Only 719 to go…

Kyle —  July 6, 2010 — 11 Comments

Yesterday was our 1 month anniversary, or onemoversary as we called it. We celebrated by doing nothing. Get back to us when it’s been a year…or ten.

Nevertheless, we have learned quite a bit. I would say I’ve learned more than Jen has because it’s much easier to live with guys than it is with a girl she’s so wise and wonderful and has so much to teach me. In all seriousness though (kind of) here are a few of the things we’ve learned in 4 weeks of wedded bliss…

  • World Cup + 4 AM = bad idea
  • Wives are not to be thought of, talked to, or treated like cooks, dishwashers, or maids. (You’re shaking your head back and forth saying ‘it’s so intuitive Kyle…it’s so intuitive’…well my question is “Where was your advice BEFORE our marriage started?!”)
  • Two people getting ready for church at the same time on a Sunday morning in a 32 sq. ft. bathroom is like casting Jessica Simpson as the lead in a movie. It sounds cute and fun in theory but it always ends badly…
  • We’d give up 1 hour of sleep every night, fast twice a week, and possibly go without air conditioning at night in exchange for a washer/dryer in our apartment…
  • Our definitions of “yeah, let’s go pick up a few things at Hobby Lobby” are very different from a financial perspective…like worlds apart different.
  • Apparently plastic Masters cups don’t carry the same aesthetic weight in my wife’s head as they do mine…many a war will be waged on this front in the next 11 months…
  • One Shining Moment is “not an appropriate song” to have my alarm play in the morning. I don’t really understand this rule and, frankly, my respect for it is waning by the day…
  • This blog and the people reading it have been one of biggest blessings (if not the biggest) we could have hoped or dreamed for. Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped create community on here, if it weren’t for you we’d only be typing words into oblivion. We’d still do it, we just wouldn’t enjoy it as much.

I told Jen in a letter I wrote to her on our wedding day that I was going to give her 60 great years, Lord willing. That means I’ve got 719 months left. That means we’re going to have to solve this Masters cups/One Shining Moment thing…

See y’all tomorrow.

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Indoor Holiday

Jen —  July 5, 2010 — 2 Comments

If you’re like most people we know, hurricane Alex is dampening your spirits and your outdoor activities. Today, we beg you: do anything besides watch T.V. Here are some fun (and thrifty) ideas to try with the people you’re stuck indoors with you love.

1. Have an indoor picnic.
The last time we used blankets creatively indoors, my sister and I were building tent cities in our living room. Turn on some music and throw yourselves a picnic.

2. Have a game day.

Brush the dust off of your old Scrabble game and get busy. Some of our other favorites: Scattegories, Buzz Word, Bananagrams, Loaded Questions, and Cranium. Fun for all ages.

3. Start a new craft (or finish an old one).

Most craft stores are closed today, but look around your house. You’ll find all sorts of inspiration. Make a pillow out of an old dress, paint some stripes on your wall, finish that scarf you started last winter, cut and paste magazine pics to make a wall collage.

4. Make a new dessert.
Put on an apron and pretend your work in a French bakery. You can say things like “Bonjour! Welcome to my boulangerie.” Oui, oui. Tee hee.

5. Read. You’ll learn something. Or spark your imagination. It’s crazy.

Photo Attribution: Picnic | Game | Sewing | Bakery | Book | Flag |

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Ocho

Both —  July 4, 2010 — 4 Comments

So we have a child. Not a real one. But not a fake one either. His name is Max and he lives in Haiti and today is his birthday. He has the same birthday as our country, though Max’s party probably won’t have as many people or fireworks. He probably won’t imbibe all the food we imbibe and I’m guessing he won’t be watching Breakfast at Wimbledon on Sunday morning. Max’s hobbies are walking and helping his mom farm. We live different lives. And yet we are connected.

We support Max (just as many of our friends support kids throughout the world) through a missional program called Compassion International. We send him and his family some money every month and write him letters to make sure he’s doing well. Kyle nicknamed him Ocho Cinco. He couldn’t believe we sent him an extra $10 for Christmas. We felt like cowards for not sending more.

We pray for his feet because they were injured in the earthquake. We don’t really know to what extent, but we know God can heal anything. In his last letter to us, Max asked if we felt the earthquake in America. We didn’t feel it physically, but we feel it in our hearts every time we remember him. Here’s to Max. And to the freedoms we enjoy. Happy 4th.

Max (or 'Ocho' as I like to call him)

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4 Links for the 4th

Kyle —  July 3, 2010 — Leave a comment

We’re in Austin this weekend (don’t worry, we pre-posted everything, pre-posted is a funny phrase…) but we left you 4 great articles to celebrate the 4th of July. Happy cooking out and World Cuppies watching! PS: that’s NOT the vehicle we took to Austin but I kind of wish it was…

Jen
How to decorate a (very) tiny apartment- An archive from my now out of print favorite magazine in the world, Domino. Brides.com is bringing back a few articles online. This one has been generating lots of fun and pricey ideas for me this week. Come on decorating budget.
Etsy.com- the best place to find handmade and vintage goods online. Looking for a new project to start? Get inspired here.

Kyle
LeBillionaire – I’m not a big fan of the free agency frenzy but this is an interesting look at just how many 0′s are attached to the end of that deal…
Simple or Poor? - Dan Miller (Dave Ramsey’s buddy) on the difference between being broke and being content

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Southbound 35

Jen —  July 2, 2010 — 3 Comments

Dallas and I are trying to become friends. One day at a time we’re getting to know each other a little better, but I’m leary of new friends and really attached to old ones. I love almost everything about the south, but here there seems to be a lack of open range and way too many shopping malls.  We forget there are stars for lack of seeing them, and the only dirt roads are the ones being dug up for construction. There are few things that can replace the feeling of being at home, but my old soul finds solace in some very interesting places. Ice cream, the Bible, and hippie little towns. Obviously not in that order.

Intro: Austin.

There’s something very spiritual about living a simple life, about listening to southern rock while wearing vintage clothing and laying barefoot in the grass. That’s what I picture Austin to be: miles apart from Dallas, a sort of Chris Robinson to an Emily Gilmore. And so this weekend, as we travel to this great city, I pay tribute to my new state capital. Some fun things I only wish were happening this weekend in Austin:

Renegade Craft


ACL


South by Southwest

Do something hippie this weekend. It’s very patriotic.

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Polly Want a Haircut?

Jen —  July 1, 2010 — 15 Comments

The reason I first cut Kyle’s hair was due to a cosmetology mishap: about 2 years ago he left his barber looking like a cockatoo. See above for visual. My job was to fix it, and so we came to the only conclusion either of us could think of: buzz it off and start over. Then I found out how much he was paying and we decided to try it for real.

Disclaimer: this activity is not for weak relationships or the faint of heart. We’ve had several domestic disputes over the cutting of hair, and though our relationship has survived, there have been words exchanged, blood spilled, and many imminent breakups on the horizon. (The first time we tried it, Kyle stormed out halfway through sporting a droopy version of a ’90′s bowl cut. He was serious about going to work the next day until I convinced him he looked like a homeless Zack Morris).

Yet we come out on the other side basking in this glory: By not spending those $16 every 2 weeks, we will save $16,640 over the next 40 years. Not to mention what we’ll save with kids. Check it out:

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PS: This is Kyle and I have never in my life looked like that bird. I promise.

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Date Nights Are Great Nights

Kyle —  June 30, 2010 — 8 Comments

The other day I got home from the gym at about 6:00 and walked in our apartment to find my wife’s body contorted upside-down on the couch so that the bottoms of her feet were facing the ceiling. Half her clothes were on the floor and there was a glass of water right next to her face. Here were the first three thoughts that went through my head:

  1. I wonder what the grace period is on getting a marriage annulled.
  2. Why are half her clothes on the floor? Why do I care why half her clothes are on the floor? (I know that’s two but in my head it was just one, trust me)
  3. Lady Gaga. Yankee Stadium. (if you don’t know, don’t Google it)

Turns out she had writers block and apparently her solution to this was to force every liter of blood in her body to flow to her head. She makes a compelling case that we should purchase a pair of these and wear them at all times.

Despite her idiosyncrasies (or maybe because of them?) I love this girl and I love dating and pursuing her. I think, as a society, we’ve turned our relational lives into this: meet, chase, date, fall, marry, settle down. This seems to be the standard “I was raised in a Christian home and I think this is what Kirk Cameron did with his life” thing to do. Well, that’s out. By the way, that was the first of many many shots at Kirk Cameron, it’s just too easy.

The pattern of our relational paradigm has gone (and will go) something like this: meet, become best friends, pursue, date, pursue some more, marry, keep pursuing, have some kids, fight to pursue, build a family, pursue into eternity.

I realized about a year ago that I was going to need to put some systems in place to help me sustain (and, sometimes when I’m less than enthused, force me to continue) all this pursuing. One of those systems is Monday night date night.

We make it a point to get out of the house (uh…I mean 600 sq. ft. apartment) the first night of every week. Sometimes we get dressed up and go to Cheesecake Factory and sometimes we just put on tanktops (yes, both of us) and go for a picnic. Each Monday is special though. It gives Jen something to look forward to, a time when she can relax and know that I’ve planned out our night and she doesn’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning or being mad about me for not doing either. It gives me an opportunity to creatively and continuously show her how much and in what ways I love her.

Obviously, I don’t always reach into our engagement week well and bust out 27-part activities for us to participate in on Mondays. But as our date nights have evolved, I’ve learned how much it means to Jen that I picture, plan out, and participate in these dates. She feels loved. I feel like a leader. Everybody wins.

What fun things do you do for date night?

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The Best Laid Plans…

Jen —  June 29, 2010 — 15 Comments

So here’s the deal – we’re thrifty and practical. You saw our wedding budget. We rarely eat out, but there’s one problem: grocery shopping is one of my least favorite things to do. Yet if I neglect it for too long, the fridge gets bare and scary & Kyle has to eat strange concoctions. He starts asking questions about when I went shopping last, I take it the wrong way, and then we’re both mad. And still hungry.

Our friends Summer & Ryan told us the other day about how they plan out their menus on paper every week. My first thought was, “Psssh. I can do this in my head.” Then things started to go badly. So my new train of thought is this: If I can save just one trip to the grocery store every week, then 30-40 minutes of menu planning was worth it. Today I planned out the menu for this week (a great starter week since we’ll be gone over the holiday weekend). Our budget allows for us to spend $10 per day on groceries, so I know I’ll have to keep the grand total under $40. Here’s the final draft:

Porter Family Menu

I tried to keep in mind that leftovers are my friend and that we need to use up everything we buy. Most lunches are a repeat of the night before, and a package of English Muffins will serve as buns for our turkey burgers as well as toast to our eggs for breakfasts. Because of our budget, I can’t get too fancy (ingredients we don’t have can add up fast) so my rule is that we’ll try one fancy new recipe every 1-2 weeks. That way, most of our $10 is going toward actual food instead of ingredients to be shelved.

I’m already feeling better about dinners for the week, though I found some templates that are prettier than the one I used. See below.

Do any of you plan your menus for the week? Any great tips or ideas?

PS : CONGRATULATIONS to our first book giveaway winner – Katie Dawson. Thanks to everyone for playing, we’ll do it again soon!

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Monday Book Giveaway

Kyle —  June 28, 2010 — 28 Comments

Enough about us. We want to thank YOU, the people who have been reading, so we’re giving away a book about love today.

Here’s how it works: all you have to do is click on “comments” below and post a comment telling us what your favorite thing about Mondays is.

That’s it.

We will randomly select a winner tonight and email them so they can choose from two of our faves below…

Mystery of Marriage – Hands down the best book either of us has ever read about love, marriage, and maybe even Christianity. It seems like every other sentence could be a chapter in and of itself. Unbelievably profound read.
          

Sheet Music – This one came highly recommended from some of our best married friends, and with good reason. It’s the perfect “we’re Christians and we’re about to get married and do stuff we’ve never done before even though we don’t feel old enough to do it because we giggle every time someone says a word you’d find in an anatomy book” book. It’s also good if you have done it, aren’t a Christian, and don’t giggle at anatomy book words.

It should be noted that we both read both of these books while we were single so you can’t play the “I’m not married so I can’t participate in the giveaway” card. Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. Oh, and if you already have both of them then we’ll send you something different!

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Till Death (or OSU) Do Us Part…

Kyle —  June 27, 2010 — 6 Comments

In lieu of our semi-redneck, somewhat windy, extremely sweltering wedding ceremony we thought a few of you might not have been able to hear (or pay attention to) our vows to each other. Or maybe some of you weren’t there and would just like to read them…

We decided some time ago to write our own vows. The rest of the wedding was homemade, why not the ceremony? Another moment of full disclosure (MOD, if you will) – I wasn’t aware that when you write your own vows you have to read them to each other, I thought you repeated what the pastor said until my brother and sister pointed out how awkward it would be for the pastor to say “Jennifer, I love you.” Thanks guys.

Anyway, we tried our best to write to each other, from deep within where only our love for the Lord resides. Here’s what resulted:

Kyle
“In centuries gone by men have fought wars over love.
Men have sailed the raging seas over love.
And men have gone to the grave, over love.

So I stand before you today
With a seemingly easy task
To simply profess my love and commit my life to you.
And yet, it is so much more complex.

For in the days and years to come
That profession will become a realization
That through each other
Sanctification in Christ will come to fruition.

Because of this it is my honor to protect and provide
My passion to lead with integrity
My desire to plan and to pray
My duty to pass on wisdom to our kids
And my honor to humbly love.

I know there will be fights
I know there will be struggles
I know what lies ahead.

But I choose you
And I want you to know
Even though I don’t understand how marriage works (what guy does?)
I DO understand the magnitude of it all.
I understand that Christ is enough, for both of us.

So I promise to choose you over OSU games
Promise to love or sons even if they hate sports
Promise to revel in arts and crafts with our daughters
Promise to let you be free and to guide us with wisdom
Promise to always write to you and date you and cherish you.
I promise to always climb through your bedroom widow to kiss you, tell you stories and make you laugh.

I commit myself to you
Mind, body, spirit, and soul
You have all my love, for the rest of time.”

Jen
“You make me more of who I already am. By your side, I am more confident, more creative, and more secure in Christ. I know I can fight any battle, but trust you to lead me through them.

Your discipline is something I have never known. It makes me more confident in you than you will ever know, and I will trust you with everything in me until the Lord is finished with me on this earth.

I will strive all my days to make you proud of me, to raise your children as ambassadors for Christ, and to honor you with my words in all situations. While my identity does not hinge on the words you say, you are continually shaping how I perceive this world and where I put my focus. So go forth this day, knowing that my confidence is in Christ, but that every word you say is truth to me.”

For those of you wondering, “when will this ever end?!?” you’re in luck. This is the last wedding post you’ll have to endure. Tomorrow, it’s all about you guys, the readers. We’re having our first giveaway. See you then…

Kickin' Back

Kickin' It

Ignoring me...as usual

(Some of) The Boys

(A lot of) The Girls

As always, pictures taken by Shari Hatfield…we can’t recommend her blog highly enough.

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