Fall Back!

Don't forget to "Fall Back" this Saturday, November 2...I know I need a reminder!

NC State Fair 08!

Chris and I finally made it out to the long anticipated North Carolina State fair this week! Chris especially loves the state fair, and looks forward to it every year. I'm happy to report that we had a great day at the fair, with beautiful fall weather and free parking to boot! It also happened to be World Hunger Relief day yesterday, so we saved big and paid our admission in canned foods :) Here are a few highlights:

When you go the State Fair, you must eat, and eat, and eat. This year, we ate:
1. Polish Sausage
2. Awesome Roasted Corn
3. Authentic Kettle Corn Popcorn
4. Deep Fried Milky Way
5. Funnel Cake
6. Hot Chocolate
7. Misc: Hush puppy samplings, a gigantic Dill Pickle, and a few tubs of honey.

In other fair happenings, we entered to win a collective $15,500 in raffles and free gas giveaways, not to mention a pickle prize package in a "guess the number of pickles in the jar" contest...I'm pretty sure we'll win this one. And what's the fair without NC's finest cows, duckies, and prize winning pastries? We even got to see a free BMX/Motocross show. And did I also say that we got a free "ChamWOW" sample on our way to the Villages of Yesteryear? Ahh the sights, sounds, and smells of the fair...they are truly one of a kind.
This was our third year at the fair together, and were already looking forward to #4! I think I'll have to submit a dessert of some kind next year, or maybe even a photograph. After touring the fun food and art displays, I'm pretty sure that ANYONE can enter, lol. Blue Ribbon, here I come!!! Dare to dream :)

Adventures in "I Do"

In anticipation of an upcoming marriage seminar Chris and I will be attending this weekend, the strictly scheduled, preparation loving angel on my shoulder prompted me to dig around for some "spoilers" so that I would have an idea of what to expect and gather some thoughts beforehand. I found some free marriage and family devotionals on the sponsoring website, and while they certainly would'nt rank in my top 3 as far as resources go , I did find some great pearls of wisdom in the bible verses used and their related thoughts. The verses used in this particular devotional were especially sweet to me because you don't commonly hear them in relation to marriage specifically, though they certainly permeate all aspects of our relationships with one another. I'd challenge you to take some time with your spouse and talk over a few of these simple and encouraging thoughts listed below.

1. "The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you." 1 Corinthians 12:21

-What keeps you from easily and openly admitting your need for your spouse? Tell your spouse why and how you need them. Ask God to give you a true perspective on your limitations, your own dependence Him and each other.

2. "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor." Ecc 4:9
-Make a prioritized list of the way you need your spouse-encouragement, parenting, romance, balance, honesty, accountability(a few suggestions)- and then share it with one another. Thank God for giving you someone to experience life with.

3. "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."James 1:19
-How often are the words "Your not listening to me" spoken between you. Think about one way you can become a better listener.

4. "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up." 1 Thes 5:11
-This devotional talked on the very destructive power of the tongue, and encouraged us to praise each other with our words and to use your tongue to build up and not to tear down.

*Visit http://www.famiylife.com/ for more information.

Grooming Gone Wrong!

Astonished looks, gasps...
Wide eyes..disbelief.
"Piper? Is that you?!"

We took Piper to get groomed for the first and LAST time yesterday. Suffice it to say, Chris and I are down right upset about his first haircut gone terribly bad. Our puppy was hardly recognizable to us. His rich, curly locks that we loved so much are all but gone. The stubborn hair on his head that always stood straight up and that I loved so much about him-gone. Friends, it is NOT cute, and worst of all, he hardly looks like a yorkiepoo anymore! Rather, he now looks like a girl, a dainty, awkward poodle. Apparently, what we meant by a trim was interpreted as a slightly longer buzz. The shear horror.

Fortunately, we know that his hair will grow back, and yes, it is just hair. Even so, we couldn't help battling those initial feelings of "this isn't our dog...where did our dog go?!" Dare I say, we were even a bit embarrassed coming out of PetsMart and I even felt the need to justify his look and explain that he was just groomed to perfect strangers! We had planned on taking some cute fall pictures at a local pumpkin patch with him-now were not so sure. Worst of all, as Chris and I eyed his horrific new do, we knew the unspeakable-that this cut has seriously jeopardized his chances of winning the "Howl-O-Ween" PetsMart costume contest.

I know this sounds ridiculous, it is just hair, but it's just plain ugly. And that is no exaggeration. Piper himself is also going through a mourning period over his lost hair. After barking incessantly at his reflection in our glass door, we decided it was best not to let him see himself in the mirror, at least until his hair grows out a bit-he is terribly upset over it. Not to mention, I'm not sure he was in love with the his first grooming experience as the words "a little wild" and "lost his dinner" were mentioned.

The worst part is that he just does'nt look ANYTHING like the puppy that we've come to know and love for these past two months. I keep telling Chris that it's just a bad haircut, and he is still our sweet puppy and for this short season of his life, we'll just have to get used to it. We're hoping upon hope that his hair will grow back super fast. Oh what new heights of vanity we've reached! Tisk tisk. But of course we love him no matter what he looks like :)

I would post a before and after picture here....but I couldn't bring myself to take the after.

Piper Pics :)

Our sweet puppy turned 4 months old at the beginning of October, soI decided it was high time for a fall photoshoot. He's getting so big(long) and is in dire need of a puppy cut! Chris and I have lately noticed the tufts of hair growing over his eyes, but as I look at these pictures I can hardly believe it...I think I need to stop putting it off and give Petsmart grooming a call PRONTO!

Our Studmuffin...
Infamous "Lion King" pose, background music...

And my favorite, drumroll please....

If only...

We could drive our cars like the Flinstones...
Think about it-
1. Fresh air
2. GREAT exercise!
3. Natural parts-good for the environment
4. No need for ridiculously priced gas
4. No worries about broken down boots, worn out axles and rusty routers!


I mean, not seriously....but seriously.

45 Minutes Well Spent

This past Sunday at Christ Baptist church was especially meaningful to me not only because of the fellowship shared, the celebration of communion, or the blessing of unity that comes from being a member of the local church, but also because of this powerful, God glorifying sermon. I strongly encourage you to take some time and listen to this amazing message by Justin Childers on the Christ centered approach/attitude/response to suffering and grief, made possible only through Christ who is our ultimate life and Resurrection. I know I'll listen to it again, most likely on my way to or from work(because our sermons are now available as Podcasts!). Words I would use to describe this message: Biblical, powerful, life challenging, painfully clear, encouraging, fear quenching, and liberating.

"The Resurrection and the Life" from John 11:1-27.

*You can download all of our sermons at Christ Baptist church at http://www.christbc.com/sermons.html