Almost Wed Celebration

Friday the ladies headed to get Mexican food and a park and the fellas headed to burgers and a park then we met back at the end for a bonfire. All because some of our friends are getting married this week! It was really fun to celebrate, ask questions, tell stories and hear about what they're looking forward to and how it's all coming together. It was a relaxed lovely way to celebrate these two lovelies!

This was our first taste of community in Seattle and all these moments bring us back to how they rescued us into not feeling so alone in this big city 3 years ago. We're big fans.



photo via Molly Putnam



photo via Molly Putnam

Small Group Date Night

 

Our small group had a night out on the town last week. We met up at Pink Door to watch some people from church play some great music. It was a cozy night in a cozy booth with people that make my heart feel full. I also love walking around the market late at night is also something I love, it feels calm and like Seattle and I are intimate friends.



Pumpkin Carvers

they look like their souls are being sucked out by dementors, creepy but kinda neat

 

This week we got together with our small group to potluck, worship, and carve pumpkins. It quickly became a mess of seeds and goop but it was really fun to see what everyone came up with. I love that some people go traditional while some go abstract or carve in a more painterly fashion.

They all ended up fabulous & the night was a success!

To Orcas & to Community

Sunset on the summer solstice while on the ferry

This past weekend our small group headed to Orcas Island to stay at our friend's parent's cabin. It was beautiful, restful, and right on the ocean. We spent time in the sun, watching sunsets, tempting our bravery in the cold ocean, lifting up rocks to find creatures, throwing the dog Bowie's ball, eating, eating more food, taking turns cooking, snuggling, doing group yoga, prancersizing, being very goofy...

Elrod's turn for breakfast, Challah French toast & Frittata

so so so many crabs, lifting up rocks sent tons scattering

starfish and sea stars

Bowie loves fetch

playing with the ocean finds



Liz sticking limpets to Jenna's nose :)

jellyfish, my favorite!!

 

a Mexican dinner

on top of all that goodness we also spent a time listening to each other's life stories, giving one another affirmation, worshiping, and learning to love each other deeper. It was such a treasure to be able to spend the weekend with this amazing group of people who have come to love us and make us feel cherished.

taken by Ryan Putnam, sadly Jeni wasn't fit into this frame

So sad that some of them won't be here again next year but so thankful for all that this group has been to Joshua and I.



chasing rabbits with carrots

We missed our ferry and had to wait 3 more hours for the next one and that may have been one of my favorite times together there, we picnicked, chased bunnies, ran, jumped, yelled, sang, twirled and were just ourselves around each other. And around 11:30pm Sunday we finally rolled home. Very wonderful, life giving weekend.

A Garden

It was really great to feel like we had a normal person weekend. I love our adventures but in order for Seattle to feel like home the normal has to be there too.
We went to the farmer's market and bought tons of things to plant in our small soil patch, went Mother's Day shopping, had our friend Rachel over and she painted her nails while I gardened and Josh fixed his bike. We spent the afternoon on the porch drinking peach lemonade and listening to music. Then her man came over and we all made pizza and played cards, headed out later for margaritas. Went to chuch on Sunday and then to a cookout with our friends. And had dinner and great conversation with the Aarons's sunday night at a bbq place. Ah it was bliss.

I'm sure my mom will laugh when she sees I'm trying to plant a garden. I don't have a very green thumb but apparently it's not very hard to grow things out here- we'll see.
I planted arugula, chives, walla walla sweet onions (state vegetable),
strawberry plant, cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme,
bok choi (most sceptical about this but I thought why not!?)

I really struggle with thinking that I could never live in Cincinnati again. My family is there and my sisters are my best friends. When I get off the phone with my mom I sometimes cry because I don't want to have to hang up- I want to be there. But our friends showed us so much love this weekend that I have hope for our time out here, no matter how long or short that ends up being. We don't feel alone or without support which has allowed us to feel normal. And it was excellent! Plus our friends told us last night that we fit in well with Seattle- It made us happy :)

Settlers

Our friends Lich and Suzie came over for dinner last night. We had chicken and rice, asparagus bruchetta and chocolate ice cream with hazelnuts.

And then we played Settlers of the Catan. Don't laugh unless you've played :)

We ended lup having a  really great time and it was the first time I'd ever played and I won (beginner's luck)

Suzie and Lich are moving to Nebraska so he can go to grad school. It's amazing that this couple that we've only know about 5-6 months has come to mean so so much to us. They are the kind of people that just know how to love others. They ask the hard questions and honestly want to know how you're doing in your faith and how you've seen God lately in your life. Their openess is so encouraging.

We have learned so much from their friendship and the example that they set as friends and as a couple. God is teaching us so much out here and answering so many prayers that we've had for a long time- Lich and Suzie are definately one of those answered prayers.

But we're so excited for their next journey, even though they'll be missed

Beware this is rich! Joshua described it as ganache made into ice cream. But come on you don't need an ice cream maker for it so that totally rocks!!!

(I have no idea where I found this anymore online)

Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe:

makes enough for 8

1 can sweet condensed milk

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

6-7 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp instant espresso powder

1 tsp vanilla

few shakes of sea salt

5 tsp cornstarch

2 tbs cold water

1   in a large saucepan whisk the milks and creams until they are brough to a boil

2   remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso, vanilla, and salt until it has totally dissolved/melted into the mixture

3   mix the cornstarch into the cold water until it has dissolved and then whisk it in the chocolate mixture

4   put back on medium-high heat and whisk continuously for 6-9 minutes, until it has thickened

5   transfer it to a glass dish and let sit out until cool, 20-30 min

6   then stir it and cover with plastic wrap and set in fridge for 6 hours or overnight

7   pull out and stir the mixture and then put plastic wrap back over it, this time touching the surface of the ice cream, to prevent a skin from forming, and place in freezer until frozen- overnight

serve with nuts or cocoa nibs!

every person probably only needs 1 scoop :)

Lime Kiln Trail

For our friend Daniel's Birthday this weekend we all went on a hike. It was an old Lime Kiln Trail- hence the name and it was muddy, bu the good kind of muddy were it is like adding an obstacle course to your hike. It was truly so much fun and it was so gorgeous. I really think Washington's green is greener than anywhere else.

His wife, Liz, then whipped up a AMAZING meditteranean meal for everyone and we spent the entire night eating, playing games, and hanging out with new friends. We feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of his birthday it was a blast.

Daniel has some infrared pictures from the hike HERE

Then we spent all Sunday doing 3 weeks worth of laundry and cleaning for when our friends Nate and Katy come from Cincinnati!!! Can't wait- it is going to rock!!!