Lesley and Ryan

Baby G gets Showered.

2012-02-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

Last weekend some very sweet friends from church threw a very sweet shower for Baby G and me. An extra special bonus was that my very sweet friend Millie came for the weekend to share in the excitement and get some girl time.

Mom, Millie and I ready to party.

Sweet decor!

Good friends!

Delicious food!

Present time!

We were so overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends.

And the outfits!...I can't get over how cute baby clothes are.

Grammy J and me.

Millie rubbing that baby bump.

The hostesses! Thank you girls for such a lovely baby shower!

30 weeks.

2012-02-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

That's right folks, we're officially in the 10 week countdown to meeting our little man. At our 30 week appointment, everything was right on track. His heartbeat was still in the 140s-150s (same as it's always been,) my weight gain is well, gaining... and my blood pressure continues to stay low, which is all good news. Our sweet midwife also felt her way around my belly and is very confident that Baby G is head down. She said that he can still of course flip flop for 4-6 more weeks, but we'll pray that he enjoys his current position and stays that way until his debut.

I've realized I have an official craving...tuna fish sandwiches. I always liked tuna, but probably only had it 3 or 4 times a year. Now I am on the once a week tuna sandwich craze, and it's so delicious and filling. I'm not adding cherries or anything weird to it, just tuna and a little mayo, a hardboiled egg and pickle chopped up. And don't forget the potato chips on the side!

What Happens in Vegas...

2012-02-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

The hubs and I went to Las Vegas last weekend for a little love trip before our little guy makes his debut. We flew for free due to our Southwest card, and hotwired a great deal on the Trump Tower. It was nice staying at a quieter hotel with no casino where things were a little more low key and not smokey. The baby bump did solicit the stink eye from many folks, like I was the irresponsible one walking around Vegas growing a child.

Our room at the Trump. Very nice!

Can you say extra-large Jacuzzi tub?!

There was a TV in the mirror. Come on, Donald is this really necessary?

Sweet hubby and I seeing the sights.

Pretty at night!

We had a nice dinner and saw Cirque du Soleil Viva Elvis. It was really amazing.

That's a $9 coke Ryan's consuming.

We did the brunch buffet at the Wynn and I cannot recommend it more highly. This was no Furr's cafeteria... A pregnant woman's dream perhaps, but we spent 2 hours grazing on some of the tastiest food.

There was an entire room dedicated to pastries and desserts. And because we spent a stupid amount of money for said buffet, I didn't feel an ounce of remorse for having one bite of many different treats.

Prime rib at 10am? Ryan says 'yes please!'

All of the hotels were beautifully decorated for Chinese New Year.

What happens in Vegas... Gets posted on the blog. :)

27 Weeks.

2012-01-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

There is not a whole lot new from this preggo, but the belly sure is growing, so I thought an update would be appropriate. It is hard to believe that in around three months this little peanut will be here!

Weeks 20-25 were pretty amazing. I had crazy amounts of energy and productivity around the house was at an all time high.
Ryan and I successfully condensed all of my school stuff, took down and packed away the guest bedroom, organized the office, linen closet and part of the garage. I think they call this 'nesting.' ;)
We still need to purge and organize our closets, finish the garage and have a garage sale.
Baby G's room is getting closer to being done! Seeing the crib in there everyday does make this baby business more of a reality.
Weeks 26-27 brought back the fatigue, just in time to ring in the third trimester!
I took my glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes last week and will find out Thursday if I passed. PS-I kinda liked the sugary stuff they make you drink.
I am now on the every two-week circuit of seeing the midwife which also means this baby is a-comin!
My brother Brad gave me 8 prenatal yoga classes for an early birthday present and I've gone to two. 'Easy' is not a word I would use to describe it, but I feel good afterward. I'm pretty sure the 5'10, 100 lb yogi who teaches the class forgets that I have a bowling ball hanging off me when she asks me to do certain poses...my body does not bend like that, sister!
13 more weeks! We love you Baby G!

Lessons.

2012-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

As you know, I spend my Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings with my sweet grandmother who has Alzheimer’s. I’ve been spending time with her since August 2010. When I first began, she had just suffered a stroke and the speech therapist suggested I create a memory book for her with pictures of family clearly labeled so she could practice reading and remembering her loved ones. That book has since been lost, and my grandpa asked that I make a new one for her.

Her health has declined greatly in a year and a half, and it’s clear that he (87 years old) can no longer take care of all her needs. They’re looking into a special home for her to live and grandpa wants her to have the memory book to take with her.

As I was reprinting pictures and putting the book together, something struck me. At the end of one’s life, when all else (literally) is lost, the thing that matters the most is not a thing at all… it’s the people you’ve surrounded yourself with who love and care about you unconditionally.

There are pictures in this book where Bill and Joanne are young and in love, as well as their 50^th wedding anniversary.

There are pictures of their children and grandchildren.

Strange, isn’t it, that we didn’t include pictures of bank statements, cars, houses, iphones, and designer jeans? Strange indeed. Sometimes when I get thoughts of wanting a bigger home, or more expendable income, I need to remember my sweet Gram’s memory book. When I’ve lost my marbles, it matters not what is in my closet or bank account, but who I’ve loved well and who’s loved me in return.

"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22: 34-40

Johns Family Talent Show 2011

2012-01-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

This Christmas we celebrated our 4th annual Family Talent Show. If you know my family at all, you know that few of us have any talent that should be showcased in any type of 'show.' And that's the best part...

Travis was our Master of Ceremonies as well as sang a beautiful song dedicated to my sister who was present via Skype.

Bradley won last year with a lovely piece on the piano, (he's one who has real talent-show talent) which meant he couldn't win this year (or else he would win every year). He did, however, grace our ears with another beautiful song.

Mom and Aunt Carol performed 'Sisters' from White Christmas. Classic.

Dad did a riveting rendition of Mr. Rogers giving a golf lesson. Isn't that a lovely Christmas sweater?

Ryan and I were the winners of this year's show. I can't tell you much about our act, but I can tell you that I cut Ryan's hair, the blue robe that you see above may or may not have come off, and the baby belly invading Ryan's personal space stole the show. Babies Caleb and Joshua were our 'judges' all the way from Houston. I wish I had a picture, but Jen had the boys set up on their boppys with a sign behind them that said 'Judges Booth.' Thank you judges for choosing for your favorite Aunt Les and Uncle Ryan!

Best of 2011

2012-01-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

2011 was an excellent year for Team Gilmore....

January: Deep freeze in Albuquerque means a week off of school. Glorious.

February: Mom's 60th surprise party.

March: Lesley turns 25.

April: Time to prepare the garden.

May: The paper route began and ended in a blaze of glory.

June: Lovebirds in Palm Springs.

July: Sean and Megan come to town!

August: Surprise! Baby Gilmore is on the way!

September: Ryan and I head to LBK.

October: Jen has BABIES!!!!!

November: Baby Gilmore is a BOY!!!

December: The coveted Johns Family Talent Show traveling trophy was WON by Ryan and I....More family talent show pictures to come!

2011 was a blessed year, and we eagerly look forward to 2012! Happy New Year!

Christmas 2011.

2011-12-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was filled with lots of family and fun. We normally spend Christmas Eve with my side of the family and Christmas Day with Ryan's. This year was no exception and we're so thankful for the family in town as well as the family who traveled to Albuquerque to spend the holiday with us.

Bradley and Grandma.

Playing dress up with Aunt Carol's extensive wig collection.

Busted! Grandma quickly found the Frango mints and wouldn't stop sneaking them.

3 (almost 4!) generations.

Mom's fam...Grandma and Grandpa Lahvic, Aunt Carol, and Uncle Bill.

The whole gang.

Folding luminaria bags for Christmas Eve.

Belly pic! 25 weeks!

Ryan lighting a few luminarias at our house before church.

So pretty.

All of our luminarias were still lit when get got home 8 hours later!

Christmas morning cinnamon rolls before church.

Carol and Lo Christmas morning.

Ryan manning the ham for Christmas dinner!

This was our 6th Christmas together and I'm looking forward to 60 more!

I hope you too enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Lord with your loved ones!

Generous. 23 Weeks. Step away from the Scissors.

2011-12-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

gen·er·ous

liberal in giving or sharing; unselfish: a generous gift.

Ryan and I have been truly blessed by the generosity of our family and friends in anticipating the arrival of Baby Boy G.

My amazing sister just sent a huge suitcase FULL of baby clothes that my sweet nephews have already grown out of. Not to mention her breast pump and plenty of other nursing delights.

Speaking of sweet nephews, my sister sent this pic yesterday. Can you believe how much alike they look? And that smile, oh my goodness! I love those babies!

Ryan's cross country team made us this diaper cake for the end of year banquet and also gave us a giftcard to Babies R Us.

Here is yours truly at 23 weeks. All in all I'm feeling good! The daily headaches I was getting from weeks 10-20 have decreased dramatically and I could not be more thankful. I'm fully committed to the elastic waistband and I'm not sure that I'll ever go back.

I'm feeling Baby G move around and kick all the time and his movements get stronger and stronger everyday. Ryan felt him move for the first time a few weeks ago, and that has definitely been one of the sweetest moments for the both of us. I try to go for a walk everyday, and we go swimming about once a week. I'm definitely way less active than I was 5 months ago, but I'm growing a human, so I'm giving myself grace in all things fitness.

Random pregnancy happenings:

I get a bloody nose just about everyday.
The area around my belly button is unbelievably tender due to the stretching of my tummy muscles.
I've gotten a stomach bug twice in the past two months and a cold last weekend. Apparently my immune system is busy 'creating a human' and doesn't have time for this 'fighting off viruses' nonsense.
I drink more water than Lance Armstrong and I'm still thirsty all the time.
My 'ick' factor is WAY up. Talking about or seeing sick things never used to gross me out, but now all those boogers my kindergarteners pick all day (and sometimes sneak into their pieholes) are sending me over the edge.
My low back gets pretty sore, especially after my days chasing 5 year olds around the classroom. I've been seeing a Chiropractor every month since the beginning and want to marry her. I know lots of people think it's a quack, but I'm a whole new woman when I leave that place. And from what I've read, getting chiropractic adjustments throughout pregnancy can help reduce labor time by 25%! I'm sure we'll all be laughing in April when I'm in labor for a week, but for now I'm going to think happy thoughts.

In other news, my mom asked me to cut my Grandma's hair the other day and I butchered the heck out of it. (This pic was taken before I started hacking). We're thankful that she has no idea what her hair looks like and couldn't catch me even if she did. I did feel badly afterwards, and I think I'll stick to Ryan's hair from now on.

Ryan and I both have a lovely two week break ahead of us, and plan on making some progress on Baby G's nursery. Oh! You might be wondering what we're going to name Baby G...Well, we're not telling. That's not entirely true. Ryan's first name is actually David and so is his father's and grandfather's... David, David, David. Baby G will be David Something, and go by the Something. We're not sure on the Something yet, and even when we are sure, we're not going to share until he's in our arms!

Hope you're enjoying the days leading up to Christmas... Be Blessed!

Welcome Home Baby Cormier!

2011-12-12T14:12:00.000-08:00

Some of our very best friends, Zach and Gina adopted a sweet baby boy this weekend.

His name is Tristan Matthew and he is a perfect 8 lbs 6 oz!

Ryan and Zach are besties. They were friends in high school, roommates in college and each other's best men. I assume here they're discussing ours sons' futures as a QB and wide receiver.

We are so blessed to be able to share in the joy of bringing their son home.

Ryan has four months until it's our turn!

I'd like to leave this photo open to interpretation. Hahahaha!

Congratulations Cormier Family!

More PINspiration.

2011-12-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

I needed a new Christmas wreath for my front door this year and Pinterest was just the place to get my creative juices flowing.

These yarn wreaths are just too cute. I made this one for under $7.

I could make felt flowers all the live long day...

I also needed a cuter idea for displaying Christmas cards. In comes ribbon and clothespins to save the day.

Cute, right?

I decided the wreath-making madness could not stop and that I needed to make a few as gifts this year!

Happy Christmas Pinning!

Thanksgiving 2011 and 20 weeks.

2011-11-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

Ryan and I have many things to be thankful for this year. One of them is that our families get along great and we all do Thanksgiving together. We all brought sides and desserts and my mom made the turkey. Everything was delicious and the company was delightful.

Gobble Gobble.

Ryan teaching Grandpa about the iPad.

"Geez, you are growing." Thanks Marty.

Gilmore Clan.

Johns Clan.

20 weeks. I'm halfway done cooking this little turkey!

Grandpa turned 87. Holy Smokes.

The world's most technologically unsavvy man enjoying his first game of Angry Birds.

My contribution: PW's Dreamy Apple Pie. I ate leftovers for breakfast this morning because that's the kind of girl I am.

And PW's Pumpkin Cream Pie. Also delish!

I hope you and yours also had a great holiday!

Baby Gilmore is a....

2011-11-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

BOY!!!!

The day of our ultrasound I baked pink and blue cupcakes. Whatever the baby ended up being, I would wrap them up and deliver the news to our families with a cupcake...

After our appointment, Ryan and I went to dinner to celebrate then came home to wrap up the blue cupcakes.

Grammy J is color blind and was very confused by the ~~'green'~~ blue cupcake she saw....

Yum!

Admiring the grandson's pictures.

We made Grandma and Papa close their eyes and open the cupcakes at the same time...

Papa is very pleased with the thought of his second grandson!

The entire pregnancy I've thought the baby was a girl. So much for mother's intuition! :) Most of our family and friends thought it would be a girl, and even Ryan at the end was shocked by the unmistakable boy on the screen. We are beyond thrilled and overjoyed by this blessing. Thank you for sharing in our joy!

My Father's Daughter.

2011-11-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

Father

Daughter.

SuperRyan

2011-11-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

June 2006

Much to my dismay, Saturday night I came down with a nasty stomach bug. And I do mean nasty. Lucky for me, I am married to SuperRyan. SuperRyan was the best caretaker of his sick, pregnant wife. He rubbed my back as my insides revolted, had water and mouthwash on hand at all times, went to the store at 5am to get me Sprite and bread (who doesn't have bread in their house at all times? Really. I need to talk to the housekeeper about this...) and lovingly reminded me to keep pounding the fluids (once of course, I could actually keep them down). He later went again to the store and got crackers and soup and popsicles, and four varieties of Gatorade, just in case I didn't like one. He sacrificed his own possibility of getting the stomach bug from hell by watching movies of my choice with me all afternoon. He stripped the bed and did the laundry, and tucked me into a clean bed promptly at 6pm. He let me sleep for 12 hours, and luckily his counterpart is feeling much better this morning. Thank you, SuperRyan for taking such good care of me. You are my hero!

I.am.in.love.

2011-10-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

My big sister had her twin boys about a month ago. Mom and I went to Houston for five days to fall in love with those sweet boys. Here are a million pictures from our trip!

Fresh off the plane-time to feed!

Pile 'O Babies. Love. Love. Love.

Aunt Les (why am I talking in third person?) made them sock monkeys. Can't you tell how happy they were?

Caleb especially had a fondness for his monkey.

Snuggle Bug.

Grammy J loving every minute of it!

Okay, except maybe this minute. :)

Grammy is Wonder Woman and my dad said the boys look like prison inmates. Nice Papa.

Time for bed!

My brothers were also in town so we had a nice little reunion. We just kept saying, 'Holy Moly, Jen had kids.'

Love. Love. Love.

My sister is a ROCK STAR. We've always known what an excellent mother she'd be!

Out to dinner with the boys.

Sweet reunion with dear Bethany! Love you friend!

So happy.

Bath time!

Tummy time!

I could do this all day.

Joshua makes these kissy lips that are the sweetest. Love. love. love. Do you sense a theme?

Family photo! Thanks Jen and Chris for letting us come and fall in love with Caleb and Joshua. I miss you all. Move to Albuquerque.

The Belly is Coming! The Belly is Coming!

2011-10-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

I've begun a progression of the growing baby bump for your viewing pleasure.

4 weeks pregnant-just found out the good news!

6 weeks.

8 weeks. Eat cupcakes much?

10 weeks.

13 weeks. Grow baby grow!

And this one just for fun. :)

To Clovis and Lubbock.

2011-09-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

This week Ryan and I made our way East to Lubbock by way of Clovis for a Tech football game. Our friends Matt and Michelle recently moved to Clovis and we stayed with them. Saturday morning we made our way to the 806 and did a little shopping (yes, I paid $24 for a Tech onesie for Baby G), a lot of eating, and plenty of rooting for the Red Raiders!

We had DELISH calzones at One Guy's...

When I was in school at Tech, Lubbock was a dry county. That meant we had to drive 20 minutes out of town for an adult beverage. Now Lubbock is a wet county and there were liquor stores everywhere. Blew my mind. :)

Fight Raiders Fight!

This is the masked rider. My roommate Lindsey and I wanted to try out every year. That never happened.

Get your guns up!

Ryan was a Raider for the night!

Here are our sweet friends with their girls, Mikayla and Madison. We joked that they have quite the B&B happening at their house! Thanks again for having us King Family!

Thank you, Pinterest.

2011-09-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Apparently I was one of the last to know about Pinterest and all of its glory, but after perusing for quite some time last weekend, I got this great idea for a fall wreath!

I covered a letter that I had with twine, and made the felt flowers. I even had the ribbon laying around, too! And if you've never made felt flowers, they're really easy.

Welcome, Autumn!

I can't wait to see what other crafty goodness I can find!

We are Having a Baby.

2011-09-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

After thinking about a super cute way to announce our pregnancy on the blog, I couldn't come up with a thing. And so, here it is...WE ARE HAVING A BABY! The Lord has truly blessed us with this gift and we couldn't be more thrilled and grateful. Baby Gilmore is set to arrive mid-April 2012. Your prayers for this baby are truly appreciated as we finish up the first trimester. We had an ultrasound last week and heard the little heartbeat. I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that there is a human with a heartbeat growing inside me. What a miracle.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."

Here Fishy Fishy...

2011-08-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

This summer we did not get to go on our annual Johns Family Camping trip like we have in summers past. We did, however, con my Dad into taking Ryan and I fishing for the day on his boat. We went to Eagle Nest Lake, and it was a great time!

Live Bait!

Isn't he cute?

The honeymoon/gardening/fishing hat has really proven to be a great investment.

We caught one!

Ryan's rainbow trout. The only guy we brought home and grilled up!

I caught that perch but couldn't bring myself to take him off the hook. This is what dads are for, after all.

Thank you Dad for a great day at the lake!!

Green Chile Beer and Lavender Ice Cream. Only in Taos.

2011-08-11T15:34:00.001-07:00

My sweet husband planned a love trip to Taos for our third anniversary. We had an excellent time relaxing in the beautiful mountain town.

We tried Green Chile Beer...

And lavender ice cream from Taos Cow.

Went on a long hike in the mountains...

Isn't it beautiful?

We ate dinner one night at the Love Apple. The next time you're in Taos, you MUST eat there. The atmosphere is the definition of delightful, and the food was delicious!

Our sweet hotel.

No trip north would be complete without a stop at the Chocolate Maven in Santa Fe. I had no choice but to photograph the delicious cuisine.

I think I'm still coming off the sugar high from this chocolate ganache cake.

Now THAT'S a banana split!

Thank you to Ryan for arranging such a lovely vacation! Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Arg! Happy Birthday!

2011-08-08T19:40:00.001-07:00

Ryan turned 29 a few weeks back and we had another ice cream social like we did two years ago. It turned out to be a lovely evening filled with sweet friends, chips and queso, beer and Blue Bell. What more can a birthday boy ask for?

Ryan's folks and sister, Lo!

Pirate birthday banner. For my adult husband.

YUM!

Matt and Diana. Ryan stole Maddie for the picture.

Eric and Ryan.

The King girls...Missing them in Clovis!

My folks....and Bradley was in town from DC.

Brian and Marsha.

Happy Birthday, my love!

Ryan Secures his Spot on the Third Grade Tether ball Team.

2011-07-27T18:06:00.001-07:00

Our two favorite Georgians came to Albuquerque again this summer! Megan spent 4 days and Sean stayed 3 weeks! Unfortunately I didn't get any photos with Meg in them, but here are a few from Sean's trip.

Feeling very patriotic on the 4th of July.

Wrestle-mania 2011.

We took Sean to Brickyard then to the Topes game. The boy clearly hates pizza.

Sean and Papa rooting for the Topes!

And now a video of Uncle Ryan dominating a poor 8-year-old at tether ball....

Untitled from Lesley Gilmore on Vimeo.

Watch out 3rd graders everywhere, Ryan is coming to a city near you...

Summer Sewing.

2011-07-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

I recently saw a sign at a home store that said, 'Three Reasons for Teaching: June, July and August.' All teachers should appreciate this sentiment. While I love so many other things about teaching littles, the summer has provided ample opportunity for reading, sewing, and working on home improvement. My summer reading list/recommendations, as well as photos of what we've done to the house is for another day. Today I want to do a little show and tell on my sewing projects...

I have about one million friends having babies, and nursing covers have been a fun gift to create and give. I've also been using the leftover fabric to make matching burp cloths. When I gave a nursing cover to my friend Dana, she along with Millie and Jenn encouraged me to open an Etsy shop. Here's the link to my shop if you have a friend having a baby and need a gift!

Okay, the sock monkey is my new favorite friend. I made this little guy, and can't wait to give him away!

So cute with the matching burp cloths, don't you think?

Lessons from the Garden.

2011-07-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

And why are you anxious? Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,

Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Slug Bugs, Heaven Night, Birth Order and Swamps. A Weekend with Old Friends.

2011-07-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend 3 of my sweetest friends and I met in Dallas. Dana is expecting her first baby in 6 weeks, and we all thought it appropriate to come and shower her (and each other) with our presence. We literally sat around all day at Dana's apartment laughing our tails off and sharing life. We did a little shopping and a lot of eating. Thank you girls for such a fun and refreshing few days!

Dana is resolved to worship.

Essentials.

Blow Dryer Blow Out.

Jenn and Dana.

Mill and I.

Fun Friends.

Pretty Prego with proud Millie.

Love you girls!!!

Favorite Things Friday

2011-07-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

This week's Favorite Things list is short but sweet....

Hahahahahahahaha! This makes me so sad for them.

Big ups to the City of Albuquerque...They recently opened the North Domingo Baca Multi-generational Center just a mile and a half from our house and it's fantastic! $13/YEAR to work out in their brand new gym and in the next few years they're opening up a pool and splash park and tons more. And the best part, our card doesn't expire until 2046.

Countdown to a Millie, Dana, and Lesley Reunion in Dallas...One Week!

These three little gems were picked up at a garage sale for $5! Similar glass vases are $70 at a popular home store...Eat your heart out Pottery Barn!

I Thought I Loved You Then...

2011-06-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

June 21st, 2008
Happy 3rd Anniversary, My Love!

Palm Springs-ing.

2011-06-17T14:59:00.001-07:00

Our trip last weekend was a blast. We did a lot of....

Eating.

Sun-Bathing.

Shopping.

Chilling.

Smooching.

Great Anthro Dress-Wearing.

And Celebrating!

Favorite Things...Sunday edition

2011-06-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

One of my best girlfriends Millie features a 'Favorite Things Friday' on her blog. While I had the best intentions to follow the 'Friday' trend, it didn't really work out this week. So here are my 'Favorite Things' Sunday edition...

Best Teacher Gift Ever-The parents in my class came up with this...It's a lovely lavender plant and each kid decorated a paper tulip with their picture on the front and a little note on the back. PLUS inside each tulip is a giftcard to different places! Can you say DATE NIGHT for the rest of the summer? So great!

Peonies. Trader Joe's has them once a year and they make me incredibly happy.

Banana ice cream. A girlfriend of mine told me about a great banana ice cream recipe: Frozen bananas. Seriously...Just put chopped up frozen 'nanners in the food processor and process away! It comes out so creamy and delicious. I, of course, made whipped cream to dollop on top, but chocolate sprinkles would also be great. *I found it's much easier to peel and chop the bananas then freeze them in a baggie then freezing the banana whole.

Summer Squash. While our garden has yet to produce anything pictured here, Smith's has. A super fun cookbook club I'm a part of featured a recipe that I plan on cooking again and again all summer long. It's from 'The Earthbound Cook' cookbook and basically consists of yellow squash, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, garlic, basil all sauteed up and sprinkled with shredded parmesan. Make this tonight!

'New' chairs. I found our patio table on craigslist for a screamin deal and have yet to find chairs I like for a good price. So we decided to re-cover the old chairs and I love them!

Ryan's thinking about starting a side upholstery business this summer.

Isn't she a beauty?

Lovely! We've been eating dinner out here just about every night.

Grandma's sewing machine. This thing is the definition of an 'Oldy but Goody.' My machine is a piece, and this one has come in very handy for all the summer sewing projects I've started!

Happy Sunday!

Hip Hop Hooray

2011-06-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

Untitled from Lesley Gilmore on Vimeo.

Swinging for the Fences

2011-05-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, my Dad is a baseball coach here in town. Yesterday the hubs and I went up to the baseball field to take a few hacks. I've never seen Ryan play baseball, and wanted to see if our future children had any chance at all of being ballplayers. :) I was extremely pleased with his performance.

Little League Pose.

Fierce.

Dad threw BP.

Pops was a champ.

Do you like my swing? I hit quite a few, but none made it out of the infield. :)

Ryan hit two home-runs! Woot!

Untitled from Lesley Gilmore on Vimeo.

We've again discovered that my greatest strength on the athletic field is smack-talking. Please disregard the heavy breathing. I'm not sure who was standing behind me while I was shooting that video. Shame on them.

Glimmer of Redemption.

2011-05-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Great news, folks. Our resignation has been officially tendered for the beloved paper route. We have seventeen days left, and couldn't be happier. We're thankful for the money we've earned and even more thankful that we live in a free country and can quit jobs that are terrible. Although we still strongly dislike just about every minute of it, we received a glimmer of hope in the mail last week.

I mean really, how sweet is this?

There is one week of school left, and Ryan and I are very grateful for the approaching summer vacation. We're super pumped we're going to Palm Springs in June to celebrate the nuptials of a dear friend from college. Congrats Lauren and Ben!

Last week our washing machine flooded the kitchen (yay!) and we got a new one. She's a beauty, and uber efficient. I've always had an affinity for laundry doing...It makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. Anyone else?

Last but certainly not least check out these roses! Our garden is producing beautiful, giant, and fragrant roses, I'm LOVING having them all around our house.

What are your summer plans?

Remember that one time we thought a paper route would be a good idea? Yeah, me neither.

2011-05-06T18:16:00.001-07:00

About a year ago, the sweet hubs and I applied to be deliverers of the critically acclaimed local newspaper for a summer job. The money is quite good, and we enjoyed the thought of being done with work early and being able to spend time with each other the rest of the day. Of course, last summer they didn't call. They called a few months back, but many things fell through and we had lost all hope of our dreams of waking up at zero-dark-thirty to throw bundles of inky thin paper full of intriguing local news onto peoples' driveways every morning. It is, after all, every educated married couples' dream with real jobs to get up together EVERY morning to throw newspapers. Our prayers were answered and we were set to start May 1.

Last Sunday was our first day. We were told to be at the drop site at 2:30AM by our supervisor. Yes, 2:30. Our supervisor, 'She Who Must Not Be Named,' (SWMNBN) didn't get there until 3am, so we sat and waited. Little did we know we'd be waiting for 3 more hours. You see, on 'rare' occasions, the papers show up late. Apparently this time they ran out of ink. Yes, ink. So we sat in this cute little line in a parking lot about a mile from our house waiting for the blessed newspapers to arrive. At long last they arrived and She Who Must Not Be Named oversaw our papers off the truck. We loaded them up in our car and then were told we must take her car on the first day. If you were to rent her car, it would most definitely Economy Class. Now I need you to imagine this, 27 bundles of newspapers, 10 fat papers per bundle. PLUS 27 bundles of coupon inserts. Ryan stuffed her trunk as full as he could get it, and the rest of the bundles were my companion in the back seat. My legs were paralyzed as I began to place the coupons behind the 'headlines' and carefully place them in the required Sunday bag. SWMNBN drove and Ryan sat in the front seat. I'll spare you the gory details of the THREE hours we spent in her car, but her perfume wafting into the backseat combined by her erratic driving and 40 papers missing (this meant we had to meet someone to give us more papers) caused Ryan to utter the words, 'I feel so sick and dirty' when we arrived home. Total time spent on our first day: 6 hours.

Day Two's catastrophe has one man to blame: Osama bin Laden. Yes, the terrorist just had to go and be murdered the night before our second day. When stories 'go to press' late, the papers are also late. Two hours to be exact. Ryan had to run (literally) home to call in a sub for 1st period, and I called my grandfather to tell him I would be late for my date with Joanne. Day Two Ryan got to drive our car, but SWMNBN sat in the front seat, 'supervising.' Total time spent on our second day: 4 hours.

Days 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been better. We're getting faster each day, and only spending around 2 hours delivering the news to the citizens of Albuquerque. We're looking forward to the first paycheck which is set to come next week. Next time we have a really great idea like this, please someone kick us in the head. Until then, pray for us.

You're Invited...

2011-05-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

To the Royal Wedding! Yeah right, I wish. No, I wasn't invited to Will and Kate's nuptials, but was super excited to watch such an event and celebrate with friends. Whitney, Chrissy and I watched the Royal Wedding with and English lunch and it was delightful. We had sandwiches, biscuits with lemon curd, berries with clotted cream and tea! Oh yeah, and Mimosas. Between Chrissy and Whitney, there are 5 small children under 4, and explaining the importance of this nice lady becoming a real princess was a bit of a challenge, but I think they had a good time too!

Chrissy making mimosas!

Can you say YUMMY?!

Posing with Wills and Kate. :)

Ps-I'm thinking I need one of those fancy hats from the UK...I loved them!

Gardening, Eastering, Twinning, Tweeting.

2011-04-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Ryan and I planted some different fruits and vegetables in our garden with the help of our gardening expert and sister extraordinaire, Lauren.

Ryan and Lo.

The pot on our front porch.

Gardening Gilmore Girls!!!

My Monster.

Like my hat? It was my honeymoon hat, but now it's my gardening hat.

PW's chocolate sheet cake. Holy Cow. I think I have a problem. Don't ask me how many Weight Watchers points one slice is...

Success!

Onto Easter festivities...The hubs humored me and dyed eggs with me. The whole fam came to our house for Easter lunch, and it was fabulous!

The Dads

Carrot name cards for our guests...Idea courtesy of Martha.

The group! We were ten total and dinner was DE-LI-CIOUS!

Mom, Dad, Lo.

PW's Carrot Cake. Again, don't ask how many WW points this is. The carrots are only a facade for the amount of butter and sugar in this sucker.

Mom and Pop Johns

In other news, my lovely big sissy is preggers with TWINS!!!! Check out her blog here to see her pregnancy progress. We skyped the other day and I asked to see her growing belly. Then she asked to see my shrinking belly! I'm down 11 pounds people! That's quite a bit of weight on this 5'3 frame! J-Hud would be so proud.

Also, Adventures in Granny Sitting is now on twitter. I know, who am I? I have never thought my day-to-day activities were ever interesting enough to post online, but I get at least 3 good one-liners everyday I'm there, and thought others may get some laughs from it too. My twitter account is here! Happy Monday!

Adventures in Granny-Sitting has moved.

2011-04-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,
Just a quick note to say that all of my 'Adventures in Granny-Sitting' posts have been moved here. For privacy's sake, I changed some names and locations. Thanks for reading!

Spring Fashion Re-Purposing, Jennifer Hudson, and Other Random Tidbits.

2011-03-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

Today I brought my sweet Gram to my house in order to get a few things done. A few things turned into some (what I think) fab Spring fashion re-purposing. My friend Meghan inspired me with a great ruffle she made and added to a solid sweater. It was such a great pop of color, and I knew there were many sad shirts in my closet that never see the sun that could easily be improved upon with a ruffle. So it began. I took the ruffle off this shirt (still cute, but too short).

and added it to a plain red/coral shirt. I’m digging it.

Then, I took this great scarf I got from some thoughtful moms in my class and added it to a plain blue shirt that I never wear. All I did was pin it in four places so that I can remove it for washing. What do you think?

My fave fashion critic.

Did I mention it’s mid-70’s here today? So great! Here is the outfit for an afternoon at a baseball game.

And here it dressed up (slightly) for a nice dinner with the family.

Add grey cardi, magic belt and great peep toes that I wore to our wedding-Millie would be proud.

Now on to Jennifer Hudson…about a month ago I found myself on my couch watching Oprah after school. Jennifer Hudson, only 80 pounds lighter, was on, delighting viewers with her fab new figure. I thought, 'If Jennifer can lose 80 pounds, surely I can lose 15!' Some background: I’ve gained 15 pounds since we got married, which was three years ago. 5 pounds a year is not the trajectory I want to stay on. Think of the weight after 20 years! I’ve always been active, but seeing J-Hud really inspired me to buckle down. I signed up for Weight Watchers Online before the show was even over, and have seen nothing but results since. I’ve lost 8 pounds in 4 weeks! I’ve been really happy with it. Pants are fitting better, and it’s like I have new clothes in my closet because they actually fit!

In other news, Mother and I have been quilting. Yes, I am my mother’s daughter. And my grandmother’s granddaughter, for that matter. I started a Christmas quilt before last Christmas, and I’m just now finishing it…Hopefully it will be done by Christmas 2011. And Mother has been working on a baby quilt, assuming my sister or I will eventually need it. I like her confidence.

(Insert picture of Christmas quilt here-Oops! Next post...)

More baby gifts! This one went to a roommate from Tech whose baby girl is due in a few weeks. Happy Baby Jacque!

Tomorrow I turn 25. I feel good about it! Tonight’s dinner conversation topic: What were you doing when you were 25?

And now I’ll ask you, what were you doing at 25? Or if you’re not there yet, what do you hope to be doing at 25?

I'll leave you with a photo of my grandfather's pen collection and a quote from our favorite 87-year old woman, Bunny.

She was talking about a time years ago when her son was in his twenties and was living with her and her husband. One day her son said to her, "You know Mother, living with you is really curtailing my sex life." She responds, "And what exactly do you think it's doing to mine?"

Happy Weekend!

The Big 6-0.

2011-02-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

My mother's 60th birthday was sure to be a challenge when it came to how in the world Dad and I were going to pull off surprising her with a big party. We planned and prepped, prepped and planned. We invited over 100 people and about 65 showed, including my Mom's brother Bill and sister Carol, my brother Brad, my Dad's sister Paula and Mom's best friend from college, Lin. Plus old friends from Colorado and El Paso.

All of her friends and family showing up to celebrate with her was such evidence of what a wonderful woman she is. I'm truly blessed to call her my Mom.

We ordered mini cupcakes from Cake Fetish and they were delish! We did the hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries.

I bought flowers from Costco and divided them into different centerpieces.

Mom was VERY surprised by Lin who came all the way from Cleveland.

And brother Brad from DC.

Too cute!

Mom's brother and sister.

We slaved over 4 of P-Dub's lasagna's...A BIG hit!

Poofs and homemade banner.

She was in shock.

Opening gifts after everyone had left.

Ti-red. But what a fun night!

The (Not-So) Perfect Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T20:30:00.001-08:00

Ryan and I celebrated Valentine’s Day on Saturday. I always have high expectations for days like these, wanting to get Ryan a special and thoughtful gift and really celebrate “us.” Here is also something I don't think I should be proud of, yet honest. I really enjoy receiving gifts. I’m not sure if this is shallow or something I need to take up with the Lord, but I like getting presents.

I also like making homemade valentines!

This year I decided rickrack was the perfect accessory.

Anyways….We had plans (and a Groupon) to dine at Slate Street Café and I had high hopes of making some beautifully delicious dessert for us to enjoy at home. My pal Millie made this for V-Day, and I’m completely coveting her domestic skills. Due to lack of preparation, I used the mix that came along with a cute bundt pan set my mother in law gave me for Christmas.

Here are the results:

I hope you're laughing out loud. That's really the only appropriate response to this picture.

I ruined Valentine’s Day.

And you should see the bottom of my oven...

We decided to exchange gifts before we left for dinner. Ryan got me a nice necklace from Lilly Barrack that is really pretty, just not so much my style. What does a wife do in this situation? Pretend you like it and wear it? Tell him the truth and when he offers to let you return it take him up on it? When talking this over with my sister I say, “You know I’m picky about my jewelry…” and she replies, “Yes, that and everything else.” I’m choosing to take this as a compliment. She said honesty is the best policy and I’m assuming she’s right. And it doesn’t help that I’m not so cool at hiding my emotions so he could tell I wasn’t crazy about the necklace. The truth of the matter is I have a dear husband who had a very busy and stressful week who picked something sweet out for me for Valentine’s Day. I am very blessed.

But alas, I managed to ruin Valentine’s Day again.

We ended up have an excellent meal at Slate Street, and saw Just Go With It. It was cute and very very funny. We laughed really hard. And by the way, Jennifer Aniston is 42 and looks unbelievable. It’s not fair.

I think it’s important to note that in marriage not everything is roses and sunshine and perfect gifts and perfect heart-shaped bundt cakes. And even on one of the most romantic days of the year, there are plenty of things to screw it up. But that’s life. And we love each other because of and in spite of burnt bundts (say that three times fast) and not-my-style necklaces. And I’m so thankful for my sweet sweet hubby who loves me so well.

This has nothing to do with the above, but one of our new fave bands, Mumford and Sons is really worth checking out. Dudes, they are really good. We’ve heard a few songs on the radio and we bought the CD today, and so should you. Unless of course you already have and we’re the ones totally late to that party.

Happy V-Day!

Master Makeover Compliments of the Snow

2011-02-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

As you saw on our last post, Ryan and I had a week off last week due sub-zero temps and a few flakes. While it was fabulous, it was difficult to plan since we didn't know if we'd be off the next day or not. Let's just say the house became a wreck, we stayed in our jammies for most of the day, and watched the entire season two of The Office. It was so great seeing Jim and Pam fall in love all over again. Anyway, we decided on Thursday afternoon that it was time to paint our bedroom. You see, when we moved in we painted the entire house and painted our bedroom a light blue. I really wanted to paint it gray two years ago, but was too chicken to do it. So we went for blue. And I've hated it ever since. Hate is a strong word, more like great disdain.

Can you even tell it's blue in the picture? We also had bad lamps and make-shift side tables.

Now you can see the blue. And the bad lamps.

Here is where the idea began...We even got a fire going.

Sonic beverages, check. Paint, check.

I told you about the jammies till noon thing...

May I take a moment to brag on my husband's trimming skills? Seriously, this kid is GOOD!

Dust much?

Like Ryan says, "Gray is elegant for you and manly for me." Whatever works for him...

What do you think?

The side tables and lamps were bought this summer at TJMaxx for under $150 for all four.

I'm digging the pop of yellow with these sunflowers! I'm in the market for new throw pillows...Maybe teal and yellow?

Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore's Magnificent Snow Day(s)

2011-02-02T08:17:00.001-08:00

It all began at 5:24AM yesterday morning. My sweet husband's alarm went off, we checked the APS website, and no news was bad news: We had to go to work. So he hops in the shower and a few minutes later, just for grins, I check the website again: 2 HOUR DELAY. You see, my little private school follows whatever APS says, so I too get to sleep in! He gets out of the shower and back into bed. We set the alarm for an hour later, check the website and guess what?! SCHOOL WAS CANCELED! Now it's not that I don't LOVE those sweet little 5 and 6 year olds I spend my Tuesdays and Thursdays with, but a day off, in the middle of the week, with the hottie I live with? What a treat! So we did what any people who've been warned to stay off the roads by all official people in the city would do...we headed out for bagels and coffee.

The bagels were consumed too quickly to be photographed.

We don't exactly own a snow shovel, but the broom did the trick for our driveway.

We spent a good part of the day with Jim, Pam and the gang, drinking hot tea and crafting.

I learned how to make tissue paper poms-much cheaper than buying them on etsy...Seriously $5 for 99 cents worth of tissue paper?

I know it's not clear, but it snowed close to 5 inches!

Brrrrrrrrr......

One thing I did not do yesterday was bake the Pioneer Woman's chicken pot pie, but I did weeks ago, and it certainly deserves to be featured in a blog post.

Check out my poms!

Tacos were our snow day dinner of choice, and they were delish!

We spent some time with Solomon learning about how all of life is vanity, and that enjoying anything in life is a simple gift of God.

And I understand this falls under the category of pure vanity according to Solomon, but I did end our lovely snow day with the gals of Beverly Hills.

Did I mention that the glorious 'powers that be' canceled school AGAIN today?

So we had breakfast burritos this morning...

And now we're watching Love Story, from 1970 and it is absolutely heartwarming. And it's a good thing too, our hearts being warmed, because the current temperature in the 505 is 1 degree!

Dear Baby Mace,

2011-01-22T09:06:00.001-08:00

Your full legal name was Macey Elizabeth Johns, but we affectionately referred to you as Baby Mace. You were a pretty good dog. You were acquired under controversial circumstances. You see, our beloved Domino passed after 13 good years and Mother and I decided it was time for another furry friend in the house

Opposed was not the word to describe Dad. Obstinately opposed was more like it. But Mother and I bought a new dog anyway. You were about one pound of white fluff, and we loved you.

You grew to be quite obnoxious and rambunctious.

I made many apologies for you when guests would come over and you would violently scrape their legs or make their ears bleed from your high pitched barks.

Dad’s heart was changed a few months after you came to be our dog, and you were soon his best friend. He’ll really miss you. So will Mother.

You were a nice little snuggly dog, and we’ll all miss you.

When I told my parents, “Well, she’s in doggy heaven.” Dad replies, “No, she was a bad dog, she’s probably still in purgatory.”

We are thankful for the time we had with you. Rest in Peace Baby Mace.

A Thought on Education from Bunnie.

2011-01-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

"It just goes to show you that it pays to send your children to the finest schools. Look at that Kate Middleton. Her parents sent her to a fine school and she's going to be the Queen of England."

I think my 87-year-old friend may be onto something.

Bargain Boots.

2011-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I made the ever important decision that this girl needed some really great boots. As I scoured the internet, I found some delicious Steve Madden's that were unfortunately out of this part-time school-teacher's budget. For kicks and giggles however, my friend Millie and I traipsed over to Dillard's shoe department and tried them on. The shoe salesman, Julio was especially kind..."Those boots look really good on you...And not just because I work here, I'm serious." "Thank you, Julio. I'll be sure to send my husband back here to buy them for me for Christmas." What I really meant by that, of course, was, "I will do my darndest to find something comparable for much cheaper. Thank you for your time." So here are the Steve Madden's...

And HERE are some very similar boots I found at Kohl's.com. Unfortunately I could not find them here in town, nor were they available online. BUT due to God's sovereign hand over my fashion choices, Millie found them at the Kohl's in Midland for $36.99. That's right, $100 cheaper than the Maddens. Now, to be fair, the Steve Madden's were real leather, and these are, eh em, pleather, but it's totally fine. $36.99, people. $36.99.

Without further adieu...

VERY similar boots with the same buckle on the side and everything!
The boots have kept my toes warm and stylish this winter, AND under budget.

2010.

2010-12-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

I've never been a huge New Year's fan, but I'm beginning to like different traditions friends and family have shared with me. For example, my brother Travis has a "Do Not Tolerate" list for the following year based on things he did tolerate in the current year but wants to rid himself of. A blog I've already mentioned before, kojodesigns has 2 great traditions that Ryan and I will be starting this year. First, write down the best things about the previous year, AND make predictions for the following year. While I still have great ambitions of blogging about our Christmas festivities, I thought a photo review of 2010 would be fun. Enjoy!

January: My sister Jen got married to Chris on New Years Day in Galveston.

February: Lesley begins demolition of the tile. (New tile is installed shortly after).

March: We run a half-marathon in Washington DC while spending Spring Break visiting my brother, Brad.

April: Lesley's first ham for Easter.

May: Lesley gives Ryan the first home-haircut....Oops!!! Don't worry folks, I fixed it. :)

June: We take a road trip all through Texas visiting friends and family.

July part I: The landscaping of the backyard begins.

July Part II: Megan and Sean come to visit from Georgia.

August: Johns Family Camping.

September: Trip to Dixon Apple Farm.

October: Love trip to Durango.

November: Millie comes to visit.

December: Ryan and I embrace ugly Christmas sweaters for the Johns Family "Talent" Show.

Happy 2011!

Adventures in MILLIE sitting!

2010-12-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my dear friend Millie came to Albuquerque for a visit. Allow me to properly introduce Mill...She and I led a girls Bible study at Tech for Campus Crusade and knew quickly we were kindred spirits...And my favorite part about Millie, she's the 3rd of 8 children and was home-schooled. I wish the following photographs were filled with denim jumpers and white Keds, but Millie is much more fashionable than I, and she herself gave me the idea for the title of this blog. We laughed till we cried, and had such a fun time together. It was a very low key weekend, (just how we like it) and we were both very blessed!

Weck's for breakfast.

I was on a boot mission-found great Steve Madden's at Dillard's, but then found VERY similar boots at Kohl's for $100 less...well, Millie found them in Midland and is shipping them soon, I'll post comparative pics when I receive them.

Mini Le Crueset. Melt my gourmet heart.

Millie rockin the Kitchenaid!

We nailed the Pioneer Woman's almond scones...Delish!

We went shopping...Millie was my personal shopper in the best sort of ways. We found this great dress and...The Magic Belt. I'm telling you, the belt is magical. Everything I tried on looked 10x better with the belt. Then, we got home and put the belt on my existing clothes and it was as if I had a whole new wardrobe! Magic, I tell you!

Ryan appreciating the fashion show.

Millie was appalled that I owned Chaco's. I tried to tell her they were very practical for the nanny job I had 3 summers ago, but she didn't relent. Don't worry, me trying on the Chaco's with the dress was only for Millie's entertainment.

The Belt even gives Ryan a waist!

We had a fabulous lunch with Linds and went to a craft fair at a very evil place...La Cueva. :)

BOOOOOOOOO!

Lindsey loving her crafts.

How glam is Millie?

Quite the conundrum.

I sent Ryan for appetizers at Trader Joe's and he came back with Mac and Cheese poppers. Love him.

Love Frozen Yogurt...YUM!

It was a delight to have Mill in town for the weekend....Come again soon!

2010-11-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

I have a dorky confession. I am a serious Harry Potter girl. The first book came out in ’97, which would’ve made me 11-the same age as Harry and his friends as they started Hogwarts. I’m blaming my dorky obsession on the fact that I was a pre-teen who loved reading. So anyways, I read all the books and have also seen all the movies. The 7^th movie is out (well, Part One that is) and since it’s been so long since I’ve seen all the movies, I coaxed my sweet husband into a Harry marathon. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday this week and 3 days off, we’ve had ample time to catch up with Harry and the gang. We’re finishing the 6^th movie and then heading to the 7^th this afternoon… What’s your dorky obsession?

2010-11-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

Durango.

2010-10-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Ryan and I took a little love trip up to Durango. Taking the advice from my friend Susan who is the expert on Durango, we stayed at the Apple Orchard Inn. This place is the definition of charming. It's a Bed and Breakfast north of town, and we had our own private cottage!

Our little cottage! It had a fireplace inside and a hot tub in the back.

Delightful, right?!

The trees were all changing colors and were beautiful.

We ate, and ate, and ate some more. Isn't that what vacation is for?

On the front porch of the cottage. Ryan is the expert on the timer-photo.

Dessert. Yummy!

How cute is my love?

The aspen in the fall are to.die.for.

It was a great blessing to get away and relax for the weekend. I love you, Ry!

2010-10-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Babies, Babies, Babies.

2010-10-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

No, not for us yet (keep those prayers coming!), but many of my close friends are having wee ones lately. This not only provides me ample opportunity to hold sweet newborns, but also for taking a whack at the Singer dear husband bought me last Christmas. Craft blogs are my new best friend, and as my friend Michelle pointed out today when opening a gift I made for her, "Part time is treating you well!" Using patterns and tutorials from homemadebyjill, I've come up with some sweet shower gifts.

3 burp cloths, a bib, and diaper wipes clutch-of the feminine variety made from a 4-pack of receiving blankets.

Same thing, only the gender neutral "Surprise Baby" variety-and I bought the flannel fabric from Joanne's.

The wipes clutch. Making diaper changing a little less crappy.

This afternoon I also hosted, with the help of some sweet friends, a baby shower to help welcome my good friend Michelle's second daughter into the world. For throwing parties, and other crafting goodness, I always check out kojodesigns. These girls are good.

Sweet "wishes for baby" cards that people filled out. Very fun.

And for favors...A festive chocolate bar for the road!

I Heart Autumn in New Mexico

2010-09-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest things about the Land of Enchantment is having four true seasons. Autumn is officially among us, and we've truly been enjoying the nip in the air! If only I could have a new cardi for every day of the week...Okay, so perhaps that's an unreasonable request, but a girl can dream....

This morning, Ryan and I took our annual voyage north for the best apples around. I've been going to Dixon's Apple Farm since I was a little girl, and I truly love the tradition. And the apples.

Yes, we had caramel apples for breakfast.

Another fun thing we did last week was go see Brad Paisley in concert. Some sweet friends of ours' scored free tickets and invited us to go. When walking in, Whitney looks at the tickets and says, "Do you think Section One is good?" Yes, Whitney, section one was VERY good!

I promise Ryan had not done drugs that night. Or ever.

Adding to this random Fall blog post is the recipe for buttermilk pie. My brother Travis has two specialties: booze and dessert. And if we're honest, that's everyone's favorite part of a meal anyway. This is Trav's recipe, and totally worth sharing!

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

frozen pie crust

Melt butter. Add flour to sugar. Mix well with butter. Add buttermilk, eggs, salt and vanilla. Bake in unbaked pie shell 60 minutes at 325 until golden brown.

We took this tonight to the annual neighborhood potluck, and the neighbors could not get enough! The last time I made it, I sliced fresh strawberries on top and it was great. Its also the kind of dessert you eat the next morning with a cup of coffee. That is, if you're the type who eats leftover dessert for breakfast like me.

I hope you and yours are also enjoying the Fall!

Fight Raiders Fight...

2010-09-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

Last night the Texas Tech football team rolled into Albuquerque to play the Lobos. It has been 6 years since they've been to town, and 6 years ago I was a freshman at Tech. Lindsey, my bff from high school and roomie at Tech and I made the trip back for the game very confident of our Red Raiders to put it to the Lobos and have bragging rights for the next four years. Much to our dismay, the Lobos pulled off a win in the last few seconds with a field goal. It was depressing. Last night was some sweet revenge. Tech beat the Lobos 52-17, and now all is right in the world again.

Dear Husband and I when he thought the Lobos may have a chance...

Laura (another bff from ABQ who also went to Tech) and I with our GUNS UP!

A beautiful sunset was the perfect backdrop for a beautiful win.

Go Tech!

Family Camping 2010

2010-09-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

Family Camping 2010 was over a month ago, but the memories are still warm in our hearts. Jen, Chris and Trav came in from Houston, and Brad made his way down from DC. Also joining us this year were Dad’s two best buds from high school, Luke and Butch. Luke’s wife Evette, and sweet sweet 4-year-old son, Isaac (Little Man) were also along for the ride, and we all left with our faith in child discipline restored. It rained quite a bit, but we still had a great time.

The night before we left for camping, we went to a Topes game, and also made four buttermilk pies.

Dead tree. Good for firewood.

Isaac was playing horseshoes with Sophie. Sophie is clearly amused.

Fire builders.

Luke’s Frisbee: Varsity, Ryan’s: JV.

Ryan and Travis had a coloring contest and Isaac was the judge. Trav wins.

Fisherman.

Rock Collector.

Brad’s Fish.

Texas (Chris and Butch) vs. New Mexico (Dad and Ryan) game of horseshoes. New Mexico won. Twice.

We were bored, (mostly due to the rain) so it seemed like a really great idea to have a race. Ryan won.

I then challenged my sweet mother to a walking race, and she really did give me a run for my money.

Do you see how I hardly beat her? Yikes.

Sissies.

Mom’s lightning-quick hands were helpful when avoiding mosquitoes.

Team Photo.

Johns-Cash-Gilmore-Lesak Team Photo.

Brad and Travis competed for “Best Uncle” award using Little Man.

My family is very concerned with having specific roles defined when together for special occasions. Travis is very much the “Camp Drunk,” and has been for many years now. Brad really wants to be the best at everything, so this year he challenged Travis’ title. Ryan was coaching or counseling Trav in his endeavors, and Chris came in as the Rookie of the Year. Check out these shirts, made by Trav himself.

2010-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

2010-08-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Summer Reading.

2010-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

One of the many great things about teaching is summer vacation. And one of the many great things about summer vacation is plenty of time to curl up with a good book. I've read a number of good books this summer, and thought I could share!

Very entertaining. Especially the author's travels to Italy and Bali. The author uses "God," loosely, and although I don't agree with her on who God is, I still enjoyed the book!

Excellent. If Piper cannot convict your soul, something is wrong with you.

REALLY funny. Like, "Ryan, let me read this out loud to you again," funny. Okay, so he didn't think it was as funny as I did, but if you're female, and need a good laugh, pick this one up.

Not as funny as the other, but cute and enjoyable.

Almost done with this one. Amy Carmichael was a missionary in India and is one incredible lady. One of my favorite excerpts from the book:

Elliot speaking of Carmichael, "Her great longing was to have a "single eye" for the glory of God. Whatever might blur the vision of God had given her of His work, whatever could distract or deceive or tempt others to see anything but the Lord Jesus Himself she tried to eliminate. Why waste precious time, painful effort, on lesser things? Someone suggested that more girls would be drawn to the meetings if she offered lessons in sewing or embroidery and administered only a mild dose of the Gospel. But these girls worked from five in the morning till have past six in the evening. They had one day off in ten. They hadn't time for foolishness. Furthermore, so far as Amy could see there was no scriptural warrant for 'consecrated fancywork and chatter, for fleshly things rather than spiritual.' 'I would rather have two come in earnest than a hundred who came to play,' she said. 'We have no time to toy with souls like this. It is not by ceremonial tea making and flower arranging, not by wool chrysanthemum making and foreign sewing learning, but 'by My Spirit saith the Lord.'"

What good books have you read lately?

Backyard Oasis.

2010-07-27T13:47:00.001-07:00

Our backyard is now a really lovely place to spend time in. Dear Husband and my Dad worked so hard to make it so beautiful. For four weeks, almost every single day, the two of them were out in the hot sun grinding away at the pit that was our backyard.

Tearing up the old wood decking that surrounded the patio.

A month prior to starting our backyard renovation, part of our fence blew down in a windstorm. Ryan had it rigged up for a while, but before the HOA sent us to homeowners prison, we thought it best to replace that portion of the fence.

My Dad, Marty and Ryan rebuilt the fence, and good luck to the next windstorm!

Sturdy!

The monster of an evergreen on the side of the house was no match for my father and a chainsaw.

Here's a good shot of the DEAD grass and the general landscape before. The flagstone was laid out to see how much 1 ton really covers.

Free manual labor is a gift from above. I kept them happy with lots of this...

And this...

Dad became obsessed with Trader Joe's Sweet Tea.

The Home Depot rental truck made a couple trips to Emily Street.

All the block for around the yard.

Putting in the flagstone where the rotting wood once was.

Patio- mid-process.

Random photo of Ryan with his sisters. I thought it was a sweet photo.

Okay, so the patio and walkway out to the side yard was laid. And the railroad ties that once outlined the flower beds are now beautiful block walls. The ground is prepped for the new sod.

Father, being the baseball genius he is, really helped us in prepping the ground for the new sod.

The big sod day!

Sod is instant gratification!

Lunch Break.

YAY!

The inaugural mowing 2 weeks after the sod was laid.

Dad just can't help himself from thinking this yard is his yard.

No, but really, we don't have an electric lawn mower yet.

We also decided to plant two hardy butterfly bushes in front of the two guest bedroom windows.

They love their new home.

We have already spent many mornings sipping our coffee and many evenings eating supper with family and friends and are so thankful for our beautiful new backyard. Come on over, will ya?!

The Birthday Boy

2010-07-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

My dear husband had a birthday a few days ago. We met when he was 24 and I was 20. I thought he was an old man then...Now he's 28 and in his words, "When you're 27, it's still mid-twenties...But 28 is officially late-twenties and 30 is right around the corner." The good news for him (and me!) is, he gets more and more handsome (and kind, and...) every single year. I am so thankful for the man I share life with. He is such a joy and continues to make me laugh everyday.

On his actual birthday we celebrated by eating Thai food for lunch and seeing Inception. We also had a BBQ for him in our newly landscaped backyard oasis!

Yellow Cake Mini Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting...Thank you, Smitten Kitchen.

The Grill-Master

The Menu:

Burgers and Hot Dogs

Chips and Queso

Watermelon

Cheesy-Bacon Broccoli Salad

Sangria

Beer

Lesley M and Mother

Dad and Paul.

Blayde, Leah, Noelle

Dom and Karen.

Crazy Parents.

Ryan blowing out the candles with the resident 4-year-old expert.

Brandon and Julie

Realizing about midnight that we didn't take one picture the whole night.

Happy Birthday, Love!

Sprinklers.

2010-07-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

The water sprays out, in a cool gentle stream, 

In the hot days of summer, it's every child's dream.

Carefree and barefoot, they run to and fro, 

Playing a game, while helping the grass grow.

They laugh with excitement, as the water gives them a spray, 

What a way to cool off, they could do this all day.

The fun of the sprinkler, can’t be beat

Even a pool’s not as neat.

-E.K. Stapleton

A Glimpse of the Gilmore Summer

2010-06-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

What summer days look like around here...

Landscaping the backyard...

(An entire post will be dedicated to this once it's all done)

Spending time with family...

Selling a bunch of old crap...

Spending time with good friends...

And loving on one sweet little boy who's in town from Georgia!

Thoughts on Suffering

2010-06-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend at church, we had a guest speaker who did a brilliant job teaching on the suffering of Job and different lessons the Bible gives us when it comes to our own suffering. It really hit home during a somewhat difficult season. Not only have Ryan and I gone through our own sadness, but other people in our family are suffering as well. My 85-year-old grandmother, who already has Alzheimer’s, recently had a stroke. It was a mild one, and she seems to be getting better each day, but it’s definitely taken a toll on my sweet old grandpa who hates to see his lovebird in such a state. They celebrated their 64^th wedding anniversary last week, and are as sweet as can be. 64 years! What a blessing! It’s also taken its toll on my Mom, who has taken such good care of both of them. Mom is quite a go-getter when it comes to crisis situations, and has once again stepped up and helped her parents every way she can.

Also, we recently found out that my Aunt Carol, my Mom’s little sister, has cancer. It’s in her colon and liver, and more tests may show that it has spread beyond those two places. It is already stage 4. She’s only 57. Not good. Mother flew out to California to be with my aunt for the week, and hopefully we’ll know more soon. Before I go on to the thoughts on suffering, can you please take a moment to pray for my family? Pray that my Grandpa would love Grandma well and that the Lord would sustain him. Pray that the Lord would heal my Aunt Carol and sustain her as she faces this devastating news. Pray also for my Mom, who needs prayer as she tries to be the strong and brave cheerleader while the people closest to her are falling apart. She and I joked last week, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” I’m sure at times it really does seem like that darn sky really is falling.

As I think of all of these things, I am encouraged by Dr. Zaspel’s words on suffering. You can get the entire message on the DSC website, but I’ll sum up some of the main things that stuck out to me. Job was a healthy man with a large family and great wealth. And very quickly, Job had lost it all. He lost his wealth, he lost his home, he lost all of his children, he lost all of his animals, he lost health, he lost the support of his wife and friends, and even at some points due to God’s haunting silence during this pain, he felt he’s lost his God. His response: “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:20-22. Job has lost EVERYTHING, but he worshiped and did not charge God with wrong.

One of the first things we can learn is that suffering often comes as the result of an unseen conflict in the spiritual world. The Bible tells us that Satan is on the hunt like a hungry lion, wanting to devour our souls. God is allowing Satan to tempt Job, but God has him on a leash. When suffering seems out of the blue, we don’t understand, but it may be because we’ve drawn enemy fire. I had never thought of this before, but pastor said, “God may have set out to silence Satan though a suffering saint. Our suffering can be purposeful. By suffering well and trusting the Lord through difficult times, God gives us a means by which we can honor Him.”

Secondly, in our suffering, God is calling us to a robust faith. Job had no answers for why he was suffering and couldn’t put it all together. God didn’t tell Job at first, and he doesn’t always tell us either. A question Dr. Zaspel challenged us with was, “Do I trust God or feel as though he owes me an explanation?” God owes us no explanation; we owe it to Him to trust him. We do God no honor only to trust him when we understand and agree completely. Also, it’s not important that we know all the answers, because He’s given us more than enough to trust Him.

Lastly, we must learn from this book with our New Testament glasses. Job had no mediator between he and God. He had no one to give him answers and make it right between them. But we have a mediator who entered into our suffering in order to restore us to God. He is touched with our feelings of calamities. God gives us all the grace that we need for every single minute. In 2^nd Corinthians, God tells Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So Paul replies, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I hope you too can be encouraged by these words, whether in a season of suffering or season of great joy…The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Tour de Texas

2010-06-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I set sail on the open road last week for our neighbor to the east. We had a number of stops, and spent over 24 hours in the car. By the end, we were very tired of driving, but we had an excellent time visiting with family and friends.

Hitting the road! Ryan did most of the driving...

First stop: Dallas! Spent the night with our great friends, Jeff and Dana. We laughed so hard with them, and wished we had more time to visit.

Dana and I.

Heading down I-35 to Houston.

Stopped at Cooper's Farm and spent $24 on peaches, jelly, and homemade peach ice cream. Sure, we got ripped off, but everything was delicious!

The overpriced homemade ice cream. Delish.

We made it to Sugar Land to spend 3 days with my sister and new brother-in-law, Chris. They had the fridge stocked with Shiner's finest, and Ryan was very grateful.

Sissies! My sis makes a mean blackberry mojito, but she prefers the "no-jito".

Chris is a grill-master.

Trying to explain to my new brother in law how coozies aren't really a classy touch.

The newlyweds!

Brad, wish you were here!

At Travis' place downtown. Very swanky.

At the wine bar, also very swanky.

Next Stop: Shiner, TX. Shiner is the Eagle Scout capitol of Texas. Ryan fit right in!

Love Birds.

More Love Birds.

Ryan in Beer Heaven.

Enjoying his sample.

That bench could've been ours for a mere $250!

So much fun with the sis!

Group Photo!

Next Stop: Austin. We had an excellent early anniversary dinner downtown.

Very thankful for the hottie I share life with.

YUM!

Apparently there is a bridge in Austin where bats live and fly away at dusk all at once. We waited for those darn bats for over an hour and they never came.

Check out all the people waiting for the bats.

At the Texas capitol in Austin. Big deal.

Next Stop: Fredricksburg for lunch. Such a cute little town with fun antique shops. Wish we could've spent the whole day there!

On our way to Odessa! Bratcher family here we come!

Our last stop before heading back to the Land of Enchantment was in Odessa to see my great friend Millie and her family. It was such a blessing to spend time with them!

Lately.

2010-06-12T19:03:00.000-07:00

It seems I haven’t blogged in about two months, and this is because the last two months Ryan and I have walked through some very difficult days. I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not it’s the internet’s (and by the internet I mean the random people who may or may not read this blog’s) business, but I think it’s important to share troubling times as well as the happy times that have mostly filled the pages of this blog. So today, random people who may or may not be reading this blog, we are turning the corner on roses and sunshine and sharing the current burden on our lives.

In early April, Ryan and I were ecstatic and grateful to find out that we were pregnant. We met with the midwife, I loved her, and she scheduled an early ultrasound the next week to date the pregnancy since we weren’t 100% positive how far along I was. According to my (99% positive) calculations, I was about 8 weeks at the ultrasound. Expecting to hear a little heartbeat and see a little blob of a baby in there, we were sorely disappointed when we saw an empty gestational sac staring back at us on the screen. Of course the ultrasound tech can’t tell you anything, but her demeanor changed dramatically, and I knew something wasn’t right. They did not have a doctor in the office at that point that could talk to me, but the sweet nurse on the phone did say that there was an empty gestational sac that measured about 6 and a half weeks. The next day I met with a new OB, who was also very kind. She diagnosed me with a blighted ovum, which means I was pregnant, but the baby either never developed, or stopped developing at some point. This was our first pregnancy, and of course we had high hopes for the little one growing inside.

When you’re diagnosed with a miscarriage, they give you 3 options. First option: Let your body take it’s course and allow it miscarry on its own. 2^nd: Take a pill that induces a miscarriage within 24 hours and 3^rd: Have a procedure called a D&C where they knock you out and remove the fetal tissue from your uterus. At that point I decided that I would let my body do its thing although I had no symptoms of miscarriage at all. As a matter of fact, I felt very much pregnant. Although no baby was growing, my body was still producing pregnancy hormones because the gestational sac was still in there. My hormone levels even shot up from 39,000 to 57,000 in one week after the diagnosis. Lovely.

Then, two weeks later my HCG levels were going down, but still no sign of a miscarriage and I was really ready for it to be over. I asked for the D&C because I had read many horror stories online about the medicine they give you. I understand the surgery is more invasive, but the side effects of that medicine seemed way worse. When I asked to be scheduled, they couldn’t get me in until ANOTHER 2 weeks. Patience. The D&C was about a week ago, and although not my most spectacular experience, they did their best to make me comfortable and every nurse and doctor I have had contact with either in person or on the phone has been so kind and understanding and helpful. We’re very thankful for that.

We have many other things to be thankful for throughout this ordeal. We have a good God who loves us and gives us the grace to handle difficult situations. The grace He has shown us through our friends and family has been wonderful. Ryan and I are blessed to have a very strong support system and we’re thankful to everyone who has lent an ear, prayed for us, and really loved us through this. Not all moments have been those of gratitude, and there have been many “why?’s” to be sure. The end of Romans 11 has spoken volumes lately, and appropriately enough I wrote these verses down the morning of that initial ultrasound.

“Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever.”

Have I mentioned my amazingly kind, sensitive, caring, and supportive husband? Ryan has gone above and beyond to love, pray, and encourage his somewhat loony bin of a wife… and for now we’ll blame it on the ebbing and flowing of hormones and emotions. I am very grateful for my sweet husband.

Although there is temptation to be anxious about when we try again and what the future holds for our little family, we are sure God will continue to pour out His grace on us as we move forward one day at a time.

10 Reasons I heart Albuquerque in the Spring

2010-04-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

10. No longer freezing my tail when outside on recess duty at school.

9. Tulips (that were planted before we bought the house) blooming in the yard.

8. Spring fashion comes full force! I.really.don’t.like.winter.clothes. Which brings me to Liberty of London for Target. Please tell me you've been to Target like me recently and done laps just wondering what other fab floral prints are waiting for you around the corner? Love. it.

7. Watching Eldorado baseball.

6. Watching Volcano Vista track (It’s growing on me!)

5. “Borrowing” neighbors’ lilacs to help scent my home.

4. Spring forward daylight savings…I love that it doesn’t get dark until 8 o’clock.

3. My toes coming out of hibernation and being treated to a new shade, Commander in Chic.

2. Beautiful Albuquerque sunsets

1. Long walks with my sweetheart on cool early evenings.

I mean really, how cute is he? :)

He is Risen.

2010-04-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last."

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words." Luke 22 & 24

Ryan and I had a wonderful Easter together with our family. We hosted our families and I made my first ham, and by "made" I mean, heated up my pre-cooked ham. It turned out delish!

On the menu:

Ham: Me

Fruit Salad: Mama Carol

Green Beans: Mama Lee Ann

Homemade Mac & Cheese: Mama Lee Ann

Rolls: Mama Carol

Deviled Eggs: Lauren

Chocolate Macaroons with strawberries: Yours truly (thank you Martha!)