I got my swim trunks and my flippy-floppys

What a week! Last Saturday Andy and I attended the wedding of Hong and Emily (congrats!) and enjoyed a unique dining experience at their reception. It was ten courses! Each table had a huge lazy susan and the food was served family-style. Most of the time we didn't know what we were eating, and when we would ask the waiters would look confused and hesitate before confidently declaring, "It fish!" I'm proud to say I tried it all. I found the menu online so now I know what I ate!

Appetizers:
Deep-Fried Stuffed Crab Claws
Shredded Chicken with Jellyfish 
Soup:Crabmeat with Fish Maw 
Entrées:
Sliced Fish Strips with Chinese Mushrooms
Golden Roast Chicken "Cantonese" Style
Seafood Treasure in Taro Nest
Stuffed Crispy Duck with Taro Purée
Pan-Fried Whole Fish "Cantonese" Style
Young Chow Fried Rice 
Dessert:
Cold Almond Jelly with Mixed Fruits

our view

Last Sunday we drove to Corolla, NC with my immediate family. It is always a blessing to have my brother with us because he lives in Korea and we don't see him often. The house was right up against the beach and we saw beautiful sunrises, sunsets and summer storms. We brought Casey and my parents brought their dog Ellie, and they loooved the beach! It was the first time we had ever brought a pet to the beach with us (except for my sister's tiny turtle, Chompy), and it went better than I expected. Casey stayed out all day with us and kept cool by digging a hole in the sand behind someone's beach chair and resting in its shade. She chased sand crabs and fetched sticks in the water and behaved wonderfully off the leash. If you own a dog you understand how exciting this is. :)

Casey kept getting on my parents bed b/c they put the mattress on the floor.
on this day she was posing next to
my mom's crossword puzzle. 

The trip was simply perfect. We rode bikes, rented jet-skis, the boys golfed, the girls read, we ate fresh french toast bagels in the mornings (tradition), played games, watched movies and silly you-tube videos and enjoyed five star dinners every night. My mom and sister are such amazing cooks that I am usually too intimidated to cook for my family, but this trip I made penne with sausage and peppers, which is a super simple dish that my friend Amber once made for me. Each night one person in the family was asked to present a devotion. It was a special way to learn from one another and to keep the Lord on our hearts during our vacation. Andy discussed Philippians 2:3-4 and I discussed idols of the heart and how to counsel people who are struggling with putting God first. I thank God for providing me with such a special family and for allowing us to enjoy vacations together. We hope to have another person at our next family vacation, whether that is a wife for my brother or a baby from either Katie+Todd or Me+Andy. Eek! 

happy pup!