Cafe Carter

I just couldn't resist posting about my new favorite toy! It was an early birthday present from my parents. I think I feel the same way a boy does when he is playing with his new Wii or big screen tv...very giddy and curious, I just can't stop playing with it!

I have been making lattes and americanos, iced drinks and more for the past couple of days...the carters are definitely running on a caffeine high this week.

So for those in the area, you will have to come over and taste the fruit of my barista skills :)

Hopefully this new little toy will keep us from going to Starbucks too often!

a first

Well, as I wrote earlier, Ben and I spent our 1st anniversary in mobile, al... we stayed at a really downtown and were basically able to walk everywhere!

here is a picture of us using our GPS in pedestrian mode (yes, you can do that!) we probably looked kind of silly doing it, but hey, why not.

We went to the mobile botanical gardens...here I am w/ a huge hydrangea bush!

getting all dressed up for our anniversary dinner :)

we went to this place called NoJa...it was ecclectic, exotic and yummy

I thought I saw George Lucas there, but I am pretty sure it was just an older man who looked

like he should be famous.

we also went to a great coffee shop, where there was a great quintet(?...or whatever you call 5 guys singing) we heard them singing acopela songs about the Lord and decided to stick around for their show... It was really encouraging to hear them sing such beautiful songs about the Lord and they also shared their testimonies--an anniversary gift from the Lord!

Here's me with my pretty new pearl earrings from Ben!

And Ben w/ his gift, some new sperrys! :)

It was a very memorable weekend, maybe not as relaxing as we were hoping, but we both had a pretty easy day on Monday and were able to catch up on some much needed rest then.

Ben is now off to the books, he starts his next round of simulators this week-- they are always very challenging-- and I am happily sewing away :)

i am....

getting ready for a fun filled first anniversary weekend w/ Ben! We are going to hit the road and spend the weekend in mobile (about 45 min away), mainly just to get away. Ben said that he wanted to go somewhere where he wouldn't feel like he was still in the middle of flight school :)

2 nights in downtown mobile, and hopefully some fun sightseeing squeezed in there!

please pray for good fellowship, rest, safety and that ben would be able to discern the amount of studying he needs to do while we are away!

our little friend

We found a cute little surprise hopping through our apartment the other day. A tree frog!! Its so tiny, you can hardly see it perched on the leg of our dinner table. We have massive amounts of tree frogs in Pensacola, something I found out not long after we moved in. During the spring/summer, they come out and belt as loud as they can all night long. The lungs on these things are really amazing...to me, it sounds like a bunch of ducks quacking non stop and its really loud! Good thing they're cute.

I guess it was bound to happen sometime, but this little guy was pretty determined, hopping all the way to the third floor to see us. Unfortunately, his visit was not long lived. Ben and I quickly started chasing him around the house and Ben managed to catch him between two of his hats (pictured below).

We let him go out on our balcony, so who knows maybe he will become our new little pet! Just glad he was cute and harmless, not like the snake I saw slithering around our complex parking lot the other day--noooo bueno

T-minus One Year

We have our one year anniversary coming up soon! Its hard to believe we've been married a whole year already!

On one hand it seems like we were just getting engaged & making all the plans for the wedding a few months ago, and then on the other, it seems like we've known each other forever.

We are amazed at how God knew that we would just fit so well together. It didn't take long at all for us to become best friends, and this first year together has definitely solidified our friendship & love so much!

We are constantly amazed that we are perfectly satisfied w/ just spending time together, no one makes me laugh as much as Ben can & no one could replace his sweet & Christ-like love.

We are so thankful for each other & have much to celebrate about as we near one year of marriage.

Although we miss everyone from back home like crazy, it has been really good to go on this first adventure together. To Colorado, Florida, Alabama and back to Florida, the Lord has definitely caused us to depend on Him & to trust each other more than ever-- and it is MUCH more fun to do all of what we've done in this year w/ your best friend :)

Artsy Fartsy

We had Ben's mom & brother in town for fourth of July weekend! It was soo fun to see them and they came bearing gifts! We love gifts!

Mama Carter made us this beautiful picture on a canvas to hang in our project room! Its sooo fun...she is the craftiest mama I know. She has also embroidered pillow cases & a tea towel for us! She is pretty arts and crafty clever! I had to brag on her art because I think it is so cute, so here it is:

We hung it over my sewing machine table..perfect fit!

I also attempted to paint some curtains for our project room because I had a design in my head that I wanted and didn't want to have to pay a boatload at anthropologie for it. So I got a white bed sheet and just painted it up the way I liked it. I just painted the bottom third, the rest is white...It was fun, maybe not as professionally done as storebought ones, but I had fun w/ it nonetheless :)

And on top of the canvas, they also brought us some Heb Cafe Ole brand coffee...mmmmm. so good.

If you've never had it, you must try it...hill country blend, houston blend & snickernut are our favorites! And we miss it!! You texans are spoiled w/ HEB :)

The rest of the trip was really fun & relaxing, we shopped around , the boys played golf, Mama Carter & I attempted an arts and craft project that turned out more like snowflakes, April got a BuildABear Monkey & named her Nicole, we grilled some yummy gulf shrimp, we all played spoons & Cam dominated in Monopoly. We also went out to the beach at night when it was nice & cool and tried to see fireworks. They were a ways off, but it was still fun just to be out there together.

Thanks for the visit! Miss you already!

Something to Celebrate

My favorite mother in love & brother in love are coming to see us for the weekend! Its so nice to have families that will drive or fly the distance to spend time with us! We are blessed!

Mama Carter and Cam are hitting the road this morning and will hopefully be here by 6pm or so...and they are bringing a sweet little package with them--My April! Many of you probably already know who that is, but for those who don't...

April is one of the girls in Bryan that I mentored while I was in college. She got really plugged into the church while I was there and it has been cool to watch her continue to grow in Christ, while being shepherded by the body of believers. She has been begging for a visit, and Cam & Mama Carter graciously said they would bring her w/ them!

Ben and I are so excited for a weekend w/ our family and with this special girl, who is like family.