good thing he loves aviators

pretty pretty paris

{via littlebrownpen}

true of false:

paris is the most wonderful city in the whole world.

crafts galore!

just found out about this

& that i's coming to austin may 15th.

yahoo!

should probably start saving now...

dog lesson

After reading an absolutely adoring review on The Art of Racing in the Rain, I immediately added Garth Stein's novel to my mental list of books to read. The book especially jumped far up on the list when I realized it was written from the perspective of a dog (i mean, hello), and was compared to Life of Pi and The Alchemist. Currently only about 1/3 of the way through it, but I'm already in love and inspired.

"When I was nineteen," Denny said after a moment, "at my first driving school down at Sears Point, it was raining and they were trying to teach us how to drive in the rain. After the instructors were finished explaining all their secrets, all the students were totally confused. We had no idea what they were talking about. I looked over at the guy next to me- I remember him, he was from France and he was very fast. Gabriel Flouret. He smiled and he said: "That which you manifest is before you."

Eve stuck out her lower lip and squinted at Denny.

"And then everything made sense," she said jokingly.

"That's right," Denny said seriously.

[...]

She went off into the kitchen; Denny and I continued watching the cars on the video as they drove around and around the circuit drenched in darkness.

I will never tire of watching tapes with Denny. He knows so much, and I have learned so much from him. He said nothing more to me; he continued watching his tapes. But my thoughts turned to what he had just taught me. Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through invention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."

- Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain

a tuesday picnic in the park

the sweetest thing happened today.

this morning, i was overcome with the thought of how blessed i am-

lucky to be head over heals for the most incredible man,

who for some reason is crazy in love with me too.

anyway, i got home from running errands after work,

and what did i find?

ross had packed us a picnic lunch

so we could go out & enjoy the beautiful weather with

pb&js, fruit salad, chocolate chip cookies-

mixed with sunshine, good books, and a brief nap.

i love this man.

books, food, and true love

what do these three books have in common?

a. they rock

b. they've made my january lovely, despite the lame weather

c. they are each uniquely addicting & inspiration

life of pi has been out for a while, so i realize there's really not much for me to say about it that hasn't already been said. if you're looking for a book with a beautiful story that leaves you wanting to really live, this is the book for you. this novel is particularly hard to put down, and it provide a refreshing and somewhat unique perspective on religion.

now, onto food. ross gave me the sweetest christmas gift this year: a copy of mastering the art of french cooking, the paperback julie and julia, and the dvd- all tied up with string. actually, i watching julie and julia right now. it's so sweet, and i'm starting to love meryl streep almost as much as i love tom hanks. the books is pretty different from the movie, but very enjoyable. her honest humor & cooking mishaps are addicting. and of course- my own copy of mastering the art of french cooking now seems to be calling my name.

while i'm still just a little too intimidated to start mastering julia child's infamous cookbook, i have fallen head over heels for great food fast. it's perfect for the girl (like me) who hasn't yet cultivated culinary skills through years of practice, but wants too. even better is the fact that all of the recipes are even tastier than they are easy and fast. best of all? not only is the book divided by the four seasons, but every recipe is complete with a gorgeous photograph. what's not to love? so far ross & i have enjoyed:

- pureed butternut squash soup

- sloppy joes

- chicken curry served with red potatoes, rice and raisins

- crispy apricot pork chops served baby broccoli with orange sauce

- potato and onion frittata

- cranberry upside-down cake

ooo i really can't say enough about this fabulous cookbook. most of the dishes are made up of budget friendly elements as well, which allows us to try out at least one new recipe a week.

confession: when ross & i first got married, i didn't put in that much effort when it came to preparing meals. i was so concerned with not being little betty homemaker (despite my [somewhat annoying] natural instincts) that when i did cook, the meals generally comprised of frozen veggies and just sticking some salmon in the oven for 10 min with some lemon juice (if i was feeling fancy). BUT- i recently discovered what millions of men and women have known about for years- the true joy of cooking. seriously- it's wonderful. and the only greater joy than that of creating a wonderful meal with gorgeous aromas and the symphonic sounds of sauteing is the fulfillment that comes with serving your husband (or wife). i really don't mean that in the sense of "i am a woman, let me cook and clean for you, a man." rather, i mean the gag-worthy, "i just freakin' love you, and i love lightening your load, and making your day just a little brighter (and tastier) by cooking for you...because like i said, i freakin' love you. " obnoxious, yes... but true.

and just incase you weren't sold on the whole loving through serving bit, here is even more motivation (if you're even looking for it [whoever the you is i am so frequently referring to]): giving leads to more giving, and good cooking yields to better cooking. what i mean is this: if i cook a particularly scrumptious meal on tuesday, ross will be even more inspired to cook and equally (or surpassingly) wonderful meal on wednesday. who wouldn't love such a cycle? not that ross needs inspiration to be awesome, but more on that later.

"julia, you are the butter to my bread, the breath to my life. i love you, darling girl."

- julia's husband, paul.

cooking is the new love language.

when i grow up...

{via etsy}

true story: i want to be a graphic designer.

which is great because:

a. i have a dream to chase

and

b. blog & internet surfing is now

researching & gleaning inspiration.

ending the dry streak

haven't been here in a while. i've had some serious 'bloggers block.' (is that a thing? whatever.)

not sure why. several unfinished posts seem to be stuck in drafting form, and my track record lately would suggest that the same fate will become this very one.

i've been a little distracted lately. not so much distracted as suspended, like a tiny ballerina in a jewelry box, waiting for the crank to be turned again and the music to play. like standing on the tip of the diving board, still undecided as to how i should jump into 2010. i keep thinking back to new years eve and the feelings i had that this year was going to be a great year: the year i would figure my life out. the wonderful sensation of a fresh start is the best part of every new year, and it's always accompanied by several (usually way too many) resolutions. here's the line up for this year:

* make 2010 a year of action. actively pursue the Lord through the Word, a mentor, consistent quiet times, service, and our community.

* find a dream job, and chase it hard. this is the year for that. it's happening.

* be a better friend. true, i'm terrible at talking on the phone. also true, most of my friends live far away. make more of an effort, and especially explore other methods of communication (who doesn't love receiving a card in the mail?)

* focus on my marriage. continue to find more ways to love, serve, and support ross. he's the best.

* try a couple new recipies every week.

* make a serious commitment to a healthy lifestyle. less pizza. run a half-marathon.

some of these are going really well. others seem to be already forgotten.

how is it already almost february!? and i'm just now posting about new years resolutions...

so 2o10 might have gotten off to a slightly slow & distracted start over here, so it's time to kick life into high gear.

sidenote: just got back from my first ever baby shower. ross & i are nowhere near that season of life- but it was super cute, and it's so great to see happy couples in the baby stage. i am, however, losing my resolve more and more each day to wait to expand our family- with a puppy, i mean! but we've only got about $15 saved up, so... here's to patience!

ben and katie in haiti

via ben & katie

sometime last year, my dear friend katie started itching to pack her pretty home in dallas, leave her wonderful job, hop on a plane with her husband, and go. go somewhere with needs that they could help meet through God's infinite love. she and her husband ben spent hours praying and searching for where they would go: no boundaries. this summer they felt a call to Haiti, in september they were hired to work at a Christian school. just a few days after Christmas, they flew to that little third world country and starting calling it home.

their first few blog posts after arrival noted all the incredible fresh fruit, the struggle to get clean water, school daily schedules, and the love they had for their new community.

it goes without saying that now their life in haiti is beyond what they could have ever anticipated. haiti clearly needed them more than they knew. their school is miraculously still standing- the only one in the city that didn't collapse. they are fully devoted to helping the wounded, giving aid to the school nurse, and comforting anyone and everyone.

you can follow them at their blog. thankfully they still have some communication with all of us here. we are praying for ya'll, your ministry, and haiti.

three wheelin'

allison came to visit this weekend!

we were back on the tricycle & rollin with our third wheel.

{miller, allison wants you to know that she know has a signifiant leg up in the third wheel competition-

mostly based on the fact that she lives in the same country as us, hehe}

good meals, a trip to messina hof, cowboys game,

scrabble and avatar.

2010 is off to a good start!