Pottery Barn

I think it might be a very nifty adventure to go to a barn filled with pottery. Of course it would be handmade pottery with various lumps and minor mistakes to give each piece it's own character. Some would be raw and ready for paint and others would be neatly hand painted already. They of course would be pretty inexpensive b/c of the cheap overhead that a barn provides! Many women wearing flipflops, fun purses and carrying sonic cups would browse through the pottery laughing and never sweating and purchasing inexpensive pieces for their homes and friends/family. Sounds fun, right?!
Well I am pretty sure that this is the very reason the store, deceptively called Pottery Barn, is so inviting to many a woman. However, I am confused by the fact that said store does not carry much pottery and never looks much like a barn or anything you would put in the barn. The prices are then marked far beyond what any one I know that has a barn could afford!!!!
Don't get me wrong... I love their stuff. The wood is beautiful and they know just the right shade of green a girl needs. They have handy container-store-like things that never get boring and more lamp shades in the same color than a girl knows what to do with. It's just the fact that every time I look at a price tag I get nauseous!! Sometimes when we walk by they will have their clearance stuff sitting in the door way marked way down... but yet still always closer to $1000 dollars. yikes!
But I have chosen to still hold the store in high regard and even browse through their catalog... appreciating that they tell you what color paint they used on the walls in the picture! great idea!....... until recently.
I received a catalog, which I browsed through w/out the slightest idea I would purchase anything from it. Then on the back cover there were these adorable water-bottles. Since learning my beautiful pink nalgene-thing w/ straw was poisonous to drink from I had been looking for an aluminum-type water bottle to replace it that fit my personality. There is was... pinkandred flowers on a white background aluminum waterbottle for only $10.. that's cheaper than any place I had seen. I told a friend and then went and picked one up for her and myself!
Quickly people from our church and school picked up on the cute bottles and now they are everywhere... then it happened. Black spots began to appear on the bottom of the bottle... no biggie my husband reassured me. Drinking on... the spots went from black to white. hmmm. Then while we were in New Zealand I got one of those lovely white spots IN MY MOUTH!!!!
One word can explain...... MOLD!
Sick, disgusting, nasty, blah!!!!!
Oh so gross.
I am still grossed out!
How could a place that charges $1000 for a drawer give me a moldy water-bottle?
I had washed it. I hadn't had any sicknesses. No one else had drank from this water bottle. sick.
Then my friend, the one I gave the other waterbottle, told me HERS TOO was MOLDING!!! ICK!
So we are spreading the word that Pottery Barn is selling water bottles that do not have the right coating on the inside, which makes the aluminum itself not very good to drink from AND causes it to MOLD!
So, if you are looking to be green and stay away from plastic bottles... you should also stay away from pottery barn... unless it is a neat wooden structure where lovely ladies with sonic drinks are walking in and out of in their flip flops with hand made pottery at cheap prices!

More NZ Pics!!

Husband and wife climb a terrifying mountain face together...awww. I am not really doing anything too exciting here b/c I had found a nice little ledge to stand on and there was no other really good place to go with them... Drew on the other hand is killing that hard climb next to me... we were over the ocean...way way way up!!!


Another view from Cathedral Cove, where Prince Caspian was partially filmed (see preview) just after the sun set.


We are sitting on these huge tree roots in a park in downtown Auckland... some of them were at least three feet above ground and the trunks were crazy twisted and neat!

Yes,

We are in NEW ZEALAND!





Today is our last full day here in the city of sails. We have done all sorts of things, which will be expanded upon in later posts I am sure along with the 500+ pictures we have taken. We visited Mordor and the cove where Prince Caspian was shot (you can see it on the preview too)! Last night we walked around Auckland and tried some Mexican food... think freebirds or Qdoba... but still tasty. Tonight we are going to a Rugby game and a chocolate factory. We've had fish and chips and a few other local treats along the way. We camped out and have walked/hiked a lot... no really... A LOT! We also have done some rock climbing on actual mountain-like faces over the ocean and in the forest... plus some indoor climbing as well. It is so scary but quite a fun accomplishment. Drew is a super grand climber!
A few phrases we have picked up....
Good on ya = way to go, good for you, cool
Sweet as = sweet as the sweetest thing you can think of also substituted with cool as, salty as (my personal rendition) etc etc
** surprisingly enough it has nothing to do with swear words referring to your bum!
Cheers = thanks, your welcome, hi etc..
Ta = thanks
Tomorrow (Sunday here, Saturday elsewhere) we are flying back to the states. Hopefully I'll have my paper done by then too.. I've been working on it yesterday and today....

On a Quest....

FOR MODESTY!!!




I have searched high and low all over Louisville, Kentucky in search of a modest bathing suit. I have gotten some of the strangest looks from nice older ladies who ask if they can help me in various department stores. When I tell them I am looking for something modest, it is almost as if they do not know what that word means any more. I figured I would run to Target, my shopping place of choice, and simply pick up the cutest tankini for the best price and be on my way. Oh no no no. For some reason, this year, even the one pieces barely cover the essential areas. Then the tankinis make up in cleavage what they cover in midsection. I want something that covers it alllllll, no comprehende?! I have even looked in maternity!
FINALLY, I found the best, most amazing swimsuit I have ever seen in my life and it's from Sears and actually from the Lands End catalog. Sears now carries some lands end stuff and they have this swim suit top that is a basic high tube top but it has straps you can make a tank or racerback or halter. The tank goes all the way to my hips but both sides have the elastic stuff with strings coming out the bottom so you can cinch it up higher or leave it longer, which ever way suits you!!! It's really not even that tight in the mid-section either. Then, you can pick which ever modest bottoms you like to go with it! They are a little pricey but my husband was willing to splurge for a one time expense that will end the drama of wearing your underwear in public places that happen to have water! I personally chose a solid color top so I can mix and match different or same colored bottoms with it! Then all you need is shorts and you are good to go! So, for all you lovely ladies that are looking for a modest suit for all your summer fun, this could be the place for you. They actually have a ton of tankinis online that come in basic colors that are all pretty modest! CHECK IT OUT!!
I really have to question why we have gone along with culture on this issue. I never even really thought twice about it before. But especially now that I am married I am more conscious of some of these things. I would NEVER EVER wear a bra and underwear in front of ANYBODY at our church or at school or even any of our friends minus a few girl friends alone. So why do I feel like this is really okay as long as there is water around? Why has the church just run right alongside the world on this issue? Even a lot of one-piece suits are crazy provocative!!
I do have to admit, I think 2-piece swimsuits are really cute. When I was on my search I was tempted so many times to just buy a decently modest two piece because they are just way more appealing to me because that is what I have been programmed to like because of what the world prizes and advertises and because of my own sin that wants me to feel attractive and sexy etc etc etc.... So I'm not at all condemning people that wear two pieces and I haven't trashed all of mine. I am just saying we need to really be thinking about this. We need to be people who are constantly evaluating our lives and the things we support and go along with. That is what I am doing, not at all expecting every one to feel my conviction on this issue. Really writing this is a way for me to keep myself accountable to what the Lord is showing me right now, because I am soooo tempted to fall backwards on so many issues.
Happy Shopping

ps. The reason for the bathing suit is because we are going to NEW ZEALAND TOMORROW!!! We will try and post while we are there, otherwise you can expect a long update when we return!!