Love These Girls!

As excited as I am to FINALLY join my husband, there are things that I am really going to miss about graduate school. One of those... the sweet group of friends that I have made. I have been fortunate to be in classes with four of the most amazing women. They have hearts of gold, and they are top-notch Christians. It's a wholesome group of girls, and I am so blessed to call them friends.

Me, Andrea, Ali, Jen, and Jenn.

When I look back at grad school, I will always thank the Lord the He gave me such a wonderful support group.

This one is for Ali... this was her automatic pose when we went to take a picture. We all had to laugh. I love how the right side of the picture has this pose down. Andrea and I look like we're yelling. I guess I need to practice some more.



Oops...

"Well I'll never forget the first time that I heard
That pretty mouth say that dirty word

And I can't even remember now what she backed my truck into

But she covered her mouth and her face got red

And she just looked so darn cute

That I couldn't even act like I was mad

Yeah I live for little moments like that"

You guessed it... I backed into something. The carport pole to be exact.

The weather was fine one minute, and the next we had sideways rain, wind, and tornado sirens going off. It happened that quickly.

I am normally not scared of storms, and I usually have to be coaxed into going to Helen's house up the street. This time, I went willingly.

I had pulled closer to the passenger side poles today in order for my friend to have more room to walk through to the sidewalk.

I was also in a hurry because I had 10-15 minutes to get to safety.

I was able to piece the outer shell back together. I gave myself a minor cut in the process. I used a little duct tape to hold it until Andrew gets here on Friday. Ugh.

If you were to guess that I am in tears right now, you would be correct. I have be SO stressed with everything... school, moving, storms EVERY.SINGLE.DAY, living apart from Andrew, etc. This just added fuel to the fire, and I hit my breaking point.

I am normally a very attentive driver, and I chalk this one up to being so scared. I just wish I had done it to my car.

The good news? I'm safe... and our house is intact.

P.S. I didn't say a single bad word... promise.

Fragrant Cheerfulness

Every year for the past 24 years, I have received an Easter basket filled with goodies. Since I am finally graduating, moving in with my husband, and all that good stuff, Mom decided it was time for me to be a grown-up. This year I got a big girl Easter treat.

I must say, I like this much, much better!!

Pretty lilies- my favorite. Even better... Mom made this bouquet!

Mom made this cross out of a palm frond. I'm supposed to press it and keep it forever. How cool!

I was trimming the ends yesterday and refilling the water when I saw this. The leaf/petal is doing something pretty funky!

Beautiful, huh?

If I had it my way, I'd have a fresh bouquet every week. Some people believe that flowers are a waste of money, but I adore them! I would much rather receive flowers than get chocolate covered strawberries... or a pedicure... or anything else along those lines. To each her own, but this is my thing!

So, good tradition, Mom! You can keep this one up ; )

Gonna Need a Boat!

It has rained.

and rained.

and rained.

Many of you are well aware of this.

Sadly, before this week is over, we are expected to get 4-9 more inches of rain. Our saturated earth doesn't need anymore rain. I would gladly give some of this rain to the folks in Texas!

I have been home sick today, so I haven't been able to see the flooding beyond my own yard. Although, a friend posted a picture of a nearby mill, and the water is all the way up to the base of the bridge! The flood gates are closed, and people are being evacuated in some areas. Luckily, it hasn't gotten that bad here.

Most of our mulch has drifted away with the river. Our landscaping is now serving as a pond.

In some places, there are a good 3-4 inches of standing water (& most likely a lot deeper in the actual yard).

The street is a constant stream of water. Float trip, anyone?

Note the small lake behind the tree. The poor hostas are drowning in all of this water.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but the bradford pear is weighed down by all of this rain. The limbs are very heavy, and the lower branches are much lower than usual. I think it's had enough moisture!

Water just pours down the house. I told Andrew the other day that it won't need to be powerwashed after all.

Through all of this rain, one thing remains constant. This little momma never leaves her nest. If you look closely, you can see the droplets of water on Ellie Mae's back. You can also see the streaks of rain coming down. She does not move. I wish that she would let me move her somewhere a bit more dry, but she's not having that.

So, although everything is lush and gorgeously green, I think I speak for everyone around here when I say I think it's time for some sunshine!!



Happy Easter!

I hosted Easter dinner this year. Since Tyler was spending Easter in New York with Andrew, I thought that it would be nice to have my family join me down here.

So, I started preparing last night.

It was nothing fancy, but I made a summer vegetable dish along with sloppy joes. They were a big hit today! I don't think anyone left hungry.

I was being pitiful this year because I thought it would be the first year in my life that I didn't get to dye Easter eggs. When Mom heard this, she postponed her annual egg dyeing day to today! So, we boiled 4 dozen eggs or so and got everything ready to dye.

We then got to work! Miranda was getting the dye ready at this point, and Steve was taking the picture. The rest of us jumped right in.

I dedicate this egg to my Love. : ) It was hard to be without him today, but it made it easier that my family came down. This is the first holiday we've spent apart... and we plan on making it our last. It's absolute nonsense to not be together!

I dedicate this egg to my brother, Tyler. He always dyes an egg green after writing "& ham" on it. So, I did this one in his honor.

Halfway through, Nana Helen joined us! She helped me finish my dozen. I am SO glad that she came over, and I hope she had as good of a time with us as we did with her. I'm going to miss her SO much once I move. She's pretty incredible!

This is a close up of our finished product. I like the tie-dye one the best.

BUT...

Although it was absolutely amazing having my family here, nothing compares to the church service we had this morning.

At the beginning, 4 people were baptized. That, in itself, was too cool for words. I couldn't think of a more perfect day to be born again. After our pastor had baptized those individuals, he made the announcement that the baptismal waters would still be there at the end of the service, and he would baptize anyone who wished to be baptized.

He then preached about the perfect love story... the love our Savior has for us. The love He felt for us when He died on the cross. The love God had for us when He watched His Son get nailed to the cross. The grace and mercy we do not deserve, but that Christ shows us because He loves us.

At the end of the service, 8 more people got out of their seats, dress clothes and all, to be baptized! The water does not save them, but the outward testimony of an inner change was AMAZING. It was the coolest Easter service I've ever been to.

Nothing was scripted, nothing was planned, it was not a show.

It was simply God. God showing His amazing love to undeserving people.

THIS is what Easter is truly about. I am humbled to worship such a big and almighty God.

I am blessed that I had family to share it with.



What Is That?!

Since I no longer have Lady (our fish) here, I had to find something to fill up the big white space above our cube. I wasn't feeling very creative, so I just set the beautiful painted window that my friend Ashley painted on it for now. Tonight, I unwrapped the adorable owl I found at Hobby Lobby and set it there as well.

Before too long, I heard chirping. This sound normally means that Theodore is doing something he shouldn't be doing. It's his onery sound.

Sure enough, he had spotted the new addition.

I guess he thought that fighting it would be a good idea. Cats sure are funny. They don't like for their environments to change... at all. I keep trying to prepare him for the big move to New York, but I am afraid that Andrew and I are going to be in for it when he gets there. That's a LOT of changes for the little guy.

I just had to get a close-up of my new owl. I can't wait to get this in the kitchen of our new home! I really like it!

Side note... isn't that painted window awesome? Check out her Etsy shop!!



Take Me Too!

I have been packing a few things here and there to send with my brother to New York. I had quite the stack ready to go with him- including Lady the goldfish.

Theodore, being the ever-so-jealous cat that he is, decided to do a little bit of packing of his own. Look carefully... he has packed two of his toys away.

I laughed pretty hard when I saw this. I know that he wishes he could go to New York in place of Lady. Sadly for him, he's my favorite, so I am being selfish with him.

I saw Lady off around 1:00 this morning. Theodore cried to go too. I showed no sympathy ; )

I am so glad that Tyler is going to spend some time with Andrew in New York. It warms my heart that my family loves Andrew so much. I am thrilled that Tyler is taking the opportunity that he has to get to know Andrew better so they can have a closer friendship. It's such a blessing that he makes that effort to include Andrew in the family. I hope they have an awesome week... it took everything in me to not sneak my way into his backseat! My time will come soon enough... 3 weeks, 4 days, 3 hours, 23 minutes, 49 seconds. Roughly, that is. ; )

More Eggs!

I have neglected to post about my other nest... you know the one on the porch. Well, I thought that the birds had abandoned this nest. That is, until I saw a robin fly out of it just now. So, I did some investigating.

I am excited to say that they are proud parents as well!

Although Eugene and Ellie Mae are MUCH more fun to watch, I think these eggs are absolutely beautiful. Who needs Easter eggs when I have the prettiest natural ones right outside my door? Literally.

Sadly, the love story for these birds is not quite as romantic as the turtle doves. Let me explain...

"The cup-shaped nest is built by the female, who builds the outer foundation with long coarse grass, twigs, paper and feathers woven together. She lines the inner bowl with mud, smearing it with her breast and later adding fine grass or other soft material to cushion her eggs. The nest is located on the ground or high up in trees, but most commonly 5 to 15 feet above ground in a dense bush, in the crotch of trees, on on window ledges or other human structures. All that is needed for the nest is a firm support and overhead protection from rain. In northern areas, the first brood is generally raised in a coniferous evergreen tree or shrub, and the later one or two broods in a deciduous tree. Usually three to five blue-green eggs are laid and incubated by the female for a period of about 14 days. She continues brooding the chicks while they are very young, then later doing so only during bad weather and at night. The male assists only by collecting material for the nest and sometimes feeding the chicks."

So, these little chicks will have an absentee father except for an occassional meal. That's not very cool. I think he needs to take lessons from Eugene. He is always on patrol and makes sure the area is safe and secure for Ellie Mae and his babies.

So, I guess my female robin will need a name as well, although I am not as attached to her as I am to Eugene and Ellie Mae. Maybe I'll be a bit more on board once there are peeping chicks around. I am sad, though, that she is only brooding 2 eggs instead of the usual 3-5.

Anyway... I guess I missed the day when I put up a sign welcoming all birds, but I'm glad they feel safe enough to hatch their offspring here!

Beaded Bookmarks

A few days ago, my mom sent me a link to a new craft idea she wanted me to try. Beaded ribbon bookmarks. At first, I thought that this would be no problem at all, but as I began looking for beads, I realized that this was not an easy task. You see, it is hard to find beads with a big enough opening for ribbon to fit through! I had to be very selective when choosing the beads. I have completed three "trial" bookmarks before I begin working on the order that my mom placed.

This was my first attempt. I used black and white beads and black sheer ribbon for this one. I really, really like how it turned out.

This was my second try. I like the soft beading on this one. The white ribbon has polka dot detailing that helps it "pop" and adds character. It's very feminine and springy.

This was my third attempt. It's a little more "young" than the other two and is super cute as well.

What have I learned?



Sheer ribbon works best.

Although I like the looks of the other two a lot, the sheer ribbon is easier to work with... and it fits in the tiny holes a little bit better than the others.

So... I think these are a super neat idea, and I look forward to completing the order I've received; however, I don't think I will find myself addicted to these like I am to my other crafting venues, but stay tuned! You just may be surprised to find more in my Etsy shop soon!

We Have Eggs!

So, after realizing that the loverbirds were here to stay, I did a little research on them. Here is what I found:

Mating Habits:

All doves in general follow similar courtship patterns. The males coo loudly, displaying before the females. At a more advanced stage of courtship the movements seem more like a bowing to the female. These displays sometimes go on for days, followed by nest building.

Nests are placed in shrubs and trees, relatively low. Doves prefer areas with tall hedges and thickets to woodlands. The male chooses the nesting site and gathers twigs, roots and other materials, which are set in place by the female.

These birds are monogamous and tend to mate for life. There are usually two eggs in each clutch, elliptical in shape and white, with a faint bluish tinge. Male and female share incubating duties for about 2 weeks after which the chicks are hatched nearly naked. These birds are altricial. The young can fly when they are three weeks old.

So, basically, these birds are too precious for words. They mate for life. The male chooses the nest. They share nesting duties.

That means, this male bird literally choose the PRETTIEST location for his love to build a nest. He then gathered the materials needed while she set up home. This knowledge made me feel even more guilty that I destroyed their first home. Andrew and I both agree that these doves are the bird version of us. Their "marriage" is too sweet, and I love how diligently this male sought out the most beautiful home for his love.

Today, I noticed that the female was not leaving the nest as much. She was not getting startled by me coming and going. I figured that she probably had laid her eggs. When I got back from Wal-Mart, I tried to not scare her off of her nest, but it was just too much commotion for her. I took this opportunity to see what was going on.

Sure enough, there are now eggs in this nest! True to research, my love birds are the proud parents to two eggs. I hope I get to see the babies before I move. It sounds like I should... they only incubate for two weeks or so. Then it takes another 3 weeks for them to fly. It would be cool if I were here for that as well.

It is funny that I now tiptoe around these birds so I don't disturb them. I felt really bad when I scared her off of the nest. I took that opportunity to water the plant; however, I had to do so quickly because she kept flying by. I might need to invest in protective head gear for that task!

Anyway...

She is now nestled safely back on her nest. I think she looks precious all snuggled in protecting her babies.

She doesn't rest easily though... her little head popped up when she heard the camera click. The daddy was on the ground eating, but he is now in protective mode on the shed roof.

What good parents! If only some human parents would be this mindful and protective of their young...



Busted!

Remember last night's blog?

I thought that removing the nest would deter the loverbirds from living in my hanging plant. I thought wrong. When I arrived home from clinic this morning, I caught one nestled into the plant. I snapped a picture with my phone. It didn't turn out to well, but I was glad I had proof.

Then, while I was working on homework, I heard Theodore going crazy. I looked up to see what had gotten him so worked up. This is what I saw...

Yep, right there in broad daylight... the culprit. Sadly, when I tried to open the door to take a better picture, she flew away.

Before too much longer, Theodore was causing a ruckus again. I looked out, and this time, the loverbirds were together... eyeballing their home. Once again, after the picture was taken, they flew away.

Then, about 10 minutes later, the commotion began again.

Hilarious, right?

Both of them. Caught.

There is no denying the fact that I have two turtle doves living in my plant.

You know what? This makes me laugh really, really hard. Sure, they are killing my plant on that side, but these things are so persistent. How can I tell them no now?

People pay big bucks for fake flower arrangements with birds in them. I literally have the real thing.

So, each time I look outside, they're back. Right now, they're both nestled in... and Theodore is freaking out. It's pretty amusing.

I just wish that they weren't so skittish... this is what I get every time I try to take a better picture.

So, I am now embracing the turtle doves. Do you think they will accompany me to New York?



I'm Infested!!

Remember this plant from several blogs ago? It didn't look so sad then, did it? When I returned from the weekend with Andrew, I noticed that it was VERY lopsided. I couldn't figure it out, so I turned it just in case it was getting more sun on that one side. It didn't really come out of it, and I was very perplexed as to why.

Well, this morning, I walked out the door, and two turtle doves went flying out of the plant. I thought that I was seeing things, and then I talked myself into believing that they were only flying by. I couldn't fathom them actually nesting in my hanging plant.

But...

... I took it down this evening to prune it in hopes of sprucing it up some. I was met with a little surprise.

Yep, sure enough, I have two turtle doves nesting in my potted plant. Add that to the two robins that flare their tail feathers at me every time I walk out the door. You would think that I lived in the middle of nowhere instead of the middle of town.

Sadly, this nest was promptly removed. A nest by my light is something I can embrace. A nest that is killing my potted plant, not so much. I do feel a little guilty about demolishing their home, but they took it a step too far.

So, I've had a possum take up residence under my car and shed, two robins nest on my porch, two turtle doves nest in my potted plant, two bunnies that have returned since the possum was captured, and an owl in my bradford pear tree... and he calls to his lover each night, so I end up with two owls in my tree by night's end.

Wildlife has taken over... and most of the time, I absolutely love it. Andrew laughs because my life is already so much like the movie Enchanted, and when things like this happen, it further confirms the fact that the writers documented my every day life.

Now... if only I could get them to help with housework...



It's absolute craziness when...

... I can buy THIS many potatoes and onions at Aldi's for the price of a few potatoes and two onions at Wal-Mart or Schnucks.

Do I need this many? Not really, but I was already at Aldi's and they don't sell individual produce items. They were such a good buy that I didn't feel like driving across town for a more expensive option. So... guess who is going to be making a LOT of potato dishes throughout the next week? Yep, that's me. Luckily, I'm going to be able to share some with a friend from school. That makes the purchase even better.

I just think it's a bit outrageous that larger chain stores can charge so much more for less quantity. If quality was jeapordized, I would understand, but I swear food at Aldi's is just the same, if not better, than name brand items.

I also find it funny that Andrew is now on board with Aldi's. He's probably more conscious of his shopping than I am now. In fact, he even challenged one of his friends in New York to shop there. His friend didn't believe that his grocery bill could be cut by so much. So, he went shopping, purchased everything he would need for about a month, and left with only $70 out of pocket. He's now a believer as well.

So... I challenge you to do the same! See if it makes as big of a difference in your monthly shopping bills.... GO!