Belated.

Well, I'm late in posting about our Memorial weekend, so here is a run down:

• Megan and Kevin came to visit us, along with their dog, Andy.  The dogs (all 3 of them) had a wonderful time together, much to our surprise.  Tucker (my parents' dog) is not usually into playing chase and tug-of-war, but he joined in and Koby actually got pretty jealous!
• It rained all weekend, but we got in a trip to the Farmer's Market and the guys got in a round of golf.  Megan and I also did some shopping, but the rain didn't affect that!
• We ate dinner on Saturday at Granite City and it was the worst experience I've EVER had there.  I'm still contemplating writing a letter to the manager.  It was that bad.
• After Megan and Kevin left on Sunday, we took Tucker and Koby to Petsmart.  They each got a cute little animal print toy.  The toys were a hit and Tucker's was quickly destroyed shortly after we got home.
• Monday was a relaxing day spent shopping and barbecuing with family.  Brandon grilled our burgers in between the rain showers, of course.
• Later that night, we picked up my parents and their friends at the airport.  It started monsooning as we were driving to get them.  They were all SOAKED from loading up the luggage.  I stayed in the car and just watched!  
• We finally learned what everyone means when they say Wichita streets flood.  It took us probably 20 minutes just to get home.  We had to take a few different alternate routes to avoid floating away.  Terrible! 

I obviously didn't take any pictures to illustrate our weekend. I really need to get better about that! But, it was a great weekend and a nice break from the mundane things we are used to!

Content.

I've always struggled with contentment. I'm always anticipating, looking ahead, wanting change. However, last night during our small group time, I saw "contentment" in a whole new light.

We've been reading "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldridge. The particular chapter we were discussing was about romance and how God made women to be romanced. The whole chapter opened with questions like "What is your favorite romantic movie" or "How did you feel when you were falling in love" and then it related those feelings to how we should feel about God and our relationship with him. Towards the end of the chapter, we were talking about the story of Martha and Mary and the differences between these two women. Martha was so distracted by what needed to be done, while Mary was just content to sit at Jesus' feet. Then, the authors posed this question "What needs to be restored in your relationships?". This got me thinking.

Mary was content and happy and Martha was distracted and unhappy. The people in the romantic movies are almost always content and care-free. As long as they are with the one they love, nothing else matters. Sometimes, I feel like I'm more of a Martha than I am a Mary. I think I get so wrapped up with "to do" lists and what "could be" that I forget about things that matter most - relationships. And, it all starts with God. When I start losing touch with him, my life becomes a mess. I try to fill that void with "stuff", I get short with Brandon and those closest to me and I'm very distracted. However, when I'm letting God "romance" me, my life is much more calm and care-free.

This obviously also plays into my relationship with Brandon. While I know our lives will never be like the movies, sometimes I really wish I was a little more romantic and let myself believe we can be care-free and content. I don't need stuff, I don't need the "perfect" life, I just need to be happy that I have a man who loves me and who I love back!

So, in the mean time, I'll be watching "The Notebook" and "You've Got Mail" and practicing being content and care-free!

Short.

Here are a few pics of my new hair (disregard the cheesy smile and chubby cheeks in the first pic - they're self-portraits):

Taking a poll

Below is the weather forecast for this week:

How many of you are turning on your AC's or have already turned them on?

This is important information, so please fill me in!!!

Wasting Time

Well, it's a little slow around here, so I thought I would give a short update on what's been going on:

• It's been a beautiful week here and they say it is supposed to last for a little while, at  least.  Our new plants are growing and looking lovely, our tomato plants have taken off, and I can't wait until we actually have tomatoes!!!
• I got my hair cut.  It's short!  If I think about it, I'll post some pictures.  Think Rihanna.
• Brandon flew out to SC Wednesday and Thursday for litigation purposes.  I swear, that job is never going to end!!
• Koby has been OBSESSED with playing fetch outside.  He loves flying off the deck, chasing the ball and bringing it back.  However, Brandon says he is his mother's dog because after a little while, he'll go after the ball, but then, he'll run to the nearest shady area to take a break!!  
• I'm on a chocolate and banana combination kick these days.  I've made 2 different types of chocolate banana oatmeal cookies (1 was healthy and 1 was not) and then last night, I made chocolate banana bread!  I guess that is what we get for buying bananas and then letting them sit too long.
• My parents are leaving for a trip today and we're dog-sitting ol' Tucker for 10 days.  I'm sure he is going to think his life has hit rock bottom after being with Koby for that long. Hopefully, he won't hate us forever!
• Our friends Megan and Kevin are coming to visit us next weekend! We were supposed to go to the lake, but due to the high water and this

we won't be able to go down.  Well, we could, but there wouldn't be much for us to do.

• Remember that budget that Brandon and I created??  Well, let's just say this - my "entertainment" line item is still there and Brandon is having to dive into next month's money!!  I never thought I'd see this day!!!
• We're going to go watch the new Wichita Wingnuts on Monday.  Our realtor sent us free tickets and we hear the games are really fun, so I'm kind of excited to go!  

Well, I guess that about wraps it up for us.  I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend!

P.S.  Did anyone watch "The Office" season finale last night?  We recorded it on the dvr and have yet to watch it.  I sure hope it is a good one!!!

I have an itch...

...to move!!!!

As some of you might know, I get bored rather easily, causing me to want change. If you ask my husband, he would tell you it is a disease. Most of the time, this "disease" attacks on matters dealing with our home. Since we've lived in our house, I've changed the color of our everyday dishes, the pillows on our couch, the bedding in our bedroom, the wall colors in every room of the basement, along with new towels in the guest bathroom and next up is the paint color and linens in our bathroom. I guess you could say I like to mix things up every now and then.

All of this change has also caused me to rethink what I want in a house, which has lead me to search for a new house. When we bought our current house, we were so excited that I think we overlooked a few things, as do many first-time home buyers. One of the major things we overlooked was our neighbors. I've probably lamented about them on this blog before, but to catch you up - they are crazy! I won't go into all of the details, just take my word. Another item we overlooked was space. Yes, there is enough for 2 of us, but when it comes to larger gatherings or overnight guests, it gets pretty "cozy". I would also love to have 2 sinks in our bathroom. Right now, Brandon and I share 1 vanity in the morning, with 1 sink. Yes, we've managed, but I've got to tell you, I dream of the day when we each have our own sink and our own area...Ahhhhh!!

As you can probably imagine, Brandon thinks that the "disease" has reared its ugly head again. He sees no reason for us to move. And, in a logical world, he's probably right. I keep telling him that it's a buyer's market right now and he keeps telling me that it also means it's not a sellers market. Yeah yeah yeah. So, to combat his logic side, I keep dropping hints. I search for really great houses that have features that we would both enjoy (3 bathrooms for me, with 2 sinks in the master and a sprinkler system, with it's own well and a good price, for my dearest), then I send him the link with a cute little winking sign. This went on for a few days and then, last night, I got him to actually go drive through a desirable neighborhood. We had a few minutes before we had to be at small group and I just casually suggested we go drive around to find a particular house. As we were driving around, he said to me "I can't believe I'm doing this with you. It's only giving you a false hope", which is true. But, at least we were looking!!!! Baby steps, baby steps! He also mentioned that the neighborhood was nice and that he liked the way people kept their yards (another benefit for him)!

But, I think I took it too far today. I was searching for some of the other houses we saw last night and emailed him to let him know. He then called and asked if I was really serious and if I was, he was hanging up on me. Sad... So, I guess I'll just go back to repainting rooms or something. I think a nice shade of green would look good in our living room :)

Hobby??

For some time now, Brandon and I have had discussions about our hobbies, or lack there of in my case. However, we differ on what a hobby is. You see, I think a hobby is something that a person enjoys doing for themselves, while Brandon thinks a hobby is just something you enjoy doing and want to get better at. While I don't disagree with him on that part, I do disagree with him on what he considers to be my hobby.

Maybe I should back track for a minute. I have never been the type of person that sticks with something for very long. In my life time, I've done many things - dance, cheerleading, tennis, piano, scrapbooking, to name a few. But, I've never really stuck with any of them. Obviously, I'm not going to be an adult cheerleader or dancer, but those were both "hobbies" to me at one point in my life when they were appropriate. I also used to have this need to purchase scrapbooking materials, but I've never really completed an entire scrapbook. So, maybe I should say that I enjoyed purchasing scrapbooking materials rather than scrapbooking itself. I guess I like to dabble in things rather than completely engulf myself in them. I get bored very easily.

On the other hand, Brandon likes to take up a hobby and stick with it and perfect it. Let's take golf, for example. Brandon took up golf a few years before we started dating. Then, when we were in college, he decided to take it a little more seriously and began playing more often. Then, he started visiting golf stores to check out the latest and greatest equipment. Then, he started watching golf for pleasure on Sundays and subscribing to magazines to read about different techniques. Just this past spring, he even took a lesson from a golf pro and he's thinking about going back for another one. On top of this, his company pays for him to play in tournaments 3-4 times a year. He's engulfed. Golf is his hobby.

Now, let's catch back up to the present. I still don't have a true hobby, while Brandon obviously does. However, he believes that decorating the house and landscaping are my new hobbies. Yes, I enjoy both of these things a lot, but I don't see them as my hobbies, I see them as necessities. After all, the house is for both Brandon and I and is a reflection of who we are together - not who I am. We both live there, we both enjoy the house and the yard, we both make decisions on what to purchase, so why is it my hobby? I don't help him make decisions on what golf clubs to buy or which iron he should use for his next shot - golf is all about him. I need something that is all about me!! I do like to cook and collect recipes, but I can't just sit around and bake and cook for myself - 1) I don't want to weigh 567 pounds and 2) Brandon is picky so I can only make so much (yes dear, you are getting better....).

So, what are your hobbies? Is there something that you do that I might enjoy too? Let me hear about them!

Oh yeah, and just so you know - after our budgeting exercise a few weeks ago, we each have our "personal entertainment" line items. Brandon is saving up for golf.

I'm a loser

So, I have another new obsession. Do you remember the website I posted the other day with all of the recipes, well, I've become obsessed with it. The Pioneer Woman has lured me in. You see, all of those recipes that I spoke of were from one of her blog giveaways. Apparently, she does these pretty often and she gives out really great prizes, and it doesn't take much to enter. So, yesterday, I decided to enter my name for a personal coffee maker (makes 1 cup), even though I don't really like coffee. I just had this need to win something. To enter, all I had to do was post how I take my coffee (with hot chocolate mixed in, by the way). So, I did it. And, I've been checking the website constantly since I entered. But, I just found out that I did not win. I'm so let down. I mean, there were over 5000 entries and she was giving away 3 of these things at random, I thought surely I had a chance. But, I didn't. I'm such a loser, on many different levels!!

However, this week is the anniversary of her blog, so she's doing drawings everyday, which means I still have a chance!!

If you're bored, you should check out the website, it is highly entertaining!!

A Brungardt Weekend

Well, as usual, it was a good and busy weekend at our house!

Friday night, we just relaxed. I tried out a new bbq chicken pizza recipe. I really can't remember what else we did that evening - sad!!

Saturday morning, I woke up early, cleaned the bathroom, got ready for the day and headed to Pratt. I got the pleasure of attending my friend, Alysha's, bridal shower, and it was wonderful! I also got to catch up with her younger sister, who was a Kappa at K-State, so it was an enjoyable morning.

After the shower, I headed back to my parent's house to spend some time with them. They were nice enough to watch Koby while I was at the shower, but I'm not so sure how closely they watched him. Apparently, mom has drastically reduced the dog toys around her house, so the dogs came up with their own toys:

Yes, my friends, that is horse poop. From what I gather, Koby and Tucker had been off in the pasture running around, while Mom and Dad cut down tree limbs. When my mom realized that the dogs were hovered around something and ROLLING in something, she decided to go investigate. And, sure enough, the dogs were eating the poop and rolling in the poop....ICK!!

This is Tucker, savoring his "treat"!

And, here's Koby, contemplating going back for seconds

I stayed in Pratt most of the rest of the day - Mom and Dad took me to a new restaurant for lunch. You see, new restaurants are rare in Pratt and even more rare are good restaurants, and this one was both new and good! I also helped my mom pick out new carpet for her bedroom, run a few errands and look for some plants for her pots. All in all, it was a pretty good day.

After I got home, Brandon and I decided to run to Lowes. We are thinking about adding a pantry cabinet in our kitchen, so we wanted to see what was available. We also scouted out some plants for our house and ended up purchasing a couple of tomato plants for our "garden". I forgot to take pictures of those, but to be honest, they aren't too impressive, yet.

On Sunday, we went to church and had lunch. Then, we decided to drive around and look at landscaped yards, in hopes to get some ideas for our own yard. What we realized was that our front yard was boring. Yes, you might remember the tree we planted and the cute little pansies, but that was nothing compared to what we were seeing. So, off to the greenhouses in search for some plants! After much deliberation and frustration (landscaping is hard, especially when you have no idea of what you are doing), we decided on some things for our front bed:

We knew we wanted a medium sized fountain grass to block our gas meter, so this one was easy - the tag promises it will grow to 4 feet!

We also knew we wanted something to fill the space between the existing bushes and the edge of the bed. This was by far our toughest decision. We wanted something that was going to be green, possibly keep it's leaves through the winter and not get too tall, so the existing bushes (which are supposed to be 4 feet) wouldn't get covered. I don't personally like the cedar evergreen bushes. I just think there are more exciting things that could be used and we already have the Nandina, which are evergreens, so it was a tough decision. Finally, we settled on these little guys:

Little Henrys! While they are not evergreens, they are supposed to turn a really pretty orange/red in the fall, similar to a burning bush. They also have these cute white blossoms that are supposed to attract butterflies and hummingbirds in the sprint and summer!

Our last task was to find something to line the front of the bed with. Initially, we thought about just doing annuals, but really, that can get expensive from year to year. So, we decided on hostas. They are perennials and they have a small flower in the summer, plus they offer some varigated color.

I will probably still fill in with annuals, to provide some color, but at least we won't be dependent on them. Right now, the pansies are the fill-ins!

And finally, the finished product!

Our little tree just lost it's blooms and is working on getting all of it's leaves, so it doesn't look the happiest right now, but I ensure you, it is a cute little thing!

We capped off our day with some Chinese food, a little TV and a walk/run on the treadmill!

And, now it's Monday........