29 August 2011

Weekend Update| August 29, 2011

Me and Boomer Conrad

Good morning, folks! Guess what, I got a kitty!

Ah, not really, but we did get to go play with my good friend Caitlin’s kitty cat on Friday night and John really enjoyed it.  He actually considered getting one in the very near future…then someone mentioned that they are allergic and wouldn’t be able to come over and he changed his mind.  Either way I want a cat…I honestly don’t know if I would allow myself to commune with those who dislike them anyway…  ;-)


The real point of this story, though, is the fact that we finally got to go over to our friends Caitlin and Ben's house for dinner Friday night.. Caitlin was the first friend I ever made when I moved to Orlando for school five (!) years ago. She got married to Ben back in March and we finally made it to their place to see their sweet little love nest.

They cooked us a delicious vegan meal, complete with brownies, and we so enjoyed the natural flow of conversation with them. They are consumer anarchists, too, and much of our conversation was trading ways to save and recent developments in homemade cleaning products. 

Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Cookies.... from, guess who....

The fun with friends didn't end on Friday, though. Saturday morning we got up early to help some new friends move into town. Not only did I enjoy moving heavy boxes with my friend Laura and her mom, but it also served as my workout for the day (bonus!)

I can't tell you how excited I am about the new friends God has brought into my life and the ways my relationships with "old" friends has become more and more rich. I really felt so blessed this weekend to be surrounded by great people with similar interests and passion for God. We hung out with friends Friday night, Saturday morning, and had our friends Jen and Nate over for dinner Saturday night.  I didn't realize how much I was in need of community until I started finding it. I hope I never have to go through another season of "alone."


Sunday we went to church and then ran some errands before parking our butts on the coach for some downtime and a movie. We watched one of my favorites...Bottle Shock. It's set in the Napa Valley, and we watched it because we are considering planning a trip there for our second or third wedding anniversary. The more we watched it the more we got excited about the potential for the trip! If you haven't seen this movie, you must. Here's some of my favorite lines:

"You have to have it in your blood, you have to grow up with the soil underneath your nails, the smell of the grapes in the air that you breathe. The cultivation of the vine was an art form. The refinement of the vine is a religion that requires pain and desire and sacrifice."

""Wine is sunlight, held together by water." The poetic wisdom of the Italian physicist, philosopher, and stargazer, Galileo Galilei. It all begins with the soil, the vine, the grape. The smell of the vineyard - like inhaling birth. It awakens some ancestral, some primordial... anyway, some deeply imprinted, and probably subconscious place in my soul."


Question of the Day:

Have you ever visited the Napa Valley?
Any recommendations?



17 comments:

  1. The movie seem great! The cookies seem yummy! :D Cookies is one of my favourite.

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  2. That sounds like a great weekend- I have never seen this film- I'll add it to the list.
    We've been to Napa Valley a couple of times- Such a beautiful area- I also like the Santa Barbara wine region.

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  3. I'll admit, i'm not a kitty person, i know i know but i'm allergic to them as well and have met some mean kitties, lol! Sounds like you had a lovely weekend and i LOVE that movie!!! I didn't think anyone else had heard of it but me :o)

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  4. cute kitty!! and i love your hair hannah by the way. i am so happy for you to have found new friends and building deeper friendships with older friends. i hope too you don't have to go through a season of alone again. i have definitely been through that period, it totally sucks and i am glad God have given you friends!

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  5. Aww, what a cute little kitty! You totally need one! So true what you said about building community - the times alone can be rough!

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  6. What a fun weekend! And you totally need a cat. My sister's cat is our entertainment. We just watch him all the time. haha! How's your knee doing? Is it any better?

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  7. Cute kitty! We have not been to Napa unfortunately. We were thinking about going for our anniversary but have decided to postpone it due to finances. It looks like an amazing place to visit though. Hope you get to go!

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  8. I have never been to Napa Valley but I think it would be a wonderful trip. I hope you have a great time!

    There is just nothing like nourishing food and great friends. Absolutely nothing. Sometimes I get so lonely for other people and I miss being close to other couples.

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  9. OH my gosh that kitty is so cute. i want the recipe for that pumpkin chocolate pie contraption!!!

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  10. People with cat allergies need a kick up the rump.

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  11. Oh my, is Boomer Conrad a cutie :) You must have had so much fun with him on Friday! So glad you are feeling connected & engaged in community -- that is one of the best feelings ever! I hope you never have to go through another "season of alone" either <3

    I've never been to Napa before, so I don't have any suggestions-- but I'll be excited to read about your adventures when you & John get there someday!... And I definitely need to check out that movie. Sounds right up my alley!

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  12. What a fun weekend! You and Boomer Conrad make a handsome pair :) Have a great week Hannah <3

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  13. Never visited Napa Valley and never watched this movie.. guess I better hop to it!

    Also, I was about to welcome the new member to your family, ha! There's always allergy medicine people can take. ;)

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  14. Never visited Napa Valley. May need to check out the movie though never heard of that one!

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  15. Cute kitty!! I agree. I don't hang around with people that don't like cats ;) (just kidding, of course - my hubby is "allergic" [he says], so getting a cat will prob never happen for us! boo!)

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  16. Boomer Conrad is super cute - maybe your friend can invest in a sterile bubble suit to wear when he comes over so you can get a cat of your own :-)

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  17. i read a lot of this but the part that stuck with me is your need for community, as another young wife, after college my husband and i were alone, we had my mom half an hour away but we never made any other couple friends because our hours at work were so hectic

    here in australia we thankfully live with another married couple and have found 3 other young american married couples to hang out with, we love it!

    oh and the fashion show... i cracked up at your comment... the answer is, you can get into anywhere when you have money.. of course that show was only $50/pop

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