A TSP OF THOUGHTS

Shift of Focus

2012-01-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

A man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him. -- Soren Kierkegaard

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"Whoever refreshes others, will themselves be refreshed."

Our family motto this year has already left me feeling so reinvigorated. We are enjoying living intentionally toward this goal. Hosting more dinners, answering (and making!) more phone calls, sending a note to those we love and lending a helping hand when we can.

We are by no means perfect and there is always room to improve, but this year has already started off so much better than last. Perhaps it's because we had a far less turbulent Christmastime and we've had a nice amount of distance- both physically and emotionally- from those that drag us down. But I'd like to think it's because we've shifted our focus and it's really starting to pay off.

Our lives have felt so peaceful. I can't begin to tell you what a blessing that is for us.

I, personally, have stopped waiting for others to come around. I've stopped letting my own happiness depend on the (often irrational) emotions of others. But most importantly, I'm focusing on my own happiness within. And I'm telling you...it's working.

We also have much to look forward to. A night out for Valentine's Day, Rian's birthday and a visit from my mom- all within the next 5 weeks. Now if only we could squeeze in a visit with my Dad and Mary things would be pretty close to perfect. Oh well, we'll just have to wait until Christmas I guess :)

Ironic Melodies

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last night I made the mistake to determinedly finish the final book in the Hunger Games series. Sometime around 12:15 a.m. I found myself wide-eyed and completely alert. Unable to lull myself into sleep.

Next to me was a pug, who takes up as much room as he possibly can. He doesn't curl up in a ball, rather he extends each and every limb the their furthest points. And he chooses to do this right in-between Rian and I. I'm sure there's some motive to this...

On the other side of the pug is my husband. Long since been asleep since he's up before the crack of dawn. Usually at his feet is the bulldog, snoring so loudly the room shakes and I have to use the sleep app I downloaded for my phone. Seriously.

Tonight, however, he bailed and went to his bed in the corner of the room right by Rian. These are the nights when leg room is plentiful. While I love Ronin, I also love the extra space that an absent 55 pound dog leaves.

Our set-up is crazy and I'm sure there are books out there telling us how nuts we are. How we treat our dogs like people. How it's not good for our relationship to be separated (literally) by a 20 pound pug.

But on nights like these, when my thoughts are racing, songs are whirling around in my head {songs like the one above...and no, the irony wasn't lost on me}, when the alarm clock ticks slowly by and I start to feel the impending weight of the darkness surrounding me, I thank God for my humble surroundings.

I am so thankful for the soft (and yes, even loud) snores. I am so thankful that I can simply turn my head and see these three lives that make my own life whole. We are a family and because of that I am never, ever alone.

Crunching the Numbers

2012-01-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

{A cute picture of Murphin- just trying to liven up a dull post}

Can I get real here for a minute? Can I bore you all to death with talk of finances and living life on a strict budget? Well, ok then.

2011 was an interesting financial year for us. I was unemployed for the first month, we were saving for a home and also putting money aside every month for our wedding and honeymoon. Now it goes without saying (but why not say it just to be extra clear) that our parents are amazing and supported our wedding 95% financially. We are so very grateful for that. However, there were certain extras that we wanted so we made sure we saved for them. Ourselves. We both strongly believe that in this time, it's not only reasonable but it's responsible to take some of the weight off your parents for your wedding. If you want extras that aren't in your parents budget, either cut the extras or buy them yourself. End of story.

Then we bought a home, furnished a majority of it, purchased a washer and dryer, refrigerator and went on endless Home Depot runs, etc. We spent a LOT of money last year. But we anticipated we would and we were OK. We wanted the home we have and we knew it was going to be a costly endeavor. We didn't buy a starter home- we really wanted a family home. Thus, things got expensive very quickly.

But now it's a new year and it's time for us to establish a clear habit of spending. We have big plans for our future and it really requires us to establish a budget and actually stick to it. We have great friends like Kristi and Bryann who have set fantastic examples of how to live on a budget. In fact, ALL of our friends serve as great examples with their respective lifestyles. Honestly, you don't have to live on a strict budget to be a financially independent and responsible person. So...thanks friends for setting such good examples!

Some major changes we've implemented this year to change our spending:

- Cut the cable. We stream everything through Netflix now. We kept the Netflix subscription assuming that at-home entertainment is cheaper than going out. So we needed either cable or Netflix for something to do on those Friday nights when we opted to stay in. Netflix was much cheaper. Savings: $65/mo

- Eliminate as many recurring payments as possible. As much fun as getting massages once a month was, it's time to cut it out. Savings: $80/mo

- I cook every weekday meal at home and we always eat at home for lunch during the week (as we are fortunate enough to live 5 minutes away from our respective offices). So we've been doing very well in this department for quite some time. However, we've restricted the weekly grocery spending to $100. This may seem high to some, but this is $100 for 3 meals a day/ 6 days a week. We eat out for lunch on Saturday at our favorite sushi place (it's about $15 each time) and Sunday nights we do family dinners. So, $100 for 36 meals (18 meals x2) is about $2.75 per meal. So I consider it a personal challenge to still buy what I want (i.e. fresh Salmon) and keep that number at $100. If I miss the mark, no sushi on Saturday. We're serious about this budget! Saving: $100/mo

- Dramatically reducing dinners out. This has been SO hard. As I mentioned just before, we are now eating all but two meals at home. I LOVE going out to dinner. Especially in a city like Portland where after 4 years there are still so many places we haven't tried. But it's expensive and we usually can't leave a restaurant without paying at least $60 for dinner. So our new plan is to go out once a month. Given how much we used to go out, this should give us a savings of about $135/mo.

- Pay off all credit cards with interest. When we moved into our home we got a Home Depot credit card and a Best Buy credit card for all of our home purchases. It was great at the time, but then we started to pay too much in interest. So we paid them all off in full. I know this is less about saving and more about spending, but it made more sense for us to dip into savings a bit and rid ourselves of the debt rather than continue to pay interest on something we could afford to pay off now. A lot of what we are saving now is going back to replenish those funds we pulled out. Saving: $35/mo.

- Reduce gym memberships. I had two gym memberships at one point (I know ridiculous...) and Rian's was expensive. So what we've done is reduce my gym membership to one and Rian has switched to a gym with a much better monthly cost. Also, a majority of my gym fees are reimbursed by my company (yay!) so this saves us a lot. Saving: $45/mo.

- And last but not least, live economically. This seems so broad, but really it's a big saver in the end. We replaced our light bulbs with energy efficient ones. We reduced the size of our trash can, forcing us to recycle even more than we already do. We carpool to as many places as possible. We keep the heat at a moderate and consistent temperature. We clip coupons and consolidate laundry. We pay all of our bills online to avoid the ever-increasing postage fees. It's an estimate, but I'll bet this saves us around $45/mo.

2012 Year End Goals:
- Pay off Rian's car
- Replenish what we took out from savings (i.e. money we took out to pay off credit cards and expenses for the wedding)
- Reach our savings "cushion" by January 2013

If you've read through this, then I really wish I could give you a hug. That felt like a marathon. But it's nice to get it out there- just another way of holding us accountable.

*Disclaimer* To some of you, this may be a "DUH!" list. Things you've all been doing for years. To that I say, "way to go!" For Rian and I it's all about baby steps and gradually making cuts that we know we can sustain.

To some of you, this may be a "well, wouldn't that be nice. But I have like 39586076 more things I have to budget for." To that I say, "hang in there!" We are all different and have different variables in our lives. A $100/week grocery budget is likely a LONG shot for a family of four. I'm sure one day we'll have to adjust this :) But for now, it's all relative based on where you are in your life.

Wishing you all financial stability and peace this year.

Love Is...

2012-01-23T07:19:00.000-08:00

Answering every phone call because I barely have a voice.
Bringing home bright and cheerful flowers even though the mood is anything but.
Reminding me that I'm beautiful even though my nose is red, my hair is a bird's nest and I've been wearing the same sweatshirt for 3 days.
Reminding me that I'm beautiful when I start to cry about said things above.
Doing all the dishes and housework.
Telling me it's OK to rest. Put down the computer. Put down the clorox. Go sit down.
Going up and down the stairs when I forget my book, or my tissues, or my throat spray, or my socks, or my phone, or my favorite slippers, or my chapstick, etc...

*Pictures by Jessica Watson Photography

{Have I mentioned how much I love our photographer? She managed to capture our most intimate moments during our wedding and I swear it was like she was never there. She's the best photo ninja there ever was.}

Down and Out.

2012-01-19T08:11:00.001-08:00

{via here}

Oh friends, I've had such a brutal cold. These past few days have had me down and out. And I am nothing like those people that "soldier on" while they are sick. I am a wimp. I don't like to "push through" colds. I like to sleep. Whine. Feel sorry for myself. And walk around my house in a hazy fog.

I'm trying to remember what it was like being sick before I met Rian. Honestly, I can't remember it and I'm at a loss as to how I managed it. That's how spoiled I've become.

Flowers, dinners, cold medicine, Gatorade and countless tissues. He's taken such good care of me that it almost feels wrong complaining about being sick. Almost.

I look forward to coming back here with more energy and hopefully a creative spirit.

Life In-Between

2012-01-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

“It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it's that place in between that we fear . . . It's like being between trapezes. It's Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There's nothing to hold on to.”-- Marilyn Ferguson

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When I saw this picture of little Kate wedged between all the various happenings during the wedding, it reminded me of life "in-between." How sometimes we feel like we are in the middle of it all yet still so lost in the transformation.

Last year I was in-between jobs for the first month. We were in-between homes while we rented our apartment, eager to find and buy our first home. We were even in-between in our relationship, since being engaged (if you ask me) is the ultimate ~~transition~~ limbo phase.

So why is it that this year I've never felt more unsettled in my life?

Great job? Check. Home purchased? Check. New husband? Check.

But I can't shake the feeling of transition. And sometimes it worries me. Because living life in-between phases is a strange and precarious situation. Even though we were all over the place last year, I just had so much definition. I knew what I wanted and exactly where we were going.

Words such as transformation, transition, next step, shift and switch have been dominating my thoughts. So in an effort to regain my sanity and appreciate the present, I'm letting words like now, currently, here and today sink into my daily vocabulary.

Because the only place I want to be in-between is my couch and a huge blanket- snuggling with my two dogs and one handsome husband.

*Top photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

A Dutch Tradition

2012-01-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

A "Wishing Tree" is a traditional part of Dutch weddings and a beautiful alternative to a guest book. Guests are given a paper leaf or piece of decorative card attached to a ribbon when they arrive. During the reception, they write their best wishes to the bride and groom.

In honor of Rian's Dutch heritage, Elizabeth surprised us with a Dutch wishing tree at our wedding and it was by far my favorite decoration at the reception. Not only did it fit our "Fall in Portland" motif, but I love how it paid homage to Rian's rich Dutch roots.

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We had hoped we would fulfill our calling to the "homeland" this year and visit Holland. In fact, it was most definitely in our 2012 plans- that is until reward travel timelines (read: ridiculous schedules and booked flights) got in the way of planning our summer vacation.

Our hearts were heavy when we had to place our "Travel Holland" brochures back in their designated drawer- each roll of the little wheels felt like the symbolic pushing back of our dream vacation. We are disappointed that another year will pass without seeing loved ones abroad.

But we have it oh so good and we certainly can't feel sorry for ourselves. After all, we will now be able to go on the Alaskan cruise our friends have been planning. YES! We'll be cruising to Alaska again this summer. Only this time we'll be with our awesome friends, enjoying the experience together. Excited for this trip is an understatement.

And if we still really long for Holland...if we really want to feel close to a country we hold dear to our hearts, we need only peel back our card holder and one by one, leaf by leaf, revisit our Wishing Tree.

*Photos by Jessica Watson Photography*

Fallen Empires

2012-01-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

"If our hearts had never broken

Well there's no joy in the mending

So much this hurt can teach us both

There's distance and there's silence

Your words have never left me

They're the prayer that I say every day"

New York

I love the anticipation of waiting for a new album almost as much as I love listening to it for the first time.
Whenever I buy a new album, I listen to every song in the order they are placed. I've found over the years that artists put songs where they are for a reason. Each song has an order that helps weave the story from beginning to end.

Oh the beauty of musicians that actually write their own music...

But then after I've listened to the whole album, I go back to that song. That one song that stuck out that I want to hear again. And again and again.

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Back in the day- when Snow Patrol was at the height of their obscurity- I would listen to all of their albums on loop. Headphones glued to my ears. Common Grounds coffee in my hand. College brooding at its finest.

Every walk to class was accompanied by Gary Lightbody and crew. Each step on the pavement was in rhythm. An endless theme song following me wherever I went. I lived in a Snow Patrol haze and I absolutely loved it.

It's almost as though they were my best kept secret- a band who wrote music only for me. Sometimes I get a little jealous that I have to share them with the rest of the world now. I often encourage others to listen to them- but then I get protective and insist that they are my favorite band. ALL MINE.

But I guess in the end I want them to do well, right? Ok world, you can listen to them too.

But might I suggest throwing on your shoes, grabbing a cup of coffee and taking them with you on a nice, long and completely unhurried stroll. It really is the best way to enjoy their music.

Life on Display.

2012-01-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

I'm a sensitive soul- I'll admit it. My heart can be crispy at times, needing delicate touch and understanding. Which is why I sometimes need to remind myself why I do this whole "blog" thing. Lately, I've been hearing more and more negative comments about blogs. On the news, in the books I'm reading, even from passing strangers and people in group settings.

"Why do people insist on putting their lives on display?"

Ouch. My crispy little heart starts to break into pieces. I'm one of those people. I put my "life on display" each and every day I write on here.

Then insecurity creeps in and floods my mind. I reconsider what I'm doing and challenge everything I intended to do with this little space of mine. I wonder if what I'm saying is taken out of context. I wonder if I've offended someone on accident. I even wonder if I've shared too much and if I've swapped privacy for too much transparency.

But every time I re-evaluate this blog, I come back to it. My confidence boomerangs back to my crispy heart and I regain the initial understanding of why I do this. I'm doing this for myself. I'm not trying to hurt anyone. I'm not trying to over share. And I'm certainly not trying to make my life something it is not.

The tricky part about blogging and transparency is that we will hurt others if we tell the whole story. I've alluded to our struggles and if you can read between the lines then that's great. And if you can't, then just know that we have struggles, too. I don't intend to write our story as one of perfection and Utopian bliss. We are normal. We hurt, grieve, fight, misunderstand and make mistakes. Often.

And that's just it- I want to capture it all. I want to remember this time in our lives. The good, the bad, the ugly and especially the great. So this is my life- and the life I share with Rian. It's the way I see it and it's the way I've chosen to share it.

Thank you for reading without judgment and for caring enough to scan these words. If gives me more confidence than you will ever know.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

6 Days of 2012

2012-01-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Since it's the 6th day of 2012, I thought it would be fun to do a quiz of sorts. Because why not? TGIF friends.

6 Foods I Love:
- avocados
- sushi- particularly alaska rolls, seared salmon and spicy salmon hand rolls
- peppermint ice cream
- oatmeal cookies
- banana bread
- spinach artichoke dip

6 Favorite Places I've Traveled To (in order):
- Ireland
- England
- Italy
- France
- San Juan Islands
- Spain

6 Places I've Lived:
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Plano, Texas
- Waco, Texas
- Austin, Texas
- Portland, Oregon!!! :)

6 Favorite Books:
- The Lovely Bones
- The Reader
- Water for Elephants
- Sarah's Key
- Mere Christianity
- The Miracles of Santo Fico

6 Favorite Movies:
- Garden State
- Everything is Illuminated
- Away We Go
- Braveheart (don't judge- it's amazing and you know it!)
- Once
- The Door in the Floor

6 Albums I Cannot Live Without:
- Snow Patrol, "Final Straw"
- Snow Patrol, "A Hundred Million Suns"
- Sufjan Stevens, "Illinois"
- Greg Laswell, "Three Flights from Alto Nido"
- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, "The Swell Season"
- Damien Rice, "9"

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Looking forward to a weekend of celebrating friends, pug meet ups, movies and church. Happy Weekend friends!

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Newlyweds

2012-01-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

January in Portland is a pretty rough time for many. It's dark when I get to work at 7 a.m., stays overcast and rainy all day until I leave work at 4:00 p.m. and the sun is almost set. The days are short, wet and dark.

But I don't mind it. Every year we know this time is coming. It's roughly 6 weeks of darkness and rain with a few light days thrown in the mix to keep people sane. Since we know these days are coming we prepare- we hit the gym, start our spring cleaning early and set aside time for house projects. And the best part? I get to do it all with my best friend.

Things have been so good lately. Are we finally in that grace period of newlwedded bliss? Unlike most newlyweds, we had some frustrating stresses right after our wedding. Stresses not of our making, but still affecting our home. So it's been lovely to come home to a relaxed home and a happy husband.

It's all going by so fast. But it is all so, so good.

*Photos by Jessica Watson Photography*

Thoughts from Murphin: Holiday Hangover

2012-01-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

{Pictures of Murphin: The Holiday Collection}

Well, the holidays are finally over and to that we say "Good Riddance!"

It's hard being super popular during the holidays. We traveled 11 hours in the car for Christmas. We entertained dozens of friends and family members. We smiled for countless iPhone pictures. We sat on laps, over-indulged in treats and even went on some grueling walks (read: 2 mile walks).

But now we are done. Retiring so to speak. The holidays- while joyous indeed- are exhausting and we will now go into hibernation until it's time for Valentine's Day. We get lots and lots of love on Valentine's Day.

Good Day,

Murphin

Happy Birthday Kristi

2012-01-03T07:28:00.001-08:00

"A true friend is one who thinks you are a good egg even if you are half-cracked."

To my wonderful Matron of Honor-

Happy Birthday dear friend. Thank you for being a consistent rock in our lives. Thank you for answering every frantic phone call. Thank you for genuinely investing time in our friendship.

Thank you for loving me despite all of my cracks. You are one of life's biggest blessings.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Twenty-Twelve

2012-01-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

This is the year I will replenish others.

This the year that I will go confidently in the direction of my dreams.

This is the year that I will carve a path without looking back.

This is the year I will overcome suffocating insecurity and fear.

This is the year I will work to right my wrongs.

This is the year I will work to write my wrongs.

This is the year I will forgive past grievances and simply LET. GO.

This is the year that I will do it all as a Schlyper, in my heart as a Parker and at my core...just as Tamara.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Happy Birthday Elizabeth

2011-12-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

{One of my favorites from the wedding. Elizabeth helping Kaia with her headpiece.}

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“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart...I'll always be with you.”-- Winnie the Pooh

Just a little summary of friendship that I find to be quite accurate. Happy Birthday friend.

P.S. Thanks for fixing the flower on my dress :)

*Photos by Jessica Watson Photography*

Reflecting and Resoluting: 2011

2011-12-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

In keeping with my blog tradition, I'm running through the annual reflection and resolution. 2011 was the biggest and BEST year of my life. Seriously- to date, it has been the best year of my life. It feels crazy to say that, but it's just the truth. Perhaps it was such a glorious year because 2010 was so brutal. But either way, this year has been amazing and I'm actually a little sad to see it go.

I will always remember in 2011 that I:

Worked my tail off night and day to land a job. And land a job I did! I love working for Gerber and it was the perfect way to kick off the new year. (Feb. 2011)
After a couple months of rigorous house hunting, we stumbled (almost accidentally) upon our dream home. Our offer was accepted and thus the crazy road to home ownership began. (Mar. 2011)
We got the keys to our first home. Our amazing friends spent day and night helping us paint, move furniture, and clean. It was such a joyous time for us. (Apr. 2011)
Rian and I both had the honor of standing next to our best friends at their beautiful wedding ceremony in Salem, OR. We love you Kristi and Bryann! (May 2011)
Spent another glorious Independence Day with good friends on the waterfront- a tradition we hold very dear. (Jul. 2011)
Watched Rian stand by his best friend at their gorgeous summer wedding in Klamath Falls, OR. We love you Daniel and Jessica! (Aug. 2011)
Attended my amazing bridal shower hosted by my wonderful mother and MOH Kristi. Such a fun weekend full of friends and family. Big thanks to my mom for such an unforgettable weekend! (Aug. 2011)
Welcomed yet another precious little family member- Baby Gabriel! (Aug. 2011)
Received the best news we could possibly imagine- my sister and family were moving back to Portland. (Sep. 2011)
Oh you know, married my best friend. Spent an entire weekend being loved on by friends and family both in Portland and from all over the U.S. It was- quite possibly- the best. weekend. ever. (Oct. 2011)
Hosted my first (and successful!) Thanksgiving in our new home. (Nov. 2011)
Enjoyed a lovely and relaxing Christmas in Klamath Falls, OR with my sweet parents-in-law. We felt so spoiled. (Dec. 2011)

In 2012 I will resolute to:

Follow my family's motto. This is definitely the most important resolution for me.
Get plugged into a church that we love, invest time in studying what we believe and take responsibility for growing my family's faith.
Go hiking more.
Attend yoga twice a month.
Follow my husband's lead when it comes to our finances and budget. We have big plans for our future and that involves us holding steady to a budget- which will be very good practice for me.
Spend the holidays with my parents and family.
Invest more one-on-one time with our friends. We are so blessed by such a large and amazing group of friends. But this year, I'd really like to develop my individual relationships with each of them.
Be. More. Patient.

Whatever you resolve to do next year, I wish you steadfastness and courage. I know first-hand how difficult it can be to hold strong to resolutions. But if we make our resolutions more of a lifestyle then I find it's easier to incorporate them year round.

And a special thanks to those that follow this little blog of mine. It's been quite a year- thank you for encouraging me to type through my little journey.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Happy Birthday Chris

2011-12-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

{Chris with his adorable nephew- Baby Gabey}

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Just wanted to give a little shout out to my brother-in-law Chris. Happy Birthday Brother!

I'm so thankful that you met my sister, so thankful for our seamless and easy relationship and so thankful for your friendship with my husband. The waters of siblings-in-law can be somewhat treacherous, but I really lucked out with you. Thanks for always being so kind to me and for being such an important part of our lives.

When my sister got married she wasn't leaving me, our family was just growing. You've enriched our lives. You've set an amazing example of husband and father. You make my sister happy. We love you so much.

*Photos by Jessica Watson Photography*

2012 Family Motto

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

“Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25)

2011 had a very large focus on us.

My new job. Our new home. Our wedding. Us, us, us. Me, me, me.

And while that was very lovely, Rian and I both agree that neither of us is very comfortable with the spotlight. Growing up, Rian and I both held to the similar view that we were happy whenever everyone else was happy. We weren't the spotlight kids in our families. And we were (and still are) both content with that.

So, needless to say that this year sort of threw us off our axis. And while we both enjoyed the attention and outpouring of love (I mean...who doesn't?), we are both ready to get back to our own little sense of normalcy.

Which is why this year's motto really fits so well for us. Focusing on the refreshment of others is objective number one this year. Whether it's lending an ear, a helpful hand or a kind word, this will be the motto of 2012. We have so many friends and family that gave SO much to us in 2011, that it's not only right but it will also be an honor to shift our focus toward them.

Bring it on 2012! We are so excited to usher you in.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Merry Christmas from the Schlypers

2011-12-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

"We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year"

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A very Merry Christmas to you and yours.

With love,
The Schlypers

So This is Christmas

2011-12-23T07:15:00.001-08:00

"As the days get shorter in December, it seems the time I spend with God does too. I long for His presence. I know I need His perspective and peace. But as I prepare for the holidays, my heart can get so focused on planning and buying gifts that I forget to unwrap the most important gift—the gift of Immanuel—God with us."-- Renee Swope

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There's nothing quite like feeling God's powerful presence watching over you and your marriage. I love this picture and the joy it represents.

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This Christmas has brought about little anxieties here and there for our family of four. Rian and I are now so excited to be in Klamath Falls with our family, relaxing with those we love.
To everyone fortunate enough to travel and/or visit with those you love, we wish you a safe journey and a wonderful holiday.

To those that suffer in the midst of seemingly unending joy, we wish you comfort and peace. You are never alone.

To my family that I am unable to spend Christmas with, I love you all and will be there in spirit :)

My Absolute Favorite of the Season

2011-12-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

"From God our Heavenly Father

A blessed Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy"

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I love the sounds of this season. I love popping on various Christmas CDs and radio stations, singing along to songs that I've heard since I was little. And it's an interesting transition I've made. I went from playing Jingle Bells and Here Comes Santa Claus to downloading every possible version of Greensleeves and The Holly and the Ivy. My tastes have certainly changed.

My favorite though is God Rest Ye Merry Gentelmen. There are so many fun versions of this song, but I think these two would have to be my favorite.

O Come O Come Emmanuel is a close second.

I love the message behind both of these songs.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: When the Angel Gabriel said in Like 1:19 "And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stands in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto you, and to show you these glad tidings."

O Come O Come Emmanuel: Isaiah 7:14 states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (i.e. God with us). Then in Matthew 1:23 the happy news of the fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

I could seriously listen to these four songs (two different versions) on repeat all day long if Rian would let me.

Speaking of Rian...here's his favorite:

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We have a long drive ahead of us to Klamath Falls. This Christmas we are celebrating with Rian's family, so we'll be loading up the puppies and putting on an audiobook for the drive. In case you aren't well-versed with Oregon geography, here's what our drive looks like:

Looking forward to spending Christmas with that handsome husband of mine.

This Face. and...Hooray for Christmas!

2011-12-21T07:15:00.000-08:00

"The child, the child

Sleeping in the night

He will bring us goodness and light."

Simply can't get enough of this little guy.

Did you know that Gabriel is playing Jesus at the church play? So unbelievably cute. And so sad we're missing it.

Uh oh, baby fever is kicking in.
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And now, a fun little Christmas quiz found here:

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps :)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When I was little they were unwrapped, that's how we knew it was from Santa. He has far too many gifts to deliver to wrap all of them! I'd like to keep this tradition for my future children.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored lights on the outside of the house and on the mini tree. White lights on the big tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I'd really like to start.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Day after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Oh boy, there are so many! But I really love the honey baked spiral hams.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Making Christmas cookies as a family.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? In Atlanta with my mom and sister. They told me a couple weeks before Christmas...I was sooooo bummed.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? We have a woodland tree- natural colors of browns, whites and evergreen. Lots of owls, birds, bears and pine cones.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it!

12. Can you ice skate? Barely...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? It was a baby doll and you took off her shower cap to reveal her hair color/style. So random but I loved it.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Reflecting on the past year, recognizing God's blessings and focusing on the birth of Christ- the reason for the holidays.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Toss up between peppermint bark and Christmas cookies. I also really love Almond Rocca.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Picking out and cutting down our tree!

17. What tops your tree? A beautiful angel with a bronze and brown dress.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? First off, who would actually answer this with receiving? At least openly. ha! No but really, I find so much joy in giving to those I love. It's really fun to watch their faces light up.

19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? Yummy! Especially the mint chocolate ones.

20. Favorite Christmas show? I love a Charlie Brown Christmas, Jingle All the Way (heck yes!), A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. Seriously, I just love them all.

21. What is your favorite Christmas song? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. More to come on this in my next post :)

Office Christmas Parties

2011-12-20T07:15:00.000-08:00

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

With the kids jingle belling

And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer"

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It's been really easy to 'be of good cheer' this holiday season. We just have so much to be cheerful about. But one of the biggest blessings- that we are both so consistently grateful for- is our employment.
This past weekend we celebrated my company Christmas party on Friday and then Rian's on Saturday. How special that we A) both have jobs that we love B) work for company's that host Christmas parties and C) are surrounded by co-workers that make our office lives fun.

A particular highlight this year? Well, there are two: 1) having Rian come to one of my Christmas parties. For years I was going to his and supporting him (which was still very fun of course!). But it was a nice role reversal to have him by my side supporting me at my work party AND 2) being introduced as wife.

A Little Celebration

2011-12-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

Here we are as in olden days,

Happy golden days of yore.

Faithful friends who are dear to us

Gather near to us once more.
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A couple weekends ago we had a little celebration with friends at our home. Nothing fancy- just some ugly sweaters, wine, peppermint schnapps, pizza and charades. And it was fantastic.

Just another reminder that with our friends, you can just sit around in a room and still have so much fun.

Rian and I are so blessed by our community.

{Can you spot the pug running in the back?}

Our Portland Wedding

2011-12-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of really nice inquiries regarding our wedding vendors, so for anyone reading this that may (one day!) get married in the Portland area, I hope this helps:

Church: We were married at St. James Lutheran Church. It's a lovely, historic church on the Park Blocks in downtown Portland. If you want to get married here, some things to note: book FAR in advance, you have to take pre-marital counseling (but you don't have to take it there), be prepared to adhere to some strict guidelines (i.e. decoration in the historic church). But overall, we're still really happy we chose it.
Reception: We hosted our reception at Urban Studio and catered by their inhouse Pearl Catering PDX. We would host again here in a heartbeat. The food was fantastic and the location was ideal. Our guests simply hopped the street car from the church to the reception- it was great. Plus, the coordinators we worked with were really kind, helpful and patient.
Invitations: Our invitations were from New and Blue. Affordable, easily customizable and very quick. Super happy with the way these turned out.
Photography: We chose Jessica Watson Photography for our photos and we are so thankful that we did. She and her husband Spencer did an outstanding job for both our engagement pictures and the wedding day. We can't recommend them enough.
Dress: I got my dress from Charlotte's Bridal and I had it altered at Sewing Solutions. The dress was a bit of a debacle in the beginning as I ended up with a dress two sizes too big. However, Charlotte's not only went out of their way to correct the error but they covered all of my alterations and arranged every appointment. So even though it was a bit bumpy for a while, I still highly recommend them. Sewing Solutions was fantastic, too.
Coordinator: Femi Wills from Elegance Event Planning was our Day-Of coordinator, but I'd prefer to call her my sanity. She kept our timeline running smoothly, coordinated with vendors, helped decorate the reception, etc. While I'm very proud to say that I planned this entire wedding, I know that I couldn't have pulled it off without Femi there on the actual day. Brides- please consider a Day-Of coordinator. It will be the best money you spend, I promise. I didn't worry about a single thing on my wedding day because I knew it was covered.
Flowers: Kevan Inouye was our florist and he nailed it. We met with him only once and he immediately grasped our vision. When we met with other florists and told them our budget, most of them responded with a variation of "OK, we'll do what we can with the budget." Granted it wasn't that small of a budget, but a lot of them made us feel like it was. When we met with Kevan his first response to our budget was "Great! We can do so much with that!" And he did- our flowers were so beautiful!
Hair and Make-Up: Aimee J'Adore is heaven-sent. Seriously, she not only made us feel beautiful, but she is an absolute joy to be around. She came to us at the hotel with her assistant and laughed with us the entire time. We had so much fun with her! She was on-time (early actually!), quick yet diligent, friendly and very cost-effective.
Cake: We got our cake from Beaverton Bakery- which was by far the best bakery for us. They deliver for FREE anywhere within the city limits and they have free tastings every day of the week. The cake was Rian's design and he did a great job working with the bakery on it. We told them we wanted it to feel like a fall wedding and it certainly did. Rian made the cake topper from the famous Made in Oregon sign and it was such a big hit. I surprised him with a Groom's cake from Le Cookie Monkey in the design of the Dutch National Soccer Team- I certainly recommend them as well.
Hotel: Our guests stayed at the Mark Spencer Hotel and everyone told me it was great. While it's certainly not the fanciest hotel in downtown, you can't beat the cost. We really enjoyed working with them on setting up the room block- they were very accommodating. The hotel is vintage Portland right in the heart of the Pearl on the street car line.
Apparel: Rian and the groomsmen rented their tuxes from Men's Warehouse and the bridesmaid dresses were from David's Bridal. We had positive experiences with both stores and definitely recommend them for their convenience. With wedding party members from all over the U.S., it was nice to have dress/suit shops in every city.
Rehearsal: The Schlyper's hosted our rehearsal dinner at Kells Irish Pub. The food was AMAZING and you really can't beat the ambiance of a warm and coxy Irish restaurant. Our friends are still talking about their cheesy potatoes...

Phew- I think that's about it for my vendors. Reading over this just reminds me how totally overwhelming weddings can be. Seriously, it takes this many people to put on a wedding. Wow! But thankfully we lucked out with some of the best wedding vendors in Portland.

*Photo by Jessica Watson Photography*

Fireside

2011-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

"Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful."

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My new favorite, self-absorbed hobby includes a fireplace, Christmas mint tea, my husband, and re-living our wedding while looking through our beautiful photographs.

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It's been so cold outside. Unlike the typical weather we're used to- which is about 45 and rainy this time of year- it's been dry and freezing. No really, it's freezing out right now. Low 30s at night and High 30s during the day. My hands ache and my nose is comparable to Rudolph's.

So it's been nearly impossible to move me from my cozy couch and warm fireplace. There is nothing I treasure more this time of year than bundling up with my little family on our couch- watching the fire crackle with my toasty little trio.

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I'm looking forward to sharing pictures from our wedding. I just need to figure out how to organize them into some structure that makes sense.

But until then, here's a favorite from the wedding.

Oh how I love him.

Kaia's Day Out

2011-12-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

"You will get a sentimental

Feeling when you hear

Voices singing let's be jolly,

Deck the halls with boughs of holly."

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Rian and I have taken a different approach to gift-giving this year. We've been inspired to buy local and make our own gifts. While we still gave in to some standard commercialism, we've tried especially hard this year to really examine the gifts we're giving and what they mean. We want whatever we give to be intentional and showing our love for not just the receiver but for Christ, who is the reason we celebrate this season.

For Kaia, we wanted to give her an "experience." Rian and I had been talking for quite some time about taking her out to the movies, so it worked out perfectly that with Christmas season in full swing we could do a lunch/movie day with her. We wanted her to have quality time and attention with us. Talking about only Kaia stuff- like kitties, cookies, favorite colors, dancing and music. It was a Kaia-centric day and it was perfect.

We enjoyed sushi (yes, she's that cool), walked around Bridgeport, indulged in cupcakes and then saw Arthur Christmas at the theater.

She was such a joy to be with. As I saw her walking around, with her little purse and wallet, I couldn't believe this was the same kid whose baby picture adorned my college fridge.

Crazy how quickly she's growing up.

My New Makeover

2011-12-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

I love writing on this little blog of mine. It's become such a fun outlet for me. I love that my friends and family stop by every now and then to read the latest happenings in our lives. That's why about two months ago I started the process of searching for a blog designer- someone that could help me clean this little place up.

I know my strengths and I'm well aware of my weaknesses- which is why I knew that if I wanted a blog that reflected me and my style, I would have to get someone to help me. I am clueless when it comes to design...

I am so thankful I stumbled upon Jeannette Aurora- the designer behind Crafty Hippo Designs who did my new and improved blog design. She created Crafty Hippo Designs to expand on her love of blog design and to keep from annoying her readers by re-designing her own blogs every other week. Blog designing is her creative outlet and she really loves what she does. She offers unique, beautiful, and affordable blog designs to fit any budget.

I told her that I loved where I lived and I wanted to reflect my love of nature and all things natural. Finally, a design that feels like me!

Crafty Hippo Designs offers Facebook welcome pages, Twitter and BlogFrog backgrounds, Etsy store banners and avatars, and three complete blog makeover packages that range from a small remodel to the works. Each of these three designs comes with a custom header, blog background, coordinating text colors, your choice of blog template/layout, and installation. Her extra design elements include three different kinds of navigation bars, custom fonts for sidebar widgets and post titles, sidebar and post title background images, signature, post divider, custom social networking icons, and more! You can see all her designs and extras here. You can also check out her portfolio to see some of her past work. She always offers a 10% discount to military bloggers. And she also offers a 10% discount for returning customers and for a referral program which stack. You can read all about it at the bottom of her terms and conditions page here.

Her designs are normally priced at $30 for the Relaxing package, $50 for the Glamorous package, and $70 for the Luxurious package with all the bells and whistles but right now she is offering you two different discount options. You can choose to receive 20% off all her design services, including a custom blog design, social networking remake and/or etsy design, or you can help her promote her business by posting about your experience working with her on your blog, facebook, blogfrog, or twitter account after your design is completed like I have and get 40% off all her design services! That means you can get a complete custom blog design for as little as $18, or a social networking remake for only $16, if you head over to her site today and fill out her design order form.

Sweet huh? It's my Christmas present to myself and I love it. We also love that we are able to support a local business. Thanks again Jeannette for the awesome work.

New Mantra

2011-12-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

My boys. Just because.

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There have been a handful of recent circumstances that have directed me toward a new mantra that I wanted to share. Mainly because if I share it on here, I feel accountable.

The past few seasons I have tried really hard to be "joyful always." And quite frankly- that's been easy. There is just so much to be joyful about.

But now I'm going to shift my efforts to "graceful always." Maintaining my composure and temper has NEVER been my strength.

I like to coin myself the fighter of injustice. I have such issues with people getting slighted or treated unfairly. And unlike most of the population who simply observe and handle it well, I boil up and burst. I have to say something if I notice something isn't right or fair. I always find it necessary to fight other people's battles, even if they don't need it.

I think it's my biggest fault- and as hard as it is to admit it, it's even harder to deal with it after the fact.

The fact is this: there will always be crappy people in this world treating others poorly. There will always be a situation in life that is unfair. But that's life. And I'm not going to be able to fix every injustice of the world.

SO in an effort to build up a new mantra, I'm taking my first step. I, Tamara Schlyper, have a bad temper. And I, Tamara Schlyper, will vow this season (and many, many seasons to come) to be "graceful always."

Around the Bend

2011-12-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go;

Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow."

It hasn't snowed yet, but we've had a lovely layer of frost every morning. Surprisingly enough it has been really dry- no rain! Crazy. But the heavy fog we get at night and in the morning creates a beautiful dusting of silver across roofs, grass and trees. Our little neighborhood glows at night under the moon and it warms my heart.

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We have an exciting weekend around the bend. A little Christmas party at our house tonight with friends, tomorrow we're taking Kaia to see Arthur Christmas and Sunday I'm attending the third annual Ladies' Christmas Tea.

The season is certainly upon us.

I'm also in the process of a new blog design. Awesome stuff coming and I can't wait to show it off.

Have a lovely weekend friends.

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Are you on Facebook? Do you want to help us out?

Our photographer Jessica Watson Photography is hosting a giveaway and we are in the running to win a FREE canvas print. We would be so thankful if you had a moment to "like" our photo on her page.

Simply visit https://www.facebook.com/jessicawatsonphotography and click "everyone" at the to of her wall. You'll see our picture when you scroll down. All you have to do is "like" it.

THANK YOU!

Currently...

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Love this idea. From here.

Obsessing over: Murphin's Christmas sweaters. Cake batter brownies. My Kitchen Aid mixer.

Working on: Collecting canned goods for the local food drives. My homemade Christmas gifts. Wedding pictures.

Thinking about: How to make our first married Christmas special. How I'm going to vote in 2012. Our future family.

Anticipating: Ladies' Christmas Tea. Our own little Christmas dinner with Murphin. Hosting this month's No.1 Ladies Book Club :)

Listening to: My Pandora Christmas station.

Drinking: Merry Mint Stash tea.

Wishing for: Snow in Klamath Falls during Christmas. Safe holiday travels. Tidings of comfort and joy.

A Weary Soul Rejoices

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

"A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

Yesterday I went through the motions. Went to work. Went to the gym. Made dinner. Watched TV. Blah. I felt so blah.

Sometimes there are the days that we just move through- like little robots to our routines. My soul felt a bit weary.

That is until right before we fell asleep Rian's toe scratched me. And we laughed for- no joke- about 30 minutes about it. I'm talking side-splitting, makes-your-stomach-hurt laughing. It was exactly what I needed.

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I woke up this morning feeling refreshed. Yes, refreshed because of a toe. My soul was revived by the simple fact that I can laugh with my husband and feel transformed.

And then I got this picture message this morning.

And started laughing all over again.

I love you Rian. Thank you for always bringing the humor to our lives.

Portland Holiday Ale Festival

2011-12-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

"I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

The first weekend of every December, Portland transforms Pioneer Square into its annual Holiday Ale Festival. It's a winter beer lover's dream. The ambiance is incredible- being in the heart of the city, under the warm tents with the big Christmas tree hovering above us.

Peppermint Patty Porters. Nut brown ales. Mulled wine and spiced mead. Oatmeal stouts and cranberry wheat IPAs. It's my favorite of all the Portland brew fests and it never disappoints.

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We enjoyed a lovely walk around Pioneer Square. It was just so festive.

There were dozens of bell ringers. Carolers hopping from store to store. Everyone bundled up and enjoying the cold- BUT DRY- winter day.

I couldn't help but let the Christmas spirit flood my soul. Arm in arm with my handsome husband, weaving in and out of holiday shoppers and ale festival drinkers. It was so very lovely.

I am blank because...

2011-12-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

I got this fun idea from here.

I am happy because...
- I get to spend time with my nieces almost every week.
- My husband kisses me before he goes to work every morning.
- My dogs cuddle together to keep each other warm.
- I have a job that I enjoy walking into every day.
- I hosted my first-ever (and successful!) Thanksgiving with family.

I am weird because...
- I have a huge fear of flying.
- I wash my hands about 40 times a day- hence the foam soap in our house. Regular soap would kill me.
- I can't relax if my home is disorganized.
- I can't sleep with the bathroom door open. Creeps me out- don't know why.
- I don't like cheesecake, pickles, cucumbers or peas. Bleh, especially peas.

I am sad because...
- I won't see either of my parents for any of the holidays this year.
- Texas, Indiana and Nevada are so far away.
- My faith is often misunderstood, stereotyped, scrutinized and marginalized.
- While we toss uneaten leftovers, there are those in our own community struggling to put food on the table.

I am excited because...
- My mom is visiting in March.
- Rian and I are going to Holland next year.
- The new Snow Patrol album comes out January 10th.
- We are taking Kaia to see Arthur Christmas this weekend and I love any excuse to see a Christmas movie.
- 2012 will be a big year for our family. I can feel it.

This Made Me Cry.

2011-12-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

It's time.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

2011-12-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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Tis the season my friends! We're really enojying decorating our own home this year. It's been fun to pick out ornaments, decorations and knick knacks that feel like us. Like our home.

Rian let me run with my idea of a brown and gold Christmas tree. I really wanted our tree to reflect all the things we love about Oregon, our beloved home. So I hunted around for acorns, pine cones, squirrels, bears and owls.

And I'm quite pleased with my little woodland tree. Thankfully, Rian is too.

Joyful Always

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Rian and I had the honor of hosting this year's Thanksgiving at our home. It was so very lovely- the food and the company :)

So much to be joyful for. Always.

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Thanks friends for joining me on the journey of thankfulness. What a great (and necessary) reminder of how much we have to be thankful for.

Thanks- always- to God for choosing me for this life. I hope that I can continue to prove worthy of all the gifts given to me. Gifts of friendship, love, grace and sacrifice.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 30

2011-11-30T07:15:00.000-08:00

My Husband

{Picture by Jessica Watson Photography. The rest of my pictures will be in next week- so get ready for dozens of wedding posts!}

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"Once in a while right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale”-anonymous

Growing up, I was never the kid that played bride and groom. I didn't dress up in white and walk around with pillowcases for veils. And while I think that's quite cute, it just wasn't in my imagination's repertoire.

I was too busy planning my career as a professional rock star and/or lawyer.

So when women talk about their "dream" weddings, I simply can't relate.

But what I can relate to is the fairy tale. Another notion that I wasn't too fond of growing up. I never played princess and the men in my life weren't viewed as princes or kings.

To be clear, I still loved barbies, the color pink, dresses and any/everything perfumed. But the magical world of tiaras, crowns, jewels and knights in shining armor eluded me.

That is, until I met Rian.

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Rian has given me the fairy tale I never imagined. The love story I never stayed up at night dreaming of. And now that I have it, I couldn't imagine my life without it.

He placed a beautiful jewel on my hand. He crowned me in love and respect. He's my everyday knight in shining armor. And today, I just wanted him to know that he's fulfilled my dreams- even those I never knew I had.

Here's to you Rian. And many more magical years of bliss.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 29

2011-11-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Hunter Family

Oh boy do we loooooove this family.

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There is so much to be thankful for this year. So much. But on the top of my list would be my sister's big move back to Portland. Now that they are back, Rian and I keep asking ourselves "What was it like without them?" We really can't remember.

We missed them. Dearly.

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Kaia and Kate bless our lives every day. We jump at any opportunity to spend time with them. One of the sweetest moments of our wedding day was after the ceremony. We were walking back to sign our marriage license and Kaia comes running up to Rian for a hug after he excitedly announced "Kaia! I'm your Uncle now!!!"

Ugh, melt my heart.

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Now we have our buddies back. Rian missed spending time with Chris and I really, really missed my sister.

And to that, I'd just like to say thank you. Thank you Hunter family for accepting Rian so wholeheartedly into our family. Thank you for always making him feel loved and welcome. Seriously. It's something that I now- more than ever- recognize and understand the importance of.

Whether it's nice notes and cards, phone calls, emails, Facebook notes, whatever! You guys made Rian feel so loved and included from the beginning. And that made me so proud to call you family.

Thank you for always standing by us.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 28 Part II

2011-11-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

My Job

I realized when I woke up this morning that today is an anniversary of sorts. A year ago today I made the bravest (and scariest) decision of my life and quit my job. So today is a celebration. And certainly a day to be thankful for.

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I've avoided the subject of my previous job on this blog. I mentioned it once when I quit, but that was about it. And really, there isn't much more to say about it. I'm thankful for the three years of experience that I gained and the supportive managers that I worked with.

But if you read between the lines, it's obvious that it just wasn't where I was supposed to be anymore. I know that it's not realistic to have the perfect job and demand sunshine and butterflies everyday. But I also know that dreading walking through the door isn't the way to go either.

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When I quit my job, I got a lot of questionable faces. People wondering what I was thinking quitting a job in the middle of a recession without ANY back up plan.

And true, it was a little crazy. I was unemployed for two months. Rian- unbeknownst to me- had just purchased my engagement ring. So he was- understandably- a bit nervous about the change in cash flow.

But we did it. We got through it. And there was the brightest light at the end of the tunnel.

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I've found my place. I love where I work and I strive everyday to show my gratitude for such a great job. I have a great deal of respect for my co-workers and boss.

Be a little crazy. Take leaps of faith. Have courage. Believe in yourself and the ability to always do better. Be better. Deserve better.

And life can be oh so good.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 28

2011-11-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

Our Portland Family

{Rick and Terry}

Rian and I are so incredibly blessed to have family in Portland. Even though none of our parents live in Portland, we've never felt that way. A huge part of this is thanks to Rick and Terry. They have taken us in like we are their own kids and we are so thankful for them.

For those that don't know, Rick and Terry are my sister's in-laws, her husband's parents. So really, it's a very distant connection. But it never feels that way.

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Rian and I always look forward to Sunday night dinners at their home. Spending time with Michele (their daughter) and her adorable new baby along with my sister and her family. Sitting around the dinner table and feeling the warmth and love of family. It's the highlight of our week and we are so thankful that they always include us.

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{Michele and Gabriel. So sweet.}

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 27

2011-11-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

My Friends

It would be so easy to go on and on and on about my friends. They are easy to brag about.

But instead I'll leave you with this: my friends are my family. I love them more than anything in this world. And every day I am thankful that they continue to stand by my side.

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A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 26

2011-11-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Dad and Mary

I have so many better pictures of us from the wedding. But alas, we'll have to wait a little longer before the pictures come in. And once they do- watch out! I'll be a picture-posting maniac.

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To my Dad and Mary- we're a funny trio, aren't we? From the days of visting the Vegas condo, to the V in Dallas (with my horriby MESSY room), visits to the lakehouse(s) in Indiana, and to the new home in Vegas. We made it! You two survived Tamara Parker- the teenage and college years. And I sincerely thank you for that.

We may not have been your traditional family- but we always made it work. And I always felt at home- wherever we were. Because we were a trio, and by golly we had fun.

Thank you for everything you did to make our wedding the special day that it was. Thank you for loving Rian. Thank you for always giving me a place to call home.

I love you both.

I look terrible here- but I love this picture of my Dad.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 25

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

My Mother

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."--Tenneva Jordan

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My mother was my rock during our wedding. She really was. I could not have made it through without her.

Weddings can be tough and we had our fair share of difficulties- difficult relatives, difficult timelines, etc. But every time I wanted to break, my mother would encourage me to soldier on. To remember what was important about the day. To always turn the other cheek when people try to bring you down.

She threw me a beautiful bridal shower- with every little detail thoughtfully covered. She covered me in love for those 9 months. And I really needed it.

To my mother- it's not always easy, but it's always worth it. Thank you for your unconditional love and acceptance of my husband. Thank you for your continuous effort to build our relationship. Thank you for reminding me every day that you are thinking about me and you care for me. Thanks for always being in my corner.

I love you.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 24

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Our Honeymoon

This was the lovely view from our balcony. Watching the sunset. Drinking a glass of wine. Perfection.

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Rian and I talk about our honeymoon a lot. We are both so thankful that we had the opportunity to escape for a week after our wedding.

The San Juan Islands are absolutely breathtaking. Even though we were about 6 hours away from home, we felt so very far away. There's something about hopping a ferry and being on an actual island that makes you feel so isolated. It was exactly what we needed.

Time to be alone and reconnect. Time to reflect on the life we had and the new life to come. Finding joy in a deck of playing cards, a bottle of wine, a box of Triscuits and a glowing fireplace.

------------

I love where I live. Every day is like waking up in a dream. The mountains. The trees. The rivers. It's beautiful out here. I can hop in my car and drive to these islands. Pretty amazing.

Come visit?

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 23

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Winter

I just adore this song. My co-worker (whom I think is the coolest person ever. seriously.) told me to watch the video- and I'm so glad I did.

--------

I love this time of the year. I really do. I don't care if it rains every day. I go through the motions like I'm supposed to- I agree with people when they say "oh no, here come the rains" or the popular "wow, nice day we've got here!" I nod and say something to the effect of "yes, it's so terrible" or "agreed! I miss the sun!"

But do you want to know a secret? I'm lying. I don't mind the rain one bit. The grey skies cast a lovely shade over the days. My eyes relax and my soul warms with each fireplace and hot drink.

Granted, I'll miss the leaves and the brilliant colors of autumn. But for now, I'll continue to find solace in the bare branches, soggy ground and dead grass. Because love is still alive.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 22

2011-11-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

Forgiveness

There are some people in my life- ooohhhhh boy- who test my patience. They test my spirit. They test my faith.

But thankfully, I've received forgiveness in my life. I have been forgiven, therefore I understand the importance of forgiving.

It's not always easy, but it always feels good. Because really, it's not about them. It's about you and your life. Time to MOVE ON.

Amen.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 21

2011-11-21T08:17:00.000-08:00

Baylor University

Did you SEE the game on Saturday night!?!? Wow- way to go Baylor! It's amazing to see how far our football team has come. And it's equally amazing how one good game unites Baylor grads from all over the world. Seriously- all over the world.

I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to matriculate at Baylor. It was- quite honestly- the best four years of my life. I loved everything about it- the students, the teachers, the beautiful campus, my sorority, the volunteer work, the activities, the faith, the sports, etc.

I'm always proud to answer "Baylor!" when people ask where I went to college. Particularly up here where I am one of about 5 Baylor grads in the entire state. It's cool to give people a glimpse into what life was like at Baylor and to (of course) squash the notions of David Koresh...sigh...

Did I mention it's a beautiful campus?

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 20

2011-11-20T07:53:00.000-08:00

Rian's Parents

{Sorry about the picture- I have many more even better ones from the wedding. But I thought this was cute :)}

I've always thought the idea of in-laws was interesting. Like your family, you don't pick your in-laws. They are a package deal when you find the person you love. All you can ever do is love their son/daughter and be the best new "kid" you can be. Which is why I'm so thankful that I got Omer and Deb as my in-laws. They graciously accepted me as another daughter and I really do feel like I am their daughter.

When you're insecure about your new position in a family, it's always so important to feel supported. And whether it's through nice notes, calls, letters, etc., they have always made me feel that way. Their kindness toward me has been so important to the success of our marriage and life together. It's not always easy merging families- but I know that I am loved and supported by my new parents. And that's certainly something to be thankful for.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 19

2011-11-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

My Bridesmaids

I love these women. I was beyond blessed with this group of incredibly supportive, selfless and caring friends. Seriously, I didn't lift a single finger on my wedding day. Anything that anyone needed, one of my girls had it covered.

They came from all over to be a part of our wedding and I just still feel so humbled by their generosity and love. Seriously, I'm just so. very. thankful. for these women.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 18

2011-11-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

Tolerance

My wedding day was one of the happiest days of my life. Joining a union before God, my family and my friends. Celebrating my life with Rian. Being lavished with gifts and affection and love. It really was amazing.

But to me, it just feels unbelievably unfortunate that because I chose to marry a man I'm allowed the party. I get the rights. I get the love. I get the celebration. I get the acceptance.

I'm not here to tell you that you are hateful if you don't support gay marriage- I don't think that. I'm not here to tell you that you have to believe what I believe- that doesn't seem right. Honestly, I'm not really here to tell you anything.

But I am here to say thanks to those that believe in what I believe in. Thanks to those that support love, no matter the gender, social norm or "rules."

As I've previously discussed, I believe in the supremacy of God, not government. I believe in communicating the unconditional love of God and the radical inclusiveness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who want to hear it. And because of this, I am a proud supporter of equal rights. Because I believe that Jesus would have wanted us to work toward the most equitable society possible.

I believe in equal rights and I'm thankful to those around me that believe the same.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 17

2011-11-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

Marcel the Shell

My last post was a little heavy. I guess sometimes that's OK. But that's what's great about your own blog. Your very own writing space. It can be whatever you'd like.

And today, I'd like it to be fun and light-hearted.

I watched Marcel the Shell a year or so ago and fell in love with it. Now there is a part 2! Both are below.

Thankful for creative writers that think outside the traditional four walls of entertainment.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 16

2011-11-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Pain

"Seasons of pain come. And they also leave. Don’t miss that. Pain is not meant to linger indefinitely. God cares deeply and longs to heal you. No pain is too great … or too little. Often we just need a trusted companion to remind us He is near. He heals. He longs to undo the lid on our Mason jar; release our dreams and hopes and joys. And fly next to us, out of the valley."--Samantha Reed

There is a time for joy. A time for peace. A time for thanksgiving. And unfortunately...there is a time for pain.

But in the end, it is because of our struggles that we've been made stronger. It is because of our darkness that we have learned to appreciate the light. When we teetered on the edge, we rebounded. Our pain allowed us to feel God's mercy.

And that my friends is why- despite the hurt- I'm thankful for the moments of pain in my life.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 15

2011-11-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

My health

{Found on Pinterest.}

So incredibly thankful for another healthy year of life- for myself and those I love.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 14

2011-11-14T10:45:00.000-08:00

Church

“Church isn’t where you meet. Church isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s not go to Church, let’s be the Church.”--Bridget Willard

Thankful today- and every day- that I live in a country that allows me freedom of religion. That I may go to my place of worship in peace. And lately, this has been more important than ever. With Christianity under the microscope, an abundance of misunderstood beliefs, unfair and inaccurate stereotyping, gross misuse of scripture and radical extremists, it's nice to know that despite what others may think, I can still proudly be a Christian in my own country.

Thankful today- and every day- that I can meet with a community of people who believe what I believe.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 13

2011-11-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

My Neighborhood

“I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets.”--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I like to go on walks around my neighborhood. Especially as the days grow shorter and the weather becomes increasingly damp, I'm aware that my time to walk outside is fading. So to combat this impending season, I find every chance I can get to walk around my neighborhood. Soak in my little sense of community and admire the beautiful scenery.

I'm so thankful that Rian and I waited for just the right home in the right neighborhood. We had high expectatinos for the sort of community we wanted to live in and raise a family in. And I feel confident saying that we found that.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 12

2011-11-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

She and Him Christmas Album

{Picture found here: http://www.sheandhim.com/ }

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

-- Hamilton Wright Mabie

Thankful for hot cider, a good book and this CD. Especially track 3.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 11

2011-11-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

United States Veterans

{found here: http://www.veteranstoday.com/}

I think there is one higher office than president and I would call that patriot.

-- Gary Hart

Thankful today- and everyday- for the men and women who serve this country. And this year, I'm particularly thankful for the dozens veterans at Gerber that I am fortunate enough to work with everyday. I love working in the military division. Almost as much as I love this country.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 10

2011-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Texas

{Baylor University}

I'm thankful for where I live- yes. But I am also incredibly grateful for where I came from. I'm proud to say I was raised in Texas. I'm thankful on a daily basis for traditions I was surrounded by and notions like southern hospitality and strong handshakes. I wrote a love note to Texas back in 2009, but I think all of my points still ring true.

I love Texas. I often miss Texas. But most importantly, I'm thankful to say I'm from Texas.

http://tspofthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/love-note-to-lone-star-state.html

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 9

2011-11-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Klamath Falls

Of all the things I was told I would miss about Texas when I moved to Portland, only one really rang true: the open skies. Which is why I am so very thankful that my in-laws live in Klamath Falls.

The picture above is completely unedited and was taken with my little ol' iPhone. Can you believe that Rian's parents see this every day out their window?

I know I talk frequently about how much I love the scenery in Portland. And I do. I really do. But sometimes my heart aches for miles and miles of unending open skies.

Skies that provide a glimpse into life hours away.

So when we visit Klamath, my favorite thing to do is walk out that back door and let my eyes scan the vast landscape. It's truly beautiful out there. So very thankful that we get to visit as much as we do.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 8

2011-11-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

Our Dinner Table

"Some of the most important conversations I've ever had occurred at my family's dinner table."-- Bob Ehrlich

For years I never had a dinner table. Never had that place to come together over a warm plate of food. Never had that special place to talk about the day, life's events and the changing seasons. Rian and I cramped together on our little couch and plopped our food on IKEA TV trays.

Confession...sometimes we still do that...

BUT I'm so thankful to have a dinner table all my own. A place where my family can come together- a heart of the home, so to speak.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 7

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Oregon Coast

"When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, mot in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides."-- an excerpt from A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Elizabeth read this for us at our wedding. It's special to me not just because of it's perfectly woven words, but because it takes me to the Oregon coast whenever I read it. Even there, at the altar, I imagined Rian and I on our island. Facing the potentially torrential tides of marriage, but also looking forward to the present moments of calm waters. Understanding that- like the ocean- relationships ebb and flow.

I love those words. And I am so very thankful for having a coast so close by that I can relate them to.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 6

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Fall in Portland

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape -- the loneliness of it -- the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it -- the whole story doesn't show." - Andrew Wyeth

So thankful to love where I live. Especially during September, October and November.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 5

2011-11-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Book Club

Back in August, the girls got together for a happy hour. A few drinks deep and someone (still can't remember who...perhaps Elizabeth?) brought up the idea of starting a book club. Given that we're a group comprised of majority avid readers, the idea sounded great. But then again, this was a few drinks deep at Happy Hour.

We swapped ideas. Signed up for months. And then parted ways.

Thankfully later that week, Rachel (the planner!) set up a schedule and Ladies' Book Club was born. In September (Rachel's month) we read Shanghai Girls and for October (Elizabeth's month) we read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. This month it's Molly's turn and she has chosen The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Seeing as how we all love any excuse to work with a theme, we've also turned the book club into a potluck evening- with each dish matching the book's country of origin.

I'll be honest- I'm stumped on an African dish to make. But that's what Google is for.

I'm really thankful for being a part of Ladies' Book Club and the sense of community it brings to my life.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 4

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Murphin {a.k.a. Ronin and Murphy}

I live for Murphin. Seriously, I do. They are always the best part of my day- and Rian is totally OK with this. I think because he feels the same way. Our dogs make our house a home.

There are no rules that state when two people move in together their dogs will automatically get along. So to say that we are thankful for Ronin and Murphy's frienship is a bit of an understatement. We know that our situation is unique and we are so grateful for it. Our dogs are best friends- to the point that they truly suffer when separated. They find every chance they get to cuddle together...and it melts my heart.

It was Ronin and Murphy that brought Rian and I together. So it seems only fitting that they get their due gratitude.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 3

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins

I'm so thankful for pumpkins. I love absolutely everything pumpkin. Their shape. Their coloring. Their flavor. I love it all.

Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin Spice lattes. Pumpkin Smash smoothies. Harvest Pumpkin candles. Roasted pumpkin seeds.

Every fall, Rian reminds me that I'm going to turn orange from my pumpkin overload. But since there are only a few months to truly savor them, I don't mind one bit.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Day 2

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our Home

I am so thankful for my home. Rian and I worked so hard for this house. We saved for a long time. We crammed in a one bedroom apartment for a year- and with two dogs, this was a serious feat. We patiently waited for the right home to come along.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, when we walked into this home we just knew. This was the home for us. It was everything we wanted in a home for now and for the future. We adore our little cul-de-sac and family-friendly neighborhood. We take pride in maintaining our home and slowly decorating and filling each special room.

I'm particularly proud of the family wall I created for the entrance. See? Reading lots of design blogs can be a good thing! I'm really looking forward to filling this wall with family photos from the wedding.

It's our home. An investment that Rian and I made not just financially, but also in each other. We strive to maintain its warmth and open door to friends and family.

I am so thankful to walk through this door every day.

A Month of Thanksgiving

2011-11-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."-- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This may very well be my most ambitious blog effort to date, but I'm going to *try my hardest* to post something I am thankful for every day this month. I believe that we are summoned to be joyful always. I really do. But alas, like you dear friends, I am certainly not 'joyful always.'

But then I think about certain things that bring me great solace and comfort. Things that make my heart joyful...and I think, isn't it about time I practiced diligent thanksgiving?

So there's my logic. Feel free to follow along on this journey for the month of November. And please, don't mistake my joyful thanksgiving for bragging or deliberate misconception. My life is by no means grand or perfect. But it is my life and I am working this month to take pride in it and adequately bestow gratitude for it.

And to kick off my month of thankgiving, today I'd like to give thanks for this little blog of mine. I'm gonna let it shine :) Two years later, I'm still so very grateful for this little space to call my own.

Halloween in Pictures

2011-11-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

{Red Riding Hood and the Big, Bad Wolf}

Call us annoyingly couple-y, but Rian and I really enjoy going as pairs for Halloween. It started last year when we went as the Dutch couple (fitting) and we kept up the tradition this year with the Red Riding Hood theme. We celebrated Halloween twice- first at Kristi and Bryann's home for the Halloween Wine and Dine (more pictures on that to come...I only have my phone pictures today)...

...and then we passed out candy to the neighborhood kids.

{Rian waiting for the kids}

{My nieces came by to Trick or Treat!}

{Our favorite Trick or Treaters :) }

Happy Halloween friends!

Thoughts from Murphin: Life After the Wedding

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

*For those that don't know...we call Ronin and Murphy "Murphin" because...well...it's the perfect combination. Just like the two of them.*

So here we are. Nearly 3 weeks post wedding and things are finally starting to get back to normal around here. Normal meaning we are back to getting all the attention...which is to be expected.

We're still bitter that we weren't invited to the wedding. We heard there was a lot of partying. And cake. We caught rumors of a cake. This is highly disappointing to us seeing as how we have very sophisticated pallets and would have really enjoyed sampling the various wedding cakes. But rules are rules and we weren't allowed. Ridiculous. But I guess in the end we're ultimately just happy to be "official" brothers.

We had an amazing stay with our grandparents during the honeymoon and were legitimately bummed when we had to come home. Our parents give us carrots for snacks at home. CARROTS! We miss our grandparents...

We got some stellar Halloween costumes from our grandmother in Texas and we got to show them off last night. But seeing as how they are made of ployester, they stayed on for about 5 minutes. Worth it though.

So now we're gearing up for our first Halloween with actual Trick Or Treaters! The parents said we have to stay inside, but we plan on sitting on the back of the couch and watching everyone that comes up to the door. Because we are awesomely attentive like that.

Happy Halloween!

Love,
Murphin

The Road Ahead

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Hangin' with Kate}

It's funny how as soon as you get married, people start to ask when you're going to have kids. It's almost instantaneous. Now I'm certainly not offended by this question, but I do find it interesting that people feel the need to wait until I'm married to ask A) if we're planning on having children and B) when we'll have them.

The truth is that in the end it's not really up to us. Of course, Rian and I have a plan. I always have a plan. We have a certain financial goal we'd like to achieve before children as well as a dream vacation we'd like to accomplish before kids. This could be 6 months from now. This could be 2 years from now. Are we ready for children? Absolutely. Do we know when we want children? For the most part. Do we have all the details figured out? Definitely not.

But like I said, in the end it's just not our call. Children are a gift from God. Since I met Rian, I've been praying for our family and the future of our family. So whatever He may bring, we're ready.

And for now? We're thankful to have each other and two dogs that love us. Thankful for our health and the health of those we love. Thankful for a community of friends who make our lives whole. Thankful for our home that- we hope and pray- may one day be filled with the pitter patter of tiny feet.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

{At the Sauvie Island Pumpkin Patch}

We made our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch this Sunday with a great group of friends. This year there wasn't a torrential downpour, so the outing was certainly brighter.

We hopped on the hayride. Scoured over the fields for the perfect pumpkins. Sipped on spiced cider. Ate caramel apples. And even took some cheesy pictures.

Good day, I'd say.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Farmer's Market in the South Park Blocks}

Forget Christmas. Fall is the most wonderful time of the year. Especially if you are fortunate enough to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We went out to the Farmer's Market this weekend and reveled in autumn's splendor. It. Was. Perfect.

When I was little, I always loved this season. But sadly, I loved how it looked in books, movies and TV shows. Texas doesn't really have a fall. No offense Texas- I love you. But let's just be honest- you have summer and you have winter. There is no fall or spring.

But out here, oh boy. Fall is in full swing. The Park Blocks (where we got married) are glorious- with their crispy leaves crackling at our feet and their enormous trees shedding red, gold and brown. I simply can't get enough of it.

I love where I live. I can't say it enough. And I'm so thankful that Rian and I call this beautiful city home. While we both grew up in different cities, we agree that there is no other place on earth that feels like this to us. No other place that has that stamp of "home" on our hearts. We unabashedly love this city. Our home.

Marriage.

2011-10-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

{Photo by Jessica Watson Photography. Can't wait to see the rest!}

Rian and I have will be married for two whole weeks tomorrow. I relfect often on our wedding day and I honestly just wish I remembered more. Thankfully, we have photographers and videographers to fill in the gaps for me. But there are five major things that I remember from the pre-wedding/ceremony portion of the weekend:

My hilarious mom trying to fix the lamp in the room while we were getting ready. And then everyone finally telling her it was a tad bit bright. She was so awesomely helpful. And funny. It was a blast.
All of my girlfriends, mom and sister praying for me before I walked down the aisle. Thank you Bryn for your beautiful words. I don't remember a lot of what was said that day, but those words definitely stuck with me and they touch my heart still.
Trying to hide the champagne from the church coordinator (scandalous!!!).
My Dad telling me I looked beautiful. That was special.
Rian's face when he placed the wedding ring on my finger. He looked so serious, a bit scared but mainly just intense. It was interesting to see him that way- focused and direct. He's usually such a laid back guy, always joking. But I could tell that this was the most important thing he's ever done- and that face keeps popping into my mind. I love it.

5 things.

2011-10-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm loving lately, in no particular order:
1. Spending time with the Hunter family (see above).
2. The glorious changing colors all over Portland. My drive home (all 4 minutes of it) is beautiful.
3. Wearing two rings on my ring finger.
4. My mornings with Ronin and Murphy. There's nothing better than drinking my coffee while watching the two of them zip around our backyard.
5. Time with my girlfriends. Our book club has taken off and it's a much-need escape with friends.

Welcome Home.

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that Rian and I are back home and grateful to be getting back into our daily routines. The wedding and honeymoon feel like a complete blur. But of course, a glorious and amazing blur. I'm so looking forward to poring over pictures and reminiscing over that whole wonderful weekend. But for now, we are relishing our quiet time at home.

I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather yesterday, so my little family went on a little walk. And it was lovely.

It's been nice to come home from work without a laundry list of things to do. It's also been nice to relish in the kind notes, gifts and hugs from friends and family. It's even been nice to do a couple loads of laundry- for the sake of normalcy.

But it's been particularly nice to spend the evening at home with my husband and two adoring dogs- snoring loudly on our laps.

Fragmented Ramblings

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Time moves so fast. And so very slowly. Just when I want this week to quickly rush by so Saturday can finally arrive... I'm reminded that I need to "savor" this time. Enjoy this time. Be present in this time.

Today is my last day at work. Tomorrow friends and family from all of the U.S. will be flying in to celebrate our union. How exciting and humbling is that?

I'm a perpetual planner and future-thinker. I always have my eye a few days out. But this whole wedding expereince...oh boy. Being engaged. Waiting 10 months to get married. All of it teaches you to be ever-present. Really trying to enjoy each day as they come. And you know what I've also learned? It's OK to not enjoy every day. Some days can be really hard. Some days can be frustrating, exhausting, overwhelming and just flat out ridiculous.

But in the end- as in life- issues run their course. Boats begin to slowly sway back into safe harbor. And life goes on. Because things will inevitably go wrong. It could rain (and for us it will). Someone isn't going to like their seat at the church or reception...or both. The salmon could get cold. The music may get too loud. The streetcar could be running behind. The list could go on...

But as long as Rian is still waiting for me at the end of that aisle, life will be so very good.

To all of our friends, family, co-workers and awesome blog followers...thank you. Thank you thank you thank you for your kind words, thoughts and prayers. You mean so much to us.

Lately.

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been loving these dogs.

Spending time with friends and enjoying my last few days of being a "single" lady.

Enjoying time with adorable kiddos.

And loving, loving, LOVING this man.

Lately, life has been so very good.

He's Not Perfect.

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Found here.

I am absolutely in love with this.

Five days to go.

Meet My Crew: Kaia and Kate Hunter

2011-09-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

{Kaia and Kate "moving" back to Portland!}

Names: Kaia and Kate Hunter
Relation to Tamara (aka Aunt Tammy): My nieces. Flower girls.
Location: PORTLAND, OREGON!!! HOORAY!!!
Kaia and Kate are awesome at: everything. absolutely everything in this world. Because they are my nieces and they are adorable. But in particular, they excel at: puzzles, coloring, hide and seek, chase, telling Murphy "no no" and hugs.
Fun Fact: Kaia and Kate love Rian. I mean they love Rian. I often have to ask Rian to tone down the fun factor just so they will want to hang out with me for a bit!

Meet My Crew: Elizabeth Eggers

2011-09-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

{Elizabeth making some fantastic cosmos last weekend at my Bachelorette Party!}

Name: Elizabeth Eggers
Relation to Tamara: Honored Guest (Guest Book Attendant). Friend for 3 years.
Location: Portland, OR
Elizabeth is awesome at: taking care of her friends. Elizabeth takes such good care of her friends- whether it's coming over and making them dinner when they are sick, spending countless hours doing various wedding tasks because they are spread too thin or just listening to them whine (yes, it's me we're talking about here). She's always got your back.
Fun Fact: Elizabeth and I have an obsession with the same exact wine from Trader Joe's (it's L'Authentique and it's amazing...) but the problem is that we frequent the same Trader Joe's. So we typically have to coorindate who is buying the L'Authentique or else the other one will wipe out the store's stock. Sad...but true. And kinda funny.

Meet My Crew: Jennifer Wallace

2011-09-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

{Aunt Jenny looking lovely with the red shoes!}

Name: Jennifer Wallace
Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Friend for over 3 years.
Location: Portland, OR
Jennifer is awesome at: everything art related. She's an incredibly gifted professional graphic designer and has a beautiful eye for art. Jennifer designed all of our lovely wedding programs, place cards and map cards.
Fun Fact: I actually met Jennifer through Rian- they were both avid XBOX players...something I (still) know nothing about. But eventually she took me under her wing and decided to be friends with me despite my complete lack of video-gaming knowledge.

Meet My Crew: Bryn Cooper

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Bryn sampling some awesome microbrews at Deschutes during her visit to Portland in 2008}

Name: Bryn Cooper

Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Friend for 9 years.

Location: St. Louis, MO

Bryn is awesome at: being a genius. Seriously- Bryn is ridiculously smart. She just finished up dental school and is currently in St. Louis for her residency. She was the resident "go-to" for any medical questions in college...and still is today.

Fun Fact: Bryn, also referred to as Dr. Bryn Medicine Woman, recently got engaged to long-time boyfriend Steve and we are SO EXCITED FOR HER!

Meet My Crew: Katie Weiss

2011-09-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

{Katie getting our bouquets ready at Lisa's wedding last year. I'm sure she'll give me grief for this picture, but it's seriously the best way to summarize her: beautiful and hilarious.}

Name: Katie Weiss

Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Tri Delt sorority sister. Former Collins 5SS crew. Friend for 9 years.

Katie is awesome at: making everyone in the room laugh. She has the absolute best sense of humor. Every time I hang out with Katie my side hurts. Her laugh is infectious and her spirit is refreshing.

Fun Fact: Katie and I lived on the same hall in the dorms freshman year (5SS=5 Sorta South). When we both pledged Tri Delt we became inseparable, to the point that Katie would help me wake up for class by singing "Rise and Shine and Give Tri Delta Glory" into my door.

Meet My Crew: Kate Kirkland

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Kate and I in Portland during a visit in 2009}

Name: Kate Kirkland

Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Former roommate (Baylor). Friend for 9 years.

Kate is awesome at: pranks. She is the ULTIMATE prankster. And she's so good at it because you would never expect it from her. Don't be fooled by her impeccable manners and innocent charm. She successfully executed dozens of pranks at 1910. Ask her about the Dorothy Doll sometime...

Fun Fact: Kate has an amazng sense of style. She started trends before they were even trends. i.e. the side braid, leggings and red lipstick.

Meet My Crew: Lisa Massey

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Lisa and I at her rehearsal dinner in Dallas, October 2010}

Name: Lisa Pate

Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Tri Delt sorority sister. Friend for over eight years.

Lisa is awesome at: maintaining long distance friendships. Lisa has friends scattered all over the U.S.- and she does it successfully by always taking off just where she left off. Lisa and I don't get to talk much on the phone, but it doesn't matter, because whenever you see Lisa, it's as if you've been hanging out for years. She's the easiest kinda of friend- easy to talk to, easy to reconnect with and easy to love!

Fun Fact: Lisa married Chris Pate on October 2, 2010. Chris was a friend from high school- and I'm always eager to let everyone know that I introduced them to each other! ;)

Meet My Crew: Becca Childs

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Becca and I in Dublin, overlooking the Liffey River on St. Patrick's Day 2009}

Name: Becca Childs

Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. Ireland travel buddy. Former roommate (Baylor).

Becca is awesome at: being the human version of a Care Bear. Seriously. Becca gives, gives, gives. And never asks anything in return. I say this often, but she really is the kindest person I've ever known. Ask anyone that knows her and they will agree.

Fun Fact: Becca is an amazing singer and dancer. She was a SING chair for Chi Omega at Baylor and put on the BEST ACT. She really needs to audition for American Idol.

Meet My Crew: Sarah Hunter

2011-09-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

{Sarah with her daughters- Kaia and Kate}

Name: Sarah Hunter
Relation to Tamara: Bridesmaid. SISTER. First friend in this world.
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina...but only for 4 more days!!! Then it's back to Portland.
Sarah is awesome at: parenting. She's an incredible mother that I cannot wait to have close to me when we have our own little brood. Plus, looks at her kids? She just makes the cutest babies. And I am not biased at all...

Fun Fact: Sarah is moving back to Portland (after a year in North Carolina) one day before her birthday. I plan on invading her life on Sunday the 25th and sqeezing her so tight she may struggle to breathe.

Meet My Crew: Kristi Turner

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Kristi and I at her bridal shower in April}

Relation to Tamara: Matron-of-Honor. Friend for 3 awesome years. Former roommate (in Portland).

Location: Portland, Oregon

Kristi is awesome at: helping people. Granted a lot of that has to do with her being a teacher, but she consistenly goes over and beyond to help those she loves. Whether she's lending a hand or an ear, she eagerly seeks out those that need her and ALWAYS makes everyone feel included and welcome.

Fun Fact: I was Kristi's Maid-of-Honor, she is mine. Rian was a groomsmen in their wedding, Bryann (her husband) is a groomsmen in ours. We are getting married about 5 months apart. And yes, we plan on having kids around the same time, too. That's just how we roll.

Meet My Crew

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

{From left to right: me, Molly, Kimber, Kristi, Jennifer and Rachel}

I'm really blessed to say that I have 9 wonderful ladies and two darling little girls supporting me on my wedding day. They are friends from Portland, friends from Texas, and family. For the next week or so, I'm happy to introduce you to my crew. The lovely ladies that have invested time and energy in not only this wedding but also our friendship.

More can be found here: www.theknot.com/ourwedding/rianschlyper&tamaraparker

I'll keep it simple. I don't want to turn this blog diabetic with an overdose of sweet sentiment. Instead, I'll just give you the fun facts.

But before I introduce you to my wedding crew, I'd also like to give a shout out to three girls that gave their time, energy and past Saturday to this wedding. They are part of my Portland crew and I love them dearly. While they won't be featured on the Meet My Crew week, they are certainly no less important.

Listed in Alphabetical Order :)

Rachel Garrett
Relation to Tamara: Friends for almost 3 years now. Introduced by Kristi Turner.
Location: Portland, Oregon
Rachel is awesome at: Planning. She's the first to develop the group gmail calendar (which is genius) and always makes fun ideas come to life by actually making sure they happen. i.e. book club If we didn't have Rachel, I think we'd all be lost.
Fun Fact: Rachel loves to travel. In fact, right after our honeymoon Rachel and her husband Paul are jetting off to SE Asia for three weeks!

Kimber Grady
Relation to Tamara: Friends for almost 3 years now. Introduced by Kristi Turner.
Location: Portland, Oregon
Kimber is awesome at: Anything outdoors. She's the master hiker, outdoors(wo)man, camper, etc. I wish I was as hardcore about the outdoors as Kimber is.
Fun Fact: Kimber is not only an accomplished outdoor enthusiast, she's also a great soccer player. Ask her about her indoor soccer sometime and she may give you a Cliff bar :)

Molly Heinisch
Relation to Tamara: Friends for almost 3 years now. Introduced by Kristi Turner.
Location: Portland, Oregon
Molly is awesome at: Baking. She steals the show at every wine and dine with her fantastic dishes. Her most recent praise-worthy treat? Peach and basil cobbler that she made from scratch and created all her own. No recipe required.
Fun Fact: Molly is a great swimmer. She was even on Willamette University's swim team back in her college days.

A Love Song

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

{Our anniversary last year at the Swell Season concert.}

There are lots of stressful things associated with a wedding. Table seating. Vendor coordination. Ceremony layout. BUDGET. Invitation addressing. Managing the horrifying roller coaster of your emotions. Delicately trying to accommodate everyone and preserve feelings. It goes on and on...

But picking out our first song? Not stressful. Not even a little bit.

For the longest time we had a song picked out that was going to be our song. It worked great. It was a classic, smooth-sounding, wedding-friendly tune. Something everyone would recognize and appreciate.

And then we realized, it's not about everyone else. It's about us. And as I was listening to my iPod at work, a ballad came on. And I got that excited, goose-bumpy feeling.

When Rian picked me up for lunch, I threw it on the radio and made him listen.

Win.

We've loved this song for quite some time. But what makes it particularly special to us is the first time we heard it live. Together, celebrating our one year, we were reclining on the lawn at the Portland Zoo. Perfect weather. Perfect venue. Perfect concert. Perfect night.

It was almost as though the song was sang just to us. Only us.

And let me just tell you...when the world starts closing in and I feel I'm starting to lose my mind...I put this song on. And I'm reminded that I get to dance for the first time with my husband to a tune that makes my heart feel so full.

I've Been Busy.

2011-09-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

{Murphy after his long Saturday.}

A little bird once told me that writing should be fun. Once it becomes a chore, it is not longer your outlet.

I've been avoiding blogging just for this reason. I don't want to feel like I have to update on here. I want to open up this screen and long to jot down my thoughts.

And the ultimate truth? I've been busy. Like...really, really busy. And instead of pretending and telling you all that I've been busy changing the world, I'll just list the truth.

I've been...

Making seating charts. Printing, cutting and folding programs, place cards and maps. Searching for my missing mason jars. Buying dozens of tea lights. Sending final payments to vendors. Creating agendas and timelines. Visiting the doctor and setting up physical therapy appointments for my back. Watching every episode of "The IT Crowd." Going to countless dress fittings. Calling friends and family constantly with various updates, stresses, and general requests. Taking Murphy to the vet. Confirming hotel reservations and honeymoon preparations.

And now? I'm just really tired. And more thankful than ever that we chose to do a relaxing honeymoon.

Change

2011-09-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

This has certainly been an interesting season of our lives. As we move into September, just 5 weeks shy of our wedding, I can't help but think of all the changes we're about to encounter. Changing days (daylight is shortening), changing schedules (whatever happened to free time?), changing routines (missing our quiet nights at home), and changing our lifestyle (ummm...we'll be married!). But I'm most thankful for the changing seasons. And while the weather may be getting cooler and the days shorter, this is one change that I gratefully welcome.

"When we say things like "people don't change" it drives scientists crazy because change is literally the only constant in all of science. Energy. Matter. It's always changing, morphing, merging, growing, dying. It's the way people try not to change that's unnatural. The way we cling to what things were instead of letting things be what they are. The way we cling to old memories instead of forming new ones. The way we insist on believing despite every scientific indication that anything in this lifetime is permanent. Change is constant. How we experience change that's up to us. It can feel like death or it can feel like a second chance at life. If we open our fingers, loosen our grips, go with it, it can feel like pure adrenaline. Like at any moment we can have another chance at life. Like at any moment, we can be born all over again."

Weekend in Pictures

2011-08-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

{Dinner with friends.}

{This was actually a cake. Amazing.}

{Baby Gabriel arrived. And we are SO in love.}

{Baby Gabey.}

A Special Visitor

2011-08-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm still sifting through all of my bridal shower pictures and I can't wait to share some of them. But in the mean time, just wanted to jot a little note to my mom. Thanks so much for everything you did to make my shower so special. Although the weekend flew by all too quickly, I am still having a good time going through all of the special little details you left for me.

Weddings are a funny thing- one minute you are so stressed out you want to cry. The other minute you are so showered with love that you- also- want to cry. Beautiful, chaotic, lovely, stressful, etc. They all fall under this same large umbrella we call a wedding.

But I digress.

Thanks again mom. We sure do miss you, but can't wait for October.

730 Days.

2011-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

To Rian:

Thank you for sticking it out with me. No, not every day of our 730 days has been perfect. There have been tough- even draining- days. The days where we bicker or argue. The days where we cling to each other because we are in pain. There have even been the days that we watch the clock and impatiently wait for the time to pass by us.

There have also been glorious days. Hours that we want to last forever- freeze just as they are in their perfection. Days that make us grasp for air- for they are so breathtaking and beautiful.

But mostly, there have been the normal days. Days that you wake up in the morning and kiss me goodbye. We go to our respective jobs and enjoy a lunch at home together. Days that we come home, play with the dogs, eat dinner and watch a movie on our couch.

If I had to choose, I'd pick those normal days. Our little routine reminds me how very much I love you. It doesn't need to be significant or breathtaking for me to remember why I'm marrying you. Sometimes it's just watching you mow the lawn while I cook dinner that fills my heart so much I think it might explode.

And in just 7 weeks we'll be married. And you will be stuck with me forever- in the bad days, the glorious days, and those beautifully average days in between.

Lucky you!
Lucky me.

Happy Anniversary. Looking forward to celebrating a new anniversary very soon.

With Much Happiness

2011-08-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

A happy family is but an earlier heaven.

--John Bowring

This time last year we were preparing for much sadness. Our hearts were broken and four very big holes were left in our lives when my sister and family moved to Raleigh, NC. Many lonely days were spent reminiscing and missing.

We were just so sad.

But then the time went on and we got back into our routine. It was different, but slowly it went from different to better to good. And that is thanks in large part to our beautiful friends. Friends who delicately stepped in and filled our time and our hearts. Thank you, friends. You know who you are and I hope you know how much we love you.

And now...it is with much happiness that we are greeted with the news of their return. Chris- we are so proud of you and your accomplishments. Please know that we are so very grateful for you. Thank you for brining my family home.

Rian's first reaction was "I'm so excited to be their real Uncle soon." I've enjoyed so many years of being an Aunt- not only with Kaia and Kate but with my four other awesome nieces (love you Taryn, Erica, Tara and Shannon!) but Rian has never had this role. I'm so excited that these two will be close to him. He is going to be an amaznig Uncle.

To say their return is a blessing would be an understatement. A severe understatement. At best, we were hoping they would be back in three years. We are thrilled beyond words. We are so thankful. We are so happy. We are so whole again.

Welcome back to Portland Hunter family!

I Love You.

2011-08-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Rian was out yesterday after work and I came home to two eager dogs and one absent fiancé. Ever the thoughtful man, I also came home to love notes scattered all around our home. Strategically located in all of the places that I frequent.

Like the fridge, where I pour myself a sweet tea when I come home:

And the kitchen counter top, where I check on our soup that been cooking in the crock pot all day:

And then I let the dogs out through the sliding glass door:

Then I shuffle upstairs to our bedroom:

Where I gather my laundry from the clothes basket:

And lastly, a love note placed on top of the washing machine:

Little reminders on little notes that I am loved in a very big way.

Three Things

2011-08-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

{View of Portland on my drive downtown}

Three things I learned today:

I am not the only frazzled, overwhelmed and exhausted bride in this world. As I was waiting to get my dress fitted, I encountered not one...but two.
Portland actually has traffic. So thankful that I don't have to commute.
Our problems are neither unique nor unusual. At any given moment, someone in this world aches the way you ache for the very reason you ache. I take solace in knowing that we aren't alone with our faults, failures and even...foes.

Happy Wednesday friends.

Wedding Weekend in Pictures

2011-08-09T08:33:00.000-07:00