Really, I'm still here

I promise. I am. I know that I haven't blogged in for.ev.er. I've been really crazy busy working on fabulous things like this and this for work. We (not as much me, but I've been helping with some of the admin stuff) have also been working on an App for Trinity and Community Bible Reading. {Available on Android right now and on iPhone soon!} We also just finished the October Newsletter!

In other news, Monday was Ben’s and my 2nd anniversary! {P.S. I hate trying to figure out the proper way to write that. I know that is the correct way, but it looks weird} Things are a little tight right now, as Ben hasn't had a job since the 23rd (*see below), so I tried to make an anniversary dinner at home for him. It didn't turn out so well. Thankfully, I knew that my parents were sending us some money for us to go out to dinner, so we did just that! Ben took me to Smokey Bones where we watched the Rays lose Game 3 of the ALDS. {Note: This is the other thing I've been spending time on - watching and cheering on my Rays!}

*Yeah, I forgot to mention that. The company that Ben was with since July didn't have enough work to support the employees, so they had to lay them off. It stinks, but God has been faithful in providing other opportunities for Ben to do small jobs (and some not-so-small jobs) here and there.

Moving on! My mom, my aunt Donna and I also went to The Barn for their Fall Opening on Saturday! The morning was absolutely gorgeous and when I left the house it was 57 degrees. In Florida. I know. We walked around and looked at beautiful things like this:


And when we got hungry, we stopped on The Back Porch for a little lunch.


It really was a fabulous day. I love getting the chance to hang out with my mom and my aunt.

And now comes the part where I say that I won't let it be a month before I post again. Really. I'll try really hard.

Busy, busy, dreadfully busy

In the last month, my life has been crazy. Let's see...

Easter weekend we had 2 surprise birthday parties for the same awesome person! Below is a picture from the 2nd party. It was a 1950s theme.



Then, of course, it was Easter morning! We had two services and got to play some great music.


Easter Morning


Me & Ben

We also had Easter dinner with some fabulous friends.

The following weekend was our church's Women's Retreat on Clearwater Beach. I worked on the folders for the Retreat:


In Process


Finished Product!

It was a great retreat. I spent Saturday afternoon looking at this:



I also brought along some of my favorite items from some of my favorite shops:


Covered Notebook from The Pleated Poppy & Blue Floral Travel Mug from Monogram Chick

{I'll post some more pics from the Retreat tomorrow with a "What I Wore Wednesday" post.}

The weekend after that we went to ANOTHER surprise {belated} birthday party for a friend who was back in town. It was Mayfaire weekend here in Lakeland. Ben & I went down to Lake Morton on Saturday morning and took Holly-dog with us. She had a great time.


Ben & Holly-dog

We ran into our friends, Patty and Mickey, when we were about halfway around the lake and she let me borrow her hat since they were leaving and she didn't want me to burn myself. I need to find a hat like hers...




That night, Ben & I went back down to Lake Mirror for the Festival of Arts & Athletes. It was a beautiful evening and we had a great time, even though we didn't stay too long.


Lake Mirror at Sunset

The next day was Mother's Day and we went to Orlando to take my mom and aunt (& dad and brother) out to dinner.

This past weekend we went to St. Augustine with a group of friends for the Woodmen of the World Florida Jurisdictional Conference. We are all in the lodge together. Friday night, we went to dinner at the Creekside Dinery. {I'm borrowing some of these pictures from my wonderful friend, Gretchen, who actually knows where her camera is.}


Creekside Dinery (courtesy of Gretchen)


Me & Laura (courtesy of Gretchen)


Allie & Jen (courtesy of Gretchen)

We stayed at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine. Here are some views from the condo we stayed in and the hotel where the conference was:


From the front of the condo


From the balcony (through the screen)


From the pool at the hotel

On Saturday afternoon, all 9 adults and 3 kids braved downtown St. Augustine only to get stuck in a thunderstorm. It was still beautiful, though.



That night, we had a banquet that was a 1920s-1940s theme. I only have one picture from that night. I wish that I had gotten one of me & Ben, but this one of me and sweet Amelia is pretty great!


(Credit to Gretchen again, in more ways than just the picture taking!)

So, that's what I've been up to and why I've been hiding from the blogosphere. I've actually been out DOING things! Who knew?!?

long overdue

Ok, 9 out of 10 friends would say that I a new blog is long overdue. (And the 10th one apparently doesn't realize that I HAVE a blog and that's the only reason that they don't think so.) And I would have to agree with them. Really? 4 months? Really? And these have probably been some of the most important months that I've had in many, many years! Seriously, Heather. WHAT have you been thinking?

Well, mostly I've just been busy! Busy doing what, you ask? Well, a large chunk of time has been spent driving back and forth from Brandon to hang out with my fabulous boyfriend, Ben. He's wonderful. We've been dating for a little over 3 months now. We met swing dancing back in May. (About a week before my last post, actually) Did I mention that he's wonderful? If you would like more information, you know where to find me. I've also been told that I needed to attach some pictures. So, I am attaching some pictures!

Our first Date (skirt courtesy of Patty Tidwell)

"Don't try this at home, folks"


From last weekend

And, in other news, I finally have a new computer. And yes, it is a Macbook, which means that it actually works. (Unlike my Dell, which no longer knows that it has a hard drive and took all of it's information to the grave with it.) This means that I should be able to post a bit more often!

This just in! Breaking news! (Did that sound exciting?) I also have a new job. I am now the receptionist at Trinity Presbyterian Church! Which means that I should probably get back to work.

haiku...bless you

Ok, I know that I have once again been a colossally bad blogger. But wait, my friends...there is still hope! I would like to sum up my weekend community group retreat with a few haikus written on the trip. These first few are ones that I wrote about beauty:

watching children play
hearing their laughter resound
knowing they are loved

a symphony plays
the notes linger in the air
my breath is taken

the sun hanging low
colors burst from the water
another day ends

flowers fill the field
the summer air hangs heavy
with rain close behind

And then, there is the one that I helped Joe and Greg write with Joe's "words of wisdom":

Don't run with scissors
Never pet a burning dog
Live by these sayings

Ok, and I'll add this photo of us as well:


For the record, we were being "receptors of the gospel". We were reading "This Beautiful Mess." Great book.

More to come if my life ever gets exciting. Don't hold your breath, though...