cell phone pictures

I love my camera, but there are times when it's not as handy as the camera on my phone. Since Carson and I aren't around each other right now, those quick little phone snapshots are fun ways to stay in touch. Since I know you're just dying for it, here are some of those shots!

There are so many... lots are from a year or so ago so I won't share those today

From spring formal...

This was a bit of a failed dinner. It was supposed to be a "light" chicken zucchini alfredo. 

"Light" didn't equal "creamy", unfortunately, so we didn't love this. 

Someone brought their chameleon to Science class as part of their project.

It's cute and cartoonish!

Studying for a sermon

Discovered while cleaning the church. 

Carson's tanline after driving to Naches with one arm ou the window

My sadness at sleeping alone (before Josie moved in)

Random pillow inspiration

Sitting in preaching class...

Microphone the day we preached and were recorded.... 

Carson went to Grand Rapids, MI for a conference in June

Carson's favorite candy is a Rocky Road bar... he loves finding new varieties of them

This was the marker for a camping spot he saw

Preparing a sermon on Colossians downstairs...

I sort of took over this old sweatshirt that's too tight on Carson

He decided to take me up on my suggestion to read Crime and Punishment. 

One of my favorites and he liked it too!

Ha. Trying to decide if I could make a similar shirt (it was expensive and a size too big)

I take a lot of "inspiration" pictures on my phone for pillows, cards, paintings... 

Carson takes pictures of stuffed animals, candy bars, and things like that. His picture texts make me laugh. 

Aren't you glad phones aren't just for calling anymore?

the fourth of july

Carson spent the Fourth of July at work, as he did last year. 

I spent our nation's birthday the way most Americans do:

Being lazy, swimming, spending time in the sunshine, stuffing ourselves with burgers and hot dogs, and watching fireworks. 

Not sure how that became American... going to doubt our founding fathers fired up the grill after putting their names on the Declaration. But anyway, it's how we celebrated. 

At the lake

And it was followed by a lovely fireworks display. 

One of the best celebrations of independence I've ever had! 

Spent with wonderful friends from my (church) family :)

very full.

The title of this post reflects the week we've just had. Very. Busy. 

And, naturally, plenty of pictures to go along with that. 

We will begin with last Saturday... Erica and I walked down to the park for Hoopfest, the planet's largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament. There were hoops and people in basketball shorts everywhere. We just walked around because to be honest, we were just going to say that we'd gone. It's just a huge Spokane thing! After walking around for a few hours, I made dinner for us and we enjoyed Ben and Jerry's and a movie!

On Sunday, Rachel and I started prepping for VBS. We hit the dollar store and Wal-Mart to outfit our classrooms. She was craving Nerd candies so we indulged. The weird wrapped-up thing is a monkey for John's room... we wrapped it in gauze to represent death. The picture of me with the piece of paper is because I was demonstrating how many people there were at the Feeding of the 5,000 in preparation for my lesson.  Yes, I counted dots. Actually there are not 5,000 dots, because I got to 2,000 and my hand hurt and it was taking forever. Even 2,000 is a lot. The last two pictures are my classroom. That's what we did all day Monday... decorated. 

Also on Monday I decided to bleach my hot pink tennis shoes. I was going for something not quite so bright and used too much bleach... I may dye them a more neutral color later...

Tuesday was the first day of VBS! Rachel, John, Stephanie and I taught four different lessons during the day.  It was scary and the first day was definitely not our strongest teaching time, but all went well. CTR had a record number of kids this week! It was fun and exhausting teaching them.

On Wednesday night, the doorbell rang while Josie, Chris and I were watching Father of the Bride II. I could tell from the way it went off (it was pressed 79873 times) that it was Carson, and I was right! 

So he was here Wednesday night - Saturday morning. 

After VBS on Thursday, we visited Manito Park. We walked around (yes, Carson is actually falling asleep in that picture), got lunch, explored, and enjoyed our time. Then we got groceries (and the corner picture shows Carson with a "blue moon" beer - it's his childhood nickname so i made him smile).

At Manito, we set the timer up to take pictures under this bridge. 

Thursday night, we decided to be lazy and order dinner from a restaurant (in all truth, I forgot to turn the crock-pot on...) so we got Italian food from Ciao Mambo and had dinner at home. A romantic dinner, Carson was quick to stress (which included conversation about our budget and other such romantic topics!). It was excellent. 

On Friday, Carson helped with VBS as a leader of the green group, which was the group I taught that day (which made me nervous). We came home to relax in the fact that VBS was over, and enjoyed these little dessert cups. We had beef sandwiches (I remembered to turn the crock-pot on finally) and Carson bought me lilies. We played Scrabble and watched a movie and I took a picture of his "tattoo" of my name. The final picture was taken at 5:45am on Saturday. He woke me up to go and lock him out of the building, so this is the last picture he has of me in his head. Hope he comes back......

I didn't go back to bed on Saturday morning. 

Instead, I hung around the house, cleaned it a bit, and painted. I'd made this old green thing with flowers and a verse but the background was so dark that I couldn't even read it and it bothered me. So as I watched a couple of TV episodes online, I made this:

In the afternoon, my friend Meagan came over and we walked downtown to Olive Garden for lunch. 

Then we went to the Polka Dot Pottery for a fun creative afternoon. She made a tiny little bird (it's in her hand) and we both made scalloped bowls. After that, we enjoyed the most amazing caramel apple (covered in chocolate chips, peanut butter and caramel) from here.

So last night, Rachel helped me clean the church and then we started a movie which I was too tired to finish. Come to think of it, getting up at 5am will do that to you. 

Today, I have some homework to complete and then I'm going to just relax. Maybe even a nap! It's been a busy week.

growing old together...

Some favorite memories...

the day we got engaged 

the fall we were engaged

the day before we were married... the time we hiked and saw a 360 degree mountain view
(that's Mt Rainier in the background, it's just washed out for some reason)

 

the time we made s'mores on the stove. i have never laughed so hard.

Carson and I only dated for a few weeks before we dated long-distance over the summer of '09. We were quickly engaged at the end of that summer. I had always just assumed that I would marry someone who I had been great friends with first, someone with whom I'd had history. For whatever reason, I didn't marry someone who was already my long-time best friend. I married someone I loved and respected, not a person I had many actual memories with, which was odd to me for some reason.

It wasn't until after we were married that I really could say that I truly married my best friend. And I say that having just looked through some pictures from the past two years. It's only been two years since we've been together, but they've been great. They've grown both of us in immeasurable ways. We've gained perspectives, ideas and experiences from two people who could not be more unlike one another. We now have memories and finally have more than two pictures together.

In some tiny way, I can see how amazing it must be to find yourself married to the same person for fifty years. The little jokes and memories of silly things. The ways you'd really know each other (I sometimes think I don't even know Carson at all) and read one another's mind. When we were engaged, we had no memories. We went back to May, and that was it. Now it's barely been two years, but there's so much more. I really can't wait for next year, and the year after that...

We're not "old" but I love that we are in the process of growing old, or at least older, together. 

:)

Just the Ladies

At the beginning of the summer, the Reilly held only four of us girls - 

everyone else went out of town or back home or just away for a bit.

We didn't need them to have fun though. Even with just four girls, we had a lovely, lively time.

 All but three (Carson being one of them - sad) have now returned for the summer. 

Life is back to normal in the building, but here are some pictures of when it wasn't...

Shopping for wedding (guest) dresses

Playing in the rain

NOT playing in the rain

Summer roommate - Josie!

Roomies - Rachel and Isabel

 I just love them.

on seeing my favorite person

I headed west at 6:30 on Sunday morning. 

Then South. Then west a little ways again. 

Saw these signs and got really excited.

Saw this and got a little more excited

(click on the link to see what it looked like then...)

Saw him and REALLY was excited.

Look at this kitty's eyes by the way... two colors!

Good old Sage

We're together again! 

Farmland.

Carson was in love with this lamp. 

I love him, not his taste :) 

Walked to the park. Carson did some pull-ups and this is the actual face he makes. 

He laughed when I showed this to him.

Aww...

He made me...

The place he's staying (same place as last year) is up this little road

While Carson was at work, I got some studying done... in the sunshine.

...And made some "Red Lobster" biscuits

In this kitchen... which has much better counter space than our current one but fewer cabinets.  

And while they baked, I read some more

After work, we went to get a movie... and I don't know why but I've always found this sign hilarious

Work outfit

Um, Earl wanted to come along too. 

I'll have to post about our stuffed animals someday. We have a collection. 

Dinner. 

Carson next to the wheel

Lindsay next to the wheel. Height difference? 

This was for memorial day, in the town welcome center. 

Well, it's creative!

"Take a picture of my head behind this". 

Have you ever seen such a huge dandelion? 

Carson loves to try and befriend cats. 

This one was afraid of him

The view behind the house... cherry trees and hills

  

...still trying

This is where he sleeps every night. In a sleeping bag on a mattress. 

Side note: Before we were married, he slept under a loft bed on a sleeping pad in a sleeping bag. 

So this was an upgrade.

Saying goodbye. 

I dropped him off at work at 7:30 in the morning and then headed back to Spokane. 

Columbia Gorge out the window

Driving down into Spokane

I've been back in Spokane since Wednesday. 

Bittersweet. 

And thankfully, no tears this time. 

That makes things waaay worse!

I have hopes of seeing Carson in the next few weeks so the wait isn't terrible.

Still, it's weird. 

And I'm not kidding, when I walked into our apartment I was amazed at how (comparatively) HUGE it is!