The Stouts

Pups Be Nappin

2012-01-14T07:52:00.000-08:00

Sleepy chokehold

2011-12-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Lazy Sunday

2011-11-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:22:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours,

hope you had

the very best Thanksgiving!

Apt. Tour: The Bedroom

2011-11-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

And the apartment photos continue! As I've mentioned, our place is pretty tiny & the bedroom is no exception. It's kind of cramped but we've made it our own & it seems much more cozy now.

Looking in.

We had more family photos printed & made a little collage of sorts on our door. I'm hoping to get to the bottom half sometime soon.

The right side of the room. We spray painted all of the frames that we used to match our color scheme (so much cheaper than buying new & they all match perfectly!) and decided to go with these black & white prints inside the room.

The room isn't much wider than the width of the bed. Fun fact: Our "headboard" is actually our old futon. It folds flat & we didn't know what to do with it. So, we stuck it behind our headboard-less bed & it worked perfectly. Plus, it matches!

The hub's side. Those little shelves were actually the ones above our old mantle. We spray painted those as well & they work great for such a little space!

We do need to find a better lampshade for this little gem that we found at a thrift store, but it'll work for now. The shade is just a tad oversized enough to hid some of the charm of it.

My side. You may recognize the lamp as one we previously made over. While I still like the fabric that we used to cover it, it just seemed to be a bit too busy to go with the room. I didn't want to redo the lamps, though (especially since we're only using one for the time being). So, I just pinned some neutral, grey fabric on top of the fabric that was already there. There's a seam with some pins holding it together in the back, but other than that, you can't even tell. Easy peasy fix!

The little yellow frames on each side of the bed include lines of a poem that we read to one another for our vow renewal.

It's a sweet reminder to see everyday.

The left side of the room. I must say, it is nice to have 2 closets!

The pups had to downsize, too. Haha.

They're sharing a crate with each other & a room with us, but they don't seem to mind one bit!

I am so, so thankful that we have room for a dresser. We just picked this up yesterday & the hub spent several hours putting it together last night. We may or may not have still had clothes in boxes up until this point... If anyone has any suggestions for decorating the top of the dresser, I'm all ears!

You may or may not recognize the prints as ones that we previously had hanging in our bathroom a few apartments ago. Like I said, we spray painted some frames that we already had on hand & now they work just fine in the bedroom!

I still can't figure out what to put in this grey frame above the door & it's been hanging there for at least 6 weeks. I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

And this is the view of the backyard from the bedroom window. Since we live in a duplex, our neighbors get the backyard & we get the front yard. But, even though we don't use it, it sure is a nice view.

And there you have it--that's the bedroom!

Apt. Tour: The Living Room

2011-10-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

I know that it's been a while since we moved & that I've been slacking on getting photos of our new digs up, but better late than never, right? It's taken us quite a while to fix up the joint (repainting, minor repairs here & there, etc.), but we're slowly making progress. And so, without further ado, I present you with our living room.

Front door.

The pair of chairs that we fixed up right before we moved.

Since this apartment is very, very small, we had to unload our bookshelves before we moved because we just didn't have any space to spare. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), we still had most of our books. So, we had to get creative & we made this little "table" of stacked books between the chairs. But, that didn't take care of all of them.

So, we added two book towers on either side of the small bookshelf that we kept. It's a little "book overload," but it's the best solution we could come up with & it'll do for now.

For some reason, in our 5+ years of marriage, we've never displayed many photos. We're usually pretty minimal in terms of decor. So, maybe that's why. But, in any case, since we're so far away from our family now, we wanted to make a point of having family photos on display to remind us of them. So, we rummaged through our parents' old family photos before we moved, scanned them, & had prints made.

We got a grey slipcover for our old couch to match our new color scheme & added a few throw pillows. I think it looks a little like the couch is wearing pajamas, but it's a quick fix & it'll do for now.

We had a few 12x12 record frames in our stash, which we spray painted yellow. I think the hub's vinyl silhouette cut-out makes for a good display & we had some prints made from our renewal ceremony to go in the other frames.

The pups are enjoying their floor pillow & toy basket and our Crystal Chick Photography print works so very well with our color scheme.

Our TV stand is tucked into the corner & there ya have it!

A lot of photos from a small, small space.

Hopefully, we'll wrap up another room & have more to share soon!

Hugs, please?

2011-09-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

You just can't say no to this guy when he wants a puppy hug...

Seriously,

it's impossible.

NOLA Update!

2011-09-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it.

Things didn't go as smoothly as we'd hoped, but we made it to sunny New Orleans & survived our first few weeks here.

The drive itself was perfect. The David Sedaris audiobook that we played made time fly & the pups slept the whole way from Illinois to Mississippi, where we rested for the night.

We got on the road bright & early the next morning & the pups slept all the way to Louisiana. We hit no traffic, no tolls, no trouble to speak of at all. Having to drink gas station coffee for two days was the worst of our problems & we couldn't believe how smoothly everything had gone.

Unfortunately, when we arrived at our new apartment, we discovered that there was no electricity or running water. Instead of just transferring the services out of our landlord's name into ours, we had to wait for them to be turned on because they had been completely shut off (unbeknownst to us). So, after unloading the moving truck in the hot, hot heat, we had to spend a few nights in a nearby hotel. It was really frustrating, but we got through it.

Then, Jess & Jeffery visited us. :)

We got the hang of the streetcar.

We saw lots of beads &

went to a music festival, among other fun things.
Then, they went home & a few days later,

Mom, Dad, & Cait came to visit!

We went to Cafe du Monde &

saw the St. Louis Cathedral, among other fun things.

Since then, Nate has started school & is really enjoying it so far. I'm still job hunting & trying to get the hang of driving in a bigger city. It is a challenge, let me tell you.

All in all, though, things are looking up! We've painted the whole interior of our apartment & it's feeling much more homey. Hopefully, it won't be 2 whole months before we're back here, sharing precious pup photos & general life updates! :)

Isaac Michael

2011-07-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Our newest nephew arrived on Monday (July 11th) just as perfect as can be!

Isaac Michael.

We were lucky enough to be able to meet him when he was just a few hours old.

He is the sweetest.

Grandpa (Papa) & Isaac.

Grandma (Mimi), Isaac, & big sister Sophie.

The kiddos meeting their new brother.

Biiig yawn.

Big brother Matthew.

Beautiful blue eyes.

...We are so in love...

Sometimes...

2011-05-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Wrigley is just the picture of desperation.

He just wants to be hugged so, so bad.

(P.S.- Sorry for the sideways video. I couldn't figure out how to flip it.)

Men of the House

2011-04-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Totally precious snuggles.

A New Toy

2011-04-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Wrigs isn't quite sure what to do with our new exercise ball...

Soooo cutefunny.

Samesies.

2011-03-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

What sick days look like around here...

2011-03-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Something to Smile About

2011-03-16T19:20:00.000-07:00

I was having a rough day at work the other day until the hub sent me this:

A sweet little deer was napping in the woods behind our apartment building.

How stinkin' cute?!

These two...

2011-03-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

are my faves.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea!

2011-02-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

Sweet little Peanut (or Miss Peanut as our 2-year-old nephew calls her) turns 4 today! It really doesn't seem like it's been that long since she became part of the family, but then again, it seems like she's always been here, licking our noses & burrowing under the blankets.

P with her b-day present, an empty toilet paper roll,
which could only be topped by an empty paper towel roll.

I'll see what I can do, Peanutter...happy birthday.

Poor Wrigs...

2011-02-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

He wants to play sooooo bad.

V-Day

2011-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

There's something about Valentine's Day...

Something I'm not crazy about.

Every year, the hub & I decide not to exchange gifts on V-Day--cards only. And we always write the same things in said cards.

"I don't need a special holiday to tell you how much I love you, but...I love you."

Then, we go out to dinner--on any day but V-Day. We're not big on having to wait an hour for a table or shouting our conversation so that we can hear each other in a packed restaurant. So, we pick another, random day to "celebrate."

And, it's like any other day.

And, that's not a bad thing...it's a good thing, great even.

It's great because every single day of my life I know that the hub is still smitten. He tells me, he shows me, he treasures me. Every single day day he makes me feel like the prettiest girl in the room. Every single day he hugs me tight and gives me smooches.

Every single day has romance (in some form or another).

So, why do Valentine's Day?

I finally asked the question last month & we both agreed that there was no need.

I don't need a special day to tell the hub I love him because he already knows that I do (& chances are, I've already said it anyway, as I do every day). So, this V-Day, I encourage you to give some thought to what you can do to show the special people in your life (significant others, kids, parents, siblings, friends) that you love them. You don't need chocolates or roses. You just need love...

Cuddle Bugs

2011-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

I'm Bad at Surprises

2011-01-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

- laying in bed, before falling asleep -

The Wife: So, what do you want for your birthday? (on Friday)
The Hub: Kinda of procrastinating, huh?
W: Yeah right! I bought your present in December! I'm just going through the motions.

H: You already have it?

W: Yep.

H: Is it under the bed?

W: Awww...Did you look?

H: No, I just figured.

He knows me far too well...

Cute Overload

2011-01-15T16:10:00.001-08:00

For realz.

Sometimes...

2011-01-13T04:25:00.000-08:00

You just want to kick back & put your feet up.

But (around here anyway), there always seems to be a pup or two, who wants in on the action...

because they've got it so ruff (haha, see what I did there?).

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T23:49:00.000-08:00

This is what happens...

when we try to use the self timer...

on our camera...

Eventually...

we give up a take an extended arm shot.

Hope you all have a very happy new year, friends! :) For NYE, we got dolled up, went to the movies, & headed to a new-to-us restaurant. If you're ever in Ann Arbor, Mi & your tummy gets to growling, you neeeeed to check out Seva Restaurant. Everything we got was absolutely amazing. The yam fries w. spicy sauce was an awesome appetizer. Nate got the North African couscous & I got the TLT (chargrilled tempeh, guac, tomatoes, lettuce, & cheese on a whole wheat tortilla) w. a cup of parsley chowder soup. We'd both order it all again! And for dessert, we got the almond-berry cake. So, so good.

A recap of the year:

2010 was pretty good to us.

We helped organize Katelyn's benefit, which was a huge success!

We moved to Michigan (again).

I started a new job.

The hub started a new job.

After getting a new car last year, our old clunker finally gave out & we became a one-car family.

We became vegetarians.

We started regularly volunteering.

Annnd...the pups got even cuter. :)

Hope your 2010 was great & your 2011 is even better!

See ya'll next year!

My Sunshine

2010-12-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

Sometimes...

the sun just makes you...so...

sleepy.

Sick Day

2010-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

Sick day = Cuddle day

Oh, this guy...

2010-12-04T16:56:00.001-08:00

Off to Market

2010-11-24T05:02:00.000-08:00

The hub & I were planning on swinging by the store after he picked me up from work yesterday. So, I shot him a quick text to ask him to jot down the list that was on the dry erase board on our fridge so that we wouldn't forget anything. When I got in the car, I was handed the following list.

Translation:

Store List
chili powder
two cans corn
two cans creamed corn
one box of Jiffy cornmeal mix
soft tofu
pie shell
lentils

I am thankful to have a hub, who goes out of his way to make me laugh.

Best Buds

2010-11-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love a good cuddle buddy?

Masked Men

2010-10-24T05:15:00.000-07:00

-last night-

The hub & I were making the bed with our freshly washed sheets right before we were going to hit the hay. It was a little warm in our room & the window was open as a result. Our window faces the woods that I've mentioned seeing a family of deer hanging out in before. Well, we heard some rustling around in the leaves, took a look outside, listened some more, & Nate said,

"Is that deer?"

And that's all it took for my mind to wander to the ridiculous conclusion that there were camouflaged intruders hiding out in the woods...waiting to break in to our 3rd-floor apartment. A combination of the thought of being robbed & hatching an escape plan that included the pups in the next room, kept me up for quite a while. But, then I just couldn't get comfortable/shut my mind off &, in turn, I didn't get much sleep.

-morning-

The hub woke up to find me hanging out in the living room on the computer.

Hub: "Did you sleep okay?"

Me: "Not really..."

Hub: "Because of the masked men?"

And I just burst out in laughter. It didn't matter that I had hardly gotten any sleep or that I had a headache or that I felt kinda crappy in general. The hub always makes me laugh and that always makes me feel better. :)

Fall Decor

2010-10-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

We got out the fall decorations a little while back & the sight of the mini pumpkins & gourds around our apartment have been giving me the warm fuzzies almost every time I pass by them. As you can see by the photo, we also have some candy corn serving as decoration, which prompted the following conversation between Nate & I the other day...

Hub: casually grabs a handful of candy corn from the glass

Me: Have you been eating that?!

Hub: Yeah.

Me: Gross. It's just sitting out in the open. I imagine it has dust on it.

Hub: Meh. I don't care.

Me: In any case, quit eating the decorations.

And the level of candy has slowly been decreasing in volume ever since...

Any one else out there have trouble with their family eating their decorations?

Goofy girl

2010-10-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

P has been especially funny lately.

Lucky for us, it makes for a good photo op. :)

Being Alone(ly)

2010-09-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Dearest Hub,

A good night's sleep (thanks to Excederin PM) made today a little better than yesterday. I embraced being alone for a while this morning & went to a movie by myself. It's one of those things that I've always wanted to do, but never have. I don't know why. It was really enjoyable, especially since I was literally the only person in the theater. I didn't feel bad about getting extra salt on my popcorn since I wasn't sharing or crunching loudly during the quiet parts. I could have even left my phone on, but that would have defeated the purpose of really being alone...

This afternoon, I went to your parents to catch up on some laundry and guess who was there. Our darling nephew & niece, that's who. They told me that Matthew grabbed a picture of us yesterday and was showing everyone "NateJen," even Mittens. And when they were visiting Grandpa & Grandma earlier this week, Grandpa called Matthew wiggly and he said "and Peanut!" Gives me the warm-fuzzies to know that the little guy thinks of us when we're not around...

And I came home with intention to craft & clean, but it has yet to happen. Sometimes you just need to have one of those days, ya know? I'm hoping that your return brings with it some motivation & energy to get things done. Although, I have a feeling we'll spend the afternoon napping together with the pups. And that's just perfect in my book...

Love,

The Wife

Another letter

2010-09-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

Dearest Hub,

I really missed waking up with you this morning
and
having lunch with you this afternoon
and
recapping the day over avocados & salsa this evening.

Just all day really.

I missed not getting a text or an e-mail at some point today with an inside joke for my amusement. I missed my hug at the door when I got home from work. I missed you offering to refill my glass of water. I missed spooning.
Altogether, I just missed the little daily things that make our life together so charming. We have it so, so good. And maybe I need to acknowledge that more. Maybe it's good for me to spend a few days on my own. To take the time to reflect and appreciate...everything that we have together. We're lucky, love. We really are.

I think I'm going to try this approach for the remainder of my time alone.   

It sounds like it could be quite lovely, really.
But, I'll still be missing you.

Love,
The Wife 

M.I.A.

2010-09-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

The hub is off on a camping trip through Sunday for one of the classes that he's teaching. Kind of random, I know. He had to take a van-driving training course & haul 15 freshman in a big van to a campground for a class bonding sort of weekend.

It's a whole big to-do.

Anyway, I miss him. I really do.

I don't know how significant others who have to be apart for extended periods of time for work commitments do it.

I really don't.

And since I can't talk to him on the phone now,

I've decided to write him a little note here...

(It wouldn't be wrong of you to think I'm the biggest baby alive after reading the following. You've been warned.)

Dearest Hub,

I'm missing you already. It's far too quiet here. Wrigs has been sleeping with his head on Pea's belly for like an hour now. I'm just not as much fun as you, I guess. It's rainy and just gloomy here in general. My mood (and my socks) have been dampened. The dishes are piled high in the sink. I meant to do them when I got home, but I planted myself on the couch and only got up once to put your sweatshirt on. I can't seem to summon the energy to do anything.

It's cold in here. It's colder out there...

I really don't want to walk the pups tonight. It's so cooold. Annnd I've had an itch on my back that I haven't been able to scratch all night. Annnd my arms hurt. You know that spot by my elbows that you always rub when I'm feeling tense? Well, I desperately need some of that action.

It's becoming more & more apparent that I couldn't handle living on my own...

I guess I should wrap up my pity party and call it a night, huh?

Please hurry home.

I am a sad, little mess without you.

Love,

The Wife

Leisure Time

2010-09-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

Napping with your bff is just the best...

A Staring Contest...

2010-09-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

Oh, Sweet Pea.

We love you so.

A Busy Man, Indeed

2010-08-26T06:38:00.001-07:00

As the hub is heading to the bathroom to take a shower this morning,

"Hold my calls, Jen."

Sometimes, the little laughs are the best. :)

Growing Old Together...

2010-08-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

What might be the sweetest text the hub has ever sent me...

"I'm at the coffee shop and there's an elderly couple here and he's reading Huck Finn aloud to her.
Thought you would appreciate that."

I hope we're that cute when we're older. :)

Doe, a Deer...

2010-07-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

At our new apt., our balcony faces a wooded area, where a cute lil' family of deer has taken up residence. A momma, poppa & two baby deer can easily be seen from our living room several times a day. We think it's pretty cool...Wrigs just wants to chase them, haha. But, in addition to the deer, comes all the bugs that usually occupy a wooded area...and mosquitoes. And they've been eating Nate up anytime he goes outside to let the dogs out. So, this morning, while laying in bed, trying to muster the energy to start the day, Nate says,

"Do you want to let the dogs out this morning?"
"Noooo," I say sweetly.

"But, I've lost so much blood!" Nate whined.

He cracks me up.

We're HeeEEErrrreeee...

2010-06-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

We made it!

We're back in Michigan and almost done unpacking (thanks, in large part, to the hub). My job is going pretty well. I'm working as a technical editor again. So, I already know how to do it, which is nice. Everyone there is great and I've been really busy so far. I never thought I'd miss having a cubicle so much! The hub has been looking for a new full-time job, but he'll start adjuncting in the fall at the community college here. So, that's exciting! All in all, we have a lot to be thrilled about...

1. An apartment almost twice as big as our last place
(and for less rent!)

2. Nate being done with a job he didn't love

3. Me working!!!

4. Being close to family

5. Being part of a church again

Ahhh, life is good!

Moooooving

2010-06-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

The most amazing thing happened Friday morning.

I woke up and didn't have to look for a job!

For the first time in a long time, I could just go about my day without having to spend several hours surfing employment site after employment site for a job. I got a call on Thursday afternoon from the place that I recently interviewed at in Michigan and they offered me the job! Woohoo! Needless to say, I feel much more at peace about our picking up and moving without having all the details worked out ahead of time. God has a way of working things out for us and I just need to remember that. The timing of both of our jobs and moving is complicated. So, we're going to be moving all of our stuff into our new apartment this Tuesday, coming back Wednesday & staying with family so that Nate can finish out his 2 weeks and I'm going to head back to Michigan Sunday to start work on Monday. Phew! Talk about busy! I'll be taking a pup or two with me for company and the hub will be joining me in Michigan when he finishes up work at the end of the month. We're not looking forward to being apart for a week, seeing as how we've only ever spent a couple of days away from each other, but there really doesn't seem to be any other way of doing it. It'll all work out for the best in the end. So, we just have to keep our eye on the prize, haha. Sooo, that's where we're at now. Pictures of the new apartment to come shortly! :)

Packing up...

2010-06-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

I kind of can't believe that I haven't updated this thing with our sorta big, life-changing news. You may or may not know that we're no strangers to moving. We've moved every year since we got married (& twice last year). And we've decided to do it again!
Surprise, surprise.
We're heading back to Michigan this time in hopes that we'll have better luck there than here. It's been a year & I have yet to find a full-time job in my field. If you told me when we got here that it would've taken this long for me to find something, I seriously wouldn't have believed you. No way, no how. But, simply put, there just aren't any jobs here. So, we're moving to Jackson, Michigan, where Nate's family lives. The hub has been offered a couple of adjunct classes to teach at the community college there in the fall and we've both been applying for jobs like it's...well, like it's our job. I had an interview for a writing job within a marketing department at a local company, but they're not making any decisions until the middle to end of the month.
We'll see...
But, we found an apartment that was running a special that was just too good to pass up. We signed a lease & moved a few boxes into the unit this past weekend. We won't officially move until closer to the end of the month, but you better believe that we're looking forward to having more space.
So, that's our plan!
Any prayers/happy thoughts about our future in general would be greatly appreciated, as the details of the situation are still uncertain. And we'll do our best to keep ya'll posted!

Last Night... Part Two

2010-06-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

It would seem as though I shouldn't have poked fun at my hub last week... We had a conversation that was oddly familiar this morning.

"Do you remember waking me up last night," asked the hub.

"No," said I.

"You were trying to put your fingers in my mouth."

"What?!"

"You said, 'I got you something.'"

"What did you get me?"

"I got you something."
"What is it?"

"It's for that keepsake thing..."

And apparently, I trailed off, rolled over and went back to sleep after that. The hub said he was pretty groggy, but repeated what I said in his head so that he'd remember it. I'm so glad he did.
Too funny.

Last Night...

2010-05-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

In the wee hours of the morning, I was tossing and turning and basically just having a lot of trouble sleeping in general. Nate must have been jostled awake by my "thrashing" as he's come to call it.

"Are you alright," asked the hub.

"Yeah, I'm just having a hard time getting comfortable," said I.

"Do you want a list of your transactions?"

"What?!"

"Your transactions. Do you want a list of your transactions?"

"Do I want a list of my transactions?"

"Ugh! You don't get it..."

"Are you sleeping right now?"

"Maybe."

Annnnd, I'm still chuckling about that one. I think the hub has been spending too much time working at the bank lately...

Four Years & Counting...

2010-05-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

The hub & I tied the knot on May 20, 2006.

And today we celebrated four years of marital bliss together. :)

When Nate asks what I want for our anniversary, I always say the same thing.

"Flowers."

The hub wanted to surprise me, though. And since he took the day off of work and was going to be spending the whole day with me, he got up at 5 a.m. & went to the store to get me flowers. FIVE A.M.

Such a sweet fella I have...

He came home, realized that he forgot a card, & drove back to the store again before finally coming home. He slipped into bed, which woke me briefly, whispered "Happy Anniversary" and fell back asleep.

What a guy.

We had a nice picnic lunch next to the little chapel that we got married in, watched Fantastic Mr. Fox, went for a walk with the pups & out for a night on the town. It was a pretty perfect day, if I do say so myself.

Here's to many more years together.

I love ya, hub!

An Afternoon Drive

2010-05-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

I love how happy Peanut looks in this photo, haha.

Happy B-day, Davey!

2010-05-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

The fam. got together yesterday to celebrate my bro-in-law's b-day.

We had lemon cupcakes,

presents were opened,

and good times were had by all.

Happy birthday, Davey! Hope it was a special one! :)

My Guys

2010-04-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

Aren't they just the cutest?

Weekend Fun

2010-04-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

Sisters Melissa & Jessica's 24th b-day was this weekend. We began the celebrating by going out to breakfast.

But, Melissa doesn't like breakfast food. So, she got a cheeseburger and our awesome waitress definitely stuck a candle in the bun, haha. The girls spent the afternoon at a Cub's game, while I snuck out to my parents' house to wrap Jessica's room. It took several hours, but mom & I had a lot of fun.

Jess thought it was hilarious, but I knew Meesa wouldn't have, so I made her favorite instead. They were both pretty happy with their respective surprises. :)

On Saturday, we headed out to Katelyn's for a BBQ,
which was tons of fun!

And then back to mom & dad's for b-day cake and games. Wrigs had a good time playing with his cousins, lol.

Puppy Pile-up! (As usual, Peanut wanted no part of this.)

Mmmmm...red velvet cupcakes....mmmm...

Jess wanted a separate cake, lol.

Blowing out the candles. :)

All in all, a very fun weekend. But, we're spent! The only thing on the agenda today is watching the Red Wings win some hockey! Woohoo!

Soaking up the Sun

2010-04-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you,

but we've just been loving the weather lately.

The pups have been enjoying sunny afternoons in the park.

The hubs, too.

Too cute.

But all that walking can suck the energy right out of you!
Wrigs has been falling asleep where ever he lands, haha.

Poor Peanut...

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

We headed to Michigan on Saturday evening to celebrate Easter on Sunday and after church, we all drove to grandpa & grandma's in Indiana for a visit.

I just love group photos.

And Peanut enjoyed catching up with grandpa, haha.

I forgot to take a picture of Wrigley and their dog, Ollie, but they had loads of fun wrestling around with each other. :) We made it back to Illinois on Sunday night and we're all pooped (pups included)!

I hope your Easter was equally enjoyable.

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

This & That...

2010-04-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

I have been terrible about updating here, but we've been pretty busy as of late. The benefit for Katelyn was a HUGE success. You can read a full post about how it went on my other blog.

Here are a few things that I've been meaning to post about, but haven't had the chance to get around to it.

My mom, Donna, Jess & I went to a taping of Oprah last month.

Alicia Keys performed, which was pretty sweet.

My sisters (Melissa on the left, Jess on the right) participated in the Polar Plunge, which raised funds for Special Olympics. I am so proud of them!

A bunch of us came out to show our support.

My super cute mom & pops. :)

Jessica adopted a new puppy.

His name is Tucker and we've all fallen pretty hard for him.

I turned 25!

Didn't Nate do such a good job wrapping my gifts?

I have to be honest, when my hub uttered the phrase,

"I hope you don't mind that I used your craft ribbon," my heart skipped a little beat, haha.

And....he got my sewing machine fixed for me! It was a great b-day!

My G-ma and me enjoying my b-day party.

Isn't she just the cutest?!

Hopefully, I'll be better about posting in the future.

Until then, friends...

When Counting Sheep Doesn't Work...

2010-03-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Late at night, when I can't sleep and I've tossed & turned for far too long, I make my way out to the living room and hop on the computer. Tonight is one of those nights...

And I've stumbled upon some older pics that I never got around to sharing with anyone. And since, I'm wide awake and it's 2 a.m., I've decided to take the time to post them here.

Just think of them as random, bonus photos. :)

Mr. Wrigs opening his Christmas stocking.

Peanut, too.

I can't help myself, these are so stinkin cute!

Naptime!

Me & the Princess, lol.

The quest for a decent family photo continues...
(We can never get them both to look at the camera.)

And sometimes when I can't sleep, this guy makes a suggestion...

Me (lying in bed at 1:30 a.m.): I am so awake right now.

The Hub: Yeah?

Me: Yeah. I have the feeling it's going to be one of those nights.

The Hub: Let's go to IHOP.

Me: Really?

The Hub: Sure! Do you want to?

And off to IHOP we went.

But, that was Friday night....and this is Sunday night...and he's been sleeping for 3 hours now.

So, here I am,

blogging about the hub, breakfast and slapping up some random photos for your enjoyment.

But I have to tell you, there is just something extra fun about going out for pancakes in the wee hours of the morning with your hub and chatting it up for a couple of hours over coffee and pancakes.

Oh, how I love this guy...

And how I wish he was awake right now...

craving pancakes, too.

The Birthday Girl!

2010-02-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

Geez! It's been too long since I've posted here, but I've been keeping pretty busy. I opened a new Etsy shop recently and organizing the auction on my other blog is taking up a good chunk of time, too.

So, busy!

But, I had to stop by here today because it's my little Sweet Pea's 3rd birthday! Yes, I think you know by now, that I treat my dogs like kids. And kid's birthdays deserve a special post. :)

So...

Happy birthday to a girl,

who is oh-so very precious,

who is very patient with her brother,

who loves to give kisses

and doesn't always like to have her picture taken...

You Gotta Fight for your Right to Paaaarty.

2010-01-23T06:01:00.001-08:00

We had a little family b-day party for the hub last night and all sorts of fun was had by all...

The man of the hour!

Hanging out in the kitchen, anxious to cut the cake!

Opening cards.

Blowing out the candles.

Playing charades.

Classic.

Pictionary.

I couldn't tell ya what that was supposed to be, haha.

Any guesses?

Pictionary kind of spiraled out of control after that...

Happy 25th, Hub!

2010-01-21T20:50:00.001-08:00

The hub turned 25 today!
We started off the day with a nice hot breakfast. :)

And when Nate got home from work, he got to open presents.

I just love giving gifts.

And the cute little smirk this guy gives from time to time...

Just look at that smile, will ya?

His favorite coffee might have been the biggest hit of all.
We really miss all things Michigan.

After presents, we went out for a nice dinner and ended the night with a Walnut Blondie & ice cream.

Perfect.
Just perfect.

Happy birthday, hub! I love you oh so very much!

A Morning Conversation

2010-01-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

Hub: "Man, I was so tired last night that I don't even remember falling asleep. Do you?"

Me: "Uh-huh."

Hub: "The last thing I remember is playing with your hair."

Me: "You fell asleep with your arm resting on my head."

Hub: "Did I?"

Me: "Yeah."

Hub: "Sorry about that."

Me: "Quite alright, love. Quite alright."

Who needs IHOP....

2010-01-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

when you've got a hub,
who will make you Sunday morning pancakes?

Not this girl, that's for sure.

Naptime

2010-01-14T05:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't been sleeping all that well lately...

I guess it's a good thing that the pups love to snuggle
for afternoon naps on the couch.

A Wii Bit O' Fun

2010-01-13T22:07:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that we got a Wii for Christmas?!

And we've been having loads of fun ever since, let me tell you.

Anyone have any fun game suggestions
besides Wii Fit and Wii Play?

In Retrospect...

2009-12-31T05:52:00.000-08:00

With a new year upon us, it's time to reflect on 2009!

It was definitely a year of change.
As you know, Wrigley joined our family after a fateful trip to the local animal shelter.

And Peanut eventually adjusted to her new brother.

Nate graduated from Western Michigan University with a Master's in Philosophy (and I was proud as punch!). With that, we packed up our apartment, quit our jobs, said goodbye to Kalamazoo and moved back to Illinois. I briefly decided to go back to school before coming to the conclusion that I'm better suited for something else. I'll let you know just what that "something else" is when I figure it out.

Nate started adjunct teaching at our alma mater.
He also started a new job as a personal banker, which requires the daily wearing of suits.
He is so very handsome.

We also got a new car.
We weren't planning on it, but when a $15 oil change turned into a jaw-dropping repair estimate for our old, dying car, we decided it was time to invest in a new one. Now, we're just hoping that our other 12-year-old car holds out for a few more years.
*Fingers crossed!*

Oh, and I fell even more in love with his guy in 2009.
I didn't think it was possible.
But, it was.
It's no secret that I've had a hard time trying to figure out what the next step should be as far as my career is concerned. But, my hub has been nothing but totally and completely supportive. And sometimes, when you're going through a difficult time, it just makes you realize how very important your support system is, ya know? He's worked hard for us and encouraged me to pursue what makes me happy, instead of settling. He is so unbelievably understanding. He is my rock. He is my biggest blessing.
So, here's to 2010 being even better, love. You deserve it.

And Happy New Year to all. I hope your year is blessed!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T07:23:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was a memorable one...
We spent the weekend before Christmas in Illinois with my family.

We had an ugly Christmas sweater party.

My dad's turtleneck/vest combo definitely took the cake.

Then, we headed to Michigan for Christmas Eve/day with Nate's family.
The silhouette plate I made for Matty was a hit.

And we really loved being able to spend some time with our nephew.
He's getting SO big!

But, then...
Nate got sick.
Really, really sick.
And we ended up spending 7 hours in the ER on Christmas day. After much testing, he was diagnosed with mesenteric adenitis, which was brought on by a virus. It was really scary to see Nate so sick and not be able to do anything to help him, but he calmed my nerves by winking at me and telling me that he loved me. Who else, but my hub, would flirt with their wife from a hospital bed? Plus, we had a great nurse. She gave me a big hug before she got off of her shift and told us that hopefully the next time we go in for an ultrasound it'll be because there's a little one on the way, haha. We all got back and went to bed around midnight, delaying our trip home by a day. We woke up to find that Mom S. had been up sick all night and before we left on Saturday afternoon, Dad S. started coming down with it, too. I woke up sick on Sunday and Nate's little sis was hit with it, too. I'm thankful that the four of us just had the virus without any further complications, but let me tell you, it was a doozy. That's the sickest I've been in years. I seem to be on the mend. But, Nate is coming down with a cold now.

Poor guy.
He just can't seem to catch a break...

Birthday boy

2009-12-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to a boy,

who has always liked to snuggle with his sister...

always,

who loves to nap

and lie on people in general,

who loves to chew on things

and jump high in the air.

Happy birthday to our puppy,

who isn't such a puppy anymore.

Oh, how quickly a year goes by...

A Christmas Tradition

2009-12-06T17:11:00.001-08:00

Nate & I made Christmas ornaments for each other again this year.
I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out.
Head on over to my other blog to see how we did it. :)

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T20:16:00.000-08:00

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?
We do.

We started this one last year & we think it's pretty great.
It's a "Jar of Thanks."
Throughout the year, the hub and I write little notes to each other in the form of "I'm thankful for..." or "Thank you for..." and stick them in a jar. On Thanksgiving, we divide up our notes and read them aloud. It's just nice to take a little time to say thanks for the big and little things throughout the year. Our notes range from "Thank you for making me breakfast today" to "I'm thankful for your understanding and patience."

Our favorites this year include:

(From Nate to Jen)
"I am thankful that I have a playmate, partner-in-crime, friend, lover, confidant, counselor, nurse, chef, provider and wife like Jen."

"I'm thankful for laughing, crying, smiling, sighing, joking, fighting, living, talking, singing, playing, dancing and loving with my beautiful wife."

(From Jen to Nate)
"Thank you for making me feel special every single day."

"Thank you for encouraging me to pursue what makes me happy."

On this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my family.
What are you thankful for?

Just in case...

2009-11-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

you haven't checked out my other blog before, I wanted to share this with you because I'm so very excited about how it turned out.

I made an ornament wreath. :)
For more detailed instructions, go here.

Guest Blogger Extraordinare

2009-11-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

I am guest blogging over at my alma mater's blog today. Most of you have read my Everyday Giving blog before, which is what I wrote about, but hopefully you'll still want to check it out. To do so, click here. Happy reading!

This is what happens...

2009-11-17T07:49:00.001-08:00

when you try to take a picture of you,
your wife & 2 pups at arm's length.

Group shot fail.

Happy (late) Halloween!

2009-11-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

Did you dress up for Halloween this year?

We did.

Can you tell what we were?

Does this help?
We actually only went to a pre-Halloween party last weekend, but we ate enough candy for Halloween to still be Halloween.
It is all about the candy, you know...

This was my favorite part. :)
We were, however, pretty bummed that we couldn't find a couple of fanny packs to complete the look.

We've only dressed up one other time during our 5 years together and it was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. In fact, I don't know if we'll ever top it.

(Halloween 2004)

But, I think Nate did a great job of coming up with this year's ensemble.
What did you wear this year?

Working Hard for the $$$

2009-10-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a job right now?
I am.
And I've been having absolutely zero luck trying to find something in my field. On top of not finding anything in my field, I'm just not finding anything. I've applied for receptionist-type jobs, administrative assistant-type jobs and just jobs in general, but...nada, nothing, zilch. I know that times are tough right now and that there just aren't many jobs available.
But, I was beginning to wonder if it was just me.
Do I need to spruce up my resume to look better on paper? Do I need to start leaving my education off of applications so as not to appear over-qualified and so potential employers don't think I'll just be waiting for something better to come along? Do I need to start going door to door, passing out resumes to random companies in hopes that even though they're not hiring, one day in the not-so-distant future, they'll stumble upon that piece of paper and give me a call when they need a gofer?
Well, this morning I decided that I needed a job. I was at the point where I didn't care if it was something in my field or not. I just need something to get me out of the apartment, bring in a little money and keep me from loosing my sanity.
So, I got myself ready to go and hopped in the car with plans of driving from retail shop to retail shop, filling out applications all day. First on the list was Kohl's. It's the closest store to our apartment and an employee discount there would come in handy around the holidays.
After walking up to the customer service counter and asking the manager for an application, I sat down to fill it out. A few minutes later, a woman came up to me and introduced herself as being an HR representative. She said to have someone call her when I was done with the application. I did just that and she came out and asked me to follow her to her office for an interview. When we sat down, she said that the manager had told her that I just "had to come and meet the nicely dressed applicant with the big smile."
What a nice pick-me-up kind of compliment, right?
One thing led to another and I have orientation next week. It's only part-time and it's retail and it's the holidays, but I'm okay with all of that. I'm excited to interact with people on a daily basis again. I really am.
I've been feeling kind of down in the dumps about things lately and I just feel so much better right now. In the meantime, I'm going to keep looking for something full-time and in my field, but for now, I'm no longer totally unemployed and it feels good...reallllly good (as Nacho Libre would say).

A Walk in the Park...

2009-10-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

We took the puppies for a walk at a nearby park this morning. It was a wee bit chilly out, so they got to sport their lil' puppy sweaters. I never thought we'd be "those dog owners," but they have thin coats and Wrigley really gets to shivering when it's windy out. So, there ya have it. Oh, and I just think they're super cute, too.

Talk about precious...

By now you know...

2009-10-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

we love our pups.

And, they've been especially cute/funny lately...

Am I right?

I certainly think so.

And they're getting a little better about sharing, too!

I like to think that Peanut and Wrigley are like real-life siblings in that they might fight now and then,
but when you really get down to it,
they're best friends.

Makes my heart swell.

Life in General

2009-10-14T06:41:00.001-07:00

Boy oh Boy....

There have been big changes in the Stout house.
Do you ever think you finally have things figured out only to have it change completely?

Welcome to my world.

I've always struggled with "what I want to be when I grow up." I don't know why, but it's never been an easy answer for me. That was even the reason behind my decision to become an English major.
It's so vague. It's open-ended. It doesn't box you in.
I really loved literature and writing and I thought, "Why not do something you love?" Even if you don't know what you want to do with it when you're done...
After working as a reporter and technical editor, I decided (or so I thought) that I wanted to go back to school to become a teacher. We moved from Michigan to Illinois and I started working on my Master's degree. The classwork was fine, although I didn't find myself being challenged in the same way that my English/Literature classes had challenged me.
I had doubts. Really, I had doubts from the beginning.
But, after working with students in an actual classroom as part of my school requirements, it hit me like a brick wall.
I am just not cut out for this.
After contemplation, prayer and late night discussions with Nate, I decided to quit. I've moved on from the "I am a drop-out loser" phase that I was experiencing a few days ago and accepted the fact that I'm meant for something different.
Plain and simple.
We're considering all of our options at this point. Our lease is up at the end of the year, which is also the time that the class that Nate is teaching will wrap up.
So, we have the world at our fingertips!

Or something like that...

It's The Great Pumpkin, Wrigs.

2009-09-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

So, Wrigley came strolling into the apartment with something in his mouth this morning...

In case you can't tell from the picture, that's a pumpkin.
I don't know how he managed it, but he carried it in from the balcony and started having a field day. Shredded pumpkin was all over the place before Nate had a chance to grab it from him and return it to the great outdoors. This guy knows how to have a good time.

Oktoberfest!

2009-09-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the fun...

Jess, Meesa, Mom and Baby K.

My boo & me.

Too bad I didn't take a picture of our funnel cake, though. It was one of the best ones I've ever had! Also, too bad that I didn't know about the pet parade until after it was over.
You better believe that I would have been all about that!
Too bad.
:(

Auntie Jess

2009-09-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Wrigley with his favorite "aunt"

For some reason, whenever Jess enters the room, Wrigley immediately runs up to her and puts his arms up so that she'll give him puppy hugs. Too cute.
Thanks again for petsitting last weekend, Jess!

Family Fun

2009-09-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Scott, Bekah and Matt visited MI this weekend and we were able to make the drive up for a day. Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Becky came, too. It was a mini-family reunion!

And we were shocked to see how Matty had grown.

He's such a big boy!

Fall.

2009-09-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

The first pumpkins of the year...

...Yay!

Labor Day Fun

2009-09-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day all!
Mom & Dad S. & Cait visited this weekend and it was sooo good to see them! The trip was a short one, but we managed to sneak in some Guitar Hero World Tour on Sunday night.

Afterward, we walked to PJ's and had a delicious treat. There was also a surprise fireworks show that we were able to see from the street. It was a lovely evening.

Then...
We headed out to Mom & Dad G.'s for a Labor Day BBQ. The weather was just perfect and Dad outdid himself on the grill again. Delicious! Plus, the puppies had fun (as usual) frolicking around in the yard.

Wrigley + Honey = BFF

We played bags, too.

Dad S. was a true rock star and played with a cup of coffee in hand.

Everyone chillin.

And Wrigs being cute as a button.

Professor Stout

2009-09-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Nate starts teaching tonight...

and he looks gooooood!

Take Two...

2009-08-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

So, the new bedding turned out to be pretty scratchy and rather unpleasant. And we are all about comfort in the Stout house,
so we exchanged it.

I think I like this one better anyway.
Whatdoyathink?

Bed Makeover

2009-08-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

You know what I can't wait for?
A house, that's what.
I almost always hold off on getting stuff for around the apartment because things always seem to get damaged during our somewhat frequent moves and I want to invest in items that will make a nice addition to our future home...our house.
But, today, we threw caution to the wind and got new bedding! You might remember that we had planned on making an "anniversary purchase" back in May. Well, Kohl's was having a ridiculously awesome sale and it was a steal!

Before.

After.

The lighting in the picture isn't displaying the true colors, but I really like it. We replaced a sad-looking set that we've had since we got married 3 years ago.

Now, why am I telling you all this?

Because, I'm excited...really excited.
And, now I want to redecorate every room. And buy a house. And paint. And garden. And let the puppies run free in our yard.
All that good stuff.

The Saddest Sound

2009-08-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

What's the most pitiful sound in the world?

A puppy in timeout.

You can't see him, but you can see the door to Peanut's cage open on the left side of the screen. Wrigley's is right next to hers, but I couldn't get him with my camera because his sad little howl stopped when he saw me peeking around the corner.
Too funny.
Also, notice how Peanut rolls over immediately when someone goes to pet her. She expects a belly rub any and every time someone pays her the slightest bit of attention.
She's spoiled.

We do love our pups...

The Big 8-1

2009-08-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my G-Ma's 81st b-day!

To celebrate, we went to one of her favorite restaurant s...

took family photos...

and ate the best ever chocolate cake. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MA!

Sisters.

2009-08-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

What's the opposite of being camera shy?

Whatever it is, my sisters and I are it.

And a little out of control, too...

Just a little.

Eye Candy

2009-08-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

I got my print from Crystal Chick Photography in the mail the other day and finally got around to framing/hanging it yesterday.
Do you love it as much as I do?
(P.S. Please disregard the thermostat. I know it's an eyesore.)

A Letter

2009-08-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Kalamazoo,

I miss you.
Like, really miss you.
I feel homesick, even though I'm living near my actual hometown again. Is that weird?
Maybe.
But, our first apartment that really felt like "home" was in Kalamazoo. Peanut and Wrigley joined our family in Kalamazoo.
I had a good job in Kalamazoo.
And I really miss it. All of it.

(Photo Credit here)

I miss having a downtown.
I miss the bike trails.
I miss the cheap movies.
I miss the good food. No, the great food.
I miss my potato vendor at the farmer's market.
It's the little things, isn't it?

I think we need to schedule a visit back to our "hometown" soon.
Michigan is beautiful in the fall.
Until then, old friend...

Love,

Jen

Action Shots!

2009-08-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

Nate got to playing with the camera tonight and the puppies proved to be the perfect subjects...

Wrigs can jump just a smidge higher than Peanut...

Doggie Date

2009-08-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

Another perk to living close to family?

Puppy dates in the park!

Fun. Fun. Fun.

Goodies

2009-08-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

There are definite perks to living close to family.
Like...
getting first dibs on stuff being cleared out of your sister's cabinets.
Like...

these super cute ice cream bowls.

Charming, no?

Garden Transformation

2009-07-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

My mom's birthday is Saturday (the 25th) and we've been trying to think of something special as far as a gift goes. She's pretty easy to please, but we wanted to do more than just buying something for her from the store. So, we decided to give an old, dilapidated flower bed a bit of a makeover and make her a little flower garden.

We forgot to take a real "before" picture, but this was after the tall grass was cut down, the dirt was aerated to the best of our ability and the fencing was pulled out. Eventually, we're going to place some landscaping rocks around the tree in the background and turn the other half of the old flower bed into a vegetable garden. Eventually...

We had to use quite a bit of elbow grease to get these babies out of the hard ground.

Laying the new fence...

Spreading the topsoil...

Deciding on a design...

The finished product!

Relieved to be done...

After we started to lose the sun, we really had to fight off the bugs. Gnats, mosquitoes and flying beetles were really swarming. But I guess I shouldn't complain because Meesa had it worse. Out of nowhere she screamed,
"Ah! There's a beetle almost in my belly button!"
before doing a little jig to get it off her shirt. Too funny.

And Mom was very surprised and pleased with the whole thing, which is exactly what we hoped for anyway.
So, I'd call it a success!
Happy early birthday, Momma!

Nate's Scrambler

2009-07-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

I really like to cook most of the time.

But, I have a bit of trouble when it comes to breakfast. I'm alright with muffins, breads and the like, but I can't flip an egg to save my life. So, Nate whips up a nice, hot breakfast for us from time to time. He's developed his own specialty we've dubbed "Nate's Scrambler" and let me tell you, it's fantastic. A grilled cheesy egg sandwich. Delicious!

Try it for yourself. You won't be disappointed. :)

Terrific Tuesday!

2009-07-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

$1 bowling night is getting bigger and better...

And more creative...

And... Nate and I are now referring to ourselves as characters from The Big Lebowski.
He is The Dude and I am Walter.
And... no one else bowling with us has ever seen that movie.
So, we're the only ones laughing...

But, we're still laughing...
And I'm still pretty terrible
(if you couldn't tell by the scoreboard).

Disappearing Act

2009-07-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

Sadly,
the adorable spots that once dotted Wrigley's nose are fading...

Day by day, they're going away.

But, he's still cute.

Don'tcha think?

A Little Cheer

2009-07-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

Wanna know the best way to cheer yourself up?

Puppies.

Snuggling puppies.

Absolutely precious puppies.
That's how.

General Update

2009-07-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know from Facebook or e-mails by now, but my mom had another stroke early on Friday morning. Things have been pretty stressful over the past few days, but we were able to bring her home this afternoon. And we're so very thankful for that. We finally got the Internet hooked up in our apartment today, so I should be updating more. Thanks for all the prayers and heart-felt concern. You are all so very appreciated.

Graduation!

2009-06-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Today was the culmination of two years of hard work,

late nights and lots of coffee.
Nate graduated!
He received a Master's degree in Philosophy from Western Michigan University and family from both sides were more than excited to see him walk.

WMU, since 1903...

I briefly captured him walking across stage.

It was such a beautiful day for such a special occasion.

Caitlin, Mom & Dad S. with the graduate :)

Mom & Dad G. with us

Just look at that beaming smile, will ya?
And all that hard work was more than worthwhile...

Congrats, hub! We're all so very proud of you!

$1 Bowling Night

2009-06-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

A couple of us hit up the local bowling alley yesterday for $1 bowling night. On top of that, nasty bowling shoe rental was only 50 cents! We might have to make it a Tuesday tradition.

We all got pretty into it...

Sarah (my sister's sister-in-law) having a ball.
Haha, get it? Having a BALL.

Meesa kept getting her fingers stuck in the tiny holes of the 9-pound bowling ball. It made a really loud popping noise and was pretty funny until she broke a nail. Then, it was disastrous! Haha.

Jess demonstrating "good form."

Fun times, my friends. Fun, cheap times...

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T05:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

But, especially our own. :)