Patience is a virtue

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of our almost-finished house (we are waiting to paint until after the first of the year and Kevin has been busy at work so I haven't been pushy about him hanging up all of our wall items). As I go through the last of the boxes (down to single digits!), I will post the finished rooms. Enjoy! You should definitely check back often as you never know when the next picture might be up!

Our entry table (the basket has Benton's accessories in it for walking, treats, etc.)The newly stained deck and grill - we put the patio table and chairs in the garage when we stained the deck and haven't put them back out yet. The grill is apparently a higher priority :) The deck color is called amberwood, and I like the honey color.

Gluten-free Bliss

Today I ventured out to a food store I had heard some good things about called Food for Thought. It isn't very close to where we live (or even where we sometimes visit), but it was worth it! There were aisles and aisles of gluten free foods, many brand-new brands to me. I had been frustrated with the lack of selection of g-free foods in Wichita (still haven't found a pizza place), so it was a relief to see what was available at this store. The baked goods aren't carried fresh (they are frozen), but they were from local bakeries. Today I bought brown rice tortillas (I'm not a huge fan of corn tortillas for anything except casserole-type dishes), a single-serve pizza, and frozen muffins.

Doggy Play date

On Saturday, we had a doggy play date with Julie's beagle girls (Kevin's aunt's dogs). It was a bit chilly outside, but Benton (and hopefully Mable and Ivy) had a blast! Since we've moved into our new house, Benton has gotten a bit more territorial (he thinks he owns everything he sees and will sometimes bark at people a block away on a walk), so we want to make sure we continue to socialize him.

After the play date, Julie, Kevin, and I headed out for dinner and we crated Benton at her house. It was so fun to chat with Julie. We compared Meyers-Briggs personality types, and Julie and I have the same letters!

Benton was sleepy when we got home!

Who couldn't love this guy?

For those chilly nights...

Last night, Kevin roasted two yummy garlic and thyme chickens (about two pounds each). It was so good! I'm excited too because we can use the chicken in other recipes for the rest of the week! Let's see, I'm thinking chicken and rice soup, quesadillas, and maybe a white bean chili.

The standard response

Kevin and I know you are wondering...

what is the answer to number 4 on the previous post?

Here is our standard response.

Kevin is an engineer, and engineers have to take two exams: the FE (final exam) and the PE (professional engineer exam). He took the FE before he graduated college, which means he can be a practicing engineer with supervision. However, in a couple of years (I think he is down to two or two and a half now), he will take the PE to be an official licensed engineer. Since Kevin and I are planning on me being a stay-at-home mom, we thought the timing of waiting until Kevin is a PE made a lot of sense because of job security and it is just a nice amount of time to be married before having children.

Pass it on! :)

You know you are married when...

I recently saw a blog that I subscribe to do a list like this, and I thought it would be fun to share the changes in Kevin's and my life since we've been married.

You know you are married when...

1. those long, deep conversations you used to have about politics, religion, and news topics now center around how much life insurance and/or disability insurance you should carry.

2. an evening of fun is centered around not having to water the lawn!

3. budget meetings went from flower arrangements and honeymoon discussions to groceries and Benton's dog food.

4. your husband groans on the inside when you are asked when you are planning on having kids, and you both have developed a standard response.

5. you research discipline ideas on the dog, and one of you (ok, me) base your ideas on child psychology for "practice".

6. your upcoming social events include a baby shower, housewarming party, and dinner party, and you are really excited for all of it!

7. you have developed three phases of home projects.

8. you are already looking for outfits for the office's formal Christmas party.

9. you wake up at 5:15 in the morning to work out together (and secretly go to bed with a few excuses just in case it seems too early).

10. you carefully select shirts that don't give your tummy special attention so people don't start to wonder (hopefully the Y will help with this!).

Although some of this may seem like our lives have become a little boring, Kevin and I are both having the time of our lives together. I can't wait for us to continue to grow and have our own little "couple-isms"!

Quintuplets

Well, eventually we will be parents to millions, but right now we only have five: baby grasses!!! On the West side of the front yard we have sprouted BABY GRASS! It's the prettiest thing I've ever seen and about had a heart attack when Benton tried to eat a piece. WOOHOO! It's the first sign of a yard, and I couldn't be happier!