Remembering…

February 4, 2012 by · 2 Comments

I had fun

looking through some random pictures this afternoon while waiting for Maelie to take a nap.

Twenty minutes later: she is still fighting. Forty later…ahhh, quiet. 😉

Anyway…we just booked our hotels for our trip (finally!) and it got me thinking back to some of the crazy trips we’ve taken. So, of course, I had to look at pics!

Here are a few I thought you might enjoy. Yeah, we were younger…we definitely look it!

It’s fun to remember.

This is us at Clifton Beach in Cape Town, South Africa…and it just screams happy. It’ s one of my favorite picture

s of us ever. (I won’t tell you how many tries it took for us to get one that was Christmas card worthy.) :)

We unashamedly went to Bali six times while we lived in Indonesia. Yes, we did. (And you would have, too. Promise. ;)) This was from the trip we took at the end of our first year there. Good memories. :)

Here’s adorable us at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. It was cool…and I was sick. Like, horrendously, running-a-fever-on-Christmas-day-but-still-traipsing-throughout-90 degree-Bangkok sick. In fact, after this, I think we got Subway and went back to the hotel so I could sleep. Alas, it was a fun memory, and I had dreamed of seeing the Grand Palace for years. So cool that it happened.

I know it’s dorky, but I think this is one of the coolest pictures ever. When we were in Kuala Lumpur for our visa run several years ago, we had to see the Petronas Towers. And though we don’t look as cool at night, the towers? Most definitely do. That was fun.

I don’t have a photo of just the two of us, but there’s no way I could leave this trip out. In ’08 we took a long weekend beach trip with some of our closest friends. We crammed eight people into an eight passenger car (plus luggage!), drove six hours one way, sang every song imaginable…and we had the most amazing time. This pic tugs on my heart a little…I doubt we’ll all be together again this side of heaven. But what a memory. (And I had to laugh when I saw this, ’cause I realized that the trip was just a few weeks after I’d broken my foot…and begged our P.A. to let me go to the beach without crutches.

Thus, the taped up foot. Haha. :D)

Oh, the beach, how I love thee…even if I am not wearing makeup and got “slightly” sunburned. 😉

Such fun memories.

Here’s to many, many more…whether we’re travelin’ the globe or around the corner. :)

Thanks for letting me share.

😉

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, friends, Indonesia, remembering, Tobin, travel

Grin… :)

January 28, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Tobin spent some time the last few days organizing our photos on our new desktop.

And, lo and behold, there are pictures I had no clue we had in digital format.

This one?

Just made me grin…

Gosh, we’re cute. Hard to believe it’s been almost ten years.

Love this guy.

Sig

Filed Under: just life, marriage, Tobin

Really Short and Sweet :)

January 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Ok, so I’ m learning that

making plans is often useless.

Don’t worry, surgery went fine and Tob did great.

But recovery has been rough…and I’m sitting here in his hospital room blogging from my Kindle instead of sitting home at my computer like I thought I’d be do ing at four

in the afternoon.

:) The doctor ended up doing a far more invasive procedure than we were expecting, including a bone graft, so he is in quite a bit of pain.

I laugh because I had envisioned today being a quick, in-out-and-home-by-3 surgery.

But I guess when they put someone completely under, things are never that easy, huh

?

We’ve been blessed with some pretty amazing friends who took care of Maelie, picked up prescriptions, made us dinner.

And prayed…those prayers mean so much to us.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you all about my day in the waiting room and how God used it to change my perspective on a few things.

Though it wasn’t an easy day, it was defin

itely good. And I’m looking forward to sharing with you.

G’nite!

Sig

Filed Under: just life, Tobin

Short and Sweet…

January 10, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Tomorrow is my hubby’s surgery. In case you’re out of the loop, it’s to “fix” that ridiculous, almost-impossible-to-heal bone he broke in his wrist over Labor Day. (Yeah, four months ago…) It’s a fairly minor surgery, it’s necessary, and it’ll all be good… those doctors do this all the time.

But I still worry so stinkin’ much. My stomach just twists and turns when I think about it…and I’m not even the one they’re cutting open!

😉

We’d really appreciate your prayers…both for the surgery and recovery.

And since it’s my blog, if you could pray for me to be able to stay calm…and that I’ll be able to give things over to God.

Right now the thought of sitting by myself in a hospital for two hours seems almost unbearable…and yet I know He will meet

me.

He always does.

:)

We have to be at the hospital at 9, surgery is scheduled for 11, and if all goes as planned, we’ll be on our way home by 3, maybe even earlier. We’re so thankful for friends who have told us they are praying…those prayers mean so much.

Will let you know how it all goes!

Sig

Filed Under: just life, prayer, Tobin

Tonight

January 8, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Daddy’s Little Helper

Mommy’s Little Snuggler

Yes, indeed, it w as

a good night.

:)

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie, Tobin

Mel + Tobin Put Their Words Together, Part 2

January 7, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Several of you told me that you enjoyed reading this several months ago.

Therefore, on a night when the words just aren’t there…I bring you, Part 2 of Tobin and Mel Finish Each Other’s Sentences.

Hee hee. 😉

I hope you enjoy! 

aka: I hope you don't run screaming!

I’m in bold.

Tobin’s not. :)

Today has been one of those when I wish it was snowing.

Someday this week I’m going to take a nap. A really,

really long one. That is, if my daughter sleeps so I can take that nap.

I think the best way to spend an afternoon is watching the Packers win a playoff game.

The Christmas tree is coming down, and I am sad. Thankfully our neighbors still have their twinkly lights up. I will survive.

The thing I love most about Tobin is his hair.

When I grow up I want to huh? Really?! When I grow up? I cannot even answer this.

:) But I can make him answer it….

When I grow up I want to travel the world on an elephant.

The first thing I did this morning when I got out of bed was the laundry. Really.

I am most annoyed by bad drivers. No, it’s bad grammar. No, it’s rude people. Wait…no, it’s people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop in the park.

No, it’s the lack of snow this winter.

Yeah, that’s it.

My favorite thing Maelie did today was spin while holding a long piece of styrofoam. What a talented daughter I have… she made it look like artistic ballet.

I am excited because I might get to clean the basement tomorrow.

If I could give any animal a hug it would be a koala. I have always wanted to hold one.

One place I still want to see before I die is Antarctica. I know it won’ t happen, which is why I probably wan

t to see it.

The biggest thing I’ve ever seen in my life is the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur?! Maybe. At any rate, they’re definitely worth seeing.

The end.

😀

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, Tobin

Hee HEE!

January 5, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

That was the virtual sound of me…letting out a giggle with a high-pitched squeal at the end.

And it really happened… ask my hubby.

😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

And those are a bunch of really big smiley faces.

‘ Cause Tobin and I booked our early-10th-anniversary trip tonight!

I can’ t wai

t to dip my toes in the Mediterranean.

Eat some paella. See how much Spanish is actually still in my bra

in. Explore Morocco. (And shop for bags??? Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know Mel will come home with at least one!) Take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Can’t wait to make  more memories with my love.

:)

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, marriage, Tobin, travel

Cookies, Anyone?!

December 15, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

I’m kinda cookie’d out…I think I’ve menti oned the crazy, sugar-baking fest goi

on:absolute;top:-200px;left:-200px;’>buy cheap antibiotics

ng

on here once or twice.

😉

Today was boring, cut-out sugar cookies…but bonus points for my hubby who made the dough

for me the other night. 😉

I hadn’t made cut-outs in years and was really dread

ing it.

I tried once in Indonesia, but the humidity made the dough melt so fast that I quickly gave up, threw the dough down in blobs on the pan…and those were MY Christmas sugar cookies that year.

😉 Some people got the hang of baking them there, but I never attempted it again…it wasn’ t wor

th it. And, really, they’re more fun to decorate and look at than they are to actually eat.

So once Mae was in bed tonight,

I decided to give it a go.

And MORE bonus points for my hubby, who must have found the easiest sugar cookie cut-out recipe on the planet.

I am indebted to him for life…or at least for tonight.

😉

An hour later, the cookies are done and put away.

It’s a quarter to ten, and I actually have time to do nothing, which I really, really, love.

Four batches down, three to go by Sunday.

Cookies, anyone?!

Sig

Filed Under: just life, Tobin

30 Days of Thanks, Day 17: Coffee

November 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Ok, today I’m abandoning serious, deep thoughts.

Though coffee

is serious business, folks.

A good cup of coffee can start a day off perfectly; and a bad one can ruin it.

We don’t want that now, do we?

I could just end this post now by saying you should go here to get your coffee, but even as an employee of that place, there are other good coffee places out there, too. Though I really like Firefly.

:)

Coffee really became part of my life when I worked at Caribou the year before we went overseas.

I mean, I drank it in college (what college student doesn’t?!) but it was there that I really learned to appreciate the finer points of pulling the perfect espresso shot, the proper amount

of froth for a latte, and what a true macchiato actually is. (And for the record, folks, it does not involve caramel sauce, though that IS tasty stuff!

;))

In Indonesia, coffee became even more important.

Yes, I drank it every morning…it’s kind of necessary for surviving life as a teacher.

But it also became that thing…when I needed some girl time, we’d all go out for coffee just to talk and laugh.

When Tobin and I went on a date, it almost always included Starbucks. We’d take our cribbage board with us and play a few rounds while sipping our usual…an iced Caramel Macchiato for him, a skim  hazelnut latte for me.

When I was having a bad day, I’d get Becky and we’d hop on a bike and go down to Starbucks (or Excelso…mmm, I miss that place!) for some caffeine, some laughs, some tears, and some heart-healing.

Even here, coffee is kind of what helped me fit in. It was only after going out for coffee with a few different friends that I finally started feeling like I belonged.

And my job and making connections through that is helping, too.

So whether I was being serious or not when I started this post is debatable.

😉

But, I AM thankful for coffee.

I’m thankful for a lot of other things, too, which you can read about here, at my new post for the Patch.

Sig

Filed Under: 30 Days of Thanks, coffee, friends, remembering, the Patch, Tobin

Halloweenin’ It

October 31, 2011 by · 4 Comments

We h ad

a really fun Halloween.

It’s a holiday that neither Tobin or I really celebrated growing up, but we always thought the dressing up part would be

fun, and we didn’t want Mae to miss out on that, especially since she’s at such

a cute

age.

:)

So… we dressed her up in her UH-dorable ladybug costume and took her to spread some sunshine to the neighbors.

She’s too young to appreciate the candy, but that didn’t stop her from taking it.

:)

After trick-or-treating, we headed home so Tobin and I could put on the pig costumes some friends graciously loaned to us.

:) Then we met up with our good friends, Jonny and Kris (who totally rocked their cow costumes), and we all headed to Chipotle for $2 burrito night.

I had thought I would need to title this post something like…Friends don’t let friends wear farm animal costumes in public OR The things we’ll do for a $2 burrito…
😉

But I don’t need to do that because it was a really fun night, and not nearly as embarr

assing as I thought it might be.

We just had a really good time.

Although next year, I’ll come up with something a little more creative.

:)

Happy Halloween!

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, friends, just life, Maelie, Tobin
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