5 Stupid Things I Did Today.

1. I grated my fingernail in the cheese grater. Awesome.
2. I put toast in the toaster, but failed to start it. 10 minutes later...wondering why the kitchen lacks the wonderful aroma of toast...
3. Signed my maiden name at the bank. This caused the teller to be unnecessarily suspicious of me.
4. I realized I hadn't yet gotten my hair wet before shampooing it, thus wasting a handful of shampoo.
5. I backed my car into our plastic recycling box. Don't worry...no damage done.

Yeah, it's been one of THOSE days.

Suck it in, Suck it in, Suck it in

I am proud of my husband for many reasons.
He has an outstanding work ethic.
He knows his stuff, when it comes to his field.
He takes great pride in our house.
He can really drive a golf ball.
He takes care of me in every way, without complaining.

AND, he knows every word to "Hook" by Blues Traveler, as demonstrated below. (Wait for it...it comes after John Popper's wicked awesome extended harmonica solo.)


I can't even think that fast.
My pride overfloweth.

The Goodies Keep Coming!

We thought the barrage of gifts from "wedding season" was over...that is, until the big , yellow Schwans truck stopped in front of our house and delivered an ice chest on our doorstep. Inside, we found a lovely gift from a certain parental unit in California...a steak dinner, complete with mini-bread bowls with spinach-artichoke dip and macadamia nut cookies! YUM! For you new moms (or just BUSY people), you really should check out the Schwans website- order online for doorstep delivery. Really good food, really reasonable prices. (And, Liana, you won't have to use all the pots and pans in your kitchen!)

I'd Like To Thank The Academy

Actually, I'd like to thank Brittany at perksofbeingme for bestowing on me this fantastic blog award. (You may have noticed the award in my sidebar.) She is a faithful reader and commenter, for which I am very thankful. NOW, it is my duty to pass this award on to five bloggers I feel are creative, edgy, unique, and overall make my day.

1. Look @ Me, Look @ Me! While living in Long Beach, I tediously tried to convince Keith Dickson to take up blogging. Little did I know that his WIFE was sitting on a gold mine of blog ideas, and now regularly shares her random thoughts with us on her blog. I'm putting Liana in my #1 spot because she's usually the first blog I click on for the day. Cracks me up.

2. Stuff Christians Like If you want to laugh (hard), this is the blog to follow...especially if you grew up in Christian culture listening to Carman and going to church camp. I'm hoping this collection of writings will become a book someday. Disclaimer: it's often wordy, so read it when you have time to enjoy it.

3. Midrash. Rob's blog always merits a read. He has this fantastic biblical worldview, especially when it comes to helping the poor and contributing to the world around us. I love that he is passionate about theology and the work of Christ, but approaches it in a relevant way. And, he loves The Office and 24, so it doesn't get much better than that.

4. Ragamuffin Soul I can't even imagine how many times this blog has been included on a favorite's list. "Los" is an edgy ex-worship leader from So Cal who relocated to Atlanta around the time I moved to Duluth. It's been fun relating to his change of environment from my own perspective. And sometimes, he's just crazy bizarre. I love it.

5. Snap Shots This is my dear friend Beth's blog, and if for nothing else, you must go for the pictures. SHE is the mastermind behind all of our wedding photography, and continues to amaze me with her savvy for the camera. And she knows how to make me jealous with her season passes to Disneyland.

Another Bedtime Observation.

It's been comfortably warm here in Duluth...outside. This means it's often UNcomfortably warm in our little non-air-conditioned home. This presents a problem for me at bedtime. Where as Chris can fall asleep on top of the bed, I need the weight of covers to help me. Last night, I was vitually burning up under the sheets. That is, until, I stuck one foot out from under.

What is it about feet? They seem to regulate my body temperature in the strangest ways. I can be completely wrapped in blankets, but if my feet are exposed, I'm still cold. I'm not sure there is a medical explanation for this, but it was just a thought I was mulling over as I was drifting off into dreamland.

Obviously, it's a slow blog day. ;)

Am I the only one with uber-sensitive feet?

Just a Girl And Her Piano.

And, no, I'm not talking about me!

More music...I know my last few posts have been music reviews, so I'll make this one brief. I headed down to the great metropolis of Minneapolis on Friday (sans Chris, because he was on-call for surgery in Duluth) to watch my dear friend Shannon Curtis rock her tunes on the ivory. She really was fabulous, and is continuing her nation-wide tour, heading into the Pacific Northwest- so check out her tour stops and tell her I sent you! Take a listen to her music here.

On a side note, it was refreshing to spend some girl-time with her afterwards. We stayed up WAY too late, caught up on all things life, and enjoyed coffee and breakfast in the morning. On a side, SIDE note, I conquered my first night without CHRIS since we've been married! Not something I'd choose a whole lot in the future, but good to know I can survive! (How did we EVER manage long distance?!)

Terrific Tuesday.

Yaaaay for date nights! Actually, Tuesday was more of a date "day," with Chris being off of work. So, we went out to the driving range to hit a bucket of balls.

Does it look like I know what I'm doing? Good...then I have you all fooled. :) This was my first time to the driving range- I did OKAY. Not terrible. But I can almost assure you that I missed the shot above.

We were really looking forward to a concert down by the lake, featuring some classic 90's rockers...Collective Soul, Live, and Blues Traveler. Prior to the concert, we met up with friends for a potluck dinner. Consequently, we were a bit late to the concert. We were bummed when we discovered that Collective Soul had taken the stage EARLY. We only caught a song and a half or so before they wrapped their set. Boo! But the following acts made up for it. Blues Traveler is fun to listen to, and Live got the crowd going with some of their classics. Bonus: BEAUTIFUL weather for our evening outside!

I love how Chris is rocking the "I Love You" sign. He's so hardcore. :)

Girl, Put Your Records On.

Chris and I took a trip to Barnes & Noble the other night, just to get out of the house for a while. We were on the hunt for a good barbeque (or, as they call it here, "grilling") cookbook, which we found fairly easily. But while we were there, we each picked out one new CD for fun.

I chose Leeland's sophomore album "Opposite Way". I'm almost embarrassed to report this since I'm a big Leeland fan and am JUST NOW getting around to listening to their album. Boo. Anyway, I'm loving it (with the exception of their first single, oddly enough. Not my favorite.). Take a listen if you're so inclined :)


Chris chose the album "Captiva," by Falling Up. Both are Christian bands, but Falling Up tends to be a little more edgy in it's sound. I don't know if he has gotten the opportunity to savor the album completely yet, but I know he likes the single on the album...it was featured on his myspace page fo-e-va. Here ya go:


So there you have it...the newest tunes in our collection.
What are YOU spinnin'?

Guess I Won't Be Walking.

Want to know how "walkable" your neighborhood is? With rising gas prices, the feet sure are a more feasible alternative mode of transportaion! I went to this website to get my neighborhood's Walk Score, and was a little unhappy with my results. Good 'ol St. Paul Avenue only ranks a 15 out of 100 for walking convenience. FIFTEEN!

Of course, as my friend Rob noted, it fails to take into consideration the local crime statistics. And, I'll note, that it also fails to acknowledge weather conditions, because God knows I won't be walking ANYWHERE for about 9 months of the year.

I'm sure some of you urban-dwellers can throw down some pretty high scores...

[ht: rob]

Yep. I Did That.

It was two years ago that I returned to the States from a two-week teaching expedition in Morocco. As with any adventure overseas, it was exhausting -the sights, sounds, and new culture in which you find yourself suddenly immersed. I worked with a group of first-graders who spoke French, Arabic, and minimal English. As a summer school course, we brought our first-hand English skills to them. If you didn't get the chance to follow along with my journey, my Africa weblog/picture gallery is here. But here are just a few memories from this trip that come to mind:

I worshipped Jesus Christ in an Islamic mosque.
I perspired like I've never perspired before.
I watched my students eat gummy worms for the first time.
I watched my flat-iron blow up...again.
I was gawked at for my blonde hair.
I ate chicken with cinnamon on it.
I got trapped in an elevator with Ashley and a hysterical Spanish woman.
I got free socks on my trans-atlantic flight.
I learned from 6 year olds.

Experiences like this are not soon forgotten.
Yours?

Baby, Baby!

I'm a little late with this, but some great friends of mine (from many different places) have recently expanded their beautiful families. So without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to my newest blog readers...

Dominic Alberico
Parents: Angelo and Lori Alberico
Long Beach, CA


Ava Smith
Parents: Justin and Ana Smith
Sacramento, CA


Their mommies and daddies are fabulous bloggers...
so stop by and post some congrats!

Trippin.

I've never participated in drug use.
Nor have I been on a drug "trip".
But I imagine it to be a lot like the Johnny Depp version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Now you know what Chris and I did yesterday.
The movie...not the drugs.

That is all.

Saturday with the Angels

I did not make the bed yesterday.

This was not because of principle, but because I was physically incapable of doing so. Thursday night I was afflicted with the worst toothache EVER (those of you who have been tracking with my blog for a while know that this happened last year as well). Anyway, after a night with no sleep, I saw the "emergency dentist". He confirmed that I have a ruptured wisdom tooth, coupled with fluid building up from my sinuses and putting pressure on the nerves. YUK! The temporary solution: lots of drugs. :)

I was happy to get that settled, because I really wanted to be well enough to enjoy the Duluth Air show today...which I did! Chris and I spent the day watching old and new fighter planes, lots of aerobatics, and the good food supplied at such events. The main attraction was an appearance by the U.S. Navy's famed Blue Angels. The weather was beautiful UNTIL, of course, it was time for the final act- then the skies decided to open up on the umbrella-less. We stuck it out as long as possible before our wet clothing told us it was time to go.

Enjoying the sunshine at the Duluth Air Show

The Navy band, tearing it up!

Representin' Sacramento...whuuttttt!

Representin' Duluth....holllllaaa!

We visited the NASA exhibit and...Chris fulfilled his dream of visiting space.

The Blue Angels, all lined up on the runway.

This is what we should have seen...Blue Angels against blue skies. Instead, I saw a bunch of raindrops in my eyes. (Hey...I should make that into a song!)

Calling All Tidy People...

Hello again. Let me preface this posting by saying that I love my husband very much. (I'm sure Chris is getting a little nervous reading this!) I was blessed to gain a man that is generally very tidy...at times, more tidy than me! But there is one point of contention between us- making the bed.

Chris believes making the bed is completely pointless. I know this because it's the same conversation we have every time I ask him to help (which he always does, graciously). His argument is rooted in the fact that no one will SEE the bed (with the exception of us) throughout the day. I've tried to make my case numerous times, but I'm obviously failing to come up with a convincing counterpoint. The following are reasons I've given for this task:

1. Aesthetics. The room feels finished when the bed is made.
2. The hotel-bed feeling you get when you pull the covers back. It's like you're getting into a brand new bed.
3. Straightening the sheets. During the night, especially when the weather is warm, the covers tend to shift and shuffle, as you know. When I get into bed, I don't want to have to find the corners of the sheets, or pull half the duvet from Chris' side. It's too much work.

And, perhaps the most convincing argument:
4. While I was making the bed the other day, a spider came crawling across the sheets. I know it's disgusting, but had I never made the bed, I never would have disrupted this spider's environment. He could have very well camped out there all day. I DID make the mistake of letting Chris in on this information. The remainder of the night was riddled with Chris' paranoia..."Is there a spider on me?" "I feel like there are spiders all over me." "Let's check the sheets one more time." I promised, next time, I would keep that information to myself. :)

I think I've done a pretty good job, but there has to be more logic behind making the bed in the morning. Please help a sista out.

Do YOU make the bed? If so, WHY!?

Welcome to our Home!

Hello fine friends! It's summertime in Duluth and absolutely BEAUTIFUL, so let your visiting commence! We have a guest room all ready for you! I know, I know, the chances of us having a steady stream of visitors is slim, so I thought I'd bring our home to you! Since we've been working hard on getting it furnished and fixed up, I thought I'd give you a little tour.

This is the front of our house. It was yellow and green until a couple of weeks ago. We have yet to paint the screen, but it looks FAR better now! We are in the process of staining the front deck. And the deck is awesome for grilling and entertaining!

Our living room is a cozy place to unwind...usually watching FOX News.

We purchased this bookshelf with some of our wedding gift money, and we love it. It's a great central place for our computer and to display some of our favorite pictures.

The dining room is right around the corner. We will be upgrading our little table soon. And, you can see our "forest-y" backyard through the window. SO pretty in the winter, and very green at this time of year!

One of the first things we did in the house was paint the kitchen and dining room (it used to be a stark hospital-grey color). It made a BIG difference, and goes great with our wine racks!

The guest room- where you shall stay when you visit. It's just like a bed and breakfast...without the breakfast :) I take that back...if you come visit, you'll get breakfast.

The Master Bedroom now has window treatments, and all of our Pottery Barn bedding is being put to use! We love it!

This is Chris' "man basement". It houses all of his furniture (which you can see is quite monochromatic!) and is the coolest place in the house...great in the summer, not so great in the winter!

Jamie Recommends...

1. Seattle's Best Coffee- Cinnabon. Ok, so I've been passing on the 'Bucks and the 'Bou in order to pinch some pennies, so I needed to find a substitute that would satiate my girly coffee tastes. And boy did I find it! Now I can have as much coffee as I want during the day, and I'm not throwing money down the drain! (Although, Liana, if I lived in So Cal, I would definitely be stopping by Starbucks for one of your new sweet treats!) Mmmm....I can smell my coffee brewing now...

2. Get working internet service. Yesterday, I was so frustrated with ours that I avoided the computer altogether. That means today, I have about 50 blog feeds to read. Plus, it really puts a damper in my internet backgammon fetish.

3. Wear a sweater to the grocery store. This is the first thought that runs through my head every time I enter the doors. You'd think I'd get a clue, but, NOPE! I forget EVERY time. It makes cruising the frozen food aisle really unpleasant. On the other hand, it does contribute to an expedient shopping experience!

4. Revisit the film Far and Away. You remember the one...Tom and Nicole, back in the day. It's a good date night movie. Who doesn't like a great soundtrack by John Williams? AND, it is guaranteed to make you speak with an Irish accent for a couple days. *warning: this may drive your husband crazy.*

5. Watch the homerun derby with your significant other. Even if you aren't a baseball fan, it's pretty entertaining. If you can't sit and watch, at least be in the same room as your man. The giggling and hollering is even more entertaining than the event. Bonus: Chris was pleased that a Minnesota Twin took home the victory title.

I shall bestow more wisdom on you later. Until then, do you have any recommends to add?

The Itasca Legacy

As I was documenting our Fourth of July weekend, I included some pictures of Chris and I at Lake Itasca. Chris' mom mentioned that she had some pictures of the kids at the very same place when they were small. So, of course, I asked her to send them to me and...well....they are just too cute not to share. :)






That's Chris (far left), Eric, Carrie and Brian.
And, BONUS...Chris' mom as a child with her siblings (Marcia is in the middle, back)

Name it and Claim it.

I had a conversation the other day about the prosperity gospel, and this post again reminded me of the topic, so I thought I'd use the weekend to lay out my opinion (after all, who checks blogs on the weekend?). The Prosperity Gospel (also referred to as "name it and claim it") is the idea that God will reward us for our extravagant giving. It's a literal interpretation of John 10:10, "I have come that they might have life, and might have life more abundantly," in favor of our material well-being as a gift from the Lord.

As much as I want to unload on how ridiculous I think this is, I won't. It's just too obvious to me, and I think you can see that as well. The gospel never promises us a cushy, comfy life...even if we are obedient givers. There is no "law of reciprocity" with the God who gives and takes away. Just as we can't anticipate a Christmas gift from a friend, we can't expect God to lavish us with wealth for our obedience. That sounds more like the "power of positive thinking" doctrine of the Church of Scientology, Religious Science, or "The Secret".

What IF God calls us to be poor? Does that mean we aren't "giving" enough? Does that mean we are not in God's favor? I don't believe that God wants every Christian to be living on the streets, but He does want us to be responsible and generous with our resources. We ALL live abundant lives...we live in America. But I'd argue that "abundant" living, according to the scriptures, has nothing to do with wealth. After all, doesn't God delight in our sacrifices? When it's not easy? Doesn't He promise time and again that He will be with us, even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death?

John Piper is a badass. And by badass, I mean awesome. I've seen him speak and read several of his books, and he does NOT fool around with this kind of theology. His passion is evident in this clip:


I'm looking forward to my treasure in Heaven.

Observations: Bedtime.

There was a time when I could stay awake during an entire episode of Conan O'Brien.
That time has passed.
I hardly see the other side of 10 o'clock anymore.
That's because I've adapted to Chris' sleep schedule. And work calls for early mornings! (As it soon will for me, too!)

We frequently read from our devotional book before we go to bed. Bobby and Rachel gave this one to us for our wedding, and we've been enjoying the intriguing conversations that it leads into. It refocuses us on the higher purpose for our marriage.

The weather outside has been perfect (low 80s), which means our house (which lacks air-conditioning) has been very comfortable for sleep. Opening the windows at night creates the most wonderful breeze. There is little reason for me mentioning this, other than to rub it in for you CALIFORNIA folks, melting in the 110 degree heat. That's right, now it's MY turn to gloat! Muuuaaah haha!

Observations: Morning.

A cool breeze entered the room to awaken me.
I laid and listened to the sound of rain on the leaves.
My husband gave me a gentle hug, and I thought...
...this is one of those perfect moments.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us glimpses of heaven.

Have you seen heaven lately?

God Bless the U.S.A.

Gotta love the fourth. Chris took a couple extra days off, which made our Fourth of July weekend nearly as long as our honeymoon! We ditched Duluth in favor of Chris' family's lake cabin, where the fam would be hanging out. The Stavenger boat made it's debut appearance in the boat parade this year...rocking Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" made us an instant hit. Plus, no one could match our energy :)

Chris was our trusty driver. Doesn't he look EXCITED!?

We joined many other boats on the lake...this is just a few.

Brianna and Carrie were festive adornments for the front of the boat.

In the afternoon, we took the boat out for some water skiing. I won't tell you how I did, but Chris looked great! That is, until he busted up his elbow on the boat (see post below). Everyone was looking forward to the fireworks in the evening, which Chris lit off the dock. A spectacular showing, especially with the multitudes of fireworks exploding around the lake.

Ah, my little pyromaniac :)

The light show is amplified by the reflections on the lake.

The weather cooperated beautifully...lots of time out in the water and room for some intense rounds of croquet and bocce ball!

Alissa kickin' tail.

Chris and Marcus having fun in the sun.

Cousin Chris, Carrie, Alissa and Brianna hang out on the dock.

As a "bonus", Chris took me on a day trip to Lake Itasca, which is where the Mississippi River begins. It was a great date...we had lunch, then got our feet wet, walking across the headwaters. Only about 15 feet across- it's hard to believe that little stream becomes a raging river!

Chris proudly crosses the headwaters, with Lake Itasca in the background.

Standing in the Mississippi.

"HERE 1475 FT ABOVE THE OCEAN THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI BEGINS TO FLOW ON IT'S WINDING WAY 2552 MILES TO THE GULF OF MEXICO."


Most of our family left the lake on Monday morning. We stuck around an extra day, but the arrival of some thunderstorms put a damper on our water activity! As soon as the clouds cleared, Chris tried his hand at some fishing. Number of fish caught: zero. But it sure was pretty!



This year, I'm thankful we were able to enjoy this country in all of it's serenity and natural beauty. It really is "God's country".