Just for you, Allie Schuh

Here is the home tour you requested, but be warned, it may be much more than you were hoping for.

I swear I'm not trying to rhyme.

Let's begin!

This is Francis, our watchowl. So far he's done a great job at keeping burglars away. 

(please ignore my dreadfully manicured toes)

Aren't red front doors the best?

This is what you seen when you first walk in...but at a different angle. That sign I hand painted for our wedding and it only took me three hours to get three words right. Go me. 

The room where we do a lot of our living. 

It does not tell the right time, but isn't it pretty to look at?

I thought I'd spruce up the area around our shiny, black, unfriendly tv with some flowers made from magazine pages and buttons. I hate fake flowers and I'm too lazy to be constantly replacing live ones so this was my solution. 

My "gallery wall". I'm not gellin' with it but I keep thinking that if I ignore it one day it will magically rearrange itself and add cooler items and become beautiful...it will happen, right? 

The photos on the clothesline are from our belated honeymoon to Boston. We bought a bunch of disposable cameras and documented our entire trip that way. I'm also wanting to change this mantel area. I'm thinking of collecting bottles of varying shapes and sizes, painting them all white, maybe putting some fun things in them and lining them up. What do you think? 

Also, does that head creep you out? Keith loathes it but I think it's kinda funny. 

Ah, Gilbert. We love him so. 

Our super cool looking love seat. As much as we love it we dream of a future with a big, comfy couch. There'll be naps and snuggling and comfort. It will be beautiful. 

I know, I need to hang something here. I have the perfect print, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. And yes, those lines are crooked because yes, I hand painted it. Hopefully it looks more charming and whimsical than sloppy and something a child would have done. 

Built-in bookshelves are my fave! I want to arrange the books by color. Wouldn't that be fun?

Here is our dining room area by day...

and by night! Actually I think it was evening, technically. These lights might be one of my favorite things in our place. I like to imagine I'm actually in a French bistro enjoying some cheese and bread. 

More paper flowers and buttons. Goodness me, I love buttons. 

Our adorable elephant teapot that is too cute to actually use so he lives a life of luxury perched on our shelf. And of course, the book that is actually a vase. 

Sorry about the horrrrrrible picture, but isn't this art wonderful? Keith drew it and I framed it. I'm realizing now I should have gotten a close up. woops. 

I'm aware of how sad this bedroom is. I'm working in it, I promise. 

Hand painted night stands that I love. Mainly because of these...

...button drawer pulls!! I don't care who you are, that pull is awesome. 

We found this dresser at a consignment shop. Everywhere there is yellow use to be a antique gold and there were horrible gold flower pulls instead of the lovely white ones it now has. Ah, to see potential in furniture is a beautiful thing. 

A cake stand terrarium. 

Not as delicious as cake, but it is fun to look at. 

Okay, I had these water colored book pages just hanging on the wall like a banner (they're sewn together), but it didn't look right. So I put them in a frame. I think I made it worse but I don't know what to do with them. Suggestions? (I'm secretly afraid someone will say to just toss it altogether, but I promise, I want the truth and I will try my hardest not to cry).  

A jewelry box that I repainted and put new lining in. Before it was an awful brown velvet. Not so cool.  

Ah! My favorite part of our dresser! A little surprise when you pull the drawers out. 

I had to include a picture of the necklace holder that started it all. I still can't believe how many wonderful responses I got! 

This probably isn't truly necessary, but this is the first time in my life I've had an organized makeup drawer. I feel like such an adult. 

Here is a close up of our hanging lights next to our bed. I think they might be too big and are overtaking the room, but they'll do until I find a better option. 

Er, nothing special here. But just in case you wanted to see our kitchen. And I have now put away those dishes, so don't worry. 

Again, just our guest bathroom...nothing fancy...yet!

Oh dear we have our own laundry machines! It's been heaven. 

Are any other renters out there cursed with the boob light? Why is this a popular design? How could the guy in charge of making this not see a boob?

I love doorknobs. Especially when they're holding up my aprons. 

Our second room. We might have maybe possibly ran out of money to buy desks/guest bed. We're working on it. 

A mini chair that I agree, was probably a mistake. Maybe one day our little girl can use it? (Now we're going to have all boys. I can just feel the universe already laughing.)

What should you do with your husbands old bicycle tires? Why turn it into artwork, of course!

Okay, this I actually love. Red accents are so timeless and wonderful. 

And, the star of the night, my jar of buttons. 

Well, Allie, there you have it. I don't blame you if you didn't get this far. That was way too many pictures of not that nice of an apartment. I hope you still love me and can forgive me if I've bored you. 

love. 

long time no see

hello again.

I have a new blog for my fledgling wedding photography business:

invisiblephotographer.blospot.com

you should go and look and follow. I know, that's a lot of stuff, but it won't be so bad. It might actually be fun!

and it's very possible that I'll start actually posting here, too.

isn't it all so exciting?


-m

Tacos

So since Meghann posted an embarrassing picture of me in our last post...

Well I don't have any of her like that because I'm the one who eats caviar cheese like that.

Anyways, today me and a pastor were discussing church stuff (which is a regular occurrence in my life) and we were trying to decide on a good analogy for the difference between a committee based church structure and a ministry team based structure.

While many of you (assuming there are any of you readings this) may have no idea what I'm talking about, some of you might have a little of an idea. Either way I'll explain:

I go to the oldest baptist church in Colorado, cool right? yes, also that means there are some things that haven't changed in a while. The last time our constitution had a major update was the 1960's (which is longer than some churches last). I'm not saying the old constitution was bad, just not updated to all the changes in our culture. Lots has happened in the world and people think about things differently. So where committees could correctly handle the ministry of the church, today they'll have a harder time.

How it has worked in the past is the Nominating Committee gauges the needs of the church, nominates members for positions on other committees to do the ministry of the church. Now this works when the nominating committee knows the need as well as the gifting of certain members to meet those need. But it's hard for any group of people to see the entire vision of the church and know all of the gifts of it's members.

That's why our new pastor is pushing ministry teams. These teams will be started by people with the gifting and the knowledge of a need. They will recruit others with the same passions.

So there comes our discussion, what analogy can you provide to help people understand. You don't want to offend because many people were here the last time the bylaws were updated. So we decided on Tacos. I suggested that having a nominating committee is like going to the pantry with the intention of cooking mashed potatoes and fried chicken, not having any of the right ingredients but trying to make them anyways. The ministry team approach helps the situation because the people who've stocked the pantry will know we've got the ingredients for Tacos and decide we will make tacos.

I know that sounds weird and may not make any sense as all analogies break down eventually. but I like it. also I'm making Meghann tacos for dinner.

11

Many people don't like the sound of 2011.

But we do because it means graduation!

So here's a picture from our Christmas Break to kick it off:

Keith will love this one.

1st

Meg and I's thanksgiving can be summarize in many ways by these two pictures.

Homework and disposable cameras

Comfy sweaters and chocolate bourbon pecan pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Music

Do you ever get little melodies stuck in your head forever?

That has happened to me.

Welcome to the Family

I have been sick. Miserably sick. So when Keith and I went to the grocery store he let me bring home a friend to keep me company in my sad state.

Meet Peggalandra.

She is full of love and very huggable. We call her Peggie.

Here is a picture of the whole family.

Gil doesn't really like having his picture taken.

I think gets that from Keith.

And me, actually.

We're a very unphotogenic family. Except for Peggy, obviously.

We're all watching Grey's Anatomy now and very happy.