Mrs. Rogers Neighborhood

Just a few things that made me smile this past week :)     We spent last Saturday with Bill's parent's and went to a restaurant that Bill grew up going to and, as a family, they love.  I have to admit, I have heard of it quite a few times so the expectations were very high.  Well, my carnitas nachos did not dissapoint in the least!  I definitely had to take some home as leftovers for the next day and Celinda's was absolutely everything they said it would be :)  If you are ever in the area, it is a really great family friendly place! We also went beer tasting right around the corner and, while the beer wasn't as cold as possible, it is always fun to try a bunch of new beers while you sit and chat in the sunshine :)  The tasting room was very laid back, which I liked a lot, and the table next to us ordered Thai food from next door and enjoyed it with their beers… that's my kind of place.  Plus they had a Belgian Apple Pie beer, it was great.

I haven't done a book review in awhile, because I have read a few duds recently.  I invest time into them and half way through I don't care what happens in the end, and life is too short to force yourself to read something that isn't pulling you back for more.  This book was worth the time I gave it :)   It was an easy read, and all from Enzo, the dog's, perspective.  While I definitely have puppy fever, that is not the only thing that attracted me to this story line.  It was just unique.  Enzo is observing things the people are missing or can't sense, and then he cannot communicate what he knows.  You  really get a sense of the frustration a dog must experience when they are trying to tell you something. It is really the story of a man and his dog and navigating through what life throws at you.  His dog is a constant source of love and it is really sweet to hear the ways the dog tries to comfort him and the people around him when they need it.  I c

30 years together.   I literally can't imagine how that feels, because I have not even been alive that long.   These two though, they love each other more every day.  Honestly.   I know it sounds crazy... and I think part of that is our broken society and that marriage has become something created only to make us happy, so when it gets tough or challenging, which any relationship should, people just let it go like it doesn't matter.  They never quit.  In fact, the rough times seem to pull them even closer. They defend each other.  They really and truly never speak ill of each other.  They always have the other person's back.  They celebrate the good times and mourn sad things, and always try to respect where the other person is coming from.  They love well. Everyone who meets my parents wants them to be their own.  They have an open door policy, and once you have spent an evening with them, you are a part of their family.  How amazing is that?  They

This was such a lovely afternoon.  My parents were in town about 6 weeks ago (I know I am way behind on this post) for a visit, and to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary (another post coming soon!), and while they were here we took a trip up to Los Angeles to go to this sweet little bridal boutique for my beautiful, engaged sister to try on some wedding dresses.  While the entire experience was a bit surreal, it was beyond lovely to see her so excited.  The shop itself was adorable, and just what you picture when you go dress shopping.  The dresses were absolutely incredible - All designer, hand stiched masterpieces.  I do not normally talk about clothes like that, but they genuinely were so amazing!  But the most lovely part of the day was seeing my sister glow.  She really just looked incredible and thinking of her walking down the aisle makes me well up with tears.   Dress after dress looked amazing, but when the curtain was pulled back for the final dress, we all

Bill and I have been going to a new church for about 6 months now, and when we first started I was struck most by the incredible language that is used in the liturgy.  I mean, it really floored me.  I kept finding myself thinking about how rich every word was, and how much truth each one held as well.  I want to share pieces of the service with you in the coming months and I hope that in these excerpts you can also find the peace that washed over me.  Prior to this particular passage, we always read a passage of God's Law directly from the Bible, and I will share what comes after this with you soon (which is the prayer after the silent confession time).  As a church body, we read this out loud, in unison.  PLEASE concentrate on every word and drink it in.  The first time we read through it I thought the language was a little harsh, but what I am realizing is that that is my defensive nature.  It is truth and we need to wrap our heads around it. I actually do find this encourag