Nov. 6

On November 6, we dedicated the new Sanctuary for Woodlawn UMC. It was an exciting day and one we have been waiting on for a long time. Here is the outside of the Sanctuary building (also included in the building that you can't see here are several classrooms, updated bathrooms, and a high school sized gym):

After many many months of hard work and tedious details, the building is complete and making a presence on 54th St. in the Woodlawn community. Below is the inside of the Sanctuary the day before the dedication:

Matt has worked so hard to make this dream a reality and I could not be more proud of how far he has brought Woodlawn UMC. Below is an image from the actual dedication service:

The builders were able to use stone from the old building as well as several stained glass window pieces (not pictured here) that are a beautiful reminder of the longevity of this congregation in this community. It was a wonderful day of celebrating the Resurrection, a church reborn, rebuilt, and renewed even out of the ashes. Now for what is yet to come....

Texas

I'm behind but a few weeks ago I was able to spend the day in Texas with my mom and dad. A day in Texas in October meant only 1 thing to me, a trip to the State Fair.

I hadn't been to the Fair since I was in college so it was nice to get reacquainted with Big Tex, to smell the smells, and just be in the atmosphere.

Surprisingly, I didn't eat as much as I'd thought I might. The only fried food I had was the delicious funnel cake above..although I was VERY tempted by the fried brownies.

It was lovely to enjoy the setting sun in the wide open sky. There was even some good ole Texas country playing in the background before we left. These are the moments when I really miss Texas....

My Fav Costumes...

In keeping with the Halloween spirit, here were some of my favorite costumes:

1. The Black Swan and her counterpart, the White Swan.

2. Earbuds, an ode to Steve Jobs.

3. Mario & The Princess

And then who can forget this little one....

Due to her momma not feeling so hot, Mags did not get the chance to wear this for actual Halloween but she looks awfully cute don't you think?

What were your favorite costumes this year?

Happy Halloween! (a day late)

Hope you had a very Happy Halloween!

We've been on the slow recovery back to health in our household so we didn't consume as much candy or dress up as much as I would've wished but we still had a little fun. Check back soon for some of my favorite costumes this year.

Chalkboard

A few weekends ago Matt & I decided we needed a chalkboard in our kitchen. So we headed out to Home Depot to buy some chalkboard paint & then hunted around for the perfect frame to go around it.

We found one at Ross--I would have gone with something a bit more ornate but the size and shape was just too good to give up.

So I spray painted the frame white while Matt took care of the chalkboard paint in the kitchen. Here is the final product:

We love it!

Home Improvement

Before:

We've been working on a few updates in the study/office room. While out shopping a few weeks ago, I found a rug for $10 at Home Depot. I decided I had to have it. I love the way it looks under the sofa in the office.

When we moved in the windows in this room had basic $5 cheap-o looking shades in the windows. We replaced the broken ones at first just to have something to cover the windows but we've always wanted something warmer for the windows. Over the weekend, we finally bought and changed out the blinds. The result is a much warmer space for studying & working.

Above is the final product. It seems so much cozier than before!

The Garden

The garden is still hanging on for dear life. As the weather changes, we are going to begin pulling some of our plants & planting for fall (maybe?). In the meantime, however, my okra plants have grown to a ginormous height since I last posted a picture.

I made Maggie stand in front of them just so you could have a sense of the actual size. It's crazy to me that a few are taller than me! The okra love it here in the South...we will definitely be growing it again next season.

Also, my banana pepper plant has been blooming like crazy. We took several and attempted to can them for later.

Verdict is still out.

Our 2nd attempt at a garden has had some successes but also many failures. Here's a recap: NONE of my squash plants (or zucchini) survived the squash vine borers. I can't decide if we'll try again next year or call it quits. My tomatoes also had a rough season as did my green peppers. I don't have a good explanation. As I said before the okra did very well & so did the eggplant & basil. We've had basil coming out our ears (fresh pesto...yum!). I can't wait to give it a go next year...it will be our 3rd garden! Crazy!