Jason & Becky

August 19th: Day of Hope

2010-08-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

Day 5 in Costa Rica: Beach Day!

2010-08-12T19:34:00.007-06:00

Day 5 in Costa Rica was our first "beach day" of the trip!

We awoke and ate breakfast at our hotel, which was AMAZING. I know I said the breakfast at our first hotel was amazing, and it was, but the food at La Mansion was on a completely different level! Each morning we enjoyed the best coffee, fruit, and food from their large breakfast menu. This particular morning I had french toast (the best I've ever had), and Jason had an omelet.

At noon we caught the free shuttle from our hotel to the public beach outside Manuel Antonio. It was fairly busy, but we had no trouble finding a spot on the sand. Right away we went into the water! We had a lot of fun wading around and playing in the huge waves. For the next few hours we alternated reading, people-watching, and relaxing on the beach, and running into the ocean to cool off.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this beach, because we took a disposable camera and haven't developed the film yet. I will be sure to post some once we have them. But it was beautiful, and very relaxing!

Later that afternoon we enjoyed tropical drinks back at our hotel, and more scenic views from the patio.

For dinner Wednesday night we went to a nearby outdoor restaurant called Salsipuedes, which serves tapas (small dishes to share). The restaurant overlooks the ocean, and we saw a lovely sunset.

Salsipuedes before sunset

our hotel is the middle group of lights in this photo (click to enlarge)

We were very entertained by the cat and dog who roamed the patio, and the live band playing covers of 80s songs. It was quite the place, and a great way to wrap up another wonderful day in paradise!

Salsipuedes after dark

Costa Rica Day 4: Arenal to Manuel Antonio

2010-08-12T18:50:00.006-06:00

On Tuesday morning we woke up early and prepared to leave one part of paradise for another! We enjoyed one last breakfast at Arenal, and took one more picture in front of the volcano. At 7:00 our Interbus shuttle arrived and we were on our way!

last photo at the Arenal volcano!

The ride from the Arenal area to Manuel Antonio was scenic and a fun experience. We enjoyed seeing more of Costa Rica as we drove south to the Pacific coast. We bought plantain chips and Chiky cookies at a rest stop—yum!

As we drove into Quepos, the town next to Manuel Antonio National Park, we became more and more excited for the second part of our trip! We noticed endless fields of palm trees along both side of the road. Quepos is a port city on the Pacific coast, and was once a large exporter of bananas, then chocolate. Now, the city's main product is palm oil from all those trees.

We arrived at our (gorgeous!) hotel around lunchtime and ate outside, next to the pool. We went American with bacon cheeseburgers, and enjoyed a leisurely meal as we marveled at the great views and beautiful surroundings.

lunch on the patio

Our room at this hotel (La Mansion Inn, if you're interested) was absolutely amazing! It was very spacious, with a view of the ocean. The hotel staff was very accommodating and helpful during our stay—chatting with us and helping us arrange tours.

the view of our lawn and the ocean

We moved our belongings into our room and then were off to explore a bit of Quepos. Our first stop was a grocery store to buy water and snacks. We almost went to one grocery store, but the taxi driver suggested that another store was much cheaper. We were, of course, grateful for the suggestion and took his advice! He also mentioned a nearby restaurant, so we headed there for dinner afterward. It was a local soda called Quepoa. Jason enjoyed arroz con camarones (seafood and rice) and I had a quesadilla. We both had fresh watermelon juice, which was so refreshing!

That evening we were tired from the long day of traveling, so we relaxed in our room, enjoying the TV and air conditioning (we had neither at the first hotel)!

Costa Rica Trip: Day 3

2010-08-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

Day 3 in Costa Rica was our last day at the Arenal volcano, and the most adventurous day of the trip yet!

We started the day with another fantastic breakfast. The pineapple was the freshest and best we'd ever had.

the hanging bridge we walked across to get from our room to the restaurant

At 9 am we took a horseback ride around the grounds of the lodge. The group was very small—just us, the guide, and a family of three from Brazil. The ride took us over almost the entire property, including across a river a few times, which involved forcing our horses to step down a very steep and muddy path and through the water. Quite exciting! We also rode across pastures and through rain forest. After our ride we had lunch, then took a nap (fully embracing Costa Rican culture).

Well, we embraced the culture a little too much, and almost missed our bus for our afternoon activity! We awoke to someone pounding at our door, and a guy speaking Spanish very rapidly. We finally understood what was happening, and rushed up to the front desk to catch our ride. Thankfully, no one was too upset about having to wait for us.

It's a very good thing we caught our ride, because our afternoon activity was ziplining across the longest, fastest, and highest lines in the country! It was such an adrenaline rush! We rode 8 ziplines, the longest being 2500 feet (and zipping us along at speeds up to 50 mph). The ziplines were so long that we actually had to assume a goofy position while riding, to maintain our speed. We had to cross our legs at the ankles and put our knees in the air. Then at the end of the line we had to spread our legs apart so they wouldn't swing up and hit the cable! We looked totally goofy, but it was worth it. I have to admit that on the first line I was focused only on my "form" and not falling off! But after that I was able to appreciate the beautiful landscape we were zipping over and through, and the volcano and lake in the background. It was awesome!

I wish we had some great pictures of ziplining, but we weren't able to take our camera. However, I was able to work something out....

OK, so these aren't our bodies... but these are the actual lines we rode!

with our zipline gear

After ziplining we were ready to relax and have dinner back at the lodge. We enjoyed a great view of the volcano from our restaurant, and more trés leches cake! The weather was perfect all day, with no rain whatsoever. A perfect final day at Arenal.

trés leches by candlelight

"seismograph"

Jason reacts to the idea of a catastrophic volcanic eruption

happy in Costa Rica

Next up: the pacific coast and Manuel Antonio!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: A Few Garden Pics

2010-08-04T20:05:00.005-06:00

a lovely stone from Heather and Julie (click to enlarge)

the stone we created at Faith's Lodge

I almost couldn't pull these "weeds"

Costa Rica trip: Arenal Volcano Day 2

2010-08-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Our second day in Costa Rica was very full and exciting! We awoke to the beautiful view from our room, and ate breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Their breakfast was excellent! We had the traditional meal of gallo pinto, fried plantains, fruit, and coffee.

After breakfast we took a guided nature hike around the hotel property. Our guide had a great eye for spotting animals, and we saw a howler monkey in a tree with her baby! We also saw 2 blue Morpho butterflies and many birds.

crossing a hanging bridge during our hike

a beautiful waterfall on the hotel property

In the afternoon we went into La Fortuna for lunch. On the drive we asked our taxi driver for a recommendation, and he brought us to Soda La Parada. It seemed to be a popular place, and with good reason! It had really good food and was very reasonably priced. The restaurant overlooked La Fortuna's beautiful central park.

central park in La Fortuna

After lunch we went to the La Fortuna waterfall. It was raining—pouring, actually—but we didn't care, and made the steep hike down to the falls anyway. After 500 steps we reached the base of the waterfall. It is incredible! Definitely the largest waterfall I have seen in my life. The pictures don't do it justice, but perhaps you can make out Jason in the corner of the second one, for a size comparison! Even though we were soaked, we still had a great time!

soaking wet but happy

La Catarata—Jason is in the lower right corner (click to enlarge)

In the evening we ate at the hotel, and had trés leches cake for dessert. It was sooo good (I seem to be writing a lot about food on this trip!). We fell asleep before 9 pm, we were so worn out from day 2 in paradise!

Summer 2010 Vacation, Part 2: Arenal Volcano Day 1

2010-07-31T19:11:00.007-06:00

Here are the highlights of our trip to Costa Rica! This post was a daunting task. We had eight days in paradise, and each day was amazing! We took almost 300 pictures, so weeding through for the highlights took some time. There's a lot to write about (and for you to read)! Because of that, I've split the trip into daily posts to break things up.

Day 1: Arrival and Journey to La Fortuna
We arrived in Costa Rica around 5:30 Saturday morning and caught a taxi to the public bus station in Alajuela. Costa Rica has an amazing public transportation system, but it's not centrally operated, so there are several companies driving all over the country—slightly confusing! We searched the numerous bus schedules, and eventually a friendly tico (Costa Rican) told us the next bus to La Fortuna would arrive in 10 minutes. That was 10 minutes Costa Rica time, so more like half an hour.

Eventually the bus arrived. There were no open seats, so we rode the first hour or so standing, which was quite exciting! The ride was four hours long, and thankfully we eventually got seats. During the trip we enjoyed beautiful views as the bus climbed higher on the narrow roads.

Finally we arrived in La Fortuna, the town next to the Arenal volcano. Fortuna is such a cute town! We were surprised by the number of tourists, but there was still plenty of local culture. We ate lunch and had our first authentic meal of the trip: casado! Casado ("married man's meal") is meat, rice, beans, plantains, and salad (or some combination of that) and is found everywhere in the country. I was beside myself at being back in Costa Rica and eating Costa Rican cuisine!

casado—note the volcano-shaped rice

After lunch we took a quick trip to an Internet cafe (where we spent most of our time trying to figure out how to type the "@" symbol on a Spanish keyboard), then caught a taxi to our hotel.

Our hotel was about 20 minutes away from La Fortuna, on the opposite (active) side of the volcano. The grounds were gorgeous! They had a large area of land, landscaped with beautiful tropical plants. We checked into our room and took a nap, after being awake for over 24 hours.

the view from our room

We spent the evening relaxing, scheduling our tours for the next few days, and saying over and over again, "I can't believe we're really here!" (OK, that may have been mostly me.) Our trip to Costa Rica was already proving to be an adventure!

Summer 2010 Vacation, Part 1: Faith's Lodge

2010-07-27T20:01:00.013-06:00

We are back from two weeks of vacation, and it could not have gone better! We feel refreshed, renewed, and (at least on my part) better than I have felt in a long time. Thanks to everyone who prayed for us and this trip—it was everything that we needed it to be, and even more.

I'll try to keep this concise (ETA: I think I failed at that. Oh well, you are warned!), but I want to share all the highlights of our two weeks off! Part One was our stay at Faith's Lodge. Faith's Lodge is a nonprofit retreat center for families and couples who have lost a child, or are dealing with the terminal illness of a child. It allows couples time to relax, process, and remember and honor their child(ren).

The lodge itself was gorgeous! 12,000 square feet, 4 floors. It includes a large commercial kitchen, eating area, wraparound porch, library, craft room, "Eagle's Nest" with beautiful views, and plenty of cozy areas to sit and read or talk. The lodge is in the north woods of Wisconsin, surrounded by tall pine trees. It was also nice and quiet!

the library

our suite

While there we met 5 other couples who have lost babies. No two stories were alike, but for the first time we experienced a community of others who have truly "been there." It took a little time for everyone to warm up, but we left with new friends and the feeling that we'd known some of the couples for years, rather than days.

There were a few activities planned each day, but we were free to do as much or as little as we chose.

We created a bird house and a mosaic stone to add to the boys' garden.

We hiked the Inspiration Path.

one of the quotes posted along Inspiration Path

We canoed on the pond. We spent lots of time reading and reflecting.

There is a bridge at the lodge that is surrounded by small, heart-shaped stones. Each of the stones has been decorated and placed in memory of a child. It was actually pretty overwhelming—like stars in the sky, more and more stones stood out to us the longer we looked. We decorated a stone and placed it under a tree to honor our sons. It was a very meaningful tribute to them.

Faith's Lodge was so good in so many ways. It was also difficult in some ways. Some parts were both good and hard. It was a time of sharing, processing, and healing. We are so very thankful that a place like this exists, and that we had the opportunity to visit.

¡Felices vacaciones a nosotros!

2010-07-12T15:54:00.002-06:00

We are on vacation! Ahhhhh...... (giant sigh of relief/relaxation)

You know those stress assessment tests where you check off the events that have happened over the last year, and that determines how stressful your life is? I was thinking about some of the events that normally appear on them, and how many I would check off. Serious illness? Pregnancy? Death in the family? Check, check, check. The list goes on. Needless to say, we are more than ready for a vacation.

The way things are working out this may also be the best "progressive vacation" ever! We have had a long weekend at home to relax, pack and settle into "vacation mode." Next on the itinerary is some time at Faith's Lodge. There we hope to reflect and process some more of our experience, and relax even more. Finally, we'll be spending a week in Costa Rica, full of adventure, the beach, and oh yes, MORE relaxation! We have always wanted to visit Costa Rica together, and feel very blessed that everything has come together to make this trip a reality. From our bosses' understanding and flexibility to allow us two weeks off, to the financial side of things working out, we are very grateful.

We'll be back in a couple weeks with stories, pictures, and (hopefully) nice tans!

Anndddd... We're Back

2010-07-11T20:48:00.003-06:00

Wow, it's been almost a full year since we last posted on our blog! So sorry to let you down, faithful readers. Things got very busy and crazy, and then things got very bad, and now things are... well, they are slowly getting better. I've wanted to resume posting for a while now, but it's taken some time to figure out what to write to summarize the last almost-year of our lives.

In short: we became parents, and suffered unimaginable loss. All on the same day.

Most of you reading know the whole story, but it didn't feel right to start blogging again without recognizing our boys, Asher & Evan. So we have created a page just to remember them and tell their story. You can find it in the links at the top of this page, or by clicking here.

I have good intentions to start blogging again regularly, so stay tuned. And please check out Jason's new blog The Grieving Father, where he shares more of our story, and provides resources for fathers affected by loss. We are beginning to heal, ever so slowly.

A Taste of Morocco

2009-08-17T20:35:00.003-06:00

Last weekend both of my sisters were home at the same time, which hasn't happened since Christmas. So of course we took advantage of that and had some family over for a party! It was quite the celebration! Emily entertained us with pictures and souvenirs from her trip to Morocco. Theresa announced that she had been accepted into grad school, another reason for celebration. And then of course, there was the turban photo shoot...

Coffee, Somalians, and Ham Radio

2009-08-06T07:56:00.003-06:00

In this country a 27-year-old Caucasian male doesn't very often find himself in the minority. As I settle in for an evening of design work at the local coffee shop, I glance over the top of my MacBook to find a scattered population of Somalians and a loud cluster of Ham Radio Enthusiasts.

Now, don't get me wrong. If I have to spend time working in the evenings I would much rather have an interesting group of people surrounding me than have my cat (who would like to remain anonymous) pouncing on my overpriced/light-up keyboard. Or be surrounded by thirty 27-year-old Caucasian males, who would, by the way, provide about as much creative inspiration as a dog cleaning up after a particularly disastrous defecation.

Anyway, back to the coffee shop. It all started last Tuesday. I was busy putting together some logos for a client when, for a short moment, I thought an extraterrestrial was calling home from a deep-seated, leather upholstered chair to my right. Unfortunately I was wrong, however, not completely disappointed to find an older, Spock-like gentleman picking up a frequency on his hand-held radio complete with a four foot telescopic antenna. Jackpot. Who could have dreamed there were more on the way?

And so they came. One by one they carried their trinkets, books, and love for all things wired into the center of the coffee shop. Settling in amongst "real" peers for the first time since the Tuesday before to enjoy a long evening of radio jokes and machine speak.

Now, I should pause for a moment to clarify the minority reference above. Obviously I'm not Somalian. So, that leaves the Ham Radio enthusiasts. Hopefully it is obvious that I'm not a Ham Radio Enthusiast. Even if I were, I can guarantee you would walk into this coffee shop, look at the bubbling conversation over a disemboweled radio(?) and immediately place me in another category.

Moving on.

Tuesday night, a week later, same coffee shop. I had almost entirely forgotten "the radio people". Largely due to a camping trip over the weekend and about a thousand other things on my mind. Then, as I settled into my spot for the evening next to the big window, I noticed Spock sitting in the deep-seated, leather upholstered chair to my right. Glory. Whether it was the possibility of yet another evening lost in this strange world or just the coffee...I felt my heart race a little. I waited in great expectation as my favorites from last Tuesday stumbled in.

I was not disappointed. Nor was I unprepared. Knowing the great conversation that was about to take place, I slowly slid a piece of paper and pen out of my bag prepared to write down anything. Things were moving too fast, multiple conversations at once...books, drawings, bags of things I'm convinced were stolen from the CIA. And so, for the next half hour or so I obtained the following list of conversation topics. They are all accurate to the best of my ability, and have only been generalized minimally to fit in this post.
---
Terabytes

Radio panels

Cars

Incandescent light bulbs

Solar cells

Wind mills

BBQ

Colonoscopies

Cash for clunkers

Oil drilling

Terabytes
---

It was at this point that I decided to give up my little mission of recording their entire conversation, and focus my attention as much as I could back to my work. Their conversation peeked my interest only once more when they started discussing all the flaws of Adobe software products (which, I'm convinced, was for my benefit only). So, we'll see what's in store for me next Tuesday if I choose to visit the coffee shop. I'm sure, whatever I experience, there'll be Coffee, Somalians, and Ham Radio.

The Banister

2009-06-03T19:16:00.007-06:00

In the summer of 1999 I attended Missouri Boy's State. Basically it was nine days of mock state government (city mayors to the governor). 1000 of Missouri's "finest" high school senior boys attended with mild to moderate levels of enthusiasm. By the end of the week, it was commonly known across campus that the theme had changed from "A Week To Change A Lifetime" to "A Week That Lasts A Lifetime".

One of the more memorable daily events (aside from morning Reveille) was the speaker each night. We heard speeches from known politicians such as Mel Carnahan, Jim Talent, and John Ashcroft. They all said the same thing. And I remember Ashcroft saying it specifically, "In life (dramatic pause) you will face many challenges...". They would then go on to list said challenges and present various "life solutions" such as education, hard work, etc.

Now, I've experienced ten years of life since that week that lasted a lifetime, and I've been through a lot. I've graduated from high school, attended, endured, and graduated from Truman; dated, become engaged, gotten my first job, traveled the country, gotten married, moved ten times, gotten a second job, and I've bought a house—which leads me at long last to the banister.

It is possible that I have learned more about life through the long and arduous installation of our balcony banister (see below) than I did through all of the a fore-mentioned life events combined. Truman prepared me for a lot, but they sure as heck didn't tell me how incredibly frustrating newel posts can be.

I am pleased with the finished product, but just pleased. I now have two more railings to go, and will tackle them as soon as I feel sufficient levels of sanity are at hand.

So, Mr. Ashcroft, whether it be the Bush Administration or balusters and newel posts, you were right. We will face many challenges. Thanks for the inspiration to push through.

If you couldn't tell from the tone...this was posted by Jason.

Nintendo Wii/iPod Nano Giveaway at Christian PF!

2009-05-29T11:05:00.005-06:00

I recently discovered the blog Christian PF (Personal Finance), which is full of tips and advice about personal finance. This site seems like a great resource for anyone who wants to use their income wisely. The About page says it best:

To put it simply, I don’t think that God put us on this earth to amass wheelbarrows full of cash to bathe ourselves in. I believe there is a much better and higher purpose for our money: to build God’s Kingdom and help others.

If you're interested in learning how to be a better steward of your money, check it out!

And of course, be sure to enter the Ninetendo Wii/iPod Nano Giveaway in honor of two years of Christian PF. Happy Friday!

Big Sky Country

2009-05-27T18:52:00.012-06:00

A few weeks ago we traveled to Red Lodge, Montana, for a spring getaway. It was great! We spent a lot of time driving around, just looking out the window at the amazing views. Montana is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and my photos can't do it justice. It was truly breathtaking.

Among the highlights of our trip:

• A self-guided tour of the area led us to a pottery studio in a little town. The studio itself was basically a two-room shed next to a creek. A reclusive potter's paradise! The artists' work was gorgeous, and it was fun to find such a neat place so hidden away.

• We stumbled upon a little place called Prairie Dog Town State Park. The name says it all. Prairie dogs everywhere!

• Our last full day in Montana, we (randomly) drove to Cody, Wyoming and visited the Buffalo Bill Museum. We were expecting a tourist trap, but it ended up being a really impressive museum (five museums in one, actually). We probably appreciated the aesthetics of the museums more than the content, but again, a fun surprise.

• The biggest highlight of the trip a was our two-day visit to Yellowstone National Park. WOW. Refer to all of my flowery language above about the beautiful landscape, and multiply that by ten. We only saw about a quarter of the park, but the variety of scenery in that area alone was amazing. Hot springs, valleys, mountains, forests, prairies... not to mention the animals! We waited on a lot of buffalo to cross the road, and saw all kinds of deer-like grazing creatures.

Jason got up close and personal with a bear!

This elk was nice enough to walk through the Roosevelt Arch into Yellowstone, so I could get this great photo.

Yay for Montana!

Sorry for the Delay....

2009-05-27T15:57:00.002-06:00

New posts coming soon, I promise! Our internet has been acting up. But I hope very soon to post pics of our vacation, plus news of the latest house projects. Maybe even a post from Jason, if I can convince him! Stay tuned!

Woo.... New Design

2009-05-11T20:51:00.002-06:00

After having this blog for several years, I've finally actually done something about they way it looks! Hurrah! It's a work in progress, so more changes to come.... Hope you like it!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-18T17:58:00.005-06:00

Avoid Pesticides in Your Produce

2009-03-16T17:00:00.002-06:00

I've been learning a lot about food lately, much of it courtesy the book The Omnivore's Dilemma. What I've been learning has been causing me to reexamine many of my shopping and eating habits.

This convenient little list from the Environmental Working Group highlights produce containing the highest (The Dirty Dozen) and lowest (The Clean 15) levels of pesticides. Organic produce can be expensive, so I appreciate anything that helps me decide whether the extra cost is worth it. Topping the Dirty Dozen list are peaches, apples, pears, and celery. Some of the lowest in pesticides are onions, avocados, and sweet corn.

You can download the list here (you have to enter your email address): Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Chocolate, Tea Bags, and Tampons

2009-03-12T13:27:00.006-06:00

Lately I’ve been receiving unsolicited advice from a lot of unlikely sources. There seems to be a trend lately to Dove Promise-ize your product, so that your consumers not only get their intended purchase, but also a little bonus wisdom for their day! It’s sort of strange. Do the makers of my tea think that I have so little personal direction that I’m searching at every turn, including on the paper tag of my tea bag? According to Jason, it’s a marketing ploy by companies to turn their product into an “experience.”

Here are some examples of the wisdom I’ve received lately:

• “Be a good listener to your friends.” Received via a Dove Promise
Dove Promises are probably the inventors of “let’s put happy sayings on our stuff,” after fortune cookies, but they used to be promises. You know, inspirational, motivational, warm fuzzies? Something like “Friends are the true joy of life,” or “You deserve this fifth piece of chocolate.” But my last Dove Promise was a little preachy for my chocolate tastes. Maybe it was because it was an Almond Dove Promise, not regular-type. Instead of a warm fuzzy, now I’m just paranoid that I’m not listening well enough.

• “It’s not life that matters, but the courage that we bring to it.” Received via Yogi Green Tea
OK, I don’t even know what that means. Maybe that’s why I’m not a yogi. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure life does, in fact, matter.

• “No distractions, just pure concentration.” Received via a Playtex Sport tampon
No, I am not kidding. Apparently this particular box of tampons was created to help sporty girls (which I am not, but they were on sale) get psyched for a game, or practice, or something. However, given the situation where one is actually reading a tampon wrapper (aka in the bathroom), this just struck me as completely hilarious. I actually giggled aloud, so good thing I was in a private restroom. Other wonderful bits of wisdom that sent me into hysterics included “You’ve got the power!,” “Focus on the goal,” and “I’m on your team.” Um, what?

Have you had any similar experiences? A famous quotation on your butter? Sound advice on your toilet paper? Perhaps tips for success on a bottle of shampoo? I’d love to hear any “wisdom” you’ve found in unexpected places!

Update: The Greatest Clock Ever

2009-03-08T15:35:00.003-06:00

In case you missed it, I received the world's most amazing and multi-talented alarm clock as a birthday gift from Jason.

Well, on the flight back from Denver last weekend, I was perusing the SkyMall catalog. I love to see the latest completely unnecessary, yet so tempting products available to me while I fly. And nestled in between the adult-sized footie pajamas and the in-car seat belt for dogs was MY CLOCK!! So now I can pretend that I am one of those people who actually buys stuff from the SkyMall catalog.

Feed your addiction

2009-02-27T16:30:00.002-06:00

If you are a design nerd like I am, or a lover of type and fonts, you will LOVE this game. Test your knowledge of fonts, and perhaps discover a few new ones. It is super-addictive, let me tell you. Spending my time at work playing a font game is work-related research, right? Just kidding. ;-)

Deep Font Challenge

I'm off to swoosh down the slopes in Keystone this weekend, wahoo! Have a wonderful weekend!
b

Mocha the Menace

2009-02-25T17:00:00.004-06:00

Stuff the Cat Has Eaten (that he shouldn’t)
Whole wheat bread
Store-brand oreo cookie
Honey-wheat bagel
Marshmallow Mateys
Granola
Oatmeal banana cookies

Last night was the most recent in a string of carbohydrate binges, stealthily carried out in the dark of night by our cat. It was partially our fault for forgetting Mocha's penchant for baked goods. We left a plate of cookies on the counter, covered in plastic wrap. Jason was the lucky one to discover the mess this morning.

Mocha has never torn through more than plastic wrap, but I'm afraid he'll turn into something like the psychotic squirrels at my friend Christi's house, that chewed through tupperware to get at some cookies. Bread items really seem to bring out some kind of obsession in him. Clearly we can't keep anything on the counter anymore!

This is exactly the kind of thing that I find hilarious and annoying at the same time. I like having a cat that does weird stuff like playing fetch, falling off the bed, and eating cookies. Jason maybe doesn't appreciate it quite as much. ;-)

My New Ride

2009-02-20T16:31:00.002-06:00

Last weekend we bought a new car! On Valentine's Day we went to the Walser Hyundai dealership, where we found this cute, zippy Elantra, almost new! It's fun to drive, nice interior, love the color. It has an iPod jack, which is state-of-the-art technology for someone who's been driving a car from 1998. It also has 6 airbags, and is VERY SAFE, for any moms out there. :-)

And now it's snowing for the first time in several weeks, so looks like I get to test out the tires on the way home. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Surprise, you've been eating mercury!

2009-02-03T08:42:00.005-06:00

Last week, a study was released showing measurable amounts of mercury in many of the foods that you and I eat every day. The study tested over 50 foods made with high fructose corn syrup. Mercury is toxic in any amount, and especially dangerous for children and babies.

The worst part? The FDA knew about this for years, and did nothing. While Americans have been slowly poisoning themselves with trace amounts of mercury in their Coke or PopTart, some people have been sitting idly by. This is completely unacceptable.

I meant to write a full post on this, but I can already feel my blood boiling, so I will let you read another very well-written post over at Small Notebook:
Mercury Discovered in High Fructose Corn Syrup at Small Notebook

Also, you can read the full report of the study here: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

I would encourage you to contact your elected officials to let them know that you want something to be done about this issue. In the meantime, perhaps we should all eat a bit less (or no) high fructose corn syrup.

R.I.P., Camry

2009-01-27T12:23:00.004-06:00

For those who have not yet heard, I had a little “incident” the Friday before last, in which I slid into the back of a truck with my car. I am totally fine, and was probably only going 15-20 miles per hour at the time—just fast enough to completely derail the rest of my (and Jason’s) afternoon. The truck I hit was virtually undamaged. I spent the next hour or so chatting with a 16-year-old gas station attendant, and using the store’s phone as my personal office (of all the days to forget my cell!). The 16-year-old gas station attendant was pretty good company, as he regaled me with stories of his “huge/sweet/awesome Chevy truck” and all the tickets he’s gotten for reckless driving. I think he was trying to make me feel better?

Anyways, long story short, the damage was just enough to total my Camry. Being that it’s a 1998 model, the cost of the parts to fix it exceeded the value of the car itself. And so, on Friday afternoon, I said goodbye to my wonderful car. It’s going to the salvage yard in the sky. I’ll miss that car...tear....

On a brighter note, I was able to get a much better deal with the insurance company than originally offered, and we’re pretty satisfied with the outcome. And so, we will be shopping for a new (used) car in the very new future. Woo! We may simply get a newer Camry, or we might branch out. Some other options we’ve thought about are the Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Hyundai Sonata, and Honda Accord. Any recommendations?

The Greatest Clock Ever

2009-01-23T15:12:00.003-06:00

My birthday was this week, and my very sweet husband got me the ultimate in wake-up experiences: The Peaceful Progression Wake-Up Clock. If you know me very well, you know that I am not a morning person (some might say that’s putting it mildly.) My morning thought process goes something like, “Dangit, it’s time to get up? Maybe I can press snooze one more time… do I really need to shower before work?”

So I’ve always thought it would be nice to have an alarm clock that wakes you up peacefully, slowly, gradually… kind of like when you’re camping. “Light, and the sound of the outdoors…ahhh, I think I’ll get up! What a lovely day! It’s only 5 am? No matter!” This is how I pictured myself waking up with such a clock. Probably with flowers and birds and happy music.

The wonderful, fancy, spaceship-shaped clock that Jason gave me wakes you up gradually over 30 minutes, using light, sound, and aromatherapy. At the end of the 30 minutes, a buzzer goes off. We’ve had three days to try it out so far, and this clock is obviously smarter than we are. I hope for much smoother wake up experiences in the future, but this is how it’s gone so far:

Morning 1: After much debate about whether the “alarm time” meant “actual time we get up” or “time that the 30-minute cycle beings,” we chose wrong, and were awakened at 6:30 instead of 7 am. Jason immediately woke up to our chosen combination of light, “birds chirping,” and “Stress Relief” (scent). I however, didn’t wake up until the buzzer. I stumbled out of bed, reset our trusty old alarm clock (sitting next to the new one) and went back to be for half an hour. Fail.

Morning 2: The clock was set correctly this time, and we both woke up more or less peacefully, and laid in bed listening to our digitized chirping birds, as the smell of Stress Relief wafted through the room. However, we had accidentally set our old alarm clock as well, which has a much more piercing sound. All of our peaceful progressions were ruined by the sound of the old alarm. Fail.

Morning 3: Clock set correctly: check. Old alarm turned off: check. I woke up peacefully to light, sound, and aroma, and merrily hopped out of bed at 7. (Or, stumbled less angrily.) Success! This clock is fabulous, once we got past the learning curve.

Holiday Recap, Part I

2009-01-02T11:56:00.003-06:00

Well, I’ve been terrible about updating our blog lately, but that just means that we’ve had a full past few weeks. Now that Christmas and New Year’s are over and done (except for our upcoming Christmas visit to Newtown!) I hope to share some photos and highlights of our holidays.

Christmas was fantastic! We celebrated a record-breaking four times in four days (in four different locations). It was tiring, but fun. Here are the highlights of our Christmases so far:

Christmas Eve: We celebrated at Mom’s house, with Swedish meatballs and our favorite Christmas cookies. The food was delicious, as always. We also played the traditional game of Scrabble…. How I love Scrabble! It's a good thing my sisters are as obsessed with it as I am.

Christmas Day: It was a new experience for Jason and I to wake up in our own house on Christmas morning! We enjoyed cinnamon rolls and coffee, and watched the cat get high on his Christmas catnip. Later, Mom and the girls came over, and we had a relaxing afternoon. We crocheted several hats to send to newborns in developing countries, as part of the Knit One, Save One campaign. It was a cozy afternoon by the fire, and Theresa and Emily spent the night at our place.

Day After Christmas: Jason, Theresa, Emily, and I drove up to celebrate with Dad’s side of the family. We ate lots of food, saw lots of relatives, and sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” among other things. We also had a visit from Santa, who is kind enough to visit our family in person every year!

Saturday After Christmas: We spent the day celebrating with Dad and family. Jason and I went snowmobiling, which was a lot of fun… except the part where Jason ran out of gas and spent an hour stranded in the middle of a corn field! He was a little bit scarred from the experience, but made the most of it by singing and attempting to build a snowman.

That’s the latest on us. More to come soon!

It's Snowing!

2008-11-07T10:48:00.004-06:00

In the grand tradition of this blog, I have to note that today is the first REAL snowfall in Minnesota for the winter! (I'm not counting the slushy stuff from a few weeks back.) Yay! Let winter begin!*

* Guess who wrote this post, Becky or Jason.... ;-)

I'm Way Behind

2008-11-06T16:27:00.004-06:00

So, I just noticed that in 2006 and 2007, I posted on this blog 27 times each year. Not much for a year, but this year, 2008, I am only up to five. I need to catch up (just in case anyone still reads this thing... i don't know....)!!

So, here's a couple pictures of BJ, the biggest NASCAR fan I know, hanging out with her favorite racer, Darrell Waltrip (as well as everybody's favorite country music star). Way to go, Beej!

Color Me America

2008-10-31T16:46:00.007-06:00

Yes, I am a cowgirl, but ten points for you if you can guess more specifically what I am for Halloween! Hint: our Missouri friends and family might have the edge on this one... especially if they vacation in one of the state's most popular spots.....

Any guesses??

The Olympic Spirit

2008-08-13T15:03:00.005-06:00

I heard a joke last week about how they should put "normal people" into each event of the Olympics, to give everyone watching at home an accurate comparison to the real athletes. I've been giggling all week, imagining some random guy pulled from the crowd, participating in synchronized diving, gymnastics, or track.

Well, we have the next best thing right here! Check out Jason and I as we tear it up in Rhythmic Gymnastics! I think we do a pretty good job. :-)

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Hey, look, an update!

2008-07-22T20:07:00.003-06:00

So, I know we (meaning I, Becky) haven't updated our blog in FOREVER. But at this very moment, I am uploading all kinds of photos documenting the last month or so of our lives. It's taking a while, but soon you will see some of the fun things we've done so far this summer! It's been a busy one, full of house-ness, traveling, and get-togethers, and there's still plenty of it left!

Here are some photos of just some of the great stuff that's happened this summer:

Jason's birthday weekend at the cabin

Our weekend in Newtown

Mom, Theresa, Emily and spent a weekend together in Chicago

Enjoy!

Planes, Trains, and Snowmobiles

2008-02-20T09:52:00.005-06:00

Last weekend we went up to Wadena to visit Dad, Loni, Eliah, and Danny, and what an exciting weekend we had! It was full of new experiences, and fun times with family. Here are the highlights:
• We flew in a 4-person airplane, and even got to fly it ourselves for a bit! Dad is working on his pilot's license, and the three of us and the flight instructor spent over an hour in the air on Saturday. Although I was terrified at first, it was fun! And if we are are ever on a plane and someone comes running out of the cockpit yelling "Can anyone fly a plane!?!?" we can say yes! Well, sort of... if it has a propeller in the front....
• Another new transportational experience: our first trip on snowmobiles! I am a bad Minnesotan for never having ridden one before, but I can finally say I have done it. Snowmobiles are great! I'm trying to convince Jason that we should get one, and I can ride it to work.
• This was a new one for Jason: watching a live hockey game. Danny's team creamed their opponents on Saturday, and Danny even scored two goals. We both really enjoyed watching 2nd and 3rd-graders on the ice!

Yes, We're Still Around...

2008-02-12T16:14:00.001-06:00

I know, I know, we haven't posted in FOREVER. There's been a lot going on, and we are just enjoying our very full lives! I (Becky) have been swamped at work—the only reason I have time to post right now is that I'm waiting on Quark to finish an operation (surprise, surprise).

So what's new? Too much to mention in the span of 5 minutes, but here are a few things, in no particular order:

• Our church small group recently finished the book "Questioning Evangelism" by Randy Newman. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to know how to share their faith with others in a respectful, conversational way. A few weekends ago some of us had the opportunity to attend an apologetics conference at the U of M, where Randy himself was one of the speakers! The conference was very informative and thought-provoking.

• Jason and I are taking a trip to London in March! We will be traveling with my dad and sister Emily, and seeing my cousin while we are there. We are SO excited!

• We recently traveled to Des Moines for a weekend to reunite with some of our closest college friends. It was a very relaxing weekend, and great to reconnect with everyone.

Hmm... that's all I can think of for the moment. Back to work—and we'll try to post more often!

b

Ay Carumba!

2007-12-20T11:38:00.001-06:00

I originally intended to make something with a Christmas theme... but I couldn't pass this one up. Enjoy!

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It's snowing (again)!!

2007-12-04T10:09:00.003-06:00

Joy

2007-11-12T11:18:00.004-06:00

This weekend was great— we spent a lot of time working on the house, which was wonderful. The kitchen is officially unpacked! Jason put all the cabinet doors back on, and it is almost to the point where I can post some before/after pictures. Stay tuned.

Also this weekend, I took a 4-1/2-hour trip to IKEA with Theresa. It was so fun! She got all kinds of things to furnish her future apartment, and I practiced great restraint, but still managed to get some necessary and fun items for the house.

We also had dinner with friends on Friday night, at a great restaurant called Doolittle's. If you come to visit us, there is a 90% chance that we will take you there (unless you are a vegetarian). Their rotisserie chicken is amazing.

It was so nice to relax at home this weekend (in between projects) and spend time with friends! Things are really starting to come together at the house—and Jason is turning into quite the handyman!

I'm starting to feel like I need to do some Christmasy things to get ready for the holidays! Blame it on the stores having their Christmas stuff up BEFORE HALLOWEEN, but I am ready! Ready for lights, decorating, trees, parties, etc. Does anyone have any fun holiday ideas/plans in the works?

b

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-02T11:25:00.002-06:00

So, I saw this costume at Target, and I had to have it. But of course, I didn't buy it the first time I saw it, so after much searching I am happy to say that it was found once again, and Mocha dressed up as a rooster for Halloween. The first time I put his costume on him, I just laughed at him for a good five minutes. SO funny!

I'd also like to make the disclaimer that as ticked off as he looks in these photos, the cat actually didn't mind dressing up! He was more angry at having to sit on our laps and pose. After the photo shoot, he happily wore his costume for another 10 minutes before I took it off.

Progress

2007-10-23T11:50:00.002-06:00

Here's some what we've been doing for the last three weeks...

Our colors

The cat thinks we're building him a playground....

Cupboards are painted, walls are next!

Theresa is happy to spend her entire weekend painting things green

Kitchen drawers

Yay, the living room is painted! Color: Water Fowl (ave aquatica)

Jason paints the entryway green

The lovely view from our living room window

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2007-10-22T12:26:00.002-06:00

2 years today!

One Year

2007-10-19T09:57:00.002-06:00

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go..." Genesis 28:15

This week marks our one-year anniversary of moving to Minnesota. The year has gone by so quickly, with so much newness and change. New jobs, new apartment, new church, new cat, new friends, new climate, and now a new house.... We have been so blessed in our first year here. We love our church and are forming deeper relationships with our friends there. We are growing into our jobs, and learning to thrive at work each day. God has provided for us in more ways than we could have imagined.

I remember all the pre-Minnesota talks, wondering where we would live and work, how we would make friends, would we be happy here? It's amazing how much energy we spent on worrying, and trying NOT to worry. Once again, hindsight shows that we never need to worry about anything, because God is always faithful.

Our new house has been taking up most of our time lately—painting, cleaning, repairing, etc. This weekend we will be doing some more painting, in the kitchen and entryway. It's so exciting to see how different the house already looks from when we first bought it! I hope to post some pictures of our progress very soon. Next weekend is the big move, and then we are excited to curl up in front of the fireplace at our new place, and NOT move for a while!

HOUSE: Part 2

2007-10-03T10:55:00.003-06:00

We are home owners!! The closing last Friday went smoothly, and we are so excited to own our very first home. I really can't mention enough how much my aunt, and our agent (Melissa's mom) helped us through the process. We couldn't have done it without them. We are so thankful that we were able to work with people we know and trust, and they both worked really hard to help us out. And we are just so grateful to God for providing us with a great place to live, and to share with others. We are truly blessed.

Here are a few pictures of the house—these are just the ones the seller took, but I know our Missouri relatives have been itching to see what it looks like! I will try to get some of the photos WE have been taking up here soon. Also, we have several projects lined up before we move in, so expect this blog to start sounding like an episode of Trading Spaces....

HOUSE

2007-09-21T13:47:00.001-06:00

Most of you have probably heard by now, but in case you haven't—we're buying a house! We looked at house for about 3 weeks, and made an offer on one that we loved, and a few nail-biting paperwork-filled weeks later, we are about to close on it. Next Friday, by the end of the day, we will be home owners! I have been holding back from getting TOO excited, because it seems like every time we move forward, something else STILL has to be done before we can really feel like we ARE GETTING the house. But the closing was scheduled today, so we're feeling pretty good about it!

The house is 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, split level, with a great yard in a great neighborhood. It has 2 fireplaces, hardwood floors upstairs, and basically is more than we ever expected to find. I'll try and get a few pictures up here very soon.

We have been so blessed, and have felt so protected and guided during this whole time. Everything has gone very smoothly so far (knock on wood) and we have had wonderful people helping us through the process. We are so thankful for that! And so excited to own our first home!

At Last - Vacation Photos!

2007-09-01T17:17:00.002-06:00

Jason and I at the Branson Landing - we ate at a GREAT Mexican restaurant and watched the fountains!

Trying to get a picture of ourselves in front of the Dixie Stampede building. That show was one of my favorite parts of the trip!

Beautiful Branson at sunset

The Titanic museum at night - this museum was pretty cool, and featured a lot of rare artifacts and photos.

I'm So Excited!

2007-08-08T10:30:00.002-06:00

Shows, shopping, relaxing, fun times, all with my favorite person - it's gonna be great!

Birthday

2007-07-13T12:21:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Da-ad,
Happy Birthday to you!

D.C. is the place to be

2007-07-02T12:24:00.002-06:00

I (Becky) had a great time in Washington, D.C. the weekend before last. I attended the ALA (American Library Association) National Conference. Highlights included meeting and greeting lots of publishing bigwigs, seeing some of the momuments in D.C., gaining more knowledge about the educational publishing industry, and seeing design trends for children's books.

A couple other highlights that were captured on film were seeing Marilyn (for the first time since college!) and surfing with my boss/coworkers on a giant inflatable wave!

(Bob looks like such a natural!)

Una actualización con fotos

2007-06-06T15:29:00.002-06:00

Last weekend we attended Greg and Kelsey’s wedding, which was SO MUCH FUN. Many of our best friends from college were there, and it was wonderful to see Greg and Kelsey start their life together. Good times all around. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the weekend:

During the ceremony

The gals in black and white

Jason and me

Nobody puts BJ in a corner

Greg and Kelsey!

I am trying to organize my photo life, so hopefully we will post more pictures in the future. For now, here are a couple bonus pictures of the cat!

The season is winding down for me at work – just trying to get the last few books out the door. Once the majority of things are done, I’ll post some links to the books, so you can see what I’ve been doing for the past 6 months!

Jason has been busy at work as well. In case you haven’t seen one of his latest creations, here is a Hummer with a wrap that he designed:

How cool is that??

At last, an update!

2007-05-25T12:35:00.001-06:00

Well, the past few weeks have flown by! Two weekends ago we were in Missouri for Kali’s high school graduation. Last weekend we were in Milwaukee for Theresa’s college graduation. It was great to see both of them be recognized for all that they have accomplished – Kali was valedictorian of her class, and Theresa graduated magna cum laude!

This weekend, we are at home. Plans include spending time with our bipolar cat, eating an exciting Peruvian dinner prepared by Jason, laundry, relaxation, and going to a Saints game! I am teaching Sunday School this weekend, and Jason is playing in the worship band. It should be a great weekend!

Next weekend we will be in Des Moines for the wedding of Greg and Kelsey! Wahoo!!

I have great pictures from the past two weekends, which I hope to add soon (maybe over the weekend?)! In the meantime, enjoy your Memorial Day!

For some reason I have this song in my head… “A-camping we will go, a camping we will go…” Where did THAT come from? Anyways… later!

Balance

2007-05-09T09:41:00.001-06:00

I seem to be struggling lately to have a sense of balance in my life. I feel like I’m always playing “catch-up,” always behind on something. Work has been so busy, and our lives outside of work have been equally busy, if not more so. Everything we’ve been doing lately has been great, and we enjoy what we are doing (teaching Sunday school, playing for worship, learning about finances, hanging out with friends and family, etc.), but we are starting to feel the drain of too many full evenings. How do you decide what to say no to? How do you do the things you want to do, and still leave time for the rest of life? How do you live in an intentional way, instead of being dragged around by your schedule? I don’t want to let things stay so crazy that I am rushing around all the time, neglecting the things that really matter, or not doing what I truly enjoy. The balance between free time and obligation escapes me. If anyone has some good ideas about living a balanced life, please let me know!

busy

2007-04-09T16:17:00.001-06:00

Hello hello!

Sorry we have been so delinquent in updating lately - I have been SUPER busy at work! All is well here in MN, except that winter has crept back in. We are more than ready for spring at this point!

The main project keeping me busy at work lately is the design for a series of books about the "heroes" of NASCAR. It has been a true learning experience, since I knew absolutely nothing about it before. It has also been very entertaining! A few of my favorite finds:

(this guy is NOT one of the Heroes of NASCAR)

(I'm thinking of getting my nails done like this, to help me keep all my books straight!)

(Perfect for your NASCAR-themed wedding!)

Hopefully I will get a moment to breathe again soon, and then I promise a more substantial post!
b

Update

2007-03-09T10:06:00.001-06:00

It has been a long week... we've been so busy! It's all been really good stuff (worship at church, shopping with Mom, small group, dinner with Heather) but I am feeling a little drained. Work has been going really well, but yesterday my boss had to take my lovely Mac Pro to the Apple Store for some major surgery. Turns out the motherboard is fried... they think. This is actually not as scary as it sounds (correct me if I'm wrong, tech people) - I'm gauging that by the fact that I have been told all my files will be returned to me. Whew! For the moment I am working on an iMac... and missing my giant theater-screen monitor. And hoping my computer is fixed before a big design deadline next week!

This weekend will be fun (and fast!), as we are travelling to MO! Highlights of the trip will include: seeing Greg in Des Moines, playing with our adorable (ahem - I mean handsome) nephews, seeing family, and being there to see Jason's dad receive a special award at the Smaller Churches Conference at CCCB. It should be a great time - I just hope we can get some sleep somewhere in there.

Have a good weekend!

B

Snow Day!!!

2007-03-01T11:29:00.001-06:00

Wahoo!! Something that I thought could only happen in my wildest dreams has come true - a Snow Day from work! I am leaving at noon, and will be working from home the rest of the day. AND, there is a possibility of a Snow Day tomorrow as well. We're getting snow at the rate of an inch every hour right now! I hope I can go skiing this weekend!

I am a Native

2007-02-26T09:29:00.001-06:00

Inspired by my husband...

Sung to the tune of "Welcome Christmas" from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Minn-a-so-tans!
Minn-a-so-tans!

Welcome Snowfall,
Come and play!

Minn-a-so-tans!
Minn-a-so-tans!

Welcome Snowfall,
Come today!

Welcome, Welcome
Giant snowdrifts,

Giant snowdrifts,
Welcome, Welcome

Welcome, Welcome
Heavy Snowfall

Heavy Snowfall
Snowy days are in our grasp

Snowy days are in our grasp
So long as we have gloves and hats

So long as we have gloves and hats

Giant Snowdrifts!

Giant Snowdrifts!
Pretty Snowflakes!

Pretty Snowflakes!
Welcome, welcome Snowfall!

Welcome Snowfall!
Welcome, welcome Snowfall!

check this out...

2007-02-22T14:11:00.002-06:00

well, I (jason) haven't been to nyc lately so i don't have any real interesting pics to share, but i did want to give you the link above. it will give you a more in-depth look at the life and times of jd-daum. on a more current events level, here are the things keeping me busy lately:

• work: mentos, officemax, heluva good, pepperidge farm, airheads, sargento, simply smart, hill's science diet, etc. (very busy at work lately)
• church: small group, planning wednesday night worship, singing sunday morning for worship, being involved in various youth activities
• reading: Psalms, "Tis" by Frank McCourt
• listening to: Johnny Lang, John Mayer, The Fray, Philips, Craig and Dean, Kutless
• illustrating: working on some imagery from the book of Genesis
• dreaming of warmer weather (although I can't complain too much this week)
• making friends at church (kind of exhausting right now but pushing through the front end of a friendship usually is)

that's the topline stuff.

life has been relatively uneventful the last couple of weeks and that is aok with me.

don't forget the link...

New York, New York

2007-02-14T11:59:00.002-06:00

What a busy/fun/interesting/educational/well-fed weekend!
I am back from New York, and I really enjoyed my short trip out there. The majority of the weekend was taken up by the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference, held in downtown Manhattan. My main purpose in being there was to look for talented illustrators that would be interested in working with us. Of course, as a bonus I got to meet all kinds of interesting/famous people, and learn more about the children's book industry. A few highlights of the conference itself:

• The keynote speakers were amazing! The last keynote speaker was Katherine Paterson, author of "Bridge to Terabithia." She is an incredibly inspiring woman, and had so much wisdom. She told many stories from her life that have influenced her writing, and YES she did say the upcoming BTT movie is worth seeing. I felt very privileged to hear this 74-year-old Christian woman speak on life and writing! (Click here for a great interview with her about BTT) Here is a photo of Katherine during her presentation:

• Another speaker of note: Brian Selznick, an author/illustrator. This guy is basically changing the way children's books are made. His latest book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," approaches the story somewhat like a movie - he uses many illustrations to help TELL the story, in addition to just showing it. Some very innovative stuff.

• On Sunday there was an awards presentation, including the Tomie dePaola Award. And who was there to give it out, but Tomie dePaola himself! I was very excited, because he is the first illustrator whose work I remember recognizing as a child. He's basically a legend in children's books. And after the awards, I met him and got my picture taken with him! It made my day!

In between all this conference stuff we took in a few of the sights of New York. It was so exciting - complete sensory overload! We walked down 7th Avenue and saw Times Square...

... and found out that "Legally Blonde" is being made into a musical! I know you've all been waiting for that!

We also walked down 5th Avenue, where all the fancy designer stores are, and Trump Tower. We went inside Tiffany's (I HIGHLY recommend going there if you're in NYC), and saw lots of rich people in fur coats, walking their little dogs wearing equally fancy coats. We also saw a guy pushing his two cats on top of a cart, but that's another story....

And there's no way I was going to go to Manhattan and stay 2 blocks away from MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) without going there, so we took a quick visit to the museum before leaving. Here's me in front of their cool sign:

I took lots of pictures of the art inside, but obviously I can't go posting those all over the internet, so here is ONE picture, a close up of a Jackson Pollock piece:

Other highlights of the trip included:
• eating the BEST cheescake I've ever had in my life on Friday night.
• eating EVEN BETTER cheescake on Saturday!
• havinng a weird cab driver who took us through Queens to get to the airport
• eating New York-style pizza. SO good!
• eating great steak (I told you I was well-fed!)

All in all, it was a great time! It was like being in a different world for the weekend. I loved visiting and want to go back (with Jason, so we can drool over all the art and design in the city), but I cannot imagine living there. The light from the sky doesn't reach the ground in some places because of the tall buildings - I couldn't handle that! But for a visit, it was awesome.

Happy Valentine's Day!

b

Big Apple

2007-02-09T12:07:00.001-06:00

I'm off to New York for the weekend on business! Should be very exciting - shmoozing with famous illustrators and authors, seeing NYC for the first time, good food... more when I get back!

b

Minnesota = Arctic Tundra

2007-02-05T09:34:00.001-06:00

Saintly City Cat Show

2007-01-23T12:43:00.002-06:00

I'm going to a cat show this weekend with Mom and Grandma, to see all the best that the cat world has to offer. The show is part of the St. Paul Winter Carnival ("The Coolest Celebration on Earth!"). I was looking online to find some info about the show and I came across these pictures, which cannot go without being shared. This is the crowning of the winners of the cat show, done by the Winter Carnival royalty.

I sure am writing about cats a lot lately. :-)

Who knew cats liked bagels?

2007-01-22T09:43:00.001-06:00

I was blissfully unaware of this fact until this morning. Apparently the new package of Sarah Lee bagels sitting on the counter was too tempting for Mocha. With what (judging by the shredded plastic) must have been a zeal for bagels unmatched by any human, he tore open the package with his teeth, took out a bagel, and ate part of it while strewing bits of bagel all over the living room. He also gnawed on a second bagel, but left the rest in the package in case someone else wanted the other half.

Jason was the unfortunate soul to discover the mess this morning. Oh, the wonder of cats.

In other news, it was my birthday this weekend!! My wonderful husband planned out the whole day, which included excellent homemade pizza and Pepsi for lunch, and then a surprise trip to the spa for me! I had a full-body massage, seaweed facial, and manicure. SOOOOO nice. My favorite was the facial – having someone else put all kinds of nice-smelling creams, cleansers, etc. on your face, while massaging it, is just GREAT. We snacked on some excellent cheese, and later went to dinner at Figlio in Uptown. It was a very nice birthday. We also had dinner with Mom this weekend, and got to relax/catch up on sleep, AND got four loads of laundry done! Can’t beat that!

A New Member of the Family....

2007-01-09T12:18:00.003-06:00

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....

2006-12-19T12:08:00.002-06:00

This past Sunday we officially began our series of Christmas celebrations for the year. It was Jason’s first experience with a Niles family Christmas (and the uniqueness of them), so he was initiated during the “Human Christmas Tree” game. It was a great time for all.

On Sunday we ALSO purchased our Christmas gift to each other – a digital camera (you can probably guess that)! We expect our blog to be much more visually interesting from now on. I LOVE having a digital camera, because I don’t have to think twice about taking a picture and using up film, so I can afford to take more pictures like this:

And here’s a picture of an extremely handsome man, with our apartment in the background:

And our Christmas tree:

The holidays are crazy as usual, as we try to figure out who will be where on what day, and where WE will be, and what gifts to purchase, and how to work it all into our busy schedules. I’ve been struggling a little more than usual this year to not be overwhelmed with it all, and to remember the true purpose and meaning of Christmas. It seems like there is a constant threat (especially during the holidays, but also during the rest of the year) of being engulfed by the daily To Do lists, and getting carried away with the “whats” instead of focusing on the “whos.” Luckily I was able to just RELAX at our first (of 7 or 8) Christmas celebrations and spend time with family, and I hope that I can continue to focus on the people around me, and the Savior who was born for me, rather than how many Christmas cards are left to be sent out (they’re on their way, I promise!).

And if things ever get too out of control around here, I will just buy gift cards for everyone and call it a day.

Merry Christmas!

Just when we move north....

2006-12-01T13:40:00.000-06:00

OK, I know that actually the snow is really bad in areas, and people don't have power, etc. But to those of you who are just enjoying a snow day at home, I am a bit jealous. We have nothing but dry, brown dirt up here. It's December - we need snow!

I start my new job on Monday!!

Wahoo!

2006-11-27T13:24:00.001-06:00

Dear friends and family,

The 2006 Daum Job Search has officially ended! The day before Thanksgiving I received - and accepted - a job offer! It is with a company that works with book publishers to design, edit, and create educational children's books. The company is really small - it will be 4 people including myself - and I will be the production artist/designer for the company. I will probably start off doing lots of layout stuff for the books, but as I am at the company longer it will progress into more creative work, and potentially some illustration. I am really excited about this opportunity! Since it's such a small place, I will have lots of input, and be able to have a great deal of variety in my work, which I like. The location is great, too - it's only 15-20 minutes away from our apartment. I'm not sure what day I start yet - I'll find that out this week.

The amazing thing about this job is that I applied for it way back in July, and the owner of the company put it on hold until now, and contacted me once it became available again. The right job has been there all along, things just had to fall into place for me to get it! Jason and I are so excited about how blessed we have been throughout the move/job search/everything! God has provided for us in every way, with perfect timing. Thank you to everyone who has prayed, hoped, asked, or otherwise supported both of us in our job search!

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T21:27:00.001-06:00

Aren't they adorable???

Rubber band ball vs. the Sun

2006-10-25T08:48:00.001-06:00

I, Jason, can't list the amount of things that have been going through my head in the last couple of weeks. Today is Wednesday, and we have been here over a week now. I have been working at INNOVA (innovamarketing.com) for about two weeks total, and just now had time to put stuff in my desk drawer. We are trying to unpack a few more boxes, settle our finances with a new bank, hang stuff on our walls, get involved in a new church and Bible study, learn our way around the area, and celebrate our one year anniversary in the middle of it all.

Work has been fast paced for me. And to reference the title of this post, it has been centered around one very large rubber band ball. I can't tell you the exact weight of it right now (we're holding that secret info for the press and the world records people), but I can say that it is over one and a half tons. Very large ball...lots of rubber bands. It is the center of a marketing strategy we're doing for a large office supplies store in Chicago. Anyway, I'm starting to feel the weight of this ball as the deadline for the event draws nearer. (Other details about work: I share an office with a guy my age...we get along great, small company...nice people, I don't have to drive far or get on the freeway, my office is green...err...avacado, I do everything creative and some things that are not, um...that's it.)

With everything going on I am starting the long, arduous, head-on fight with a cold. And, for all of you moms reading this, just know that I am doing everything humanly possible to fight it...including extra sleep. : )

Have a great day!

A New Year

2006-10-23T14:51:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was our first anniversary! I can't believe it's been a whole year already - it seems like just a few months ago I was busily sending out wedding invitations. But here it is, fall again, in Minnesota again, yet so much different than last year. It's exciting to be starting our second year together in a new place, with new things to do, new job(s), new friends to be made. It's also very overwhelming - so much change in so little time. I knew that marrying Jason would be one of the biggest adventures of my life, and so far it has been! I am excited to see what this year holds for us.

Our anniversary weekend was so fun! On Friday night we saw "Little Miss Sunshine" (GOOD movie). On Saturday we went up to Northwestern College for a Jars of Clay concert featuring MATT WERTZ! It was great, Matt was great, Jars was great, I want all their CDs (especially Matt's). Then on Sunday evening we had dinner at W.A. Frost in St. Paul, a beautiful, fancy, REALLY good restaurant. I had squash ravioli, which sounds weird, but was awesome. It was fun to have a chance (and an excuse) to live it up in the city for the weekend.

Our apartment is getting more settled looking. I hope to hang up some pictures tonight, and make it look a little more homey. There are still some boxes around, but not for long! I am still searching for a job... blehhhh..... I DO have some freelance stuff going, which is very nice, and I may take some kind of random part-time job just to pass the time (and make a little money).

We miss all of you in Missouri (and elsewhere)!

We're Here!

2006-10-18T10:15:00.001-06:00

Surreal... I am currently sitting in a Caribou Coffee (the Minnesota version of Starbuck's, only better) on my Mac, sipping a mocha. It is snowing outside. And it feels so good! The apartment is still in shambles, Jason and I are exhausted, and there's a lot to do, but it will get done and things are just GOOD. We love our apartment - it's such a joy to live in a place that looks nice and new, and that cleans up to a satisfactory shine, and that doesn't have poisonous spiders (they can't survive the winters up here). And granted, my husband may not look so favorably on the fact that it's snowing on October 18th, but a nice snow is one of my most favorite things.

We are so blessed.

If you didn't get an e-mail with our new address, let me know and I'll send it to you. Phone number coming soon. Oh, and just so your know, we have 2 bedrooms, so you should come visit - chances are we can play in the snow!

Love,
Becky

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

2006-10-03T14:56:00.001-06:00

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

From Meadville...to Minneapolis

2006-09-29T08:18:00.001-06:00

We're Moving!!

Jason has accepted the job in Eden Prairie, we have put in our notice at work, and we are looking for a place to live! Everything is happening REALLY fast, and we'll be in MN before the end of the month! Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us - it is amazing how things are working out and falling into place. I just hope we can find an apartment this weekend!

The Speed of Life

2006-09-25T18:54:00.001-06:00

Isn't it funny how no matter how many times you think about, hash over, discuss, and overanalyze a potential event in your mind, you are still overwhelmed and unprepared for the reality of it? I am so excited right now, but also kind of scared about making a HUGE decision. We may be moving within the next few weeks!

Jason has been offered a job with INNOVA Marketing, an event marketing firm in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. We are considering accepting it - we have to let them know by Wednesday. There are lots of things that have fallen into place that seem to be saying this is the right time and place for us. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Interviews!

2006-09-21T11:57:00.001-06:00

I wanted to let you all know of a recent development for the Daums -
we are driving up to Minnesota tonight, and we both have job
interviews tomorrow! This all kind of worked out over the last few
hours, and it's a little bit stressful, because we both just got back
into town late last night (Jason was in Chicago, I was in Ohio). It
will be a really quick trip - we are leaving after work tonight, then
coming back after our interviews tomorrow, because Jason leaves on
another trip on Saturday night. We would really appreciate your
prayers for our safety as we travel, and for the job interviews. Also
for our health, as we are both tired from travelling, and I am sick.

Here's the info:

My interview is with a company in Minnetonka called Marketing
Architects. They do lots of radio advertising and promotion. It is at
10:30 am.

Jason's interview is with INNOVA Marketing, an event marketing firm.
This will be his second interview (the first one was by phone), and
it's between him and one other candidate! It is at 1:00 pm.

We are really excited for these opportunities, and that it worked out
for us to travel up to MN at the same time. We will keep you posted on
what happens! Thanks for your support!

I hate spiders!

2006-09-15T12:02:00.001-06:00

This - a venomous brown recluse spider - is what I found in our bedroom last night. I had to Google "brown recluse" to figure out that's what it was - we don't have spiders like that up north! It was on the floor, frozen like a deer in the headlights. As I swooped down upon it to trap it with a glass, it made a break for my husband's tennis shoe. Luckily I caught it in time - I may have saved his life! It is still under the glass at home, which I taped to the floor for good measure. When Jason (the one officially in charge of disposing of spiders, a position he grudgingly acquired due to lack of competition for the job) gets home, I'm sure the spider will meet a swift death.

Movin' On Up

2006-09-11T12:49:00.001-06:00

Wahoo, I have a new cubicle! Correction - I HAVE a cubicle now! The Art Department brought in two new guys today, and they need to be next to each other for training, SOOOOO I got upgraded from "lame semi-cubicle desk thing for the new guy" to "actual 3-walled cubicle." I no longer have to sit in the middle of a different department, listening to every single conversation that all the women around me have (about moles, Oprah, and colonoscopies, among other things). I no longer have to answer random questions from people about whatever is on my monitor at the time, because anyone passing by can see my entire work area. I have my own space, and it is awesome. Although kind of empty - I need some decorations.

Clarification: I am still in the Art Department (the Creative Services promotion is looming, but moving VERY slowly), just in a better spot. Hopefully I will soon be moving again, into an even better cubicle in Creative Services.

Nightly Conundrum

2006-09-08T10:44:00.003-06:00

I've almost been pushed/inspired to write a song titled "What Are We Going To Do Tonight?". I presume it would be a big hit on KZBK 96.9 FM (local pop station) as I imagine everyone else in the area asking themselves and loved ones the same question on a nightly basis.

It happens every night. Well, maybe I'm exagerating a little, but because of the frequency of the problem that seems to arise often but have few answers I feel like it is a nightly quest for adventure, for real entertainment that we are on. Being creatives we don't shy away from the brainstorming sessions or the challenge of rising above the blank canvas that is rural northern Missouri, but at the same time any artist knows the pain in staring at that great field of white and the comfort that coming back to an underpainting verses a white rectangle can have.

Simply put we would prefer an underpainting of entertainment to spring from. A start, a beginning, a list of ideas, a mall would be nice. (Let it be known that a list of ideas has been made for quick reference, but the very idea of having to reference it is depressing enough to put one out of the mood to do anything on it.) Yes, we are bored (I, Jason, imparticularly), but we are sharpening our brainstorming skills by devising weekend long entertainment. Let's take this coming weekend for example.

This evening, Friday evening, we will be dining out doors, by a small lake, over a fire with hotdogs and smores. We will then enjoy lakeside/fireside casual conversation and then progress to watching a movie rented from Blockbuster (major source of entertainment around here.) Saturday will consist of Chatauqua In The Park. This is an event held in the Chillicothe (Home of Sliced Bread) park and will include crafts, food, boothes, and live entertainment. This is probably the most exciting form of entertainment we have taken part in for weeks. After the many joys of Chataqua In The Park are...enjoyed we will move on to grocery shopping and an evening at home revelling in our good deals at Hy-Vee and WalMart concluding our Saturday thusly.

So, maybe I overreact. Maybe I am high maintenance, but there is nothing left at Blockbuster. There are no parks or lakes left to discover within a reasonable distance, and there are no more ways to describe the boredom of the last few days except by adding that there is no work to be done in the office, which only gives us more time to figure out what we're going to do once we get home.

BABIES!!!!!

2006-09-06T07:26:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! Here are some pictures of our new twin nephews, Cole and Tate. They are absolutely adorable! Thanks to Chelsea for the pictures!

The babies, only a day old!

The Johnson family: Natalie, Reid, Cole, and Tate.

Reid with his brand new sons.

Uncle Jason making faces at his nephew.

Me holding... I think that's Tate?

Cole and Tate, almost a week old!

Grandpa Daum and his new grandson.

What do you get when you take a yearbook, two babies, and Frodo and mix them all together?

2006-08-27T18:37:00.002-06:00

How quickly time flies! After 3 weeks of time off at home, I am heading back to work at Walsworth tomorrow. I will still technically be part of the Art Department, but for the time being will do only Creative Services work. (Creative Services is the department Jason is in, the department I have wanted to be in, but there hasn't been a position open.) A position has opened up in Creative Services, and as soon as they get to all the formalities - paperwork, interviews, etc - I expect to be promoted to that department! The work I will be doing for now is kind of a temporary position, to 1) get me back to work sooner, and 2) help Creative Services get a jump on the 2007 covers. I'm excited to be moving forward in my career, and get into a more consistently creative position! We are still looking for jobs in the Twin Cities, and sticking to the plan to leave when one of us finds a position, but this will be a great change until that time comes. (And no more getting up at 5:30!)

Job searching has been slow, at times frustrating. We seem to be waiting on a lot of companies to look at our stuff. We know that the right job will come along at the right time, and are trusting that God knows exactly where we need to be, and when. But it's definitely not easy! We are so anxious and excited to get to the Cities and enjoy the art, culture, and expanded shopping opportunities (i.e. not just Walmart) that are there. Prayers for contentment during the rest of our time here would be great.

There is exciting stuff going on in our families lately! Natalie (Jason's sister) is having twins tomorrow! Yay! I am SOOO excited to be an aunt, and Jason is excited to be an uncle! We are both happy that we're here to be a part of that, and will enjoy playing with our new nephews! Emily (my sister) just left for college this past week, and seems to be enjoying it so far. Wahoo for college!

In other news, Lord of the Rings has overtaken our house. Jason is now the proud owner of the entire super-extended, multi-disc, hours-and-hours-and-hours of stuff to watch, all-the-Elijah-Wood-you-can-handle LOTR trilogy. Each of the three movies (which are extended from their 3-hour theater version into about 4 hours each) comes with several discs of "extras." He has made it through ALL of the 1st movie stuff, and we are currently digging into the second. I expect him to start dressing in a green cape and calling me his "Precious" any time now.

That's the latest on us, we'd love to hear from you!

-Becky

Life with the Daums

2006-08-03T06:34:00.001-06:00

It stormed here late last night... the power at our house kept going on and off, on and off, over and over. It was driving us nuts because every time the power came back on our answering machine would talk to us. Finally Jason got up and unplugged the phone - and the power went out for good - so we got some sleep. Until it got so hot that he couldn't stand it, and he got up again to open all the windows and try to cool down the house. So it was kind of an interrupted night, but it will be worth it if the weather actually cools off for a while.

Jason is on his way to sunny Orange County for the largest yearbook workshop in the country! It's his last big trip for a while, thank goodness. And tomorrow I am on my way to Milwaukee to visit Theresa - 8 hours in the car, and then fun times in Wisconsin! Please pray for safety for both of us - I get nervous when he travels, and I know he gets nervous about me driving for that long.

In other news, I am officially laid off as of tomorrow! I am very ready for a break from work, and I'm excited to have time to relax, really dig into the job search, and get some things done around the house.

Also, we just decided 2 days ago that we will be going camping next weekend, and we are SOOOO excited about it! We have most of the camping stuff we need and have been itching to use it since we've been married - this is the first weekend we actually have time to do it. We will be going down to Lake of the Ozarks, and staying at the state park, where we can go spelunking, fishing, swimming, boating, horseback riding, hiking, and more! Here is a picture of our campsite!

Things are busy around here, but exciting!

Ernest Hemingway

2006-07-21T09:30:00.001-06:00

In celebration of Hemingway's birthday:

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."
Ernest Hemingway

A Random Entry (with a little help from Google)

2006-07-20T11:50:00.001-06:00

Today is Friday for me! It's even better because it's a surprise Friday - my boss just told me that I have a "lack of work" day tomorrow. I will be sleeping in and eating cereal while I watch TLC. Awesome. Today is also my half birthday, so if you're looking for an excuse to celebrate, that's a good one.

Congratulations to Greg and Kelsey who are now engaged! Wahoo!

The job search continues... We've only been officially applying for about a week and a half, but it FEELS like it's been forever. We are definitely getting antsy already - we need to work on being patient, so we don't go crazy. We've both started following up on a few applications and gotten some responses, so that's exciting. Any response whatsoever = progress, which is good.

Have an excellent weekend. I will try to get Jason to write on here soon - it really is a joint blog, I promise!

JOY

2006-07-14T12:50:00.001-06:00

Wow. I am a NERD. So, apparently, I had some setting turned on for our blog that made it necessary for ME to publish the comments everyone left, before they would show up on the site. Well, since I didn't know about that feature, I never checked for comments. So here I am looking like some kind of comment-starved fiend, when actually there are lovely comments just waiting for my "approval." I apologize to anyone who thought I was being a tease.

I think I fixed it. Your comments may now flourish in peace.

Earlier this week we found the BEST surprise - we went to a conservation area only about 5 miles away from our house, and upon exploring it a bit we found a HUGE field of sunflowers. It was amazing - I'd never seen so many sunflowers all together like that. Such a beautiful moment. I can't put into words the joy and excitement of seeing them, I felt like a little kid. It was a completely unexpected sight. We walked into the middle of the field and just marveled at all the flowers - some taller than us! Each one so intricate and gorgeous. Plans to go back and have a sunflower photo shoot are in the works. We also picked about 13 cups of blackberries in the same area. One great thing about where we live: getting out into the middle of "nowhere" to enjoy creation is only minutes away!

July Already?!?

2006-07-07T06:58:00.001-06:00

Happy (belated) 4th of July!
We had a great, LONG weekend over the 4th - after Jason got back from Detroit, we packed up and headed up to Minnesota for the weekend. We had a very relaxing visit, which was nice. And it was the longest vacation we've had since our honeymoon! Our trip to MN included: going to a church in Apple Valley to check it out (we like it - great Hispanic ministry, worship, etc), seeing "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Superman," fun lake time at my aunt and uncle's house, badminton, fireworks with Mom, and sleeping on our screen porch. It was great. We came back on Wednesday, which means a two-day work week for me! Jason is currently in Sonoma, CA working his magic with the yearbook kids out there.

In other news, we have been working on our resumes/portfolios/website etc. like crazy, and I am pleased to announce that the job search has officially begun! In fact, it began at about 10:00 pm on Wednesday night when Jason ceremoniously applied to his first job. I hope to follow shortly. Prayers for a job or two for us would be very appreciated!

I think that's all that's new here - have a great weekend!

b

A Lovely Weekend in June

2006-06-19T07:17:00.001-06:00

As promised... here are a few pictures from Emily's graduation weekend!

This one goes out to Theresa in the office of a Milwaukee river tour company...

2006-06-13T08:03:00.001-06:00

Hello, friends. It's been a while - we promise to make an effort to update more often (especially if you promise to comment more often - it's a two-way street, folks).

This weekend we were up in Minnesota for Emily's graduation from Saint Paul Academy! We thought it would be rainy and cold for the outdoor ceremony, but the sun came out just in time. Good thing for all the girls in white summer dresses. Emily looked beautiful, of course, and the ceremony went well. I can't believe my little sister is done with high school - I'm so proud of her! I wish I had a picture to post here - maybe Theresa can help me out (hint, hint)?

We also got to see a lot of extended family this weekend, which was great. I have really missed everyone up there, especially since we hadn't had the opportunity to visit in such a long time. But no worries, we'll be up at least 3 more times this summer. Maybe more if our job search goes well and we are there to interview! Speaking of which, I want to thank everyone who has been praying for our future plans and guidance regarding where/when we are to go. We have felt a lot of clarity in the past few weeks, a welcome change from being overwhelmed by all the possibilities. Anxiousness is being replaced by excitement as we gain more confidence and direction about our life after Meadville. So thank you, and please continue to think of us as we continue to figure things out!

Hmmm.... that's about all that's new here. We have a busy couple of weeks ahead, and Jason starts traveling soon. The summer is going by so quickly!

Freelance is Awesome

2006-05-12T14:27:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! I'm about to go home for the day, but I just wanted to post quickly and say that I now have an online portfolio with a bunch of my work on it, as well as an updated resume, etc. Check it out! I'm excited. If anyone out there needs a freelancer, I'm your gal. Have a great weekend! Oh yeah, we're having a yard sale tomorrow, so if anyone is in the area and wants to buy some of my (or Jason's) old clothes, stop by! ;-)

A New Week

2006-04-24T11:57:00.001-06:00

This past weekend was so nice and relaxing! It was nice just to have Jason back, after his trip to South Carolina. He got to come home a day early, which was a wonderful surprise. On Saturday we celebrated our 6-month anniversary! We had breakfast (Alton Brown's French Toast is excellent, FYI) and spent the day hanging out together, before heading to Kirksville for dinner and Chris's bachelor party. (I hung out with the girls during the bachelor festivities.) It was so great to see everyone - we miss our friends in the (other) ville!

Happy Birthday to Joe Belzer!

Happy Easter!

2006-04-14T10:50:00.001-06:00

A Few Easter quotes...

"Forgiving the unforgivable is hard. So was the cross: hard words, hard wood, hard nails."
William S. Stoddard, quoted in Wisdom from a Pastor's Heart, edited by Douglas Connelly

"Whoever heard of a suffering God? The idea is plain daft. God is up in heaven, and there he will stay. But wouldn't it be wonderful if it were true? If God came to visit us, like a great king visiting his subjects? Or, even better, if he came among us as one of us, sharing our way of life, with all its tragedy, sorrows and grief?"
Alister E. McGrath, What Was God Doing on the Cross?

"If we consider how utterly undeserved [the crucifixion] was, we call it grace; if we consider the cost, we call it atonement; if we consider the effect, we call it new life, redemption, sanctification."
Austin Farrer, A Faith of Our Own

Read the Easter Story

Bienvenidos!

2006-04-11T10:57:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our new, improved, prettier blog! We used to have a Xanga site, but, frankly, Xanga is ugly. AND it doesn't let you control the look of you site nearly as much as Blogger, or Blogspot, or wherever we are now. We hope to use this site to keep you, our friends and family updated on our lives. (That's another cool thing: ANYONE can comment on this site, unlike other blog sites - so everyone can be included) This site is completely under construction right now, so expect it to look much more polished in the near future. To our Xanga friends: thanks for following us here, come back often! To our new visitors: I hope you enjoy the site!