Thanksgiving Weekend

Dave and I are now back home, where the constant sound of sirens from the nearby police and fire stations is a continual soundtrack, but we had a wonderful weekend at my parents' (quiet) house. We spent Thursday with my aunt and uncle, brother and sister-in-law, and mom and dad before heading to my parents' house for the rest of the weekend. Thanksgiving dinner was delicious, and I think I set a personal record for the amount of food I consumed during that meal. It was all so good, especially the do-ahead potatoes and taffy apple salad. (And I'm not just saying that because I made the salad--it was so good I ate some of the leftovers for my pre-breakfast snack yesterday.)

Dave's birthday fell on this weekend, so we made sure to celebrate. My dad made him a sign for his place at the table that morning.
Then, later on that night, we all went to Bass Pro Shops so Dad could help Dave pick out a bunch of fishing gear with the gift card he got for his birthday. Dave and my dad had a good time going up and down the fishing department aisles, looking for the best bobbers, hooks, etc., to set Dave up well for his next fishing adventure.
We did venture out on Black Friday for some of the sales, but we waited until the doorbuster deals were almost done. That meant I didn't find some things I had hoped for because they'd been sold out, but I still got some great deals and didn't have to miss out on sleep or battle large crowds to get the bargains.

Today was another highlight of my weekend. Because we were staying with my parents, we went to their church, which is the church I also attended before getting married. I always enjoy visiting my old church because it means I get to see some very good friends. Today was no exception. I met up with Julie V. and Nealy, who was in town for the holiday, and we enjoyed lunch at Jason's Deli. I think we were there for almost 4 hours because we couldn't stop talking! I am so grateful for these girls and for a husband who kindly tolerates all the girl talk.

This weekend really was just what I needed. Life can get so hectic sometimes with work and other adult responsibilities. It's nice to take some time off to relax and hang out with the people you love. I'm not quite ready to jump back into the routine tomorrow, but I'm refreshed after such a great Thanksgiving weekend.

BTW--I know that the blog is now decorated for winter, but I wanted to share this find from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I can't walk past a clearance section, especially when it's full of fall decorations. I snagged this beautiful fall tablecloth for $5 yesterday. It will be proudly displayed until I put up the Christmas decorations on December 1.

Gratefulness

The Gwynnes have a lot to be grateful for again this year. We're grateful for the basics like having food on the table each night, a family to spend time with and love, a good church, and, of course, each other. This year, I thought I would focus on a few more specific things that we are grateful for this Thanksgiving 2010.

A New Car

This time last year, our Chrysler Sebring was on its last leg. It seemed like Sweetie Pie/Mad Max (Dave gave my car a more masculine name when it became his car, too) was in the shop at least once a month, and we were in that uncomfortable time of debating whether it was worth putting all that money into a deteriorating car. By January, God blessed us with a great deal on a brand-new Hyundai Tucson. We weren't even looking at new cars because used cars offered more value, but this deal was just as good as one we'd get on some of the used cars we'd liked. It has been wonderful having a dependable car, especially now that Dave has a long commute.

Seeing Dave's Parents

Because Dave's parents still live in Scotland, we are unable to see them as often as we'd like. They have spent some of their vacation time to visit us the last two summers. We're grateful for their sacrifice to come to this humid climate in the middle of the hottest time of the year just to spend time with us. This year, we took them to St. Joseph, Michigan, making them walk in the hot sun down to the beach, only to follow that up with the scariest thunderstorm we'd ever experienced on our way home. They were certainly introduced to the sometimes frightening Midwestern thunderstorms this year. Whenever they come, Dave's mum spoils us by making dinner many nights and treating us throughout the visit. We are grateful for the trip they made to see us once again this year.

Vacation

It seems that, the older we get, the more we appreciate our vacation time. I grew up going to the family vacation spot, but now that I'm older, I enjoy just being able to sit and relax without having to find the next thing to keep me busy. This year, we went with my parents, and we had another great week. Dave discovered his love of fishing, and I took in plenty of beautiful sunsets watching him and my dad finish up the day with a few more casts. We're grateful for the time we can indeed get away instead of having to settle for daydreaming about it.

Dave's Job

At the beginning of this year, never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed that 1.) Dave would already be a certified classroom teacher this school year, 2.) Dave would be hired for a teaching job in July, 3.) Dave would have to quit that job for reasons beyond his control in September, and 4.) Dave would find his dream job and be hired for it 3 weeks to the day he resigned from his previous position. During that tumultuous time between jobs, I kept these verses as my promise: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV). God has proven himself true once again through providing Dave's job.

A Healthy Heart

Image courtesy of Tutorial Park

At the beginning of this year, Dave had to take me to urgent care because my heart constantly felt like it was beating out of my chest for a couple of days. The doctor ran an EKG, which came back normal, and told me I was most likely stressed and needed to slow down. Everything seemed fine until a couple of weeks ago when my doctor was concerned by my higher-than-normal heart rate. She ordered a Holter monitor to track my heart for 24 hours, just to make sure everything was okay. Being a twentysomething cardiac patient (albeit outpatient) was a scary prospect, but I went in to the hospital and got hooked up for a day. My results came back normal! I have never thought more about that involuntary muscle or been as grateful for it as I have this year. I'm grateful that God was with me the entire time, that my husband took time off or spent his days off taking me to the doctors, and that I had friends and family lifting me up in prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for the different blessings you've given us this past year. You have been our provider, our deliverer, and our healer. Thank you for providing a car and a job for Dave. Thank you for delivering us in the midst of stressful situations. And thank you for healing my body when the stress of life would affect my health. Amen.

Date Night: Baseball

Dave and I try to attend one baseball game every year, but this summer, as we approached the Labor Day weekend, we realized that time was running short. (I still don't understand how the summer flew by so quickly; it feels like just yesterday we were discussing plans to go to a game with friends "sometime.")

We live about 15 minutes away from one of the local minor league teams, so I checked out their schedule and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were playing on both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Although Saturday's game would be colder, it won out because of the end-of-game fireworks.

We bought our $5 bleacher/lawn tickets, only to find out that there weren't any bleachers, only the steep lawn. Stink! We lasted through the national anthem before deciding walking around would be better than being pushed around by the large party next to us and the dozens of kids rolling down the hill and throwing errant pitches as they played catch with the squishy balls given out as souvenirs at the gate.

Our view from the cheap seats

After a few pitches on the field, my brilliant husband spotted the promised bleachers (3 whole rows of them) and tables and chairs by the Miller Party Deck behind left field. We headed there and watched the game until an employee asked us to leave at the beginning of the final inning so they could set up for the fireworks.


Our exit led to a pretzel and pop snack before we settled in to a couple of vacant seats behind home plate. Now we know to splurge the next time we go to a game! Our cheap seats were fine, but I couldn't believe how much I'd missed being out in left field!

Enjoying the "luxury" seats

Our team won. (Hooray!) And we celebrated with some of the best fireworks I've ever seen. (Really, there was one that looked like a hose, spraying sparks all over the outfield--and, yes, it was on purpose!)

It may have taken us all summer to catch a game, but I'm glad we got a chance to go. It was one of my favorite activities of the summer.

It's Game Day, Baby

No matter what month may be featured on the calendar, it doesn't feel like fall until opening day of college football. I love the experiences that come with college football season: watching College GameDay on ESPN on Saturday morning, dressing in my team's colors, relaxing on the couch as my team plays on Saturday afternoon, jumping up and down when my team gets a touchdown. I have so many precious memories of cheering on the University of Michigan Wolverines with my mom on Saturday afternoons. I've continued the tradition in my own home now that I'm on my own, and I hope that my children will grow up to be Michigan fans. (They will be influenced beginning at birth!)

Today was the beginning of one of my favorite seasons: college football season! I dressed as closely to azure blue and maize, started the coffee, and turned on College GameDay to accompany me while I paid the monthly bills. The windows were wide open, allowing the cool, fall breezes to fill our living room with fresh air. All was right with the world.

(photo courtesy of ESPN)

Because Dave and I decided to go out a bit this afternoon, I set the DVR to record the Michigan-Connecticut game. I made sure not to find it on the radio as we drove around, because I didn't want to ruin the experience of watching their opening game.

We finally got home 90 minutes after kickoff, and I settled in to watch the Wolverines fight for a victory. I was hopeful but cautious, considering the horrible seasons they've endured for the last two years. Would this game be the shift toward winning seasons that they desperately needed? I yelled, "WOO-HOO!" when they scored the first touchdown and startled my husband. He had forgotten just how excited I get about Michigan football. (Oh, love, one of these years you'll remember!)

Interrupted by a date night to a local baseball game, the game watching restarted with the second half when I got home from cheering another team to victory. Denard Robinson continued to amaze me with his awesome quarterback performance, and I gasped with everyone else when he didn't get up after a tackle. (Fortunately, he returned to the game minutes later.) I yelled a bit more, then gave a final "WHOOOOOO!" when the final seconds ran out and Michigan ended the game with a 30-10 victory.

(photo courtesy of ABC)

My team had won its opener! I'm hoping this is the beginning of a good season for the Wolverines. I know that, no matter what happens with the team, it will be a good season for me because I'll always be able to spend my Saturday afternoons for the next 3 months watching those Wolverines play one of my favorite sports.

M Go Blue!

Catching Up Part 3--Happy Anniversary!

Two years in, and we're just as happy as can be. Thank you, God, for blessing us with two wonderful years of being husband and wife.

I'd been craving (no, I'm not expecting) White Fence Farm fried chicken and corn fritters for months before our anniversary, so it was the logical place to go for our special date. I had grown up going to White Fence Farm on special occasions, but Dave had never been there. The place hasn't changed a bit since my last visit years ago. They still have the tiny museum and old arcade games to keep waiting patrons occupied on busy nights. Because we went on a Tuesday, we didn't have to wait in line, and we got started on their corn fritters and other side items right away! Oh my word. I had forgotten just how good their fritters are! Dave enjoyed the fried chicken, too. It was a fun dinner--even though we were the youngest in the dining room by about 30 years!

I asked Dave to take my picture in front of the chicken near the front door.

Next, Dave took over the date with some surprises he'd planned for us. The first stop was The Cheesecake Factory for dessert! This place holds very special memories for us because it's where we went for dinner the night we got engaged. Aw!

I ordered my favorite, the Kahlua cheesecake. So yummy!

Sadly, I can't remember which cheesecake Dave chose, and he isn't here to tell me, so I'll leave you with the mouth-watering picture of his slice. I could go for some cheesecake right now!

As we always do when we go to The Cheesecake Factory, we took a walk to the spot where Dave proposed. The night of our engagement, he'd spotted a bed of tulips (my favorite flower), so he walked me over and got on one knee. We made sure to get a picture at the spot for our anniversary.

Here's a fun story about the dress I wore: I'd picked it up the summer before our wedding with plans to wear it for our ceilidh at the wedding reception. I wasn't so sure about spinning around in my beautiful but weighty wedding dress. I ended up wearing my wedding dress (and smacking people with the train--oops!) for the entire reception, so this party dress stayed in the closet for the last two years, until I decided I really needed to wear it! Our anniversary date was the perfect occasion.

After our lovely walk through the outdoor mall, Dave took me to Barnes and Noble and told me I could pick out any book I'd like as my anniversary gift from him. (He knows exactly what I like!) We browsed for a while before finding books that looked good.

I can't believe it's been two years since we said "I do" to each other. We've already had our share of challenges come up in the last two years, but it's always comforting to know that we have each other for support, no matter what comes our way. I'm even crazier about this amazing man than I was the day I married him! As my mom said just yesterday, I am so blessed to have Dave in my life. I love you, chee!

Catching Up Part 2--3rd/4th of July

This year's 4th of July was extra fun because of the weird 4th of July-on-Sunday deal. We were able to celebrate the 4th of July on the 3rd of July, too! We also managed to fit in two Independence Day parades that weekend. The 4th of July may be called the Post-colonial Day of Mourning in the Gwynne household because of Dave's British roots, but we weren't crying much this year.

On Saturday we hung out with my family and attended the parade that takes place in my aunt and uncle's town. This airplane was my favorite float in the parade.

After the parade, we all went to a local BBQ joint for lunch. My pulled pork sandwich was messy but yummy!

My brother Nate and his wife Kim

From left to right: Auntie Jan, Uncle Ron, Lonnie, Tracy, Mom, and Dad

That night, Dave and I went to the Saturday service and church then out to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes before heading to our town's 3rd/4th of July celebration at a local park. We enjoyed a country cover band until the fireworks started at dusk.

As if all that celebrating wasn't enough, we decided to go to a nearby town's parade on the 4th. It was sooo hot that day, but we enjoyed the parade underneath the shade of a tree set back from the crowds. That will explain why my pictures, like this pic of a Scottish pipe band, seem so far away from the action.

This was my favorite float! The mouths of Mount Rushmore moved along with the music playing. It was part of a very creative line of floats from a local hardware store.

After the parade, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch then chilled out the rest of the day. The best part of the weekend was the fact that I also had another day off on Monday. Sweet!

Catching Up Part 1--The In-Laws Come to Visit

Oh my word. When I checked the blog today, I couldn't believe that I hadn't updated our place in cyberspace since May. I am the world's worst blogger. Will you accept a series of catch-up posts?

Yes?

Okay, then--let's get started.

Dave and I have had a great summer with a lot of fun things going on. (It's no wonder I've neglected the old blog for so long!) The first fun event was Dave's parents' coming for a visit in June. This was the third summer they were able to stay with us, and we all managed to survive the two weeks crammed into our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. One day, when Dave and I have a house, we'll be able to look back at these humble beginnings and remember the times when our guests were relegated to the hide-a-bed in the living room. Ah, the life of newlyweds. Anyway, here are some pictures from their time here.

I was able to take Fridays off during Mum and Dad's visit so we could go on day trips with them. On the first Friday, we drove up to St. Joseph to check out the cute little town and show Dave's parents the best beach on Lake Michigan.

On the way home from St. Joseph, we got caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have never been so scared by the weather in my life! Dave parked the car under a bridge, but the road started flooding! And we were boxed in by other cars seeking refuge. I just kept praying, and finally the person in front of us moved so we could find some higher ground. This downed tree came across our path on the way home. I was never so happy to be safe and sound at home that night!

On the second Friday off, we drove out to the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, I think it could have been fun, but the place is really run down, and we had an encounter with rude people who kicked us off the one working train when we attempted to go on a ride. I don't like mean people!

As you can see, Dave and I were pretty bored that afternoon. The four of us were relieved to get back on the road after that visit!

For some reason, we kept getting severe thunderstorms when my in-laws were here. They don't have bad storms like these back home in Scotland, so I caught them looking out the window quite a bit whenever the wind, rain, and crazy lightning hit.

Overall, it was a good visit. I always feel kinda bad when they visit us in the summer, because it's so much hotter here than it is back home. Of course, it was during their visit that our air conditioner died! Now, this is a good thing considering all the trouble we've had with our a/c since I moved in back in 2008. The old unit never really cooled down the apartment, so we often kept it off to save energy. The maintenance guys were great about replacing it quickly, and we were all so excited to have chilly air once the new a/c was installed. In addition to the fun trips we got to take, I'd say sharing in the excitement of that new a/c was one of my favorite moments of their visit.