Is He Serious?

Sometimes, from those of you who aren't very well acquainted with Carson, I hear the question, "So is he quiet and serious all the time?" 

The answer is an emphatic no. 

And a little giggle. Are you serious?

I'm not even sure where you got that impression, because he can be serious, and he isn't obnoxious, but he certainly isn't quiet. Or boring. Please don't think he's boring. 

Life is a million times more interesting with Mr. Bay. 

For example: 

For every documentation of him being... not serious... I have 100 other instances of funnier moments not captured. He's not serious all the time, not quiet at all. 

And trust me, life is quite fun that way.

Recipe: Parmesan Chicken

I tried this recipe for two reasons: 1. I had all the ingredients. and 2. It seemed simple. 

It ended up being great! I served it with brown rice and fresh broccoli. Carson was really sad when the leftovers ran out. It's really not what you'd call healthy, but it tastes good and if you have a little bit and load up on green side dishes...

Creamy Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (mine were seasoned)

4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp oregano

dash of garlic powder 

dash of pepper

1 frying chicken (2.5-3 lb), cut into pieces 

(I had boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I cut into small pieces and it worked great.)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp. chopped chives

1 can cream of mushroom soup

little bit of paprika (your discretion) 

What to do:

1. Combine breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp. cheese, oregano, garlic powder and pepper in paper or plastic bag. 

2. Add chicken and shake to coat with crumbs (I had more chicken than breadcrumb combo so I kept adding more stuff.) 

3. Arrange in 2 quart baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 30- 40 minutes or until nearly done. 

4. Combine soup, milk, sour cream and chives; pour evenly over chicken (This will make it really soupy which may scare you but it's really okay! It will bake to a creamy texture). Sprinkle with rest of Parmesan cheese and the paprika. Bake 10-15 minutes more or until lightly browned. 

credit: The First Baptist Church of Bluffton cookbook

(a wedding gift)

Creativity

While I am less than creative when it comes to titling things,
I have been somewhat creative when it comes to making fun things for our house and for fun.

I've made rosebud earrings from clay (the green pair hadn't been glazed yet), coasters that look cuter in person, a mod-podge covered pen-holding jar for the desk, and a little bit of painting!
I'm not much of a painter but this actually turned out pretty well.
I freehanded the letters so they're not quite perfect.
And I like that. 

Back Where I Didn't Want to Be

[alternately titled: "Guess What? I DON'T Know Best"]

Sometimes you pray for something... and it doesn't happen.

Sometimes you think something is God's will... and it doesn't work out.

What to do? Is God a liar? Should you quit praying?

Obviously, the answer to that is a good sound NO. But sometimes it's easy to get a little upset at the one who made the universe:

"God, I really wanted that! THIS is how I hoped that would go!" (like He didn't know)

This is something I experienced this week. You see, retail and I aren't best buddies. I don't mind it so much, but when it comes to selling something, I'm not so great. Being cheerful and kinda fake and making conversation... well, I use the excuse that I was homeschooled and therefore lack the know-how.

So I went to another interview last week (the day after I started my job). They said they'd call Friday or Monday.

We prayed that God would show where I should be. Because the hours at the other job were better, the schedule was more fitting, and the job wasn't something I was uncomfortable doing, I pretty much expected a call back. When the job I currently have didn't call me with my schedule for the week, I thought "Oh how perfect!"

I called job #2 today. Twice. No answer.

Then the phone rang.

"Lindsay? Hey! So here's your work schedule for the week"

...

Maybe God's plan isn't my ideal. Maybe He doesn't have to say "yes" every single time. Maybe, just maybe, prayer isn't about me getting what I want after all.

Maybe I'm going to be selling clothes for a little while.

Bank Robbers

Nothing like a road trip.

We made a rule that we can only get candy on trips to Olympia.

[because one of us kept buying it. and the other one of us just couldn't resist the gummy candy.]

So we stopped at a gas station for that purpose.

12 hours (there and back) of driving, lots of sugar, and a camera.

Then we got cold and pulled on the hoods of our sweatshirts.

With the sunglasses and the hoods, we decided we looked like we were going to rob a bank.

Cancun, Mexico!

[I have no other wedding or honeymoon pictures (or pictures from anything that happened prior to mid-June) than what I've shared online because my external hard drive died in its sleep. Won't turn on. So I keep going through these pictures, sad because I'm missing the others.]

But I digress.

I'm really here to share honeymoon pictures. Because since I care, you must, right? 

[just say right. And then you may scroll down and be enamored with all the things we did]

First off... details, sights... all that fun stuff. 

Blue water, iguanas everywhere, snorkeling in caves, beach, ocean, ruins, sunsets, "VIP" dolphin swimming, driving around in a golf cart, ring shot, Carson's first passport stamp... my last in that passport, lobby of the Royal Sands

And then the stuff we did...

Before dolphin swimming, at Chichenitza (Mayan ruins), swim-up bar at our resort, "dancing", exploring more ruins, sea lion kiss, tourist shopping, self-timer, ringless so we didn't lose our rings in the water, dancing with dolphins, more sea lion kisses, dressing up for dinner, snorkeling, exploring the resort.

It was such a great time. My only regret is that we didn't get to stay in Cancun for longer. We had an amazing villa with an incredible ocean view and fell asleep to the sound of waves on the shore. It was beautiful, fun, and we really filled up our days - Xcaret (it's a park, but without any rides), a day on the beach and pool (we were so burnt and crispy), a day exploring the Chichenitza ruins, a day on Isla Mujeres with dolphins, sea lions, manatees and driving around the island in a golf cart, and finally a day to relax before heading back to the airport.

and ps - should have put this warning at the top, but I'm not wearing makeup in like any of the pictures, so you may not want to click on it to make it bigger. If you do, don't judge, k thanks!

What's In a Name?

I've framed one of our wedding announcements for display. As I walked by it today, I caught the wording of the first two lines: David and Michele Norman along with Mike and Danita Bay invite you to share in their joy at the marriage of their children...

Weddings are essentially the melding of two families into one. One entirely new one. It's a bit strange to think that our formerly immediate families (i.e. parents and siblings) are now kind of our extended family. Our immediate family is quite small now: just the two of us. 

When we got married, we didn't sever all ties to our families entirely. Obviously, they're still related to us. We call them mom and dad and talk to our siblings as brothers and sisters. But we did lose dependence on them when we became "Mr. and Mrs." Those old selves have changed. 

Contemplating the wording on the wedding announcement, I thought about our selves in Christ. When I became a Christian, I didn't turn green or change my appearance in any other way, but I did become a new person. The old had passed away... the new had come. 

And I love that! I used to be someone before Christ that I'm not anymore. Before my relationship with Jesus began, I could not relate with Him like I can now that I know Him. Before I married Carson, same thing. See the parallel? 

My social security card changed names, not numbers. I still call my parents Mom and Dad. I have the same past behind me on September 15, 2010 as I did a year ago. I've not lost myself entirely, but I have become a new person.

I love this comparison between marriage and Christ.