The Shinnicks

Our Snowy Weekend in Chicago

2012-02-07T13:57:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, Will and I went to Chicago with our friends, Logan and Jill. They were celebrating their 1st wedding anniversary (yay, congrats!) and we had just celebrated our 4th anniversary! So we took a combined anniversary trip! It snowed the day before we got there, and it was beautiful and chilly!

We had an action packed long weekend: Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, The Art Institute, shopping on Michigan Avenue, breakfast at The Original Pancake House, drinks at The Violet Hour, tacos at Big Star, wandering around Lincoln Park, lunch at Lou Malnati's (pizza!), breakfast at Yolk, dinner at Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building, and an AMAZING dinner at Girl and the Goat.

We did not eat a bad meal the entire weekend. Everywhere we went...our food was fabulous. And then we walked our butts off around the city, which meant I never felt guilty about all the yummy food. here are some pics of lovely snowy Chicago...

This is Will's breakfast at the Original Pancake House...the Dutch Baby!

It's kind of like a pancake bowl with lemon and powdered sugar.

The sign above us is hilarious, but not why we took the picture.

Warming up with delicious coffee at Intelligentsia.

At the Willis Tower...so high up!

Jill, you were so brave and conquered your fear!

Not gonna lie. I was really excited about seeing the world's largest, most complete T-rex, Sue.

I was completely underwhelmed. On the way there, I was asking everyone how big they thought Sue was. Like could she fit in a tractor trailer truck? Was she super tall?

And then I saw her. And she was much smaller than I had imagined. Still amazing. And big.

But I was a little bummed. I wanted to be mesmerized. And I wasn't.

The last time Will and I were in Chicago, we were 21 and had been married for about 2 months. This time around, we had been married for almost 49 months! What a difference!

My Big News

2012-02-01T14:28:00.003-06:00

I am beyond ecstatic. Since I was born and raised in Franklin and then stuck around for good, this is something I look forward to every year. I have been going to this festival since I was a small child. It's the highlight of my spring activities. I have always loved browsing through all the booths, eating the festival food (kettle corn and chicken on a stick!), and enjoying the crowded streets. And now I will have my very own booth at the Main Street Festival!!!

It's taking place at the end of April, so I've got plenty of time to prepare. Oh, who am I kidding! These couple months will fly by!! I've got to get to work!

Christmas Festivities: Part 2

2012-01-31T15:58:00.001-06:00

I don't have photos of all our Christmas events this year, which is such a shame. But we enjoyed eating with Will's dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve, before we headed to my parent's house. Then we woke up on Christmas morning and opened presents with Will's parents at their house and Ellen, Jeff, Caroline, and Harris via Skype. What a blessing technology can be sometimes! Then we enjoyed a full day of presents, food, family time, games, and reading (The Hunger Games!) at my Grammy and Pawpaw's house.

On New Year's Eve, we all trekked down to Lynnville, my dad's hometown. It's so beautiful there. When we get off the interstate and start driving down those curvy country roads, I start getting all nostalgic. I love Lynnville!

We took some random fun family pics outside of Colonel Littleton's shop. If you don't know who Colonel Littleton is...well, you better find out. He makes amazing pocket knives, wallets, and leather goods. This girl's got three pocket knives, and I've bought Will three since we've been together. If you ever need a gift for your husband, dad, brother, boyfriend, etc...check out his site!

Here are the pics from the day...

And if you made it this far in the post...I've got some big news to share tomorrow. So stop back by! And you can also check out the tutorial I did for an ombre cross stitch necklace on my crafting blog, Craft Day Is The Best Day.

Christmas Festivities: Part 1

2012-01-30T10:55:00.002-06:00

I know, this way overdue. Oh, well.

• • • • •

My brothers, sister, Will, and I went to the Titans' game on Christmas Eve.

High points include:

• literally bumping into Jordin Tootoo on the way in •

(I got so excited, I started whisper screaming his name)

• sitting really close up, thanks to my parents' •

(I've only ever sat in the nose bleeds)

Low points include:

• drinking watery hot chocolate •

(wish it had been Starbucks hot chocolate...mmm)

• not getting to eat cotton candy •

(the guy never came back to our section)

Then that night we had Christmas with my immediate family...

High points include:

• delicious food •

• wonderful company •

• watching Wilkes play with the pooping reindeer •

(it was a dinky plastic reindeer that poops jelly beans, and he was crazy about it)

Low points include:

• not having an awesome John Hewitt original Christmas sweatshirt to wear •

(he uses puff paint to create the world's best sweatshirts, maybe next year!)

• trying to take pictures of Wilkes •

(he is 4 and on the move...see below for the "best" ones we could get)

Sovereign

2012-01-08T10:12:00.001-06:00

I think back over the last 6 months, and I recognize two things. That people are broken. And God is sovereign.

Websters defines sovereign as one that "exercises supreme authority." Other dictionaries describe it has someone with total power, ultimate control, or as being above all others in integrity, character, excellence, and importance.

That last definition is my favorite. Apply that to God...that He is above all others in every way...in power, character, integrity, importance. Not only is He great. He is the greatest.

Lately, I have been overwhelmed by how much hurt there is. People hurt people. Death is inevitable. Love doesn't always last. Children are left by mothers and fathers. Husbands walk out on their wives, and vice versa. We are selfish, scared, broken, tired, defeated.

But God is above all that. He is sovereign.

And that's what He has been teaching me. That things change in my life. People I love are hurting and I can't make it better. But God is a better friend than me. A better comforter than me. Wiser. Stronger. More faithful. More consistent. He is perfect. He knows what we need. He hurts with us, but He has the power to heal us. He is the one we need, the one we long for whether we know it or not, the one who chooses us and loves us. Not because we deserve it. But because we are His.

These two songs by Aaron Keyes have been the songs in my heart over the last season. I believe these truths about who God is. And that gives me so much hope and strength. Click the links under the song titles to listen to the songs and read Aaron's thoughts.

SOVEREIGN OVER US
Read Aaron's words on the sovereign nature of God.

There is strength within the sorrow,
There is beauty in our tears
You meet us in our mourning,
With a love that casts out fear
You are working in our waiting,
Sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding,
You're teaching us to trust

Your plans are still to prosper,
You have not forgotten us
You're with us in the fire and the flood
Faithful forever,
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us

You are wisdom unimagined,
Who could understand your ways
Reigning high above the heavens,
Reaching down in endless grace
You're the Lifter of the lowly,
Compassionate and kind
You surround and You uphold me,
Your promises are my delight

Even what the enemy means for evil
You turn it for our good,
You turn it for our good and for your glory
Even in the valley You are faithful
You're working for our good,
You're working for our good and for your glory

DWELL
Read Aaron's thoughts on this song.

Though a thousand may fall at my side
Though the enemy war against me
I will not fear the terror by night
I will hide in the shadow of your wings

I will dwell in the shelter of the Most High God
I will rest in the beauty of your presence
Your faithfulness is a shield and my great reward
I will not be afraid, I will trust in the Lord

You have set me securely on high
You’ve delivered me out of darkness
And when evil surrounds my life
You’ve commanded your angels to guard me

No weapon formed against me will prosper
No weapon formed against me will prosper
No weapon formed against me will prosper
Says the Lord

In the New Year...

2012-01-05T15:36:00.001-06:00

I'm just going to try to be happier and better. I don't really have resolutions. I have a few new eating habits I am enforcing, like learning to eat greens (I loved my first experience with sauteed kale) and cutting out cokes completely (gasp!..this is going to be hard). But instead of making resolutions about diets, working out, and the like...I decided I wanted to focus more on what would bring rest and health to my soul and mind.

Be thankful.
I started a running list of things and people I am thankful for. Anything I am thankful for makes it on the list...whether it's Blue Coast Burrito, cinnamon rolls from my neighbor, Chaco not barking at people walking by, cooking lessons from Will, or waking up early without an alarm. I've started jotting them down in a journal. My heart feels full when I go back and look over all the good things in my life.

Express my gratitude.
I love sending some good ole snail mail. But sometimes I get too busy and forget to write thank you notes. This year I want to be better about sending notes of gratitude...for gifts, friendships, encouragement, and random ways I have been blessed.

Spend more time with my grandparents and Will's grandparents.
Nothing makes me feel more nostalgic than spending an afternoon with my Grammy and Pawpaw. Or talking with Aunt Viva while looking at old photos. And over the course of 4 years, I have truly come to love Will's grandparents as my own. Nana and Papa are so giving of their time and energy to us and especially people in need. Grandmother and Granddad love to eat a good meal and talk. We are so blessed to have nearly all our grandparents still with us, and I want to soak up all the wisdom they have to offer!

Slow down and enjoy the little things.
I am a busy bee. Sometimes life just flies by. It felt like 2011 had just started, and then I turn around and it's 2012. This year I want to take time to enjoy little things. Drink my coffee at home instead of in the car. Tend to my garden when I get home after work. Walk Chaco joyfully, instead of looking at it like it's a chore. Make time for old friends, even when I'm "too busy" to see them. Sit outside in my yard and watch the sun go down.

Learn new things.
I love learning. This year I would like to learn a few new things. Calligraphy. Painting. Yoga. I don't know what else. Those were the first few things that came to mind.

Keep dating my husband.
Life gets hard. And busy. And sometimes I feel like I have nothing left to pour out. I come home tired. Defeated. Angry. Sad. And Will is there to listen, comfort, and encourage me. But I want to remember to come home excited to see him, excited like I used to be when we were dating. We are really blessed to have each other, and I just want to do my best to appreciate him for the blessing he is!

Wrapped Around His Finger

2011-10-04T19:19:00.002-05:00

Wilkes spent the night with us a couple weeks ago. We had the best time with him!!! We picked him up early from pre-school, and we arrived when he was taking his nap. Waking him up and seeing his face when he realized that it was Aunt Caity and Uncle Will...so precious! He gave us huge hugs!

We then went to Petsmart and bought new fish. Wilkes got the honor of naming our three new fish...Sam, Stewart, and Laura, pronounced Lora...not Lawra, he made sure to correct us when we were wrong! We thought he would name them something like Terminator and Sponge Bob. But no...apparently, he took this job very seriously, choosing "good names" in his words.

Then we decided to invite Bebe & Pops (my parents) and Uncle John over for dinner. Wilkes decided we should have macaroni & cheese, cookies, and bread. We agreed. (We also added in asparagus, fried okra, and bbq chicken!) So we had to stop at Whole Foods. Uncle Will started the real shopping, and Wilkes & I looked for snacks. Wilkes chose chocolate milk and string cheese, and he wanted to pay by himself. (He's growing up too fast!!) Then Wilkes assisted Chef Will by choosing the perfect gourmet cheddar cheese for our macaroni & cheese, selecting a loaf of bread at the bakery counter, and scooping coffee out of the bin. He was so into our shopping trip and wanted to help so much!

On the way home from the grocery, he told us what he learned at school that day. He informed us that popcorn comes from corn. And that they made corn at school. And that eggs come from cows!! Haha, we informed him that eggs do not come from cows, they come from chickens. And we also told him we were going to tell Pops, who grew up on a farm!!

When we got home, we started cooking and decorating. We shelled pistachios for baklava (for another day), put out the Halloween trees, and played with Chaco.

2 cuties in the kitchen!

Wilkes assisted Uncle Will in the kitchen - they made homemade peanut butter!

Then Wilkes and I decided we should go play on the playground at Walnut Grove. He said, "Aunt Caity, we should take your camera." He's caught on. I love taking his picture! So we grabbed it, and here are the results...

This is the moment I said, "No, Wilkes...don't try to stick your head through that."

Then Wilkes decided he wanted to take some photos...up close.

And of me being silly, in his words.

Of this one above, he said, "Ha, I'm gonna show this one to Uncle Will!!"

Wilkes asked me to go stand by the gate, he took my photo, and said, "Oh, that's a good one."

And then he wanted a silly one together!

On our walk home, Wilkes said, "We should go slide down that hill on our tummies." I asked him what he meant, and he said he did it in the snow one time. Well, that obviously wasn't going to work without the snow. So I showed him how to roll down the hill. And we did. Several times. And guess who is allergic to grass? Oh yeah, ME.

We had such a fun night after that. We ate dinner with Pops & Bebe & Uncle John. And we had homemade cranberry limeades, which Wilkes referred to as his pink drink. And we practiced football plays in the living room with Uncle John teaching us positions as we threw Bebe's ball of yarn. We watched Ponyo.

And then when it came time to go to bed, I tucked Wilkes in and said, "Wilkes, you know your Aunt Caity loves you, right?" And he replied in a sleepy voice, "You know your Wilkes loves you."

There's nothing better than that.

7 Unrelated Thoughts

2011-08-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

Summer is winding down. And it's been so fun and busy lately. I feel like I should have a lot to post about, but I can't think of what it is that I should be writing about. So I'll just give you some random clips from my life...

I went to Mary's store in Huntsville. If you don't know who Mary is...well, she's a gem. My friend, Elaine started going to the flea market and discovered Mary's booth. We both love to make jewelry, and Mary was exactly the person we needed to meet. She has boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff. Old watch pieces, beads, rhinestones, charms, etc. It just goes on and on. Well, it turns out she has a store in Huntsville. And my dear Elaine got married and moved to Huntsville. And Mary's store is practically 5 minutes from E's house!!! So I trekked down to Huntsville last week to visit and shop around. It was so fun...but it made me realize how much I miss you, Elaine!!

Every inch of Mary's store looks like this. No joke. Under the tables there are boxes and bins of stuff. And the walls are covered in beads, chains, and more stuff. It's my kind of store. Sometimes I feel like a hoarder. Then I walk into Mary's store and feel much better about my problem.

I just finished a set of wedding invitations for a bride whose family happens to live in my neighborhood. It was fun to drive down the street and deliver the invitations and see her while she was in town. Here's her little gift I made...a boxed keepsake invitation, a set of stationery, a note from me, and a flower pin in her wedding colors. I was kind of proud!

The wonderful Jill Hartline bought me a friendship bracelet kit, because I got on a kick making them this summer. Maybe because I switched jobs, and it made me feel 10 years younger because I gained a lot of freedom in the transition. Anyways, I have never made a friendship bracelet on a wheel before. But since I have been watching Live Love Embroidery on youtube...well, I've been dying to. Yes, I have been learning to make friendship bracelets from a pre-teen's youtube channel. Make fun of me all you want. Thanks Jill for the awesome kit! Now we'll really be friends forever!!!

I've been getting ready for a second year of passion house church with my girls from last year. We are going to go deeper spiritually and also adopt a group of girls from downtown Franklin to mentor and craft with. To say I am excited is an understatement. I have been flipping through all my craft books lately, and I just got a pinterest account. How am I so behind on this trend??

My sweet husband hung more shelves in my office. I love having floating shelves to store all my pretty books on and display some random things that make me happy! Such as the turquoise Matchbox car. And the brightest orange yarn. And my flea market chalkboard.

I think Chaco has the most expressive eyes. I love when he looks at me out of the top of his eyes, like in this first picture. Morgan took this photo when she was shooting my stationery. Chaco was watching us from underneath the dining room table, aka his favorite place to avoid me, and it was like he was thinking, "Ugh, come on already. Somebody play with me!" I love to provide Chaco commentary in my house. Weird, right?

And this is Chaco, post-haircut. He got shaved down. And I think he got fleas at the groomer. That seems so backwards. I send him to be cleaned, and he comes home with fleas. But nothing a flea bath can't fix.

And finally, if you haven't heard...I launched my brand new website. It's been a long time coming. And I am so glad that it's out there for the world to see. So if you know of anyone who needs stationery, wedding invitations, or gifts...I'm your girl. Also, go enter my giveaway. It ends on September 1st, and it's pretty great if I may say so myself....J.Crew, Anthropologie, Bath & Body Works, and more.

This Guy Is 4

2011-08-17T08:26:00.003-05:00

How can he be 4? Where does the time go?

We celebrated Wilkes' 4th birthday a few days before his actual birthday, August 13th. Before the birthday boy got there, Sarah, Jesse, and I decorated for his Captain America themed celebration. Last year was Iron Man, but come on...Captain America is this year's Iron Man, get with the times. Get ready for picture overload...

Here's our party scene, a little crazy I know, but to a 4 year old...pretty awesome.

This boy was so excited about his new Captain America shield!

Yes, we made him sit on the mantle. It looks cruel.

But if you look closely on the bottom left, that is Matt's head sticking up.

He was there to catch him "just in case."

Wilkes and Pops (my dad)

and with his daddy, Will (my brother)

Action Shot

Publix tried. They really tried. I think I should take up cake decorating.

But to a 4 year old...if it's chocolatey and sugary...then it's delicious!

Uncle John bought him a huge styrofoam plane, and it was a hit!

A Captain America bike helmet!

Wait, another bike helmet...I guess you can't have too much safety!

Oh, but this one has a mohawk.

And somebody thought it was AWESOME.

Wilkes opened this set of Matchbox cars from Uncle Jesse, who loved cars as a child.
Wilkes immediately screamed "I love you, Uncle Jesse! Thank you for the cars you gave me!"

Will (my brother) gave Wilkes Titans tickets for the game on Saturday, which was Wilkes' actual birthday. What a fun daddy-son birthday event!

My dad loves the phrase "going to New York City to buy a fat kitty" and I clearly remember hearing that as a child anytime NYC was mentioned. Well, Sarah Beth went there this summer...and bought Wilkes a fat kitty. That plays songs about New York. Wilkes totally got the whole "New York City Fat Kitty" concept and LOVED his kitty.

Somebody got a new bike for his birthday! A really cool Tony Hawk bike with pegs.

Flying the plane!

Chasing Uncle Jesse!

Wilkes loves Minkas, our cat.

"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to..."

(and yes, your Aunt Caity will take your picture when you do)

Saturday Movies Are Back

2011-08-16T15:10:00.001-05:00

The last time I saw a movie at the Franklin Theatre was when I was at the final showing of Charlotte's Web. That was back in 2007, I think. I remember seeing lots of movies there as a child and teenager. So many good memories, walking around in downtown Franklin with my friends. Seeing movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show (weird, I know), Night at the Museum (why I saw that, no clue), and a bunch of classics. They also showed kids movies on Saturday morning.

When it closed in 2007, I was so sad. I worked in downtown Franklin at a consignment store in high school, and my first "real" job was at an agency on Main Street. I went the Fourth Avenue to church through college. And you better believe I attend most of the festivals that go on down there. The theatre is special to Franklin, and it's a landmark on Main Street. For the lights to go out, well, that was really sad. No one knew if it would reopen.

And then they started fundraising and campaigning to reopen the theatre! I went to the groundbreaking, and I saw the theatre completely gutted. And now it's open, after several years of being closed.

I decided that the first movie I saw at the newly reopened theatre needed to be special, a classic, something nostalgic. I found out they were going to show The Goonies as a Saturday Morning Kids Movie!!! Jesse (littlest brother) and I made plans to go, and we invited Wilkes (our nephew) to go with us. Wilkes is four now, and I remember watching The Goonies as a young child and loving it. He has already seen it, but I wanted him to see it on the big screen because neither of us had.

Drinking some good ole Purity chocolate milk before the morning movie!

What a cutie!!

Who's excited about seeing the Goonies?! We are!

Seeing a movie on a Saturday morning is the perfect activity for a rainy day!

That's us standing in front of the theater on the left!

Uncle Jesse and Wilkes after the movie...I wish I had a recording of Wilkes saying "Hey, you guys!" like Sloth. Priceless.

The theatre is beautiful and reminiscent of the original time period, the 1930s. It was so fun to see it set up the same way inside, with tables and chairs down in the front. But now there is a balcony too. If you haven't been, you should go. It's a great place for a date, or to take your nieces, nephews, or kids. We had so much fun. Wilkes was so into the movie that he spilled his popcorn everywhere. Yes, we ate popcorn at 10am. I am that aunt. The one that buys him chocolate milk, popcorn, and Sprite at 10am.

A Hint of a Cool Breeze...

2011-08-14T18:02:00.000-05:00

Today at lunch, Will and I were dining in an open air restaurant. And the breeze that was blowing in was almost cool. All of the sudden, my mind was swirling with all the things I love about the fall. So here I give you my thoughts in pictures. The things I was thinking about and a few items on my fall wish list...

I am a little over the coral/orange/red color rotation I have right now.

I am ready for some purples, neutrals, and dark reds. These are the ones I'm wishing for:
Angora Cardi, Buy Me a Cameo, & Wrapped in Rubies.

I am ready to break out the boots!

And I am dreaming about these fleece-lined botas by Toms.

I know they aren't the cutest, most attractive shoes. But my feet get cold.

And when you work in an office with all men who include your husband

and his friends...well, looking cute at work isn't high on the priority list.

This necklace is from one of my favorite etsy shops, That Old Blue House 2.

They have the most interesting necklaces...old quilt scraps between glass,

vintage buttons soddered into charms, and more. I can't get enough of them!

I love me a good caramel macchiato when the air gets cool & the leaves change.

But in the hot hot summer...all I drink is iced coffee. And I'm ready for pumpkin

bread and a caramel macchiato.

Well, that's really all I was thinking about. I love summer, and I am not complaining about the heat. Rather I am dreaming about the fall. I am sure if I was sitting poolside right now I would not be writing about the fall. I would be soaking up some sun...I need to do that a few more times before I wish away the summer!

I have been working on my bucket list, I just haven't had a chance to upload my photos! And a very special nephew turned 4 this weekend...so I will be bringing that to the blog as well. Have a happy Sunday!

When in Athens...

2011-08-06T09:06:00.001-05:00

Do as the Athenians do. Right?

Athens Family Restaurant, in Nashville, was our first Food Network restaurant of the summer. We had heard that they had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. Will had eaten here before, but I hadn't. Our good friends, Luke & Heather, tagged along because she had never eaten there either! So I had assumed that Athens was like any other Greek restaurant. But boy, I was wrong. For starters, the sign below says "Great American & Greek Cuisine." I was about to find out what that meant...

How perfect that this was on their sign!

Luke's omelette & potatoes...those potatoes were fantastic.

Will & Heather ordered the Chicken Souvlaki sandwich...pita bread & marinated grilled chicken with the fixings.

Here's where the American comes in...I ordered the Bacon Lamb Burger, which was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. Melted swiss, their special "Love" seasoning, bacon wrapped around the burger, and some traditional burger fixings. And it is served with fries sprinkled with feta cheese.

This burger is awesome. So yummy.

And for dessert...baklava! This was my first time trying it.

"Oven baked layers of flaky phyllo pastry filled with walnuts & cinnamon, drizzled with lemon zest syrup."

Description courtesy of Athens.

Proof that we were here!

And our lovely friends, Heather & Luke.

The baklava disappeared quickly. It has just been added to my very favorite category of desserts which I like to call "Warm & Spicy," which includes apple pie, sticky toffee pudding, snickerdoodles, and more. Welcome to the family, Baklava!

And here's the Food Network clip when Guy Fieri vistited...enjoy!

Summer Bucket List 2011 Update: Due to my travels, I missed out on going to Movies in the Park this year. I will make up for that in some way. Today I am going to the Franklin Theater...so be on the lookout for another SBL '11 post soon. And if anyone has ideas for my autumn list, I'd love to hear them. I've got a few swirling around in my brain, but I would love to hear yours.

Back from Guatemala

2011-07-26T16:33:00.002-05:00

Will and I just returned from Guatemala with a team from our church. I am not sure if I can write one post about all the amazing things we witnessed, but I will try to do the trip some justice. Our trip was through Health Talents International, and the primary purpose of our trip was eye surgery for cataracts and pterigions. The entire team consisted of 3 amazing doctors, 5 nurses (3 from Ethos, 2 from Ohio), and about 15 others who would assist in various ways throughout the week. Ok...on to the photos and stories...

We went to a school down the street from the clinic and had VBS. We talked about the fruits of the spirit...amor, alegría, paz, paciencia, amabilidad, bondad, fidelidad, humildad, y dominio propio. 400 children went to this school that looked like it should hold 100.

Look at her beautiful face!

The kids only go to school for a half day, so they would walk back with us.

We went to a cacao farm, cacao beans are where we get chocolate. These weird pods on the tree hold the cacao beans in a strange white goo. We tasted this goo, and it was delicious. It was tart and kind of sweet. It was definitely one of the most adventurous things I have ever eaten.

Here we are at the base of one of the biggest trees I have ever seen. Photos can't capture the magnitude of this amazing tree.

At the cacao farm, there was a man who was 86, who was the patriarch of his family and the farm. Four months ago, he broke his hip. He is confined to his bed, and his hip remains broken. He can barely hear and his memory is fading. But his family takes such good care of him. He smells like baby powder in the midst of dirty mountain home. He has bedsores, but each has a clean bandage and is taken care of. The nurses on our trip were amazed by his quality of life, and they made sure to tell his daughter who was taking care of him what a wonderful job she was doing. We prayed with him before we left. There wasn't a dry eye in the room when we were leaving.

We also visited a coffee farm - these are the little sprouts. They pick these and graft them with other kinds to create stronger, better coffee. So amazing!

On a hike through the coffee farm!

Here we are scrubbed in, assisting Dr. Coleman in surgery. I got to pretend to be a nurse this week! I was loving every minute of it. My favorite part was working in the recovery room, prepping patients for surgery and receiving them when they came out.

My action shot! Here I am keeping the eye moist by spraying it with salt solution, because the patient can't blink because their eye is being held open.

This is Damian (dah-me-uhn) and he was a patient that was close to my heart. His story is below.

Damian, like all the other Guatemalan and Mayan patients, was so stoic and calm before surgery. I was working in the recovery room, administering rounds of different eye drops to prepare the eye for cataract surgery. I had a few minutes to walk around and take a break. There have been times where I hear the Spirit speaking to me, and there have been fewer times where I have actually listened and obeyed. On this walk, I heard the Spirit urging me to bring my Spanish bible back with me to the recovery room. So I did, not knowing what I was going to do with it. (I don't speak much Spanish, but I can read it at a decent level.) I asked Nicky, a guy on our trip who spoke great Spanish, if he would ask Damian if I could read to him. Damian said yes, and I flipped open to the Psalms. I read some of my favorites, starting with Psalm 121 and 61. When I would finish one, Damian would say the number in Spanish, but I hadn't told him which one I was reading (because I couldn't think of the words for numbers higher than 100). He knew his stuff.

Damian was very patient with my Spanish, and he would help me pronounce words. He would also say "perfecto" if I read a line well. He was very kind to compliment my poor accent and pronunciation.

It was time for him to go to the prep room, and he was the last patient of the day. So I put on a mask and cap and went with him. I asked Nicky to ask him if he wanted me to read any certain Psalm. He requested Psalm 91. I started reading it, and because I don't speak Spanish well, I would pause before lines and recite them in my head before saying them aloud. Damian started reciting the lines before I could read them aloud. I got choked up as he recited them, and then I found myself with tears rolling down my face. I had to let Will read the last few lines so I could pull it together. What a picture of our unity in Christ, a Guatemalan man in his seventies, me in my twenties, reading and reciting the same words, knowing different languages, but loving and worshipping the same sovereign God.

When Will finished reading, Damian requested that I keep reading :) So I read Psalm 100 at his request. I will never read those psalms the same way again.

The next morning I made the rounds with Dr. Coleman. He removed eye patches and examined the eye. It was so humbling to be there as people saw for the first time in years. I was there when Damian's patch was removed and there as he saw for the first time again. I got to see him (and he saw me) before he was discharged. Praise God for his healing, grace, and love that he bestows on each of us.

My hardened heart was softened and filled with mercy, compassion, and love this past week. I was reminded of what a loving and powerful God we serve. Reminded that His ways are not my ways, and I understand so little of who He is, but that He reveals Himself day by day. He is alive, moving, working, and strong. He is true, he is here, he is now.

---

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you

from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, "The Lord is my refuge,"

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100

Back from the beach!

2011-07-15T21:06:00.003-05:00

We are back from a week at the beach...there is nothing better than spending a week at the beach with people you love, sunshine, ocean, good food, and lots of laughter. The beaches on 30-A are possibly my favorite place away from Franklin, because let's face it...I am a homebody so Franklin is always my favorite. But when I am in Seaside & Watercolor, I am relaxed & happy. Summer is so busy...not a lot of time for blogging. Catch ya later...

Cheesy Goodness!

2011-06-21T13:21:00.004-05:00

Today is June 21, the start date for my summer bucket list. To kick it off, Will and I ventured out to find The Grilled Cheeserie on Music Row. Let me tell you what...this place did not disappoint! I had pretty high expectations, since cheese is my favorite food...and guess what?...that grilled cheese was DANG good.

We found you, cheesy-goodness-on-wheels!

What a beauty!

I ordered the B & B, and Will ordered the Pimento Mac & Chee.

I saw on twitter if you eat there today, you got your side free!

This man, mmm...give me a grilled cheese & side of super-cute-husband...call me a happy girl!

Order up! Tots & cheese!

Here's Will's mac & cheese, pimento cheese, bacon bits, & tomato sandwich!

And mine...the orange & apricot marmalade, buttermilk cheddar, bacon, & multi-grain masterpiece!

First bite!

Bacon-cheesy-melty-goodness!

Close-up shot of Will's sandwich...see the macaroni?!

Paired with a coke...mmm...nothing better!

When there's cheese on wheels...people come!

Demolished.

We had so much fun eating at The Grilled Cheeserie, and it truly lived up to its name and all the hype. It's worthy of its wheels. Try it if you haven't been. Follow them on twitter to find out where they are each day.

Summer Bucket List...it's on.

Summer Bucket List

2011-06-12T17:36:00.003-05:00

I recently decided that I am not so good at sticking with my New Year's Resolutions, but that I really like declaring what I will do in the future. Like...I have great intentions to exercise more and feel excited for about 3 days, and then I am bummed because I have failed. So I made a bucket list for the summer. Kind of like resolutions, but way more fun (and definitely less healthy). I decided to find 7 things I should do or experience this summer, 7 because it seems like a good number...not so many that I will be overwhelmed, and enough that I actually have to try. Here they are...

1. Visit the Grand Ole Opry.
I am a native Nashvillian and I have never been. Oh the shame! And I like country music. So how is that even possible?

2. Eat at a food truck!
Everyone is talking about them, and I want in on this trend! There are more food trucks in Nashville than I imagined! I think I want to start with The Grilled Cheeserie...yum!

3. Go to Movies in the Park
I have never seen a movie in a park, outside, or anything. And I love movies, I love being outside, and I love picnics. (Movies in the Park seems like the perfect place for a picnic dinner, and Will owes me a picnic from like 5 years ago when we were dating and I saw some scary movie with him...off subject, I know.)

4. Eat at 4 Nashville restaurants that have been featured on Food Network!
Nashville has so many great restaurants, and a bunch have been on different Food Network shows. Why have I not been to these wonderful places? Ugh, because I am a creature of habit!

5. Enjoy the Harpeth River at least once this summer!
I love fishing, swimming, and wading in the river. It makes me feel young and carefree. I need days by the river occasionally.

6. Visit the recently renovated Franklin Theater!

I am so glad it's back in business. I have such fond memories of this theater growing up, and I hope it enjoys wonderful success now that it's restored!

7. Visit the Nashville Farmers' Market

I have never been and it just seems like a summer kind of thing.

I am giving myself until September 21st (which is the last day of summer according to the calendar) to accomplish these 7 things. You may be thinking, "Geez, Caity. You don't set the bar too high, do you?" Well, you know how summer is. It's busy. And if I do more, then great! I will hopefully share my new experiences with you via blogging. If you have any tips or wish to tag along on any, let me know! If this goes well, then I think I will create an Autumn Bucket List! Wish me luck!

Celebrating Big Changes

2011-06-07T15:51:00.004-05:00

No, we're not pregnant. Just wanted to go ahead and throw that out there.

I mentioned in my last post that Will and I quit our jobs this spring. We did. We really did. And it was bittersweet, because it was kind of like the end of an era. Will's business partners were really supportive, and I am forever grateful for that. And even though my office was kind of shocked, they were supportive and excited for us, too. Twisted Pair Media and Courtney Davis, you were really good to us. We couldn't have gotten a better start as adults in the working world and as newlyweds. We are forever grateful to you all...especially Ryan, Wes, Sam, Carol, Elaine, and Shannon.

We are now working at our church, which is very near & dear to our hearts. I will post more about that later. Today's post...celebrating the end of an era and the beginning of a new one! Will and I both celebrated our 25th birthdays in March and started our new jobs in March and April. So we went on a cruise to celebrate and transition.

We visited Roatan and Cozumel. We rode 18 ziplines, held monkeys and parrots, ate tons of food (4 course meals, sushi buffets, croissants every morning, the list goes on), slept in, laid by the pool, rested, read, and watched movies. What a fabulous vacation it was for us to rest, reconnect, and relax. Here are the photos...

Look at our huge breakfasts! Yum!

Windswept & happy!

Ready for our big adventure in Roatan!

This parrot was a mischievous little devil!

That's why I am leaning away from its beak!

But I LOVED the monkeys!

They would just hop on your shoulder as you walked by!

And their hands were the cutest & softest little hands!

My favorite photo from our trip!

Hard to see...but this is Will flying like Superman on a zipline!

I was so scared I was coming home husband-less!

Then Will convinced me to try it! It was so fun and scary...as you can tell my mouth is wide open because I was screaming my head off. I love that my husband is adventurous!

Flea Market Finds: May 2011

2011-06-05T17:51:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things in the whole world is the flea market. There is just something about being outside, looking through bins of old stuff, searching for a certain something, with friends, family, and all the sorts of people that frequent the fairgrounds here...I don't know...it just makes me happy!

This past weekend, I went to the flea market with my mom, Sarah Beth (sister), and Kirstyn (John's girlfriend). It was the perfect morning, a little cool and overcast. After a big ol' breakfast at Pancake Pantry, we started our day of rifting through booths filled to the brim. One woman's junk, another woman's treasure!

These are my treasures from the day!

Not sure what you call this thing...I call it my new fabulous "wooden candle holder slash

vase holder for dinner parties at my farm table" but first I have to get the votives & vases!

I found a vendor that made these great rustic frames!

Future chalkboards for my office!

I ran across a bunch of blue Ball jars...and snatched them all up!

And this is my best find...a 1936 "Model O" Royal typewriter. And it was in mint condition. And so clean. And beautiful. And hardly used. And in its case. And it works. It is AMAZING. I am still geeking out just a little. (In case you can't tell)

I finally found a type drawer like I have been wanting!

I love that the type drawer still has its plaque with typeface & size information!

And what's a trip to the flea market without some old jewelry, coins, and tokens? I love gathering up items and making my own pieces! There's several on my etsy for sale!

If you haven't been to the Nashville flea market, you really should go! It's so fun, and I always find great stuff! If you need some pointers of vendors to see, let me know!

Not flea market related but I had to share. My very talented husband speaks love through food. I woke up one morning to find him whipping up french toast topped with fresh raspberries & strawberries! Yum! I am the luckiest girl in the world!

I have a lot to blog about...Will and I quit our jobs this spring, started new jobs & are co-workers, went on a cruise in April, planted our garden, are renovating our house (still), and more. So more posts to come! Life is good.

Beneath His Wings

2011-04-27T21:55:00.002-05:00

Today I left for a conference with the preschool minister from Fourth Avenue, and we knew we might hit some bad weather on the road to Atlanta. Well, we did.

We were past Jasper, and the weather was starting to look a little bad. Then my mom called, she told us that funnel clouds had been spotted and possibly a tornado coming out of Alabama...and it was near Jasper. We turned on the radio and started listening as they were saying "If you are in Jasper, you need to be taking cover!" Yikes...we were on 24 just miles past Jasper!

Katherine suggested we pull off at the rest stop that was coming up. We sat in the parking lot by Nickajack Lake, calling our husbands, getting weather information. Both our husbands suggested that we keep going. I look out the window towards the sky. One side of the sky was dark, the other super bright. I will never in my life forget what I saw. A bowl shaped cloud, like I was looking up at the underside of a bowl, in the most ominous shade of green. Just moving in place, not quite swirling, but not moving away. That was it for me. I told Katherine we were getting out and going in! And as we were getting out, a maintenance worker was coming to get us, saying there were funnel clouds nearby.

Katherine and I went in the bathroom there, and we crouched under the sink. We called our husbands and I called my mom to let her know we were safe. Then we prayed.

I boldly prayed for a covering of protection from the Lord. That he would shelter us beneath his wings and protect us from harm. Because he is bigger. And stronger. Praying and claiming that God is bigger and that our fear would subside because he is our comfort.

And then the storm came. For real. We listened as we heard the sound that everyone describes...like a train rushing past. The bathroom door was flapping open and we could hear branches and debris blowing by on the ground. Then it was quiet. The storm had passed.

We emerged from the bathroom to find branches and huge trees down everywhere. Traffic was stopped on the interstate. We could see a path where the storm/tornado had cut through the line of trees. It was awe-inspiring.

Praise God, for he provides and hears our prayers. He is our protector and comforter. He is good! I am thankful he gave us instincts to see danger today, thankful because I usually take my husband's advice because I trust him most but today God gave me decisiveness and calmness to react.

I know not all were so fortunate, and I am praying for comfort, relief, healing, and restoration for those affected. Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas...lives lost, homes destroyed, forever changed. My heart aches for people. But God is unchanging, true, and faithful. And always good.

The photos don't do this storm any justice...but this is at the rest stop...

Alive & 25

2011-03-27T22:09:00.001-05:00

Here I am...resurfacing from my hiatus, returning to blogging, and alive in case you were wondering. And today I turned 25. So here's a thumbnail view of my birthday celebrations over the last few days, which were all very special, lovely, and low key. I just love when things are both special and normal.

I stole this idea from Will's amazing cousin, Morgan...yes, the one I mention quite frequently. The one and only Morgan Trinker.

1. spring items from my parents' garden center & gift shop

2. sinful ingredients for cupcakes

3. a trip to my sister's salon for cut & color

4. impromptu dinner with the family for some tacos

5. watching the clock, waiting for a taste

6. sharing queso with Wilkes

7. I drank lots of birthday coke. Just regular coke. My fave.

8. my mom got feathers, too!

9. Sweet Leslie brought be a big ol' bag of gummi bears. My other fave.

10. drank cream in my coffee at church, first time in a while

11. spent the day serving at our sweet church

12. AMAZING salt & pepper shakers that Paige bought me!

13. birthday balloon

14. time for a taste, pre-chocolate fudge frosting

15. awesome card by the lovely Jill Hartline

16. bright springy flowers

17. my mother-in-law painted this chalkboard vase for me!

18. what a stud. my hubs, sitting in the same booth as our first date (7 yrs ago!).

19. yum

20. birthday treasures from my dear friends

21. scrumptious brunch with friends

22. my feathers, ask for sarah webster

23. whose husband makes homemade-from-scratch cupcakes? MINE.

24. broccoli cheese soup with Rebecca June. 2 faves.

All in all, this was the best birthday ever. I am so thankful for my wonderful friends and family. Thank you for loving me, celebrating with me, and making me feel so special. I couldn't ask for anything more, and my cup is completely running over. My heart is full of joy. Love you all.

Taking a hiatus.

2011-02-15T12:57:00.000-06:00

Well, as if it isn't obvious already, I am taking a little hiatus from blogging. I feel like I haven't had a spare minute to devote to blogging! I am in the midst of some big transitions in my life, and I will report on those when I return to the blogging world. (No baby on the way, in case that's what you're thinking. Just some life changes!)

Hope you have a lovely last couple weeks of February. I am thinking that I'll be back to blogging sometime in March. That's when I predict life will settle down.

Peace out.

Football Time in Tennessee

2011-01-12T11:54:00.002-06:00

One of the most fun things we did over Christmas was go to the Music City Bowl to watch our Vols play North Carolina. Unfortunately, it didn't quite go the way we would have hoped. But we still had so much fun! Our crew included my mom & dad, John & Kirstyn, Jesse, Will (brother), me & Will, and our cousin, Cole. We rode to the game in a limo complete with Tennessee flags on the windows that our great driver let us put on there. It was so awesome pulling right up to LP Field in a limo with flags, people were staring at our limo, trying to figure out who was in it! And I really wish I had a pic of the stadium when it was full - it was a huge sea of orange!

This was such a fun, rowdy game. People were going nuts. And the refs weren't the greatest. I wish I could post the videos I made at the game, but the obscenities being screamed aren't really appropriate. And some of those were coming from my youngest brother. I was laughing until I could hardly stand, but I was trying to maintain the line of fun sister and sister who doesn't encourage stuff like that. But I may have said a curse word during overtime when North Carolina made their winning kick. It's easy to get swept up in the emotion of a stadium bleeding orange, dealing with some questionable calls, barely catching a break, and throwing some of our own chances away. I was embarrassed that I said it. Repent of saying curse words at football games, check.

Let me just say the mayhem that ensued after the game, well, that's enough reason to repent and get out of there. We really saw blood on the ground. Now that's taking it way too far.

But on the never-ending ramp from the upper deck, Jesse and I did start a chant. "I said it's great to be a Tennessee Vol!" And tons of people were chanting as we left!!! Oh, you know, just trying to spread some Tennessee cheer!

Better luck next year, Vols. Lookin' forward to some great seasons with good ole Derek Dooley leading the way!

Our Christmas

2011-01-11T15:27:00.001-06:00

We had a very busy Christmas and I feel like I am just now recovering! Will and I both have lots of extended family, and I am so thankful for them and the time we get to spend with them. The only thing is...they all live right around Nashville, so we see everyone within a few days and that can be exhausting. Wonderful, but exhausting. Here are some pics I took over the break...I didn't have my camera at each place, so they are kind of random glimpses into our holidays!

Will meeting Harris for the first time!

Sweet sleeping Harris

Looking at Grandmother's tree with Caroline!

Caroline with Chef Will :)

Caroline is just so precious!

Nana, Papa, Ellen, Jeff, Harris, Caroline, Paula, Mike, Will, and me.

All gathered around our dinner table. Makes me so happy!

Love them!

Paula with sweet little Harris. He's the cutest little chunk :)

Caroline loved playing the piano with Mimi (Paula)!

The Hewitt Christmas - Uncle Jesse & Wilkes

Pops, Will, and Wilkes. A.k.a. the William Allen Hewitts.

John painted these wonderful Christmas sweatshirts for Jesse and him. Ha. Love them.

My brothers and sister!

Jesse has gotten Wilkes into Adventure Time and he made him an iron on shirt. Wilkes was so excited and he put it on right after he opened it!

And here is Wilkes in the camo jacket from Uncle John, of course.

Me and my cute hubby!

Three Years!!

2010-12-29T19:33:00.003-06:00

Happy 3rd Anniversary to my amazing & wonderful husband! How has it already been three years?!? I can't even believe that we went from high school "unsweethearts" to dating all through college to married! But how did I ever live without him for all the other years? I feel like we have been married forever!

My beautiful bouquet that my mom made!

And here I am with the most handsome man in the world!

To our parents, thank you for trusting us. Thank you for letting us get married while we were still in college. Thank you for helping us, teaching us, loving us. The amount of faith you put in us just amazes me. I don't know many parents who let their kids just get married while still in school, let alone who are so happy and joyful through the process! We are so completely blessed by you and your support!

The love of my life.

To my dear Will...I love you so much. I am the luckiest girl in the whole world. Being married to you is truly finding my other half and becoming whole. You are my best friend, my family, my favorite person ever, the love of my life, my secret keeper, my challenger, my partner, and the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I think about how well I know you and you know me. When you lay your glasses down at a restaurant, I instinctively pick them up. If we are like this at 24, I can't wait to see us at 75. Every day I am thankful for the blessing that you are in my life. I love you, Will.

............................

So when I lose my way, find me,

When I lose love's chains, bind me,

At the end of all my faith,

To the end of all my days,

When I forget my name, remind me.

Cause we bear the light of the son of man,

So there's nothing left to fear.

So I'll walk with you in the shadowlands,

Til the shadows disappear.

Cause he promised not to leave us,

And his promises are true.

So in the face of all this chaos, baby,

I can dance with you.

"Dancing in the Minefields," Andrew Peterson

Annual Parkey-Shinnick Christmas

2010-12-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

Last night we went to Paula's house for the annual Parkey-Shinnick dinner. The Parkeys are the sweetest family and have been close friends of the Shinnicks for years. Will and I went over there early to entertain Caroline and Harris while Paula was cooking. I loved getting some time with just them! Then the Parkeys came, and we had a yummy dinner, ate delicious desserts (thanks Kara!), and played White Elephant.

Little Caroline was just worn out from all the travel!

How sweet is this?

Entertaining Caroline with apps for babies!

Everyone was just fawning over Harris!

Pecan-laced German Chocolate Cake - made by Kara!

The Parkeys & The Shinnicks

The whole group - we love you guys!

My Lunch Dates

2010-12-22T12:07:00.000-06:00

I am going to meet Ellen, Jeff, Paula, Will, Caroline, and...yes...finally...BABY HARRIS!

We are meeting him for the first time today! So excited!

Congratulations, John!

2010-12-11T17:43:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to my little brother, John! He graduated from UT Knoxville as an honor student with a degree in Plant Sciences and as an athlete who lettered all 4 years in track & field. We are all so proud of you! He has been running practically since he was able to walk and on a track team since the 6th grade! Ten years of track & field - always fast, always competitive! And we went on many trips because of his talents! I know John might miss Knoxville, but selfishly - we are SO excited to have him home again!

John and his sweet girlfriend, Kirstyn!

Wilkes was so happy for Uncle John!

During a very serious (and quiet) academic processional, Wilkes yelled out "GO UNCLE JOHN!!"

Demontray and Marcus, two boys from the Open Hearts program, came with us to celebrate John's graduation! He's their "hunting mentor" and they wanted to be there for him! So sweet!

Here's my stalker pic. UT football coach, Derek Dooley, attended the reception for graduating athletes. John posed so I could snap a pic!

I have been terrible at updating my blogs lately. From designing Christmas cards to decking the halls, from graduation to working...we've been so busy! But I will make sure to snap lots of pics through the holidays and be more dedicated to blogging! Enjoy your holiday festivities!

Just for laughs!

2010-11-19T10:55:00.000-06:00

Poor Wilkes. We make him do so many things. I know my brother, Will, isn't going to forget these things we do to Wilkes. And when we have kids...our payback will come. Anyways, just for a laugh, here are the videos of Wilkes doing the truffle shuffle (from the Goonies, greatest movie ever) and being a chicken. All at our request.

I am going to start decorating for Christmas today - my Christmas festivities kick off immediately after Thanksgiving, so I want to feel ready for them by having lights up, trees decorated (yes, you heard me right...trees...as in multiple), etc. It's going to be magical. Simply magical.

Speaking of magic, Harry Potter is out in theaters. I am going to try to catch that over the weekend as well. Can't wait!!!!!!!

Happy Friday!

Boy's Got Skills

2010-11-16T15:22:00.002-06:00

Sometimes Will and I like to list each other's skills. More obscure skills that don't get recognized as often. Such as Will's remote control skills, he's excellent at controlling the TV. Whereas, I am not. I am the worst-DVR-operator in the world. But I do have some mad splinter-removing skills. Probably from the days of getting splinters dug out with a needle by my dad. I have learned to be gentle and thorough...my dad was lacking the gentle part sometimes.

Ok. So...Will also has baking skills. He made two apple pies from scratch, for my house church tonight. I helped. And by helped...I mean I peeled apples. Embarrassing. Oh well. But this guy can bake! Look at the lattice crust. I mean, seriously, how many men do this?

We taste-tested one of the pies last night, I mean we had to make sure they were good. Actually, we were dying for some after smelling them baking. And let me just say...the pie did not disappoint. Will started in on "I think I added to much cinnamon, too much allspice maybe" and I was scarfing my pie down! It was DELICIOUS. I wish you could all taste it through your computers. Maybe in the future.

Fro-Yo with Caroline

2010-11-12T10:52:00.002-06:00

These are old pics, but I was going through all the photos on my camera and I found them. When Ellen was visiting in August, just a couple weeks before baby Harris would make his grand entrance, we went out for frozen yogurt at Sweet Cece's.

I just wanted to share these sweet photos...I love seeing Will interact with our niece and nephews. When we were seniors in high school, we both volunteered at the same daycare for our 7th period class. I didn't have my driver's license for a month (got a ticket in Brentwood, and they took my license!) so Will gave me a ride. This was the beginning of us. We would get there when the 4 year olds were waking up from their nap. And this little boy, Hunter, who looked like Kermit the Frog, just LOVED Will. He would say, "Mr. Wheeeeel, come 'ere!" And Will would go lay on the floor next to Hunter, who was on a Kinder-Mat of course. They would whisper for the rest of nap time. Then the lights came on and ready-set-go, it was play time. Needless to say, when Will had 5 little boys trying to wrestle with him and get his undivided attention...well, my little heart was quickly captured. And those ultra-sweet pangs in my heart are still there when I see him with Caroline and Wilkes...and we are still dying to meet Harris!

No, I don't have baby fever. I just know that Will is going to be a great dad...one day. Here are the pics...

She's the cutest, right? With all those cute, funny faces. And her adorable outfits that Ellen makes! We can't wait to see them over Christmas - Ellen, we miss you guys!!!

I'm still here!

2010-11-08T16:28:00.000-06:00

Ok, it's been a long time since I posted anything. I'm still here, I promise. But I lost the card reader for my camera and I am going to Wal-Mart after work...which means I am going to buy one and update this blog finally!!! Until then, I will upload the most recent pics from my phone to hold you over...

Elaine and Sam grilling oysters at the Courtney Davis tailgate!

My boss, Sam, is a big Vandy fan and he has a tailgate spot.

It's no ordinary tailgate - grilled oysters with parmesan-garlic butter!

I wish I had a photo of the HUGE spread of food he had at this gourmet tailgate!!!

Me and Elaine at the tailgate

Me and my ADORABLE hubby! We were Vandy fans for the day!

New items have been added to my etsy shop - mostly jewelry!

I finally finished my Christmas quilt.

I will get a better photo of it.

And last but not least...here's Chaco modeling his winter coat.

Not only does he not mind the coat, he kind of loves it.

I swear we aren't those people who have outfits for their dogs.

Just the coat. Oh, and a Tennessee Vols shirt for him.

Come on, we gotta support our Vols!

More to come later, I promise!

Military Travels

2010-10-21T15:09:00.008-05:00

I traveled to Charlotte for work this week. It was my first business trip and it went really well. I work at an art licensing agency and we represent artists that live all around the country. I went to visit one artist and work in their studio for 3 days. I really enjoyed my time there - but let's just say business trips are not for me! I missed Will (and Chaco, I'll admit it) a little too much! Here's a photo I took the night before I left...

If you can't tell, that's Will and Chaco both laying on me while we watch TV.

Family snuggle time is my favorite :) I'm a lucky girl.

Ok, so I am glad to be home. But this trip was incredible, simply for the amazing glimpse of military travels I witnessed. Beautiful. Bittersweet. Heartbreaking. Brave. Joyous.

WARNING: this post is long and contains one photo. Just me, recounting the experiences I had this week.

I had connecting flights, so I was in three airports, on four flights, in three days. I want to recount the encounters I mentioned on facebook because they were eye-opening and extraordinary glimpses of military travels and deserve to be explained in full detail.

In Nashville, on Monday morning, I was waiting to board my plane. I had about an hour to sit and play Plants vs. Zombies and other stupid games. I started noticing that their were tons of men in fatigues (is that what they are called? sometimes I just say camo) at my gate. And that there were wives and children with them. I started to catch on...these men are deploying. Their families are allowed to go past security and come to the gate with them. Which is wonderful - our increased security levels can still be allowing of circumstances of compassion and love.

Ok, so back to the families and Army guys. Tears were being shed, some sat quietly, some just embraced while waiting. Then they started announcing groups to board the plane. Men tenderly hugged and kissed their wives. Children cried, wives cried, and you could tell that these brave men were trying to hold it together. I boarded the plane in tears. I felt so proud. So American, as cheesy as that sounds. So thankful. And so lucky. Lucky that people willingly serve our country and make the biggest sacrifice for us. And their families are making that sacrifice with them.

In Atlanta, I saw more Army men and women. I am not sure why so many were flying on Monday. Were they deploying, heading into months of service away from home and families? Were they coming home, catching flights to deliver them into the embrace of loved ones?

In Charlotte, on the first leg of my returning flight, I was sitting at my gate. Playing Plants vs. Zombies again. I could overhear a man on his phone nearby, chewing out someone he works with, being a jerk. And then I heard this cry, a joyous yell, a sound I will never in my life forget. I turned around and saw a woman in fatigues walking out of the tunnel, off the plane. A boy, maybe 7 years old, was running towards her. The cry that came from her was the most beautiful and joyous sound, of a mother reuniting with her son, love that spanned distance for months most likely, and a reunion so precious that I will carry it with me for a long time. I looked around me, the whole gate was smiling and staring. I was crying, the women on either side of me were crying. The jerk who had been on the phone had his hand over his heart.

And then on my flight from Atlanta to Nashville, there was a man in Army fatigues, a boy really. He looked to be in his early twenties. Not any older than my younger brothers. He was sitting in the row ahead of me. Gathered from conversations I could hear, he was deploying. A flight attendant approached him and informed him that they would like to upgrade him to first class because there was one seat available there. She said they would just like to do something for him. He was surprised and shyly accepted. She asked him which bag was his in the carry-on compartment. In a kind of joking tone, he said "the camo one," it made me think so much of my brothers. "Of course," she replied. And he started walking down the aisle. I heard a man speak up, "Be careful, son." Obviously, this boy wasn't his son. But in that Southern way, where we're all family, in that American way, where we are so proud...he was his son.

And then back in Nashville. I was standing on the curb. Waiting for Will to pick me up. And a man wheeling two huge bags, with two prosthetic legs, was greeting a woman. He looked like an Army guy. I am not sure if he was. But I know lives are forever changed in physical and emotional ways after serving. And that these men and women carry those experiences with them for the rest of their lives.

I have never felt so proud of our armed forces. I am grateful, proud, honored, and amazed by the commitment and sacrifice these men and women are making everyday. I think of the men I know who have served and are serving in branches of the military.

Thank you, Jon. Thank you, Paul. Thank you, Mike. Thank you, Papa. Thank you, Jacob. Thank you, Daniel. Thank you, Jordan. And thank you to countless others who I don't know. Your sacrifice is not unnoticed and not forgotten. Thank you for protecting and defending our freedom, thank you for the sacrifice you make to serve our country.

And I think of dear Richard, a friend from middle and high school. In two days, it will have been four years that have passed since he gave his life in the Marines.

Thank you, Richard. You are missed all the time, by friends and family who loved you. I think of your crazy antics on the track team and wish so badly that I could go back in time and hear Coach Gleason yelling at you and Speegle to quit messing around. I see your bright smile in my mind. I remember the way you walked, in just a Richard kind of way. Thank you for giving your life for our country.

This is Richard.

Marine Lance Cpl. Richard A. Buerstetta

Killed October 23, 2006 in Fallujah, Iraq.

Remember to thank the people you know who are making this sacrifice. Thank their families...be it wife, child, mother, father, son, daughter. This is where I want to say "I'm proud to be an American" and that darn song makes it sound so cheesy. But I am, so I'll say it. I am proud to be an American.

God is good.

2010-10-10T21:27:00.001-05:00

Sundays.

Used to make me think of dresses & heels, lunches out with my family, lazy afternoons, etc.

Now they look quite different for Will and me. We are a part of a church that we dearly love and most Sundays require a lot of our energy and time. Time that I consider precious, time that's there's never enough of. But I wouldn't trade this for anything. Here's why...

Because God is good. So good. Despite mornings that don't go according to plan, and lots of tasks to accomplish, and things just out of my control. God is good.

We are part of a church that is striving to live out the mission of Christ. And not because of anything I am doing or anyone else is doing. But because of who God is. (Go read my friend Courtney's post, she's got a beautiful heart, you'll love her, too.)

5 people were baptized today, dying to themselves and choosing life in Christ. Praise God. He is so good.

Homeless people & rich kids stood side by side and praised a true & loving God. Who is so good. Arms lifted high, hearts surrendered, and all this because of his goodness.

I sobbed on the way home from church. By myself in the car. Because I felt his presence and his goodness and his true & transforming love.

He takes imperfect people, me being the most imperfect, and just pours his love out on us and calls us his own. His love is true and everlasting, all good things are of him and from him! I feel so blessed, so unworthy, and so challenged. God is bigger, better, brighter, and more beautiful than anything I could ever imagine, want, hope for, or dream of.

God is good.

Harris is here!

2010-09-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

Well, not here in Franklin. But here in the world. Ellen and Jeff welcomed their second baby into the world on Friday afternoon. We are wishing more than anything that we could fly to California and celebrate with them! He's just as cute as can be, and I can't wait to meet him in person!

Being an aunt is seriously one of my favorite roles in life. I love shopping for gifts for Wilkes, Caroline, and now Harris. And hearing Wilkes say "Aunt Caity and Uncle Wheeeel" is the cutest...he has a country accent that is also a little on the squeaky side. Makes my heart melt! I can't wait until Caroline is talking more so we can have phone dates and also skype more!

Harris, I know you can't read yet. But your mommy can read this to you and I will pretend that you understand her...

Harris, Uncle Will and I cannot wait to meet you and hold you. We look forward to watching you grow and become such a precious little boy. You have been born into a great family...you have the most wonderful parents who are going to teach you so much about Jesus and life and family. Your Mimi and Rudy are the best. And Uncle Will is going to love being an uncle to you. We already love you so much, we have loved you since we found out you were on your way! We'll keep praying for you until we see you in person. Then we'll keep praying from afar again. Love, your Aunt Caity

September is flying by!

2010-09-22T11:18:00.001-05:00

September has been such a busy month for us! It is just flying by and I feel like I need to slow down and appreciate the last few hot days because I know I will miss them come January! Here's a rundown of what we have been up to...

Will and I are both working at our church on Sundays. This has been a very busy transition but we both are so happy to be serving and working in something we believe in so much!

My youngest brother (I still refer to him as my baby brother), Jesse, turned 21 this month. I can't even believe it. How can he be that old!? Well, he is. This is Jesse...

I am thinking of writing posts about each of our siblings.

I feel like they are so different, funny, and great that I just need to share them with you.

So to celebrate Jesse's birthday, we went to Atlanta for a short weekend trip. This is the first time the 6 of us has gone on a trip without significant others or friends in 7 years! Our last trip was to Sacramento in 2003 to see John run in the Golden Sun Invitational track meet. What was life like then? I didn't even really know Will (we would go on our first date about a month after that trip!) and Sarah and Matt had been dating about 9 months. Jesse was only 13 then! And John was an all-star even then.

Here are my dad and Sarah on the way in! He seriously deserves a medal for being so great about being in Ikea for 5 hours. The man HATES to shop, but he was such a trooper!

We went to the Varsity to eat lunch! Since it was so crowded, we ate in an empty parking lot. Sorry, John was sitting behind me so he didn't make it in the photo!

I don't know why...but I will always cherish this memory. It felt so normal for a minute to be the 6 of us again. (Don't misunderstand me...I love my husband, he's the biggest blessing in my life!) But I am also the most nostalgic person I know. It felt like we went back in time. To just be the 6 of us again was so fun and special. Gosh, I'm even getting a little bit choked up writing this.

This is where the photos end for September. While I was in Atlanta, Will went to the UT-Oregon game with the boys to watch our Vols get whipped. And then the next weekend, we drove to Knoxville to visit Jesse and go to the UT-Florida game. Thank goodness we fared better this week than last. The game was a blast and it was so fun to be in Neyland Stadium for a big SEC game, even if we lost.

While in Knoxville, we went to see Uncle Daniel. Will's uncle is a great man who loves the Lord and loves his family. While running this summer, he suffered a stroke and collapsed. Luckily, he had stopped when he started feeling bad and went to a neighbor's house - help was received quickly. He went through a phase of paralysis and loss of speech. But God is the ultimate healer; while Daniel is not back to 100%, he is truly making great strides and we are so thankful for that healing! We loved getting to visit with him, Aunt Melanie, Morgan, and Jamie. They are so special to us!

Upcoming events: Ellen is due this week and we are wishing that we were in California so badly! Baby Harris is set to arrive at the end of the week! Jeff, Ellen, and Caroline...we are praying for you and the transition that will take place as you welcome Baby Harris into the world! And Harris...we can't wait to hold you and tell you how much we already love you!

Well, that wraps up life in the last few weeks. I feel like we have been running full speed for 3 weeks and we need to slow down. Hopefully, October brings some rest for us! And I promise I will do better about taking pictures!

The craft blog is up & running!

2010-09-15T08:15:00.000-05:00

I started my craft blog finally. I have talked about this for about a year. And it's up and running! Check it out and let me know what you think!

www.craftdayisthebestday.blogspot.com

Pretty Giveaway!

2010-09-14T11:56:00.003-05:00

I love the necklace they are giving away at the Vintage Pearl! You should go check it out!!! Should I choose a "C" or "S" if I win? I never can decide if I want a first name initial or last name initial!

http://thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/2010/09/vintage-silver-pendants-necklace.html

The Secret Life of Chaco

2010-09-01T09:53:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I have been blogging for a while and still haven't formally introduced the third member of our home! Some of you may know Chaco, and if you do...you probably think he's a terror. Mostly because he is always excited when you're there...he's such a people person, and really just a little lover. Now I know that he can be annoying...last night I was ready to duct tape his muzzle shut because he wouldn't quit yapping at me (you all know I would never do that). But I want to give you an intimate glimpse of the real Chaco...the Chaco that snuggles, comforts, and plays when it's just me and Will. The Chaco we love. Now this might cast us as those weird dog parents who call each other Mom and Dad. Confession: sometimes we do refer to each other as Mama and Dad. I only tell you that because it's the truth and Chaco is like an unruly, gifted 14 year old boy...but we love him, we discipline him, and we are watching him slowly mature.

Name: Chaco Dave Clayton Shinnick (I'm not even kidding, call us weird, we obviously don't care)

Nicknames: Snuggle Bear, Chicken Taco, Charcoal, Baby Bear, Buddy

Age: 2 years, 9 months (born December 15, 2007 - exactly two weeks before our wedding)

Breed: Yorkie Poo-Poo (1/4 yorkie, 3/4 poodle)

Weight: 13 lbs
Adopted: February 16, 2008 (he was my Valentine...funny story about that)

Favorite toy: his "blankie"

Favorite playmate: Dad (Will)

Favorite snuggler: Mama (Caity)

Favorite vacation spot: Mimi & Rudy's house (Will's parents)

The first days with little baby Chaco

Our little family!

Playtime! (I kept saying "Oh be careful! You'll break his little legs!")

Watching me get ready for work!

This is his blankie that he carries around the house.


If I say "Come snuuuugggllle with Mama," he will run to me and curl up!

He actually watches TV with us...here he's chillin' in his TN jersey watching Community.

Snuggling with his blankie

Waiting for me to join him...I lay in my yard and work on my laptop on pretty afternoons.

He gets the comfy chair in my office when I am working for lengths of time.

Thanks for reading and looking at all the photos if you made it this far! He's the smartest little dog, he knows so many tricks (he can shake with both paws, he puts himself to bed when he hears "night night Chaco," and he gets in the shower or scratches the fridge if his water bowl is empty). Chaco can be a handful, but he's such a ball of energy and sunshine at the end of a long day. There's never a time when he doesn't greet me with kisses, jumps, and a wagging tail. He's the smallest of the Shinnicks, and he's a much loved addition!

Maybe one day I will write a post all about my husband...is it sad that Chaco got one first?

Domestic Bliss

2010-08-25T16:00:00.004-05:00

I'm not the typical cook-every-meal for my husband kind of gal. I wish I was. But he's just such a good cook that I can't help but let him pitch in (ok, ok...I kind of LOVE that he cooks for me!)...but this past weekend, I was painting, decorating, picking veggies in our garden, cooking, and loving every minute of it! Here's a peek at our weekend of dining room renovations and a meal inspired by our garden! But first, a pic of the flowers I received at work on Friday!!


Will is the sweetest, sending me flowers at work for no reason!

Homemade tomato tart with our own romas!

The spread for our salad...our green peppers, cucumbers, banana peppers, & homemade croutons!

Fried okra, fresh from the garden!

Sneak peek #1 of the dining room!

Sneak peek #2 of the dining room, it's also our entryway in the back!

I can't wait to post the rest of the pics from our dining room renovation! I need to dig up the ones from when we moved in, that way you can understand what terrible room we first had! Along with our garden dinner, we had fruit tea...I have been on a fruit tea kick for about a month. I'll leave you with the recipe, it's just delicious!

Best Fruit Tea Ever
3-4 family size tea bags (Will prefers 4, he says he can taste more tea)
3 cups boiling water
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 - 1 cup sugar (we made it with 1 cup, it was so good, but that's a lot of sugar)
4 cups cold water

1. Steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes.
2. Mix all ingredients.
3. Let sit in refrigerator for a few hours so it "comes together"
4. Enjoy! (preferably in a mason jar with a straw)

Housework & Birthdays

2010-08-19T11:50:00.005-05:00

August has been a busy busy month for us! We are renovating our dining room; it was just a terrible room...complete with paneling, ugly wooden shelves, and practically no light. Here's a bit of our process, and when the room is finished...I will post lots of pics of our wonderful new room! I think it's going to be my favorite room in the whole house. Will says that I say that about every room though. But this one will definitely be my new favorite!!!

Will truly amazes me! Here he is about to start cutting holes in the ceiling for the new lighting!

Here is a quick look around the room, with Chaco's first cameo in a feature film.

So in the midst of our housework, we got to stop and celebrate Wilkes' third birthday! How can this boy be three already!?! I sort of chart my married life by how old he is, because he was only four months old at our wedding. So that means we are closing in on 3 years! Well, we went to my parents for a pool party, but it rained :( Did that bother the birthday boy at all...NO. He had presents, cake, and too many aunts and uncles fawning allover him. Here's a little video of his cute voice (sorry about mine)...

And then I got to go eat lunch with Wilkes, parents, and John on Monday! Best part of my day for sure! Here's a little video of Wilkes and all of his cuteness!!!

And now I am headed to lunch with Wilkes and my mom again! She's keeping him because his daycare is closed this week! I am getting spoiled on all this Wilkes time and lunches out!

Also, Will's dad, Mike, had a birthday this month, too! Happy Birthday, Mike!!! I am sure we'll celebrate your big day when Ellen, Jeff, and Caroline are here! We love you!!!

Vintage Pearl Giveaway!

2010-07-25T20:54:00.005-05:00

Visit The Vintage Pearl for a fabulous giveaway! Two chances to win...I love my necklaces from there!

http://thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/2010/07/midsummer-blog-party-giveaway.html

San Diego

2010-07-23T08:24:00.003-05:00

After our visiting Pasadena, Will and I drove to San Diego to spend four days exploring the city and beaches. Some highlights of our trip: visiting the U.S.S. Midway, going to the San Diego Zoo, hanging out in La Jolla, eating some yummy meals, going to Paper-Source (my favorite paper supplier!), and seeing Toy Story 3 (not in 3D, I hate 3D movies with a passion!)

We ate at this awesome restaurant called Brigantine on the Coast. Heather's friend who lives in San Diego recommended this place for their fish tacos. And let me tell you...they did not disappoint. They were seriously the BEST we have ever tasted. If you are in San Diego, you've got to go there!!!

When we were hanging out on La Jolla Beach, we got a text from Luke saying that our dear friends, Dave and Syd, had a baby boy! I will always remember that moment...we were elated and so homesick all the sudden. I wanted to jump on a plane and get back so I could hug their necks and meet that precious baby!!!

So Paper-Source is my favorite store, pretty much in the whole wide world. Their catchphrase is "Do Something Creative Everyday," and ever since reading that...I have tried. From the moment I walk in that store, it's like my creative side just got a shot of caffeine, jumped in a Lamborghini, and took off on the wildest ride of my life. The whole wall of colored envelopes...man, I just want to buy cases in every color. And the gift bags, gift wrap, greeting cards, rubber stamps, everything. LOVE IT ALL. (If you ever need a gift for me...hint hint...I love Paper-Source gift cards.) I spent over an hour in the store in Carlsbad, talking to the cashier, buying envelopes, and pretty much living in my heaven on earth. (Will was in the Apple store...his heaven on earth)

Sorry if I geeked out on y'all, up there. Ok, here are the pics...

Visiting the Flannery Family

2010-07-18T19:06:00.002-05:00

Will and I headed out west to visit his sister and her sweet family. Ellen was the most wonderful hostess: on top of being a mom and expecting a second baby in the fall, she entertained us for 4 days!! We woke up and ate breakfast together everyday, saw the sites around LA, and ate lots of yummy dinners - both in and out. Jeff is in dental school at USC and was in the middle of midterms, but we saw him more than we expected to! We were so glad for our time with them!

We visited Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive, visited the Farmers' Market and the Grove, went to the park, went to Laguna Beach, hung out at home, went to church with them, and more. Caroline was such a trooper, she rode in the car for long periods of time and as long as she had her yogurt - she was happy! And when the yogurt was gone and she got tired, we would play Hillsong on my iPhone and she was hooked on it! We also drove past the house that Father of the Bride was filmed in - it's near Ellen's house in Pasadena! It's Ellen's favorite movie - and shockingly, I have never seen it!

Ellen and Jeff, thank you so much for having us and for being so hospitable! We loved visiting and can't wait to come back!! Thanks for taking so much time out for us and making our trip so memorable. I promise I will watch Father of the Bride!!! Love y'all!

Garden Update

2010-06-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Will and I just got back from California this weekend. Once I go through the hundreds of photos we took, I'll post share more about our adventures in Pasadena and San Diego.

Jesse, my youngest brother, tended to our garden while we were away. I don't know if it was the hot Tennessee weather, the rainstorm on Saturday, or his magic touch...but our garden was bursting with new growth and vegetables were everywhere! Cherry tomatoes were literally falling off the plant- and they are delicious! The banana pepper plant had collapsed because so many peppers were growing on it. Some of our potatoes were ready to dig up and we even tasted a few carrots out of our garden. And we are about to have a huge harvest of squash...we picked 3 yesterday and there are a ton more on the way! Here's a photo of the sampling out of our garden...

Someone is blogging about me!!!

2010-06-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

I am not trying to toot my own horn. But something really cool happened and I have to share. SOMEONE IS FEATURING ME ON THEIR BLOG!!! Linda, from Linny's Vault, stumbled upon my Etsy shop one day and asked me if I would be interested in sponsoring a giveaway!

I also want y'all to know so that you can go enter the giveaways on her blog...she has a bunch going and there is some great stuff being given away! Such as a pound of See's Candy!!! YUM!!!

Our Italian Feast

2010-06-11T14:53:00.002-05:00

Occasionally, someone in my family has a grand idea. It's usually something big, involved, and detail oriented. We're dreamers, planners, situational thinkers. Example: If we try this recipe and it's really good, we'll make 8 times the amount and freeze it. But no matter how good the recipe is, we never end up making the 8 batches to freeze. So Sarah Beth and my mom had the idea to have themed-dinners throughout the summer. Which I think is a great one, so I hope they continue throughout the summer. For our first one, they chose to have an Italian dinner. Here's what everyone made, and when I say made...I mean like "homemade, labor of love, cook cook cook"...

Will and me: Mozzarella Sticks & Frozen Peach Bellinis
Matt and Sarah: Minestrone (which was AMAZING) and Caesar Salad
John: Lobster Pasta & Pomacellos, a Pomegranate/Lemoncello Drink
Jesse: Grilled Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, & Sauteed Veggies
Mom: Lemoncello Cake (which was TO DIE FOR)

It was so much food, and we are going to scale the next one down a little. Sarah and Matt brought themed music, my mom decorated the table in an Italian/Olive Garden style, and some of us dressed in theme...Jesse and I wore red and green, and Sarah and Matt looked like they belonged on the Sopranos. It was so fun to eat together, and have a little fun with the meal and decor. Theme Dinner #1 - SUCCESS!!!

Pool Time with Wilkes!

2010-06-10T15:18:00.000-05:00

We went over to my parents' house for dinner the other night (post on that to follow) and when we got there, Wilkes was ready to go swimming! (Check out his summer "buzz" - it's so cute!)

Our Garden

2010-06-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Since we have a yard now, we decided to grow a vegetable garden! We started in April and it's been such a fun learning experience so far. We are growing red potatoes, okra, squash, onions, garlic, carrots, green peppers, banana peppers, red peppers, orange peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, and sunflowers! We are also growing a big herb garden. The broccoli and lettuce didn't pan out too well...the rabbits ate them all, so we dug them up and planted more okra!

Beach bound!

2010-05-17T09:57:00.001-05:00

Will's company, Twisted Pair Media, is working on a house in Florida. Which is awesome for them, and sad for me most of the time. Because Will is at the beach and I am at home. (Except for the one time that Ryan and Will let me tag along on the business trip...thanks guys!) But this time, Will is the only one going from his company...and he just told me to request off work and come with him!

I am headed to the beach!!! Watercolor & Seaside, here I come!!! (Spontaneous trip #2!)

And in June, Will and I are headed to see Ellen, Jeff, and Caroline in Pasadena. We will finally be able to see their sweet home there, and we can celebrate little baby Harris who is on the way - Ellen is due in late September! Then Will and I will spend a few days exploring San Diego together!

How I Could Have Met Martha

2010-04-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

Creepy, I know. I couldn't resist. So we all know that I like Martha Stewart. A lot. She visited Shadow Nursery, in Winchester. Mr. Shadow is a friend of the family, he's the one who gave me my childhood dog, Elvis, the labrador-dachshund. And many of the amazing plants and tree limbs my dad used in my "Narnia" wedding landscape came from Mr. Shadow's farm. I was dying to go down there the day Martha was there. But no such luck.

Anyways, today there is a post on her blog about her visit there.

Here's Elvis, back in his prime. He's now hanging out on my front porch in heaven, waiting for me to get home :)

And here's my lovely wedding, my dad was so creative and designed the most beautiful backdrop of evergreen, branches, magnolia, and more for my December wedding.

A Year in Random Photos

2010-03-12T16:31:00.000-06:00

I got this idea from someone else's blog. But now I can't remember whose, or else I am neglecting to say whose blog I stalk...Anyways, here's a series of photos from my iPhone from the past year. It's funny to see what I found significant enough to capture in a quick moment...

This is my Grammy, at a political protest. Maybe a tea party...you never know with her. And this photo was actually in the paper!

Caroline was born!

I ran into Will & Wilkes as they were going to see the Easter Bunny!

Ellen, Jeff, & Caroline were here during the summer before they moved to California!

Go VOLS! I went to the TN-UCLA game with my brothers - so fun!

Wilkes & the rest of the family came over to our NEW HOUSE on Halloween!

Sarah got a job at a great salon in Nashville. This photo was taken to show Will the great lengths I go to in the name of beauty :)

Wilkes said we looked like pirates!

On Sporcle, I mastered the Crayola colors.

In Vegas, we saw this lady on a segway, wearing a helmet, drinking a beer (in her right hand) while driving around in a hotel. Priceless moment.

I made Grammy's spagetti & meatballs for the first time!

Wilkes spent the night with me & Will. This pic was taken at 5:30am, when he decided we should watch Bolt and hang out.

These were on the back door when I got home on Valentine's Day!

I tried oysters again & LOVED them this time! 55 South is a new restaurant in downtown Franklin & it's amazing!

Ellen & Caroline came home in February! And Ellen announced that they were expecting another baby, due in October! And that's the end of my photos for the year!

Today is his birthday!

2010-03-08T12:35:00.000-06:00

Today is Will's 24th birthday! I am so thankful for him, and all the ways he blesses my life. To Paula & Mike, Ellen & Jeff, Nana & Papa, Grandmother & Grandad, and all the rest of his (our) wonderful family & friends - thank you for helping to shape Will into the wonderful man that he is and continues to become. And to our God, I am so thankful that You brought Will into this world and blessed him with so many gifts and that you have blessed me so richly with a husband as loving as Will.

Happy Birthday, Will!

And...
Happy Anniversary to Mike & Paula on the 10th!
Happy Belated Birthday, John - it was on the 7th!
Happy Birthday, Pawpaw, on the 10th!

Her Smile is Contagious!

2010-03-01T15:45:00.001-06:00

I was in the middle of a pile of work, and I had gone downstairs to get a highlighter. I was totally consumed in the so-busy-I'm-going-to-die thoughts that attack my planning-typeA-control-freak mind. And then Ellen, Paula, and this little ball of joy walked in. (I stole this picture off your blog, Ellen!)

Doesn't this little face just make you smile?

Caroline's cute smile just made me stop, smile, and be thankful. What a little blessing she is! Paula, Ellen, & Caroline - thanks for coming to see me at work today! It definitely was the brightest part of my day. I love all three of you so much!

Viva Las Vegas!

2010-02-21T12:01:00.000-06:00

In January, Will and I planned a spontaneous ski strip - since spontaneity is part of my New Year's resolution list. Well, it quickly fell through because the snow was all slushy, so the Tuesday before we were supposed to go we canceled! Well, Will started planning another trip and he asked me if I would want to go to LAS VEGAS on Friday! Spontaneous-New-Me quickly said yes!!!

We left on Friday at lunch, flew nonstop to Vegas, and started a fun weekend! We stayed at Planet Hollywood, which was great since it's in the center of the Strip. Highlights of the trip include eating at two Wolfgang Puck restaurants (if you know Will, you know that he LOVES Wolfgang Puck!) going to Beatles Love Cirque Du Soleil (AMAZING - totally worth the money!), and going to the top of the Stratosphere.

Here's a few meals we ate...

The Wynn Brunch Buffet - delicious & expensive! For brunch at 9am, I ate Kobe Angus Sliders, Eggs Benedict, a biscuit, blueberry tart, raspberry gelee with lime mousse, chocolate banana tart, sausage links, and more! This was the biggest meal I ate!

Spago at Caesar's Palace - Will had pizza and chicken lollipops (the best wings ever!) and I had a wonderful mushroom fettuccine alfredo with handcut noodles! This was the first of the Wolfgang Puck restaurant - and our favorite! If you're in Vegas, you should totally go eat here!

Lupo at Mandalay Bay - Will had yummy cheese ravioli and I had spinach noodle-meat lasagna. They served the basket of bread with a delicious white bean spread. Second Wolfgang Puck restaurant, really yummy, also recommend this one!

Bobby Flay's Mesa Grille at Caesar's Palace - Will had tuna nachos and I had a Cuban pork sandwich!

Ok, now I'm hungry! I'll leave you with some pics...also, spontaneous trip #2 is possibly in the works for this weekend! This is the best New Year's resolution - it's challenging for me sometimes, but it's really fun!

Will in front of the Wynn

on the Strip in front of the Wynn

in the Bellagio garden, decorated for Chinese New Year

Paris Hotel - so cool!

at the top of the Stratosphere

making a Stratosphere souvenir penny

at the top of the Stratosphere

My Stationery

2010-02-03T22:27:00.000-06:00

I have been designing stationery for about 2 years now. Well, really my whole life. But trying to launch my own "Caity Shinnick" stationery for 2 years. And I have taken the first big step now. Which is scary. And wonderfully awesome. Because now it is out there - on the internet - for anyone to see, love, hate. I would definitely appreciate your prayers as I step out into this big adventure! Thanks!

Check out my stationery at http://www.etsy.com/shop/caityshinnick

Resolutions Revealed

2010-01-19T15:05:00.000-06:00

I usually keep my resolutions pretty quiet. That way if I fail, no one really knows. And I usually don't take them too seriously anyways. But this year I am. So here's to the New Year...

1. Quit drinking coke everyday. Not all together. Just be aware of my intake. Limiting myself to 1-2 a week, that's down from 2-3 a day. So far it's going really well. This will be the hardest of all my resolutions.

2. Start exercising - walking, racquetball, running, etc. That's it. No big goals, no pressure. Just exercise because it's good for me and because it will make me happier and healthier.

3. Try new things. I'm not a big fan of the unfamiliar. I want to go skiing. And go to new restaurants, especially local ones. And I want to take yoga classes. And maybe a dancing class or two...I'm a terrible dancer. If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them!

4. Be spontaneous. This one is the most exciting to me. I am such a control freak, and I love to plan out my day, life, etc. I love to know what my whole day looks like before I do it. But I have decided that my what's-the-opposite-of-carefree spirit needs a makeover.

Spontaneous Caity #1: Going out to eat with Rebecca after church on Sunday night, when I had planned to go the the grocery. And guess what? It was so fun! She ended up going to the grocery with me afterwards. Which was even more fun.

Spontaneous Caity #2: Will and I are going to Las Vegas this weekend! We decided this about forty minutes ago. I have never been, and I've always wanted to go! So I guess this one counts as something NEW and something SPONTANEOUS. I'm so pumped...I'm sure I will have lots of pictures to show after we get back!

5. Start actively seeking God more in my everyday life. Reading my bible more, praying more, comforting and loving others, sharing my gifts, seeking His kingdom here on earth. And I can't do any of these resolutions on my own anyways...relying on Him in these new quests will be the key to a fruitful New Year.

If you made resolutions, I hope you're sticking to them. When I look at the cold coke in my fridge, I tell myself "Be content without it. Go outside and breathe in the fresh air. Or go play with Chaco. There are lots of other things that will make you smile." So when you feel like breaking those resolutions, try and think of other things that will make you happier. Pray, read, play with your dog, go on a walk, take a deep breath. Good luck! Have a lovely rest of the week!

A Husband Who Cooks

2010-01-12T08:52:00.000-06:00

If you don't already know this, my husband is a great cook. And when I say great, I don't mean he makes dinner and it tastes good. I mean he is GREAT, and creative, and inquisitive, and eager to always know more.

After our senior prom, he made bananas foster for our whole group and my family when we spent the night there. This led to Will making this delicious dessert several more times at family events - most recently at my mom's family reunion! He made the most beautiful apple pie I have ever seen - with a made-from-scratch lattice crust. He learned to make sushi from a friend - and since then we have lots of little sushi parties with different people - passing on the knowledge. Will makes the most delicious fettuccine alfredo - I used to hate this dish growing up but now it's one of my favorites!

Most recently he is on the quest of mastering bread. Will always raves about Grandmother's bread, and how he wishes she still made it. And his Nana makes great rolls and biscuits, and he has memories of making them with her. No wonder he loves to cook. Here's a pic of the yeast rolls he made last night...

and here's my chef working hard...

Growing up, I was not the best cook. Or the most confident. There have been numerous times when I was supposed the make the homemade brownies (we never made them from the box at my house) for a party or holiday...and I botched them. Such as twice as much salt. Or I left out the sugar one time. This was a little funny to some in my house, even to me sometimes, but it usually resulted in me crying and swearing off cooking.

Then I met, dated, & married Will. And he was & is a fabulous cook. He has encouraged me, taught me to be confident, to just keep trying, and sometimes he throws me out there on my own to whip up a meal for the two of us. And I have found that I actually enjoy cooking. I kind of love it now. Last night, we also made banana pecan muffins with streusel topping and here they are...

I'm so lucky to be married to my best friend who challenges me in areas where I had once given up. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary on the 29th of December, and it some ways it seems like it has flown by. And in other ways, it's hard to remember my life without him!

Holiday Recap!

2010-01-06T17:44:00.011-06:00

I don't feel focused as I am beginning this blog. Maybe it's because I abandoned it for a month and can't remember where to start. I'll just run through the holidays and we'll see where we end up...we had a busy Christmas schedule - from dinner at the Parkeys to a late night Christmas lights tour with my family, from a yummy dinner at Sperry's with the Shinnicks to all 4 of our extended family Christmases, we were busy busy busy! But we had so much fun!!! So here goes...

Will with our precious little niece, Caroline! We are so glad that we got to spend so much time with Ellen, Jeff, and Caroline - we've missed them so much!

My brothers, John & Jesse, with our nephew, Wilkes - they're such good "unkees" as Wilkes calls them!

My sister, Sarah, with Wilkes - he loved posing by the tree with her!

Being an aunt is so fun and brings me so much joy!

For Christmas, Sarah & Matt gave Wilkes a big bucket of plastic balls. Will & I got him a foam ax. Obviously, they provided a lot of fun and entertainment!

We went on a Christmas lights tour with my family - and the lights were really impressive!

Here's the whole Hewitt family - it's rare that we're all together & in the mood to take a group photo!

This was our first Christmas in our new house and I am so bummed because I forgot to take pics of my decorations. I put lights up outside, had the perfect little tree, and really decorated for the holidays for the first time!

Our New Year's Eve was pretty uneventful, due to the fact that Will was sick. But in some ways, it was nice just to be at home, eating Cheez-It Party Mix and drinking Cran-Apple. I didn't even stay up til midnight - I decided to call it a night at 11:30 when I saw that Chaco and Will had both gone to bed.

Well, sorry if this post was a little random or boring. Happy 2010 to everyone! Hope this year is blessed with lots of love and joy for each of you!

There Will Be A Day

2009-12-09T10:41:00.003-06:00

Lately I have been thinking a lot about people close to me who are hurting. Really hurting. Death, disease, heartache, sorrow, and loneliness just plague this world. My heart has been full and heavy lately. I wrote two very special friends of mine a note on Monday (these two are the kind that carry me along when I am dragging and listen to the cries of my heart - and I just love them so much)...and I ended this note with this little prayer I wrote...

Jesus, you are the only one who is truly good. You are the healer, you are the answer to the heartache this world experiences. You are the one who chose us, came for us, and saved us. You are coming again. I long for pain and suffering to be gone and destroyed. This world is not my home. My home is eternal, and there will be no death or destruction there because you have defeated it for me. You're victorious and I trust you.

God is so good and hears our prayers, and He speaks in all sorts of ways. I know He heard my prayer and I am so thankful to have a Father in Heaven who listens to my aching heart. I was listening to the radio on Tuesday and this Jeremy Camp song called There Will Be A Day came on. I'll leave you with the lyrics and a link to the video...

Click here to listen to Jeremy Camp's There Will Be A Day.

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day with no more tears,
no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place,
will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

I can’t wait until that day
where the very one I’ve lived for always
will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame
and misery this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day with no more tears,
no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place,
will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day
He’ll wipe away the stains
He’ll wipe away the tears
He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

2 Moms & 2 Dads

2009-11-25T14:37:00.022-06:00

With it being Thanksgiving Eve and all, I'd like to pause and express my thankfulness for a few people in my life. I truly believe that all good things come from our God, and that He deserves all thanks and praise. So here are a few shout-outs from a joyful heart...
We might just have the greatest parents in the world. On Friday the 30th of October, Will's dad (Mike) took off work to help us pack, load the truck, and clean our apartment. When we got to our house to move in and things weren't quite ready for us, Will's mom (Paula) and Mike were calm and collected - and they got right to work. Paula was cleaning and Mike was helping rip out the old carpet. We unloaded the truck in the drizzly rain, but thankfully most of our work was under the carport. My mom (Beth) and dad (Bill) came by with some furniture and lots of encouragement.

The next day, on Halloween, we got the last load of stuff from the apartment. After Mike worked a full day with us on Friday, he was there bright and early to start again. Paula arrived on Saturday with a big pot of chili for lunch! Many people were fed off that big pot - my cousins, parents, us, etc. Yum!! My mom came by with new doormats, laundry detergent, and cleaning supplies. Beth and Paula unpacked boxes in the kitchen and helped find places for all Will's gourmet, "have-to-have" gadgets and appliances (but I can't complain - a hubby who cooks and teaches me to cook - gotta love him!!). My dad and Will tinkered with the plumbing and are still working on solutions for some of those problems!

Halloween night rolled around - and I got to put up decorations right before people arrived! My mom brought BBQ and we had a nice feast together! Our first little Halloween party included Jesse (my sweet brother who drove in town to help us move), Jase (our good & faithful friend), my parents, Will's parents, Sarah Beth & Matt (my sister and her hubby), and Will & Wilkes (my brother & nephew). We had so much fun watching the Vols play and hanging out. I went to bed that night completely exhausted, but overwhelmed with the feeling I had - this is exactly why I wanted a house...lots of people I love, together in one place!! What a blessing!

Sarah as the Mad Hatter & Matt as Turkitron

Wilkes (the cutest pirates with LOTS of tattoos) & Me (with LAME bunny ears)

Ok - I got a little off track - our parents were the heroes of the weekend! They took care of so many things I wouldn't have thought of or couldn't handle on my own. They have continued to help - by painting in rooms (Mike's a master painter!!), digging huge trenches for conduit in the yard (Bill obviously did that one!), bringing us a new bed (Bill & Beth!!), keeping Chaco (Mike & Paula!!), and the list goes on.

To the four of you, thank you for all your help. I am thankful that you all love Jesus and in everything you do, you try to show that. Thank you for loving us, setting up our home with us, taking care of us. We feel so fortunate to have you all close by. We love you!!

Beginning Our Blog...

2009-11-23T09:19:00.004-06:00

So after talking about starting our blog for months, I am finally doing it. What is this blog about, you wonder? Well, it's about the Shinnick way of life...usually that consists of time with our families & friends, chasing after Chaco (our 2 year old yorkie-poo-poo), our new home which is quite the construction zone at the moment, and a few adventures along the way...

Meet the Shinnicks...Will and I have been married since December 2007, we are high school sweethearts, we just bought our first home in Franklin - where we both have grown up. We feel extremely blessed to be where we are in life - most of our family is close by (except for Ellen, Jeff, and little Caroline - WE MISS YOU), we are part of a church where we feel challenged and propelled forward in mission, we have the greatest friends, and we are loving fixing up our new home together. You'll learn more about us as this blog continues on...so that's enough for now...here's a pic to leave with you - it's kind of old though, I promise to follow up with more current ones.