Recent Happenings

I have been a bad blogger. To make up for this I decided the quickest and most easy way to catch you up on the last few weeks would be through a post filled with photos. Somewhat of my (belated) Christmas gift to you, and building another ebeneezer in my life.

2010 planner (left) 2011 planner (right) I love the idea of an empty planner just waiting to be filled with wonderful activities

Compliments of a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card

Godiva Double Chocolate Cheesecake and peppermint mocha... great combo!

Went to my first WSU basketball game...7 months after graduating!

Our living room a few days before Christmas

She became a tree dweller during our trip to cut down our tree :)

I like this picture alot, one little tree surrounded by the taller trees

Free Christmas Cards (well the second batch!) Thank you Shutterfly.com

No comment...this is my brother.

They have really good hot chocolate!

Playing with the Android tablet! It is awesome!

Mailing the first batch of Christmas cards, so fun.

Crafty time with the little girls I babysit, Rudolph anyone?

I love this handsome man!

A fun picture after we had a GREAT date at Bradley Fair and horse drawn carriage ride

Our attempt to put a graduation gift card in jello (The Office reference for our friend Meredith who loves that show like we do!)

Oops, this is out of order, but this is our yummy little chocolate from Cocoa Dolce's during our Bradley Fair date

Our delicious peanut butter chocolate gelato at the above mentioned place :)

Well, thank you for viewing some of my mobile pictures! I am so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life to encourage me when I am down, to share in my joy and in my struggles. I also love that Doug and I are able to have so many rich dates for so cheap, he blesses me beyond I could have imagined.

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas's with loved ones and enjoy bringing in the new year! I encourage you to take some time reflecting on 2010 and giving thanks for all the good and hard times, I am always surprised at how good my life is when I stop looking for negative things! I don't do new year resolution lists but I do like to think of ways I can take lessons learned from 2010 and apply them to 2011. Hopefully I will be posting my list soon, and you can join me and leave some comments or post your own on your blog!

Who has a job? It's me!!

Human Resources and I finally connected this afternoon...and....I....have...a...job!!! I am so very very very excited (and nervous!) to have a job, a full time Registered nurse! I won't start until January 4th, which is a little later than I was hoping for BUT...I have a job!!!

Today is definitely an up day. Caught up with my dear friend Dana (check out her blog here, but with caution, it will cause copious amounts of drool to pour out!), got a job, leaving soon to get eggnog with the fiance...ah, glorious up day :)

Pray for me dear friends, for as all up days would have it, I will be down soon enough. I tend to get very anxious about nursing things. But God has never failed me and he won't ever.

Roller-coaster

I have spent the last hour and a half sitting on the couch listening to 2 different PBS Great Performance, Celtic Woman and Andrea Bocelli. Yes, I love PBS programs and I love Christmas music.

Music to my ears.

Could this evening get better? I (re)discovered John Piper's online, completely free, library. So I have been reading bits and pieces of three books I downloaded since I couldn't decide on which one to start with first.

Words that fill my soul.

When looking for books on marriage, that is one of my criteria, how long has the author been married, well Mr. Piper made the list! Here are two of the many poems John wrote to his wife, Noel, sometime over the last 42+ years of their marriage.

Nature and your face

Since mountains are the weight

and seas the depths

and sky the breadth

of what I feel for you,

may I be never long

apart from Nature or your face.

   //

Pity Millionaires

Sun falls and God sets out his flares.

Come now, and sit with me, my wife,

 And let us pity millionaires,

And savor every breath of life

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

I have had a bad case of the "ups and downs" lately. I am so filled with life and my outlook of the future is wonderful, beyond my imagination, and then not even but minutes later I can be down in the depths of my own pity party. God has been whispering to me but I have been so busy shouting at him my sorrows, pains, fears, desires, hopes, and longings that I haven't heard him.

The Way to Joy

"The way of a man lies not within himself" 

And what then can he do but plan his way 

And watch the Lord with all his knowing love-- 

for me...and you,

And for the priceless sons that he foreknew. 

So let us be at peace within our lot, 

God knows the way to joy when we do not 

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

I have been finding myself unsatisfied with life at a time when my life has been most satisfying. Strange. I know. Wanting to switch churches, start over with a new set of friends, meet more frequently with good friends, have this unending desire to study study study so I don't freak out when I start working as a RN in the next few days (yes I got a job!), to be the best for Doug and those around me, to "move on" in this tiring and dizzying grief process. 

See? I am up and then I am down. 

I have the most wonderful fiance a girl could want, I got a job offer that will start soon, and I am generally at peace. Yet I am fearful, still a little girl crying for a father she never will have in human form, facing the ugly and imperfect me in the mirror, I doubt my abilities at the one thing I just poured four years of my life into and I just can't find whatever I need to get myself off this roller-coaster of emotions.

Sigh. 

I think that is exactly what life is. A roller-coaster. And there is no getting off. God is so good to give us those exhilarating highs, the slower parts, the low parts, the twisty turny parts, the upside down parts... I worked on a roller-coaster for the entire summer of 2006 so I could go on and on with my illustrations...but I will spare you. I guess what I am blabbing on about incoherently is that the very thing I am struggling with lately...is life! Ha! Life, with all its difficulties and all its beauty. This life with all its troubles and all its joy. 

I pause to thank my God for the life he has gifted to me. Not only my own life but the life of his son. His son, whom this very Sunday morning I had my super church kids read about his birth, who came to earth to give up his life so that I might have the life I am posting a complaint about. I find it wonderful that God takes over my fingers sometimes and writes out exactly what I need. Indeed, I needed to be reminded of life. Just not my life but his son's. God you are so good to me. I love you.

For your viewing pleasure: 20 year old me in the ever fashionable 1800's bathing suit (required attire for employment on Thunderation roller-coaster where I was the ride operator and joke teller for the summer of 2006)

 

Bullet Point Thoughts, and Celine Dion

So I am lacking inspiration on what to blog about, couple that with the fact that maybe 3 people might read this, and it is not a great looking recipe for blogging success. I skipped Monday's usual blog post, I will get to that later, but its kinda late tonight and I thought I would just get a post up to remind myself that I have this thing. Here are my thoughts spilled out in bullet point form.

• its cold outside and my mom has a fire going, love nights like this (wish Doug were here!)
• i have several big wedding things accomplished
• dress. check
• photographer. check
• ceremony location. check
• color scheme. check 
• cake picked out. check
• flower girls. check
• wedding party people. check
• graphic designer sister. check
• reception location. almost check
• ice cream and cake only reception. check
• bought a nice sized area rug today for $2 using Kohl's cash we got for buying a set of pots and pans for a great deal
• anticipation about job interview on Saturday. check.
• this may be the most beautiful Christmas song ever written. Just listen to the powerful lyrics.

p.s. I love Celine's voice. love.

Grateful Heart

Content.
     Thankful.
          Peaceful.

For the moment that is. But I soak up these moments. Can't think of anything better during a cold fall night than to be snuggling next to my love listening to Micheal Buble's Christmas CD while blogging about the many ways God has shown his love to me over the past week.

22. he made mint hot chocolate for me
23. warm november days
24. christmas music reminding me of what God has done
25. how hard he studies for school
26. He is not done with the good works he has began in me
27. my cute little notebook where I memorize Philippians
28. early breakfasts with friends
29. serving groups of students willing to give up there Christmas or spring break holidays to share Christ
30. learning to be patient in this job hunt and trust Him fully
31. hearing his heartbeat as we snuggle
32. giggles with mom and sister over lunch and shopping

That is all for today's very late post. May you all have a wonderfully rich and full Thanksgiving!

Wet Wednesday

I have two un-edited, un-finished posts that I could have posted for today. They were heartfelt but selfish posts about me and what has been bothering me lately. I decided that I don't need to publish those today. Today I want to give thanks to God who has richly blessed me. I am the rich girl who gets it all.

I am warm and dry when it is cold and wet outside.
I am loved and taken care of when so many are abandoned.
I have a job and lack nothing when many are unemployed.
I know I am a child of God when countless are lost.

I am the rich one in this world. And I am convicted by these words in 1 Timothy 6:17-18

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas rapidly approach, I know how easy it is to forget that we are the rich ones when our money is flying through our hands. I am praying for a giving spirit that will stay with me long past the holidays. God has to gently remind me so often that it, whatever "it" may be, is not mine to begin with. He has richly blessed me with everything I need and will continue to do so that I may in turn be a blessing to others.

Please watch this video of one of my favorite songs

CHANGED from blaine hogan on Vimeo.

Monday is here!

Oh friends, I just don't know what to write about most days so nothing gets written. Here we have another Monday where I DO know what to post about, more gifts!



7. the way my ring sets so delicate on my finger
8. how that reminds me I am cherished
9. the noise google chat or skype makes letting me know someone is waiting to chat
10. great chats with good friends
11. whip cream on my nose after sipping a peppermint mocha with my love

12. staring at him in a crowded room not noticing anyone else
13. little arms giving big hugs
14. they way all the little one's eyes lit up when they see their momma there to pick them up
15. celebrating his birthday

getting breakfast with his grandparents in yoder, ks

grabbing dinner the night before his actual b-day

a movie date the night before, whole theater to ourselves!

I finally "punched" him in the nose ;)

16. wedding bliss for two friends
17. the way she glowed
18. the way he looked at her
19. knowing my day is coming soon!
20. starting my own moleskine memory book
21. the first 6 verses of Philippians filling my soul

I am going to be working my way through memorizing all four chapters of Philippians. Taking it a few verses at a time :) Starting with 1:1-6

 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this; that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

great pocket size moleskine notebook

sorry its sideways I can't figure that out... I write the verses then my reflection

front cover :)

1000 Gifts

I am very excited to have found a wonderfully rich blog, A Holy Experience, thanks to my friend Sarah, who is getting ready to move overseas with her hubby and 9 month old!  I have been praying about what my blog should look like, recently it has just been random posts about daily activities, which that will still happen, but I like what my friend Dana is doing over at her blog. She has something daily to blog about under specific topics. I like that and as I continue reading different people's blogs, I will get a feel for what my heart wants to spill out into these internet journal pages. Thanks to the recent treasure of A Holy Experience's posts on being thankful, I will begin my very own list of 1000 gifts.

Why do I want to record 1000 gifts? I can think of no better way to gain the right perspective of life, than to daily give thanks to the creator of all life. I can't put it any better than Ann, the author of my new favorite blog, so beautifully said,

"When I started to see all the things that I love bestowed upon me, I started to see Him as near, present, everywhere, showering me with good things. Seeing the things I love all around me gives me eyes to see that I am loved, that He loves me. It is happening to me as John Milton wrote: “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”

What do I hope to gain? My prayer is that as I consciously make effort to open my eyes, my ears and my heart to all the gifts around me I will begin noticing all the gifts I already have and it will leave me never wanting. I hope that every Monday as I reflect on the past week and prepare a posting, I will revel in the grace and goodness the Father has given to me each and every moment of my life.

Why do I want to share this? Oh I can't explain how excited I am about sharing this with all (or few) of you who read this blog, that you may begin your own list of 1000 gifts as God carries you throughout your days. If you decided to join us, would you leave a comment and maybe a few of the things you have been gifted with recently? Private journals or public blogs, please everyone join me!

1000 Gifts

1. tears in my eyes as I think back to how God has saved me
2. the song, How He Loves

3. the way he looks at me and hugs me like he hasn't seen me in days
4. warm November days
5. giggles that turn into silent, belly-holding, nasals flared laughter with your best friend who happens to be your sister
6. how He has turned tragic events into beautiful things and continues to rescue my family 2 years later

I hope that as you go about your day that you will see the gifts of grace God has placed all around your life. Begin a life of gratitude and it will change your life, truly truly.

OctoberFestivities!

10.29.10
Final Friday
     My lovely sister, Jackie, (check out her amazing blog here) is an intern for Tangent Labs, one of many studios that participate in Final Fridays. So Friday she asked me if we would come hang out with her for a few hours with her. Doug and I were just eating mac-n-cheese with no great plans for the rest of the night, so we said yes! We enjoyed the different displays and the mostly eaten but still yummy goodies.

 Contemplating art. It's what we do.

Three warm art connoisseurs. 

10.30.10

Murder Among the Mateys

    Jackie had a birthday at the beginning of October, which I had planned for this amazing party to take place then. It had to be postponed until the 30th for various reasons. BUT, nevertheless the party did in deed commence. What better way to celebrate my dear sisters birthday than to host a pirate murder mystery? 

     A great website "night of mystery" gave me all the materials I would need to host such a party. I bought the package back in July and have began planning it and putting it together in September. So much fun to read through and figure out which characters would fit our guests! With pirate love triangles, a lost treasure to be found, bottles of root beer, eye patches and bad accents all around, we had a spectacular night of surprising plot twists. 

I made this video (my first time ever!) to show the pictures instead of having you scroll forever.

The pirate party was so much fun to plan and to see everyone getting into character. Happy Birthday Jackie!

10.31.10

3 mile walk is sensible.

     Phew friends, almost done with the weekend, hang in there we're almost done. Sunday after church Doug and I go back to our beloved nature center for a walk. He takes me the "back way" in and then we have hours of fun finding short cuts and walking the bike path all the way to Woodlawn and down 29th back into the nature center! All in all we walked close to 3 miles and enjoyed every step, it was gorgeous out. Later that day after leaving Doug to take is pre-work nap, I headed over to my friend Jennie's house for a night of Jane Austen. We had a fabulous time eating brownies,cheese, crackers, apples and not a piece of candy in sight, as we watched my new favorite Austen film, Sense and Sensibility. Such a fun halloween night!

     What a fun filled weekend to close out the great month of October. What has been some of you favorite times in October? Past or present!

Bridezilla!

     Despite my title I am not a bridezilla nor am I turning into one! But I now realize why so many wonderful, normal girls can turn into such a beast once they are engaged (or for some even before!). The cake must be this flavor and this many tiers and feed the entire city because the more people you have at your wedding the more you gifts you get, I mean the more you are loved. There are a million and one ways to get caught up into wedding myths!

     But I would like to challenge them, who says I have to spend thousands of dollars on a party that only lasts a few hours? Who says I have to have a cinderella-esq dress or that my prince charming must lose his arm and leg to buy me a big rock to wear on my finger? According to a 2005 CNNMoney article the average wedding costs is close to $27,000!!!! Yikes! This is pure craziness.
     I should stop here and point out that I am not at all against weddings and their traditions, but I do question why we have some of these traditions. Why do we spend so much money? Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful wonderful thing to celebrate; the marriage of two people who love each other enough to commit to saying I do a million plus times over the course of the rest of their lives. It is going to be my joy to celebrate with my family and friends the union of Doug and I, but we are not going to go into debt doing it.
    I suppose I am ranting about this all because it is so easy to get caught up in thinking I have to have certain things for my wedding to be any good. I looked at pictures and saw the beautifully decorated tables, centerpieces, guest books that are more than just a book, gifts for the guests, lights, three course meals...on and on and on! It overwhelmed me. But I stopped, paused and took a deep breath. Those things are just things. I needed to decide what was most important to me about a wedding. I discovered that nicely decorated tables were near the bottom of my list. As I am recovering from all the images of white dresses, cake, flower arrangements and cute flower girls I am finding out what Doug and I want our wedding to look like, and how much we are able to spend on it to make it a wonderful day for all in attendance.
     So my prayer is that we (mostly me) would not get caught up in what everyone else in America is doing, and focus on what is going to bring God the most glory out of our wedding day. And I don't think what the cake looks like is at the top of His list either! If you have any advice, ideas, tips, hints, stories, anything you think of, PLEASE share it with me! ...and thanks for letting me rant a little. I just needed to get that all out.


"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." -Colossians 3:1-2

Breakfast Time!

Yesterday morning before our days began, Doug and I went to breakfast at Jimmy's Egg. Neither one of us had been there before, but we had bought a Groupon (a sweet deal we paid $5 and got $10 worth of food). When we walked in and seated ourselves our waitress was right there to offer us the amazing array of breakfast items for our choosing. After receiving our water and delicious in house roasted and brewed coffee we both made our final decisions...

Doug choose the classic, but always delicious Belgian Waffle.

I was super excited to try their Banana Pecan Pancakes! And they did not disappoint.

 Two very full and satisfied Jimmy's Egg customers.

After our wonderful morning meal, Doug went to class and I went to work with the kiddos. I work for a church's mom's day out program called Kids Day In Christ. I have loved every minute of working there! I hope that even after I find a "real" job that I can continue working here because it's not work, its my play time!

On a side note: I am currently ringless for a week or two while my engagement ring is being resized (just big enough that it worries me enough about losing it). So we headed to the jewelry store which happens to be at the mall right next to Auntie Anne's Pretzels. I happened to have a buy one get one coupon and we happened to both buy the cinnamon and sugar pretzels. We may have happened to devour them both. But just look at it! 

Sigh. Such sugary mouth watering goodness.

a perfect ten (short version)

I realize that the previous proposal story is lengthy. Here is the short and sweet version.
                                         

10.10.10
Wichita. Doug ran a race. 

Hutchinson. 

Surprise breakfast for his mom's birthday with the whole family. 

Rain. Ruined proposal attempt #1. 

Wichita. Rain. 

Successful proposal attempt #2. 

Happiness. Ice Cream. Rainbows.

A Perfect Ten Part Deux

If you can handle any more excitement...
10.18.10 I took my nursing board exam.
10.20.10 A short 10 days after getting engaged, I PASSED NLCEX!!

What a relief. See I graduated from nursing school in May, took the boards end of June. Failed. God picked me up and I studied some more, did more questions, watched more videos, gave me an incredible gift of taking the Kaplan course (basically this is what I needed in the first place, it shows you what the test is looking for). Now I am in the process of finding a job. Applied to all the local hospitals, next step is kindly pursuing the HR people :)
To celebrate Doug and I went out for ice cream (I had a coupon that needed to be used soon!).

I choose a delicious pumpkin with graham crackers mixed in. Doug dislikes pumpkin, so to "show me" he got coffee with toffee bits mixed in (I love coffee but not ice cream coffee). So loving ;)

A Perfect Ten

So much happened in 10 days.

10.10.10
     Early morning I rolled out of bed and trekked to down town Wichita to cheer on Doug as he raced in the Prairie Fire 5K.
     After showering we went to Hutchinson, KS to meet up with Doug's siblings for a surprise early birthday celebration for his mom. What a special gift to give, the whole family came from all around Kansas! Off to the Dillon Nature Center for a family photo. Thankfully the rain held off so we could get this shot.

Introducing my soon to be family!

 

     Doug was exhausted by this point. He had worked from 10pm-6am, ran a race at 7am, breakfast celebration in Hutchinson (which is an hour away), family photos... so he wants to get going. I agree, its getting colder and rain is in the very near future. Once in the car he reminds me that he was going to show me around Kansas Bible Camp where he attended and worked at during the summers growing up. So after a quick stop at Hastings (like a small town Barnes&Noble) for some hot cocoa we drove over to the camp.
     As we drive up we see all these cars parked, but being adventurous we head out in the rain. Well my adventurous side had to be persuaded! Sometime in the last 2 years while Doug has been in Africa, the camp built this really neat...how do I describe it? Like a tri level gazebo tree house minus the tree. Anyways we head to the top level to get out of the rain and snuggle up with our hot chocolate. Doug was about thirty seconds away from pulling out the box and starting the proposal (I find this out later of course) when we hear footsteps bounding up the stairs! Invasion of the retreaters, all those cars actually had people in them roaming around the camp!
     Mood is ruined he says, so we return to Wichita where we watch a few episodes of Psych, our favorite TV show as of late. He surprises me by not going and taking a nap afterward, remember he worked all night and had to go to work again later, but he asks me to go for walk at our nature center. I don't really want to, its still rainy and cold outside. But he insists and I wasn't really that against it, so I borrow his over sized, red Chiefs jacket because it has a hood.
     We head over to our beloved Nature Center, where it was only drizzly and the clouds were thinning out casting a really neat light effect over the changing foliage (yes, foliage, it's a fun word.). I was in a silly mood, Doug was on the quiet side today as we strolled along taking short pointless videos and pictures. We come to a bridge that has some built in benches where I frequently would do my quite times when I lived in Wichita, or whenever I had to stay in town. So Doug says he wants to take one more video, sets the camera on the ledge and we sit down on the bench. I suspected nothing.
    He tells me a beautiful story about this beautiful green box from Kenya he bought about 8 years ago when he was there.Starting to wonder where this was going. After the story, which made me cry, he tells me that this box is for me but it comes with a question. By this point I was definitely understanding what was happening! Doug gets on one knee, opens the box and inside wrapped in tissue paper is the most beautiful ring. Of course you know the question he asked and by now you know my answer! I nodded and said of course, he slipped that beautiful ring on my finger and I gave him a smooch ;)
    Walking back to our cars I noticed a little green Volkswagen, my sister was there to take pictures! Such a wonderful surprise. All three of us trek over to Coldstone Creamery for some delicious ice cream where I gushed all the details to my sister. Doug also made this amazing video of pictures, short video clips, verses and songs that we watched. Sigh, he sure knows how to make me feel loved.

     After all the amazing events of the day we return to the nature center to pick up Doug's car, we drove together for ice cream, and there in the sky was a brilliant double rainbow. I like to think it was placed there just for us, God's way of letting us know he is with us always.
     Thank you for making it through my little engagement story, I am hoping to keep everyone updated on how the wedding plans are going and other random thoughts that pop into my head. So keep stopping by!

Shine

Wow internet blogger friends, a lot has happened this past week, a lot. But I don't have the time/energy to write about it but I thought I would share this fantastic video from David Crowder* Band's album Church Music.

How to smell like a monster.

Today's post will be a light and fluffy one.

Watch this Old Spice commercial


Now watch this Sesame Street version


I hope this makes you smile.

Beginning

To be a blogger, one must actually blog? Okay here we go.

I have a feeling these first many will be boring and pointless, so you are more than welcome to skip them and come back when I actually have something worthwhile to say, assuming that ever happens!

Today started out with a major sneezing attack as my body continually fights off allergens. I now sit here, a tissue box within arms reach, and a growing pile of used tissues. Don't worry I am not going to give you a play by play of my daily events, so you can move your little arrow away from the close button! I just wanted to post a picture from my phone and see if it actually worked! And it did, yay!

I thought I would share something that we talked about in the latest group I am visiting as we study about love, and why its the mark of a Christian.Our exercise was really interesting and I encourage you to take some time to do this too: Read the following passages and create a definition of love based on what these verses reveal to us and then leave a comment please :)

• John 13: 34-35
• 1 John 4: 7-8
• 1 Corinthians 13:13
• Romans 13:8a
• Matthew 22: 37-40

Then think about how you and the church (as a whole) are doing with this. This is not an exercise in feeling bad for ourselves, my leader listed off tons of encouraging things the christian community does in the name of love, hospitals built, orphanages begun, shelters, soup kitchens, etc... Rather it is just a checking point for us to see how we are doing according to God's definition of love found in the above verses and especially in 1 Corinthian 13: 4-7,

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud
It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.

I know that I struggle greatly with showing love as love is supposed to be shown. I do not always trust people, I do keep record of wrongs done to me, I lose hope sometimes, I need God to remind me and help me to love like he loves. God is love. I am so grateful for a God who doesn't not demand that I be perfect at loving those around me. He is always working on me, and though it is painful at times, it is always always for my good.

side note: it took me about an hour and a half to write this...I kept getting distracted. I need to get better at time management.

If you are new or a returning friend

Hi friends,
Welcome to my blog. Yes you may notice that I have had it for 2 years (ahem...post below!) But I just want to direct you back to the first post to help you make sense of the name fruitage. Thanks!

I've had this thing for 2 years?

Oh friends, if I have any that actually read this blog, it has been over a year since I blogged. And I realized that I created this over 2 years ago but have never been faithful with it. I have had several friends and family start blogs and are extremely good at them. I thought I would get back into the whole blogging thing. More of a personal way to remember things. Plus I am on the computer a lot anyways and Doug suggested I blog again. So I am going to post this and just this for now. I have been having lots of ideas float around in my head so we will see what I come up with! Excited to be back :) Oh and thats my wonderful boyfriend Doug in the picture (yes he is holding a pink trashcan....but it was only $1.50!) I will post much better photos soon, this was the only one readily available.