Last Post of 2009!

Well I wanted to write a 2009 rundown post but ran out of time. I may do that tomorrow, why not? Anyhoo, I wanted to end this year with some photos that I have missed posting since coming down sick.

I am on the mend :) Still going out to a party tonight!

How about some Christmas recap photos?! Of course, many include my precious nephew, Daniel :) We had a wonderful time over at my brother and sis-in-laws!
Rue's new ski mask :)
...the ferry ride on Christmas day over to the Seattle side...
My precious nephew and his grandma!
OH my word. This one is pulling on a lot of strings...oh my...
The back of his head is so cute! Oh my goodness!

The highlight of our trip: RAHMAT's Haircut - I've begged him for 7 years to cut it. He finally let Matt and my mom do it!
Matt had the honor...
...the pile of hair...
...my excitement...could not contain it!
My younger (single) brothers! :)

That is all for now, folks. I need to try to get some exercise before going to a party tonight. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! 2009 was ..... awesome. Unforgettable.

May 2010 be a wonderful one for you all. Until then...

Year-End Giving

Just a quick little plug for year end giving. Today is the last day of the year, and it can be a great opportunity to enhance that charitable deductions portion for your 2009 taxes, as well as bless someone else!

Not only that, but often generous donors give matching grants to organizations to encourage their donors to dig deep as well. Children's Hopechest was offered a matching grant to help protect girls from sex trafficking in Russia and they are trying to raise $16,000 by midnight tonight. The Save Darfur Coalition is also trying to meet a midnight deadline for giving. These matching grants mean that your $20 donation turns into $40, as well as blessing someone. My encouragement to you all is to make a year-end donation to an organization or cause that you care about as a way to end the year right.

Blood Water Mission is providing water filters for families in Zambia - a filter that will last for 10+ years is $85 - and it changes the quality of life for families there as that means that they don't have to worry about water-bourne illnesses and such.

World Vision is trying to raise money to purchase warm clothing for kids in cold regions like Mongolia and Afghanistan. Just some suggestions!

I have seen with my own eyes the impact that these donations make. Especially with child sponsorship - it means education, meals, health care, and hope.

Make a donation today - you won't regret it. I don't have much to give myself, but anything is something, right?

Happy New Year, all!

Sicky Sick Still :(

Hey folks...so sorry I did not expect to take this long of a bloggy break but my strep turned into tonsillitis and well, it is not fun. I hope to get to writing a Christmas recap and 2009 rundown by the end of the week. Bear with me...and say a little prayer that I would just heal already! GEESH!

Tomorrow is the last day of the year (!) and my Friday, yay for three day weekends!

Thanks for your thoughts! Stay tuned :)

~Ruhiyyih

PS. Will you pronounce the new year "Two thousand ten" or "Twenty Ten"? Just wonderin'....

Bloggy Break :)

Hey y'all!

Ah the week of Christmas has finally arrived! I am eager for the time off :)

We are heading over the mountains on Wednesday to spend the four-day weekend with my family and Matt's side of the family in the area as well. In some ways it is a busy holiday for us as there are so many folks that we want to see, but in other ways it is quiet. Who knew that when you can't afford Christmas gifts you would get so much in return (your time back - no shopping!). It is funny how the real meaning of Christmas was experienced this year since we did not have to get caught up in the fuss of shopping for a million people. We love to give gifts, but neither of us have been able to do so in awhile. We are pinching our pennies to start a small home business. That is all the Christmas that I need! That, and good health would be great...Matt has come down a bit sick too, so we are both fatigued now. Lots of snuggling, but that is okay too :)

We have a few little gifts under our tree, ones that Matt's mom sent us as well as ones that are destined for others.

So! I am taking a little bloggy break and will be back next week. Merry Christmas everyone! :)

He is the reason for the season...

Almost Friday...

WHAT a week - where has it gone? Geesh!

So I laid low on Monday - sleeping, reading, resting. I went to the doctors office that afternoon with Matt, and he entertained me with quoting movie lines to make time go by faster :) I was soon diagnosed with strep throat, given some antibiotics, and came home to rest. Matt and I watched "Tommy Boy", and I soon realized where most of his jokes came from!

Tuesday I felt better but was still contagious, so could not work. Funny thing - the winery got hammered with ice, so it was closed for most of the day anyway! Matt and I tackled our to-do list and cleared out years of paperwork from his closet. The recycling bin is full! We also purged his closet - I was so proud of him for how much stuff he got rid of! It was fun to chat and help out, in between resting and reading and such. By the evening, I had a huge pot of soup on the stove and was feeling ready to tackle the work day in the morning.

Wednesday FLEW by - I had so much work to do as I got caught up from missing two full days of work. I was blessed to get in on a van pool (I am an alternate and ride if there is a spot) so all I remember from yesterday was the drive with Matt in the snow and ice to the van pool lot, kissing him goodbye, the long drive to work, and sitting in front of a computer all day. 4:30 snuck up on me and I was back home by 5:30 or so, and we were out the door for Bible Study (which Matt co-leads) by 6:30 after a quick dinner. Crawling into bed last night was heavenly. I am still so exhausted but I am managing it better with vitamins and good nutrition.

I am almost all caught up at work, and I am eager to get through today and tomorrow so that the weekend will be here! I miss spending time with Matt and being home...

Soo...I am alive, and kickin' a little...thanks to the caffeine :) I hope to get some more pics of life up soon. Have a great Thursday, all!

The Fatigue Battle: Part II

We got snow here on Saturday morning - I am thrilled. Also, some glorious sunshine by Sunday afternoon - I was able to walk outside of the house and feel it on my face for the first time in a long time.

I went to bed at 8pm Friday night. Fatigue and body chills sent me to bed early :( I am scared to admit my fear that my chronic fatigue is back. I remember my doctor back in DC saying that it could return as a result of stress. God has been merciful to not allow me to get sick before or during the wedding festivities. But with starting a new job and the adjustments to married life (which, in my opinion, have been all wonderful) - the fatigue that I battled in the spring is back. :( It brought me down for over 2 months. My new job contract is at least that long, what am I going to do?

Focus on the things that are lovely and good, that's what!

Our first Christmas tree!

Matt's mom's Victorian Christmas set we set up :)

Snow and frost at the winery...


I slept 11 hours on Friday night, and with the help of some Ibuprofen I was able to get up and move around the house - Matt and I are working on making a guest bedroom out of his old office and still major cleaning up. We attended a Saturday night church service and I left with horrible chills and body aches again, and lots of tears. So frustrating to feel this way when I need energy.

**Updated**
I'm too sick to go to work :( I have the dreaded white spots on my throat...so yeah, I am not going to infect anyone during the holidays.

I'm so sad! I don't get paid unless I work...and we depend on my income, so...boo. Please pray.

Nevertheless, have a great Monday, all!

Adjusting...

Goodness where did this week go? As grateful as I am to have a job, I did not imagine that I would get one that would take me away from home and Matt for 11 hours a day. I leave at 6:30 in the morning to catch the van pool, then a 45 minute drive later I am at the winery. I work around 8 to 4:30pm - and the end of the day cannot come fast enough. I don't get home until almost 5:30. It has been a challenging week as I have learned some new job tasks and responsibilities - and learned to balance my work life and home life. It is hard.

Matt and I have some time in the morning together to have coffee and he drives me to the van pool on the days that there is room for me (I am an alternate). Then, when I get home we make dinner, talk for awhile, exercise for 30-45 minutes, and tackle a project before bed between 9-10pm. I get up at 5:30, so an early bedtime is a must...I am seriously so grateful for this job assignment. The people are fun, the work interesting, and the paycheck covers all of our needs. We are so humbled.

I would MUCH rather be getting our house in order (we are still unpacking, rearranging, decorating, cleaning and sorting/organizing! It is a mess!). So I am really looking forward to this weekend. Matt too - looking for a job is a job in itself and he also has been putting together his new office all week. He has also had his first successful sale of an item on eBay - we are selling off stuff we don't need. A great way to earn a little extra income! So our goals for the weekend are to write our Christmas letter/design a photo collage for it, clean up clutter, set up the new guest room, and relax together. I also hope to bake bread and make some cookies...'tis the season!

I've taken photos here and there all week - I hope to get some up this weekend of our decorating efforts, etc. Until then - have a GREAT weekend, all!

One Month Anniversary!

My husband and I are celebrating one month of marriage today! We are amazed at the journey and joy that it is already. Matt had been working so hard all weekend on the final trim/coats of paint for the new office that we had to celebrate. A sleepy Sunday morning = waffles!
It took...three tries to get it right...not overfilling the waffle maker iron...
But I figured out what to do with the "mess ups"...I made them into dessert. For breakfast. (Don't scold me, Mama!)
Then I found a way to make them "healthier" - I added fruit. :)
We finished the last of the painting this weekend - I can't wait to show you the finished product. AND we pulled out the Christmas decorations last night - this will be a fun week decorating :)
WHAT a hottie. Thanks for all your hard work, love! Happy 1 month. ;)

Planning a "Recession Wedding"

Happy Friday, all! I was thinking that it would be fun to do a post today on how Matt and I pulled off an inexpensive wedding during tough economic times. I was living off of savings at the time of our big day, and Matt got laid off three weeks before - definitely a scary time financially! One blessing about us both unemployed at the time is that we were able to do a lot of things ourselves - we had the time to do so.

Another thing: weddings are about you and God. They are sacred moments, and the Wedding Industrial Complex has made things a little out of control. A Do It Yourself (DIY) wedding can be really fun to do together, a little stressful - but manageable. Delegate a few things to get others involved, they most likely want to be!

Our circumstances forced us to be creative. I learned a lot - here are a few things we came up with:

Find a way to have the wedding and reception in the same place. It is easier on families so they don't have to pack up kids to go from one place to the other. Especially if it is pouring buckets of rain the whole day and most folks traveled from out of town. We had our wedding at the church I attended when I lived on that side of the mountains, and I still have some family that attends there. They knew our financial situation and blessed us by not charging us for the day - we were so blessed. We set the sanctuary up table-style so we could transition from ceremony to reception in minutes. A food buffet table was set up as the ceremony started so it did not clutter the front hall area. Total cost for us = $0

Do an assigned-item potluck for catering. We had no money for food, but we really wanted to serve some! So, we emailed a few local friends and asked if they would not mind bringing an item. It was a little embarrassing asking a good college friend to bring 3 pounds of sliced meat, but they loved getting involved and helping! So, we had a fruit tray, a veggie tray with dip, a build-your-own sandwich area, a Mediterranean salad, a spinach salad with dressing already mixed in, and a salmon-mousse dip with crackers. Light and simple! Unless you buy anything to contribute, the total cost to you is about $40 (for plates, tableware, etc).

Be creative with table decorations - not extravagant. Our tables were really fun! I bought a piece of scrapbook paper for each of the 20 tables we had that said "I Do" all over it, and some other colorful pieces. Then, on top of the paper I put a glass vase I bought from the dollar store. We had our mom's fill the vases with Spanish moss, apples (representing Washington State!), pine cones, and some silk flower tops. They were fun and simple, tied with a beautiful ribbon. My mom put leaves around the bases of the vases on each table, as well as a little bowl of M&M's next to each one, and a little journal for guests to write messages in. We topped it off but placing a fun picture of Matt and I on each table too - each one different, from our engagement shoot. Total cost for us = about $50.

Have a small wedding party...or just cut out tuxedos and fancy dresses! Matt had each of his groomsmen order a simple vest/tie combo off of eBay for $20 each, that they could wear their own black slacks and white shirts with. I gave each of my bridesmaids a color swatch to find a dress to match to - their own style and cut, etc. I recommend picking a super easy color - not forest green when it is not in season yet! Total cost for us = $0

Don't do wedding favors unless you can pull it off for free - most guests forget theirs behind, anyway! This was a great idea (thanks for the tip, Erin!). One less thing to worry about. Let them take home some table decorations instead! Total cost for us = $0

Suck it up and do fake flowers if you don't have free access to fresh ones! I made all of the bouquets, booteneers, and decorations. I used a lot of Michael's coupons and went back each week to get a stack of flowers that I liked. That way you can keep you bouquet, too! Don't throw it at the singles - we all hated that anyway. Total cost to us = about $100.

Find someone that can make a cake for you - simple sheet ones are fine. We were so blessed to have Matt's godmother, Fran, made ours for us, and she is a professional - she's helped pull off many shoestring weddings over the years. It was such a gift. Total cost for us = $0

Find a photographer that is just starting out or a talented family friend to capture your day. Matt and I were doubly blessed at our wedding to have my sister-in-law's folks do our photography. Tim and Kathy are talented and fun to be around. Also, our good friend from DC, Stephen Elliot, had taken our engagement photos - and was able to fly in for the day! He snapped some fun pics for us as well as a little gift. Also, within a week Facebook will be clobbered with images of your day - steal a few of those as well! Total cost for us = what we spend on printing/framing some of the images when we can get to it :)

Get a great dress on discount! Unless you have time and resources for someone to make one for you, you can get a great deal buy purchasing a dress on discount from a local retailer (mine was from last years' collection) or even on eBay there are gently used dresses. They are only worn once anyway! I scored mine for $300, and my mom graciously paid for it. I have also heard of folks buying a simple sundress and adding things to it to make it fancier. Have fun with it! Just remember that you don't need a thousand dollar dress to wear for only a few hours! ALSO: don't get suckered into high alterations costs. Find a family friend to do the sewing of the bustle, etc. Matt's mom did mine for me! She also made an inexpensive veil for me by purchasing a satin white headband and comb, and sewing tule onto it. It was stunning! Total cost for me = $420 (included the slip, bustier, and shoes).

Have a talented, trusted, fun friend do your hair and makeup. My dear friend Veronica has all this great makeup, so I had her haul it all from California with her, and she did it all for me! She also blessed me with some costume jewelry to wear. I also highly recommend not going to a beauty shop if you need to save money - someone in your bridal party has the talent, just ask them! Funny thing: I thought I was running out of time to get ready before pictures so I never did my hair! I just had Fran help me pile my natural curls half up on my head and stick the veil on over it all. Seriously, a one minute hair do :) Total cost to me = $0.

Drive your own car away. It is easier to haul wedding stuff in when it is time to go! Limos are for high school dances. Total cost to you = fuel :)

Make your own programs. Matt and I found some fancy font, wrote a two-sided program doubled up on one page. Then, after we printed them on nice paper, we cut them in half. Total cost for us = $15!

Get Tungsten carbide wedding bands! It is a super strong metal, durable, comfortable, silver-looking (blended well with my platinum band) and...only $55 for BOTH.

Do an electronic invitation and Save the Date. Matt and I filmed a video that we linked to the email in addition to attaching a low resolution flyer that Matt designed himself. We gave all the details, directions, greetings and invitiation info in the email. RSVP's could easily be moved into an email folder that way too. *Just remember to ask for their mailing addresses so you can send them thank you cards! Total cost for us: $0.

Put an iPod to use as your wedding DJ. We loaded all the music we needed for the wedding ceremony onto it, and made a playlist of music to play softly during the reception. Matt had a ton of fun with this. Total cost to us: $0

Ask your friend that works at Starbucks to donate one of their free 1lb coffee bags that they get per week to your wedding! Thanks for letting me mooch, Jackie :) I love having coffee with the cake at a wedding, it is so perfect. We only had to provide the cream and sugar. Total cost to us: $0 (because I forgot and called my mom the morning of to buy some!)

SO! There you go. The added costs we had included sharing a hotel room with our bridal party, buying bubbles (that we did not use because it was pouring rain!), and about 20lbs of M&M's on sale after Halloween. Note to self: next time you want to buy 20lbs of M&M's, check to make sure that they are normal colors...not "electrifying mix" for Halloween! Oh well. Still tasted good!

I hope you found this interesting! We had an unforgettable wedding, and it was fun to put together a fun team to help us out. We now have about 500 thank you cards to write...

Have a great weekend, all! Matt and I are decorating for Christmas this weekend. Pics to come :)

Sniffles and Soup

Bah. I got a cold that is wiping me out. I'm making it though - lots of fluids, rest (went to bed at 8pm last night) and humor thanks to my husband...he is so wonderful. Matt scrapes ice off my windows in the morning when I drive, and on van pool days he drives me to the van. (I love those days that there is room in the van pool for the temp - oh it saves me the big bucks!).

Work is interesting. I trained all of last week on one main inventory software system, in order to help the winery keep on top of some numbers and codes that help in the production of their wines. This week I am getting trained on a communication software of sorts. I am here until they fill the position with a qualified individual, but it feels good helping to cover the gap as it can be tedious work.

Matt is narrowing his job search to recruiting positions, because when he was a technical recruiter a few years ago, he was really good at it. He's applied at several places - please pray for his application to have favor somewhere! He is also really good at graphic design, and is looking into how to turn his hobby into a small business - so we are praying for that too. We feel really blessed for the job that I was placed in just in time for the holidays. However, we know it is temporary so I am still keeping my eyes open for positions in our town (a little closer than the drive I do now would be great! :)

It is that magical holiday season too - we are hoping to make it special this year by hauling out decorations from the attic that his folks left behind and really live it up. I just may even try another shot at "No Fail Fudge" that I failed on last year...or at least a few crockpot recipes and good soups.

I don't get a lot of chances to peak at blogs as of late, but I will try when I can! I love all your posts and reading about what the blogosphere is up to! Happy Thursday, all :)