A Birthday, a Bee and a Book

Today is a big day... it's my bff Jen's birthday! Yay! Happy Birthday!

Coincidentally, we also received more furniture today from Crate and Barrel. I actually had not ordered from them before, but the pieces are really great, and look awesome. However, the Ethan Allen delivery guys are a lot better than the C & B ones (because I know you were wondering).

We completed the guest room with a bedside table that was much needed. I fell in love with this table because it matches the green in the curtain and gives the room a little more color.

Another curtain shot:

The room:

We also received a new (and for the first time not Ikea) media center.

For the record, I was watching so you think you can dance.

I actually had a hard time capturing exactly the way the media center looks, but I love that it is so much more "grown up" than we've had previously (scroll back to our housewarming pics for the way it was before).

Also, I am loving the way the windowsill is looking these days.

We received the Longaberger basket for our wedding, the picture is an engagement shot, the pink "flowers" are actually made from painted bark and we found that and the little pot in an antique shop nearby. The green plant is the one I mentioned in my last post from my mom. Here's a close-up:

The lamp we've had (was once J's parents), but I have moved its location.

And now to explain the latter half of my title... Somehow, pests seem to find us no matter where we roam. Some of you remember how we once had bedbugs (2 years ago - after traveling to Italy) and what a pain they were. Well, now we seem to have nests of burrowing yellow jackets all along the front of our walkway/our neighbor's walkways. These things are enormous. One of my alma matters is the Yellow Jackets, so I find it a little ironic that they have decided to make the front of our house their home. Not entirely sure what to do about them though since technically they are not on our property (they are in the common area between the sidewalk and parking lot). I do feel bad for the landscapers though, so I let our HOA know. I think they are going to tell me to buzz off... I would like these things gone though because it is a little scary getting to my car in the morning. And man can these things dig a hole. And speaking of pests, our neighbors informed us that they saw a rat near their garbage a few weeks ago... I mean seriously! But - actually even talking about that issue grosses me out, so I will now switch topics....

I have recently gotten into reading Francine Rivers' books. I read Redeeming Love as well as A Lineage of Grace (actually technically - I'm only 92% done that one). I would highly recommend them. Both are a retelling of Bible books. Redeeming Love is entirely fiction based on the book of Hosea, and A Lineage of Grace is 5 short novellas on Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathesheba, and Mary. They are fiction as they add to the Bible but they are all Biblically based. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have!