Thankful Thursday 2011: #3

Friends ... Who are like Family

I am Thankful this year for the wonderful community that surrounds Brett and I. Although we are spread out, the distance makes us more intentional with one another, and makes time together that much sweeter! 

These next days will be an incredible, full time with friends. 

First, a wedding between two of Brett's closest college friends, and two people who have helped shape us as a couple. I cannot wait to celebrate these two loved ones and be a part of their journey together! Plus we'll get to see many familiar faces from Brett's school days and catch up! What a blast :)

Later in the week we're having an early Thanksgiving traditional potluck dinner with 15 of my closest friends. We'll gather in a home together, each person bringing a dish (So far on the menu: A fresh and dressed Turkey, Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Stuffing, Crunchy Cauliflower, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Crescent Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, and so much more!) It will be wonderful time together laughing, sharing, enjoying the feast, and living out a complete spirit of Thankfulness. 

What a wonderful week!

Thankful Thursday 2011: #2

[We'll] Be Home for Christmas .... !

This year, maybe more than ever, I am so thankful to be going "Home" to Georgia for Christmas, and - for the first time ever - to have Christmas Day with Brett! Again, we both love where we live and enjoy this season in our lives, but there is something about being right up near the mountains, with the possibility of snow, a justified fire in the fireplace, and my mom's incredible Christmas decorations that make it feel like a winter wonderland more than anything else.

I'm so excited to play games and laugh so hard I cry along with everyone else. I can't wait to see Brooklyn and Grayson's antics. We are looking forward to great conversations with my family - ones that make us laugh hard, and ones that make us better people, and ones that shed some wisdom on our lives as well. I am so thankful that we are able to make the trek east and spend time at one of our "Homes away from Home".

And, I'm thankful that this year I get to spend the whole Holiday with my guy, share all our traditions with him from beginning to end, and have lazy conversations about what our own traditions will be as a family. Yes, I am so thankful for this coming Christmas :)

Thankful Thursday 2011: #1

Where We Live

I am so thankful this year for not only the cute, beachy apartment we get to come home to each day, but also for our current location! Brett and I so enjoy the weather (many sunny days, and a few cold, rainy days thrown in here and there to spice things up!), we love the people we are surrounded by and the small moments that fill our home with friends. We love seeing the ocean so close, and the distant mountains on clear days. We are blessed to be close to work, without city commutes or major traffic hazards, and are continually trying to learn this place more and more! We love getting to know the people in town and having random conversations in the super market :) 

We're in a great spot, and I'm so grateful for this season!

Autumn in Orange County!

It's officially Fall here in "Sunny" So-Cal, most notable by our recent lack of sunshine! We are experiencing many overcast days, foggy mornings, and wet-cold nights! But, this is my favorite time of year, no matter what the weather, and I love adding touches of harvest colors all around our home :)

It's also time for fantastic Harvest Festivals in the community, and an event near-and-dear to my heart: "Boo at the Zoo!". Brett and I were able to visit the zoo this weekend and take in some of the sights! 

 I'm not sure why it said "Coming Soon", since it started that day. But Oh well - what a cute display!

A little friendly pumpkin patch. By this time the cold morning had worn off and we were back to being sunny. Again ... no matter what the weather, still a fantastic time of year :)

Brett conquered the "Search for the Jaguar" Maze!

Autumn Leaf colored monkeys :) They were so tiny, and really curious.

Sweet Pea at the "Farm" area!

He indulges my picture taking. What a sweet husband :)

This guy was cool. Did not even condescend to look us. Just focused on those delicious vegetables and had a grand time. It was fun how close we were able to get.

Also at the zoo - a beautiful Bald Eagle (named "Spirit) who had been rehabilitated after a wing injury in the wild, a camel, and anteater (both Brett and I realized we had never seen an anteater in person - only in pictures or on TV, so that was quite something), a group of Llamas, several other monkey breeds, and a Rainforest bird sanctuary.

It was a great date!

This weekend: The Tartain Faire Fall Festival at a local school, which we are working with camp friends hosting a rock climbing wall, and then an outdoor movie night on the lawn of a local park, where they are showing "Monsters, Inc.", hosting a halloween costume contest, and giving out free popcorn! Can't wait!

Tempting

I am loving the styles at Old Navy this season, and their emails with 50%-75% off are, in a word, killer. So far I am staying strong and keeping away (only succumbing to the occasional online browse-and-drool), but I'm not sure how much longer I can last.
Here are a few favorites ...

Who knows? With Brett working this weekend, I may just happen to end up doing a bit more than window shopping. :)

A Month of Married Bliss!

Happy October 10th! 10.10.11. A very fun day, Columbus Day, and (drum-roll please) our 1st "Lunaversary"! That's right, we have been married for 1 month now, and what a fantastic time we've had! Of course, by now we are absolute Pros, but we still find ourselves surprised by the occasional lesson to learn. Allow me to elaborate ...

Bathroom Towels

I hang on a hook or fold on the rack, he places it over the curtain rod. We quickly learned that my priority is a clean and uniform look, and his is to have a dryer towel quicker. Both worthy causes. Not sure who will win out in the end, but I'm fairly certain the odds are in my favor for this one. :)

Time Away

After doing long distance for so long, probably the biggest surprise being married is how much more we want to be around each other! You'd think we would have grown some kind of muscle in this area - being ok with a few hours apart, or even a day! But no - we are both shocked and pleased to learn that the more time we spend together, the better it gets, and the more we want!

Love it.

Dinner

I am not creative in this area. Breakfast can be stunning, lunch is fun an creative. But dinner? Help! How do you make things delicious, nutritious, easy, and find the motivation to do it all well? Every night? I'm turning to allrecipes.com for this one, but it's slow-going to be sure.

The Bedroom

Apparently this is the one room in the house I don't mind being messy. Who knew? ;) I have become somewhat AR about cleanliness in other rooms, and making sure all is organized. But without fail the first room to go (and the last one to be cleaned) is the bedroom. Is it because it is so easy to block off and keep out of company's view? Is it because of my habit of changing outfits frequently throughout the day? Perhaps.

This may be a mystery we never solve.

...So there you have it - a few small lessons (from our plentiful stock) that we have learned after a mere 30 days. There are more to come I know, and each day is so full of wonder we can't help but be grateful in the midst of it all.



One of our Favorite Musher Dogs

This video will take a bit of explaining ... and here we go: At the dog mushing training camp we visited in Canada, there were a number of things that through me for a loop at first but eventually were explained by the racer/trainers.

A) Dogs are kept close together, but on somewhat shortened chains so they don't wander too far from their area. Not only does this keep their fighting/mating in check, but they are given enough slack so they are able to run around and burn off energy - of which they have a ton!

B) Each dog's area is kept with lots of moist dirt around it, since the dogs get so warm. For mushing dogs, the ideal temperature is about 15 Degrees, so while were there at a chilly 50 Degrees they were almost always hot.

C) These dogs are trained athletes almost from birth and are strong, incredibly active creatures. They are well behaved, friendly, and require lots of frequent "runs" which keep them in shape. They are also forward moving, which means if an athlese falls off during the race, his or her team of dogs will not stop or turn around, but will keep going until a strong enough tree halts them. They are anxious to run all the time since it's what they are born to do and love to do most!

With that, please enjoy a funny clip we captured of one of our favorite dogs about to be put on the team. He was so excited he couldn't help yelping and jumping, almost as if saying "Pick me...please, please, pick ME!" and when the trainer comes to put his harness on, he is immediately covered in a wave of contentment, almost smugness. It was quite the site to see - and we enjoyed him immensely :)

Moments that Make You Smile

The other day Brett and I had a conversation about the things that bring us the most joy in life for no apparent reason. It was such a happy event! Lately we've been forcing ourselves to be and think in a "Big Picture" sort of way. Where will we be in the next 3-5 years? What are the most important elements of our wedding, jobs, apartment hunt.... and how can we keep  an open mind and not get too distracted by details? But sometimes, the fact of the matter is - it's about the little things in life.

Here are a few we came up with:

• Being able to pee standing up. Obviously, this is one of Brett's favorite things about being a guy (and I don't think he's alone). Though I can't share in the glory (yet) I can certainly appreciate the sentiment. Thanks be to God!
• A chilled glass of water just when you need it. So refreshing!
• Driving during sunset. I don't think I've ever seen a sunset that isn't worth starting at. But some in particular are so stunning they take your breath away. What a gift!
• Pictures of puppies. Why does this always make us so happy? Who knows, but we love it! 
• Repeating something funny moments after it is said. For some reason, unbeknownst to us, it is hilarious for people to repeat worthy phrases or sentences in the presence of the person who just said it. It doesn't seem to get old, and it definitely keeps us laughing!

We got some fantastic little moments of joy from this conversation, and it was a great reminder to look out for simple pleasures in life. No matter what big event is looming, or what decisions need to be made - there is always an abundance of happiness to be found!

Tom Haverfoods

This is perhaps one of the funniest sites I've seen lately. I absolutely cannot go on here without laughing. It's a great break on a long day!

Tom Haverfoods

Tom Haverford is an employee at the Parks Department on the show "Parks and Rec", and he has created all these names for different foods. A few excerpts:

Coffee is .. Co Co Loco

Milk is .. Cereal Sauce

Pizza is .. Gangsta Bread

Ketchup is .. Kanye Blood

Espresso is ... Sippy Sippy Wake Wake

I think I feel a meal-time table game coming on!

Butternut Squash

I am captivated by Butternut Squash these days. I love looking up recipes I can make with it, imagining myself going to a Farmer's Market and buying lots of it to cook in lots of ways ... delighting over the creamy creations and delicious warm tasty dishes. 

If only it could be Fall ...

According to an online Nutrition Data Source: This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese. 

It's a real Super Food (One of the top ten healthiest foods for you according to Nutrition Action) But mostly, I'm judging on looks this time. I love how Butternut Squash Photographs. 

Beautiful!!

Words of Wisdom

"Sometimes for something to be more fun you just have to make it fun."

There you have it, folks! Words of wisdom I heard while on the phone today, and darn it all if it jut isn't true! :)

Sometimes all you can do is stare at the ceiling...

Here's a good look at my evening. Or, I suppose ... a good current view of my evening.

Yes. This is just about as mundane as it gets. I've run out of ways to distract myself, and am officially calling the game. Chances of redemption are gone and it's time to face it - I'm just bored.

It started off well enough - waking up at a great time, yummy breakfast, lazy morning, and some great deals online shopping! Finished a book (more on that soon...) and caught up on Entertainment News just because it felt like a Saturday thing to do. But even with all that, it ended with sitting on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening to Ingrid Michaelson. (Note: Ingrid's the best when it feels like life is a bummer in a clever sort of way.)

Today was the kind of day where you couldn't go outside too much; it was cold, windy, and hard to be out. But, it wasn't the kind of real rainy weather that makes you cozy up and feel justified staying inside with a warm mug and a good book.

It was also the kind of day that seemed more quiet than usual. Not too much traffic outside, not many noises from the neighbors, and even the ocean was more still.  Plus, I always think finishing a good book puts a bit of a damper on even the best days. There's a bittersweet taste to it - a completing and joy in finishing the task (especially the 400+ pagers!), but having to say goodbye to familiar characters and places can be as tough a a real-life goodbye.

Sometimes all you can say about a day, or a season for that matter, is that it was mostly good. And today was mostly good, even though it's ending with me staring at the plain looking ceiling fan.

Grandpa Jerry

My family is in a great deal of pain; sweet Grandpa Jerry passed away today. It was a long battle with many fights to fight, but even in that period of watching and waiting, the final blow hits harder than you'd expect.

The grieving process is always hard, but to add insult to injury, I'm feeling disconnected from family across the country, and wishing so much I could be with them to talk, cry, and remember together. They have all been gracious and kind, looking forward to sweet time together in May to celebrate and remember Grandpa, and keeping in touch as much as possible through every other means available. Makes me grateful to live in a world of cell phones, video chats, blogs, and efficient mail! It's nice to know that we are all praying for one another, that's the biggest connection I think. It also helps to have great friends here who give so much love, a listening ear, hugs, and fond memories of both Grandpa and the family.

The best words I've heard yet: Today is a great day for Grandpa. Today he feels no pain, he is rejoicing, and he is just exactly where he'd like to be. It helps to know that he is absolutely loving life at the moment, just like he did when he was around all of us.

And Grandpa was just about the most loving guy I knew: full of life, laughter, fun ideas, and usually delicious food :) He made the best peanut butter brittle (I'm ruined for life and now a "brittle snob" in fact!), always seemed to be working on a project, and remains respected in the communities where he made an impact on so many lives. Growing up I always thought he was at least 7 feet tall, and always wanted to be carried by him so I could feel as powerful and strong as he was. Plus, he usually had hidden away a yummy treat in his pocket, and the only way to get to it was to climb up in his arms and get a big hug. It's hard to know what I loved more - the hug or sharing the candy bar with him! The combo was the best deal by far, though. To this day a mystery remains, ... how could someone so wise and accomplished never be able to figure out how to say a Disney Princess' name correctly? The cousins all spent a good majority of our lives saying "No, Grandpa, it's Cinderella, not Cinderelly!" And giggling all throughout the day as he just could not get the right word on his tongue. He knew how to make us laugh, and was adored universally by us kids. Would it be cliche to say he put the Grand in Grandpa? If so, then I'm cliche and I don't care who knows it! ;)

Grandpa, Brooklyn and I. Not sure what was going on, but it must have been fun!

Dad with Grandma and Grandpa. Gpa Looked away at the last second, but I still love this picture. What a good looking family, eh?

All in all, this is for your Grandpa. You are so very loved, and I'm so grateful to have had you as an example in life! Enjoy your sweet time with Jesus, and we'll get to hang out with you oh-so-soon!

Attack of the Vacuum

I started to Vacuum the living room tonight, and the sweet scent of pine filled the room. "This is great!" I thought - we haven't had the room smelling like a Christmas Tree since we, in fact, had a Christmas tree in the house. So, I kept vacumming and all was well.

Or so I thought.

After a few pleasant minutes of cleaning, the vacuum decided to absolutely shut down. Didn't work on one setting, and the other (stronger) setting sounded just awful. With that, the investigation began.

Step 1) Clean out the floor brush. 3 Girls' worth of hair is not a good thing for a small vacuum. Poor suffocating roll brush...

Step 2) Clean out the cup and filter. No problems there. In fact, there weren't any pine needles in it at all, which after the Christmas clean up it should have been absolutely FILLED with needles.

*Lightbulb*

Step 3) Spend the next 40 minutes alternately digging into the back of the vacuum with a spoon and tipping it over, delivering piles and piles of pine needles.

It was slow going, but eventually our little Eureka sucker guy was able to breathe again, and Christmas clean up is officially behind us!

Puppy Predicament

It's official, we love all dogs and can't decide which one we want to get! Not that it will matter for awhile ... but we still love thinking about it! Here are the candidates...

Cavachon: 1/2 Cavalier, 1/2 Bishon

Friendly, smart, hypoallergenic, and soft as silk. Look at that face!

 Classic Pug (Apparently also known as Dutch Mastiff)

Cute as a button, friendly, easygoing, and hilarious. Great personalities too..!

Puggle: 1/2 Pug, 1/2 Beagle

Super soft ears, really smart, and less stubborn than their full beagle parents. Oh, his nose!

What should we do??

The Centennial State

One of the first highlights of this year, and a fun step for me professionally was my first real-live, on my own business trip! I got to venture out to Boulder, Colorado for 2 days while participating in "CampMinder Camp". More on what we did at "Camp" later, but for now a bit about the place! 

This beautiful spot on the map, affectionately and appropriately called "Colorful Colorado" is one of my new favorites. The weather was stunning and warm, the mountains clear and beautiful! I had so much fun even just looking out the window each day.

Here is a view of Boulder from above.

And the Flatirons - These were amazing to look at each morning!

...and here's the cute little hotel ("Golden Buff") where I stayed.

 

You might think it was "just" a best-western, but I had a great time. They had a hot tub and spa, a little putt-putt area, and the staff were so nice there. Now if only they would provide heated blankets in the rooms...!

 *Disclaimer - I forgot my camera, so none of these pics are mine. Had to resort to Google images :) Better pictures next time!* 

So, the idea of CampMinder camp is to gather as many of the camps who use CampMinder as their main registration and tracking system and 1) teach the ins and outs of the system so we can better utilize it as a resource, and 2) brainstorm for a few days on how to improve the system as a whole. As far as learning the system, the time this week confirmed again for me that I know it well and helped me feel confident in that. The brainstorming was encouraging, as many of the things that camps need and want are already becoming available this year, or soon after. But by far my favorite part of the two days had to be meeting other camp professionals, being able to "talk shop", and meeting the great CampMinder staff who have helped us to much this year already. It was so fun and encouraging to realize that YSSC is part of a much bigger community, and we all share many of the same struggles and successes! I hope that not only I get to go next year, but that others will be able to join me! 

All in all, a great event to attend, and I plan on visiting Colorful Colorado on my own again soon!

Shine and Glow

I took advantage of a little whim while shopping today and decided to pamper myself a bit, with two of my favorite products. Maybe it's the fact that Valentine's Day is soon, or just a need after having been inside with all the rain this season, but whatever it is, I expect I'll look a tad more "radiant" soon!

First, one of my all-time favorite hair-care products: 

Shine Happy is so easy to use, and I really do notice a difference in my hair's health after I use it! It feels stronger, looks healthy, and smells great! I love this stuff!  It's great when you need a good pick me up, or personal reward :)

Second, something that is both familiar and new to me...

I've used Jergen's Natural Glow lotion before, but never the express brand. I do love the idea of a good "quick fix", but I'm curious to see if it really shows results. With some upcoming events where I want to look my best, and not a lot of Sunshine Time that I can see, this is going to be a great addition to my beauty routine!

Why I love Thursday the Thirteenth

Brett's Coming today! He's flying in, and I've been counting down the hours until I get to see this fantastic, funny, handsome, wonderful man of mine. I get so antsy before it's time to leave for the airport. I hope I can find enough to do so I don't drive myself crazy :) 

And for those who like pictures more than words...here's one more reason why I love Brett so much:

Didn't I tell you he's handsome?

Fun Fun Fun!

What a fun weekend! Got to spend last night at Disneyland with two great gals, then today in Old Town Pasadena shopping and filling up on FroYo at the delicious 21 Choices.

My friend Lily introduced me today to what might be my new favorite "steals" store - Crossroads. This is the king of buy-sell-trade stores, and I could have spent lots of hours (and $$...) in that fantastic place. I limited myself to two for today, but plan on going back just as soon as I can. Here's what I ran off with!

 Cute, swanky dress for an upcoming formal dinner!

Everyday, strapless beachy dress - and so soft! 

All in all, a fabulous weekend so far. I love being with friends who make me better and are easy to share life with. Now it's time for some good old pre-spring cleaning and maybe a movie! :)

Success!

I have a heated blanket! I cannot wait to go to bed tonight! Boy, that sounds lame, doesn't it? But you know what? I just don't care - I am going to be toasty warm all night! Turns out the are fairly cheap, and available all over the place. All I had to choose was my preferred color. 

I chose Olive Green :)

What I wouldn't do...

For one of these....

 

I am so cold when I go to bed at night - what am I ever going to do if I live in the mountains? I think I'm in about as temperate of a climate at anyone could ask for. But still, there's always a bit of a chill - especially when my toes first touch the bottom of my blankets. Here goes another cold night...!