Weekend in Pictures

Happy Wednesday to you!

We had a busy weekend, with several photos.

The weekend activities began early with a Thursday trip to the Bellarmine Designer's Show House.  Cheryl S and I toured this year's home, located in Anchorage.  I could kick myself for not bringing my real camera.  This house was GORGEOUS!  Cell phone photos do not do it justice.

This is only half of their great room.  I couldn't get the whole room in my phone lens.  Can you imagine your great room looking like a hotel lobby??  I was so in love....

The bedrooms were to die for......  the bathrooms look like something out of a dream....

.....the kitchen had a butler's pantry and a huge cook top range with a mantle over it.

Even the laundry room was darling. 

But by far, my very favorite was this dining room.  It was stunning.

Mom- here is your table that you're always talking about that seats SIXTEEN!!

Isn't it beautiful?

Thank you Cheryl S for a wonderful afternoon at the showcase home!  I can't wait for next year!

After the home tour, I joined the girls for Disney on Ice!

 I had the perfect excuse to wear something from my "Disney World only drawer" : ) 

I loved watching them enjoy the show.....

Cameron .......sad that the show is over......

...he sat next to me for the second half of the show and was so sweet.


I love these boys.....   I always say that no matter what life brings for us....   they will always be my "first babies."

And if we really break it down......   Will was very first.

He is now 8....and way too cool for me to love on him.  His brother Max will still let me kiss all over him in public....   but Will has these perfected spin moves that he uses to break free from my hugs.

Which is why I love this photo .....

.....proof that he'll occasionally still let me hug him......

even if I do have to hold him in a semi-headlock.

Ann & Jennifer....thank you for always sharing your babies with me!  I had a wonderful evening!

On Saturday, I put on my running shoes to take place in my first exercise in several months!

 Jenn & I did The Great Pumpkin Run!

How perfect for a fall 5K!?

This was my first fall race, and I loved being in the country for the 5K.  Part of the course went through a corn maze, which was neat.

And how can you not love a race that welcomes you across the finish line with a pumpkin and your choice of apple cider or pumpkin ale??

This was the first year for The Great Pumpkin Run (which made for many good laughs and memories),  but we are hoping it returns to Louisville again next year.  I would love to make this a new fall tradition.  The country side, corn fields, fall, pumpkins, hay bales, and apple cider......   what better way to do a 5K!?

And it now seems to be tradition that after a race, we make a stop at the farmer's market....

A great ending to the perfect September morning.

Thank you Jenn for doing this race with me : )



Our weekend ended with a Sunday brunch with friends.  Friday and Saturday evenings can be so busy for everyone.  It's almost impossible to get everyone together.  I love a group of friends that find time.... make time..... to still enjoy one another.  A Sunday brunch was the perfect way to avoid the busy weekend nights and still find time to be togehter.

Thank you Mona for always getting us all on the same page/schedule!

That was our weekend in pictures!

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Love,

Kristin

Another Summer

Another summer has come and gone.  

Another summer for the memory books....

 or blog!

I always seem to compare a season or time, to the time from the year before.  I like to compare and contrast .....to see what life has brought or how it has changed.

Most of the time, things change and developed for the better.  And despite some circumstances (a few hiccups over the last few months, and missing loved ones so much), this summer remains the same.  Many wonderful memories made!

This time LAST summer, Troy's best friend John and his wife visited from Maryland.  They brought with them exciting news....

A few weeks ago, they traveled to Louisville for another summer visit.....

and this time brought with them the sweetest 7 month old that ever was!

It was somewhat emotional for me to see Troy with his best friend's little one.

A 17 year friendship filled with memories to last a lifetime.  And to think.... that really...the memories have only just begun.

John and Nina left baby Max with grandparents for the very first time, to have dinner with us that evening.  How nice!?

Troy and I absolutely could not get enough of Max.  And now.....after being with him....Sunday night phone updates and occasional photos just aren't enough anymore :(

We love you John, Nina & Max and pray often that life brings you back to Louisville (FOR GOOD!!) very soon!



Another summer brought another 4th of July picnic....

And another chance to compare memories from one year to the next....

And another summer's end brought a new school year.

I LOVE back to school pictures!



Will & Max...

Cooper & Cameron......

Nate....

And I even got to see a photo of Lorielle.....who went from a senior with her new car last year....

to a college freshman with a new dorm room (and sorority!) this year....

As sad as back to school is....   I love the first day photos!




And summer isn't all about comparing old memories..... but also making new ones.


A summer evening barbecue with best friends....

(and an excuse to use my cute summer dishes!  Thanks Mom for surprising me with my matching bowls!)

An evening of food, friends....  and catching lightening bugs in a ruffly pink nightgown.... was a new summer memory...  and if I have anything to do with it- a new tradition.

This summer brought lunch dates.....

..outlet shopping trips....

....many evenings out with friends....

....  5ks and new memories for Mom & I.....

.....lots of time with our little ones....

....dinners with the family........

......lots of summer date nights, just the two of us.....

...... dinner parties, our first gala......

.....and even a sighting in the local paper.....

...in which I wasn't at all excited about....

Whether comparing memories or making new ones......  once again, we had a beautiful summer!

But even with all of the memories and enjoyable times.... without a doubt.....  our biggest blessing of the summer was an answered prayer.

Between dinner parties, get-togethers and evenings out.....  we were dealing with quite "the situation" over here.  A situation that lead to two summer surgeries, with 12 weeks of a frustrating recovery in between.

A situation that just a few weeks ago, was very scary.

I chose to include this last part in the blog for a few different reasons.

One.....  as much as we wish it wasn't....it was a huge part of Summer 2013, and one for the memory books.

Two....  I want to not only remember, but scream from the rooftop of my thankfulness for a prayer answered.  To give credit, where credit is due.  To thank my family and friends for 3 months of prayers and dedication.  There are people that causally say "I'll pray for you," ...... and then there are my people.  My people don't "say a prayer,"  ...... my people fall asleep with your name on their heart.... spend dedicated time with the Lord in your behalf....  worry for you, plead for you, and demand goodness for you.

Those are my people.

To all of my people......from the very bottom of my heart..... I can not thank you enough.  To think that you spent even one second of your day in prayer for me, is by far, one of the best parts of this summer.

The third and final reason I decided to end the blog on this note, is because with all my being...... I know that this summer was what it was..... because of one thing and one thing only.......

the peace that comes from having a relationship with the Lord.

It is what made this summer a sweet one.

Yes.... of course the fact that the prayer was answered....  the idea that I was blessed and the outcome was good.... is what makes this summer a success.  But the peace that comes with a relationship with the Lord....the peace that held me all summer...  is what will stay with me always.  Because even if the outcome had been different.... the prayer unanswered.... the peace that sustains me, would remain.

He still remains.

When dealing with unfortunate events or unforeseen circumstances....for me...  it is a peace beyond anything the world can provide that comforts my heart.  It is this peace that allows me to carry on with what life brings.

It is the reason I leave the surgeon's office with yucky news, but still head straight to the tux shop to prepare for the weekend's events...

It is the reason you worry about what could be....  and yet you still laugh with your family, go to dinner with friends....

and create a summer of memories.

To know that my life is not my own.... to know that I belong to Him, and that no matter the outcome of a prayer....  that His plan is far better than I could ever imagine, is why our life continues to be a beautiful one to me.

To know, that no matter the situation occurring...  there still remains ...an unspeakable joy in my heart.

To know these things is to have an undeniable, perfect peace.

I know that this summer is full of photos and memories... not just because a prayer was answered.....  but because of all that comes with knowing Him.

The last photo of the summer was taken a few days ago.....

Right before going in for surgery, the surgeon said... "I don't feel this will happen....I feel that all will go well this time...but if things are not what I predict...  if I see something that I'm not expecting...  do I have your permission to do what is necessary?"

I hardly remember anything after that point.....   only that I woke up with Troy and my parents next to me.....  and asking them if everything went okay.

This picture (taken immediately after waking & asking) tells the rest of the story....

 :)

Every now and then, someone will mention that they like reading the blog.  It rarely happens, but when I do hear this, I get the biggest kick out of it.

It tickles me that someone actually enjoys reading about where we had dinner that weekend.

Or that we went to the pool.

Or saw a movie.

??

The fact that someone likes to read about our life....  or that someone other than my mom, is willing to look at dozens of photos of me kissing Troy's face off.....   is sweet to me.

But more than sharing where we went to dinner, what friends we visited with, or where we've traveled...

 more than any of that....

I hope I've shared with you about what I know and have in Jesus.

For it is from this...  that everything else flows.

Thanks for reading tonight.

Have a wonderful week.

Love,

Kristin