For every time there is a season... and blessings...

It's true!



Summer brings sunshine and holidays and long days and warm weather.




Fall brings beautiful colors, leaves, orchards, haunted hayrides, apples, sweaters, costumes, and hiking.

 

Winter brings Christmas, christmas music, peppermint mocha at starbucks, mittens, sledding, cozy fires, and winter sports.





Spring brings birds, and flowers, graduations, rain boots, big puddles, cherry blossoms, baseball, and shedding layers.


But in the biblical sense - we all go through seasons.
Currently I am in a season of refreshment with God and excited for Younglife and my small group to start up again, and I love those seasons.  The new exciting fresh seasons are always the best :-)

And I am currently in a season of working hard.  There is a LOT on my plate at work right now, and while I am not complaining about it, I do have to admit that it is a significant amount of work, and it's challenging to even just keep my head above water.  (To give you an idea, I disabled gchat and facebook for a few weeks until I can get a handle on all this work - it's an unnecessary distraction!)

But yesterday I came home - after a Tuesday that felt like Thursday.  I had been working very hard, trying to get everything done, and then powered up my laptop at home for another couple hours of working.  It wasn't horrific, but I can think of a thousand other things I would have preferred doing.  ... Like hanging out with the boy.  Fortunately for me, I am kinda blessed to have a great guy who made my day easier by picking up groceries, cooking a delicious meal for me (while I worked at the table - girlfriend fail, I know!), and then finally sitting down to eat (I did finally put the laptop away!).  Did I mention he brought me some beautiful flowers?  Did I mention that after dinner he helped me clean out all the expired stuff in my fridge?  Did I mention he also did the dishes?  Did I mention that he took me out for frozen yogurt?  AND THEN, as if the boy hadn't done enough, sat down with me to help me plan out Younglife club this week.

I know what you are thinking.  And yes, it is ok if your head is swirling with 'awwwww's' and you are giggling that our glamorous date night looked a lot less glamorous and more chore-tastic.  But yea... I am pretty blessed to have this guy in my life.  And a guy like that?  A girl's gotta hold on to!  This dreamy choretastic guy is all mine, and I am pretty thankful for that :-)

Things I owe you...

Recipes from friday night dinner.
My recipe and story of a SERIOUSLY long overdue friend and boyfriend over for dinner.
Stories of my trip home and long weekend.
An update on my bucket list (yes!  another item bites the dust)
An update on Younglife starting up again!

I am also preparing more home stuff!

But... all of that will have to wait because at the current moment, work controls my life.
c'est la vie!

Life is SO good, and I do believe it's getting better.

September starts!

There are a lot of new things in my life right now.

Last weekend I had the extreme blessing of going to, and being a part of a wedding for two dear friends.  The wedding was really nice and a lot of fun.  They have some great friends and it was so nice to make new friends, and have a great night celebrating their new life together.  The reception was held at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, MD which is this charming, historic town close to the bay in Maryland.  The hotel is extremely dog-friendly, which allowed the couple to put their adorable kids dogs in the wedding, since they really do function like a little happy family.  The bride looked stunning and put each of us bridesmaids in cute short purple dresses that were very girlie and fun.  The best part, was that all the girls and guys in the wedding (bride and groom included!) had their own customized Chuck Taylors.  Greg Keyser was the amazing photographer who captured some of the happy moments here - check em out!  Also, one of the other bridesmaids is a photographer, and even though she didn't edit the picture or anything, I thought I would share the picture she took of Kev and I, and direct you to her website, because she is just THAT AWESOME.  Not only is she a lot of fun, but a great photographer too!



Most likely senario:  Him "blah blah blah, some smart comment."  Me... 2 seconds away from smacking him

Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead CAKE!

THE kiss!

Monday I spent the day with Kev down near the water in Annapolis.  Literally, it was like all we did was walk a few blocks, look at a few places, and eat a salad.  Aside from that we just sat on the pier looking out on the water.  Watching the drawbridge, the paddleboaters, the sailboats, the interesting people decked out in boat shoes, khakis, and polos.  The amazing thing is that he was ok with just sitting there with me, watching the water.  I mean, for me it's water, so freeing, exciting, lovely, wonderful!  For most people it is water.  Sailboat in, sailboat out.  But I could have sat there all day, and it was really nice.


Paddle-boarders out on the bay



View from the pier

This weekend I had a full house dinner on Friday evening.  It was a nice dinner, it's always fun to get old friends and new friends together.  Saturday morning, Inch and I headed up north (almost to PA) for our Church retreat which was relaxing and nice.  It was good to have no cell reception and have no agenda, chores, people to rush around seeing - FOR A WHOLE WEEKEND.  I got to know a few more people, made some new friends, developed better relationships, and really enjoyed myself.  I went for a hike, played some volleyball, and talked with people around the bonfire.  Unfortunately, they served tacos for lunch on Saturday and I scooped in without realizing what I was doing.  When was the last time I ate beef?  Especially fatty, greasy, ground beef?  Yea... I don't think my body wants it anymore, and so I am actually considering going back to being a vegetarian again.  More on that later, along with a recipe post!

Sunday was Football day.  Yes, I know the season officially started last Thursday, but MY season started Sunday.  So from the church retreat, Kev and I and another couple from church headed to Glory Days in Frederick, MD to watch the games.  I love sports bars with at least 15 TVs.  That's  how going out for meals should be on Sundays between Sept-February.  Sam is a diehard steelers fan which was hard since they had a not-so-amazing season-opener, and poor Mandy suffered a loss for her chiefs as well.  I feel bad admitting this since they were so upset, but I had a really good day.  The Eagles pulled out a win against the Rams which left me beaming (they had me scared when the score was 7-0 Rams leading within minutes of the game starting!!) I also met an adorable 'less-than-one-year-old' with a Dawkins jersey on.  True story: he was named Dawkins.  Like, that is his first name.  After the football player.  Now, I admit that I named my Hyundai Sante Fe "Brian Dawkins" at one point, but a child...?  That may be a bit excessive on the fan-front...

Ready for another exciting season!

My bible study group started this week and Younglife starts up again on Sunday.  Between Younglife, bible study, football, church, fall, and marriages, I am just so reminded that we have new starts all the time.  We have seasons of newness and seasons of staleness.  I am excited for new things, new starts, and the freshness that comes with summer storms and changing leaves.  It's all so romantic I can hardly contain myself.  Soon it will be time for sweaters, orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, boots, footie pajamas, and then ugly christmas sweaters!  Muahaha.  GOODIES TO COME!!

Best friend and I at Butler's Orchard

Mid-20s going on 4

A little lost in the corn maze!

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party!

Life is so good.

Making the office a Greek Getaway...

Ok, so the plights of the working professional can range from traffic, job stress, work life balance, eating healthy and working out, crazy co-workers, and everything in between.

True fact about me: I love Greek Salads.  One of my favorite fast food options is the Panera Greek Salad.  But even that will earn you a whopping 600 calories, 58g of fat, 2050 mg of sodium, and only 8 g of protein (which is derived primarily from the feta cheese).  And that doesn't even include the (delicious) side of bread they provide or the option to add meat!



Still... it looks amazing!

 But this week I have been on a Greek kick, and the next best thing to packing my bags and heading for the islands myself, is to survive this dreary rainy week with Greek salad lunches.  Yum yum!

So simple and with some slight variations.  My thought was to add some extra protein, I would throw in some shrimp, and replace the classic Greek-salad-romaine lettuce with some dark fresh spinach lettuce to add more vitamins and iron into the meal.  I threw in some basic Greek Black olives, sliced cucumbers, and red onions for some explosive flavor.  The best part of about this is that you are pretty much done!  You don't even need dressing on this salad because by the time you've added the rest of the ingredients you've thrown in a tremendous amount of flavor!  I simply sprinkled some pepper on top and - viola! - I have my own healthier Greek getaway without ever leaving my office.


Still having odd trouble with rotating some pictures, but if you get in a handstsand to look at the salad, you will burn more calories when you eat it!  (I'm sure that's scientifically proven)

  While updating I finished my delicious greek salad, so I am going to get back to work.  But looking forward to heading home, and avoiding the rain by wrapping myself up in my Eagles snuggie and enjoying wine and cooking night with a friend, and -oh yea - the really great amazing beautiful flowers the boy got me yesterday.  Updates about Walter and Yelena's wedding and Labor Day weekend to follow soon!

So pretty!

30 before 30

I feel like a kid most days!  I feel like I am on top of the world, ready for any adventure, and that I am not only invincible, but I have the rest of my life to live.

or am I?

25.  It's older than 24.  But is it old?  Mini-crisis of feeling like life is passing by and reminding me to take advantage of every day that I have to live, love, and laugh to the max.
So it's about time I scrub up my bucket list a little bit (You may have seen this posted in my blog a few times in the past).

1- Ride an elephant in the Jungle (Indonesia)
2- Skydiving May 2011
3- Missions trip in a foreign country
4- Hike to the peak of a mountain Spring 2010
5- Take a sailing trip
6- Go on a cross country road trip
7- Learn to drive stick shift (I CAN drive a stick shift, but I want to feel comfortable at it)
8- Kentucky Derby with a big hat
9- Ice skate at Rockefeller at Christmas
10- Ride on the back of a motorcycle
11- Give everything I have to someone (can be everything I can give, everything I have at that moment… I’ll know when it happens)
12- White Water raft on the CO River
13- Run a ½ marathon OR do a sprint triathlon (Signed up for one in October.  It will be a run/walk, but still a 1/2 marathon nonetheless!)
14- Worship with a different culture
15- Dance freely in front of at least 10 people Enter the Haggis concert January 2010
16- Take a helicopter ride
17- Go rock climbing
18- See the Northen Lights
19- Visit and explore Rio de Janerio
20- See Victoria Falls
21- Visit all 50 states
22- Ride the biggest roller coaster in the US
23- Make my own wine
24- Read all 100 books (I have a list of 100 books to read)
25- Not be in control 2010 - the whole year
26- Spend a weekend, just me and God
27- Do God’s will, not my own Younglife again this year!!  Whoooo
28- Help build a habitat for humanity home
29- Spend Christmas at a shelter
30- Make a difference in someone’s life
31- Write and publish a book
32- Watch the 50 Greatest American Movies of all time
33- Be a loving mother and wife
34- Go on a safari
35- Spend mornings with my husband and coffee on the porch
36- Attend a professional tennis tournament
37- Create an art project I can proudly display
38- Live in the now
39- Start a collection of willow angels
40- Watch the mummers parade – live
41- Send my parents to a YL camp as adult guests Northbay Camp June 2010
42- Drop everything to help someone
43- Have a life changing conversation with a stranger about faith
44- Go back to school
45- Stand out of the sunroof of a moving car
46- Grow a garden
47- Sleep under the stars
48- Build or fix something
49- Explore the beaches and ocean of Australia
50- Learn to surf
So since I made this list a year and a half ago, I  have gotten rid of 6 of the 50.  That's not bad momentum, until you realize that most of them were done a year ago.  I am ready to tackle a few more.  And narrow down the list of my life to the list of 30 things to do before I turn 30.  (Some are new and some are borrowed from the list above)

1.  Build a recipe book
2. Spend a whole weekend with just me and God
3. Sleep under the stars
4. Take and survive a yoga class
5. Start my willow angel collection
6. Refurnish/re-upholister a peice of furniture
7. Ice Skate at Rockafeller Center
8. Move out of Rockville, MD
9. Grow a beautiful garden
10.  Lose 20 lbs.
11. Learn to surf
12.  Break 100 bowling
13. Take a gorgeous photo
14. See the Mummer's parade live
15. Join a book club
16. Take a dance class
17. Go to Indonesia or Thailand
18. Do a missions trip in a foriegn country
19. Carve a great jack-o-lantern
20. Fingerpaint with kids
21. Get married (I don't think I get to choose when that happens...?)
22. Do a photoshoot with balloons
23. Go white water rafting on the CO river
24. Wake up looking at the water
25. Manage my time and relationships better
26. Have a real snow day
27. Have a great date day with just my mom and sister
28. Get paid to be creative (even if it's a one-time thing)
29. Take a trip on a whim
30. Buy a house