Friday Link Love

Here are some recent sites I've enjoyed...

Check out this story about a football team and their fans who decided that for one night they would root for the other team. Grab some Kleenex!

This post shows a really cute private wedding between Donna and Kevin. Look at their beautiful pictures and then watch the video (there's a link at the end of the post) of how they told their families. HT to Katherine for the link to that blog.

I'm not sure how I found this, but I absolutely love it. It's a "folding biscuit box". As soon as I can save up that $2,250.00, it's mine!

Find everything "pirate" at Pirateology.com.

...and last but not least, a funny video about homeschooling reminiscent of The Little Mermaid.
HT to Dear Abbi for this one.

The Happy Couples

The Newlyweds...and us.

Katherine's Shower

Here are some pics from the tea party bridal shower that my mom and I hosted for Katherine a week or so ago. Aunt Pat's chicken salad, strawberry, carrots and celery, and a scone. There was lemon curd and Devonshire cream for the scones.
Little tea sandwiches with chive flowers on top. They are edible.

Remember this? It made a nice addition to out tea table.
My mom's "perfect pairs" dessert plate. Just like Sean and Katherine are the perfect pair, they are both different from each other- as are these desserts.

Marriage Advice Monday

This coming Saturday, my cousin Katherine is getting married. I thought it would be fun for all of us to give her advice for her wedding day, honeymoon, or on marriage in general. You can also comment on "what I'd do differently if I could start over" or "I wish I knew then what I know now...". So comment away. (My mom and Katherine at her bridal shower.)

My advice (in no particular order):

-Always make time to have fun together. Play games, be silly, and laugh together.

-Have hobbies and friends apart from each other.

-I wish I had spent the early years learning how to be a good homemaker and really getting into good routines with cooking and cleaning. I also wish I'd spent more time learning how to be a good/better wife. You can do this at any point in your marriage, but I'm sure it'd be a lot easier at the beginning before you fall into other patterns.

-Wait a couple of years to have kids. Spend this time getting to know each other and doing some of the things that may be harder to do after kids come along (like rock climbing or a romantic weekend away at a bed and breakfast).

-Don't assume that you are in control of your life. You're not. Have goals for your life and marriage, but realize that in the end God decides what will happen and when. It's nice to think that Tim and I would be married for 5 years and then have kids, but that wasn't God's plan. He thought we should be married 8 years and then have kids. He also wanted us to learn during that time that life would go on and we would be OK even if we never had kids. So go ahead and plan and dream, but also ask God what his will would be for your life.

OK, if I have more, I will post them in the comment section.

12 Years Ago Today...