Our Kitchen...

So this is our kitchen.

The styles are a mix of a few...spanish/mediterranean, modern/industrial & vintage...the main goal in our dream kitchen is to have a big open space for entertaining..ideally, we would like the living, kitchen & dining room to be one big open area! Color schemes are still undecided as the below pictures will indicate:

Mark's Office...

Okay, although Mark would like his office to resemble George Lucas' home office:

I've convinced him to settle within our just barely smaller budget ;)

The colors are all natural: earth tones mostly...though he likes blue too!

The theme is : 'World Traveller meets wise, knowledgeable theologian professor!'

So basically, maps, treasures, lots & lots of books, natural stained wood shelves etc..

Here are some we liked:

We like this one cause of the cool inset shelving..and the display of sculptures & art!

The lighting is great in this one, & we like the seating, like its our own private library!

This pic is to show you what Mark dreams for: an office with windows surrounding him so he can look at creation. (He's so stinkin cute!)


Tuesday: ? (not sure yet)

Our Bedroom...

Our bedroom theme is based on the picture of 'The Kiss' by Gustav Klimt.

The main color is brown (which is our bedding & furniture), & then accents of all the colors in the detailing of the flowers & her dress like orange, green & yellow.

Its my all time fave & I found it recently at Ikea! So its up in our bedroom right now. Its at least 8 ft. tall, so it makes the ultimate head-board/wall hanging! For our room, I like a mix of boho (bohemian=gypsy, hippie, carefree), modern & flea market (the vintage furniture or frames etc..). Bohemian can tend to have a lot of different patterns going on which I'm not a fan of, but I like the comfy, relaxed, inviting atmosphere it gives. I think if you were to narrow it down, I like modern/vintage/simple with boho accents like art, lamps, accessories. I'm sure there's probably a name that is all those aspects combined, but until I find it, I will just call it

'SimVinModHemian' :)

Here are some examples of what I like:

Tomorrow: Mark's Office

New Topic...

Ok..so I've decided to do a mini section on 'OUR DREAM HOME'. I found this really cool website: www.designmyroom.com & I've been finding rooms & designing my own too! So for the next week or so, my posts will be a room-a-day! Tomorrow will be Room 1: Our bedroom!

I would die for that...

Just a little of how I'm feeling today

Joy, Laughter, etc...

Well, we are off to our Ladies Retreat tonight & I thought I'd share a few thoughts on joy!

The theme of our retreat is "Time to Laugh", which has caused a lot of introspection! Do I really have joy?!

Its funny because the last time we had a retreat with the name beginning with "Time.." it was back when I was 15 or 16, and our youth group hosted a ski rally (guys, can you believe we actually did that?) It was awesome! We led the worship (BJ leading wearing his upholstery vest), did dramas, the works! I think of us then & where a lot of us are now, & its crazy to think of where God has brought us! Char, Christy, Chris, BJ, Bekki....There are so many of us! And I love to think about what God has brought us through & taught us to overcome! We are not even the same people we were then & I'm grateful for it! I love that God has transformed & radically changed lives! We are dynamic, sold out, God chasers & I wouldn't have it any other way!

So on the morning of our retreat, I have huge hopes. Today is the beginning of something great, something profound, something that will change the way we view our lives forever. Because we want to be ones, no matter what the circumstance, w to that we choose to have JOY!

I want to laugh at things that would normally make me cry. To find the joy in the hardship; to know that even though the situation is so hard & at times feels unbearable, I'm not going to or will I ever be anywhere but right in the arms of Jesus. That is something I can have joy in!

My eternal security, my hope, my source, & my everything is not dependant on man (even Mark) but is in Him alone. If I live like I believe it, then I should have joy all the time! For Jesus never fails me! He never disappoints, He never changes. So if I rely solely on Him, I shouldn't change either! I want to be that person!

I want to laugh in the hardest circumstance because I know that my God is bigger than it all! So to all, not just the ladies, it is Time to Laugh!

Because we serve the God who is JOY !

I thought I'd share this song with you. I bought this CD on our trip & this song is incredible!

Hope for the Hopeless

stitch in your knitted brow

and you don't know how

you're gonna get it out

crushed under heavy chest

trying to catch your breath

but it always beats you by a step,

all right now

making the best of it

playing the cards you get

you're not alone in this

there's hope for the hopeless

hope for the hopeless

there's hopecold in a summer breeze

yeah, you're shivering

on your bended knee

still, though your heart is sore

and the heavens pour

like a willow bending with the storm,

you'll make it

running against the wind

playing the cards you get

something is bound to give

there's hope for the hopeless

hope for the hopeless

there's hope

there's hope for the hopeless

hope for the hopeless

there's hope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOSUvgNMuWA

Enjoy!!!

New Direction..

Dear Readers,

I'm looking to go in a new direction, but I'm not sure which way I'd like to go. I'd like your input, if you wouldn't mind. Do you enjoy the fun, light hearted ones or would you like more of the meat; the brooding, emotional guts of who I am :) I'm happy to go either way, or if you'd like something that I've never posted, then please let me know! Even if you are not usually a commenter, please make an exception just this once. I'd love to know what you'd like to see here too!

Thanks to all who read this!

Just Cuz...

Can u name the famous lips?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

p.s. doesn't #6 look upside down...weird...without the rest of the face it totally is weird!

Its almost here..are you ready??

Its only 11 more days!! And its going to be awesome!

A little reminder of the last one:

Finally...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hope of the Unknown!

Well, our holiday pictures are coming..in movie form! And they will be here soon.

But what I love is the new guest feed on the right. This encourages me to write even though I might not get many comments. At least I know now I am not alone. Company is inspiration!

P.S. I saw this a while back and I laugh because of the truth of it. My hair is NEVER what I want it to be. I usually settle for the "This-is-what-I-get-&-if-I-try-one-more-time-I'm-reaching-for-the-husbands-razor-&-shaving-it-off-which-will-make-me-more- depressed-for-the-lack-of-the-GI Jane-I-see-in-the-mirror-look"

Anyways, that was my little rant. Love ya!

Man's Detours = God's Tours!

Well I couldn't wait till we returned to tell you about an incredible experience that we had travelling.

We were on our way to Cache Creek, through the canyon (obviously) & we had just driven through all the tunnels & just passed Boston Bar (about 2 hours from Hope), when just up ahead on the road were a huge line up of people stopped. People were out of their vehicles walking around, etc... We find out that a vehicle has caught fire, and because it is so hot & dry (32 degrees at 11pm), the fire is spreading & causing rock slides, & when the water comes in the helicopter it will cause more rock slides, so they were closing the highway. So everyone had to re-route to the coquihalla. So off we go back to Hope (another 2 hours). On our way, we see a large accident in the road and we begin to see God's hand of protection over us.

So far this trip, we have depended on Nuvi (our GPS) to lead us in the direction we need to go, cause we don't really know a lot about how to get around. Saying that, you'll understand we didn't know that we only had to go to Merrit to go around & hook up back at Cache Creek. We went all the way to Kamloops! On our way there, we are just overwhelmed with the majesty of God in His creation...

When we were nearing Kamploops, we hit a HUGE lightening storm, with the biggest, neon purple finger lightening I have ever seen!! The whole time, we feel the presence of God!!

Were like, "Ok, God, what are you doing with us tonight?"

We arrive in Kamloops & go to the Quality Inn (we stayed in one in LA, and thought it was a safe bet) but there was no vacancy. By this time it is getting close to 11pm & we are wondering, "This is the night before Canada Day. Are we even going to find a place?" The guy at the desk suggests the Comfort Inn down the road, so we take his advice & try there. We ask if there is vacancy & he says he has 1 room left!!!! We ask the room rate and he tells us $170 per night, cause all he has left is the king size bed with the jacuzzi tub! This is a little out of our price range, but we really don't have a lot of options at this point, so we say yes. We had told him prior to this about our many adventures and re-routing, etc.. He tells us that because it is late & we had gone through so much already, he will give us the room for $99!! YESSS!!!!

God, you are so good!

We get to our room, which is situated in the corner of the hotel. It is a beautiful room! And we are once again baffled, amazed & grateful that God knows what he is doing!

Mark notices on the back of the door, the map of the building for fire escape purposes. He notices that our room (because of being in the corner, I guess) has a title! Guess what it is?

This trip has taught us so much, about fully leaning on Jesus! We may not understand what He is up to, but He doesn't ask us to understand, He asks us to trust! And we will!

The time of our lives!!!!

Well, we are having a great time down here! We've had some good times with Mark's family. And over all, it has been pretty nice. What has made it the time of our lives is not the quality family time though! It has been God teaching us about faith & miracles! He has proven Himself so many times already and will prove Himself more we are sure! We are overwhelmed at the things that have been happening (more details when we return home) & are so grateful & in love with Him!

Many blessings on everyone & we hope all is well at home!!!!