"Back to school, back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool." Adam Sandler, Billy Madison

I could swear to you right now that time actually goes by faster during June and July. I just don't know where the summer has gone. But, alas, the time has come for another school year to start. I can't believe that this senior class is the class of 2009! And, what's even weirder, the freshmen are the class of 2012. I'm getting old.

I love the school where I work. It's full of lots of history and tradition- It's actually the oldest high school west of the Mississippi River (don't worry, we're not in the original building). It's also the high school where the Bush girls went and, a few years ago, Rick Perry's daughter was on my cheerleading squad. I love, love, love the teachers that I work with, and the kids are extremely diverse, which is ideal for me. As long as I continue teaching, I want to be at Austin High.

My classroom is just about ready to go, my lesson plans are made (for the most part) and my student teacher is fabulous. So here's to a great year of teaching and learning, and to keeping up my summer workout routine even after an exhausting day on my feet.

Money Matters

Over the last three weeks, our church has been doing a series called "Money Matters." Matt, our pastor, has been talking about finances on Sundays, and we've been discussing it in our community group. It has been powerful and life-changing, without a doubt.

Here are the top 5 main points that I've gotten out of the last few weeks. Some I had known and understood, some things I thought I knew, but now they really make sense, and some were totally new. It's easy to know and understand this stuff on a head-level, but my prayer is that I can really take these truths and live them out. It's easy to sit around and talk about stuff. It's a lot harder to put it into action.

1. Everything I have belongs to the Lord.

2. I couldn't do anything and wouldn't have anything without him giving it to me- intelligence to work, sight, hearing, gifts, talents, ... I couldn't earn money if I didn't have what he gave me.

3. My finances are a heart-issue, not a formula. Giving my tithe at the beginning of each month and then not praying or being active in stewarding my money in other ways is not what the Lord desires from me.

4. I don't need to feel guilt when God blesses me with material things and money. My response should be to give him the praise and the glory for it and steward it well.

5. Where my treasure is, my heart will also be. If my treasure is my things, my heart is in the wrong place.

For some good listenin', check out the Austin Stone Podcasts.

"What a Mighty Good Man" - Salt n Pepa

My husband, Ryan, is one of the most kind, pure-hearted and Godly men I've ever know. He's a great fit for me, and I'm so blessed to have him as my husband.


















Sunday was my birthday, and he made the weekend so special- especially with a big surprise for dinner and a super fun birthday present.


















Just a few of the many things I love about Ryan are-


how he helps out around the house...



that he's a guy's guy (minus the tights!)



that he has become friends with my friends...



that he loves to serve and give of his time and gifts...















that he's a hard worker...















that he's fun to travel with...















that he always pooper scoops our yard :)

Anthro, you're breakin' my heart

If you know me well... or at all, you probably know that my favorite store on earth (besides, of course, Costco) is Anthropologie. I love the smell of the store, the colors, the patterns, the style... pretty much everything BUT the price tag. I've always thought that the stuff at Anthro was insanely expensive, but it's fun for a cute gift or a splurge item every now and then, although I certainly can't justify buying anything there on a normal basis.

So, when Ryan agreed to let me paint some of his old furniture- a chest and a nightstand, I thought hard about what I could do to make it bright and fun. I decided on painting in turquoise and getting some fun knobs from, where else? Anthropologie. So, in a weekend, the furniture was transformed from wood stain to "Fishing Hole" from the Martha Stewart paint collection at Lowes. (If I had known I was going to have a blog when we did it, I would have taken a "before" picture.)

The next weekend, Ryan went with me to Anthropologie for moral support (and because there's an REI next door). We picked out 4 different knobs to try. My wonderful husband was even nice enough to drill holes and install all of them on different drawers so that I could pick. What a man!

The top 4 choices were...

After a tough decision beween #2 and #3, we decided on #3, and resigned ourselves to the fact that this was gonna be a little pricey because we needed 14 of them. I still didn't feel right about droppin' all that cash on knobs, but I decided it could be part of my birthday present, which Ryan reluctantly agreed to.

But, my friends, if that was the end of the story, I wouldn't have written a whole blog about it. This story has a magical ending. (ok, magical is a stretch, but it will save you a couple bucks)

While dining one night with my friends, Rubey and Fulton, I was given the tip that Hobby Lobby sells some of the exact same knobs as Anthro. Wha?! How had I never heard that before? So I went and, not only were they right, that tons of the knobs were EXACTLY the same, but they were also on sale for 50% off. (Knob #3 was not sold at HobLob, but I found one very similar.)

In conclusion:

Anthro 14 knobs x $10 = $140

HobLob 14 knobs x $3 = $42

take off 50% = $21

total savings = $119

Dear Hobby Lobby, It's JULY!

Has anyone visited their local Hobby Lobby lately? If not, you're in for a treat next time you're there. I walked in on Saturday to buy some knobs for some furniture I painted (blog post coming soon on that) and noticed that their first seasonal aisle was FILLED with Thanksgiving-type decorations. That seemed a little premature to me, but I wasn't completely shocked. They always get their stuff out a little early. Then, when I walked around the corner, every single other aisle was filled with CHRISTMAS decorations. Now, I know people decorate early. I'm one of them... but 6 months early. That's a stretch! It's seems hard to buy a gold spray-painted pine cone when the gauge in my car reads 104 degrees.

Care Calendar

I'm in a stage of my life right now where I have about 1,000 pregnant friends. I can hardly keep up with due dates or doctor's visits and everything else that goes along with pregnancy...but I'm trying. I just feel really stupid when I ask someone if they are due in August and they say, "No, November." I just have no concept of the time frame. I'm much better at the baby-out-of-the-mom-phase, where I can see the baby and hold the baby.

So, with all of these new babies on the way, it's always fun to find a way to serve the families after they're home from the hospital. Thanks to my friend, Casey, who heard about this from another friend, there is a simple way to help organize any kind of care- meals, yard work, childcare, whatever for new moms.

If I'm REALLY behind with this "technology", I apologize, but I just thought it was really cool. You go to http://www.carecalendar.com/ and set up a calendar (obviously) where people can sign up to help out. It's great for families home with a new baby, but also for people who are sick or homebound for some reason. It helps to not have to do the "reply all" with emails or a paper sign-up sheet getting passed around. We are doing it for three of the girls in our Bible study who are due over the next few months as a way to serve them.

Just thought I'd pass along my little discovery!

Life... Assunto-style

I can't believe I've entered the world of blogging. This is a big step for a girl who doesn't really like to write! I have a feeling I'll be posting a lot of lists and lots of pictures. I don't even want to expand on why I don't like writing....because then I'd have to...well, you know.

I got really sucked into the blogging world by reading lots of other people's blogs and loving it! I'm looking forward to keeping up with friends and family here, and can't wait to share things the Lord is teaching and showing me, as well as good recipes, books and bargains.


To kick this off, a quick catch up on my life post-college.



February 2004
Kristin and I move to Austin and find teaching jobs.



June 2004
I meet Ryan Assunto at a new member's class at church.




May 2006
We get engaged!





March 2007
We get married!




June 2007
We buy a house.



March 2008
We celebrate our first anniversary in San Francisco.



May 2008
We welcome the first new member of our family, Bella.