columbia's greek fest

This weekend, we checked out Columbia's long-running Greek Fest. I wish, for your sake, that this post was equipped with both sound and smell because the pictures just don't do it justice. We spent Saturday night surrounded by the sounds of authentic Greek music - the kind that dares you to try to stand still. We ate delicious food that was seemingly much more authentic than my usual gyro from Pita Pit or Greek salad from Zoe's.

Even though there was a pretty small chance that we'd run into anyone that we knew amidst the thousands of people, it was great to be involved in something that has been a part of this community for such a long time. 

A special thanks to the beautiful Greek community for their extraordinary natural party planning. And for letting all of us non-cool ethnicities join in!

my surprise date with andrew peterson

OK, Dustin was there too. And Steven Curtis Chapman and Josh Wilson. Oh, and about 132 guitars, a few mandolins, a couple banjos, a cello, an upright base, and a ukulele.

My very nice husband [the only one I go on dates with] surprised me and made an ordinary Thursday night very memorable! My present day self was most excited about Andrew Peterson. I am a big BIG fan of his song writing and musical style. But my seventh grade Baptist kid self was freaking out on the inside knowing S.C.C. was about to sing The Great Adventure LIVE. And Live Out Loud. And Dive! In other news, Josh Wilson's guitar skills are incredibly impressive/insane. And I really enjoyed his voice. KLOVE totally doesn't let you in on this.

It was certainly an encouraging night. All of them spoke candidly and lovingly about their wives, about this adventure of a life they have found with them, and how they've learned to flourish in their opposite-ness. I danced, I laughed, I cried [mainly during "Dancing in the Minefields" and the Chapman's orphan presentation]. We, along with a bunch of middle-agers and their kids, had a blast.

I'd like to say something about surprise dates: they are a good thing. While I was in Alabama last weekend, D told me we were going on a surprise date sometime this week. Come Thursday, I figured out it would be that night since we're heading to Ruston for a little friends and family time (!!!) this weekend. Can I tell you how nervous I was on the way home? Good nervous. That butterfly type of nervous that I used to get when D knocked on the door to my college apartment. So we've instituted a once-a-month surprise date policy where one of us will plan one month, and the other will plan the next. It's a good thing.

Two things to check out:
1) Show Hope's website where you could consider becoming a sponsor.
2) Steven Curtis Chapman's new CD "re:creation" - S.C.C has got some soul, y'all.
2.5) Andrew Peterson's "Counting Stars" if you haven't yet [even though this is the third time I've mentioned it on this little blog of ours].

Off to the 8-to-5. Happy weekend!

ringing in 2012

With a late-working husband, a lot of our crew out of town, other plans falling through, and an opportunity for incredibly rare alone time, Dustin and I had a New Years Eve date. Before he left for work that morning, we devised a little plan for our night in, and he built the bones of this:

Our lovely little haven for the night.

And I devised a New Years menu after some research. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to eat all this business on New Years Day. I think we probably snacked on some leftovers after the midnight countdown. That definitely counts. I tried to memorize what each of them meant so that I could give D a nice little menu presentation, but the brain was still on vacation. So, to redeem myself, here it is...

Black eyed peas - In the South, they are thought to bring prosperity
Pork [there was bacon in the fritters] - Pigs represent progress by the way they root forward in the ground
Cabbage - In Germany, Ireland, and parts of the United States, cabbage is associated with luck and fortune
Noodles - In Asian countries, they are meant to bring long life
Pomegranate - In Turkey and other Mediterranean countries, they are associated with abundance and fertility [hello!]
Champagne - because its New Years, duh

After dinner, we shared some goals for our second year of marriage. They were certainly encouraging. And grace was promised while doing our best to hold one another to them. Because I can't pass up an opportunity, we did a little craft project in which we wrote and framed our said resolutions. In front of our faces daily is much better than in the notes section of our cell phones.

And then we listened in slight fear [me] as our mid-city apartment complex sounded like a war zone.

Happy New Year!

by the book[s]

Thanks to four tests in one week, Valentines evening wasn't available for the standard carefree merriment. But that's ok. We're always about making some good memories - even if it's in my least favorite place on the planet.

Here's what you need for a successful study-filled Valentines date:

And just in case you are like me and leave your entire set of notes at your apartment, [you know the ones that are your only source for a good grade on tomorrow's mega test?] then just call in the reinforcements.

That's right. Chocolate.

Hope your day was sweet! I hope you showed some love and received some too.

P.S. Here's a peek at D's Valentine gift from me. It's just some watercolor, a bit of ink, and whole lot of love.

date night

Here's a little documentation of a very fun and much needed date night with D.

Neither having had Indian food before, we gave India's Restaraunt a try. For you BR dwellers, it's on Essen near I-10. And, yes, I just had to check Google maps to make sure that was correct. Lived here for four years. No big deal.

Anyway, it was dee-lish! I don't really know what I ate, but I can tell you that it was goooood. And as a bonus, the people were wonderful - so kind and patient with us when we were too slow to pronounce anything on the menu. I know it's just a local restaraunt, but, as we were sitting there, it reminded me of several things. It reminded me that our God is global. It reminded me that we don't feel called to stay here, and that I need to be intentionally praying for the Lord's direction. The best part of dinner were D's words when thanking God for the yum-o food. When he asked that we may, if it is His will, experience this food in it's native land one day because He has brought us there to love on His people in India. Lord, send us!

After we had our fill of yummy things covered in Indian spices, we wandered around Dillards. Well, it wasn't really wandering. More like scouting. Got to get some ideas before we lauch in to wedding registering! Which, by the way, is just going to be way too much fun.

I was the crazy girl with the camera in the department store. But it was a blast. And now it's back-to-studying for those four test coming up this week. Oh graduation, where are you?

no recipes allowed

This Friday turned into a cook-without-recipes date night. I'm sharing because it was a surprising success!

You can add grocery shopping to the "Every day things I love doing with the boyfriend" list.

D got the recipe idea ball rolling by saying, "Can I shoot something up?" Love it. Translated into Top Chef lingo, that means injecting the meat with marinade before you cook it. In this case, Tony's creole butter marinade. Yes, please!

From there, we mainly used what was already sitting on the pantry shelves, picked a favorite cheese and stuffed it all in a pie crust.

This creation is currently nameless and suggestions are being accepted. Think creole...spicy...cheesey.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. And if you are like me and feel as though every meal needs dessert, keep the oven at the same temp and try this awesomely easy thing. And fall-ish, too!

The "cream cheese mixture" is just cream cheese (a little bit softened), sugar (I prefer brown) and cinnamon. Just taste as you go. "You can't hurt it," as the women in my family would say. Enjoy!

BONUS:
If you are uber sensitive to onions and cry your eyes out at the thought of them, then these are your new best friend.

They work. Promise. Check them out here.

As D always says (and teaches me) when he prays, "Thank you, Lord, for this food and the means to buy it."

And thank you, Lord, for taste buds!