Tag! You're.... a coincidence

So.... I was graciously "tagged" to participate in a bloggy chain mail thing by Raising Rascals (thanks Amber), where you go to the fourth file of your photos and pick the fourth picture, post it, and then tag more folks. Well, the way my photos are set up is a little more complicated than the instructions (only because my computer does it automatically - I can barely put my socks in the correct dresser drawer). So following Lisa's Little Slice's lead, I picked the fourth (well only) photo from the fourth sub-folder from the fourth folder from 2008, and, oh my gosh, it is actually one of the photos (the bottom one) that I had already planned to use for my next post! Ooohhhhh. Creeeepy. (No, I'm for real. It really happened that way).

Oh, well, here's the story. My friend, MLW, who was featured in my most recent post is also the subject of this one. I'm really not gunning for her; I was looking through an old email file to find someone else's email address, and I came across the email that is described below. After laughing out loud at my own hilarity, I decided a post was in order.

MLW, who lives in the DC area, graciously sent a thoughtful email to a few friends:

From the Washington Post. I just thought it looked yummy, and I wanted to
share it with my baking friends.
MLW

Being the smart aleck that I am, I responded in the following manner:

I made brownies last night and thought I'd share the recipe I used.
-Aaron

I promise - No more MLW posts for a while... Thanks for being a good sport.

Careful what you wish for...

So.... it has been a while since I've posted. Well, you didn't need me to tell you that, but I guess I needed you to tell me.

I was talking on the phone this evening with some dear friends of mine, and both husband and wife commented on my need to blog (almost a month since the last post - I was really hoping that Chrismon story would keep you occupied). I expressed my apologies and offered some excuse about being busy (work, wedding, etc...).

After finishing the telephone conversation, and instead of blogging (with a lack of clever topics jumping to mind), I continued working on entering names and addresses into a database for the correspondence for our upcoming nuptials. We're getting the information together for the calligrapher for the invitations as well as in anticipation of printing address labels for the Save the Date cards (which Rachel was only a little annoyed when I started calling them STD cards - actually she thought it was funny). There was a random Texas address that I didn't have in my address book, on facebook, in a phone book, or in my collection of the past few years' Christmas Cards, so I went rifling through a desk drawer to find a card that I knew the Texas addressee had sent this past year. Along with the Texan's card, I found a lovely handwritten letter (on two sticky notes) from the wife of the couple to whom I was talking earlier, the very same person that was encouraging me to blog again. This note, which was taped to the front door of my friend's house to let me know why she wasn't answering the door, is at least six years old.

This note helps to explain why I love this couple and use the adjective "dear" to describe them. Hopefully they won't mind being the topic of this blog post (but they asked for it).

Thanks to all you great friends who keep me laughing.

Chrismon

So.... this year at my church, as a congregation, we are decorating a Chrismon tree. A Chrismon is a handmade ornament with a design that symbolizes Christ. The name is derived from the words Christ and Monogram. Originated in 1957 by Francis Spencer, the daughter of Lutheran missionaries, Chrismons are used by churches of several denominations to decorate their sanctuaries.

I started out with my pattern, a fleur-de-lis, some left over white polar fleece and gold lame.



My first attempt failed miserably. I tried to use my serger to put two pieces of fleece together, but I couldn't really get into the curves, nooks, and crannies like I needed to. My serger has a knife that cuts the fabric as it is being stitched, so my fleur-de-lis started looking more like the Bat-Man symbol.



Attempt number two only yielded slightly better results. Stitched on my old trusty cheap-o sewing machine, it looks more like it is supposed to, but the fleece was too stretchy and the cut aways made it all janky looking.



The third time's the charm - well, sort of. I ditched the fleece and found some old craft felt. Using a slightly more stylized pattern, this (what I'm calling successful) Chrismon has the handmade feel, but also adheres to my secondary world view of going over the top (my primary world view being hospitality).



There's always a huge mess after unbridled creativity (I so totally need a dedicated "project room" in my house).

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

So.... along with my spectacle of a Christmas tree, I decorated the mantle with greenery, lights, decorations, stockings, and collected figurines.



I bought new stockings this year (because I needed three that coordinated, instead of just two).



So Santa would know who's stocking was whose, I personalized each with a small photo frame ornament. Hopefully, Santa would have figured out that the high-heeled boot stocking was Rachel's without the photo, but he's awfully busy on Christmas Eve.



I love the little frame I found for Rachel's picture, and the picture of Travis is pretty cute too (especially on that stocking with all those sequins).



Here's a close up of some of the figurines on the mantle. They are Byers Choice Carolers. The boy was given to me by my friends Patrick and Monica. A caroling Jack Russell Terrier sits next to him.

Nostalgic Spectacle

So.... I'm essentially finished decorating for Christmas. The past few years have seen the big tree in the living room with gold decorations, but I was inspired a couple of months ago to change things up. I'd move the gold decor to the smaller (dining room) tree and use the big tree as a backdrop for my more sentimental ornaments. The idea was to have a nostalgic tree, one similar to my childhood. Of course, I sometimes cannot leave well enough alone, and my sweet, endearing, memory-laden tree was transformed into, what else, a Nostalgic Spectacle!



First things first: colored lights! Last year on the big tree, I blew a (non-replaceable) fuse on the extension cord (snaked through the middle of the tree) that was apparently overloaded with too many strands (five days before Christmas). This year, I have 1300 lights on two separate extension cords, plugged into a power strip, plugged into a remote controlled outlet. Yes, you read that right... a remote controlled outlet - no crawling under the tree, no clap on - clap off, no blindly stomping through the tree skirt to find the toe tapper switch, just a simple push of a button and the blinding fury that is my Christmas Spectacle illuminates the living room!



The idea was to make the special ornaments the "star attraction" and just have simple glass (or plastic) Christmas balls as the "backup dancers." Well, a couple of trips to Hobby Lobby with all their Christmas decorations on sale for half price gets you a whole lot of "backup dancers."



At one point during the decorating, I said to myself, "That looks really nice - just enough." Of course, I had yet to add a single metallic berry, shiny pick, sparkle wand, glitter crinkle, or glass grape, and it's not like I can add just a couple of those things. I proudly stand by the fact that the statement, "He just didn't go over the top enough," has never been said in reference to me.

I started collecting Mark Roberts Santas a few years ago, and I usually use one of them as the tree topper; however, in the spirit of nostalgia, I used a not so expensive, not so collectable Santa as the topper, and he totally works to bring the theme together.



Actually, I bought this Santa four Christmases ago at Wal-Mart. He was the very first topper on that same big Christmas tree (which I bought on sale) in my first house during my first year in private practice.

Photo Op

So.... on Rachel's last visit, we conned our friends Lori and Donnie into taking Un-Official Engagement Photos of us. Being the wonderful friends that they are, they happily agreed. We scoured all of Arkadelphia to find the perfect locations. No, the trash container wasn't the perfect location - just an homage to my family (owning/ having owned trash companies).



We started off at Feaster Trail. It was just a little too early in the season to get much in the way of Autumn color, but the pictures looked great. The setting is so good that it almost looks like an Olan Mills background was rolled down behind us.



We eventually made our way downtown to get some "urban" shots (the alley behind the Beehive is as urban as it gets here). We actually got a great picture (not shown) that we'll probably use as a Save The Date Card (which Lori is designing for us).



The old church/dry cleaners at Caddo and 7th made a great location. Donnie has this great little Polaroid camera that does these neat panoramic shots.



Click on the pictures to see them enlarged.



This photo, probably one of my favorites, was taken in the wooded area between our clinic and the hospital.



Thanks for enduring my obvious narcissism, but they're really good pictures! Donnie and Lori do a great job; of course, with subjects like Rachel and me, how could you go wrong?

Autumn Engagement Party

So.... my family hosted the first official celebration of our upcoming nuptials. Rachel came to visit this past weekend, and we thought we might invite some people over. I mentioned this to my mom who turned "might invite some people over" into engagement extravaganza, and I wouldn't have had it any other way! The party certainly gave me impetus to get the house finished, and aside from some neglected landscaping and a couple of janky ceiling fans, the house was complete prior to the party.

I ordered flowers from Mary and Martha's Florists, and the owner David did a wonderful job.

Entry Hall Table (please notice the new pineapple lamp)


The centerpiece for the coffee table was gorgeous (and massive).


Instead of one centerpiece for the dining room, I ordered three small arrangements that we were able to scatter amongst the buffet.


Earlier that day, Mom, Rachel, and I set up the buffet table, making sure there was a platter, bowl or tray for everything.


The invitations stated "6pm Open House." Well, all of central Arkansas poured into my house promptly at 6:02. It was so exciting to see everybody show up to wish us well. Rachel and I stood in the entry hall and greeted our guests as they arrived. My wonderful family did a phenomenal job of "catering" and hosting. Thanks go to Gabe, Rebecca, Hannah and Tyler for dips, snacks, and fruit. Thanks to Ray (Dad) for the fire pit and roasted pork. Thanks to Matt for all of his help and for the photos of the party. Kaitlin and Tricia (Mom) prepared a majority of the dishes and made sure the table was full of food throughout the party.

The friends were many, the food was great, and the energy was palpable.

Friends visit with one another in the living room.


Guests enjoy the opium den... er, I mean the cozy sun porch.


Neal and the college men station themselves in the dining room (right by the buffet table).


Rachel and Lori smile for a photo op, while Donnie enjoys the witty banter of adult sophistication.


The Kears graciously endure one of my boring anecdotes.


Thanks to all of our friends who traveled near (around the corner) and far (Gurdon, Little Rock, Louisiana, the Deer Woods) to help us celebrate our engagement. We hate that some of you couldn't make it that evening (that's okay, it meant more food for us). Rachel and I are overwhelmingly blessed to have you in our lives and enthusiastically appreciate your friendship.