Pinterest Board of the Week: In the Kitchen

1. Avocado & Edamame Salad Sandwich 2. Mango Relish 3. Whisks  4. Spoon Rest

Pinterest has been full of delightful spring and summery things lately and these are a just a few of my recent favorites. The Avocado and Edamame Salad Sandwich along with the Mango Relish are two recipes I am anxious to try. They might just make an appearance on a future "Recipe of the Week." I hope you enjoy these lovely finds as much as I do!

One of the girls in my sorority from college, Kristen (over at A Lovely Mist) introduced me to A Crazy Walk on the Safe Side. Now is a great time to start following these ladies as Lori has a wonderful summer giveaway going on right now.

Check out the items in the giveaway:

Mr. and Mrs. Sims

Seemed only fitting that I catch up on the wedding of one of my dear friends, Rachel Reece (well, now you can call her Mrs. Sims) as she and Marshall share their one month anniversary today! 

First, a blast from the past:

Rachel is an adventure seeker, she sees beauty in everything and she is intentional about depth in relationships. I'll never forget the pool cover incident, shooting an airsoft gun at a target from our guest bedroom, or early morning breakfasts on "the hill." 

Here are a few pictures I took on her bid day: 

Soaking up "The Best Day Ever!"

Love this sister trio!

Love this of Mrs. Reece and Rach!

Showered in confetti as they headed off!

Some of the PCS Bridesmaid's after the Reception!

This Super Foods Salad is so easy but also delicious and so fresh. I modified from this recipe.
Here's how it goes down:

Ingredients:
1 small bunch of broccoli (we steamed it)
Fresh spinach to toss in (amount varies depending on desired servings)
2 oranges, peeled and sliced (used a half of one for dressing)
1 avocado, sliced
Added in almonds and sesame seeds
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Combine broccoli, spinach, oranges, avocado and then toss in -some nuts. Drizzle olive oil and juice from orange over salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

And wah-la!

"...We're goin' to Jackson and that's a fact..."

Well, I've been on a little bit of a blogging hiatus as life has simply been busy. A lot of things have been happening for Nathan and I. 

On March 19th Nathan interviewed for a professor position at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. We had spent the previous day exploring the city and soaking up as much as possible. Everything we saw, we just loved and made us excited to get on Belhaven's campus, meet the people and see what the university was about.

As we headed home that evening we both reflected on our visit to Jackson and Belhaven and felt confident and at peace about the situation. With a heads up from the Department Chair regarding the slow moving process of hiring faculty, we knew patience was essential to see if the door the Lord kept opening, was indeed the door we would end up walking right on through. 

The very next evening Nathan was offered the position at Belhaven. Though we took a couple days before officially accepting the position, we both had a peace from the Lord that we would be moving to Jackson. There are lots of decisions to be made as we make the transition to Jackson this Summer but we are grateful for the amazing opportunity the Lord has provided. 


In preparation we've been enjoying the voices of Johnny Cash and June Carter in the song Jackson.

Recap of Rachel & Marshall's wedding coming soon!

PhD

Disclaimer: This post is coming from a very, very proud wife who might be bragging just a tad on the hard work of her husband. 
02.05.12 was a very big day in our house. It was the culmination of 3 long years of hard work, research and lots of typing. Nathan defended his dissertation. Not only did he defend his dissertation, but he defended it successfully meaning that he can add a few extra initials to the end of his name. Meaning Nathan is now part of the "one percent" (the stats vary on actually percentage of PhD holders in the US). 

If you would like to see a snip-it of Nathan's defense you can watch here: http://vimeo.com/38042744

A few pictures from the big day...

So excited and proud!

The Setup for the Celebration Dinner at DePalma's Downtown.

Perfect for the Man of the Hour!

Cheers!