Done!

I have spent hours today figuring out my blog design, and tweaking it to make it wider, designing the header--all with a killer headache. But I like it! This is what I've been wanting, but couldn't quite get before now. So I'm leaving it, except for possibly changing the background sometime.

Still Playing Around

I'm still messing around with my blog look. I kinda like the simplicity of this look, with very little wasted space. I also like the white. But then sometimes I miss having a background pattern. I know what I like when I see it in blog design, but for some reason, I just can't get mine there. Maybe it's because it's mine, and I'm too big of a perfectionist.

So, if every time you come to my blog it looks different, it's because I can't make up my mind and I'll just keep changing and changing it forever.

Happy Homemaker

I have a confession to make. I would love to be the kind of woman who sews beautiful quilts, who could sew my own curtains, basically one who is crafty and stuff. Sometimes I see something that is way cute, and I think, "I could get out my sewing machine and do that. It can't be that hard." And then I remember what happens every time I pull out my sewing machine. It starts bad and gets badder. Yes, badder. I end up wanting to get a baseball bat and smash the thing to pieces, a la Office Space (with the copier).

I wish I could be a pro at that kind of stuff, but I don't know how to get from the bumbling sewing machine idiot I am to that place. How does one do it? Is there a special gene that I'm missing? I have a hard time even threading the thing. And don't think it's because I haven't read the directions, because I have. Also don't think it's because I need someone to show me, because I've had that too.

So I don't know whether to keep torturing myself, or to figure that it's just not one of my talents, and never will be. I'm okay at other stuff. I can design my own blogs without any problems. I can read a book like nobody's business. The thing is, I really would love to be able to sew. I love going to fabric stores and picking out cute fabrics, I just can't do anything with them.

Stuff

I recently read Passionate Housewives Desperate for God. It was a book that definitely gave me mixed feelings. As I was reading, I kept thinking "but what about . . .", and then I realized that most of the time there really were no buts. This book definitely goes against the popular culture of today, but it really was backed by all kinds of Biblical support. So often we discount what the Bible says because it isn't relevant or it's not current, but God's word is unchanging.

This book made a very strong case for women staying at home, submitting to their husbands, having a serving attitude, among other things. I think I read this at exactly the right time for me, because I often feel like I hate being the mom, I hate staying home all day, I hate being the one who has to cook, clean, etc. That attitude is so against what God wants for me. So many times in the Bible we read about Jesus serving others. That was the example He set. Dying to self---it's a very hard concept, and one I suspect I will continually struggle with, but reading this book definitely helped.

Yesterday Kaitlyn and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. It's been a long time since I read the books, so I can't really say if it followed the books or not. I think I liked the movie. What I remember of the nearly three hours in the movie theater was being really cold. I had goosebumps the whole time. It was unpleasant. Next time I'll remember, even if it's 90+ degrees outside, to wear pants and bring a jacket.

I decided to try the triathlon at the end of August with my Dad and Jason. It'll give me a reason to exercise, and right now I need some kind of motivation. I'll be writing more about it on my fitness blog (link to the right). I will say that this morning I biked about 3 miles, then I thought I'd try a little bit of a run because I felt pretty okay. I ran about a half a mile, and then I wanted to pass out. No, I don't mean that I felt like I was going to pass out (even though I did), I mean I wanted to. I hate running that bad, and passing out would have been an end to it, I think. At least the triathlon is only a mile and a half. I think I can work up to that, and then never run again. Ever.

Sour!

Well, I tasted a plum from the tree. It was edible, in the same way a lemon is edible. I'm hoping it's just not all the way ripe, though. We'll give it a couple more weeks and see.

Tree

Last year we bought a tree for our front yard. We bought what we thought was a decorative flowering plum tree. Not so much. There is definitely fruit on this puppy. I'm thinking it's probably edible, but no one wants to be the guinea pig. We really didn't want a fruit tree, because they're messy, but now that we have it, I'm really hoping we can eat the fruit, otherwise it's twice as bad. So, is it edible? Anyone know?

Bee's Game

Last night we went with our small group to a Bee's game. It was a lot of fun, but it was really hot. By the time we got to our car at 10:30, it was still 95 degrees outside. I usually don't mind heat, but my hands and feet were swollen from the heat, which is not pleasant.

Here's me and my honey:

Kaitlyn doesn't like this picture, and to that I say too bad. I think she's cute.

Here's Kevin:

Ethan enjoying cotton candy: