Girl Time

Friday night I drove down to Pueblo to spend the evening with my sister.

I have to say I don’t know how people make it without sisters; or siblings in general.

Being around one of my sisters just for a few hours lift my spirits to new highs.

I had a good conversation with one of my very best friends, Sydney, the other day about what being around positive females can do for your self-esteem & I have to say I’m feeling pretty good about our discovery.

Being a social butterfly comes easy for some people, and I have always admired the trait but haven’t ever been comfortable being “the life of the party.”  I am perfectly content sitting at a small table with a few close friends or some family.

Being down here in the southern corner of Colorado dates with a girlfriend are few and far between.

So when Jeb is gone at a show I use any excuse I can to drive somewhere to see one of them.

After talking with Sydney my beliefs that you don’t need just that ONE person are shining true.

It is part of my daily prayer that Jeb will always be the one I can’t wait to tell practically everything to, & he is I know my “person” like on Grey’s Anatomy.

BUT! He could seriously care less about a new nail polish color. Or that I found the answer to my make-up issue once again on Pinterest.

I am one of those girls who just needs a girl.

And after talking to Sydney I realized how important it is to make sure the females you surround yourself with are ones that want what is best for you, and push you to be better. They also need to know the difference between venting and nagging or a cry for help.

My sisters and closest friends have heard a lot from me lately.

I have been on a “clean eating” diet for 7 weeks now and haven’t managed to lose weight.

Until last Thursday I had applied everywhere in Alamosa and hadn’t heard a positive thing back! Nothing short of being told I wasn’t qualified to work at Maurice’s.

I will be the first to admit after Jeb shared his exciting news about a horse show in Vegas at the end of March; I was much more jealous and upset that I couldn’t go instead of being excited for him.

So a little home done pedicure and a chick flick were just what the doctor ordered.

Last year being engaged I was given lots of advice. Most was good, beneficial and still floats into my thoughts from time to time. But I seriously hated it when people would tell me how hard being married is and that I was ruining our relationship for an insurance status. But if I am honest sometimes those words float back to me as well.

I know I still have so much to learn and I hope I am never done learning. It’s like anything else I love; I should always want to strive to be better.  With hair I hope I never tire of trying new things, new ideas and learning new techniques. In my marriage I should always want to make things better, and strive to reach new heights.

This weekend has taught me that although Jeb is my first priority and my “person” I still need my girls. I still need to talk to a friend about my frustrations, have a glass of wine or a chocolate dipped, smothered in chocolate something & have us a good laugh. I still need a sister to vent about his manly habits and she can agree with an “EWW!” Light-hearted of course, Jeb is actually very good about putting the toilet seat back down! J

Anyways, I know I am not the first one to make this discovery, Sex & the City is one of my very favorite examples. At some point in one of the many episodes, one of the character’s men tells her to talk, see, and spend some time with, THE GIRLS.

As far as I know, guys need guy time, “man caves” Shoot from September to January they get to control the TV channel all weekend! (at least at my house & my parents house)

So I am not going to feel bad about wanting to simply tweeze my eyebrows next to my sister or spend $10.00 on 4nail polishes because we simply can’t decide which one looks best. Or going to get pedicures and our nails done for fun, spending time together can really make all the difference.

I thank Jesus every day for my sisters. They are truly my best friends.

I also thank Jesus for my friends that are like my sisters; the ones that I can go a week or two not talking to and pick up just like we never left off, although in my friendship with Sydney we hardly ever make it past a week.

Time with them is never wasted time. Even if it is just sitting together being totally focused on our own projects.

One of the best pluses though, is when all of us get together our guys included and we can still have a blast!

A Week From Today....

 A week from today, I will get up earlier than I normally would to shower, shave my legs & drowned my skin in some sort of moisture rich substance.

I will spend breakfast with 60 of our closest friends and family at a local restaurant

I will kiss my cowboy on his lips one last time as his fiancé.

My nails and toes will be painted & looking very fresh.

Two of my favorite girls from Cosmo School will be on their way to our little home town to make my girls and I look beautiful.

At this exact time, 10:00 am, I’ll be spending time with my girls.

Around noon, we will be pinning curlers in our hair, painting our faces with all kinds of rich colors.

My mom and Jeb’s mom will be scurrying around finishing last minute details.

I can only imagine what the BOYS will do with a day together, after a much to long absence from each other’s company.

My cousin will drive to a neighboring town to pick up flower s to be pinned on numerous “cowboy” shirts & dresses. She’ll also pick up the flowers my two best friends & sisters will carry as they walk down the aisle.

And, she will pick up my bouquet. The one I will hold until it is replaced with my cowboy’s hands.  

I’ll slip into the dress my dear grandma spent hours and hours making just for me, and I’ll love it.

My girls will put their “grandma made” dresses too.

Then, we’ll all put on our cowboy boots!

Shalee will place my veil in my hair and spray everything one last time.

I’ll tell my mom how much I love her & we’ll wait for the photographer to tell us it’s time to take numerous pictures.

As our guests arrive I’ll wait upstairs of the beautiful Beckwith house & maybe sneak a peek or two.

The music will bellow from the speakers as my cowboy makes his way to the front with our pastor.

I’ll watch my girls’ link arms with each boy and walk down the aisle.

And I’ll look at my dad and try not to cry.

I’ll tell him how much I love him and take his arm.

I’m going to stare straight ahead at my cowboy.

Because, if I look anywhere else and see tears, streams will make their way to my chin.

When my dad and I get to the front, I’m going to hug him so tight and tell him “thank you”

And let a few tears slip.

Then I’m going to hand my sister my flowers and take Jeb’s hands.

Forever.

At the end of the day, after everyone had eaten their fill & then some,

 After the cake is cut and gone,

after the DJ has played his set,

& the photographer has had his fill of pictures.

It will just me be me and my cowboy.

We will finally, finally be married.

Wife in Waiting

This weekend I made Jeb some pumpkin cookies with maple icing.

I didn’t realize that I was going to make over 5 batches.

My original plan was to drizzle the cookies with the maple icing, but after the first batch came out of the oven, I decided that the cracker like cookie and the thick icing would make a better sandwich.

 My sister Karly made these same cookies a week ago and hers turned out fluffy and full, but I used a piping bag to dispense the dough so mine turned out flat and a little crunchy, but still soft.

Here are the recipes:

Pumpkin Cookies

From: My Grandma <3

2 cups Sugar

2 cups Shortening

1 16 ounce can pumpkin

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon all spice

2 cups raisins (optional)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

I didn’t add the raisins or nuts.

Maple Frosting

I just Googled “maple frosting” and used the first one that came up.

8 ounce package of cream cheese

¼ cup of butter

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon maple flavoring

Cream together the cheese and butter.

Stir in the confectioner’s sugar and flavoring

Mix well

State Fair

Labor Day weekend was the last weekend of the annual sate Fair in Pueblo.

The State Fair hosts a horse show that weekend, and Jeb got to attend with his boss.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the State Fair.

I love:

The food

People watching, (Jeb’s boss said: “If you are ever feeling a bit down on yourself, just come to the state fair” and he is right, characters galore!)

The Vendors

The Food

Sugar loaded lemonade

The food

Usually the concerts but this year we didn’t attend one because the lineup was pretty poor.

The food

Oh and… deep fried pieces of heaven with generous amounts of powdered sugar on top.

This year, since Jeb was working from Thursday to Monday, I drove down between my work shifts to spend a few extra hours with him.

What I didn’t realize was that he was going to be extremely busy with all of the show horses.

So, I drove down after work on Thursday and Friday to catch the tail end of the horse show both days and to have a fair food dinner with my man.

My sister Lacy was kind enough to let us stay at her house all weekend, so we would head over to her place after all the horses were fed and taken care of for the night. (This was usually around 11:30 or 12.)

Both nights Jeb insisted we rent a movie to watch once we got to Lacy’s place, both nights his eyes were shut before the opening credits.

Jeb had to be at the fairgrounds by 6a.m. and I had to be at work by 7a.m. So, we were up bright and early by 5a.m. for a quick trip to the gas station for a coffee, and then I dropped him off and headed back up the hill for a few hours.

After two late nights and two early mornings, my 6 hour shift on Saturday seemed to take forever. Plus, Jeb’s parents, brother and brother’s girl friend were all down at the fair, so I was itching to get down there as fast as I could.

Tyler and Robyn decided to stay the night with us at Lacy’s Saturday night so when Jeb was finished working for the day the four of us walked around the fair and rode some rides.

I just love that the four of us can do things together.

Tyler’s girlfriend is such a sweet girl. She is so easy to get along with, and she fits right in with my sisters and me.

When you grow up with two sisters, (one 16 months younger than you) you learn to share everything.

I mean EVERYTHING.

And Robyn joined right in.

 Tyler and her hadn’t planned on staying in Pueblo overnight so neither of them had a change of clothes.

Lacy had a big t-shirt that she lent Tyler, and dressed Robyn in a whole outfit. (It’s also a plus when you are close to the same size as your sisters.)

I made breakfast for Lacy and her two room-mates on Sunday morning as a “thank you”, we had “monkey bread” and “green monster smoothies.”

We spent the morning finishing the movies that Jeb had rented the two nights before and getting ready to once again head over to the State Fair.

We walked around and watching different parts of the horse show, and indulging in some more lemonade and a few turkey legs 

Lacy Tyler and Robyn went back up to Westcliffe in the afternoon, so I soaked up some sun in the bleachers.

Jeb was given the night off so that we could get some real food into our bellies, not deep friend and smothered in butter. We went to Chili’s to split two appetizers and then over to Lacy’s so Jeb could catch a few extra hours of sleep.

Monday Lacy had class so Jeb woke me up before he had to leave and I spent my Labor Day watching the end of the Colorado State Fair Horse Show.

That evening we had to go our separate ways, back to Alamosa for my cowboy and back to Westcliffe for me.

The only thing that will make next year’s State Fair better is that my last name will be Stoltzfus and we will get to go to OUR home together.

Family Pictures

When we went home for thanksgiving break, we spent a chilly afternoon taking individual pictures for my mommas Christmas cards. The sun was setting so we had to hurry and get as many as we could in, here are my favorites!

 

family

We took some pictures before we all had to go our own ways this August, I'm pretty sure they are my favorite batch thus far.  My sisters, Mom, and I all brought our cameras, and Jeb and my Dad took pictures for about an hour.  Its always a hectic day when we decide to actually go take them, but they are nice to have and look back at over they years.  I am very blessed with such a wonderful family, and i think that we are lucky to live in such a beautiful place where we can drive less than 10 minutes to find a perfect picture location.

 

each year my mom comes up with a color theme that we all have to follow, this year I think she did a great job at choosing colors that go will with the wild flowers that were in bloom.

                               This is my favorite <3

 The last two years Jeb and I have been taking a few of just the two of us.  Secretly they are my favorite.  God has blessed me with such  a great guy., and I thank him daily for Jebodiah Stoltzfus.