Tiny Kitchen and Kitties

This post is dedicated to my two favorite tiny things in my house that start with "K".  Ok, not really, but I did want to share some pictures with you!  We've been in our house since August and I still haven't really posted any pictures of the place.  Here is our tiny little kitchen.  We almost didn't move into this house because we didn't know if the kitchen was big enough.  Surprisingly, this has become one of our favorite rooms in the house!  Jesse and I both love to cook and share food with friends and family, and this is where all the magic happens.  We LOVE our gas stove and will NEVER go back to electric unless we just have to.  We also love our little indoor herb garden that hangs in the window.  It was a stretch to find a "home" for everything (only one drawer and limited cabinet space), but with Jesse's handyman skills and my organizational skills, it works.  

This picture is a little dark, but wanted you to see the cool way Jesse hung our indoor herb garden.  We have a larger one outside, but wanted to bring some herbs inside for the winter.  We love cooking with fresh herbs.  

Due to lack of cabinet space, we have our plates "restaurant style" as I call it, on open shelving. 

Now, for the other thing in the house that starts with a "K"... our kitties!  I figured I would give them one last post before the lady of the house returns.  Kelley and I are headed to the Chattanooga area on Friday to get Mags! I am so excited to have her home from obedience training.  But until then, Roobidoo and Jack:

Daily Schedule:

sleep

eat

chase each other

sleep

patrol the house

sleep

and sleep some more

Most of the pictures I have of the cats are of them sleeping, since that is mostly what they do all day!  One of my favorite things about them is that they usually sleep in a ball together.  I'm still not sure if I would call myself a cat person, but they are growing on me.  Except for breaking our full length mirror, filling up the litter box, waking us up occasionally at night, and walking all over us while on the couch, they are pretty cool cats (ha) and are generally self-sufficient.  We can't wait to see how they are once a 8 month fun-loving lab enters their domain!

Enjoy and Goodnight!

Snowy Anniversary!

Today Jesse and I have been married for 2 years!  We received a special treat this year of a snowy anniversary, which led to campus being closed!  It's so nice to have the day off work.  It looks like a wintery wonderland outside.  We played like little kids in the snow last night, but today its more icy than powdery, so not as much fun to play in.  Here are some pictures from campus last night and our little house all covered in snow!

This is where it all went down 2 years ago!

Happy Snow Day!

So this is the New Year

 

We are one week into 2011. Crazy, huh? Did you set any new years resolutions?  I sort of did.... to glorify God, to be a good wife, to be intentional in relationships, to work hard, to keep my house clean, to cook simple, local, and fresh (as possible), and of course to look and feel good. You know, just general things that I always want to be and do. My newest obsession of the year so far is the blog, www.simplemom.net.   Even though this blog is ideally for stay at home moms, there is still some great information for any woman who manages a home...and dont we all??? One post in particular that I enjoyed is this one:  http://simplemom.net/new-years-resolutions-2011/

If you get a second, I recommend printing the PDF that goes along with her new years resolutions post.  I'm (slowly) working through it, but I think it is great to sit down, reflect, and really answer questions honestly.  The point of this little worksheet that she provides to to set goals for yourself this year, not really resolutions. It goes through topics of personal growth, physical health, marriage and family life, goals for your children, money matters, and relationships outside the home. 

There's just something refreshing about the new year to me.  Right after Thanksgiving, I get so excited about decorating my house for Christmas and all of the craziness that goes along with the holidays, but there is something about packing it all up, cleaning your house, and getting started on a new year.  What are you looking for to get out of 2011?

Christmas Break 2010

This is a very strange time of the year.... its the time that we all look backward and forward at the same time.  We often find ourselves thankful for the good times and bad, yet look forward to new things to come.  2010 was a pretty steady year for us, especially compared to 2009, and for that we are very thankful!  We both pushed forward into our graduate programs, Jesse scored an internship this summer with the National Parks Service, Kelley joined us in Starkvegas, I got a great job recruiting students to the best school in the state, Jesse got a GA position on campus, we moved into a house, got our puppy, Maggie, and I ran a half marathon.  There's really not too much to complain about in 2010.  We are so so very blessed and are so thankful for the Lord's provision on our lives. I am so thankful for Jesse and the love and support he gives me.  I can't believe we are coming up on 2 years of marriage.  Praise to the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever!  

***********WARNING: This is a long post.*************

So, one of my favorite things about my job is the 2 weeks that I get off during the Christmas holidays!  However, during this break, only about 2 1/2 days were spent in Starkville - the rest was spent on the road visiting friends and family.  I wish I had pictures from our time in Madison, but I have lost my camera and we didn't get our new one until the day before we left.  (Thanks Mom and Dad!) We had a great time celebrating my Mom's 60th birthday, Christmas, and spending time with my sisters and their precious families.  Sadly, we left a member of our little family in Madison... Maggie.  She is now with Kristian and George in Chattanooga at obedience training.  We are hoping to get her back sometime mid-January.  We miss her so much!

The pictures pick up on our way to the Gatlinburg area to spend Christmas with Jesse's family.

Leaving the good ole Golden Triangle...

We spent the first day walking around Gatlinburg.  Many memories from Youth for Christ trips came flooding back while walking the streets!  I spent the days after Christmas here 5 years in a row.  Wish I could scan in all the pictures I have in this photo booth!

We ate dinner that night at the Apple Barn.  If you have not been, then GO! 

REALLY excited about family vacay, apparently!

the girls

the parents

While you are visiting the Apple Barn, make sure you eat here!

Christmas Eve was a treat!  We spent it at George Vanderbilt's lovely home, Biltmore (if you can call it that... more like castle).

Christmas morning brought SNOW!  White Christmas!

Our baby christmas tree.  You make do when you are at a condo!  We had a nice morning opening presents and spending time with family.  Jesse's mom is making me a quilt that I am so excited about!  

The next two days were spent spending christmas money at the outlets.  No pictures necessary, I'm sure you can imagine.

The last day of the trip, we drove through beautiful Cades Cove.  I rode my bike around this 11 mile loop as a kid one summer, so it was a treat to see it covered in snow...

... that is until the traffic stopped moving.  At first we thought it was just some people up ahead looking at deer ( I mean, really, come to Mississippi and you will see plenty of deer), but turns out there was an accident about 4 or 5 miles ahead of us.  We were stuck.  6 adults in a Ford F-150 extended cab. Jesse, John, and I in the backseat.  For 6 hours.  6 hours. Talk about quality family time. 

We left the park after sunset, but just before, we snapped one final shot from our trip.  Call me silly, but "purple mountains majesty" came to mind as we looked upon this beautiful place.  God's creation is beautiful.  

After Gatlinburg, we spent New Years with our friends (who are family to us) in Memphis!  I don't really know why we don't have any pictures from this.  I guess we were just having too much fun!  This was our first New Years since we have been together that we spent with friends, so that was a treat.  We ran in the New Year with COWBELLS and a Gator Bowl Victory!  Go DAWGS!

Oh and before I forgot, we have two of Maggie's Christmas presents waiting at home for her return.  We stopped through Mantachie, MS and picked up two kitties! Introducing:

Below is Roobidoo, the crazy one.  He is so playful and fun!

and here is Jack (or Sailor Jack, Happy Jack, Creepy Jack, whatever you want to call him)  When he has things his way he is perched on your shoulder like a parrot.

I put up this picture of Jack next to an average sized throw pillow to show you how SMALL these kitties are!  They are 6 months old... can you believe it?

I think Maggie will have fun when she gets home.  All of our animals are quite the cuddlers, so I'm sure very soon I will have a picture similar to this one below,  just with a yellow lab snuggled in the middle.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

**New Year's Resolution:  BLOG MORE!**