Date Night

Some cherry pickin'

Some Rummikub in the back of the truck

watching a beautiful sunset

My posts are not usually this sappy, I just miss this girl...

This is my best friend, Nicole. I often feel overwhelming joy with how great she is. She lives in San Diego, which happens to be really far from Davis. And as happy as I am that my best friend lives in such a cool place, I often miss her like crazy. Like this week. I miss her. A lot. I've probably written this post for about the 15th time now. Writing and rewriting. Not only because Nicole is a fantastic editor [I better make no mistakes in this post!], but because how do you fully get across how special a person is to you?

I met Nicole nine years ago. We've grown so much since then. I got married. She graduated and got a real job [I say 'real' because I pump lotion for a living and I'd like to think that its not 'really' my job.] We both have lives now.

But every so often, I get a letter, voicemail, or package from her. They are reminders that even in this very busy time of our lives that we are still close. Last week, she sent a package that had this handmade wooden puzzle in it--just because I like puzzles. In college, when life got hard, she would send me encouraging letters that brought hope into hardship. And when Bryan and I moved into our first place, we were greeted with a package of these beautiful prints that we've now hung right by our front door. It's as if my best friend was right there sharing in the excitement of the new life stage I was in.

I don't think she knows how great of a gift giver she is. When you open her gifts, it's exactly what you need--encouragement, shared excitement, hope, understanding, and more.

Nik, thank you for being such a tangible friend despite the distance. I hope that one day I can learn to give gifts that move people like you do.

[I'm also positive you showed those LSATs who's boss today. Smartest lady I know!]

Memorial Day

Memorial Day was spent in the Bay, where Huz and I both grew up. We miss those hills so much [we have started to resent Davis for being so flat]. This weekend was the Art & Wind Festival, where we saw some friends and family. But the man of the hour was my cute nephew. Look at him, he is growing up so fast!

B and I got him this beanie for Christmas. He looks so adorable in it!

It has been such a gift to watch my sister and her wife raise this little guy. They are such great moms filled with so much joy, patience, excitement, and love. Bryan and I both adore all the time we spend with them.

Just Made Fruit Leather! Boo-ya!

When you marry a farmer, you think of creative ways to cook and/or store food. When it was apple season, we were eating apple sauce, apple pie, apple syrup then apple juice, cider, and so on to vinegar. "Waste nothing!" is the husband's motto. Now that Bryan is harvesting cherries, we have been eating gallons of them a day. But last night we made cherry fruit leather and it was delicious. So if you got a cherry tree, I suggest blending your cherries and putting them in a dehydrator for some great snacks!

Butterbrown Photography

Our friends Nick + Tara have started their own photography business and it is so so cute! A couple weeks ago we went on a double date and they took some pictures of us. Here are a few of our favorites!

This abandoned barn is such a dream. I really wish the city would put it up for sale, so B and I can snatch it up!

Nick + Tara are such a joy to be around. We feel so fortunate to have them as our friends. And seriously photo shoots are so fun! Need any portraits? Hire them! They are too amazing to pass up! Check out more of their stuff here!

Living by the tracks makes for cheap rent...

Sometime we laugh at how great our apartment experience has been. Things that most people would hate have actually worked out really well for us. Let me name a few...

First, the railroad tracks. Every morning we are awaken by the sound of trains moving, which slightly sounds like an earth shattering apocalyptic war. And it isn't just a train passing through--the trains park here. Have you ever heard a train stop or start--sounds like a line of crashing cars. Normally this would be awful, but we actually prefer waking to this over our buzzing alarm clock. And because of the steady morning wake up call, I am starting to become a morning person. Bryan makes us breakfast as we sit and chat over the metallic squealing and crashing that shakes our household. Occasionally, they park the train there overnight and we like to climb the cars and admire the amazing graffiti work. And the best part, we have the cheapest rent in Davis [which is not very cheap at all].

Second, lack of space. Take two people who lived in houses in college and then put them together into a one bedroom apartment. Hilarious! We've got Bryan's closet acting like a part time garage with all his tools, our bed is ridiculously high [you have to get a running jump just to get on] just so we can store camping gear and board games underneath and our collapsable dining table stores buckets underneath that we use as chairs. It's fun figuring out how to fit everything--kinda like the adult version of Tetris.

And finally, the parking lot puddle. I really wish I had a picture to show you, but every time it rains [even if for a little bit] our parking lot floods. Sometimes we hear our neighbors complaining and begging management to fix it, but Bryan and I cross our fingers that they don't. It gets really exciting coming home when you get to tear through a giant puddle before you park or have puddle jumping adventures or watch your dog go for an afternoon swim in your parking lot.

Someday, B and I will be ready to move onto something bigger and better [like an apartment that has a bathroom where your guests don't have to go through your bedroom to get to it], but for now we're pretty happy where we're at.

Last Friday, we celebrated my incredible friend Sara's birthday. She is my co-leader, my co-worker, was one of my bridesmaids, a Costa Rican travel buddy, and most of all one of my bestest friends [I realize bestest isn't a word, but it fits]. Next fall Sara will be off to North Park University in Chicago to become a youth pastor. I have been so blessed to get to know this girl for the past two years and I'm excited to visit her in the windy city! Anyways, [before I get all sappy], here are some pictures of the night. I realize I have no pictures of Sara on her birthday, but here are some of the people who love her...

Taco Bar with a fancy quesadilla maker

This is our friend Emma; it's was her birthday the next day!

Homemade tortilla chips by Steph was the popular choice

We had a taco bar potluck and later watched Heavy Weights [such a great movie] on a projector in the backyard. Thanks to our friends Nate & Joseph for always letting us use their backyard for events [they're one of the only few that don't live in an apartment].