Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Talk to me Tuesday - just in the nick of time!


Here we go, folks.

What are you looking forward to this Christmas season?


Um...family.  I'm excited to see my family in MN.  It was really fun seeing my extended family throughout the summer for a variety of reasons, and having my immediate family down to IA for Thanksgiving made me even more excited for going up north (North?) for Christmastime.  

I'm also hoping to see some friends while we're still in MinneIowa.  <--- Like that?
My friends B+K are coming to IA/MN during that time, 
which is AWESOME because they live across 
the Atlantic pond.  
Maybe we'll get to see them?
I'm also hoping to see some friends in PI this Christmas, too.  I miss them a lot!  
 
Also, I'm looking forward to a potentially successful attempt at making almost all of my gifts this season.  We'll see how that goes!  

That's about it for me.  Feel free to share what you are looking forward to as well!  



This past month has been:



...

...

run run run run run run run
run run run run run run run 
run run run run run run run  
run run run run run run run 
run run run run run run run  
run run run run run run run 

...
...

thanksgiving

...

run run run run run run run 
run run run run run run run  
run run run run run run run 

...
...
stop, wait. sort, wait. pack, wait. and...wait. 


Run = working, volunteering, packing, cooking, visiting, sleeping.  
And now we're in Newton til early January.  

Maybe I'll write more during this month once 
our sorting and packing gets done in, 
                                                     oh, 
                                                       about 3 days. 

God does know I've got a lot on my mind,
and I still feel He wants me to share.

So get ready, friends and visitors.  
                        Opinions cometh.  
                    Facts, too.  
                             Oh...maybe some food pictures as well. ;)


Also, if you live in the DSM area 
or PI around the Christmas holiday 
and want to visit us before we go to the land of fielded deer, 
don't be a stranger.
Give me/John a call/e-mail.  
We'd love to stop by, 
or you can come visit us!  :) 




That's all. 



Monday, November 22, 2010

Silhouette Machine Giveaway and Reflective Monday.

Silhouette Machine Giveaway

I'm entering again.
I know I have a soon-to-be-less-than .1% chance of winning this,
but I want it -


- and by golly, why not try??




Also, I miss my special-needs boy.
He's a lot to work with - as all children are in some capacity -
but when he's gone for several days in a row,
it's a little too quiet
and a little too...boring.
Plus, when he's having good days, and even
when he's having bad ones,
I still am glad he's there.
Some people would tell me I ought to be careful of what I wish for; however
I do hope I can see him again before
I leave this job and move on to bigger and more intense things...


...like making new friends -
all over again!




Hope your Monday has been and continues to be good!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

a little bit of -

- well, 
not procrastination, persay...

but I'd just like to do a little ode to Real Simple magazine. 
 


I know, there are a million more things out there significantly more important than this magazine,
but it's what's producing my procrastination (alright, I'll admit it)...

that and Parenthood! 


Anyways,
we're moving, as you've probably read/heard/been told,
and honestly, there's one thing I need to do that I just can't - yet. 

I need to get rid of a bunch of my magazines.  
They are heavy,
they take up space,
and they are lots of fun...!!!


So, the best thing for me to do is to tear out the parts I like and 
put them in a binder or something.  It's really a good idea that 
other people have done.  

But why ruin a perfectly good magazine??
Actually, this is something I've done before - 
many,
many times before (Teen Magazine and Seventeen ring a bell), 
and I just need to get over it.  

But...maybe I'll just wait until we move into John's parent's to dissect this stuff.


Yes, I'll admit this is a little lame,
and yes, John, feel free to roll your eyes.  

...I can at least pull apart the Better Home and Garden ones for now!  
That's a start!!!.....

                             ....right?
                                                                     ....right?


meh. 



hey, H...



not exactly 100%...

                        not exactly the same...


                                                    but yeah, 

                                                                   basically, 
                                                                              
                                                                                  mostly,

                                                                                            me, too.
We'll get through.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Talk to Me Tuesday - yo.

No intro tonight - I'm too tired!

TtMT #5

What were you like as a student?

kind
smart
respectful
inquisitive
distractible
sort of quiet when i was younger
sort of shy, too
very insecure when i was in middle school
very uncertain during that time, too
after i became a christian, i wasn't as insecure or as uncertain,
and i spoke up a lot more, too.

so...i guess you could say i was likable, worked hard, intelligent (although i wasn't always that sure of it),
stubborn, distractible (again), and sometimes forgetful,
a little nervous, a little more creative, a procrastinator, and nice.

oh, and way too busy...
                                     ...per today. 


note: all those good things were because of God, who created me (and you).  all those bad things God has been working on in me, and me with Him...
                                                                ...and sometimes me against Him - unfortunately.

Monday, November 15, 2010

cue Bob Dylan

well...
if that picture of the deer in a field (from my last post) was any kind of hint and/or
a clever allusion for you all who know this news already,


John and I be moving this coming new years.

Yep,
      We're moving
                     - again -
                            to Deerfield, IL.


What's in Deerfield, IL, you may ask?

Well, aside from ridiculously high taxes and Michael Jordan
                                                                                   (next door in Highland Park),
Trinity International University -
home to my husband's future Master's of Divinity degree and
home to the next stop on our journey as husband and wife and followers of Christ.


Let's just say this move was a 
mega answer to prayer in a way 
that I have never seen before.


If my man says "ok" to me documenting this answer and
the progression toward it on the blog,
then I'll write it all on here for the world to see.
If not, feel free to e-mail me,
and I'll lay it out there for you fine ladies and gents.


So, in the spirit of this transition in our
lives as well as the subject line of this blog entry,
I leave you the following song.

Note that the contents of it are mostly relative to
the times we live in and the chorus is the only thing that realistically
applies to John and I at this time.


Also note the fact that the original version, as recorded, is apparently not on YouTube.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

talk to me tuesday, linked up, and a preview.

Hi.

I'm wiped out,

but it's good for me to write, despite not having cleaned the kitchen yet.

it shall get done soon...i hope...tonight.

So here's what's on the docket:
a preview of news I'll document* this week. 
*I almost said "share," but i used "document" because most of you know about this news.
a link so i can win a dress (but probably won't!),
and TtMT,

Preview of news about the big news i've sort of mentioned previously:





 Link: I like these dresses in this giveaway , and I don't have anywhere to wear them yet, but maybe someday! :)

Talk to Me Tuesday #3
What would you say to your teenage self?

Laura, you're 13.
You do have friends, and they will be better friends later in life.
Don't worry about being popular - it doesn't make a difference.
And stop, turn around, and walk back into that church and ask about how to get to Heaven.
They said they had the answer, so go ahead and listen.  
You don't need to be afraid of finding out; you'll never regret it.  Just go. 



that's all.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

"Talk To Me" Tuesday #2

Hi all!

I guess this TtMT Heidi's got going can guarantee a post from me once a week.  
How lucky you all are! ;)

The question is: 
If you could relive one day of your life, what would it be and why?


Welp, there are a lot of days I would relive -
Some I would relive as a do-over,
some I would relive exactly the same. 

So, really...I will just pick one of the many!





Near Silver City, New Mexico.


Well, this picture was taken on a day full of craziness and beauty at the same time.  John and I visited a small town called Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, in the summer of 2009 for our 1st anniversary.  We had a TON of fun - I'd suggest that place to anyone.  On this day we went west to check out a national park: Gila National Forest. It was gorgeous, fascinating, and a lot of fun hiking and catching the views!  

It was also a little crazy: a map (and the hostess) from a T or C travel office made this place look like a 1.5 hour straight-ish shot to the forest.  
What it ended up being was a beautiful but incredibly lengthy 3+ hour, twisty-turny trek through deserts, hills, mountains, and - of course - one thick forest.
The views were gorgeous, so we had no problem on the way there. 
What ended up being our problem on the way back was the fact that a tank with enough gas for a easy 3-hour road trip did not amount to the necessary fuel needed for a mountainous 6-hour voyage.  Also, tiny little villages in a mountain surrounded by big trees, desert, and the nearby Mexican border doesn't equate to ample gas supplies (or any gas supplies at the end of the day).  
So we stopped at a restaurant in this village 
(where those migrating humming birds were hanging out),
and we decided that we'd coast (in neutral most of the time) down the mountains and into Silver City for gas.  
There was no way we'd make it back the way we came, especially with the sun about to set and mule deer bounding everywhere.


This trip resulted in lots of great conversation, and unforgettable time in the hiking the cliff dwellings at the forest, and lots of little details that made me wish I had a better camera.  

Aside from the gas situation, I would do this day the same way...
                                        
  ...especially because we came back to this. :)