Baby Shower

This weekend I hosted my first shower in my home! The shower was in honor of two dear friends and their little boys due in September, Knox and Jacob. We immediately decided on a Western theme for these two boys as we know they will grow up to love all things outdoors. My decor isn't exactly Western but the more I searched, the more treasures I discovered that would easily go with the theme.

Tyler and I have a ton of leftover mason jars from our wedding that were perfect for the shower! We added some name tags with raffia and drank sweet tea and lemonade out of them. We also used them as small vases for white daisies throughout the house.

Of course, what's a Western theme without a cow dog? Meet Snoop the cow dog.

Here is a photo of the delicious spread and table setting! I found the crate in the corner of one of my bedrooms and it was just screaming to be used as part of the centerpiece. We served delicious BBQ, fruit salad, corn dip, jalapeno poppers and dessert.

And finally, here's what made the shower the most special. It's hard to believe we have known each other over 2 years (and some longer)! We have gone from being engaged, being newlyweds, and now there are 2 (soon to be 4) little bundles of joy. It's such a blessing to share life with these girls, the good times and the bad. It was so special to have everyone all together. The past, present and future of our home team were well represented. I'm blessed with such amazing friends!

Lake Fun

Hello friends! I do apologize for my blogging silence. I think I've just been enjoying the laziness that is summer, especially with this intense heat. Last weekend, we enjoyed a great getaway with some of our oldest friends! We arrived at Lake Travis late Friday evening and spent the night sipping wine and catching up.

Saturday morning, I enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee on the back porch rocking chair overlooking the lake. Ali and I spent lots of time down by the pool and then, despite the incredibly low lake levels, we were able to all get out in the boat! This is one of my favorite ways to spend a summer day.

Here we are enjoying a relaxing boat ride.

We had a yummy steak dinner on Saturday evening and stayed up chatting and playing games. It was delightful! A simple reminder how blessed we are to have such amazing life-long friends to share memories with. We have enjoyed so much fun and fellowship at the lake house over the years. Just a little slice of Heaven. :)

Florida

This week I got back from a wonderful trip to Florida! My family had a condo right on the beach. The view was gorgeous (pictured above). I've gone every summer since I can remember to visit family and enjoy the beach. I loved catching some rays every day and reading a good book. Being on the beach for me is just a small taste of what Heaven must be like.

We played a ton of washers, NOT one of my God-given talents, but we made the most of it nonetheless. Here, Michelle and I are fully embracing our terrible skills.


It was great to catch up with all of my family and play with my niece and nephew on the beach. The fireworks show on the 4th was really gorgeous right over the ocean and it made me feel very blessed to be from such a wonderful country.

On the last day, we rented beach cruisers and bar hopped around Neptune and Jacksonville beach. I tried my first snakebite (delicious!) and capped the day off with a yummy pina colada. Riding a bike on a beach looks so pleasant, but I quickly learned it's just not that easy.

The getaway was delightful, and much needed. I absolutely love going to Florida every year. It quickly takes me back to my roots and to my happy place!

Believing

Recently I heard a sermon that really made me think (always the best kind!) The title of the sermon was 'Believe the Amazing.' What a wonderful calling. Amazing was defined as being beyond my experience, expectations and understanding. The pastor was discussing how Jesus affected those around Him.

When his disciples were confronted with this new information that Jesus was their Savior and that he would die, rise again and ascend to Heaven, they were faced with the decision of either fitting this new information into their old understanding (therefore simply dismissing it) or changing their understanding all together. When faced with this crossroads, his disciples chose not only to change their understanding, but to change the direction of their very lives to align themselves with Jesus's mission. In fact, every disciple believed in Jesus so strongly, that they all died a martyrs death. I can't help but wonder just how compelling it would've been to walk by his side. In the same argument though, Patrick posed the question, 'why did Jesus go to Heaven?' This is something I've always asked myself if I'm honest. It always seems as though it would be so much easier if I could see Him face to face. Jesus went to Heaven so that the gospel wouldn't be centered around his presence. Had He been here all along, the Christian faith would have been contained in and around his physical presence. Instead, God had a plan and when Jesus ascended, his disciples took on the mission and started to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

So even though it seems it would be so simple to travel somewhere where I could be right next to Him, having a faith in something I sometimes cannot see seems more compelling. Patrick described truly believing the amazing by first having an in-person experience with Jesus, one that is personal but not entirely private. Then I become a witness to what I've experienced, not to convert people but to simply explain my real-life experience with the Savior. This is of course not always easy and the struggle will always come when I can't pinpoint or remember how God has worked in my life, my testimony. If I can't cite my own experiences and life changes, Christianity becomes some distant fairytale. To believe the amazing, I must allow myself to both experience it and never forget the way God has always been faithful to me!

Salmon Burgers

Like I've said, we've been grilling out every chance we get! There's nothing quite like these summer nights. I absolutely love cooking salmon. So simple, tasty and healthy. I was looking for a new, interesting way to cook it and salmon burgers seemed like the perfect solution!


Ingredients
1 cup broken herb-seasoned crackers, such as Nabisco® Italian herbed crisp flatbread crackers (8 crackers)
1 lb. skinless, boneless salmon fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 egg
3 Tbsp. Dijon-style or honey mustard
4 ciabatta buns, split (we used onion buns)
Sliced avocado and green onions (optional)

Directions
1. In food processor, place crackers. Cover and process until coarsely ground. Add half of the salmon, the egg, and 1 tablespoon of the mustard. Cover and process until salmon is ground and mixture is thoroughly combined. Add remaining salmon. Cover and pulse with several on/off turns until salmon is coarsely chopped. With damp hands, shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.

2. Brush patties lightly with olive oil. Grill directly on a greased grill rack over medium heat 3 minutes per side or until cooked through (160 degrees F). Grill buns, cut side down, the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling.

3. Serve salmon burgers on buns with sliced avocado and green onions. Makes 4 servings.

This is best enjoyed with a cold beer :)!

HGTVd: Bathroom Redo

Well, the guest bathroom in my house never did much for me. The floors are white and the walls weren't far from it. The cabinets are white and the counter is cream. Needless to say, the bathroom was blah and bland! Here is a photo of how it looked:

I told Tyler I was ready to work on it, and he was feeling up for it! One coat of paint later with some new globes for the fixture, and here is the finished product! I'd like to take this opportunity to stage my own little HGTV reveal. Total bathroom makeover=$30. It's amazing what paint can do. Needless to say, I love the rich color on the walls and how the accessories now pop! Subtle but such an improvement!

A Weekend Getaway!

Back in March I was already thinking about a little getaway for Memorial Day. When Tyler suggested the beach, I was immediately researching the friendly Texas beach town, Port Aransas. We arrived with some friends Friday evening, excited to finally be at the beach!

Saturday we spent the entire day at the beach, soaking in the rays and enjoying good books. Tyler and Justin spent most of the day playing horseshoes. We had a picnic lunch on the beach and then headed back to our little condo in the afternoon.

That night the four of us went to a precious restaurant right on the port. We sat outside and watched the sunset over a delicious seafood dinner. Afterwards we went to the Port Aransas Brewing Company and tried a few of the local beers. Of course, we left with a souvenir glass to add to the collection. We then went out to a local bar and danced the night away to some of our favorite old school rap songs :) The people watching was totally entertaining and we had a blast!

Sunday we took our burned bodies out to the beach for just a few hours and then we went out for some afternoon drinks! We went to a spot right on the port and watched boats and dolphins as we enjoyed pina coladas. We hit up a few of the local shops and picked up some shrimp to grill for dinner.
Justin and Tyler grilled out quite a feast for all of us, including steaks, shrimp, grilled onions and green beans. We spent the evening relaxing, eating yummy icecream and playing catch phrase. It was the perfect way to end the trip! It was such a treat to be able to relax, and enjoy the beach with great friends!