Baby Shower in Dallas

Last weekend Toby and I took a quick trip to Dallas, TX to visit my family. Since you can't fly in the thir trimester, we figured now would be the best time to go and everybody was going to be in town, so it was perfect! They all pitched in and got us there and we were so happy and grateful to spend time with everyone.

 My cousin Tiffany has a sweet little nugget of a son named Maddox and I got to spend so much quality time with him (which was good) because Tiff was taking care of her poor hubby who got food poisoning (which was bad). However, all ended up being well (even though my other cousin's hubs got sick too).

In addition to hanging out with the fam, they decided to throw us a sweet baby shower as well! I got to see some of my loved and missed Texas friends and it did my soul good. Baby Yosi got TONS of wonderful gifts that were much needed. God is already providing for this little family in every way.

It was so much fun to prepare for and of course to have. I helped make the diaper cake with Tiff and watched them set up the adorable woodland-themed baby shower. I shall have a forest child, indeed. And guys seriously, these newborn diapers are so small and SO cute...I can't even.

It was a fabulous time and was hard to leave! I miss everybody but I am so thankful for all the love from them.

~B~

A year in review: 2012 insta-style

Hello all,

Well, today is the first day of 2013. I don't do resolutions because I think anytime's a good time to make changes in your life, so why wait a whole year? This past year has, well, it has been pretty difficult. I won't lie to ya. With Toby's new job, ministry, me being a student and working part-time it has left us stressed and down at times. Many things have happened with family, friends and just in our own personal lives that have left us speechless. But there have also been AMAZING moments where we were absolutely happy. My point is, every year that comes or goes has it's major ups and major downs...and some years have more of one than the other. But in all of that, we grow in ways we never could if it had all been sunshine and roses ya know?

This year I have had this image of Toby and I being on a ship at sea. I know, it sounds corny but hear me out. In the ship, there is a man at the helm that is taking us deeper into storms and into the wind-tossed sea. He never moves and he never speaks, he just keeps sailing further into the great tempest before us. Toby and I, oddly enough, don't run and hide but we stand on deck and get blasted by the wind and the waves. With each storm, however, we grow less afraid. We know what to expect. We are homesick and ready for the storms to cease, but we know how to weather them.We are sea-worn sailors, weary but capable, and our mysterious helmsman steers on into wild waters that test our courage. There is a poem that many of you may know by Lord Alfred Tennyson called "Ulysses" that I feel describes us. Maybe not in its entirety (because we are not old kings haha) but in how we feel now:

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are---
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Though we may be weary, we will keep pursuing. Though we have been tested, we will not fail. Though our hearts are heavy, they beat on still. This is how we enter the new year. With a warrior's heart and with a hope that whispers of good things to come. I hope all of you, no matter what kind of year it's been, can enter this time with hope and courage, ready to face the world with confidence that only God can give.

 And now, for some pictures :) 12 photos of memories for the last 12 months!

I went back to school in Januray 2012.

My cousin Meredith came and stayed with us and we had a blast! Also, a side note: this amazing coffee shop pictured
above tragically closed down not long after this and I JUST FOUND OUT. A moment of silence please.

I turned 25. Holy crap. (forgive the grainy quality of this one)

We started a family...well...a garden family that you can see here and here.
Don't get too excited yet :)

Visited my family in Dallas, TX.

Visited family in Delaware in the summer and it rocked! (Part 1, 2, and 3)

We got to play at an amazing music festival in North Carolina, on Toby's birthday!

Moved into our new and lovely apartment!

We celebrated our 2nd anniversary, and created fort bebe!

Went to the set of the hit TV show The Walking Dead that is filmed only an hour from us!

Had Thanksgiving in Texas for the first time in a few years!

And finally, we just got back from Delaware visiting Toby's family! (post to come)

Have a great 2013!

~B~

A very happy thanksgiving

Hello all,

This thanksgiving was one of the best and coziest I have spent with my family. The last few years we spent thanksgiving with Toby's mom which have been wonderful! But this year we made the pilgrimage to Garland, tx to spend the holiday with my mom and immediate family.

It. Was. Magical.

We had a blast. Seeing my mom was of course wonderful and she rolled out the red carpet, as always, for Toby and I. My cousins (who are basically my sisters) are my best friends in the world and being with them makes my heart so happy. And it's fun to add our hubbies to the equation too! We got to see my sweet aunt who has been through a lot lately and it was lovely to be with her. It would be impossible to list ALL the great moments of the trip, but here are a few to note:

* Having a glass of wine with mom whilst watching movies...that is before she fell asleep during them :)
* Driving in Dallas traffic (don't miss that!)
* Staying with Tiffany and Craig
* Seeing Meredith and getting the tour of Texas Woman's University (where she works) and downtown Denton, TX.
* THANKSGIVING
* Dropping the entire bowl of sweet potatoes into dirty dish water (but we made more haha).
* Apple cider and "secret cider" :)
*Late night Taco Bueno run
*Getting my new Minnetonkas!
*Relaxing moments on the swing with Toby.

Here are some photo/instagram highlights!

At the airport.

Thanksgiving + Wal-Mart = American Apocalypse

The most vomitous tree I have ever beheld.

Preparations!

Our lovely Autumn themed, Thanksgiving table. And the dog. haha

I love mom's kitchen. It feels like something out of a storybook!

Mmmm.

The (blurry) family! L to R: Toby, me, mom, Meredith, Aunt Linda, Tiffany and Craig

Hahaha. My true nature.

HAHAHA!

There we go. Thanksgiving sirens! lol

Mommyyyyyy.

Gluten tag! ahaha (pronounced as if it is in German...like Guten tag) This was the gluten-free section of our meal for those of us who needed that.

Chillin' with my apple cider a-cooking.

My handsome man looking all outdoorsy with his newly thrifted coat!

Bebebirds.

Leftovers!!! The best part.

American friends, how was your Thanksgiving? International friends, welcome to an American Thanksgiving...aka...eat too much ans watch sports on TV haha.

Brooke

Crossing The Delaware: Part III

Hello all,

'tis the final chapter of our road trip paradise, and honestly this is my favorite part...THE FAMILY!

We drove up to see Toby's mom's side of the family and boy are they great! Full of life, fun and crazy...so we get along swimmingly. I never had a chance to meet them until now so it was a real treat and I adore them all. It's nice when families can be friends too. We went to see movies, swimming, fishing, thrifting, cruised the Capitol and had a cocktail or two ;) they also held a little reception for Toby and I and also for his cousin Benny and his wife Alyssa. Ashley (another fantastic cousin) made the cakes and Amber (yet another fantastic cousin) picked out our cake topper. As you will see below, it was hilarious and sweet. Anyone who can link childhood wrestling (yes, wrestling) memories with a wedding has my respect. All in all it was wonderful to meet and connect with new family and there are already talks of a wintertime visit! YAY SNOW!

Enjoy the pictures and talk to you soon,

Brooke

P.S. We actually DID cross the Delaware while we were fishing! So cool. And also, sorry about the photos being super out of sequence. I added them via iPod so it screwed it up somehow. until we get set up in the new apartment (yay) it will be less than perfect. Oh well.

Uncle Pete's fishing boat!

The breakfast Toby made for me one morning :)

mmm, summer days at Aunt Beth's pool. Miss it already!

Herr's chips! He is a happy man.

The little town of Middletown, DE.

Queen Anne's Lace. One of my favorite blooms, even if it is a weed. Beauty in simplicity, I say.

This little creature befriended me (Chase, by name) and was always by
my side. I miss his sweet little face.

The biggest fish of the day!

Toby making breakfast.

Ok, so I was OBSESSED with this movie all throughout my childhood
and could quote every line. When I saw this movie score record at Goodwill
I flipped out! I wish I had a record player!

This is us on the way home when we stopped at the battle site at Fredericksburg, VA.

Toby kneeling by the original wall built during the Civil War.

WE'RE ON A BOAT! lol

L to R: Toby, Amber, Me, Ashley, Bud aka the 4 horsemen...even though there is five of us lol. All we are missing is our beloved SARAH, Toby's amazing sister. (Check her out on instagram: nalismo)

Another from Fredericksburg.

The participants: Uncle Pete, Toby, Bud, and Me. Poor Bud only caught this poor little
fellow, which sucks, because he is an excellent fisherman. But it was HILARIOUS. I caught the most
and Toby caught the biggest. Pete gave moral support as the most seasoned of the bunch :)

The cloud factory on the river! JK, its just a nuclear plant, but we decided that it was a cloud factory.

THE CAKE! Ok, so the family gave us a belated reception and the
amazing cousins made the cake. Toby and them LOVED the wrestler Sting
back in the day so he and another fabulous wrestling lady adorned our cake.
It was super funny and sweet...in a childhood memories way.