MSP

We live in a beautiful city.

sometimes

Sometimes the most frustrating things in life are the things you can't control.

Perhaps God gives us the things we can't control to remind us that we are NOT in control and sometimes you just have to let go and realize you are doing the best you can.

Art Art Art

My cousin Melena is a visual artist.

She paints using a canvas, plastic bags and layers of colors. Adding on colors and letting them run together, wait for it to dry and add the next layer. She also uses brush work to add detail.

This is a non artist (me) trying to explain these "interesting, vibrant and powerful paintings", and probably not doing Melena's process justice, if you are interested in how she does it from the artists words herself here is her link to her website....

http://canvasthrowdown.com/home.html

Anyways, I went to her senior show back in our college days and was always very impressed with her style and unique abstract quality of her paintings, as that is the style of art I prefer. She is still painting and showing her work on canvasthrowdown.com.

She was kind enough to make a painting for Peter and I and it is proudly hanging in our family room down stairs. I highly recommend purchasing a painting from this wonderful artist, (who happens to be related to me :) )

I know I'm happy I did.

Yard Games

We had 1 ladder golf and 2 bean bag toss games all going at once in our little yard.

It was quite the event.

Thanks to our friends and siblings for coming:)

Before and After

Before, eww...look at those curling gross green shingles...

Peter and I lovingly called it the "GREEN Monster".

When painting the outside green we didn't take into consideration the green shade of the roof. oops

Now the shingles are a lovely clay color and architectural in style.
No more GREEN Monster.

Thanks to all that helped with the roof especially Dana and Jake as well as all our parents!
It was a big job and we are so relieved that all indications of the big job are now gone as the 4 "bagsters" (dumpsters in the shape of a giant bag) were just picked up this week.

We both vowed that once is enough, we will hire out if we ever have to replace a roof again!

Luke and Jenna's Big Day

This past June my little brother became a husband and I gained another lovely sister.

Luke looked all grown up and Jenna was beautiful as every bride should be.

Here is a taste of the joyous celebration.

Getting ready...

Peter and I were so happy to be a part of the wedding.

Siblings

Father of the Groom

Mother of the Groom

The bridesmaids

The happy couple

The flowers

All dressed- check, photographs done- check...Goofing around while we wait for the big event.

Wedding Reception

Dancing with the ring bearer and flower girl.

Mother and son dance to mom's favorite Bobby Darin song.

Sami and Amelia dancing

Peter and Kayleigh dancing

Mr. and Mrs. Luke and Jenna Beck

Luke and Jenna spent their honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise.

Here they are ready for a drive to the airport.

Happy 4 year Anniversary!

Today 4 years ago Peter and I were married on a sunny and humid Friday.

10 years ago this coming December we first started dating....wow that makes me feel old and so do these pictures I'm about to upload from "then to now."

Our wedding verse was Jeremiah 29:11... I know that God has a plan for us and I've enjoyed seeing that unfold the past four years.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

I'm excited to see what God's plan is for us for the next year, "plans for hope and a future."

Love you Peter!

And here's the flashback, we are babies, this isn't even when we first started dating this is after a few years.

Here's to the graduates!

Here's to the graduates!

June is Graduation and Father's Day month... according to the news this morning.

I graduated in May along with my brother but my Kindergarten kids graduated this June.

We had our Program and Graduation on Tuesday and the kids were fabulous.

If you are also graduating this year congrats to you!

Do ya see me?? What about the humungous guy behind me, ya he's twice my height.

Peter kept taking pictures of me cuz he thought it was so funny... I didn't even know he was there.

And I thought I was the organized one...

Looks like my organization is rubbing off on somebody or..

he really knew how to do it all along and it was part of some mysterious trick...

or organization is fun when it involves tools rather than laundry or dishes

Looks pretty good if I do say so myself, he even made a little garden section for me.