Todd Happenings : Two-Week Recap

Things have been pretty crazy around the Todd Nest the past two weeks. The big snow storm hit last week and JD got to take three days off his day job work (but we still had to hit the Jitney studio pretty hard). 


Readers from more up north probably think we're crazy. But it's a rarity that we get snow, especially this much...


The majority of our neighborhood gathered together and walked up to the golf course for the best sledding hill close to us.  


The kids were ecstatic (until they were too cold to play) but I think the adults had the most fun. The men went into full combat mode during several snowball fights while the women settled for speeding down the slippery slopes. 

A few of us couples had downhill races...



JD left me in his snow dust during our downhill sled race. I asked for a head start, which I obviously needed.

Denied. 
Face full of snow dust.

And then the sun came out and we steadily went back to work.

Fast forward to Monday...

February 17th marked this handsome man's 29th birthday!! Whoop whoop!



Gosh, is he a stud or what?! 

While I'd love to spare you the sappy sentiments, I simply cannot.

Ode to JD:
You are the laughter that wakes me in the sleepy mornings
and still, the sweet laughter that sings me to sleep.
In fact, you always make me laugh,
except for the times we're being serious, 
in which you're instead the epitome of a deeply pensive thought.
Your intelligence baffles me. 
You love books and movies.
Moreover, you love correlating movies and books to scripture.
Even with the most ridiculous of movies, you can relate it to the Gospel.
How do you do that with such ease?
I'll quickly admit that I'm often wrong in our heaviest of arguments.
And when I'm right, you're quick to express your faults.
Even in our arguments,
you stay cool-headed and soft-tempered.
You ensure that our disagreements are solved at length and with boundless grace.
You also aim to resolve them quickly 
so that we can bask in the joys of loving each other more deeply.
You're the greatest travel companion ever
and I love exploring this world with you.
You are hands-down my most favorite dance partner,
whether in the kitchen or throughout life, in general.
Your leadership is strong and zealous.
I love walking through God's Word with you on an eveningly basis 
and throughout our conversations. 
I love your heart for people.
I love your heart for our friends.
I love your heart for our family.
I love your heart for your wife.
I love your heart for Christ.

I love you.
And I can't wait to throw you a surprise 30th birthday party.
;)


--> Also, our house has been taken over by ladybugs. Any suggestions for repellants?

New Blog Design & a Valentine's Day Tradition

Happy Valentine's Day!!

This past week has been filled with lots and lots of snow and super exciting moments (and epic fails falls). In the midst of it all, I decided to change up our blog design into a more clean look. I used the amazing free graphics from Hannah at We Lived Happily Ever After. Please stop by her blog, check out the lovely things she creates and show her some love. 

Today will mark mine and JD's fourth Valentine's Day together. While most couples go out to eat, we prefer the traditional eat-in route. This is our menu for the evening:


My good friend Sarah Gill (the best coffee roaster EVER) helped me make this amazing meal before JD and I had our first non-date date on May 29th of 2009 in Auburn. JD and I ended up cooking together (starting around 5 pm) and didn't finish cooking it until around 10 pm. We had a few minor issues like burning potatoes, peppers and zucchini that almost caught on fire, and undercooked brownies. We were obviously still chefs-in-practice. But it ended up being absolutely scrumptious.

In celebration of that first meal, we've made it every Valentine's Day since. AND in keeping with tradition, we set up our ironing board and place a candle and flower arrangement on top. So romantic, we know. Kind of takes you back to the days of The Little Rascals and we're totally okay with that. 

So while we're enjoying dinner by candlelight on an ironing board, we'd love to hear what your plans are on this holiday of love... 

Todd Nest








...more to come soon!!



---PAST HOMES---






Click here for tips on finding a home.

Jitney's Journeys : Burlap Corkboard with Frame and Pocket

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Lauren invited me over to her house to help her design a collage wall for her front entryway. 

 "Great is Thy Faithfulness" is the theme of the wall with rustic red, black, white and burlap accents.

 As we were envisioning the final product, we decided to add a third burlap piece. Thus, came this:


Lauren will fill the pocket with letters from the kids they worked with in Africa and put a 5 x 7 photo on the left. It's going to look AMAZING on her collage wall she's putting together!!! 

Here are the details if you'd like for us to make you something like this...
For Lauren, I made this piece a corkboard with a burlap covering. The pocket has a lovely ivory trim and Love painted on it. Other ideas for the pocket could be... Family, Memories, Letters, a quote or Bible verse.

Price is determined by size and materials (for example, Lauren bought this frame so that cut out the cost of a frame). I know I say this often, but I seriously have the greatest friends / customers to work with. It's such a joy to envision such amazing pieces with them and then to actually bring those visions to life. What a blessing! 

26th Birthday : High Expectations

Did you see the Birthday episode of New Girl?

Well, Jess and I can relate. If you haven't seen it, here's a recap of the most significant part...

[Jess opening gift and pulls out a sweater from Cece. Jess reads the tag on the sweater.]
Jess: "Made in CHINA?! You're taking me to CHINA!!!"

Expectations. 

SUPER high expectations, at that.

I've really tried to chill out about birthdays. I'm not a kid anymore. I'm 26. Should I really expect people to throw me a surprise party every year?

No. But I do.

Which is why I persuaded JD to watch the New Girl episode with me, so that he would know I have high expectations even though I say every year, "No, it's cool. We can keep it super low key."

As long as you know "super low key" means balloons, kazoos, ice cream cake and celebrating with all of our friends. 

Curious to see how my big day played out?
Here's a play-by-play...

Delicious breakfast at Another Broken Egg...

{Quickly after this breakfast, JD started putting plans into action... as in, he realized that I wasn't honest with him about keeping it low key so he sent out an email inviting our friends out to celebrate with us later that night.}
--

Annual Bday Gift from JD: Moleskine Journal

Side note: Gifts are not a big deal to me on my birthday, except for this one. The journal sets the precedent for my year, the theme of my year, etc. I'll tell you more about this later. This is the first page I've illustrated on for the year. 


Halfway through the day, my friends next door rung the doorbell and hid so I couldn't see them. They popped out from beside the door frame and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" 

Thanks Alyssa, Ava, and Elizabeth, for being sneaky and for bringing me a butterfly balloon, card and delicious cupcakes!!


Alyssa: Make a wish and blow out the candle!
Me: What should I wish for?
Alyssa: How about a very happy Swan Day??
Me: Ok!
{not sure what a Swan Day is... but I wished for a very happy one.}
--

Mom told me that she sent a special gift, but stated that it wasn't sent through USPS nor did it have a tracking number. "Just look out of your peephole when someone rings the doorbell. And make sure you answer it right away." I was curious all day until around 5:00 when a man was holding this lovely Edible Arrangement outside the door.

It is amazing! We can't stop eating this delicious, pre-cut fruit. 


Please note that the card says "Happy 22nd Birthday". My parents are too hysterical. I love them. Also, "Shining Star" was my indian princess name growing up and also my aspiration career-wise when I was a kid. 

Mrs. Donna: What do you want to be when you grow up, Whit?
Me: I'm going to be a Shining Star, of course!

{Mrs. Donna reminded me of that childhood conversation during our wedding reception.}
--

Finally, JD took me to my favorite restaurant (Casa Blanca) for dinner. He was being super devious throughout the meal. We made plans to go to Cold Stone for dessert and I was super surprised when several of our friends were there waiting for us!!

Well done, my sneaky husband. Well done! 


Thank you Robinsons, Longs, Seth, Brad, John and Rebecca, and Hardins for celebrating with us!! We are so thankful for y'all!! 
--

26th Birthday Summary: My expectations were blown out of the water by amazing friends and family. 
Loved. 
That is the one word that could sum up my day. Love was flowing from all directions. I was surrounded by it, engulfed by it. What a beautiful year this will be!

Save On Your Electric Bill : Free Energy Audit

Do you feel like your electric bill is outrageous??

We kind of did.

So I called Huntsville Utilities and asked for an explanation as to why our reading was that high.

We only turn lights on if absolutely necessary, utilizing every last drop of sunshine our large windows can hold.
Our thermostat is set at a brisk 61 degrees in the winter, using our fireplace to heat up the house.

What other extremes could we explore?

"We offer free energy audits for all of our customers," the kind HSV Utilities employee responded.

Sign. Me. Up.

A couple of days later, Brad (the energy audit man) walked around our house with me, pointing out areas where we could do a little handiwork while saving a lot. 

Do we recommend this program? Absolutely. It's free and Brad printed out a full-blown Energy Audit Report that explained areas where most cold / warm air is lost and how we can improve those areas for better energy usage. The report also includes an estimated cost of repairs along with a Quality Program Participant List if we choose to hire someone to fix the problems. 

I normally feel obligated to working with a company if they come out to give us an estimate or to evaluate an issue at our house. But there is no obligation in working with the utility company as a contractor... because it's not a contractor. They aren't the ones who will be doing any of the work required to make our house keep more energy efficient. This also makes their evaluations more trustworthy.

Fortunately, we will be able to DIY most of the stuff from our report. For those of you who may not have this free service offered through your utility company, here is a list of things that Brad recommended we do...
Also, please remember that our house was built in 1965. There are a few issues that stem from the age of the home.


  • Spray expansion foam around pluming openings under the sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms 
  • Glaze single pane windows around the panes and caulk all windows at the edges to prevent air and moisture from coming in
  • Ensure all of the doors leading to the outside of the home are actual exterior doors and not interior doors
  • Exterior doors should be sealed on the sides, top, and bottom to prevent air and moisture from coming in (jamb-up weatherstripping and thresholds with vinyl bulbs are recommended for sealing existing doors)
  • Attic access doors and pull down stairs should be insulated and weatherstripped if located within conditioned areas
  • Make sure your HVAC system is serviced annually if more than ten years old, and on a two to three year basis for systems less than then years old
    Maintenance should always include cleaning the coils and an inspection of the condensate drain and overflow system.
  • Check for places where air may be penetrating your house and either caulk the openings or add a foam seal where you find the problem
    This may include exterior / interior wall receptacles, outside walls at floor, wiring openings, fireplace damper, and / or light fixtures.

Needless to say, we have a lot of weatherstripping to put up, pipes to warm with foam sealant and cracks to caulk. 


If you would like a free energy audit from HSV Utilities, call the number from the website and ask the operator to connect you with the energy department. They'll be able to help you from there. Good luck! 

Postscript: There tend to be many frustrations with utility companies but I have been incredibly impressed with the immediacy of HSV Util. to solve the problems we've had so far. We owe about 98% of this post to Huntsville Utilities and give them the credit for it. We wouldn't have any of this information if it wasn't for their guidance and service. Thank you, HSV Utilities for going above and beyond.

Jitney's Journeys : Joys of the Job {Working with Scripture}

My favorite part of the creative side of Jitney's Journeys is having the opportunity to envision really cool pieces with inspiration from my friends. Judy asked me if I could make a couple of Christmas gifts for her in December. One being a heart piece for Emma, personalized with "Emma... God's words for you"and Jeremiah 29:11-13; and the other being a diamond piece for Kim, personalized with "Kim, you are worth far more than diamonds" and Proverbs 31. With Judy's enthusiasm and inspiration, it didn't take much more for me to design these pieces...

It's such an encouragement to design custom work with scripture. I haven't even had the pleasure of meeting Kim and Emma but they have been poured over in prayer in the hours worked on those pieces. The words of God have dwelt deep in my spirit and settled gently into my heart. It is my prayer that God's words will penetrate their hearts in the same way. Working with scripture is a constant reminder of God's love for us, His mercy and His longing to know us.

I need that reminder.

Constantly.


Jeremiah 29:11-13






Proverbs 31








Marriage : Transparency

I don’t share a lot of deep - or even “on a whim” - thoughts on our blog. Most of those thoughts are sitting in a Jitney Blog Draft folder on my hard drive. Others have been jotted down in my Moleskine with a buffalo leatherskin and turquoise cord wrapping them up unnoticed. Still, some, are logged away in the back of my brain tucked away so nobody can ever read or hear them.

JD and I had the opportunity of sharing our testimonies with our new small group this past Sunday. Normally I love sharing my testimony because each person’s story is a story of redemption and grace that can only be given by Christ alone. But JD wanted to share about a few of our ugliest struggles both pre-marriage and inter-marriage. He told me the things he felt led to share as I responded with, “Are you sure you want to share that?” We shared things with them that we had only shared with a handful of friends, our closest confidants. 

Somehow we also - non-purposely - entered into a time of confession with one another the Thursday before we sat with our small group. It was a time of embarrassing confession. A time of fearing judgment from one another. A time of releasing our deepest, darkest secrets in which we had shared with either maybe one or two friends or nobody at all. 

It was also a time of liberation. A time of uncontrollable laughter. A time of true intimacy. 

It was beautiful to feel so free, so unshackled, so unburdened. 

Before telling each other these things, we both felt ashamed, embarrassed and judged - even though we hadn’t even told each other. We assumed the other would think of us differently or - worse - have a thought of, “Who is this person I thought I knew so well?!” While, yes, we will forever learn about one another, these could’ve been game-changers (or at least, in our own minds, they could’ve been). Fortunately, they were game-changers in the sense of directing our hearts to grow deeper with one another, to forgive one another (if needed) and to laugh at each other’s strange quirks.

Fast forward to yesterday… Our friend Karen is leading a bible study at the YMCA which started yesterday. She spoke about guarding our hearts (which I’m afraid is too often associated with single women and not associated enough with every person, regardless of gender or season of life). In Psalm 139:23-24, David pleads with the Lord, “Search me, God, and know my heart.” David is longing for the same knowing and intimacy God allowed JD and I to share last week. David is offering - exposing - his heart to the Lord. What a joy it was to see the dynamics in intimacy between marriage versus our relationships with Christ. God longs to know us, way deeper than I could ever long for JD to know me or for me to know him. Whether in your marriage or, more importantly, in your relationship with Christ - I challenge you to pour your heart out. Be vulnerable. Our Father longs to know you, longs to know your needs and your struggles. He offers grace freely and abundantly. He has made His dwelling among us. Through His word and the Spirit, God will speak truth over your struggles. 

It will be a time of feeling so free, so unshackled, so unburdened. 

PS: We finally won at trivia night last night!! 

We won second place (which was amazing because we're normally towards the bottom of the list). 

Final Bonus Answer: Germany. 

Way to go Team Shermanators.