The Noah & Oliver Project

My sister is in San Fransisco with her husband who is on business, so we had the pleasure of keeping her two oldest boys this weekend. Although, I count them equally lucky to be able to spend a few days with me. Mutual goodness. The charmed candidates include an 8-year old, Noah, and a 6-year old, Oliver.

I love kids. They remind me of the sheer simplicity and luxury of life back in the good ol' days when the biggest concerns were if you got an A on your spelling test or practiced your piano enough for the coming week's music lesson. Waking up early is natural, cookies after a school is a must, and running around barefoot outside isn't even a question.

Tonight I looked Noah in the eye and said with all sincerity, "I really hope you realize how easy you have it right now." We had been talking about school, so he naturally assumed I meant academics and started rattling off stories about class. Someday he'll know what I was talking about, but somehow, I think that the elderly look at me and think the same thing.

I told the 2 boys that I wanted to feature them, and so I took a picture of both of them and asked them a few questions. They wouldn't quite humor me with deep, philosophical answers to my heavy questions, but then, I have to remember that they aren't college professors and famous football players just yet.

Here is Noah.

He looks a bit rough and tough in this picture. But really, he has a heart as big as it can be. He readily shows affection, and is quick to give you a hug or hold your hand when you need it most. I don't say that lightly, as I am not naturally the affection-giving type, so I appreciate those who know how to give it in appropriate ways, and this kid has it down.

Noah is also very athletic. He has his dad's quick wit and story-telling abilities, and he has his mom's heart and fountain of knowledge.

Favorites:
Food: German Pancakes ("My mom makes those a lot.")
Sport(s): Basketball and Soccer ("Because I can't choose between those two.")
Color: Orange

Here is Oliver.


He is my boy of funny faces. Oliver lives up to his unique name. He is the independent adventure lad, always out searching for frogs, catching lightning bugs, and chasing rabbits. He has a tender heart and a precious smile. His face is animated, his eyes sparkle, and his speech is excited.

I asked him how someone would describe him. He seemed a little confused at first and he was frowning, saying, "I don't know."

But then he thought. After a time, he told me, "God's boy."

"Yeah, yeah," Noah piped in. "That's what I was going to say!"

Favorites:
Food: Cheeseburgers
Sport: Football
Color: Blue
Past Time: Game Cube "at home"

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These boys are a lot of active fun. We have been go-carting, out for pizza, miniature golfing... the whole works. May the Lord bless their talents and budding personalities, and grow them into godly Lights that shine.

Love you all.

T

Job 1:21

Today was one of those days.

Not that is was exceptionally awful. It just wasn't wonderfully good. It was one of those days when I woke up with a thundercloud above my head, and I felt as if everyone and everything in the world was working against me. And to match, the weather was gray and gloomy.

Ever have days like that?

Somehow, though, as afternoon peaked, I felt myself lifting up a bit. A smile formed, my mocha coffee when down smoothly, and my mind had nicer thoughts.

All I can say is, even in the worst of days, we still have so much. Sometimes I take myself to the depths of Job, and I realize that if I lost everything that I had, I would still have more than a lot of people. Because I have accepted salvation, an indescribable gift given to me by the Father. At our worst, and at our lowest, if we have our heart pointed towards Jesus, then who could really ask for more?

Love you all.

T

Biker's High

I went on a bike ride tonight with my music. It was wonderful.

It was about 7:20 p.m., the air was cool, and the sun was beginning to set before me. I rode into the sunset with many different melodies and smells entering in and out. The ever-nostalgic "pumpkin" smell of Morton drifted to me at one point, and a hundred childhood memories and feelings swept me away. I will always love that smell. On the bike trail, I smelled anything from musty to fresh to evening to garlic... and it was all an excellent backdrop to my wandering thoughts.

I like the idea of pedaling into a cool night with nothing but my music and my mind... allowing me to be "free" and "timeless" for those 60 minutes that I am gone. In that time frame, nothing else really matters except God's creation around me, and all of the imaginations that are evoked from it.

I went further tonight than usual, and was trying to decide where to turn around when the brush on my left broke down and the landscape opened up into a big field. Before me was the beginning of a breath-taking sky... reds, yellows, oranges, blues, and purples all splashed into the open, making the clouds dance. There was a bench cleverly placed right in front of this scene, and I could not help but hop off my bike and sit down for a second or two... I really enjoy seeing God's artwork in the sky.

On my way home, the sky was behind me, and every so often I would glance back (while trying not to fall off my bike). The picture only got prettier and more vivid in color and beauty.

Today in church, our elder ministered to us and told us how he visited his mother in the nursing home yesterday. He was talking to her and said,

"Mom, Dad has been gone for almost 30 years now."

"Has it been that long?" she asked.

"Yes. You know, he's missed out on a lot in those 30 years."

On this earth, 30 years is a long time, and a lot can go on. Ted said after he thought about that statement, he had to correct himself once he remembered where his dad resided.

"Actually, Dad hasn't missed out on anything. He's been in Heaven for the past 30 years. Given the choice, he wouldn't want to come back. We are the ones who have missed out."

What a perspective. Sometimes being in this life makes us so wrapped up in it that we think those who are gone must be missing it. Yet we have the amazing hope of Heaven before us, and who would trade that for anything? I was talking with a couple of friends this weekend and heard about seeing colors unseen in Heaven someday. Colors that far surpass the sunset that I saw tonight. When I see such extravagant scenes, I cannot help but think that it is just a small glimpse of Heaven.

Love you all!

T

Bailey

This post is dedicated to Bailey.

Let me just preface this: I don't even like dogs. However, drastic times call for drastic measures. And while IN GENERAL, I do not like dogs, it does not mean that I do not make a special exception to this rule if and when a furry friend should win over my heart. In this case, it occurred.

As many of you know, my very good friend and business partner is Kristi Zobrist. I have spent many hours over at her house, and during these visits, there was another living breathing organism who demanded my utmost attention. This happened to be an animal- a dog- named Bailey.

Upon first introduction of Bailey, I had my typical "dog" attitude. Over time, however, I got used to Bailey. Then, I started to started to say "hi" to the dog whenever I saw her. This salutation introduced a friendship, and before long, I was chasing her around the kitchen and patting her on the head.

Bailey showed me how to have an appreciation for who dogs are to pet owners, which is a constant support, a loyal protector, and a family friend. I firmly believe that a dog would do anything to stand by a person's side, and I think that is cool.

I have some great memories with Bailey. She was always there to welcome me at the door... and if she wasn't, I knew she was passed out on the kitchen floor. Upon my arrival, it would never take long for her to come over and nose her way into my business. Normally this bugs me, but with Bailey, it really didn't. Bailey also made me realize that I love the BIG dogs. The little ones are too easy to trip over and are slightly annoying. When I think of a dog, I think of a DOG... an animal that can stand his own, beat up offenders, and take ME for a walk. Bailey qualified.

Before my avid cat-loving friends mistake me for a dog person (because we all know that I'm destined to some day be the "old cat lady"), I'm going to close with the reason for such a post:

Sadly, Bailey's life came to a close earlier this week. It's never easy saying good-bye to a pet, especially one that has been present in such a big chunk of your life. However, if there is a "Doggie Heaven," Bailey is there... and I know it's slightly cheesy and cliche to say so, but Bailey really did touch the lives of many.

May her "family" be comforted in this time of loss... she was a great dog!

Love you all!

T

photography credit to Kristi

Oh, Say, can you See

Just got done watching the girl's gymnastics on the Olympics. Go USA! I'm so proud.

My mind keeps going back to Summer Olympics 1996 when we had the Magnificent 7. That team sticks out in my brain every time I watch gymnastics. They were so great. And now, Shawn & Nastia have done it for us.

I remember back when I was about 9 years old, and I thought I was for sure going to the Olympics. As far as I knew, it was just a matter of time. Looks like my imagination was on overtime, because I knew nothing about gymnastics. Yet for a couple of summers, my neighborhood chum and best friend at the time, Sonja, and I never failed to have our own version of a gymnastics dreamland. We taped the driveway to make a "beam," and made up little routines. Blaring energetic music, we would dance around and pretend to be executing tumbling passes. My dad walked around with a blue forehead from walking into the bar that we used to hang between the doorway in the basement, because our "bar routines" were a must, and we would always forget to take it down.

How times have changed. Now, I'm lucky to do a cartwheel that looks pretty.

Another thought I had tonight: Who even came up with gymnastics? It's a world of technicalities combined with some element of grace and dance. Who decided that the human body could carry out tricks on uneven bars set quite a distance apart, or that we could successfully do full body turns and flips in the air and land on a narrow beam that's several feet tall? Not sure. I guess we could gaze incredulously at all Olympic sports if we wanted to. It just really hit me tonight, though, how very difficult and precise this sport really is.

May those who are some sort of a gymnast live on and be safe, and pull off many graceful moves... it takes all kinds, and let me just say that it's even more apparent now than it was when I was 9 that I am not one who was blessed with such physical talent and coordination.

Love you all!

T

Keep it Timeless

I started this blog back in 05. Hard to believe it's been so long. Blogging is great, but sometimes I am overcome with old-fashioned nostalgic longings and I wish we could all rewind about 100 years in technology. These days, technological advances connects us all instantly in ways like never before, but somehow, it seems like we are getting more and more impersonal.

When I was in Jr. High, my best friend and cousin was Kelly. We had active imaginations. Among our favorite activities was what we called "Creative Time," in which we spent hours upon hours creating imaginary towns, people, sketches, drawings, lives, and productions. She lived just across town, but every week, we sent each other letters in the mail. It was usually a few pieces of notebooks paper with doodles, comics, and stories all folded up and stuff into a Veggie Tales envelope. The excitement of receiving a letter in the mail was big. These days, I receive nothing more than wedding invitations and junk mail, and that is all seemingly going online as well.

Recently, I decided to start writing in a journal again. It's so weird, but I love it. Something about capturing handwriting, sketches, ideas, and late-night spontaneity in one precious keepsake to sit on the shelf for generations to come... it's a tangible treasure. We can turn online journals into something you can hold in your hand if we print out the entries and stick them in plastic sleeves all bound together nicely in a 3-ring binder, but again... where is the uniqueness? The personal connection?

You may wonder why I would enter into such a anti-technological tangent, as the line of work I love and feel I was created to do is centered around that very powerful "T" word. Don't get me wrong. I could write you an essay on all of the perks and wonders of modern technology, but today I just wanted to look back into a past generation and appreciate the little things that we don't take a second look at anymore. Letters in the mail, hand-written journals, a house visit, a walk along the river, a delivery of daisies, and a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Is there a way to capture such timelessness with technology? Absolutely, and that's why I love my line of work. A visual snapshot in time speaks the same language yesterday and tomorrow... here, and in another country. It's my personal goal to continue to keep the balance between the super wonders that technology gives us while sustaining the timeless traditions and actions that bonds us all in ways the online chat rooms and blogging will never be able to do.

Love you all! Keep checking back, the goal is to update once a week.

T

Wordplay

I like words. Throughout the day, as I am working and listening, I often hear words used and think, "Was that correctly used?" Or sometimes, I'll make a comment and then wonder if I used the right word to convey what I wanted.

Thank goodness for the Dictionary application (Mac platform). I love it. I keep that puppy down on my dock and click on it anytime I'm in question. All I have to do is type in the letters and an instant definition and thesaurus function pops up.

I know, I know... that's usually the way dictionaries work. Little things fascinate me. :-) I just like to continue to learn and be accurate in what I think I know.

Another interesting feature that I have in my widgets is the 'Word of the Day' deal.

Today's top ten will list 10 very interesting words that I have discovered throughout this process. I know the definitions, and some of you may, too. However, your job is to pick a word you don't know and give me a definition. NO cheating! It's similar to Balderdash... giving a creative description may just make you the winner. ;-)

1. Guttersnipe
2. Alfresco
3. Labradoodle
4. Subfusc
5. Maelstrom
6. Gimcrack
7. Amalgam
8. Chortle
9. Mizzle
10. Hullabaloo

Good luck! Love you all! T

Top 10 Things I WOULD Do

Last week’s post painted me as cautious in my activities at best, and unadventurous at worst. This week’s top ten will balance those two extremes out a bit.

Following are the top ten things that I would do. Some, perhaps I have done, and plan on repeating in the future. Others speak of “what dreams are made of” in my world.

1. Order Dessert
Every time. There’s always room. And if there’s not, this is where planning takes place. You must order light and eat less, because chocolate cake and caramel sauce almost always tastes better than meat and potatoes.

Ok, so maybe I’m not that extreme. But, whenever I go out, I’m not above thumbing through the dessert menu, if only to see what my options are.

2. Write a Book
It’s always been a dream of mine and a life-long goal, so even if I’m knocking on the publisher’s door at 75, I won’t be disappointed. I’m not really concerned about when this happens so much as that it does happen. In fact, I’d rather wait until later in life, because if I keep getting wiser with my years, then my book will be smarter, more charming, and full of more stories and testimonies.

3. Karaoke
Can’t say that I’ve ever done it… officially (unless belting out songs with friends behind closed doors counts). But I think it could be oh-so-fun.

4. Hike
A recent interest. A few years ago, this would have never crossed my mind. To me, it was always in the “outdoorsy-types” category… only for those who strap very heavy backpacks to their back sides, sporting the best hiking boots and running up the rocky mountain side while chugging from their water bottle.

However, a few late trips have proved that this activity is very enjoyable. I have hiked beautiful mountains in Colorado and Arizona, and among high points are great exercise, wonderful photo opportunities, enjoying God’s great Creation, and reaching the top with a sense of accomplishment, gazing across the land for a breath taking view.

5. Travel to all 50 States in one trip
I have a running joke with a friend that if we are both not married by 30, we will get in a car and take a giant road trip across all 50 states, stopping along each state line to get a picture. I don’t think she knows that I am completely serious. I’m going to show up at her house on January 2, 2016 with my car packed up and ready to go.

Anyway, I believe we should leave a lot of moments open for spontaneity in this life, because spontaneous fun is most often the best fun. And even though this may be labeled as pre-meditated spontaneous fun, it would be a memory worth making, for which I am sure.

6. Travel to other Countries
Another fairly recent interest. A few years back, I wasn’t too crazy about the idea of running over to other countries and experiencing culture shock. However, as my hobby in photography has risen, I see travels like these as an amazing way to capture some once-in-a-lifetime images. Beyond that, the opportunity to learn from other cultures and become educated about historic events, a variety of people, and a plethora of landscapes sounds so appealing.

7. Hot Air Balloon
This is questionable. I’m pretty sure it would be an amazing experience, but I just know that I would have a bout of doubt before boarding the basket attached to a giant balloon. Yet, my excitement would probably overrule any nervousness and I’d be up, up and away.

8. (Sail) Boating & Biking
What came before the motorcycle? That’s right. I saw a bank sign the other day that read, “Tired of rising gas prices? Come see us for your bike loan.” Aside from being a great form of exercise, it’s a “stop-and-smell-the-roses” approach that doesn’t require a motor and is faster than walking.

Boating– either by sail or speed boat. I’ve done both and enjoy them immensely. I mention this mainly because last week I talked about not really enjoying snow boarding/wake boarding, but I might point out that in order to keep a wake boarder happy, it’s imperative to have at least one or two other bodies on the boat… and sometimes it can be helpful if they don’t want to steal a whole lot of water time.

9. Re-Vamp a House, Business or Shop
I’m not exactly TLC, and quite honestly, I’m not handy at all. My grandpa was, and my brother is, but I must have missed that gene. However, I see many adorable shops and old-fashioned homes with vintage looks or even bright & bold décor, and it sends my brain rolling. Someday, it would be quite an accomplishment to take a blank canvas and turn it into a work of art. I would be outsourcing a lot of the handy-man work if it was a project which had a huge need of it, but the rest I’d love to handle.

10. Spread the Word
I believe the good Lord has placed within each one of us the ability to do this in different ways. Most of us have talents in which we can share, but a lot of us may be placed in situations where our unique personalities and backgrounds can be of use. It is my goal to always be consciously aware of this fact and not waste a single opportunity or moment to share by what comes most naturally, and even sometimes, in times when it may be unpopular or stretching.

Love you all. T

Top Ten Things I Would Never Do

As the saying goes, “Never say never.” Yet, the point I wish to get across with this top ten is that these are among the top activities that I would rather not do. It’s doesn’t mean that I won’t, but I’d really rather not. Call me unadventurous, boring, or lame… but at the end of the day, I’d like to still be walking on two feet. Note that some of these events are something that I have tried and did not walk away doing cartwheels for, which is why they’re on the list.

We all obtain that zippy, excited feeling of “adrenaline” that rushes through us in different ways. Most of us end up going out and doing something daring… something that could quite possibly push us close to the seat of death without actually killing us. This adds to the “rush.” However, I am of the type that tends to avoid these sorts of activities. I would just as soon let you be the one who jumps out of the plane or climbs the giant rock, and I’ll stand on the sidelines and cheer you on and take your picture.

If you are of the crowd who loves all of the activities that are in my list, then that is wonderful. It takes all kinds, right? We need the ones who aren’t afraid of adventure and who are willing to walk out on the limb a bit, or else nothing would get done in this world.

Here’s the list. Some of these aren’t actually what you would call “knocking on death’s door,” but also ideas that don’t strike me as the world’s most interesting.

1. Sky Diving
Even thinking about it puts me into a panic. The idea of falling out of a plane that is thousands of feet up in the air is not something that I wish to explore. We were born on the ground held down by gravity, and I don’t mind keeping it that way.

2. Roller Coasters
Or any amusement park ride, really, aside from the Ferris Wheel. Too fast, too uncontrollable, too dizzy. Plus I LOVE to eat, especially at carnivals, and so I like it that the food stays in my stomach. Whenever I go to amusement parks or my much-loved town Pumpkin Festival, my favorites are among standing in line with friends and holding coats/purses while they enjoy the rides, taking pictures, walking through tents, and eating elephant ears and cotton candy.

3. Storm Chaser
When I was little and there was a tornado outside, my dad would always be up and down the stairs in a tizzy, checking out the conditions of the sky. I would be cowered in the corner with a book over my head, praying to the Lord that the house would not get sucked up into the sky. However, the thrill of the storm allured my dad. I could never understand it. I loved the weather as a kid, and still do—I’m not above checking the weather section of the newspaper or visiting www.weather.com, but it’s usually to check the UV index or when it’s next going to be sunny. As I’ve gotten older, I can understand how interesting and intriguing storms can be, but I’m still not signing up to go chase one.

4. Snow Boarding, etc.
I’ve done it a few times. I am actually quite partial to the trick skis. However, gliding down a mountain on some sort of square or rectangular device at high speeds with icy snow and cold wind in all directions… especially when I remain the uncoordinated klutz that I am… is not my favorite of all times. If there’s a big group going snowboarding during the winter season, I’ll go. Who can pass up the road trip, the camaraderie, the memories, and the hot chocolate you can get in the lodge? However, this makes the list because it’s one of those sports that you can get quite daring with, and I must say if I never went snowboarding/skiing again, I wouldn’t miss it.

I may be in trouble after writing this as half of my readers are hard-core boarders!

4. Race Car Driving
Or going really fast in cars. Another very fast activity. Not necessary. Ok, I might do this if I had a very long, long, straight road in which I knew no obstacles would be before me. Take the thing up to 150 and see how I felt. But under any other circumstances, I would be thinking about what the consequences would be if the car sped out of control or hit something.

5. Doing Donuts in Parking Lots
We’ve all experienced it. Sometimes on accident. Or, some of us think it’s fun, when the snow starts falling, to drive into a vacant lot and slam on the brakes, and see what happens. Not me. I’d rather make a snow angel.

6. Motorcycles
I think they’re great. It actually makes me happy when the weather starts getting warmer, and all the guys get out the old bike and go for a spin. I also feel very sorry for the bikers who get caught in the rain. Yet, somehow, I don’t desire to ride on one. If I ever become persuaded, I’m sure it would be fun, but another activity that may send chills up my backside.

7. 4-Wheeling
Same thing as motorcycles. If I never ride on one again, I won’t be sad. But if the chances arises, I think they can be fun.

8. Deep Sea Diving
Another thing that seems to panic me by just thinking about it. My thought the entire time would be, “What if my air ran out, what if my air ran out, what if my air ran out…”

9. Hunting
I’m too noisy and restless. Besides, although I’m not some huge animal activist, I don’t really believe in shooting the innocent creature just because he happens to be walking by and I want to hang him up as home décor. I think it’s a fine sport for those who enjoy it, but I most likely never will. Now if the name of the game (no pun intended) was to photograph the deer, that, I could do.

10. Ice Fishing
Not too fond of the regular kind of fishing, anyway, and then when we add polar temperatures to it, I lose all interest. I might be caught sitting in a boat someday amongst a small quiet pond, a blue sky as my backdrop and a fishing pole in hand. I love the thought of a silent afternoon in calm peace with the sun shining down and fish swimming on under me. Yet this is just on a sunny afternoon on a lazy summer day… not a week-long trip devoted to braving the icy weather and frigid atmosphere just to bring in some underwater creatures.

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There it is! Perhaps next week will be about activities that I do enjoy, so you don’t all think that I am the most uninteresting and unadventurous soul walking on the planet. Now it’s your turn. If you are a risk-taker at heart or simply just dig a lot of the items on my list, share a story or a thought!

Love you all! T

Hello My Name is... (Top Ten)

To everything, there is a name. A description, a label, a title. Something to which you can address something or someone. Today, the relevance is the name of a person.

I have always had a feddish with names. I used to sit around and make lists of "baby names" that I loved. Weird? Maybe slightly, but we all have our quirks. Find below a list of some of the most unique names that I like, and vote for your favorite!


1. Penelope
2. Grayer
3. Beatrice
4. Milo
5. Phinneas
6. Eloise
7. Ceil
8. Evita
9. Liam
10. Ingrid

Love you all! T

Craving

It was a typical Monday.

Surprisingly enough, my Mondays at work always go by quickly. You would think that after an incredibly long 3-day paradise every weekend, putting in a 10-hour day would be torture. Today was fine, though, because we are so busy with High School Track Events. I love being busy.

Anyway, tonight I had to go to the grocery store. Now, I LOVE food. So going to a store that is centered around that particular subject should be fascinating to me. Sometimes, it is. But never in the beginning. It's like a monotonous chore that you know you have to do, but you don't want to. Yet, whenever the doors open and I enter into the food land with shelves on all sides of me, handing me cookies, breads, cereals, chips, and candy, my mood elevates. My first stop is always the fresh and sparkling produce section. I love all of the fruits and vegetables that are spritzed with beads of water. My only tip is to never go to this store while hungry.

Last night, I told my sister that sometimes I crave carrots and she thought I was entirely weird. I don't know why. I suppose that the majority of Americans crave carbs and munchines, snacks and sugar. I will fully admit that there's never a wrong moment for chocolate or a grand old dessert, but usually when I'm hungry, apple slices and peanut butter or carrots and bananas sound soooo good. What do you crave? Better yet... those of you would have had kids and have been through a pregnancy or two, what is the weirdest concoction you have craved?

This week, I'm staying with Heather while she dog sits at her aunt's house. Now. It's the running joke that I will some day grow to be an old "cat lady." I absolutely love cats... they're the best. They are furry and aloof, and keep to themselves unless they feel otherwise. Dogs, on the other hand, cannot keep our of your path. They sniff, drool, chew, bark, and destroy. And they smell. The only dogs that I can handle are the big ones... the ones that you can take on a walk, the ones that weigh more than you, and the ones that could actually protect you. Now that's a DOG.

Anyway, this dog we're watching is fine. I'm mostly just here for moral support, and because I love Heather. Well, and, this house is about 5 minutes away from where I work, so I get to sleep in an extra 30 minutes every morning this week. :D

Alright, that's a wrap. I'm hungry... craving a bowl of cereal...and tired. Love you all.

T

Go Take a Hike

Since I failed to include "Hiking with Heather" as a top ten choice, here is an exclusive story on the item.

Last Sunday, I accompanied Heather to a park in Peoria. If you recall, it was a beautiful afternoon... mid-60's with just enough sun to warm you in the sunlight. Granted, most of the hike consisted of hundreds of blooming trees on all sides that were bringing forth greenery and flowers, so it was pretty shady. I love this time of year; it's like an explosion of happiness after a long, gray winter.

Anyway, Illinois needs no mountains in order to provide an adequate hike for the average hiker. All you have to do is drive on over to Peoria and hike up the inset steps that cover the wooded area where we walked. It was great. We both got smoothies from Smoothie King and then hiked our hearts out. Actually, I told Heather that getting smoothies was a prerequisite to my coming on this trip. I love the fruity blended ice.

Our next project is walking Grand View Drive. It's a nice walk with a lot of very unique homes to observe along the way. I'm not sure if we'll be so lucky this year, but I'm hoping that we get a couple of weeks of that perfect 80 degree weather before the humidity strikes.

Below are some pictures of our adventure. Heather, I hope this makes up for leaving you out of Top Ten. It's better, really.

New life

Beginning of the hike

CHEESE

Something was hilarious

She's always breaking the rules

Red buds

Love you all! T

Top Ten Tuesday Spring!

If I'm back, I'm back. That means to stay on top of the Top Ten Tuesdays! Who could forget?

As Spring is now in the air, let's focus on that. Look at each one of these as not just a "favorite time of Spring," but moreso as a "moment in time that captivates the beginning essence of Spring" that you love so much. Pick the one that speaks to you!

1. Seeing the first baby green leaf spring out of a twiggy branch on your favorite tree
2. Closing your eyes and letting the warm air from the sunlight toast your face
3. The "fresh rain" smell
4. Hearing the tweet tweet tweet and sing songy whistle of the first birds back
5. The morning you wake up and see the "red bud" (looks more like purple to me) trees exploding with vibrant colors and flower
6. The first day you can slip on shorts and flip flops... and not be cold.
7. The ringing of the sirens and darkening of the sky as the 1st tornado warning twists into Central IL
8. The first contact of taste buds to icy, vanilla Dairy Queen delight (let the true Mortonites shine!)
9. The lightning/thunder storms with wind, gray sky, and fast-moving clouds
10. Sighting all kinds of deer and thinking, "At least now I can hunt without freezing to death."


Ok... Spring into Action... and vote!

Love you all! T

Outing

*NOTE: Hence the revamping of my blog, I am going to try to start updating more often (ie: more than twice a year), so please visit!

I only work 4 days a week for 10 hours each, so I get most of my Fridays off. This is very nice. Last weekend, we had my sister's kids. That particular Friday, I was in charge of Sophia (4) and Beau (1).

We started off by walking up to the root beer stand. Note-- it's not A&W anymore, it's the "root beer stand." No more A&W food, but it all tastes the same to me. Anyway, it was a wonderful warm spring day, aside from the wind that was blowing all over the place.

My favorite spot to sit is usually the sun, so I parked everyone at a picnic table in the wide open and retrieved our ordered hot dogs, fries, and root beer floats. It all seemed like a good idea until the gusts of wind started blowing our food, paper, and plastic everywhere.

What is a trip to the root beer stand without a Dairy Queen to follow? So, there we were, sitting on the big red bench for anyone driving down Main street to see. About 2 minutes into our ice cream cones, Sophia drops hers. Not just on the ground, mind you, but all over my pants and leg... following by an upside down smiley face and dramatic tears.

The tears subsided as soon as I handed her a new one. Anyway, after this, we started walking to the High School. They were having a "Farm Animal" day, so there were all sorts of creatures to walk around and pet. Sophie loved it.

At one point while we were walking together, Sophie told me, "I know where Grandpa works."

"Really?" I said, "Where?"

"Worm."

Sure I had heard her incorrectly, I said, "Where?"

"Worm."

I shook my head. "No, honey. Grandpa works at Caterpillar."

Sophie looked at me with a troubled look, and we walked along in silence for a moment. Then she pointed out, "Well, a worm and a caterpillar are the same thing."

I had to smile. I love the little connections that kids come up with, and how they communicate and learn.

Later that afternoon, the Steffen children came over to play outside.

Following are some pictures of our adventurous outing.

Sophie posing

Pushing Beau

What to get?

"Just feed me my ice cream."

Holy Cow!

Little PiggiesAlways on the Dance

Spring in IL

Favorite face

Naomi's idea of a Hug

Hey, Beau

Learning to Walk

We love Spring!

Where next?

What?

Love you all! T

It's Spring

Well, ok.

A ridiculous amount of time has passed since I last wrote, so for that I apologize. And I make no promises for the future, as I see that those are often left unfulfilled. So, here I am, writing. I may or may not return within the next 6 months.

Anyway, spring is here! I heard on the radio today that the coldest day of our winter was January 24 at 8 below, and then 3 days later, the warmest day of our winter was on January 27 at 67. Typical Illinois weather. Anyway, I keep checking my weather widget at work and home, and the forecast remains in the 40s and 50s with sunny skies for the next week. I am not complaining.

Sunnier skies yet are just around the corner... in 3 weeks, I'm going to Arizona. My cousin, who is actually 2 years younger than me, is getting married (I'm always looking for a good excuse to fly out there) and so my mom and I are making a week of it. The weather there at this time of year is about 80 degrees and perfect. I can't wait.

It's a construction zone around here. Honestly, I don't think that our house can go 2 years without part of it being ripped apart and started anew. We have officially stripped the floor in our dining room, front entry way, steps, and living room. Underneath our carpet was actually an undiscovered old hard wood floor-- very neat. However, not nice enough, to refinish. SO, we are laying down new wood and will carpet the stairs and upstairs hallway. Last Sunday afternoon, we painted the dining room a whole new color. My dad has been faithfully sanding the steps every evening. Little by little, this house is being transformed into something different. TLC should just park right outside and air daily. It'd be great.

I should post pictures tonight, but I'm really tired and it seems like a lot of effort. Maybe next post. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I'd like to drag all nine of my nieces and nephews out of doors and get some cute pictures in daylight. I'll see what I can capture over this Easter weekend.

Well, it's a wrap. Speaking of wraps, there is this amazing Asian crunchy wrap with peanut sauce that I often eat while at a small coffee shop here in Morton. It's delightful, and actually sounds really good right now. But I already at a bowl of cereal and took a bubble bath, so I'm just going to go to bed. Love you all.

T

2007 Moments

2007 in Review

The following image gallery displays some of my favorite captures in 07.
Pick a few that you enjoy and tell us all why!

Keys

Beyond

Teddy Beau

Swish

Feeling Blue

Destin

Make a Wish

Flower Girl

Falling Up

Tired

Behind the Bouquet

Fleur

Sea Buds

Boo

Antennae

Summer Lovin'

Sutsie Pie

Delightful

Owl

Little Miss

Love you all! T

3:19

Every year, I wait for 3:19 p.m. on January 2. Every year. I remind myself continuously throughout the day... and EVERY YEAR, I forget. I could put a bright yellow post-it note on my forehead to remind myself, and I'd probably forget to look in the mirror. It will be 3:39, or 4:10, or even 3:10 with only 9 minutes left and I'll STILL forget.

Why 3:19? Well, it just so happens that I was born at this time 22 years ago. And guess what. I forgot this year, too. I was sitting at work on a Macintosh computer with the digital time clearly in front of me... but it's no use.

The great thing about birthdays is that it's a great excuse to be able to do WHATEVER you want with a 100% justification. For instance, today I wanted to eat 2 brownies instead of one. "It's ok," I told myself. "It's my birthday."

Then, after work, I walked into Old Navy with the notion to just "look around," but after seeing the 50% off signs covering the store, I silently thought, "Well, I guess it IS my birthday."

After having a special birthday dinner with my 3 sisters, I was driving home and found myself pulling into the parking lot of the tanning salon. "It's 5 below out," I reasoned, "and after all, it's my birthday!"

Now, I realize that this excuse doesn't work for ideas such as, "Well, it's ok to eat that ENTIRE chocolate cake," or "Maybe the car dealership won't care that I took that brand new car if I just tell them it's my birthday." Silly, really, but I just wanted to clarify.

"It's my birthday," IS a great thing to be able to say, and for me, it will be over in 3 short hours. However, it's been a pleasure being 21, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for my 22.

love you all! T

October Daze

This post is just proof that I am not completely lost to the blogger world. *smile.*

Or, at least, proof that I LOVE to write, and since this has seemingly taken over my "journaling" time, I am destined to return. At times, when it has been awhile, I crave writing... it is almost like food to my soul. Every time that I can sit down and let words pour out of my mind, it is therapy. I have a very monotonous job during the day, and I sit for nearly 10 hours each day. I find my mind wondering in and out of stories, ideas, conversations, and potential blog posts. :) Sadly, most of the time, none of these brilliancies take place. They just float around in my mind, and get shoved down to the bottom of my brain when I get home from work at 6 p.m. and am forced to fly through what little time that I have to eat supper and catch up on my home life.

This post will be categorized into topical sections because at this point, I see no other way to organize my wandering mind. Even now, I sit on my bedroom floor, leaning against my chair, legs crossed, spooning 31 Flavors chocolate-peanut butter + mint chocolate chip ice cream into my mouth... when I SHOULD be rushing around, picking up the scattered bags, folders, and pictures that litter my purple space. I am in the process of moving my "office work," including Two Peas in a Palette records, projects, and personal financials and to a newly created office space in the basement. Two Peas in a Palette plus "Taryn's new abode" has now arrived. It is located in the lower level of our house, easy for customers to access if they want to pick up their box of Christmas cards or pictures. It consists of a big, white-washed desk, a new black leather computer chair (just purchased tonight!), and another small piece of furniture that holds supplies. And, of course, pictures and sparkles and color. Anyway, I have already gone off on a tangent that CLEARLY should have been put into a topical section, but in my need to just keeping going, I'm going to wrap here and start the topics.

PERSONALITY
Don't worry. I still LOVE to research, talk about, and think about personality. I find it so very important in my life. I don't know why, and quite honestly, I don't really remember when the feddish began. All that I do know,is that it has revolutionized how I look at my life and my relationships. This http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html is still my favorite website concerning personality types. Anyone else who takes the time to take a personality test in the Myers-Briggs realm or has any comments to make concerning this info, let me know! I love to discuss.

JOB FRONT
Still working at the publishing place in Peoria. I like what I do, yet as I mentioned, it can get monotonous. I am definitely still on the search for something else. My dad does a great job at keeping my connected with Caterpillar and all its many contacts. If I had a choice, I'd love to end up there. It's a great company, and I enjoyed my experience as an intern. Also, am looking at other local businesses, companies, agencies, and design firms around the area. If anyone happens to hear anything, let me know... :)

FAMILY
Tillie Sue is the newest cute little addition to our family. I'll post pictures soon, but not tonight. I have a lot of cute ones of the kids, so maybe I'll do one of each in the next couple of days. Gab, if you're readying-- maybe even a Top Ten mixed in. :) Anyway, I love spending time with my family. We are celebrating Tonya's 33rd bday this coming Tuesday, so that should be fun. The flu bug has gone through Tasha's whole family (she, of course, had to go to the hospital... her poor body cannot really deal with it, especially when she's pregnant. She was ok after an IV... she tends to go downhill fast when she gets the flu) and now Tate. Hopefully it stops there in that family because I doubt Melissa has time for such a sickness with her two little ones. I just passed up a flu shot at work yesterday. No thanks, I said. I don't do needles very well, especially in front of others. Actually, every time I have to get bloodwork done, nurses always say my veins are small, and the last time, it was so very painful so I would rather not invite an opportunity for that. Also, I heard that sometimes you can get sick from those? Who knows. Hopefully I'll stay healthy. When I first started working at my new job, everyone in my little office space was getting sick, so I took Airborne one morning. Well, I didn't really know how many vitamins and nutrients were packed into those little dissolvable pills, so I kept taking them every morning for a couple weeks until my medically minded friends told me that it's not good to overdose on vitamins, even if it is "good" for you. Hilarious. I probably had dangerously high amounts inside of my body. I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that. It's why I'm in the design field. I'm just glad we have doctors out there. Needless to say, I've made it this far into the season pretty healthy... I'll write back tomorrow when I'm home sick, *knock on wood*.

Ok, sorry, the "family" section turned into a tangent. Ugh. I'm bad at this topic stuff.

FRIENDS
My best one is getting married on December 2. So weird! It's fun, though. That makes 3 Morton weddings in about a 2 month period. I love weddings. They make me so happy. I think some people get sick of them but not me. I could go to a wedding every Sunday. There are just so many people, and everyone there is special to someone, and all of the pictures and happiness and food... it's just great. Kristi is doing this 8-week wedding thing beautifully-- it's a good thing she's a pretty quick decision-maker.

Heather and I take walks every once in awhile together in the evenings. It's so nice, we'll just walk and talk really fast (both). Also, Heather, Gab, and I had a little Starbucks session the other night, and that was delightful. It's nice to be back home and catch up with some home friends. I've now officially entered the 'working and singles' group, and that's kind of scary.

So I go back to ISU Bible Study as much as possible on Thursday nights :) I just LOVE all my ISU friends. I miss them so much, and it's nice to see them when I can. I have so many special friendships to keep up between room mates, friends, and college buddies. I just went to college weekend this past weekend, and it was so neat to see everyone. I stayed overnight with a couple of old room mates and it made me want to move back in to the college scene. :) Late night talks, early morning coffee, and lots of laughs. That's the life!

College weekend was so amazing. I am always blessed by how great God is, and how His Spirit can work in so many great individuals in such different ways. I heard a lot of great messages, and even though I am an ISU "alum," I felt like I needed to hear all of it. So applicable. Also, I sang with the ISU group during the evening program, and I did not feel a bit out of place. I love it!

IT'S A WRAP
Really... if you could see my bedroom floor, you'd know why I'm leaving. Glad to be back... hopefully I'll STAY back... I'm going to post pictures soon! Love you all!

T

Fall Update :)

So, it has been entirely too long since I have posted... but it's never too late for an update.

What's New...

1. In August, my mom started selling some of her fun little baby items from her Sutsie Pie line in Washington. There is a store on the square called "Holiday Presence," which sells cute gifts and holiday treasures. It is quite a big store, and in the back, there are some spaces rented out by others who wish to sell merchandise on their own. This makes it more of a "botique."

My mom, in all of her endless creativity, sells hankies dresses, blankets, rag tags, and then additionally, her Feed on the Word dishes, and on top of that, a bunch of fun trinkets that she has obtained wholesale from many different catalogs. It has been quite the fun advernture. I have spent a few different times now sitting Indian style on the wooden floor of this store, using a pricing gun to stick a "$14.99" sticker on a snowman figurine, or sparkly ornament, or glittery candle. It is a plethora of color and fun, so stop by if you get the chance!

I also put together some of my flower photography in the form of framed wall photography + cards that I sell. Those are also displayed for sale in her space. Very fun times!

2. Work... I started a job in August at a publishing company in Peoria. I do mostly layout, typesetting, photo editing, etc. It is very fast-paced and fun, and each week brings something different. In fact, some weeks, I get Fridays off (because we work 10-hour days, so by Thursday, our 40 hours are in!) and other weeks I'm there form 7 am-7 pm and on Saturdays, too. It just depends on how busy we are. The fluctuating schedule keeps me on my toes, but I must say, I had a 4-day weekend last week, and it was NICE.

3. My best friend is getting married. SO exciting! A moment we have all been waiting for. It's a crazy 8-week engagement, but I must say-- it will be a very fun wedding!

4. God's Miraculous Moments... here's a little story I'll share. My parents were in Kiawa, Kansas this past weekend visitng some relatives. They were driving back home all day Monday (it's quite the road trip.) Just as a preface, last Wed. night in church, I heard an amazing sermon on "When bad things happen to good people." It was great, but I found myself thinking-- hmm, I've had it REALLY pretty good. It made me wonder if I would develop a seriously bad illness, or if I would drive home and find my house in a pile of ashes, or if I may see road kill on my way home only to find out it was my pet cat. Needless to say, my life continued on very nicely. Then, on Monday morning, I was listening to 88.5 on my way to work. Michael Easily is always on at 6:30, and his message that morning was, "How do we know God loves us when bad things happen? We often measure God's love based on our experiences rather than on what He did for us." It got me thinking again about how blessed I have been in my life.

Immediately, my mind went to the only area of danger it could at that moment-- my parents driving home on their 14 hour drive. I prayed for them right then and there, and made it a point to do so periodically throughout the day as I thought of them.

At about 4 p.m., my sister called me to inform me that my parents had hit a deer.

By God's grace, my parents were perfectly ok. My dad did not see this deer at all and yelled right before he hit it. My mom said she was working on a bible study and looked up just to see his hoofs flying in the air. He got caught and then flew off really quick, damaging a good portion of the front of our Tahoe. However, the amazing beauty of this story is that no one was injured.

I have to thank the good Lord for prompting me to pray that day. Obviously, this situation called for thoughts sent heaveward for safety and love. My sister also mentioned that she felt a prompting to pray that day. God works in mysterious, miraculous ways!

5. I am going to Chicago tomorrow! About 4 years ago, a group of us girls from Morton who are really good friends took a shopping trip to Chicago in the Fall time and had such a great time. Ever since then, we have continued to make it our tradition every Fall. This weekend is the lucky weekend. I can't wait to have some fun with friends, strolling the crisp, lit-up streets of Chicago with Starbucks in hand, scoping out all of the great sales and trying not to spend too mcuh money on food (this seems to be a problem area for us! One year, we joked that we spent more money on food than on clothes!)

Love you all! Thanks for reading... if you still stop by! I'll update more often... T