An Easter for Two

I hope you all had a lovely Easter.  The hubs and I had a quiet Sunday together.  My mom sent us quite the "mother load" (punny, I know) of Easter goodies that we enjoyed along with our own painted eggs and treats, and we got to spend dinner with some good friends eating hot Challah bread--something I'd like to become a tradition.

Though we both missed the bustle of family during a holiday, we had a serene afternoon at a nearby garden.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect for a reverent Easter Sunday.  I was in heaven.  The slightly overcast sky, the benches under the tree, the grass left to grow, spotted with wildflowers, and most especially the blossoms: it all took me right back to Europe.  I felt so homesick for Hyde park, Stratford, Paris, Bavaria--all places that I've smelled blossoms in May.

It was a romantic afternoon.  We made friends with a little cardinal who sang above our heads for a good while.  The cardinal's song is a beautiful one.

Enjoy some photos from our day.

I'm so grateful for spring, for second chances and blossoms that return every year, for a sense of smell that stirs fond memories, for a Savior who every day leads me a little bit closer to my ultimate self.

A Live Nativity

The Faith Church out here puts on a live nativity every Christmas season, and it is quite a hit.  They fill their expansive parking lot with scenes from the Bible, taking you from the creation all the way to Christ's resurrection.  You can walk along outside and listen to the audio recordings telling the story, or you can ride in your car and listen to a CD with the same recordings.  We opted for the latter option, as it is bitter cold.  Members of the congregation direct traffic, act in the scenes, and collect information from guests.  It is an impressive event.

Below are just a few of the scenes.  (I must apologize for my dirty window.)

The busy Bethlehem

Roman guards 

You can see a few sheep behind Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus   

The angel announcing the Savior's birth.  More live animals.

The wise men and their famous camels.  Wise Man Blue is enjoying the modern convenience of a cell phone. 

Once finished with the story, you are invited into the church for hot chocolate and cookies.  I've never seen anything quite like it, and I'm glad for the experience, as it helped both the husband and me get a little closer to that coveted Christmas spirit.

I hope that Christmas spirit of love, compassion, and hope has found you, wherever you are.

{DIY} Gift Wrap

Since it's now December, I can show you the gifts I wrapped like three weeks ago. Haha.  Wrapping paper is so expensive, especially since the stuff gets ripped apart anyway.  So instead of buying wrapping paper, I bought butcher paper on sale from Amazon, got ribbon from TJMaxx, pulled out my paint, and decorated the gifts myself.  I only have three gifts wrapped so far, and have plenty of ideas for my other gifts, but I wanted to show you all what I have done before Christmas gets too close in case you want to use the same ideas.  Each gift only took me a couple of minutes--since we are hauling these across the country with us, I wanted them simple and sturdy.

   

And there you have it!  Totally personalized and fun DIY gift wrap.

UPDATE:

I got two more gifts wrapped.  I took way too many pictures, but I want to remember what I did for future reference.

 

  

We don't have a tree since we'll be out of town for a month, so these are just sitting in my family room for us to enjoy before they get mangled on the airplane. ;) But really, let's hope not.

This holiday season has been a bit strange so far, for the husband and me.  Maybe it's the stress of school.  Maybe it's the fog.  Maybe it's being away from home.  We started listening to Christmas music a lot earlier than we usually do, I think because we wanted something familiar this time of year.  We're going to have to get used to the unfamiliar.  But we feel grateful for traditions, family, and holiday spirit that is alive and well wherever life takes us.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  Here's to looking to a new beginning, a fresh start.  Can't wait to meet you, 2014.

Giving Thanks from Ann Arbor, MI

We were blessed to spend our Thanksgiving with dear friends who are also away from home working toward higher degrees.

We congregated in Ann Arbor, Michigan, representing the University of Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue.  Don't worry, I don't think any friendships were compromised following Saturday's Michigan vs. Ohio State game.  All of us still bleed "T-Bird," our place of undergraduate bliss.  We sure enjoyed those times together, and were thrilled to relive the memories over turkey, candied yams, spiral cut ham, rolls, green beans, jello, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, salad, ice cream, and four different pies.  (No need to worry that your kids are starving, Mom.  We were stuffed.)

We played a few rounds of Pirates Dice, again reliving old times, and again I'm still terrible at it.  We discussed family and higher education and our hopes and dreams.  Pres and I feel so blessed to have such good friends.  We hadn't seen these couples for nearly two years, but it was like we'd never missed a step.

Rather than writing a long list of all the things I'm thankful for (of which there is a lot), I'll just list one:

I'm thankful it's no longer "Movember."

I mean, check out that 'stache.  Don't get me wrong, he did well what he was supposed to do, but...

I'm loving his new clean look.

We stopped by Lake Michigan on our way home to enjoy the sunset.  This may be the first time I've done "beach" and "snow" together.  It's an experience.

We had a lovely holiday and our hearts are full as we reflect on the many blessings we experience daily.  We had our heat go out on us a week or so ago, facing bitter cold temperatures, and our gratitude renewed in everyday comforts, a dog who keeps our feet warm, and neighbors who know their stuff.

As this holiday season picks up speed, we're reminded of how important family is.  We can't wait to return home, introduce our dog, and curl up with some cider and a card game.  See you all in 14 days!!

Our Independence Day

I hope everyone had a fantastic Fourth of July!  I love this holiday so much.  I participated in Cedar City's parade on behalf of the Shakespeare Festival (see me cheesing it up below), and then Preston and I were free to play all day!

We went on a bike ride

ate at the All American Diner (isn't it a MUST to get a Philly Cheese-steak Sandwich at the All American Diner on the Fourth of July?)

dunked Dallin at the park's dunking machine

saw the matinee performance of Twelve Angry Men at the Shakespeare Festival (it is incredible; if you're ever in town, you must go see it!)

barbecued with some friends

and watched the fireworks from the airplane hangar for a stellar view and endless rootbeer floats.

Happy Birthday, America! Sure love being a citizen. 

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Man it's been a crazy week, and we're not done with crazy.

So this post is short and simple. I'd like to honor National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, which was yesterday.  (Like I said, it's been crazy.)

We stopped at Subway on our way home from vacation and got chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia, and raspberry cheesecake cookies. 

Delish.

So, even though it's a day late, treat yourself to a chocolate chip cookie.

And here's to hanging in there until routine returns.

~K

A Brief on Valentine's Day

I know this is sooooo late, but a girl does what she can.

Since I worked a lunch and dinner shift at the restaurant on Valentine's Day, Preston and I got up extra early to have a breakfast date before he left for work at 8:00.  He didn't roll out of bed and go, but I did.  I get credit for wearing jeans.  We went to the Market Grill, and I felt like I was on vacation.  It's been awhile since I've been there, and it is exactly the kind of place where my family used to stop to eat while on road trips.  I loved every moment.

Later that day, Preston stopped by the restaurant without even seeing me and left this goody as a surprise.  And then he teased me later that night that the whole thing was already gone.  Giving you more to love, Babe.
Oh, and the origami heart is a certificate for a massage.  Mmmm, mmm :)

Happy late Valentine's Day everyone!

~Kelsi