Sunday @ SonRise

Ohhhh, Ohio.... your weatherrrrr.....

raaaaaaiiiiin..... *sigh

There wasn't a cloud in the sky yesterday, so naturally today, it poured.

All day. :|

It didn't deter us from our usual Sunday routine of heading in to church. I was surprised when Trish and the kiddos joined in for the morning service, which in itself was one of those messages that pulls at some of those uncomfortable corners of our hearts.

photo cred: sonrise church! 

It's messages like these that challenge me to put my own feet to the fire and pursue what's right over what I oftentimes want to do and follow based on my emotions [because honestly, there's a running list of ways my emotions have misled me... well... a lot over the course of my existence]. I am so thankful for a pastor and staff who can incorporate grace and love into a message that otherwise may easily offend the prideful nature we all naturally have.

After church, we took a quick lunch break down the street at Frisch's before making a pitstop and home and then a U-turn riiiight back to SonRise for the membership initiation class, also known as Class 101.

c.l.a.s.s.:
christian life and service seminars

The class was fairly intense: a 3-hour session chock-full of background on our church, its mission and purpose and operating principles. It's the first time I've been involved with a church to this degree: learning the internal structure, doctrinal beliefs exercised and leadership structure up front, before committing myself as a member. This is the first truly non-denominational church I've ever felt compelled to explore, and the more I learn about it, the more I find I'm embracing the approach. SonRise functions on the mission of loving all people, reaching them for God, and training them with the knowledge and tools to go and share the word with the world around them.

these two :) 

Syd challenged Rob to a game of ping pong, and while I would typically question her version of the game rules, she apparently won, and that was settled ;)

Speaking of simply loving God, Sydni created this yesterday and I forgot to share:

"sydni art"

^^ Oh, be STILL .. my heart. I can barely handle this. Syd, you are such a light in this little life of ours, and I hope you never ever question just how beautiful you are. I love you, mini me!

It's been a long day, but spending it at SonRise was one of the best I could've envisioned for an otherwise drab day. I am one lucky mama.

CHEERS to a wonderful week!

xo | cmd

Friends & Kids & Pumpkins & Apples & OTR

Today was a full throttle day from the time we woke up. Sydni was up at 3am to remind me that, "kids are coming over today!!!," and from there on out it was non-stop until our heads hit the pillow again. 

"honey, it's 3am. we still have a few hours."
- [skeptical response...]

First things first: Why pay a gutter service when you can just do it yourself?

do it yourself.

:). I was wrapping up the gutters just as Trish and the kiddos rolled up, jackets and snacks in hand, for an early afternoon of pumpkin painting and carving.

the girls (: 

mamas & kiddos

 Sarah made it out after work, with her daughter in tow. There were then 5 kids attacking one pumpkin..

paint, paint... and more paint! 

the aftermath? beautiful! 

 

Once the pumpkins had been thoroughly - and I mean thoroughly painted, the kids migrated to the front yard for some cardio and leaf-mud sandwiches [made, not eaten.. as a sidenote ;).. ]

gosh... love them ;) 

Soon enough, the kids departed, and we took a deep breath in preparation for round two: Jessica and Andrew soon arrived with their pumpkins. Sydni was off to her dad's for her father-daughter dance, so the grown-ups were left to their own devices.

great action shot of bumper & sasha! 

caramel apples!! nomnomnom

lol.. pumpkins ;) 

Round 2 of the day complete [carved pumpkins & caramel apples], we parted ways again to rest up and prepare for the evening, which was decidedly going to be spent in the bows of OTR.

We started our venture at 1215 Wine Bar, if you count our standing in one spot for 20 minutes deciding where the rest of the night would be spent. If that doesn't qualify, then we technically started with a pitstop at The Drinkery before they somehow coerced me into going to - and staying at - Japp's for more than a half hour.

yeah, so i guess when i'm photographed mid-laugh,
i look... super asian. ^_^

this folks, is what otr had to work with tonight...
oh i'm proud of this one.. hahaha.. 

that fan. we're music video superstars.... ;) 

We soon retired from the heat of Japp's and found our final grounds for the night: The Famous Neon's Unplugged!  

oh, lovely neons! 

runnin' the town.. into the ground [laaa dee daaaa... ]

we found chad!
ps - can't even be mad at the chick who bombed this...
.... she nailed it. #thanksdoodydood

nobody knows. 

that time jessica's hand was 2 feet in front of my face
& managed to still look insanely inappropriate.

i'm a cat. rob's an angry ghost.
#notsure...

some more of this.. 

... and consequently this, too. 

And it's Neon's, so there's Jenga...

we lost.

Along with a few hundred of our closest friends, we closed down Neon's and made one last pitstop for grub at Lucy Blue's before calling it a night.

pizza. because... yes. 

PHEW.
.. yes, this is backdated.. 

G'Nite!

xo | cmd

The Sun'll Come Ouuuuuut... On Tuesday!

It's been raining a lot here. The midwest has proven again to show its fickle side with fluctuating weather..... but mostly rain for the past couple of weeks. We've been fortunate to grab a few sunny hours here and there, but even so, everything off pavement around here just seems to be perpetually damp. Hopefully it'll hold off for the holiday, if nothing else.

Sydni and I made a quick stop next door when we got home, to see Trish and the kiddos. Syd and Gianna wasted no time becoming quick friends, and I have a feeling it's going to be a fun summer with the two of them as neighbors.

Oh, and of course, we colored...


my miniature artist! ♥

We were well into some pretty artwork when Becky and Mike showed up. Mike took the dare of being left alone with Sydni for a few minutes while Becky and I ran down to pick up some tickets for a little concert thing going on in a couple weeks....


... no big deal... hah, just kidding... i'm pumped!

Tickets in hand! I picked up two extras for Kalyn & Keifer, who will be joining us...  I'm stiiiill working on convincing Rob & Jesse to join us on their way back from FL; who knows if that will actually happen, but that would make it a perfect night. We'll see. Either way, it's gonna be an amazing time (: And, much to our relief, Mike survived the solo mission with Sydni and wasn't tied and bound in a closet when we returned. Haha.

I'm totally okay that this was about as much as there was to the day today. Tomorrow is the last full day of work we have to do this week [half day Friday is better than a full day, haha]; I'm just ready for an extra day and a half or so to veg out, spend time with Syd, and see some friends.

xo | cmd