Those Mitchells

Benjamin Bowls Bravely into Brazen World (no b word for world)

2011-04-17T23:41:00.003-05:00

Benjamin Patrick Mitchell made his grand entrance at 6:37pm cst. He weighed 7lbs 12oz and is 20.25in long.

It's Friday!

2011-04-01T09:58:00.004-05:00

Just so you know, we've been running around doing a million things before Ben arrives. I'm feeling a little closer to settled now and will be posting pictures of his room this weekend. Until then.....It's Friday, Friday, Friday!!!! Happy Friday folks! (do yourself a favor and watch the video)

9 Weeks....and Counting

2011-02-17T13:45:00.005-06:00

I hit 31 weeks a couple of days ago. Pretty hard to believe. I can still remember the moment I read the pregnancy test. After 6 months of wanting and praying for a baby, God blessed us with a "Pregnant"on the digital pregnancy test. I remember the shock, the tears, and telling our wonderful friends who came to dinner half an hour after we found out. I still clearly remember the constant sickness of the first 18 weeks, the first pound gained (which felt like a victory since I had been so sick), the first time I had to wear maternity clothes, the first time we heard the beating heart of our little blob, the first time I felt him move and the moment I hit the half-way point-20 weeks.

As the day quickly approaches, my thoughts have shifted from the pregnancy to the labor and delivery. My heart is filled with joy, uncertainty and fear of the physical demands that will be put on my body. Since this is my first baby, I don't know what to expect and honestly would prefer to sleep through the whole thing. I know, however, that women do this whole labor thing every day and that I will be fine. With that being said, pregnant women are not notorious for trusting what they KNOW. I, at least, have become more emotional and illogical...especially as of late. I've been worrying about the health of Ben, the details of labor, the horrible recovery and anything else that seems to cross my mind. The little bit of sanity that I actually have left (maybe the Holy Spirit actually) has been reminding me, however, that God is God and He can do whatever He wants. This baby is His and I am His and He has the right to give and take away as He sees fit for His glory. He promises me He will never leave me or forsake me, that He has a good plan for me and that He watches over me. His promises must be sufficient for me. He must be enough. So, today I praise God for blessing us with 31 weeks of a healthy pregnancy and I pray that He will comfort me as I endure the pain and recovery of the fall of woman. :) Let's do this!....in 9 more weeks. :)

Celebration Station

2011-02-14T13:14:00.000-06:00

The Mitchell house has been celebrating on and off for the last week. The celebrations started on Thursday, the night before my birthday. After being convinced that my husband had absolutely no plans for my birthday, I called him out and complained that he didn't plan things in advance. He laughed and mainly ignored the accusation, but I heard him quietly tell me to be ready to go at 6pm. That night, as I was finishing up (around 5:59pm), Patrick went to "warm-up the car." A few moments later, four of my wonderful girlfriends walked in the door for a surprise girls night. They took me to a yummy Italian restaurant (my fav), showered me with gifts and then I apologized to my gracious husband when I got home.

The next morning, my actual birthday, started with a surprise birthday party in my classroom. My amazing co-teacher had made arrangements with all of the parents and students to help create an adorable birthday party for me. When I walked into the dark classroom and turned on the lights, all the kids jumped out from behind some bookshelves and yelled, "SURPRISE!" They had decorated the room with streamers, a pinata and flowers. They were all so excited to surprise me....it was SO cute.

The celebration continued at a Sunday afternoon lunch with about 15 friends....just in time to start Valentine's celebrations today. Patrick and I aren't huge V-Day people, but I recently revealed my inappropriate crush on Justin Bieber so I got a great v-day card and a cute Bieber poster. Isn't he cute???

The festivities will conclude tonight with some Chick-fil-A and the first week of birthing classes. What better way to spend Valentines Day than in a hospital learning about labor??!!

Let's Dumb it Down

2011-02-05T11:29:00.000-06:00

Smart phones are all the rage these days. You literally can't go anywhere without seeing someone updating facebook, tweeting or checking email on his/her smart phone. Nor can you find a cool "non-smart" (aka dumb) phone when it comes time to get your "new every two"...if you are a Verizon customer. Patrick and I have gone back and forth about whether we are going to go Smart or keep things simple and no matter how long the discussion might be we always come back to simple living. Here are the top reasons why the Mitchell House is not a Smart House:

1. It's an Addiction
Most (not all) of our Smart friends seem to be totally addicted to being connected at all times. So much so that it's hard to even have dinner with friends without them taking out their phone(s) for one reason or another.

2. We're Unavailable
I don't want to be available to you (or you, or you) 24/7. Nor, do I want my pastor husband to be available to you (or you, or you) 24/7. Boundaries people. A lot of people claim "it won't happen to me." You think that you won't be one of the addicts who has to look at the phone every time an email/FB message comes, but you will. No one can escape it.

3. Wherever You Are, Be All There
A great quote from Jim Elliott that still rings conviction in my life after all these years. Yes, this can point back to reason #1, but how many times have you been in a conversation with someone and they get distracted with some form of technology and maintaining their cyber-relationships??!!! It is SO rude! Seriously, I have found that the more time I get distracted with maintaining my facebook, twitter relationships, the less time I seem to have for the people I'm actually around every day of my life. Maybe that's why I'm blogging so little...but probably not.

4. I'll Let YOU Pay
Let's be honest, data packages are ridiculously expensive. I remember when my entire phone bill was as much as your data package alone. For a generation that is so worried about saving the kids in Africa, we sure spend a large (dare I say sinful) amount of money on entertainment, media and technology. Am I saying that having a data package is a sin....um...NO. But I AM saying that it's freakin' expensive and as long as everyone around me is willing to pay for it I'm just going to borrow your phone if I'm ever out and absolutely have to get to the internet. Thanks in advance for your kindness.

Meal Time Sanity

2011-01-10T13:35:00.000-06:00

Hello to all my friends who are actually reading this even though I haven't blogged in ages. One of my besties, Kathryn, recently posted a blog about planning meals in advance. While I was reading her blog I thought I should share my mealtime secret with the few faithful readers I have. Dave Ramsey, who you all know I LOVE, endorses a website, included below, that has simplified my life in regards to mealtime in the Mitchell house. It costs $5/month (they take $15 out of your account every 3 months), you pick your meal plan (low-fat, low-carb, points, gluten free, etc) and your grocery store and they provide not only dinner recipes for you every week, but your shopping list as well. It is UH-MAZING. If you happen to choose a grocery store (as opposed to the "Any-Store" option) they will base the meals on the sales at that store every week and include your total costs on the shopping list. I can't recommend this enough! The recipes are yummy and the ingredients are affordable. PLUS, the recipes are so easy, my husband takes over dinner most nights! Check it out below!

The Gender....Revealed

2010-12-09T12:43:00.000-06:00

Many of you already know that Patrick and I found out the gender of our baby this week! It was such an exciting time and we were so blessed to get to share it with so many people we love. We arranged to have cupcakes made in Savannah (for my family) and Knoxville (for Patrick's family) with either blue or pink icing....depending on our news. We called the bakeries from the DRs office as soon as we were done with the ultrasound and told them what color to dye the frosting. Our parents picked up the cupcakes and met the family back at the house to open the box together. It was so much fun to surprise them in a creative way.

We did something similar for our friends here in St. Louis...except I actually dyed the cupcake and covered it up with white icing. We had 20-30 people over that night for food and fun. They came dressed in pink or blue...depending on what they thought it was. We took a vote and then Patrick bit into the dyed cupcake to reveal the color.....blue or pink. It was such a fun way to share our news!

Thankful Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T14:00:00.000-06:00

We just got back from a long, but glorious road trip home for the Thanksgiving holidays! We spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws in Tennessee and will be spending Christmas with my family in Georgia. The trip was full of family, great southern food, beautiful mountains, cold weather, SEC football and lifelong friends. Here are few pictures from our trip. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Bathroom Makeover

2010-11-18T12:51:00.000-06:00

Hi readers! I know you have probably given up on me....but don't give up quite yet. I have finally made it well into the 2nd trimester and finally started feeling better around week 17. Just to put into perspective how sick I was...I haven't gained a pound and I am 18 weeks along. Just thought I'd make sure you didn't think I was MIA for nothing.

As soon as I started feeling better I got to work on a project that has been haunting me for months. During my many hours in the bathroom the first 17 weeks of my pregnancy I figured out that I really needed a change in the decor. Hey, who says your can't multitask whilst vomiting?!

The first thing the bathroom desperately needed was a nice coat of paint. I went back and forth on the color, settled on a light green, but then spontaneously picked up a light blue and threw it on the wall without reserve. I'm crazy like that...but thankful I actually liked it on the wall. The next change was the shower curtain, which I already had. I added a few cheap apothecary jars from T.J. Maxx and then filled one with Christmas snow and ornaments and the other with Cotton balls, which I use everyday. Another cheap find was the Christmas tree on the counter-$8.99 from Homegoods. I would have definitely made this to save the money, but I have way too many projects to do right now and needed to save the time a little more than the money. I still need to fill the third apothecary jar, add few things to the shelves behind the toilet and add some pictures to the wall, but we are at least on our way. Next project, Christmas decor!

Guest (and secretive) Blog

2010-10-20T12:25:00.000-05:00

So Lindsey has no idea I've done this...marriage is full of surprises though. I wanted to stop by and do a couple things. First, I'll brag, followed by theological ramblings.

BRAGGING: Lindsey is now 14 weeks pregnant--for the mathematically challenged, that means the first trimester is finished (can I get a double-raised hand Hallelujah!). She's been a trooper battling sickness at any and all hours. My lady has also developed an aversion to dairy...not by choice mind you; her body just rejects it and if ingested it's but a moment before she's hunched in the bathroom. Thankfully, Chick-fil-a is not dairy.

While I would expect someone in this state to be complaining and whining, she's resorted primarily to silent suffering. When I get a sore throat I'll put an ad in the paper letting you know it's sore, and then I'll give puppy dog eyes to Lindsey, as if to say, "Pwwease take care of me." Not Lindsey.

The other day as I was sitting comfortably in my leather recliner (aka-man's throne), Lindsey asked a brief but theologically packed question: "What's your curse again?" She was of course referring to the sin of Adam and Eve and the subsequent curses placed on them by God. It's true though; women do seem to have it harder than men. You have to put up with men first of all. But you're the one who gets pregnant, whose body does magical--sometimes inhuman things, and it is you who gives birth in excruciating pain.

RAMBLING: Now, what's my curse? I think it's that I'm supposed to sweat when I work or the ground will be difficult to cultivate or something like that. But let's pretend we're in church and be honest: the bulk of my days are spent reading, thinking, and writing (also in a leather chair = throne). I also preach, but that's another calling altogether. More and more, though, I'm realizing the tremendous weight to my calling as a husband, namely, that I'm eternally responsible for the spiritual health of Lindsey. I will give an account for how I ministered to Lindsey well before any church questions start flyin' my way from Yahweh Himself. Pregnancy is an extra special time to minister. So to all the ladies, I commit to preaching and teaching men that it's our responsibility to lead well in sacrificial humility.

I hope I'm serving you well babe. Thank you for carrying this child and for not hating me that I've done this to you. As an excellent wife you are, as Proverbs 12.4 says, my crown. I wear it gladly and with gratitude. Love you momma.

10 Weeks and Counting

2010-09-22T14:45:00.001-05:00

I promise that once I get through the worst nausea of my life, I will blog about something other than our little bean, but right now, I have nothing else going on besides this nausea....it has taken over my life. Talk about a run-on sentence. Point being: I have to update you on the baby because it's the little things that keep me going at this point.

Size of Baby Mitchell: Barely the size of a kumquat (just over an inch)
How can something so small cause this much change in my body?

All vital organs are in place and are starting to function to some capacity.

My belly: Barely showing, but I do have a small bump....which could just be the bloating. :) No need for maternity clothes yet.

Baby Mitchell is growing finger nails and peach fuzz this week. It's arms and legs are longer now and the fingers and toes are no longer webbed (whew!). In fact, Baby Mitchell is apparently kicking up a storm right now, but is still to small for me to feel. Weird huh?

Intentional Thankfulness

2010-09-14T13:27:00.000-05:00

When I'm tempted to complain about my nausea or exhaustion, I try to redirect my thoughts and words to thankful ones....

Meet Baby Mitchell-8 weeks old

Our Living Room Revisited

2010-09-09T13:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been MIA. I've been battling awful nausea and "morning" sickness that lasts all day long. I hardly want to eat so I definitely don't feel like blogging. BUT, today has been a good day, which includes eating a bowl of soup for lunch, so I thought it might be good to update you on a few changes we've made to our living room. We've made some changes to other rooms, but I need to save those so I have something to blog about another day. :)

Most importantly, we painted the walls. I liked the off-white look we had when we moved in, but since I put a light slip cover on our couch and got white lamps, it all looked like a wash to me. I needed to make the light accessories pop, so we had a painting party and painted the living room Favorite Tan-a Sherwin Williams color. I love it! We actually painted our bedroom the same color, but those pictures will come later. While we were in painting mode, we painted the entry way Comfort Gray-another Sherwin Williams color that looks more like light blue than gray.

In addition to painting the walls, and adding some bookshelves, I added the colorful pillows to the couch. They matched perfectly with the red ones and brought out the home-made $11 blue curtains behind the couch. Now, I must pat myself on the back for the thriftiness here. I searched high and low for these pillows. I didn't know exactly what they would look like, but I knew what I was looking for. I looked frantically and waited patiently for months....many months. I looked online, at fabric stores, and everywhere in between...no luck. My sad story turned around when I saw some cheap laundry bags at World Market that had the print that I needed for my pillows. I looked everywhere and asked if they had the pillows, but no pillows....just a laundry bag. I quickly realized that this was even more perfect because I could slip my pillow right into the bag, cut the extra fabric and I would only have to sew one side shut. So....that is exactly what I did. It isn't pretty if you look at that one side, but shame on you if you look at the seams on pillows when you visit your friends.

Finally....

2010-08-19T13:10:00.000-05:00

Sorry it has been forever since my last post. There has been a lot going on in the Mitchell house. This being one of them:

No, you aren't seeing things....we are indeed pregnant with our first baby! We announced it to the facebook world yesterday and have been overwhelmed by encouragement. I have been off the pill for 6 months. Our theory was that we would just live life and see what happened. No temperature-taking, no counting days, no charts-I didn't want to become obsessive about the whole thing. BUT, month after month, nothing. I was getting a little ancy when a friend of mine, who just had her first, gave me a book entitled "Plan to Get Pregnant." It charted out what your body is doing all month and taught you how to recognize the best times to try. I have to admit that I had already thrown my hands in the air because my body just wasn't following the chart. I was convinced something was wrong with me. But, what do you know...I was already pregnant.

Please be praying earnestly over the next couple of months during this crucial time. We are so excited and can't wait to experience pregnancy and a baby for the first time! For all of you mommas out there....I would love any bits of wisdom you have!

I Got An Itch

2010-08-05T14:39:00.000-05:00

With school starting and the scortching sun simmering down a bit, I begin to get ancy for Fall kick off to come. Not just for college football, but for my fav shows:

House

Will he and Cuddy survive the dysfunction of their crazy relationship?? What will come of them? Will House stay clean or fall back into his addictive cycle? Will 13 and Foreman get back together? Will Taub ever become content in his marriage? Will Cameron show up and confuse Chase all over again?

Community

super funny...mostly clean. Really hoping Jeff and Britta end up together...totally confused by the ending of last season.

and the newbie....Parenthood

This show started right after the Olympics last year. It's not super climatic, but it's a clean, fun, family show that is more realistic than "reality TV." LOVE the cast.

I must add that I haven't decided how committed I will be to The Office now that Steve Carell is out.

So, what shows do you watch???

The Room We Live In...

2010-07-19T13:48:00.000-05:00

Did you think I was done blogging forever? It sure has felt like forever! Moving takes over your life, but we are finally getting settled into a new routine here. Patrick and I have both started our new jobs. I am teaching again, which is FABULOUS! I am co-teaching Pre-Kindergarten at a private school just 5 miles from our new place. Speaking of our new place.....here are a few glimpses of the living room. We live in a 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo. It isn't much, but we love it and it is 500 square feet more than our place in California....and $500 cheaper every month. It's amazing how much farther your money goes outside of Cali.

So, I am taking the whole decorating thing one room at a time. I'm doing that for 2 reasons: 1-so I don't go crazy and 2- we have to budget as we go since we don't have a billion dollars in our "decorating" account. I imagine people with money have an account just for decorating. I might consider it if I were in their shoes. I know "time is money" but I don't have money...I have time, so that's what I am using. :) Don't worry, this isn't the finished product, this is just where we are right now.

If you can remember from our last place, we have a brown leather couch, which I love for all of it's practical purposes (like dog hair and spills), but I really wanted to lighten up the space we have since it isn't a super huge room. So.....I put a slip cover on my leather couch. Who says you can't do that? And even if you found the guy who says that....who cares? I've been a rule-breaker my whole life anyway. :) Take note of the curtains. Got the fabric for $11 and made those bad boys myself. Just used some no-sew hemming tape and my handy iron.

I found the white table on the right at a garage sale. It was yellow so my wonderful husband painted it white for me. The black tables on the left side (which you can't see in the pictures) are from T.J. Maxx. There are actually two tables. A smaller one fits right under the big one and we can pull it out when we need it and put it right back when we aren't using it. Beautiful. Snagged both tables for $50.

The large black table in the center of the room, aka the "coffee table" (I don't drink coffee so I need to find another name to start a trend for the non-coffee drinkers) was a craigslist buy. Got the table for $30 and my lovely husband sanded it and repainted it for us.

Don't freak out about the brown leather recliner. I am very aware that this doesn't match, but I am patiently waiting for a solution to come to mind. I may end up having to make my own slip cover that can still function on a recliner. How? I have no idea yet.

The red table under the TV is one of my favorites. Just ignore the guest room in the backroom. It currently serves as our storage room for things we still have to find a place for. Moving on....I had been eying a Pottery Barn table for almost 6 months, but it never went on sale. So, I started looking online for a look-alike. No luck. I really wanted something that had separate places for the the DVR and DVD player, but I wanted something that resembled a table. Not an easy find. After many weeks of searching I finally found one online and a store about 2 miles from us carried it. BUT, they didn't have the price listed so I had no idea if it was any cheaper than the Pottery Barn table I adored. Off we went to find out. As the salesperson was checking on that, we plopped down on one of the couches in a "living room" they had set up. We both noticed the table that would be our Plan B....the red one that you see now. The first table we loved ended up being over $1,000 which is not even close to being feasible. Luckily Patrick pulled out some Dave Ramsey techniques and haggled them down to almost half the asking price. Heck Yes!

I still have plenty on my to-do list for the living room. I have to figure out what I am going to do with the top of the red table, get a couple of ladder bookshelves for the corner behind the recliner and put some pictures in our new, white picture frames I got on clearance at T.J. Maxx. One question: Do the pictures I have hanging on the wall leading into the kitchen look too high? I feel like they need to come down a tad, but don't really want to go through the hassle of re-hanging unless I have to. Thoughts?? Do they look awkwardly high enough for me to hang them all over again??

I'll be back....

2010-07-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

Hi readers! I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you. We made it into St. Louis a week ago and have been unpacking and getting settled ever since. Things are finally coming together in our new place so I will be sure to post pictures soon! We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Harvester Christian Church community. Everyone has given us such a warm welcome. I start my new teaching job on Tuesday, which I am thrilled about, and Patrick hits the ground running this week as well. I will be sure to post a more detailed update soon. Thanks for reading!

Road Trip to STL: Days 4-5

2010-06-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

We are a few states and a couple days closer to St. Louis. Here's a recap of what we've done the last 48 hours....

Day 4: We left New Mexico around 8am for our 9 hour drive to Denver. The first 4 hours were tough. There were little to no stops for gas or food-thank God for Las Vegas, New Mexico...the only sign of life until Colorado-and the desert was a tad repetitive. Once we reached Colorado, however, we were wide-eyed because we didn't want to miss one thing. Colorado might be the most beautiful state I've ever seen. I love it! The Rocky Mountains were on one side and rolling, green hills were on the other. We hit pockets of traffic in Colorado Springs and coming into Denver, but we got to the hotel just in time to leave for the Rockies vs. Red Sox game.

The craziest thing happened at the game. I was on a mission to find frozen yogurt and made a short stop at the ladies room. As I walked out, I recognized a familiar face....the husband of the older sister of one of my best buds I from Georgia. I know, it can get confusing. One of my best buds, Kathryn, has an older sister, Becky, who lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and adorable daughter. Patrick and I talked about Becky and Randy that day as we were stuck in traffic in Colorado Springs-little did we know that we would run into them that night in Denver. :)

The game was a blast. We were cheering for Boston, just because we think Boston is probably a cool city and my husband has always loved the Red Sox. If you saw the game on TV, you know what a great game it was. It went back and forth each inning, but the Sox took the victory. :)

Day 5: We slept in today. :) I know, you probably don't care about that detail, but it was long overdue and worth mentioning. After taking our time to eat breakfast and get ready, we drove into downtown Denver (aka Lodo-Lower Downtown) to visit the Tattered Cover Bookstore. It way outdoes Barnes and Noble. It is THE definition of what a bookstore should be. We met a lady on the way in who used to work there in the 1940s. They have old chairs, leather couches and desk, a coffee and sandwich shop, and an old library feel.

After sharing a muffin and coffee over some magazines, we went to a pub for lunch and walked around 16th Street mall to do a little shopping. We spent the afternoon at a park with Bailey and then went back to the hotel for movies in bed. :)

Road Trip to STL: Days 1-3

2010-06-23T16:42:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the series of posts about our road trip to STL. The trip will last about a week and we are so excited to share it with you!

Day 1: We left L.A. on Monday morning for our one-week road trip to STL. We woke up early, paused to remember our favorite memories of our time in our little place in Glendora, made one last stop at Classic Coffee, then hit the road. We are driving separately, so I was a little nervous about the 13 hour drive to New Mexico, but it flew by. I can't believe how fast it went! Most of the drive was in the blazing desert (114 degrees) but as we made our way into New Mexico we got to see a crazy rain storm from a distance, huge rainbows and an amazing sunset. I will post some pictures I took from my cell as soon as I can figure out how to get them off of my phone. :) We arrived at Holloman Air Force Base around 10pm.

Day 2: We were so happy to get to spend a couple of days with the Fikes. Leslie was one of my college roommates and we have stayed in touch through all of our phases in life. It's great that our husbands get along and we were thrilled to get to meet little baby Chandler Fike. :) We spent most of the day in our pajamas watching Wimbledon and I had a ton of loose ends to tie up with switching banks and insurance. We went on a short afternoon hike, took a stroll around the little town and then made some home-made pizza for dinner. We ended the night playing Cranium. Leslie and I gave the boys a run, but they took the game.

This is the picture that cost us the game of Cranium. Leslie drew it, I had to guess what it was. Does this look like King Kong to you???!!!

I got to let little man sleep on me while I was on the phone most of the morning with the bank and insurance company.

Day 3: Today has looked a lot like yesterday. We spent the morning watching the U.S. in the World Cup and then went to White Sands National Park for a bit. The place is amazing! It was really hot and really bright, but it was insane to see. Remember that scene in Transformers where they are fighting in the desert?? Well, it was filmed in the White Sands. Fun fact, I know. Doug, Leslie's husband, took us to a runway on base so we could watch the jets take off. He flies the F22, which is a stealth fighter jet. It might be the coolest thing I've ever seen. We literally stood at the end of the runway and the jets flew right over us. After the ringing in my ears stopped we came back to the house for lunch and watched Isner's insanely long tennis match, which will have to conclude tomorrow (so far it has been over 9 hours long). We plan on spending the rest of the night eating ribs and playing more cards!

This is a picture of Doug flying an F22...A-Mazing.

Don't you feel protected now???

San Francisco

2010-06-16T18:46:00.000-05:00

LIFE is taking over my life. I literally can't keep up with the blog because I've been doing way too much lately. We hit the road tomorrow morning for a one-week road trip to our new home in St. Louis, but I promise to update you as soon as I can. Before I go crazy I have to at least start to catch you up, so hang on....let me start at the beginning....our San Fran trip. Then, I will post pics of graduation, furniture we've been repainting and more in the next couple of weeks. I'm going to stick with less text and more pics because let's face it...pics are better.

China Town. Got some cheap jewelry and had an amazing lunch!

Alcatraz was great. Take the audio tour if you are ever in San Fran. Loved the history and the view was gorgeous.

Napa Valley=Awesomeness. Gourmet lunch on the train and tasty wines all morning! Ever seen "Bottle Shock"? Yes, that was the winery we visited. A-mazing.

Fisherman's Wharf, a huge crab pot and a Ghiradelli brownie sundae....what else could you need?

A drive around the city....

What better way to end a trip than a drive down the PCH and stop at Pebble Beach (aka Home of the U.S. Open)???!!!

Dress Update

2010-06-09T19:02:00.001-05:00

Things are b.u.s.y this week with a ton of family in for Patrick's graduation (more on that later), but I wanted to say a quick and huge thanks to those who shared their opinions on the bridesmaid dresses. Weren't they cute??? Turns out we got an email the next morning from the bride with two last choices, and everyone loved one in particular, so she is going with a completely different dress. The dress is beautiful and long, which is perfect for the upscale, night wedding she is planning. We will be in this dress, but the color will be a silvery/gray color and as of right now, we will be wearing pink shoes. So.....if you see any cute, pink shoes pass the info my way (no too a high a heel....I'm already the tallest). Thanks again!

Your Exptertise Please

2010-06-06T19:17:00.000-05:00

I LOVE weddings for so many reasons: the food (most importantly), dancing, getting dressed up, seeing people you haven't seen in a while and the love in the air (of course)! In October, I will have the opportunity to be a bridesmaid in my friend, Jessica's wedding. She and I have been friends since high school and were room mates in college. I can not wait for her wedding. You know how there are nice weddings, but then there are those weddings that you can't wait to see because you know the bride has such awesome taste???? Yeah....that is Jess' wedding. So, she sent me our bridesmaid dress options today. We get to choose one of the three and I am calling for your votes. Here are the facts you should keep in mind when voting:

1. I am tall (5'9), thin, with an extra small top and large bottom.

2. The color of the dress will be slate, not the color shown below.

3. The wedding will be in the Fall.

So come on folks.....bring on the votes!!!

The Marni

The Bacall

The Dylan

This is the Way....

2010-05-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

When it comes to following God there are times when God speaks clearly and times when things seem foggier. One of the clearest examples of this is when Jesus began his public ministry. Jesus walks by two guys, Simon Peter and Andrew, and says a very simple but life altering command: "Follow me...." When Jesus says, "Follow me," any disciple of his must listen. Not only is "Follow me" what brings people into life with Christ, that same phrase IS what it means to live with Christ. Patrick and I have recently experienced a "Follow me" moment.

After much prayer, tears, and listening, we feel called by God to take on a new ministry and new challenge in the St. Louis area. The lead pastor of the church is the husband of Marie, who has been my mentor for over 10 years. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to join them again in ministry. Throughout the process we committed to sitting still and allowing God to move in whatever way He chose. We watched Him orchestrate every detail and keep doors opened that should have closed. We did not make this decision in haste or make it lightly. The call to "Follow me" is so strong and clear that to not go, we feel, would be disobedient.

We have been truly touched by the response of all of our dear friends here in California. The student leaders, students and all of our friends have been supportive and loving. Thank you all for that. Although the decision has been difficult, we can rest in the knowledge that God has clearly said to us, "This is the way. Walk in it." As we tie up loose ends over the next few weeks, please pray. Pray for the hearts of everyone here and for the transition of the college ministry. Pray for the details that God is still working out, one being a teaching job for me. Pray for the hearts of those at our new church home in St. Louis. We are thrilled to join them and humbled by the opportunity.

Home Sweet Home

2010-05-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

Before I do a recap of my trip home a couple weeks ago, I have to congratulate one of my best friends, Kathryn, for winning her first blog award. She has an amazing ability to make any story worth reading. You can actually see her version of this recap on her award-winning blog.

I went back to Savannah for a wedding of a childhood friend. Since plane tickets cost an arm these days, we opted to leave Patrick behind and call Kathryn to see if she wanted a good reason to go home too. She did! So, she flew in from D.C. and I flew in from L.A. and we spent a short weekend doing all things southern.

I got in on Friday morning (P.S.: I loathe red-eye flights) and started going non-stop. Quick adjustment at the chiropractor, coffee with my mom, lunch with Natalie, spray tan for the wedding (I couldn't show up from California without a tan), and dinner with the fam. The next morning Kathryn and I planned on running a 5k on the beach and spending the rest of the day in the sun, but we ended up

running the race in the drizzle,

eating at the Breakfast Club (grits....mmmmm),

and stopping at Davis Produce for the best boiled peanuts in town. Add a little shopping, more eating, and a little napping and you get the picture.

The wedding was....Southern. Full of bow ties, seafood and manners. Kathryn was such a trooper hanging out in a room full of people she didn't know. I can't imagine having gone alone!

Kathryn got this dress for $8 when she visited us a couple of months ago. We spent a day in San Diego and found this cute place that was going out of business. Too cute!

Me and the two guys I grew up with, Charlie and Stephen. We all grew up on the same street and I don't have many childhood memories that don't include them. We are still waiting on Charlie to get married....ahem....

This beautiful girl to the left is Charlie's girlfriend.....ahem.

The rest of the trip was full of family time, more shopping and a hair cut before heading back to L.A. Loving the adventures in California, but there's no place like home....

Zach Williams

2010-04-27T23:16:00.000-05:00

I've been keeping him on "Repeat" on the ipod lately. Check this Georgia boy out. You Athens folks have probably seen him a time or two. He just led worship at the Catalyst West conference and is about to help start a church plant in Brooklyn. He has a crazy story that includes his wife overcoming paralysis after falling off of a horse. Just look at it for yourself....

http://www.zachwilliams.com/

Worth the Weight

2010-04-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

So, I got the title from the back of a Lady and Sons t-shirt, but it still makes my point. The last two months I have been in one of those seasons in life where there seems to be one recurring theme…..WAIT. Isn’t learning to wait such a hard lesson? I can remember learning this lesson before and here I am, many years later, learning it again. Over the past two months there have been many lessons, both small and large, that involved what Elisabeth Elliot calls a “holding pattern”-a required stillness. If you think about it, it isn’t actually waiting that we are learning to do, it is learning how to wait. We don’t have a choice in the waiting. All we can do is learn how to wait well. So, instead of boring you with all of the opportunities we have had to learn this lately, I thought I would share the words, (most from Elisabeth Elliot and scripture) that have brought so much encouragement to our home as we learn how to wait well all over again.

"So long as our idea of surrender is limited to the renouncing of unlawful things, we have never grasped its true meaning."

"If my life is broken when given to Jesus, it is because pieces will feed a multitude, while a loaf will satisfy only a little lad."

"How can God work His will in me if I am clogged with wishes of my own? Thy will be done."

"The heart set to do the Father's will need never fear defeat."

"Lead me in thy truth...on thee do I wait all the day." Psalms 25:5

"To wait on the Lord is to stand perfectly still...Can we two trust His words, 'Is not the Lord your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side?'"
1 Chronicles 22:18

"Even here He can refresh us, even here He can renew us."

"Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one's thoughts."

"Waiting silently is the hardest thing of all...things we feel most deeply we ought to learn to be silent about, at least until we have talked them over thoroughly with God."

"Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut."

"Tomorrow was not our business; it was His. Letting it rest with Him was the discipline of the day, and it was enough."

"How long, Lord, must I wait?
Never mind, child. Trust me."

Bum Bum

2010-04-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

I know I have been MIA for the last week or so, but things have been busy in the Mitchell house. With Duke making it all the way in the NCAA tourney, having guests in town, and starting a new workout, I haven't had much time to blog. There is much to say about Duke's amazing victory last night and our time with Justin and Katie but this post is going to focus on the new workout I've been doing.....The Brazilian Butt Lift. That's right...butt lift. We all gain our weight in different areas. Everything I eat goes straight to my thighs and bum bum (the brazilian word for "butt"), so I figured I should try it. Let me say....it is awesome. It is a 4 week workout and you have the option of doing one extra week at the beginning with an intensive 6 day eating plan, which sucks in the best of ways. I am just starting my 3rd week and haven't missed a day. I do have to warn you that the girls in the video drive me crazy. They are over the top and a tad annoying. What annoys me the most? Besides their perfect bodies, belly button rings and crazy dance moves? They are legitimately fit. Ugg. Regardless, I love the workout because it is fun, painful and I can already see my legs smoothing out. I love seeing results, but I will definitely need to do this for more than 4 weeks to get my butt in gear...literally. Next workout on the list? The 60 day Insanity workout.

Weekend Wind-up

2010-03-21T21:16:00.001-05:00

Well, it's Sunday night and the weekend is coming to a close. Such a bitter-sweet time. I'm trying to savor every last minute of this wonderful day, without thinking about what tomorrow brings....another work week.

I was thrilled this weekend to get to spend some QT with my husband since he has been working non-stop on finals and sermons for the last couple of weeks. We started Friday night with a date at the one-act plays at APU. Love us some good theater. Saturday started with a morning date at Classic Coffee and then a 5 mile hike before it got too hot. It wasn't the easiest of hikes...quite a work-out actually. But it was a great view and obviously a ton of fun getting to hangout with my fam: Patrick and Bailey. The rest of the weekend has been full of movies, food and March Madness. Here's to the last few hours of the weekend.

You Know You're Jealous

2010-03-13T14:15:00.001-06:00

Most of you know that Patrick and I are still on Dave Ramsey's plan to get out of debt. We are about a year away from being completely debt free. I can't wait for that glorious day. In the meantime, we are celebrating smaller victories. For every $10,000 we pay off, we reward ourselves; we named this tradition "Celebration Elimination."

Well, as soon as our tax return gets here, we will hit the first $10,000 mark for the 2010 calendar year. Woohoo! We decided to cheat a little and celebrate while we wait on the tax refund to get here. We just couldn't resist the opportunity to celebrate at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells....just 2 hours away. We couldn't believe when we heard that all of The Greats in tennis history were going to be on the court at the same time for a charity match to help Haiti. So...we got courtside tickets to the event and to Indian Wells we went.

The gates opened at 4:30pm and we had plenty of time to visit the outside courts. We got to watch Maria Sharapova's match...and then a ton of people I don't know. We had time to grab some dinner and then it was time to head to center court. The line-up for the ladies was Lindsay Davenport and Stephanie Graf vs. Martina Navratilova and Justine Henin. I must mention that because it was a charity match, they had a mic on all of the players. It was so much fun getting to see their personalities during the match...not to mention all of the trash talking.

The line-up for the men was a dream. Pete Sampras and Roger Federer vs. Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal. I couldn't imagine a better line-up. Roger and Andre did most of the talking. Nadal tried to jump in there a few times, but no one could understand his english.

And here is Nadal, living up to his reputation as a gold digger.

Do you recognize this guy?

That's right....it's Tony Bennett. He came down and treated us all to a dose of his amazing voice.

The night ended with a real doubles match. Sam Querry and John Isner played against a couple of guys I don't know. When Isner took the court, Patrick and I threw out a little GA Bulldawg chant, that I am sure caught his attention. Gooooooo Dawgs....sic em!

Educated to Imbecility

2010-03-12T13:43:00.000-06:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Sean Carroll

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Skate Expectations

"Claiming to be wise, they became fools..." Romans 1:22

Thoughts on Exodus

2010-03-10T18:53:00.000-06:00

I am way behind when it comes to blogging about my journey through scripture this year, but better late than never right?

Exodus is a book that constantly reminds me of my lack of faith and God's faithfulness. I can't count how many times in the last month I have said, "God, you parted the Red Sea. You literally split waters to let your children walk across dry land. You can handle this problem and these circumstances."

I have always known the story of Moses and the Israelites, but for some reason, when I read scripture in its entirety, I have come to know God in such an intimate way. I feel like I am getting to know HIM, not just know ABOUT Him. My words are failing me, so let me just share a list of things I noticed as I read through this book.

1. After Moses' mother has to give him up by putting him in a basket and floating it down the river, Moses is found by Pharaoh's daughter, who hires Moses' mom (unknowingly) to nurse Moses. How crazy is that? Moses' mother gets hired to nurse her own baby. She gets paid for it!

2. Moses second-guessed his ability to fulfill God's call almost 10 times before he just did what God was telling him to do. He literally said to God, "Can't you just pick someone else for this?" That was paraphrased. God was so patient with him. What a great reminder that when God chooses us for something, we must trust that He will enable us to fulfill His call if we are obedient.

3. God hardened Pharaoh's heart. God does what He wants.

4. Some of the things God told the Israelites to do--like Passover--were gross. I don't understand why they were necessary, but who am I to question God?

5. Nature is at God's disposal. He can move mountains, part waters, control animals and insects. Again, He can do whatever He wants.

6. We need to be aware of how we treat (mistreat) foreigners. God's people were almost always in a foreign land.

7. Our justice system is cake compared to God's expectations concerning social responsibilities in Exodus 22 and the consequences of breaking God's laws.

8. The tabernacle and everything in it was ornate and beautiful. There were concise instructions for every part of it. Measurements, fabric type, fabric color, etc. This was going to be the dwelling place of God! Today, our churches don't need all of these ornaments because the Holy Spirit now dwells in us. Take care of God's dwelling place.

I know 8 is a random number. Sorry. Let me leave you with my favorite verse from Exodus. I never thought I would say that last sentence, but I now have a favorite verse in Exodus.

"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still." Exodus 13:13-14

Oscar Observations

2010-03-08T23:27:00.000-06:00

I was very close to going to Hollywood yesterday for the Red Carpet action....BUT Patrick was preaching last night so I opted to go support that whole thing. Besides, I highly doubt I would have been able to get close enough to see much. So after DVRing it and watching it hours after my east coast friends, I have a few thoughts and points of conversation.

1. I heart Steve Martin. He and Alec Baldwin did a great job hosting. They cracked me up all night.

2. I was cheering for Sandra Bullock the entire night. I loved her little gang symbols on the red carpet and her dress was beautiful. Her speech was heart warming and I love that her sweet husband was tearing up with her. PLUS, she looked very classy in her dress, don't you think?

3. I thought it was fantastic when George Clooney opted to run along a fence full of fans to shake hands and sign autographs.

4. Who was the crazy lady that ran on the stage when dude was giving his speech?

5. My favorite dress of the evening.....

Miley really needs to stand up straight, but I L.O.V.E. her dress. Miley actually had an awesome dress last year too. I think I actually like last year's dress better, but it's a win/win either way.

Under the Weather

2010-03-04T18:54:00.000-06:00

Sorry I have been MIA the last week. In marriage you get to share everything....including germs. Patrick was out sick last week and I have the joy of being out this week. I'm on my 4th box of tissues and almost out of cold meds. I've watched way too much T.V. and have shared Bailey's nap schedule. Thanks for checking in. Looking forward to posting again when I am better.

Here is a picture of Bailey. He makes me smile. Maybe he will brighten up your day too.

Par-tay

2010-02-27T18:53:00.000-06:00

My friend Kate came for a visit a couple of weeks ago. Our friendship has forever been long distance and now that we live on the west coast we see each other less and less. BUT, thanks to the snowmageddon in D.C. (and something about a PT conference), she needed a little California sunshine. Our visits are never long, but always fun.

As soon as she got here we headed to The Grove for some grub. We opted out of the hour-long wait at most places and settled for outdoor eating at a Greek restaurant. After a little walking around we headed to Hollywood to stand in line at the Laugh Factory for a little stand-up comedy. I had prepared myself for the inevitable inappropriateness of the jokes, but none of us were prepared for the unexpected guest....Dane Cook himself! When they announced him we were all looking at each other and screaming. A little star struck I suppose. Classic moment nonetheless.

Day 2 consisted of more patio eating and a movie. We saw Valentine's Day since....well, it was Valentines Day. I was pleasantly surprised. Not the typical, cheesy romcom I was expecting. We knocked Kathryn's socks off with a trip to Golden Spoon....a heavenly selection of non-fat frozen yogurt. And then we ended the night with a steak dinner. What else for V-Day...but steak?

We spent the entire next day in one of my favorite places....Pasadena. We shopped and ate....and ate some more. Breakfast at Noah's Bagels, lunch at P.F. Changs and dessert at Polkatots. Kathryn has this weird obsession with cupcakes. Just kidding....but seriously, she has to get a cupcake in every city she stops in. Seriously though (again) I admire her keeping up the tradition and enjoy the benefits of being with her when she continues it. I think this one was cookies and creme. YUM!

Since Kate had to be in San Diego for a conference, we spent Tuesday in San Diego. We had lunch overlooking the beach at Hotel Del, walked around Balboa Park, did some shopping and ended with some tasty Italian food after catching a west coast sunset. Sounds too good to be true...I know.

Day Date

2010-02-21T20:25:00.000-06:00

Patrick is in an extremely busy season with school and work right now, so I was thrilled when we were able to successfully mark out an entire day to hang out together. I love those dates....the ones that last all day. Since we had company coming in on Saturday (which I will be posting on soon) we decided to take a day trip to Santa Barbara. We started the morning with a stop and Noah's Bagels and Peet's Coffee in Pasadena. Mmmm. We rarely make a stop for bagels since the nutrition facts usually haunt me, but every now and then I can savor every bite.

The drive up the coast was gorgeous....as are most drives up the west coast.

We of course ran into traffic. It wouldn't be L.A. without traffic right?!

Our next stop was the Santa Barbara Mission. We took a guided tour and loved getting in on the history....especially since Patrick was a history major. It was quite a sight.

As soon as the tour was over we hurried into the mountains for lunch at Cold Spring Tavern. It was tiny and in the middle of nowhere. I can't count how many times we kept saying "Maybe we should have updated our maps like the Garmin keeps telling us." It seemed like we were on the flag forever, but we finally found it and joined the line of people waiting. Lunch was good once we got inside. We even saw an Auburn fan and were sure to shout out a little "War Eagle!" Don't judge us. We told him we were DAWG fans, but you get excited to see anything SEC when you are out west okay?!

The rest of the day featured shopping on State Street and a stop at the outlets.....oh and a ridiculous amount of traffic all the way home. Oh....and surprise....looks like Santa gets tired of cold weather too...apparently he has his own place in SoCal.

Lessons learned from Genesis

2010-02-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

I have been failing miserably at posting updates of my journey through the Bible this year. For you, my devoted readers, I am sorry...I know you are missing my take on the genealogy chapters--what to do with all the crazy Hebrew names!! While I'm still reading, life has been going non-stop so I haven't been able to put much thought into my posts. But hey, this morning I have a few minutes to quickly list the lessons I learned in the book of Genesis.

1. God is sovereign and can do whatever He wants with whomever He wants.

2. When you go into Egypt as a migrant, don't lie about the pretty lady standing next to you-especially if she's your wife. Perhaps that whole episode could have been avoided with a nice fatty diamond ring.

3. There is a difference between walking through life and walking through life with God. Anyone can stumble along the way according to his or her own plan and understanding (we've all done it). But it takes focus, energy, and discipline to live a life seeking after God and HIS plan, HIS understanding. Can I get an Amen? Cross-reference Proverbs 19.21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

4. You ARE influencing those around you. It isn't a question of IF, but HOW. My hubby just read in Proverbs 20.11 that "even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." Be careful little mouth what you say. Be careful little hands what you do. And be careful little feet where you go.

5. Don't pick on your youngest sibling...it can really backfire. Ask any of Joseph's brothers.

And....the last one is compliments of Christie....thanks for your bit of wisdom.
6. Manipulation, even in its finest, fails when Gods plan is being carried out. Amen.

My Favs

2010-02-10T22:05:00.000-06:00

My apologies for the delay in this post. I intended on posting this a couple of days ago, but then the work week started.

I L.O.V.E. superbowl commercials. Besides this year's weird trend of commercials with people in their underwear, I laughed pretty hard....especially with the Doritos commercials. I think they may have even outdone the beer commercials, which is blasphemy I know. Here are a couple of my favorites. Did you have any?

Resolution Recap

2010-02-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

For most of us, we have long given up on our New Year's resolutions by February. This year, I decided to come up with some creative ways to remind myself of what my resolutions are so I won't forget them like I did in 2009. The entire point of a resolution is to make yourself better than before...to make 2010 better than 2009. One obvious way to do this is to tell others what your resolutions are so that you can at least fool yourself into thinking they expect you to come through. So, here are my two biggest resolutions for 2010. What are yours? Don't give up yet....it's only February!

I'm going to run a 10k. I can't imagine ever being ready for that, but I'm going to do it.

I'm going to join forces with my husband and pay off our debt. We've been on Dave Ramsey's plan for exactly 1 year now. We started this year with around $40,000 left. Yes, $40,000. I'm too ashamed to tell you how deep we were this time last year. BUT, we are going to get crazy in the Mitchell house and pay off $40,000 in 2010.

Gluten Free White Chicken Chili

2010-02-04T00:06:00.001-06:00

So one of the ladies in our small group is gluten-free, which means that when it was my turn to host, I had to find some appetizing gluten-free recipes. It was a crock-pot kind of day, so I thought I would try the white chicken chili recipe. Besides, it's really hard to mess up chili so I thought it would be a safe start. And let me just say....in a humble way....it was a huge hit. So much so, that I keep making it every time I host....AND, it's super easy to make!

3 Tblsp. olive oil
2 lbs. diced chicken meat (uncooked, chopped)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2-18.75 oz. cans tomatillos, drained and chopped
2-16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2-7 oz. cans diced green chiles
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4-15 oz. cans white beans, drained
10 oz. frozen corn
salt and pepper

Saute onion
Cook in crock-pot 6-8 hours on low
Serve with lime, cilantro, avacado, tortilla chips or my favorite....cornbread

Weekend Wrap Up

2010-01-31T16:15:00.001-06:00

This weekend was b.u.s.y.. It started Friday night with dinner at the Huxford's place and then dessert at The Melting Pot. It was my first time experiencing The Melting Pot, and let me just say there is nothing better than a plate of strawberries and pot of chocolate. It was delicious! The best part? Not spending a dime. Harrison, Lindsay's husband, bought a $50 gift card for $25 off of the Groupon website. If you haven't heard of it, you need to check it out. You can get crazy good deals in your city!

Saturday morning brought the weekly trip to Classic Coffee, my fav local coffee shop in walking distance and then small group with some amazing college girls. We are currently talking about fun stuff like....boys, dating and God's will for us in the mix of all of that. Girls never get tired of talking about boys.

After a quick drop off at Goodwill, Kelly (a student in the study) and I went to dinner at Z Pizza (yum, organic pizza) and then made a short shopping trip to Homegoods. I found it hilarious when she said "Homegoods? That is my mom's favorite store." Seriously....does this mean I'm getting old? Anyway, I came home with 3 yummy smelling candles and this cute lamp. Don't you love it???

Then we caught a late night movie and saw Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson. Patrick and I are extremely cheap when it comes to paying to see movies in the theater. We are rarely willing to do it, especially since we have a Redbox so close. BUT, we bit the bullet and went with a couple of students. I would give it a C-/B+. Definitely a movie I could have waited to watch at home, but Mel Gibson makes any movie good. Good story line and a lot of action.

Help

2010-01-27T14:27:00.000-06:00

Okay friends and readers....I need your help. I am one week away from ending the kick-butt Jillian Michaels workout I have been doing and I am geared for running. I am gong to be training for a 5k and then a 10k, so I am going to need some good music to keep me going. I am trusting y'all to help me put together a playlist of workout music that is upbeat and will keep me going when I am ready to stop and walk the rest of the way. I know there aren't many of you, but I need all you got. Even if you only stop by every now and then, please leave a suggestion! Thanks in advance!

You are What You Eat

2010-01-23T21:24:00.000-06:00

After recently having to return some jeans my husband surprised me with....because I couldn't fit in them....I decided to get more intentional about my eating habits. I have always been into being healthy. I love working out. We are the annoying people who get up at 5 am to workout 5-6 days a week. My main battle is my addiction to frappes, which I give complete credit to for the whole jean incident. Besides cutting down to just one frappe a week (believe it when I say this is a big step), I have become much more aware of how I snack. I have discovered some yummy snacks that don't undo the hard work I do in the gym....so I thought I would share.

1. Apple Slices (or Celery) and All-Natural Peanut Butter
Once you taste all-natural, organic peanut butter, you will never go back. Go easy
on the peanut butter though. A couple of tablespoons should do it.

2. Baby Carrots and Hummus
....or fat free ranch...whatever you prefer

3. Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
I still haven't been able to down this, but Patrick has picked it up and loves
it. Packed with protein.

4. Greek Yogurt
Holy Cow! I don't know that I will ever eat regular yogurt again. So creamy. Fat
free. High in Protein. Real fruit pieces. There is nothing like it.

5. Almonds

6. Popcorn
NOT microwaved people. Make it on the stove or in a popcorn maker. It is so much
better for you...and taste a ton better too!

7. Holiday Grapes
I don't when these things are in season, but they are massive in size and taste.

8. Tomato Slices with Italian Dressing and Feta Cheese

9. Strawberries, Blueberries, NAKED Granola and a little Whipped Cream

10. Baked Tostitos and Salsa

So, do you have any healthy snacks you want to add to the list????

Theological Wrestlings

2010-01-18T14:32:00.000-06:00

I had a break down last week. I don't intend to open up a theological debate, so please refrain from going down that road. I just want to communicate that since I have started my journey through scripture, I have had to wrestle with a theological issue that I thought I had already settled...an issue that I would never budge on before.

John Piper explained the reformed theological position on predestination best at the 1997 Passion Conference in Austin, Texas. I encourage you to listen to this or read it so that you are not confused on what I am talking about. I would also like to add that I am not claiming my theological stance. I am simply saying that this is a topic I have previously held in a very closed hand. I knew what I thought and it wasn't ever going to change. Now, as I read scripture in its entirety, I have had to back-pedal a few steps and actually wrestle with some things.

I understand the difficulty of the idea. The idea of predestination completely contradicted the idea of free will to me. And the God I knew would never create people specifically for hell. That didn't match up at all with the characteristics of my God. My husband gently explains that the other side is that if God, foreknowing the decisions and ultimate eternity of the person, still creates them, it is essentially the same truth being played out.

In Genesis, Abraham and Sarah move to Egypt and Abraham instructs Sarah to lie and say that she is his sister, in order that he may live. Sarah is taken as a wife of Pharaoh and Pharaoh, as would be expected, sleeps with her. Because of this, a curse falls on his entire house. He finds out why and lets Abraham and Sarah leave. So my question is why wouldn't the curse fall on Abraham? He was the one that lied. Pharaoh wasn't doing anything wrong, as far as he knew, but his entire house was plagued. This doesn't seem fair at all.

In Genesis 27 Jacob fools his father into thinking he is Esau and steals his brother's blessing from their dad Isaac. Esau, of course, is mortified and begs for any blessing that may be left, but there were none. Jacob then goes through life winning one victory after another and being blessed abundantly. Esau's life looks much different. This seems so unfair to me. Why didn't the Lord come down on Jacob? Why, instead, did he get a life full of victory and blessing while Esau got the proverbial lump of coal? Why did God favor Jacob?

Romans 9 is what sent me over the edge. Paul speaks specifically about Jacob and Esau in verse 13, "Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.' What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'" Scripture called me out. This is exactly what I was thinking..."God wouldn't do that...that isn't fair." Then, in verses 21-23 reads, "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for his glory..."

Do you see my dilemma now?

The Power of Influence

2010-01-11T22:31:00.000-06:00

So, I'm still reading Genesis for any of you that would like to join me on my journey through scripture this year. It is never too late. :)

I heard someone once say that God gave women the power of influence, particularly over men...most specifically their husbands. It starts when we are young and know exactly what we need to do to get Daddy to cave in and continues into adulthood when we want to blow the budget on a purse or a new pair of shoes.

Although I am just in the first book of the Bible, I have already read about two women who influenced their husbands and changed history. Eve is the first to bite the fruit and then she gives it to Adam. Next thing you know....fall of man and humankind as we know it....or as they knew it, rather. Less than 20 chapters later, Sarai (later called Sarah), in spite of God's promises, faithlessly suggests her husband sleep with her servant in order to bare a child. Result?

My first instinct is to blame the man. What is it with passive men? Where are the leaders here? Where is the man who will stand up to these crazy women?! But then I see the lesson to be learned is how easy it can be to influence the men who love us and what a large responsibility that is. I can think of so many ways I influence my husband with just a simple comment or short conversation. It isn't a question of IF I am influencing him...it's a question of HOW I am influencing.

Are You SEC Loyal?

2010-01-07T17:29:00.000-06:00

In the SEC we unanimously agree on two things:

1. We do NOT like the Florida Gators
2. We always pull for the SEC in non-conference games

In spite of the fact that all of the Bama and Texas fans took up every possible form of a parking spot in Pasadena today....hence, we couldn't get to the bank....I'm hollerin' (that's southern for "screaming loud with my mouth full of fried food") for Alabama to show everyone how we do it in the SEC! Roll Tide.....for today!

Diamond in the Rough

2010-01-06T21:53:00.000-06:00

I was reading one of the exciting chapters in Genesis...you know, a genealogy chapter of Adam. Did you catch the sarcasm? Verse 3 in chapter 5 begins a 29-verse list of names and years....and more names. Every verse is written with the same order of words, only the names and numbers changed.

"When ____ had lived ___ years, he became the father of ____. And after he became the father of ___, he lived ___ years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, ___ lived ___ years, and then he died."

This exact group of words are repeated for 29 verses, with one exception. In the middle of this repetitive script, there is a change in wording for one man.

"When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

.....then it was right back to the regular script.

The first words that break the repetition are "walked with God". In every other verse the person "lived for ___ years...", but Enoch "walked with God for ___ years". There is an obvious distinction here, let alone the fact that he didn't die. There seems to be a difference between just living life and walking with God through life. When it is all said and done, I hope my friends and family can say that I "walked with God for ___ years".

Day 1

2010-01-01T21:07:00.000-06:00

So today marked the first day of the 2010 journey (until I can find a better name for it) I have embarked on (with a few of you!) and I have already seen how easily Satan distracts me from staying on task with this. We made an 8 hour drive today, which made it very easy for me to believe I was just too exhausted and too busy to get this done today....but I fought it off and got it done! Day 1...successful.

Today's reading was Genesis 1, 2 and Psalms 1. I immediately found myself confused while reading the first 2 chapters of Genesis. If you notice in Genesis 1:27-30, God creates man, blesses him and gives him instructions. But then you find God creating man (again?), mentioning much more detail, in Genesis 2:7. I was initially wondering what was going on here, so I asked my theology student husband and he enlightened me to the fact that it was normal in Mesopotamian literature, to first give a brief summary (chapter 1) and then provide the material and corresponding details in its entirety (chapter 2). Interesting huh?

The Psalms are some of my favorite verses in scripture. In today's reading in Psalms, verse 3 stuck out to me the most. I plan on making a book of these verse that stick out to me on this journey. What about you? What verses stuck out to you?

"He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:3

An Invitation....to a journey

2009-12-26T09:16:00.000-06:00

I want to invite you to join me on a journey...read on to find out what I'm talking about.

Each new year brings new goals, and for years I have toyed around with trying to read through the Bible in a year....but that is about as far as it ever gets. It always seemed (and still does) like too big a challenge....and a goal I would certainly fall short of. BUT, if I have learned anything at all in 2009, it has been the necessity of discipline in studying the truths of scripture. I have learned that in the midst of trials, when everything feels chaotic and out of control, the scriptures are where I can find rest.

My feelings and circumstances will surely change, but TRUTH is always....well, true. I have been thrown into battles this year and found myself ill-equipped to war with Satan. How can I war against him in prayer and protection on my family and marriage, when I don't know the truths found in scripture? I can hardly discipline myself to 30 minutes, 3 days a week. Many weeks, I am doing well to get one day in. I am ashamed to say it.

So, if you can relate to any of this, I would like to invite you to go on this journey with me in 2010. I don't know how it will look, but I am certain it will be difficult. Another thing I am certain of is that God will indeed show up and that it may be easier if we do this together. I will be following this schedule and will post at least 3 times a week on the reading for reflection and discussion. Hopefully this will help me with my lack of posting as well! I would love for you to come along on this journey with me.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

2009-12-22T22:31:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas Y'all!
Here's a glimpse of some of our favorite Christmas movie traditions. What are some of yours??

Potato...Pota(w)to

2009-12-15T18:36:00.000-06:00

Warning: If you are easily grossed out by bugs, don't read this post.

So Friday night we went to our amazing landlords and friends house, just a few steps away, for dinner and gingerbread house decorating. Somehow this bug came up in conversation. Josh and Amy referred to it as an alien bug with fingers. We didn't believe them so Josh pulled it up online and.....wow! Apparently the Potato Bug is a southern California resident and usually only comes out when it has been raining. We found so many posts online from Californians who spotted one and couldn't believe how huge it was. Seriously, we saw one online that was over 2 inches long. What kind of insect has Flesh Ripping Barbs???

So......yesterday morning we were coming back from the gym and I suddenly stopped in my tracks. I spotted it. The nasty alien bug on our walkway. The very disgusting creature I had just seen online two nights ago! It was as long as our house key and just as ugly in person as it was online. It looks like a cross between a spider, a bee and a grasshopper. So sorry to gross you out, but I couldn't keep this to myself.

It's Christmas Time in the City....

2009-12-05T23:38:00.000-06:00

In spite of the warm Southern California weather, Christmas is on it's way! After a wonderful Thanksgiving up in Big Bear with the Huxford family, we wasted no time putting up the Christmas decor. We didn't have much to decorate with, so I had to get creative to stretch the small budget we had to get a few things. Luckily, our place is small so we didn't have to do too much.

The Tree. We opt for the fake, pre-lit tree. I know. I know. But when I was young and we were still doing the real tree thing, my mom, sister and I came home to an apartment full of praying mantises. They were all over the walls, ceiling....everywhere. Apparently there was an egg in the tree and it hatched while we were out. GA-ROSS. Been doing the fake tree thing since then.

The Lights. I decided to add white lights all along the fence a few weeks before Thanksgiving. We needed more lights outside for when we hang out on the front porch. I love them and I think we'll be keeping them up year-round.

The Wreath. I love wreaths, but they are so expensive. One night I went to Target with the secret intent to blow some money on Christmas decorations. By the time I put everything in a buggy (aka "cart" if you aren't from GA) I was about to spend over $100. I couldn't do it. I remembered how creative The Nester is and challenged myself to get creative. I ended up paying $3.00 for the wreath and $1.00 for the bow. My wreath cost $4.00!

The Garland. When we were shopping for the $3.00 wreath, we found the garland for $3.00 too. We had a enough to spiral the posts on the front porch, the back railing and around 2 of our 5 doorways. I just added a cheap ribbon I had from last year to add a little flare over one of the doors.

I was sure to add some candles, picture frames, and door hangers too!

I love this time of year! My kitchen smells of baking pumpkin bread, my living room of the "firewood" scented Henry Bendel candle and my front porch of chimney smoke or burning leave piles. Well, that last part was before I moved to California....but who says you can't dream right?!

STL

2009-11-22T16:32:00.000-06:00

Last week we caught a straight flight to St. Louis to visit our dear friends, the Jobes. I hate flying out of LAX, but I love getting a straight flight, so it is worth it sometimes. Marie has been my wise mentor for over 10 years and her husband, Brian has served as a great mentor to my husband as well. We were so excited to see them and to get to experience St. Louis in Fall. We were beyond happy to be able to pull out our coats and scarves for the trip.

A Kid for a Day

2009-11-10T00:17:00.000-06:00

I wish I could post all the funny details about our trip to Disneyland today to celebrate Patrick's birthday, but I am still doing laundry and packing for a tip to St. Louis tomorrow. In short, I drug my husband to Disneyland for his birthday. I use the word "drug" because he doesn't like theme parks. I won't dive into my theory on that, but needless to say, we had never been to a theme park before. After many failed attempts of getting him to go, he finally gave me something to work with. He agreed to go to Disneyland on one of our birthdays, since you can go for free. Since my birthday is in the only cold month in California (February), we had to go on his. Before you go thinking I'm the worst wife ever because I made my husband spend his birthday doing something he doesn't like, I have to defend myself and say that we did have a birthday celebration with friends the night before...and I didn't MAKE him....I only encouraged him to try it. I must add, I caught him laughing a few times and even heard a "Woooo" on one of the rides. We may have made a huge leap forward here.

Sneak Peek

2009-11-03T22:28:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we had a friend, Matt Morgan, do a photoshoot for us in hopes of getting a good picture for our Christmas cards this year. I was planning on not revealing any of the pics until after we mailed the Christmas cards, but I just can't make myself wait. We had so much fun and Matt did an awesome job on the photos! Here's a sneak peek.

Weekend Wrap-Up

2009-11-01T14:24:00.001-06:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted. I have been battling an awful cold and cough that seems to linger. But, I am back to life now, so I thought I might give a quick overview of what you've missed this weekend.

Patrick and I had a date night Friday night at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. We enjoyed the L.A. Philharmonic's rendition of classical Dvorak. It was absolutely beautiful.

Halloween was full of football, food and celebrations....with the exception of the Georgia game. We watched the Dawgs get handled by the Gators....in a house full of Gator fans. The game ended just in time for us to put on our costumes and head to church for Trunk or Treat. We went as tennis players....a last minute "what can we use from our closet" decision. I must say, the SHIFT ministries booth was my favorite. We projected the Tennessee/South Carolina, USC/Oregon and Phillies/Yankees on a huge RV, while we tailgated and handed out candy. It was quite possibly the most enjoyable way to do Trunk or Treat. We ended Halloween evening dancing the night away at a Halloween Party....and getting one extra hour of sleep.

Tennis Players...last minute

The SHIFT Ministries set-up at Trunk or Treat

Some beautiful college french men....aka Athalie and Kelly

Coyote....Ugly

2009-10-20T22:34:00.000-05:00

As a girl raised in the low country, I didn't know much about coyotes when we moved here. My only experience with coyotes was on cartoon network on Saturday mornings. They were, however, one of the first things we heard about. Our first day here, our host told us about the coyote she saw in her back yard during the day. Oh....and the one that was creeping up on her while she was walking her dog....in the middle of the day. I started noticing that when people go on walks (even with their dog), they will walk with large sticks....to beat off or prevent the potential coyote attack. How freaky! In addition to that, a couple of months ago a coyote attacked my neighbor's cat just two houses down from us!

I needed to know more about these mangy creatures. What do they look like? How big are they? What is the difference between a coyote and a wolf? Where do they live? What do they eat? What do you mean they only come out at night and travel in packs...didn't you just say they've been seen walking the neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon?

So, this has been my little....weird thing since we have been here. I want to see a coyote... and two nights ago I got one step closer. The weather has been nice enough to sleep with our windows open and I woke up around 3:30am to the sound of howling. It was loud and it was close. It was scary. I have never heard real-life howling before. After a few minutes of howling, the pack went crazy with this really weird cackling sound. I insist that it was a ferocious attack on as innocent pet in our neighborhood, but Patrick thinks I'm "over-reacting"....whatever that means. :)

Why was a coyote so far from the mountain? We live in the foothills, but we are still a good 2 miles away. Isn't that a long trek into the neighborhood? How do they know where the animals are? Certainly there is an outdoor pet at a house north of us. Why did they come all the way down here? So many questions.

The Tradition Continues....

2009-10-18T17:24:00.000-05:00

Last October we began a Mitchell family tradition of carving pumpkins and eating caramel apples. Our fellow Georgians, The Huxfords, were kind enough to include us in their tradition last year and helped us make it our own. We had so much fun, we invited others to join us this Fall. We started the night with dinner. It was my first time making home-made crockpot chili, and I must say....it was a hit. Patrick added this morning, "....it wasn't like I thought 'Lindsey made this...I have to like it'...I honestly think it was the best I've ever had." Of course this posed the question of how often he thinks for the former to himself.

After the chili, cornbread and sweet tea, we all moved to the porch to begin our carving creations. The Beckfords and Huxfords set out on meticulously detailed designs, while Patrick and I remembered how long those took us last year. We opted to keep it simple and quick....we went for an "M" for Mitchell. Needless to say, we were the first to finish. Lindsay and I then started on the apples and caramel while we all took frequent pauses to follow the Angels/Yankees game into extra innings (what a let down! I can't believe we lost on an error).

The rest of the night was full of more eating, laughter, story telling and many pictures. Even Bailey had a friend over...Hailey. She is our new neighbor and dogter (daughter....but a dog) of some friends from church. The Angels brought the only loss to the evening.

Busy at work.

We've got our teamwork down. I do the cleaning out and Patrick does the carving.

Bailey and his new friend Hailey

Didn't the Beckfords do a crazy good job on Shrek? And the Huxfords have the intricate spider web. Nice job! We'll stick with the "M" for now.

Our attempt to take a self-portrait. Thank goodness for Ashley's long arms.

Sleeping with the Enemy

2009-10-11T14:08:00.001-05:00

This weekend marked the Annual Testing of the Mitchell Marriage. Each Fall I am reminded of the inevitable day of tension in our home. No, it may not be outright and obvious, but it is there nonetheless. It shows itself in small ways. Every Spring when I look at UGA's football schedule, there is always one game I find first.....the Georgia/Tennessee game. It is the first game I write in my calendar, and the game I actually have to prepare for. Why you ask?

My Knoxville native husband and I can put our SEC differences aside most every game of the season (unless a Tennessee victory directly effects the destiny of my Dawgs), but on this particular Saturday, every man (and woman) is for himself. On this Saturday morning my husband and I wake up and dress in two distinctly opposing colors. I adorn myself in Georgia red and black, and he in obnoxious construction worker orange. P.S.: Why can't Tennessee pick the same shade of orange for their helmets and jerseys?

Although the game was on the SEC network, which we obviously don't get in L.A., my savvy husband was able to track down the cords necessary to hook the Mac up to the TV and....thanks to ESPN360.com, we watched the game in all its splendor. Needless to say, Tennessee reigned victorious (the end). But....my husband was kind enough to take his orange off immediately after the game. I am a far worse loser than he.

And before I go, thank you guys for all of the musical recommendations. I plan on having a musical marathon at the end of the month!

Musicals

2009-10-07T22:49:00.000-05:00

Somehow I have found myself engaged in musicals lately. It isn't that I have previously been opposed to musicals. There are a couple that I have loved for some time--The Newsies, Grease, and The Sound of Music. I even had my debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ in 8th grade. Yes, a blonde Dorothy.

But I haven't seen much more than that. I have been so excited to discover where some of these songs I already know actually come from. Now I will actually know what I'm singing.

Patrick and I were actually able to see a musical live last weekend. We saw Evita, the story of Eva Peron, as put on by the APU theater department. And as I write this, I find myself watching West Side Story and singing along to songs I already know that I didn't realize were in the movie. So....what are some of your favorite musicals? Any you recommend I see while I am on this musical kick?

That Time of Year....

2009-09-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been wrestling with the reality that there is not going to be a season change here. Most people would love the fact that Southern California stays warm year-round, but every September I always find myself longing for the changes a new season brings....specifically Fall. Even when we lived in Georgia, I always wondered what Fall was like the Northeast. So, as a coping mechanism, I thought I might post some of my favorite things about Fall...or at least what it should be.

Obviously, the colors. They are beautiful! This is a picture of Seeger Chapel at Milligan College, my alma mater in November 2008. Milligan is one of my favorite places. Isn't it gorgeous? Go Buffs!

I love decorating. We rarely splurge, but we got this Pottery Barn wreath 3 years ago and it brings so much joy to pull it out of storage every year. We just bought the Happy Fall sign this season from HomeGoods. I still haven't figured out where it is going to go, but I had to get it anyway.

Pumpkin anything. Candles, pie, butter, lattes, scones, and carving them too. Last year we started a tradition to have night of pumpkin carving and caramel apples.

The smell. I don't know what it is. Maybe it is because people have to rake leaves and then burn the pile, but it sure smells good. When all else fails, there is always scented candles.

The Giant Forest

2009-09-27T22:37:00.000-05:00

I have to admit....until this weekend, Patrick and I had never been camping together. As a matter of fact, we both hadn't been camping since high school....and our experiences were rather infantile. With the abundance of camping opportunities around here, we had to put an end to our embarrassing streak. We had read and heard about Sequoia National Park so we planned the road trip with some friends. Luckily, the Huxfords are experienced campers....and have all of the necessary equipment. The Sequoias are quite a bit of a drive away...4-5 hours actually. With that being said, the trip started first thing Saturday morning. Literally, first thing.

4:30am: Rise and Shine. That's right, 4:30 in the morning. Still dark. We got up early to make sure we were in Pasadena to pick up Lindsay and Harrison.

6:00am: Car loaded and quick detour to Noah's Bagels and Pete's Coffee to get the morning going. I'm the only non-coffee drinker.

10:00am: Second breakfast at We Three Diner, just outside the park.

12:00pm: Park entrance. Still wondering where the Sequoias are. Repetitively asking, "Is that one?"

I don't know what time it was when I finally spotted a Sequoia, but I didn't need to ask to make sure of what it was. It was breathtaking. I felt like I was in "Honey I Shrunk the Kids." It was massive.

The rest of the trip was wonderful. We climbed Moro Rock, visited General Sherman, drove through a Sequoia and set up camp. We enjoyed eating pita pizza and s'mores around the campfire. I loved bundling up in the cool weather. I loved having cool weather period.

Baby Steps

2009-09-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

I recently started running again after a short hiatus. Isn't it crazy how quickly you can move backwards when you take a short break from something? I have never been a long-distance runner, but I wasn't expecting to have to fight for one mile. I was so disappointed when I got home. At this rate, I can't imagine ever being able to run a 5k again.

Sometimes the distance between where I am and where I want to be seems way too far. The journey to the goal seems near impossible to reach and easily discourages me from even trying. But what I realized on my morning run the next day was that the only way I can manage is to attempt to take baby steps. On one of these morning runs I was thinking about how many other areas of my life require me to take baby steps.

Most immediately I think of Dave Ramsey's baby steps that we are following to get out of debt, but I have recently seen this in both my marriage and in my walk with God. After experiencing something similar to a Dark Night of the Soul, I have finally started taking baby steps back into the never changing fullness of Christ. I haven't reached my goal in any of these areas of my life....and I can't get there overnight. Each area requires small victories...baby steps....that can be won everyday.

After one week of running a mile, I pushed myself to run one extra block before turning around to head back home. And this week I will try to push through another one. Eventually I am going to be ready for a 5k again.

Quick Get-Away

2009-09-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

Between my husband's roles as college pastor and full time student, we try to squeeze in as many exploratory events as we can. L.A. offers an endless amount of things to do, so we haven't done anything twice. Last weekend we were able to take a quick trip to San Diego with the Huxfords. The trip went a little differently than planned, but it was adventurous. The 2 hour drive took 4 hours, due to the late Chargers fans on the way to the stadium. We had plans to attend ourselves, but my aunt (who we were staying with) lives so close to the stadium that we couldn't find parking for miles. We literally had to give up on getting to the apartment and going to the game. We just drove to a local bar and grill and watched from there. We were finally able to find parking and settle into the apartment during the 3rd quarter.

The next morning started with a trip to a local coffee shop and then a few hours at Balboa Park. It was beautiful! We went to one of the many museums and then to the botanical garden. As lunch neared we headed to Pacific Beach to join a small group of UGA fans to watch the game. Oddly enough, we were outnumbered by Michigan fans 10 to 1. Apparently everyone got too cold in Michigan and decided to move to San Diego together. Although my dawgs let me down, it was SO MUCH BETTER watching the game among SEC fans. I was quickly reminded of how much I love the SEC!

We spent the latter half of the afternoon at Hotel Del Coronado, which is where Marilyn Monroe stayed when she filmed "Some Like It Hot." The night ended with a sunset drive to see one of the California Missions and dinner at Chick-Fil-A....yes, Chick-Fil-A. We can never get enough.

Balboa Park

San Diego Bay

Hotel Del Coronado

California Mission Trail

Addictive Corn Dip

2009-09-03T23:05:00.000-05:00

Football season has officially begun. What better way to celebrate than to participate in BooMama's Diptacular?! This family recipe was given to me by a great friend. Enjoy!

Addictive Corn Dip
2 cans Mexicorn (or 1 can of corn and 1 can of green chilies)
16 oz. sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
3-4 scallions, chopped
2-4 cups finely grated cheese
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon cumin

Mix together and chill. Serve with tortilla chips, wheat thins or corn chips.

California is on Fire

2009-08-29T13:56:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've seen the news about the wildfires that have sparked in the Los Angeles area. It's that time of year again. We were here for the wildfire season (so weird to have a season of wildfires) last year, but we didn't actually have to experience them. We saw one from the interstate, but nothing like the one that started at the end of our street last week. It hasn't made it's way over the mountain yet, but over 5,000 acres have been burned. I suspect that the fire has had something to do with the triple digit heat we have had this week.

View from the front yard.

The drive to work the following morning.

To Dodger Stadium We Go....

2009-08-23T18:16:00.001-05:00

So sorry it has taken so long to update. The blog was undergoing a much needed update, courtesy of Kate G-Meyer.

As we approach our one-year mark in California (ca-razy), Patrick and I realized that we haven't made it to a Dodger's game. So....Patrick surprised me with tickets to the Dodgers/Cubs game Friday night. Because we live outside of L.A., we began the 30 minutes without traffic drive, two hours before the game. We got there early enough for me to pick up a cutsie Dodgers shirt and of course we had to go to Gordon Biersch for some Dodger Dogs and garlic fries (a must have for all you garlic lovers). The atmosphere was great and weather was perfect....as usual in California. The stadium is set right outside of downtown L.A., which makes for a nice skyline view. The game was a blast, although Manny underperformed and it was really hard cheering against the Cubs. We were sure to stay for the Friday night Fireworks when they allow the fans to take over the field to get a good view of the fireworks light up the surrounding palm trees. Although the drive home took almost as long as the game itself, it was a ton of fun.

The Wisdom of a Woman

2009-07-27T22:04:00.001-05:00

Sometimes others can just say it better. I haven't had the same experience Molly is writing about, but I have definitely felt the way she is talking about. Soak it up.

Molly Piper-We used to be Happy People

Celebration Elimination

2009-07-19T12:02:00.000-05:00

If you haven't been following too closely, Celebration Elimination is what Patrick and I have when we pay off one of our bills. As mentioned in our previous Celebration Elimination post, we are following the Dave Ramsey plan to get out of debt. We won't admit how much debt we started out with until this is all over, but it will be awhile until that happens.

Last week Patrick and I paid off one of our cars! It was so exciting writing the check and mailing it off! We celebrated by buying a small patio set for our front porch. We have been wanting one for quite a while, but Dave Ramsey kept haunting me every time we talked about buying one. Once we paid off the car, we felt better about buying it. The California weather allows us to spend a ton of time out there. We love it! Now, we have to get started on the next bill.....the other car.

Eaton Canyon Falls

2009-07-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

So we have this book of a ton of hikes around the area. We started out planning to get to all of them, but I'm not so sure that will happen. Last weekend we set out on hike #2 to Eaton Canyon Falls. According to the book, the hike is at the easy/moderate level, 3.0 miles round trip and at 300 feet elevation. It was supposed to be a crazy adventure that would involve crossing a stream and getting soaked, but we are in a drought out here and the stream was completely dry. Not one drop. We did get to experience a little water near the fall, which Bailey greatly enjoyed, but the rest of the hike was rather warm and dry.

What do you Know....

2009-07-02T23:28:00.000-05:00

Patrick and I finally discovered the beautiful California we have always heard about. Last weekend we departed to La Jolla for an early anniversary trip--I must pause here and mention that I can't believe that we have already been married for almost 3 years. We stayed at La Valencia Hotel, which made our trip comparable to our honeymoon. It was an incredible trip.

Friday
7:00am-8:00am: Up early to finish packing and get ready. Dropped Patrick's electric razor in the toilet and accidentally flushed the razor attachment.

8:00am-9:00am: Stopped for frappuccino and pumpkin bread from the local coffee shop in our quaint suburb. Dropped Bailey off at Jeff and Julie's so he could hang with his girlfriend, Allie--a yellow lab, for the weekend. Stopped at Wal-Mart to buy Patrick another razor.

9:00am: Finally got on the road

11:00am-4:00pm: Spent the day at the San Diego Zoo. It was huge and full of tons of things to see. The weather was perfect. Lunch at a hotdog stand....yum.

4:00pm-6:30pm: Drove north to La Jolla to check in at La Valencia. We bought the standard room, the cheapest option, and had minimal expectations. Wow. When we got to our room, we thought they had put us in the the wrong room. We had operable french doors that opened to a patio overlooking the pool and ocean. It was gorgeous!

6:30pm-9:00pm: Back to San Diego for dinner at Olivetto, where my aunt works. Yummy Italian food and wine bar.

Saturday
9:00am-10:00am: Walk to The LivingRoom for some frappuccinos

10:00am-2:00pm: Basked in the sun at the pool that overlooks the Pacific. I got lost in Twilight (don't judge) while my cool husband brought his highlighter to mark in his book The Mortification of Sin. We appreciate our differences. Paid an absurd amount for lunch at the pool.

2:30pm-4:30pm: Went on a kayaking tour that requires a blog entry of its own. It seemed more like a clip from a movie. We had a flawless trip up until the Kayaking tour. The blissful, romantic tour I had imagined was more like a baffling roller coaster of emotion. Patrick was immediately infuriated that he (we) could not master kayaking. I think he even held me exclusively responsible for not keeping the kayak in a straight line. He narrowly avoided a co-kayaker's paddle to the face, and I got sea sick. Not to mention the fact that our tour guide suggested I get in the water to help with the sickness....right before he told us about the leopard sharks that were swimming beneath us.

6:30pm-8:30pm: Another incredible dinner...this time at Acqua, compliments of my Aunt. She had everything pre-arranged for us. She ordered everything ahead of time and we were overwhelmed with not only the quality of food, but the amount of food. It was so yummy! We even got a table overlooking the sunset over the Pacific.

8:30pm-9:30pm: A little shopping on Prospect Street on our walk back home, then back to the hotel for some piano bar action.

Sunday
9:30am-11:00am: Rise and Shine. The husband went to the coffee shop while I held down some seats by the pool. Then, we soaked up every last minute until check-out at noon.

Road Trip Baby!

2009-06-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

Last week I ventured out on the longest drive in the shortest amount of time ever. Kathryn embraced a fun opportunity to complete a clinical rotation for school in Colorado Springs and I was the lucky gal that got to make the drive with her. The road trip to Colorado Springs started around lunch on Sunday....12:21pm to be exact. We patiently listened to the "be safe" speech from Paul and then hit the pavement for the long haul. I can't possibly record the experience in paragraph form, so I have opted to list out the memorable parts of the trip.

1. Making 5+ U-turns (most in an attempt to find Sonic)

2. Yummy Sonic blast and the never ending crave for ice cream

3. Forever battling the ETA on the GPS

4. Hue's random sickness in the middle of the night (Hue is the attractive accented
GPS voice that went absolutely crazy)

5. The scary voice that got the job done while Hue recovered, but kept referencing a noise coming from the trunk....and my avoiding looking in the rear view for fear that I would see a young, pale girl in a white dress

6. The long drive through Kansas. At one point, I would have bet money that Kansas is the only state between Georgia and Colorado.

7. The disgusting feeling around the 18th hour and the rather strong desire to brush my teeth.

8. The random variety of food: bananas, apples, cheddar bunnies, keylime cupcakes (gross), water, cheap coffee drinks, m&m's, subway, arby's, sonic blast.....oh yeah...and fiber one bars.

Palm Springs

2009-06-04T21:38:00.000-05:00

The next best thing to going home is having family visit California. My cousin Lori and her husband Jason were in Palms Springs this week and Patrick and I were sure to take time to hang out. It was my first trip to Palm Springs, and I must say it isn't the desert oasis I imagined it being. When I think of Palm Springs I imagine palm trees and kidney shaped pools. Not so much. In spite of the "June Gloom" lurking over the city, we have a great day with Lori and Jason. We took a trip on the tram...the longest, steepest tram in the world actually. There was a little too much spinning involved in the ride up, but it was a gorgeous view. By the way, I'm not being anti-affection in the picture above. It was COLD at the top so I was trying to keep warm. Of course we had to have some great mexican food and then we paid a visit to an outlet nearby. Yay for fun day trips in the middle of a work week.

Celebration Elimination

2009-05-24T21:08:00.000-05:00

Since February 1st, Patrick and I have been on a rather focused effort to get out of debt. I owe it all to Dave Ramsey...and my parents for introducing me to him. We are following his baby steps and are currently digging our way through baby step #2, which is to pay off all debt except the house (which we don't have). When we sat down to determine to the penny how much debt we were in, the goal seemed huge. Student loans sure do add up. We had to seriously cut our standard of living, which wasn't high to begin with. Anyone who has ventured in our kitchen since February can attest to fact that we have been living off of mostly beans, rice and cornbread.

We have had to be intentional about finding creative ways to stay motivated. Like, we designed our a list of our debt to put on our refrigerator so we could cross things off as we paid them. But it isn't just any list, it has a graphic of someone climbing up a flight of stairs to victory and surrounding by money. Don't make fun. I also have little celebrations with my coworkers by bringing in a treat every time we pay something off so that they can celebrate with us. But, my favorite motivator is what Patrick has creatively named "Celebration Elimination." After each debt we pay off we reward ourselves. Each reward gets bigger we are paying debts off smallest to largest. We paid off our first credit card last month and celebrated by going to see a movie in theaters. What a treat! And, we just paid off our last credit card this week. As you can see, Patrick got to cut up the card and I got to close the account. Our "Celebration Elimination" this time was driving to San Clemente yesterday to the Rainbow Factory store and getting discounted flip flops. Woohoo!

We are $10,000 down and plan to have one of the cars paid off next month!

Grits

2009-05-17T20:25:00.000-05:00

I had an interesting encounter this weekend as I was having breakfast with a college student at the all too classy Denny's restaurant in San Dimas. I can't remember the last time I ate at a Denny's. I rarely go out to eat for breakfast, but when I do, where else would I go but the yummy Cracker Barrel? Since we don't have any Cracker Barrels around here, Denny's was our next option. After scanning the menu for a few, I finally settled on the grand slam. You can't beat 4 choices for $6! I went with a traditional egg breakfast including bacon, a biscuit and of course grits. I was so excited to see that grits was on the menu. I couldn't believe it.

The only thing that threw me for a loop was that it was on the menu as "creamy grits." What does that mean? Are we talking about texture here or do they have an entire different meaning for the word "grits"? I LOVE grits. I love them with bacon, cheese, shrimp, garlic, and any other savory flavored topping.

When our food came I proceeded to add a little butter, salt, pepper and then I crunched up my bacon to add. Without hesitation, my friend burst into laughter and explained that she had never seen anyone put salty toppings on their grits. "You mean you've actually seen grits?" I thought....out loud. "What do you put on them?" She then started listing sweet flavored toppings, such as sugar, with confidence in her knowledge of this exclusively southern dish. I was beside myself. WHAT? Are you kidding me? Not only could I not imagine eating grits as a sweet dish, I couldn't believe that this westerner was actually trying to tell me how grits are eaten. I began shaking my head and saying "no" repeatedly. I then began to carefully explain that grits is not a sweet dish and that this is just what happens when a Californian doesn't know how a southern dish is eaten. Grits is not a hot cereal like oatmeal or cream of wheat, it is corn....it's grits...it's completely different.

The Rescue

2009-05-10T11:51:00.000-05:00

Not too long back I wrote about Invisible Children and how excited we were to be a part of it. A couple of weeks ago they hosted an event called The Rescue. 100 cities world wide participated in the event. Now that we live in a big city, we got to actually go. We joined 4,000 people in Santa Monica for a silent 3 mile walk to City Hall, where we camped out until we were "rescued" by a celebrity and the media. The idea was to raise awareness by getting the media and celebrities involved. We couldn't leave City Hall until a celebrity showed up and spoke about the children involved in the LRA in Uganda. We came prepared to stay the night. Luckily for us, we live in one of the two cities most celebrities call home, so we were technically "rescued" upon arrival by Tom Arnold, Veronica Mars (what's her real name?), some guy from the O.C. (not Adam Brody), and a few others. It was a blast. We got to meet Michael Yo and watch him do an E! News interview with a few of the other celebrities there. We finished the night with a dance party at City Hall. The height of the event actually came almost a week later when the Chicago Rescue event was finally rescued by Oprah. The people there camped out for one week until Oprah finally agreed to sit down and talk with them. If you watched the show that Friday, you saw them on the show. Unbelievable.

Our Humble Abode III

2009-05-03T12:40:00.001-05:00

Our Humble Abode II

2009-05-03T12:35:00.000-05:00

Our Humble Abode

2009-04-30T17:20:00.000-05:00

So, we finally got our new place together enough to post some pictures. We were so excited when we found this little place in Glendora. We used to always take random drives around Glendora looking for "For Rent" signs. The problem was finding affordable rent. We agreed that we would only make a lateral move when it came to cost. As much as we loved the gumdrop tree-lined street of downtown Glendora, we weren't willing to go through the hassle of moving if our cost were going to go up....at all. The chances that we would find anything were highly unlikely, but we were hopeful. Glendora is one of the higher priced areas....and rightfully so. This small town is as cute and quaint as can be. We love it. The baristas and the local coffee shop know me by name and every Saturday morning Glendora Avenue is lined with retirees comparing their classic vehicles.....this is what I mean by small town. Anyway, we actually weren't even looking for this place when we found it. It isn't much bigger than our previous studio, but we actually get a bedroom in this place! See...in California you get excited about being able to live in a place with one bedroom. Things are cozy, but we don't mind it at all. Enjoy the pictures.

March Madness

2009-04-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

Most of you already know that we take a monthly field trip with the Huxfords. It feels odd, however, not prefacing the post with a reminder of that. Our March trip consisted of a day trip to The Getty Museum. There isn't much to say here. We took the tram up the mountain, where the Getty sits at the top, overlooking the valley. It is full of marble, glass walls, courtyards, fountains, and fantastic artwork. It was a beautiful day to go. We didn't realize, however, how big this place is and how many people were going to be there. We waited in a line to pull in, a line to park, a line for the elevator, a line for the tram....and the list goes on. At the end of the day, the experience and view was well worth the wait.

Family Time

2009-04-15T22:55:00.001-05:00

My family was finally able to make it out to the west coast a couple of weeks ago....well, most of the family. Erica, you will be coming out soon enough! Our week was packed with a ton of site seeing, but we still couldn't get to everything. We spent the last couple of days doing nothing because we were so exhausted....mainly from traffic. We hit Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. We were able to see a dancing scene being filmed for the show "Weeds" when we were visiting the Kodak Theater. I have never seen "Weeds", but it was awesome getting to see a live filming for a closed show. We spent a day shopping in Pasadena and made a quick stop to see the house that was the setting for "Father of the Bride." We took a drive up Pacific Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to Santa Monica. We went through the slums of Long Beach (I got off track as the navigator), tracked down Matt McConaughey's new house in Malibu, let Bailey swim at Huntington Beach and then made it to the Santa Monica pier for a beautiful night view. We chased down the sun just in time for sunset...we literally chased it down. It was a long day, but it was gorgeous. Patrick and I are already getting excited about planning our road trip up the coast for next year.

Here We Are

2009-04-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

I know you have been looking for us. I can't believe it has been almost a month since I have posted. Time flies when you are having fun. I am going to be posting a few separate posts over the next few days to try to catch you faithful readers up on what is going on. As mentioned in a previous post, we go on a "trip" every month with Lindsay and Harrison Huxford, our fellow Georgians who somehow ended up in Cali at the same time as we did. I posted our "January Jaunt" to Hollywood and Beverly Hills, but somehow neglected to post our "February Fieldtrip" and "March Madness." Don't judge. You know you like the alliteration.

Our "February Fieldtrip" consisted of a driving tour of Sunset Boulevard. Most of our pictures are in the car, but there was plenty to see. We started at Dodger Stadium and headed west. We saw the Griffith Observatory, "Sunset Strip", the 90210 area code, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and pricey Bel Air neighborhoods. We drove just a few miles from where one of the Manson murders took place, and searched Kenter Ave. for the "site O.J. Simpson may or may not have committed a murder." How do you like for a politically appropriate description?! We kept going west to the Pacific Palisades, where Schwarzeneggers live and finally ended on the Pacific Coast Highway overlooking the Pacific. It was great. There is simply too much to see.

Our "March Madness" trip consisted of day trip to The Getty Museum. There isn't much to say here. We took the tram up the mountain, where the Getty sits at the top, overlooking the valley. It is full of marble, glass walls, courtyards, fountains, and fantastic artwork. It was a beautiful day to go. We took a walk in the garden, which is a piece of art itself.

Invisible Children

2009-03-18T23:58:00.001-05:00

I have not historically been one that gets passionate about social justice issues. If I were being totally honest, I would have to tell you that I intentionally tried to stay as ignorant as possible about such matters. I have always found these issues easier to talk about than to apply to my own life. I can talk all day about the reasons why using child slaves to work the cocoa bean farms is wrong....but it is difficult to turn down a snickers bar or chocolate cake, even knowing that it isn't trade-free. Recently, however, I have found myself unable to escape the 'nagging' presence of the Holy Spirit that tells me I have to do something with said knowledge. So I prayed and waited, until The Invisible Children brought me to my knees. I am aware that there are numerous social justice issues that you can be involved in....but this is it for me. The Invisible Children have got me.

Tour of California

2009-03-08T20:39:00.000-05:00

Patrick has kept up with Lance Armstrong for as long as we have been together. We have a book or so on him and Patrick is pretty knowledgeable of Lance's background and crazy ability to dominate the Tour de France. Needless to say, we were both pretty excited when Patrick discovered that Lance Armstrong would be riding in the Tour of California just 20 minutes away in Pasadena. We were stoked. We called Harrison and Lindsay and planned the day around the race. We were sure to get there early, and were able to get an incredible spot on a beautiful residential street that was part of route. Actually, we were on the part of the route that was part of a 5 mile loop that they would go around 5 times. That meant we had 5 chances to spot Lance in the midst of the pelaton. We didn't realize how difficult that would actually be. The cyclists were going so stinkin fast my hair was blowing in the wind. I could have stuck out my arm and not only severely injured it, but totally foil the efforts of many riders. It was quite an experience. No lie, it was the last lap until I was able to get a glance at Lance (no pun intended). We were able to get quite a few pictures and you can actually see him in a couple. He is the one with the yellow on his helmet and the yellow Oakleys. Levi Leipheimer is the guy in the lead in the yellow shirt....obviously.

Jimmy Kimmel Live

2009-03-01T17:06:00.000-06:00

One of th great thingse many about the L.A. area is all of the free show tapings you can be a part of. We would love to go to more, but most of them tape during work hours. We have been able to enjoy watching "According to Jim", "Dancing with the Stars", and most recently, "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Patrick is the one officially in charge of getting us on waiting lists and keeping us with show schedules. He was quick to inform me that we needed to try our best to get to Jimmy Kimmel by mid afternoon. The guest list included Marisa Tomei, Dimitri Martin and Matthew McConaughey. Yes....Matthew McConaughey.

I definitely wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see Matthew McConaughey in person, so I got off work without hesitation. We tried hard to look our best, in hopes that we would get better seats than we did at "Dancing with the Stars". We arrived early enough to get a decent spot in line. We are definitely becoming veteran's at this audience member role. We know the deal....dress up because they put the pretty people up front and get there a few hours before they start letting you in. As we approached the inside of the studio we were both wondering if we would pass inspection and be awarded an enviable seat. As the "inspector" examined our outfits, smiles, and overall attractiveness we continued our conversation and acted like we didn't notice. But we couldn't continue the "be cool" act when he pointed to front row. We were like two kids in a candy store. We tried to keep our composure, but we were too excited to care. I literally couldn't cross my legs because the stage was in my way! I couldn't believe it. I observed Jimmy Kimmel's desk and the chair for the guest. I estimated that when Matt McConaughey made his way on stage, I would be sitting approximately 8 feet away from him!

Indeed it was a great night. We had great seats, great entertainment and even some great music. I did get to see good ol' Matt and no...it isn't all it's cracked up to be. Don't get me wrong, he is an attractive man, but his face looked sickly thin and his age was more obvious in person. Matt was actually there to promote the first signed artist to his record label. Mishkah brought some great music to the night, especially if you enjoy reggae at all. It made me start thinking about a vacation this summer.

My Friend Kate

2009-02-20T14:44:00.000-06:00

Kate (no longer known as Kathryn) and I go way back to high school and share a funny story of how we ended up being best friends. Neither of us really know how it all came together. We have, since the birth of our friendship, been long-distance. We joke about how our friendship may fall apart if we ever live in the same city.

Earlier this month, Kate made the trek across the U.S. from D.C. to L.A. to spend the weekend with us. Let me pause here to mention that it wasn't until this trip that I was informed via an interaction with a third party, that Kathryn no longer goes by Kathryn. Rather, she prefers Kate now. Do you know what kind of difficulty that produces for a friend that has always called you something else? It's a lot of pressure. Back to the story....For weeks I got her excited about the beach weather we were having and kept reminding her to bring her bathing suit. Go figure, it rained all weekend.....but that didn't stop us from having fun. After a brisk (I use this term loosely) morning walk, we stopped at my favorite coffee place in quaint downtown Glendora. After getting our coffee fix, we headed to Pasadena for a day of shopping. Kate was excited to fully experience Loehmann's for the first time. We returned in time for dinner, which my wonderful husband had already prepared for us. We then got busy on painting an accent wall in the living room. This wall caused so much stress, second-guessing, and money....but by Sunday morning, all the stress disappeared. Thank you Kate!

We spent the day driving to Vegas where Kate had a conference for the week. Rough life huh? The drive was long, but we spent the entire drive having some overdue conversation. There are friends in you life that will come and go, change with circumstances or location. Then there are friends that no matter the circumstances or geography involved, you can always pick up where you left off.....that is how Kate and I are.

January Jaunt

2009-02-15T16:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to waste time explaining all of the reasons why it has been so long since I have posted. Rather, I'm going to jump right into the explanation of the title of this post. I recently purchased a book entitled "1,000 Things to See Before You Die" (the U.S. version) and it is packed full of things to see in California. Lindsay and Harrison (our fellow Georgians) have joined with Patrick and I to do one thing from the book every month. Once we conquer the California list, we have plenty to do in the surrounding states. Along with that, Harrison is heading up one hiking trip every month. There are endless trails and beautiful scenes to see.

With that being said, our first escapade was a trip to Hollywood and Beverly Hills. We walked down Rodeo Drive and paid a trip to Harry Winston, LaCoste, Juicy Couture, Coach, Dolce and Gobana and the like. There were a mix of emotions as we took note of the price tags, but the most prevalent was disbelief. Disbelief that anyone, regardless of their income, would pay such an outrageous amount for the sake of status. The trip served as research for Patrick because he is in the middle of a series on money at the 808 service. Crazy, but that seemed to be the center of the conversation for a larger part of the day.

After taking a driving tour of the mansions in Beverly Hills and visiting the Kodak and Grauman's in Hollywood, we headed to Pink's Famous Hot Dog Stand. We didn't know much about Pink's other than it is one of those places you have to visit in Hollywood. At least that is what we heard. I must add here that Patrick and I rarely eat hot dogs. Once we become educated on the ingredients, we decided we might never eat another hot dog. We occasionally make exceptions, and Pink's was one of them. When we arrived, we were less than excited about the line wrapping around the building. After a little over an hour, we found ourselves at the window to order. We went all out: chili, cheese, grilled onions, curly fries, and sodas. And then came the first bite....crunch. "What's this? A plastic lining?! Yuck!" What a let down. Who puts a crunchy lining on their hot dogs? I couldn't even finish it. After waiting in line, in the beating sun, I couldn't even finish the crunchy lined hot dog. So....next time you are in Hollywood and someone tells you that you have to have a famous chili dog from Pink's, just remember that unless you like a crunchy hot dog, you may not find the wait worth it.

Big Bear

2009-01-25T15:24:00.000-06:00

We decided to leave the sunshine in the valley, to experience a little snow in the mountains this weekend. Seriously, we can lay out on the beach and then drive an hour to go snow boarding. Crazy. The original plan was to head up with 8 college leaders on Friday night, but the heavy fog and mudslides made for bad driving conditions. We settled for some BJ's spinach dip, avocado rolls, loaded potatoes and a triple chocolate pizookie. "What is a pizookie?" you ask. Well, let me inform you.

BJ's Triple Chocolate Pizookie: A rich chocolate cookie featuring chunks of Ghirardelli chocolate. Topped with two scoops of double chocolate ice cream with Ghirardelli chocolate chips and a Ghirardelli SQUARES dark chocolate.

Come Saturday morning we were on the road again. We packed down the 4Runner with 2 couples, 2 dogs, and luggage for 4. Needless to say, it was a little cozy. The winding roads forced me to middle seat, but I was able to make it through the mountains without getting too car sick. It was so great getting to have a short winter experience. We sure have enjoyed the warmth of Cali, but we miss having seasons. The retreat was busy, productive and a ton of fun. It involved hours of planning, discussing and vision casting for the college ministry at CCV. We ate great food, told funny stories and continued the long process of building community.

Update

2009-01-20T21:05:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Things have been busy, busy, busy. I have officially started my new job at APU and am still adjusting to the 9-6p work day. Although not much has been going on, there are a few changes that are worth mentioning.

1. We are moving! I know it sounds insane since we have been living here for just 5 months, but since we moved to California, we have both wanted to live in Glendora. We love the old town area and visit it all the time. I am a regular at the local coffee shop (they know me by name!) and Patrick and I would frequently drive around town looking for "For Rent" signs. Coincidentally (oh, what a funny word that is), we came across a great place within walking distance to downtown. Seriously, it was completely by accident. The place is adorable. It is comparable in size to where we are now, but it actually has a bedroom. It was built to be a mirror image of the front house, which makes it super cute. It is going to be nice to have a free-standing, tiny house. We are moving in a few weeks and I will be sure to post pictures as soon as we get settled.

2. The word is in: Patrick will be speaking regularly at the 808: College and Young Adults service at CCV. I am so proud! Along with my joy, I ask for your prayers. Speaking regularly to a group this large is a huge responsibility. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and protection from both pride and attacks (of the spiritual nature).

This Momentary Marriage

2009-01-10T18:36:00.000-06:00

As fast as you can, go to this website and order this book by John Piper. READ IT. Patrick and I just started reading and discussing this book together and it has forever changed the way I view our relationship. Piper writes specifically about marriage as a momentary gift and about the infinite greatness of it's meaning. I have always recognized the difference between the world's view of marriage, and my own, as a Christian. I have never, however, recognized the chasm between my own conception and the Biblical view. Buy it. Read it. Live it.

"....how much more will the magnificence of marriage in the mind of God seem unintelligible in a modern Western culture, where the main idol is self; and its main doctrine is autonomy; and its central act of worship is being entertained; and its three main shrines are the television, the Internet, and the cinema; and its most sacred genuflection is the uninhibited act of sexual intercourse."
This Momentary Marriage, p. 20

Celebration

2009-01-03T15:06:00.000-06:00

We have had much celebration the last few weeks. Christmas seems like a good place to start. This was our first Christmas away from family....and definitely our warmest Christmas yet. We started our own tradition this year, with cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning and a movie that night. Patrick and I joke about how our Christmases have gotten bigger every year. Our first year we each got each other one gift, our second Christmas was two gifts each, and this year was a higher limit altogether (although the limit is still rather small). Patrick got a stylish and reliable Swiss watch. I got an alloted amount of money to spend at the store(s) of my choice. I hit up Forever 21 and stocked up quite a bit of clothes. We received a Garmin GPS, a necessary accessory in L.A., from Patrick's parents and a generous amount of money from mine. One of my favorite presents, however, is this amazing popcorn maker we got from Williams-Sonoma.

We enjoyed Christmas lunch at The Vines' (Patrick's boss if you don't know) house. I contributed my first-ever homemade sweet potato casserole and some tasty mac-n-cheese (a new recipe I just found....delicious!). It was good practice for the day when we will host large family gatherings....I can't wait! I figure I can master 1-2 dishes a year until I have it all down. We finished the day with a trip to AMC to see Yes Man! Although Jim Carey is hilarious, we suggest saying NO to Yes Man. Call us sticklers, but there was some unnecessary crassness.

Although it wasn't a Christmas present necessarily, we also became a two-car family over the holidays. We have been making it with one car since we got married, but have finally had to break down and buy another car. We spent much time brain storming, checking Consumer Reports and analyzing our budget....and we went with the 2000 Toyota 4Runner. We plan on sticking with the Toyota and Honda families. It sure is a beauty! We love it and are confident that it will last the 7 years we need it to. We have included some pictures for your enjoyment.

New Year's came quickly. Leslie Fike (college roommate/friend from FL) flew in and we hit some tourist spots in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. We were sure to not only visit the Harry Winston store on Rodeo drive, but actually tried on a ring. Bling baby. Straight bling. We rushed into every store we could to see if we could "run into" a celebrity.....but no success.

New Year's Eve was crazy. We spent the night in Pasadena at the "Huxford Suite" (thanks Huxford family) and rang in the New Year on Colorado Blvd. with about 1000 other people. It was so weird counting down on the west coast via the rerun of the ball dropping on the east coast. I must say....not as cool. We rose early the next morning to witness the much acclaimed Tournament of Roses Parade. It was crazy insane....very elaborate. And would you believe that the Science Hill High School Band was there all the way from Johnson City, TN--home of our beloved alma matter?!

Seasonal Escapades

2008-12-25T01:23:00.001-06:00

We have been going full speed since we have returned from the east coast. It is so exciting living somewhere where there is always something to do. We can't find the time to do it all, but one thing we made sure we went to was The Grove in L.A. (there are a few, so I must specify). The Grove is basically a large outdoor shopping/dining area, but it is beautiful. It includes fountains, lights and concerts. During the Christmas season, fake snow falls every night right after a dance/music performance. We were fortunate enough to go on the night when pretty girls in cute santa dresses were doing high kicks and other dance moves around the Christmas trolly in the street. Just kidding...it was actually quite tasteful. It was a fun double date with Lindsay and Harrison. Patrick and I spent time sipping our new-found soy vanilla creme with an earl grey tea bag, while exploring toys in the apple store with the Huxfords.

Patrick and I also spent a little date time in Altaloma this week. We had heard all about this neighborhood where everyone goes crazy with decorations. Well.....they were right. So many people come to see it that they have to close streets down and send police to direct traffic. The home-owners actually sell hot chocolate, popcorn, caramel apples, and other snacks from their driveways. We even saw a quartet singing Christmas carols on a stage built in their front yard! It was like nothing I have ever seen. So, in spite of the warmer weather, the near impossibility of snow, and the absence of our family, Christmas continues here in Los Angeles.

J-O-B

2008-12-25T01:14:00.001-06:00

FYI: Thank you for all of your prayers and thoughts. After six interviews, I got the job! As of January 6th, I will be working as a Student Accounts Counselor in the Graduate Center at Azusa Pacific University. Now, I have not forgotten or given up on education. I will begin applying for both doctoral programs and jobs as an adjunct professor at surrounding colleges. The plan is to be able to work on these things while I have a full-time job during the day that allows us to have a steady income. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

www.apu.edu

Our First Trip Home

2008-12-20T19:52:00.000-06:00

Well, we finally returned to Cali after an almost two week trip to the southeast. Between Jeremy's funeral and my graduation, the trip was full of a mix of emotions....but it was a great trip overall. Patrick and I took the red-eye to Knoxville. I hate the red-eye flights. In order to make sure I slept on the flight, I took a Dramamine, which throws me into a serious realm of unconsciousness. The conflict came when I could not find one possible comfortable position that would allow me to sleep with my eyes clothes. Patrick, on the other hand decided to skip a night's sleep to watch a movie and physically restrain his outbursts of laughter. Oh, the irony.

As soon as we got off the plane, we realized how acclimated we have become to the warmth of California. Apparently Phil Fulmer was tired of the weather too, because we met him in the airport on his way out of Knoxville. Patrick was sure to thank him for his many years of service to the University of Tennessee. We had a great time visiting with family and of course Justin and Katie (we miss you guys!), and even got to enjoy a little snow!

From Knoxville we hit the road for Savannah....home sweet home. Patrick and I both had our lists of places to eat, with Spanky's and Vinnie's at the top. We spent just under a week in the Low Country and didn't slow down at all. We were quickly reminded of how large (and awesome!) our support system is. We tried our best to spend time with everyone, but wish we had had more time. We were able to meet baby Penny Bolen for the first time and got to visit the students at Element on Sunday. It was so great seeing everyone again! We also had a great time visiting with family. My amazing cousins, Lori and Jason, hosted a family gathering that allowed us to spend time with everyone at once. It was great! Thank you guys! It was so great seeing everyone and spending good girl time with mom and sisters. I think we went on a Cutter's run every day we were there! The whole trip was busy, but refreshing and greatly needed.

Amid the visits in Savannah and Knoxville, and in spite of our love for both of those places and the people there, Patrick and I became more and more grateful for the community that we are building here in California. The transition has undoubtedly been difficult (especially for me), but both of us felt renewed and ready to return with eagerness to invest in the lives and community here.

Ode to Jeremy Frye

2008-12-06T19:32:00.000-06:00

Written by Patrick Mitchell

Jeremy was one of my best friends, only one of a couple I ever spoke to from back home in Knoxville. He was a godly man who recognized the temporary nature of this life. I could easily look to God on this one and say, "You messed this one up." But I cannot ignore the Sovereignty of God and His ultimate control and purpose. Romans 8.28 says that God works all things to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Both in his life and now in his passing, Jeremy is working out the will of God, a will that is larger than my eyes are able to see--a paradox. Jeremy loved nature and perhaps it is fitting that his last pleasant experience was on a mountain. Regardless, he is in the presence of a holy God and will spend eternity there. We will see him again and the reunion will be sweet. If you read this, pray for the Frye family. They are a tight knit group and are hurting deeply. Amen.

'Tis the Season

2008-11-29T11:35:00.000-06:00

The Christmas season is officially here. Patrick and I both act like giddy kids every time this year. We were strong enough to keep from listening to Christmas music until this last week, but who can stay away from Josh Groban's Christmas cd once they hear it? Yesterday we pulled out the Christmas decor. We put up our tree and reminisced of our first Christmas together in snowy Tennessee. We hung our stockings, lit Christmas scented candles and watched one of my favorites.....National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I have a old-man crush on Chevy Chase. We could watch Christmas movies all day long! We already have our DVR set to record the TBS Christmas movie marathon.

The season continued this morning when my wonderful husband let me sleep in and then took me to get Starbucks and cinnamon rolls. We are having a breakfast tailgate in "The Room" while we watch our bulldogs play the techies. About the starbucks trip---I am not a big starbucks fan....at all. I have recently, however, discovered a sweet mixture that has been haunting me since I was introduced to it on Thanksgiving. I ordered a simple Earl Grey tea when the barista asked if I had ever tried it with soy and vanilla. Although I was hesitant, I agreed....and WOW....I am so glad I did. It rocked my world. If you are a tea drinker (and you should be....it is a much healthier alternative to coffee....not to mention soy is much better for you than milk....and vanilla is better for you than sugar and any chemically induced substitute), you need to try this. Just order a soy vanilla creme with an earl grey tea bag.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T14:36:00.000-06:00

"Giving thanks always and for everything, to God the Father, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:20

This was our first Thanksgiving away from either of our families. It was also our warmest Thanksgiving yet. We are still learning to make adjustments. When we woke up, we assumed the parade would be on since we knew it was airing on the east coast....but apparently we get that on a delay. We had a great morning...one full of many reminders that we are certainly blessed. We spent the morning serving with CCV in the town of Pomona, a suburb full of crime and poverty. We delivered a couple of Thanksgiving meals to families in the mobile home park we served in. We quickly realized we were going to need a translator in order to pray with them. CCV did an incredible job setting this event up . The event was set up so that families could come in and eat a Thanksgiving meal, get clothes for their family and then grab a bag of canned goods on the way out. Although we missed being with family and friends this holiday, the next best thing is serving with friends and loving others.

The afternoon was spent with Harrison and Lindsay, doing the typical football/parade watching. We anticipated our Thanksgiving meal all day, and finally gathered with another couple (Jim and Erin) at 6:00pm. The food was great! Seriously, I was impressed with how good of a job us girls did with everything. The menu consisted of Turkey (of course!--Lindsay's first and she did a great job!), Erin's fresh green bean casserole and sweet potato soufflé, and I contributed my first home-made macaroni and cheese, Sister Schubert rolls;we also added pumpkin cake, Lindsay's home-made pumpkin roll, and a ton of cider. There was a ton of food. We all ate too much and we all felt miserable after dinner....just like every Thanksgiving.

Patrick and I each took time to say 5 things we are thankful for in general and 3 things we are thankful for about the other. This Thanksgiving we are both thankful for:

1. Community-The new community we are forming here and the irreplaceable community we have back in Savannah (and Washington D.C., Florida, and Tennessee).

2. Health

3. Employment-It is in this time of unemployment (for me) that we have both become incredibly thankful for the times when we have both had a job. It is so easy for us to complain about the fact that we have never had a time in our marriage when both of us were making a full-time salary, but now we know to be grateful when both of us are making any consistent income.

4. Our Marriage and the continuous opportunities we have to love, forgive, serve and be Christ to one another.

5. Our reliable Honda Accord and our awesome chocolate lab-....so that is two in one, but Patrick and I couldn't agree. We have spent most all our marriage with one car and I can't imagine how inconvenient (and expensive) it would be if we had to put the car in the shop. We love Honda. Lastly, Bailey is awesome. He is always there to offer us love and cuddling when we need it most.

What We've Been Doing

2008-11-19T16:01:00.000-06:00

Things have been busy in L.A. Last Friday night, Harrison and Lindsay joined Patrick and I for the annual Winter Festival in Glendora. It was cute. Glendora's Old Town is one of my favorites. The street was lined with lit trees, local store owners serving wine and cheese, and they even had horse-drawn carriages strolling down the street. What was great was that the temperature was bearable. We even had to take our jackets off. Perfect!

Patrick and I also got to go to Dancing with the Stars on Monday night! It was awesome. We got to get dressed up and enjoy a fun, free date. We crossed Santa Monica Blvd and Melrose to finally arrive at CBS studio. We have been on the waiting list since we got here back in August. We got an email last week telling us that it was our turn, and that we needed to be in Hollywood no later than 2:30pm. Well, we got to the line at exactly 2:30pm. I am going to guess that we were in the last 15 people in line. Although it is tempting, I am not going to talk about the group of six girls that walked up and jumped in front of the entire line. Nor am I going to talk about the possibility that the fact that they all poured themselves into their mini spandex dresses that were four sizes too small had anything to do with their early admittance into the studio. We waited in line for hours. I was smart enough to bring flip flops. By 5pm we were headed into the studio....and up to the balcony with our fellow peasants. Our whole group in the back of the line joked about being the peasants of the group because they made us wait outside until all of VIPs got there to determine how many extra seats would be available. The show was great! Not only did we get to see the final three perform their freestyle dances, we got to see quite a few celebrities. I have included their pictures. Fun.

facebook

2008-11-11T13:58:00.001-06:00

So I officially joined facebook yesterday. Wow. All of a sudden I have "friends". I have, until yesterday, avoided the facebook and MySpace worlds for a few reasons:

1. Let's be honest, I don't really have a gajillion "friends"....my actual friends read this blog, email, and call.

2. I'm too busy to update my own status, let alone look at everyone else's. Why do you care that "Lindsey is drinking a frappe" anyway?

3. Quite frankly, I like to avoid awkward moments of ignoring a friend request. All of sudden I'm forced to either "befriend" someone I don't want to "befriend" or forever deal with the awkwardness that results from my rejection. I mean, what is this about? Just moments ago, we were both okay with the fact that we weren't friends. Now, I'm forced to make a choice. What if we have nothing in common? What, really, is the point in our facade of a friendship? Even worse, what if I just really don't want to be your friend. What if you are an ex-boyfriend, and I sincerely don't want to know what you are up to these days. The problem is that if I reject the potential friendship request, it appears that I have not let the past go or that I may still be struggling with emotions of this relationship. Which, I must add, is a false assumption. How is one to handle these potential issues?

Regardless of my reasons why, I joined the facebook community yesterday. I don't know why. Maybe it is because I heard that my college professors had a facebook account and I felt behind the times. I can immediately feel the competition of numbers. Numbers of groups you are a part of, number of invites you get, and most importantly, the number of friends you have. This thing will suck you in. We will see how it goes. But I will not, however, jump on the MySpace wagon.

Getting Settled

2008-11-05T14:21:00.000-06:00

Things are staying busy out west. It seems we have something going on all the time. I am busy teaching during the day and job hunting every other waking moment. Thank God that my substitute job was extended to November 21st. I am busy applying to substitute in public schools and adjunct at nearby community colleges. Please be praying earnestly for the job situation.

Patrick is staying busy with work and school. He is speaking for the first time at 808 this Sunday night in the "Letters to the President" series Jeff started last week. After Sunday, the focus will be on the next Refuge, the Broom Ball event next week and campus outreach events at APU. On top of all of that, Hebrew is keeping him busy as well. He will be taking two classes next quarter so things will only get busier.

PLUS.....we are in L.A. and there is a ton to see.....so we are always on the go. In the midst of this busy season, we have still managed to take some updated pictures of our place a little more decorated than you saw it last. These pictures should give you a better idea of the layout....and how cozy things really are. Enjoy.

Finally a Sorority Girl

2008-10-30T14:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, so Kappa Delta Pi allows guys too, but it at least sounds like a sorority. On Monday afternoon, I had the privilege of being inducted into Kappa Delta Pi -- International Honor Society in Education. Awesome! I received a letter in the mail a few weeks ago, informing me that one of my professors from my master's program had nominated me for induction. It was so encouraging, especially since I have been having such a difficult time finding a teaching job out here. Yeah for encouragement! Yeah for Kappa Delta Pi! In all seriousness, this is truly an honor. Not only does Kappa Delta Pi serve as a resource to further educate and prepare educators (past and present), each chapter plays a large part in it's community. So to Teach. So to Serve. So to Live.