A weekend with friends and family

This weekend was so much fun! I went to visit my family and give my sister, Dusty, a baby shower for my nephew that is due in a little less than a month! I drove up on Friday after classes and stopped near my sister's house at the outlet mall for a little sister-sister shopping. I got a few prizes for the shower games and some clothes as well. (New jeans! Yay!) After that, I headed to my parents' house to start preparations for Saturday's shower. My mom and Annie helped me make some of the food and we also worked on decorations. Then I went to sleep after a long week of work!! (Yawn!)

Saturday a.m., Dusty came over around 8:00 and we girls got to work on the festivities (after Annie finally managed to wake me up). The pictures below tell the story:

Annie measuring cupcake ingredients


Dusty working on refreshments


The food!!


A close-up of one of the food signs-- all nursery rhyme themed


The gift table and bookshelf centerpiece


My aunt Boo made this blanket-- so special!


The mom-to-be with the grandmothers-to-be


Me and my sister

After the shower on Saturday, I stayed for supper at the 'rents' house and then started to go home... only to have my dad realize that I had a nail in one of my tires!! Thankfully my dad knows all about cars and he got everything lined up to have it fixed a.s.a.p. before I actually headed home. I was on the road only about 1/2 an hour after I had planned and headed back to see my hubby. It was our first day away from each other since we've been married!! We both took it pretty hard and were glad to see each other after an ENTIRE DAY away from each other. :)

On Sunday after church, we went to meet Belmont's family at Mt. Pleasant Winery with a few of our friends from church for a food-tasting extravaganza! Let me just say that there was a sweet potato soup (with ginger cream and candied pecans) that changed my life. I wish I had the recipe!! Here are a few pictures from our afternoon:

The fun crew-- the Needlers and the Jakes'


Our rations on the way to the winery


The beautiful view!


All of us with our complimentary wine glasses


Leah and Jonathan enjoying some delicious cuisine


Susan and Kent looking cute together as always


Me and my handsome man


Jonathan snoozing in the back seat on the way home


Leah pretending to intoxicate him as he snoozes

After the winery trip, we came back and had youth group that evening. I am enjoying getting to work with the Jr. High girls. I feel like our group is slowly becoming more cohesive! Like all relationships, it is going to take work-- but I feel hopeful. Thanks be to God for His grace in our lives!

Today was a LONG day of Spanish. I could hardly get out of bed this morning and barely made preparations for my classes before I had to teach. I have been stealing quarters from Belmont's change fund (which I recently found out was supposed to be savings... oops!) so that I can park at the meters on my short days. This saves me 15 minutes of walking in the morning and that can be very persuasive when I am snoozing under the covers. (Belmont keeps the house VERY cold at night and I never want to get out of bed! Brrr!!) Anyway, after a couple of relatively successful Spanish grammar classes, I headed home to force myself to write 8-10 pages of my thesis which are due tomorrow. After a long, grueling day in which I forced myself to sit on the couch hour after hour and be productive (instead of gallivanting around outside in the GORGEOUS weather), I wound up finishing 13.5 pages!! I sent them in to my mentor just now and feel SO accomplished. Praise be to God! I cannot wait to have this finished and out of my life. 2/3 of the way toward my thesis! (Well, then a few revisions remain I suppose...)

Belmont just played soccer for the first time in 4 weeks. He said they lost, but they are out at a pub watching the Cards' game. I am ready for sleep... and three language labs por la mañana. I live a nerdy life. :)

Happy Monday evening to you all!