Fondue!

I am now a proud owner of a fondue pot!  I’m so excited – I feel like limitless new meal options have opened up to us.  The best part is that our local farmer’s market sells packaged cheese fondue from Switzerland.  I put the fondue pot to the test last night and was thrilled with the result!  I had the cheese fondue with crusty bread and gold fingerling potatoes.  It was excellent!  It brought back a lot of fun memories from our trip, while not the healthiest it was a very inexpensive and delicious meal. 

Next on my list to try making is oil or broth fondue for meats/veggies and chocolate fondue!

Dekalb Farmers Market

Produce, and Bread, and Spices, and Cheese – Oh My!  I had heard rave reviews from friends and family about this farmers market.  So I finally made it a point to go check it out for myself.  I was blown away!  I am so sad it took me this long to go.  Their produce is beautiful and fresh and so much cheaper than the big box grocery stores.   We went on a Saturday so it was packed but I look forward to visiting on a week night when it would be easier to maneuver around the store. 

We found so many yummy goodies and I plan to make the farmers market our new place for weekly grocery runs.  We got 6 bags of groceries including produce, spices, cheese, pasta, and sauce for $32.  Seriously I’m in love, sorry Kroger but it’s just not going to work out between us!  We can stay friends though because we will still need cleaning supplies and dog food.  

12 Mile, IN – Safety First!

This year marked our 5^th trek to 12 Mile for the Fourth of July!  This trip has become something us and our friends really look forward to each year.  It’s fun to get away from the city, disconnect from technology, spend time outside, each great food, and enjoy the company of friends and family!  This was our biggest group yet, 9 other friends and family made the trip with for a total of 13 people this year. 

Some of the most memorable moments this year were: late night hay ride turned river fording adventure, being part of the parade, bonfires each night before bed, our best fireworks show yet, our cheesy/awesome family reunion style group photos, feeding the 4H animals (goats, horses, cows, etc.), Paul’s amazing cooking, an epic game of oversized Jenga, shuffleboard at the Fulton pub, the lawn mower races of course, and taking naps every day!

Vow Renewal

During our engagement Kyle and I spent a lot of time talking about things that were important to us.  This included revisiting conversations about our ambitions, family life, where we wanted to live, where we were heading in life, etc.  We also talked a lot about ways to keep the spark in our marriage and to stay focused on the commitment we were making.  We had seen divorce play such a strong role in the lives of people we knew and we wanted to make sure we never took our marriage for granted. 

One of the things we both committed to do was to renew our vows to one another every 5 years.  We both felt this would be a wonderful reminder that you don’t just make those promises once in your marriage but that those commitments are ongoing.  In preparing for our vow renewal for our five year anniversary I was flooded with wonderful memories of our first five years as a married couple.  I was also reminded of all the little and big things that are easy to take for granted in the hustle and bustle of day to day life. 

Since this was our first vow renewal we decided to have a barbecue in my parents’ backyard and invite friends and family.  Our friends and family have been such a treasured support system for us and this time we wanted them to be a part of our celebration.  For our 10 year we plan to run away to a beach somewhere!

Here are some pictures from our celebration and my vows to Kyle.

Kyle,

I cannot believe we have already been married for 5 years.  I can truly say that they have been the best years of my life!  No relationship is perfect but my world is brighter each day because you are in it.  I want to thank you for all you have done for me in our marriage.  You are a source of constant love and encouragement.  You refuse to let me wallow when I’m having a bad day and you are not afraid to act goofy just to bring a smile to my face.  You are a dreamer and an optimist and you keep me from taking myself entirely too seriously.  You are a romantic.  You always find ways in everyday life to demonstrate how much you love me. You are so grounded in your faith and you challenge and encourage me in my spiritual walk.  You inspire me!  When I think back on the adventures we have had over the last 11 years I’m filled with joy and I can’t wait to see what other adventures are in store for us. 

My sincere prayer and hope for us is that we both continue to work hard to keep our marriage healthy and strong.  I want us to continue to learn and grow from the amazing couples that surround us.  I am so thankful for the amazing support system we have in our family and friends. 

I promise to love and support you.  I promise to never take you for granted.  I promise to never go to bed angry and to seek counsel with you whenever I’m upset.  I promise that no matter what obstacles life may throw our way that I will love you unconditionally.  I will make you laugh and probably get under your skin at times but above all I will always be your greatest supporter and confidant.  You are forever my puzzle piece, God made you to fit together perfectly with me and me with you.  I love you!