the feather files

St. Louis Site: Blues Hockey Game

2012-01-21T09:44:00.002-06:00

For Christmas, Hubs got tickets to the St. Louis Blues hockey game. This was our first NHL hockey game ever. In fact, all my hockey knowledge comes straight from the Mighty Ducks movies - all three of them.

We took the MetroLink to the Scottrade Center, where the Blues play. Its is so convenient to not have to worry about parking and really, I'm not sure you could park closer without paying a ridiculous amount and then worrying about whether your car gets broken into or not.

I insisted we use some of my Christmas cash for food at the arena, which is a treat for us. And then we went to find out seats.

They were great seats. We were 5 rows behind the penalty box. For first timers, it was awesome because you could really grasp how fast the puck moves, and how fast the players move. I was always focused on the game because it was right in front of me.

I didn't understand everything, but caught on more and more as the periods progressed. It also got more excited as the game went on and I found myself standing up and cheering for the team. The blues had 38 shots total, and finally scored on shot 37 very close to the end of the game.

And although I watched for it, I never did see the "V" formation that always worked for the Mighty Ducks.

The Blues won, which added to the first time experience. And, I would definitely go again. I enjoyed it much more than baseball - it was fast paced, they played some great music, and you don't have to sit outside and sweat in the summer heat. Actually, I'd suggest wearing warm clothes...it got a bit chilly in there after a while.

I am officially a fan of the St. Louis Blues and it's something to see when visiting St. Louis. I may even be caught trying to watch a game on TV!

Question of the Day

2012-01-18T08:12:00.002-06:00

Will our Christmas decor be put away by the time our friends come over on Friday evening?

Don't judge me. Please.

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

2012-01-15T21:26:00.001-06:00

Hubs and I went grocery shopping together today.

First, we went to Trader Joe's. Always crowded, but totally worth it.

Then, we went to Wal-Mart. Always crowded, and totally despise it.

Parking is a nightmare at both spots. At Wal-Mart, I point out an open spot next to the cart corral.

Hubs: You know I don't park next to the cart corrals.

Me: It's probably the safest place to park at Wal-Mart. Nobody actually uses them.

I earned a high-five for that one, as we walked in a saw carts strewn about the lot just feet from their convenient corrals.

Between the two stores, we walked out spending only $49 for a week of groceries. Not. Too. Shabby. I think I'm finally learning to shop smart. I think.

Comfy

2012-01-14T08:35:00.000-06:00

I'm ba-ack (said in a sing-song voice). I've ignored my blog for over 3 weeks which hasn't happened in the almost 4 years that I've been blogging. There aren't any excuses for my absence either. I just haven't blogged.

But here I am now, and today I'm sharing a story about the pups.

Ransom has always had a thing for comfy, soft items. He loves stuffed toys, although he never gets them because they end up destroyed and eaten. Our entire upstairs consists of hard wood and tile, so we find him either on his bed in the bedroom or in the basement on the couch [the only piece of furniture he is allowed on]. When we visit our parents, he isn't allowed on the couches either, so he searches for whatever comfy spot he can find.

Over New Year's weekend, the only comfy spot available was a dog bed meant for a pup 1/3 of his size. That doesn't stop this dog. Somehow, he turned and twisted and pushed its limits until he made it work - determined not to lay on the hard wood when something comfy was around.

It might have been a comfy spot, but it certainly could not have been a comfortable position. Minutes later, he was curled up tighter inside the bed, snoring away.

His cousin, Holly, was less than thrilled that he took over her bed.

Uncle Hubs & Aunt Feather

2011-12-20T12:00:00.000-06:00

The year 2011 brought with it many life changes in our little family, and the year 2012 is already expecting one major change in our larger family unit:

Hubs & I will have our first niece or nephew!

Excited much? The next progressive step in our lives was for somebody to have a baby. And I couldn't be happier that it is my brother and sister-in-law taking the plunge. We are joining them in their excitement and can't wait to meet the little guy (or gal).

Their wedding

I love my aunts. They are fun and wise and loving and very special. I hope that I can be that to this little one. I love my uncles. They are crazy and funny and loving and very special. I hope that Hubs can be a favorite to this little one.

So, this Christmas is the last with just the sibs. Next year we will have a welcomed addition, but I want to enjoy this last time together without our time and attention diverted towards the cuteness and antics of the children (maybe they'll have twins...).

But, I can tell you exactly where I'll be next year on Christmas Day:

On the couch holding my niece or nephew. Enjoying everything about him for the limited time I have to see him. And, giving the stare-down to any and all who dare to snatch him out of my hands.

Congratulations little bro & sis. I love you lots, pray for you often and rejoice with your news!

St. Louis Site: Candy Cane Lane

2011-12-18T18:07:00.002-06:00

On Saturday night, we decided to return a movie by walking to the rental store. It is less than a mile away and the temperature was in the mid forties. After returning the movie, however, we decided to continue walking to a nearby park for fun.

That's when we saw the traffic jam. We continued on our way, but were intrigued over what could bring so many people out that they would wait in line to see.

The area we were walking around in is known as St. Louis Hills. It has beautiful brick homes and I love taking walks in the area. It was fun this time around because many people had put up beautiful Christmas lights. Even our park had a giant Christmas tree with more lights than I've ever seen.

Traffic was still backed up after we walked around the park, so we decided we had to check it out. Turns out, they were in line to see Candy Cane Lane.

This was one of the most impressive displays of neighborhood lights I'd ever seen. There were lights canopying the street, each house was tastefully decorated, an exquisite sand sculpture was displayed, and they even had a large screen with "Polar Express" playing. You could tune your radio to a certain fm station and hear the movie playing. The residents were taking donations to go towards the Joplin tornado relief and giving out candy canes to those driving through. There were bonfires going and the only thing really missing was some hot cocoa.

This simple walk to the movie store became one of the best outings we've taken in a while. We had commented that it isn't feeling much like Christmas this year, with warm weather and NO SNOW. Seeing these lights made us get in the mood a little more!

6 Reasons Why I Should Start Running

2011-12-14T21:35:00.001-06:00

My friend sent me an article called, “6 Reasons to Start Running.” It reminded me of things I knew; reasons why we should just be working out in general. But then I decided I needed some reasons that were more personal.

If you’ve been following the feather files from the beginning, you know that my very first post was about getting into running. Since then, I have been in and out and in and out. While I am not where I was 3.5 years ago, I am also worse off than I have been at times. I want to work out, but the excuses wear me down each evening and it just doesn’t happen.

6 Reasons why I should Start Running

1. I don’t want to be fat. It’s true that I am too self-conscious of myself. I hardly ever wear shorts because I can’t stand my thighs touching each other. My knees are awkward and ugly. I’m not happy when I can feel my stomach bunch up into rolls when I sit. Without working out, my legs will continue further down the road of cellulite and spider veins. I don’t handle the effects of gaining weight very well, and running will help me avoid that future. (*For those of you wanting to scroll down to the bottom and scream in all caps, "YOU'RE NOT FAT," I know that. I'm strictly speaking in the preventative sense in that I don't want to put on unnecessary weight, which if I continue as I am, will happen in the years to come.)

2. I love food. I can’t be one of those people who limits themselves to eating a very small amount of food and I will not ban ice cream from our home forever. Scientifically and mathematically, I need to use that which I consume. So, if I am not going to give up food, I’d better take up exercise.

3. I like healthy. Activity is healthy, it is also non-existence in my 8-5 office job with a 40 minute daily commute. When I ~~ran~~ jogged this morning, my lungs and heart were not used to exertion. They struggled to keep up and, although my legs were willing, the rest of my body was shocked that I would subject it to anything more than a walk around the neighborhood at a relatively fast pace. My stomach even threatened to show me in a more real way the shock it was undergoing. (Fortunately, I was able to coax it back to a happier state.) Healthy food alone will not improve my health; activity must be included.

4. June 2, 2012. A friend and I signed up and paid the registration for a 10k listed as one of Runner’s World Magazine’s top ten hills. It’s something that I need to be ready for and it is the deadline that I need.

5. Sanity & Schedule. I rarely have a bad night’s sleep, but I remember that working out regularly makes sleep even more enjoyable and inviting. Going to bed having done something other than sitting is a really good feeling. Making time for working out/running crams the schedule a little tighter, but honestly a tight schedule is sometimes more helpful than a loose one.

6. Hubs. Hubs likes running and he likes healthy exercise. He is happy when he makes time for it, and I probably am, too. Hubs also likes an attractive wife and I know he thinks I’m more attractive with my thighs don’t touch either other as much and I don’t have to suck in to have flat abs.

So, a gym membership is going to have to happen and activity, including running, will begin again. It’s not even the New Year and I’m ready for the change

Christmas songs & decor

2011-12-10T15:42:00.001-06:00

Oh, the weather outside is frightful / But the fire is so delightful / And, since we've no place to go / Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I put the Christmas cd's in the car this week. I am that person scream-singing in my car to all the songs. Hand motions and facial expressions may or may not be included. But I love Christmas music (with the one exception of Santa Baby). From the simple childhood songs, to the ancient carols, to the triumphant brass, to the songs with deep lyrics and closely intertwining harmonies, I could listen to these songs throughout the year.

It's about the cross / It's about my sin / It's about how Jesus came to be born once so that we could be born again // It's about God's love / Nailed to a tree // It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me.

Listening to the music this year has made me remember how much I loved singing in a group, working out difficult lines that, when put together, make lovely melodies. Like most things in my life, I didn't stick with it and it is such a vague memory anymore. Instead, I've become a proficient car singer.

There have been so many babies to become a king / But only one King became a baby

When it comes to interior design & decor, I don't pretend that I am any good at decorating. Really, I have no clue how to put things together, but I am happy with our simple mantel this year. And, I did decide on the colors I wanted to stick with. Instead of pulling out every item in the 4 Christmas totes, I stuck with things that go together (I hope). My lack of style really begs the question, "Why would you even show the world your finished product." Nobody is going to see it this year besides us, so I'm sharing it so it doesn't go to waste.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother / And in His Name all oppression shall cease // Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we / Let all within us praise His holy Name!

I really wanted 3 dark brown frames with white matting for the printouts, but we decided not to spend money on decorations this year, so I had to use what I had. It works, but I'll still hope for the new frames next year.

He is here / The Savior has been born / The one we've waited for / Surrounded by our praises // He is here / The promise of our King / To you our lives we bring / Let you glory be revealed

Just a simple carpenter who found himself in love / with a girl bearing the child of the Divine // Just a simple manger yet somehow it was enough / to accommodate the God of space and time

Only 2 weeks until Christmas and I've only bought Hubs' gifts. I ordered my Christmas cards too late and they will go out after the holiday. We've gone to zero Christmas parties and we've not even put up a tree. But, I'm enjoying the twinkle lights around the neighborhood and the carols on the radio and I'm looking forward to time with everyone I love over the holidays!

The Break We Needed

2011-11-28T21:42:00.001-06:00

Hubs and I looked forward to Thanksgiving more than ever this year. It's been a [trying] year and we were just ready for relaxation. That is exactly what we got in the form of family togetherness, hobbies, and laughter.

The tradition continued for us to participate in a Thanksgiving 5K. Every year that Hubs and I have participated, it has been below freezing, so we were delighted and overdressed for the sunny 46 degree weather. None of us had been running consistently, but we all finished. It feels incredibly good to get out and move before sitting and eating in the afternoon.

After lunch, we found a dog park so that Ransom could run. He hasn't really been able to run since we moved to St. Louis. He enjoyed himself, and it calmed him down for the rest of the trip. Surprisingly to all of us, it was a busy place.

To finish off the day, we played Kinect. It is really fun; it is hilarious. And, I was painfully sore for the rest of the trip.

On Friday, we went out to a farm to "shoot some guns." I hadn't shot anything for a long time and wasn't as excited as the guys. But, once I got used to it again I was reminded at how fun it can be - as long as you are being smart and cautious, of course.

We started off with Dad's new 38 caliber hand gun. It was a little too tiny for me to be very accurate. I would need some definite target practice if this was going to be useful for me.

I look extremely dumb shooting with my giant hoodie over my head. I'll think that through next time. In the picture below, Richard caught the smoke coming from the gun. You might notice how skewed my hand is compared to the photo above, which shows the kick-back that tiny gun has. I need some strength in those arms!

Things then moved to guns bigger than I care to handle and targets further away. These guns were loud and heavy. Maybe if there would have been something to rest the gun on....nope, I still wouldn't have shot it.

Mom and I hung out in the car and watched. It was comfortable watching from the car, but a bit chilly to just stand around.

Things moved back to the smaller scale and I even got back out and shot the 22 rifle. Pathetically, that was still too much for me to hold for 10 rounds. I a) need to lift some weights or b) need to stick to hand guns. Richard was the sharp-shooter of the day with this Winchester Colt 45 rifle. He shot 4 rounds right in the bulls-eye!

This year I was very thankful for a break and that we live close enough to go visit family for the holiday. I know that we could have had fun in St. Louis, but to be surrounded by familiarity, without the constant reminders of school and work, was oh, so rejuvenating.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday: 2011 thoughts

2011-11-28T09:16:00.001-06:00

Hundreds (literally) of emails filled my inbox over the past week filling me in on all the deals that were too good to pass up.

Unlike years before, I barely read them and moved them directly to the trash bin.

The deals were too tempting and I knew that if I looked for too long, I would find things that I thought I needed. Sure enough, when I did venture out with my mom on Saturday, the sales were going on and I wanted oh-so badly to cash in on all the great sales.

But I didn’t need anything. And I didn’t have the money to spend on anything. And I shouldn’t spend money just because something is on sale – at least, this is what Hubs is trying to teach me. I want plenty of things and didn’t want to even give myself the opportunity to succumb to the pressure.

However, today the deals are out again and they are just as tempting as before. (I should really stop reading about the Kindle Fire.) So, instead of shopping myself, I thought I’d share some of my favorite deals with you!

Soap.com
I did cash in on this one, because we needed the items and I can’t get them cheaper than this!

30% off these brands: Method, Covergirl, Rainbow Light vitamins, Pantene, Neutrogena, Luna, Crest 3D, Cheerios, Yes To, Playtex & Aveeno / use coupon code: SOAP30. Also, free shipping when on orders over $39 (combined total between all their sites: wag.com, yoyo.com, & beautybar.com).

Yoyo.com
40% off one full-priced item / use coupon code: YOYO40. Same free shipping as soap.com & wag.com. This site has games, books & toys galore. Check it out, especially if you are giving games as gifts!

Wag.com
35% off all products (great prices on dog food, etc). Also, free shipping on orders over $49 ($39 if shopping between all sites – see soap.com above)

Sheermiracle.com
35% off all products / use coupon code cyber2011. I love their mineral powder and haven’t needed any since last year’s Cyber Monday sale. I am almost out, but have been holding on, waiting for this very sale.

TheLimited.com
50% off + free shipping. I love this brand for my work clothes and they NEVER have free shipping. This is a great deal that I won’t be taking advantage of, though my mom scored some awesome pants.

Of course, there are great deals on photo sites today, too. I wish I was more prepared and ready to order some of those gifts. And, I’m sure there are deals on the sites you like best too.

Happy shopping!

Relevant Thanks-Giving

2011-11-15T13:22:00.001-06:00

In a country where we have an overwhelming amount for which to be thankful (no dangling preposition here thanks to my grandmother’s voice in my head), I find myself increasingly un-thankful. Just spending any small amount of time watching TV, perusing Facebook, pinning on Pinterest, and stepping outside of my house is slowly eating away at any grateful spirit that I had cultivated. Whether it is new clothes, house furnishings, thinner legs, or a different stage in life; I always have something I would rather have or somewhere I would rather be.

And those things are not BAD; that’s not what I’m saying. No, the only wrong here is my own response to what I see or what I desire. And lately, my response has not been contentment. It has not been a desire to be used by God in the here and now. And it has certainly not been gratitude.

I think it has to come back to the little stuff. I can make an overarching statement of the things I am thankful for: health, husband, home, family, salvation, but when those little [big] extras come up, it doesn’t really help to think about how thankful I am for my health.

Let me demonstrate with brown leather boots; flat, chunky, wear with jeans, essence of fall boots. They are all over Pinterest. They are on all sorts of people’s feet. They are in pictures, in stores, and I love them. They aren’t a necessity right now and I can’t justify buying a pair (since I rarely even wear jeans nowadays). But my immediate reaction has been to [inwardly] pout because I don’t have them. Instead of this wrong response, I should put on gratefulness.

So, is this where I start thinking through the list things in which to be thankful: house, car, heater, husband, family, etc? I don’t find that helps much. But, what about if I am grateful over something applicable to this instance? “I already own a pair of black, brown & gray boots. Ones that I love and I wear often because they are more work appropriate. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to have stylish clothes that I need for my job.”

I still love those boots. I even want them. But I’m learning to not sin in my response of not getting them right now. I am finding that this allows me to learn to be thankful, to not be swallowed up in my discontentment, and frees me to be excited for others that have things I want.

There are much bigger things in my life where I have noticed discontentment and ungratefulness; boots are just a simple example. But I am hoping that by slowly learning to put a relevant thankful thought in the place of an ugly one, and with the Holy Spirit’s diligent prodding of my heart, I can train my heart and mind to be one of gratefulness and joy.

So, what better time of the year to confess my sinful thoughts and actions to the Lord and really work on cultivating a spirit of gratitude? Because let's face it; a life of thanks-giving is much more happy than a life of me-giving.

Outtakes 2011

2011-11-08T21:35:00.002-06:00

Hubs humored me a few weeks ago and was willing ~~to try~~ to take a few family photos after church. Although, I was planning on pictures without the dog, he managed to get in a few of them to remind us why we don't have great pictures with all three of us together.

Because he wants to look at us, not the camera...

Because we catch him in awkward and embarrassing poses...

Because he sits pretty looking the wrong direction...

Because he's too large to hold...

Because the 10-second timer isn't long enough...

He still ends up making us loose the fake-smile because we laugh a lot.

Five Random Questions

2011-11-03T11:14:00.000-05:00

I have some random questions on my mind, and who better to pose them to than the people that read my blog? Plus, I have a feeling I have lost a majority of my readership from my tumultuous October that kept me from even desiring to blog about anything. Hopefully I can find out if anyone is still reading...

1. Which version of the Bible do you regularly read: New King James (NKJ), New American Standard (NAS) or English Standard (ESV)? I’m asking because I’ve always used the NKJ and bought an ESV Bible last year and am wishing I would have bought the NAS. The only NAS Bible I have is on my kindle.

2. If you travel out of town for all the holidays and don’t have any kids, do you still decorate your own house? I will, but I feel like we need to have a party or something since nobody will see them except for Hubs and me.

3. How do you plug-in Christmas lights outside? I want to put lights on the blue spruce in our yard, but have no clue how to power them. Obviously, I’ve never done this before. Do you just use an extension cord?

4. What is the passage or verse in the Bible that is on your mind right now? Isaiah 26:3-4 “You will keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” Ever since a friend shared this verse years ago, I continually come back to it.

5. If you took a vacation over Christmas, which of the following would you choose: a big city with the Christmas hustle bustle; a snowy ski destination in the Rocky Mountains; a warm beach in Hawai’i; or, you would never vacation over Christmas. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to vacation every year over Christmas, but it would be a fun twist to the holidays especially since we don’t have children – I would want it to be with our family though. However, when the kids come along, I think we will stay put most of the time.

A 28-year-old birthday

2011-11-01T07:17:00.002-05:00

Twenty-eight is not glamorous. And, for those of you on facebook wondering, I did not go to NYC to celebrate. Instead, this is what I did...

It started with breakfast at Starbucks and reading in Psalms. It was one of the highlights of my day, and could have only been better if I could have stayed there for hours and not minutes.

I spent the next 3.5 hours in this chair.

For lunch, I treated myself and drove all the way to see Hubs. We walked around and enjoyed the fall day.

And then it was this chair for 4.5 more hours.

Traffic was backed-up on the drive home. I guess people are in a hurry to get home for the Halloween festivities.

I had planned for Ransom and I to go for a little run after work, but after the traffic jam and getting out of work a little late, we just played fetch in the back yard for a while.

And then we tried to take a picture together.

By that time, it was already starting to get dark. So we got ready for the trick-or-treaters.

Side note: In St. Louis, the trick or treaters tell you a joke to get candy! We actually didn't have too many stop by, so in between visitors, I made supper - a very non-fall dish - Chicken Makhani.

To end the night, I dished up a bowl of my favorite ice cream and watched Hawaii 5-0.

Ransom cuddled up next to me and dozed off.

And that is the excitement of turning 28!

News-junkie, World Series and other thoughts about the fall of 2011

2011-10-21T14:25:00.004-05:00

What a strange year it has been. And the fall of 2011 has continued in the same fashion.

At my full-time job I have a TV which is constantly on Fox News. I haven’t watched Fox News consistently in over 5 years – since I lived on my own and had cable! Even then, I only watched it in the mornings as I was getting ready for class. I’m sad to say that I am hooked. I anxiously turn on the TV on Monday mornings to catch up on what I missed over the weekend. I find myself bummed out when I am going to miss an interview that is over my lunch hour. And, on the positive, I feel more informed about the [republican] presidential candidates than usual. I can see why those that do nothing but watch Fox News all day could be depressed, or complaining, or angry at the world today – there is rarely anything to be happy about. However, I try not to be affected in this way. Instead it is a reminder that this world will never be anything close to perfect and promotes thankfulness that I am only a visitor.

The Saint Louis Cardinals welcomed us this year by making it to the Word’s Series. Being a true football-girl, I’ve felt quite foreign in this primarily baseball-town. However, I work blocks away from Busch Stadium and have dealt with crazy traffic over the last weeks of playoffs (they call them playoffs, right?), so it was impossible not to know that something big was happening. It doesn’t look like the Rams will welcome us in the same way.

Usually, I really get into Fall. It is the best time of the year. I would make it to the pumpkin patch/stand, go apple picking, and definitely decorate the house with leaves and pumpkins and the colors of fall. I would spend time outside enjoying the weather and I would take pictures of the beautiful trees. We would have people over for chili and cinnamon rolls and I would want be able to shop for the fall styles.

The time and the energy is just not there this year. I would rather get my house cleaned than decorate it – thus the lack of décor in general. There is not even a pumpkin on our front porch! It’s even stranger that I just don’t care. My efforts this fall consist of an over-priced ½ gallon of Louisburg Apple Cider & a Pumpkin Tree [that has since died and is in the trash] from Trader Joes. Time with Hubs is a precious commodity, one for which I sacrifice much. Success this fall will be making it through to the next day.

The year is passing quickly and yet slowly. Monday’s [once my favorite day of the week] roll around before I know it, yet when I think of Hubs’ journey in school, we have just begun. As easy as it can be to be melancholy, to be tired, and to be unsociable; we still try to have fun, laugh, and get through enjoy this season of life.

Shopping with Me

2011-10-11T15:18:00.000-05:00

Shopping with me is an experience. Those who have shopped with me learn that they can tell if I like what they are suggesting with one look at my face or by my comment on the item. I agonize over what I should really spend my money on. I usually go back to at least one store to purchase something I had decided against. I can always try on the shoes on display. The only time I buy something that is not on sale is when I really, really REALLY love it. And, the most notorious thing about shopping with me is that I always lose something.

It is the most frustrating thing ever. I leave my purse. I leave my keys. I leave an article of clothing somewhere. And then hours later, we are trucking back to each store searching for where I could have left them. I start sweating from the pressure and when I get hot, it’s like the world is ending. My favorite, and most understanding, shopping companion [Ruth] is very much used to this sort of shopping catastrophe. This weekend, my MIL was introduced.

We went to Nordstrom Rack, where I found 2 very cute pairs of black boots to replace the pair I have, which are falling apart big time. I tried them on and they were both lovely. I left all my belongings and went in search of my MIL to get her opinion. She liked them and we oohhed and ahhed. Then I took them off and put them back because they were out of my price range. I ended up finding a cute dress for $16 [originally $49] and a pair of leggings. We checked out and that’s when I noticed my keys were missing.

The search began. The shoe racks, the cashier, the dressing room, underneath the clothing racks, and the bathroom; then we repeated. No sign of them. I went to the car; not in there either. We enlisted the help of employees; still nothing. I looked in the shoe boxes and tipped the shoes upside down; nothing. Then I remembered that a young boy was in the shoe aisle, where I had laid all my stuff down. I started wondering if he grabbed them and they were gone forever. It had been 10 minutes and we hadn’t seen them. I start thinking about what Hubs is going to say.

Then I see my MIL smiling. The keys had been found by an employee. Where were they? INSIDE one of the boots. They must have been lodged in there, too, because I had tipped the boots upside down. Maybe the boots really wanted to come home with me. They still stayed at the store, though.

For those of you that have shopped with me before…sound familiar? I love it when someone else drives!

It's not my fault (the blame game that has continue since the garden)

2011-10-07T13:37:00.001-05:00

In the news today...

A woman killed her husband. Eleven gun shots while he was shaving. She was acquitted by a jury of mostly women on the defense that she has "battered-woman syndrome." Her husband was abusive for years, which gave her a disease, which is why she killed.

So much to say.

Two wrongs never make a right.

Killing is never acceptable. Finding a safe place is acceptable. Using legal methods to find safety in an abusive relationship is acceptable. Murder is not.

This is an example of how we seek to blame someone or something for our sinful actions (in this case a "disease"). When the responsibility is ours.

If we continue in this manner, people will literally be able to "get away with murder" because it will never be their fault. Oh wait, this happens all the time in a process we term "abortion."

Food for thought.

Relaxing evening at the park

2011-10-04T10:43:00.003-05:00

Hubs and I had a busy, crazy week. Oh wait. That’s every week.

But on Friday night, we were both exhausted and needed a break. So we went for a family walk at a nearby park. It’s a beautiful park with ponds and trees. There are tennis courts and playgrounds and walking trails. It was a perfect night for a relaxing, uneventful, calm walk together.

As has become our habit, we loaded Ransom up with his backpack and 5-pound dumbbells on each side to make him work a little hard, and hopefully burn a little more energy. He loves to watch every single squirrel with extreme interest just in case I let him loose to chase them – which I never do. But to the ducks, he shows little-to-no interest. If he didn’t look so much like a Labrador, you’d never know he was.

Towards the end of our walk, it had gotten dark and we were walking next to one of the ponds. The pups needed a drink so I let him go to the edge of the pond. As he leans down to the water, the dumbbells shift in his pack, making him heavier towards the front. He loses his balance and slips in. It wasn’t too bad, though, because his head stayed above the water and I think he could touch. Immediately, he gets out.

Great, we think. Water is something we usually have to force him in anyways so he is probably scarred and will never venture towards water again.

But…his memory is very short.

I again tried to get him interested in the ducks as we walked toward our car. Maybe it was the surge of energy from the quick dip in the pond. Maybe his Labrador instincts kicked in. Whatever the reason, this time he was interested in the ducks and he took off towards them, and another pond.

The ducks, of course, got into the pond and swam away as we approached. Their rush to the water made him more interested and he kept going. And then, it was like he remembered he was thirsty. We reached the water’s edge and it was déjà vu. He bent down to get a drink. The dumbbells shifted. The weight made him lose his balance. In he goes.

This time, he went head-first and all of him sank below the dark water. When he emerged, he is in panic-mode because this water-dog doesn’t remember that he can swim really well. Plus, we have him loaded down with 10 extra pounds, so he can’t even get his front legs up and out of the water. By this time, Hubs is there to assist and Ransom has gotten us all wet from the splashing and the shaking.

We had a good laugh over it and it was actually a nice way to get our minds off of everything else. And it worked out well for Ransom. He got a bath when we got home!

Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber

2011-09-30T08:14:00.001-05:00

Carolyn went to Oxford as an intellectual hoping in pursuit of building her knowledge of literature even more. What she found, however, was that intellect alone does not answer the deep questions of life that those in literature write about. She was drawn towards reading the greatest Book ever written. Through that, other godly scholars and the Holy Spirit she was brought to salvation through Christ.

I did not expect much from this book. I was happily surprised to find that the gospel was solid and enjoyed her story of conversion. Being in the intellectual environment, Christ was "poo-pooed" and she had to endure tribulation on the professional and personal level by choosing Christ over reason & intellect. The greates part of all is seeing the transformation in her heart, her life and her overall perception and way of meeting day-to-day life

I will admit, the writing is very literary in style and there were parts when I was tempted to skip over to get back to the main story. Some of the dialogue was long; but again, it was in an effort to demonstrate the struggles she was having both pre- and post-conversion. It was refreshing to read a TRUE story, rather than fiction.

Praise God for His amazing grace in bringing another lost soul to Himself!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The basement

2011-09-24T11:22:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've given you more of a tour around our home. Mainly because I was waiting until things were hung on the wall.

Things still aren't on the wall, but I finished up a project this week that I am really excited about. So, it is a good time to show you our basement.

Our basement is made up of a living area and oh-so-much glorious storage!

It is pretty cozy down here and a good spot to relax. We didn't paint the walls and it would be awesome to someday get a small sectional to replace the [very old] blue couch.

Ransom enjoys the blue couch [which he will not be allowed to do on a new couch], so it will be a sad day for him when we update. It is a small area, for sure, and even a little awkward, but we like it.

We've split it into a TV-watching area and a game-playing area. When YOU come to visit, we take down the game table and replace it with a [very] comfy bed.

Then, there is the storage. If you remember, my kitchen has about 5 feet of usable counter space, and very little cabinetry. SO, I have my pantry in the basement:

I love having a pantry, even though I'd prefer it be off to the side of the kitchen. It really isn't as bad as you'd think to run downstairs for things. I try to plan my trips wisely.

And then there is more storage. Not only do we need kitchen storage, but the closets are very tiny and the garage is very small, so we need more storage! Such a shock for us coming from walk-in closets and large garages!

This looks into our unfinished basement area. Behind me is the laundry area. The previous owners build nice, sturdy shelves all along the back wall, which I am extremely thankful for.

This looks back further into the storage area. When I first organized this area, I thought that the Christmas decor should go all the way to the back. Now I'm not sure how I'll get them out!

This week's project revolved around the storage room. The garage resembles a junk room right now. It is where we put all the stuff that we didn't know what we would do with. A large portion of that "stuff" was books. So, I set up our cinder-block shelves and moved some of the books inside. To my our library.

The cinder-blocks have suffered through the last 2 moves. The black paint is chipping, but they are still very functional and sturdy. I'd love to get a cheap piece of carpet to put in the "library," for now a cardboard box is there to try and make it a comfortable area. It'd also be fun to get an old chair to read in for this area.

It was like seeing old friends again to open up our books. And I just wanted to sit and revisit them again. It was also surprising to look through the books. We have quite a few duplicates to give away, and more NIV Bibles than the christian bookstore [which is strange considering neither of us prefer that version to study from]. I couldn't fit all of them on the shelves, and there are still 6-8 more boxes of textbooks in the garage that will be moved to the storage shelves. I did throw 1 book away; the rest I put back into a box because I knew we wouldn't read them anytime soon.

The "library" could be considered one of my favorite areas. Browsing through our shelves can tell you so much about us. I'll gladly loan them out, so stop on by. I'm just excited to have my books back out!

Things I had Forgotten about Dental School [from the perspective of the student's wife]

2011-09-21T19:24:00.002-05:00

Things I had forgotten about Dental School [from my perspective, the wife not in dental school]:

how short the evenings are:: from 5:30 - 7:30 am is a blur of rushing around

therefore, how much more we depend on coffee

how short the evenings are:: home, fix dinner, eat dinner, workout [maybe], clean up dinner, force myself to stay up and be productive until 10, fall into bed exhausted

how short the weekends are:: filled with catching up, cleaning, laundering, socializing

how much I learn about teeth

how slowly the time passes while you are in the midst of it all

that crazy feeling of having no idea where you will be in 3 years' time

how much more I enjoy time with Hubs

the helplessness I feel when Hubs is buried in studying and busywork and real life, too

how much I prayed as a dental school wife:: for my husband, for our marriage, for our future, for our growth

how much I need j'net to encourage me and pray for me and exhort me in the word

the constant pull of wanting to have fun and be involved, yet also not neglecting our home, each other and our Bibles

The main difference this time is that I'm not bored. I used to be bored in the evenings or on the weekends, but this time it is just the opposite.

Adjustment take time and as we settle in, we are acutely aware of the difference in our life right now. But slowly, Mondays [which previously was my day off] aren't as dreadful. Priorities are [gradually] falling into the right place. Friendships are being built. Home is starting to feel like home.

Stay tuned: hopefully we will get what the student's perspective!

St. Louis Site: The Great Balloon Race

2011-09-20T17:53:00.000-05:00

This was a last minute site, so I don't have a full report on the event. Just about 2 hours / Hubs's study break.

When I heard about the Great Balloon Race in Forest Park, I was most excited for the Friday night "Balloons A-Glow." We were unable to make it to that, but on the schedule for the next day was the actual race, a time to walk up next to the balloons while they were being inflated, and sky-divers. So, Hubs and I decided to go check it out right in the middle of the events schedule activities. Which, is always a gamble as to what kind of parking availability you might find. We were fortunate to find something fairly close, with not too many difficulties. I think we learned some tips about parking in the park that we have packed away for next time, too.

Reason #1 to go to this event: It's FREE. I love free stuff.The day was perfect in temperature, but overcast. It ended up drizzling on us for a bit. We arrived just in time to walk amongst the balloons as they were being blown up. What a process that is! Of course you have to walk through all the vendors before making it to the actual balloons, but it was like walking through the midway of the state fair, which is fun in itself.

There were lots of balloons up when we first arrived. The movie-theatre-popcorn-shaped one was pretty impressive.

It took a lot of work for them to get the balloons upright. I had not clue. In my limited thinking, I assumed you simple pushed a button and they stood up on their own. It was interesting to just stand and watch the process.

You had to watch out. As they are inflating, the wind would blow them every which way, knocking you over if you weren't paying attention.

And the thing people ride in, really is a basket! Flimsy looking things held in the sky by hot air. As fun as it sounds to be on one...it seems very precarious. I also never thought through keeping the balloon on the ground once inflated. All these people putting their weight on the basket, and it still hopped around with the wind blew.

We love events that let us bring the pups [always carrying water in his backpack], and this one does! He not only strikes up multiple conversations with people, but he gets out and learns how to be socialized, especially with little kids that want to give him love.

Probably our favorite part of the day [we didn't actually stay for the balloon race], was the sky divers. We watched 4 people jump out of a plan and land on an "X" in the middle of the field. And it was so cool! I would never have the crazy guts to jump out of a plane.

(Not sure how to get the video to be upright. My apologies.)

This event happens every year in Forest Park [one of my favorite places in St. Louis] and I'd highly recommend checking it out next year - September 14-16, 2012.

The tale of the [giant] spider

2011-09-16T07:07:00.001-05:00

One Saturday, I was getting a lot done around the house - organizing, cleaning, unpacking [yes, there ~~was~~ is still some of that left]. When I pulled out a storage bin, a giant spider fell to the ground. Not usually afraid of spiders, I leapt out of the way of the giant, extremely fast-crawling spider. It crawled behind the TV and I decided to ignore it for the time being.

While eating some lunch, the beast scurries from under the TV right to the middle of the floor. I may or may not have let out a little scream at this point. Then I went to get a shoe and was going to take care of this problem once and for all. After a good 10 minutes of staring at the thing, I texted Richard:

"Call me."

I might have been a little dramatic, but we talked and discussed using a Tupperware container to keep him in place so that Hubs could take care of it when he got home. I sent a text back to assure him I caught the thing:

Hubs replied: I will bring on the pain to him when I get home.

But, the I got to thinking. What if he escaped in the hours that Hubs spent at school. I thought he could possibly get out under the lid. And then, I would never be able to relax in the basement without wondering if he was going to crawl up my leg. So, I texted back:

He's not going anywhere.

I can assure you. The giant spider is dead.

The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead

2011-09-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

I think the difficulty in writing fantasy novels comes in finding the right balance so that it remains a real possibility and not too far out there. In this story, Freda and Daniel find a passageway into a mythical land where they are burdened with the task of saving the world. This, by no surprise, affects the rest of their life in very different ways and in the years that follow, they realize their job may not be completed.

This book has several different story-lines simultaneously which converge at the end. I love that. It is a story that keeps you on your toes and makes you want to keep reading, from the very beginning, so that you can try to understand all that is happening. The ending was complete; yet still left me waiting for the next book. Best of all, although I wanted to continue reading, it didn't suck me so far in that I couldn't stop reading.

The writing is good, the story-line complex and intriguing. Besides one tiny discrepancy I found in the plot, it was a great, entertaining read.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

St. Louis Site: Castlewood State Park // Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

As planned, Hubs and I saved Labor Day as a day to get out and relax. We left the house by 8:30 am and were off to revel in the sub-60 degree temps at Castlewood State Park. I had heard good things, but we weren't sure what to expect. It is only 17 miles from our doorstep, right in the city of Ballwin [one of the places where we looked for a house].

We weren't dissappointed. What a great spot for a family outing - picnics, hiking, biking, gathering, grilling, swimming [if you do that sort of thing in a river - I do not]. It was gorgeous. And, it's FREE!

Part of the reason we chose this activity was to get the Pups out and exercised. We loaded him up with full Nalgene bottles in his pack [water for us and him] to make him work a little harder. It was pretty chilly - not being used to such reasonable temperatures - so Hubs made a stop and surprised me with some coffee. Made my day.

As you can tell, Ransom had a blast. It was fun to see him working - dogs are so happy when they have a job to do - and he even took a little jump into the river. If we would have been more prepared with a long leash, we would have let him get in further. Hubs and I enjoyed the calm, quietness of the woods.

After we finished a pretty lengthy trail, we decided to do another short one. I'm excited to go back again sometime, maybe in the fall when the leaves are changing. Afterwards we got some fast food, dropped the pups off at home for a nap, and went to a matinee for $7.25 each! We finally concluded the Harry Potter movie series.

And the weather is still perfect. It really was the break we needed before we settle in for a semester of school and work!

Am I Crazy?

2011-09-03T09:21:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've been wanting to add to our family. It's not that I love Ransom less and am ready for a different dog. But, I guess it's probably what people feel when they add another child to their family - there is just something missing and I am ready for the next step. Since children are not in the plans right now, it feels time for another dog. Plus, Ransom needs a sister. He has become the spoiled "only-child" who gets all of our attention at his every whim and he could definitely benefit from learning to share. He could also benefit from a playmate to wear him out, because his super-powers of endless energy don't quite fit with our busy schedule.

And of course, I don't just want any dog this time. I want one that looks like this:

Photo from: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/greaterswissmountain.htm

I can reason through most of the arguments to not get another dog. I've found some great deals on our medium-high priced dog food so we are stocked for a long time. The added crate and supplies would be a large start up cost, of course, but as we've seen with Ransom, it settles down after a while. The issue I can't work around is how they would both fit in the car, but that could be solved by putting the crates in back of the truck.

But then I ask myself, "Am I crazy?" And here's why.

Look at this dog. He is obviously not lacking in shiny, soft, black fur. It cover his entire body (save one unmentionable area). I mean, his underside is more covered with fur than I've ever seen. Its a medium length - not super short like purebreds. But also not long like the chow, which I guess that he has in him.

So it boggles my mind that he can maintain that much fur on his body, when I sweep up this pile:

I know it's gross. And I wish I could tell you that this was all of it, but really this was just a quick sweep of the noticeable stuff. I feel like I never actually get it all up, but I can at least get it to where it isn't noticeable to the guests.

So, I totally understand those of you who don't get a pet because of the hair. I really, really do. But, he's so much fun that I ~~don't care~~ put up with it. And, I would put up with it ~~if we ever~~ when we get another dog, too.

We need this

2011-09-02T10:41:00.002-05:00

All ~~week~~ month I have anticipated this weekend. I will cherish this ONE day off from school and work, since they are few and far between.

Of course there will be housework to catch up on, work to be done, shopping to be completed, and homework to continue, but one whole day has been set aside for a day trip and maybe even completing the Harry Potter movies.

But Labor Day completes the summer. And I am more excited about that than usual. Not only has it been a exhausting summer with oppressive heat, but it has been tiring in many more dimensions. (And I did not even get to the pool once this year!) After Labor Day, cool weather is near. College football is starting (although you wouldn't' know it around here). September is going to bring about routine and order. It will instill discipline and it will encourage good habits, not the lazy ones I have been trapped in. I hope to blog more. Pumpkins will be out and leaves will change to beautiful colors. I'm thinking of a fall party with chili and cinnamon rolls - hopefully that's a thing here.

So September has a lot of expectations placed on it, but really it is a chance to start a new slate after being thrust into so many directions over the past months. I'm looking forward to productive relaxation over the next few days and into the next months.

Oh, and let's not forget about the pumpkin spice lattes.

Whirlwind Weekend

2011-08-29T20:51:00.005-05:00

The weekend consists of 63 precious hours, from 5pm on Friday to 8am on Monday. This weekend I used every single one of those hours. I had two options regarding my weekend plans and although I wanted to do both options, I am very happy with how my weekend turned out.

It was family time vs. friend time.
It was less driving vs. lots of driving.
And it was Dr. Albert Mohler vs. Dr. Doug Bookman. [Both of whom have been two of the most influential Bible teachers in my life.]

Friday night sunset

I ended up seeing family and friends, seeing/hearing Dr. Bookman, and spending lots of quality time in my car. To simplify, this was my weekend:

17 hours of driving
8 hours in Kansas City
27 hours with friends
1 hour at Longview Lake
10 hours at home

Saturday morning sunrise

The normal weekend cleaning still needs to be done and the fridge and cupboards are bare, but it was a refreshing time with people so dear to me and I'm so glad I did it.

A spotted fawn and its mother. I also saw an armadillo and turkeys.

Sometimes traveling back to visit can be awkward and sad, but not so. God has been so good to bless me with great friends who love Him and encourage me to do so. I had a relaxing time enjoying their friendship, just hanging out, and celebrating the new and coming babies.

Sunday night sunset

Of course, I missed my boys back at home. I got a picture text from them on Sunday...

"Good morning, Mom. I miss you. See you tonight. Dad is the best."

No matter how much I would love to be sharing my day-to-day with these girls, I would much rather be with Hubs and the Pups. I'm back home and I'm ready to continue building relationships here and looking forward to more great relationships.

St. Louis Site: St. Louis Zoo

2011-08-20T19:17:00.001-05:00

My employer had a family outing at the St. Louis zoo, which, by the way, is a free zoo. They had lunch for us and we were able to see some of the fun exhibits at the zoo.

It started off kind of rainy, but cleared up and got really hot and muggy - typical for around here. You don't really know what to think about a free zoo, but it turns out that it is a really good zoo. The animals were active - especially the hippos, hyenas, and bears. And they are adding a really cool sea lion exhibit that we will have to go back next year and visit.

And the highlight of the day was Caribbean Cove, where we were able to pet stingrays and sharks.

They are sort of slimy, but really very smooth and soft. Hands-on experience are my favorite so this was my favorite part of the day. Hubs took a little video of the experience.

I accidently slipped and "fell in." But we petted sting rays and even a few little sharks. The sharks aren't as fond of being touched as the rays so they zip by pretty fast. Sometimes they let you feed the sting rays, so they seem to be more friendly.

When/If you visit, we'd definitely suggest this spot. Hubs and I parked on the road, had lunch provided, and even got $5 in zoo bucks (which we used towards the sting ray exhibit which costs $3/person), so the total cost of this day was $1. Those are just the kind of dates we love!

St. Louis(?) Site: Train Ride

2011-08-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

Where have I been? I've been right here. Busy with work. Busy with keeping up. And honestly, I haven't wanted to blog. I've even thought about shutting it down once or twice. But then, I was sitting outside on Friday during lunch, taking in the cool breeze and thinking about pumpkin spice lattes [coming to a Starbuck's near you on September 1]and I wanted to blog again.

So here I am.

-----------------------------

Two weekends ago, Hubs dropped me off in Kirkwood in the morning. I had my weekend bag and settled in at a local coffee shop [Kaldi's Coffee] for ~~an expensive~~ breakfast. One where they still take the time to make the foamed milk so stiff it can stand on its own. One where they even put designs in your foam.

It was very good. But, soon the time came for me to catch my train. That day, I was taking the Amtrak to Kansas City for a quick 36 hour trip. So, I walked across the street to the cute little station.

Inside were friendly volunteers to help us attach luggage tags and to chat with us while we waited for the train to arrive.

Soon we all began to gather on the platform, waiting for the train to approach. All I could think of was Harry Potter at this point. And really hoped to see that the Hogwart's Express was coming to pick me up. Okay, not really.

And then, it arrived.

There are friendly conductors to help you find the right car based on your destination. Then you just choose your seat and get comfy. Turns out, the inside is nothing like Hogwart's Express. But, it is pretty comfy. The seat are bigger than airplane seats and the train was nowhere near full so I got to spread out on two seats. There was a snack car that had booths and limited food. This is when I began thinking of White Christmas and started singing, "Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow!" Just kidding. I didn't really do that.

For a round-trip ticket, it cost $66.00. Which was cheaper than me driving; plus, I didn't have to drive. Which means I got to relax for the entire trip. Which is worth it because spending the weekend driving is no fun. The biggest downside is that they don't allow dogs.

All in all, it was a great trip [both the time in Kansas and the time of the train]. I'm looking forward to doing it again!

To Serve or To Be Served

2011-08-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

We've been church shopping. Anyone who has done this before knows it can be a trying experience. Anyone who has not done this before, probably should.

It can be isolating. It can be funny. It can be frustrating. And then, once you find the church and decide to make it your home, you have to start that process of getting involved. Which really means putting yourself out there and enduring awkward moments and getting to know people. If moving teaches you anything, it teaches you to be open with people and make friends.

I was reminded of when I first moved to Nebraska and was looking for a church. I would sit in my chair and wait for someone to come talk to me. Week after week. Just waiting for someone to serve me and see that I was alone and I needed a friendly face and a conversation. Then I would be upset that nobody reached out to me. But I made no effort. Even when people did come and talk, I was guarded and held back.

Unfortunately, I think we all do this too often, even when we have been going to a church for years. I have known women who feel alone at their church. They aren't involved. They don't like it. They sit there in their own little bubble and wait for someone to reach out to them. Before long, she is now thinking that people don't like her and that they are saying things about her and that she is unwelcome. And you can see where this can lead.

But that can be our default. It takes work to talk to the new person. It takes work for the new person to talk to the people who already have friends and ministries. It takes work to do more than just talk to someone one time and call them or email them during the week. It all requires us to let go of ourselves and reach out to others.

On Sunday I was visiting a church. I know lots of people there, but it isn't my church and I like to hid in the back on my own. Across the aisle were some people I knew from Nebraska. They were church shopping and this was their first Sunday and even though this wasn't my church, I was the person God put there to welcome them.

So it reminded me. That no matter whether it is my first Sunday or my 100th, I am not here to be served. I am here to serve.

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

2011-08-02T21:29:00.000-05:00

If you know me at all, you know I chose this book based on the cover.

Larry King writes in the introduction, "Settle in, for you are about to read a page turner."

I completely agree. Ten years after the event, this book takes us back to the disaster of 9-11 by sharing a great story of escape, courage and teamwork. Michael has been blind from birth and works on the 78th floor of Tower 1. Roselle, his guide dog, goes to work with him just like any normal day. The events that transpire, however, truly display their stamina and perseverance.

The narrative was paired with flashbacks to how Michael learned to function in a sighted-world; as well as facts and information regarding guide dogs and blindness. It was a perfect blend; I was always ready to continue reading [in fact, I read this book in one setting]. Not only was I enthralled in the [true] story, but I walked away having learned a lot. Regarding 9-11, I had forgotten what that day was like; this was a reminder of the assault, the pain, and the heroism. It is a book that I would definitely let anyone borrow and even would read again.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

St. Louis Sight: The City Museum

2011-07-29T07:18:00.000-05:00

For our anniversary we went to the City Museum. It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen - endless exploring through tunnels and passageways and slides. And when I thought that the outside was cool, we went indoors where there were caves and trees and waterfalls and even a 7-story slide.

Since it is so hard to explain, I'll just post pictures.

And then, since the latest trend is planking, we got in on that. Cuz we're cool.

A quote to think on

2011-07-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

"Here is a foundation of faith. Here is a resting place for the intellect. Here is an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast. It is not blind fate, unbridled evil, man or Devil, but the Lord Almighty who is ruling the world, ruling it according to His own good pleasure and for His own eternal glory."

A.W. Pink

The Sovereignty of God

five.

2011-07-22T06:51:00.001-05:00

Today Hubs and I have hit the five year mark. We have been married for five years, know each other for seven. And it has been quite the ride [everyone say that kind of thing].

At five years, I have reached the point where I can't remember what it was like to not have him in my life. Five years ago I hardly loved Hubs at all, compared to how much I love him today.

Both of the wise men who led our wedding ceremony said over and over that the key to our marriage would be to put our own needs, wants and desires last. [Not really what you hear from modern therapists and counselors.] I remember distinctly the charge given to me: "First bind yourself to Christ, then bind yourself to Richard." And wow, does marriage work better when I remember [and practice] those words!

In five years, we've done a lot together. We've traveled all over - Hawaii [twice], Seattle, Colorado, Mexico, Israel, San Diego, Michigan, Atlanta. We've moved 2.3 times. We've made lots of great friends together. We've brought a house. We added Ransom to our family. We've grown. A lot. We've laughed together and we've gotten angry at each other. All of it has helped us love each other more.

So, what does a couple of 27-year-olds, one a non-paid resident and the other a receptionist, do on their 5th wedding anniversary that happens to fall on a weekend to celebrate?

Watch all 8 Harry Potter movies in a row? Perhaps.

But first we are going HERE to ignite the child-at-heart and then dinner out on the town.

Happy Anniversary to us!

The Kitchen

2011-07-16T15:54:00.002-05:00

Finally. Our kitchen is [almost] complete. All that is left are some finishing touches - artwork, decor, etc.

I knew I wanted to go with either a bold green or gray for the paint color. Before, it was two ~~nasty~~ shades of green. I also knew I wanted to go with the same color on the top and bottom of the chair rail. People were skeptical of my gray [Valspar: Montpelier Ashlar Gray], but it is my favorite color in the whole house. I was nervous as to whether it would be too light, or what undertone would show through [green, blue...]. It is just the right color, however, to go with my bright turquoise and green accents [these accents are the things still missing from the room].

This is what the room looked like when we first saw the house:

And now:

The flowers are from our backyard!

Our appliances were straight from the 80s.

We updated!

Like I said, I'm still hoping to add some items including a chalkboard, two large matted prints of rainbow eucalyptus bark from www.imagesofthewildeye.com, and 2-3 colors of fiestaware. All these things will take lots of saved birthday and Christmas money.

But for now, I am happy with my little kitchen. You may wonder where I keep all our kitchen stuff, including our food. The cabinet space isn't plentiful, but in the basement I have a lovely pantry. I get my exercise while cooking!

For a final look at the before & after (click photos to view larger):

Saint Louis Sight: Cardinal's Game

2011-07-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

We are football people. We are college football, Nebraska football, people. But now we are immersed it what can only be described as a baseball town. Baseball: the slow-moving, no-replays-on-the-big-screen, hard-to-hold-attention game.

We got free tickets to a Cardinals game, and if we are going to take in all this city has to offer, we definitely had to take in this game. Plus, we don't turn down free anything.

It rains here more than in Kansas. A 50% chance of rain in Kansas means it probably won't rain. A 50% chance of rain here means it just might rain or it just might not. Rain has affected our plans more than ever before. Just as it did on Thursday.

Though the game was delayed a little, we still went. We took the metrolink downtown to avoid parking fees and potential break-ins.

The sky was ominous against the lights of the stadium. The rain had cooled down the temperature, though, and it was a good night.

We settled in and started to enjoy the game. It was hard, however, with the smell of fried onion rings wafting my direction. It was hard to think of anything but the food I was not enjoying. I did think it was cool how they mowed an arch in the field.

The stadium was awesome. Clean and very nice. We were impressed.

It started raining about 90 minutes later. Pouring. So the rain delayed the game and we decided to head home. The metrolink proved to be a good form of transportation. One we will probably use again since the station is less than a mile away.

I definitely wouldn't mind going to another game! But next time...we're getting food.

The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin in Her Own Words edited by Matt Lewis

2011-07-07T07:09:00.000-05:00

This is a compilation of quotes from Sarah Palin. That's it. No commentary, just words directly from her mouth. The book is organized well; quotes are separated based on topics from family to politics; from SNL to Obama, and everything in between. It is pretty much what you would expect a book of quotes to be like. There are enough quotes in each category for you to understand her stance on each topic.

This book was good for a person like me, who hasn't kept up with politics in 5-6 years. As a woman who refuses to be defined by the media or politicians, this provided a good base ground to understand her stances on many subjects. However, from this book, I was still unable to form an opinion as to whether I would support her as a potential presidential candidate; I think that still has to be left to further research on anyone's part. Also, if you watch enough of the news or read enough articles to have heard these statements already, I'm not sure this book would be interesting or worth reading.

I received this book as part of Thomas Nelson's BookSneeze program that provides books to bloggers for free. The opinions are my own.

St. Louis Sight - Kirkwood Fireworks & Tropical Moose

2011-07-05T10:02:00.000-05:00

We had planned to go to Fair Saint Louis on Saturday to see Maroon 5 and the fireworks underneath the arch. However, rain changed our plans and we ended up playing two very exciting games of Scrabble.

On July 4th, however, we headed out to Kirkwood for their fireworks show. I had heard about a shave ice place that had the Hawaiian specialty of ice cream on the bottom, plus a special little treat for canines.

We stood in line for a long time. It was a perfect day for shave ice. Once we got them, they were well worth the wait.

Mine is the giant papaya dream treat on the left; the nasty brown stuff on the left is for Ransom. They call it a "Canine Cooler" - meat flavored shave ice.

Ransom loved it. He couldn't stop eating it.

Ransom was very popular with the little girls sitting next to us. They loved on him until the fireworks started.

There were lots of people. The show was really good, too. And although Ransom does really well during the fireworks, we probably won't take him again.

Pineapple Tips

2011-07-01T15:21:00.001-05:00

I just finished cutting up a fresh pineapple. After our trips to Hawai'i, I really became a fan of this fruit; whereas before that, I could take it or leave it. It's true that the pineapple on the island is amazingly sweet, but sometimes on the mainland we find it more tart.

So, I've been buying fresh pineapple since our trips and every time they are absolutely delicious. I think $2.99 is a good price, however I've gotten them for $.99 when they are really ripe and the store is trying to get rid of them.

Here are some tips that I use when selecting a pineapple. I'm no expert, but this is what has worked for me.

1. Don't buy canned pineapple. Ick. Uck. Doesn't even taste like pineapple.

2. Select a fruit that is yellow towards the base. It may still have green & brown pigments too, but it needs to have yellow showing through. If it doesn't have yellow, it isn't ripe and it will be more firm and less sweet.

3. The fruit should have a slight scent. Not too much. The yellow is more important than the scent.

4. Do not cut into the pineapple right when you get home. Don't put it in the fridge either.As tempting as it may be, it isn't ready.

5. Turn the pineapple upside down for a few days on the counter. This allows gravity to pull the juice/nectar/sweetness towards the top. You will notice the color of the pineapple will lighten, becoming more yellow.

6. As the pineapple ripens, the scent will grow stronger. Use your best guess as to when to cut the pineapple. I like to see that the yellow has spread and the scent is strong. Cut the pineapple carefully, so as to save all the fruit. I'm not a fan of the pineapple-cutter-gadgets because no two pineapples are alike, so you may be discarding good fruit.

Click here for great instructions on cutting it up. I actually do it a little different, but you'll get the point.

We use pineapples in smoothies, in fruit salads, in quesadillas, on kabobs, and on grilled chicken sandwiches even! And if it looks like we aren't going to eat all the fruit, I put it in a baggy and freeze it for smoothies later.

Oh how I love summer fruit!

What's really going on

2011-06-30T20:24:00.000-05:00

I've been covering the fun and periphery details of our current life. Maybe some of you wonder what is actually going on.

Hubs has begun the next chapter. He leaves at 7:30am and returns around 5:30pm. It's nice that we live so close. I can't imagine having found a place further in the suburbs. It seems to be going well; adjusting smoothly.

I have been at home all that time that he is away. Ten hours alone. I workout, clean, apply for jobs, work, read, do nothing, and more of the same. The job search has been tedious. Lots of resume's and applications, not so much response. A hopeful prospect crumbled last week. So it was back to ground zero. Sometimes I do fine. I keep myself busy and try to be one of those amazing women who can prep for meals, organize, and find tons of things around the house to occupy themselves with or come up with projects to do. [Turns out, I am NOT one of those great women. Bummer.] Sometimes, though, I get lonely, wishing I could go to coffee with a friend. Last week was hard at times. There are still moments when the loneliness washes over me, but it is getting better.

The city is awesome. I really love it here. [If only our friends could move here, life would be perfect.] I feel like there is lots to see and do - and being the adventurous sort - it fits me just fine. The parks are amazing, the stores plentiful, and the convenience is, well, convenient. The only bummer has been that I can't even enjoy most of the shopping. We've got amazing stores here. I mean, I've never lived within 15 minutes of an Anthropologie! Now that I do, I can't even go because I have no money to spend there. Instead I've been trying to figure out which grocery store I like best.

The house is wonderful. I really love it and am so happy with how it is turning out. I dream about adding furniture and artwork. A sectional for the basement, a few prints for the kitchen, all sorts of things for the mantle. But of course, I keep myself away from those stores, too. The house also has a few problems. Ones that mount into a story too confusing to share. We are getting them worked out, slowly. And no matter how it all ends, it will be great when it does just that. End.

We are still searching for a church to make our home. It's hard. The city is so big that a great church might be located an hour away. To find something close, may mean not as great. We continue to search for wisdom in this. We yearn for a church body so we can get involved and meet people. We have met a few, but because of the summer, Bible studies are on breaks and we haven't been able to get involved. We can still use prayer in this area.

But, this week has been better. Its been busier. I had interviews and call backs. And guess what?

I GOT A JOB!

God is so good and I am so excited! I get one more week to enjoy this extended vacation, and then I get to really start having a life again. Conversations with people. Getting out of the house. I'll miss having all this free time, I'm sure, but I've had so much time to prepare and be ready to work again.

So what is really going on is adjustments. Adjustments to a new environment, a new lifestyle, a new everything. If you've prayed for us, thank you. It means so much and will continue to as we keep adjusting.

Straight out of the 70s

2011-06-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

Oddly enough, the kitchen has become one of my favorite rooms in our house. I will likely say that about all the rooms in our house. But, the kitchen color, the windows, the [future] decor...I love it all.

The reason it is odd that I love the kitchen is because I thought it would be the thorn in my flesh while we lived here. Just take a look at these spec pictures and you'll see why.

Check out that counter space...all 3 feet of it.

It isn't the most conveniently arranged, nor the largest kitchen I've been fortunate enough to have. But, it's amazing what some new appliances and paint will do!

But, I'm not going to show you the end result yet. Mainly because it isn't quite finished. Close.

You see, on Saturday we said good-bye to this beloved piece:

Before living here, I had never even heard of a "drop-in" range. But, they still do sell them [by "they," I mean only THREE companies]. Actually, there was only ONE model that would fit in the space, making the decision process easy. We only had to decide between black or white. And as it's name suggests, you just drop-it-in.

Check out these push-buttons.

HI - 2 - 3 - LO - WM - OFF: What more do you need?

Don't let its small size fool you though, this over puts out major heat and cooks quicker than anything I've ever used. It was actually quite fun to use. But its gone now and soon a much snazzier and more updated range will take its place.

Meanwhile, we've gotten to see the original floor laminate and cabinet color. It's a shame they covered that stuff up...

And until the new one is installed, we are grilling our way through Weber's Real Grilling cookbook.

And yes, the vintage hood is staying.

St. Louis Sight: Music+Movie in Laumeier Sculpture Park

2011-06-25T12:54:00.000-05:00

Our Friday night outing was to Music+Movie in Laumeier Sculpture Park. The have done this for the past few years throughout June. Although I had never heard of the movie before, it was the last week for the event. So, I packed up a dinner and snacks and we headed out.

The night was gorgeous. We've come to realize that wind isn't normal. Living in the midwest for so long, we started to think that a day without wind was odd. If it's windy here...well, it's just not.

There were all ages. Families, couples, singles, retirees...all sorts. And it was fun! The rockabilly band was upbeat. Kids and adults were dancing and playing outdoor sports, too.

We laid out a blanket and chairs and enjoyed our food with 1,200 other people around. They launched t-shirts into the crowd and had other free things too!

Unfortunately, we left early. The movie was not entertaining to us, so we headed home. It was still a fun time and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Invisible Fence

2011-06-23T08:55:00.003-05:00

Moving into this house, we knew that the 3-foot fence would not keep Ransom contained [see: Homeward Bound and Great Escape]. One of the necessities would be an invisible/electric fence.

We researched the different options, professionally installed vs. self installed, brands, wired vs. not... You wouldn't believe the options! We found a very helpful website - http://www.dog-fence-guide.com/ - and we finally settled on the Sport Dog brand, wired fence, installed by us. We chose it because it has the strongest wire of the non-professional brands. The only "bad" reviews on this brand was that the stimulation box on the collar is kind of large and that it begins at a higher stimulation level than other brands. Since we have a large, stubborn dog...this was not a big deal. We searched the town for one in stock, but ended up buying for a great price on Amazon [of course].

On Sunday, Hubs and I - more Hubs than I - installed the fence. For anyone thinking about doing this - it isn't that difficult. It requires planning, time, and a little hard work. And then the dreaded training began.

The advice in the book is : BE PATIENT WITH YOUR DOG. This is so true. That first day, I thought it would never click with him. After getting shocked twice, he just wanted to go inside. So, we backed off to the tone/vibration only and he finally came back into the yard on his own. [Hubs and I both felt the stimulation shock and it really is just that - a shock. Not painful at all.]

Then, I started seeing that it was clicking with him. When he heard the beep/felt the vibrate, he immediately turned around and came back into the yard. VICTORY! However, I knew that after he realized that there wasn't a shock anymore, the white flags would no longer be a deterrent. He may act like one sometimes, but he's no dummy.

So, yesterday the stimulation came back on. We hung out together for a while outside. He situates himself in the very center of the yard, with his wood. Far from the flags. So I keep on working on pulling weeds. After a while, he gets bored and starts sniffing around and I see him heading straight towards the flags.

I call for him. Multiple times. But he is in that zone and can't hear a thing. Sure enough he passes the flags and doesn't listen to the beeps. Right when he reaches the buried wire I see what I'm expecting - YELP and a run straight back into the yard. I then take him back to the flags and wiggle one so to remind him that he is supposed to pay attention to these. We walk the perimeter of the flags - reviewing.

And then he runs straight to the back door.

I am really happy with how it is working. He gets the picture and stays far from the boundary line. I think we will have to increase the stimulation again - when we get to the "distraction phase" of training [read: going outside when bunnies and squirrels are out]. But, I really think that with the right training, this will really work for him.

And so far, he has not jumped the fence.

Coral is "in," right?

2011-06-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

When we first saw the house, the bathroom was the biggest eyesore. Not only was it small and the only bathroom in the house, but it was outdated. Whether you call it coral, peach or salmon...the tile color was not exciting to us.

Nor was the black and teal strip around the room and the off-white [dirty-looking] walls. However, the tile is in great condition and we just weren't interested on spending money to update the bathroom. So, we planned to leave it as it was. The former owners obviously thought they would make the bathroom soooo busy that you wouldn't notice the tile. I thought I would get a black shower curtain to distract from the tile and it might look decent.

(I apologize for the bad before pictures. In my haste on move in day, I snapped one picture of each room and didn't care what they looked like. Now I realize they are dark and dingy and can't do a think about it.)

As I have now learned, though, when one buys a house they tend to do more to it than originally planned in order to make it their own. Since painting was happening in most of the upstairs, we decided to also give the bathroom a fresh coat of paint. Simple. So we thought.

We had many difficulties in this bathroom. The walls are plaster - therefore uneven. A semi-gloss coat of paint only accentuated that fact. Plus we didn't clean the walls and tile before painting, so the paint just peeled off.

So, we scrubbed and repainted with texture (matching the rest of the house). I was worried that the gray we chose would make the room look too dark. But we added a white shower curtain and two light gray rugs to finish it off. I would like to find some prints for the wall with the coral color to pull in the tile and finish it off.

I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. While not the most modern of bathrooms, the coral seems to stand out less.

More lovelies popped up

2011-06-21T12:06:00.000-05:00

It's fun to see what kind of new flowers pop up when you first move into a new home. In the front of our house, these puffs came out:

They come in blue, pink, and purple! And they are beautiful.

Again, I'm not sure what they are called, but they sure make me happy!

St. Louis Sight: Ted Drewes

2011-06-20T11:42:00.001-05:00

Each weekend, Hubs and I are going to try to do something new in the city. Now that I have a handy dandy smart phone, I will never forget to take pictures and blog about our activity!

This weekend, we went to Ted Drewes.

Ted Drewes is a local frozen custard place. Everyone asks us if we have been to Ted Drewes yet; it is a big deal around here. It is on the old "Route 66" road, and we happen to live less than a mile away. So, Hubs, Ransom and I walked to this local marvel for a frozen treat.

It's located on a pretty major street, but it's like they all know to slow down when they get to Ted Drewes. Lots of people honk as they drive by and people are crossing the streets very leisurely. To which the cars just slow down - even coming to a stop - to let people cross. At one point, the fire truck stopped by and let kids get up in the truck while they enjoyed some frozen custard. Although it gets so busy and jam-packed with people, you don't wait long.

Ransom was quite the hit. It's his stinkin' cute face that attracts everyone. He really wanted some custard. When we got to the order window, he jumped right up and scared the poor girl taking our order.

As for the actual frozen custard, it was pretty good. You can order as a concrete [toppings mixed together with custard] or as a sundae [toppings on top]. Hubs got a chocolate malt, while I tried one of their specialties: Fox Treat [vanilla custard, raspberries, chocolate, and macadamia nuts]. It was really good and perfect after a hot day in the sun.

I'm so glad we live so close. It will be a great reason to take a walk!

Outside lovlies

2011-06-18T08:35:00.000-05:00

I have had some requests for pictures of our paint results inside our home, however, they would only be progress pictures. Nothing is on the wall and the rooms just aren't final yet. When they are closer to the final stage, I will definitely post pictures. Let's just say we are much farther than we were last week at this time.

We have done little to the back yard but it is another one of my "favorites" in regards to our home. We often talk of how richly God has blessed us. In this large city of many different areas, we love ours. It is convenient to everything, friendly, quiet, and safe.

But, back to the backyard:

Isn't it lovely? It will be so fun to sit on our patio and have dinner with this as our view. There are some fun flowers that were left in the landscaping, too.

An orange one:

A purple one:

A blue one:

And a pink one:

Obviously I am a novice when it comes to flowering plants and their names, but I can see how gardening can be so fun! We also have a little area where a garden was once planted. I currently have two tomato plants growing there - one that is mine and the other that was here!

I picture a great vegetable garden next year...

Visitors Already!

2011-06-16T16:42:00.002-05:00

With the Hubs away, I knew I might get a little stir crazy. Blessings came in the form of two friends and a baby!

Expecting to help me around the house, they [hopefully] got to relax and soak in the city and all its fun and convenience.

We visited fun stores that aren't available in Kansas, the fun downtown area of Clayton, and some beautiful homes. It was great for me to get to explore the city, too!

Clark was a champ, chillin' in the stroller and attracting all sorts of attention. It's all that chubs.

We taught Clark about hills by giving him a little free-fall downhill. No worries. The stroller was stopped shortly after this...to grandma's relief.

Turns out Ransom loves Clark, too. A little bit more than we would like. Between Clark's sounds and our higher-pitched voices when we spoke to Clark, Ransom couldn't stay away and really loves the way he tastes [ahem]. When forced to stay away, he cried along with Clark, even at one point howling to the sound of his cries.

It was so good to see them. It makes me think they don't really live a whole 7 hours away.

After a fun trip to Trader Joe's, Brenda cooked us dinner. It was amazing:

Caprese Salad with kumatoes [brown tomatoes], creamy mozzarella, fresh basil, and drizzled olive oil. Oh my, it was so yummy.

Tandori naan and persian cucumbers with hummus and cucumber dip. This hummus was perfect and the naan so soft and sweet.

Baked salmon in a delicious sauce [sesame oil, cooking sherry, soy sauce, green onions and ginger]. Also really good, and I've never liked salmon until I tried this. This salmon was "meaty" and I couldn't taste the fish, so I will definitely try this on my own. Thanks Brenda!

I am so thankful for the visit. It was great to see friends and familiar faces and I know it will be a while before it happens again.

Thanks ladies!

Moving, Part 3 // "We are here"

2011-06-13T07:44:00.001-05:00

It took a few days for it to sink in that this isn't just some vacation. We are here for good. And it is good. There are so many things I already enjoy about St. Louis.

- Our neighborhood is great. All the houses are similar to ours and it is so quiet and calm. Considering we are a block from a very major road, its pretty impressive that we feel secluded.

- Our neighbors are friendly. Never before have I had so many people come up and talk to us as we just move in. It is fun to have friendly people nearby.

- Our location. I feel like we are in really good location - 3 houses down from St. Louis city limits. Close to the "Central West End" [just learned that this means the area where Richard will go to school], close to anything we could ever need, close to a running trail, and yet in a quiet area that feels far away from the city.

- Since moving to Kansas in 1995 I have dreamed of living where there were trees. Here, there are trees and hills galore. I understood that more after my first run. The roads wind and curve through valleys and trees block your line of sight. Although this makes understanding the road layout a little tougher, it is lovely.

- There is so much. It's hard to even know where to go shopping. So many different stores, from cute boutiques to large box chains. I've learned my way to a great shopping area already, complete with Trader Joe's, World Market... you get the point. I just need a job!

- There is so much to do. Trails, parks, free movies in the park, museums, theme parks, and more. My idea is to pick a new thing each weekend for us to do as a date and blog about it.

- The arch. It's crazy, but its fun to see the massive structure while driving.

I'm really just thankful. God has provided everything we need during this move and I forgot that amid all the stress. He provided people to help us move, money to get all that we needed, job interviews, and even a good church on Sunday.

Meet Mopey

2011-06-12T22:43:00.002-05:00

This is me and Mopey.

At least that is what I affectionately called him during the first two days in our new home. He fell into a "depression" especially if Richard and I left the house. But even when we were around, he moped around barely responding to anything except his meals.

Whether it is truly him reacting to the changes in our life or perhaps just feeling lousy after eating an entire box of treats [oh yes, I found him eating the rest of them later], it was definitely a different Ransom for a few days.

Now that he has the life back in him, he has changed his behavior a little towards people that approach our house. Neighbors, internet people, everyone really. He bounds towards the door with his most ferocious bark, hackles raised. Then, he won't shut up. We have found that leashing him will help, but we will definitely be retraining this craziness when things slow down.

Moving, Part 2 // Cicadas & me

2011-06-12T22:04:00.001-05:00

Day 1 was exhausting.
Day 2 was worse.

It started out nice. A relaxed morning. Then we noticed a brand new, large, dog treat box was missing about 1/2 of its treats. And then we smelled it. Ransom had dug his face into his treats and now it was affecting his digestive system. In a way that we all got to share.

So, we went on a long walk [in hopes of movement generating...well, you know]. It helped, but didn't fix the problem. Lucky me. He was assigned to my vehicle.

Same view. Different day.

About halfway along the drive, I noticed a sound. It was a high-pitched squealing sound that continued to follow me as we drove. It was loud even over my radio station. So, after about 15 minutes, I made the call to those ahead of me to stop at the next exit.

We stopped. I turned the truck off and the noise was still there! So, I told Hubs it must be the U-Haul. He turned the U-Haul off and the noise was still there!

And then I knew I had goofed. Big time. The noise was the cicadas. To my defense:: it had crossed my mind that it was cicadas, but it was so constant and so loud. To my defense again:: Kansas didn't have as many trees, and therefore not nearly the cicada invasion that Missouri does therefore I was not used to the volume of cicadas in heavily treed areas.

I provided much laughter for the group and we were on our way again. We arrived to our new home and immediately I had a headache. The heat. The emotion. And the decisions were all starting to get heavy. But, we [both sets of parents and us] began unloading.

From there it went downhill. It was way past my usual bed time. The enthusiasm to continue to work was too much. The questions and decision regarding the next day's tasks and paint colors and more were pressure that I was not withstanding. Then I did something stupid.

And the flood gates opened. Moving is stressful. It is overwhelming and tiring. And you don't even realize it until the moment you break. I feel like I am a pretty calm, collected, easy-going gal but I broke down and cried myself to sleep.

When a person tells me they are moving, especially a long distance. I will no longer just smile and offer help. I will pray. Daily. And I will offer support. Often.

Moving, Part 1 // "Leaving"

2011-06-11T08:25:00.000-05:00

Our move started like most I think. Stressful. And as organized as you try to be, you feel completely unorganized on that day. Because more than likely that one thing you really need is in a box somewhere. That one box you didn't label.

In a U-Haul error, we ended up driving 1 hour to pick up our truck, instead of just 5 minutes down the road. And to make things more fun, we were to pick the U-Haul up by 7 am. So, our morning began at a very early 5:00.

I hoped that we would not fill the entire 26 feet of space, but as we packed on, I realized we would. Thankfully, friends from church took time out of their Saturday to help us. Some even stopped by Starbucks and brought me a much-needed frozen caffeine fix. That earns extra points in my book.

Some helped pack. Some helped clean. And one lovely person watched the dog, who was starting to get a little nervous about what was going on.

Have I said "THANK YOU" enough to you all?

It all ended much quicker than expected. And it didn't sink in that we were leaving this people and not coming back in a few weeks.

How many babies do you need at a "packing-up the U-Haul party?" About 3.

We had to leave though. And for the next 3 hours I fought sleep while this was my view:

Don't worry. The story gets more exciting from here...

Blessed. Again and Again.

2011-05-31T10:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes Hubs and I wonder, "Why in the world...?" Last night was one of them.

Thankfully we rest in God's will for us and we are thankful for technology that lets us keep in touch easier.

Thanks guys. We love you.

Here it comes!

2011-05-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

I said a few good-byes yesterday. To my sweetest little helper at the office, Madi. To my uncle/boss. To people we love. I. hate. saying. goodbye. It's emotional and I don't do well with emotions. So don't be offended if I disappear in the night.

Um, let me just give you a brief look in the week ahead:

Monday
- golf for hubs
- quick trip to wichita for some st. louis necessities including a garmin for me, a modem so i can be connected to the world, and an underground fence
- a backyard cookout with some of our friends

Tuesday
- car in the shop
- coffee date
- packing must happen
- some sort of random grocery shopping
- various phone calls for the move preparation
- reading for various book studies
- dinner at Grant & Becky's

Wednesday
- still no car
- more intense packing
- my last wednesday morning book study :(
- dinner at Norm & Joan's

Thursday
- still no car
- last day of internet access
- finish the packing
- last small group study (for me)
- not sure about dinner since all will be packed

Friday
- pick up car
- pick up my brother from Emporia
- return modem to Cox
- pick up uhaul?
- cleaning and any leftover packing
- dinner will be interesting
- sure to be a late night getting ready for the big move

Saturday
- pack up the truck
- finish cleaning the house
- drive to Kansas City
- and its really gonna happen

Not mentioned: random coffee and lunch dates that will pop up, friends coming over to hang out while I work, and everything else I am forgetting.

I'm so thankful for dinner plans this week - means I don't have to worry about it. I'm so thankful for amazing, godly women that I have gotten to know. Wow. I'm so thankful for Hubs. It's just gonna be me and him soon.

Where else?

2011-05-25T21:59:00.003-05:00

I've been working through my Israel pictures. Editing and putting together a book. This time I'm using mixbook because of a recent groupon deal. So far, I really like how its turning out despite that I wish we would have gotten better pictures.

No. I haven't packed anything. This is way more fun.

Yes. I do realize I still haven't given much info regarding our trip on this blog. I'll get to it. Someday.

In the meantime, where else can you find an old grave on the side of the road?

Flannel-graph-style.

Or magnificent aquaducts that go for miles?
Built without machines.

Or hang out with soldiers who have huge rifles at the ready?
Safest spot to be.

Or cool off with a frozen mint lemonade? With real mint leaves.
Drinking it very slowly. No free refills around here.

Or bake your homemade pita bread with a box of fire instead of an oven?
Authentic.

It's going to be hard to capture this trip with a book, a blog, even words. You just have to go yourself. And take me with you!

Finishing up

2011-05-19T09:42:00.005-05:00

just a few of my dear friends

Here's how it goes.

You first get excited about something new. Then you realize how much you will miss everyone here. Then you revel in the time you have left, enjoying each day. Then you stress. You have so much to do and time is running out. After that, you recognize that everything won't get done. And then, you are ready to go. You are sad still. But you are ready to get on wit' it. Then, you start doing the "lasts." Last week. Last day. Last time. People start making plans without you. Because you'll be gone. Then the stress will hit again. This time it is a "get-it-done" mentality because the time is near. The good-byes will come then. Not a moment before. Then you leave. And what you've spent the past 6 months preparing for, will finally be here.

This week is a finishing-up week. Tomorrow will be my last day with my great coworkers. Then I'll have a week of calm before the storm of moving. And I'm still loving every moment.

It's pretty much the same every time. Hubs and I have moved 2 times in the last 5 years and I predict we will move at least 1 more time. This is my 13th move, though. Most of those moves, I remember. And moving teaches you lots of things:

1. To make friends. Quickly.
2. To throw stuff away. You'll still have too much.
3. To love the church body. They are your family.
4. To rely on God. He's there.
5. To love Hubs more. He's there too.

Personal opion. Everyone should move at least once. Not across town. Away. It's awesome. I have friends all over. I have memories. And I've grown in each place. It's as if God has been moving me so that I don't become complacent in my walk with Him.

Here we go...

Happy Day

2011-05-16T17:02:00.001-05:00

This afternoon was perfect. The temperature was warm, but not sweat-inducing. The breeze was refreshing, but not enough to knock me over.

Ransom loves to be outside. Even just to sit. And lay. And sniff. Just to be out where the dogs are meant to roam and relax.

So, while I sat and read in the sunshine, Ransom...

Sniffed...

Lounged in the grass...

Tried to catch invisible flies...

And sniffed some more.

Boy was he one happy dog.

Unexpected Shoes

2011-05-12T06:42:00.000-05:00

I haven't bought shoes for a long while - in my books. But in the past 2 weeks, I have unexpectedly received not 1, but 2 new pairs!

First, a friend unexpectedly gave me a pair of silver Gianni Bini sandals that didn't fit her right. Think woven 3/4-inch strap up the middle of my foot and then a woven strap around the top of my foot. Look great with jeans and I am very excited to have them. (I can't find a picture of them online.)

Then, I was shopping a few weeks ago and felt I needed a pair of Sperry's Top-siders. I tried on a really cute pair at 3 different stores. But, I never actually bought them. They weren't really a need, and I knew we should spend the money on something else.

Then I unexpectedly received a gift card to the mall the next day. I promptly went over and ordered my new shoes and they came in the mail yesterday. I am very excited about them and now feel very much the need for a sailboat.

This is the first pair of shoes that I have paid full-price for in ages. I don't foresee any other cute shoes in the near future, besides cheapy flips or flats. Have you bought any cute shoes lately?

Um, spring?

2011-05-10T17:16:00.001-05:00

When the temperature rises above 90, its a little much for me. Especially before ~~June~~ July. As a girl with her heart in the northeast, I enjoy a mild summer with temperatures steadying out in the mid-80s.

So, although the warmth has not yet become unbearable, it reminds me of the staggering temperatures to come. Really, the only time that I have enjoyed the heat was when I was on the beach.

And, for the last 3 days of heat I have been dreaming of the soft sand, the salty breeze, and the warm water, I could go for living on the beach, or near the beach. Really, I could go for being within driving distance of a beach.

But, since that is not foreseen in our future, I could just take a few more weeks of spring. In other words, temperatures in the 70s.

From our front porch

2011-05-10T06:46:00.000-05:00

I took this picture from our front porch this morning. Two things might surprise you:

1. It's green in Kansas.

2. Part of the road is covered in water.

Water is bubbling from the ground at a pretty good rate (it is hard to see in the picture, but it is there). On closer examination during our morning walk I have concluded that this might be a sewage line that has broken due to the gross color of the water and the smell.

Sewage + forecasted 97 degree day = smelly mess

Funny thing is, everybody seems to just be looking at the mess but not doing anything. Not that I can blame them, I haven't the slightest clue how you would begin to stop something like this. Kind of like the BP gas leak last year. Kind of. Okay, maybe nothing like the gas leak.

Anyway, it goes quite a bit further down the cross-street. Which happens to be where Hubs' office is. Hopefully they figure it out soon.

A new step

2011-05-06T07:02:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, Hubs and I signed a lot of papers that mean today we own a house.

   A house that we have seen once.

   A house that we won't see for another month.

   A house in a town we are unfamiliar with.

   A house that I can't wait to live in!

This means that it is really going to happen. We are going to move soon and we ~~are going to~~ have a house. One in which we can change anything we want to! After 5 years of living in wonderful rentals, (and I truly mean that) I am ready for this. I get more excited about moving each day, not only because of the house, but for this next adventure.

I'm already pretty attached to the house. It is the only thing that I know for sure about the move. And so I've been ~~wrongly~~ clinging it to it. But when uncertainty about a job, church, friends, city, and even what school will be like is lurking above me, I've found comfort in this house that I know we'll be living in. I picture our things there. I think of what we will do to the house and where we will spend out time. I even think about cleaning it and get excited (weird). The problem is that what I should be clinging to is God. Not this house.

I think its great to be excited about this. I think its great to want to change the house to fit our style and needs. But, I remember today that God alone has given us this house and the resources to update and improve. And that now that we have a house, we want to seek to use it for His glory. So, I have to make an daily, active shift to cling to my Savior & Lord in the midst of uncertainty, not this house.

Now to picking paint colors...

We've never been able to paint walls and it kind of makes me nervous. I found a few paint colors that I really like, one that I am absolutely sure of, but as much as I love looking through home magazines and what others have done to their home, I am at a loss in my own. Never fear, though, I'm still searching through what will be the right option and I'm confident we will find something.

Nick of Time by Tim Downs

2011-05-04T21:09:00.001-05:00

A forensic entomologist is all science. He thinks logically and rationally and is totally engrossed in his career. With his wedding only a few days away, he takes off to solve a murder case involving an old friend. As the questions grow, it becomes less likely that he will make it back to his wedding on time.

This is a fun, easy, entertaining read. It isn't difficult, there are no underlying themes to figure out - it is just relaxing novel. The science aspects are easily understood and the suspense is just enough to keep you reading. As I read this book, I really thought I had the plot figured out and that it would be very typical. It surprised me. Multiple times. And I really liked that.

Some of the humor was a little overboard, but I could overlook it because I was interested in the story. I appreciate that the novel is clean, humorous and overall, a book worth reading.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Not what you want to hear when you're out walking in the dark

2011-04-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Ransom and I took a walk at about 5:30. It was still dark out, but you could see the sun beginning to rise. We got no more than a block when we were stopped by a man delivering newspapers.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that a buddy of mine told me there is a guy walking the streets with a black ski mask. He has a stun gun and he is raping people."

Thoughts immediately going through my head: this man has a stocking hat on, and being a fan of shows like Criminal Minds, I am very aware that he could pull the mask down and be the very man he is describing. And now, since I've seen his face, he'll have to kill me when its all over. This man's raping people, or just women? Why does he keep looking down at Ransom? Seriously. I bet its him. Oh good, there is another man walking down the street walking his dog. He can't do anything to me now.

"I don't mean to scare you or anything..."

I jump back to the conversation, "Oh no worries. Thanks for the heads-up!"

And I quickly continue on my walk. Walking slightly faster than normal and well aware of any noises.

When I return home to the front door open, I start freaking a little. But, the coast was clear. And I had my nightmare about the situation last night so hopefully it is out of my system. I think I might take my walks in the daylight for a few weeks though.

I've always wondered what Ransom would do if my safety was threatened. And the day before this strange conversation, we came home after the house was being shown and Ransom went on high alert. He smelled/knew something wasn't right. Someone had been in our house that he was not familiar with. He growled and barked and literally searched every room for the stranger.

Makes me think I'm a little safer with Ransom beside me.

Why Jerusalem? Why Me?

2011-04-23T15:39:00.001-05:00

It was only a month ago that we were in the midst of Israel. Feels like 2 years ago right now. As usual, I fell in love with our vacation spot, but in a different way.

Hawai'i felt like the most beautiful place on earth. The mountains are the calmest place. Other places have had similar attractions to me, however Israel's is different. It attracts me because the Savior of my soul, the Lord of my life, the God of the world lived there. And as there were beautiful aspects to the land and fun sights, I miss Israel and yearn to be there because I learned so much about God while I was there. One of my favorite things was living inside Old Jerusalem's city walls for 3 days and becoming so familiar with the streets and area.

One of the main questions that filled my mind was, "Why Jerusalem?" We have songs like "The Holy City" that make it seem so great and important. And for ~~centuries~~ millennia people have sought control of this one place - but why? As one man put it - this is where the Divine came to live among the mundane.

Jehovah chose to live among his people in Jerusalem and that is the reason Jerusalem is so special. He could have chosen anywhere - really, He didn't have to chose to live among us at all. Mundane man rejected Him. He came to live among them anyway, and provided a way to atone for sins through animal sacrifice. These sacrifices could never pay the price for offended a Holy God, though. So, He sent His Son to live among the mundane men, becoming one himself.

He lived a blameless life. Innocent. He died a unworthy death. A death that His Father allowed because he loved me - a mundane human. A death that separated Jesus from his Father from the first time ever. A relationship that had been pure from eternity past was completely broken as Jesus died carrying all of our sins, because there was no other way for man to be reconciled to God.

How do I know that Jesus' death was enough to pay the price? Because of the empty tomb. He conquered death. He defeated sin. And He lives.

Before I knew Christ, I was nothing special. I was ordinary person headed to Hell, trusting in myself to find the right way. Mundane. Because Christ saved me, I can have joy and hope and peace.

Because God has come to live in the mundane.

Sleeping is over-rated

2011-04-18T18:35:00.000-05:00

For the last few days I have been unable to sleep. I get a few hours here and there, but it is constantly interrupted by tossing and turning, by ridiculous dreams, and by just plain being awake!

At first I thought it was the Indian recipe I made. It was a new one and guessed it was the cause of a restless night. But, the saga has continued and last night I went to bed not-tired. And I woke up multiple times during the night, not-tired. And I woke up this morning, not-tired.

What in the world? I have always been one of those sleep-anywhere type people. I have been know to fall asleep in the middle of a conversation at our friend's house. I usually can't stay awake and now it is the opposite.

There is a lot going on in our life, but I really can't narrow it down to why I am not tired when it is time to go to bed.

Therefore tomorrow begins: Operation Wear-Yourself-Out.

It will begin at 5:30 with an hour-long yoga class. Followed by a shower and a full day of working. Then heading straight to the gym for a good cardio workout. Make dinner in the evening and put clean sheets on the bed. Watch The Biggest Loser. Then, a hot shower to end the day and [hopefully] sink into a clean bed and into a deep sleep.

All things coffee

2011-04-13T21:44:00.004-05:00

Over a month ago our church had a Coffee Tasting event featuring my favorite coffee roasters. Right up my alley type of thing, but it happened to be the weekend we had to look for houses. Since it turned out to be a worthwhile trip, I was able to get over my disappointment pretty quickly.

Yesterday, a lady from Blacksmith Coffee stopped by the church. She told me she felt bad that I had to miss the event and presented me with a pound of my favorite roast - Guatemala Antigua. How she remembered me, for one thing, and my favorite roast, for another thing... let's just say I was pleasantly surprised and extremely grateful. Okay, really? I was shocked. And since I have been unable to find this roast in the store lately, I was thrilled.

Because people, this coffee is BETTER than Starbucks. There. I said it and the world didn't collapse. Sometimes Starbucks just isn't that good - there can be a weird aftertaste leaving your mouth kind of dry. Not with this. Just a bold, rich, wonderful cup of coffee.

Listen to the description:

This Genuine Antigua Pastoral is smooth, yet bold, with a delicious rich body highlighted by a subtle chocolatey aftertaste.

Makes you want to come over for a cup right now, right? Well, I wish you could but my grinder is packed away for St. Louis. AHHHHH. How I wish I knew where it was. I haven't made a decent cup of coffee for months.

I am ashamed to say that I haven't taken the trip to Lindsborg to visit their shop, but I have it on my to-do list before we move. Because after checking out their website there are a lot of other roasts I am dying to try.

For instance, I can't pass up a brew from Hawai'i called Maui Melemele:

And this organic Bali Blue Moon roast is interesting with dark chocolate, blueberries and tropical spices.

And, I can't leave out at least one of their ultra-premium flavored roast.

And, I have been thinking that our new house should have a coffee press instead of a coffee maker. You know, its the healthier way to brew. Add that to the reality that I am the only one who drinks coffee in the morning and we have very limited counter space that needs not be cluttered by a coffee maker... They have quite the selection of brewers - and I think that a trip to Lindsborg is a must.

So, who's going with me?

3 of the 4 photos were taken from www.blacksmithcoffee.com. Please visit their site and their store. I think you'll love these folks as much as I do!

Wednesdays

2011-04-13T16:49:00.002-05:00

I just noticed the number of followers that I have. I've never noticed this before and I am in shock and awe that you would read my thoughts and claim to the world that you read them. Thank you.

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I love Wednesday mornings.

Tuesday night after The Biggest Loser, I take a shower. I'm in bed promptly by 10 pm and wake up the next morning between 5:30 and 6 am. I am out the door by 6:50 and within 10 minutes I am sipping coffee with great gals.

We quickly catch up on how the week is going. Struggles. Funny stories. And then we discuss the book we are going through, currently "Holiness by Grace." This week we discussed God's discipline in our lives and why He disciplines. Because He loves us, He wants us to know Him better, He wants us to be more holy, and He knows what is best when we don't.

I've been thinking about moving. A lot. Sometimes I think about how I don't want to. Other times I pretend we aren't. And then I get ideas for our house. Then I wonder what our life will be like there.

Whatever St. Louis has in store for us is in God's control. That is so comforting. Whether I like it, love it, or hate it there - God continues to have a purpose. My desire is to allow Him to use me and us in whatever capacity that is. .

But I'll miss these girls. And Wednesday mornings.

The man who lives in my basement

2011-04-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

There is a man living in our basement. He hears me wake up each morning to walk the dog. While I'm gone, he sneaks out and leaves. Then he comes back sometime the next evening.

Of course, this isn't true. But every morning I think that someone is down there. We don't use the living space and it is this dark hallway that just beckons paranoia. I ~~can't~~ don't even venture down there without Ransom going first.

It doesn't help that every morning I hear random noises. Whether creaks or pops or water running. This morning it was a bang on the thing that carries heat to us through the vent - what is that called? It also doesn't help that I found Ransom down there growling one time. And he never growls.

So, I've just come to accept that there is someone down there who doesn't bother us as long as we don't bother him.

I just hope that I don't feel this way about our basement in St. Louis, because we will be using the living space there. I suppose regularly using and getting cozy the basement will help with the fear, but I'm still thankful that my shadow will be happy to accompany me wherever I go.

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

2011-04-11T13:24:00.000-05:00

Great historical figures, and one ordinary man, convene to answer one question: "What does humanity need to do, individually and collectively, to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization?" Each of these characters has met with Gabriel, the archangel, at some point in their life and "travelled" through time. Now they are all gathered together in some unknown heavenly place to determine the answer. And if they don't answer it in time, mankind will be destroyed.

There are many reasons I would never recommend this book to you. Mainly, it contradicts the Bible in many areas and takes liberties that border on sacrilegious. At one point during the discussion the text reads, "Many of us made it in [to Heaven] by the skin of our teeth - a decision at the last moment - and would rather not be reminded of how close we came to the alternate destination." To even suggest that a person can barely make it into heaven by what they have done reveals a lack of concern on the handling of God's Word by watering it down to something people want to hear.

The book was obviously written to appeal to a broad range of readers, which ultimately will confirm in a person's mind that humans control the world, not God. This is a feel-good, go-get-'em book that will motivate people the wrong direction. In fact, God is not even mentioned - not even as the answer to man's problem.

Even the writing style bored me. The dialogue was tiresome and his perception of famous people didn't even interest me.

Don't waste your time on a humanistic-themed book that will lead you in the opposite direction of a book based on the truth of the Bible.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

What Israel Looks Like

2011-04-04T12:17:00.001-05:00

I obviously still having trouble putting Israel into words. But here we go.

The terrain of Israel varies so much. It's such a small piece of land, but it is so diverse. What we came to understand on this trip was how important the diversity of this land is.

The Mediterranean Sea was similar to other oceans we've visited. The beach was sandy and you had to go down cliffs to get to it. There were palm trees and tropical birds. Buildings and communities are very close together.

Here I stand on Mt. Gilboa (2 Samuel 31) overlooking the Jezreel Valley. This valley has seen international traffic for thousands of years. It is the only way for travelers to get through this country and sort of connects Asia with Egypt. This valley will continue to see lots of action in the future, too. As you can see it is very green and fertile. We saw many, many crops growing all over Israel.

My favorite terrain was in Dan, formerly Laish. It was beautiful with a large natural spring and felt like Colorado hiking. This was in the northernmost part of Israel, bordering Lebanon and Syria.

The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by mountains, or the hill country. I don't have any really good pictures of how mountainous it is. It sits below sea level and is green and pretty and fertile.

Next we saw the wilderness. Think of where David hid from Saul in caves - rocky, steep incline, jagged cliffs, winding caverns, and barren. This is where the Dead Sea is - water that gives life to nothing. Not beautiful, but definitely amazing.

From there we moved to the Negev. Dessert everywhere. No more jagged cliffs like before, but rolling hills of rocky sand and dirt. This is where the Bedouins live, and the camels!

Before our eyes the terrain changed dramatically. The Shephellah is an area of rolling hills. Again, lots of crops seen growing around here.

Finally, we went into the hill country and we felt like we were traveling in Colorado, on a much smaller scale of course. Jerusalem is build on these limestone hills and there isn't a flat spot to be found!

Now you can see we saw a little bit of everything. Next up: placing Bible stories with the locations!

Getting over the bump

2011-03-30T18:45:00.000-05:00

You would think I would be blogging up a storm. I have pictures from Israel to share and stories to tell. I have a house we are getting ready to buy. There is a lot going on and I should be sharing it all with you. But I don't have the words.

Instead, I found myself in this daze; frozen while life kept going. I think I may have woke up today though, and am back among the living. Ready for the next thing.

It was fixed [mainly] by coffee dates with my best friends. It was refreshing to hear about their lives and laugh and talk with them. I rarely let myself think that in a few months we will be 7 hours apart. [What will I do?]

No matter how thick the mud that my mind and heart work through, I am continually thankful for 2 things. My God who allows me to rest contentedly in His plan and my husband who I love more and more each day.

Next: a series of posts on our trip. I hope you enjoy them.

Back in the USA

2011-03-27T16:49:00.003-05:00

(Trekking up Masada with the Dead Sea behind)

For the past week, Hubs and I have been traveling through Israel. And although we counted it as a vacation, my brain was working overtime, as this lived up to its description of a "study trip." As we come back home and get back to our responsibilities and normal demands of life, I can't help but cherish the 8 days where the majority of our time was devoted to studying and understanding God's word.

People told us that this trip would be life-changing. Although I didn't doubt them, I didn't understand how. Now I can confidently say that this trip will change how I read and understand the Bible in every aspect. Words I skipped over before such as "Kidron Valley" and "wilderness" have new meanings. Sequences of events make more sense. And areas and regions can now have reference points in my mind. As I look through my pictures, they just don't do the trip justice in my mind. The trip was far better than pictures will ever be.

(Posing with an Israeli soldier and a policeman)

You may have heard there was a bomb in Jerusalem. It was the day we entered the Jerusalem. We actually commented on the slow traffic as we drove through a West Bank checkpoint [ends up it was because of the incident]. We were all safe; and really, honestly, truly - I always felt safe. They don't want to kill Americans. They want to kill Jews.

(A big pile of delicious pita bread, which tasted exactly like naan.)

Of course, being in a culture completely different than our own, does make one excited to return home. I am excited to eat meals that are not under the Kosher guidelines. It is nice to have plug-ins that are familiar and hair dryers that actually have some power to dry my hair. It's nice to understand everyone around and not wonder what exactly I am eating. And, I am very thankful to not hear that loud Moslem call to prayer "mooing" 5 times a day. Most excited, though, am I to pick up my lovable pups and those big floppy ears.

(On Mt. Gilboa with the Jezreel Valley behind)

Every believer needs to take this trip. And I would boldly say THIS trip. With Dr. Bookman as their guide, they need to spend the money to learn about the Bible in a new way. And I'm only saying that because it is worth it in a life-changing way. Understand the whys, the hows, the whens so that you can grasp more of who God is and what He has done.

Again

2011-03-23T16:29:00.001-05:00

I watched this again. You should too.

Birth

2011-03-20T12:46:00.001-05:00

Having been a biological sciences major, there really isn't much that grosses me out. Except maybe eyeballs. And fat off of meat. But bodily functions and blood and guts - I am completely okay with.

For weeks I had been looking forward to the puppies coming. This was the mom's first litter and I was going to be able to watch the birth! I wanted to see what it is like, since I may do this in the future. We got the text late one night - she was in labor.

The next morning, we got to watch 3 of the 6 puppies being born. And it was an experience. She was a great first time mom, setting to clean the puppies off and chew the ambilical cord off right away [that thing is made of some thick stuff]. Her teeth would get so close the the puppies that you thought for sure she would accidently gnaw off one of the tiny legs in the process. However, she knew what to do. She would lick up all the blood and fluid and even the placenta [I did gag at one point watching her eat it up. Still makes me gag a little]. It was completley amazing to think that a few hours earlier, she had no idea that little puppies would appear from her behind and now she was carefully taking care of them.

Those little puppies can sure make some noise though. One was loud enough, but as more and more came the crying and whining got to be pretty obnoxious. Finally, the puppies latched on to their mom for sustainance and the noise was gone.

I took some videos of our experience. In this first one, the mom is cleaning up her two puppies. Then I pan down so you can see the blood still oozing from her behind.

In this one, the mom moves her little pup back to the warmth of her body. You can't really tell, but she picks them up in her mouth very gently, considering she has very sharp teeth.

And here is the actual birth of one of the puppies.

And here she is doing her phenomenal clean-up job on the just-born pup. The licking also stimulates the puppy to breath and move.

Is it worth it?

2011-03-18T09:48:00.001-05:00

Ninja Master Prep Professional

Richard first saw the infomercial for this. After I watched it, I knew I needed this. Our blender was dead and I didn't have a food processor. I put it on my "want" list and waited. Then my birthday came around and I actually used my birthday money [for the very first time] on a kitchen product.

The blades are in the middle of the container, instead of at the bottom. And these blades are sharp. I have slice my fingers open at least 3 times. But when I make a smoothie, there are NO stray chunks of fruit - which I detest, and it isn't a pain to use or clean.

The cool thing is that the Ninja does so much more! I made some "dirt" last week, and used it to finely chop oreos. It was simple and a huge time-saver. I've also chopped chicken and onions up in this thing. And, I can't wait to use it on sauces.

This Ninja set is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond (so you can use a coupon) and is totally worth it.

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The Kindle

I love books. The physical pages; the tangible look of it on my bookshelf. And I know that sometimes scares people away from the Kindle, but I also love my Kindle.

This is the kindle I have. Of course now they are smaller, faster, cheaper and cooler. When going on vacation, I love to take lots of reading material. Now, I load up my reading material on my Kindle and am not lugging around pounds of heavy books. I have used the Kindle for book studies I've done with friends, and it works. I make notes and highlights. It is sometimes hard to know what page the others are on, but I do believe they have fixed that problem in the newer versions.

I have a case for my Kindle so it feels like holding a book. I love that it isn't back-lit so it doesn't hurt my eyes at all. And I know there is a e-reader out there with color, but do I need color for reading a book? I think not.

If you love to read, especially for enjoyment, you would probably love a Kindle.

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Furminator

It's amazing how much fur a dog has clinging to its body when you look at how much fur accumulates throughout my house. I would much rather it accumulate in the trash can, which is what this tool can help with.

I could furminate Ransom all day long. The fur just keeps coming. Piles of black fur mound up in the trash can as I run this amazing tool through his coat. Although this does not eliminate the shedding, if done everyday, it cuts down tremendously.

Since I hope for more dogs in our future, the furminator is a must to remain sane through the shedding.

Totally worth it.

Smarts

2011-03-15T13:18:00.001-05:00

There are a lot of really smart people in the world, but not all of them can dumb-it-down in an understandable way.

I used to think my science teacher was the smartest person I knew. He knew all the answers and had great ways of helping us understand. Well, Mr. Best, you have been beat.

Dr. Bookman's resume speaks for itself - found on his website, http://www.bookmanministries.com/. He is one of those people that you can listen to and not realize how much time has passed. He is intriguing, he is interesting, and his life is completely invested in what he teaches - the Word of God.

Dr. Bookman has been to our church a few times and is coming again this summer. Last year he taught on the Passion Week, during the Passion Week. What an amazing time it was! I understood Easter more fully than ever before. Hubs and I also listened to him on a recent road trip. It was completely captivating to sit and listen as he taught on the Life of Christ.

The most crazy part of Dr. Bookman's teaching is the rabbit trails he finds himself on. Appropriately, his blog is entitled, the rabbit train (http://www.therabbittrail.wordpress.com/). There is so much knowledge in his brain that he gets taken to different topics along the way in a desire for you to understand what he does. Amazingly, he always finds himself back to where he started and can keep us tracking with him the entire time. That is one gifted teacher.

I've been blessed enough to work with Dr. Bookman over the past few months and I am excited to listen to him again very soon. He is truly the smartest person I've ever known. But it isn't just smarts, it is truth that he believes with all his heart. And that's what is so cool.

If you ever get the opportunity to hear Dr. Bookman, do it. Seriously.

A new adventure

2011-03-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

I could ramble on to you about what's been going on. From computer viruses to broken copiers; from ordered clothes that were defective to Hubs' sore knee. Yep, I could tell you all the crazy frustrations of life right now, but there are so many exciting things that I prefer to dwell on.

As long as all continues to go according to plan, Hubs and I will be homeowners in less than 8 weeks. Here is our [future] humble abode:

Isn't it cute? We are getting more and more excited about having a home to make ours. Living in rented space has been nice and convenient, but it has never been ours. This little 936 square foot home will be perfect for our little family of 3, which we aren't planning to expand [with a human] anytime soon.

So, I have become addicted to home furnishings magazines and home designing blogs and websites. One of my favorites is The Lettered Cottage. This house is actually very well maintained (one of our prerequisites due to Hubs rigorous schedule), but a coat of paint and decor changes will be in order in a few rooms. This is so new to me that I just keep pursuing pictures and ideas of things I like, making mental notes along the way.

My favorite parts of the home include: the basement

the hardwood floors, which will keep us diligent about keeping Ransom's nails clipped

a master bedroom large enough for our bed and our furniture,

and, the landscaped yard with an area for a vegetable garden

For those of you who are wondering how Ransom would ever be contained in this sort of a yard, an invisible fence will be a must.

After almost 5 years, we have a cute little house. I'm so excited!

My Week

2011-03-04T22:22:00.000-06:00

I baked brownies. They were hard as rocks. I baked more brownies. They burnt. I went to small group without treats, 30 minutes late, fighting back tears the entire way.

Hubs cleaned the kitchen.

We found a house in St. Louis. It's cute and small and a good distance from the school. It's in a safer area and very close to some great trails. I'm thrilled and praying all the details work out.

I completely forgot to go to worship team practice. Didn't remember until 10:00 am the next day.

I realized that finding a new job is a very close reality. Makes me sad to leave the one I have.

Heard from a good friend. It was so great to read her words and be encouraged.

Watched puppies being born! More on this in a later post, including video for the not-so-faint-of-heart.

A little dose of reality

2011-03-01T18:59:00.001-06:00

Life. Is. Crazy.

Just so you know, I don't think it ever stops being crazy. And this is coming from a person who really has it easy. I know plenty of moms out there would be quick to tell me who much crazier it could be.

But back to our crazy life. Reality hit this weekend in a big way. Hubs and I traveled to our future home. Like in a few months - future. And as crazy as these streets seemed, soon we will know them. We will be able to navigate them.

It's really happening. We are going to move! It's exciting one minute and stressful the next. And in the midst of planning for the future and making hugomundous life decisions, we still have current-life. Our friends. Dinner plans. Baby showers. Travels. A marathon Hubs is training for. Bathrooms to clean and jobs to do well.

So, I am searching for balance and taking one moment at a time. And no matter how quickly the next few weeks and months pass, God continually reminds me that He knows and cares. And really, there are more important things that houses and jobs and money. There is His glory and honor and praise to be shown as I live each day.

Sunday, we tried out a church. During the service, Richard leans over to me and says, "Hey, over there is a friend from high school." Sure enough. There was a familiar face in the crowd. Then, in another conversation we found someone who knows my grandpa. Where we expected to be complete strangers, we found familiar faces.

It was a reality-trip. Driving around St. Louis. Seeing the many different areas. Looking for a home. Going to church. What an adventure it will be to see how God will use us there!

1 Millions Trips to the Store - update

2011-02-26T13:17:00.001-06:00

The beef broth was sitting right in front of my face in the cupboard the whole time. Now I'm really annoyed.

1 Million Trips to the Store

2011-02-25T07:14:00.000-06:00

On Monday, I made a grocery list. I planned my meals. I knew exactly what was needed. Although all the items were crossed off when I returned home, I have been to the grocery store more than ever this week.

Tuesday afternoon. I rush home from work to start the chicken marinating for Chicken Makhani. No garlic. I decide to just go without the garlic and sprinkle some ~~not nearly as good~~ garlic powder in. But wait, I also have no limes. So, I grab my keys and shove the dog in the car to get these [2] items.

Home again. Make the marinade. Hours later, Hubs comes home. I remember I had promised him I would pick up some medicine for his cold. Back to the car, Ransom and I head to the store.

Home again. Two minutes later I start supper and realize I don't have tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. Ransom and I get back. into. the. car. and go to the store for the third time that night.

Thursday afternoon. I need to make 2 dozen cranberry orange scones but notice the orange juice is gone. I go to the grocery store afterwork. Then, rush home to start the [pioneer woman's] pot roast. And realize I have no beef stock, which I KNOW I bought. Ransom is happy to tag along again to the store. On the way I wonder if the beef stock is in Hubs's truck, since I used his truck on Monday but don't have keys so just head straight to the store.

Home again. No powdered sugar for the glaze on the scones. Determined NOT to visit the store again, I find a friend that is willing to lend me 1/2 a cup and bring it to Bible study that night. Study gets cancelled, but I am still not willing to take myself back to the store. So Hubs runs the errand for me.

And, I'm pretty sure I have to go to the store again today.

[Sigh.]

A meal my dad would love

2011-02-17T06:54:00.000-06:00

Every time I make this meal, I think, "Dad would love this." Hubs and I love this, too.

You start with some brightly colored veggies (the onions are only for Hubs).

Add some thinly sliced marinated steak, which I broiled in the oven, but grilling would work, too. Pioneer Woman's marinated flank steak works perfectly.

Then some corn and black pepper to make the colors even brighter.

Add a tortilla and some rice and you've got steak fajitas! They are very delicious and these ones are not spicy or mexican-tasting at all.

You could use brown rice and whole wheat tortillas to be really healthy. And, you could add black beans, or guacamole [yum to both] to add some healthy aspects and to mimic Chipotle.

Hearts

2011-02-15T13:14:00.000-06:00

No matter what the angle.

Or the toppings.

I [heart] Hubs.

[Both tasted great, by the way.] Thanks to my mother for the heart shaped cookie pan.

Great Escape

2011-02-13T19:51:00.000-06:00

It is common for my friend and I to have coffee together. And at times, we like to bring our dogs together for a play date. So, it was natural to get together right after the giant snowfall and watch our crazies romp and play together in the cold while we sat inside chatting.

Just as I put the hot cocoa on the table, I saw it. And I yelled inside at him, even though he couldn't hear. For the first time in 2 months, Ransom had tried to jump the fence. I opened the back door and yelled for him to get inside.

He tried again.

I said, "Ransom, come on. Let's go inside!" because even though he needed scolded, I was using the "come in and get a treat" tactic. He turns around to acknowledge that he knew exactly what he was supposed to do, then took a [last] leap at the fence.

He made it.

In shock, I take off out the garage in my slippers, without a coat. [The temperature is in the teens.] I run around the corner to find him but there is nothing. I hear my 7-month pregnant friend behind me. We both yell for Ransom and don't see him anywhere. Everything is white; surely we will see him!

We take off towards the house again and I know that I have to go to the spot where he jumped. So, I trudge through the snow - which is up to my knees - around the front of the house to the back of the fence [in my slippers].

Not even noticing the cold yet, I follow his tracks until they lead me to a shoveled driveway and then I lose him. By this time, knowing my crazy dog's running capabilities and speed, he could be a long ways off. My sacrificing 7-month pregnant friend also trudges through the deep snow and we decide that I will take my car around the neighborhood while she keeps searching around the house.

I get in the car and drive around the block, when I hear my friend yell from the back yard that she found him. So, I turn around as fast as possible [on unplowed streets in my little dodge neon]. By the time I get around to the other side. Ransom is playing chase with my pregnant friend.

In the end, she caught him. We were snow covered and cold. He had been high-centered on a neighbor's 6-foot wooden fence. And, he whined to go back outside for the remainder of our time together.

This leaves me wondering what we will find that can actually contain him inside a yard.

Worth it?

2011-02-12T09:18:00.000-06:00

I love trying new products. Especially if the marketing is appealing. I am one of those people who is sucked in just by how it looks. So, I thought I would continually share my findings so that you can know whether it is worth it, or not.

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Bear River Valley Cereal

This cereal is located right with the rest of the cereals and as I was standing in the aisle trying to decide what to get, it popped out. Mainly because it is the only bagged cereal on that side of the aisle, but also because it looks so healthy and earth-conscious. Then, when I saw the bear-logo, I could not pass it up (I love bears).

The cereals have such cool names, too: "Frosted Tumble Wheats" and "Marshmallow Avalanche." The best part was that the cereals tasted good.

I paid $2.99 per bag, which isn't cheap. Although I liked the cereal, if Frosted Mini Wheats are cheaper, I will get them instead.

They are only worth it if they are cheaper.

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Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Bath Scrubber

The worst household chore is cleaning the tub. Why? It's gross to say it, but it is the hair; and how I never feel like it is absolutely clean.

So, when I saw these at the store and because I love regular magic erasers, I tried it out. I know you are thinking that I could just use a regular magic eraser instead of spending extra money on ones marketed to clean the bathroom. But, I ended up liking these for a few reasons.

These eraser are a bit bigger. They fit in my hand nicely. I feel like I see a difference in the shower when I am done and don't have to wash towels or sponges out afterwards. They have ridges on them for added scrubbing benefit. They smell clean and you can throw them away when they are nasty!

I'm a big fan and use these for cleaning the shower. I can't remember what they cost and can only find them at 1 store in town.

It's worth it, to me.

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Microplane Zester

One of my favorite kitchen items of all times. I love zesting citrus and grating hard cheeses now. It is easy and effortless and I have thrown my old zester out! I had a zester from Pampered Chef and it looked nothing like this and worked no where near this good. My cheese grater was a pain when it came to grating parmesan, but this little contraption is a dream.

This was a great purchase at only $14 (only $11 on Amazon). Don't compromise. Get this if you zest or grate frequently. Get it if you zest or grate occasionally.

It's worth it!

Winter Wonderland

2011-02-09T10:04:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I wish it was December 24th! This is the most snow I have ever seen in Kansas, and of course that means that things are closing down. But this snow is fluffy and beautiful and plentiful! Hubs and Ransom have been having some fun!

They wrestled, they chased, they flew snow up in the air.

Ransom burrowed in the snow in search of his toys. Hubs would throw a tennis ball and Ransom would search for it in the falling snow. It was a good physical and mental exercise for him.

Hubs had lots of fun out there. So much fun that after shoveling the driveway and playing with Ransom he ran 8 miles. Outside. While it was snowing and blowing. When there was already 10 inches on the ground.

Ransom gets so playful in the snow. He twirls and bows and prances around

And now for my favoritest picture of them all. My little snow dog.

Let the randomness begin

2011-02-05T16:47:00.000-06:00

I have very carefully been spending my Christmas money. This is the main gift I got from everyone and it is nearly half gone. I want to be very smart in spending it because it is gone so fast. A few more things need to be bought before Israel and I am still researching and waiting for the best deals. But it will be so sad when it is all gone.

Oh, and if you were wondering if the mideast turmoil has change our trip plans, it hasn't. We are still just as excited as ever!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I do sometimes wonder if anyone reads this blog anymore. Mostly because the quality of my posts have gone down the drain. I do realize that. But also because I rarely get any comments, at least online. I get lots of face-to-face comments from people I never knew were reading.

So all of you who still keep up with this. Thank you. Hopefully our life will get more exciting and provide me with more material.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I think we need another dog. I have good reasons.

1. Hubs and I will both be gone most of the day in St. Louis. When we get home, the pups will be ready to play and what better way to wear him out than having another pups?

2. Hubs and I can walk in the mornings together, each with a dog.

3. Because they are just so cute.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We are house searching. What an emotional experience - and we haven't even seen a house in person yet! When I find one I like, it is usually already in the process of being bought. Or, it is in a neighborhood with a high crime rate. Or something else will come up. Now that we have found the neighborhoods that we do want to live in, it is exciting to think about the houses on our list. We'll keep you updated.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After my own heart...

2011-02-02T14:04:00.001-06:00

Looks interesting. I should smell it.

Smells good, too. Now for the lick-test.

That is really good.

I mean, really good.

I could have one of these everyday!

If it tastes this good. I should bite it.

No, don't take it away!!!

He's a dog after my own heart. But let's see how well you know me. What was I drinking?

Sick

2011-02-01T17:58:00.000-06:00

2:10 am - I wake up. I toss and turn for a while, then decide to visit the bathroom. It was then I tried to swallow to only realize that my tonsil are inflammed enough to make swallowing difficult and painful. Even worse, a glob of mucus seems to have lodged itself right behind the gigantic tonsils. I gag a few times to try and get the mucus out [in case you forgot, I hate snot, even my own). Then I sprayed way over the suggested dosage of chloreseptic spray into the back of my mouth.

I lay back down and immediately knew that was a bad idea. the mucus raced to the back of my throat and swallowing was not any easier. I head to the couch.

2:20 am - The floors squeek [still getting used to that] as I walk around gathering a blanket and pillow and start the hot water boiling for some "cold therapy" tea. I bring Ransom out with me so he doesn't wake Hubs anymore that we already have. Ransom curls up and falls asleep - obviously annoyed that we were up in the middle of the night. The wind howls around the house and I sit on the couch sipping my tea - wide awake.

3:00 am - How did it get to be 3 already? I know I need to try and sleep. This is the 3rd night of tossing and turning. I situate my pillow behind my head and drift off to sleep sitting straight up, head in the blanket in an effort to breath hotter hair into my sore throat.

4:00 am - Wake up to the clock dinging completely sore from the position. Adjust and try to sleep again.

6:10 am - Hubs gets up. "No yoga this morning?" he asks. I realize I could have slept another hour or so, but wake up. Hubs actually bundles up and walks the dog despite the cold temperature, 24 mph wind gusts and blowing snow. I take a long, hot shower to soothe my throat.

I don't like being sick.

5:20 pm - Hubs brings me a hot cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks. He's the best.

What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart

2011-01-31T16:41:00.003-06:00

Paula Rinehart aims to help women understand how to relate to men. She breaks the book into 2 categories: "Understanding the man you love" and "Loving the man you understand." She discussed what men do, how they change, the respect they need and conflict. The goal was for women to become a "relational genius" with the men in their life.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. After reading it, I have not come away with anything that I will use or think through. I never felt like the chapters accomplished the purpose, they just stated information and shared stories that were supposed to make us laugh and agree wholeheartedly. The practical advice given was, in my opinion, not godly; and her use of Bible verses was only to prove her point and therefore seemed out of context. Her assertions such as, "In a man's life, the driving force in her personal and spiritual development is his sexuality. It's the way God designed him." are not cited, nor do I find in the Bible, and therefore she is making these ludicrous statements to sell a book that women will read and try more schemes to have a happy marriage instead of working on their own spiritual growth and praying for their husbands.

Mainly, I felt like she assumed her audience believes men are dumb and only useful when it comes to sex, and suggested women are here to run the relationship through manipulation and coddling.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Good days

2011-01-24T20:34:00.000-06:00

What can turn a day into a good day?

A really good cup of coffee. And good doesn't have to mean Starbucks. I'm talking a flavorful, full-bodied cup of hot coffee. Sipped slowly to enjoy the flavor.

A profitable time in the Bible. When you walk away pondering something and working through it in your mind all day.

Getting your workout done in the morning so you feel good all day long.

Finding exactly what you were shopping for - on sale. It hardly ever happens that the exact item you needed is the item on sale. Usually it is a cute item that you don't need, but spend the money anyways because it is such a good deal.

Trying a new recipe that becomes one of the best meals you've ever cooked. It makes the last 10 new recipes that failed worth it.

Getting everything on your to-do list done - then having some guilt-free relax time with a good book or movie.

A great big hug from Hubs. Out of the blue.

So, what turns your days into good days?

Catching you up

2011-01-22T08:49:00.001-06:00

In x weeks we will be in Israel. I have been busy thinking about the gear I want to get and the trip. You know the anticipation of a vacation is half the fun. This is the biggest vacation we have ever taken and it is very appropriate considering we will be hunkering down for 30 months living on my income and paying for school. I can't wait for the time with Hubs exploring a new country and I this vacation should tide me over for 30 months - til we take our finished-with-school-forever-celebration-trip.

So, we've been looking at homes. Yes, we've decided to buy. The homes we really want are a little out of our price range, so we are being a bit more realistic this week. There is a lot to think about. I think we have a few good prospects and I am really having to fight controlling this issue and letting God work it out in His timing.

And of course the biggest search will be a job. The resume is almost updated and ready. It's early, but I'm prepared.

On Sunday, Hubs and I ate with some friends. At one point, while they were getting some pizza from the buffet, Hubs said, "We have to find friends like this in St. Louis." It's true. We have awesome friends and they are going to be missed. This being my 13th move, I know it is all about enduring the awkward conversations and being open and real. We are already praying for friends there.

I just got home from a 3-mile run with Ransom. As I've done before, I thought I would take you through my thought process...

My face is cold, but the rest of me feels great. Hubs is gonna have a good day for 13 miles.

Oh wow. Ransom's pooping already.

I feel pretty good. I am definitely going 3 miles.

The half marathon wouldn't be so bad. I think I should do it.

Mmmm. Somebody is drying their clothes and that fabric softener smells really good.

Weird. I can still smell the fabric softener.

It is a really nice day. I'm glad I got out and ran.

Ransom! Get over here.

Pee break (we had about 5 of these)

Okay. This is getting kind of boring. But, at least I still feel pretty good.

Turning around. The hard part is over now.

Ransom! Come. over. here.

Okay, so I can obviously run 3 miles but I am NOT running that half marathon.

Severence has never looked so long.

I can't imagine running this 4+ more times during the half.

Ugh. This is not fun.

[Back home] Wow. I feel so great after getting out and running today!

Snow Fun

2011-01-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

I like snow. It is so pretty. Ransom and I got to take a walk Monday morning before the roads had been "cleared." It was so still and quiet. The only sounds were from a few brave souls up early to shovel their driveways. I loved it.

The pups, however, loves snow more than I ever could. He is constantly whining to go outside and play. And he could stay out there for hours. Unfortunately, due to his past Houdini-like escapes, I don't trust him without supervision [from inside the warm house], so he only gets 5-10 minutes at a time. He did get an extended play time with his best bud, Bo, at their house.

Today, I finally captured some of his moments. This pretty well encapsulates his favorite activities: running back and forth with the ball, tossing the ball in the snow and pouncing on it, and, of course, eating the snow.

No matter how cold it is, he just doesn't care. He plops down in the snow and thinks we are crazy for bundling up.

When it is time to come in, I call. And if he comes in immediately, he gets a treat. I think he's getting the hang of this.

The case of the [2] missing coffee grinders

2011-01-09T15:18:00.001-06:00

Shockingly enough, I have not made coffee in the new house. Thanks to Christmas Blend Via packs and Starbucks gift cards and lots of traveling, I just haven't done it.

So, it was quite embarrassing when we had guests over and I frantically had to search through my cabinets to find a coffee grinder. It was even more embarrassing that I have not found it. And then the final embarrassment came when our guest drove to the grocery store to get ground coffee.

It's a mystery to me how I could lose track of, not 1, but 2 coffee grinders - one still in its box. I am resigned that it probably won't show up for 5 months when I start packing all over again.

Life with the black-hair-shedder

2011-01-08T09:38:00.001-06:00

A friend recently asked me for pictures of our dog. Can you believe that Ransom is going to be on the wall of their nursery? I am so honored that our pooch made a [positive] impact on someone's life.

Ok, well it is more like their nursery is dog-themed and they knew we love our dog [too much] and would have a plethora of pictures handy. But, it was kinda fun clicking threw pictures over the last 18 months with Ransom.

So, for those of you who check-out when I post pictures of the pups, you may stop reading now.

This was our first meeting with Ransom. I wasn't immediately attached at this point. It was the second visit when I knew I would not walk out of that shelter without him.

The first month was a challenge [on our marriage]; and there were serious thoughts of taking him back. Which pretty much made me cry just thinking about it. But finding him at 4:30 in the morning like this, was more humorous than anything.

There was also the skunk incident at 4:30 in the morning.

But we kept going and he soon made himself at home [fyi - this is a big fat no-no]. We learned that he loves laying on anything soft and comfy.

The metal crate saved the day [and Ransom's life in our home]. With the right amount of conditioning, he now contentedly calls his crate home while we are away.

Our mission for each day became: wear Ransom out. As an energetic 1-year-old, this was a challenge. We took trips to the dog park, long walks each morning, and runs with Hubs. We filled a backpack with 10-pounds and even forced this "water dog" into the water.

Soon, we found ourselves doing anything for those sad eyes.

Frequently, he causes us to laugh, and I'm not sure what we talked about before he arrived.

But, I do know that he is worth every single piece of black hair that sheds from his body all over my clean house. And I can't wait to have another!

The Kansas Language

2011-01-07T12:02:00.001-06:00

Our area is civilized. We don't drive 30 minutes or more to the grocery store. We don't live on dirt roads. And our fire department is not volunteer only. Nobody I know really has a "country" accent. However, I have caught my use of the English language declining in the past months. I was extremely embarassed today when I heard this come of out my mouth during a conversation with my boss:

"I got to."

I immediately corrected myself, but as those of you who know my boss can imagine, the damage was done. We joked over the fact that my grammar has deteriorated over the past months. Hubs has also noticed that my verb usage has been sub-par. I believe it might be time to move back to the city where I can refine my vocabulary.

In preparation, I think I will go home and read a classic novel, revelling in the beauty of word choice and sentence structure.