Shockoe Slip...

On Tuesday, Teresa, Heather, Jon, & Jessica came up to visit us.  So, we all headed down to Shockoe Slip...say what?  It really is called Shockoe Slip and it heads into Shockoe Bottom...I do not lie!  It's this cool historic financial district of downtown Richmond with cobblestone streets, some yummy looking restaurants, little antique stores, bookshops, modernish furniture stores and the Southern Railway Deli which makes some delish gelato!  None of us had ever been down there, I didn't even know it existed until Brian and Melanie(thanks guys!) told us about it.  I'm so glad they did because it was lots of fun!

Once we found parking our first stop was...of course...the Segway of Richmond shop!  We saw a guy riding one, so we just had to stop in!  Bobby got to test drive one of these...they are super cool!  Apparently, you can take tours around downtown Richmond with these suckers...sweet!  

Bobby trying out the Segway

Loving it!

After leaving the Segway store, we ventured into the cool, cluttered antique store, where we made friends with the lady who ran it(a cute old lady who knew her antiques), then into this little bookstore, and then into this huge modern furniture store.  There were some pretty interesting pieces and some really gorgeous things in there.  We had fun looking around and trying the furniture out!

Hmm...now what is that hole for?

By this time, we were desperate for coffee, so we hopped over to the Southern Railway Deli...totally a good choice!  This place had everything, coffee, homemade gelato, sandwiches, pastas...you name it...they had it!  And it was DELISH!!   Bobby and I got some amazing gelato and a cappuccino to split and it was fabulous!

Chocolate & Pistachio Gelato...the only way to go!

Then, we headed down to the river.  We were trying to get to Belle Isle, but never quite made it.  We did find this really cool bridge thing...

On the bridge

The James River

You can't see it in this pic, but there was a rope swing hanging from this, and these guys were climbing up to the top of the concrete parts and swinging off into the water!  CRAZY!

The girls

The boys

After all the excitement of the day, we headed back to our apartment for some dinner, playing keep away in the pool, and of course, fondue!  Thanks guys for coming up!  We had so much fun and didn't want you to leave!  Love you!

A Perfect Sunday...

On Sunday, we celebrated Mother's Day and Father's Day with my family in Williamsburg.  In the past couple of years, instead of buying Mom and Dad a random gift they probably don't really want, we have started to do family outings to celebrate instead.  It is way more fun and memorable to do it this way, so we continued the tradition this year with a family excursion to Williamsburg!  We had so much fun and laughed a ton and here are some pictures of the day!

Walking through Colonial Williamsburg...

Mom and Dad on the lawn of the Governor's Mansion...

And for me, a trip to Colonial Williamsburg is never complete without a stop at the candy store...where you can find all sorts of crazy things and pick up some  caramel apples to boot!

::Wink::

For dinner, we headed to UNOs Chicago Style Pizzeria...where the majority of us ordered the Numero Uno pizza...

My family

And then we continued on with the "Uno" theme by picking up Uno(the card game) from Kmart and heading back to Colonial for some good ol' Uno playing!

Big blue eyes...

Hes my fav

Playing some UNO!

And we finished off the day by sharing a communal caramel apple..oh good times...

Matt taking an EXTREMELY LARGE bite!

"It's stuck to the roof of my mouth!"

Love this one!

Excursions with my family are the best!  Why you ask?  Well...just because my family's the best!

I read this today...

...it was exactly what I needed to hear.

"Believing means trusting Jesus not only as our all-sovereign Lord and all-sufficient Savior, but also as our all-surpassing Treasure.  Trusting in Christ as our Treasure means seeing and savoring him as a Treasure.  Christ is not out Treasure if we do not treasure him.  And treasuring something means being glad to have it.  Therefore saving faith involves no less than being glad to have Jesus himself for who he is."

~John Piper , When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy

This next passage really hit home with me and convicted me...

"So preferring the pleasures of money or power or fame or sex over the 'pleasures...at [God's] right hand,' (Ps. 16:11) is not like preferring caramel to hot fudge.  It is a great evil.  Indeed it is the ultimate meaning of evil.  Esteeming God less than anything is the essence of evil."

~John Piper, When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy

But, isn't it good to know that...

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

~2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Lord, I am feeling especially weak today, help me to trust in you.  Thank you that your power is made perfect in my weakness.  For when I am weak, then I am strong. Amen.

Sheesh...

Ok...so in trying to be all computer savvy and trying to upload a new template for my blog...I completely screwed up my template and lost everything that I had originally on my blog.  Ok, ok...my posts are still there...but I lost all my books that I had read and all my pictures on the side and everything.  I saved a copy of my old template before I tried out the new one...but every time I try to upload it Blogger comes up with an error message!  HELP!  Anybody have any help they can give me?

Ok...so I just got my old template up...but still lost all my books and pictures and stuff...oh well...guess its back to the old drawing board!

Happy Happy Happy Birthday!

Last Friday, the 13th, was my fabulous sister Christen's birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTEN!  This one's for you!

Gunge, thanks for being not only my sister, but one of my best friends.  I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for you, but I'm going to try.  Thanks for always being there to talk and to listen, thanks for always being open and honest with me and for never being afraid to tell me when you think I'm not making wise choices.  Thank you for showing me how to love God and being content and joyful in Him through your example.  Thanks for serving our family with all your fun ideas like eating out on the porch with all your fabulous dishes or having tea and scones just because.  Thanks for serving others in our church throughout the years, for the many families you babysat and not only babysat but brought into your life and made them a part of your family.  You always have the greatest and funnest things that you do with the kids you babysat and with our own little Munch, Lou, and Keegs.  Thanks for all the fun shopping trips and excursions and adventures.  Thanks for always making me laugh and teaching me to laugh at myself.  Thanks for letting me follow you around England and Scotland and for putting up with my whining and homesickness and my constant talking about Bobby. =0)  When I think of how our relationship used to be, how we just sort of tolerated each other, and I wouldn't have even said that we were really friends, just sisters getting along, and then I look at our relationship now...it brings me to tears.  God has been so good and faithful to me to change my heart to cherish our relationship and to give me you as my best friend.  Words can't express how thankful I am for that.  I love you so much Gunge!!

And here's a little photo tribute to you.  Most of these are from our adventures overseas...good times...good times...and you know they don't mess around over there!  So, here's to you Gunge...Come ON!

Watching some church football

Freezing in Maggie Valley

Eating some delicious ice cream in Scotland...right before I lost my BritRail Pass...poo

What's going on over here?

I don't do windy steps very well

FIRE!

This is one of my favorites, after we conquered the Scottish mountain, aka after you made me climb the mountain even though I was horribly sick with a cold!  I'm so glad you did! =0)

Looking fabulous before Les Miserables

Oh the simple pleasures of a donut in Hastings...you don't mess around with a donut!

Hahaha!  You know what this means! ;0)

Looking fabulous...and so discreet...this guy had no idea we were taking his picture!

Happy Birthday Gunge!  Love you soooo sooo much!