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Another week that was a blur. Work work work.  Sorry I can't share all of thesez

Monday - I can't share this one because it was taken at work.  Client privacy.

Tuesday - parking lot in class (I debated this but I this one but I think it's safe).

Wednesday - 14 hour day this is my view it looks out on silver cup studios

Thursday - another one I can't share.

Friday - live from 6 hours at the airport

Saturday - my six month anniversary card from my husband

Sunday - I went on a picnic and banjo session with Amy on the river in our usual spot.  I play fast banjo (made up songs). Amy plays slower but real songs.  

Soups on - Potato soup

Jono messages me the other day and said we haven't been sharing recipes lately and he is right.  Dustin is having a party tonight and I made soup.  Potato soup with the leftover potatoes from a bag we bought. I adapted a recipe from here.  It turned out pretty good although next time I might add cheese and peppers.  It thickened during the party and was best hot.

Ingredients: 

1 package bacon

1 onion

8 potatoes chopped with skins (I actually used about 10 little ones)

1 cup celery

3 cloves garlic chopped

3 tblspns butter

1 cup cream

1 cup milk

4 cups of chicken stock

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

1/2tsp cayenne

1 tsp paprika

1/4 cup flour

1. Oven cook the bacon at 400 around 15-20 until crispy

2. Drain 1/2 of the bacon grease into Dutch oven.  sauté onions garlic and celery with the bacon grease.

3. Add the bacon and diced potatoes to the pan cook for a few minutes then add in chicken broth and bring to boil.

4. In a sauce pan melt butter.  Mix in flour and whisk. 

5. then add in cream and milk and whisk.  Add in seasoning and bring to a boil - cream will thicken. 

6. Stir in cream into potatoes soup will thicken.  

7.  Serve with chives and cheese.

Book 25 - 1,000 Gifts

This book 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp, popped up on my "recommended" list at the library ten times.  I also ignored it several times.  Then I picked it up. 

It's a quick read about finding gods grace/gifts in every day life. I found as I read it I made little notes and verses on things (see note I made on a file folder for work "seek god where you doubt he is").   Reading it led me also to reading my bible a little more frequently, not intense deep reading that's not really me.  But short passages.  

And as I finished it I too wanted to start a 1,000 things journal - I too want to find grace in the every day.   Grace in the all the time.  Being the creative I of course wanted to find or make the perfect journal.   Well my mom sent me a journal from a yard sale she went to in California (a while back actually) and I finally settled on that.  But all this week I carried it in my purse and today I made the first entry  - maybe I will not get to 1000 and maybe I will get to 10,000.  We'll see.

Another book down and in less than a week. Perhaps I will hit 30 not 26.  

Book 24 - A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

I finally finished this one.  I checked it out in June from the library and renewed it oh so many times.  I actually started it back in August.  It was a good read the story kept my interest.  I liked the main character Francie.  Many of the places are also familiar to me since I have been working and staying in New York.  It actually made me want to read up more on tenements in New York.   So I think that's a good thing.  I slowly pick away at my 52 books maybe this year I will get thru 26.  Small feats.

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Last week is pretty much a blur too much work.  

Monday - the kitchen in my hotel a rare thing in NYC.

Tuesday - project life happening

Wednesday - our last week in manhattan we wanted to eat our favorite things pistachio doughnuts seriously like heaven in your mouth.

Thursday - waffles

Friday - Japanese curry

Saturday - fall fun with our friend Kemi.

Sunday - apple cider seriously this one was the best I ever had.

On six months

Today we have been married six months.  The time has flown by much faster than the first three.  

We traveled to NYC, Detriot, Columbus, Springfield, california, and West baden. 

We found we liked having the housekeeper.

We laughed.  

We cherished quiet moments at home.

We had many late night phone conversations. 

We spent five weeks together the longest duration we had since we were dating.

We fought a little. 

We pushed each others buttons.

We got new living room furniture.

We said goodbye to the old sofa (FYI I made a nice profit on it).

We went on double dates. 

We took Kathleen on many dates.  

We swam even when only I wanted to swim. 

We saw the golden gate and sunset piano together. 

We celebrated reserve championships.

We got new patio furniture. 

We got up early.

We stayed up late. 

We splurged on Black Market. 

We rode a Ferris wheel. 

We went on several sets of swings.

We started breaking bad together.

We set goals.

We forgot about the goals.

We fasted. 

We got sunburns.

We saw/played baseball. 

We had several house guests. 

We discovered we need a new roof. 

We played a lot of trivia. 

We learned we have a lot more to learn.  Here's to many more months. 

Dear Dustin -

This fall.  Lets work on house projects.  Saving money.  And trying to find a good balance of nothing and something on the weekends.  

Each week coming home is bittersweet.  Sweet because you are home "home is whenever I am with you" sappy but true.  Bitter because I know it only lasts until Sunday night or Monday.  So many times when we are separated I try to make not of things to tell you or share with you.  But this is only temporary.

Traveling this summer has been fun even though most of it has been for baseball.  Hopefully someday we can travel to the far edges of the earth together.

I find it hard to stay mad at you and I am eager to apologize when we argue.  Lets always make up.

Happy six months!

Love always.

PS. Don't buy that dog. 

PPS we also need to work on selfies!  That's to all the people who snapped photos for us.

Best of Life Videos - June 2013

Here is the June Video.  About time.  The song is the Decemberists - June Hymn.  Click here for the direct youtube link.

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Last weeks snaps.

Monday - view from my hotel looked over the New Yorker hotel

Tuesday -The hotel lobby I accidentally snapped this but it was the only snap taken.

Wednesday - Madison Square garden.  Funny just as I was snapping this panoramic the guy in the red car and the moped there were just about to fist fight.  

Thrusday - the highline

Friday - night quilting

Saturday - gabbys tea party birthday photobooth.  Love it

Sunday - again the only snap taken lunch after church with some of our people

Project Life Week 33 and 36

I am working on catching up on the last 10 weeks from project life.  I finished week 33 which was my last week at home before going back on the road for work.  It was a fun week girl time picnic, Lita's birthday, kayaking.  I saved theDave and Buster card and our photobooth photos but forgot to pack them so I will make a pocket page later.  Nothing super fancy with this mostly PL cards cut to size, Washi tape, sticker letters. 

Week 36 half the week in New York,the a weekend trip to the Purdue game.  Dustin was also on the front page of the news paper.  Nothing fancy in this one either - ribbon, tag, brads, writing on the photos. 

Update on the 2013 List

I was thinking about my list the other day. It's amazing how time goes by and I forget the things I put on the list. I also tend to lose track of things I finished. So it's good to touch base and update the progress.  There are a handful that are pretty easy and I might do them soon.

I have actually finished 17 items on my list. That seems pretty respectable to me. Things finished: 

1. Get Married. 

3. Purge some things not worn or used in a year. 

 9. Goodbye party/dinner for Jono and LoLo. 

 12. Add Dustin's family to the Wall. 

13. Volunteer at _Dragon Boat________. 16. Install the master bedroom door. 

 18. Organize my headband collection 20. Pinterest project with Kathleen 

21. Bike ride 

23. Finish Jono's Quilt 

28. Birthday celebration for Dustin. 

 29. Celebrate Lita’s 21st. 

30. Have a PhotoBooth. - Wedding Photobooth. 

37. Drive In Movies. 

39. Go Swimming in a lake or the ocean. - Both Check

42. Take Kemi for a brownie and ice cream. 

43. Open time capsules with Kim and Jeanne. 

And I have started 7 other things too. I'm pretty hopeful I will finish about 5 of these. 

 4. Make 10 quilts - just 4 

6. Take 365 photos (yes I'm trying this again). - STARTED 

 11. 25 first dates (as a married couple). 22. Memory Jar - Started 

26. Project Life. - In Progress 

32. Continue working towards those 52 books. 

34. Drink water - In progress