this june...

It's June! Summer. Evening sun. Friends on the weekends. Patios. There's this quote by {none other than} Winnie-the-Pooh that perfectly sums up for me this feeling...

\\ "Well," said Pooh, "what I like best...." and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment in which just before you begun to eat, which was better than the eating itself... but he didn't know what it was called. //

People, that's called the beginning. That anticipation of what's to come and what has already begun is an amazing feeling. 

Take, for example, Jared heading to Phoenix to visit an amazing friend in his new journey down there. Then embarking to Florida for a favorite Sports Information Director conference {with his brother this time!} and having a blast. Runnin' a race, and leaving the day he gets back for "man camp" weekend with the boys. Getting rained on and coming back a day early without telling their wives {ahem}. Golfing. Sleeping in {a little bit}. That's what the beginning of summer looks like. 

Girls weekend. Sleepovers like 12 year olds in the living room. Thunderstorms. Happy flowers. Patios and sunshine to kick off weekends. Brunch. Gilmore girls marathons. Earl Grey lavender tea. Smoothies. Peaches + cherries. Weekends in Rochester for a wedding staying with friends. Rhubarb, rhubarb shakes, rhubarb ...... mmmm Summer.

And coming up super soon... we leave for Cali! Jared and I couldn't be more excited to get away. It's been an awesome month - very busy, a decent amount of time apart - so getting out of town TOGETHER is looking pretty good right now. :) 

a trip to the zoo + the great MN springtime

The zoo, you guys. It's probably one of my all time favorite places. I know I've seen it over and over, and yet somehow, it doesn't get old to me. I have yet to see the Omaha or San Diego zoo, both of which are on my "more immediate" bucket lists. :) We had a full Saturday planned with our friends Mike, Kait, and Ryland, half of which included this wonderful place. We got a pretty early start, and were beyond thankful for a gorgeous weekend to be outside. It felt so good! Prepare for a picture dumping!

The last time we were here was over a year and a half ago, when this guy was confined to the stroller... he was much happier this time around. We have this same picture in the same spot when he wasn't even 1 year old yet and now here he is at 2 and a half. He's getting so big.

*totally gross bats. I never realized how much I disliked them until yesterday...*

After a great morning and early afternoon, we headed back to their place for naptime {which we all could have used...} however, we settled for talking all things life, marriage, family, and eating popsicles. Not to let the gorgeous weather pass us by, though, we ventured back outside for a park and driveway play-date before grilling out for dinner.

Oh, I'm sorry... did you think I meant Ryland? Just kidding, he was there too. 

We are so grateful for you guys! And so grateful that it looks like Minnesota springtime is finally here. We have been itching to get outdoors and yesterday was just what we needed. And with wonderful, wonderful friends. Aren't they a sweet family?

And one more of Mr. Crush to leave you with. I literally found the whole cast of Finding Nemo in this tank. It was awesome.

Happy monday. Happy spring. Happy beautiful weather week ahead! 

taking stock :: this wintertime

Making :: cinnamon sugared pecans. 4 lbs to be exact, to munch on and give away. My only Christmas baking this year.
Cooking :: french dip sandwiches on the list for this week. mmm.
Drinking :: hot chocolate. like its our job.
Reading :: bread & wine: a love letter to life around the table.
Wanting :: to finish folding some laundry that I've been putting off.
Looking :: at our beautiful sparkly Christmas tree. The more lights the better!
Playing :: a new Pandora station that I have aptly named "peaceful christmas." all about the strings & acoustic, baby.
Wishing :: that I could go outside and build a snowman.
Enjoying :: oh, the snow. it is sparkly, and fresh, and clean. 
Waiting :: excitedly for a few days off around Christmas to spend with our families.  
Liking :: our "nests" that we've been making in front of the Christmas tree and watching Christmas movies!
Wondering :: about our new neighbors that just moved in this weekend. They look like they're our age! #yes
Loving :: the yankee candle I purchased this year. it's got cedar in it which I'm loving.
Hoping :: that Jared's work load can calm down this week. so he can rest over Christmas.
Marveling :: at the concept of advent. something I really want to pay more attention to and sit in!
Needing :: to finish our wrapping. and a few more teeny tiny shopping trips.
Wearing :: lots of cozy sweaters, and my rainboots since it's been SO sloppy out!
Following :: a few new blogs and instagram feeds. but mostly enjoying keeping up with the old ones. :)
Knowing :: the true meaning of Christmas and how we want to incorporate it into our celebrating. O Come, O come Emmanuel.... 
Thinking :: about making it out to the Holidazzle parade in Minneapolis for it's last run this weekend.
Feeling :: not very great right now. getting over a naaasty stomach bug. case in point why I'm home blogging on a Monday. :/
Bookmarking :: everything from new cars(!!) to hotels and vneyards. We are taking some fun vacations in 2014!
Opening :: a can of chicken noodle soup. I'm more interested in the broth right now.
Giggling :: at some funny youtube videos that Jared has been sending me. He's got a way of finding the best ones!
Planning :: out this week. Seems like there is a good amount to do, and things we would like to do, but wanting to be organized and efficient without bringing any stress in. 

It's so beautiful here, I love this season the most. We've been getting fresh snow every day or so it seems like, so the trees are staying nice and dusted around our house. In what has still been a very busy and hectic season for Jared and work, with a postseason football team, and some very tough masters classes at the same time, we are so looking forward to a little time of rest after this week. Fingers crossed. :)

I'm trying to get back on the mend after a day that had me at my worst yesterday, it's been a long time since I've been sick sick and I don't remember it ever being that miserable - and with heading into a week that holds still quite a bit to do before the holidays, I'm trying to stay calm and not let the devil interfere with the Holiness of this time of year. He sure likes to find ways to do things like that. :)

A passage that has held particular significance to me these past few weeks is Mary's song, found in Luke 1:45-48... and is reminding me of how I want the depths of my being to glorify the Lord this Christmas...
" Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her! And Mary said, 'my soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant, from now on all generations will call me blessed!'"

Happy Advent, friends! 

taking stock :: currently

Making :: grocery list and to do list for the week. my favorite kind.
Cooking :: chili &  maple cornbread today. 
Drinking :: hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Reading :: Clive Cussler. This particular book for the 3rd time, I believe? Up next: Bread & Wine.
Wanting :: to go get acupuncture. and pumpkin caramel sauce from williams sonoma. and a dog.
Looking :: at the MLS listing for our neighbors house that just got flipped. who says you can't choose your neighbors... come on over guys!
Playing :: carbles. a new game we learned with friends yesterday.
Wasting :: one last roma tomato in our basket I just couldn't finish.
Wishing :: we had made it to an apple orchard by now.
Enjoying :: the mustard cardi I'm sporting today. with the big brown wood buttons.
Waiting :: for my cast iron skillet to bake in the oven. it's getting re-seasoned today.
Liking :: the way I re-organized the living room shelf for fall.
Wondering :: if I should get bangs. I think I've made up my mind. :)
Loving :: the length of Jared's hair right now. I really should note how long ago we cut it for special occasions.
Hoping :: the vikes win?
Marveling :: at the yellow trees. they are my absolute favorite.

Needing :: some new socks. my toes are too cold right now.
Smelling :: my fall candle. current fave: sweater weather from bath & body works.
Wearing :: my mustard cardigan with dark jeans and apparently an old pair of socks. ;) 
Following :: the same fruit fly around the kitchen. he has eluded me for too long.
Knowing :: that my God shall supply all my needs in accordance with his will. 
Thinking :: about the family photoshoot I'm headed off to here shortly.
Feeling :: full from lunch, cozy in my house, and thankful for weekends.
Bookmarking :: a site for a cozy loft getaway in Stillwater, and a page in my fave cookbook for roasted cauliflower with chickpeas and parsley.
Opening :: a jar of pickled beets. and eating right out of the can. thankfully Jared keeps his paws off those. ;)
Giggling :: when we quote lines from Over the Hedge. we watched it this week. Hammy cracks me up.
Planning :: our next fall fun day. Picnic is topping my list right now.

Thanks for the fun list idea, Jen! I'm going to try and pop back with a few of these Taking Stock posts occasionally. Especially during season changes. :) Happy Sunday, friends! 

this week{end} i like

some beautiful highlights. along with the rest of minnesota, we crammed as much festivities into the 78* weather as we could these past three days. first and foremost... drumroll, please.....

*insert moment of silence and gratitude...aaah...* straight & unedited. it was really that blue. 

we spent about 17 hours between the Bethel baseball & softball fields this weekend. hey, if we have to put in the time to make up for all the snow cancellations... at least it was 77* and sun.

enjoying mary poppins with our wonderful parents on friday night. 

first grill out of the season. amazing dinner, even more amazing friends.

completed with a walk for ice cream, of course!

*all pictures courtesy of my iphone* :)

and in other news...
- J got to enjoy the Legends club and dugout seats at the Twins game this past week (jealous) :)
- we're definitely on crunch time with Jared having to make up all the spring sporting events that got postponed from the weather. (translation: I don't have to cook for awhile because we're never home at the same time)
- my best friend + hubby are coming for a 4-day visit next week!! so excited!! and there's a wedding. even better.
- there are exactly 19 days until our vacation. i am counting. religiously. 
- i'm avoiding the forecast (yet again) as clouds and rain are making their way back into our lives for the next 7-8 days. crossing my fingers they are wrong. 
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and i got my vitamin d. boy, did i get my vitamin d. ouch. just the sheer nature of how much we were outside this past weekend was a jolting surprise for my winter-white skin. feels good to have a little color - my left shoulder might say otherwise - but i was so thankful we got this little glimpse of late spring/early summer weather this weekend. so i'm basking in that today. happy monday!

How women measure success

Funny isn't it.....

Women and our kitchens. MY kitchen. No one else's. Which... inevitably means MY mess.
Jared has games tonight, so I've been an "athletic widow" and decided to make meals for the weekend. I do get him tomorrow and for tidbits of sunday and monday... so I decided not to waste my precious time with him cooking. I felt good about this disaster that now overrides my kitchen.  But now I made the mistake of sitting down to blog about it. Hence it's slowly turning into a hideous beast that I'm desperately wanting to avoid. Sitting down is always a bad choice....

But anyways, it's success nonetheless!! Housewifery feels nice. And special thanks to the wonderful Chardonnay I treated myself to while my kitchen cried. It's the "spoonful of sugar" I need to create this type of disaster in my life. (Also a shout out to my feeble little candle who flickered steadfastly with everything it had to mask the evidence that any sort of invasion of smells happened here).

Right about now I wish I had magic powers.... Alas, up and at 'em! Thank you Lord for dishwashers.... and another glass of wine.

Bath time

We'll start with the end result: a clean dog, a tired dog, a nap on the couch for me, and a pretty darn cute pair of apologetic puppy eyes.....

Getting here was the interesting part. Now, I've given Sami baths before, not for awhile, I'll admit, and I can tell my skills were down. My guard as well. And I won't ever let my guard down again when bathing a 50 lb dog. Exhibit A:

Sami sees me attatching the sprayer to the shower. She runs.
Skyler chases Sami. Sister knows whats up!
Sami goes limp.
Skyler starts sweeping the floor with Sami's butt as she's getting dragged to the tub.
That hurts the back, so Sami gets picked up. Very ungracefully.
Dog's in the tub. Door's shut. Step 1.

In no series of peaceful events, the shampoo goes on, *dog plops down in the farthest end of the tub*, shampoo gets rinsed off, *dog insists on drinking from the sprayer*, and the water goes off, *dog attempts jail break from the tub immediately upon no more water flow*. Now. Here's where things got really interesting. Exhibit B:

Dog get "squee-gee-ed" off. Still VERY wet, mind you.
Skyler lets her guard down - turns around to get towel - dog leaps out of tub....

Now what happened next was like seeing a movie in slow motion with that low, Arnold Schwarzenegger like voice saying "NOOOoooooooo......" Let's set the scene. VERY small bathroom, door is shut, tile floor, ME, and an extremely wet and disgruntled dog.

She shakes - and it rains.
She starts neurotically rubbing herself on the floor against the walls with her butt up in the air.
The walls get wet.
Garbage can gets knocked over.
She rolls the toilet paper off the roll.
It sticks to her.
She shakes - and it rains again.
She continues rolling obsessively on the floor.
I slip - it's tile!!
I can't make her stop.
She shakes.
I'm mad.
I yell........loudly.
She stops.
She gets practically thrown back in the tub. And gets towel dried there.

Yet somehow, as soon as I deemed her dry enough to set free (I, on the other hand, was a different story), I was her hero. Funny how quickly they forgive and forget. She proceded to roll on the carpet, roll on the couch, and go into a puppy crazy. Havn't seen one of those for awhile!

I was exhausted. But at the end of it all - you just can't resist her. Especially those apologetic eyes... so we cuddled. And I forgave her for the thunderstorm she put me through.... and the bruise on my knee..... and the low back ache..... She's just too great of a dog. But, I think I'll be leaving bath time to the pro's for awhile. :)

Little sisters

I was so excited. It had been far to long since I saw these 3 girls. We have spent many summers together while I was a PCA for Molly; at the beach, museums, doing girl stuff in their room.... the list goes on. Probably all too frequently I like to tell them how I came to see all 3 of them: Molly, then Laura and Haley, in the hospital when they were born. I remember it all! (Sure makes me feel o-l-d.) I actually remember confessing to their oldest sister that I didn't want the twins to come... that meant our moms would make us play with them too. :) But my perception on those two joys turned right around! I have never been more thankful for such sweet family friends. These girls are the little sisters I never had. I think of them as such, and I know they think of me as a big sister. They're so special to me! The bond they have also developed with Jared now, is truly awesome. He's a big brother they never had! So when mom + dad "be-bopped" to Hawaii.... guess who got to entertain them!? US! Here are some special moments, on this love-filled friday.

 Morning love - white hot chocolate & dark hot chocolate (unfortunately both weren't mine.) ;)

Breakfast love - a trip to Great harvest for apple "scruffins!" That's their mix of a scone + muffin top. Truly ingenious. I mean, it's the only part of the muffin you eat, anyway...

Sister love - had to let those "scruffins" settle. :)

Nature love - we walked Lake Calhoun to burn off those scruffins! It looks colder than it was - except for around the windy part of the lake!!!

Puddle jumping love - she was so sad at first when we couldn't find any good and muddy puddles. It's one of her favorite things to do in the spring! But just when we were losing hope......

The big guys came out.... VERY frequently. :) Dosn't that just make your heart happy?!! It does mine... and it looks like it did to Laura's too! Man, I adore these girls...

Picture love - We do love using our camera. :) And props to Jared for all these! I was probably skipping with Miss Molly while she was singing about the puddles. :) Lake Calhoun is a beautiful place.

Comfort food love - and what sounded better after a moderately chilly 4 mile walk? (That I somehwat turned into an aerobic walk much to the dismay of the girls... ;) Comfort food at its finest!! And I don't know about you, but this is in our top 3 for ultimate comfort foods!

Youthful games love - yup... we played twister! Funny how your not as good at it in young adulthood as you were when you were 7. :) Case in point, the hammy look on my face.

 The "good tired" love - we were beat! So we decided to hole up for the evening, watch a movie, and in Laura's case... take a nap! Fireplace was on, a blanket nest was created, popcorn was popped, and we were all happy as clams!

I wish I had more fridays to spend this way - carefree, nothing to think about.... with people I love. But even if they're few and far between, I appreciate them. So glad to consider these girls my not-so-little-anymore-I-guess sisters! They bring me true joy. :) And they filled up a FUN friday!!!
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Stay tuned for what FUN FRIDAY Jared and I have cooked up tomorrow!!!! We're starting early at 5am... This will be a good one, folks! But for now, enjoy your Thursday!