortable sleeping arrangement while we were a the hospital.

And so, in a somewhat abbreviated form, that is how we became a family of three on December 6th. Our lives were changed forever with little Behr's arrival. Maybe someday he'll have a sibling. We'll see. ;-)

Behr Malachi Kless

2011-12-11T17:19:00.000-05:00

I feel like I've been writing this post in my head for months; I wrote seventy-five percent of this post before we even went to the hospital. Yet not really writing entire thoughts because nothing was final and we really didn't know what our little boy's name would be until a crazy moment while I was in labor at the hospital. (Why wouldn't I want to name my child while in transition??) And now he's here. Our son. He has a birthdate that will be imprinted on my heart for the rest of my life and he has a name. One was thought about and written down and rewritten and guessed at and second guessed at for months. [Though truth is we didn't even start talking about names together until after we found out that he was a little boy because prior to that any conversation about names was a conflict.]


December 6, 2011 -- pc Aunt Titi/I'm Kristen Photography

Behr. I'm not a "Little Woman" girl--but that doesn't mean I'm not a Louisa May Alcott girl. I love the books "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys." And I do love the very end of "Little Women." My favorite character is Professor Bhaer. I love the character of the man Alcott created, I love his challenging Jo to not write cheap pieces but use her gifts more and trust things to work out and I love the way their romance plays out as mature friendship turned love versus the youthful excitement of Laurie's love (no offense; can't knock any character Christian Bale has ever played ;-)). For me that's where I picked our firstborn son's name; I've had it in my head for years but I think surprised everyone when it was announced in our hospital room. The spelling of Alcott's character was too "bulky" feeling for me (though I can appreciate it's "German-ness") so it looks like he was named after Behr paint but I promise it's not that. His character is summarized by Alcott (via Jo of course) below. I hope our son grows up in many ways to be like Professor Bhaer.

“. . . Jo wanted to clap her hands and thank him. She did neither; but she remembered this scene, and gave the Professor her heartiest respect, for she knew it cost him an effort to speak out then and there, because his conscience would not let him be silent. She began to see that character is a better possession than money, rank, intellect, or beauty; and to feel that if greatness is what a wise man has defined it to be, –’truth, reverence and good-will,'–then her friend Friedrich Bhaer was not only good, but great.”

Malachi. We have been waiting for this baby a long time. For many couples who wait for God to give them children the story of Samuel and 1 Samuel 1:27 are the things that captures that for them. But for me, because I'm a little odd at times, the verse that captures it is Malachi 3:10-12. A close friend shared that verse with me years ago and it has been a constant reminder and encouragement as we have waited on many things but especially (at least in my heart) a baby. For whatever reason I really feel that I knew this child was a son and from the time I knew I was pregnant wanted 'Malachi' to somehow be a part of his name as a way of reminding myself and of continually being grateful for this precious little life we've been given.

"And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts."

Kless. The last name for our son is very important to us as well. It's not necessarily something you typically see dissected when parents announce the name of their child but we wanted to mention it. We both love our families a great deal and are grateful for the little ways growing up in a part of them made each of us who we are. Dre's dad married his mom way back in 1985 and from then on was Dre's father in every way. Dre never felt unwanted or second best in his dad's life. Before we were married it was very important to Dre to change his last name to his dad's last name/family name legally so that when our family started it would be as a family of Kless. And we're thrilled to add a Kless son to the family--and couldn't love him more!

I'm so grateful that Dre liked these names and whether my reasoning was the same as his or not thought they suited our firstborn enough to agree that his name would be Behr Malachi while I was spazzing out about it in transition. Memory making as parents started an hour before we saw his sweet face.

Thankful.

2011-11-24T22:39:00.001-05:00

I'm thankful for so many things. This year has been unlike any year we've had yet as a couple: blessing upon blessing, provision upon provision. I'm grateful for our own home this year and the space to host a crowd of 15 on Thanksgiving. I'm grateful for my hubby working his dream job and that he unexpectedly got the day off today. I'm grateful for friendships that have grown deeper in the last few months. I'm grateful for our family that loves us and blesses us so often with their thoughtfulness. I'm grateful for the roly poly little boy in my tummy and that someday soon I'll finally get to kiss his face.

And I'm grateful for a God who knows me. Who personally knows me and places circumstances in my life to not simply provide but to bless. I'm grateful that He "knows my size" ;-) and a specific expression of that is that I get to be pregnant *with* my best friend.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Nursery

2011-11-17T17:49:00.001-05:00

Putting together this little room is one of the things that has made me realize, in becoming a mom myself, how much our parents anticipated us and worked to prepare for us even in the little things. Our little boy will never know that I made his curtains or the lengths that were gone to get his changing table, that I lost my mind and went crazy taping and prepping for the stripes one random night, or how hard his daddy worked to paint and patch the walls in his room, and even if he did know all these things he wouldn't really understand. It hasn't been about creating a perfect room it's just been about all the anticipation and excitement in welcoming this boy into our family.

That said I love the way his room turned out. So...without further ado...our nursery!

view from the door. can't wait 'til there's a little boy waiting to be picked up in that crib.

sweet crib from his grandpa and grandma price--crib skirt via me with some fun Michael Miller fabric--green rug found with help from Janners on a super clearance at Crate & Barrel.

blankets made with love waiting for snuggles.

the ever growing menagerie waiting to meet their friend.
I love the connection each animal has to someone looking forward to him.

aunt titi updated and crafted up some leftover decorations from my baby shower into a mobile. super skillz!

Ikea bookshelf made into a changing table.
& the slowly assembled wall art including a "Wookie the Chew" print
and of course a Nats pennant and a plaid.

// How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon
December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. // Dr. Seuss
a quote I read over the summer and loved for the connection to anticipating this little guy. though I have no problem if he decides he wants a November birthday instead of December. ;-)

blanket from one of Andree's aunts, painted lines with help from aunt titi, repurposed lamp crafted up this summer and books!

every little boy needs to be well versed in the story of Robin Hood.
an airplane model made for him by daddy -- a special donkey from Oklahoma where our hearts ached for this child.

one of my favorite things in the room: Tarzan books handed down from my great uncle bob and grandpa's childhood.

don't miss the Zim ;-)

the dresser I had as a kiddie and lots of little clothes waiting to be worn.

Happy sigh. It's just the very best and sweetest room in the house. On different days you can find any of us up there reading or working on our laptops in the quiet of his room--plus it gets the best cell phone reception in the house. It's been a fun project as a "family" (and in that I include dear K.Snyd/Aunt Titi). It's not perfect but it's for our son and he'll quickly learn that his daddy and I aren't perfect either but we love him very much and can't wait to do our best to raise him.

A Little Room

2011-11-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

When we did one of many visits to Winding Creek I took this picture. I knew the first time we saw this house that, if this was our house, it would be our baby's room. We weren't pregnant yet, there were plenty of uncertainties in my mind, and there were plenty of other houses we looked at and plenty of short sales that we knew of from friends that didn't go through. But then we did a walk through in the spring, months before the sale was final, I started to hope that this might be our boy's room. And today I finished the last project in his room (other than cleaning) and it's officially "ready" for a little occupant. A little baby boy that sometime in the next month we'll bring home from the hospital and learn all about taking care of and fall in love with. A little boy who right now I can barely imagine what his face and his fingers and toes look like yet in a few days or weeks I'll see them for the first time and know for the rest of my life exactly what he looks like even as he grows and changes.

So yeah. Assuming this little man doesn't come tonight (no reason to think that don't worry ;-)) the next post will be pictures of his room which really is the best room in the house in the opinion of all this house's occupants.

6 Years Ago

2011-11-12T10:17:00.002-05:00

I love you Puppa Bear. More now than I did then. Life with you only gets better.

Closer & Closer

2011-11-06T22:45:00.000-05:00

The landmarks that have been staring at me on our calendar are getting crossed off...

PC Kristen

- Baby Shower. Jan and Kristen with help from Bunny and generous friends threw me an overwhelming baby shower. I mean really. Overwhelming. It was beautiful, the food was delicious, the presents were ridiculous, and the amount of love and excitement surrounding us was just unbelievable. I'm so grateful I'm still speechless three weeks later.

- Hospital Tour. We "toured" Shady Grove Hospital's maternity center today after church. It was boring (as expected) but at the same time exciting and surreal. Lord-willing the next time we're on that floor and at the hospital it will be to have our little man and then to bring him home with us.
- Classes. Our last birthing class is tomorrow afternoon which I guess means we're officially certified as ready to have a baby or something. It has been very helpful though and I can't recommend our instructor enough. We're both going to miss our weekly visits at her house. I'm grateful for the way Dre has jumped into learning about the birth process and what to (hopefully) expect.

- Nursery. It's almost, almost done. Just a few more things to tweak and then I'll do a special "reveal" post on here. I love it; it's come together just the way I wanted/pictured it. Every member of our little home finds themselves wandering in there to sit and look at tiny clothes and tiny socks. It's just the best room in the house.

- Belly. And then there's this guy growing and growing and kicking and kicking away. I just can't wait to see his face. Any time now... and goodness. Who knew my belly could expand this much!

Bigger & Bigger

2011-10-08T12:09:00.001-04:00

Little Monkey is getting bigger and bigger! I was looking at pics from the last few months and found the addition he's added to my front pretty amazing. It's incredible that I get this sweet privilege of growing a little human. :-)

Baby's favorite (or is it possible least favorite? I go with the former) music seems to be Mumford and Sons. It's the oddest yet cutest thing. If I'm listening to Pandora he starts kicking when Mumford comes on and lately his daddy puts Mumford and Sons on in the car or the house all the time just to see him moving around.
His kicks are sure getting stronger! And his favorite trick is to find a nook and ball himself up (or something like that). The other day it looked like I had half of a softball sticking out of my side just below my ribs from the way he had positioned himself. Such a little nut.
I love how he already interacts with Dre. He certainly knows his voice and often will start buzzing about when Dre enters the room. Dre's face when LittleBoy kicks back at his pokes or rolls around under his hand is one of the sweetest memories I'll always have of this time in our lives.
I not only weigh more than I ever have in my life I am certainly eating wayyyyy more than I ever have before. It's ridiculous but praise the Lord food tastes good these days.
The nursery is about 70% done and I love it. I walk in and look at it every morning before I go downstairs. Thanks to my dear hubby and Kristen for their help in accomplishing my crazy schemes with painting and helping my crazy pregnant self chill out when I felt like everything needed to get done one particular Thursday. (Hormones are nuts.)
We'll be 32 weeks tomorrow and only 8 weeks away (give or take on either side) from meeting this little guy. I can't wait to see what he looks like and hold him for real. I keep commenting that this little boy is not only a welcome first born for our family but just such a wonderfully anticipated and prayed for babe. I am so grateful for the gift he's already been to me and his daddy.

And it begins...

2011-09-16T10:25:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the bad cell phone pics but we have officially started on the Little Monkey's nursery!

Paint!

Super Husband/Daddy painting late at night. Even more grateful considering how much he hates painting. ;-)

I'm excited, neurotic (you don't want to know where my OCD has taken me), and a little nervous about how it will all come together but no matter what I'm overwhelmingly grateful and still, seven months later, in awe that this is for our child. What a sweet, sweet gift!

More Baby Crafts

2011-09-06T08:54:00.000-04:00

Crafting for my sweet boy is apparently my new hobby. And I think that "nesting urge" has hit and hit hard this weekend! I'm not quite sure I understand how one week away from my third trimester I'm only just now getting any energy back (maybe so much got sucked out during the sick of the first trimester that it took longer to come back than 'the books' said it would) but that combined with "nesting" is putting me in project mode hardcore. And with a husband who works weekends I'm not complaining.

This is how I spent my Sunday night...

Before: A simple but dark (and brown which doesn't match anything we have anymore) Ikea lamp shade. And Ikea stand.

During: I bought a cheap small off-white shade at Target. (Literally the last one on the shelf at the second store I visited. College students like small lamp shades?) Combined with a fat quarter I had purchased off Etsy of Alexander Henry animal print fabric. (Gotta find some use for the mountain of fabric I've accumulated!)

After: A sweet little lamp for a soft light next to the chair in Little Guy's room. Keeps the green/blue colors going but takes a break from what is becoming an awful lot of stripes and polka dots. It's not totally perfect but I love it! I can't wait to point out the rhinos and giraffes and anteaters on it to my babe. (Same Ikea stand; the brown lamp is in storage now.)

There are many tutorials and suggestions on doing this. I referenced "Darling Octopus" for my guide.

For My Little Guy

2011-09-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

I'm having lots of fun (and plenty of surreal moments mixed in) preparing for our little boy to come. One thing I've been waiting forever to do it feels like is make blankets for our baby. I have plenty of other nursery projects waiting but I started with blankets because I felt like I could actually then make something and see the progress quickly. So voila! Dreams coming true in the cheesiest, simplest, craftiest way. ;-)

I made a tummy time/snuggle blanket out of green minky circle fabric and pears. This tutorial gave me a simple guide and was easy to follow.
And then a smaller car seat blanket out of a remnant of blue soft fabric I've had stashed away and some airplanes. This tutorial is pretty similar and really basic.

Now all I need is a little boy to snuggle up in them.

Little Boy Update (25 w. 6 d.)

2011-08-27T12:27:00.000-04:00

Our little boy sure seems to be growing and getting stronger and somehow even busier in there!

He seems to either love or be afraid of thunderstorms. The ones we've had in the last month are a guarantee to wake him up and get him to start thumping around. I love thunder and lightening and big storms and Dre is pretty afraid of them so the odds of whether Baby is reacting in fear or joy are about 50/50. ;-) He woke up after the earthquake too though I'm not sure if that was because he could feel me pacing about afterwards or if he felt anything himself.

Dre finally felt him kick a few weeks ago. He said it felt like "a heart beat" inside my stomach which really is a pretty good description of what some of these movements feel like. Baby still seems to hide from Daddy but he's felt him a few more times since.

If I could eat one thing every day these days it would be blueberry pancakes. Blueberry muffins and pancakes have been a re-occuring theme in my cravings with this pregnancy. It's not that I don't like those things "normally" but man. They are just the best flavors these days!

He responds to the sound of music, especially if it has drums, to the sound of Daddy's voice especially if he's been gone at work all day and his voice is a "new" sound in the day, and to Little Meep, when she's around he goes wild; here's to hoping that means they'll be buddies some day.

I've amassed a stash of fabric to make some blankets and little pants and "baby things" as soon as I find the time + energy to do so. I'm optimistic I'll at least get something made for him even if it's not everything I dream of (and that's ok).

His room isn't at all close to ready but there's an ever growing pile of clothes and treats waiting in it for him. We're so blessed by every reminder of other's excitement with us for this little guy.

Our New Home--Part One

2011-08-14T21:06:00.000-04:00

And here we are. Settled in our new house. Getting used to more than one room and more than one floor to define our living space. Just a few pictures below to show the change that the house went through before we even moved in. Amazing friends came and spent days with us painting and cleaning so the house we moved into was seriously nothing like the house we had closed on a week prior. We could not and would not have been able to do it without our friends. (We regularly look around at the house, the paint, the things unpacked for us, etc. and comment on how amazing you all are. Thank you!!)

I put an album on Facebook of all the before and after pictures that I've taken so far. You can check it out HERE.

Power Room BEFORE -- please pay special attention to 1. the lovely black "braided" (hard detail to actually see) toilet seat) and 2. the glass/wood cabinet

The power room AFTER 1. fresh paint (pale blue) 2. no more black braided toilet seat & 3. no more odd stained glass-wood bathroom cabinet

Dining/Living Room BEFORE

Dining Room/Living Room AFTER 1. "dolphin gray" paint that really comes across as a light blue 2. a more divided yet unified space by emphasizing the chair rail in the dining room space

Kitchen BEFORE -- I really thought I wanted to pull out that built in corner cabinet ASAP...

Kitchen BEFORE-2 -- If you know me/us, you know "country apple" is not a Klessmas color. ;-)

Kitchen AFTER 1. corner cabinet inside painted blue (inspired by Pintrest and advocated and labored over by Jan and CP in particular) 2. no more country apple and instead cheery green paint

Much more "us."

And that's our home! At least in terms of the bare bones of the walls. I'll post again at some point to show that it looks like as more and more of our "home" with our furniture and things moved in. I have to say moving + being pregnant certainly put most of my home projects on the back burner but I'm sure I'll get there eventually and this way it's much easier to pace myself. ;-)

And in other news...

2011-07-26T18:29:00.001-04:00

As my husband has recently been telling me "I hope you're getting used to this: everything in my life changes all at once!" We put an offer on a short sale in Germantown back at the end of January. The first Friday of July we finally got the call that, if we still wanted it and could get our loan, the house was ours. And so this Saturday we're moving into our first house and the project list to make it our 'home' are already in full swing! We're rather stunned at the way God provided this house and super excited that it's really truly ours. (We settled last Thursday.) So stay tuned! Between house projects and the little boy that likes to jam his toes in my ribs this blog has lots of upcoming material. What an unbelievable difference a year makes!

Little Son

2011-07-20T10:02:00.008-04:00

When we first found out I was pregnant I 'knew' it was a boy. I don't know how I knew or what that even means but there was just a feeling in my gut and my heart that this little babe was our son. The one we've been waiting for and the one we can't wait to hold. As soon as the sonogram tech turned on the machine she too knew that it was a boy. Let's just say little man is already a daddy's boy and not shy. ;-) I wouldn't have been shocked or disappointed if he was a she instead; I don't even know if I could have felt happier just to see that little one jumping all over the screen healthy as can be. (And he was practically jumping; both the doctor and the tech commented that he was not one of the "most cooperative babies [they've] ever scanned." :-P)

It's amazing to me the feeling of 'knowing' our child in the tiniest of ways before he's in our arms. Whether it's his gender or how he seems to come alive at the sound of the shower or way he already responds to his daddy's voice, I love the bits of knowing and relationship that are already developing for our little family. What really stuns me is the verse that has echoed in my heart since the day I told Dre we were gonna have a little of our own this winter. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" says God in Jeremiah 1:5. And He doesn't just mean He knows our gender or our birthdate but He knows us. No aspect of our lives, the timing of circumstances or situations in our lives surprises Him or catches Him off guard. No response in our hearts or in our foolish or commendable behavior come as a surprise to Him. There are many things I already pray for this little man but more than what I pray or the plans I have for his nursery or the dreams I have of watching him with his daddy, the excitement I have of knowing that God already knows him and his future and has a good and prefect plan for his life brings so much peace and hope as I look ahead to our little son. I'm so glad Dre and I get to be a big part of it!

Halfway There

2011-07-18T22:46:00.001-04:00

On Sunday we hit the halfway point of this little babe's residence inside my growing belly and him finally being in our arms. I've never been someone who enjoyed the heat of summer too much and fall is my favorite season but this year I just can't wait until December. I've never looked forward to it more.

Son. Little babe is a boy! I really felt like I 'knew' that this one was going to be a boy (unnervingly revealed to the dear husband when I pulled out the small stash of clearance baby clothes I've already amassed and Dre realized they were all for a boy being born this winter) though I would not have been disappointed in any way, shape, or form if he has been a she. But he is most definitely a he and a very proud one at that. ;-)
Nicknames. Considering how many nicknames Dre and I have for each other and our friends not to mention the legacy of Miss Meeper I'm somewhat 'surprised' that our little baby doesn't have a nickname that's really stuck thus far. "Bacon," the KG's term of endearment for our some day child hasn't really caught on with the father-to-be who would prefer his prodigy not be named after a food. I think I most often call him "Bug" but I'm not sure it's reached nickname status yet. Audrey for whatever reason associates the baby with a duck, particularly when she sees any sonogram picture (3-D or otherwise). So there's always "Ducky" but considering that refers to Audrey's large plastic duck from Cape May and the baby I'm not sure that's gonna stick. Mostly baby is just "Baby" and that's alright with us because we're just so grateful there is a baby. :-)
Weight. I finally started gaining a few weeks ago and am thankfully on track. For whatever reason gaining weight was a fear of mine but no problems there so far. I officially weigh more than I ever have in my life and I am quite proud of that.
Cravings. I think I've had more aversions than cravings and for whatever reason Baby doesn't prefer some of my most favorite foods. (Namely, potatoes and french fries.) If I do want something I'll want it desperately for about three days and then be sick of it. Foods that have gone that route so far: bean burritos, PB&honey, pretzels, birch beer, green onion bagels from Panera, and many others. Most of the time if you offer me a shaved ice or snow cone I won't say no, especially if it's cherry flavored. After not being able to eat ground beef for the first trimester and start of the second I'm back to eating it and the first week I could stomach it probably ate five burgers in seven days, all with pickles of course.

Other than that, the daily adventure of being pregnant, life continues. Hopefully this blog will get a bit more attention in the weeks to come. We've certainly got plenty of adventures ahead to keep it going!

I Get By

2011-06-15T22:21:00.000-04:00

In the infamous words of my husband, here's the thing... I am thrilled to be pregnant. I am so grateful. I am so excited. I am so overwhelmed by the fact. But good-ness! It is all consuming in a way nothing, particularly no "sickness" I've had (and I'm a pro at being sick), has ever been. We're just getting our toes into the second trimester and I'm certainly feeling "better" than I did even a few weeks ago but sheesh! I have never been sick like the last few months and could not imagine this kind of sick. Don't worry I'm not going to go into details, just laying out some background. ;-)

Being sick, attempting to continue working full-time, being a wife, and just staying alive has seemed like more than I could handle on many days. And I just wanted to list, because I don't want to forget, the many kindnesses I've been shown in only these first months.

First of all, I know there were many prayers for us to have a little babe from so many different friends in so many different parts of our lives. And I am grateful to have been aware and unaware of how many people were carrying this on their hearts for us.
Then there's my best-friend-who-might-as-well-be-my-sister. When I was first hit with being super sick I came home from care group one night and found a nearly spotless apartment. She cleaned, folded things, put away things, took out the trash, annnnd threw out all the food that had been long forgotten by me in my fridge. And that's just the 'big' thing she did for me. She's made me corn bread when it was the only thing that sounded good, she's picked up random food for me while out on errands, bought me pedialyte when I needed the hydration help, and been kind and gentle when I've "made memories" while we're out doing errands. ;-)
Add the many other friends who have brought me baked potatoes or tortilla soup when they weren't coming over for anything else. The friends who have encouraged me and told me this wouldn't last forever--and if it did that I'd make it. There's the texts from my mom (and in-laws) that always remind me how sweet this little life is. My dad picking me up from a party so I could crash on their couch and Dre could stay and enjoy time with friends. The sweet excitement so many of our friends share with us every time they see us. Oh and my little bestie who thinks the baby is a duck.
I am so grateful for you all. I am blessed with more friends than I can name (and most of you who don't have links for me to show you off :-P).

And I can't forget my dear, patient, forbearing, understanding husband. He has been amazing. I mean, I'm not saying I didn't think he'd be helpful and kind and patient but he's far surpassed any expectation I had for being the husband of a crazy pregnant lady. He's gone to more random places to get me food at random times than I can remember, rubbed my back and hugged me when I felt miserable, patiently put up with me when I "made memories" when we were out and about, reminded me to take my vitamins, prayed for me when I was discouraged, and told the baby to be nice to me.

These Happy Golden Years

2011-06-04T21:30:00.000-04:00

Five years ago today we promised to love one another for the rest of our lives with the rest of our lives. The road God has led us on since that day hasn't been exactly what we'd anticipated but by it we've grown more and more in trusting His hand and becoming even closer friends than we were the day we were married. If an outsider were to look at our life you would probably see the dramatic changes in some of our circumstances in the last few months and have little idea how much God has done in providing bountifully exactly what we needed when we needed (financially, spiritually, relationally), in providing by taking away or not giving us what we desired, and in faithfully drawing our hearts to Him over anything else. Through our marriage and through the way God has led both Dre and I, I have come to know God more and trust Him more completely and there is no greater gift I could hope for in our marriage than that that continues. The song "Sometimes A Light Surprises" has been on repeat on my playlist for months now and I can't summarize any better the way God has been there for us the last five years than that.

My love, I love you far more deeply and far more completely than I ever knew I could love someone five years ago. You have carried my faith when it was weak, cried with me and for me, patiently served me in big ways and small ways, sought to bless me and make me smile every day, and been my best friend in the tenderest ways. I love the man you are: the hard-worker, the joker, the sports fan, and the loyal friend. I love the way you wholeheartedly pursue the things that you love whether it be learning your job as an ATC, DC sports teams, your friends, or whatever random item catches your interest that you spend hours learning about via books and the internet. I can't wait for the next fifty years by your side.

To our friends and family, we can't imagine life these five years without your influence, fellowship, laughter, and support. Whether you were co-workers, care group members, friends from high school, or people God randomly put in our lives we are grateful for you and the fact that our marriage is full to the brim of dear friends who love both of us.

And now we're off! To spend our traditional weekend in DC to celebrate. This year we're bringing 'with' us someone extra, name unknown, and estimated date of arrival into our arms in early December... Meet our Sweet Baby K!

What a five years!!

29 Years Young

2011-03-15T05:17:00.001-04:00

I am regularly grateful that God gave me a husband. And of course incredibly grateful for Andree. But over the last year I have been consistently humbled by how very much God knew I needed Andree as my husband. No one knows me as well, bears with me as patiently, comforts me as effectively, and simply loves me as 'perfectly' as Dre. It's not that he's perfect. But he is perfect for me.

I love you baby. I am so blessed because I get to share my life with you. You make me laugh on my darkest days and have strengthened my faith with your example of confidence in God's plan for us as we walk through life together. You are my best friend, my love, and such an incredible man.

Happy, happy 29th birthday stud!

hbd rockstar

2011-01-10T12:37:00.000-05:00

"A judicious friend, into whose heart we may pour out our souls, and tell our corruptions as well as our comforts, is a very great privilege." // George Whitefield

Happy Birthday to my best friend. Other than Dre no one knows me as well, cares for me as efficiently, or makes me laugh and grateful in the moments of life more than Janet. I am so grateful that she befriended me back in high school, grateful for the way God preserved (:-P) and fed our friendship as we went through growing pains and both got married, and grateful for the way she has shared my joys and burdens in a way I can't even describe over the last few years and months.

I love you friend. Respect you much and am honored to consider you my best friend.

This picture just makes me laugh. :-) "Cheeky Monkey likes cheese..."

Hemmed Pants

2010-12-02T10:32:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I realized that I had amassed a few pairs too many of pants that were too long for me and sitting in a pile waiting for me to either take them to a tailor or bother hemming them myself. It's not that I have a compulsive need to buy pants it's just when I see a nice pair of pants in my size for $7 I find it hard to say no. Well with Andree in Oklahoma and me in Maryland it was time to tackle a few projects and at the top of the list was hemming my pants to freshen up the ol' wardrobe. My grandparents gave me a great sewing machine last Christmas and with the extra time I had no excuse. Serendipitously THIS brilliant technique came up on my GoogleReader and I was set. Seriously this "trick" is the best out there. It was well-worth taking the time to be sure both legs were even and straight (let's just say I can be an impatient sewer) because the actual sewing was so much easier than I had previously experienced. And the end result felt like getting free pants!

Thanksgiving-style Cinnamon Rolls from TheKitchn

2010-12-01T09:04:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness. Can I just say the fact that this made two and a half pans of rolls was not a bad thing?? We're about to finish off the last pan tonight/tomorrow morning and I don't think I've ever made a sweet bread that was devoured like this recipe was. I made these for Thanksgiving breakfast and was pretty much ready to make another batch immediately after I tasted them. I love the simplicity of the cinnamon rolls I've made previously with leftover pizza dough but these are worth the extra effort. The recipe is below or you can click the link to find the recipe on TheKitchn website and read in the comments all the alternatives to pumpkin that people used. Enjoy!

No-Knead Pumpkin Rolls with Brown Sugar Glaze
Makes 16-18 rolls

For the dough:
1/4 cup water
1 scant tablespoon yeast
1 cup milk // coconut milk worked just fine
1/2 cup butter // earth balance worked perfectly
1/2 cup sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1/2 cup butter // used earth balance
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the glaze:
1/4 cup butter // earth balance
1/2 cup milk // coconut milk
1 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit a few minutes until the yeast is dissolved.

Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan on the stove top until the butter is melted. Combine this with the sugar in a large heat-proof mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Let the milk mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch - NOT HOT. [This was the hardest part: being patient and letting it cool down. The milk, butter and sugar smelled so yummy and cozy.] Then stir in the yeast and the pumpkin. Add the salt and five cups of the flour all at once, stirring until all the flour has been absorbed. Squish it between your hands if you’re having trouble incorporating the last of the flour. The dough will be sticky, but should come together in a shaggy ball. If it's still more the consistency of cookie batter, work in an additional 1/2 cup of flower.

Cover the dough and let it rise for 1-3 hours. During this time, it should double in bulk. At this point, you can punch the dough down and refrigerate it overnight or continue shaping the rolls.

[I left my dough loosely covered in the bowl overnight in the refrigerator overnight.]

To shape the rolls (either immediately or with the refrigerated dough), sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and dump the dough on top. Pat it down into a rough rectangle and then use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape about a half an inch thick, longer than it is wide. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on the dough’s surface and on your hands.

Melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the brown sugar and the spices. Spread this over the rectangle of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough at the top. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch it closed at the top.

Grease pans (two 9x13 baking dishes, two 9-inch cake pans, or a combination). Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into individual rolls 1 - 1 1/2 inches thick. Place them into your baking dishes so they have a little wiggle room on all sides to rise. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise until they fill the pan and look puffy, 30 minutes for already-warm dough and 1 hour for dough that’s been refrigerated.

About 20 minutes before baking, begin heating the oven to 375°. When the rolls are ready, bake them for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and starting to look toasted around the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through cooking.

While they are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter. When the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and salt. Stir until the brown sugar has melted. Remove from heat and strain into a mixing bowl to remove any sugar clumps. Stir in the powdered sugar. This should form a thick but pourable glaze.

Let the baked rolls cool for about five minutes and then pour the glaze on top.

// TheKitchn recipe gives the option of using pecas (which I would definitely consider trying out!) but I removed those references so you can see just what I did. If you check out the recipe on their website you'll see when to use the nuts.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-29T21:04:00.000-05:00

So after a whirlwind weekend of my and Meepies birthdays*, I flew back to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving and to pack-up Dre's place in OKC to go home. My family flew out to spend the week of Thanksgiving with us and we had a blast cooking up our first full Thanksgiving dinner.

We had dinner at POP's on historic Route 66. They have literally hundreds of different kinds of sodas.

We showed the fam one of our favorite places: the Oklahoma City National Memorial downtown. Pictured above is the "Survivor Tree" bare and ready for fall. It's still beautiful in it's own way even without it's greenery.

And then it was time for Thanksgiving! Cynthia, Dre and I stayed up late Wednesday night prepping things (well really I think I went to bed first and left them with more to do) and I was up and cooking from about 8:30-4pm. Making and hosting Thanksgiving certainly gave Dre and I a fresh perspective on what it means when we've just 'shown up' for Thanksgiving in past years. But oh it was so worth it! We're thinking of doing it every year and making it 'our holiday' if our families are agreeable.

On the menu this year were: free range turkey from the OKC-OSU farmer's market prepared with 'butter' blended with orange zest and rosemary under its skin and then basted with olive oil, the juice of three oranges, and it's own juices; Pioneer Woman's stuffing; mashed potatoes; sweet potatoes with homemade granola topping; blanched green beans; honey roasted carrots; roasted broccoli; sweet potato rolls; and Paula Dean's macaroni and cheese made by Dre's classmate Claudine. We had nine people to dinner (my family + us + four of Dre's classmates) and in what my mom called "true Garrison tradition" had enough desserts for everyone to have their own. (Cynthia made not one but two pumpkin pies plus a DF apple crumble.)

My hero dealing with the raw turkey so that when it was dinner time I still had an appetite to eat yummy turkey. I can deal with raw meat but it really affects my appetite for the item later.

Barry and Dre carving up the bird. It was definitely a two person project. :-)

My plate. Seriously. I've never worked so hard at a meal and found it so deliciously worth it.

And since my family left we've just been counting down the days and getting ready to go home. Andree's dad came out and picked up our car and drove it back across country home for us. He loves road trips and we were definitely blessed to not have to make the drive again and worry about Dre starting work worn out from driving. Tomorrow (Tuesday) as soon as Dre gets out of class he's picking me up and then we're getting on a plane and going home! Together. For good. To our own bed. Our dear friends. And a whole new chapter of changes and new adventures!

*My birthday this year was probably the best ever. The simplest way I can describe it is that I just felt loved. Loved by my husband, loved by my friends, loved by my Savior. It's been quite a year and it was just a refreshing weekend in many small and big ways. [Thank you to everyone who contributed and played a part in anyway. I am so grateful and freshly aware of the kindness of God at work in my life.]

Happy Birthday Meepies

2010-11-19T18:14:00.002-05:00

It's so funny. You grow up. You get married. Your friends get married. And then there are the "I think I'm pregnant???" phone calls--and then, nine months later, a little baby comes into not just your friend's life but yours. I can't believe that a full year has passed since Little Audrey made her shrieking entry into the world. It still stands as one of the most amazing days of my life watching my best friend become a mommy and meeting this tiny, incredible human being. Little A you have been such a gift to so many with your smiles, your 'pats' and your instinct for knowing who needs a laugh or a snuggle. It's been so fun to watch you grow over the last year and see your little personality develop. God has used you in such unique ways to help me wait for our little babies to come.

And Janks. Wow. What an amazing mother you are. I hope I can be half the one you are some day. Your peace, your patience, your selflessness, and just your "ability" to love and care for your little girl amaze me. I can't wait to be mommies together some day. (Same goes for you Seth. My respect for you has only grown the last year in watching you love your wife and your daughter and so obviously enjoy the sweet life God has given you with your girls. I'm so glad you married my best friend.)

Columbus Day

2010-11-10T11:33:00.000-05:00

Andree was able to come home for a whirlwind visit over Columbus Day weekend. It's amazing how simply normal it felt to have him back in day-to-day life after all the time apart. He had planned a special date day up in Frederick for us and surprised me with lunch at Volt! We loved our dinner there at Valentine's but somehow lunch was even better! Maybe it was the more relaxed atmosphere, but man. So good! We then went and had coffee and dessert at Beans in the Belfry and a walk down by the C&O Canal "in the woods" which is one of my favorite things (though not Dre's). It was a sweet time of reconnecting and just enjoying being together in the same place again. The rest of the weekend was spent with mini visits with friends, Dre meeting new babies, and quick hangout times with our families.

And the best part was I got packed back up with Dre's luggage and flew back to Oklahoma with him for a few weeks!! Being with my best friend in the world, my most amazing husband, and someone as hysterical and fun to be with as Andree is my absolute favorite thing.

Walker, cutest little boy on the block and Andree's best friend's first baby.

Sweet lil' Alannah, born just in time for us to visit (though we did bypass the hospital coming home from the aiport)...

Pork tenderloin and brussel sprouts. My eight year old self would never understand how delicious this was.

I loathe beets. Except at high end restaurants apparently. Because I loved these! And I'm still craving the balsamic vinegar. So, so good.

The Deep Freeze

2010-11-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

Like I mentioned earlier, I started preparing to leave my love in Oklahoma within the first few weeks we were there. I would make a meal and make more than enough for the two of us and put two dinner servings of the same meal in the freezer for Andree to have. (It's not that Andree won't cook; he can make plenty of delicious meals but odds are left to his own the drive-thru of Sonic would be far more appealing than working to make a home-cooked meal.)

This is how his freezer looked by the time I left: batches of chicken enchiladas, tons of chicken taco meat, pizza doughs mixed and frozen, fresh bread, beef-and-buffalo meat sauce, beef-and-buffalo chili, corn muffins, zucchini-apple muffins, homemade granola, and the various leftovers of stewed chicken or soy-ginger chicken.
Oh and of course, homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies portioned out and frozen for adding to his lunches!

It was hard to leave him for five weeks (still feel queasy when I think of being apart that long :-/) but somehow it helped to be able to prepare and find a way to care for and be his wife even from a distance by stocking his fridge with food I made just for him.

This was his "instruction manual" on what was in the freezer, what he should buy (fresh fruit and vegetables!!), suggestions on what to make, and tips on important things bachelors always need remind of like how to make rice. (Who am I kidding, I can't make rice without looking up a 'recipe' for reassurance!)

Zucchini Muffins

2010-11-07T10:30:00.000-05:00

I made I don't even know how many dozen of these muffins before I went home and oh man, they were so good! The best part is the ones that are left from when I made and froze these in September are still just as delicious as they were hot out of the oven. These have probably become my favorite muffin right now. I came along them randomly looking at food blogs and then within a week saw them on a mommy-blog and knew I had to try them. And I'm so glad I did. They were easily done dairy free and you certainly can't tell they're missing butter.

Check out the recipe here and enjoy!

Snapshots of Home-Away-from-Home

2010-11-06T10:30:00.000-04:00

A few of my favorite things from our home-away-from-home and the life we share.

Eggs, Oklahoma plums, and homemade cinnamon rolls for a quiet weekend morning together.

Mini dates to Sonic for limeades. Definitely something we, but in particularly Dre, will miss back home in Maryland.

Dre brought me a rose his first week of class. I put it with the last flowers he bought me in Maryland before our trip that made the drive out with us. I have a sweet husband.

Dre's morning coffee is usually FrenchPress and he leaves me the last quarter to have when I wake up after he's gone to class. (His day class schedule is 7am-3pm so he's long gone before I'm anywhere near conscious.) I love the little reminders that say "I'm-thinking-of-you" throughout my day.

Study dates at Starbucks in Mustang. This was in September. Now he mostly spends his free time resting because his brain is so fried from class where they are practicing over-and-over again scenarios in a simulation room.

He did it.

2010-11-05T14:17:00.002-04:00

Special certificate saying he's all done!!

Andree passed his "performance verification" this morning. That means he's officially done the portion of ATC training in Oklahoma. The next portions of his training will take place at his facility. He still has to stay in Oklahoma for the rest of the month for a "workshop" being given for controllers going to high volume facilities but he's done the bulk of the focused studying.

Wooohoooo!!

So proud of you baby. I love you.

This has nothing to do with his test but it's one of my "passes" from September when I dropped him off at work.

BigLittleDronkey testing out Dre's headset after class. ;-)

Chicken Taco Recipe

2010-11-04T10:30:00.001-04:00

One of our favorite things in Oklahoma is the Farmer's Market at the OKC campus of OSU. If we could take it home to Maryland we would. It's made Oklahoma feel much more like home and helped so much with my dietary restrictions and our general goal to eat local. (Sonic counts right? I mean it's based in Oklahoma...) We go every Saturday morning and buy everything from meat to cheese and eggs and of course veggies. We signed up and ordered a turkey last week for Thanksgiving and can't wait to pick him up!

Dre's lunches the first few weeks were salads, all local ingredients and so nice and colorful! You can tell he's a man with a wife though. Poor guy. Who else has to eat salad for lunch while they're in training? ;-)

One of the best deals at the Farmer's Market is a bag of chicken thighs. They're about $5 for 15 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken meat (in Oklahoma) and make some great crockpot dinners. We bought a bag about every week when I was in Oklahoma August-September and I would make a meal or two out of them and then aim to freeze at least one meal's worth of leftovers for when I was back in Maryland and Andree was alone in Oklahoma.

I think our favorite chicken thighs meal is chicken tacos. There's just so many options of what to do to change them up; the possibilities are endless depending on either what you have at your fridge or are hungry for (verde salsa, pickled onions and cucs, cheese, avocados, cilantro). This is our go-to recipe for chicken taco meat though I don't follow it quite exactly if I don't have an ingredient I make it work with what I have. We eat the cooked meat as tacos, burritos, on nachos, or even on salads. It's so easy, and so good!

Martha Stewart Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can use bone-in or chicken breasts or whatever you have; Oklahoma is the first time I've used boneless, skinless; I just get Dre to take the meat off the bones for me after they're cooked)
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1/2 cup prepared tomato salsa (any flavor you'd like; you can also easily add fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro for a more 'homemade' flair)
1 to 2 tbsp. chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 tbsp. chili powder
salt & pepper
extra fixin's and taco shells/tortillas for dressing up the meat into tacos

Combine all the chicken, garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, salt and pepper in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 8 hours).

Once cooked cooked, shred the chicken, mix in some of the juices to moisten and serve!

Seriously, the easiest, most delicious chicken tacos ever (even if meat never photographs well on the cell phone...)!

Love In Two States

2010-11-02T10:30:00.001-04:00

After being in Oklahoma for almost a month (vacation time plus a tremendously generous pair of bosses who let me extend the bounds of 'working remotely' to include working from Oklahoma for a few weeks so I could make being Dre's wife a priority and yet keep my job), I had to go home to Maryland. We were apart for five weeks and I never want to do that again. (Our next "separation" will be thirteen days, which still sounds daunting but after the month+ apart it feels much more bearable and less intimidating.) I cried all morning the day I left but somehow we managed it and enjoyed little 'dates' from a distance doing things like cg homework together or watching our favorite 'Top Chef' finale on two different TV's but at the same time. It certainly makes me grateful for being able to live the little moments of every day next to my husband. I do not know how military families do it. They amaze me and I'm grateful that despite the unique life we lead and have been living the last few months that isn't what God has for us. He knows what we can bear. ;-)

The mail I came home to. I've never quite had a stack that large. After picking up mail at work's PO Box, my inbox in Point of Rocks, and home, I decided actually going through it could wait for another day. I'm so grateful for Judi's help in staying on top of things and being sure nothing important that was sent to me while I was away slipped through the cracks.

Coming home to Maryland meant lots more special time with my littlest friend. I'm so grateful for the sovereign timing in play in our lives right now that means I came home to 'family' at the Remys' and was able to spend evenings at my parents as well. I missed Dre tons and tons but I can't quite say I was lonely. ;-)

Most of our nights looked like this: praise God for Skype! I think I teared up every night when we'd say goodnight but goodness. I am grateful for being able to talk to and "see" my husband every night when we're apart. It doesn't replace his hugs or his nearness but wow, what a world we live in that these things are 'normal' and accessible.

November.

2010-11-01T11:33:00.004-04:00

It's November.

I haven't been excited about 'next month' since before we got married and the days were moving so fast to close the gap between when we'd be husband and wife.

Andree finishes in Oklahoma this month. His last class is on November 30th and he'll be home for good on December 1st.

I can't wait.

pc I'm Kristen -- of course. what other friend would come visit us in Oklahoma? ;-)

Catching Up: Road Trip Highlights

2010-10-24T14:21:00.005-04:00

Here's a few snapshots from our road trip from Maryland to Oklahoma back in August. We took 2 1/2 days to make the trip giving us enough time to not be exhausted when we got there and enjoy good food or a short adventure every day.

Of course the Dronkey crew came with us. And since we don't have kids yet they offered to pose for pictures to document the trip.
This is Girlie being brave and posing with her new friend Nash. (I actually don't think she was afraid of the dog but I think Dre was a little afraid of trusting Nash near her. It didn't help that Dre was moving her around, having her skitter back and forth in front of him so Nash thought just maybe this scentless object might be alive.)

Leg 1: GERMANTOWN, MARYLAND---KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

We had a sweet late night catching up with Esther and after a good night's sleep enjoyed some delicious dairy free french toast and were sent on our way with chocolate chip cookies. We both were so blessed by her hospitality and getting to see her again. The extra effort she put into making food 'Becca safe' was so kind and became even more of a blessing the longer we were on the road and the farther we got from our usual 'dairy free' quick options for my meals. I think I lived on rice cakes, Esther's cookies, and snacks my mom packed us for the rest of the trip. {Thank you 'Smester! We're so glad we get to know you and hope you come visit Maryland sometime soon--just not before we're home. ;-)}

One of the "Twin Girlies" guarding the flowers that drove with us halfway across country. They actually survived the trip and about a week in Oklahoma. :-)

Leg 2: KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE---MEMPHIS/MISSISSIPPI
Little Dronkey making new friends in Nashville Tennessee where we wandered around for a few hours.

The highlight of our stopover in Mississippi was the bar-b-que we got. It took a lot of googling and weighing all the options (because there were many) but we finally settled on Neely's and certainly did not regret it! I was sick nearly the entire road trip and it even tasted good to my cold-infested taste buds. I think Andree almost weeped he was so happy with his extremely large platter of meat. We got it to-go from what looked like a run-down old Pizza Hut and ate it at a picnic table at our hotel. I love making random memories with my boy in all sorts of random places!

Leg 3: MEMPHIS, MISSISSIPPI---OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

On Tuesday we arrived in Oklahoma! And started making our home-away-from-home in a duplex in OKC. It's been a real treat to go from our basement 'suite' in the Remy's basement to a full house in Oklahoma. Though being away from home is hard, it's something that makes it more fun. I've enjoyed having my own kitchen and Dre's loved the big TV to watch football on. (Thanks Kim!)

What Our Evenings Currently Look Like...

2010-09-08T22:31:00.004-04:00

Watching our favorite show (though not our favorite season for sure) "together" via Skype (and two TV's).

We've gone from our longest time "apart" being 3 1/2 days (CG Leaders Retreat) to attempting 30 days.

Updates and recipes and mis-adventures to come.

On Our Way!! (Subtitle: An Explanation)

2010-08-14T04:04:00.011-04:00

Sometimes the blog goes quiet because life is being lived. Even in the way my personal journal looks I can find spots with gaps of time when I know it wasn't that nothing was happening but rather it was almost too much happening to put into words adequately. One can only say "there are no words" so many times and throw up a picture without it getting old. ;-)

Most people know, but not everyone, that the last few years have been a little different than what we expected our first few years of marriage to look. They've been wonderfully sweet and full of good things but in terms of Dre's job they've been a little 'different' than anticipated. He has worked hard and faithfully to provide and bring home the bacon while examining many things to see if one of them might be a career for him to support our family rather than simply a job. Over two years ago a random email forward from his mom sparked him to think he had found 'it' and for over two years he has been pursuing and waiting on it. And waiting. And waiting. We've done a lot of waiting the last two years. But God is faithful.

The long and the short of it is Andree wants to be an air traffic controller. (And I want him to be one too.) It seems like this is the perfect fit for his gifting, intellect, and interests. It was not at all on the radar before his mom forwarded him a email about hirings but it's become close to a dream job in his mind and heart. There were many tests to be passed, interviews to be had, evaluations and background checks, and then he was all clear! Then we waited on an academy date and three weeks ago we found out he had one! Now the real fun begins and he starts training this Thursday in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma! Once he completes the training at the FAA Academy he will then be training on site at his new job at the Potomac Tracon in Warrenton, Virginia and Lord-willing enjoy a career with the FAA for many years to come.

Below is a timeline of the process Dre's/we've walked through of applying and waiting. (If you right click on it so you can see it bigger.)

It's been a season of good-byes and a season of feeling very temporary in life. We said good-bye to the KG (love you guys SO!) the first week of August, Andree finished up at Apple on Thursday, and we said good bye to our family and friends this morning and are heading out on a road trip to Oklahoma for the next few days. I'll be going back and forth between OKC and MD, balancing work and being a wifey. When Andree comes home from the academy we'll continue to live in Germantown for a little while and seek to figure out the best location to live long-term. It's going to be a very unique few months but we're so excited God has opened this door and even more that it's one we get to walk through and be together in the midst of.

Here we are! Literally. On the road. Leg one of our trip is a stop in Knoxville for some chocolate ice cream with Esther and we can't wait! (Though the Dronkies live in fear of her dog...Oh yes. They're here too. All 8 of them.)

It's funny because I could say many reflective things on all we've learned through the waiting. All the ways we've seen God provide for us, financially and otherwise, in this time of 'in between.' All the ways we've grown closer together (coughcough:: communication = telling your wife you applied to be an air traffic controller ::coughcough) and individually. All the experiences and friendships we would not have had if this had all happened right away. But again. Sometimes when life is so 'full' my thoughts are locked away. The quote below pretty much sums up 90% of all that I've learned and clung too. I know that God is bigger than the boogie man. That His plan for us is perfect and good no matter what it is, even if somehow this job doesn't work out. I know that we have not been left alone here to muddle through but that God has provided friendships to refresh, encourage, and care for us and each other to walk through life with. And I know those things more today than I did on May 2008. And for that I am grateful.

"In Christ all things are ours. There is now for us no awful Beyond of mystery and fear. We cannot, indeed, explain the world, but we rejoice now that we cannot explain it. To us it is all unknown, but it contains no mysteries for our Savior; He is on the throne; He is at the centre; He is ground and explanation of all things; He pervades the remotest bounds; by Him all things consist. The world is full of dread, mysterious powers; they touch us already in a thousand woes. But from all them we are safe." --J. Gresham

2010-08-13T00:46:00.002-04:00

day (1342) .flo. headed off for a quick trip with our "friend" ksnyd, and maybe we'll even shoot a wedding.

day (1345) .victoria. "you and me and..." lets stay out here all night to see the space... oh wait nm

day (1346) .shuttle. blast off for reals!!!!

day (1384) .kgretreat. it only took three years to put it together... can you make ALL the meals?

day (1428) .newplace. i loved living there with you for four of the sweetest years of my life. i'm sad too... how about i'll trade you the coolest apartment ever for the coolest meeps ever...

day (1466) .strasmas. i wept. you got vertigo. 14 Ks. whoa.

day (1497) .physical. this time YOU weep. cuz i passed. cuz you're amazing.

day (1531) .apple. last day at hopefully the 2nd to last job of my life... you've been by my side all these days... i love you.

well... what does day (1532+) hold for us? i guess we'll see....

(1461) days of marriage... cont... cont... cont...

2010-06-23T21:23:00.004-04:00

day (1071) .voyage. we shared a special time in the care headed to a very stinky graduation. thanks for sharing your favorite novels with me. let's do part 4 on our next trip...

day (1118) .chicago. wrigley, deep dish, double dogs, and a really important interview. i'm so glad you were there by my side. maybe we should go back there. and not lose my fav hat next time...

day (1155) .molly. we watched a dog and owned a house for a week. i don't think we broke anything... right?

day (1227) .magic. apparently the swiss family robinson isn't a ride. and the big thunder mountain railroad was a soooo funnn!!!

day (1253) .aloft. ok, it's nice when your wife surprises you by meeting you close to work when you have an hour+ commute and arranges to spend the night at a really cool hotel...

day (1265) .badattitude. sometimes i have plans. and sometimes things like best friends having a kid change those plans. i'm still learning to be flexible... thanks for helping me...

day (1302) .nyctoops. i love you. i love nyc. i love the toops'. you+nyc+toops'?!? ohhhh yeah!!!!

...is there more????

(1461) days of marriage... cont... cont...

2010-06-07T23:27:00.001-04:00

day (765) .atsat. i take a big test. how ‘bout i fly up to long island and back on the same day. i can’t believe its been two years!

day (819) .crabs. someone (me and doc?) come up with the great idea to tailgate with crabs. pretty much the best idea ever. especially the smelling like crabs all day part.

day (847) .philly. double date weekend with a fav couple. their fans are worst. please don’t tell me the score of skins-cowgirls.

day (862) .tri. def a major milestone. i missed seeing you during the bike. but seeing how excited you were while i was running pushed me to finish. could you drive home?

day (970) .nhi. first overnight by mysefl at nih felt eerily similar to some happenings early on in our relationship... i don’t want to do that anymore

day (1010) .gettysburg. because i can’t do personal retreats on my own, i was wondering if you could come up and spend the night with me? i’ll do the grillin’

day (1020) .greensboro. i think we’re sensing a theme here. we really like spending time with a certain family. let’s see 4 basketball games in one day with them. do you see mr. tony?

to be continued...

(1461) days of marriage... cont...

2010-06-06T17:24:00.000-04:00

day (440) .newengland. somehow we went on a crazy vay-cay with bunners and the not-yet alcantars... i was all nerves in a Providence coffee shop, waiting for your plane to arrive

day (477) .goodbyerfk. because we root for the teams that play there. remember loving demitri young?

day (517) .maizemaze. i think maybe they’re starting to like us. i think we like them too. maybe i was afraid of getting lost... until i we got there...

day (570) .flying. flying on christmas day. you know, that day in which gpa can see the floor at kennedy...

day (666) .natsprk. i know 666 does not sound like a good day. but opening day at Nats Park is a good day. we’ll spend many, many more evenings here...

days (680) thru (685) .lyingonthefloor. t4g was fun. what was not fun was ibs, and lying on the concrete.

day (720) .louisvilleagain. goodbye louisville. i could use another hot brown.

day (732) .rainrain. let’s spend all night at Nats Park. and not see anything. i’ll hide under the stairs!!!

(1461) days of marriage

2010-06-04T13:19:00.002-04:00

day (1) .nerves. i could barely eat my meatball sub from jerry’s that afternoon. imagine that. me. not eating. but 10 hours later i took you home. forever.

day (170) .yummydinnerimade. i’m so sad you can’t eat that anymore. i also bought a pumpkin.

day (223) .iquitmyjob. not the pinnacle of leadership. or communication. hey... God blessed it anyways?

day (355) .escape. we start driving to Na with our day old new car. haha.

day (365) .beaconhotel. a dc tradition begins. lets do that forever

day (402) .kg. now that we have a year under our belts let’s have a bunch of crazy teens in our little place every tuesday night

day (408) .obx. welcome to vacations with my fam.

to be continued...

KG.

2010-04-27T21:55:00.002-04:00

In lieu of an update, here are some faces that we love lots. Tuesday nights in our little "Love Nest" have been some of the sweetest, funnest, and craziest times. Love you guys!

Three Little Words

2010-04-12T15:13:00.007-04:00

I read this off a blog link last week and thought it was sweet. It certainly sums up the way your whole life changes in the biggest and yet most simple way when you get married.

These were my six-month old wife thoughts. I'm grateful to have them captured this way.

Maybe it was from reading that blog or maybe I'm just feeling nostalgic lately, but the other day when I was getting off the phone with Dre and we did the whole "ok, love you, bye!" at the end of our call I realized how strange it was that there was once a time when we didn't do that. A "long time" ago, in what feels like an entirely different life, I didn't even know Dre existed. In the more recent ancient past I knew he existed and thought he was great but not "like that" and never ever would have imagined I would fall in love with him. And then somehow I did, hard and pretty fast. Then there was the one night when he said "I just love you" for the first time in the cutest, sweetest, most wistful voice while we were sitting on the swing in my parent's backyard. And that was that. Ever since then, nearly every time we talk, nearly every time we part ways, we say those little words and while their meaning has somewhat evolved over the last few years and I know they will continue to deepen in meaning and significance. There's never a time when I don't 'mean it' though there certainly are times when it carries more meaning. (Maybe that only makes sense in my head.) Somehow the other day though it just struck me as funny to remember that there was a time before loving him and even then a time before that simple phrase was the one most uttered in our relationship.

(I just love this picture.)

I love you Baby. Lots and lots. I'm more grateful for you than words can say. And while our little life has had quite a few more twists and turns than we expected thus far I cannot imagine walking through it with anyone but you.

Recent House Projects 2 of 2

2010-03-24T17:39:00.006-04:00

Well, my second house project may have improved the look of our bedroom aesthetically but it didn't improve it's photogenic-ness. The walls are not actually this odd yellow; they're a creamy/off-white color.

So my second house project was making curtains and dressing up our bedroom. I didn't do anything fancy. I bought a blue and brown patterned fabric and hemmed each side with a loop at the top to thread the curtain rod through. To give the curtain some shape I used a dark brown ribbon loosely tied to hold the curtain. If we want the room darker we can just take off the ribbon and cover the window completely.

The other thing I did was adopt my idea from Valentine's Day for the bedroom and hung up a mirror to add to the wall. You can see that the wall decor for the opposite wall is Dre's row of sweatshirts and baseball hats. ;-) I wanted what you could see from the doorway to be a bit more attractive.

As I made one last walk through Jo-Ann's I spotted these guys on clearance and gave into an impulse by that I'm pretty happy with. :-)

I'd seen on blogs and on etsy how wall decals are like the next big thing and pretty cool for a nice and easy removable way to decorate a room. And now we have little bird friends on our walls. I may not like birds indoors for most reasons but for decoration it's ok.

I think I'd enjoy the wall decal more down the road when I figure something out more in our style and maybe for Bacon's room or something specific but as a test run of how these look and work, I'm pretty satisfied.

Recent House Projects 1 of 2

2010-03-01T12:54:00.001-05:00

For Christmas my grandpa and grandma gave me a sewing machine. My mom has shared hers with me and helped me with projects in the past but I wanted one of my own. And wow, this machine is amazing! It's practically a computer with how smart and intuitive it is. I'm really enjoying using it and figuring out what kind of things I can do with it and how.

The first thing I made with it was new pillows for the living room. I love how just making a few throw pillows makes the whole room feel changed. The buttons make me like these anymore (special thanks to Whitney for her patient button stitching skillz).

"Free" Valentine's Decorations

2010-02-20T14:10:00.009-05:00

I typically like to decorate our little love nest for the entire month of February. I really like the kitsch of Valentine's Day and that coupled with our "relationship-iversary" on the 9th I find a great excuse to put up goofy hearts etc. Since we were in Florida for most of the month (or at least what felt like it!) I didn't decorate until the night before Valentine's while Dre was at work. I like to have something new to put up every year and this year I made up two picture frames up with lyrics from "our songs" and put them on the bookshelf in the living room. I think I saw the idea on a blog and then hijacked into into a cheesy Valentine theme.

I had the frames already and the paper Andree gave me for Christmas. It was simple but it looks cute and I think I'd use the idea in other ways to decorate the house at some point in the future.

PS--My man took me to Volt for Valentine's Day/anniversary celebrations dinner this year. It far surpassed our expectations. The food was outstanding the service was even better. I can't wait to go back some day. ;-)

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2010-02-15T09:46:00.001-05:00

I know what you're thinking. Well no, actually I don't. You could just be clicking here and not thinking anything or thinking about how awesome the moguls are in the Olympics. (Seriously. Insane. My knees cry just watching.) But if you're thinking "ew broccoli" or "wait, 'cream of...' I thought she couldn't have cream" have no fear this is a recipe that ignores either obstacle for a yummy, flavorful, creamy soup that is dairy free and also free of most other allergens.

The recipe is actually my mommy's. I altered it just a touch but my alterations are the same ones she makes when she makes it at Christmas so that I can have some along with the rest of the family. (On Christmas, after stockings are opened we all have soup as a snack to get us through opening all the presents!)

Not my picture: I found it online. :-)

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 lbs. fresh broccoli

- 1/2 c. chopped onion

- 2 tbsp. butter I substitute either a dairy-free "butter" or just use olive oil

- 1 c. diced potato I used both yukon gold and red potatoes when I made it today

- 1 c. light cream I use soy milk but you could really skip this step

- 3 1/2 c. chicken broth

- croutons, bacon, cheddar cheese, or any garnish you would enjoy

Directions

1. Trim broccoli; separate and cut into short lengths.

2. Parboil broccoli for 5 minutes. Bring water--enough to cover--to a boil; add broccoli and boil for about 5 minutes. Once it begins to soften move broccoli to an ice bath.

3. Saute onion in butter until soft. Again, or just use olive oil or your usual dairy free substitute.

4. Add potato, broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Add broccoli and simmer 5 minutes. I had to add additional broth/water to mine because I barely had enough water to cover the potatoes much less work in the broccoli.

6. Pour soup into blender. Blend until smooth. Be careful with this! Hot liquid in a blender with the lid on can have messy consequences. I opt to use my immersion blender--which personally is my favorite kitchen tool these days. It's so much easier to clean than a blender!

7. Return to pan (if you put it in a blender) and add cream. Once stirred in, garnish however you like and enjoy!! Again I used some soy milk. In my opinion using enough potatoes eliminates the need for any cream/milk. It's plenty creamy without it and I don't feel it adds that much flavor.

Florida Anniversary Trip

2010-02-11T22:56:00.001-05:00

Well really we went to Florida for a wedding that Dre was second-shooting with the one and only Kristen Leigh. Buuuut then the snowpocalypse came to Maryland we couldn't get home. We left Thursday morning and arrived home today, a full week later. (We really, really tried. Four separate flights were cancelled. Thankfully we didn't wind up on one of the flights that left Orlando and got stuck in Midway. Because of the sweet deals we got on a hotel, car, and flights the initial trip was essentially "free" for us and because we were expecting to leave every day our costs remained much smaller than they probably would have been if we had planned to be in Florida for week. And because of the snow at home Dre only missed an unplanned 6-hours of work which, considering we were gone so long is impressive.) Whew! What an adventure. Because it was an unexpectedly long trip I didn't bring my computer and had a blissful full week away from my laptop. For the first time in a long time I went nearly 7 days without work or email (other than a few things I could do on my phone and 4 hours of email at Panera one afternoon). It was so relaxing!

We had a blast with our "new friend" Kristen too. Dre kept declaring how we were actually friends now since we had been snowed out of Maryland together and spent a full week together without killing each other. He's a funny boy. We went to the movies, saw the last nighttime launch of a space shuttle (the Endeavour), went to Disney's Epcot and toured the world, spent a day at the beach in the sun (though huddled under blankets by the time the sun was setting), and did the general sleeping, eating, and talking that comes with most vacations.

On our unexpectedly long trip we wound up spending our 6-year anniversary of being an "us." My love bought me roses (which wound up living out their life cycle in our hotel with a blender as a vase) and surprised me with coffee to celebrate. I love him so very much and the unexpected full seven days with the love of my life was the best part of the whole trip! I don't know when the last time we've spent that long with each other without interruptions for work or anything else has been.

Sail away with me honey

I put my heart in your hands

Sail away with me
What will be will be
I wanna hold you now

Taken from my journal on February 8th 2004 (the night before we began): "Where did this boy come from and where in the world did he learn to make me speechless? I think he's the only one who has ever made me feel as uncertain yet... confident about anything." I'm certainly more in love with you today than I was 6-years ago my dear yet still feel the same way: you make me speechless. I cannot wait to continue to enjoy the adventure of being married to you and sharing life together continue! Loveyoumuchmostbeautifuldarling.

Photo by Kristen. Everyone should take a professional photographer on their anniversary trip. You get a fresh batch of cute pics just from hanging out together. ;-)

Favorite People

2010-01-08T15:56:00.004-05:00

I love these two faces. They're two of my favorites. I like Little Miss A's mommy too of course. :-) Can't wait 'til our turn. Even if I'm now completely convinced Dre will never wake up when the baby does in the middle of the night. (Seriously. I have never met a more "sleeps like he's dead" kind of person than Dre. It scares me sometimes!)

Hybrid Deliciousness

2010-01-03T21:47:00.006-05:00

Some of our favorite people, the Goodlings, were coming over for lunch after church on Sunday and I was out of ideas. While thinking and distracting myself from the need to think of something and being disinterested in my usual go-to "company recipes," I checked my GoogleReader and came upon this one from one of my favorite food people SmittenKitchen. (Another delicious recipe of hers I posted is here.) I often forget the "magical powers" available when you use your crock pot. This recipe was good enough for me to want to make again within the week. We served it tostada style with pan fried corn tortilla, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, pickled onions (also a SmittenKitchen recipe), and all the usual taco extras. It was so good that it took Dre and I all day to clean up from lunch because every time we went back to the pot we ate more.

Southwestern Pulled Brisket

3 pounds beef brisket *I couldn't find brisket at Giant so I went with a roast instead.
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander *I didn't have this so I used Penzey's fajita seasoning.
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
1 to 2 whole canned chipotle chiles en adobo (I used one; two will give it a real kick)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup molasses

In a pan lightly coated in olive oil: "Add garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone (and seriously, get your head out of the way of the steam; inhaling vinegar is no fun!), scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in water and pour the mixture over the brisket. Crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the slow cooker; add the tomato juices, chipotles, bay leaves, and molasses. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the brisket until it pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 to 10 hours."

SmittenKitchen's original recipe called for browning the meat on all sides but to save time and because I couldn't find brisket and was using a roast instead I adapted the cooking technique a bit by combining with this one from AllRecipes. I froze the roast for a few hours (from when I got home from the store until when I pulled it out to cook it) instead of browning it on all sides. Then set my alarm for 3:30 am to get up and put the roast and pre-mixed flavoring combination into the crock pot and turned it on low. When we got home from church (second service) it was ready to go and unbelievably tender.

His Ways Are Higher

2009-12-19T13:43:00.002-05:00

I read this on the Desiring God blog in my Reader this morning. I had to read it 2-3 times to "get it" but I think it's going to be one I consider often. We've been walking through an extended period of "waiting" and I'm grateful for regular reminders that we can trust that God knows the end of this season just as He knew the beginning and how He had already prepared us for it before we did. I'm so grateful that He is a God who condescends to us and draws us to Him through His Word. And grateful for men like John Piper and CS Lewis who remind us that our patience and obedience in trusting Him matter because they bring Him glory and make much of the gospel we have been forever changed by.

Reflecting on why God put Abraham's faith to the test by commanding him to offer his son, Lewis says,

'If God then is omniscient, he must have known what Abraham would do, without any experiment. Why then this needless torture?" But as St. Augustine points out, whatever God knew, Abraham at any rate did not know that his obedience would endure such a command until the event taught him: and the obedience which he did not know that he would choose, he cannot be said to have chosen. The reality of Abraham's obedience was the act itself; and what God knew in knowing that Abraham "would obey" was Abraham's actual obedience on that mountain top a that moment. To say that God "need not have tried the experiment" is to say that because God knows, the thing known by God need not to exist. (The Problem of Pain, 101)

Advent, Part 2

2009-12-18T11:29:00.003-05:00

It's not that Andree is a Grinch. He really likes Christmas. Well, he really likes presents and special dinners. As he puts it he loves "the secular holiday of Christmas." Which I can appreciate. And I'm grateful he's enjoying and sharing the Advent Calendar with me every night before bed. However I think Pig and he might be secretly related after reading this in Pearls Before Swine yesterday.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

2009-12-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls
makes 6

pizza dough (enough for a 12 to 16 inch pizza)
about 1/4 cup dairy free butter (softened) *I use Earth Balance and remember softened does not mean melted; you want it to be malleable but not liquid.
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
cinnamon
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
water

Roll out pizza dough to make a rectangle. Smear the butter over the dough and then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon making sure to leave about an inch of dough on one of the long sides. Starting the the long side that has sugar on it, roll the dough up. Slice the dough to make your rolls and place them cut side up in a 8 x 8 dish sprayed with cooking spray. Place in a cold oven* and then turn the oven on 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven. Next mix a tablespoon of water at a time into the powdered sugar to make a glaze. Pour the glaze over the rolls while they are still warm.

*Putting these in a cold oven gives them a little proofing time while the oven preheats. It cuts down on time and they puff up very nicely!
This recipe is from The Non-Dairy Queen food blog.

My personal execution was a little different than the directions called for. Because my dough (leftover from pizza with the Tirens on Sunday afternoon) was a little smaller than called for I wound up putting my cut rolls into a mini cupcake pan to bake. They were a little overcooked and probably could have only been baked for 15-20 minutes. (Our oven takes a while to preheat but once it's hot it's hot!) I also opted to make these the night before and hide them away in the fridge. I set my alarm and woke up before Dre to put these in the oven so that he was sent off to work on a Monday with a yummy treat. After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
These were simple, non-dairy, and delicious to both Dre and I. Win-win!

Frugal Christmas Decorating

2009-12-13T17:51:00.000-05:00

My favorite decorations for Christmas are paper. I'm sure when I have a whole house to decorate (aka more than our little nest) I might feel differently but for now decorating with fun paper has been simple, attractive, and cheap. The last few three years I've used scraps of paper that I have (not quite sure why I have so much but I have tons of papers). This year I went to Michael's on Black Friday and got a pad of patterned paper by Amy Butler.

This year I made a length of Christmas paper chains, some paper ornaments, and some paper snowflakes to hang on the walls. I used almost entirely blues and greens and love the way they look. It's simple and it's pretty and it fits our little nest perfectly.

(Camera phone close-up on the paper chains.)

A Soup Even Dre Likes

2009-12-10T23:58:00.002-05:00

I made a pot of this for my BFF Jan this week. Mrs. Nutter passed it along to me last winter since it sounded like a flavorful dairy-free recipe. I'd only made it once before yesterday but I think I'm going to have to start making it more often. My soup-hater of a husband even ate half a bowl!

Spicy Black Bean, Chorizo, and Turnip Green Soup

INGREDIENTS

8 oz (about 2 links) uncooked chorizo sausage, casings removed *I use whatever is cheapest or easily available. I’m thinking of trying this with ground turkey with additional seasonings to try and make it cheaper to do for the KG sometime.
1 to 2 tsp mild olive oil
1 small (3 oz) onion, minced (3/4 c.)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
15 to 16 oz canned black beans
1 medium (8-oz) potato, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/4 cups; may substitute 8 ounces of red potatoes)
About 5 c. low-sodium or homemade chicken broth *I opt for 4 cups because especially when cooking for Dre any soup needs to have more “solid” than “liquid” in it.
8 oz (1 bunch) turnip greens (stems removed), cleaned and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips *I usually opt to use kale instead of course imagining I’m going to come up with all these other healthy and useful ways of incorporating it in my meal plan.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a medium pot over medium heat. If the sausage is very lean, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the sausage meat, using a spoon to break up any large clumps. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the sausage pieces are lightly browned (they will not be cooked through).

2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to paper towel-lined plate. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat, adjusting the heat so the onion softens but does not brown. If the pan is dry, add 1 teaspoon of the oil.

3. When the onion is soft, add 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 1 minute, then add the black beans, potato and 4 cups of the broth. Return the sausage pieces to the pot, crumbling them to the size of dried beans.

4. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a slow boil; taste and add cumin or salt as needed. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the potato pieces are just tender. Add the turnip green strips, stirring to combine. *Again, I use kale instead of turnip greens.

5. Add broth to achieve the desired consistency. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low so the soup is barely bubbling at the edges; cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the greens are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot. *I opt to leave the greens to add until I serve the soup. Once mixed in they quickly become tender and that way they aren’t left to get soggy in the leftovers.

From [WashingtonPost] In Season columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick

New Tradition: Advent + Countdown

2009-12-06T20:21:00.006-05:00

After three years of marriage Andree and I are starting to give more thought to what we want to begin to have as our family's Christmas traditions. So far the biggest "tradition" we have is me pushing for a "real" tree and Dre selflessly wrestling with one and getting it in the stand and then watching football. One thing we've started this year is having a Advent calendar//countdown to Christmas.

I got the idea and layout from a template on the Giver's Log blog. (Full of tons of fun gifts ideas for every person you can think of! It's fun to just look at the fun collection of things she posts.) Under each flap I posted a portion of a verse from a list of suggested Advent readings. I cut the readings to only 24 and the countdown will end with my favorite "Christmas" verse.

(The calendar/countdown before Day-1 was read.)

I threw it together and made last minute changes so it's not perfect in appearance (and we found a verse last night where the reference and the passage did not match up). But it's a sweet minute together each night reading the verses. I'm so grateful Dre was willing to bless his little wifey by participating and being excited with me. I can't wait to have littles and I know I'll spend far too long trying to come up with the perfect calendar to use for them (maybe a trusty old classic pop-up like my mom had for Cynth and I).

I love the concept of Advent. I love the idea of remembering. Remembering that Christ really came to earth, came as a helpless infant; that He really interruppted history and lived amoung us as a man. God only intervened in this way in human history once and it's worth recalling the specialness of it and the purpose for which He came.

Different Translation. Helpful Truth.

2009-12-03T10:27:00.000-05:00

I read this in The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges and found it both interesting and provoking. Bridges references the "Kenneth Wuest translation" of the Bible (he's someone who originally was a part of the team that created the New American Standard Bible). Sometimes hearing truth phrased a different way is very helpful to me.

2 Corinthians 5:14

"For the love which Christ has (for me) presses on me from all sides, holding me to one end and prohibiting me from considering any other, wrapping itself around me in tenderness, giving me an impelling motive."

ESV "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Enchiladas Redux

2009-12-01T22:10:00.002-05:00

Every Tuesday I get to cook for anywhere from about 8 to 15 of some of our closest friends. (Plus any who come after dinner and raid our fridge for leftovers or sandwich fixings.) It's quite a different kind of cooking than the usual cooking for two I do with just Dre and I in our little home. We both love being a part of the KG and learning about God with them. Making dinner for them and sometimes with them is just an added bonus in the year or so since we started doing "KG Dinner" before our meeting starts at 7:30.

I posted this recipe a while back but it's oh so yummy and with the food processor Grandpa and Grandma gave me for Christmas last year it was easy to multiply for a larger group. It's made an easy new baby meal to bring and is just all around tasty. My allergy has increased my enjoyment of tasty, simple, flavorful food that can be enjoyed just as well without dairy. (This could be converted to gluten free easily too if you changed the sauce--or made your own--and used corn tortillas instead of flour.) Plus since I have a less significant allergy to tomatoes and enchilada sauce is traditionally made with peppers and not tomatoes it's even better for my little silly tummy.

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas (Eating for Life cookbook)

Ingredients

4 portions chicken breast (approximately 1 lb.)
4 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
3 cans (10 oz. each) green enchilada sauce (red if you prefer)
8 corn tortillas
1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Boil chicken breasts.--Drain and cool but do not let them get too cold. While still warm shred chicken by pulling apart with two forks. Set aside. [This is when I put it in the food processor. When it's that much chicken, chopped is just as good as pulled.]
3. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add green onion, cilantro, and jalapeño; saute for 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. About 5 minutes.
4. Pour the 2 remaining cans of enchilada sauce into a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
5. Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes or less.

(Approximately 50 minutes. Creates 4 servings.)

Extra bonus of KG dinners? Miss TayTayBoomBoom makes dessert for us every week. I don't think I've made dessert since she joined the group after high school. It's a treat and something that everyone in our group has come to enjoy and expect when they see Taylor's face at the door.

Tay made a giant cookie with KG-memories written on it and also a pumpkin pie this week. She's the bomb.

Thanksgiving (5) Hope. Forever.

2009-11-26T10:00:00.004-05:00

And finally, on Thanksgiving itself, we are so thankful for the eternal hope we have through the grace of God. There are so many rich quotes full of the truth of what that means and so many verses that I could use. One that struck me a few weeks back when I read it was the quote below. It's in a book that the history major in me is loving because it combines primary source documents with a few pages of preface for each section and traces the solidifying and defending the doctrine of Christ. I am so grateful that even in a world that despises God and often the belief in God that through His grace I know that He is real and I live for a life after this one and a world that I was made for where there will be no more tears, no more pain, and no more death. I just love the way this quote puts it as Ignatius defends against the idea that Jesus did not really come to earth as fully God and fully man.

"But as for me, I do not place my hopes in one who died for me in appearance, but in reality... He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit." Ignatius in "The Epistle to the Trallians'" quoted in For Us and For Our Salvation

Thanksgiving (4) Technology in 2009

2009-11-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

It may seem like a small thing but on certain days I can't help but think of how different life would be without what I consider "modern technology." Life is so busy and full right now but at least for me and several of my friends the majority of our days are spent on the computer. The fact that I can "chat" my friends and still experience meaningful conversations that both challenge my heart, make me laugh, and keep us all in touch is such a unique part of the blessing of living in 2009. I can't imagine how much more I would miss Pate if there were no g-chat conversations or group chats with her and Rach or text messages to be shared to include her in Jan's labor. I can't imagine how much more I would battle with being a supportive and God-fearing wifey without being able to IM Jan on a rough day of battling my heart. I can't imagine how much farther away my little seester would feel without random texts back and forth and being able to know that she tells creepy guys that hit on her that her name is "Rebecca." (I'm flattered... I think?) I love being able to see what's going on with Diana via FaceBook or keep in touch and watch baby Lucy grow on Beth's blog.

Technology can be a distraction and an unhelpful one so much of the time. But at the same time there is much about it that I am grateful for and grateful for the tool that it can be for good things.

Thanksgiving (3) Care Group...Plural.

2009-11-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

Goodness. Can we imagine our lives without the KG? I don't think so. I never would have expected, and I'm sure Dre couldn't either, what exactly leading a care group of 18 year old singles would be like. We never would have expected how these "kids" (:-P) have wiggled their way into our hearts, how much we love the ease with which they take over our home on Tuesday nights and eat our pickles, and the provoking way with which they are seeking to live their lives in a manner worth of the calling they have received (Ephesians 4). I never knew how dear the girls in particular would become to me. They are my friends; I love all 16 of them and love knowing each of them and living my life along side them. I love laughing 'til we cry in ladies meetings, meeting for lunches and coffees and random chat time in parking lots with them. Goodness. I am so grateful that God created this group and let us be a part of it. KG, we love you.

As care group leaders we get to be in a bonus care group: our marrieds care group led by Josh and Kelley Murphy. Again, we had no idea how much we'd fall in love with this group or be affected by the fellowship and help we've already received in it in just a few short months. The affect it has had on our marriage is going to be long-lasting I am certain of it. Some of my favorite times this fall have been laughing together at the kitchen table at the Murphy's and being challenged on the deck at their house as well. It's a joke in our group of friends to say that "God knows your size" meaning that God knows exactly what is best for you. This care group has truly been an expression of God's provision for us in knowing exactly "our size" for these months of waiting and wondering. There just aren't words for how grateful I am for this group and that we get to be a part of living life with these people. We love you guys.

Thanksgiving (2) Work

2009-11-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

It's been a season of waiting and wondering what the future holds especially for my dear Andreecito. One way that God's provision has been very real and tangible has been in providing work for us.

I love my job. Working for and with the people of Sovereign Grace Church of Frederick has been a dream job I didn't know I had. My bosses are the best in the world who not only are skilled at their jobs but care about the people they serve and me. Mondays tend to be one of my favorite days of the week because I get to sit with them, laugh with them, and learn from them. It's certainly a unique situation working all together but from three separate locations but for now it has worked and I am grateful for how God has built this church. My job is certainly unusual in the fact that I work for a church I love but am not a member of and my job description is kind of an "all of the above" type of position but it has been such a wonderful, at times challenging, and fun job.

Dre has been faithfully pursuing work and possibilities " in the meantime" while we wait and I'm so challenged by his willingness to work at things that aren't his preference and get up each day and leave the house in order to faithfully provide. I'm so, so grateful to God that He has recently provided him with a job that he enjoys at the Montgomery Mall Apple Store.

Like the quote I posted last week said: "God’s grace has given wonderfully, but not wastefully; freely but not foolishly; bountifully but not blindly." And goodness. I am grateful for the provision of His grace evident through work and the enjoyment of work.

Thanksgiving (1) Each Other

2009-11-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

After spending a full 24 hours with each other how we can we not start "Thanksgiving week" without expressing thankfulness for each other? I can't even put into words how much different marriage has been that I expected and I'm sure Dre did too. It's been way harder but so, so much richer and fun than I could have imagined. I am so grateful that in what God has ordered for our lives in the last year + of being "in between" and of waiting that I have had Andree to hold onto. He has been a tangible expression of God's goodness, provision, and love for me. The way he has specifically pointed me to the cross and to truth over the last few months has been one of the biggest helps in this "season."
It's been a busy few months and we're looking at more weeks ahead with little time together and little time for each other other than saying goodnight. We spend more time together when we're asleep than we do during the day--but hey at least we have that. :-) I'm so grateful for how hard my husband is willing to work to provide for us and to pursue work in a way that demonstrates grace-motivated diligence.
I love you darling. More and more every day. I'm so proud of the man you are and the man you desire to be. I respect you much and can't wait to be aware of how much more God has done in and through you next year.

we're anything brighter than even the sun
(we're everything greater
than books
might mean)
we're everyanything more than believe
(with a spin
leap
alive we're alive)
we're wonderful one times one
--e.e. cumming

I'm an Aunt!

2009-11-20T02:10:00.003-05:00

I told Jan that if all I got for my birthday was a little Meeper I'd be happy. And she delivered. (No pun intended?) Goodness. I just can't stop saying how amazing tonight was. My friend was a champ and simply incredible. And little Audrey is beautiful. What an amazing, amazing experience being there tonight was.*

Love you Remy's--all 3 of you now!

*Special thanks to my patient hubby for letting go of his plans to surprise me in order to allow me to be there with my best friend welcoming her first little one into the world.

look where I'm planning to spend much of tonight??

2009-11-19T18:39:00.002-05:00

Getting ready for some Meepin'!

Recent Favorite Quote

2009-11-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

"So he supplies perfectly measured grace to meet the needs of the godly. For daily needs there is daily grace; for sudden needs, sudden grace; for overwhelming need, overwhelming grace. God’s grace has given wonderfully, but not wastefully; freely but not foolishly; bountifully but not blindly." (John Blanchard)

Homemade "Starbucks"

2009-11-17T18:36:00.002-05:00

We're moderate coffee drinkers in this house. We can't compete with Seth's 19 cups a day (maybe I'm exaggerating...) but we enjoy the taste and the benefits of a cup of joe or two every day. Since Dre used to work at Starbucks and since we both enjoy a little specialness to our daily coffee I thought we'd enjoy this frugal tip I found on the kitchn blog.

make Milk Foam without a foamer or any special tools...
1. Fill a jar with a lid with as much milk as you usually put in your coffee.
2. With the lid on shake the jar for all you're worth for about 30 seconds or until the milk has doubled in size.
3. Remove the lid and microwave for 30 seconds.
4. Pour the milk into the coffee, hold the foam (on top) back while you pour, and then top with foam.

And boy do we enjoy this! So fun and so real. It's like having Starbucks without paying a penny. Try it for yourself!

(Another idea from the same blog is this make-your-own pumpkin spice latte for those who have the hankering outside of when Starbucks has it on their menu board.)

Imperfect Surprise

2009-11-15T16:57:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Dre had job training for his new part-time job Friday-Sunday in Annapolis. He had to be there by 9 am and wasn't scheduled to be done until 6pm over the weekend (meaning he would be leaving before 8 and not getting home until after 7). That essentially meant that my dear hubs and I would barely be able to see each other essentially until Tuesday when he had the morning off of his other part-time job. (Have I mentioned my love is a hard-worker?)--So knowing I would be very sad to not see Dre for that long I made a plan. I found a hotel near where Dre's training was, made arrangements for us to be "covered" where we were supposed to have Saturday night, and did my best to keep it a secret. (The hardest part is not telling him that I have a surprise cuz then he might figure it out.)

My plan was to drive to his training site, sneak into his car and leave a note with the address and then meet him at the hotel hoping he'd be completely shocked. A slight hiccup was when I made the choice to go to the hotel and check-in before going to leave a note in Dre's car. Dre called me as I was pulling into the hotel parking lot an hour-and-a-half before he was supposed to get out of training. I got really flustered and made him sit in the parking lot at a Koon's for 10 minutes while I made up something. I used my iPhone to email him a map link to where I was and told him to come meet me for dinner. While he wasn't totally surprised in the end, he was very surprised that I was down there and that we were going to have a night to ourselves so it was worth it even if it was imperfect. ;-) -- We had a great night just being together. We did a little shopping and then got Carrabba's to-go since I wasn't feeling very good and ate dinner in bed and watched a movie. While it was just a quiet night and not a huge romantic weekend, it really was one of my favorite times in the last few months. I love just being with my husband and don't get to do it nearly enough these days. I'm grateful that this period of extreme busyness won't last forever but also grateful for how much it's revealing about my husband's diligence, perseverance, and just general increibleness. I respect him so much. And love him tons!

(Me & My Man in Florida last November.)

So anyways... point of the post, other than to share a fun weekend in our life, is to share about Aloft Hotels. We stayed at the one near BWI which is right at Arundel Mills. For the price (under $80 with tax!) I loved the hotel; at a regular rate I would have still liked it a lot. (If that makes sense, it does to my wifey mind.) We were impressed by the cleanliness, modern take on essentially a Sheraton, and, even though we didn't wind up having time to check it out, any hotel with a clean indoor pool is a bonus for Dre. Hooray for hotel deals! Even if it wasn't at my favoritest favorite hotel in all the land. ;-)

One Night 4 Years Ago...

2009-11-12T09:45:00.002-05:00

My wonderful man proposed to me. The proposal was perfect, everything I wanted (which essentially boiled down to him, with a ring hopefully, and I wanted to be surprised). I didn't care if he did it in the parking lot of Wendy's (where I first knew I loved him) or anywhere that suited us. He chose the World War II Memorial in DC where we frequently went to talk or "re-set" whenever we needed a change of scene. Anyway, I thought of posting the letter I gave him that night (I had written in eight months before) after we were engaged, but after reading it today it felt too personal for the internet. ;-) So instead here's the email I sent to my aunt with the details of our perfect proposal. I love remembering and seeing how much our love, that felt so big then, has grown and increased in its depth and maturity over the few years since and knowing that by God's grace it will only continue to grow.

"So anyways...The story...
Andree told me sometime early last week that he was going to take me out to dinner on Saturday for our "ninth-a-versary." (We first got together on February 9, 2004 and for the last few months have been taking turns "celebrating" it by little dates or big dates or whatever our budgets, time, and creativity allow for.) Wednesday was the ninth but we had Alpha (an outreach program at the church that he is a leader in) so that's why he told me we'd go out Saturday. I didn't think anything of it (and for good reason since Dad didn't give him "permission to ask me" until Wednesday!) because he likes to take me out on dates and try and make me guess where we're going, etc. (I hate guessing so I rarely oblige him.)
Mom was acting a little fun early in the week (ie. on Thursday she plops down on the couch next to me and starts going on and on about how yesterday had been the ninth and wanting to know what we had done or our plans to celebrate, etc. when usually she never remembers the ninth, etc.) but was out of the house on Saturday all day. I was a little suspicious during the week and on Saturday morning that maybe Dre was gonna propose that night but by the time we went out to dinner or at least left dinner I had no concerns or suspicions that this would be the "big night."
Dre picked me up a little bit after six and we drove down to Georgetown. He had made reservations at this very nice and romantic restaurant called Sequoia (apparently there's one in Manhattan too). Our reservations were for 8 but we got there early and our table was ready so we ate at around 7. It was a nice dinner. Good food. Good company ;) and just nice to be together on a date after a busy week. At one point during the dinner I think I told him how grateful I was that I knew him so well for some reason or another -- in my head I was saying it because I had made a point of looking him the eye and trying to "read" him and I was certain that there was nothing he was hiding from me or nervous about so he couldn't be proposing tonight. Sometime on the way out I patted his pocket too to try and see if there was a ring in there but didn't feel anything. I didn't really check but somehow I was convinced.
After dinner Andree drove over to the World War II memorial where we tend to wind up on most of our dates. We have a "spot" there that we like to sit and talk and just enjoy being quite and alone in such a beautiful place. When we got out of the car I had to pee soooooo bad. Like seriously. It was an emergency. The memorial has a nice, unusually clean bathroom next to it so we stopped there before walking to the memorial. When I came out of the bathroom he was crouched down tieing his shoe. I thought he looked so cute like that I asked him if he was planning on getting on one knee when he proposed to me someday in the future. He kinda looked at me and was like "Uh... Do you want me to?" I told him I did not knowing that he was going to moments later. Andree led me over to "our spot" and honestly this is where I should have been suspicious. He was walking really fast. I had to tell him to slow down. And there was no looking around or taking in the memorial tonight. He was very focused on getting to this one spot immediately. I didn't really think anything of it though. ... So we get to our spot and he's hugging me and telling me all these things he "likes" about me. I thought the whole "like" thing was a little weird since he had told me he loved me a few months back and while we were careful about using that word we did use it and this was a very intentional use of the word "like". He then said something about Devon stealing his proposal line (one of our friends got engaged last Saturday) but how he had come up with some of his own. This whole time I'm just kinda like "yea ... ok ... sure ...", thinking we're sharing a special moment but nothing huge. Then he kinda looks at me and goes "sooooo..." and gets on one knee!!! That was whoa. That's when I knew -- obviously -- what was happening. And he told me he loved me and that he was so amazed that when God made him he had made someone perfect for him and when God made me he had made someone for me too and asked me if I would marry him... and I nodded.
So that's that. The whole she-bang! And now it's all typed out and I can send it to anyone else who asks me for it. I love my ring. I love my boy. I'm still in shock that this is real. I can't believe we're really attempting to plan a wedding. I'm doing my best to not do much other than get the date and the sites lined up before I finish this semester."

(One of our engagement pics taken by Mark & Jen Schaefer. Way back when before there were two little gorgeous Schaefer girls running around. :-))

Love you Baby! Thank you for asking me to marry you and for being the perfect husband for me. I love you so and can't wait to continue making memories and celebrating special anniversaries with you.

(Post-engagement. Happy.)

Fall Dinner: Pecans, Chicken, Squash

2009-11-10T19:13:00.001-05:00

I actually made this for the first time as a KG meal I think over the summer. But we ate it the other night and it was a lovely, and easy, fall-feeling dinner.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken from Rachael Ray
- 1 c. pecans, toasted (I've never toasted mine...)
- 1/2 c. bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (~ 1 1/1 lbs.; like with other recipes I usually pound the chicken to make it thinner and make it go a bit farther, it's more like chicken tenders that way.)
- 1/4 c. honey mustard (I usually just mix up my own)

Preheat the oven to 400.
Grind the pecans into fine crumbs in a food processor (or crush however).
Mix pecan crumbs, bread crumbs, and basil together. Season with salt and pepper or any additional spices that sound good. (I usually add a bit of paprika because I use plain bread crumbs.)
Rub each chicken breast with honey mustard and then coat with pecan mixture.
Place on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

This past week we had it with acorn squash with sage "butter" and made it all the more seasonal. (Though actually I didn't have any sage so it was browned "butter" with maple syrup.) I've got a bunch of squash I bought at our Farmer'sMarket's last week of the season. I'm using it up slowly.

Squirrels Like Baseball Too

2009-11-08T21:43:00.002-05:00

Well now that the World Series has ended I have to admit I actually kind of miss the non-stop baseball watching in this house. (Oh don't worry. We're not confused. We know the Nats weren't in the Series. We found ourselves in an odd position of having to choose to root for the Yankees or the Phillies. Andree's heart in particular was very conflicted.)

Our dear friend and pretend-extended-family-member Rach (aka the Squama) showed this crazy squirrel to us (found on the Mental_Floss Blog) and considering it was perhaps one of maybe five YouTube videos Dre's actually ever willingly watched I thought it was blog worthy. We haven't seen anything this exciting at a Nats game. Sometimes there are giant owls with handlers at the stadium but that just frightens me. A lot. I'd rather seen a crazy squirrel try and do the army crawl.

Enjoy! :-)

Come Back?

2009-11-03T16:59:00.003-05:00

I'm thinking this blog should be revived. Somehow. Someway. At least with more than every four month postings.

For now, check out Dre's photography blog for what the Hubs did two weekends ago: he was a real deal professional wedding photographer for a couple in Arlington. (Pictures HERE!) So proud of my man and so impressed by how hard he works. The last few months Dre's weeks have often gone far beyond Monday-Friday 8-5pm.

and PS, encouraging read of the week: "Sometimes faith is little more than a simple clinging to Christ in a sense of utter dependence...God gives his people the propensity to cling. Though this is a very simple sort of faith, it is a very complete and effectual form..We can cleave when we can do nothing else, and that is the very soul of faith." (Spurgeon, Triumph of Faith)
Add any and all of your favorite "but God...!" verses (Ephesians 2, Titus 3) to that and oh man, what power and majesty are displayed on the cross and in the "everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27) of our heavenly Father.

Useless Update

2009-07-08T13:34:00.002-04:00

Not that there aren't tons of fascinating things to say but... when I thought about updating the blog this helpful fact I learned and have made good use of in the last few weeks was the first thing on my brain.

You know that frustration you feel when pulling on a dress or a dark t-shirt and you realize you just got deodorant on it? Never fear! Your sock drawer is here! Seriously, the next time that happens try this: take a clean cotton sock and rub out the deodorant with it. (Don't get it wet because then the deodorant disappears temporarily and it's hard to be sure you got it completely.) So far it's worked perfectly twice for me, once on a black nice dress and once on a navy t-shirt dress. Both times the deodorant was gone without a trace.
Just thought I'd share. ;-)

Anniversary Good Times

2009-06-17T20:25:00.009-04:00

How is that our anniversary was already two weeks ago? Cr-azy times; this year is flying by so fast!! We were blessed by a night away at our (or at least my) all time favorite hotel brand in the world for our anniversary. I can't describe how unbelievable it is to the recipient of the care and love of our friends even anonymously it's mind-blowing. To whoever you are, thank you!!

Andree, to bless me, surprised me with an extra night at the hotel so we headed out for a special two-days together on Thursday morning. Our first adventure was heading over to explore Leesburg/Warrenton area of Virginia. We then had a yummy lunch at Wegman's and headed into DC. After checking in and a short lie down we headed out into the rain to the Nats game. For the third year in a row we spent our anniversary at Nats Park (well year one was RFK). It's one of the few games we got to 'just us' and is probably my favorite game of the year no matter the outcome or the weather. This year we got to see almost two games as we came late to a double-header.

Rainy night in NatsTown but we had fun. :-)

The next day we slept in (probably the first time we'd slept in together in weeks with Andree's new work schedule) and had a lazy morning with quiet times together, Martha Stewart on TV, and coffee and treats from the Dunkin Donuts across the street. It was pretty wet out so we took a short walk around the neighborhood and did some window shopping, got Chipotle, and went back to the hotel for naps.
The adventure for that evening was seeing Up! at the Regal theater a few blocks away. The short was my favorite part of the movie. Dre loves Pixar and loved the movie. I can't wait to have little ones to watch that movie with again because it really was such a sweet story. ("I was hiding under your porch because I looove you!") After the movie we went to Gordon Bierch for a late dinner and perhaps for the first time ordered the same thing. And both licked our plates clean!

Puppa Bear outside the hotel waiting for our car. The location of this one is amazing. Within less than a block of the Verizon Center, the National Portrait Gallery, and plenty of places to eat.

It was so hard to go back to real life after such a relaxing and sweet time just being together uninterrupted. Life has been very busy lately and my husband truly gave me the best gift I could ask for as an anniversary present: him and his time and attention for 48 hours. I am so blessed to be Andree's wife and to count him as my best friend; I never tire of spending time with him.

3 Years Ago Today

2009-06-04T08:08:00.000-04:00

Baby, I can't believe it's been three years. Can't believe it's only been three and can't believe that it's already been three. Being married is so much more than I could have ever imagined and I am so grateful that God made us for each other and is actively sustaining and drawing us closer together every year.

i love you much (most beautiful darling)
more than anyone on the earth and i
like you better than everything in the sky
-sunlight and singing welcome your coming
although winter may be everywhere
with such a silence and such a darkness
no one can quite begin to guess
(except my life) the true time of year-
and if what calls itself a world should have the luck to hear such singing (or glimpse such
sunlight as will leap higher than high
through gayer than gayest someone's heart at your each
nearness) everyone certainly would(my
most beautiful darling) believe in nothing but love

(e.e. cummings)

I love him more than I did 1095 days ago...

2009-06-03T07:27:00.000-04:00

now i love you and you love me
(and books are shutter
than books can be)
and deep in the high that does nothing but fall
(with a shout each
around we go all)
there's somebody calling who's we

we're anything brighter than even the sun
(we're everything greater
than books might mean)
we're ever anything more than believe
(with a spin leap
alive we're alive)
we're wonderful one times one
(e.e. cummings)

I love him more this instant than I did 26,256 hours ago...

2009-06-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

when we were itty bitty newlyweds heading off into our proverbial sunset (in a light blue Mustang my honey loved driving oh so much).

You’re more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do
Oh we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you
I don’t know where I’d be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You’re my best friend

(Tim McGraw)

after 711,244,800 seconds without him as my husband...

2009-06-01T07:38:00.002-04:00

I've now spent 94,435,200 seconds being led by, cared for, and selflessly served by the most amazing husband in the world. I can't wait for all the seconds to come.

Now I'm just rolling home
Into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

(Rascal Flatts)

156 Weeks Ago...

2009-05-31T08:42:00.000-04:00

I married the person that makes me laugh more than anyone else in the world. To me, he's even funnier than Mike Birbiglia. ;-)

Sweet wonderful you,
You make me happy with the things you do,
Oh, can it be so,
This feeling follows me wherever I go...
You, you make loving fun,
And I don't have to tell you you're the only one...
You make loving fun.
You make loving fun.

(Fleetwood Mac)

1091 Days Ago...

2009-05-30T10:51:00.000-04:00

I married the boy who knows me best. And I'm so grateful for how patient he is when I fail to communicate and how gently he pursues asking me the all important "what's up" questions.

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully, mysteriously) her first rose
or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

(e.e. cummings)

1090 Days Ago...

2009-05-29T19:13:00.005-04:00

I married my best friend. And it's only gotten better every day since.

I'm awake, you're still sleeping
The sun will rise like yesterday
I hope tomorrow is like today

(Guster)

My Seester

2009-05-16T23:40:00.005-04:00

One time a long, long time ago God gave me a leetle seester. I really wanted a little brother but as she's grown up and stopped biting me I've decided she's a keeper, particular now that we wear the same size clothes. ;-)

On Mother's Day weekend she graduated from college with an education degree. Cynth has been my younger sister as long as I've known her (obvious?) but since I became a Christian in high school she's been a younger sister I look up to. She is a consistent and faithful believer who truly seeks to do God's will in big and small things regardless of the sacrifice involved. A big example of this was her choice of colleges. While most of her classmates stayed put and went to MC or local schools (not knocking that: I did that too!!) she chose to go away. And she chose to a very particular school: Liberty University. And she's done very well there. It's been an encouragement to watch her entire college career be blessed and full of friendships, enjoyable classes (with the occasional miserable one thrown in of course), and a clearer direction of what she believes God is calling her to do after LU. And once again she's testing the waters and wiggling the door handles to see what God's next step for her would be. I'm excited to see how God blesses her pursuit of Him and heart's desire to honor Him. I'm praying for you Stinkia! Praying hard!

One other highlight for the weekend was spending special time with my family including my grandparents and Cathy. We got to make the road trip to graduation with Cathy and shared Harry Potter CDs with her and introduced Andree to Eustace and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (The dronkies weren't too sure what to make of him turning into a dragon.) The night after graduation there was a Parcheesi show-down in the hotel lobby. Andree thought he could keep up and he did wind up winning but Grandma is not messing around when she plays board games. ;-)

Incredible.

2009-04-30T22:24:00.008-04:00

Some times I'm more aware than others that I'm married to an incredible man. I've actually been writing this blog post for weeks but haven't gotten past that first sentence. (He's that incredible.) But I realized today what lately has encouraged me most in observing the life of my husband. Andree is a man of hope. One of my biggest weaknesses is the way I give into believing lies and unbelief. My husband was clearly created to be my husband because of how he not only encourages me in my weakness but provides such a strong example for me of what it looks like to hope in the Lord and persevere in faith.
This year hasn't been the easiest one for our little family; the hurting economy has come home to our little LoveNest to put it one way. God's presence and provision have been more real to me in the last few months than I ever experienced previously. Through it all Dre's faith has been rock solid. He has never expressed doubt in this being part of God's plan even if he doesn't know how or why God is choosing these circumstances for us. He has never suggested that God is not good or able to provide exactly what we need in His perfect timing. His reminders of truth have helped correct my wrong-thinking and his example has challenged my foolish heart.

Most of you know what we're praying God provides Andree in terms of work and a career. I cannot wait to see how and in what specific ways God gives to Andree the desires of his heart. I love his excitement and interest in this possible career. I love his excitement over the possibilities it would have for us. At times I am fearful about praying for all these things to happen because I know how much he wants them (oh and I do too by the way) but there again is where I don't rightly understand hope the way my husband does. God promises us that "hope does not disappoint us, because God pour out His love for us into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us" (Rom 5:5). We're not told that we will have everything we want in life, a life without pain or struggle, or be rich. But we are told, we are promised, that God who is all-sovereign, who is all-powerful, who is limitless in His resources, who is wiser than our imaginations can fathom is working all circumstances for our good and has a purpose for us that is "not to harm" (Jere 29:11). My Andree is the greatest example of walking in the good of this by his unshakable faith and I just thought the whole world should know that.

So there's an update that's more than a recipe: my husband is incredible.

Husband, I love you. Much.

take a look at what I've got
I can't promise you a lot
but you and me
and the road ahead

wherever that wind might blow
wherever that river rolls
you know i will go with you

looking over
the mountain's crown
the water roars
and tumbles down
like you and me
and the road ahead
-Tom Petty, You & Me*

(bonus points to anyone who knows what movie this song was in that my hubs loves...)

Crispy [and sooo yummy] Tacos!

2009-04-22T16:27:00.008-04:00

Have you heard of Smitten Kitchen? Goodness I sure hope so. It's one of my favorite food blogs to read. I think Miss Pose showed it to me. :-) Everything she does looks pretty and inspiring. She makes foods I might not normally want to eat look unbelievably good. I haven't tried that many of her recipes because I don't get to do too much creative cooking these days but oh goodness...

These tacos are delicious!! and minus the time commitment of doing the frying (though while that happens you can be cleaning up or making up the slaw etc) they are super easy and quick. We've made them for company twice and both times they were a big hit. It's a fun meal that makes you feel like you're eating a bite of spring. The slaw is so good I never have leftovers; if we run out of tacos and there's some left we just eat it by itself. Another wonderful thing about this meal is that it's gluten free for all you non-gluten people and has so much flavor it's easy to leave it dairy free as well. (Though Andree prefers to have some shredded cheese or sour cream on the side to add to it.)

Crispy Black Bean [Chicken] Tacos with ~~Feta and~~ Cabbage Slaw

From Smitten Kitchen February 2009 [with my tweaks]

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained [this is the only time Dre will eat these]

1 teaspoon ground cumin

5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice

2 cups shredded green cabbage [Safeway has some with their bagged salads]

2 green onions, thinly sliced [I usually use about 4.]

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro [but you know you can never have too much cilantro…]

corn tortillas

~~1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese~~

1 cooked, chopped chicken breast

Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. [Typically I’m a little more stingy with my beans and I just put about a tablespoon or so in each with some chicken.] Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw and devour!

Opening Day

2009-04-14T10:45:00.004-04:00

Not quite as exciting a game or outcome like last year but Opening Day was still a blast! (This year we all matched since Andree got me a Zimmerman jersey for Christmas.)
I never thought I'd be "excited" about going to a game where the weather was in the "low 50's" and cloudy but compared to in the 30's like last year or rainy like today I'll take it. It definitely wasn't the most stunning ball playing to be seen but it was good to see faces we "recognize" and in the Park we love so much. We're looking forward to many more games this year, more memories to be made with the Mays' fam (crab tailgate part dos), games on hot days, games with the KG, and maybe at least one win for the season. (The way Andree and Dronks are talking this morning we might never win again.)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T10:54:00.001-04:00

Came upon this verse in my quiet time the other day and loved the way it looked forward to what Christ accomplished in his death and resurrection. What amazing truth and hope!!

"Therefore hear this, you afflicted one,
made drunk, but not with wine.
This is what your Sovereign LORD says,
your God, who defends his people:
"See, I have taken out of your hand
the cup that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
you will never drink again." (Isaiah 51:21-22)

Blog Fail

2009-04-08T20:41:00.005-04:00

Seriously. I feel almost guilty to not update more. I'm grateful to be busy living 'real life' rather than here in blogger land but I do miss it. And praise Jesus for GoogleReader cuz I'd never have time to see any other blogs if not for that tool. Even with it I usually only get to "catch up" on my blogs on the weekend.

Life is busy in the Klessmas Nest. I feel like every year I think I'm/we're busier than we've ever been and that it's going to slow down sometime. My mom always says that life will just keep getting busier.

In an attempt to find more hours in my day I've been attempting to wake up a wee bit earlier in the morning and actually start my day with God's Word and a shower. (My habit since forever had been to have a quiet time at night or at my lunch break and it served me well until probably the last year or so when it's just been too busy for those times to be meaningful or unhurried.) If you know me you know how much I absolutely love waking up in the morning but God has encouraged my feeble attempts much by consistently making me aware of His presence and nearness in the mornings. Sometimes I've wished I got up even earlier so I could have more time with Him! (Baby steps.) Thanks to the dearest of all DeeJam's for being my wake-up call every week day morning and helping me get out of dreamland. (Seriously friend. Thank you. I don't know how I would do this without your little cheerful greeting each morning.)

So that's the mornings. The rest of my day is spent working for my favorite (second favorite? Do I have to choose?) church on earth: Sovereign Grace Church of Frederick. I love my job more than I can express. My bosses are the best. The people are the kindest and wonderful examples to me of believers who desire to know God more, glorify Him with their lives, and build a community that stands out for the way they live out the gospel. I can't believe I get paid to spend my days sending emails, answering the phone, and making copies. (And whatever else it is I do. ;-)) And that I get to do it from home! It's been rather busy the last few weeks but every now and then I have to admit to taking slight advantage of working from home and being able to throw in a load of laundry, prep dinner, or even take a nap (gasp!) on my lunch break.

And then at night it's either KG, hanging out with KG friends (only on rare occasions watching LOST with them fortunately or unfortunately), meetings, dinners with fr ie nds, catching up on recorded TV with Squama, or the rare night in with nothing to do but smile at each other. I love our very busy life because we get to spend it with the most wonderful people.

pc: Peter Bang

So if I'm not updating that's where you can find us, living! But hopefully I'll do a better job updating but no promises. :-)

Seriously. It's that easy.

2009-03-07T00:11:00.004-05:00

Ok this is a quick one but I had to share. [I'm going to try to start sharing more recipes and food stories on here since that's what I do on a regular basis and will help keep the blog updated.] I found this easy pizza dough recipe on the Money Saving Mom blog that I highly recommend for her frugal trips. [A new hobby of mine is seeing how little money I can spend on groceries and home goods while not having us eat pasta for every meal or stop showering.] It is so easy I made it for a work-day lunch!

INGREDIENTS

- 1 tbsp. active dry yeast

- 1 c. warm water (105-115 degrees; our tap water gets pretty hot and worked fine)

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. sugar

- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

- 2 1/2 c. flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

2. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and combine once the yeast has dissolved. (I mixed the salt and sugar into the flour while I waited on the yeast.)

3. Dump onto a floured surface; knead until a smooth ball forms. (Mine was a little "extra" flour-y so I just got rid of any parts that wouldn't seem to mix in to the dough ball.) Takes about 5 minutes.

4. Roll out and press down onto greased pizza pan. (Or Pampered Chef stone of course!)

5. Top however you like and with whatever you can eat! (My favorite is a dairy-free mozzarella that Andreé found at TJ's for me with grilled onions, fresh green peppers, and sliced black olives--thanks Nick!! :-P)

6. Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes. You'll be able to see the crust has become light brown and looks like it's starting to be crispy.

Don't be intimidated!--Try it!! You'll love it! My hope is to replace our last minute frozen pizza purchases with this. I even have a ball of dough waiting to be used in the freezer! (Supposedly it freezes/thaws well. I've yet to test that.)

iPhone pic but oh it was good!
even better once I got black olives to top the leftovers!

We're Still Here!!

2009-03-04T22:22:00.005-05:00

This is a rare occurrence these days. Andreé and I are both home. We've eaten dinner. And now we have nothing to do... glorious! As I hope you assumed from the lack of blog posting it has been a busy (!!) few weeks in the Kless home. It's been fun but whew am I grateful for a quiet night at home.

- We celebrated our five-year anniversary on February 9th. (Five years since "Super Monday" when this whole thing started!) I surprised Andree with a weekend in DC to celebrate. We spent the entire day Saturday at the recently reopened National Museum of History. I think they did a great job with the changes, though I did miss the giant pendulum in the entrance to the museum. That always made me think of Mrs. Griney field trips. The "new museum" is much more interactive and after spending literally hours in the transportation exhibit following Dre around I was pretty excited about some day bringing our little boy to see it all. (If he's anything like his daddy he will love trains, cars, airplanes, and anything that moves!) Seriously, we spent like 2 hours in that one exhibit. After the museum we checked into our hotel and then ventured to Morton's Steakhouse to enjoy a delicious meal made possible by generous friends. (Thank you!! :-P) The next morning we went to Trader Joe's and did some grocery shopping for the week ahead while still downtown, sat on a bench and read together in the sunshine, and went exploring at Eastern Market. It was a sweet, sweet time of being together in the midst of such a busy season and I'm grateful for Janners for helping me scoop the super hotel deal that made it all possible! (TravelZoo makes all your dreams come true even in a recession... or at least some of them... with wisdom...)

(cheesin' it up for the iPhone in Georgetown after dinner)

- We The Posterity is a blog that one of our close friends Seth Remsnyder began several months ago. Andree went to the March for Life with some of the KG and live-blogged about it for the blog. We definitely have a heart for the goals Seth and the team are seeking to begin to stir up and accomplish through the blog and are praying about how God will use these efforts. All that being said... check out the blog! Seth is working hard to keep it updated regularly with information you may not come across yourself about abortion and the anti-abortion movement.

- Andree is participating in a study at NIH testing fat cells to bring in a few extra dollars this year. The study takes place over twelve months and provides him with nutrition classes and weight loss help. It's not all fun and games though. Andree has to go in to do over-nights at the Bethesda campus of NIH every six weeks where they stick all kinds of scary tubes and things in him. I didn't like the coincidental timing of his first overnight being almost exactly five years after he was in the hospital for pneumothorax. Thankfully Andree tolerates doctors much better than I do and even enjoys the poking and prodding--or at least finds the "why's" behind the poking and prodding interesting enough to be worth the discomfort. Next time you see him you should ask him about "the bod pod."

Those are the "big" happenings in our little world during the months this blog has been silent. We also had a really fun day-trip to the Baltimore Aquarium with the Klesses and enjoyed the opportunity to make memories with them. I don't think I'd been to the Aquarium since I was in Middle School or so. We've had a blast hanging out with "new" friends like the Simpsons and the Grudens as well as old ones like the Remys who recently introduced us to Settlers of Cataan. We've had some fun snow days with our favorite Squama who thankfully shares most of our favorite food choices which makes hanging out even easier.
And of course spending time with the rockin' KG! We can't believe the original KG has almost doubled! from the initial 10 to now 18 amazing singles that we get to spend every Tuesday with and when we're lucky a Friday or Saturday as well and the occasional late night chattin' it up wherever we find ourselves. Oh and the best part of our increase in size has been going from 3 wonderful godly guys to 8! While I think it's a little sad that Dre doesn't get to have spontaneous guy-time anymore when only one guy would be able to make it to men's meeting it is awfully fun to count off on men's/ladies' nights in a rush to figure out who gets the living room: I never imagined it would be possible for the girls to be out-numbered! [Oh goodness and I forgot to even mention the incredible 24-hour (literally from door step to door step for Dre and I) that we took to NYC with the KG crew. We had a blast!!]

(pc credit Lydia-Face)

I promise the blog won't be at least this silent in the days and weeks to come. We've got plenty actual happenings to keep it entertaining: Andreé's 27th birthday!, NCAA with the Mays & Ricucci's-to-be, another triathlon for my husband ("tune up tri" to get him ready for the upcoming season of hopefully doing a few more). And that's just through the end of the month!

Update?

2009-03-03T09:36:00.003-05:00

I think that this week life might actually slow down, at least for a few weeks. Update(s) coming soon! This blog needs to come back to life!

Yummy Treat

2008-12-30T01:12:00.000-05:00

I love to cook but I'm not much of a baker. I blame it on the fact that I'm a borderline failure at math and science and baking is much more rigid in terms of measurements and such than cooking. Anyhoo this is my newest favorite thing to bake. It's simple, easy and comes out delicious. It's not too sweet so it makes a nice morning quiet time treat or when paired with ice cream a delicious light dessert.

I found it off a blog I enjoy called Tammy's Recipes.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk (soy works!)
1 cup finely-chopped unpeeled apples

Topping

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup softened butter (coconut oil in the Kless household)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

2. In another bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Mix in oil and milk.

3. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir. Fold in fruit.

4. Pour batter into a greased 8- or 9-inch square baking pan**.

5. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over batter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until cake tests done in the middle.

KG Christmas

2008-12-28T00:27:00.001-05:00

This year we attended 3 Christmas parties, all in one weekend which made for a busy season of festivities. We had a fun CG Leaders Christmas at the Smith's house and then later that evening caught the tail-end of the Remy's holiday gathering. The final party of our Christmas season (and weekend!) was a special "KG Dinner Party hosted by the KG men in honor of the KG ladies" and oh what a blast it was! I can't help but detail it here for memory's sake.

Those boys made us (Andree and I, as well as every girl in the KG) so proud. The evening started off with a limo (!!) picking up the girls to drive them out Josh Cooper's house where the boys took coats and had appetizers and drinks waiting. Then they led the girls to the dining table where there were place cards which doubled as encouragement notes for each girl and a salad. Next Chef D-Sav had created a delicious chicken alfredo entree. The boys were so adorable (and manly of course) serving the food, refilling drinks, and attending to every need. They had even planned out dinner conversation by giving Andree and Bryce the responsiblity of dinner conversation so there was never a dull moment. (Especially once we found out Bryce had googled for conversation topics.) After dinner the girls were served tea (a KG ladies favorite) in the living room and entertained by the one and only Josh Cooper performing on cello (another favorite) while the boys prepared the cheesecake with strawberry drizzle dessert. I think one of the highlights of the evening was when the boys disappeared for a few minutes upstairs and then came back dressed as each other and put on a skit for us which gave us a behind the scenes look at the men's meetings planning the evening. -- Guys, I know we've told you and we probably won't ever get over how incredible the evening was. Your intentionality in the plans you made to bless and surprise each of us was such a joy to witness. Our expectations were blown away and the night was one for the memory books.

The Amazing KG Men (minus Eric and Nick): Bryce (as D-Sav), Neal (as Bryce), Stephen (as Neal), Josh (as Stephen), Andree (as Josh), & D-Sav (as Dre).

_________________________________________________________________
My darling, what a joy it is to watch you lead and befriend these men. You do such an excellent job of leading this care group and the ways in which you motivate with the gospel, lead with love, and sincerely care for each and every member of our group and have made them your/our friends make me love you more. I remember not too long ago attending a care group dinner put on and hosted by the care group men in the Garf/Fam days. I remember it most of all because that was the first night we hugged, simply as friends but somehow I remember it. Must have been a sign. I love you baby! I cannot wait to watch you similarly lead and teach our sons someday.