Showing posts with label Kicks and Pics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kicks and Pics. Show all posts
5.21.2009
What I Did After Monday's RE Appointment
My friend from Texas, Amanda, visited last weekend; her husband surprised her for her birthday by sending her to Chicago. We had a wonderful time! Most of the time I forgot to take pictures, but I did take plenty on Monday, when Amanda and I drove into the city, walked around Millennium Park, and took a river cruise with the Chicago Architecture Foundation. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.
4.01.2009
HI Day 2: Just Beachy
We started the morning on Sunday with gobbled greetings from our new turkey neighbors.
Then we spent several hours at Hapuna Beach (where my mom and I read, my dad hid from the sun, and Mark and Aaron played Frisbee).
After we cleaned up, my parents treated us to a gourmet dinner at Merriman's.
The End (of day two, at least)
Then we spent several hours at Hapuna Beach (where my mom and I read, my dad hid from the sun, and Mark and Aaron played Frisbee).
After we cleaned up, my parents treated us to a gourmet dinner at Merriman's.
The End (of day two, at least)
3.31.2009
HI Day 1: To Market, To Market
My parents and brother had their travel to Hawaii delayed by one day, so Aaron and I were on our own for most of Saturday. Our condo in Waikoloa Village overlooked a golf course, the foothills of mountains, and the ocean.
The property was also home to wild turkeys.
After taking a few pictures, the first order of the day was to find food. We visited two local farmers' markets (a tiny one in Waikoloa Village and a bigger one in Keauhou), which were full of exotic produce.
After lunch, we explored Holualoa, a little town full of art galleries and boutiques. A highlight was the ukelele shop, housed in the town's old post office.
We finished the day by picking up my family from the airport, celebrating their arrival by giving my mom a lei.
The property was also home to wild turkeys.
After taking a few pictures, the first order of the day was to find food. We visited two local farmers' markets (a tiny one in Waikoloa Village and a bigger one in Keauhou), which were full of exotic produce.
After lunch, we explored Holualoa, a little town full of art galleries and boutiques. A highlight was the ukelele shop, housed in the town's old post office.
We finished the day by picking up my family from the airport, celebrating their arrival by giving my mom a lei.
3.30.2009
Humor Me and Pretend It's March 12
Here's what I intended to post that Thursday, before silly things like packing for our trip got in the way.
The point of the photo is not to preserve our packing list for posterity, but to say, "Look, I can take frivolous pictures now and publish them on the Internet with ease, because I have a digital camera!" Just before our Hawaii vacation, we used a slew of horded gift cards to purchase a Nikon D40, along with an 18-55mm lens and a 55-200mm lens. We love it!
So even though the packing list post is outdated now, I thought it would still serve as a good introduction to the Hawaii vacation photoblogging about to come.
The point of the photo is not to preserve our packing list for posterity, but to say, "Look, I can take frivolous pictures now and publish them on the Internet with ease, because I have a digital camera!" Just before our Hawaii vacation, we used a slew of horded gift cards to purchase a Nikon D40, along with an 18-55mm lens and a 55-200mm lens. We love it!
So even though the packing list post is outdated now, I thought it would still serve as a good introduction to the Hawaii vacation photoblogging about to come.
1.26.2009
2009 minus 1980 equals
Today I turn 29. Aaron jokingly called it the age I'll be for the rest of my life. Truly, I hope that I'm never abashed by my age, that I never wail about getting old, that I never wistfully long to be in a different decade of my life. I want to live every year to its fullest, with joy and grace. But, I would really like to be a mom by 30. Please, God?
Aaron took me out to celebrate on Saturday. We went to a cozy French restaurant for lunch (tea, souffle, and crepes; yum!). Then he took me to pick out a Dutch oven; I've wanted one for ages, and we found a great deal on this one. I can't wait to cook with it!
I'm settling in for a quiet, low-key day now. Aaron, sadly, is out of town on an unavoidable business trip. It's my regular day off of work, but I do have some lesson-planning and grading to do for the homeschool co-op where I teach once a week. I slept in a little, then I made a tasty breakfast of steel-cut oatmeal with honey, cranberries, and pecans. I think I'll treat myself to a bath at some point, and I have a couple of presents from my parents to open. Aaron kept urging me to set up a lunch date with girlfriends or something, but a restful day at home appeals to me.
This morning, I read and meditated on Mark 8:34-36. I pray that this last year of my twenties would be one in which I learn to embrace my cross with greater faith, to deny myself and find the immeasurable gain of Christ and the gospel.
1.07.2009
Lost in Translation
When Aaron and I started dating, I had fun discovering some of his unique, West Virginia style pronunciations. We laughed most together about the way he said, "color." He pronounced it the way most Americans say, "collar." We joked about the difficulties of being "collar-blind," as in, "I can't tell if you're wearing a turtleneck or a polo; I'm collar-blind." Though almost a decade in the Midwest has standardized Aaron's pronunciation of "color," we still giggle when we think about collar-blindness.
Aaron's mom, Carolyn, has lived all but a couple years of her life in West Virginia. She has an endearing accent, and I enjoy listening to catch all the variations. One of my favorites is any word ending in the letters, "ush," which she pronounces, "oosh." So "push" is "poosh," and "bush" is "boosh." That last particularly tickles me when Carolyn has talked politics over the last several years; I get a kick out of hearing her say the name of President "Boosh."
During our Christmas visit to West Virginia, I helped Carolyn do some last-minute shopping for one of Aaron's three sisters, Laurie. Aaron's younger sister, Rachel, was with us, too. Laurie had requested V-neck shirts in jewel tones, so Carolyn, Rachel and I browsed through a department store in search of the right kind of tops. I pointed out some bright button-up blouses to Rachel, thinking that leaving the top few buttons undone would create a V neckline. Rachel commented that she didn't think Laurie liked collared tops, since she had advised Aaron's oldest sister, Esther, not to wear polo shirts. I made a mental note and wandered over to see if Carolyn had found anything. When I reached her, she gestured towards a rack of vibrant blouses.
"What do you think of these?" she asked.
"Well," I replied, "they are pretty, but Rachel told me that Laurie doesn't like collars."
Carolyn turned and spoke vehemently. "Yes, she does! She asked for jewel tones!"
I blinked, startled at the non sequitur. Then it clicked. Gesturing with my hands as if grabbing imaginary lapels, I said, "No, collars. She doesn't like collars."
Aaron's mom, Carolyn, has lived all but a couple years of her life in West Virginia. She has an endearing accent, and I enjoy listening to catch all the variations. One of my favorites is any word ending in the letters, "ush," which she pronounces, "oosh." So "push" is "poosh," and "bush" is "boosh." That last particularly tickles me when Carolyn has talked politics over the last several years; I get a kick out of hearing her say the name of President "Boosh."
During our Christmas visit to West Virginia, I helped Carolyn do some last-minute shopping for one of Aaron's three sisters, Laurie. Aaron's younger sister, Rachel, was with us, too. Laurie had requested V-neck shirts in jewel tones, so Carolyn, Rachel and I browsed through a department store in search of the right kind of tops. I pointed out some bright button-up blouses to Rachel, thinking that leaving the top few buttons undone would create a V neckline. Rachel commented that she didn't think Laurie liked collared tops, since she had advised Aaron's oldest sister, Esther, not to wear polo shirts. I made a mental note and wandered over to see if Carolyn had found anything. When I reached her, she gestured towards a rack of vibrant blouses.
"What do you think of these?" she asked.
"Well," I replied, "they are pretty, but Rachel told me that Laurie doesn't like collars."
Carolyn turned and spoke vehemently. "Yes, she does! She asked for jewel tones!"
I blinked, startled at the non sequitur. Then it clicked. Gesturing with my hands as if grabbing imaginary lapels, I said, "No, collars. She doesn't like collars."
11.28.2008
If I Twittered...
Tweeted? Whatever. Here are some random thoughts I might have posted this past week:
I'd like to thank the return of '80s fashion for the fingerless gloves that now keep my hands warm enough to type in my home office. about 4 days ago
Grrr. I hate it when I forget my tea is steeping. Now drinking a cuppa that brewed for 20 min. about 2 days ago
I'd like to thank the return of '80s fashion for the fingerless gloves that now keep my hands warm enough to type in my home office. about 4 days ago
Grrr. I hate it when I forget my tea is steeping. Now drinking a cuppa that brewed for 20 min. about 2 days ago
11.18.2008
When I Said "Warm Clothes," I Meant Clothes that Would Keep Me Warm, Not Clothes Appropriate for a Warm Climate
Aaron and I had a truly lovely weekend away. We rested, we did some sightseeing, and we had extended time to talk and fellowship and enjoy our marriage.
On Friday, I flew into Buffalo, NY, and Aaron met me at the airport (he had been working last week at a conference in upstate New York). After checking in to our hotel in downtown Buffalo and relaxing there for a bit, we walked to an upscale restaurant where Aaron had reservations for us. I had an exquisitely delicious garlic soup that I absolutely must figure out how to recreate!
After sleeping in a little on Saturday (since we now get up at 5am most mornings, sleeping in meant not getting out of bed until 7:30, but that would have been 6:30 central time - still, it felt great!), we drove up to Niagara Falls. We crossed into Canada, found a place to park, then walked along the river to the falls. It was raining and foggy, so we didn't have a great view, but it was still pretty spectacular! After admiring the falls, we visited a greenhouse on the grounds of the Niagara Falls park, then we had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the falls. For the afternoon, we drove back to Buffalo and toured a Frank Lloyd Wright house (the Darwin D. Martin house). Since I have an interest in architecture and design, I found the tour fascinating. After the tour, we spent the rest of the evening relaxing at the hotel.
On Sunday morning, we went across the street to a local coffeehouse for breakfast, and we sat in their cozy chairs and spent extended time reading our Bibles and journaling. Then we returned to our room to pray together for a little while. We prayed specifically about Aaron's job and our family-building, the two areas where we're facing significant trials, and we asked the Lord to show us one step to take in each of those areas. After we finished praying, we packed up and went to the airport. As we waited to board our planes, we wrote our Christmas lists (they're coming, Mom & Dad!). Then we flew our separate ways - Aaron on to the next business conference in Arkansas, and me back home.
The Lord definitely answered the prayers for our weekend! We both feel restored from the busyness of these past several months and renewed to keep persevering in the months to come.
On Friday, I flew into Buffalo, NY, and Aaron met me at the airport (he had been working last week at a conference in upstate New York). After checking in to our hotel in downtown Buffalo and relaxing there for a bit, we walked to an upscale restaurant where Aaron had reservations for us. I had an exquisitely delicious garlic soup that I absolutely must figure out how to recreate!
After sleeping in a little on Saturday (since we now get up at 5am most mornings, sleeping in meant not getting out of bed until 7:30, but that would have been 6:30 central time - still, it felt great!), we drove up to Niagara Falls. We crossed into Canada, found a place to park, then walked along the river to the falls. It was raining and foggy, so we didn't have a great view, but it was still pretty spectacular! After admiring the falls, we visited a greenhouse on the grounds of the Niagara Falls park, then we had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the falls. For the afternoon, we drove back to Buffalo and toured a Frank Lloyd Wright house (the Darwin D. Martin house). Since I have an interest in architecture and design, I found the tour fascinating. After the tour, we spent the rest of the evening relaxing at the hotel.
On Sunday morning, we went across the street to a local coffeehouse for breakfast, and we sat in their cozy chairs and spent extended time reading our Bibles and journaling. Then we returned to our room to pray together for a little while. We prayed specifically about Aaron's job and our family-building, the two areas where we're facing significant trials, and we asked the Lord to show us one step to take in each of those areas. After we finished praying, we packed up and went to the airport. As we waited to board our planes, we wrote our Christmas lists (they're coming, Mom & Dad!). Then we flew our separate ways - Aaron on to the next business conference in Arkansas, and me back home.
The Lord definitely answered the prayers for our weekend! We both feel restored from the busyness of these past several months and renewed to keep persevering in the months to come.
11.13.2008
Getaway
This Sunday will be our sixth anniversary. (If you haven't already seen it, you might enjoy the slide show I made for our fifth anniversary last year*.) Aaron is flying me off to some secret destination for the weekend (all I know so far is that I should pack warm clothes). I'm terribly excited and so ready to get away. We'd love your prayers for a weekend of rest in this busy season, and for us to have fellowship and fun together as husband and wife!
*You know, last year when I did NaBloPoMo. Things are a little quieter around the blog this November. See above re: busy season. So, so busy.
*You know, last year when I did NaBloPoMo. Things are a little quieter around the blog this November. See above re: busy season. So, so busy.
10.16.2008
Six Things, or a Partial List of the Last-Bite Rules
Michele tagged me for the six things meme. Since I've already done a general response to a similar tag, I'm going to narrow my focus for this one. I have a quirk, when eating, of choosing my last bite before I take my first bite; this quirk is, judging by the comments I receive on it, both baffling and beloved to those who learn of it. I here present a list, by no means exhaustive, of the last-bite rules.
1. Bread (whether sandwich bread, a slice of French baguette, a muffin, etc.) must be eaten starting with the bottom crust and ending with the top crust - preferably not a corner, but a middle-section of the top crust. In order to ensure that eating bread in this order results in the best-possible last bite, one must, when buttering toast or spreading peanut-butter and jelly, apply the thickest coating of said toppings along the top crust of the bread.
2. When eating a salad, be sure to keep an eye out for when each tasty element (vegetable, fruit, cheese, etc.) dwindles down to its last piece. Save those pieces up and then collect them all on your fork for one scrumptious last bite full of the best contents of your salad.
3. After picking up a chocolate-chip cookie, scrutinize it for the spot with the highest concentration of chocolate morsels. (Hint: Looking at the underside of the cookie gives the best data.) Hold that part of the cookie in your fingers - but don't touch the chocolate chips and melt them! - and eat your way to that pre-selected, chocolaty-ist piece. (P.S. This reservation of the last bite by holding it between your fingers and gradually nibbling towards it applies to all hand-held foods, including breads in accordance with the dictates of Rule #1.)
4. Chips. Chips are tricky, therefore it is best not to eat them too often. In order to follow the last-bite rule of chips, one may be forced to over-indulge. The last chip cannot be chosen only by taste, not by sight. When eating chips, keep eating until you get that one with an extra burst of salty flavor. If you encounter this chip at only your second or third one, chances are you won't be ready to stop eating, so you will keep munching chips until you find the next chip with that special something. Make that your last bite; every other chip to follow will inevitably disappoint.
5. Main dishes, in all their variety, follow this general rule: get as much of the good stuff as you can in the last bite. Either look at the beginning for the part that appears to have the most flavor (seasoning, toppings, etc.) and mark it out for the end, or, in the case of pastas or soups, make sure as you eat to reserve pieces of the flavorful ingredients for the finale.
6. IMPORTANT over-arching rule of last-bite eating: If you are getting full, HEAD STRAIGHT FOR THE LAST BITE. Do not abandon the already-chosen last bite because you cannot make it there; skip everything else to ensure you have that savory finish before you can eat no more.
After reading this (partial) list of the last-bite rules, you may think I'm certifiably obsessive-compulsive. The thing is, I hardly think about these things as I do them; it's just an ingrained approach to eating. If you share a meal with me, you won't even notice that I'm doing it. However, if you spot me slightly tilting a chocolate-chip cookie and glancing at its underside, now you'll know what I'm up to!
I'll tag KC, Renee, Faith, and Stacey. You're it, ladies!
1. Bread (whether sandwich bread, a slice of French baguette, a muffin, etc.) must be eaten starting with the bottom crust and ending with the top crust - preferably not a corner, but a middle-section of the top crust. In order to ensure that eating bread in this order results in the best-possible last bite, one must, when buttering toast or spreading peanut-butter and jelly, apply the thickest coating of said toppings along the top crust of the bread.
2. When eating a salad, be sure to keep an eye out for when each tasty element (vegetable, fruit, cheese, etc.) dwindles down to its last piece. Save those pieces up and then collect them all on your fork for one scrumptious last bite full of the best contents of your salad.
3. After picking up a chocolate-chip cookie, scrutinize it for the spot with the highest concentration of chocolate morsels. (Hint: Looking at the underside of the cookie gives the best data.) Hold that part of the cookie in your fingers - but don't touch the chocolate chips and melt them! - and eat your way to that pre-selected, chocolaty-ist piece. (P.S. This reservation of the last bite by holding it between your fingers and gradually nibbling towards it applies to all hand-held foods, including breads in accordance with the dictates of Rule #1.)
4. Chips. Chips are tricky, therefore it is best not to eat them too often. In order to follow the last-bite rule of chips, one may be forced to over-indulge. The last chip cannot be chosen only by taste, not by sight. When eating chips, keep eating until you get that one with an extra burst of salty flavor. If you encounter this chip at only your second or third one, chances are you won't be ready to stop eating, so you will keep munching chips until you find the next chip with that special something. Make that your last bite; every other chip to follow will inevitably disappoint.
5. Main dishes, in all their variety, follow this general rule: get as much of the good stuff as you can in the last bite. Either look at the beginning for the part that appears to have the most flavor (seasoning, toppings, etc.) and mark it out for the end, or, in the case of pastas or soups, make sure as you eat to reserve pieces of the flavorful ingredients for the finale.
6. IMPORTANT over-arching rule of last-bite eating: If you are getting full, HEAD STRAIGHT FOR THE LAST BITE. Do not abandon the already-chosen last bite because you cannot make it there; skip everything else to ensure you have that savory finish before you can eat no more.
After reading this (partial) list of the last-bite rules, you may think I'm certifiably obsessive-compulsive. The thing is, I hardly think about these things as I do them; it's just an ingrained approach to eating. If you share a meal with me, you won't even notice that I'm doing it. However, if you spot me slightly tilting a chocolate-chip cookie and glancing at its underside, now you'll know what I'm up to!
I'll tag KC, Renee, Faith, and Stacey. You're it, ladies!
8.22.2008
31 Words
I was tagged by Mustard Seed Baby for this post. The rules state that I should answer each question with one word. I might cheat by hyphenating some!
1. Where is your cell phone? windowsill
2. Your significant other? charming
3. Your hair? wavy
4. Your mother? Dutch
5. Your father? Dutch
6. Your favorite thing? books
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? properly-prepared-tea
9. Your dream/goal? heaven
10. The room you're in? home-office
11. Your hobby? blogging!
12. Your fear? chidlessness
13. Where to you want to be in six years? here
14. What you're not? extroverted
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? this
17. Where you grew up? everywhere
18. The last thing you did? laundry
19. What are you wearing? skirt
20. Favorite gadget? immersion-blender
21. Your pet? none
22. Your computer? laptop
23. Your mood? weekend-ready
24. Missing someone? Wacoans
25. Your car? Ion
26. Something you are not wearing? socks
27. Favorite store? Ann-Taylor-Loft
28. Like someone? Michael Kitchen
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed? morning
31. Last time you cried? July?
Consider yourself tagged if you read this and want to give it a try. Happy weekend!
1. Where is your cell phone? windowsill
2. Your significant other? charming
3. Your hair? wavy
4. Your mother? Dutch
5. Your father? Dutch
6. Your favorite thing? books
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? properly-prepared-tea
9. Your dream/goal? heaven
10. The room you're in? home-office
11. Your hobby? blogging!
12. Your fear? chidlessness
13. Where to you want to be in six years? here
14. What you're not? extroverted
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? this
17. Where you grew up? everywhere
18. The last thing you did? laundry
19. What are you wearing? skirt
20. Favorite gadget? immersion-blender
21. Your pet? none
22. Your computer? laptop
23. Your mood? weekend-ready
24. Missing someone? Wacoans
25. Your car? Ion
26. Something you are not wearing? socks
27. Favorite store? Ann-Taylor-Loft
28. Like someone? Michael Kitchen
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed? morning
31. Last time you cried? July?
Consider yourself tagged if you read this and want to give it a try. Happy weekend!
8.20.2008
We Called It "The Dress Car." Because It Was So Fancy.
Back in June, I wrote about how my first response to a day full of challenges was, "What next, Lord? Are you going to cause one of our cars to explode?..." Well, it turns out that was a strangely prescient though not altogether accurate thought. Today we found out that one of our cars was in fact on the brink of exploding!
Aaron's car had a leaking tire on Friday. He filled it with that fix-a-flat stuff and drove it home from work, but he noticed that it seemed wobblier than usual. Usual being not-wobbly, except when you go over a bump in the road. So we got a recommendation for a mechanic near our new home and made an appointment. "Brake problems," we thought, "or maybe suspension." Then the mechanic called. The back frame of the car is split in two. "If you had hit one big bump," he said (Hi! We live in the Midwest, where we grow pot-holes as big as Rhode Island! And we had the pot-hole-iest winter ever this year! And many of the roads haven't been fixed yet!) "...you could have punctured your gas tank and..." FIERY DEATH!!! "We don't recommend repairing the car," he went on to say.
I'm so grateful the Lord protected us from an EXPLODING CAR and FIERY DEATH!!!
Oh, Subaru, mostly green (though Aaron thinks you're blue) except in the parts where you got rusty (and Aaron patched you up and painted you... blue), we'll miss you and your 219,000 miles.
Anybody selling a commuter car for cheap?
Aaron's car had a leaking tire on Friday. He filled it with that fix-a-flat stuff and drove it home from work, but he noticed that it seemed wobblier than usual. Usual being not-wobbly, except when you go over a bump in the road. So we got a recommendation for a mechanic near our new home and made an appointment. "Brake problems," we thought, "or maybe suspension." Then the mechanic called. The back frame of the car is split in two. "If you had hit one big bump," he said (Hi! We live in the Midwest, where we grow pot-holes as big as Rhode Island! And we had the pot-hole-iest winter ever this year! And many of the roads haven't been fixed yet!) "...you could have punctured your gas tank and..." FIERY DEATH!!! "We don't recommend repairing the car," he went on to say.
I'm so grateful the Lord protected us from an EXPLODING CAR and FIERY DEATH!!!
Oh, Subaru, mostly green (though Aaron thinks you're blue) except in the parts where you got rusty (and Aaron patched you up and painted you... blue), we'll miss you and your 219,000 miles.
Anybody selling a commuter car for cheap?
8.11.2008
7.31.2008
Courtesy of Unpacking and Search Engines
While unpacking some miscellaneous desk items, I unearthed a post-it note on which I had scribbled some of the odder phrases that led people to my blog through search engines. Without further ado, I present the list.
IVF and pepper (huh?)
OB-GYN Christmas jingles (huh? two times!)
perfect me heart motives (sanctification for pirates!)
entrusted picture dictionary (how would you draw a picture of "entrusted"?)
want to be infertile (trust me, honey, you don't)
arrested development in the emotions of an embryo (I... don't even know what to say about that one)
Those of you who've been following along for a while will be glad to know that people are still stumbling upon my site when looking for:
chicken reproductive system pictures
And now, also:
artichoke reproduction system
I hope the chickens and artichokes are more successful at reproducing than I've proven to be!
IVF and pepper (huh?)
OB-GYN Christmas jingles (huh? two times!)
perfect me heart motives (sanctification for pirates!)
entrusted picture dictionary (how would you draw a picture of "entrusted"?)
want to be infertile (trust me, honey, you don't)
arrested development in the emotions of an embryo (I... don't even know what to say about that one)
Those of you who've been following along for a while will be glad to know that people are still stumbling upon my site when looking for:
chicken reproductive system pictures
And now, also:
artichoke reproduction system
I hope the chickens and artichokes are more successful at reproducing than I've proven to be!
7.03.2008
Approximately $50,000 to $0 in 5 Years
As of today, we are completely and gloriously debt free! We just paid off the balance of our last school loan, so now we have no education debt, no car payments, no credit card balances, no mortgage, nothing owed to anyone. We're so grateful for the teaching we received early on in our marriage about the principles of financial stewardship and for the money-savvy friends who helped us put together a practical plan to pay everything off as soon as possible. Thank you, Lord, for providing!
5.02.2008
Random Things Come in Threes
Veronica of Toddled Dredge tagged me for a post that lists three random things about me. (And how honored am I to be tagged by one of my favorite bloggers?) Without further ado, here's the list:
1) In my junior year of college, I thought I wanted to go on to get my Ph.D. in literature and become an English professor. In my junior year of college, I met Aaron. As we prepared for marriage, we decided that graduate school wasn't the best option because we wanted to be young parents. Yeah, that's gone really well. Ironically, I could have completed a doctoral program by now. However, I don't regret the choice I made (especially since we're now this close to paying off all of our school loans).
2) This is only indirectly about me, but I've had the opportunity to re-tell this story in the past few weeks, so it's fresh on my mind. My family comes from the Netherlands, and my grandparents still lived there at the time of WWII. (My mom was born at the end of the war, and the family moved away shortly afterwards.) My grandparents lived on a farm, and my grandfather (not the one that recently passed away, but the one still kicking in Texas) was the village carpenter. The family used their farm to hide some people from the Nazi army (mostly young men in danger of being conscripted by the enemy, but also a rabbi). As the German invasion approached, the townsfolk came to my grandfather and asked him to use his carpentry skills to hide all of their valuables (paintings, jewelry, etc.). At the end of the war, everyone returned to my grandpa to find out where their belongings were. He said, "You've been sitting on them every Sunday." He had built false bottoms to all the pews in church and stored all the valuables there. It wasn't until the 1990's that my grandparents shared these stories with any of their children or grandchildren.
3) Veronica mentioned in her list of three random things that she enjoys meat with sweet sauces. I actually dislike sweet-flavored meat dishes. The combination of tastes seems wrong to me somehow, as if they stay too distinct rather than blending together. I much prefer savory meat recipes, with garlic or onions and a decent dash of salt.
I'll tag some new blog friends: Mya, Jill, and Brenna (who is not a new friend but has a new blog).
1) In my junior year of college, I thought I wanted to go on to get my Ph.D. in literature and become an English professor. In my junior year of college, I met Aaron. As we prepared for marriage, we decided that graduate school wasn't the best option because we wanted to be young parents. Yeah, that's gone really well. Ironically, I could have completed a doctoral program by now. However, I don't regret the choice I made (especially since we're now this close to paying off all of our school loans).
2) This is only indirectly about me, but I've had the opportunity to re-tell this story in the past few weeks, so it's fresh on my mind. My family comes from the Netherlands, and my grandparents still lived there at the time of WWII. (My mom was born at the end of the war, and the family moved away shortly afterwards.) My grandparents lived on a farm, and my grandfather (not the one that recently passed away, but the one still kicking in Texas) was the village carpenter. The family used their farm to hide some people from the Nazi army (mostly young men in danger of being conscripted by the enemy, but also a rabbi). As the German invasion approached, the townsfolk came to my grandfather and asked him to use his carpentry skills to hide all of their valuables (paintings, jewelry, etc.). At the end of the war, everyone returned to my grandpa to find out where their belongings were. He said, "You've been sitting on them every Sunday." He had built false bottoms to all the pews in church and stored all the valuables there. It wasn't until the 1990's that my grandparents shared these stories with any of their children or grandchildren.
3) Veronica mentioned in her list of three random things that she enjoys meat with sweet sauces. I actually dislike sweet-flavored meat dishes. The combination of tastes seems wrong to me somehow, as if they stay too distinct rather than blending together. I much prefer savory meat recipes, with garlic or onions and a decent dash of salt.
I'll tag some new blog friends: Mya, Jill, and Brenna (who is not a new friend but has a new blog).
4.16.2008
Best! Tank Tops! Ever!
So I thought I'd get in on a little Works-for-Me-Wednesday action this week. What is Works-for-Me-Wednesday, you ask? You can find out here.
Last night at our small group meeting, the gals discussed the topic of modesty. (We based our discussion on this message, in case you're curious.) Now, modesty is a matter of the heart more than anything else, but it is also a very practical issue. As we were talking about the specifics of appropriate appearance, I mentioned these tank tops. I have three of them (white, black, and brown), and I probably wear them five days out of every week. They are perfect for layering; they're long (even on a 5'10" girl like me!), and the neckline is just right, not to low, not to high. Now that the weather is finally starting to warm up, they're also great to wear alone. The fabric is light-weight enough to be comfortable, but not so thin that you need yet another layer underneath the tank. (Because, really, who wants to layer up on a hot summer day?) The tanks are form fitting enough to look feminine, but they aren't too snug. So there you have it, ode on a tank top.How about you? What item of clothing can't you live without?
3.21.2008
The Icing on the (1)__________
One (2)________ February evening, Aaron and Andrea headed out to get together with friends for a (3)____________. Andrea had baked a (4)____________ Bundt cake to bring. When removed from the baking pan, the top of the cake (5)______ a little bit, so Andrea decided to whip up a (6)_________________ to smear over it and cover up the cracks. She (7)_______ carried her fresh, frosted cake on a (8)_____ as they left the apartment. When they reached the steps outside the front door, Aaron exclaimed, "(9)___________! The steps are icy." Too late. Andrea, wearing very cute (10)_____________-polka-dotted ballet flats with absolutely no traction, slipped dramatically. Her (11)____ flew out from under her, her (12)_______ hit the stairs, while her (13)______ still tightly gripped the plate. The cake soared into the air, (14)_________ and landing on the (15)________ at about the same time as Andrea did. She had frosting on her nose, chin, (16)_____, ____, and _______. Unsure whether to (17)______ or cry, she sat on the ground while her husband (18)________ in astonished sympathy. They (19)________ what they could of the cake and left the rest for the rabbits and squirrels. They returned to the apartment, tracking buttercream through the (20)____, so that Andrea could clean up and change. When she saw herself in the mirror, she almost asked her husband to take a (21)________. He had a similar thought, but couldn't find the (22)_______. They both agreed that this event would make excellent fodder for the (23)_____! Once they finally made it to the party, the cake, though very (24)________, turned out to (25)_____ none the worse for its adventures.
(See my comment for the correct words to fill in each blank. See your own comments on the previous post for Mad Lib fun!)
(See my comment for the correct words to fill in each blank. See your own comments on the previous post for Mad Lib fun!)
3.20.2008
Mad Lib
I've crafted a Mad Lib out of something that happened to me last month. If you'd like to play along, leave your answers in the comments section before noon (CST) on Friday. (Or leave your answers whenever you like, just don't read Friday's post first!)
1. noun ____________________
2. adjective ____________________
3. event ____________________
4. flavor ____________________
5. verb (past tense) ____________________
6. food ____________________
7. adverb ____________________
8. noun ____________________
9. exclamation ____________________
10. 2 colors ____________________
11. body part ____________________
12. body part ____________________
13. body part ____________________
14. verb ending in -ing ____________________
15. noun ____________________
16. 3 items of clothing ____________________
17. verb ____________________
18. verb (past tense) ____________________
19. verb (past tense) ____________________
20. place ____________________
21. noun ____________________
22. noun ____________________
23. something you read ____________________
24. adverb ____________________
25. verb ____________________
1. noun ____________________
2. adjective ____________________
3. event ____________________
4. flavor ____________________
5. verb (past tense) ____________________
6. food ____________________
7. adverb ____________________
8. noun ____________________
9. exclamation ____________________
10. 2 colors ____________________
11. body part ____________________
12. body part ____________________
13. body part ____________________
14. verb ending in -ing ____________________
15. noun ____________________
16. 3 items of clothing ____________________
17. verb ____________________
18. verb (past tense) ____________________
19. verb (past tense) ____________________
20. place ____________________
21. noun ____________________
22. noun ____________________
23. something you read ____________________
24. adverb ____________________
25. verb ____________________
2.18.2008
Stopping Off for a Second to Be Super Again
Last night, Aaron and I started watching season one of A Bit of Fry & Laurie on DVD, and it is really striking my funny bone. (And I mean that in a pink and slightly special way.) I found a few clips to share, for your Presidents' Day pleasure.
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