taken last fall...again with my camera. We have a nice video camera, time to break that baby out, dust her off and film away!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Oh the romance.
image:www.health.comI have never wanted my husband to be overly romantic and Justin isn't. He makes up for his lack of romance skills with his good looks and funny antics. We make up for our lack of romantic gifts to one another by giving each other practical gifts...now that's love.
In the signing of our mortgage last year we missed a form and the lawyers office had called Justin to set up a time when someone could stop by to get our John Hancocks. This week a girl from the office called to see if she could stop by on Thursday. In the midst of the conversation she realized it was Valentine's Day and asked if she should come Friday instead. Justin responded;
"Oh, it's fine...we have kids."
happy loves day!
These boys sure know how to cooperate with the camera...right.
Happy Valenties Day! Or as Maxwell calls it Happy Loves Day!
Also some birthday shout-outs to my brother Peter and Uncle Don!
click the pic to view larger :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
3 1/2
Maxwell,With you quickly appoaching the age of four, I sit here and wonder where the time went. Typical Mom thoughts, I know.
It is a joy to have you as our eldest son, even though you're not a natural leader. I think it throws an interesting element into our family dynamics as you follow more than you lead. It threw me off a bit because as the eldest in my family I definately liked the power. I'm not saying you are not independent because you most certianly are. You are a determined young boy. You play so well on your own and when other kids are around you love to run and join in the fun.
I definately think you have a lot of your Daddy in you. You are more reserved, worrysome, and apprehensive about most everything, but you also are so tenderharted, thoughtful, and kind.
After months and months of putting it off, and because you did so well in the crib we got you a big boy bed! You were pretty excited and more than willing to give your crib to Evan (who was currently sleeping in a pack-play). You have been sleeping so well in your big boy bed. You stay up so late playing make believe, but I don't mind. One night your Daddy and I stood outside your door giggling as we listened to you play.
One game you were playing was with your puppy, Jack. You were telling to open a door. Then, in a different voice Jack would "say",
"I don't have a door!"
You were working together as a team, you and Jack, I suppose trying to do some heroic thing that neither your Dad or I knew of, but you did.
You and Evan are now sleeping in the same room, and the other night I put you both to bed at the same time as we were out late, and he cried a bit when I left the room, so I stood to see what would happen.
" It's ok Evan. Do you need something? No. Ok I will read this book."
You both proceeded to "read" your books you had in your beds. You two chatted a bit more, but soon Evan passed out from exhaustion. It was precious.
You love babies, and they love you. Juliana (Uncle Chad and Aunt Mels baby girl) is your favorite. You always take time to chat with her, and she always has a smile for you. You are so gentle and sweet. You talk about her and how cute she is. Makes me want another little baby....we shall see.
You are still into coloring, play-doh, your trains, and cars. When I prepare dinner, I usually let you and Evan watch a video or TV and since we get every station under the sun (thanks to your Dad) you can watch nearly anything. You have been chosing to watch SpongeBob Squarepants. I have no idea why but you love that show. That sponge sure is funny!
Now on to potty training. OYE! Lets just say it has been interesting, and by interesting I mean hard, and by hard I mean many battles, and by battles I mean...well you get the idea. You were halfway there, but the good ol' #2 was not happening. We tried everything under the sun to get you to go. From treats and sweets, to making you sit on the toliet for 5 hours (that was a miserable night!) and still no dice. We had even promised you a special toy when you did go.
Then came February 3, 2008. I was actually out getting a haircut and when I arrived home, you and Daddy had great news for me. You had decided that it was finally the day to do it, and you did. We were SO proud, and a bit relieved that we would not have a 12 year old in diapers. Not that we did fear that, well maybe a little. You finally could break open your new Cars underwear and proudly wear them. It is now Wednesday, February 6, and you are doing so well! We went to the toy store Monday afternoon and you happily picked out a brio passenger train and a car play mat. You also proudly told the check out lady (who clearly was a Grandmother from the sheer exctiement she had in her voice) why you were getting a special present. It was a fun afternoon.
Besides the potty training issues we had, you are learning to listen, more patient with your brother and kind to others.
We are so thankful for you sweet boy and look forward to continuing to watch you grow.
once.
Once. My new favorite movie. I love it. The one thing I would change is the massive use of the f-bomb but other than that it is a must see and a film I love. A simple Irish film that is classified as a musical does not have the look, sound or feel of your typical musical. This is far beyond The Sound of Music. Not flashy or in your face this film is easily lovable and a must see.
The main character (Glen Hasard)-whose name is never revealed along with his female co-star (Marketa Irglova) whose name is kept secret as well- is a street musican who sings very vague lryics of what seems to be heartbreak, in a very dramatic but romantic way. We later learn he is mourning the loss of his wandering girlfriend Catherine whom has moved to London.
He is playing one evening when a young woman stops to listen and begins to probe him about his lyrics. He seems to be irritated with her questions, (which reveal whom his songs are about) at first, but he soon agrees to fix her vaccum cleaner(as he works at his father's repair shop by day) and after doing so makes a pathetic pass at her in his which is quickly rejected by her. There is definately something between the two of them, but this film is a far cry from your convetional love story. It is a beautiful story of a fabulous partnership that develops into a deep bond between the two.
She, is a young Chezk woman who lives with her mother and young daugther. She sells flowers and cleans houses to support them. It turns out though, she too can play music. She plays piano, usually on her lunch breaks at a local music store, since she has no piano at home. Quite beautifully she can play, and soon she reveals how well she can work with his songs, playing and singin harmony and even taking on the task of writing lyrics to a tune he was having a hard time finding words for.
Once is not a overly dramatic or ambitous film. There is no deep plot or complex themes to figure out. Rather, it commemorates passion and dedication. While the desire to write a song, and make a demo is presented, the deep desire of communication and understanding is even more beautiful through those mediums.
While you have that happy/sad feelings when watching the film, you will feel as the story unfolds that it is actually occuring before your very eyes. With rich and satisfying music, Once is a film you will want to see more than once. :)
Interesting read.
Evangelicals a Liberal Can Love
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: February 3, 2008
Liberals believe deeply in tolerance and over the last century have led the battles against prejudices of all kinds, but we have a blind spot about Christian evangelicals. They constitute one of the few minorities that, on the American coasts or university campuses, it remains fashionable to mock.
Scorning people for their faith is intrinsically repugnant, and in this case it also betrays a profound misunderstanding of how far evangelicals have moved over the last decade. Today, conservative Christian churches do superb work on poverty, AIDS, sex trafficking, climate change, prison abuses, malaria and genocide in Darfur.
Bleeding-heart liberals could accomplish far more if they reached out to build common cause with bleeding-heart conservatives. And the Democratic presidential candidate (particularly if it’s Mr. Obama, to whom evangelicals have been startlingly receptive) has a real chance this year of winning large numbers of evangelical voters.
“Evangelicals are going to vote this year in part on climate change, on Darfur, on poverty,” said Jim Wallis, the author of a new book, “The Great Awakening,” which argues that the age of the religious right has passed and that issues of social justice are rising to the top of the agenda. Mr. Wallis says that about half of white evangelical votes will be in play this year.
A recent CBS News poll found that the single issue that white evangelicals most believed they should be involved in was fighting poverty. The traditional issue of abortion was a distant second, and genocide was third.
Look, I don’t agree with evangelicals on theology or on their typically conservative views on taxes, health care or Iraq. Self-righteous zealots like Pat Robertson have been a plague upon our country, and their initial smugness about AIDS (which Jerry Falwell described as “God’s judgment against promiscuity”) constituted far grosser immorality than anything that ever happened in a bathhouse. Moralizing blowhards showed more compassion for embryonic stem cells than for the poor or the sick, and as recently as the 1990s, evangelicals were mostly a constituency against foreign aid.
Yet that has turned almost 180 degrees. Today, many evangelicals are powerful internationalists and humanitarians — and liberals haven’t awakened to the transformation. The new face of evangelicals is somebody like the Rev. Rick Warren, the California pastor who wrote “The Purpose Driven Life.”
Mr. Warren acknowledges that for most of his life he wasn’t much concerned with issues of poverty or disease. But on a visit to South Africa in 2003, he came across a tiny church operating from a dilapidated tent — yet sheltering 25 children orphaned by AIDS.
“I realized they were doing more for the poor than my entire megachurch,” Mr. Warren said, with cheerful exaggeration. “It was like a knife in the heart.” So Mr. Warren mobilized his vast Saddleback Church to fight AIDS, malaria and poverty in 68 countries. Since then, more than 7,500 members of his church have paid their own way to volunteer in poor countries — and once they see the poverty, they immediately want to do more.
“Almost all of my work is in the third world,” Mr. Warren said. “I couldn’t care less about politics, the culture wars. My only interest is to get people to care about Darfurs and Rwandas.”
Helene Gayle, the head of CARE, said evangelicals “have made some incredible contributions” in the struggle against global poverty. “We don’t give them credit for the changes they’ve made,” she added. Fred Krupp, the president of Environmental Defense, said, “Many evangelical leaders have been key to taking the climate issue across the cultural divide.”
It’s certainly fair to criticize Catholic leaders and other conservative Christians for their hostility toward condoms, a policy that has gravely undermined the fight against AIDS in Africa. But while robust criticism is fair, scorn is not.
In parts of Africa where bandits and warlords shoot or rape anything that moves, you often find that the only groups still operating are Doctors Without Borders and religious aid workers: crazy doctors and crazy Christians. In the town of Rutshuru in war-ravaged Congo, I found starving children, raped widows and shellshocked survivors. And there was a determined Catholic nun from Poland, serenely running a church clinic.
Unlike the religious right windbags, she was passionately “pro-life” even for those already born — and brave souls like her are increasingly representative of religious conservatives. We can disagree sharply with their politics, but to mock them underscores our own ignorance and prejudice.
taken from : The New York Times.
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: February 3, 2008
Liberals believe deeply in tolerance and over the last century have led the battles against prejudices of all kinds, but we have a blind spot about Christian evangelicals. They constitute one of the few minorities that, on the American coasts or university campuses, it remains fashionable to mock.
Scorning people for their faith is intrinsically repugnant, and in this case it also betrays a profound misunderstanding of how far evangelicals have moved over the last decade. Today, conservative Christian churches do superb work on poverty, AIDS, sex trafficking, climate change, prison abuses, malaria and genocide in Darfur.
Bleeding-heart liberals could accomplish far more if they reached out to build common cause with bleeding-heart conservatives. And the Democratic presidential candidate (particularly if it’s Mr. Obama, to whom evangelicals have been startlingly receptive) has a real chance this year of winning large numbers of evangelical voters.
“Evangelicals are going to vote this year in part on climate change, on Darfur, on poverty,” said Jim Wallis, the author of a new book, “The Great Awakening,” which argues that the age of the religious right has passed and that issues of social justice are rising to the top of the agenda. Mr. Wallis says that about half of white evangelical votes will be in play this year.
A recent CBS News poll found that the single issue that white evangelicals most believed they should be involved in was fighting poverty. The traditional issue of abortion was a distant second, and genocide was third.
Look, I don’t agree with evangelicals on theology or on their typically conservative views on taxes, health care or Iraq. Self-righteous zealots like Pat Robertson have been a plague upon our country, and their initial smugness about AIDS (which Jerry Falwell described as “God’s judgment against promiscuity”) constituted far grosser immorality than anything that ever happened in a bathhouse. Moralizing blowhards showed more compassion for embryonic stem cells than for the poor or the sick, and as recently as the 1990s, evangelicals were mostly a constituency against foreign aid.
Yet that has turned almost 180 degrees. Today, many evangelicals are powerful internationalists and humanitarians — and liberals haven’t awakened to the transformation. The new face of evangelicals is somebody like the Rev. Rick Warren, the California pastor who wrote “The Purpose Driven Life.”
Mr. Warren acknowledges that for most of his life he wasn’t much concerned with issues of poverty or disease. But on a visit to South Africa in 2003, he came across a tiny church operating from a dilapidated tent — yet sheltering 25 children orphaned by AIDS.
“I realized they were doing more for the poor than my entire megachurch,” Mr. Warren said, with cheerful exaggeration. “It was like a knife in the heart.” So Mr. Warren mobilized his vast Saddleback Church to fight AIDS, malaria and poverty in 68 countries. Since then, more than 7,500 members of his church have paid their own way to volunteer in poor countries — and once they see the poverty, they immediately want to do more.
“Almost all of my work is in the third world,” Mr. Warren said. “I couldn’t care less about politics, the culture wars. My only interest is to get people to care about Darfurs and Rwandas.”
Helene Gayle, the head of CARE, said evangelicals “have made some incredible contributions” in the struggle against global poverty. “We don’t give them credit for the changes they’ve made,” she added. Fred Krupp, the president of Environmental Defense, said, “Many evangelical leaders have been key to taking the climate issue across the cultural divide.”
It’s certainly fair to criticize Catholic leaders and other conservative Christians for their hostility toward condoms, a policy that has gravely undermined the fight against AIDS in Africa. But while robust criticism is fair, scorn is not.
In parts of Africa where bandits and warlords shoot or rape anything that moves, you often find that the only groups still operating are Doctors Without Borders and religious aid workers: crazy doctors and crazy Christians. In the town of Rutshuru in war-ravaged Congo, I found starving children, raped widows and shellshocked survivors. And there was a determined Catholic nun from Poland, serenely running a church clinic.
Unlike the religious right windbags, she was passionately “pro-life” even for those already born — and brave souls like her are increasingly representative of religious conservatives. We can disagree sharply with their politics, but to mock them underscores our own ignorance and prejudice.
taken from : The New York Times.
Monday, February 04, 2008
haircut.
I got my haircut this weekend...but I am still not sure how I feel about it. Part of me feels like it looks to boyish, and I feel like I should not cut my hair too short because of my round face. UGH! It is Monday after all...so I get to complain.Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Rediscovering the Savior
Ungrind published my latest article Rediscovering The Savior today. Check it out here.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
lovin me a shop vac.
Never have I ever loved an appliance so. My uber mini dust buster(that really didn't work all that great) finally died and I got a mini shop-vac. I love the thing. After I sweep the floors it is so great to get this thing out (with other attachments as well!) for corners, small rugs, and (the ever so dangerous) stairs. One day I'll get the big boy shop vac... I dream big people. I dream big.
Friday, January 11, 2008
oye!
image: http://blog.coolz0r.com/images/stairs1.jpgSo tomorrow marks the one week anniversary of my fall down our stairs. I knew the day would come where I would make that tumble not only because of the construction and steepness of the stairs but the materials used (hardwood).
So here I come bounding on down (and I mean bounding) the stairs because I had finally just finished cleaning the boys closet and was whooping it up for my accomplishment, but nevertheless was being modest as I made my way down.
Poor Evan was in my arms as my feet slipped out from underneath me...five steps from solid flat ground. So close. I feel back and slammed my head, back and right arm (which held my little Ev. but I dare not let him go) and soon was trying not to pass out from the shock of it all. Doesn't it seem when things like that happen to you it goes in slow motion and when you look back on it you think it so could have been so elegant, and you could have prevented the whole awful thing from happening.
Anyway, it hurt.
While my arm is still in tact, it still hurts. I thought I had broke it. I suppose it would not surprise me if it just fell off one of these days. I couldn't even put my hair back. I tried but it didn't quite work out. It looked bad and as someone sarcastically reminded me,
"It is no different than any other day."
Thanks Chad.
I know I need a haircut, it is at that awkward stage where it only looks good (and by good I mean somewhat presentable) when pulled back because it is dire need of some care from a professional. I just can't decide how to cut it and I am too busy(lazy) to make an appointment.
So here we are a week later, my arm may permanently hurt, and I have accepted the fact that I am, in fact, a klutz. Woe is me.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
puree away!
Found out about the sneaking the veggies in meals book from Bethany, and got a copy! The short version of the story(you can read the whole story here.) is the book I have is called Deceptively Delicious by Jerry Seinfelds wife Jessica, but the couple is being sued by a woman named Missy Lapine, who is claiming Jessica plagerized all the recipes. Whatever. I just want my kids to eat veggies. They can all sort that out. Anyway, this afternoon I pureed away while listening to NPR. I have to admit, it was a fabulous afternoon. The boys ran around outside since it has been so warm out, and I watched them outside the kitchen window while pureeing my butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, and broccoli! Tonight I made mac and cheese (with Cauliflower inside) and my boys ate every last bite. I am excited to try the other recipes in the book! So far it has been a great success!
Monday, January 07, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
2008.
1. the "beans and rice" diet. Both Just and I want to lose some weight. Justin came up with the whole "beans and rice" theme, so we are sticking with it. Just go with it. We want and need to eat more fruits and veggies and we want to encourage our boys to love them as well. We are eliminating all "goodies" from our home. We get enough "goodies" elsewhere anyway. We hope this goes well and it sticks.2. the "beans and rice" budget. Simply put by my husband, "short term sacrfice, long term gain." We are going to try and save, save, save this year. This is going to be hard for me, I like to shop, I can often be impulsive, and thus we have like zero dollars saved. I have been extremely irresponsible with our money in the past, I have been selfish and worldy and I want to change that.
3. Listen better. Be a better friend.
4. Try to be more patient with my children.
5. Be more appreciative of my husband and all he does for us.
6. Take more photographs. Take better photographs.
7. Read through the Bible in one year.
8. Memorize 52 bible verses. My father-in-law has a great system he recieved from a friend, and I have decided it is time to branch out from the few verses I remember from childhood.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I have to say I am a bit surprised nobody said anything about my jeans. We were planning on getting the waist up...so much for that plan. Oh well, I loved the picture (esp. of the boys) and so thats what went! For all of you asking about the cards...they are made at Kodak Gallery and are Martha Stewart, she is SO good. I used her design last year too and got such great feedback I decided to do it again.
Until next year, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR! I may post some while we are home in WI...but just wanted to say so just in case. Make sure to spend some time reflecting on God's goodness and mercy in sending his son! Enjoy your times with family and friends!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Christmas time is here.
So I tried to get a cute picture of the boys all decked out, but alas...not to happen. This was the best one I captured even though the lighting is not the best.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
my career
I am still fairly new to this business, but I currently have two clients in my portfolio. Maxwell Inc. and Evan Enterprises. My partner, also known as my husband Justin and I are considering taking on a third client, but for now are keeping busy with the two we have currently. Justin has another full time position with another company, so I am the primary caretaker of this company.My partner Justin begins his day around 6:00 am. and is out the door to his other job around 7:00 am.
My mornings usually start off with a scheduled meeting with Evan Enterprises, around 8:00 am. He sometimes shows up early, but I'm always prepared for that.
Around 9 am Mr. Maxwell --of Maxwell Inc -- is in the office ready to begin our day. We usually head down to the kitchen office where I have a variety of breakfast options. Both Mr. Maxwell and Evan have a nice casual breakfast with one another, making business plans while I usually prepare myself some coffee for the work day ahead.
Between the hour of 10 and 11 both Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Evan are usually (but not always) in a meeting with Mr. TV of the Broadcast group. This gives me time to catch up on e-mails,phone calls and random paperwork.
After their morning meeting, the clients and I usually spend some time going over portfolios, drawing up new plans, or just brainstorming.
We break for lunch at about 12:30 pm. Both clients are usually fairly easy to please with the choices I give. Occasionally Mr. Max or Mr. Evan will complain, but I usually can coax them into the deliciousness of the meal provided.
By 1pm Mr. Evan has another meeting at his office at Evan Enterprises in which he is usually gone for an hour or two. He must work very hard, because when he arrives back at our office he is a bit disheveled and his eyes are glassed over.
During the time that Mr. Evan is absent, Mr. Maxwell and I go over his portfolio which is quite colorful and spend time working on blueprints at the train table. Sometimes we take a break with Mr. Play-doh who always gives us a good laugh with his entertaining ways.
Sometimes, between the hours of 2 and 4 pm the Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Evan and I spend time at some of the places we have investments in such as; Kroger, Fresh Market, Whole Foods, and Target. We occasionally visit our smaller investments of; Marshalls, Old Navy, Gap, and T.J. Maxx. We would like to expand our investments in all of the companies but more time and money is required and we are (and should be) quite satisfied with the profits we have received.
If we've spent the afternoon out we usually arrive home where I begin preparing for the nightly meeting of the whole company. Mr. Evan and Mr. Maxwell usually spend time in the drawing room, working at the train table, or perhaps they will have a meeting with Mr. DVD. He is a nice guy who can almost always keep the clients calm and in order.
Around 6 pm my partner arrives to our office where we all sit down for a nice meal together while we discuss our progress for the day and the future of our company. After the meeting, my partner/husband usually spends time the clients while I spend some time organizing and cleaning up the office.
Sure occasionally we have a few nights out, perhaps an out of the office meeting, or other engagements. But the nights we spend in we usually wind down by having a relaxing time filled with an array of activities to keep all partners happy.
By 8 pm Mr. Evan is ready to check out of the office for the day, and by 8 :15 after I read through some final documents with him, he is officially out of the office.
By 9 pm Mr. Maxwell has been gone through some documents of his choosing. He does work late some nights, but he too is usually officially checked out of the office by 10pm.
As for me, my day is not over quite yet. I usually have some odds and ends to tie up, but my partner/husband and I try to spend some quality time together before we too check out for the night. Usually we clock out for the night around eleven or midnight.
Most nights are peaceful and pleasant but occasionally we get the late night calls from Mr. Maxwell or Mr. Evan. They just want to feel secure in their investment in us, and we always reassure them they are in good hands.
The days in my job may be long, tiring, and sometimes can seem so mediocre. I definitely don't do it for the money,but I would never trade this job for any other…because I can almost always count on the job being exciting and it certainly is rewarding even if it may not always feel that way.
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