That Sick Feeling

The good news first: I found out that one of my classmates is on my same flight!
I'm thrilled that I won't have to find my way around a foreign airport alone. He's been before, so he can just lead the way!

Before we realized we were on the same flight, he told me he'd found a "reeeally cheap ticket."

The bad news: My ticket was not cheap.
I don't want to know what he paid for a seat on the very same flight.
I already have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Cookie Cupcakes!

My SIL is amazingly talented. She's studied art, business, and nursing. Unfair. One person shouldn't be allowed to thrive in such diverse fields!

We've discovered she has a flair for decorating cakes. She has been dubbed the official baker of the family. (Julia, you're still the official cook! I guess I'm just the official GF cook. :)

You might remember this beauty.

For Isaac's six-month "party," she decided to experiment with cupcakes.

They were too cute!

Leave any comment orders, and I'll pass them along to her. :)

(Yes, that's all frosting.)

Beach Day

I am not usually a fan of the beach. At least, not the typical beach day. I'm uneasy swimming in the ocean, sand makes me crazy, and I burn easily.

I'm really a mountains girl.

Still, I'm learning to appreciate the beauty here and enjoy the beach more.

Maggie's family was staying at a friend's beach condo this week, and they invited me over for the day! A condo makes the beach a hundred times better. Just to have an option to escape the heat makes the experience so much more enjoyable. I didn't even need a respite, because it was a Jessie-perfect beach day. There was a nice breeze and cloud coverage. And did I mention we were at a less-populated part of the beach?  

We packed up and hit up a beach restaurant just as the heat began to intensify.

This beach trip may have just changed my attitude entirely.

That, and the fact that one of my favorite families was there!

Stereotyping

During my most recent springs adventures, my phone suffered water damage. Oddly enough, this came from a leaky water bottle, not from the giant pool of water. Thankfully, I was eligible for a upgrade, so this didn't break the budget.
(LOL, MrsJLW!)

As I surveyed my options, I kept this criteria in mind:
1) It had to be free with the upgrade.
2) It couldn't be a smart phone, as I remain unwilling to pay for a data plan.
3) It couldn't be primarily touch screen.

As you can guess, this made the pick-ins' purdy slim.
I went home with this, but in red.

Plain ol' flip phone. No touch screen. No qwerty keyboard.
And I love it.

The lady helping me at the store was surprised by my decision.
She pulled open a drawer full of this style phone and responded,
"I don't think I've sold one of these in a really long time..."

I have a vintage hat collection.
I'd rather drive an old car than a brand-new one. (I would like some AC, though!)
I'll watch Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, or Cary Grant any day of the week.
I love looking feminine and wearing vintage-style dresses.
I prefer the music of men buried to anything that plays on the radio.
I'm a sucker for a good Jane Austen story.
I like men to be men and ladies to be ladies.
I prefer conversation to movies.
I like the smell of old books.
I love reminiscing with long-time friends.

What can I say? I'm typically drawn to the old-fashioned more than the trendy.

Can't Get Enough!

Of these kids or the nearby springs! This is my third trip to the springs this summer.

Gabe and Soph went to the springs for the first time this week!

Here they are running to see the water.

Gabe loved swimming in the water, but Sophie wasn't a huge fan of the "slimy."

We dragged Miss Tali along and she swam more with Gabe while Soph and I prepared for the picnic.

Picnic time! This photo cracks me up. Yes, they were having a good time. Promise! :)

Definitely not tickling Sophie here. Nope.

Awwww. Love them!

I should get out more. Seriously, I'm so white! Haha.

Do you see what we're eating for lunch?

Let me tell you:

Carrots, red peppers, celery, broccoli, blueberries, apples, cheese sticks, and yogurt. Mmmmm.

And who says gluten-free is hard??

So tall! She's not even five yet, people!

Love this face.

<3

Annnnnd a fort bed and ice cream sundaes while watching Up when we got home.

Hey, we had a healthy lunch, so we went all out on the dessert! :D

Isaac James & The Half-Bro Pug

Some of you may remember that two pugs reside with my brother, SIL, and baby nephew.
The elder, Rex, is black. He is especially vivacious. The younger, Max (short for Maximus), is the tag-along brother who joins in the fun.

Sometimes in their excitement to see us, Rex and Max unintentionally scratch or slobber an undesirable amount. Today they greeted me by leaping on the couch and tackling me. I hopped up in an attempt to regain the upper hand. It was seemingly hopeless until I was handed this:

the elder wand.

Watch the magic unfold.

Rex catches sight of his opponent.

Expelliarmus!

They keep their distance as the wand is extended.

Confundus!

(Yes, that black blur is Rex atop a dark couch.)

He seems to have backed down...

...but I keep my eye on him.

The light never fully leaves the eyes of this one.

He must continually be reminded who is in charge.

I decide to leave Rex alone and pursue my cutest nephew.

We let down our guard...

...and he sneaks up from behind...

...with a cry of "Rictusempra!"

As I reach for the wand, he manages to pull a tarantallegra as a last attempt.

But he's no match for the elder wand.

Some freebies of Isaac, because he's so riddikulus-ly cute! :D

Photos taken on Isaac's 6 month birthday

Watch Out, World!

Look who is six months old today!

Only the cutest nephew in the world.

I love you, Isaac!

Love,

Aunt [read: Awwwwnt!] Jessie

Photos by my SIL

Graced

In the gospel God reveals the depth of our need for him. He shows us that there is absolutely nothing we can do to come to him. We can't manufacture salvation. We can't program it. We can't produce it. We can't even initiate it. God has to open our eyes, set us free, overcome our evil, and appease his wrath. He has to come to us. Now we are getting to the beauty of the gospel.

 -David Platt, Radical (pg. 32)

Oh, to drink in this truth each morning, to rely on Him for each breath, to make each choice in light of this reality. To choose thankfulness instead of discontentment in light of this grace.
I am blessed.

One, Two, Three

Three years ago today, this boy

talked to the father of this girl

and received permission to date her.

Both of these photos were taken on a youth group mission trip to Mexico, when the boy made up his mind to talk to the girl's dad. (Holy smokes! We look young!)

May I say I'm glad he did?

So, so thankful for the support of our wonderful families! We are truly blessed.

Jess & Ty

May 2011

Look back at years one and two!