Visitors!

Father's Day weekend we had special visitors come down from Iowa.  Adam and I were really excited to have his parents visit for the first time since our wedding.  There was much to catch up on, and we were thrilled to have them stay in our little house.  (My camera is currently in Houston, so I'm just using iPhone pics because I don't want to go another day without documenting this!)

Mike and Adam are definitely cut from the same cloth--they love to stay busy and have projects.  Not to fear: I had a wishlist of projects that required more than one set of hands to get the job done.  After arriving Saturday morning at about 8:30, we got to visiting and working.  Mind you, they drove through the night, and, as usual, they were their chipper, happy selves without a yawn in sight.  I really don't know how they do it.

First on the agenda was changing the dryer door to open from the opposite side to make doing laundry a bit easier.  This made me especially happy!

We sat and visited, ate, talked some more, and did projects while they were here.  Neither of my inlaws are very fond of the camera, so you can kind of see Norene sitting with me and Rye on the purple couch, just to prove she was there, too! 

Norene and I had a great "girl time" shopping and talking and cooking.  She was always doing dishes or helping with something.  I swear, they worked so hard during their stay here, it can hardly be called a vacation! 

Father's Day, I sang on the Praise Team at church, and then we came back home for lunch with Papa and Jonita.  Thankfully Adam and Mike pulled through beautifully, grilling Iowa chops for us (inch-thick pork chops = amazingness).  Norene made the green salad with fresh fruit, and everything else was a flop (thanks to me!).  I have never messed up so badly in the kitchen on several things at once.  Thankfully, I have very sweet inlaws and understanding grandparents.  We all got a good laugh over my kitchen mishaps!

On Tuesday, Norene and I ran errands and made a birthday cake.  (She made it.  I sort of "helped."  It's better that way, I think!)  We celebrated Mike's birthday that night, since Adam and I both had the day off.  Mike and Norene celebrated on Monday (his actual birthday), as well.  (Adam and I were both working...bummer.)

While we were out running errands, the guys rewired the garage and organized it.  Impressive, no?  I think so!  They added lights and electrical outlets that made much more sense than what was origianlly there. 

And this was Tuesday night before they left.  Adam and Mike found yet another project to work on--a side table with wonky drawers.  They worked up until the last few hours of their Dallas visit!

We are really grateful that they made the drive down to see our world and love on our doggy.  They made fast friends with Rye.  We received a Furminator brush to help with the shedding, and Rye got some scraps every now and then (but not from the table!).

Thanks so much for coming to visit and love on us.  It's always a treat to get to spend time with y'all**!

**Usually I get a chuckle or two when they hear a "y'all" come out of my mouth, but I think they're getting used to me and my Texas accent!  :-)

Funny things

I may laugh easily, but there are few people on this earth that I find hilarious all.the.time.  No surprise...Adam's one of 'em.  One of the things I most appreciate about Adam is his funniness, but also that he thinks some of the same stuff is funny that I do.  Here are just a few things lately we've found ourselves laughing over together.  Enjoy...

Source: iwastesomuchtime.com via Shay on Pinterest

 

Source: someecards.com via Shay on Pinterest

Source: dailypicksandflicks.com via Shay on Pinterest

Source: absolutelymadness.tumblr.com via Shay on Pinterest

Handmade Picnic Table

I've mentioned on here before that I have the handiest hubby, but I'm going to show you just how handy he is!

 

I'd been dreaming of a picnic table for our deck in the back yard, pinning ideas on Pinterest and just thinking about it.  We talked about different styles and what would look good and that sort of thing.  I sketched a draft of what I wanted the side and top to look like, and then AMP went to town with the measurements, the trip to Lowe's and then making all the cuts, and of course putting it all together.   

 

The top has Carriage Bolts in it, which aren't the easiest thing to use, but that's the look that I wanted, so he took the extra time to pre-drill the holes (from the top and bottom) in order to install them that way.  

Adam's favorite feature of the whole table is that the legs can come unscrewed from the top, for easy moving.  (No, we're not moving.  But it's gonna have to happen someday.)

He rounded the corners of the boards and made sure everything was juuuust right.  I started staining the benches a "Kona" color, but with all the rain we've had, I got sidetracked and was waiting for the table to dry out.  AMP finished that up for me, two weeks ago and put a deck sealant on it so it stays nice and protected.

We've enjoyed several meals at our table, and it makes me so very happy!  Rye likes to find shade under the table, sometimes, too. 

Thanks for building this awesome table for us, AMPersand!

Etta ze Jetta

 

During the crazy happenings of March for Babies week back in April, we also sold the 4Runner.  As if we needed something else to do!  My parents graciously shared Troy's Yukon with us while I hunted for Etta the Jetta (also know around these parts in her German name, Etta ze Jjjjetta).  

Did you know that finding a black Jetta with beige leather interior is the most uncommon combination to be made by VW?  Apparently it's only 5%.  Of course I would pick such a combo.  Finding one with the right mileage, right price, and right color turned out to be a rather long process.  Five weeks after selling the 4Runner, we got Etta just before Memorial Day!

 

My very first car I learned to drive was a VW Passat, and I really enjoyed it.  I'd been thinking about getting a car since early February, so really, this research project has taken quite a long time!  I think I appreciate Etta even more knowing that now.

The buying process was one we hope not to have to relive again anytime soon.  Dealerships questioned our every move, and they totally underestimated our determination to stick to our budget!

AMP and I had a set $$ amount we didn't want to go over, and they tried anything and everything to get us to budge, even offering us a great deal on a 2012 model, but in the long run, we'd have paid WAY more than the parameters we had set for ourselves.  It was a great lesson in standing our ground and continuing to learn to make decisions together.  (And Dad said later that's a technique they teach their people at work...so we must've learned it from him by osmosis or something!)

We had to call in the reinforcements at around 10:15 p.m., when they tried to convince us not to put as much money down for the down payment as we'd planned.  (I'm telling you, they literally tried to get us on all accounts!)  Thankfully we got a hold of our favorite uncle/best banker and he helped us out.   Again...we stuck with our original plan.  Go team.

And, even better, I'm keeping it really clean inside, which is a plus.  (If you've seen my cars through the years, it generally looks as though I'm living out of them.)

So instead of a two-SUV, two four-wheel-drive family, we are now a more economically friendly family with a truck to haul stuff and a fun, zippy car with great gas mileage.  Woohoo!

Date Day @ JumpStreet

  

I got to take the day off on Friday, so I declared it a date day for the two of us!  I made a little hangman guessing game for AMP to see where we were heading.  We went to JumpStreet, which the Cashes and several other friends had been to recently because it was on Groupon. 

 

Like my socks??  Just keepin' it real...

They have several rows of long trampolines that tilt up at the ends, and we had a two hour pass to jump, ride the bull, and play in the foam pit.  We had a blast jumping around, but we didn't quite make it two hours!  Geeze, if you take kids there, I'd imagine they'd be wiped out for the rest of the day!

 

Lots of fun to be had here!  AMP was like a little kid.  I know we aren't surprised!  This was right up his alley.

 

See?  He's part Texan!

Bull Riding

My request was yogurt after jumping around.  It looks quite festive!

 

For dinner, we made taco salad and were hungry later that night, so Waffles and Wine it was!  A great way to end a fun day of spending time together!

Rye Dog Update

Rye Dog,
We are crazy about you.  Lots of family have asked how you're doing, so I thought I'd give a little recap here.

• You are housetrained!  Thank heavens.  We appreciate this more than you know.  You don't like going to "do your business" when it's dark outside.  We think it's because you're afraid we'll leave you to sleep out there, so we have to go with you.  Silly boy.
• You have learned to Sit, Stay, Shake and "Leave it" (which is where we leave food or treats in front of you and make you wait for it.)

• You love to play fetch, and will go to your toy basket and bring us your rope toy or big blue bone to throw.  We are working on the "drop it" part of your traning. You just like to hold on to your toys!  You also like to bring us your leash every once in a while.  It's so cute that it's really hard to say no to that one.

• The purple couch is your domain.  We've now put a blanket over it so your fur won't totally ruin it.  We left you inside the kitchen and sun room with baby gates while we went to the lake, and Patriot's People were so great to come over and play with you, feed you and let you outside.  I couldn't bear to leave you in your crate that long...so baby gates it is.

• Sometimes if we're gone for just an hour or two, we won't put the gates up.  This has worked out fine, except last night you greeted me with some undergarments on your face.  Lovely.
• We were warned about the fur, but seriously.  OH THE FUR.  Adam has to get the ShopVac out to get all the brown fur you leave on the floor.  Regular vacuums just don't cut it.  I think a Furrminator is definitely on our wishlist!
• You sleep in our room on a blanket most nights now.  You've been waking up at around 2 or 4 a.m. and shaking your collar and pacing the floor.  At first we thought you were telling us you needed to go outside.  But last night I decided to risk it and just told you to be quiet (you respond very well to Shh!), and you laid back down to sleep.  The other alternative is your crate, mister, so I think it's to your benefit that you behave!

• We recently started looking into Therapy Dog trainings and certification.  How cool would it be if you could make even more people's day better?  We think that would be pretty great.  We shall see, though...

We love you, Pink Nose Rye!

Memorial Day at the Lake

This was the third Memorial Day weekend that Adam and I've gotten to celebrate together.  I told him this already, but I sure do love making a history together.  It's fun to look back and remember where we've been.



My parents hosted a house-full of friends for this weekend at the lake.  Every bedroom was full, even the couch in the den (yes, out in the open...poor Drew!).  This was the first time AMP and I have been to the lake since we've been married, so it was fun to have our own little spot, too!



The water was choppy, which made for a measly two jet ski rides and no boating, but it was just so nice relaxing, that I don't think anyone minded!  There was actually shade and a breeze pretty often, which is not always the case. 

The Flaggs and the Caldwells joined us, including Kelley, and her mister.  We like them.  Lots.  Drew was quite the trooper as the token UT grad with all the Baylor talk and connections.  He and Adam could relate very well in an I-don't-speak-Baylor way!  It's so fun to see a lifelong friend so very happy.  I'm a fan!!

{iPhone pic} Hanging out on the deck

The parentals took turns playing "42," a domino game.  They tried to finagle Adam into playing, but it requires too much sitting still for him, I think.  Drew took his spot at some point, and even still, the game didn't last too long.  

Saturday night even more Baylor peeps came over from across the lake.  Kelley and I and Mallory stopped for a little Tri Delta sunset pic, and our parents gabbed for hours.  30 years of friendship will do that, I suppose!

 There was lots of hanging out on the deck in this spot this weekend!

 

Gerald's birthday was Monday morning, so Vicki made this fabulous french toast while Dad helped with the scrambled eggs and bacon.  Aprons brought to you by Vicki.

 

Gerald had quite the selection of shirts to choose from as well!  

It was a fun weekend full of friendship and relaxing.  And now it's June and the start of summer.  Here's to lots more trips to the lake and relaxing weekends!