Derek turns {23}

About 3 months after me, my husband turned 23. I enjoy gloating about how he married an "older" women and how I am wiser etc etc . This gloating will probably come to a screeching halt as the years go on {especially around 50}. Until then I'm enjoying it.

For his birthday I made him biscuits and gravy for breakfast. He insists that it is his absolute favorite breakfast. Sadly for him I have not made it for him yet in our short 7 months of marriage. Something about eating gravy for any meal except supper makes my stomach turn. Alas for the birthday boy I broke down and we had it for his breakfast meal. It ended up that I only made the biscuits (and by "making the biscuits" I popped them out of the pillsbury tube and put them in the oven). Derek made the gravy for fear that I would completely ruin it.

Biscuits, gravy, an egg and a not quite awake hubby :)

We both went to work for the day and then he opened his gifts from me. Just a couple little things:)
After that I told him I was taking him out to eat somewhere. He drove and I directed him where to go. More accurately my iphone directed him and I just prayed it wouldn't give away too many hints {you know how those navigation systems are...very revealing}. Anyway we finally arrived at "2Chez" in Peoria and had an awesome meal while listening to someone play the guitar. It was fun, we felt fancy with our fancy meal and dishes {have I mentioned our typical eating out includes Mexican, Mcdonald's and Panera?}

Delicious!

 

 

Derek and I celebrated with his family Sunday afternoon and then with my family Sunday evening. Everly enjoyed sitting on Derek's lap and thought everyone was singing to her. She also loved the candles.

Needless to say he was very spoiled. Love you babe, hope 23 is a great year for you!
Happy Monday...stay warm!

Westward Bound

Westward bound to....Iowa that is. Burlington to be specific. Sorry if you were picturing canyons and mountains...we didn't go that far west. Although I always used to think it would be soooo cool to have gone west on the Oregon Train. I doubt I would have survived though. I would've been one of those bitten by a rattlesnake, or the one that wandered too far from camp or the one that ate poisonous berries, or trampled by oxen, or froze to death in the mountains.......yeah maybe I played too much of that game on the computer as a child ;)
 Anyway this past weekend some great friends and I headed to Iowa to stay the night with Katie W for a belated Christmas friend get together. The drive there really shouldn't take very long, but down- pouring rain, followed by the thickest fog ever and a finicky GPS made for a few wrong turns and detours. One wrong turn led us to someone stuck in a snowy ditch and we ended up being the heroines and pushing her out...(or something like that;). Once we arrived Katie welcomed us with some great snacks (she is the best hostess) and then we went into their den and cranked up the little heater and talked into the night. The next morning we went out for breakfast, hung out into the afternoon and exchanged gifts before heading back.

The clan

 It's awesome staying connecting with all these great girls from high school. It's hard to believe we've almost been out of high school for 5 years. Being with them is such a testament of how God has provided as we look back at the start of new marriages, college graduations, job searches and job offers.....I hope they know how I've prayed for them all so much.

Opening gifts

Good chats, hilarious stories

Gotta stop at McDonald's for a sweet treat when out on the road:)

Happy Monday :) I worked last night so I'm enjoying this day off and the lovely weather!

It's a New Year! And a snowy one at that...

Although I have zero pictures to prove it, we rang in the New Year with all the excitement of an 85 year old (don't judge). Um yep, I am not ashamed that I was in bed and out like a light by 10:30pm. I've seen midnight plenty of times in my life and my eyelids refused to stay open one more minute. Something about being up at 5am for work and not getting out until 4pm makes one's body shut down involuntarily at whatever time it so chooses. 
We're not complete flops though, we had a-mazing appetizers and pizza at Derek's parents along with a euchre game and then headed to hang out with Holly and Pete and baby Everly. They were sick though so our "rocking" party looked a lot like people sprawled out on couches and floors with kleenexes and chex mix. Hey there's always New Year's 2015 right?!
Yesterday they were forecasting a lot of snow and wind. Illinois weather tends to be slightly bi-polar so I wasn't sure if anything was going to happen. This morning I got up and looked out the window and sure enough...snow, snow and snow still falling. Derek shoveled our driveway which was a little futile since it got covered right back up. Thankfully our wonderful neighbors have a snow plow and keep the drive cleaned off. I made us blueberry pancakes for breakfast and then my Dad came and picked us up and took us back to my parents house which is only a couple miles away. We had church together as a family in the living room and then ate lunch together. It felt like Christmas all over again....lots of food, games and family time:) 

Derek shoveling away

 

Our little duplex in a blanket of snow

Back to work early tomorrow though so please pray the roads are clear enough that I can get to work so all the nurses that have been so awesome and working double shifts can go home and take a break!

Christmas Chaos

I've been reading for the shear fun of it lately. It's one of my favorite things to do and when I find a great book I am not ashamed to ignore my "to do list" for the sake of finding out what happens in the next chapter. I've been reading the "Divergent" book series and yes I'm hooked on it and thus disappear for hours on end with my nose glued in the book. I started the second book in the series yesterday and I realized I haven't read like this in what seems like forever. It brings back memories from my teenage years when I'd read till 2am and get up for school a few hours later. Oh where has that insanity energy gone? :)

So I thought there were a lot of Christmas events to attend when I was single and living at home. Then I got married and Christmas time went into fast, fast forward. Like we need to get here now and then as soon as we leave we need to remember to take this present there.
Whew. It can only get crazier right? Really though I loved every bit of it. Well except for the part where my house turned into a dumping ground. You know when you're gone from home every day and you only stop in to shower and leave again for the next Christmas event? It's those times that you toss the mail on the table, gifts on the couches, work papers on the desk, clothes don't make it the hamper.... and then multiply this by however many days of holiday chaos and your house has become a dumping ground.

All the stockings hung at my mom and dads house:)

The weekend before Christmas we headed to Derek's cousins wedding in Indiana. It was a rainy, sleety kind of day, but inside the church it was warm (if the men kept the doors shut that is), everything was decorated cute and there is so much love between Will and Wendy. They truly are a great couple!

For my family Christmas on the 23rd we had brunch together and then hung out the whole day eating, opening gifts, playing scrabble, the 5 second game, and ping pong. Three of my family members received the Apple TV for a gift. It was hilarious because the box is so small and my dad kept saying "that's a TV?, are you sure? how do you work it?". 
Overall It was a fun, exhausting day:) On Christmas Eve I worked a 12 hour shift and then met up with Derek at an extended family gathering. Then after that we went to his parents and spent the night there, although after laying under the tree for less than 5 minutes I fell asleep. 12 hour shifts tend to do that to you ;) Christmas morning we had french toast together and then left and went to Church with my parents and was able to hear the Christmas story and sing carols. Afterwards we went back to his parents house and opened gifts, ate pizza, and played games. From there we went to my Roth family Christmas and reunited with cousins through games of dutch blitz and euchre:) That was one crazy, fun day!

Laura took these pics at our Vollmer Christmas

But really, what is Christmas if there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger? I think of God stepping down from His mighty thrown and coming to earth and being born in a stable and I am humbled that so long ago my Savior would have me in mind as He grew up and eventually died on the cross giving me a redeemed life and a hope of Heaven with Him. 
We are blessed. Merry Christmas!

Up, up and Away

I'm sitting here with a mound of fresh laundry that still has a hint of sea salt to it. We're home and I'm missing Riviera Maya, but there's something to be said about coming back to snow and Christmas trees (sorry Mexico those decorated palm trees don't fool me), nativities, holiday baking and all the other things that seem to whisper "Christmas is coming so very soon".
So Derek and I went to Riviera Maya and we Loved it! Everything from the crystal clear water to the the lush jungle surrounding us was great and it was so warm. I was in shock to be in anything less than the 4 layers of clothing I've been wearing these past few weeks at home. It felt good. We left early in the morning and met up with my cousin Cam in Chicago. He drove us to the airport to drop us off and then kept our car for the week. He actually works as an airplane mechanic at O'hare airport so I quizzed him on the ride over about how well built these planes are. I thought I deserved to know seeing how I was going to be thousands of feet up in the air with only my seat cushion and an air mask for safety. When are they going to put parachutes under the seats anyway? You see I went through this phase where I watched this TV show about airplane crash investigations. I've flown several times, but not since I freaked myself out with this show. Good cousin Cam assured me that they're flyin us around in some nice planes from the 60's and just slap a new coat of paint on them every couple years to keep them going.
Ha Ha. I really hope he was joking... 

Crazy Cousin Cam

Anyway the flights went smoothly except for when we were headed into Cancun and there was a storm which resulted in a good amount of turbulence. And then my darling hubby told me he thought one of the plane tires wasn't coming out for us to land. How he would know that I don't know.....I just held on to my seat and said my last goodbyes in my head. Ok maybe slightly dramatic, but those guys sure do know how to freak me out.

Welcome to O'hare Airport Christmas style

We were picked up and driven to our resort. Mexican style....aka, swerving, speed bumps, only yielding at stop signs and lights and speeding along. We got to our resort in good time though. 

They had an open air lobby

We enjoyed watching the dolphins at the resort

Derek chilling in one of the many pools

Not sure what these creatures are, but they liked to hang around the resort

Our room for the week

Almost 6 months together

 We both loved sitting in the hammocks. One day after sitting in them for awhile I decided to go get a drink for Derek and I. I went up and asked the guy for "two sobrosos" (a fruit smoothie pretty much). He kept saying "what, what?" and talking in spanish. He apparently didn't understand my English very well because finally he went behind his bar and reappeared with two glasses and said "two servesas". I took them and was like umm ok gracias. I knew it wasn't a fruit smoothie, but I was done trying to figure out what the guy was saying so I took the drinks back to Derek who informed me that "servesa" is beer. Yuck. Needless to say I let him go back and get the right drink. In the mean time I'll be working on my spanish skills ;)

One of the restaurants we went to

Towards the end of the trip we found out that our resort was about 70% european and mexican clientele. Therefore we had a hard time finding people who understood us when we asked them to take our picture. We had to use a lot of pointing and hand gestures :) 

Derek enjoyed playing sand volleyball one afternoon while I read my book

Lovely tan lines 

And that's a glimpse into how we spent our week in Riviera Maya. We hope to go back again sometime and would recommend it! :)

Seven in a Van

Derek and I had the pleasure of spending Thanksgiving in northern Indiana with his extended family. We missed our flight out there so we had to drive. Actually, just kidding;)....there was no flight and there is definitely not an airport in Middlebury, IN so we road trip'd it on out Wednesday night. There are 4 Vollmer men boys and they each happen to be over 6 foot. Let me tell you mini vans are mostly meant for Mini moms and their Mini children. Not grown men, especially not 4 of them. Although the trunk is rather spacey, you know how they have all that "stow and go" space in the trunk. Unfortunately you can't transfer some of that space up front into leg room. It was worth it though and there probably won't be that many more times that we'll all fit as a family in a 7 passenger van before Ross gets married or kids come along... (i guess we could always rent a 12 passenger van;). 
But alas to Grandmothers house we went and to Grandmothers house we did arrive around 11pm. We went right to bed and we woke up the next morning and were spoiled with cinnamon rolls and egg casserole. Then we hung out with family and had a delicious Thanksgiving lunch. We were stuffed and probably gained 5 pounds in that one day. Of course we played euchre, a family favorite:) It's nice to see everyone and we can't wait to go back for Derek's cousin's wedding at the end of this month! 
 

We don't have a Christmas tree for our presents yet :(

In the mean time we've finished our Christmas shopping and gotten started on wrapping and baking. We didn't send out a Christmas card picture this year because I feel like we look slightly boring without having kids/pets/cool tropical background etc to include in said picture. But...speaking of tropical backgrounds Derek and I will be heading to Mexico soon for a little vacation (This may or may not be why we are so on top of Christmas shopping). I am Sooo excited to go! Everyday that I have been freezing my tail off outside I just think about that 84 degree and sunny weather that is waiting for me;) 
 

$5 nativity that I scored at goodwill!

Have a great rest of the week! Be on the lookout for a vacation post soon!

On a Sunday

Tomorrow marks one week since the Tornado that swept through central Illinois. Derek and I were at 5 points in Washington when the Tornado came through and we'll be there again tomorrow. I remember being ushered out of the auditorium right before our church service was about to begin and crowding into the hallways. The hallway I was in had sturdy block walls on either side of me and I felt secure, somehow safe even though the winds howled mercilessly outside. It wasn't the block walls that gave me peace though, for I know they could crumble in a moment. No it is the might and the power of my God that made me feel safe in His hand no matter what the outcome. The lights flickered...once, twice and then all was dark. We began to sing softly and then louder the words of Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty and I remember Derek's voice lifted in praise to our Heavenly father. The rumble outside grew louder and then it seemed to slowly dissipate into the distance. After awhile we were allowed to leave and even then the enormity of what had happened hadn't hit us. We left 5 points and noted some debris, a few missing shingles, a powerline tipped over but nothing seemed too out of place. Perhaps we had overreacted. We drove home on highway 150 completely oblivious to what had truly happened. It wasn't until later that we started seeing footage of what had been soo close to us.

Finally on Thursday night Holly and I got to go help serve food to the people of Washington and sort food. The outpooring of love and giving is truly incredible!

Bread! (Excuse the fact that I'm in scrubs, I came from work:)

Food Galore!

 On a different note Derek and I celebrated 5 months of wedded bliss yesterday, although I haven't been keeping track very well I guess :) Here's our conversation from yesterday:
Me: Happy 6 month anniversary honey! Can you believe it!?
Derek: Ummm....well not really because actually it's our 5 month anniversary.
Me: Oh...opps.

  We went out to Granite City with some good friends and then afterwards Derek and I went shopping for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. We did it together last year when we were engaged, we enjoyed it this year too and wish we could be there when the kids get to open their box...

Derek did the boy box and I did the girl box:)

Have a great rest of the weekend!
I will leave you with the scripture Derek and I read the next day after the tornado....

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:23-27