summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime

Hello friends! What a busy, busy summer it had been! After lots of driving, Idaho time, and visiting dear friends and family we are finally getting settled into our new place in Salt Lake City. I don't have a full update at present, but I will share a couple of fun summer photos taken with my new camera, the Canon Powershot G12.

craziness

Goodness! What a crazy few weeks it has been! I wish I had time to get my blog properly caught up on all the happenings of the last, well, 4 months actually, but I just don't have time tonight.

However, one piece of news that I suppose it is finally time to make official on the blog...

We're moving....

to Utah!

What? Didn't we just get to Maryland a year ago? Yes, yes my friends. But life has a way of leading us down certain paths where we think we know the final destination, only to lead to another, completely different path.

In short, after trying out the PhD program at the University of Maryland (and enjoying his professors and doing well in his classes, of course) Jeff has come to realize that the PhD route just isn't for him. Jeff loves to learn and had the ultimate goal of teaching in mind when he started the program at UMD, but Jeff came to find out pretty quick that teaching is not the focus of the PhD program he was in. The research heavy focus at UMD was too theoretical and philosophical for Jeff. He wants to be involved in the practical application of business; he doesn't want to write papers about business and study it - he wants to DO it.

So, after much research on graduate programs, pondering our future plans, and prayers for guidance, we came to the decision to go to Salt Lake City so Jeff can pursue an MBA at the University of Utah. Why Utah? Well, they made Jeff a great offer, which includes a spot in their entrepreneur center that Jeff is pretty stoked about. We are also hopeful this move will help him build his professional network in the west, seeing as how we love it there. Of course this is to say nothing about being closer to both of our families, which will of course be a big plus.

Although we have lots of reasons to look forward to and anticipate this big change, I don't think either of us were fully prepared for how sad we are feeling to be leaving our new home here in Maryland. I have an amazing job that has given me the opportunity to know some incredible people and to do some phenomenal things. We have had the opportunity to travel to so many places and learn so much about this country we both love. We have met so many dear friends out here, people we truly love and will be so sad to leave. We've come a long way from the homesickness we felt those first few months out here and are sad to be leaving behind so much we have come to love. During those times of sadness we are grateful to have the guidance of the Lord to help us know where to go, what paths to choose and what direction he wants our lives to take, even if we don't see the reasons why at present.

Something we have seen over and over in our lives - Heavenly Father is mindful of us and is directing our lives. I remember telling my brother that we were moving back west, and his first reaction was, "Man! What a waste!" feeling as though we moved all the way out here for nothing. However, we can honestly and truly say our time out here has been anything but a waste. We have learned so much, gained so much, and come to love so much out here. We see so many blessings from being here and are grateful for the time we've had - it has been a wonderful blessing from a Heavenly Father who loves us, knows us, and wants what is best for us.

So, here we are again, packing our lives into boxes for a big cross country move. We leave in about a month and will be spending time with family, friends, and loved ones in Idaho for a couple of weeks before we head to SLC. Hopefully we weather the big changes without too much sweat and tears and will settle again in the West soon. I can't make any guarantees on posting between now and then - I have a lot of catching up on our trips of the last few months as we've tried to squeeze the whole east coast before we leave! The above picture is from our trip to NYC. You can see my photo album on Facebook by clicking here.

Finally, lest you think Jeff is trading his Cougar Blue in for Ute Red, please be aware that Jeff still holds that you can attend the U without become a Ute and is proud to proclaim he still bleeds blue. Let's hope we can hold true to that!

dearest may

Oh May, I love you! So many happy things to look forward to: New York, my birthday, softball, seeing friends, Boston...yep, it's gonna be a good month.

mmm...mmm...mmm

I highly recommend you do yourself a big, fat, favor and make this yummy yum yum Bread in a Bag. Do not be deceived - it is as ridiculously good as it is ridiculously easy to make if you ask me. Simple, quick, and not messy to make means I can create this loaf of goodness on a weeknight after I get home from work - oh yes! And I'm thinking this would be a fantastic project to do with kiddies.

We never seem to make it through a loaf of store-bought bread before we throw it out. So when bread is this easy to make, well, why bother buying the store bought stuff? This loaf disappears FAST! Especially when there's tasty apple butter from Amish country to slather on it. :)

Enjoy!

stunning

I do so enjoy the stunning night sky behind the Capitol, even when it's rainy out.

quilt fun

Quilts! Quilts are fun. Time consuming, but fun. Here is a quilt top I made for Relief Society (we tied them for the RS birthday party). I've done humanitarian quilts before, so I was excited to do one again. However, I was quite surprised when I was handed a bag of random fabric that was not cut into squares. What? I was going to have to cut it into squares myself? At first I was nervous, but then I got pretty excited as I looked online for ideas and started cutting. This is what I came up with. What do you think?

I know, terrible lighting, but you get the idea. And don't look to closely - there are definitely crooked lines and imperfect seams. But I am definitely glad I was able to get my creative juices flowing to make something nice for someone in need. And don't the colors look nice together? Berries n' Cream is what I call it.

Doing this quilt has inspired me to do some more quilts of my own! I have been going through my fabric to get rid of some and put some to good use in projects. I don't have a picture yet, but I will report my progress soon.

still

saw dandelions for the first time this year :: they still make me happy

day trip - gettysburg and lancaster

One of the best things about living in the east - DAY TRIPS! Everything is so close out here that it would be silly not to pack up and see the sights when we have a chance. Last weekend we headed up north to see Gettysburg and Lancaster. I posted more details on our family blog, but here are some of the highlights:

First and foremost, a great travel planner and buddy :)

History in Gettysburg (loved this apron in the museum!)


Amish country

Wide open spaces

Quality time together. :)

Crazy mirror fun

Beautiful homes to admire

and tasty, tasty food!

You can read and see more on my other blog post.

good, good news

Have I really not posted since January? Wow.

Things have been crazy around here - all sorts of fun going on! In the past couple of months we have had 2 sets of visitors (one from out of state, one from out of country), gone to Philly, Lancaster, Gettysburg, and downtown DC. I also made a journey across the country to spend a week and a half in Idaho for my job. Oh yeah, and Jeff started a new job and got a new calling. Like I said, all sorts of fun!

One of the biggest and best things that has happened in the last little while is that we finally have all our paperwork done for adoption, meaning Maryland has determined that we are okay to adopt as soon as we find a baby. YAY! This is a big deal for us. Our caseworker said that, from her experience, Maryland is the hardest state to get approved in, so we are THRILLED to be over that hurdle. Now on to the whole part of finding a baby - the next hurdle. :)

We'd love for you to keep us in mind should you know of anyone who is looking to place their baby for adoption. If you haven't already, please take a look at our profile (link to it here) and pass it along to others who may be interested. We hear that having friends and family on the lookout for you is extremely helpful when finding a baby, so we sincerely appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and efforts on our behalf. We are so excited to be parents!

Also, it's not something I talk about a lot on this blog, but this journey has been quite interesting, challenging, and amazing in a lot of ways for us. I have and continue to learn SO MUCH as we go through it. It certainly isn't easy - I've had plenty of low points and tough days, which probably won't magically disappear. But I see our Father in Heaven's hand in our lives, guiding and helping us along to let us know He has a plan for us. This process helps me learn what faith is all about - hope and belief in something, or, more appropriately, Someone you can't see, trusting that His plan for you is greater than anything you had planned for yourself.

I hope each of you who reads this recognizes that the same is true for you - God has a plan for you, and it is amazing! On days when you're doubtful and discouraged, He is there, watching you and certainly mindful of you. It hurts Him to see us hurt, but He knows this is how we learn and grow - by facing challenges, wading our way through them, and finding peace in putting our hopes, wishes, and desires in His hands and trusting He will give us what we need most. It may not be in our time frame, but He WILL fulfill each of His promises to us, just as He has fulfilled them for others and even to us in times past. In fact, we can trust that He will bless us with even more than we can imagine!

As you can probably tell, I could go on and on. :) If any of you are going through similar struggles or just need someone to listen, please know that I am here. I am certainly not perfect, nor have I learned patience and faith perfectly, but I know how helpful it is to have someone who will listen and help you realize there is hope, even if you can't see it yourself at present. My email is karlaehlers (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please let me know if I can help. :)

saturday projects

I don't know what it is exactly, but I've been going to town the last couple of weeks in making our apartment more like home*. I've been hanging pictures, moving furniture, and arranging trinkets to give our place a more polished look and make it ours. I guess it's high time, considering we've been here for over 5 months now. :) Additionally, I also had time the last couple of Saturdays to work on some projects, which was fantastic!

First up is this Petal Pillow. It really was quite easy, although I made a few alterations from the tutorial posted for it on V and Co. First, instead of using felt I used some white fabric sturdified and made fray-proof (hopefully) with fusible interfacing. Second, I added a button to the front. And finally, I added a pretty yellow jewel button to the back to secure it. I really like how it turned out, much better than the old one I made about 6 years ago that no longer matches our decor. Although I will say Jeff was disappointed when I told him he couldn't actually lay on this pillow - for decoration only!



Next is this sweet little Valentine garland. It took me longer than I expected, but it turned out very cute. I'm not sure the pictures quite do it justice.

Finally, this is something from our time back in Boise that I never posted about (haha - not the first time I haven't posted a project). This bookcase, given to us by some friends, started out as one of those cheap $20 Walmart speicals. While I love Walmart and cheap furniture has its virtues (believe you me we have plenty of these items scattered around the house) I wanted to give it something to make it extra special. A small can of paint and some Snow & Graham wrapping paper, adhered with Mod Podge, did just the trick. Who needs fancy pre-assembled furniture when you can whip up something like this? Then again, pre-assembled furniture does sound pretty amazing. Someday... :)

*While we're on the topic of home, our LDS Family Services caseworker came to our place last week to update our home study. For those who don't speak adoptionese, that means we are VERY close to having all our paperwork done to get approved to adopt in the state of Maryland. That doesn't mean we have a baby all lined up to adopt, but at that point our online profile will be reactivated and we'll ready when a birthmom chooses us, whenever that is. Fingers crossed we're approved soon!

dresses!

Ah, I do love dresses! Every year at this time I start dreaming of spring and what beautiful skirts and dresses I would like to wear in the warmer, sunnier days ahead. Here are some lovely ones I've spied over at Shabby Apple.

Let's start with an everyday dress. Enter L'Artiste dress. This is one I can see myself wearing all the time, whether to the grocery store, an outdoor party, or on a Sunday afternoon. I think that's part of the reason I love it so much - casual and wearable for everyday, but just enough femininity to make it something special.

As for the next step up in formality I like the Sierra Nevada dress. Not sure how the flowers on top would actually look on me, but I just love the cut and the belt.

Now this is a dress I've had my eye on forever, the Antiquated dress. I would love to have this as my "little black dress" that could be dressed up for fancier events like weddings and parties, but not so formal I couldn't wear it to church on Sunday.

What is your favorite Shabby Apple dress? Post about it on your blog and get a free pair of earrings. Details here.

i heart idaho

What a wonderful Christmas break it was! Jeff and I were lucky enough to spend lots of time in Idaho with family, friends, and loved ones. It was so nice to be home. :) While we were there Jeff gave me this lovely necklace. He got it from Etsy seller Truche, who makes all sorts of amazingness with metal. It is truly exquisite! It makes me so happy to carry such a beautiful little reminder of home around my neck.

As for some of my other favorite things from the trip, please see below.

Reed's Dairy Ice Cream! Not sure I will ever be able to restrain myself from the double scoop waffle cone. Mmm...mmm...mmm!


I made all sorts of fun snowflakes for my Mom. Here is the octopus one I came up with.


Pomegranate lemonade from Applebee's. Oh yes, it is tasty. Especially when you get free refills.


Snowshoeing - blessed, blessed snowshoeing. Here I managed to do a little quasi-sledding on the snowshoes. Don't tell the rental joint.

I took too many pictures to post them all on my blog, but you can see pictures of our snowshoeing adventure here and just general pics here.

Is it bad that I'm already excited to go back?

i - k - k - kea*

Ooh - I'm loving me some Ikea fabric right now. I particularly enjoy the following two fabric lines, Kajsastina and Annamoa. Nevermind the fact that I already have more fabric than I know what to do with. A girl can always use more fabric, right? Especially when it's as hip and cute as this:


I'd love to use this gray and yellow color scheme to make curtains and pillows to decorate a room.


And I think these little motifs are quite charming. I think they have potential for a child's room, though I wouldn't use all of them together.
While we're on the topic of Ikea, these are the curtains I bought a few months ago. I love the pop of color they add to my front room. And being 1/8th Swedish makes me a feel a bit like I'm bringing a reminder of Sweden into my home with the blue and white. :)

* When I talk about Ikea Jeff often says, "k-k-k-kea," to the tune of the Chia Pet jingle. Love that boy.

putting a spring in my step

So I finally joined the 21st century a few months ago and got an iPod, which is quite a pretty one if I do say so myself (thank you iSkin).Thanks to my trusty iPod I have had an extra spring in my step on my evening commute, and I mean that quite literally. Isn't it amazing how music can just transport you to another world, cheer you up and make you happy? I've wondered more than once what my fellow commuters make of the smile on my face when I'm all earphoned out.

Make fun of me if you will, but here are a few Christmas tunes that I've enjoyed lately:

*NSYNC - wow! This takes me back to sophomore year of high school. I remember listening to this on the bus during basketball season, and it is possible I had this album on cassette tape (haha - I was even behind the times then!).








David Archuleta (aka Archdawg around our house)- we are thouroughly enjoying his Christmas album:







What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

betchya didn't know

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month? Well now you do! Adoption has been on my brain a lot lately, so I guess it's appropriate that this month is an extra special time to be thinking of it.

To give you an update on us, Jeff and I are currently in the process of getting approved for adoption in the state of Maryland (different states, different standards), which hopefully will be squared away soon. We have had a number of birthmothers express interest in us over the last few months, but nothing has come to fruition for us (yet). We so much appreciate the kind thoughts, words, e-mails, and prayers you continue to offer on our behalf. It's wonderful to know that so many people are thinking of us and pulling for us!

I mentioned this a few months ago, but we would love for you to keep us in mind if you hear of any situations where a birthmother is considering placing her baby for adoption. We still have our LDS Family Services profile posted here, and this blog and our family blog are other places you can direct them to. I am hoping to get some pass along cards as well (I'm entering this contest to win some free ones - wish me luck!), so please let me know if you are interested in receiving some of those once we have some.

Adoption is so beautiful. I love the way is can influence really countless lives for the better - the adopted child, adoptive parents, and birthparents, not to mention extended families and friends of each of those parties. What a gift it can be! Jeff's wonderful older sister Becky was adopted, so we have witnessed some of those blessings firsthand.

How had adoption touched your life or the life of someone you know?