Marriage License

I found this cool old marriage license graphic from The Graphics Fairy and instantly knew I wanted to add our information to it and make a print to hang in our house. Our marriage license just doesn't look quite as cool. :)

 Here's the before, blank.

And the after, with us included. :) 

Super fun, and pretty easy to do. 

I just have to print it out and make sure that it turns out ok. :) 

Hooray for an evening computer experiment!

The Tale of Two Duckies

Today is my sweet little Bella Boo's 5th birthday! 

I honestly can't believe it! 

To give you a little insight into Miss Bologna, she's very particular. 

She has always had ONE toy that she plays with.

Only one. 

She doesn't even glance in any other toy's direction.

This toy is affectionately titled "Ducky"

Bella Boo LOVES her Ducky. 

She loves to thrash it around.

Stand over top of it. 

And really pretend like she's boss. 

She has a routine, too. 

She goes potty.

Comes inside.

And goes straight for Ducky. 

Every.

Single.

Time.

Not too long ago...Ducky went missing. 

(gasp)

Ducky was gone for a couple of days before Belle Belle was obviously suffering from stress. 

Finally, Mama and Daddy resorted to backup Ducky. 

I had found backup Ducky in a store one time.

I knew this day was bound to come. 

Backup Ducky is a little cheaper, and a little more yellow, but pretty much looks about the same. 

But Backup Ducky had never been put to the test. 

In the moment of truth, with Ducky nowhere to be found, Backup Ducky passed with flying colors. 

Bella sniffed a little at first.

Then totally introduced Backup Ducky to the routine that would now be her life. 

One week later, Ducky was found! 

A dog and her two Duckies.

What's a girl to do?  

Live it up, Bella Boo!

You're now totally spoiled. 

And you deserve it. 

Work Moment

Headphones at work? 

Just what the doctor ordered. 

Over ear headphones that don't hurt to wear.

+ 10 points

Multi-colored stripes on the side. 

+ 10 points

Garth Brooks playing loudly in my ears. 

Therapy for the soul. :) 

Melamine Goodness

A while back, I gave away some our favorite mixing bowls to a very worthy recipient. When Garrett came home to find them replaced by cheaper, non-grippy, mixing bowls, he was none too happy. (Not like, mad. Just like, disappointed. Like.) So, ever since then, I've been on the hunt for our old mixing bowls. Or ones similar.

They were Melamine. Colorful. Grippy on the bottom. And just solid as can be.

So I typed Melamine Bowls into the google tab.

And that's when I discovered French Bull.

Oh heavens.

I spent the next 20 minutes adding all my favorites to "my cart" only to sadly realize the total was well over $200.

Maybe I'll get one piece.

Here are some of my favs.

If you click on the pic (yay for rhyme time), it will link you to the website.

So you can get addicted, too. 

I'm just looking out for you, ya know? 

They just make my heart, and my eyeballs, happy. 

Mmm...Melamine. 

Still looking for my bowls, but this satisfied for a while. :) 

Mountain Top Getaway = The Perfect Day

The month of February was seriously...insane. It felt like it was never, ever, ever going to end. Never ever. 

When it finally did, Mr. Suhr and I were ready to celebrate! For us, a getaway means a quick trip up the mountain to either Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear. We threw our skis in the car and headed out! After a quick stop at Chick-Fil-A (the most amazing chicken biscuits) I slept the whole way up the mountain. Mr. Suhr was a good sport. :) We reached the top, found the hill, did the whole changing in the parking lot thing, and ski-boot walked to the bottom of the mountain. (Ski-boot walking is probably some of the most awkward walking ever)

I was a little nervous, as it had been a year since I'd last skied. We took a couple of easy slopes at first till we got our legs under us, and then we went big! Here's a picture of us halfway down one of the California Double Black Diamonds. (I say California Double Black, 'cause it's more like a Colorado Intermediate)

We had a great view of Big Bear Lake. 

We ended up only skiing at Bear Mountain, even though there was a free shuttle to Snow Summit, another mountain close by. The day flew by, though, and we didn't want to waste anytime on shuttles. We were told that Snow Summit was more of a ski hill, and Bear Mountain for the snowboarders, so we'll have to go back. We did go down a hill at one point and end up face to face with a Half Pipe and a Super Pipe. At first I was thinking, "No way am I going down that thing." A little 'cause I was super nervous, and a little 'cause I thought we'd get made fun of by all the Snowboarders. But we ended up jumping in to the Super Pipe and trying to get as high on the sides as we could without feeling like we were just going to fall over. I was surprised at how fast you end up going on those things! Yikes! We probably went through the Super Pipe a total of 5 times and it may have been my favorite part of the day. :) 

We also did some little jumps. I've never left the ground on my skis unless I was tumbling down the mountain in total yard sale fashion. But I got a little confident this run and we went over a couple little jumps and I got a little air action! It was so fun! True, I did biff it a couple of times and had to yell back to Mr. Suhr to tell him I was down on the other side of the hill so he didn't land on me. :) But it was a total blast! 

Afterwards we went into the little town of Big Bear and got some DELICIOUS pizza from a little place called Saucy Mamas. We highly recommend it! I got a half BBQ Chicken, half Mushrooms/Chicken/Alfredo pizza and both were so good! Mr. Suhr got a wonderful meatsy pizza. We both had leftovers for the next day! 

We ended the day with a fun trip into the Sweets Shop in Big Bear. I don't think I've ever seen so many chocolate covered anythings. As Mr. Suhr would say, Jeepers Cats! I took a couple of pics 'cause I was just so so enamored. 

So good and so much to choose from. We ended up with a couple different kinds of fudge, both with the combo of chocolate and peanut butter of course. 

In my eyes, this was literally a perfect day. 

Thanks, Mr. Suhr. 

Hopey

My longest known friend came to California last week. :) 

I've known Hope since, well, I was born? 

Our moms are dear friends and I think we're just destined to be the same. :) 

We had some good laughs and sincere chats. 

She's one of the most lovely, genuine people I know. 

Here's to lifelong friends! 

Spring Preview Day

Though it may not seem like it from my recent posts, there has been more going on in the Suhr household than just a whole bunch of cake-making. :) 

    

Two weeks ago was Spring Preview Day, an event we host for prospective students here at Biola University. This is my second biggest event of the year, with over 600 students and parents coming on campus to check out the school and see if it's a fit for them. It can get pretty stressful the week of these events and late nights in the office are a common occurrence. Usually, though, we power through and make it happen.

This year was a little different.

One week before the event, I was at Garrett and I's Grace Group (small group at our church) and we were going around sharing prayer requests. I have to admit that I do a lot of things on my own. I just figure it out, push through, and do it. So when prayer request time comes around, there's not much on my mind that I consider desperate enough for a prayer requests. (Not that you have to be desperate to pray about something. I think this is what I'm learning).

We were going around the circle and some people were offering up common life issues as things they were needing to trust God with. When it got around to me, I almost felt guilty. I had this huge event coming up, and I hadn't once stopped to ask God for help with it. So I mentioned this to the group, saying maybe it was my dependance on God that needed prayer. I was serious, but in the moment it also seemed a little funny. My prayer request was that I would have more prayer requests. Not that life would require them, but that I would trust God more with daily things.

The next day I got sick.

I'm talking, coughing every twenty seconds, achy, can't sleep from coughing sick.

How long did it last?

All week.

So what did I have to do?

I had to pray.

I asked God for strength to make it through.

He provided it.

And He provided others who eagerly stepped in and helped carry the load for the week.

Usually, the week before this event means super late nights. Not this time. We left at 6 or 7 most nights, and only stayed till 9 on Friday. The night before each event, I am usually up constantly, my mind racing with last minute details. It didn't happen this time. I slept peacefully. When Sunday rolled around, and all the eager kiddos and their parents arrived on campus, I knew this time was different than others. It had truly been a team effort, and one that God had orchestrated. The event flowed smoothly, and there even times I was standing around a little unsure of what to do with myself. Everything was covered. 

Thanks God, for a lesson in dependence on You. 

I may need a recap here soon. Keep reminding me of my own frailty. 

Cake Class #4 - Final Class

This Cake Makin' stuff went by so fast! We reached the final class and it was time to decorate a cake with roses. I guess this is a pretty hard technique to master. I looked a picture of the ribbon roses that we were trying to imitate in class. This is from the Wilton Website.

So the icing looks smooth, right?

Well, we sure tried. :)

Here are the final results of my cake. I didn't get a shot of Lyndseys, but we were definitely both laughing at our roses and just trying to keep up with the rest of the class. :)

I think my icing was a little too dry. I'll have to work on that. :) 

Cake Class #3

The 3rd week of cake class we made mini-cakes. My favorite. Known to the general population as cupcakes, these little treats are just the right amount of goodness. They are also more aesthetically pleasing to my eye as I tend to like looking at a collection of lots of things more than I do just one piece.

Case in point:

These are a collection of Lyndsey and my creations. So fun to make, and it felt a lot harder to mess these up. :) We loved using the stringy icing tip. Our instructor said it could also be used to make little monsters. I thought that'd be a cute idea for a kid's birthday or for Halloween. :) Just sayin'.

Cake Class #2

So it's been a little busy. I missed Cake Class #2 due to being sick. Coughing up a storm. I made a cake but didn't get to decorate it. I'm not sure that I've ever made a cake before, so I can go ahead and mark that off of my list of things to do before I do. I used a basic box cake. Chocolate of course. :) 

After the cake baked and cooled, I cut it in half. Then I put a ring of frosting around the outside of one layer, to create a barrier. I then filled the inside of the barrier with chocolate pudding. You can put any kind of filling that you want on the inside.

Here's Lyndsey adding her icing barrier to her cake. 

Once the filling is added, you can put on the other half of the cake. In order to have a smoother surface to ice, you can use the bottom of the cake. Meaning, if you cut the cake in half, use the top half as the bottom, and the bottom half, flipped over, the side that was next to the pan, as the top. It's usually a little less crumbly. 

The next thing you want to do is do a crumb layer of icing. This is the pre-icing, to try and catch all of the crumbs in a first icing layer. It looks something like this: 

Once the crumb layer is on, let it dry for about 20 minutes. This will make the final layer of icing easier to apply, and should catch most of your crumbs, so they don't show up in the top layer.

Finally, you're going add the final layer of icing. You want to make it as smooth as possible. It's a little difficult and takes a lot more patience than I'm usually able to muster. I have ended up saying not nice things to my cakes both times I've tried to ice them. I guess I need to practice a little more. :)

Cake Class #1

I haven't taken a class of any sort since 2004. The day I left college, I also left all that learning behind. But Tuesday night...changed all that. I'm back in the saddle, folks, and ready to expand my talents. I was invited by a sweet friend named Lyndsey to take a cake decorating class. There are four sessions, lots of accessories to buy, and many future cakes to be made! And I guess lots of icing to eat. :)

Shower Curtain of my Dreams

I could make this, right? 

What do you think, MB? Project? 

This would teach me how to sew, I'm sure! 

So amazingly delicious! 

Bring 'Em Out, Bring 'Em Out

Every Monday night, one delightful group of girls gets together to watch The Bachelor, eat, cut and dye hair, laugh, and just generally enjoy each other's company. We always end up leaving the evening amazed at what happened each night. There really are no limits. Ha!

So, last week, in the middle of a conversation about retainers, we learned that one of the girls named Lindsey wasn't sure that she'd ever told her husband of six months that she had a retainer! We were shocked. Marriage is definitely no place to keep secrets, especially not ones as big as this! How can he NOT know about her retainer! We had to do something!

We declared this week to be Retainer Week, and all girls that still wore their retainers (even if not too faithfully) were to wear them to our weekly get together.

There was some bling goin' on.

We then devised a plan for how to tell Kevin about his wife's retainer secret.

We decided that the song "Bring 'Em Out" Lyrical genius.

I got a packed house yellin'

(Bring 'em out, Bring 'em out)

All my hot girls yellin'

(Bring 'em out, Bring 'em out)

All my Dope Boyz yellin'

(Bring 'em out, Bring 'em out)

From the back they yellin'

(Bring 'em out, Bring 'em out) 

(Unfortunately we didn't know these lyrics at the time. We just kept sayin' Bring 'em Out, Bring 'em Out....over and over and over and over and over...you get the point....again.)

So Deb led the way with "Bring 'em Out" and after a little jiggin' and singing' happened we all started poppin' our retainers out. Me first, then Garrett (yes he got in on the action), then Deb...and then......

Lindsey!

She jumped off the couch, popped her retainer out, and waited with baited breath for Kevin's response!!!

(baited breath)

He knew. 

He knew she had a retainer. 

He'd seen it laying around somewhere, or the case at least, and the secret we thought was such a secret wasn't really quite the secret. 

But man, was it fun while it lasted. 

Wear 'em proudly. 

Other possible song choices were:
Ain't No Holla Back Girl- B-A-N-A-N-A-S    R-E-T-A-I-N-E-R-S
Baby Got Back Retainers

Have no idea what will happen next week, but I sure do look forward to Monday nights! :)

no words necessary

Dig these kicks...

I'm kind of likin' this style of shoe recently. 

I would have to say it's a stretch from my normal, fairly conservative wardrobe. 

But it's a stretch I could learn to love.

Yes, please. 

Technology: The Good and the Bad

Three nights ago, Mr. Suhr and I both ordered the ever-coveted iPhone4, through Verizon. I can honestly say that I've been waiting years for this (if you agree with me that years, though sounding like decades, can actually just mean more than two) :) . Walking hand in hand with all the excitement, however, comes a little friend we'll call trepidation.

I'm nervous.

Why am I nervous?

Ya see, I have this thing about gadgets and computers. I am fascinated by them. I've never been super into television or video games (except for that Donkey Kong stint back in '08- ha!), but when I was first introduced to AOL and Instant Messaging by my dear friend Miss Tiffany Tankersley (Now Mrs. Bowles), I was instantly smitten.

I'm not sure why I couldn't get enough. I think there's some freedom in hiding behind a computer screen. I've noticed that I'm a little bit more quick-witted when I'm not sitting across the table from someone. I have more confidence, for some reason. But I think there's more to my love affair than that.

I'm just utterly fascinated.

My family got our first computer back when I was in, oh....fourth grade? It was OLD SCHOOL. I'm talking the original floppy disks that were the size of nowadays dvds. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about...

We did finally upgrade a little later, maybe somewhere around 7th grade. I remember the computer coming to the house and sitting in the box for a while 'cause nobody knew what to do with it. Finally, I was so antsy that I just started pulling it out of the box and putting it all together. It was thrilling to look at the ends of cords and see where they fit on the back of the back of the big, black box. When the computer turned on, and everything worked, I was elated. 

These days, I love all things computer, from the social networking and keeping in touch with friends in all corners of the world, to blogging (mostly because of how fun it is to make pictures like the above), to browsing the internet for any sort of random facts (One of my Strengths Finder strengths is Input, meaning I love to gather information, any information, and can do it for hours at a time), to creating various little pieces for an event we have coming up at Biola. I seriously sometimes wish I had studied design in college. I feel a little vulnerable saying that, because I'm afraid people will look at the stuff I do create and think, "Seriously? You're not that good". It's not even that I think I am very good. I just LOVE to do it. 

But what is my point. 

My point is...I am with a computer, near a computer, looking at a computer, on a computer, and wishing I was on a computer several hours a day. Several. Oftentimes, this is the view sweet Garrett sees when he walks through our apartment door...

(ridiculous picture of Beth will be inserted here when Mr. Suhr 

returns home from his road trip with the computer that houses our photos) 

And we just ordered a mini-computer (iphone4), which I will have on my person at all times of the day. It's small enough to fit in my wallet. 

Scary. 

I have already had so many people tell me that I will be ADDICTED to it. 

Am I an addictive person? 

Yes, I do believe so. 

Or at least a creature of habit. 

I've sworn that I won't be the person who, in the middle of conversation, is constantly checking her iphone. I WON'T be the person who never makes eye contact because something more important is going on in my pocket-sized computer world. 

I had a little time to myself tonight, as Garrett is traveling across the country with his bro. I picked up the book "Flicker Pixels" by Shane Hipps. The first chapter is already speaking to me. In it, he talks about technology and it's ability to cripple us without us even realizing it. 

Example. My dad has a memory like you wouldn't believe. He struggles a little with technology, and figuring out all the little nuances of computers and cell phones. So instead of taking the time to put people's numbers into his phone, he just memorizes them. When he wants to call someone, he just punches their number in. It's RIDICULOUS how many numbers he has memorized. 

Me? I know my number. And Garrett's. 

The only other numbers I remember are the numbers I memorized back in the day, before I started plugging them into my cell phone. Dad's work number (15 years old) , Mom's work number (12 years old), the house number (no longer in service), and Rebecca Simmons' home phone number (13 years old). That's it. 

So what's the big deal? Who cares if I don't remember phone numbers. That's why I have the phone, right? The point Shane makes in the book is that it's the typing them in allows us to forget them. It doesn't exercise the brain or force the brain to remember. 

Another example: In the book Shane refers to a friend of his that said, "'I had the most amazing insight about my spiritual life this morning. It was...basically, like...uh...let me get my journal. I wrote it down.' He then read his insight to me, periodically interrupting his own reading to enjoy his discovery all over again- 'Oh yeah, that's what it was!'" He was learning great things, but in writing them down, his brain wasn't being forced to remember any of the things he was learning. He says "The erosion of memory is, in fact, a downside of the invention of writing; however, there is also an upside that Thamus failed to perceive. Reading and writing have an incredible capacity to expand consciousness and advance the common good." Shane goes onto talk about seeing technology with both eyes open. He says "We need both eyes open if we are going to perceive the multitude of subtle forces that shape our lives..." The quote that really got me was the following: 

                   As Postman put it, our culture is teeming with 'throngs of zealous 

                    Theuths, one-eyed prophets who see only what new technologies 

             can do and are incapable of imagining what they will undo.'"

The iPhone obviously has some great benefits. 

But I ask myself,  "What is it that the iphone could possibly undo in my life? 

What is it that may seem like a benefit, that could possibly turn into harm?"

I'm going to weigh them out: 

Benefit: Quick communication via facebook or text messaging to family & friends across the country. 

Harm: Lack of real relationships because of a false sense of closeness gained by constant, surface interactions through social networks and quick texts. 

Benefit: Access to maps of the area to help us find our way. 

Harm: We could start to rely on the maps and no longer learn how to think critically and figure our way around new cities and roads (one of my favorite things to do!)

Benefit: Ability to check work email if needed. 

Harm: Ability to check work email if needed. As someone who already tends to focus too much on work, this could be a very bad thing. 

Benefit: A camera on my phone. Always ready to take pictures. 

Harm: Taking and posting pictures on a regular basis. Not always anything wrong with this, unless I'm posting pictures that I'm proud of, pictures that I think are favorable of myself, and creating an issue with pride. There could also be harm in not enjoying the moment because I always feel the need to have a picture of the moment. 

Benefit: Internet access at my hand. 

Harm: Because of my huge desire and need for information, I'm afraid I will be using the phrase, "I'll google it!" way too often. I don't want to get caught up in always googling something, always figuring out who's right, and not being present with the conversation I am currently in. 

I'm sure there are more, but I think it's obvious that I'm a little concerned about how I'm going to handle our newest purchase. I'm aware of my tendencies going in, and I hope that these concerns, and my desire to be more intentional with my conversation between my husband, as well as others around me, will keep me on guard and un-addicted. 

iPhone... I've got my eye on you. 

Drooling

Am I allowed to be in love with a boot? 

Is that legal? 

Wow.

The Thrift

So much fun today. It's been too long since I spent a couple of solid hours in a thrift store. I joined a friend, Robin, and hit up one of her favorite spots. There were lots of great deals! Just wish more had fit. :) Here are a couple of my finds.

Old Measuring Spoons

4 sets for $2.95

Pretty white vase and steel box. 

Vase- $2.95

Box- $3.95

Leather Belt

$4

2 Clipboards

.95 cents each

5 ball jars with pretty lids

$2.95 for all 

White shirt with ruffles. :) 

$2.50

And probably my favorite. 

A vintage, green, velvety dress. 

$2.95

We had so much fun! Robin found a couple of great items as well, including an old trunk and a big mirror, each for $5. The place was huge and packed with people. I'm sure to make return trips. :) I'd love to find great pieces and sell them to other people. I don't mind doing the finding. :) 

One Hot Mama

My little Sister is adorably pregnant. 

22 weeks pregnant with a sweet baby boy. 
A sweet baby boy with a growing wardrobe.

A sweet baby boy who is an Alabama fan by default. 

And a sweet baby boy that has a Mama and a Dixie Dog that are going to spoil him rotten. 

And maybe an Auntie who will do the same thing. 

Can't wait to meet that sweet little boy!

One week from tomorrow...

One week from tomorrow. 

Am I ready for this?!?!

It feels like such a huge commitment! 

I'll actually have to know where my phone is!

Deep breaths. 

It's going to be a big step up from this sweet little gal: 

Verizon. 

I've waited patiently for this moment. 

You make dreams come true. 

I thank you. 

Even if my sweet little purple phone doesn't.