Blogger Problems

So blogging is harder than I thought it would be. Life happens quickly, and sitting down at the computer to write a recap takes more diligence that I realized. I also am terrible at taking photos, so I figure what's  a post about a trip to Schlitterbahn without any pictures? Here is a list of the blog worthy moments over the past month  that I failed to write about:

1. We celebrated Fourth of July with my mom and sister in Galveston. My sister made the best fourth food ever.
2. We served for a week in the Third Ward with our church through a mission trip our church does annually called Houston 1:8. Neil and I helped out with the Adult Bible Study and VBS. It was a sweet time serving with my husband!
3. Neil's family came into town and we spent the weekend in Galveston and went to Schiltterbahn. We loved the lazy river. A lot
4. My dad came over and helped us build a corn hole set, so now our backyard is the place to be!
5.Neil's grandmother passed away and we took a road trip to Kentucky with his family for the funeral. We were gone a week, and it was Neil's first experience with someone close to him dying, as well as our first experience dealing with it together. His grandmother was 92 and we celebrated her long life!


I think that is all I missed, with the exception of some craft projects here and there. Here's to keeping the blog updated this next month!

Sister, Sister

There is Tia and Tamera Mowry and then there's Bridget and Lesley Cooper. Technically it is Bridget Azzam, but using the same last name clearly indicates that we are sisters. Since getting married, my sister and I have become much closer. We no longer live in the same house, so that clears up a lot of our arguments, but also, I remember feeling like once I got married my childhood suddenly evaporated. My emotions reminded me of a scene from Father of the Bride. I think when you feel like you are losing something, you want to hold on tighter, and that is how I felt about my sister. Granted, seven months into marriage I now know I didn't "lose" her just because we will never live in the same house again. I know my family will always be my family, even though I no longer share their last name. However, since I don't live with my sister, I knew I needed to be intentional with our relationship. I try to be intentional with many relationships, but especially with my sister. I didn't just want our visits to be limited to when I pop by my mom's house when I am in the area. I wanted to purposefully set aside time for our relationship. I also wanted to help get her out of the suburbs and see parts of Houston that Neil and I are learning to love.That being said, I invited her over for a sister date. Last week, Lesley came over to spend the night and we baked, which is one of her favorite past times. We also worked on a craft project and spent the evening just talking and enjoying one another. It was also really funny to watch her navigate the waters of "Oh, my sister is married and lives with a man". The next morning we woke up and got coffee and macaroons from a local sweet shop. Like I said, my sister loves baking, so I knew this place would be right up her ally.

 

We indulged in these bad boys before 10 a.m.

 

Sisters!

After our macaroons we traveled to Hobby Lobby to get some items for our respective summer projects and eventually we headed to the Heights for lunch. We walked to our restaurant and stopped to take some photos.

 

 

 

We ate at Ruggles on the Green and we both loved our meals! My sister works in the afternoons, so she needed to leave by noon. It was a quick visit, but packed with quality time, and the things that I know she loves!

 

 

 

 

 

My Green Thumb

I started a herb garden this week! I always buy entirely too much of one herb, because I just need a bit for a certain recipe, and sure enough, the rest goes bad before I have a chance to use it again. Or sometimes, to avoid the brown produce, I don't buy any at all, even though the recipe calls for it. This crisis could be averted with a herb garden, because I could just simply walk out my back door, snip what I need and call it a day. So that's what happened this week. Plus, I just think it is really neat to grow your own herbs in your backyard.

 

 

I got a half gallon whiskey barrel and drilled holes in the bottom so the water would have a place to go. Then I filled the barrel with soil, about two and a half bags worth. I bought my herbs, and ta da! I bought basil, parsley, mint, and rosemary. I saved room for cilantro because I wasn't able to find it.

 

I also bought some popsicle sticks and labeled them with the different herbs so they could be differentiated. Although, I feel like these herbs are my children now, and I can easily tell them a part without the popsicle stick markers, but hey, they are cute.

 

 

 

 

Now all I need is watering can ,and some gloves and I am pretty much a Master Gardner.

 

 

 

Here's to keeping my herbs alive!