Mrs. Rogers Neighborhood

I know I am not the most fashionable person that ever existed, and I do not claim to be.  However, I will tell you everyday how much I love Fall and something I love about Fall are the clothes... sweaters and coziness go hand in hand for me and I loved putting these outfits together for you :)   Color is important.  Looking down at these mint or mustard flats would bring so much joy to me... i wish they were mine!  Maybe it is working in corporate America that has made me appreciate a fun weekend outfit, or maybe it was deep in there all along.  Either way, I hope you enjoy these two outfits as much as I enjoyed creating them! Polyvore.com friends... explore it!  I know I will continue to do so :)   Happy Thursday Friends!

A few weeks ago Bill mentioned wanting to go to a Pumpkin patch with me, and I thought it sounded like such a "Ryan idea," and told him I would love that.  Well, as usual, I struggled to remember he wanted to do something since I did not write it on our calendar, so he brought it up again.  I expressed enthusiasm and asked when he wanted to go, and we couldn't pick a time, so it slipped my mind one more time.  The third time around, he was frustrated and said he could tell that I didn't want to go... To his surprise I said I was completely excited and wanted to go SO badly.  It's so funny how different people read a situation!  I had been excited since the first mention.  We put it on the calendar and asked my sister Faith and her boyfriend Josh to join us! The only reason I mention this is to let you all know that sometimes I cannot remember anything.  In fact, I just completely forget things all the time.  I never want anyone to take that personally.  I jus

First of all, I am happy to report that I love living life around Bill.  He is just such an easy person to be around and he really sets me at ease. He loves to read and always is comfortable and cooks fun food with me and always makes me laugh.  I know, I know... I am SUCH a newlywed, but I am OK with it.  I just love him with every part of me. Life as I know it has changed.  I no longer live with a girlfriend who I chat with and she braids my hair... Now I live with a boy who is always smiling.  Honestly, I tried to go into this whole marriage thing with no expectations, but I guess I had a few.  You listen to people your whole life tell you what marriage will be like, and you can't help but take some of what they say to heart.  However, what I have learned is that my marriage is different from everyone else's.  No matter what someone else would do, I need to learn to approach things best for me and Bill. Bill needs patience and understanding and love and respect - so

Thailand.  I still can't believe we got to experience the wonderful adventure that was this place. We left the day after the wedding for Phuket and after over 24 hours in airports and on airplanes we landed in our new favorite place.  Our resort was absolutely incredible - Expansive with pool after pool and bar after bar.  Nestled right on the beach, with so many amenities we could barely keep track of them.  We had a wonderful welcome when our barefoot bellhop brought our bags into our room with a bottle of wine waiting on the counter.  Chocolates sat close by and a bathtub full of flower petals.  Towels folded into the shape of swans sat on the bed and we loved it all. We fell fast asleep in our fluffy king sized bed and every day blended into the next after that.  LOTS of amazing food, baby elephants that hung out by the pool, Thai massages, beer and wine, walks and talks, late nights and lots of sleeping in, cooking classes, bus rides, an elephant trek through

My Wedding Day. I could not have imagined a more perfect and beautiful day.  I have never felt more incredible.  A sea of lovely friend and family filtered in and out of the room where I was getting ready and everyone looked incredible.  So many smiles, so much fawning, and through it all I could not wait to see my Bill.  I just needed those big eyes and sweet smile to bring my heart to ease.  I was not nervous, just ready.  I was not anxious, but I absolutely was antsy.  I just wanted to be with my love. As I walked down the aisle and saw his face, I could not believe our moment had come.  I felt like God had brought me into that moment to understand his relationship with the church.  We are the bride of Christ.  The way I felt that day is how the church should feel when they are presented to Christ.  If I am fully honest, the parallel was almost too much for that moment.  It was overwhelming enough as it was!  As I looked into Bill's gentle face nothing else w

How can I put so much joy into words?  Our wedding celebration was incredible from start to finish.  I will cover the actual wedding day tomorrow, but what I want you to hear about today is everything leading up to the wedding.  We had a marathon of celebration and to tell you how much it meant to me would be impossible.  So many wonderful people who love Bill and I drove and flew from all over the country to celebrate our union.  It was more than just a night out, a crab feast, and a baseball game.  It was about our friends and family being in the same place at the same time and having the most wonderful week ever.  Honestly, everytime I looked around I was overwhelmed with a rush of excitement and love.  God really blessed me through our wedding with the people in our lives.  Whether I haven't seen them in years or I see them all the time, it was such a joy to have everyone in one place.  A humbling, overwhelming and joyous blessing. There were three night time celebrati

I am back and aiming to keep you much more updated on the goings on in the Roger abode.  That's right, I am officially Mrs. Ryan Rogers!  So Surreal... It feels like it was a long time coming, but in reality we have not hit 3 years together yet!  Being a Mrs. is overwhelming in the best way.  I am overwhelmed with my love for Bill and the fact that we get to spend life together... It's almost too much for my heart to imagine.  I am happy to report I had the most lovely wedding that ever existed.  For me, it could not have been more perfect. Honestly, I feel like it was a dream come true and I have to pinch myself often.  While I was prepared for something to go entirely wrong, the food to be ruined, my dress to rip, and people to be standing around not having a good time - none of those things happened.  In fact, everything went better than expected. To start back on this blogging train, I want to update you on each item involved in the wedding;

I cannot believe I have been gone from my beloved blog for so long.  I have not just missed writing, but I have needed this type of processing.  I recently experienced someone asking me to say what I wanted them to type and I realized it is not as easy for me to say what I am thinking as it is for me to type it out.   I am not sure why I chose today to begin writing again.  While it may feel arbitrary, it may be because I am getting married this week and I have a lot to process.  It may be because I have never been through this before and with no frame of reference a blogger must write it out.  It may be because I have realized that I have so much encouragement to offer anyone who reads this, and it may be because people have been surprising me lately and I want to share that with the world.   No matter why I chose to start writing again, I chose it, and I can easily stop - like I have once before.  However, I find my spirit rejuvenated.  First from my love for my unbelievabl

I wish that people could see the world through my eyes sometimes, because then they would understand my heart better.     I love traveling and seeing new places, but even just the idea of an adventure makes me happy.   I am thrilled to just sit around thinking of all the places I want to go and people I want to see.   Tea or curry or chocolate from a foreign land makes me feel like I am on a trip in my own home.   I love knowing these wonderful places exist, and I love planning on going to see them; but if I never make it and just live in a sweet house with Bill and have dinner with our family and friends, and work hard and live basked in simplicity, and invest whole heartedly in relationships, it will be over and abundantly enough. The world is big and often times overwhelming, and I want to explore it, but it is all nothing without those you love.   I am sure in my time, Thailand will not be the last place I visit apart from my hometown and Bill’s.   I know that I will proba

Alright people, I know you think I should be more stressed out and completely out of my mind.  My wedding is less than 3 months away, and while delegation has been my best friend for a cross country wedding, I think what is most important is the mindset I have adopted over the course of this journey.  Not just a journey to a wedding, but a journey to join my life with Bills. Our wedding will be wonderful.  Lights strung overhead, a dress I feel perfect in, an amazing man in a dapper suit, friends and family all around, wine, pizza, music, paper lanterns, and so much other wonderfulness.  However, what I am looking forward to is waking up and seeing Bill every morning.  I am looking forward to growing old with him and watching him succeed in every way.  I can't wait to cook him bacon and leave him little notes.  I get so excited knowing I can hug him everyday.  I am looking forward to that laugh and smile that only he has for the rest of my life. There is no stress when I p

I love good food.  Cooking it, eating it, serving it, talking about it... I enjoy all aspects.  However, lately I have realized that good food is even better with great company.  Sure you can eat the same meal with the same wine and enjoy it, but if you are with people you love, laughing and talking, doesn't that food taste slightly better?  That wine a bit smoother?  I have observed this in others and noticed that celebratory eating also fits this description.  If it is your birthday, you got a promotion at work, or you just accomplished a milestone in your life - food simply tastes better.     All this considered, my favorite is the regular day to day life that is often times taken for granted.  Spending this past Sunday with Bill was very simple, yet so wonderful because he is the best company.  We grilled a yummy pizza and had blueberry beer and lemonade (which really tasted like juice and was so refreshing).  It was so wonderful to share a meal and drink with him whil

There is nothing like a baseball game.     I know, I know - you have heard this from me before, but let me tell you, it never gets old to me.  I can't go to too many games.  I want to one day have season tickets with Bill and go all the time: Get to know the people around us, cheers victories with them, and like we are not surrounded bystrangers.  The ambiance, the food, the drinks, and just the attitude of baseball is so fun and carefree.  It is a sport where I feel like the entire time I am watching, I am a part of something so fun and worth my time - it brings so much joy to my heart.   This past Friday the Baltimore Orioles were in town, and I always attempt to make it out to support my home team and wear my Orioles t-shirt :)  It was a blast (and not just because the Orioles won), but mostly because it was the best of times with wonderful friends!  I went with a pretty big group (12 of us to be exact) and we laughed and danced and ate and just relaxed.  What a lov

I am sitting in my lawn chair surrounded by strangers, sipping wine and anxiously awaiting Billy Elliott to be projected on the wall about 100 yards away. It does not even matter what the movie is, all that matters is being outside, in the open fresh air, with people I love hanging out with.   This is the first of 5 weeks that free movies will be showing this way, and to explain the ambiance would be impossible. I'm going to go soak it up now and enjoy my friends and snacks. I hope you are having an equally lovely evening :)

Since recently acquiring a library card (I know some of you are horrified by that), I have re-discovered what a wonderous land the public library is.  My commute has also become much much more bearable as I tear through audio book after audio book.  Right now, I am listening to Water For Elephants, which I am sure I will discuss with you in the coming weeks, but today I want to tell you about Superfreakonomics.   Superfreakonomics, by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner is subtitled "Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance," but that only begins to sum up the thoughts that went into this work.  They did not have Freakonomics at my library, so I compromised and took on the second book first.  While the first 15 minutes were them apologizing for their controversial nature, and explaining some issues that came up in the first book, it was genuinely interesting and entertaining.  Honestly, as a business major, I loved it.  It

  The first book we tackled for our newly established book club (we are on our third book right now) was called, appropiately enough, The Reader , by Bernhard Schlink.  Controversial in nature, this book revolves around an affair between a young boy and an older woman.  I like the Google review's phrasing that stated, "both a literary surprise and a moral challenge."  You find yourself appalled, yet you continue to read, because generally speaking it is a relationship most of us are not only familiar with but are also completely baffled by.   The first half of the book I hated, if I am completely honest, but as you see where the author is taking you, and you let them take you there, you begin to find the value in the first half.  Written from the boys perspective, you see how this choice to be with a much older woman early in his life effects his entire life, down to every relationship and every emotion.  There are moments where you feel sorry for him, because al

Before I tell you more about the books my book club has been reading, I first must tell you about the first book on tape I listened to... which by the way turned into a gateway for a whole new world!  This was an intense experience as I drove and listened and it made me understand why people love this option who have long commutes.  I am hooked, and am on my fourth book on tape in the car right now!  I will tell you all about them in good time... This is an autobiography of a father wrestling with his son's drug adiction, and it effected me to the core.  The book goes through the child's entire life, and shows the connection between the father and son.  It shows why this relationship was so important to them both.  They are as close as a father and son can be when he is young and even as he gets older, but drugs get in the way of everything. The slippery slope is detailed in that Nic (the son) started smoking pot at an early age and got drunk on a family vacat

Photo Credit: Jessica Cross I know I have been MIA and I know that is slightly unacceteptable.  Every time I come around I talk about how much I miss you, but actions are worth more right?  I am here to fill you in on a big piece of my life lately - a season of reading.  I literally have 5 books to fill you in on (maybe even 6 by the nd of the week)!  But first, I want to introduce you to my book club :)  We are on our third book now, and still going strong.  I will walk you through book by book, but I wanted to talk about the idea of book club and what it means to me.   I loved the concept from the moment it was mentioned.  I was already in my "season of reading" this year where I was making an effort to read a book a month, and with my new discovery of books on tape (you will hear more about later in the week) I am flying through 2 books a month at least!  With that being said, I jumped at the chance to share some snacks and delve into a good book with a group of g

Happy Tuesday my Lovely Readers! Today I wanted to share with you a recent article I wrote for Polka Dot Coaching , and hopefully get some of your feedback!  I genuinely love writing on others peoples blogs, although my own allows me a certain type of freedom as well; and this was no different.  It brought me so much joy to see how Nailah (the creator of Polka Dot Coaching) took my words and added an image and description of myself to go with them.  This is more than an answer to prayer, it is an affirmation that my desire to write is also a gift God has granted me with.  That is HUGE for me.  It can be something other people take seriously, and something that I really pursue.  Each time someone else publishes a piece I have written, my confidence grows a little in a humble way.  God, use me to further you through my writing, and use me to make a positive impact on this world!  It is not just about writing for me; it is about making an impact on others.  I have been wrestling

Daddy, you have taught me so many things in life, but most importantly you have taught me the value of people and selflessness.  You give every ounce of your energy, time, and finances to making me and my siblings and mother life the best we can ask for.  I have never wanted for anything.  You have provided for all of my wants and needs for as long as I can remember.  I would never dream of taking that for granted. The trip we went on last year to Boston and Maine was the beginning of something wonderful.  I look forward to many more trips in the future, hikes through beautiful places, and laughter and delicious food all over the world.  I dream of so many places I want to see with you, and I pray often God will provide us the opportunity to do those things together. Thank you for instilling faith in me and for never letting me make excuses for not going to church or working on my relationship with God.  Thank you for always telling me to look for a man who respects me and

I have the honor and privilege of knowing this wonderful selfless family.  They attend my church and our ties are truly amazing.  My grandmother and Erin's grandmother are best friends in Maryland, while we discover our relationship here.  Erin is a woman who has changed me for the better.  I can honestly say after knowing her I will never be the same.   I feel like I have precious little to say in comparison to this amazing couple.   They are awe inspiring and will never fail to amaze me. Take 9 minutes to listen to their story and the outlook they have on life.   You will never look at your own problems the same. I honestly pray to be this strong, brave, and faithful in the face of adversity. Mike and Erin, you daily amaze me.  I know there are days where you must crack and cry and scream and then there are days when you feel blessed and showered and adored.  I pray for your continued peace and faith through this journey of life.  Know that you are nat

Priorities.   Even when you feel like they are in the right place it seems like there is not enough time for what is truly important.  Even when you are surrounded by friends and family you cannot make them feel important enough or tell them you love them enough.  Even when you spend time with wonderful people there are not enough hours in the day to make them feel enough love.  Even when you write letters and make phone calls you cannot write or call enough. What am I learning?  You can work towards a goal of being 100% present, but our humanity does not allow us to be perfect, and that would be attaining perfection.  We can work towards being like Christ, but we cannot attain it.  That is a hard spot to be in.  I like knowing I can attain something and then work towards what is next.  The lesson I am seeking to grasp, is that the work and drive to keep moving forward despite never fully attaining or perfecting the Christian life is all a part of the journey.  I only hope I c

I saw this image on Pinterest the other day and just wanted to share it with the world.   I love the patterns and colors and everything, but what I love most is the adventure it implies.   She has only herself, a car, a map, and a trunk full of randomness.   On my Bucket List is the item, “Go on a Road Trip Alone,” and this only spurs me to want to do that sooner.   There is something about being alone that makes you feel free.   You can do whatever you want because no one will know!   I do not mean this in a weird way, just there is this release of the need to impress.     I know so many people, myself included, that just need to relax.  We need to give in to this freeing mentality of life being an adventure.  Sure, we have responsibilities, but I have lately been convicted to savor the moments and really sink into situations.  Do not let yourself feel awkward ever!  Find a new kind of humor in awkward situations.  Release yourself from self conscious tendencies.  Life is t

There are some foods that you crave as soon as you are done eating them.  When you think of them, you always let out a little sigh.  You want them often and you think of them when you least expect it.  You constantly wish you could make it yourself, but it is just not in your skill set.  You have to patiently wait until the right time comes and you are invited to partake in them, or you make time to go to that restaurant that holds these wonderful items. I am sure I have brought unique items to each of your minds, and that was kind of the point.  The item we crave and love and dream about is different for each of us.  For me, it has changed over the last few years.  It brings me sadness to think that in the past my favorite food items came out of my father's restaurant in Columbia, Maryland.  The reason this makes me sad, is because I live so far away.  We had a pizza on our original menu that I will never forget!  The menu has changed multiple times over the past few years, a