Eighty-nine and Thirty

Andrew and I had a wonderful weekend. It was filled with family, at least for me it was. The original plan was to join my parents in Branson, Missouri on Thursday for a couple of days. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The cabin they rented wasn't exactly what they expected and there wasn't really going to be room for us.

Friday, I sat around the house for awhile trying to decide what I wanted to do. Part of me wanted (and needed) to go work in my classroom. The other part of me wanted to head to the mall and do shopping. That's the part of me that one.

Forever 21 is one of my favorite stores. I can find cute things for a good price. Friday was no exception. I've really been trying to build my wardrobe for the upcoming school year. For the past several months, I've had the rule if I can't wear it to work, I'm not going to buy it. I broke that rule Friday. I bought two shirts and a dress. I have to tell you I'm absolutely giddy about my dress. I think with leggings and boots it will be SUPER cute this fall!!!

While I was at the mall, my brother called. He was in town and wanted to have dinner. We had some yummy burgers at Five Guys. Andrew didn't get off work in time to join us. :(. We sat there and talked forever. I miss my brother.


Saturday Andrew decided he wanted to play golf. I haven't joined him since he started playing again so I though I would ride along. His tee time was at eleven. It wasn't too bad. However by 2:30 when we still weren't finished, it was stinking hot outside!! The husband definitely got too much sun. He was a bit red, which resulted in him not feeling well for the rest of the night and Sunday morning.


We had a very busy day planned for Sunday, but things slowly fell off the calendar. Andrew and I slept in the living room due to some unfortunate events. We did not get a good night's sleep. That combined with all the sun Andrew got, we did not make it to church.

Mid morning I left him on the couch to rest and I headed north to celebrate my great grandmother's birthday. Granny Taylor turned 89 on Friday. She is my daddy's mom's mom. :) I love her! She gets around very well. I hope I get around half as well as she does when I'm that age. Shoot, I hope I live to be her age. She is an awesome fun lady.




It was nice to see some family members that I don't get to see very often.

My little cousin, Pheobe. She's adorable!

Cousins


Sunday was also my parent's anniversary. They have been married 30 years, which is awesome. I couldn't have asked for two better parents. They love one another and have always showed my brother and I what a good marriage looks like. They taught us that marriages are meant to last forever.

While visiting with my Mommom, I snapped some pictures of my parent's wedding pictures.

I love this picture of my Momma. I think her dress is beautiful. I was able to try it on while planning my own wedding. A memory I will cheris forever!


My Daddy


Mom and Dad with Mom's family.


Daddy with his parents...I love my Granny's dress.

And here are my parents now...still as beautiful and in love as they were thirty years ago when they said I do.


While I was looking at pictures I found Mommom and Granddad's wedding picture. Yes, my grandmother wore black on her wedding day. She didn't care. She was in love. During our visit I heard all about how my grandad was a near perfect man. Makes me smile. Wish I could have known him.

A Happy Marriage

Everyone is sharing some great marriage advice over at Kelly's Korner. The husband and I have been married for 7.5 years. We've not yet perfected the art of marriage. I'll let you know if we ever manage that one.

We have a happy marriage though. The key to our marriage is that it is not between two people. Our marriage isn't just about the two of us. God is involved as well. Without him, I do not believe we would have made this far.

We make each other laugh. We share our lives with one another. We are each other's best friend. We communicate, though not always well. :) We're working on that constantly.

I've done a lot of scrapbooking this week. It has been so nice. I made some major headway on several projects. In fact, I managed to finish "Our First Year of Marriage" scrapbook. It only took me 7.5 years.

As I was flipping through it's pages the other day I read through some advice Andrew and I received before we were married. The guest at our rehearsal dinner wrote their advice to us on an index card. We read them after we were married. They still make me smile.



In no particular order here is the advice we received....

1. Andrew - Eat whatever Elaina cooks and ask for seconds. You can always sneak out and go to Mickey Dees later!
Elaina - Agree with Andrew even when he's wrong. :) Then just gloat inside because you know better.

2. Kiss a lot.

3. Always make time to listen to each other.

4. Andrew - **Communication, **Have fun...you must find ways to do this on a regular basis, **love her like each day is the last, and let her know it regularly, **Trust God!, ** Live Long & Prosper...my brother!
Elaina - **Communication...good luck with this! :), **Have fun, **Be patient...I know you are, or you wouldn't have made it this far, **Trust God!, **Thanks for taking him off our hands and welcome to the family.

5. I love you. You got married! Pryce Billson (This might be my favorite!! I think PB was like 5 at the time. :) )

6. Keep Christ at the center of all things. Think about it, talk about it, and pray about it.

7. Always remember what brought the two of you together. The love that you had in the beginning is what will get you through the years to come. Andrew, treat Elaina like a queen and she'll treat you like a king. Elaina, treat Andrew like our king and he'll treat you like a queen.

8. Andrew - treat Elaina like a queen and she will treat you like a king.
To you both - put Christ in the center of your home, if you will live by His Word, you will have "heave on earth"

9. Don't go to bed angry - settle your disputes before you sleep. Let God be your counselor and you will not need another. Realize that true love only grows and never dies. Always be kind and considerate - treat one another with dignity. Honor God and His church.

10. Andrew - if she knows you love her more than anything you'll be a good husband. always put her first.
Elaina - Support him no matter what! He's an idiot with big dreams, but your support is all he needs.

11. Always maintain your sense of humor. Be each other's best friend & marry rich.

12. My words of advice to you both, are to never go to sleep angry with one another. Be each other's BEST FRIEND! Put God first and then each other. Always find little ways to show each other that you care. And last but certainly not least, always keep your priorities in check.

13. Come see your bubba and make sure you have a bed for him at your place

14. Never go to bed angry! Never keep secrets! Always be open and honest! Keep God first in your lives! Be best friends forever!

15. Learn to share your lives with each other in body, soul, and spirit. Build your relationship on a firm foundation, Christ. He is the only solid rock. Put him 1st and you will have your priorities in order. Learn what it truly means to love someone. If you need help, look to 1 Corinthians 13. Pray together everyday and for each other every day. it always changes things.

16. Don't live too large too fast. Keep God in your marriage and he'll take care of you.



These are words that I will always cherish...some silly...some serious. Andrew and I are blessed to be surrounded by family who loves us and supports us.

New Friends

Last night Andrew and I had dinner with some new friends. We met them Sunday at church during those awful few minutes where you are instructed to greet the people around you. I hate those few minutes. For Little Miss Social, I'm sure it's great. For me...not so much.

Either way our new friends, Jim & Katherine, were sitting in front of us at church. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. They are going to be hosting a community group in the fall and are seeking couples to join them.

Jim & Andrew have been emailing with one another this week working out the details leading us to dinner together last night.

I wasn't really looking forward it. I'm a bit of an introvert. Making conversation with people I know isn't always easy. Making conversation with complete strangers is next to impossible for me.

It turned out to be a lot of fun. Katherine is Little Miss Social. Talking to her was easy. They've been married five years and have no kids. They have two dogs who are like their kids. We found lots to talk about it. The conversation was easy and it flowed.

The boys talked too. About what, I don't know. I was way too involved in my conversation with Katherine.

I love friends. Sometimes it seems like we are the only non-newlywed couple without kids left. I wonder if there are other people out there in the same stage of life. And by choice.

They are hosting a little get together for the couples who might be in the community group in the fall. I'm looking forward to meeting the other couples and making some new friends.

Scrap Projects

I mentioned in my last post that I had been working to finish up some long overdue scrapbook projects. I scrapped all day yesterday and am doing the same today.

I should probably be working on stuff for school and getting my classroom ready, but since this is my last week off....I'm going to enjoy it!!

Here's a peek at what I've been working on. I used my Instagram app to change the coloring a bit...they just look neater that way. :)

Liam Bailey "Talking"

It cracks me up when they do this. Most of the time Liberty "talks" back, but I guess she wasn't in the mood tonight. :)

Wordless Wednesday - In Honor of Tour de France

Tuesday Tidbits

In attempt to write a blog post I've put together a few tidbits about what we've been up to.


1. I'm trying very hard not to think about the fact that school starts a month from Friday. YIKES!! I'm pumped about the upcoming year, but summer breaks are really nice. I enjoy being home.

2. The husband has taken up the game of golf again. Several years ago he came home from what must have been a bad game and said he quit. He was done. A couple of weeks ago he signed up for lessons and said he was going to give it one more go before quitting. He is LOVING his lessons. We've spent several nights at the driving range in the past couple of weeks. Sometimes I tag along and sometimes I stay home. When I tag along I normally read while he does his golf thing. Occasionally I video his golf swing so that he can analyze it later. That's right! I'm that good of a wife. :)


3. Liberty Belle has a new best friend. It is so hot outside that frogs hide under their water bowl. When we let her out she goes straight to the water bowl and waits for you to pick up the bowl. She sniffs the frogs until she scares them under her doghouse. At that point she runs around the dog house sticking her nose as far under it as she can trying to get to the frog. One day I made her come back in and she sat at the back door crying. I let her out and she went straight back to searching for her frog.

4. A little over a week ago I decided I was going to get a meal plan together and cook. We eat out way too much. My sweet husband informed me yesterday that this was all unnecessary. Just grill him some chicken and a veggie and he would be fine. He's decided to lose weight. So much for my cooking extravaganza...because that's what it was...an extravaganza

5. I've been finishing up a few scrapbook projects that I've had going on for way too long. I hope to share those with you later this week. I'm really pleased with how a few new things turned out.