May 4

I finished my most recent knitting project last week, which I can't talk about because it's a gift for someone...

So, I needed a new project.

This is my needle case. Interesting choice, since I only have one pair of needles and usually just steal Amanda's. It is felted, which basically means you wash and shrink it, kind of like when you accidentally wash and dry a wool sweater and it comes out big enough for a baby. So I have to make it 20" x 30" which is quite large... this is going to take a while.

May 3

Jonathan and David had some people over to celebrate some of the May birthdays...

Birthday girls Pamela, Jennifer, Jenn, & Amanda

I put all of the pictures on a web album you can see here... Happy Birthday!

Jonathan and Megan graced us with their musicality! I took a quick video of Jonathan's Lion Song (not sure what the real name is). I haven't been able to make it work yet, but I'll keep trying.

May 2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMANDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yummy dinner at Pizza DOC, then choir practice... my first one back! Oh wait, choir was cancelled. So home again to continue the celebration!

A moment to wax rhapsodic... I know Amanda never reads my blog, but I cannot say enough how much of a blessing she has been to me over the past year+ that I have known her. The Lord definitely placed her in my life at a specific time for a specific reason and I am so blessed to call her my sister and my friend! I feel very honored to celebrate her life with her today. By chance, this is also a 2 year celebration of her new life in Christ! Praise the Lord! God has done so much in her in such a short time and I am often amazed at the Lord's continued work in her life, which I see evidence of so frequently.

May 1

My seminar ended tonight, so Mama and Daddy came down to see me. We ate at Pitty Pat's Porch, southern dining at it's finest.

Then we drove the two hours home. John-Paul was in town for class, so I got to see him, too.

Hello Tim and Debbie 25 years ago!

Me and my big little baby...

Me and my big big baby!

April 30

My sessions didn't start until the afternoon, so I had all morning to wander around downtown. My hotel was just a couple blocks from Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium and the New World of Coke. My grandparents used to live in Atlanta so whenever John-Paul and I would go visit, Mamu would take us all over the place. We used to love going to Coke and Underground, and I haven't been since at least high school, so I thought I would take advantage of my free morning. I was sorely displeased!

Old Coke ~ garish and loud, like any self respecting tourist spot should be...


New Coke ~ sophisticated and boring, what a letdown!

At least they saved the sign. But it isn't anywhere near the New World of Coke, it's over by Underground. Ooh, and I got an Orange Julius while I was at underground... so yummy!

April 29

I flew to Atlanta for work today. Praise the Lord for the South! So, I get to my hotel (which by the way did not have wifi! Seriously?!) and this is what I see...

Who knew Chicago was only an escalator ride away? I could have saved all that money on plane tickets...

April 27

We had a meeting for the Costa Rica trip this afternoon. We paid our deposits and put in our applications, so I guess we're officially on our way.

Heidi, Amanda, and Ashley with their trip packets.

By the way, if anyone needs something to do with some extra money...

April 26

We hosted a knitting party at our place today. Of course I forgot to take pictures until just as everyone was leaving. I grabbed my camera real quick and got this one shot and then the battery died... DRAT!

Jasmine finished this scarf for Josiah. He doesn't look so sure about it...

April 25

You don't want to see this one up close...

I went to the store to get what I need to make sausage balls for the knitting party in the morning. They didn't have sausage, but they did have beef lips and pizzle... gag

April 24

Prayer meeting is over, no picture yet, so here's Amanda and Christen being happy about God.

April 23

Meet Mikalya Grace Joy...

I was in LaGrange for work today and thought I'd go meet the newest member of the Jules family since I rarely get to the suburbs. She is so tiny and sweet! And I have never seen kids as excited about a baby as her big brothers and sister are about her!

April 21

It kinda looks like worms, but it's not... it's my first attempt at cooking spaghetti squash. I figured I should go with an easy recipe, so I went with this one. It really just tastes like hashbrowns. Fair enough, I guess. Next time I think I'm going to try this.

April 20

I met up with Heather after church. We went to Karyn's on Wells - the cooked one, I'm not ready for raw vegan! It was surprisingly good. I don't really know why I was surprised; I've been hearing Shawn talk about how amazing this place is for as long as I've known him. Even Amanda was really please with her dinner there. I had a sloppy joe (which I renamed "Sloppy Faux") with wedge potatoes and coleslaw. I don't even like coleslaw, but thought this was pretty good. Our waiter, Enriques, blessed us with a piece of coconut cake on the house, since it was my first time there. That was really yummy too, but I'm not really sure how, seeing as it had no butter, eggs, milk, or refined sugar!

April 19

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Avisado!


David and Rhonda finally got married! It was a lovely wedding and reception. Unfortunately, I didn't get any really good pictures of the bride and groom. I got some fun ones of the guests though. And lots of pictures that accentuate my paleness... me? pale? never!
You can see the rest here.

April 18

It's been a rough week...

Tonight Amanda has plans and Ashley is house sitting, so it's the perfect opportunity for me to veg and go to bed early! I stopped at the grocery store for appropriate food (frozen pizza and ice cream) and what do I find? Tiny Ben & Jerry's! It was the most wonderful surprise. It's only 4 oz, so no threat of eating the entire four-serving pint. It even came with its own little spoon tucked into the lid. I got the chocolate fudge brownie... very yummy and chocolatey. They were out of the tiny Haagen-Daz coffee or I would have gotten that... coffee ice cream is my favorite! Oh well, I'll just have to save that for next time.

April 17

I picked up Melissa and Amanda after work and we headed over to TBP#2 before prayer meeting. I don't know if I can handle much more TBP#2. I love it, but I always end up downing handfuls of Tums driving to the church. Sad.

April 16

It's a tulip tree! I don't guess I've seen one since I've moved up here. They certainly aren't as common as they are down south. I absolutely love tulip trees. Mama and Daddy have one in our yard and they are all over campus, particularly by the science building, so spring always meant blooming tulip trees. As I was leaving work, I walked past one and got so excited. It made me think of home...

April 15

I'll spare you a picture of my tax return. Instead, how about a picture of Ashley...

We went walking through Lincoln Square tonight (I love that spring is trying to come!) and found this really cute store ~ Enjoy. Ashley really loved their variety of stylish sunglasses. Then we headed to Costello's for dinner. Yummy grinders.

April 14

We have the greatest mailman ever! I couldn't help but laugh when I opened the box and this fell out...

It's Amanda's wadded up cell phone bill. What in the world does this person have against Sprint that he would treat a piece of mail so badly!

April 12

We had the beignet party tonight. Unfortunately, but not unusually, I forgot to take a picture until almost everyone had left.
Here are a few more pictures of the night... Beignet Party