Renfest!

Last Saturday, we ventured to the Ohio Renaissance Festival to pretend we live in medieval times. It's such a cute little village and I enjoy going every year. This year I was able to dress up unlike last year when I was pregnant. Erik wore a tunic (and period sunglasses - really, they had sunglasses back then!) and chain mail, Jenna and Sarah wore medieval princess dresses, and I wore my blue lady dress which Erik thinks is smokin' hot!

We had excellent fun on the rides, Jenna on a pony ride, and watching the shows including full armored jousting. The food was great and although it was hot - we had a blast. We also captured pictures of our friends: Aaron and Michele, Jon and Michelle, Kristan, and Eric, Justin, and Lily Near. Lily is 4 days younger than Sarah!

In other news we are going camping this weekend to Amish country. I can't wait! Hopefully we will be filled with cheese and goodies when we come back.

I have recently had a hunger to study more about God and am reading Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver, The Organic God by Margaret Feinberg, Battlefield of the Mind (still) by Joyce Meyer, and 12 Reasons why we Overeat by Joyce Meyer. I know why I like to overeat: I like food. The end. That book should be short - really, what else is there?

While reading through fantasy literature sites, I stumbled upon a site listing the 5 greatest fantasy series. They included: Sword of Shannara (very good), Sword of Truth (great), Wheel of Time (excellent), Song of Ice and Fire (rockin'), and Thomas Covenant (huh???). I think I should give Thomas Covenant another shot.

Got 79 in Quiddler today. Terrible showing.

Beautiful Songs

Well the Buckeyes lost horribly this weekend even though the girls were cheering (as you can see Sarah crawling over Jenna). Jenna was also playing "naptime" with Daddy. You can see daddy here taking a nap with a cute pink blanket.

I like to make lists (who doesn't?). I need to update some of them, but one list I've never made is my list of favorite songs. Instead of making a list of favorite songs, I've grouped songs into what I like to listen to when in a certain mood. Also, while I like many different genres, my favorites are classic rock and Christian. Now one can make the argument that books, movies, restaurants, etc can also be grouped in this manner but that takes too much effort - and since I've never made a list of songs, here goes:

Favorite Classic Rock Songs
1. The Joker
2. Magic Carpet Ride

Favorite Christian Songs
1. Sometimes by Step
2. When God Ran

Favorite Praise and Worship Songs
1. Before the Throne
2. Arms of Love

Favorite Songs to Sing to Annoy my Husband
1. Pina Colada Song
2. Dancing Queen

Quiddler score = 88

Munch on Lunch

Since Jon is always posting his and Michelle's awesome bento lunches, I thought I'd post my lunch. This is my usual lunch: peanut butter honey toast with bananas on it and yummy yogurt which consists of yogurt topped with craisins and honey. For dessert I eat half a bar of dark chocolate every day - super yum! Then Sarah has a delicious jar of babyfood. Jenna's lunch is a little more unique. I gave her a container of yogurt and she requested a bowl of cheezits. So I gave her that too. She dumped the yogurt in the cheezits then asked for some mixed nuts. She dumped that in the concoction as well. She did eat the whole bowl. Yum?

My mom brought me some green beans from her garden. So I layered them in a casserole with some carmelized onions, cherry tomatoes, and fresh grated parmesan cheese. YUM! (that was an actual yum unlike Jenna's cheezit yogurt yum). Of course, I added a lot more cheese after it baked but it was very yummy.

The big game is tonight and we are all pumped. Go Bucks! I dressed the girls in their cute buckeye cheerleader outfits and Erik and I were all decked out too. I hope we win.

In other news:

1. I've finished this round of rewrites and sent my dissertation off again. I'm hoping I graduate before 2011 as that is when my courses will not count anymore (since it will have been 10 years).
2. I'm reading two books on evolution: "Biology through the Eyes of Faith" by Richard Wright PhD and "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Intelligent Design and Darwinism" by Jonathan Wells PhD. I've been studying evolution for quite some time and my entire research is based on evolutionarily similar proteins, so I want to study this subject so that I can explain my opinion using faith and science. I'll get back to you on it :). I plan on watching Expelled sometime soon too (whenever I get it from the library).
3. I got 67 on Quiddler today.
4. Erik and I have a dream to own a castle bed-and-breakfast one day. We have stayed at Ravenwood and enjoyed it and plan on staying at other castle bed-and-breakfast establishments over time (there aren't that many). However I think it would be incredibly fun to own a bed and breakfast (I love to make food for people and breakfast food is the best!) and Erik wants to live in a castle. Whether or not this dream will come true - who knows?
   
   
   
   

food, food, food!

For our anniversary yesterday we went to the cheesecake factory - yum. I've included a picture of the slice of cheesecake I got. It was heavenly. Jenna wanted to share but I didn't want to, which sparked a discussion about how princesses share and that mommy was not being a princess.

Lately we've been on a creme brulee kick. Erik bought a torch and we've been torching the creme brulee and enjoying its silky creaminess with the hard shell on top. First I scald cream and sugar and mix it with egg yolks and vanilla. Then cook it in a water bath (see photo). After chilling for a few hours, we take it out, sprinkle sugar on it then Erik lights the torch and carmelizes the sugar. It's a fun dessert.

In addition to my creme brulee desserts, I've been playing around with making homemade pasta. Wow - what a difference. I had never made homemade pasta before but everyone does it on iron chef. So much flavor!! It doesn't take that long to make but is so delicious. Since I had some extra heavy cream (from the creme brulee), I heated it with some fresh garlic, butter, and basil to make a cream sauce. Then cooked the fresh pasta (only needs to cook for 2 minutes) tossed it with the cream sauce, more basil, and cherry tomatos from our garden. Fantastic! The picture doesn't do it justice - I promise it was good.

I also had to include this adorable picture of Sarah in the sink. There is a similar picture of my sister Missy in the sink when she was about the same age. There's something about second borns and bathing in the sink :).

57 points on Quiddler today - I lost the Q. It was a terrible showing!!

I have found the one whom my soul loves

Butterflies were dancing in my stomach. I clutched the bouquet of roses and smiled at my father. Before me were the two double doors leading to the sanctuary of the church; the altar at which I would speak my vows of marriage before God. The Wedding March started to play and the doors opened. Every step I took down the aisle brought more faces into view - friends, family, and soon-to-be family. But at the end of the aisle stood my love.

"I have found the one whom my soul loves" ~ Song of Solomon 3:4

Each step drew me nearer to him. My love. My best friend. His embrace can fill me with warmth, peace, and comfort. At times just being near to him can run shivers down my spine. Holding each others hands we recited our vows with fervor and anticipation. The priest introduced us for the first time as a married couple - I stepped into my new role as Mrs. Cooper while walking back down the aisle.

Saturday will mark our 11 year anniversary. 11 years married to my love. 11 years of joy that has only gotten better with time. I love you Erik!