me, rachel
Today, I went shopping! I love shopping...especially when I have money to spend AND actually find something. Today was both. Yay me! (Oh Disney channel...what have you done to my life?) Anyway, today I hit up my favorite store, Plato's Closet and dug through all the shirts and dresses looking for cute summer deals...and I found one!

It's darling! Well, ok so it looks better on me than on the hanger...but still. It's adorable. Except it had one big problem...
(This is a dramatization. Do not try this at home.)

It had a black spot on the bodice! Seeing as how once I put this dress on I fell in love with it, I decided to take a chance on it. I asked the girl at the sales counter if I could have a discount on it as it was damaged, and she said yes and that when the dress came in a day or so ago it had no spot.

This means 1, it's a fresh spot and 2, most likely makeup. Now, I know nothing about stain removal. At all. Usually I have a little funeral for whatever I'm wearing when I eat Italian food. But, I do know about makeup removal! And I knew that the best way to get eye makeup off (which is very stubborn stuff!!) is to use special eye makeup remover.

So, when I got home, I got out the little pads we have to use for this very purpose. And guess what...
...it worked like a charm :-)
me, rachel
Yesterday, Dave and I received our first wedding present from his parents. Now, I know it's crazy early to be getting "showered," but this is a special case. You see, Dave's parents are missionaries to Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa. His dad's a surgeon. And an obstetrician. And an optometrist. And an electrician. And basically anything else he needs to be. His mom is a school teacher, a hostess, a graphic designer, and basically an all-around awesome, strong woman.

But because they live in Africa for most of the year (coming home for 1 month a year to keep up Dad's surgical license, and 1 year every 4 for furlough), they will sadly miss all of our wedding showers coming up in the next year. And they have this traditional gift that they've given to all their boys as wedding presents (Dave has 3 older brothers).

Its a hand painted tea set from a pottery shop in Zimbabwe! Isn't it adorable?? The other brothers have zebra print sets, or giraffe print sets, or something else perhaps that I can't remember...but ours is so cute! I love the elephants marching around each piece! And that deep blue is gorgeous. Here, let me give you a closer look at a few of the pieces.


A huge tea pot, big enough to make tea for everyone!

A cookie plate.

Sugar bowl, milk pitcher (yes, I take my tea with milk and sugar. It's very British, or Zimbabwean, or something. Whatever it is, I'm hooked.).

Tea cups. Well, actually they're cocoa mugs I think, but they're way awesomer than tea cups because tea cups don't hold enough tea! Yes, awesomer is a word. Oh, and there are 6 of these, not just 2. But since they all look the same, I figured you'd get the idea.

The best tea in the world! Yummy. And while this "goes with" the tea set, I'm not waiting 'till I'm married to brew up this wonderfulness! Haha we'll just get more later anyway.

This little goody is just for me. It's a hand painted bowl for holding earings or rings. So cute!