"so, I hear you don't like my stir sticks..."

~kevin b.

friday night taylor and katie came over to see the new place and enjoy some beer and botanas. we made them with beef this time, patty, the first time I've cooked with beef in...in...well probably since before I bought my house! we used laura's lean beef though, and that made me feel a leeeetle better.

we played apples to apples, enjoyed some pumpkin ale and had a very, very good time!

saturday was a busy, busy day! first, I woke up to take pictures of megan and her doggie, charlie. I promised megan I wouldn't put up any pictures until she had seen 'em, so I've gotta stick to that. though the heat was awful, the pictures turned out just like we wanted. so cute!

I did have a little problem while leaving though. Mattie now has a boo-boo on her tail end. A car was illegally parked and I couldn't/didn't see it while backing up, and their back bumper got up close and personal with mine. My car sustained all the damage and I figure it would cost more to pursue them and their illegally-parked-ness than it would to just replace it myself, or jsut let it go since really all it is is a bent piece of plastic. But it did not put me in a good mood!

Next, I came home and then Matt did something I've been waiting for him to do for quite some time--he took me to see his school! I got to see his classroom and desk and his old rooms and take a little tour. I'd only seen the outside before, so this was a treat!

after some errands and some looks of disbelief at the office depot woman who told me they only carry 35% recycled paper even though they could also carry 100% recycled paper (it says so on the 35% packaging!) because there's not a market for fully recycled paper in this area, I went home, took a short siesta at matt's insistence and went to the KD kickoff at Kitty's.

we talked about kevin and lara's stir stick dilemma and came to the conclusion that a happy medium would be if kevin would use sustainably grown, biodegradable wooden stir sticks. :) I got to meet jennifer's boyfriend for the first time and even hung out with little mister samuel and his parents for a bit--his giggles are SO adorable. oh, and jennifer and I were amused at our matching carriers, particularly since matt and I didn't even bring summer shandy.

went home, did homework, watched some heroes and prepared for sunday's craziness.

first: church. next: meet matt @ brueggers. sweetheart that he is, he went to ross for me to buy some sheets for photographing that day--to either block out the sun or for sitting on--because I was taking nicole's bridal portraits! I also saw Cassie there, and she was coming to help with the portraits, too! we took pictures from about 1245 until 230-outdoors, indoors, in the shade, in the sun, sitting down, standing up, leaning over, etc. There aremore than 450 pictures, and that's not including the ones where her eyes are shut and all! I'm looking forward to showing you these next week-I am VERY pleased with how they turned out!

then, home again to change and nap before youth group, youth from 430 until nearly 7 (parent's meeting and then stayed after for a bit) and then dinner and homework. I only have one15 point problem left and then I just need to write my paper proposal. YIKES.

oh and, a few other little gems...house-related gems.

we changed the direction of our dining room table. It is WAY more functional and inviting, and I like that! Right now it's my homework station, but that should change in time. Before it was up against the wall and the chairs were behind it--difficult to use, but a little bit prettier. Oh well, I'll take function over form this time, especially since the accessibility means we might actually *use* it.

this is in the dining area. the other day I saw this painting in the garage and I knew EXACTLY where it was going. it has every single color in the middle floor in it (or something close enough)--greens, browns, orange and yellow. and even a little blue to pull in the table we have. the painting of the trees that's on the adjacent wall is one I gave to matt a year ago on wednesday, it's a picture from our trip to tyler arboretum, and I plan to hang it right there. I haven't decide what color to paint that kicky little shelf though. I kind of want to do bronze but matt says no! suggestions? how it is now it doesn't "go."

and then here's my chest of drawers with the drawer pulls. it's actually much darker and less stripey, but that's a flash for you. it looks more like the color in the gobi picture. It is SO MUCH easier to use this bad boy with handles, let me tell you. well worth the mulah, for sure.

and here is gobi's fave resting spot. he will sit there ALL DAY. or so it seems. after I shower he gets up there, stays there until I leave and when I come home at night I often find him there as well. silly cat.