backyard wedding

This weekend we were blessed to witness the beautiful union and our friends Bruce and Maria.

Since Maria has been studying herbalism recently they had tea pouches for favors. Sadly, we forgot to pick one up.

Bridesmaids awaiting the signal

A few years ago we had the pleasure of attending Evangeline's wedding, she was here with her husband and two adorable children.

The three flower girls needed a wee bit of persuading to walk down the aisle. 

They held the wedding in their backyard and so Maria was able emerge from her house. It's a very comforting image; going straight from your home to your new husband. 

Both Maria and Bruce got choked up when they said their vows. It always seems much sweeter when that happens.. 

The yummy, exceptionally moist cake--part chocolate, part key lime. 

A wee bit of bubbly

Lovely light lingering on Lambeth.

This is one popular little flower girl. Must be those black curls.

During dinner they had a Dixie Jazz band.

How many people do you need to take a picture?

Weddings are always nice opportunities to catch up with people. It was fun seeing you Elena!

Still in love after 45 minutes of marriage

Contra dancing!

Side note: Aren't her shoes adorable!

Her dress was perfect for twirling. The dress was her grandmother's and her mother's. Because the dress was getting quite old, she wasn't sure if she could wear it. After a few alterations, she had a beautiful heirloom dress.

Bruce was quoted as saying that he hated Contra Dancing and would avoid it all all costs. But as you see here, he appears to be enjoying himself thoroughly. (That may or may not have something to do with his brand new bride, but we digress). Funny how things change.

Balance and swing.

I must have had a good angle if the photographer used it too

Father daughter dance

The bride and brother

The newlyweds weren't the only couple in love. 

Saying a sad goodbye to her dear brother

I'm not sure quite how they managed it, but they had a beautiful location, gorgeous weather and a lovely breeze. 

Not a bad view, eh?

For their getaway they floated off in a row boat while fireworks went off. Quite dramatic!

You would be hard pressed to plan a lovelier wedding, and the weather really couldn't be beat.

Weekend Trip

This past weekend my friend Allison and I went to visit my dear friend Maryfrances who is the darling mother of an absolutely precious little girl. I fell head over heels in love with her and her sweet smiles and am missing both of them dearly right now. 

On Saturday we went apple picking. Despite apple picking being a fall activity it was 85 degrees...

My favorite apple to cook with is the Granny Smith (family lore has it that one of my ancestor's servants created the Granny Smith apple back in Australia)

Apples are my favorite fruit to pick. If you pick blueberries you spend an hour picking and have maybe one bucketful. With apples I can pick 15 lbs in 5 minutes. 

Madelyn-Jane preferred to eat the strap instead of the apples.

The trees were loaded!

The ladies 

Did I mention that there were a lot of apples?

To add to it, look at their adorable buckets!

Photo credit for this picture goes to Allison. 

She has the privilege of being one of the first people I have asked to take a picture, and it turned out to be just what I had in mind. The only other person to accomplish this is the beautiful and charming Miss Emily G.H. Barton (can you guess who helped me write this post and added the last bit?)  :)

You know you live in a warm climate when a "fall drink" is an apple cider slushie.

And hot, fresh cinnamon donuts

Thank you for the lovely trip Maryfrances!

Photo Life

Random pictures of life in the past week

I am currently studying through a self-paced nutrition and herbalism course. To make it even more fun I use my feather pen a friend bought for me in Italy. 

Right now the weather is h u m i d. I walk outside and it feels like hot pea soup. The water on the window is not rain, it is condensation. 

Our sweet dog Biscuit

On Saturday the girls in our family went to a bridal shower for a friend of ours. 

Sunday was my parent's anniversary so we celebrated by having Eggs Benedict for breakfast. English muffin + hollandaise sauce + smoked salmon + poached egg =

Y U M M Y

Button Swap

 The lovely Bree has set up a button swap and I had Kaitlin as my partner. We decided to send each other questions to get to know each other. You can see my answers on her blog. 

As a side note, I think blog headers are important, they are the first thing a reader sees and sets the tone for the blog. I think Kaitlin's is just lovely.  

Describe yourself in 30 words or less.

Cheerful, bubbly, outgoing, social, diverse, Arthur, passionate

What is your favorite movie?

I don't think you know how difficult this question is to answer...there are so many... I'll pick The Chronicles of Narnia 

What is one of the favorite moments of your life?

Probably one of my favorite moments is probably one of the hardest as well. This moment was when Pa and Mama told us that our unborn sibling, Gussie,  had died. We held each other and cried and mourned. It was sad, horribly sad. But it was also a beautiful time of tying those little threads that bind us closer.

Describe your family.

Fun to be with, but know when to be serious. My best friends, mentors, spiritual advisers, companions and comrades. We've been through mountains and valleys, peace and wars. It's a wonderful thing- to have 8 people that live with me that understand me, and are willing to put up with my quirks, and other weird-isms. 

Would you rather spend an entire week inside or outside (including at night)?

That depends. In the summer, I might spend an entire week outside if I could have my toothbrush.

What is your reason for blogging?

To tell my story, to reach out.

What music do you enjoy listening to?

Steven Curtis Chapman, Selah, Casting Crowns, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Disney Soundtracks...I'm sure there's plenty more...

If you could have one dream come true (for yourself) what would it be?

Being able to take a trip around Europe.

If you were assured you would not fail, what would you attempt?

This is a pretty difficult question. I can't really think of anything I'd want to attempt that I haven't already done... I like making movies and sewing so it would probably have to do with one of those, but again, I'm not sure.

If you could learn a foreign language overnight, what would it be?

Italiano, per favore.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Where else, but where I am? 

If you could meet one person from history (50+ years ago) who would it be?

Let's see...probably C.S.Lewis. As an incredible author and theologian (not that I completely agree with all his theology) he would be an absolutely fascinating person to have a deep conversation with.

If you could choose where you would be in 5 years, what would you be doing?

I really don't know...maybe tending my own home...

If you could trade places with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?

Who could live so happily

As anyone but who God 

made them to be?

How could I be

In any way content

If my time in daydreams, not action, were spent?

Sorry...I'm in a rhyming mood.

What is one event in your life that has changed who you are today?

When we first heard something might be wrong, and Gussie might die, I found a quiet spot outside. It  was dark, and the stars were absolutely brilliant. My heart said "Why?" but it was then that I first felt His arms around me, comforting. I saw the stars and the whisper in my head (you know what I mean) said: "Don't you think I'm strong enough, powerful enough to take care of this?" Instantly I was flooded with the peace that passes understanding. I didn't know the outcome of the situation, but I knew, somehow I just knew, no matter what happened, all would be well.

And it was.

Why do You Wear What You Wear?

Last year we drove 12 hours up to Ohio on Thanksgiving. I was dressed in sweat pants and a comfy shirt. While we took a break at a rest area, I saw another family apparently on their way to Thanksgiving dinner due to the way they were dressed up in nice clothing. I particularly noticed the teenage girls who dressed themselves femininely and had lovely long hair. It suddenly made me think, what affect does my clothing have on others?

Next time I go on a long car trip, I might still wear my comfy pants. They are simply the most practical for long trips in a crowded car. But whenever I go out in public back at home, I try and consider what affect my clothes are going to have on others. Will my clothes make me blend in, stand out to draw attention, or inspire men to be gentlemen and women to dress and act as ladies? I have the choice. Perhaps it is just me, but when I see a girl walk by in a feminine outfit (generally a modest skirt) she stands out, in a good way. I’m guessing most people notice her as well; she is just too different not to notice.

Sure, I can wear what I feel most comfortable in, but the Christian life isn't about my comforts. Instead Christians are to take dominion over this sinful earth. Changing the world for the cause of Christ.

There is ongoing debate on what girls should wear, always skirts? Usually wear skirts? Or pants are always fine to wear? There is not a right answer. I believe it is a personal decision how you believe you should dress, taking in numerous factors depending on your personal life situation. But Christians should not stay as close to the world’s idea of “modesty” as they can. We need to be as close to Godliness as we can. That said, I don’t believe we should go around in burqas with absolutely no skin showing. I’ve heard it said your clothes should be tight enough to show you are a woman, but loose enough to show you are a lady. If a non-christian looks into your closet, they should notice something different from the rest of the world.

In my opinion the Duchess of Cambridge has had an effect on the minds of women today due to her beautiful and feminine wardrobe.

Here is what Elizabeth Botkin from Visionary Daughters says about the Duchess of Cambridge:

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"The fashion leadership of Kate Middleton holds a lesson for every Christian girl. As wife to Prince William and presumed future queen of England, Kate is in a position of representing Great Britain to the world. Every inch of her appearance, from her hairstyle to her fingernails, sends the world a message about the nation and the monarchy, the laws and the traditions, the culture and the history she represents – messages the world scrutinizes keenly. As ambassador to the crown, she can’t dress to merely express her individuality, follow the trends every other girl is following, or refuse to think about clothes at all. Her job demands making deliberate and strategic decisions about what message to send through every detail – from her traditional little British hats to her sleek High Street heels.

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The truth is, every Christian girl has just as much to represent as Kate Middleton. Our King is no less ruling, and we are no less ambassadors. Unlike Kate, we don’t have to spend £122,000 per year to represent our King and our heavenly citizenship. Like Kate, however, we also don’t belong to ourselves. We were bought with a price and represent the One Who bought us. Like Kate, we can’t afford to let others make these decisions for us. And like Kate, we have a world watching. What message are they picking up about our Lord, His edicts, and our loyalties?"

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This is not to say Kate's wardrobe is impeccable, in my opinion some of her dresses are short and her necklines low. But she does dress like a lady--dresses, skirts, and adorable hats. And in the picture above all she is doing is playing various sports with the British olympic team, yet she has on a cute dress and heels. If someone walked into the room dressed like her, or in ratty jeans and a t-shirt, who would you trust, who would you rather be friends with?

So girls, next time you walk out, consciously dress for Christ's kingdom, show everyone who you belong to, that you are cherished, loved, content in being a woman, and are a priceless jewel in Christ's kingdom.