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This is kind of like the 25 things - except there are pre-decided questions and it's about you and your spouse, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know! ;-)

♥ What are your middle names?
Brook and Blake (we both go by our middle names too). (Our first names are Randy and Miranda, and we are both named after our dads who are both named Randy. Both of our mom's middle names are Lynn).

♥ How long have you been together?
9 years

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
24 hours

♥ Who asked who out?
Blake asked me

♥ How old are each of you?
Blake is 33 and I am 28.

♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most?
Mine, since they live in town.

♥ Do you have any children together?
Yes, three sons

♥ What about pets?
Reagan (Old English mastiff), Meredith (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), Fontana (Simese Himalayan), and 2 goldfish named Shark and Whale

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
having opposite interests and likes and dislikes. It's really sacrificial for us just to have fun together sometimes

♥ Did you go to the same school?
technically UAB, but not at the same time

♥ Are you from the same home town?
No

♥ Who is the smartest?
Depends on the subject. He covers the left brain subjects, I take care of the right

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
hmmm...that's a tough one. I am usually more emotional about things, but Blake is more easily offended than me

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
La Spada, Highlands Bar and Grill, and Surin as a couple
La Spada, Baha Burger, Pablos, Mellow Mushroom, and Indigo Joe's as a family

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
either Bonaire or Banff, Canada

♥ Who has the craziest exes?
Blake

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Blake's is probably the worst, but I have only ever seen it once and it was in our first year of marriage. Mine is vicious, though, and it comes to visit usually every month or so

♥ Who does the cooking?
I am the regular, but you would rather eat Blake's cooking. He actually enjoys it.

♥ Who is more social?
Umm... probably Blake

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
Me!!

♥ Who is the more stubborn?
That's a toss up depending on the subject again

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
We usually wake up around the same time, but that's a new thing. Traditionally it has been Blake

♥ Where was your first date?
We started at Purple Onion off of Lakeshore (he was like 45 minutes late, I can't believe I waited), and then we drove around and talked the rest of the night. We talked about getting married that night.

♥ Who has the bigger family?
Blake by just a few

♥ Do you get flowers often?
yes, but I buy them for myself. No one knows what I like better than me.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
Running around like crazy trying to see all our families!

♥ Who is more jealous?
Blake Blake Blake!

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
It was love at first sight, so like 5 minutes

♥ Who eats more?
I actually think I do, but I rarely see Blake eat since he is usually at work. I know he VERY rarely eats the food I cook, so there ya go.

♥ Who does/ did the laundry?
I do the laundry. Blake is not allowed in the laundry room.

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Blake

♥ Who drives when you are together?
Blake. He doesn't let me drive. I don't blame him. :)

Design Inspiration for this Room

I NEED YOUR OPINIONS...

Here's my sunroom:

Here's some design ideas:
How about some beams to the ceiling:





How about a little something on the windows:
#1 with a more neutral rug, of course

#2

or #3 nothing fancy but they give that softness I am looking for.

#4 love that chandelier too


Speaking of chandelier. Do I need one?





OTHER STUFF I LOVE:

Honestly, I am sick of the green, which always happens with me and green, I don't know why I keep choosing it. I gotta quit, but anyway. I have been in love with blue and brown for a while now.


This is a great coffee table and is more in keeping with the size of my room. I also have considered getting rid of the green on the trim and painting the floor. Yes, seriously.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
The sofa in my sunroom picture that you can see all of is actually for sale (if anyone is interested let me know). Another couch has been given to us that looks better with the green, but it has to be recovered. Color and fabric thoughts:



AND I would love to see a pergola outside that sunroom door. Lovely!

Whining and Complaining about Winter

I hate winter. I am just tired of it! And I live in Alabama, so I know I don't struggle with half of what other people do as far as cold goes, but I guess it's just what you get used to. Here are the Top 5 Reasons Why I HATE Winter!!

5. It's dang cold out there and my skin is all dry and I hate lotion.

4. Everything is dead. It's nice not to have to deal with mosquitoes, but now everything is brown and depressed looking. Thank God for winter rye even if it is unruly.

3. The kids don't go out and play as much. Which means they are inside...and loud...and rambunctious. The only minutes peace I get is when the tv is on, but the tv is eating their brain and leaving me with little alien children who don't listen or behave. For the love!

2. It's COLD! Obviously. It's hard to get a shower because when you get in or get out the pain is like needles. You must wear socks (I don't really like things on my feet...I guess you could say I am a minimalist in that way) because the floor stings if not. The wind whips your nose off and whats left drips and runs and requires tissues (another winter accessory). Speaking of...

1. Everybody's SICK!! Flu, Bronchitis, Stomach bug, colds, 5ths disease, just to name a few. Sheesh!


Okay. Enough complaining. On a positive note:
There is one thing I like about winter...

SOUP!!!MMMMM

Church of the Day

I don't "go to" church anymore, but someplace this cool almost makes me wish I did. FYI, the speaker is Peter Rollins, so that adds a touch of awesomeness to the scene.

My Life in Pictures

My Life In Pictures

Rules: Refer to the following list of prompts. Go to Google Images, search for your answers. Post.



1. The age you will be on your next birthday:


2. A place you'd like to travel:


3. Your favorite place:


4. Your favorite object:


5. Your favorite food:


6. Your favorite animal:


7. Your favorite color:


8. The town in which you were born:


9. The town in which you live:


10. The name of a past pet:


11. The first name of your present love:


12. An event you'd like to relive:


13. Your nickname:


14. Your first name:


15. Your middle name:


16. Your last name:



17. A bad habit of yours:



18. Your first job:


19. Your grandmother's name:



20. Your major in college:

dreamhome

Okay, I am not gonna lie. I have never been a big fan of the Bible. I know that clearly sounds like heresy, but it's true! I mean, I have had a pure admiration for it, but just never understood it. The Message translation came along and helped a little bit, but by that time I had so much frustration, it was difficult to even pick it up anymore. I have read all kinds of books to help me try to understand Scripture, but have mostly resolved to rely on the holy spirit's guidance much like Christians did before the New Testament was published, or the illiterate Christians Jeane Guyon discipled.
I have read one book recently, however, that has totally changed my perspective of the New Testament. The Untold Story of the New Testament by Frank Viola. It helps me understand the culture, see things through Paul's (and all the 1st century Christian's) eyes, etc. Read with the New Testament, it is very much an impactful narrative that has you in tears by the end. I want to (have to)go back and read it again, and keep going deeper. It's like I just received a degree in New Testament or something. Seriously.



here is fellow blogger, Lionel Wood's, review:
Viola Frank. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament . Destiny Image Publishers , 2005. pp. 208. $10.04
Frank Viola author of Pagan Christianity, Rethinking the Wineskin and now Reimagining Church has provided the Body of Christ a Gem in this work. The book sets out to put the New Testament in Chronological order, filling in gaps, and helping the reader of the New Testament to see, smell, touch and hear what our 1st century brothers and sisters would have experienced during the time the “Church” is being built by Jesus Christ through the work of the Spirit in the lives of the Apostles and others.
The book succeeds greatly at that in my opinion. As I was reading many of the events I had memorized through the book of Acts and the Epistles are displayed in panoramic view. It is like I am there, walking with Paul and Silas, on the ships with Luke and Paul, in Ephesus with Timothy. My heart is burdened with Paul as he writes these letters to the churches he has risked to plant. As the Corinthians reject his apostleship. As the Galatians are hoodwinked by the Judiazers, as the Thessalonians are troubled by those who claim the resurrection has happened, as Titus is struggling to keep the Church at Crete afloat, as John writes to Asia Minor about the “anti-Christs” who have snuck in, as Timothy wants to quit and abandon the gift that he received to continue the work started in him, as Paul writes Philemon about Onesimus and the Colossians about gnosticism and Peter attempts to encourage those who are suffering greatly under the Neroan tyranny. I am there and tears are in my eyes as I am encouraged to see that the same things they struggled with we struggle with.
Frank Viola does an amazing job getting you there and his writing style keeps you captivated. As you go back open your bible to follow the story. You have to keep your bible close by because you will say “I never saw that” and it makes it that much more exciting. You see the Apostolic assistants and church planters write Paul as a wise dad. Paul responds with great insight and wisdom. Which is impossible without the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. Christ saw this coming and the scriptures are written before your very eyes.
I will say there is much interpretation as the Epistles are written in narrative form. But that was okay for me. I am secure in many of my positions and for those which were challenged I am open to reform. I am pretty sure I will change my position another 100 times before my death and I am secure in the Gospel. But again there is much interpretation in the book so be prepared if you read. Some who read here that are New Testament History buffs may disagree with the chronology of the book and that is okay also.
I recommend this book for EVERY Christian who wants to attempt to understand the New Testament. We see the NT epistles as a response to the maturation of the Church of Christ. We get to understand why Paul tells the Galatians to cut the entire sexual organ off if circumcision is a benefit. We see Paul directing Timothy to sit the women down in Ephesus and Corinth (funny the other churches wouldn’t have known much about this). Once again the book was a gem and I recommend you have this book or something along its line right with your Bible Dictionaries, Greek NT, Concordance and Commentaries.
Author’s Website: http://www.ptmin.org/


By the way, the Viola book, Pagan Christianity, that I set out to read and blogged about forever ago, is awesome too! Such perspective on "church" and Christianity as we know it today, and it will blow your socks off some of the practices we blindly take part in! Actually, quite scary! Definately worth the time spent reading.

5 Loves of January 09

1.) The Flight of the Conchords. Jemaine and Brett are a folk parody group from New Zealand who just landed a new show on HBO that is simply halarious!! I have been a big fan of the show for a long time (since my friend Amy Luster emailed me the youtube of of 'Business Time'), but am so glad they have been reintroduced into my life. I can think of no better way to wind down and waste time than watching Flight of the Conchords.


2.)American Country Countdown. I have been listening on Sundays since I was a little girl. I truely love any music countdown. It just makes me happy.


3.) The Village at Blount Springs. I first entered this wonderful development in middle school. My mom and I toured the Southern Living home. We both fell in love. It's just a beautiful drive through these days for me, and a dream retirement location. But a couple of weeks, my mom and I stopped by again to look around. We let the boys play at the playground with the local kids. What a dreamy place to live!
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5.) Horseback Riding in Bankhead Forest. A picture is worth a thousand words...