Winston's Top 12

We wake up laughing every day at the funny things our puppy does!

Top 12 Moments and Things Winston Does:

His favorite game is to find our socks and then run around the apartment with them like he has found the greatest prize ever!

He hides under the big chair when he knows he's in trouble or when he doesn't want to go to his house

The way he jumps around crazily when Wade gets home and then runs to me like, "he's home! he's home!"

How at about 9:30-9:45 we hear him crunching away in a late night food binge

• He "digs" on pillows to try and bury his favorite bones and now he has started hiding his toys behind the curtains!


• He barks at his reflection in the windows like he's a bad ole dog, but when he gets scared he halls butt in the opposite direction.


• Being let off his leash to run in the woods freely is definitely on the top of his fav list as well. He runs and runs and runs out there. That's about the only way we can half way tire him out.


• The next morning after his neutering surgery, Wade put him in bed with me (like he does sometimes), as Wade walked out of the room, Winston went to the edge of the bed to watch Wade. I innocently reached over to grab him and my arm felt a HUGE wet spot! He had peed all on my bed with ZERO warning! lul, we moved right into action of stripping the bed and washing everything. I read online of several people who that had happened to after their dogs had surgery as well. (should have looked that up first, lul)

• How he will only play with one toy or bone for a little while before returning to his basket to pull something else out. By the end of the day, his basket is empty and his toys are strewn all over the house, lol...maybe one day he'll learn to put them back...
  
• The way he zooms around the living room as fast he can, growling and breathing so hard until one of us can finally snatch him up in our arms. It usually takes both of us to coral him.
  
  
  
  • The way he comes out of his crate each morning, so sleepily...yawning and streeeeetching it out.
  
  
  • The way he will finally fall asleep in the evening and then wake himself up barking as if to show that he really wasn't asleep at all, lol...
  
  
  These may be silly things, but we thank the Lord for the laughter and joy he brings in the every day moments.
  We look forward to laughing at him some more tonight! What are some of the funny things your pet does??
  

Eucharisteo

I had never heard of this word until about a week ago when I started reading, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. This book has been out for year and many of you may have already devoured it, but I am just now really digging in.

This Greek word, Eucharisteo, means Thanksgiving -- not like November, Pilgrims and turkey -- but giving thanks in the every day, every moment. This book shows what joy and freedom can be found in giving thanks in the big, small, hard, and easy.

Ann takes a dare from a friend to name 1,000 gifts that she is thankful to the Lord for and finds a whole new way of life.

I have started my journey of counting 1,000 gifts that I am thankful to the Lord for. I feel like in general I am a pretty "thankful" and "positive" person, but I can honestly say I have seen such a difference in my whole day's outlook as I search for things to be thankful for to add to my list. It's easy to just thank the Lord in a general way for all the gifts He gives us each day, but we miss out on so much by not being specific and not being on the lookout.

Looking for things to be thankful for in that exact moment also helps me be "all there" as Jim Elliot would say. As I'm focusing on what I'm thankful for right then, I'm not jumping ahead of myself (or behind myself to the past).

I am also learning from this book to keep my hands open to whatever the Lord brings my way. I am very quick to decide what is "good" and what is "bad" or "hard" in my life. I must remember and remind myself that God is the author and that He is always good. He is trustworthy and He promises to work all things for my good, your good, and His glory. Romans 8:28

I agree with Ann that counting and naming blessings from the Lord helps us build trust in the Lord. We thank for the present things and thank for things we remember and we see that God is trustworthy.

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 1:11-12

We do have so much to be thankful for and I am going to keep counting, to 1,000 and beyond.

Here are a few things I've added to my list:

Thank you God for:
--prancing puppy paws
--scents in glass bottles
--birds singing in the morning dew
--my Daddy's voice saying, "Hey, Jacq-O"
--medicine for Mom's RA
--my husband that loves to do things together


Let me know if you start counting!

Visit Ann's website at:
www.onethousandgifts.com

Or at:
www.aholyexperience.com

A new year to enjoy...

As I get older, I find the wisdom of parents and grandparents all the more applicable to my days and I agree with them on so many fronts, especially when they have informed me that "each passing year only goes faster than the one before it." I don't know if it's the fact that now as a man, rather than the days of childhood, I spend 200+ days a year at work or it's just some simple fact of life that as you grow older you inevitable take on more activity and responsibilities and thus in your busyness, you quickly consume your days, but whatever the cause, the result I must agree with - life goes pretty fast. That God spoke to Job in the whirlwind is a great comfort to me because I often feel like I'm in one myself. Whatever the reason or rhyme, I too must agree with the notion that the days just seem to go faster and faster the older I get. Maybe it's just because time flies when you are having fun :)

As I enter a new year, I have high hopes - lots of small goals to set after as well as big ones. I was reading in a Slice of Infinity article from Ravi Zacharias Ministries this week and was reminded that best of all for 2012 is the hope that God will give His abiding presence in 2012. More than anything that I'm seeking to go after is the underlying prayer that God will go with me - for truly what could I accomplish without Him? G.K. Chesterton once said, "The object of the new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul." Point well taken - a new year is no better than the old year if we don't become anything different in the new year than we were in the last. It is with hope of becoming new that I set out on the journey of 2012. More than merely doing good... I long to be good - to be transformed in some many areas of my heart to become more like Christ... to shed more of the old man and to put on more of the new man. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to change. It reminds me of a great poem  that I once heard Ravi Zacharias share on one of his podcasts:

He came to my desk with a quivering lip, the lesson was done. “Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher? I’ve spoiled this one.” I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted, And gave him a new one all unspotted. And into his tired heart I cried, “Do better now, my child.”


I went to the throne with a trembling heart, the day was done. “Have you a new day for me, dear Master? I’ve spoiled this one.” He took my day, all soiled and blotted, and gave me a new one all unspotted. And into my tired heart he cried, “Do better now, my child.”


To all who read this, I wish you a very blessed year in 2012... may the Lord show you all the more just how wide and how high and how deep is His love for each one of you and may you all grow more into His likeness with each passing day. As one of favorite quotes states, "No one can make a brand new start, but anyone can start today and make a brand new end."  His mercies are new every morning - great is His faithfulness. So, as we use to sing as children, "Rise and shine and give God the glory glory" May the Lord be with you all in 2012.
   - WP

A New Year’s Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous


Dear Lord, please give me…


A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;


A work to do which has real value,


without which the world would be the poorer;


A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;


An understanding heart;


A sense of humor;


Time for quiet, silent meditation;


A feeling of the presence of God;


The patience to wait for the coming of these things,


With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.

Another Full Year Gone By...

2011 was filled with many great moments and memories, triumphs and trials. It really is crazy how fast a year goes by! But it's also a lot of fun remembering many of the small moments that make up the whole.

The first 5 months of the year were filled with work and finding more of a groove here in Tyler. We started mentoring through our church and I finished working at the school.
Kathy came to visit us in February and Mom spent a few days of her Spring Break with us in Tyler as well.

Summer came with a vengeance as we saw one of, if not the, hottest ones on record. With over 50 days of highs over 100 degrees we were more than ready to escape on our vacation to Colorado.
In June we went to Lubbock for a family reunion.
We ran in the 2nd annual Firecracker 6 for July 4th in Indy with our friends.
In August we went to Vail and Estes Park, Colorado for an amazing getaway!
Working basketball camps, trips to the pool, long walks in the evenings together and visits with family and friends made the summer go by quickly.

Because of the severe drought, there wasn't near as much fishing as we would have liked to have done, but hopefully in 2012 we can make up for that!

Mid August we got our first puppy...Winston!! We spent the next couple of months adjusting to a new schedule with him. I have never made so many trips up and down than during potty training, lol. He's not completely there yet, but very close.

I joined the world of social media as I started Facebook, Twitter and Skype accounts to connect with friends across the country and promote my side business, J Pate Designs.

In September my very best friend got married!! I was able to spend a week with her helping with last minute preparations and just having a good time.

I spent the fall preparing for Christmas shows to sell my jewelry and pillows. It was a whole lot of work but I am definitely pleased with where I have come with J Pate Designs in a year's time. Wade was such a huge help and encouragement!!

Thanksgiving was spent in East Texas with Wade's family and my good friend Andrea.

Christmas arrived soon after and we made the trek to the Panhandle to see spend precious days with my family. We celebrated the birth of our Savior and my mom and dad's birthdays!

We spent the few remaining days of 2011 relaxing, reflecting and recharging for the new year to come.

We are so thankful to the Lord for our health, Wade's job, new friends, a stronger marriage and a closer walk with our Lord. We look forward to what 2012 holds!

Acquired Taste--Jeremy Clay Price

One of Wade and mine's favorite things in life is music -- good music. We are always looking for artists off the beaten path with a great voice and lyrics that don't sound the same every song.

So imagine how thrilled I was when my friend, Jen, asked if I wanted to preview her husband's new CD, Acquired Taste. After listening, it was hard to pick a favorite, but right now I'm going with London.

I love the sound--the acoustic guitar and Jeremy's voice are so soulful.

"Joy in the suffering....break these chains, tear down these old walls."

--This is definitely a prayer I need. I feel like every time I listen I am really catching new things in the music and lyrics. It also has a sound I can actually feel, not just hear.

One of the coolest things about getting "older" is being able to see more and more how the Lord weaves our lives so intricately and perfectly. Sitting in a church pew in Littlefield, TX when I was in Junior High, I never would have thought that I would be blogging friends with my pastor's older son's wife.

My parents had kept up with Jeremy over the years through his dad and in turn, my dad kept me up to date. They would tell me about YWAM, them changing ministries and then Dad passed along Jen's blog to me and well, here we are now with a Blog Tour! (and the best part is...God's still weaving! the rest is yet to come...)

From Jeremy...
"I have been writing songs for over 15 years and spent much of my early adult life playing music all over the world. The last few years I have set it aside while building Ten Thousand Homes. But now is the time. I chose songs that were not all written recently. One was written this year, while the others go back as far as 8 years ago. I really wanted to represent a journey, and while this is a simple recording, I am extremely proud of it! What I know now is that this is only the beginning!"

I totally agree and can't wait to hear more!

you can listen to the album here and you can download the album for a name your own price with a minimum of only $3!

Check it out and let your friends know about it!

Acquired Taste on Bandcamp

Jeremy Clay on Facebook

Jeremy Clay Price on Twitter

You can follow along the blog tour here:

december 5th – i believe in love
december 6th – beyond words designs
december 7th – studio jru
december 8th – she is dallas
december 9th – brand new day
december 12th – grit & glory
december 13th – today’s mama
december 14th – b’ahava
december 16th – them pates
december 19th – alisha ippolito photography
december 20th - the little missionary girl all grown up

My First Give Away!! FREE PILLOW!

I have been wanting to do a give away for a while and I think now is the perfect time! This give away is for one of my small hand sewn Christmas pillows.
Enter now until Sunday, December 4th. I will announce a winner on Monday and ship out the pillow so that you can enjoy it in your home or give it as a gift :)

I hand sewed Dream and each of the snow flakes. There's something about snow that is just majestic. Growing of in the Panhandle of Texas, we got some snow but not really very much. I remember being in my dorm in PA one time and hearing something hitting the roof. I walked outside and to my amazement the biggest, softest, loudest snowflakes I had ever seen or heard were falling so perfectly...it was so quiet outside, peaceful and dreamy. I enjoyed every second...aah, maybe we'll see some snow this winter at some point :)

There are 4 different ways you can enter :)

Entry 1: Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling me one of you favorite Christmas traditions

Entry 2: Become a follower of my blog

Entry 3: Like J Pate Designs on Facebook

Entry 4: Follow me on Twitter at @JPateDesigns (if you're already a follower, just tweet about my give away :) )

Thanks everyone! Please tell your friends :)

Thanksgiving 2011

There is not enough room on this blog or time for you to read all that I am thankful for in my life. The Lord has been so good to me and to Wade -- not just because He has brought us through so much, given us wonderful families and given us more than we need -- no it's more than that. The Lord has been so good to us because He came down for us and he died for our sins to make a way for us to be reconciled to the Father.
This Thanksgiving was great. Our niece stole the show once again :) We all had fun watching her motor around and play with Winston. Her and Winston had a blast together!!

I thought that Winston's barking might scare her (that's how he plays) but she just thought he was so funny. She laughed and squealed every time he barked and ran away.

I was glad it actually cooled down enough to wear sweaters!!

All the food was great, but look at this dessert spread!! yummy!

Andrea came to visit us and we had so much fun!!

Here's the cutie in her chariot :) Everyone took a turn pullin her around in her wagon and she would've stayed longer had her daddy let her!

A Late Fall

Well things are finally cooling down a little here and there in East Texas. Hard to believe we hit the mid 80s several days in November! Because of that most of the leaves are just now changing colors.
We went for a walk in the woods with Winston. He loved smellin everything and running around.

There's my good lookin husband!!

Recent Stampings :)

Here are some photos of items I have recently stamped :) Christmas is coming up and these items make great, personalized gifts. With bookmarks starting at $10 I hope you consider choosing an item that fits into your price point. Orders must be received by December 5th to guarantee a delivery before Christmas.

Enjoy and please contact me with any questions!!

Beautiful necklaces!

Cool bracelets :) A lot of people have ordered bracelets that have their name and heart. The girls love these!

Here are a few pics of the bookmarks and keychains.
Keep in mind that any of these items can be customized with the phrase/word of your choice or you can choose the phrase that you see pictured.

Tim Tebow

All you Tim Tebow "lovers", critics or "haters" please read this entire blog.

Tim Tebow is my favorite player in the NFL. I didn't just recently jump on his bandwagon either. We are so proud of him for standing for Christ, for living out his faith in the midst of a media fire storm and everyone waiting for him to fall. Do I think he's perfect, no, because none of us are. It's not easy to be under the microscope all the time. And if most of us were honest, we would not stand up to the test like Tim has time and again.

My husband and I started watching Tebow play football when he was at Florida. We love his passion, his work ethic, but most of all what he stands for--Christ.

For Wade and I, Tim Tebow is what we hoped we were when we played sports--a light using the talents God gave us to bring Him glory.

There are a few Bible verses that Wade and I live our lives by and that really impacted us when we played sports.

"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."Colossians 3:17

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." Colossians 3:23-24

I don't think that most people know how hard it is to play sports after the high school level and how much harder it is to live out your faith and take a stand. It's so very easy to get side tracked, to think only of yourself and what you want. I know I battled that as an athlete. All the fans see is the person playing on game day. What they don't see is all the work that went in to getting to that point nor do they see all the things that are happening within the team and maybe your own life and family. My experience only went as far as the collegiate level, so I can only imagine how much this is intensified at the professional level.

I remember one game in particular when I was at Bucknell. We were set to play Holy Cross on ESPNU. We only got one TV game a year so it was a big deal for us. The Lord gave me the strength a pretty good game that night and I was so thankful. We came away with a win, but it meant so much to me because of the struggle it was to get there.

Trying to balance college sports and the classroom is challenging to say the least, especially at a school like Bucknell. I had 2 major papers due the day of the game. The night before I was not anywhere close to finishing them...not because I had procrastinated, I just literally did not have enough time in my day to do it all. So...I stayed up ALL night working on those papers. In a fog, I walked to class and turned in my papers...then I did something I had never done before...I didn't go to the rest of the class.

I knew I had to play a game later that afternoon and was in no condition to do so. I went home and slept. I woke up thinking, how am I going to do this? I took a shower and put on my makeup, lol, hoping not everyone would be able to see how tired I truly was...I prayed for strength and set out to give it my all.

What a praise to the Lord still comes from my heart for this time. I am thankful for the win but more so that He gave me the strength and courage to keep going, to fight and to honor Him.

This is just one instance in my life where no one new what was going on in my life. They only saw the game I played. How much more so then for pro athletes?

There are many out there that openly "hate" Tim Tebow. I really can't believe this is even possible, but then again I can. It's crazy to me that our society seems more at ease with the athlete that is in the club, getting caught doing illegal things, or immoral things than a man doing his best to please Lord. There's a song lyric that I think fits here..."People throw rocks at things that shine." (Taylor Swift and no I am not a huge fan of hers...) It's easy, too easy, for people to bash athletes at any level but especially at the collegiate and pro level.

I don't know the ins and outs of the mechanics of a "great" quarterback and maybe Tim doesn't exactly fit their "ideal" but he gives it his all every snap and lives in a manner worthy of the calling of Christ.

Wade and I pray that he will continue to remember that bringing glory to Christ is most important, that giving others the opportunity to know the Good News is what his life and ours is for. We pray God would continue to give him the strength to stand and we know that no matter what, God loves him and us and you.

Tim, if you read this, keep going friend!! God has given you an amazing platform that you are using well.

And as Pilgrim says in Pilgrim's Progress, "but I put my fingers in my ears and so came on my way."

Social Media

Social Media....where to begin?

So, I was one of those people (the minority) that had not joined Facebook...that was until a couple of weeks ago. I was not on Twitter, hadn't skyped and really didn't feel the need to jump in.

But times are ch-ch-ch-changin.... and it was time. In a week I went from only having a blog to being on Facebook, Twitter and Skype. My hubby could hardly believe it when I told him, lol. Whew...I have been trying to catch up ever since!

You may be wondering why I have held out so long, especially on Facebook. First off, I didn't have the time do it for a long time and well, to be honest, I really prefer talking on the phone and writing "real" letters but I was not able to keep up with as many people as I would like to that way. (or most people weren't willing to keep in touch with me the old fashioned way).
I also must admit that I just really do prefer to be private about a lot of things. BUT I realize that I still can be private about the things I want to be private about and share the things I want to share :) I do like encouraging people and making them smile and I hope that I can do that through my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

It has been fun though getting back in touch with people that really are my friends that I haven't talked to in a while. Moving around as much as I have since high school has been amazing. It has allowed me to see so many different parts of the country and to make friends all along the way. Now it's so much easier to keep up with them all!!

Also, I have been able to network for my business: J Pate Designs . I still have a long ways to go to get my business page in shape, but little by little I am sprucing things up.In the near future I will be hosting my very GIVE AWAY! FREE STUFF!! (it's very easy to enter and have a chance to win so stay tuned!!)

I still do not jump on there ALL the time and I have figured out how to link my twitter to my facebook. So whatever I post on twitter automatically updates my status in Facebook. This is very helpful! I am also going to be more committed to updating my blog regularly so be sure to check back soon (and often!).

For those of you left that are still not on Facebook, that's alright. I'd love to have a phone call from you any day! (or an email!)

So, if you are on Facebook or Twitter, "Like" me or "Follow" me if you want :)
My twitter name is @JPateDesigns and my business Facebook page is J Pate Designs.

Challenges, fun times, and cooler weather!

Happy Friday everyone! I know that if you're anything like me you're wondering where the week went...? Time passes so quickly!

A little recap:
It has been a pretty productive week here though :) I got several pillows embellished and it's my goal to get them totally finished up today!
Metal stamping is definitely in the weekend plans!

Our Little W has been keeping us busy, the potty training is still not where I'd like it to be and I feel like i run up and down from our apt every 45 minutes when he's awake...lol, but I'm sure this too will pass.
This morning he peed on the tile before I could get him downstairs (he'd only been out of his house like a minute!) Then I went ahead and took him down...he did his number 2 so I thought all was good...not 2 minutes after getting back upstairs he dropped another surprise in his favorite corner! sigh! lol...
We've been ringing his the "door bells" each trip out but now he acts like ringing the bells is a vending machine! Ring the bells, get a treat...not ring the bells because I have to go outside, lol...
So, after some clean up and play time, he is back in his house so I can work :)

Wade and I have really enjoyed watching the Texas Rangers! I didn't make it through one of the best games ever last night...I fell asleep hard in the 6th inning :( I'm going to stay up tonight though!!
Wade was just made for cooler weather and he is loving this! I'm sure we'll go for another walk this evening and we'll leave the windows open, lol, even though I'll wake up freezing :) it's great to bundle up!

What a blessing to have an opportunity to tell more folks about GFA and how the Lord is working in Asia! I made a great friend in the process and my heart is always encouraged as I remind others that God is at work and moving powerfully!!

And... I won my friend's giveaway for a signed poster!! Didn't win the recordable book :( but maybe next time!

Come on Rangers!!

Pillows in progress!

Recordable Book Giveaway!!

My friend is doing a FREE giveaway for a recordable children's book from Dayspring :) It is very easy to enter (just gotta leave a comment)!
This ends October 27th so don't delay :)
Check out her blog and enter to win! I entered and I hope that I win! :)

http://jeremynjenprice.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-love-you-head-to-toe-giveaway.html

Grooming Day!

Winston had a his second trip to the groomer's today :) He sure does look cute and smell great! He had so much fun playin with the other dogs there--he wasn't even ready to come home, but when he did get home, he crashed out, lol...

Isn't he the cutest??

Mid October--already?

Whoa.... I don't know about you, but I am just finding it hard to believe that it is mid October already!
Things have been moving right along here, but we would really love some cooler weather to make it really feel like fall.
I have been very busy making pillows and jewelry. Hope you can check out my etsy site. But here some pics of a few things I have made recently.

Growing fast

Well, our little guy is growing fast! It's so funny how fast he learns different "tricks" and it seems he is always thinking of someway to be mischievous, lol....

He now leaps up and down from the couch and wants to explore every inch of the great outdoors! His gnawing skills are waaaay better....thankfully he's starting to take more interest in chew bones than our hands!

he is definitely part cat i think...
One day he was such a couch potato! This was the first time he ever slept outside his kennel and I think it's hilarious!

and then he moved...just a little

His new bone is almost as big as him, but it's great because it keeps him busy for hours!

Rivers...

Rivers: they can be so calm, refreshing, peaceful....and they can also be raging, fierce and extremely frightening!

Thankfully the ones we experienced in Colorado were refreshing!

I thought a lot about rivers then and lately. The water is always moving, never the same...and comes from an abundant source.

Sometimes I know I can feel a bit stagnant in my walk with the Lord but rivers remind me that I never have to be!

Jesus says, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within me."
John 7:37-38

There's a song that says,

"Father, your Love, flows from your Kingdom like a mighty river.
Your children come down to your banks to drink living water.
If the river wants to run, who's gonna stop it now?
Who's gonna keep those flood gates from bending?
So take this broken land and turn it in to a temple.
Light it with your fire that is unending."

How true though, when a river rages, try as we may...sometimes there is no stopping it! That's how I pray the river of life flows through me!

Another song that I love is one I used to sing a whole lot as a child, especially in the shower, hehe...

"I've got a river of life flowing out of me. Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see! Opens prisoner's doors, sets the captives free! I've got a river of life flowing out of me! Spring up a well, down in my soul! Spring up a well, splish, splash and make me whole! Spring up a well and give to me that life abundantly!"

Okay, one last favorite song about rivers by Garth Brooks...

"You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows and the dreamer's just a vessel that must follow where it goes--trying to learn from what's behind him and never knowing what's in store makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores.

So I will sail my vessel until the river runs dry, like a bird upon the wind and these waters are my skies. I'll never reach my destination, if I never try. So I will sail my vessel until the river runs dry.

And there is bound to be rough waters and I know I'll take some falls, but with the good Lord as my captain, I can make it through them all!!"

Remember, if you feel dry...we have an unlimited source in the Jesus!! Just ask!

Happy Anniversary and The Berry Picker Trail

A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short. --Andre Maurois

I agree with this quote! We celebrated our 3 year anniversary while in Vail and had a blast! These three years have flown by and been wonderful.

The best part of this vacation is that Wade didn't have to go to work and we were able to spend all our time together for a week!

On August 9th we decided to do something different for our anniversary--take a hike!

We started at Lions Head at about 8,000 ft above sea level. (base camp shall we call it) ;) and hiked to the top of the mountain which was a little over 10,000 ft above sea level. That 2,000 ft gain was hard earned! It took us about 2.5 hours to reach the summit and over another hour to make it back down. That Gondola ride was sure looking good...but really the hike was better!

The views were beautiful!

This was definitely one of, if not the, hardest hike we've ever done. Both our heads were feeling a bit funny by the time we reached the top and we had to stop several times for small breaks and water. You can kind of tell how steep it was here in the one of the clearings we walked through.

By the time we got back down to our room, we were both beat! But you know how good it feels to be tired from playing outside all day right? Well that's how it felt! Much better than being tired from sitting at a desk all day thinking or doing "real work"

We thank the Lord for three wonderful years of marriage and pray for many many more! I couldn't ask for a better partner to be on this adventure with! Year 4 here we come!

Escaping the heat and every day grind--Colorado

This has been the hottest summer I have ever lived through! Growing up in Texas we expect summer to be hot, but 76 days (and counting) of 100+ degree days has just been unrelenting! I'm so glad we had planned an escaped to Colorado! It was just what we needed!

Our first stop was Vail, CO. We had such a beautiful view from our room and the constant droll of the river made it easy to relax.

There was a nice paved walking path that connected all the different parts of Vail.

Lions Head is one of the places that is close by. This is a beautiful little place with lots of shops, restaurants and places to sit and enjoy the views. The place where Wade is standing is actually an ice skating rink in the winter time! So fun!

The temps in Vail were in the high 70's low 80's and the trees and flowers loved that as much as us!