Sunday

So we got all dressed up and went to church, only to discover that we've been out of town so long we were completely out of the loop and there was no church. Our church was out serving the community on Sunday and though we had no idea where they were, even if we had been able to meet up with them I am assuming I was not dressed appropriately ;) We opted for a bagel brunch instead, a nap and a family date to the park. It wasn't exactly a disappointment.

date night

Why the no teeth smile, I have no idea. I have officially decided it's not my best look. Nor is this outfit, particularly, but our babysitter showed up when my hair was still damp and I was in my sweats, so it came together rather quickly and forced. But hey! It worked.

Stephen and I got to have ourselves a date night! Though he's had all this time off, we haven't gotten a chance to spend much of it alone, and we thought a couple hours before heading off to see more family would do us some good. We made our way downtown searching for something that sounded yummy, walking past street musicians (two teenage boys singing/playing Greenday) and your usual Saturday night Boise crowd. We landed on mexican and people watched as we talked our way through our nachos. More meandering through town after dinner lead us into The Space Bar - a full arcade where they happen to sell beer over the tiny counter in the corner. It was old and gross and empty but an odd and perfect way to end our night (even though Stephen beat me in pin ball and ms. pac man) I am so thankful for this man and all that he does for our family. I hate to think I don't thank him enough or that he doesn't know just how much he is truly appreciated. It's so easy to get caught up in petty problems that aren't really problems at all, that you forget to look up and see who's dealing with you as you deal with those problems. He does a lot of dealing with me... But his farts stink so I think we're even ;) I love you, Stephen. Thank you for asking me to be your wife and thank you for taking me on a date to The Space Bar. Truly.

need

Wanna know a surefire way to make me feel shitty? Send me into a store and make me leave empty handed. Dumb, right? But I have this idea that I need things. This idea that materialistic stuff is really important, that that cute top will actually make me feel prettier, skinnier, better... Our family lives on a pretty tight budget. I married a medical student, not a doctor ;) But even if our budget did allow for a random shopping spree, I don't actually need anything new, and I hate that I am so susceptible to the thought that what I have isn't good enough. I was hit by these thoughts (again) when I was getting ready for date night a few days ago. I actually said to Stephen as I was flinging clothes from my closet to the bed that I needed to go shopping before I could go on our date. Thus, outfit posts. I was considering brining these back to the blog awhile back and just never got around to actually starting it up again. And I'll admit, they will probably be few and far between - my photographer leaves early and comes home late and, let's be honest, as a stay-at-home mom I don't always have a reason to get out of my yoga pants. But in trying to be more grateful for what I already have, and trying to make what I already have work instead of running off to the mall to buy a $15 temporary piece of happiness, annnd simply because I like putting outfits together and getting dressed up, I thought "Hey! Why not?!"

Disclaimer: My pictures aren't fancy, and my clothes aren't either. I pretty much wear a white v-neck t-shirt every day. So, if you're looking for a fashion blog, you haven't found one. But I do love personal style (and all those white tops in my closet) and I miss getting dressed up for work and styling my clients and learning about fashion in school (though I don't actually miss work or school) so I've decided to use this blog as a mini creative outlet for that passion. Sorry, dad ;)

a high five

^^ Uriah and his current favorite animal, the gorilla. He's mid pounding his chest in this picture! ^^

The sunshine from the coast followed us home to Boise, and we had no complaints. Just like the ocean, taking Uriah to the zoo was something we were both looking forward to now that he can walk and take it all in. The weather was perfect and the day was pretty picturesque. Uriah preferred to be in our arms more than the stroller so he could point and "gah!" at the animals, but we didn't mind :) I have so cherished these days with Stephen - time as a family of three, study free, are hard to come by, and I'm so grateful that he has had the opportunity to take some time off. Uriah at almost 14 months isn't too bad, either. This kid...I tell 'ya. He is so curious and independent, but still so cuddly and so very much a momma's boy. Everything is all the more fun and exciting now that he's experiencing it for the first time.

It was a good five days at home, just us, playing outside in the sun, chasing soccer balls around and eating leaves. High five, Boise, high five.

a weekend with friends

We only managed to take one lousy self timer picture (and barley that!) of our weekend in Portland with these amazing friends, but trust me, it was a good weekend.

My friendship with Erica started out as a major girl crush in the chapter room of Kappas and slowly, but surely, it grew to love ;) She is one of my most dearest friends - a natural beauty with the hugest heart and a contagious love for Jesus. I am truly grateful for her friendship, and definitely a better person for knowing her. And lucky for Stephen, she's engaged to a pretty great guy! (Lucky for her, too, but now Stephen doesn't have to third wheel it with the two of us anymore so I think he's pretty happy about the arrangement.) I loved getting to know Ryan better over the weekend and am so excited about their upcoming nuptials! (Because that's not weird to say, right?)

We got in Friday night and got to catch up with Erica and Ryan while watching Uriah catch his second wind and kick his soccer ball all over the house. After putting him to bed, Madison and her fiancé (my fiends are finally all getting married!) Tyler came over for game night, or sit around the kitchen and talk, night. Saturday consisted of girls' lunch with some fellow Kappa ladies, boy time for Stephen and Ryan, and a pizza making, actual game playing double date for the four of us. (Though I'm sure no one wants me mentioning how I won both rounds of Apples to Apples...)

We took off Sunday morning as Erica was heading out to church. I, of course, wish we could have stayed longer, talked more, done more... But I am so grateful for the time we had together! You know all those quotes about not seeing a friend for a long time, but when you do it's like nothings changed? Well even though, really, so much has changed, I find that to be absolutely true. I miss getting to see her all the time and talk to her everyday, but knowing that she's always there and will always be my Kappa crush, well that isn't so bad.

Also, we made it to Alabama with a babe who didn't sleep a wink on our two flights. So we're good, but tired :)

that one time we went to the coast and it wasn't raining

Even though there was sunshiny skies in Corvallis, you always expect to hit clouds and rain before you make it to the coast. And I was prepared, too. I packed Uriah's thicker coat and his hat and gloves for the whole family. It may be a gray and windy place, but the Oregon coast is my favorite place and I wasn't going to let bad weather stop me from seeing it on our way up to Portland. But you guys! We had the air conditioning on the whole way to the coast! Air conditioning! This is totally awesome for two reasons. One, our car actually has air conditioning! (In comparison to Budge, our old car, which we have driven everywhere without it) And, two, it was Oregon! In March! I was shocked, but sent my praise up to God and enjoyed every minute of it! Our visit to the beach was short, but pretty spectacular. We've taken Uriah to the coast twice before, but this was the fist time he was able to actually experience it and enjoy it! And seeing my baby boy giddy over the sand and the waves made my heart swell. That ocean holds a pretty big place in my heart and is home to most of my most special memories, and I loved sharing it with Uriah. We walked up and down the shore kicking around his volleyball, taking too many pictures and videos, perma-smiles on our faces. We could not have asked for a more perfect day, truly.

our friends

After my two week stay in Pocatello and Stephen's two week stay in Montana, both of which went completely undocumented, we made the drive over to Corvallis, Oregon - our old stompin' ground! We made the trip to see our friends, the Winders (the trips we got to take down memory lane walking around campus and our wedding site were just a major bonus!) This family is a truly beautiful one. They are the kindest, most sincere and lovable people, so welcoming and encouraging. (They are also Uriah's God parents!) Spending time with them, whether it be a day or a week, always makes you feel refreshed, happy, optimistic and oh, so thirsty for God! John and Steff have played such irreplaceable roles in our lives, as individuals, in our marriage, and in our walks with God. We are so grateful for their friendship and it was such a blessing to be able to spend a week with them, living along side them in their crazy schedule! Without intention they taught us so much about parenting, marriage, relationships and living a Christ centered life. Uriah loved all the attention from Trevor and Carson, too ;) Endless thanks for your hospitality and love, we can't wait to see you guys again!

(To read a little more about this amazing family, read this old blog post of mine I wrote when we were living in Anchorage and were asked to share letters about them to their ministry supporters. There, you can also find a link to read more about their ministry with The Navigators.)

The Paper Doll

While I was in Pocatello, pining after my husband in Montana, I volunteered to model for The Paper Doll - a new and used clothing boutique new to my hometown. These two sisters make a great team and were were such a hoot to work with! I love what they're doing - maybe something I aspire to do myself someday...? It is what I went to college for ;) The prices at The Paper Doll are ridiculously low and there is such a variety in style, plus shoes and super fun accessories... It's a must go to for those in the area! Check out their Facebook page and blog to see and read more!

^^ These outfits were styled by cofounder, Whitney Richardson, and photographed by Brooke Richardson Photography ^^

photo dump/sneak peak/overview

2,760 miles later... We're home! {Until Tuesday...!} Pardon my blogging absence, though I think I'm the one who's missed this space most of all! I have pictures and stories to post of all our adventures thus far, but I'll start out with this iPhone photo dump/sneak peak/overview because I have yet to get the rest of our pictures downloaded and sorted! If you follow along on Instagram, this will be a complete repeat. My bad.