.........................Lines from the Loehrs

Tutu's and Tchaikovsky

2011-12-15T21:54:00.000-06:00

Dustin is taking me to see the Nutcracker for my first time tomorrow! In honor of the ballet, I thought I'd post this Nutcracker-themed Christmas decor. I'm officially obsessed....and so excited about tomorrow night!

(image)

My Bucket List: Checking Off #1 - Swimming with Manatees

2011-12-14T19:27:00.001-06:00

A little background: I have loved, loved, LOVED manatees every since about the 2nd grade. I saw a "Reading Rainbow" special on them, and it was all over. Every book report from that point on was on my favorite animal, I became a walking encyclopedia about the subject (they won't harm anyone or anything in self defense or even to protect their young, and are known as "gentle giants," they eat sea grass, and live almost solely in Florida.) I've had the jewelry, t-shirts, figurines, and even a stuffed animal named Max, that I slept with until I got married.

It's accurate to say that I've waited my entire life to actually see them in person. In every book I've ever read, the only place you can go to see manatees, and snorkel with them, (scuba bubbles scare them off) is in Crystal River, Florida. In August, my slightly unique dream came true, and Dustin and I headed to Florida! Insert squeals of excitement here.

Words can't even express how happy these pictures make me! Manatees are so friendly and curious. Dustin even got a kiss from that whiskery face! Much like our dog, Marlow, they looove to have their tummies pet. They eventually sink to the bottom like that, and then swim up and roll over again.

Meet Lumpy! He hung around us the entire time we were in the water. We found out that manatee moms love to use humans as babysitters. They come check out the divers to see if they're trustworthy, and then they bring their babies over. After that, they go eat on their own, and occasionally come back to check in with their young. It was hilarious, and so much fun!

This is Glen our tour guide whose former career was alligator wrestling. No joke. He was hilarious and an awesome guide.

After swimming with the manatees, we headed further up the river to the "Three Sisters". What an incredible place to snorkel! At about this point, it occurs to me that no one has asked the obvious question: are there alligators here? So before I even stuck a toe in the water, I asked Glen... He informed me that being cold blooded creatures, swimming in a cold river wasn't something they like.... So I trustingly jumped in....

(My favorite rule is "no riding" the manatees.)

....then after I get back on the boat Glen says, "Aw, Jessica I was sad I didn't see my 4 foot alligator friend today," as he starts to laugh. I just stared and he said, "What? I knew you'd never get in the water if you knew there were alligators in there." Touche.

I waited so long to see this sign! It does my heart good.

In my happy place wearing a manatee hat.

In front of City Hall. What a great town. Even their license plates have manatees on them, and they're also the high school mascot. :)

Holla!

Friends and Fall

2011-11-20T21:51:00.000-06:00

Why does dressing up never get old (even when we do)? Meet Lady Bug,
Lindsey Lohan, Pippi Longstocking, Teen Mom with her Root Beer, and Cleopatra!

Joined by a cowboy and an Occupy Edmond protester.

The grub.

I really like this picture. :)

Getting in the spirit!

...and the guys watched the game in the living room, while the girls
piled in to watch a scary movie throwback: "I Know What You Did Last Summer."
Yes, we still screamed.

My little banana split was the hit of the night!

My first time to ever hand out candy to the trick or treaters! I was beyond excited!
We ended up having a ton of kids and had to make an emergency candy run.

This Halloween got two paws up!

Goodbye and Hello

2011-07-31T00:55:00.000-05:00

Dustin left for beach week with the youth group from our church last week, and I left him this little goodbye surprise. This Angry Bird is made out of Baby Bel cheese, and I left it with a little note, in honor of the hours of Angry Birds he'd be playing on the trip to Florida.

I planned to get up at about 5:00 a.m. to give this to him, but I'll give you one guess if that happened or not...

Daryl or Dustin? Dustin or Daryl? The twinkies kept everyone guessing and confused when they showed up in matching shirts, "accidentally".

I was honored to be praying for these guys and the rest of the campers this week, and was so blessed to hear about the work God did in everyone's lives. We truly serve an awesome God.

So, I had this all ready for Dustin to see right when he came home and walked in the door. Of course, it ended up being the one time in his life that he came through the front door instead of the garage. At least I tried, right?

I know I was just on my own for a week, but I can definitely tell you that I do not enjoy my husband being gone! Life is much better when I get to be around this man. :) I'm very thankful that he went and served for an awesome week though! Marlow is glad to have him back, too.

Dresser Inspiration

2011-07-13T19:21:00.000-05:00

So, I've been on the look out for a large dresser, since the tiny closet Dustin and I share has reached its maximum capacity, and then some. The room above is probably one of my favorite rooms of all time, and it sent me on the hunt for a wallet-friendly, used dresser that I could refinish.

Since our bed is traditional, I really wanted a modern dresser like the one above. I'm not a match-matchy kind of girl.

When I found this 80's sensation at a great furniture consignment store, I knew it fit the bill! (Well, hopefully it will once I'm finished with it!) Dustin was even happy with it because it's solid wood, great quality....and it was a bargain :)

I really want to paint it white and add some cute hardware like these...however, our bed is black... (Pictured: west elm, ikea)

Luckily, I found these rooms that have incorporated black and white furniture flawlessly.

Exhibit B

I'm particularly pumped to add some furniture sparkle, like these from anthropologie. I'm thinking the option on the right might be best, but how's a girl to chose?

I can't wait to get started! After all the sanding, priming, painting, and sealing, I'll let you know how it turns out!

Parades, Senators, and Fireworks: Happy Fourth!

2011-07-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

I love this man! This really has nothing to do with the 4th, but I just had to say it. Anyone who can put up with my questions like, "Is this shirt a true red, or more of an orange red, and does that mean I can still wear it on the 4th of July?" is a keeper in my book.

Our friend (and state senator), Clark Jolley, asked me if I wanted to drive his convertible in the parade. I said, "heck no, I'm not driving it (too much pressure), but Dustin will!" Pretty sure the Loehrs would never turn down a chance to escort important people in a parade. I was pretty pumped!

Congressman James Lankford and his cute family were in the truck in front of us.

I just love our town. Edmond is such a great place to live. There were tons of people lining the 3 mile area of the parade. It almost seemed like something out of a movie, and just made me happy.

Those Kershs are pretty great! They had a sign that said We heart James Lankford, and when we drove by, they flipped it by and saw this! It cracked me up that we were included on a sign with Clark. Love it! :)

Dustin's favorite part of the parade was: a) the war re-enactors b) Shriners driving around in tiny cars c) Uncle Sam picking his nose or d) the OKC Jedis

Preparing to watch some of the top-rated fireworks in the nation! Little did we know that sprinklers would suddenly pop up from the ground in the middle of the show... Slight setback.

So proud to be an American!
Hope you had a great 4th!

Girls, Girls, Girls

2011-07-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

(Hopefully, Motley Crue went through your head when you read that title. If not, click here.) Epic girls' night! We had three requirements: P.J.s, junk food, and a chick flick.

...Yes, all this junk food goodness was for 4 girls. We know how to eat!!!

Breakfast at Tiffany's was the perfect movie for the night! I'd like to live a day as Holly Golightly.

...and have this great bathtub couch and eye mask!

What a great night!

Orange Campfire Cakes

2011-06-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

If you have a camping trip in the near future, these are essential to your tummy's survival! I first heard about these on Today's Letters, and we had to try them on our last lake adventure. They are super easy, and a nice addition to s'mores!

Ingredients:
1 box of Pillsbury Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1 cup of water
1/3 cup of oil
3 eggs
10-12 oranges (of course, you can just use as many as you need, and discard the rest!)

1. Slice off the top of each orange, about a half an inch from the top.

2. Scoop out the inside of each orange, like a pumpkin. A spoon or an ice cream scoop will work.

3. Stir yo' batter.

4. Pour the batter inside, and place the orange top back on the orange.

5. Wrap those puppies in heavy duty foil.

6. Build a campfire (and look strikingly similar to the devil...) Place oranges directly into the fire for 10-15 minutes, rotating 1 or 2 times to evenly cook.

7. Stick a fork in 'em, 'cause they're done! Don't forget to blow on them first!

Shenanigans

2011-06-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

Loading up and heading to Arkansas for a Wehunt-Fite-Loehrs weekend-palooza! (Did you like that?) Troy was there too, hence the finger... I'm pretty sure I could be stuck on a desert island with these people. They make road trips a blast.

Some people like roughing it at the lake, we like having it made in the shade. Loved. This. Cabin.

The recipe for an excellent weekend? Plenty of good food. We started it off right with eggs, bacon, chocolate chip pancakes, and biscuits. Heavenly. We know how to eat well!

The weather was absolutely purrrrfect. (This was the beginning of May...) There's nothing I like more than doing a whole lot of nothing, and that's exactly what we did! I loved spending hours on the dock with these girls and watching Kelly jump into the frigid water like a champ. :)

No kids, that's not bait on the end of those poles, it's the catch! I bet the boys were exhausted after reeling in those prize catches. :)

Did I mention I love these two?

Of course, the weekend wouldn't have been complete without all the boys bringing their guns. We felt very protected. :)

Thundering it up after we got plenty of sun. Some people cross their fingers for good luck, but the Fites use the highly effective triple fetus (that would be Troy, Jacie, and Baby Kal of course).

Aren't these two the cutest preggers you've ever seen? I can't wait to meet their bundles of joy!

Family photo!

Yeah. This is what happens when you combine Wehunt and an automatic camera timer.... Don't act surprised.

Music to my ears: All You Can Eat Crab Legs! It was a feeding frenzy with this group at Across the Creek. Sooooo good! I had no idea my husband was a crab leg expert. He taught me the "correct way" to crack them. :) I'd have to agree that it worked pretty well!

And what lake trip is complete without a campfire? We amazingly still had room for s'mores and orange campfire cakes after dinner. (Campfire cake recipe post coming soon!)

I'm pretty sure I hadn't laughed that much or that often in a loooong time. That's always a guarantee when you get this group together. In the words of Forest Gump, we go together like peas and carrots.

T-H-A-N-K-S Pam! We loooooved the cabin! Gotta love Dustin's wise formation of an 'N' for the picture :)

Troy revealing the total for the weekend: 756.

Loved our weekend!

He Is Risen!

2011-04-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

I can't imagine going through life without the love of my Savior. Reading through Matthew this week has reminded me of the incredible sacrifice he made for me, and every other person ever created. He died so that we could have eternal life. He was rejected by those he came to save, and he chose to love each of us anyway. What an incredible day to celebrate that our God is not dead, he's ALIVE!

Easter S'mores!

2011-04-20T18:50:00.000-05:00

How fun are these? Peeps s'mores in Easter colors! I can't resist! Check them out at poppytalk.

Well, Hello Spring!

2011-04-08T17:26:00.000-05:00

Goodbye Winter

I will miss:

-Living in boots and socks. Daily. Nakey feet are not my favorite.
-Sitting by the fire on any given evening.
-Hot chocolate and spiced tea for no reason at all.
-Snuggling to keep warm :)
-Burying myself under a blanket cloud.
-An excuse to wear a stocking cap. (Are they still called that?)
-Watching my dog attempt to keep her feet out of the snow while visiting "the lady's room".
-The smell of chimneys burning a toasty fire.

Hello Spring!

I'm looking forward to:

-The small window when Oklahoma weather is perfect.
-Sleeping with the windows open.
-Getting my hands in the dirt and planting some flowers.
-Colors like turquoise, fushia, raspberry, and bright yellow coming out of hibernation.

-Sitting on the porch and relaxing by the fire pit.
-Our camping trip with friends in May!

-Sweet tea.

-Thunderstorms. Thunderstorms. Thunderstorms!!!

*Pictures Credits

A Little Pick-Me-"Up"

2011-03-18T23:27:00.004-05:00

Insert happy place here. This is one of those stories that just made my heart smile to know that people out there actually took the time and energy to make this project happen. And it actually worked. A house lifted by tons of colorful balloons, just like in the movie "Up".

Sometimes you just need a light hearted story that's void of the doom and gloom of our world. So take a little time to check out the full story with pictures and video here.

Recipe for a Happy Snow Day (or...snow melting day)

2011-02-11T14:46:00.010-06:00

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells

This recipe is super easy, and super good to eat on a cold day. It makes for a happy tummy and a happy husband. Here are the steps!

Ingredients

20 jumbo pasta shells (about half a 12-ounce box)

1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce

2 15-ounce containers ricotta

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup grated mozzarella (4 ounces)

green salad (optional)

1. Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.

2. Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a large broilerproof baking dish.

3. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

4. Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce.

5. Sprinkle the shells with the mozzarella and bake until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until cheese begins to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve with the salad, if desired

And voila! Eat and enjoy! :)

SNOWKLAHOMA {ROUND 1}

2011-02-10T12:52:00.000-06:00

Growing up in Edmond, I have memories of playing in the snow every winter, and always building epic snowmen. Apparently that is a talent only children possess, because all our snowman amounted to was a snow lump. At least he looks happy, right?

Something about being inside while it's freezing outside sent me on a cooking spree! (Recipes to come later.) I'll take any excuse to sit around in my p.j.s all day and enjoy good food.

The Wehunts and the Loehrs luckily had the foresight to get snowed in together! We enjoyed spending a few days with some of our favorite people, and loved the 11 month old charm of Baby Darryl and his precious grins. Watch out Kelly, I might have to snatch him up and bring him back over to the Loehrs! :)

I'm pretty sure I'd make a good Eskimo, because I never get tired of being snowed in, and I can always think of an endless amount of things to do. Of course those things usually don't include productive tasks, but....what are snow days for, really?

Me: "Hey Dustin, this snow isn't sticking. Maybe we should add some water."

Dustin: "Jess, I really think we should either get a shovel, or just admit this isn't going to work."

Me: "I guess growing up in Arizona, you didn't learn the vital skills of snowman building like we did here in Oklahoma..."

Dustin: (facial expression above)

2010: Our Year in Review

2011-01-06T21:08:00.059-06:00

We've had a great time being married for our first year, and an eventful 2010. Here are the highlights.

January: We realized that we had become "those people". You know the kind. They call themselves mama and daddy because they're dog owners. They treat and talk about their dog like it's their baby. Well, after adopting our little Bostie Marlow in November, we quickly fell in love, and became a family of three :)

February: We (and by "we", I mean "I") started a blog! I figured out this new-fangled technology, and have loved documenting our lives ever since! I gave the husband candy-themed Valentine's gifts, lucked into some incredible Suns/Thunder tickets with his parents, and it snowed again!

March: We gave Dustin's new office a makeover, went to a concert, made my first trip to Ikea, enjoyed room service, went to the Dallas Aquarium, and returned home to a spoiled pup with painted toenails!

April: Dustin and I had the opportunity to lead worship at a single's retreat at our old stomping grounds, and we went to an awesome Hillsong United concert at Lloyd Noble. There's nothing like worshipping with thousands of of other believers.

May: Marlow got to have a friend over for the week (her "sister" Chloe), we had the pleasure of pulling back carpet in the bathroom, and fixing a leaky pipe. Thanks snow and freezing temps from the winter! We also decided to rip all of the overgrown shrubs out of our flower beds and start over! (If only I had taken an "after" picture...)

June: My musical man played the National Anthem at the Women's College World Series softball game with a trumpet trio, we went to Dallas to see Wicked (musically, life changing), my neighbor Eryn and I decided to start an Etsy store called Hello Blossom, and worked almost daily to get it ready by July. I also had to cancel music lessons due to the GIANT flash flood that we had. Cars were submerged, people were boating down the street, dogs and cats living together...mass hysteria!

July: MY BROTHER GOT ENGAGED!!! He took Madison on an all-day date, and my job was to set up her room with flowers and candles before they came back. Talk about a near heart attack from the pressure! We also went to the Okie Noodling Fest, went to Florida as high school camp leaders, and we officially launched our shop, Hello Blossom!

August: We got to have my mimi over and cook for her. I'm so thankful for our fun time that evening. I planned my home school music lesson business, started my 3rd year of teaching, had an indoor picnic, and celebrated my mom's b-day at Sage Gourmet Cafe in Deep Deuce, and then Cuppies and Joe for dessert!

September: We went to the Oklahoma State Fair, ordered fried s'mores on a stick, fried mac and cheese, fried cream cheese and bacon, a burrito, and grilled corn (food heaven), went to the petting zoo, salivated over hot tubs as Dustin lectured me about how expensive and impractical they are, held hands on the ferris wheel, and held a baby pig. :)

October: We enjoyed every second of fall! We celebrated our 1st anniversary, my grandparent's 60th anniversary, Dustin's birthday, Logan's birthday, visited the Chikasaw Museum, (Dustin's on the tribe roll!) created and directed a pirates music program, and had an awesome Halloween party! Phew!

November: We celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family in Norman, and ate with my Mimi in her retirement home. As always, time with my family involves non-stop humor and entertainment. We also decorated for Christmas on Black Friday, because December for a musician is just about as busy as it gets!

December: I prepared my Christmas Etsy orders like a mad woman, directed our school music program, we sang in our church Christmas program, went snow tubing, caught up with friends, celebrated my birthday, and my family's Christmas tradition of Chinese food, the Christmas story, and presents on Christmas Eve. Christmas day, we hung out with the Loehrs' family, and Dustin modeled an awesome dirty Santa gift. I busted out "mistletoe on the go" and consequently had a hickey on my forehead for 3 days... (see picture) We also rang in the new year with some of our besties :)

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer, is Singing Loud for All to Hear!

2010-12-23T10:43:00.005-06:00

Here are some of my favorite Christmas songs (and much needed relief from the elementary Christmas music I've been singing since September)! I hope these make you want to dance around and sing at the top of your lungs like they do me (much to Dustin's dismay :) ) In no particular order, here are my TOP 25 (and yes, I had to narrow it down):

...............Merry Christmas!.................

1. Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry (love me some Chuck Berry!)

2. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon

3. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee (The Home Alone version)

4. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Casting Crowns (INCREDIBLE!)

5. Choreography and White Christmas - Bing Crosby: "White Christmas"

6. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Leon Redbone, Zoey Deschanel (Favorite Elf scene!)

7. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevey (About OKC Zoo!!!)

8. Santa Baby - Eartha Kit

9. Christmas Lights - Coldplay

10. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow - Dean Martin

11. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

12. Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy - Travis Tritt

13. Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

14. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

15. O, Holly Night - any version, but recently I like the Glee version

16. Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24 - Trans Siberian Orchestra

17. Anything by the Celtic Woman

18. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

19. Mele Kalikimaka - Bing Crosby and the Andrews sisters

20. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies - The Nutcracker

21. Sleigh Ride - Leroy Anderson

22. Little Saint Nick - the Beach Boys

23. Blue Christmas, Santa Claus is Back in Town - Elvis Presley

24. Please Come Home for Christmas - Eagles

25. 12 Days of Christmas - Straight No Chaser

And one to grow on!

Little Drummer Boy - Bob Dylan, Sean Kingston (love this version!) or The Dandy Warhols

Oh. My. Gosh. and so many more!!!! Happy listening!

Love,

Jessica

Wedded Bliss - Our One Year Anniversary

2010-11-13T15:57:00.015-06:00

Well, it's been a few months since my last post, and a lot has happened in that time! My favorite thing was celebrating my first anniversary with this awesome guy. :) We returned to the place Dustin took me right after he proposed: the Melting Pot of course! (These return trips were the intention of him picking this place on our engagement night.) Pretty sure my mouth was doing a victory dance. Creme brulee fondue...need I say more? It. was. the. best.

The next weekend, we took a little weekend getaway to Beaver's Bend. We stayed in the rustic gloriousness of this cabin, and enjoyed every single second of our trip. The weather was perfect, the cabin was incredible, and the company wasn't bad either. :)

Excited about our first year (not a sports team, FYI). I have loved, loved, LOVED everything about being married to this incredible man. He makes me so happy. I feel like I hit the husband jackpot.

One thing I've realized that I absolutely love about our anniversary, is the gorgeous weather and foliage. Even the four hour drive was fun, as we saw mountains full of trees beginning to change color.

Did I mention I was obsessed with our cabin? I came in, dropped my bags, and immediately photographed every single angle of each room. It also had a 7 person hot tub on the back porch which was pretty much the cherry on top!

My favorite spot to wake up in the morning and spend time with the Lord.

Amazingly enough, I got up early and cooked breakfast! I think that might be a first in the Loehrs household.

We were really missing our pup on the trip, so we ended up adopting the sweetest black dog for the weekend. I'm sure the fact that we supplied him with endless amounts of bacon and hamburger scraps had nothing to do with his love for us.

We toured the state park, lake, and of course the museum and gift shop.

Balancing the camera on the sloped roof of our car was the real success of this picture.

Enjoying the fruits of his epic, fire-building labor. Of course burgers and s'mores followed. On a side note, I'm pretty sure if I was ever on death row and had a last meal, s'mores would definitely be on the dinner list.

Our attempt at some awesome self-photography as we ate our wedding cake topper. I used to think this was a really gross idea, but it was fan. tastic.

We snuck up the mountain on someone's private property for this view. I l-l-l-loved our anniversary weekend, and I'm so glad I get to celebrate it with such an amazing guy. :)

An Indoor Picnic

2010-08-26T16:54:00.013-05:00

Hooray for the hubby's days off work, and a surprise picnic just for him! Bonus points for beating the 100 degree heat, mosquitos, and enjoying fancy cheese and olives from Gourmet Gallery. If you haven't shopped there, I highly recommend it! (Definitely try the chocolate truffles....so good, they're sinful!) We only had enough time for a little stay-cation (i hear that's the new term for it...) before school started, but I'm so glad to be married to a man who makes staying at home so much fun! This was probably one of my favorite dates ever! Have a great Friday, everyone!

Goodbye Summer...

2010-08-15T10:55:00.022-05:00

Goodbye unstructured, lazy days of summer. Hello new first graders, music programs, and getting up early. Looking back on my Summer List (click here), I would say it's been one of my favorite summers ever.

Here are the top 5 things I checked off my list:

1) Book worm: check!

I took a chance on this book which was recommended by a Barnes and Noble employee. While I wasn't a big fan, I loved becoming a recluse and burying my nose in a book.

2) Thrifting: you-betcha!

It was something like the "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore" moment. Eryn and I went to Mary's Swap meet on 23rd St. and an OKC thrift store. Let's just say we'd never had an experience quite like that before. Amidst live roosters, garage sale junk, and scorching heat, we found some cute vintage brooches, and an old chandelier!

3) Hooray for healthy (and tasty) cooking!

All of these recipes are low fat and low cal. Above is Roasted Pork Chop and Peaches.

Veggies for the Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Toss

We pretty much have this every Monday night: Sausage and Bean Rigatoni

4) We got crafty: check check

A trip to Hobby Lobby with my neighbor-turned-awesome-friend Eryn, resulted in us starting an Etsy store called Hello Blossom. After weeks of work, we launched our store in July!

5) Local adventures: finally!

We celebrated Cindy's (my incredible mother-in-law) birthday at Red Pin Bowling...except once we got down there, we were informed we could dine but not bowl, because the alley had been rented out. So....we opted for a Bricktown canal ride instead. It still ended up being a fun night!

Woo hoo for a super fun summer! So thankful for time with my friends, family, and the best husband ever. While I have to admit I'm getting excited to see the kiddos soon, I'm already brainstorming a new list for next summer. Can't wait!

Beach Week! Holla!

2010-08-02T13:38:00.012-05:00

I'm not gonna lie...I went in to beach week unsure about how it was going to go. Thankfully, I was knocked off my feet by the things God did, and the awesome high schoolers I got to meet. This is our team: Magneto! The theme for the week was heroes vs. villains, and we were definitely representing the evil side. Mwa ha ha ha...

One of the late night parties - rave night! Loved the black light dance fest, complete with glow sticks and neon paint! I even sported some neon false eyelashes :)

Nothing beats spending time with the Lord on the beach. I even spotted 4 or 5 dolphins in the water one morning!!! I heart Laguna Beach, Florida.

Our team about to spray paint our Magneto shirts. Gotta represent the villains!

Love this girl! Kelly and her team, Syndrome, pumping each other up during rec. We don't take competition lightly here!

Some of our fearless leaders enjoying some free time on the beach. I happen to think the guy in the middle is super hot. Maybe we should get married... :)

Precious time with my group. Each of our lives were forever changed by this week, and I could not have felt more humbled and honored to be a part of their lives.

Jacie, and her team the Incredibles. Had so much fun getting to know her and her husband better this week. They made the 16 hour ride home seem like nothing!

Bumper tube soccer. Running around in inner tubes, in 90-something degree weather isn't for sissies. I loved hearing the hilarious chants each team came up with through out the week!

Baptisms in the ocean on the last day. What an awesome picture of the new creation God has made in our lives.

The holy grail of rec. Heroes and villains competed the entire week for this baby. Near heat strokes, bruises, exhaustion and other various injuries were all worth it for the VILLAINS! We get to have our names on this trophy for an entire year. Chillin' like a villain...

Trying to keep our eyes open, both from the sun and very few hours of sleep. We loved our last morning on the beach, and couldn't have spent our time doing anything more valuable that week. Soooo thankful for the opportunity to have gone to Beach Week 2010!!!

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Tim 1:15-16

(Shout out to Pam Yates for letting me swipe some of her pics from the week!)

Oh, the things we saw...Okie Noodling Fest

2010-07-12T10:45:00.015-05:00

Words can't describe the gloriousness of the Okie Noodling Tournament in Pauls Valley, OK. I'm pretty sure it's going to have to become a yearly tradition. The Loehrs-Wehunt combination always guarantees craziness and fun, and this day sure wasn't lacking in either. I also got to cross the event off my summer list!

I can definitely see why all of this Oklahoma goodness has earned national attention. We saw...

each team's catch being brought in from the lake...

team after team earning awards for the day's heaviest catch...

and a priceless look on Kelly's face after she got slapped by one of the catfish, as they carried them by!

You can't go to the Noodling Festival without stopping at Bob's Pig Shop and...

enjoying a Catfish fry! We also saw a lot of interesting people such as....

the lieutenant governor, Jari Askins...

lots of red, white, and blue apparel wearin' noodlers...

A Japanese film crew that documented the event for a Japanese reality show. (Check out the video of this guy bringing in his catch)...

and these guys...need I say more?

We came. We saw. We conquered. And I think I'm going to have to do it again next year.

A Wicked Surprise

2010-06-17T17:22:00.016-05:00

The only thing Dustin told me months ago, was to leave June 9th and 10th open. I knew we were going on a trip, I just didn't know where. So, loaded up with more country music than he could stand, we headed off on the mystery trip :)

The X at the end of the map was Dallas! I kind of have a weird thing about taking pictures of places we stay, so here is the mirror reflection of our room at the Anatole.

I don't really know...this seemed like fun at the time, and I was really excited. Thankfully, Dustin was sweet enough to humor me, even though he said posing with his hands on his cheeks was a "girl pose".

The reason we were in Dallas, was to see "Wicked"! I was soooooo pumped. Dustin knew I'd been dying to see it, but missed it when it came to OKC, so he bought us tickets, months in advance. I knew I married a keeper :) The icing on the cake was this was by far the BEST show I had ever seen, and the lead , hands down, has most incredible voice I have ever heard.

Favorite line: "It appears the artichoke is steamed..."

Eating at one of my faves, Chuys! I told Dustin I wanted a picture of him and the King.

Um...need I say more?

So happy.

A shout out to my hubby for a wonderful trip! You win the man of the year award for a) planning the trip b) managing to keep it a secret for months c) sharing my love of musicals d) encouraging and enduring trips to Ikea, Anthropologie, and listening to country music. Love!

The List of Leisure

2010-06-07T14:05:00.009-05:00

For the first time since I was 16, I have a summer of pure, unadulterated FREEDOM!. No full time side job. No 10 surprise hours of online Spanish that I had to take in a month and a half, WHILE working full time (that's a story for another day). No wedding planning. While I'm glad I did all of that, I'm officially enjoying the wonderful (granted, low paid) life of a teacher. In honor of my lack of obligations, I thought I'd put in writing the Un-To- Do List I've been mulling over in my head for the last few months.

1. Become a Book Worm

The goal is at least two or three novels. Ok, so one of those might include a love story about teenage vampires, but hey, it still counts. After that, I will return to my first (literary) love: mysteries.

2. Learn to be a Thrifty Earlybird

My fellow music teacher and super awesome friend, Kimberly and I have long standing plans to get up at the break of day to find some great bargains at garage sales around town. Also on the list: local flea market with my mom.

3. Healthy, Shmealthy

I've traded in laying out and tanning beds for self tanners and sunscreen. I also want to add more healthy recipes

to my arsenal over the summer.

4. Sand, Repaint, and Restore

I've recently met my long lost twin, from whom I was separated at birth. She lives next door, and we happened to meet while we were both working in the yard a few months ago. Not only is she really fun and sweet, we also share freakishly similar interests. The plan this summer is to buy some garage sale furniture and give it a new life. I'm sooo excited.

5. Okie Noodling Fest, Anyone?

Maybe one of the small town festivals I'm most proud of attending. (There's even a documentary.) Noodling. Yes, men sticking their hands into holes in a lake, into a Catfish's mouth, and retrieving an enormous fish. Then, a great fish fry follows in celebration. There is blue grass music, and even an exhibition tank, in which Miss Okie Noodling Oklahoma does a demonstration dive and catch. All in Oklahoma's very own Pauls Valley. Check it out.

6. Go on Local Adventures

Design Sponge did this great Oklahoma City Guide, in which I think they covered every single cool thing to do and see in Oklahoma City. I've lived here my entire life, and haven't even accomplished half of the list. I hope to visit the Paseo District, go to RedPin Bowling Lounge, eat at Sushi Neko.....and the list goes on.

7. Perhaps Invest in an SLR

Dustin and I have both talked about getting an SLR camera to take on trips and use to take some higher quality pictures. Maybe if I get gutsy, I'll purchase one. I just found out about an Oklahoma-based website that offers great deals for everything under the sun. Check out quibids.com for details :)

8. Explore the Great Outdoors

Things I didn't feel I had time for during the year: Re-landscaping my yard, keeping plants alive, sitting on the

porch and watching a thunderstorm, and going to the lake. Another thing I've always wanted to do once I got

married, is rough it for a weekend and go camping and fishing with the hubs.

9. Do an In-Depth Bible Study

The mom and I are joining a Priscilla Shirer bible study this summer. This woman is where it's at.

10. Enjoy Comfort Food and Grandparents

I plan to visit my Grandma and Grandpa in the grand town of Duncan, Oklahoma. This trip always guarantees great stories and great food, causing me to return home at least 5 pounds heavier.

Hopefully, I'll check off each of these goals over the summer. But hey, if I don't, there will be no guilt here.

It's summer time after all. Enjoy!

-Jessica

Our Life for the Past Week

2010-05-25T17:31:00.010-05:00

Well, it all started when I walked into the bathroom to get ready for work, and I stepped in a big squishy puddle of water in the middle of the floor. That might not have been so alarming if a) our bathroom wasn't almost entirely carpeted, and b) we had recently taken a shower within the last eight hours. But we hadn't. Later that night, here is what our bathroom looked like!

Dustin figured out that cracks in the grout were the source of the problem. (My husband is Superman.) He began the barrel-of-fun process of de-grouting and then re-grouting the entire shower. Woo hoo!

Here is the picture after Dustin said, "now take a picture of how I really feel."

...and at long last (and unlike all the King's horses and all the King's men), Dustin put everything back together again! (Sorry, the elementary teacher in me brings that out.)

Our tile is now WHITE and crack free!

On a totally unrelated note....If this isn't the definition of a puppy dog face, I don't know what is. I got a solid stare the entire time I ate a bowl of ice cream. Mama loves that little face!

Such Tweet Music...and Other Artsy Things

2010-05-21T17:01:00.013-05:00

Ok, so this London art exhibit is right up my alley. I'm sure it's supposed to make some artistic statement,

but I just think it's plain fun. A nice thing to watch when your brain needs a break.

Yet another art exhibition ("Spiral Cloud") that I love. This was part of a visual art project, but it's really

amazing that it was also accompanied an actual piano concert.

There's something about seeing music performed that makes hearing it so much more powerful. How dark and beautiful is this?

Ahhh, the weekend! How I've longed for you. (Five days and counting until school is out!) I'm going to enjoy the lack of lesson planning -thank you very much school talent show- and get some yard work done. I hope you get some good ol' rest and relaxation and have a happy Friday!

Jonathan Adler - 10 Commandments of Decorating

2010-05-02T22:00:00.003-05:00

I don't know how I came across these, but I love the quirkiness and great advice, all rolled into one. My favorite is #5...good rule to decorate by.

#1
Thou shalt embrace maximalism.
Thou wilt find minimalism to be something of a bummer in thy abode. Thou wilt grow tired of an endless sea of beige and thou wilt long for a splash of color & a dollop of pattern! Bargello pillows, Furnace bottles, and rustic modern lamps - these shalt be the accessories that add some panache to your pad.

#2
Thou shalt not deny thyself hotelish comfort at home.
Thou shalt furnish thy rooms with paw-pampering, hand-loomed llama wool rugs, luxurious lighting and our fabulous furniture.
Thy rooms shalt feel like the most opulent hotel rooms in which thou hast ever stayed.
Thou art worth it.

#3
Thou shalt buy an X-Bench.
Then, thou shalt buy another. Thou shalt use them in pairs, perfect under thy console or placed near thy sofa. Thou shalt rest thy feet upon them & so will thy guests. In fact, thy guests might even fight over who gets to rest upon them. Therefore, thou shalt establish house rules about thy X-Benches. Perhaps thou should consider a sign up sheet.

#4
If thy nest needeth zest,
consider thy crest!
Thou shalt emblazon with thine
initials wherever possible.

#5
Thou shalt mix fancy with frisky.
Thou shalt not be overly formal, for if thou art, thou will be sad. Conversely, thou shalt not be overly whimsical, for if thou art thou will not feel chic. Therefore, thou shalt embrace a mix, pairing the chic classical foundation - excellent proportions, classic furniture - with a layer of playful punctuation. Then thou shalt rest.

#6
Thou shalt honor the funsters of yore.
David Hicks, Alexander Girard, Piero Fornasetti, Bonnie Cashin, Bjorn Wiinblad - if thou dost not knoweth them, thou should. Thou can use Google Images to learn more about them and thou shalt channel their fun, idiosyncratic, playful spirit in thine own interiors. Thy home will be fun, happy, and chic.

#7
Thou shalt not commit murder,
unless thou art murdering for a decorative accessory.
If thou should find thyself at one of our stores and seeth the last bird bowl on our shelf, thou shalt feel free to use whatever means necessary to obtain that special something.

#8
Thou shalt not be afraid of orange.
Thou shalt use orange copiously in thy interior, whether it beeth in an orange breakfast room or via the zing of an orange lacquered box. Thou might even consider painting thy front door orange to pique thy neighbor's curiosity. Thou shalt also covet chocolate brown.

#9
Thou shalt play ping pong.
Better still, thou shalt have a ping pong table in thy living room. Then, lo, thou shalt play ping pong with thy spouse rather than sitting around watching thy tv.

#10
Thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's house.
In fact, after following these 10 commandments, thy neighbor might covet thy house.
So there.

From jonathanadler.com

Take a Deep Breath...

2010-04-14T18:43:00.017-05:00

Okay, so I haven't been to Falls Creek since my Camp Nunny-Cha-Ha days. (A camp name doesn't get better than that, huh?) This past weekend, Dustin and I had the opportunity to sing at a Quail Springs Baptist retreat, and it was such a much-needed, relaxing weekend. Sometimes I think the soul just needs something like that. We walked this pretty little path and laughed about how much smaller it seemed now that we are all "grown up". :)

Standing in front of a little river that tells you you've arrived at Falls Creek.

Is it just me, or have all the blossoming trees been extra beautiful this year? Maybe I just haven't slowed down enough to notice in the past, but I have LOVED all the beautiful pink and purple blooms! I've been wishing I had a better camera (and oh ok, skills) to capture how vibrant they look.

At the Devil's Bathtub! The most perfectly named place on earth. See the soap dish? So many fun memories here as a kid. There was a sign saying it's now called Boulder Springs....C'mon people. You just don't mess with a name that has 50+ years of tradition behind it. You can put a sign up, but don't expect us to change. :)

A rarity, I'm sure; Dustin and I had the whole place to ourselves on maybe the most perfectly sunny day of the year. Playing around in a creek just doesn't get old (well, not to me anyway). We were so blessed by God's word, people, and creation this weekend.

In honor of the great temperatures and sun, I think we should all give ourselves permission to steal away for an occasional afternoon and just chill. And hey, if the guilty, productive-minded conscience weighs in, just use Psalms 23:2 as your excuse:

He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

Knock, Knock...

2010-04-03T16:39:00.017-05:00

"Ahh," is what I've been feeling as I walk outside into the warm weather, and see sunshine past 6:00 p.m.! I've been inspired to celebrate the arrival of spring with a cute wreath for my front door. These are from KnockKnocking, an adorable shop on etsy.com. I love the color combination she used in the picture above.

I would currently be attempting one of these myself, if I could just figure out how to make those fun felt flowers (alliteration much?).

So creative, and so spring.

Love the colors and cute little vintage-looking flowers details!

My mimi just moved, and requested an OU wreath for her door. After searching all over creation for a cute, plain wreath to add OU embellishments to, (I'm convinced they don't exist) I just ran to Hobby Lobby and glued this little creation together. I'm not sure how she felt about the feathers, but hey, at least they're sooner colors.

If you haven't been in Serendipity on Danforth, I highly recommend a visit! My favorite booth is on the first aisle and I absolutely love all of her ideas. When I saw this mini bird's nest wreath in the vintage frames, I had to take them home with me :)

Love my Marlow. She's my little shadow and always seems to be working her way into pictures. Happy spring everyone, and have a blessed Easter!

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep...No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.

(John 10:11,18)

Oh, How I Love Spring Break

2010-03-24T21:09:00.020-05:00

I've wanted to go since it opened! I finally had my first IKEA experience over the break. Dustin took the week off, so we headed out on a spontaneous road trip to Texas. Let me just say, Ikea is quite the experience. If you can think of something you need for your home, they have it. And hey, if you get hungry for some Swedish meatballs while you're there, they have those too. After spending hours in the multi-level superstore, I got a few ideas (above), and left with some great stuff too.

Being the weirdo planner that I am, I researched (thoroughly) all the different hotels in the area. Did we want to stay near Northpark mall? The aquarium? Shopping districts? After looking at pictures and reviews, I finally decided we'd stay in the historic district, at Hotel Adolphus. It was great! Really beautiful and old, and as you can see, great room service when we got back at about 11:00 p.m.

The next day (and .4 miles from our hotel, thank your very much.) we played tourists for the day and went to the Dallas World Aquarium.

Little known, and slightly odd fact: I love manatees. No, I mean I LOVE manatees. Every book report I ever wrote in elementary school was about manatees. I still remember the facts today. They pretty much stay in the Florida area, so this is the closest I've ever been to one. It was pretty exciting. Dustin was sweet enough to humor me while I oohed and ahhed. I may or may not have bought a book and two stuffed animals. How could you not love that face?

Some sort of pretty little sea creature.

Did I mention it was crowded? I think we waited in line about 25 minutes, just to get inside. Still lots of fun though. This would be the shark tunnel. Probably not a good idea if you're claustrophobic.

Hammer Head

Shark! Those things swim extremely fast!

I'm gonna go with "Saw Fish" on this one. Not sure if that's the proper name, but it should be. Can you imagine coming face to face with that in the ocean? God sure is creative. Anytime I see something like that, I start referencing those "how to survive a wild animal attack" shows in my head. It's always good to be prepared.

I love him! We had such a great time just relaxing for a couple days. I'm glad he enjoys things like Ikea and aquariums.

Cute view of a tiny penguin from the gift shop window. He looks like he'd make a fun pet.

Marlow stayed at Mark and Cindy's while we were in Dallas, and this is how she came back to us. Cindy made her a doggy bandana, and decorated it with a rhinestone dog. Also, please note the toenail polish. I'm pretty sure I see some spoiled grandkids in her future. Anyway, we had a great little mini-vacation, but we're glad to be back with our pup!

A Snowy Spring Saturday

2010-03-20T15:18:00.002-05:00

I have to admit, that while everyone else seemed to be shaking their fist at the sky and begging it not to snow, I was secretly rejoicing! I don't know what it is about bad weather, but I love it: snow storms, thunder storms, tornados, all of it. I was so excited that I just laid in bed last night smiling, when I heard the ice start to hit our windows. I think maybe I'm so excited by weather because it's out of our control, it's unpredictable, and it adds an extra element of an excitement to an otherwise ordinary day. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a snowy morning than with a peaceful breakfast, prepared by my amazing husband! Because if there's anything I like as much as crazy weather, it's good food! Ah, what a good day.

A Fun Friday Night

2010-03-10T17:42:00.007-06:00

Ready for our date night! (Much to her dismay, the dog at he bottom of the picture did not come along. )

Dustin's guitar hero. I'm not a huge Mayer fan, but that guy can play! I stood open mouthed a few times during his guitar solos. (And yea for him! He didn't get all weepy and dramatic during the concert!)

Big version/tiny version

Two things that are sure to win over a crowd: kids, and a jersey from the home team. One point for Mayer.

Show openers: Michael Franti and Spearhead. I LOVED them! They made me want to grow some dreads and join reggae culture. He walked up to our section during on of his songs.

Fun, fun, night!

Dustin's Office: Before and After

2010-03-03T21:13:00.007-06:00

Dustin's new office! Already a HUGE improvement compared to the day before :)

Ah, a (somewhat) blank canvas! I was itching to get to work!

and.....After! The view from the door.

Dustin's main request was to have a place to hang his coat. (so cute...him...not the shelf) Marlow even made the cut!

Pillows - Dustin's pick

Phew!

Oh my blog!

2010-02-28T14:48:00.002-06:00

Welcome to our foray into the blogging world! First item on the to do list: figure out how to align my blog header...hmm....I'll (hopefully) figure it out later.

(...Thoughts interrupted as Dustin screams at the Suns game on t.v., and scares the dog and me.) We're excited to share our trek through life in the ministry, teaching elementary school, adventures as newlyweds, and other fun bits and pieces of daily happenings. We hope you enjoy it!

-Dustin, Jessica, and Marlow