Thanksgiving

Sure I know I am a week late to share a list of things I am thankful for but you can never give enough thanks in my opinion so here's a list of thanksgiving...
I am thankful for my family and their awesomeselves sure we don't always have sunshine and rainbows but we love each other and have a bond that cannot be broken.
I am thankful for my crafty friends who are all about helping with the wedding.
I am thankful for a man who not only will go with me on crazy adventures but wants to go and enjoys himself.
I am thankful my unending energy because more often lately I need it.
I am thankful for my career and coworkers (who I know all secretly think I am crazy)
I am thankful for gods grace and all the blessings he shows me and all those blessing that I cannot see.
I am thankful for my church family who challenges me and supports me in so many ways.
I am thankful for having the good sense to be patient when I didn't want to.
I am thankful for so many other things that I take for granted.

(Photos were snapped on our trip to Iowa over thanksgiving Dustin detoured with me to see the bridges of Madison County in the freezing cold weather).

Dear Jackie and Lisa - Book 11

Finally finished another book. I've been reading three at a time so it felt good to finally finish one. This one was classic - Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I downloaded it for free for my iPhone one day when they took my suitcase which had my other book in it - it was actually the only free book I recognized the author so I downloaded it.   
It's a cute story although a bit wordy at times.  Anne is so likeable it's hard not to like.  It was like a throwback to watching the movies with mom although the book is actually a little different.  Not sure why but I liked this question that Anne asked Matthew in like the first chapter "which would you rather be if you had the choice - divinely beautiful or dazzlingly clever or angelically good?"  - I think I'd go with dazzling clever because who doesn't want to sparkle cleverness.  Anyhow it was a good read and I'd probably read it again and it made me want to watch the movies too.  
Thats all the reading from me for now.   Happy Reading girls!

Happy Birthday Momo!

Happy Birthday to my momo! She turned the big 6-0 today. We celebrated yesterday with her. We kicked off the morning with a trip to church where the sermon was about thanksgiving and things to be thankful for that are not actual things. They asked for people to stand up and share things they are thankful for and Dustin stood up and gave a sweet speech and shared that he was thankful to be celebrated Momo's 60th birthday. Then we had a soup lunch and went for ice cream and to the park for some swinging.  Then we played video games and went to the water tower park with my family.  Then off to her party where we got her 60 presents and found 60 people to send her cards - she cried when we broke out the cake.  It was really sweet.  Happy Birthday Momo!  I hope you enjoyed your day.
Anyhow here's a family photo minus JJ...

Exciting News Folks

Not quite as exciting as getting engaged or winning the lottery.  But I don't play the lottery and this can't win.  But yesterday I hit preferred status on my third airline.  I cannot tell you how exciting this is for me it means no more sitting with my knees in someone's back, no more bag check fees and best ever line cutting in security!  Anyhow so I just wanted to share.  Now here's to hoping I accumulate enough miles for a pretty sweet honeymoon someplace.  

@ the Ace

So far my trip to the Ace Hotel has been great.  It's super adorable - I love all the little touches of typeface on the walls and the little notes.   I really love the little soaps and the large bottles of shampoo that are environmentally friendly.  They also have the photobooth and bikes you can borrow  The location isn't the best after like 9pm however it's super close to the metro line which I appreciate.  

Around Here & There Everywhere

Around here ...
I'm pretty much showing up ill-prepared for situations.
I'm itching to make something.
I'm realizing that I pretty much am failing my fall goals.
I have this desire to eat soup like every meal (the cold will do that).
I need to get my eyebrows waxed.
I am working on doing "nothing" and just being content.
I failed at the fasting challenge twice.
I ate my first black and white cookie - it's lovely!  (Thanks Seinfeld).

Around here... 
Election day came and went uneventfully voting absentee will do that. 
Winter is coming.
Someone dressed up like a turkey for wheeler's soon to be released music videos.
The Indy Blues newly redesigned website just dropped - check it. 
We baby sat for our pastor's little ginger boys (as we call them).  
Discussing Dustin taking a part time job to help our friends new business. 

Around here...
We're discussing what we want to do in terms of getting married.
Really we're discussing what we don't want to do.
We started using google video chat to talk thru the week.  It makes 
My mom is ecstatic about the Dust + Katie engagement (it's adorable really). 

Around here...
Life is full. 
Love is plentiful.
Thankfulness is immeasurable. 
And God is great.

Oh yeah Halloween Happened

Let me preface this by saying its crazy how the hurricane last week impacted work and the lives of people in NY and NJ.  Commute times for my co-workers this week have been sometimes double and triple and at least 10 or so of the 30+ project team members still didn't have power most of this week.  While I was busy basking in my enjoyment working from my night comfortable home.  They however were crippled by lack of transport, waiting in lines to siphon gas to refuel their cars,  hauling water up 13 flights in their high rise apartments and arguing with people over who gets the last loaf of bread.  Let's not even start on those less fortunate than them.  Much of my time in prayer this week has been focused on them, but it's been a real reminder of how blessed I am but as well how fragile that balance is as well. 
But I also go to the Halloween party at my friends Erica and Artie house.  On Monday Kathleen and I devised a plan to be Dustin and his best friend Jake.  We made our Halloween costumes from things found in the house - including our cardboard cut-out props.  it was well worth the "10 minutes" of effort because the second we walked in the door everyone knew who we were.  It was totally hilarious.  I love that Kathleen agreed to accompany me when Dustin had school and of course she went full out with her Dustin Costume and nailed it to the "as is tradition".  As always we had a blast. 

The Chinese

 A few weeks ago some Chinese exchange students came to visit us in Indianapolis.  We took them around town to see see the monument, and art museum and mall, and race track and cooked them American Breakfast and took them out for Mexican.  It was so much fun teaching them about American things.  We taught them how to play Pictionary even if their english made them think a pond was a pony.  And we taught them about pixie sticks and race cars.  It was a great time and we can't wait to see them again soon.    Anyhow I never got around to blogging about it until just now so here are some snaps from their visit.  They actually took probably 10X as many photos as me but I love some of these snaps they are pretty awesome. 

Engaged

Yes that's right this past weekend Dustin proposed and I accepted.  Here's a my recap of how it went.  We went to the circle after dinner at Don Pablos as we have before my brothers and Alicia and Lo and Kathleen in tow.  Someone suggested we take a family photo under the monument - Schreve or Jono (who were in on it) and we did and after Kathleen snapped like 10.  Then my family stepped away and Dustin dropped to one knee said something like "Katie Jones I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you will you marry me."  I said "yes" and kissing him and then stuck my lollipop back my mouth.  My family being the social media buffs pretty much had live video footage rolling.  And circulated their videos on the family group texting while Dustin and I prayed alone and then we joined up with the crew.  I'm so glad my family was there they are a huge part of my life and I really appreciate how Dustin has embraced them and just joined the Jones and Co Crew without hesitation.   Anyhow was pretty special and I have known for some time that Dustin is the guy for me.  I truly do feel as though this is something God wanted for both of us from our first real meeting.
As for when we are getting married and other wedding details - I never really dreamed of a wedding - it's not that I never thought I would get married it's more that I like for everyday moments to be special so I never really wanted a big dress or a special party.  What I do know about our wedding is it will only be the start of many great days Dust and I will have together.   I want to try and get my friends and family engaged in both the planning and ceremony and party because well it just seems like the thing to do. Stay tuned I'm sure you'll be reading more about it here on my blog.
The ring is very sparkly and beautiful.  It's so odd to wear it because I never really was one to wear jewelery unless you count my hair tie.   But you know I took it off earlier because it really needs to be sized and put it in my purse and like 10 minutes later I had a mini panic attack when I realized it wasn't on my finger - so I put it back on. 

Engaged

Yes that's right this past weekend Dustin proposed and I accepted.  Here's a my recap of how it went.  We went to the circle after dinner at Don Pablos as we have before my brothers and Alicia and Lo and Kathleen in tow.  Someone suggested we take a family photo under the monument - Schreve or Jono (who were in on it) and we did and after Kathleen snapped like 10.  Then my family stepped away and Dustin dropped to one knee said something like "Katie Jones I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you will you marry me."  I said "yes" and kissing him and then stuck my lollipop back my mouth.  My family being the social media buffs pretty much had live video footage rolling.  And circulated their videos on the family group texting while Dustin and I prayed alone and then we joined up with the crew.  I'm so glad my family was there they are a huge part of my life and I really appreciate how Dustin has embraced them and just joined the Jones and Co Crew without hesitation.   Anyhow was pretty special and I have known for some time that Dustin is the guy for me.  I truly do feel as though this is something God wanted for both of us from our first real meeting.
As for when we are getting married and other wedding details - I never really dreamed of a wedding - it's not that I never thought I would get married it's more that I like for everyday moments to be special so I never really wanted a big dress or a special party.  What I do know about our wedding is it will only be the start of many great days Dust and I will have together.   I want to try and get my friends and family engaged in both the planning and ceremony and party because well it just seems like the thing to do. Stay tuned I'm sure you'll be reading more about it here on my blog.
The ring is very sparkly and beautiful.  It's so odd to wear it because I never really was one to wear jewelery unless you count my hair tie.   But you know I took it off earlier because it really needs to be sized and put it in my purse and like 10 minutes later I had a mini panic attack when I realized it wasn't on my finger - so I put it back on. 

Engaged

Yes that's right this past weekend Dustin proposed and I accepted.  Here's a my recap of how it went.  We went to the circle after dinner at Don Pablos as we have before my brothers and Alicia and Lo and Kathleen in tow.  Someone suggested we take a family photo under the monument - Schreve or Jono (who were in on it) and we did and after Kathleen snapped like 10.  Then my family stepped away and Dustin dropped to one knee said something like "Katie Jones I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you will you marry me."  I said "yes" and kissing him and then stuck my lollipop back my mouth.  My family being the social media buffs pretty much had live video footage rolling.  And circulated their videos on the family group texting while Dustin and I prayed alone and then we joined up with the crew.  I'm so glad my family was there they are a huge part of my life and I really appreciate how Dustin has embraced them and just joined the Jones and Co Crew without hesitation.   Anyhow was pretty special and I have known for some time that Dustin is the guy for me.  I truly do feel as though this is something God wanted for both of us from our first real meeting.
As for when we are getting married and other wedding details - I never really dreamed of a wedding - it's not that I never thought I would get married it's more that I like for everyday moments to be special so I never really wanted a big dress or a special party.  What I do know about our wedding is it will only be the start of many great days Dust and I will have together.   I want to try and get my friends and family engaged in both the planning and ceremony and party because well it just seems like the thing to do. Stay tuned I'm sure you'll be reading more about it here on my blog.
The ring is very sparkly and beautiful.  It's so odd to wear it because I never really was one to wear jewelery unless you count my hair tie.   But you know I took it off earlier because it really needs to be sized and put it in my purse and like 10 minutes later I had a mini panic attack when I realized it wasn't on my finger - so I put it back on.