total advocate …

of this type of advertising:

I was sitting at my desk, minding the business that filled my computer screen, when a lovely lady entered the office and placed this sugar filled box of pink deliciousness on my desk.  She then announced that the box of samples was just to let us know they had a place on this little planet.  They came not long ago and hope to stay a while.  Simple business mission statement, I would say.  Ok, maybe those are my words for her reasoning in bestowing this valentine’s worthy treat to our office, but I imagine her words would be something of the same.  This is a little bit of sweet gravy, if I do say so myself.

Thank you “Icing on the Cupcake” for this little afternoon snack!

things I am currently loving:

• Picasa Collages {indulging my romantic obsession}

:: our wedding in the rain ::

• Pomegranate Cranberry fruit & oat bars from Archer Farms {courtesy of Sarah Benson … thank you!}
• new recipes {or even recycled ones that had been retired for much too long} thank you very much “blackened chicken Caesar salad” for turning out so great
• instagram {super cool iphone app that transforms regular old pics into works of art}
• productivity
• pretty nails {it’s been since junior high that I regularly painted & polished my nails.  the attempt has succeeded for two weeks so far.  here’s hoping it lasts!}
• super cuddly husband {he’d probably seriously role his eyes if he knew I posted that, but what’s he gonna do about it?} thank you uber cold weather!
• wool coats.  new and old … they are a savior to my frigid bones.
• flowy scarves {adding a girlish touch to every outfit}
• puppies {namely German shorthairs named Porter}

the gravy project

gra·vy

[grey-vee]

“something advantageous or valuable that is received or obtained as a benefit beyond what is due or expected.”

2011 is the year of the gravy project.  it was established by my sweet mamacita {for those that don’t know my father’s native tongue, that is español for “little mama”.  I can say that, because there are roughly 7 inches from the top of her head to mine}  and I continue.  on Christmas day, my mom gave each family in our family-circle a journal.  along with the journal was a note, inviting us to join her in this “gravy project”. 

what is the “gravy project” you ask? 

the project is this: to write, jot, scribble, draw {or however feels best to you} the gravy that is in your life.  the gravy that you experienced that day.  every day.  gravy is the stuff that we don’t need.  it’s the little gifts from God that come unexpected.  it’s the silly things.  it’s the big things.  it’s all the things in between.  the project is to remember them.  to avoid the tendency we have to just skim over the little joys in life.  like that open parking space that reduces your walk into the store by even 10 steps.  that cup of coffee that someone made/brought/bought for you … just because.  the letter/e-mail from that old friend you’ve been thinking about.  the dinner that turned out just right.  the incredible man that works so hard to provide for you, every day.  the little conveniences that made your day better, whether you realized it or not.  REALIZE it.  APPRECIATE it.  REMEMBER it.  and in the process, thank the ONE who gave them to you.  the ultimate goal is to focus on the blessings God brings us every day … and waste less time dwelling on that stupid excuse for a bad attitude.  or even a mediocre attitude.

would you like to join us in the gravy project?  Start a journal.  it doesn’t have to be every day.  just remember to take the time to be thankful.  my dad is taking the project a step further.  forego those things that have become a “normal” part of your day/life that don’t need to be.  {example: he has decided to eat what is needed, and not was is available.  that extra burger that he wasn’t hungry for was simply a want, not so much a need.  he is determined to be thankful for that one burger, and forego the second} 

I do it when I do my quiet times.  it’s amazing how many little {and ginormous} things there are to be grateful for.

pursuing extraordinary

Monday. Today is the second Monday of 2011. and now, the days will begin to repeat. Tuesday will be followed by roughly 50 more, as will all the other days of the week. Work continues. Responsibilities pick up. Time begins to move … faster than it did, just 10 sweet days ago. I have not formally sat in front of a blank Word document, {or even a pad of paper for that matter} to pen the decisions, the changes, the commitments that I will make resolute. Maybe I haven’t had the time … or maybe I just haven’t thought about it. regardless of the reason for which I am tardy in establishing my goals for 2011, I do know that I am excited. I’m ready to see what the next 355 days bring to my door step. It’s really a quite exhilarating feeling. new. fresh. it’s an adventure into uncharted territory. I have never experienced January 11th, 2011. I have not yet seen June 1st, 2011. and I can’t even begin to describe what October 2011 looks like. because we have yet to meet. and how exciting is it to know that there is something new, waiting for me on that day? who knows … it could be frightening. it might even be devastating. but it could be extraordinary. for now, I am praying that when my calendar sheds it’s last page in the year 2011, that the word to which I will attach my overall memories of the year will be … EXTRAORDINARY. is that my “word for the year”? I don’t know. I’ve never done that before. maybe it should be. but I also like words like "pursue." "dream." "grow." "determine." ooo, I like that. I am going to live this year: pursuing extraordinary. in my marriage. in my work. in my ministry. in my relationships. in my growth. and in my walk with my Savior. there are too many areas in my life where I want to grow … to be better … to be more simple. I want to be realistic with my approach … but at the same time, why limit God? shoot for the stars. pursue the extraordinary.

call me a romantic.

oh ya.  remember that special delivery that I was a little overly-excited about, just before Christmas?  well, it was a hit.  he LOVED it.  it was a book.  two books actually.  authored by us. 

Every adventure since the vows were exchanged to the day the tree was decorated.  documented in full.  bound to perfection.  it is a photo album detailing the first of our many adventures.  each page has a story behind it.  a memory deeply rooted to the smiles in each picture.  it turned out beautifully. 

{Photo Album Cover}

not only that, but I had our “love letters” printed and bound into our very own story book.  we have our “notebook” {the romantic in me is swooning right now.}.  see, the beginning of our friendship-slash-relationship began and developed over … dare I say it … text messaging.  I know, I know!  ridiculous.  why not talk on the phone?  or communicate face-to-face?  be a little more personal, why don’t you?  well … I’ll just say it … I was scared.  and that sweet man on the other side of the text-message chain saw that.  thus, he pursued through text.  smart man, actually.  and I will include, that those text messages occurred before, after, and in-between the times we did spent face to face {which grew to be much more frequent as time went on … obviously}.  anyways, now we have official documentation of those little comments and conversations that resulted in copious amounts of butterflies and increased pigmentation in my cheeks {i.e. blushing}. 

after we became “official” {only the best dtr ever, might I add}, we decided to type out our texts so that we wouldn’t forget them.  and that we did.  as far back as the phone log would recall … to the day after that dtr.  and now, it’s printed.  and bound.  in our very own book of memories. 

{our love letter cover}

I know he loved it.  his hands shook ever so slightly as he carefully turned each page.  it’s been almost two years, and this is just the beginning of our story.

a holiday nutshell.

Love.  Gifts.  Cinnamon rolls.  Snow.  Lake Tahoe.  Family.  Puppies.  Parties.  Sledding.

a dreamin’ little girl.

what is nearly every child’s dream Christmas present?  some wish for a bike.  others for a Barbie or GI-Joe.  {well, at least that’s what they were asking for when I was little}.  but think about it … every little child wants a puppy.  with a big read bow around it’s neck.  ok, I haven’t done an official study on this, but I would wager to say this assumption is true.  the point of my assumption?  well, I’m 26 years old, and for Christmas, we got a puppy!

meet Porter Benson.  the cutest little german shorthair you could imagine.  I am officially in love.

now, in all honesty, erik and I were not thinking about getting a dog any time soon.  my thoughts were along to lines of waiting until our kids were old enough to take care of it {aka, not for a good long while}.  BUT, my parents happen to have a dog named Lucy.  my husband happens to be in love with Lucy.  as in, if ever I cannot find him while at my parents place, I generally come upon him laying beside the pup with his arms wrapped around her.  {should I be getting jealous?}  anyway, when my parents considered breeding their pup, our thought process went something like this:

Lucy is an amazing dog.  amazing dogs have amazing pups.  the Benson’s want an amazing pup someday.  why wait for amazing pup when we know Lucy’s will be amazing? 

thus, we have a new puppy named Porter.  although I had already picked my favorite out of the bunch of 7 sweet pups, erik walks over to the little ones with an eye for the biggest, the thickest, the toughest {think Porter House Steak … hence the name}.  it just so happens, it was the same little guy I had my very eyes on.  a match made in heaven.