Beautiful Weekend

Well, another weekend has come and gone. They go by SO fast these days. Only 7 more days of school left and I can't wait to enjoy a summer full of weddings and fun.
So, this weekend we enjoyed lots of time in the sun - we just hung out around the house and Brandon built me a SWING. He said I could choose between a tire swing and a swing made out of wood. I chose wood, cause tire swings always get full of water and such and here's a pic!! It's wonderful. I keep trying to find a time when I can go down with my book (I'm re-reading Redeeming Love) and just read and swing. It's been SOO hot outside though.. I need a cool evening.

So I have to give a shout out to Jessica Langevin and Cait Mack. I don't know if they will read this blog but I'm thankful for loving church sisters that will volunteer their free time so that I can enjoy a day at Valle Crucis Park with my first graders. They are going to proctor for me and the other first grade assistant this week so I don't have to drive to the park late.  I'm so thankful.

Random story to end this short blog. As I wrote the word "hot" describing how the temperatures have been soaring to the upper 80s, I'm reminded of a time in sixth grade during a spelling test.  I still honestly have trouble when I'm writing the word "hot." I'm always tempted to write "hott," which is the spelling for a person who is really attractive. I guess sixth grade was the year that I started learning that word and started writing "hottie" to describe boys in notes to my friends. Anyways, the spelling word was "haughty" meaning arrogantly superior and disdainful (not to be confused with a cute sixth grade boy) and I of course spelled it "hottie." I remember we were in a smaller group setting doing a higher level spelling so each week a different person would call out the words and check the tests and I remember Jacque Bailey catching my mistake and calling me out on it - saying "Leslie spelled it like "h-o-t-t hott" I wanted to crawl under my desk. Is a sixth grader really supposed to know haughty over hottie?

Well - I'm off to finish The Bachelorette. Goodnight! :)

Perfect First Anniversary

Where do I even begin? Yesterday was the most perfectly sweet day. We didn't go on a trip or anything but it seriously couldn't have been any better. Church at Cornerstone in the morning followed by an awesome time of fellowship with our Pastor's family and the Hamilton's at Proper (which is SO yummy!!), then we relaxed for a couple hours at home before starting what I hope will be our "Anniversary Traditions"

Here's a picture of the flowers Brandon bought for me and gave to me at 

Valle Crucis Park (the site of our engagement) to start the weekend off right :)

We wanted to eat a late dinner since we had a late lunch so we decided to go ahead and watch our wedding video before dinner. This is something I hope we will do every year! It was so special. It almost felt like we were watching someone else but it was just the sweetest thing to hear our vows again and to see all the people who were there to support and love us.  I also loved hearing our Pastor give his "charge" or whatever you call it. It's important for us to hear again how we are supposed to value each other and submit and how we should view each other as a treasure that we guard. How great marriage is when it is as God has intended it to be! I'm so blessed that we belong to a church family who cares about getting you ready for marriage and nurturing you so that you're not alone in what to expect. I mean- it takes effort from the people in the marriage - you have to be willing to ask for help and you have to find people who can disciple you and give you the guidance you need - but the people at the Summit are there when you seek them out and we are so thankful.

Then Brandon gave me this awesome poem that he wrote in honor of it being the "paper" anniversary. He should seriously be a writer. Isn't this the sweetest thing you ever read? All I could say was, "you really see me that way?" I have the best husband!

Then we went to dinner (thanks to my parents for giving us an Outback giftcard!!) and then came back home to eat our one-year-old cake. I have had so many friends who have said that their cake was disgusting but ours was SOO good. It was still moist and delicious! If we wouldn't have been so full off of an amazing blooming onion and entree then we would've definitely downed a ton of cake. But seeing that we were full - I get to take the cake to 607 tonight for the season premier of Bachelorette. Get ready!!!

our awesome wedding cake!!

To end the night we watched the wedding videos that we took getting ready before the wedding, off the reception (all the dances), the video messages that our friends left us, and the videos we took on our honeymoon. SO MUCH FUN!!
I just laughed and cried through so much of it realizing how loved we are. Especially to our friends who left us messages - I wish I could show you all of your videos because they are hilarious - but we are just so thankful for everyone who took the time to be a part of our wedding! We love you all.

Here's  a couple sweet videos from friends that made us smile!!

Our Life Lately

Busy. Busy. Busy.
I want to blog more. I don't really feel the need to apologize for not blogging in a while but I do want to say that I really want to blog more. Just for me. So I hope that I will start doing that.

So, Brandon and I have been dreaming big about our future.  One thing that Brandon and I love the most is  our yard. Sounds silly, I know, but we have the coolest yard. Even though we live in my parent's basement (yes, it's true) we still have an awesome little back yard that I love. We have a fire pit and a garden and I just love the nights when we get to enjoy it all. It's a part of summer and summer is almost here. But lately we've been dreaming more and more about the land next door that we're going to hopefully start building on in less than a year. It's the most beautiful land (see pictures below) and I love walking down the path that Brandon has spent hours mowing and maintaining and picturing where I want to put our tree swing, back porch and garden. It's going to be perfect.

 the view

 the path that will be off the back deck

 perfect tree for a swing

 the slope where the house will sit :)

the path from the other direction

Last Thursday I got to babysit some awesome kids and they're parents have the coolest house and yard.  I love it. It's in the middle of the woods and it has all the things I've been dreaming about in my own yard: a tire swing, another swing that you climb up on a platform to jump off of (I can't wait to try it out one day) a garden and just some beautiful land for playing outside.
Also, they have another cool feature that I have never seen before - a bathtub on their porch!!! I know what you're thinking - trashy?? I may have thought that too, because here at the Sheppard/Hall household, there are a couple tubs outside from my dad's jobs and they are just sitting there and all I want to do is take them to the dump..... but this tub is put there for a purpose!!! It's hooked up and there is even hot water running to this tub! I got to give a sweet 4 year old her bath outside and it was the most fun thing ever. I'm going to need one of these tubs. I can just picture myself on a porch in the middle of the woods (it's secluded) reading my book in a hot bath under the stars... or giving my kids their baths outside on a cool summer evening.. it's just sooo much more fun that way don't you think???

So that's what we've been dreaming about.  I just have to say that even though I'm excited about the next year and the fun stuff that is coming, I couldn't be more thankful for my life, my marriage, my friends, my church, my family. I'm just so completely blessed. 360 days into my marriage, I have the coolest place to live (many many thanks to my amazing parents) an amazing job that I love and people around me who love me. I serve an amazing God and I don't want a day to go by where I'm unaware of how greatly God has blessed me.

Back to Real Life

So, the wonderful beach trip is over. It really was awesome. Lots of good family time, lots of good food, and a fair amount of laying-on-the-beach time for me. But I do have to say, it's good to be home. It's always nice to get back to your own bed and your own space. My absolute favorite part of being home is Layla. I love love love my dog and she is not missing out on the next trip, wherever it may be.  My parents were great sitters though and I'm so thankful that they were able to keep her.

Back to real life. Here we are. The laundry is done, the dishes are done, shower invitations for Kira's shower are ordered and mother's day presents and student teacher presents are wrapped. I've actually gotten a lot done in the 36 hours I've been home.  It was weird going back to school.  It seemed like we had been out a month, yet it went by so fast.  I truly do love my job even though this is going to be the craziest week at school.  One sad part of my day: I don't get to go on the field trip today.  They are going to the Lazy Five Ranch and I am kinda bummed that I don't get to go with them.  Last night I was telling Brandon that I was sad even though I understand why I am needed at school today with the kindergardeners and he said one time when he was in 4th or 5th grade he didn't get to go on his field trip because he brought a game boy on the bus which is pretty harsh in my book. At least I'm just a teacher and all my kids will still get to have a good time. Now I'm off to a day with some kindergardeners, who truly are super super sweet.

Random side note - there are so many things that I've thought about blogging but I was noticing that you can't be totally honest on blogging for fear of hurting people's feelings. The only things I can be honest about are my husband (who knows that I love him even when I share our flaws) and me.  This is probably a good thing because it keeps me from complaining and putting too much emphasis on shortcomings. I should be loving people and looking past the things I get frustrated with anyway. So, I'm counting it a blessing and keeping my complaining and griping to a minimum. I don't have the perfect life, but it's better to look at the good and realize the hard stuff makes me a better person!

On a happier note - I CAN NOT WAIT for PRAISE TEAM tonight!!!! Bring on 7:30 pm!!