House Photos

I realized I never posted pictures of our home since we owned it. The pictures I posted were ones that were taken before purchasing and moving into the home, so here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Master Bedroom

Fireplace

Great Room

Kitchen

Another View of Kitchen

Master Bathroom

Hall Bathroom

1st Bedroom

Another View of 1st Bedroom

Backyard

Marlowe peeping out of the fence

Our Home

Our E Flag

Marlowe sleeping

Us

- Christie

Home Alone

The title of this entry is for two reasons:

1.) I am home alone because Christopher is in Baltimore.

2.) I am currently watching the greatest movie of all time (with a little exaggeration), Home Alone.

I guess you could say I'm getting in the Christmas spirit. Christopher already put up our lights, and it looks amazing! And today I began watching my Christmas movies. I will probably watch all of them about 3 times each before Christmas. I'm one of those people that gets excited way too early, and then when it gets close to being Christmas, I'm kind of tired of the music and decorations, but never the lights or movies. I'm going to start doing my Christmas baking because it's fun and it tastes good. Gingerbread is next on my list.

Since I rarely update this blog, I better make up for the lost time. I love my 1st graders! They are hilarious! I have a lot of funny quotes from them. I made a list of them that I will post at a later date. They are a lot of work, but at the end of the day, I'm making a difference in these children's lives, and I know it's worth all of the stress and hard work.

Chris is still enjoying his job. He hasn't had to travel much, though he is traveling this week.

We've been busy going to the football games and working. I'm just trying to keep my head above the water, but I know in a few weeks, it will be a little easier. I'll have Christmas break and free weekends.

We're still enjoying our home, though it's a bit cluttered. Today I cleaned, and hopefully tomorrow I'll clean the clutter. Once I clean the clutter up, it reappears the next day, but I suppose that's what happens when you're busy. We also have uninvited guests - mice. If you're a member of PETA, I encourage you to stop reading. We've been using sticky pads to trap the little boogers. Well, once it worked, and once a mouse got away. All in all, we have disposed of two mice so far and suspect a dead one to be under the fridge. Last weekend, I woke up and went to the kitchen to brew some coffee. Well, unfortunately that didn't happen because I found blood on the floor on my way to the pantry. There were bloody mouse prints all over the floor. I cleaned it all up, but it was leading to the refrigerator, so I assume it's under there. There has been no blood since then. I used to think it was cruel to "get rid" of sweet, innocent rodents. But they're not sweet or innocent. They have pooped all over the house and ate our food. So now I've declared war, and I will win.

I hope everyone has a good November!! And since I'm watching Home Alone, I have to put a great quote in the post..."When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone!"

-Christie

God Is Good!

It has been a while, and I'm sorry for that! Things have been busy around here. We have settled into the house. The only thing left to do is eliminate the ridiculous amount of boxes in the middle bedroom. It's one of those things that will take quite a while though, so I have no idea when it will happen. Christopher will be working on that.

Christopher's job is going well. He has traveled a total of two weeks and will probably travel a little bit in the future. He's busy, but he loves his job.

Well, since I'm talking about jobs...I now have a job! I am now a first grade teacher! I am really excited about it. I have been going to the school a few times the last two weeks to get acclimated to the routine. I feel pretty prepared now to teach in my own classroom. I love the students, the faculty and staff, and everything else about the school. I even have my own smartboard, document projector, and a microphone that goes around my neck. I'm excited about integrating technology into the teaching material. I spent an hour today just playing with the smartboard.

We've also been busy traveling for football. With jobs and football, there's really not much time for anything else. Maybe one day we'll figure out how to work and have free time, but that time probably won't be coming any time soon...

Christie

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Livin' the Life

We have finally moved into our new home in Huntsville, AL (actually Harvest). We've actually been here for about 3 weeks, but it's been busy, so please excuse our absence. We're so grateful to have a place of our own as we begin our lives together. We're still not completely settled in since it takes so long to unpack boxes. We're close, but we had over 200 boxes and not enough space to put anything. I guess we didn't realize that we have accumulated too much stuff. Luckily, our parents have helped us settle into our new home. Christopher's mom came to help us paint the week after we moved in. We finished painting the kitchen and great room, which make a world of difference. I can't wait to have the whole house completely painted! I already bought new paint for our bedroom, which needs it badly. My parents came last week and helped unpack boxes, get rid of clutter, and complete some projects. We now have lots of shelving in our closets, so Christopher can actually put his clothes up! Hopefully, by the end of this week, we will look like we're settled in (minus the paint). And maybe I can paint our bedroom as a surprise to Christopher, who is currently in New Mexico. I'll put inside pictures up after the house looks clean, but for now, enjoy the outside of our house. Keep in mind, these pictures were all taken before we owned the house, therefore, it looks much better now.

Our home before we owned it

The neighborhood and cul de sac

The creek behind our house

May

So it's been a little busy for us. May has been absolutely crazy but very memorable. So, we graduated on May 9th. Christopher graduated with his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering, while I graduated with my master of arts in elementary education. We went home the following week to prepare for our wedding. 

Our wedding was May 16, 2009. Our photographers were amazing, and we can't wait to see the proofs! There was a little rain during the ceremony. I decided that it probably wouldn't rain during the ceremony, so we began outside. The key word is began. Before we took our vows, we moved inside due to the monsoon affecting 1/3 of the guests. We didn't notice because we were covered by a humongous oak tree. We went to Boston that night for our honeymoon.

When we arrived at Hotel Marlowe, complimentary truffles and champagne was awaiting us. It's an awesome hotel that's very service oriented! They have free kayak rentals as well. We named our puppy after this hotel, so our Boston Terrier has a Boston related name.

We went whale watching and were so close to Humpback whales. I love pictures of whale tails.

We ate at Larsen's Seafood Market in Menemsha, and the owner of the market offered to take a picture of us. We had wonderful lobster rolls, lobster bisque, and clam chowder!

He wore his groom hat the whole time in hopes of getting a free upgrade, but only got some congrats and a, "Why'd you do it?!" Notice how happy he is. It's not because he's on his honeymoon, but because he's driving a Mini Cooper convertible.

At Fenway Park. Of course his eyes are shut!

We had so much fun in Boston and Martha's Vineyard! We would love to go back sometime soon. The highlights of the trip were the food, whale watching, historical sights and sightseeing, kayaking, shopping, my massage, and Fenway Park. We stayed in Boston for two days before going to Martha's Vineyard. We didn't see much while we were there, but we did eat in the North End and go kayaking. Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge is so nice! We loved Martha's Vineyard! We stayed in Edgartown, but had time to see the whole island while we were there for two days. We went back to Boston for our final two days and were able to travel on the Freedom Trail and go to a game at Fenway Park. We wish we had more time, but we had to come back for Blake & Kristine's wedding.

Their wedding was so sweet and fun! I know they had a wonderful honeymoon, as long as they didn't get the swine flu...haha. They did go to Mexico though...

The Tuesday after their wedding (the day after Memorial Day), we packed and moved out of the house. It was a two day process. And we got Marlowe, our Boston Terrier, on wednesday as well. 

Marlowe didn't want us to sleep for two days straight, so she whined and attempted to bark throughout the night. She is now sleeping through the night, but unfortunately, Kona does not like Marlowe at all. She is now much sweeter to her. She hasn't bit her in three days, so everything is getting better.

We also put an offer on a house this week and has the house inspected yesterday. There were a couple problems, so we're not sure what we're doing at this point. Please pray for us as we make so many huge life decisions in such a short time. We definitely need prayer and guidance. I'm also looking for a job. I'm still interviewing, but I know that God will put me where I need to be. 

Well, Christopher is about to come home (to the hotel) from work. He started work last week as well. We're pretty busy, but we're enjoying our new lives. 

-Christie Elm

Marlowe

A couple hours ago, we found out that Marlowe was put to sleep due to a congenital heart defect. The breeder noticed that she was breathing heavier than normal after playing. She was only 4 1/2 weeks old. We are both pretty sad about it and have to decide whether we want a new puppy from this breeder, whether we want to look elsewhere, or whether we will get one at all. We were really looking forward to the new puppy, but at least this didn't happen while she was in our care. We were going to visit her this Saturday, but we don't know what we're going to do now. We're still in shock and sad at the same time. To some people it sounds silly to be sad about a puppy we never met, but we've been preparing for her arrival. If it's this hard to lose a puppy before meeting her, we can only imagine what it would be like to lose a child. We're sure there's another puppy out there for us, but for now, we're just grieving. We appreciate your prayers and support. 

Free Time

I now have free time...a lot of it. The only thing I have left regarding school is a presentation and a final exam. We still have wedding stuff that probably needs to be completed this week, and hopefully it will get done. It usually doesn't. We'll see. I can't believe we have less than 3 weeks before we're married. Last weekend, I had a shower. We received some great gifts! Hopefully we'll be able to store them all. 

We're in the process of finding a place to live. This Saturday we're finally going to Huntsville. Guess who's coming with us?? Kona is coming (well, she is moving too)! She's actually coming because she can't stay in the laundry room for 10 hours without peeing all over the place. Plus, she would be so hungry. The funny thing is that the apartments we're looking at are excited that we're bringing her. We're looking at at least 3 apartments, and since we're going that way, I convinced Chris that we need to meet our new puppy. If you know me at all, you'll know that I'm almost more excited about the puppy than I am about finding a place to live. It will be a long, fun day!

-Christie

3 1/2 Weeks!

There are only 3 1/2 weeks until our wedding! How crazy is that?! Time really does go by quickly. I really can't believe we are both about to be done with school, get married, get another puppy, move, start working, and eventually buy a house. So much is about to change, but it will be great. Something that I have been sort of sad about is not being able to buy a house. I know it sounds silly, since most newlyweds and recent graduates don't buy a house immediately, but I really want to take advantage of the low house prices. If we wait a year or more, we may not be able to afford a house. Hopefully, I will find a job, and we will be able to buy a house in 6 months or so. I know everything will work out, and I just need to be patient (which is pretty hard for me). 

On another note, Marlowe opened her eyes this past week, so (of course), here are some pictures...

I can't wait to pick her up and hug her, and I know Kona can't wait to play with her!

-Christie

Easter

I love Easter! It's a great reminder that Jesus not only died for everyone in the world so that we could live forever, but He rose, conquering death. How can anyone not worship him after all that He did for us?! We shouldn't be reminded of this once a year, though. We should think and thank Him for what He did constantly. I know I don't do this enough.

During Easter weekend, Chris was able to go to the Master's with my dad on Saturday. They had a great time! I did homework that day, but I'm glad I did now. I also ate at his parent's house. His Aunt Cheri is a great cook. She made short ribs (and you know how I feel about beef), and they were so good! I need to experiment with meat like she does more often. We also had an Easter egg hunt at my house, thanks to Chris's parents. I have a battle wound from the hunt. I wanted the golden egg and went to the dangerous part of the yard to get it, but I didn't even get it. Christopher did. But that's okay with me, since his money will soon be our money...in 1 month and 2 days. Crazy! Time does fly by. After tonight, I only have two classes left to complete. 

So our breeder sends us pictures of our new puppy, Marlowe, weekly. Here she is at 2 weeks.

We can't wait to bring her home! I know Kona can't either (even though she doesn't know what's going on). 

Kona is all better! Yay! The only problem with her now is allergies. She's licking like crazy, and I have to tell her, "no," all day long. Maybe some Benadryl will help (the vet said 1 tsp. a day is okay). 

Have a great day!

-Christie

Interview

Please pray for me as I'm preparing for an interview with Huntsville City Schools on Wednesday. I'm almost positive that I can answer whatever is thrown my way, but who knows until I am actually asked the questions. I know I'll do fine. I just have to be confident and believe in myself.

Also, Kona has been sick lately. She has been having some tummy issues, and blood is involved. It has been going on since Thursday, and she hasn't gone #2 since Saturday. She also has a fever. Taking care of Kona is like taking care of a baby. I had to prepare special food that consisted of a bland diet. I made her chicken and rice, so she's been eating that lately. She loves it, but she has a beard, and when she eats rice, especially sticky rice, her beard is covered with rice. It looks hilarious, but I keep finding rice in the weirdest places. At least she's getting better.

Here is a picture of our new puppy at 1 week old. Isn't she just the cutest? I can't wait to finally meet her! 

-Christie

New Puppy

We have now paid a deposit on our new puppy, Marlowe. We our proud parents, again. And I know Kona will be a great big sister. We're really excited (at least I am)! We'll pick her up the week after getting back from our honeymoon. She looks like a panda bear, but I promise she's not. She's a Boston Terrier. We came up with the name by thinking of Boston-y things. One of the hotels we're staying at on our honeymoon is Hotel Marlowe, so Marlowe it is. The other hotels are the Hob Knob Inn, the Mandarin Oriental, and the Nine Zero. Can you imagine a dog named Hob Knob or Nine Zero? That is why her name is Marlowe, plus we think it's really cute. It won't be long until we graduate, get married, and have a new puppy!

The little girl a day after being born.

God Is Good!

God is good...again! It may not be surprising, but it's definitely true. Today I met with my professor about my issue with tutoring, and she was very understanding. So I'm able to get everything done in a timely manner. 

On another note, I can't believe how quickly time is passing! Tomorrow is April! This means that we have lots of wedding and school stuff to complete. It also means we have only a month until the wedding and school is over! Time really moves so quickly. I know, I sound like an old person, "___ will be here before you know it," but it's so true.'

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge dog lover. All dogs, all ages. Well Christopher and I are planning on getting a Boston Terrier in the next few months. We are currently on a few waiting lists for a puppy. We're looking for a black and white female (they can be red/white, seal/white, or black/white). I've been receiving a lot of e-mails about puppies being born. I am so excited about our future puppy and can't wait to see pictures of it! I love being a dog mommy! I will definitely post pictures when everything is finalized. 

I realize that I don't take enough pictures, and that is definitely something I need to change, especially since Christopher bought such a wonderful camera. Last night I was craving something sweet and chocolaty, so I looked around in my refrigerator to see what I could create. I found strawberries and semi-sweet chocolate, so I made some chocolate covered strawberries. They look great but taste better. Though I am not a photographer, I am learning how to take pictures that look photographer worthy.

I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful day!

-Christie

Faith

A question that I struggled with yesterday was, "Are you doing anything that requires faith?" God always speaks to me through Francis Chan. I was reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan yesterday after having a bad morning. I went to an elementary school to tutor my kindergartner in the morning, in which was planned. I'm doing this for a class I'm taking. I got there and the student was with another teacher working on reading. I was kind of frustrated but continued to wait for him. When he finally came back to the classroom, it was too late to begin the lesson because it takes 30 minutes, and P.E. was in 15 minutes. So I left and have to come back on Friday. I also cannot tutor next week because of testing (even though kindergartners don't take the test), so I have to skip a week. I know this shouldn't have frustrated me as much as it did, but it really got to me. I only wasted about 30 minutes of my day, but it was inconvenient. Another problem going on with this same class I'm taking is that I have to observe a first grade classroom twice for 30 minutes each. Well, I haven't been able to observe a classroom yet because the principal wanted me to wait until testing was over. Testing is next week. My project, containing the tutoring sessions and the observation is due the week after testing, giving me no time to put the project together. I am behind, and it's no fault of my own. This is the most frustrating part of it all. This is beyond my control. After I fell apart, I felt like I needed to talk to God. That's when I picked up Crazy Love and read a chapter on faith. God was completely speaking to me. God's timing is right on the money. He never fails to teach you something when you need it most. I know I have been putting God to the side because I was doing everything on my own. I didn't have a need for him because everything was going smoothly. When I hit a rocky road, I realized my need for him. This continuously happens because life is full of highs and lows. When life is at a high, I am so focused on me that I don't focus on God, but when life is low, I realize my need for Him and have to focus on Him. This makes me disgusted with myself. I guess I'm just using God, which is really sad. He loves me so deeply, and I only give Him my attention when I need Him. I can't do this anymore! Another theme in this book is lukewarm Christianity. Can you really love God if you're lukewarm? I would have to say no. The world doesn't see anything different in me (at least right now), and I can't do that for God. I don't show love to everyone, but I am called to show love to everyone. I am called to treat everyone as I would treat Jesus. Would I ever talk badly about Jesus? I hope not, but it seems like that is exactly what I'm doing. I want my life to look crazy to unbelievers. Not crazy because of how I look but how I act. I want people to say, "How can she love everyone and treat them so nicely? How is she so patient? What is it about her?" I want to be like Jesus, but I'm more like Judas Iscariot or like Peter when he denied Jesus. It seems like I'm down and have a low self-esteem, but I really don't. I'm just waking up to the truth and realize the need to change. This is going to be a struggle, but God never said it would be easy. I know I'm going to continuously fail, as humans always do, but I have to give it my all. I love Jesus, and people need to know that, therefore, it's time for me to do something that requires faith.

-Christie

Huntsville, Here We Come!

Last week Chris accepted a job with Boeing in Huntsville, AL. We're so excited to know where we'll be living and to know that at least one of us will be with a job. I've been applying, but there aren't too many elementary teacher job openings in the Huntsville area at this time. I have applied to a brand new school, and if I had a choice, I would love to work at that school. That way I won't feel too new because others will also be new in that school. 

We need to find a place to live, which will probably be an apartment for now, which is too bad because his company is paying for moving expenses. We'll probably have to store some stuff either with parents or rent a storage unit. 

We're so excited to begin this phase of our lives. We look forward to our new home, new jobs, and new puppy. We're getting a Boston Terrier after we're settled, which will be named after a hotel we stay at in Boston during our honeymoon. I'm really excited about our upcoming vacation to Boston and Martha's Vineyard! Please pray for my job situation. Thanks!

-Christie

Love

Christopher is on his way to Gulf Shores with a friend and his friend's groomsmen. I guess it's kind of like a bachelor party get-away. It sounds like a lot of fun. I think Chris brought the most stuff out of any of those guys. I'm surprised they had room for everything. He brought a suitcase, my backpack, golf clubs, cranium, his camera, and cookies. There could have been more, but I don't remember. They went in an Expedition, which I know doesn't have a lot of trunk space. We haven't really been apart from each other for long periods of time since we've been engaged. I'm not saying a weekend is a long period of time, but it's weird that I miss him even though he's only been gone for 3 1/2 hours. I think it's just the thought of him being hours away from me. I think absence does make the heart grow fonder. Missing him teaches me how much I love him and want to marry him. 

I'm really excited about our future! Chris received a job offer from Boeing in Huntsville, AL, so I'm 99% sure that is where we'll begin our life together as husband and wife. I know God put us there. After all, He didn't give us too many choices to make...job or no job. I am concerned about myself finding a job, but I know more jobs will open up in the next couple of months, and hopefully I will be able to get one of those. I have applied for jobs already though. 

Our wedding is offically 79 days away. It sounds further away than it is, 2 months and a couple of weeks. I know it will be here before we know it, and I can't wait. I hope I am relaxed so I can truly cherish that day. 

P.S. I took bridal portraits, and if you want to look, go to our photographer's blog. They're pretty amazing!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! School is busy, so I haven't been posting lately. I have comps on Monday, so I've been studying like a madwoman. But I thought it would be fun to post something random, so here you go...

This is the google game. I went to google and typed in "Christie likes to" and typed in the first 10 search results.

1.) Christie likes to paint outside whenever work allows.

2.) Christie likes to skate to classical music.

3.) Christie likes to depict her characters at length.

4.) Christie likes to scrapbook with pictures taken of her family and friends, and the children in her class.

 

5.) Christie likes to be the one in charge and she puts a lot of energy into making it the way she wants it.

6.) Christie likes to use fresh ingredients in her cooking whenever possible and says she is always looking for ways to include healthy food choices in her family's diet.

7.) Christie likes to call it.

8.) Christie likes to play Super Smash Brothers.

9.) Christie likes to go to the gym and work on her cheers.

10.) Christie likes to read.

I also did this for Christopher...

1.) Christopher likes to listen to Disney tunes and watch animated movies like "Beauty and the Beast."

2.) Christopher likes to write a letter, but not a note.

3.) Christopher likes to do.

4.) Christopher likes to fly!

5.) Christopher likes to play the guitar while singing in the shower.

6.) Christopher likes to run!!!

7.) Christopher likes to explain his reasons, even when they are obvious.

8.) Christopher likes to be, and sometimes also likes to hide himself.

9.) Christopher likes to hide in plants.

10.) Christopher likes to learn and most of all he likes to be given jobs to do at home.

I hope you had fun reading that!

-Christie

25 Things About Christie!

1.) I like to cook, but I'm usually stressed out when I cook. 

2.) I love to bake because I've never messed up a baked item...one of my greatest accomplishments.

3.) I am sarcastic, but I wish I weren't. I guess that means I'm negative.

4.) I hate to admit it and rarely do, but I love girly tv shows like The Bachelor, The Hills, etc.

5.) I'm very sensitive to smells. I can't stand stinky things, but I love smells like clean laundry and some floral perfume. I like to smell people that smell good.

6.) I hate wedding planning, but I'm so excited about the wedding and the marriage!

7.) I love to eat...a lot!

8.) I have a passion for muffins. I am on a lifelong quest to perfect the triple berry muffin. The best muffin I have ever had is from the Bougeois Pig Cafe in Chicago. It's amazing...really! I've made some good muffins, but none that can compare to theirs.

9.) I really really want Guitar Hero World Edition, Band Edition for my Wii! It's so much fun, but it's so expensive.

10.) I love my dog so much! I am allergic to her, but I get allergy shots once a week and take medicine daily so I can have her. 

11.) I don't just love my dog, but I love all dogs so much that I get a dog magazine monthly. Yes, I receive Dog Fancy. Go ahead and make fun of me. My schnauzer can take you.

12.) I want to have a big family. This is probably because I had such a small family and had always longed for a sibling. 

13.) I love coffee, mostly lattes. I have an espresso machine and make myself a latte with 2% milk daily. Lately my favorite espresso is Jittery Joe's, though I have many favorites.

14.) I was born and raised in Houston, TX.

15.) I love the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! I haven't been to the rodeo since 6th grade, which makes me really sad...I can't wait until I can go again.

16.) When I was in elementary and middle school, I was obsessed with basketball. I went to many Houston Rockets games and knew every player.

17.) I've always had an obsession with Charles Barkley. I think he is hilarious and says the most random things. He calls everyone a knucklehead and does some great commercials. Look them up if you don't believe me. I also thought his temper was funny...not a normal comment, I know.

18.) I love big cities and always want to live in one, though I would learn to be happy anywhere I end up.

19.) I want to live in Chicago at some point in my life, probably earlier rather than later. It's a great city with so much to do and see!

20.) I never thought I would say this, but I love my Wii.

21.) My favorite flowers are gardenias, tuberose, hydrangeas, and roses. Smell has a lot to do with it, of course.

22.) I would rather buy something for my dog than I would for myself.

23.) I have never been camping. The closest I've been was sleeping in a tent in Shannon's living room because we were too scared to sleep in her backyard. 

24.) I am a travel wannabe. I really long to travel, but it's expensive and I don't do it much. When Christopher and I retire, there's no stopping us!

25.) I love Oreo Blizzards from Dairy Queen. I also love surprises!

Crazy Love

It's been a while since I have written on here. I wanted to share a book that is transforming my thinking and hopefully, my life. Crazy Love by Francis Chan is so relevant to life today. God has this crazy love that is unconditional, everlasting, unchanging, etc. There is not way I can accurately describe God's love for us in words. I highly encourage everyone to go to this website and watch the videos (everything but the chapter ones first unless you're reading the book). After reading this book, you will never be the same again. You will go from a "lukewarm Christian" (if that is even possible) to a passionate Christ follower. I want people to think I act at least a little like Jesus, and I have to transform my life to do that. I can't wait to finish the book! And if you ever get a chance to see him speak, go! God shines right through him.

On another note, the break was good. Christmas time is always really busy and stressful. Next year, I'm going to be prepared and will learn to enjoy Christmas. We also went to Houston to visit family and friends, which was really fun! I saw some old friends, and Christopher was able to meet them along with my family. We also ate lots of great barbecue, Tex-Mex, and Shipley's! Then we went to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl...enough said.

I'm glad to be back, but a lot of going on. The final touches to the wedding must be made. I have to make lots of appointments and decisions, which as many close to me know, is really difficult for me. I really don't enjoy planning, but I am beginning to get excited since a lot is coming together. I can't wait for the day to come, but I'm not looking forward from now until May 16th because of the planning and school work. I have to take the COMPS on February 16th, and I just found out two days ago, so that was scary news. I've got lots of studying, traveling, planning, and celebrating to do, so I better go do some work so I won't fall behind.

-Christie