We all need a little help from our friends

Since our Community Group started meeting back in February, we've found out that we like each other - a lot! The people you surround yourself with are so important, certainly they influence us, and it's amazing to have others there when you truly need them. Kyle and I have enjoyed getting to know our group - and watching it grow. But last week we had to say goodbye to a few. Hayley left us for Wilmington for her first year of college, and Phil moved up to DC for a new job in animation. (The extra sad thing about Phil leaving is that it means Katy, his fiance, will be leaving soon as well.)



Kyle made banners to show our love, and we enjoyed a night of great food and great conversation.


Phil and Hayley - You are missed!! (FYI, that's not Hayley rolling up the banner, that's her sister Lara. Hayley is in the paint splattered shirt beside Lara in the top photo). Lara was careful to save Hayley's banner for dorm room decoration.

Design Lines' new website!

We've been working hard over the past few months to revamp our website at work - and it's finally finished! The blog is the next thing on the list for a makeover. Check it out here!

Our Anniversary

To celebrate our first anniversary, Kyle planned a trip to Charlotte, back to the hotel where we stayed on our wedding night. We relaxed, laid out by the pool, went shopping, and out to eat. It was great to get away for the weekend!


Upon arriving at the hotel, we were greeted with a surprise - my mom went to the hotel earlier that day to drop off the top layer of our wedding cake and treated us to a bottle of champagne and a bowl of fresh fruit. She is always so thoughtful!


We went downtown to eat at Flemming's on Saturday and enjoyed a four-course meal! It was delicious! I don't think I've ever been so full in my life. I recommend the banana crème brûlée!


And on our actual anniversary, we traveled to High Point for Bruce & Sarah's wedding! Congratulations to the Carroll's!

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

One year ago - 8/02/2008





Happy Anniversary Babe! I love you!

Recently...

The past few weeks have been busy with thing like the premier of the latest Harry Potter movie, a pool party, praise and worship nights, a blood drive, a bachelor party, and studying the book of Mark with our Community Group.


While waiting in line for Harry Potter, Kyle ate the largest rice krispy treat I've ever seen! On the right is our latest project. We bought a chair on Craigslist with the idea that it would be recovered. I pulled some affordable fabric options, and we decided on the red ikat fabric at the top right - except in green. I can't wait to see the result, and I'll be sure to post pictures when it's finished! It is quite funny to me though - several of our friends are against us recovering it. The chair isn't in bad shape at all, but it's just not quite my style. :) I knew it would be a great piece because it is by Hickory Chair, a company I use a lot at work. I've been to their manufacturing facilities, and I know this chair will last as long as we would like to keep it!

It's really hard to believe that our one year anniversary is coming up this weekend! We are heading to Charlotte to stay at the Ballantyne Hotel, where we stayed on our wedding night. Looking back to a year ago, I was miserable - I had a tear in my esophagus in the week before the wedding! It was very painful, but Kyle was great - he helped me pack up all of my stuff and moved it to our apartment! I'm so thankful for an amazing husband, and I look forward to many more years to come!

And - we got a universal remote! Now there is only one remote to lose!

The 4th of July

Kyle and I took a "staycation" over the 4th. Instead of going away for the weekend, we enjoyed spending time at home.


The Joel Lane House is literally across the street from where we live. They were having an open house on the 4th, so we took the opportunity to check it out and learn a little bit about the history of our city and state. Joel Lane was instrumental in making Raleigh the capital city. It's crazy to think that this house was around before anything else; now it is crowded by businesses and town homes.


It wouldn't be the 4th without hamburgers and hotdogs! We ventured just a bit further to get some food from Chargrill. I like the new designs that Coke has out for the summer!

Also on Saturday, the 13th

My friend Sean (who I've known since middle school) got married about a month ago to his lovely bride Jamie! They met the same summer that Kyle and I did - and in a similar way - through a Summer Beach Project with Campus Outreach. I remember talking to Sean that summer, telling him about getting to know Kyle and hearing about the beginning of his relationship with Jamie. I hated that we were unable to go to their wedding since it was a destination wedding in the Bahamas, but we saw the newly-weds last weekend at their reception in Shelby. They used the same wedding photographer that we did - I can't wait to see more shots from their big day!


Haha... I like this picture because it is such a Sean face, and Jamie looks beautiful! What a gorgeous setting!

Kyle and I with Mr. and Mrs. Collins at their tropical-themed reception. Kyle had fun with the decor. Congratulations Sean & Jamie!!

Lake Trip Awesomeness

This past weekend, we headed to Lake Norman to stay at my grandparent's house and spend the weekend with members of our Community Group. The weather was beautiful, and we had a great time growing deeper in community! We started off Saturday morning with a time of prayer and praise. I think you can see from the pictures what we did during the rest of the trip:




Jumbo tried (unsuccessfully) to catch the ball in his mouth. Katie enjoys a very delicious slice of watermelon.




Kyle jumped off the double-decker dock... several times.

The whole group! What a fun weekend! (You may recognize some of the crowd from the latest Harry Potter poster featured below.)

Movie Night

Kyle created this for our first movie night, taking place in a few weeks after our usual Monday Community Group gathering. Any guesses to what we are watching? ;)

Kyle's New Toys

Now let's see if I know what all of these remotes are for: the tv, blu-ray player, ipod dock, speakers, ceiling fan, dvr box, receiver, and the dvd player. Whew! (And that doesn't even include our Wiimotes!) Half of these arrived in the last week, and Kyle and I just finished watching our second movie in blu-ray (and the first movie with the new speakers - the new 007 movie was intense!) Kyle did an amazing job researching what he wanted - and finding great deals on all of it!

Consider this your invitation to come over for a movie! We certainly don't have all this to keep it to ourselves - it is our hope that our home would facilitate fun times with good friends.