Hunter or Hunted?

It's that time of year again. The time when the blaze orange and giant thermos bottles come back. If you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, I'm very sorry.

It's a tradition in our family to gather during one or both weekends of the deer hunting season holiday. This year we went home for deer opener and had a fabulous time. On Saturday we spent time with family, waited hunted some deer, ate potato klub, and were in bed and asleep by 10 pm. Then Sunday, we got up and did it all over again.

I don't know how you feel about family time, but weekends at my parents' house are some of my favorites. Even though I have my own home and it's nice to get back after a weekend away, I relax so much better out at the farm.

I'm so thankful for a husband who is willing to spend time with my family and even enjoys being there. I hope and pray that Hunting Holiday is a tradition our children will learn to love as much as I do.

I hope that my children will love visiting their grandparents as much as I love visiting mine. I pray that they will long to invest their time in their grandparents' lives as much as I do. I long for the day that my children will anxiously await the next season of Deer Hunting and potato klub. And above all else, I hope and pray that my children will find comfort in enjoying time with family.

What traditions do you hold every year? I'd love to hear about them.

It's time for a party!

I know, I know. I've been slacking on the whole, "I'm going to blog twice a week" thing. It's already Thursday and this is the first you've heard from me. I am ashamed.

So, here we go.

Growing up, I remember many things vividly. Three such things are coloring Easter eggs at Grandpa & Grandma's house, carving pumpkins at Grandpa & Grandma's house, and Deer Hunting at...you guessed it...Grandpa and Grandma's house.

I have many, many fond memories from that house and with those people. Once grandchildren started growing up and moving away, some of these events started being just memories. The two that turned into memories were Easter egg coloring and pumpkin carving.

Eventually, my parents started hosting a pumpkin carving party. It was a blast! My brother even put a pumpkin on his head. Here's photographic evidence to prove it.


The attendees usually changed from year to year. Some years we would have family friends, other years we would invite young families from church, still other years we would just have our friends and their parents over. We always had a good time and it was frequently pretty chilly in the garage.

As I've gotten older, I've longed to have a house where I could carve pumpkins and set them on our stoop. I've wanted to invite people to our house to carve pumpkins, eat snacks, and enjoy being together. Well folks, this is the year!

We are hosting the First Annual Entzel Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza! Okay...it's not that exciting, but it's the first pumpkin carving party we'll ever host. Hopefully it won't be the last...

I'm trying to figure out some sort of menu, but I'm not sure what I'll have time to make. What about chex mix and/or puppy chow, veggies (?), possibly some pumpkin bread, maybe some soup to warm everyone up, and beverages?

Help a friend out! What kinds of snacks would you like to see at a pumpkin carving party?

Happy Friday!

2 | My Perfect Day

Well...Aubrey already stole the cinematic reference I was going to use. So I guess I just have to be all practical and follow the rules like the rule follower I am.

Who am I kidding?! Click on the link under "cinematic reference" and you'll see what I'm talking about. Sorry, Aubrey. I had to!

But for reals now. I was just talking to my students yesterday about my perfect day. Granted, my front porch would have to be finished just the way we are dreaming about, but I digress.

I'd love to have a day where I can wake up on my own around 7 o'clock or 7:30am and shower and walk downstairs to a house that's completely put together. I know, it sounds menial so far, but if you saw our house...you'd understand. It's a "work in progress".

I would make a carafe of The Coffee Company's Cowboy or Colombian French and sit on my front porch. While on my front porch, I'd sip my coffee and read. I would do my devos for the day, followed by reading my current book.

I wouldn't need to care about cooking for other people (unless I wanted to). I wouldn't need to worry about going anywhere or seeing anyone. I could just be.

Some days I feel like I don't have enough time to just be and that can be hard. I'm a naturally extroverted person. But when I am looking forward to my time, I begin to crave it.

What about you? What's your perfect day like?

Linking up with The 2nd Annual Blog-tember Challenge over at Brave Love Blog.

Blogtember Challenge 2015. Day 1.

Five-on-Friday: Wanting Now

There are many things that I want. Unfortunately, I'm not a very patient person. With school drawing to a close, I have to remain patient and forge on ahead these last 9 school days. I think I can, I think I can...

That being said--there are at least five things I'm wanting and wanting now. Here they are:

one: summer

I love summer. I love these boys. And I love the ballpark. We're celebrating a special bride-to-be at the ballpark this summer, and I. Can't. Wait.

Oh to be that tan again. 

 

You maybe saw this on my IG on Tuesday...

Lemon water=summertime

two: a cake stand

I love to bake. I also love to decorate cakes and cupcakes. I'm not the greatest at it, but I do think an actual cake stand would help me out a lot. That way I don't have to precariously perch my cake on top of an upside down bowl and pray it doesn't tip over.

Here are a couple that could help me out a lot:

Isn't it adorable?!

And this one is just practical.

Turn table style.

And then there's this one (mint, yes please) and this one (because, pastel).

three: paint

I just want my house painted. Over on IG and Facebook the other day, I posted a photo of our wall with 4 colors on it. I asked all ya'll to vote. I think number 4 was the winner. You voted well and I think our color of choice will be.....

A mixture!

And...

I can't wait to see this mixture on our walls!

four: plants

I've got a bunch of baby aloe plants just waiting to be planted. Unfortunately the babies at my house are so much smaller than the babies at school. So they'll all have to come home with me this summer. There, I will re-pot them and I hope they'll be so happy in the sun. I know I will be.

We are also hoping to plant a decent sized garden this year. How awesome would it be to have produce for most of the summer?! Woo! Have no fear, I'll be sharing garden updates once we're in the swing of it.


five: new shoes 

I told Kyle that I plan to buy new shoes with our final pay check of the year. Here's a few I've been admiring.

Plus, he's been asking me what I'd like for my birthday. Here's a few ideas, pal!

I love these. AND they're on sale!

And since TOMS are one of my favorites...

(size 9, please!)

this one

this one

&

this one 

 

Kyle's been telling me to get Sperry's that are all leather.

So I found this other pair too.    

(9.5 M, 'kay, thanks)

But I still love these, all leather or not. 

 

I mean, c'mon. How cute are these?!

(40 please)

*Grandma & Michelle, you'd love em too--let's match!* 

And I can't leave you without more options.

Like these

these

& 

these too. 

Well, folks. There you have it. Another Five-on-Friday is in the books. I've been dreaming--in case you couldn't tell. Have a marvelous Memorial Day Weekend! 

Cheers!

It's coming! (hint: not just spring)

Spring is on the way in! And I couldn't be more excited! I took the dog for a walk last night after school and she (and I) loved being outside in the sunshine.

But spring isn't the only thing on the way in--house selling season is coming! I don't know what it is about spring (and summer too), but so many more houses pop up on the market around March/April/May. Don't you think? Maybe I'm just losing my mind.

So here's the thing...if you're in our area and you're wanting to buy or sell a house. We've got the guy for you. (and no...this is not a sponsored post) Plus--I told you over here that I'd have more information for you about our wonderful realtor!

source

Our pal, Emmett Lynch, works at Coldwell Banker in Grand Forks. Call him up, I dare you.
*Emmett recently moved back to Minnesota, so if you're in the Twin Cities area, look him up*

Here's our story--we started "working" with a different realtor by accident. We saw a house we wanted to know more information about, called the office, and were assigned to this lady. And while that might work for some people, it wasn't for us. She showed us three or four houses the first time we met with her face-to-face. 

I know that the market in Grand Forks is outrageous. Trust me. I understand. But what I don't understand is treating us like we aren't important enough because we won't spend enough money. And then using the excuse "I don't like working with young couples because I don't want them to get in over their heads." Yes, that is what she told us (in person, on the phone, email, etc). 

After multiple comments like that, we made the decision to switch realtors. Last fall, I remembered seeing something about Emmett joining the real estate world on Facebook. I asked Kyle if he thought I should contact Emmett and see if he'd work with us. So I did.

How do I know Emmett? We actually took classes together in the Education Program at UND. We had a few classes together and worked on a few projects during that time. Honestly, I wasn't sure if he would remember me. 

After my first email to Emmett, and I was reassured that he did in fact remember me, we started to pick out some houses to tour. From day 1 of our partnership with Emmett, he did so much work for us and he treated us like we mattered.

Time after time. House after house. Kyle and I would revel in the fact that Emmett was putting in so much work behind the scenes. He would call other realtors to set up showings for us. He would meet with us any time we wanted. AND--he was still working his other job, as a farmer.

When our house came on the market (on Tuesday), I called Emmet and said, "There's this house we want to see. We know it's the middle of beet season, so whenever you can get back to town--we'd love to get in." Emmett asked right away, "I won't be back to town until Thursday, but how well do you like it? Do you think this could be it?"

"Yes--we love it. It really could be it, so Thursday works well. Just let us know when you get back to town."

We set up a time to see the house and Emmett said he'd call us if anything changed. Meanwhile, Kyle & I prayed hard that "if this is the house" God wanted us in, that He'd make it work.

Wednesday rolled around and Kyle and I were getting excited to see the house on Thursday. We know some of the previous owners, so Kyle visited with them. We even contemplated putting an offer in without seeing the house, since houses were going so fast in town.

But! I got a phone call from Emmett Wednesday afternoon asking if we'd want to take a look at the house THAT NIGHT!?! Of course!

When we met Emmett at the house Wednesday evening, we asked him, "We thought you weren't going to be in town until tomorrow? What brought you back?"

And Emmett replied, "If me not setting up a showing tonight kept you from getting the house you're meant to be in, I'd kick myself."

That, my friend, is a great realtor. He drove over an hour, one way, to set up a showing for a house we had a hunch on.

If you are looking to buy or sell a house in the area (not just GF proper), consider giving Emmett a call. He will work for you and he will make sure that your voice is heard.

*More to come on the house saga, but I needed to share about our awesome realtor...especially with spring arriving!*

A weekend recap...

...and some photos!

Well, I'm not entirely sure what to even start with!? Do I start with the part where I hurt my back on Thursday putting on my boots or do I start with being couch ridden all day Friday/Saturday? Or do I just tell you the pretty things that make our lives seem together and "with it"?

Pfft. You've already got us figured out. I'm sure of it.

But for good measure--since going to the Chiropractor didn't help (much), I spent all of Thursday afternoon and evening on the couch. I'd lay on the heating pad. I'd sit up with the heating pad behind me. I'd pace a little to stretch out my back and hips.

Nothing.

Nada.

When I realized it only felt better to lay down and not move for hours, I had to resign myself to the fact that I would not be able to go to school on Friday. So...I hung out with these cool cats all day on Friday.

source

And much to my dismay, I was at the end.
The very. End.
UGH. I've been aware that the end was coming...and I couldn't have been more bummed to see it end during the morning of my day of pain.

To console myself...I slept. yep. Not just a little nap here or there. I had a good 3 hour nap on Friday afternoon. And let me tell you. It was GLORIOUS.

To show you what the rest of our weekend was like, I'll sign off with photos. But, not before I tell you that my husband is the best. I know, I know. You may think yours is pretty good. But he's not as good as mine.

I recovered all weekend and amidst rehearsals, he was cooking and preparing to host a fellow singer Friday night for Saturday night's concert AND his parents Saturday night into Sunday.

He's a trooper.

My pal during Friday

Thai Chicken Pizza

GF Master Chorale--Sanctus (Michael Strand)

This wasn't even the coldest it got!

Caramel Rolls for Sunday breakfast

World Premiere of Sanctus (Michael Strand)

performed by Grand Forks Master Chorale Chamber Choir

A tish of nostalgia

Well, we're out. We are officially moved out of our apartment.

We've lived there since last March. Before that we were in our little one bedroom apartment in the 55+ building.

Our first apartment was special. It was the first place we lived together. We celebrated our first married Christmas together. We learned how to live together.

But this second apartment was special to us too. It was where we remembered what it was like to have a roommate (or two) that you're not married to. This second apartment was where we started to naturally fall into our roles in our marriage. One of us naturally has a desire to cook more. One of us naturally has the urge to do dishes more.

This was the home where we spent too many hours watching tv during supper. It was the home where we could walk across our back yard to see our good friends. It was the home that would be our last apartment before we purchased a house.

It was also:
...the home where we had downstairs neighbors whose cigarette smoke wafted in our open patio during the summer.
...the home where our across the hall neighbor had a smelly, giant white dog whose fur would clog up the vacuum in the halls and eventually wind up in our hallway.
...the home where our garage leaked every time it rained or the snow melted.

But it was still our home. It was still a place we could entertain people and make memories. It was home for a short time and part of me is sad to say goodbye.

However...
...the rest of me is VERY HAPPY that we now have a house to call home and we won't have to rent (hopefully) ever again.

What we're all about.

I just realized that I don't have an "About Us" section on this here space. And though many of you probably know us personally, I thought it would be a good idea to fill everyone else in.
*Plus, then it's here for future reference as well and I'll update it as needed.

This is me. From almost 5 years ago. 

It's one of my favorite pictures.

This is Kyle. On his birthday.

He hates pictures.

We are both Midwest born and raised who met at college and became friends. Seriously. 

Two and a half years later, we decided to try this dating thing. 

13 months after our first date, we got engaged. 

Less than four months later we were married. 

And now, five and half years after we met, almost three years after our first date, and 18 months after our wedding--we are in a home with a dog and real grown-up jobs.

We love Jesus, family, friends, our home, and the challenges life throws our way.

*I'm fairly confident that I can speak for Kyle when I say these things. 

I love to read, crochet, quilt, bake, and cook, and be busy almost all day long. 

Kyle loves music, reading, projects, and alone time.

We get along real well. :)

We plan out our meals based on silly names like "Taco Tuesday" or "Weftover Wednesday". Every Friday is our homemade pizza and a movie (or T.V. show...depends on the week) night.

We drink coffee like it's going out of style.

There's a Husky tool cart in our dining room...as our kitchen cart. The entire top drawer is filled with loose leaf and bags of tea.

I love my iPhone. Kyle forgets he has a mobile phone.

Butter and cream are staples in our home. *Thank you, Kyle*

We have so many cookbooks that they get their own bookshelf.

This is just a short snippet into our lives. Get to know us. We'd love to get to know you.

On that note, if you want to know more about us or have questions, feel free to leave comments below or contact me through this here blog. 

A house, you say?

You may recall reading this post and possibly this too. Well, I can officially say that we

OWN A HOUSE!

I know, I know...Kyle is shaking his head right now saying, "Well, technically the bank owns it because of our mortgage and we'll be making payments on that." That's true. BUT! We do have a house, we have the keys and we have a place to call our own.

One day I'll write the whole saga of our house hunting horrors (alliteration, anyone?). And in reality, it wasn't that bad. We didn't start out on the right foot, so that was a bit of a let down for us. Once we found the realtor, the house, and the lender, everything fell into place and happened extremely fast. Praise the Lord for some fabulous people to work with.

*More on our realtor and our banker later. But if you need someone...seriously...look them up.*
*Read about our awesome realtor here*

We put in an offer at the beginning of November and we closed December 15. Everything was super condensed and we wouldn't have been able to do it without support. Our parents play a huge role in our lives and we are so thankful for them. 

*Again, more about that later*

All of this to say, again, that we own a house. Our very own house that we hope to soon call a home. So, if you're in our neck of the woods this Saturday (from 11-2ish)...please stop by and say "Hi!" and maybe carry in a box or two. 

A House Hunting Update

Well, what can I say?

We've looked.
We've loved.
We've offered.
We've negotiated.
and negotiated.
Ultimately,
We've lost.

And you know what I say about that?

Bring it on.

For reals, though. Even though we loved the house we put an offer in on, we know God's in control. Clearly, (as hard as it is to recognize and move on) that's not the house He has in mind for us. And while I struggled with that (for quite a while), I've come to accept that fact. Not only accept that we now are looking for the house for us, but rejoice for our friends.

You've gotta be thinking, "Say what?!"

Yep. Some of our good friends had their offer (for the same house we wanted) accepted! So even though we won't be living in that house, we still get to visit. :) And maybe our children can play together one day. (No we don't have children, nor will we in the near--10 months-ish--future) But one day!

Now, we're back to square one. Finding a house we love that suits our needs. And ultimately, finding the house that God has for us. It'll just take a little patience.

Our Little Corner of North Dakota

 A guide to your city! Share some of the hot-spots and hidden gems of where you live.

I currently reside in a sweet, bustling (at times), little city in one corner of North Dakota. Upon moving here, 5 years ago (!), I didn't have any friends here. I never wanted to stay here. I also never wanted to even step foot here. Ever.

And then God changed my heart and drew me here. And what do you know, I've never really left.

So welcome to my city! Here are a few of my favorites that if you're ever here, you'll need to check these gems out.

1. The Toasted Frog

via

This just so happens to be the very place we are going to be celebrating my birthday on Wednesday! They're known for their martinis and their cheesy pickles. If you like cheese, pickles, and anything deep fried...these are perfect for you! The Toasted Frog happens to be one of the best places in town and many out-of-towners make it a "must try" when they visit.

2.  The Parrot's Cay

via

A hole-in-the-wall bar that serves the best wings in town, happens to be one of the local favorites. Start your week off right with $.99 cheeseburgers on Mondays. Then come back on Wednesday and Thursday for a whole order of wings and a pitcher of beer for only $12! They've also got a wing challenge...beware...it's super hot.

3. Darcy's Cafe

via

Hands down...my favorite place to eat in town! I love that place. Before we were married, husband would walk to my house on snow days and we'd venture the two blocks from my house to Darcy's. I love their pancakes. So delicious. Oh! And if you're a coffee fan, they've got the best cafe coffee I've ever tasted. No joke. I can't even quote Elf for this claim...because it really is the best cafe coffee ever. If you're wanting to try out Darcy's on a weekend, be warned. It's super busy because people are realizing just how good it is. 

4. Dave Barry Lift Station

via

Follow the link and you'll read everything you need to know about this local treat.

5. The Red Pepper

via

People love the "Pepper" so much that they'll order online...and have it FedEx'd to them! For real! It's a staple in town. If you go on a Friday or Saturday night after a UND hockey game...make sure you're willing to wait in line. They'll get the biggest crowd and for good reason. You must go to the original Red Pepper building for the true experience. They're famous for their grinders and their white sauce. Seriously...their white sauce...SO addicting. And it's a secret recipe--you'll never get it right. Oh...and they only have spoons--no forks. Honest.

And while I know most of the places I've talked about today have been restaurants, there really is more to do when you come to visit. Maybe I'll show off more of my town in a few weeks.

Come visit and I'll show you around!

House Hunting. Say What?

When you are/were looking for a house, what do you search for? 

Do you want a little bungalow? Do you want a split level? 

Should it only have 2 bedrooms? Do you need 6?

Will 1 bathroom be sufficient? Or should there be at least 3?

How old is the roof?

How big is the lot and can we get a building permit for a garage?

Are there any egress windows in the basement?

Do the laundry appliances come with the house?

Did it flood in '97?

There are just so many things to consider when buying a house. Many of these things are negotiable. Many are not.

Raise your hand if you love to "pin" things and dream? *Raises hand* I do! I do! Here are a few glimpses into my "Pinterest Home".

I've been dreaming of the best house ever!

And then we started looking at houses. And we saw things like this:

*For $110,000?? No thank you! 

*$149,900?? Say what?

Are we being too picky? We weren't sure. 

So...we found another realtor and looked at houses like this:

*A little spendy...but not too bad 

*SO cute! A little small...but no formal dining room*

So here's our conundrum...we want to have a house soon. BUT, we don't want to move into a house we know we'll have to leave in a few years because it'll be too small. That being said...we want to have a family in the next few years. SO! What's a couple to do? Input, please?

Here are our non-negotiables:

*At least 3 bedrooms (4 would be preferable...or the ability to add a false wall or something)

*A decent sized yard...for potential kiddos to play in...and a garden

*A garage in decent shape

*Decent amount of storage in our kitchen (we want to keep it efficient)

*Oh...and our budget is minimal

Preferences:

*4 Bedrooms

*2+ Bathrooms

*2 Stall Garage

*Finished(ish) Basement w/egress

*Formal Dining room

*A roof we won't have to redo in <5 years

*2,000+ sq. ft.

I should note that we are not averse to doing work on our house. We'd rather buy something that needs work and put our money into something we'll love, instead of sinking a lot of money into something finished that we aren't in love with now.

What do you think? Are our non-negotiables out of the question? Are we being too difficult?

I'm not sure. We're thinking on it, praying on it, and definitely sleeping on it.

I'd love to hear your feedback. What were your biggest struggles in buying a house? Did you have fun looking and dreaming together? What was the best part? How long were you house hunting?

I guess it goes without saying that my real house might not live up to my Pinterest house...thanks a lot Pinterest.

How is it MAY already?

It feels like just yesterday that...

*Do not use photos without permission**photography by Erin Johnson Photography*

...we got married.

...the school year started.

...we went to Denver to see our favorite niece and nephew. 

...Thanksgiving pies, family, & Black Friday shopping.

...our first married Christmas!

...our 3 Valentine's Day together.

...March 9. A year after we got engaged.

...Easter with family.

...FHS 2014 prom. It was a loooong process. 

A year isn't really that long. But it's crazy to think of all of the things that have happened in the last year. I've also finished my first full year of teaching. It's been a good year. It's also been a full year. With only a few weeks left of school, I'm looking forward to relaxing!