My Crafty Side...

One of my amazing visiting teachers recently introduced me to the new world of crafts and homemade items. Although I don't plan on crocheting or doing needle point any time soon, this week I created a few fun crafty items: magnets and a magnet picture board. Now I know it doesn't sound that cool but you have to understand that I'm rarely able to make anything look cute on my own so this is a big feat. I would almost always rather buy something then worry about putting it together on my own but this was not only simple but way fun too!
I bought the picture board just as plain wood and then picked out a nice chocolate brown (Van Dyke brown to be specific) and painted it. I even went so far as to sand the corners down to give it a rustic look(see right).
Then I cut the metal backing (isn't it so cute with the diagonal checkers) and put it in. The next thing I bought was a bag of clear gem stones and a few sheets of cool patterned paper. After cutting out the holes (with a big hole bunch-courtesy of the before mentioned VT) I lamenated them with sticky paper and then stuck them to the gems, superglued magnets to the back and voila, personalized magnets.
We haven't yet found a place to hang my newly designed home decor but I'm so proud of it that I don't mind the fact that it just sits on the floor in the front room for all to see (and by all I basically just mean Mitch and myself). It was super easy, and now I can proudly hang things on my fridge without worry :o)
If this inspires you to dabble in a few crafts yourself then you will want to know that Roberts gives you 40% off one item of your choice every time you go in. Which means I bought all of this for just over $10. Not bad, huh?

You May Now Kiss the Bride...

My brother Jonathan is now a husband! Crazy. He and Kimberly were married on Thursday, July 26th and I'm sad to say I was the only family member not attending. Somehow, even though the day wasn't quite the same without me, they were able to enjoy :o)

Kimberly was the most beautiful bride and Jonathan didn't look so bad himself. With his new military style buz cut (given to him by Kimberly herself the night before) Jonathan looked a very handsome man. I am really excited for them both and I know that Jonathan will be a fantastic husband. Any girl that gets to marry him is pretty darn lucky! I have to say he got pretty lucky himself too. Kimberly's absolutly wonderful, smart, beautiful, kind, etc. and I don't think he could have made a bettter choice.

Now there off in St. Louis enjoying their first few days as a married couple. We are all so excited to see them start their new life together. I can't wait to come home and meet the new Mrs. Dokos.

My Tribute...

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have a strange obsession with David Bowie. After watching Labyrinth (which I definitely own on DVD) with a good friend I decided this blog could not go on any longer without a couple shots of my favorite celebrity. I think my enchantmentwith this strange man came because I watched Labyrinth numerous times as a child but either way here's my small tribute to the greatest singer, songwriter, actor, etc.

What you may not know about this controversial character:

-Born David Robert Jones, "he chose "Bowie" for his stage name, after the Alamo hero Jim Bowie and his famous Bowie knife."

-He is not only a musician but does visual art as well. He's had works shown in art exhibitions throughout London and even appeared in Modern Painters magazine. Some of them are a little freaky, but nonetheless.

-Although Bowie is known for varied experimentation, he has been married twice and is still with his second wife, supermodel, Iman Abdulmajid since 1992. They even have a daughter.

-He declined the British honour, Commander of the British Empire in 2000, as well as knighthood in 2003.

-When Labyrinth originally came out in 1986 it was a flop, grossing less than half of the movies original making budget. Since then it has become a cult class gaining "so much popularity over the years that there was even a recent action figure of Jareth, The Goblin King that came to stores in May of 2007 is selling very well in America.

-He could have a career of acting alone. Besides Broadway, he has had many movie appearances and roles. He most recently portrayed Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (yep, that's Bowie-see below right).

I could go on and on but, as most of you will appreciate, I won't. I would just like to recommend my absolute favorite Bowie song, As the World Falls Down, from the Labyrinth sound track. I could listen to it all day.

If your like me and just can't get enough of this talented man check out David Bowie's official website or Bowie Wonderworld. And remember, I'm basically half kidding about this entire post.

Crazy Yard Ornaments

The following pictures are some of the crazy things that, for whatever reason, people decide to decorate their yard with.

I've never been a big fan of garden ornaments in the first place, but I can handle a little gnome or a flamingo, but these are just

too much!

These specific adornments are courtesy of my mother-in-law, who sadly, found these embellishing the yard of her childhood home. Aren't they a beaut?

My Happy Surprise Day!

How cutie is this: last Monday night I came home from kickboxing and Mitch (in the hour I was gone) had rushed to the mall and picked me out two presents for my "happy surprise day." What is Surprise Day might you ask. That's a good question and my best definition would be, a day Mitch made up to be the most adorable husband ever and just make me happy! I walked in the door after getting home and he jumped up, gave me the biggest hug and then walked me over to the kitchen table where two gift bags were waiting. He got me the cutest new black shoes and an oil burner that I had had my eye on from the Body Shop. Now, what makes this so absolutely adorable is the fact that it was totally out of the blue, I hadn't even been having a bad day or anything like that. It was totally random and so sweet. Let me just say, I have the most amazing husband. He is constantly doing the nicest and most thoughtful things, even when it's not my "surprise day."

Auntie Em...

Well I've finally bought a ticket to go see my new little niece! Much of this is thanks to a very generous Aunt of my own (bless you Aunt Kathy, I couldn't be more thankful for your kindness) as well as an excited sister and mother. What's even better is I'll get to be out there for Natalie's birthday, yay!!! I'm really getting lucky this year because Jacob and my parents will be in Utah for my birthday and then the next week I'll be in Kansas for Natalie's. I'm so excited!
I was able to hear Amelia's little hungry wimper over the phone and that alone was just too precious. I can't wait to hold her and just let her know that even though I'm far away I love her so much. Natalie is doing so well too and even though being a new mom is tiring she is always so happy. I love getting to talk to her and just hear the little things that happen each day and make motherhood so wonderful. Enjoy the pictures; Isn't Natalie the most beautiful mother? I can't wait to meet you Amelia!

Lucky Guatemala...

Gua·te·ma·la (gwä'ta-mä'la)
A country of northern Central America. The site of a Mayan civilization dating back to 1500 B.C., the area was conquered by Spain in 1524. After independence was achieved (1821), Guatemala joined in a federation of Central American states (1825–1838) before becoming a separate republic in 1839. Guatemala is the capital and the largest city. Population: 12,300,000.

Although Spanish is the official language, it is not universally spoken among the indigenous population, nor is it often spoken as a second language. Twenty-one distinct Mayan languages are spoken, especially in rural areas, as well as several non-Mayan Amerindian languages, such as the indigenous Xinca, and Garifuna an Arawakan language spoken on the Caribbean coast. According to Decreto Número 19-2003, twenty-three languages are recognized as National Languages.

Russ got his mission call last week and yep he's goin' to Central America. He doesn't leave until October which we're all pretty excited about. All we know is that Guatemala is pretty luck since they get to have Russ for almost two whole years. I don't think he'll have any trouble learning the language(s), and we've heard from other missionaries that have served there that its the best mission you could ask for. Tropical rainforests in the North, Carribean sea coast, and lots of ancient ruins, what more could you want?
Oh and by the way, he is going to the Guatemala City, Guatemala Mission, Spanish speaking, and he goes into the Guatemala MTC on October 3rd.

Random Facts About Me...

I've seen a lot of people do this and I thought it might be kind of fun. I don't know that it will be all that entertaining but I hope you enjoy...

1. I really don't like it when people keep old nail polishes, you know the kind when the brush comes out all sticky and the polish stays in globs. Throw them away, there useless!

2. I like to sleep in two positions: 1. on my back with my legs crossed at the ankles, 2. on my left side with my right arm holding onto my neck.

3. I could honestly eat baked potatoes (potatos?) for the rest of my life, all I need is salt and butter (and maybe a little cottage cheese).

4. I am always in the mood to listen to Queen, I love Freddie Mercury's voice.

5. Even though I'm not a big fan of abstract art, my favorite artist of all time is Wassily Kandinsky.

6. I love Jewish Studies, it was my minor for a while but I couldn't buckle down and learn Hebrew. I wrote my capstone research paper on anti-Zionist Jews in America. Very interesting.

7. When I get sick I like to watch Jurassic Park or Disney's Cinderella. Somehow they make me feel better.

8. Everytime I have to list my height I say I'm 5'7" which is a lie, I'm more than 1/2 an inch under that.

9. Mitch and I beat Halo 2 together playing co-op. I loved it, we're currently playing the first one. I love the X-box. Sometimes when Mitch is gone I just sit at home and play Tetris by myself. I know, I make the most of my time.

10. I love being the first one up in the morning...probably because I like to clean the house as soon as I get up and I don't want anyone else around to make more messes as I go.

11. When I'm in the mood for something sweet I always crave chocolate chip pancakes, I didn't discover these until college but for a few months I was making them at least twice a week.

12. If I could do it all over again, I would take more art classes in college.

13. I did two oil paintings before I turned 13. One of them is actually pretty good too.

14. If I could change one thing about my appearence I would make my eye lashes thicker and longer.

15. I'm a homebody, I always prefer staying in then going out. I don't mind crowds or people, I just would rather be at home on most occasions.

16. I've never been so excited to be a mother as I was when I saw my sister pregnant. Something about her and her tummy just made me long to do the same (don't worry it'll still be a while though).

17. When I was a teaching major I couldn't decide between teaching history or physics.

18. I love being outdoors, my favorite job was doing horticulture for the Parks. and Recs. dept. in Olathe. It was so edifying to spend all day outside just plainting and watering.

19. I took speech for two years in elementary school, I pronounced all my R's and L's as W's.

20. The one thing I'm addicted to is chapstick, I have tried to ween myself off of it but I just can't seem to stop.
21. Mitch and I have slept with separate blankets since we got married. I don't know what it is, we just don't sleep as well when we share.

22. I spend more money on organizational items than anything else.

23. Most of my nightmares are about animals, I rarely have a bad dream that doesn't include a spider, shark or bear.

24. I have a subscription to Reader's Digest, I've loved it since my childhood. I recommend it.

25. The one computer game I play more than anything else is Minesweeper. I beat my first expert level a few years ago and now easy and intermediate seem too boring.

26. Of late, the meal I crave most is Chicken Curry. I just love the flavor of the veggies and coconut milk. I add a couple Tbsp. of sugar too.

27. We have to sets of dresser each with four drawers. I use six of the eight. Mitch only gets two.

28. I always want to have things in stock, I hate running out. Right now I have 5 bottles of shampoo, 3 bottles of conditioner, and two tubes of toothpaste in a storage box under my bed.

29. When I was little I developed a major crush on David Bowie. I still like to watch The Labyrinth.

30. I've had four perms, all before the age of 15. They were all bad ideas.

31. The first CD I ever owned was Erasure. The first tape was Ace of Base.

32. During my Junior year of High School my parents recieved a letter from the principle saying he was in fear of my academic well-being. I had skipped 23 days of school with my friends (to the principles dismay I kept a 3.8 gpa or above all year.)

33. I've never read a Babysitter's Club book.

34. I love the smell of laundry detergent more than anything else (the powdered kind, the liquid stuff isn't quite as good.)

35. I don't like cinnamon rolls, peanut butter cookies, or pizza.

36. Some of my favorite places ever are the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis and Sea World in California.

37. My favorite actress is Ashley Judd. I don't think I have a favorite actor.

38. I love rollercoasters, one of my favorite memories is going to Six Flags with my best friend Anna. The new Batman ride had just came out and we both we're laughing and screaming so much that I had tears coming out of my eyes.

39. To me Mitch is perfect, except for one thing, he's allergic to cats (I know he can't help it but I still don't like it.)

40. I've run three races in my life (not including track in junior high). They we're all 5k's. My fastest time was just under 25 mins. I know that's not too fast but I blame that on the fact that all races are in the morning and I'm not a morning runner.

41. Every guy I've ever dated long term has been an Aries or a Pisces...until Mitch, he's a Scorpio.

42. I've never had stitches.

43. In sixth grade I won the drawing contest for our schools yearbook cover. The theme was "Kindness is Contagious, Catch It," and my picture got put on the cover.

44. The one thing I really miss about Kansas is the warm rain. I love being outside without getting cold in the wet.

45. I hate not being able to tell what time it is, I need a clock in evey room.

46. I'm one of the rare people that actually really loves my inlaws. I was just as excited to go to Mitch's house for Christmas as I would have been my own. I'm really lucky to have married into such a great family.

47. I've been to over 35 states in the U.S. We drove to most of them. I've only flown once with my family, it was to San Diego (thank goodness, that would have been a really long drive).

48. In 6th grade I could do more pull-ups than anybody else in my grade, including the guys. I did 13.

49. I love animals a ridiculous amount. They don't always feel the same way about me but nothing makes me happier than being around cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, etc. I really love the zoo too even though I can't touch the animals there.

50. This list has taken me almost two weeks to complete. It was much harder than I thought.

Our New Addition to the Dokos Family...

This week my brother Jonathan proprosed to his girlfriend Kimberly. They met at K-State last fall and have been falling in love ever since. Her father is currently serving in the military in Afghanistan so they wedding won't be until he gets back in another 6 months or so but we are all so excited. I just met Kimberly for the first time at the end of May and so I can personally say that I am really happy for my brother and her. She and Jonathan are a great match and I can tell they really care about each other. Ever since she started coming home with Jonathan on the weekends I have heard great things about her from everyone. She spent spring break with my family in Arizona and my Dad even said "having Kimberly with us was just like having one of the family." He was more right then he knew. Welcome to the family Kimberly!

Amelia Mae!!!

Here's the new baby girl! And yes, they finally picked a name...Amelia Mae. They had a difficult time narrowing it down but I think they made a good decision. Amelia ranked 80th on the Social Security name list so they made a wise decision, not too common, not too rare. The middle name comes from Grandma. Her and Mommy arecomforably at home now getting sleep in 2 hour increments. We're all happy to know that Natalie is healing very well (according to all the nurses and doctors) and she is having a great time being a new mother. Amelia likes to sleep alot (remind you of anyone else?), so Natalie spends a lot of time waking her up to eat. My mom says Natalie was just the same when she was a newborn. Here's a few more pictures, I especially love the one of Jacob, he's a very proud uncle.