The Fox Family

CHRISTMAS 2011

2012-02-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

Eek...Christmas came and went without a blog post of it's own--is that even allowed? Here is a little peak at how we were able to celebrate Christ's birth.

What a fabulous Advent season we had. It was a time full of growth and preparation, waiting in anticipation for the coming of our Savior.

David did a great job with the outside lights again this year. The house looked so beautiful!

Many evenings during our nine days off together were spent being cozy in our living room, enjoying the fire, sipping red wine.

Midwestern State University has a lights display each year, so of course we participated in the annual tradition again and thought it was as fabulously-ghetto as last year!

Mac and his beloved Santa Dog.

Christmas Eve

Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church after celebrating a beautiful Midnight Mass together.

Stockings on Christmas morning

Christmas morning was perfect. We got up late, enjoyed mimosas and homemade cinnamon rolls. Took Mac for a walk and opened gifts. It was a relaxing and memorable day for both of us.

Thanks Darin, Laura, Dillon and Luke for the fantastic gift cards and even more the fantastic entertainment we got from the box!

Christmas Dinner with the Black Family

Table Football for the boys

And a rousing game of Jenga for the girls

We loved spending Christmas evening with the Black family. Their kids are so wonderful and it was a perfect night of laughter, games, and delicious food made by Kristi!

The week after Christmas, we had a doctor's visit in Dallas. We were able to spend the rest of the day taking advantage of the big city. It was a wonderful day full of shopping, fantastic drinks and great food!

We ended 2011 with a fairly mellow New Year's Eve. We had great company and good laughs finishing off the evening with this festive chocolate peppermint cake...here's hoping that 2012 is as delectable as our dessert!

UNPLUGGED

2012-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

Well, officially it has been a ridiculous amount of time since I posted about our daily life. I am a bit embarrassed, perplexed, and disappointed in how much time has passed since I have recorded our crazy antics. I suppose I could say that time sure does fly when you are having fun in Texoma...

...We have been having a blast with our favorite Golden Retriever!

...The warm but very windy Texas winter has allowed for some great golf to take place on the weekends.

...I am always pleased when a cultural event happens here in The Falls, and recently I was moved to tears by the beautiful concert put on by the African Children's Choir. I was thankful for the inspirational, moving and beautiful stories and voices that I heard--so good for the soul!

...Isaac was driving from Washington to Georgia, and was able to stop and spend the night with us! It was such a wonderful evening and a true blessing to catch up with an dear friend.

...David and I are coaching a little basketball team of 5 & 6 year olds. It has been fantastic! We love having a committment to go to, other than work. We love the laughter involved with helping the kids play defense or score points on offense. These little kiddos bring us great joy three days a week and we are thankful for the opportunity to coach them.

...McCovey has been enjoying our walks even more than usual. Diving head first to roll in the clover during our afternoon trips to the park, is all it takes to bring this sweet little dog a bit of bliss.

The past few months have had their share of ups and downs, but we are happy to say that 2012 is off to a great start and we are embracing every opportunity Wichita Falls presents to us--no matter how large or small it may appear!

FALL in SEATTLE

2012-01-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

In November David sent me to Seattle for a girls weekend. Nothing could have been better for my soul than to spend precious time with women who rejuvenate me.

While I was there David and I learned of our new assignment with the Air Force...Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, NV. Let's just say I was very saddened by this news (we really wanted to move to Europe) and thank goodness I was in the exact place I was supposed to be when I learned our fate...with my best friends!

It was an amazing weekend and I couldn't ask for better women in my life, I feel truly lucky.

Harmony took us to an amazing Italian restaurant and my meal and the conversation was memorable!

Beautiful Brie

Molly Moons ice cream

Sunday Brunch complete with mimosas of course....that's just how we role.

Ummm...coffee after a long weekend of staying up late and drinking large quantities of wine...yes, please!

A perfectly clear, cold, sunny fall afternoon in Seattle is true bliss.

Pike's Place Market

The ladies of South Hall Apartment #136 version of crack. The Cheese Counter. Careful, we can get pretty out of control.

After hearing the news of Vegas and feeling quite sad, what is better than sitting at the spa, with your best gal pal, with a cup of steaming hot tea--as she gets her hair cut by a fabulously wise young chap named Drew...let me tell you...nothing is better than that.

A true shining moment for the weekend was seeing two gals who mean the world to me. I got to see Kate (who I forgot to take a photo with) and Kim each for some amazing conversations and catch up time. Kim is pregnant and it was so fun to see her in this soon to be mother-stage and hear about her next big adventure with baby Isaac!

Friendship...one can not ask for anything better than good friendship!

WICHITA MOUNTAINS

2011-11-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend it was beautiful and we decided we needed a bit of an adventure...so we drove to Oklahoma to the Wichita Mountains. We have been a few times before, but this time we hit up an entirely new area and went on a great hike. McCovey was able to do some swimming and we were able to enjoy each other's company and the lovely fall weather.

Wouldn't be a Texas hike without a few cactus plants!

FALL PARTY

2011-10-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we hosted David's office over for a party. The weather cooperated and it was only in the 70's, yahoo, so we used our back patio and backyard to seat the 13 adults and 11 children comfortably.

We served Chilli, Potato Soup, and Chicken Noodle Soup and invited guests to bring a side of some kind. People brought yummy cornbread, homemade rolls, and a fabulous spinach salad.

I was really excited that the soups turned out to have good flavor and depth but I was even more excited with the dessert I made, it turned out pretty great!

This Caramel Apple Cake recipe is so amazing and even more the parts that go into making it are amazing on their own. I will now use the applesauce recipe for our homemade applesauce and if I need caramel, I will use the recipe from this cake.

It took a good amount of time, but I promise it is SO worth it!

TEXAS STATE FAIR

2011-10-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

It is with true Texan pride that I write this next post.

It was an amazing 80* when we embarked upon the world's craziest fair. We paid a guy $10 to park on his lawn and joined our friends Natalie and Mark. We made our way to the coupon tent just inside the front entrance. Everything you buy at the fair has to be bought with coupons. So we got ours and headed out (with a cold Bud Light in hand) to see what we could find.

The Texas Eye

The record breaking long horn

The milking parlor

The deep fried...everything

Between the four of us we consumed:
A buffalo chicken wrapped in a flap jack, battered deep fried and served with maple syrup. A corn dog. Curly fries. Deep fried pumpkin pie. Deep fried moon pie. Deep fried Ding Dong. And a lot of cold Bud Light.

It was an amazing experience that we will NEVER forget!

FALL FUN

2011-10-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

What a fun season this is turning out to be. We are so lucky that the fall has brought a bit of cool weather to the town of Wichita Falls and with that cool weather, some great things as well!

Halloween Cookies ready for delivery to friends, coworkers, and neighbors.

Oktoberfest put on by the German Pilots, complete with great food and lots of German beer.

A new dark hair color and a festive mantel ready for Halloween.

Happy Fall Y'all!

THE GULF COAST

2011-10-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

This post is long over due, but better late than never, right? On our way home from Alabama we stopped on the Gulf Coast in a little resort town called Ocean Springs. We instantly fell in love with the little shops and the beautiful ocean scapes...and the homes? Well those were just gorgeous!

We got to Ocean Springs in the afternoon and after checking into our hotel, went straight to the ocean. A long walk and some football playing with the sand between our toes...perfection.

We headed to the shops to enjoy a little of the local flavor. Afterwards we began our own little pub crawl...enjoying the bars, outdoor spaces, and restaurants that this sweet little town had to offer.

The next morning we waited in line with the locals at the the corner doughnut shop and after receiving our bag of hot doughnuts we got on the road to make the 10 hour drive home in time for the Duck game. We can't wait to go back to Mississippi and enjoy even more towns along the beautiful Gulf Coast.

ALABAMA

2011-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

We are loving our time in Alabama. It has been so fun being back at Maxwell AFB, where David did all of his training just one year ago. Being in a city that offers independent restaurants, small boutiques, amazing antique stores and history around every corner.

On an after dinner walk in the Old Cloverdale District, we found this old school that is for sale...it would be a dream to buy it and renovate to it's original glory.

Saturday we went just 45 minutes outside of Montgomery to a beautiful hiking trail that wraps through the forest and down to a gorgeous lake.

Such a fun surprise to see these fantastic lakeside homes...

While David has been in class I have enjoyed seeing the sights, hunting for treasures (watch for a post on where those little finds fit into our home, coming soon), going to the gym, golfing at the driving range, and best of all was this week I drove to Prattville for high tea.

I spent a perfect morning browsing through this sweet little historic town before settling into the beautiful parlor of a historic B & B for high tea. I munched on fabulous scones with lemon curd and clotted cream while I tried various flavors of tea.

The proprietors were fantastic people, who gave me a tour and showed me all of the amazing work they have done reinventing this home from the 1800's. Just another one of the many great days we have spent in this sweet home, Alabama.

COWBOY CLASSIC

2011-09-15T13:59:00.001-07:00

David and I were so lucky to have our families come to town to watch the Oregon Ducks play LSU. Here is our amazing weekend in Dallas (tailgating and hanging out at the hotel) and Wichita Falls (enjoying time in our home and around the city):

It was amazing to connect with my childhood friend, Elizabeth. She is such a strong and faith filled woman, I always leave our time together encouraged and full of joy!

Lasagna dinner back at our home in Wichita Falls

The lovely Kris

Checking out the falls, in Wichita Falls

Enjoying the sun and a cold beverage on the back patio

The Fox Family checking out David's office at Sheppard AFB

We felt so lucky to have The Foxes come to our home

We were so blessed to have my parents here for a few extra days, it was so hard to say goodbye!

DATE NIGHT

2011-08-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we drove about an hour and twenty minutes to the town of Saint Jo, Texas.

We did a bit of wine tasting at Arche Vineyards...

...before heading to Ancient Ovens. This place was beautiful! It is a ranch where you sit and enjoy a wood fired meal looking out over the pastures as the sun goes down.

We enjoyed our bottle of wine from the vineyard next door as we devoured a four course meal complete with spinach and artichoke dip, Italian tear drops (filo dough pockets filled with cheese that explodes in your mouth), crazy-good pizza, and chocolate hazelnut calzones for dessert…all cooked in a wood fired pizza oven!

The setting was beautiful, the food delicious, and the people so lovely...it was the perfect date night!

AUGUST

2011-08-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Wichita Falls is full of opportunities and sadly, through the past year, we have not fully taken adventage of all the amazing things available to us.

We are so thankful that we have made some new friends and opened some new doors into the world that is Wichita Falls, Texas.

In the past month we have enjoyed the Texas Ranch Roundup (a non-conventional rodeo):

The Shrine Fest in the Red Dirt (four country bands played while a few hundred people consumed a large quantity of Bud Light, in a huge empty field):

And the Hotter than Hell (a one hundred mile bike race in the 110* weather) where I worked the Starbucks booth and David volunteered at a rest stop on the base.

We are truly thankful for these opportunities that we have been given in the past few weeks to embrace where we are at this point in our lives.

28th BIRTHDAY

2011-08-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

My 28th birthday came and went without too many crazy events taking place. I enjoyed an awesome day relaxing and getting things unpacked and cleaned up from our trip to Bend the weekend before.

I was so blessed to receive some amazing gifts: a fabulous new clutch, a bottle of Jimmy Choo perfume, a gorgeous mango tree salad bowl, gift cards for eating out and TjMaxx, and from my husband my very first sewing machine!

I am so thankful that this marking of time, this passing of another year, could be celebrated in Texas with a yummy Texas steak dinner and an ice cream cake (in true Jaspers’ form).

I can’t wait to use my sewing machine for my first project, a pillow case for the chair in our bathroom.

It was fun to celebrate 28 years of life, 28 years of adventures, here’s to many more.

BEND GOLF TOURNAMENT

2011-08-16T09:26:00.001-07:00

This is our Fifth year going to Bend for the Owen Invitational and every year it gets better and better. We were so blessed this year to enjoy time with Tyler and Melissa's little girl, Makenna. She is eight weeks old and an absolute doll. She only cries when she needs something and she was totally okay being handed around to all kinds of new faces. It was so nice to be in cooler weather and to enjoy time shopping, laying by the pool and drinking with great friends!

Makenna relaxing before a big day of shopping in downtown Bend.

Auntie Liz enjoying time holding sweet Makenna.

Girl's Night Out

Great friends and Prosecco what more do you need?!?!

The beautiful Owen women.

Uncle Dave chillin' with Makenna before the cocktail party.

The lovely Green family.

Ahhh, the cocktail party.

Ready for victory.

Some of the most wonderful women that I know!

Second Place Winners.

The whole crew.

SUMMER MANTEL

2011-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you have a jar of sand, a few shells....

And an adorable steel crab...

Well, a summer mantel of course!

Happy Summer y'all.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

2011-07-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Wowza--it has been over 100* for 38 days in a row--it is hot. Luckily it is not overly humid yet and this week we have even seen a few, beautiful, coveted, white thin little wispy clouds in the sky...there is something twisted about the fact that 105* seems cool.

McCovey is full of energy because our daily long walks have been cut short, even at night it is still over 90* and we don't want to take him for long walks in case he were to get overheated.

But for the past few weeks we have been blessed...our friends have been out of town and gave us the use of their pool in exchange we would keep the water levels checked...umm, yes we said, we can definitely do that for you!

These weeks have definitely been a highlight for all three of us this summer...and best of all were the picnics and beers in the evenings...poolside!

FAMILY PICS

2011-07-15T18:59:00.001-07:00

It is with great excitement that David and I had our first family pictures taken.

It was so fun to connect with our friend Jenni, who is a photographer in Puyallup, and we had so much fun taking photos to document our family as it is at this stage of the game: David, Elizabeth and McCovey.

ROAD TRIP, BEGINNING

2011-07-15T18:58:00.003-07:00

Ready to get on the road

West Texas, enough said.

First day we made it just beyond Sante Fe, New Mexico

Our campsite only had a cement picnic table and a place for our tent...but it had an amazing view of the Rio Grande!

We set up camp and hit the lake for Mac to have a swim....

Enjoying the sun and the lovely setting after a nine hour day in the car

David couldn't resist a dip in the lake and McCovey was all too thrilled to have a friend to swim with!

Back to camp to make dinner and enjoy a game of cards before the sun set

Utah

Provo, Utah campsite...beautiful setting, roaring fire and good beer made this night truly perfect.

Lovely Salt Lake City, location of the wedding of David's elementary school friend.

Ready to witness the lovely marriage of two great people.

Friends since elementary school...David, Isaac and James enjoyed celebrating the bride and groom.

A donut wedding cake, how cute is this?!?!?

Congratulations Jeremy and Vanessa, we could not be more excited for you both.

The last stop before Oregon, was visiting our dear friends Jenni and Erik in Boise. Their home is amazing and their two goldens were great playmates for McCovey.

From Boise, we drove across the state of Oregon to see our family in Eugene. It was so wonderful driving through the trees and mountains.

ROAD TRIP, MIDDLE

2011-07-15T18:58:00.001-07:00

We got to Eugene and spent three days with David's family. The night we got to town David's Dad had a baseball game at Marist, it was so fun to go out to the place where David spent so many hours during high school!

Ripken and McCovey loved going to the river to swim.

Nothing was better than the perfect 70* weather, so much better than the 110* Texas heat.

We met David's mom for a fantastic lunch in downtown Eugene.

Beer tasting at Ninkasi Brewery (with my brother Darin)

Hiking the Ridgeline Trail

Wine tasting just outside of Eugene

The winery had an amazing view to accompany the amazing wine

Walt and Kris hosted a fantastic BBQ, where we caught up with such great people! Here we grabbed a photo op with our favorite high school teacher, coach and friend.

The Fox Family

At the end of the week we headed up to Bremerton, where David's grandparents live to spend time with friends and family in Washington...this is the view from their kitchen table...it is truly the most relaxing place on earth.

Hitting golf balls into the water is David's favorite thing to do at Nonnie and Papa's house

Mac swam all day, each day. He was content to fetch sticks or just swim by himself...such a sweet little water dog!

On Saturday night, we jumped to Tacoma for my cousin's wedding at the Tacoma Glass Museum.

Celebrating a beautiful wedding, in a beautiful location!

Laura, Dillon and Luke were so cute all dressed up and ready to enjoy a great reception.

Back in Bremerton on Sunday, David's Aunt Bev came by to say hello. As always we loved catching up with her!

It was a treat to spend an afternoon with cousins!

Our sweet Aunt Teri made a fantastic lunch...complete with halibut, wild rice, blue cheese salad and scones for dessert.

For McCovey a long weekend of swimming and fun, was complete only with relaxing while watching the baseball game.

ROAD TRIP, END

2011-07-15T18:57:00.001-07:00

On the way out of Washington we had the most perfect afternoon with our dear friend Harmony. We met at PLU and walked around our old stomping grounds and enjoyed the beautiful place that we called home for 4 years. (This is Tingelstad Dorm where Harmony and I were freshman roommies all those years ago :)

In front of the dorm room we shared our first year of college...BTT, coffee, late nights, laughter, a sword, You've Got Mail, and of course friendship...it was the best year any girl could ask for!

David and I in front of the baseball field we spent so many rainy weekends enjoying!

Relaxing in Red Square on the beautiful PLU campus before heading back to Oregon.

David and I knew that we NEEDED to go to the Oregon Coast while we were home, we were so glad that my brother Darin, Dillon and Luke came with us and as an added treat my cousin Christina and her boyfriend came as well.

We spent the day enjoying the ocean and tons of sweet moments with two of our favorite boys

Brother and Sister, truly this man is fantastic and it was such a joy to spend the day in his company!

A perfect afternoon at Heceta Head Lighthouse

Loving the coast

Once in Eugene again, we spent a few days with my family...we enjoyed afternoons in the park, dinner to celebrate Alisa's birthday, dinner at Darin's house and of course a TON of laughter.

Can you see them holding hands? This is one of my favorite pictures of all time.

I feel so blessed to have this amazing, passionate, funny woman as my sister

Oh sweet Rowan, how your Auntie loves you

The Jaspers Family

Sadly, we did have to begin our adventure home. We took just three days to get back to Texas...but it was a perfect three days.

We stopped and enjoyed a beautiful lunch in georgeous Hood River surrounded by green trees, the water, and lavender.

We spent the night in Boise with Erik and Jenni again and it was AGAIN the perfect evening with friends. We were joined by other college friends, Amy and Kepa, and it was so lovely to catch up and enjoy one another's company!

A walk through Fort Collins, CO had us falling in LOVE with this great city

After a 12 hour day in the car and with a final 12 hours the following day we decided to splurge a bit and stay in a lovely hotel in Fort Collins. It was the perfect way to end our trip and to rejuvenate before returning to Texas. It was McCovey's first time in a hotel, and he did great.

Back in Texas...110 degrees...brown...and flat...Welcome Home Foxes what an amazing two weeks it was!

SUMMER

2011-06-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks went by in a blur. David went to San Antonio for a training for the week, I had my last day of teaching and drove to San Antonio to meet him, we spent the weekend with our cousins, then David dropped me at the airport in Dallas and I spent last week taking care of my nephews. It is amazing that it is already June and we could not be more excited that summer is here!
The Alamo

The Riggs Family enjoying the San Antonio sights..

Enjoying Texas nature at its best...

The flamingos at Sea World were fantastic, the 104' temps...not so much!

David and I had an amazing Mexican dinner on the River Walk

The historic hotel that we stayed in, the St. Anthony was so beautiful. David scored big points by surprising me with this fantastic experience.

We had a beautiful breakfast with our darling friends and family...the Riggs

Cousins

Brie and Scott were so sweet to pick me up at the airport and to let me stay at their fantastic apartment in Portland

Great shopping on 23rd with Michelle and Brie

Sweet Michelle, oh how we are so blessed to have such great friends to go through life's adventures with!

It was fun to get connected with my brother for lunch and a drop off to my parents

Elijah turned 5 while I was there...he is such a fun little boy!

It was perfect timing for me to get out and take a break from Alisa's boys and see Dillon and Luke in their Spring Musical

Grandma with her boys...being able to spend time with my parents was such a blessing.

It was an amazing week with Elijah and Rowan and it was so much fun to see Elijah's school, speech class, and horse back riding..

And thank goodness we had little Rowan to keep us laughing through all of the fun adventures the week provided.

Can't wait to see what other fun adventures the summer will bring us!

Thai Night

2011-05-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

David and I have been enjoying hosting people in our home for various dinners and parties. This weekend we had the new captains in his office over for a "welcome to Sheppard AFB gathering. It was a really fun evening and we loved getting to know them better. With people leaving and new people joining the office, it is truly setting in that a new chapter is beginning.

For this dinner we had a vegan joining us, so I jumped online and found some great Thai recipes. The menu included:

coconut lemongrass soup served with rice

pad thai served with curried chicken on the side

raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream pie

The food turned out great and it was a fun night for all!

EASTER

2011-05-01T11:11:00.001-07:00

The week of David's birthday he was gone to Alabama for training. So on Friday I picked him up in Dallas and we enjoyed a night on the town. We ate dinner at a fantastic Mexican restaurant in Grapevine and stayed at a great hotel. Saturday we ran errands in the city, did some shopping for summer clothes, and went back to Grapevine for their Farmer’s Market. It was a completely relaxing two days but we were excited to get back to McCovey and celebrate Easter here in “The Falls”.

It is so crazy that Easter is already here, this spring has gone by so quickly, but we had a great day attending mass at our church and then opening Easter baskets that we gave to each other…

David’s parents sent Mac an Easter Egg with a dog bone in it, so of course it was hidden, he found it, got it open and enjoyed every morsel of his treat!

Easter cookies were baked and decorated and plated to be handed out to neighbors and coworkers.

Alleluia, He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

SEATTLE

2011-05-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Last month we took a long weekend to head up to the Northwest, and it was amazing! Here are some photos to show you how our weekend went…

We spent the night with David’s grandparents at their gorgeous home on the Puget Sound. It was such a beautiful day and of course Nonnie made incredible food, Papa had some fun projects for David to complete, and we enjoyed relaxing by the water.

I was so lucky to spend time with my dear friend Harmony. We met for coffee and we also had a slumber party complete with a bottle of wine!

Thank goodness for Aunt Teri and her beautiful home! We truly enjoyed relaxing at her home, eating her amazing cooking, and sharing a ton of laughs!

The reason for the weekend visit to the Northwest was that my dear friend Kate got married! Friday we enjoyed pedicures, the rehearsal, and the fantastic rehearsal dinner at the Crab Pot.

Saturday was such a blast, getting ready, spending great girl time and then celebrating the love and commitment of Sam and Kate.

Sunday we could not have been luckier than to spend the day celebrating our friends Tyler and Melissa and the birth of their daughter. Melissa looks amazing and it was even more fun to celebrate the upcoming birth of baby Green with our friends Erik and Jenni. What fun to have the college roommates and the “girlfriends” (now wives) together again.

What a perfect weekend it was! We wish Kate and Sam a life full of joy and love and Tyler and Melissa a fun new chapter with their happy and healthy new baby girl!

FRENCH NIGHT

2011-03-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

We had our monthly Supper Club at our house this month and the theme was, "A Spring Evening in Paris" the menu included:

L'Apéritif
Champagne and Goat Cheese Tomato Tart

L'Entrée (Appetizer)
Cheese Soufflé (served with a green salad brought by Laurel)

Le Plat Principal (Main course)
Beef Bourguignon served on a bed of Buttered Egg Noodles

Le Dessert
Mousse au Chocolat and Chocolate Truffles

We met our guests at the door with a glass of champagne and a dish of green olives marinated in citrus infused olive oil (this was a totally easy recipe that tasted AMAZING)!

There are three couples in Supper Club, we all enjoy cooking and sampling fine foods! Here is the group enjoying champagne and the goat cheese and tomato tart.

Our table decor included black placemats and napkins, silver chargers, our yellow plates, white tulips and white pillar candles.

These were all new recipes for me and I will admit that I was a bit nervous because I had heard that souffles can be finicky and that mousse is hard to make light and airy--but luckily it all tasted great and looked like it was supposed to! I love being able to try new recipes and I really enjoy being pushed to step out of my culinary comfort zone. Many laughs were shared throughout the evening and the bottles of wine flowed as fluidly as the conversation. It was a great spring evening!

82nd Training Wing Awards Dinner

2011-03-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a great time at the awards dinner for the training wing that David is attached to. It was a great time had by all and a fun reason to get dressed up! What a perfect way to start the weekend off...

The JAG office with the speaker, General Stephen Lorenz, who was both funny and inspiring as he shared his take on leadership.

A great evening, a good memory, and a perfect way to celebrate being at Sheppard for one year!

SPRING IN TEXAS

2011-03-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

Spring is here and it is heavenly! Single blades of bright green grass are sprouting up in the midst of the brown we have been seeing for months. The weather is in the 70's and above everyday. There is a warm breeze in the evenings that allows us to enjoy our back patio AND there has been a complete overhaul on our home with all things...SPRING!

Enjoying an evening outside together as a family...simply the best of life's little gifts!

Nothing says spring like an egg tree! The branches for my tree are from a dead bush in our front yard that I painted and stuck in the vase...always LOVE when you have things around to help make decorations personal! Also, probably my favorite part of spring is that I can stick these little "nests" and eggs all around our home to make it more festive.

Even the floor vase got a sprucing up--with new buds (that Mac loves to try and nibble on)!

When my mom was here we found this fantastic server at TJ MAXX and I knew that it would be PERFECT for a serving piece and a table center piece...these green moss balls are from the dollar store and they are truly my new favorite thing in the world!

The spring mantle was such a joy to put together and truly made my heart (and our living room) feel refreshed.

The vases are all from the thrift store and I got them for $2 a piece, then I spray painted them to make them the same and set to work on painting an old framed picture that I wasn't using....the frame is the same spray paint as the vases and the center is chalkboard board paint...embellished with a great spring quote and some more dollar store moss balls.

Who doesn't love candy in apothecary jars? My favorite part of the changing of the seasons, is changing the jelly belly colors out...

The entrance to our home is so cheerful with our save the date photo in one of my favorite, bright, spring frames and of course...more eggs in their nest :) But where did I get the moss wreath...I bet you are wondering...

Well...the moss wreath...I MADE! For $6 I was able to make a wreath that will last through the spring and it is so cute. I used a Styrofoam wreath, glue gun, sheets of moss from the hobby lobby and some green sheer ribbon...and here it is!

I know that there are some days when everyone feels a little low, or life seems a little hard...but I can promise a little spring in your life will go a long way to making your heart smile every time you walk into the room!
Happy Spring Y'all!

THE BIG CITY

2011-02-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Monday was President's Day and we were both off from work...so we decided it was past time to get out of this town and hit up "the big city"

We made our way to Dallas and went to the most amazing outlet mall I have ever seen! It had outlets for Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Jcrew and so many others that will bring a smile to one's face and a tear to the eye...and if you listen closely one can even hear the angels singing in heaven.

David was very patient because as soon as we had exhausted our time limit...or money limit...which ever came first we were headed to a place that is dear to our hearts (and reminds us of home) BJ's Pizza!

Now Wichita Falls has some pretty great things to offer...none of which are decent pizza places! Thankfully, David and I do agree that there is nothing better than good pizza and we share a passion for eating great pizza...so late in the afternoon we were both ecstatic to sit down and eat some deep dish and drink a great microbrew before returning to our one horse town.

We made it home in time to take McCovey for a walk and get ready for a new work week! Happy Monday Y'all!

HAPPY 71st BIRTHDAY, DAD!

2011-02-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

My father is the most patient man I know. He is funny, kind, honest, open, a true follower of Christ.
He is an amazing husband, father and grandfather.
I am so lucky to have this great man in my life.
I am lucky that he is supportive of my life and the woman that I have become!
My heart wishes that I could have spent yesterday with him, to celebrate his birthday but I was toasting you in spirit, my sweet dad!
Here's to a great seventy first year of life--and many more to come!

FEBRUARY ADVENTURES

2011-02-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

Don't let this photo fool you...I know that David looks pretty excited...BUT sadly things have been pretty low key here in "the falls" since our snow extravaganza!

There has been nothing major going on, but there have been some great little things have made the weeks enjoyable...

***having days off from school to be cozy at home

***enjoying a night out on the town together, taking in the local minor league hockey team and dinner at the Olive Garden (thanks for the great gift certificate, Alisa)

***working at Starbucks...I have now worked about 12 shifts (about 17 hours a week is the average I'll stay at until school lets out for the summer) and feeling like I am slowly but surely getting back in the groove of customer service, coffee making and hard core cleaning during the closing shift.

***sitting in the backyard after school and in the evenings in 77 degree weather, reading a book and throwing the tennis ball for Mac

***eating Chinese Take-Out made for a perfect Valentine's Day celebration on Monday

***gathering last weekend with friends meeting for our monthly Supper Club....the theme was Mediterranean...the menu included a great wine, a filo pastry puff with feta and spinach, shrimp with garlic/white wine/spring onions (brought by us), lemon/chicken soup, Greek Salad (brought by us), hickory smoked lamb, squash and cous cous with baklava for dessert. It was a delicious meal and a relaxing evening with friends!

***taking LONG walks with McCovey in the park--letting him run off leash and get his energy out! All the while enjoying the sunshine and the vast openness that Texas landscape offers.

***seeing a childhood friend (who I had not seen for 15 years) who was passing through Texas, as he is moving from New York to Colorado and needed a place to stay. David and I offered and thankfully he took us up on it and joined us in our home for a night! It was such a joy to see Sean and to offer respite after a LONG week of driving and staying in hotels! We wish him all the best in his next chapter!

***becoming more intimately connected to our church. It may seem silly to some, but for David and I it was a concerted decision to engage in a church! We decided on which mass we would go to every week...which area we would sit in every week...and sure enough two months later after mass the Deacon asked us, " are you new to the parish"? Yahoo, we aren't visitors anymore...we talked to someone! It feels good to be connected to something bigger than ourselves and this is only the beginning...we would really like to join in with the church community, and we will....but as with anything...it just takes time :0

As I said, this month's excitements haven't been about big things going on, but the small things that keep us going in this crazy Texas adventure that we are on!

SNOW DAY

2011-02-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

What a lovely way to start the month of February...with SNOW! We have been snowed in for two days...school's shut down, the base is shut down, and the only things to do are walk the dog and enjoy our cozy home! There is NOTHING that I have enjoyed more since living here in Wichita Falls.

ROWAN'S BAPTISM

2011-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

MARK 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." What a joyful event it was...seeing my sweet little godson washed clean by the waters of baptism!

Rick, his brother-in-law Tim, dear friends Jim and Sheila waiting to go to the baptism.

The beautiful family...

The Godparents....

The Jaspers' clan celebrating together...

Darin, Laura and I at the after party...

The sweet boy...

Rick and his sister Karen...

Sweet Elijah and the momma...

Cecelia and David enjoying the celebration...

The entire Jaspers Family, together again!

A JASPERS' CHRISTMAS

2011-02-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

In the true Jaspers' way, my family celebrated Christmas a bit late but at least we were ALL TOGETHER! Darin and Laura had us over for dinner and we opened gifts...

we chatted....

we played with Grandpa...

and enjoyed every moment of our time together!

BRIDE-TO-BE

2011-02-01T10:22:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Kate is getting married in April, and I am so lucky to be a part of her big day! When I was in Oregon I was able to be a part of her bridal shower. We gathered together to celebrate this beautiful young woman, our friend Lanina and her mom put on an incredible high tea. There is nothing better than to shower such an incredible couple and help them fill their first home! It also was such a great chance to catch up with old friends, like my childhood friend Elizabeth!

The radiant bride!

Friends from elementary school...Lanina, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth

Kate and her lovely mother.

Congrats my dear friend, so excited for you and Sam!

ICE CREAM

2011-02-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

When I was in Oregon a few weeks ago, I was so lucky to be able to spend quality time with my family....including my sweet nephews! One of my favorite things that I was able to do, was to go to the Grandparent's Day Ice Cream Social at my nephew's school. I can't tell you the fun it was to see them in their element!

CHRISTMAS

2011-01-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so relaxing and wonderful for us this year. We desperately missed our families, but there was something special about the intimacy of being alone together for this sacred holiday.

Christmas Eve we enjoyed a long walk at the park so that Mac could run off his leash and get some energy out.
Christmas Eve walk around the park.

Followed by a dinner of Chinese food from the local Hunan's. We then headed to a movie and came home to get ready for Midnight Mass. We enjoyed the lovely worship with fellow believer's of the amazing miracle that is Christ's birth!

Christmas day we ate freshly made scones, opened our stockings, took the dog for a walk then began opening our gifts. We couldn't believe what incredible family we have--there were so many gifts here for both of us!

David opening his stocking with McCovey looking on.

Fun new kitchen tools!

In the afternoon we watched a movie at home before joining our friends, The Blacks, for a yummy Christmas dinner of brisket and mashed potatoes--YUMMO!

Kristi, Grace and baby Thomas.

The kids made us some crafts and wrapped them up so we had a present to unwrap from them.

It was a beautiful, quiet, and relaxing Christmas for us....centered on two very important fixtures in our life--love and Christ. We only hope that you had an amazing Christmas that filled your heart with peace and joy for the upcoming year!

ADVENT

2010-12-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

David and I had the pleasure of getting ready for Christmas together this year knowing that we would be doing things that we would want to continue to do for many years to come so we had to decide what we want our family traditions to be...some are still yet to be determined. But we did know that we wanted to do the following:

Hang our stockings with care.

Decorate the house the weekend after Thanksgiving.
David may have decided to watch the Office after he discovered that every ornament he put on the tree was moved to a new spot where it worked better :0

McCovey hasn't destroyed the tree too much, but he does like to take a drink or "lean" into the lower branches just to see if we are paying attention!

Our Texas tree, brought to the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club to sell, from the state of Washington.

Drive around the city and look at lights.
Walking around Midwestern State University campus--every building is done in lights and it is so beautiful!

We have had an amazing Advent season and we have loved preparing our home and our hearts for the birth of our Savior. We are so excited to go to Midnight mass together tomorrow night and to see what other traditions take place...for our first Christmas on our own. Wish us luck :0

A PUPPY PLAY-DATE

2010-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took McCovey to our friends' home to play with their puppy, Tux. Mac and Tux had so much fun bounding around their backyard, running after balls, chasing each other and taking a dip in the pool. We know that they will be forever friends and they were so tired the rest of the day that we have all agreed this is going to become a new Saturday tradition.

New friends playing chase, and yes Tux is chasing Mac...and yes, Tux is half of the size of Mac :)

Trying to decide if he wants to take a dive....he fell in on accident, so the choice wasn't up to him!

David threw the ball for them so many times, he is so faithful and patient!

TEXAS THANKSGIVING

2010-12-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year we were so excited to host a family who has become near and dear to our hearts. The Blacks (were) a family of five and Kristi was nine months pregnant...so we thought what a perfect time to have them over and allow Kristi to take the day of from cooking! It was so much fun to spend the day getting ready and we enjoyed our time together talking, playing games, and doing a few crafts! The next morning (BLACK FRIDAY) we were called at 6:30 to come hang out with their kiddos because Kristi was in labor! Their newest member Thomas Harrison arrived very soon after they got to the hospital and we loved being able to spend the day with the fabulous new big brothers and sisters! A very blessed Thanksgiving, for sure!

Getting that huge bird in the oven early Thanksgiving morning.

We decided each year that we will take a photo of Mac by the turkey so that we can keep record of where we are in life and how big he is every year!

Yes, I let McCovey lick the pan after I roasted the bread crumbs for the stuffing...I couldn't help myself....he is just THAT cute!

The Black family saying hello to new baby Thomas.

Holding new baby Thomas Harrison.

MOM & DAD JASPERS

2010-12-22T15:24:00.000-08:00

It was so fun to have my parents here for a week in November. We relaxed, saw "the sights" of Wichita Falls and Dallas, gave lessons on cooking, technology and gardening and we just enjoyed catching up! I feel so blessed that I have such fun and easy parents who are loving and kind and most of all supportive of both David and I and the life that we live!

The JFK Museum in Dallas.

Mom and Dad at "The Falls" in WIchita Falls

My mom letting McCovey lick the plates as she was cleaning the kitchen...

Lessons on how to use a digital camera.

My dad teaching me how to make his world famous crepes for breakfast!

Longhorn Cows in the Wichita Mountains

Mom and Dad at the lake in the Wichita Mountains

McCovey LOVED having them here and can't wait until they will come back to play again!

THE FALLS IN THE FALLS....

2010-11-13T17:24:00.002-08:00

This weekend the air was cool and crisp and the sun was shining bright so we decided to head to the local monument that we have driven by many times but have never been to…THE FALLS in Wichita Falls. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed spending time together as a family with the local Texans!

LAKE ARROWHEAD

2010-11-13T17:24:00.001-08:00

Last weekend the temperatures were in the high 70’s so after organizing the garage and the attic we took McCovey to Lake Arrowhead about 14 miles outside of Wichita Falls. We took a nature walk that they have made in the State Park and then we spent some time throwing sticks for Mac to swim out and retrieve. He has never done this and he LOVED it! We are so glad that our dog is a water dog and that he loves to drag sticks back to us to throw again. We are so blessed to have new adventures with our little boy!

The leaves are changing in Texas and they are beautiful!

It wouldn't be a Texas nature walk without a cactus or two.

Look how far out he is going....we are so proud that he is getting so brave!

AMAZING COOKIES

2010-11-13T17:23:00.001-08:00

These cookies are out of this world! I made them around Halloween, but I know that they will be a favorite in our home for years to come! Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butterheart
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups chopped peanut butter cups

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, shortening, white and brown sugar together. Add in peanut butter, then your eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to your peanut butter mixture until well incorporated. Then stir in chopped peanut butter cups. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes or until just browning. Do NOT overbake!! Let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from your cookie sheet or they may fall apart!

DAVID'S VISIT

2010-11-13T16:14:00.001-08:00

It was so amazing to have my brother David visit us here in “the falls” there isn’t much to do here, so we had a great time playing cards, watching movies, relaxing, eating and catching up on each other’s lives. It is such a joy to share our lives with such a fantastic member of our family.
My two David's touring the base.

Seeing the courtroom up close and personal.

Always nice to play host to guests with my sweet husband.

APPLES

2010-10-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Apple season is in full force in our house! After grabbing some apples from the local orchard I dove head first into all things apples. Applesauce, apple pies, apple tarts, coffee cake, and salads. It is so fun to live nearby to so many local fruit orchards and I am excited to be learning so much about preparing new things.

Baking does not come naturally to me (it is too precise) but I have been trying new cookies, cakes, and cupcakes all month trying to perfect the art of baked goods! I’ll keep you posted on my progress as the tutorials continue.
My first homemade applesauce turned out pretty good, just a bit thick....next time I won't cook it quite so long and it will be less like apple butter :)

The most recent addition to my baking endeavors has been a new cake plate from the Pottery Barn (insert angels singing). The cake plate matches our dishes and I bought it with a PB gift card my mom gave me for my birthday (she truly does know the way to her daughter’s heart)!

3 MONTHS OLD

2010-10-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Mac,
You are growing so quickly—every day you look more and more like a real dog! You have come so far and each week we laugh at your “latest” interest. You have gotten so good at playing catch, and recently you have actually been bringing the ball or the stick back to us! You love your tennis ball, basketball and raccoon the most! You are no longer afraid of squeaky toys—you actually like to squeak it yourself. You are content to play in the backyard by yourself for periods of time and you LOVE to jump on the couch much to my dismay!

You love cheese, peanut butter and ice…and you are ecstatic when we accidentally drop a pretzel on the ground. You go potty on command and you never have accidents in the house anymore. Your favorite place to sleep during the day is in the entryway against the wall and at night you sleep soundly in your kennel!

You love the car and you are getting better every day at walking on the leash. The latest accomplishment to add to your list is walking for longer than 10 minutes without a whimper!

You are sweet and loving and you bring joy to our lives!

HARMONY'S VISIT

2010-10-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

We have been so lucky to have harmony (my college roommate) here for a week. If she didn’t believe me before, she soon learned that there is NOT MUCH GOING ON in Wichita Falls! But we managed to have a lovely visit filled with Fort Worth, coffee, cocktails, shopping, apple orchards, local dive bars, Dallas, and SUN! Being from Seattle, Harmony was all too happy to enjoy the 80-degree weather we have been having…so we spent many afternoons relaxing in the sun! We are so blessed to have such an amazing friend and we are so glad that we got to show her our new Texas life!

Lunch in Fort Worth after we picked her up at the airport.

The fields of Texas

The Parkway Grill, our neighborhood dive bar.

Everything is bigger in Texas (and cheaper...only $4.50 for a beer this size)!

A night on the town in Dallas

A MANTEL TO MARK THE TIME...

2010-10-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have always loved great mantels and now I have one of my own! What a pleasure it is to be able to decorate a bit for the holidays and to pass the year with festive things that evoke joy. Our wedding picture is a staple on the mantel because it is our favorite photo (yes, the flask is included in that statement) and it sums up our marriage...but as for everything else...I can’t wait to mark the time that we live in this home with our favorite decorations during the holidays.

WICHITA FALLS SUPPER CLUB

2010-10-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that last month we joined forces with a few couples from David’s office and started the Wichita Falls Supper Club. Each month a new person hosts dinner and makes the main dish…then the other people bring a dish to share. The first one was at our house so we chose the theme “where we come from” and each person created a dish from their home state.

We provided a salmon dish (a wonderful recipe from my fantastic in-laws) as well as hazelnut rice pilaf. We also created a blackberry martini as a salute to the northwest berry industry. The others brought homemade pita chips and guacamole (San Diego) and gumbo (Charleston) and for our dessert I made individual peach tarts with peaches from Wichita Falls. It was a great night and we can’t wait for Italian Night in October!

OUR TEXAS HOME

2010-10-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

Amazing that I have been so slow in getting these photos up but here are a few pics of our house. Amazingly enough the back rooms still need the artwork put on the walls, but I haven’t figured out exactly what I want to do with those yet. It’s always nice to have a project to work on! Enjoy seeing our little home and know that you are always welcome to join us here in Texas to experience our home in person!

The living room windows look out towards the street and the front door is to the right of this photo.

We love our fantastic fireplace! Please don't judge us that the top wedding photo is neither in a frame or hung...I have faith it will happen soon!

The dining room. The window looks out into the backyard and you can see the door into the kitchen is to the left.

Our bedroom.

Our bathroom...complete with the thrift store chair that I painted and "antiqued" I just need to find the perfect pillow case sham to cover the perfect sized pillow form that I have...there is always something to do isn't there?

The guest bedroom. Don't mind the vacuum handle which made its way into the corner of the photo....makes a pretty classy door stop doesn't it?

The guest bathroom.

One wall of the office. This is a PERFECT cozy place to read! The trunk is from David's dad. It was his great-great grandmother's trunk and her name was...ELIZABETH. I love the trunk and I love that she and I share a name--it was meant to be in our home all along!

A VISIT FROM AUNT TERI

2010-10-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

David and I were so blessed to welcome our Aunt Teri for a few days. She is such a lovely woman and it was fantastic to have a guest in our home! We enjoyed taking the dog for walks, touring the base, and sharing meals over long conversations and lots of laughs. What a fantastic gift to have a piece of home come here to Texas.

Disclaimer—I took a ton of great photos and while looking through them on the camera…I DELETED THEM :( here is the one photo I have as we said goodbye and sent Teri back to Seattle. She'll just have to come again so that we can capture new pictures, and I promise I won't delete them!

THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS

2010-10-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago the September weather was gorgeous so we decided to take a drive up into the Wichita Mountains. We loaded McCovey into the back of the car and enjoyed the 90min drive to the Wichita Wildlife Refuge. We were enchanted with the bison and elk as well as the creeks and hiking trails. What a lovely day we had and McCovey even put his feet in the nearby lake—that was a big adventure for the little boy who does not like new things!

GO DUCKS!

2010-09-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to watch the Duck game on Saturday! Even McCovey got into it! Here is our first family photo op with Mac--now we just need to get him some game day Duck gear. GO DUCKS!

BRIE'S WEDDING

2010-09-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

A little bit late on this update but it was such a joyous occasion I had to share pics!

In July our dearest friend Brie got married. My college roommate who always made sure that we had a good meal to eat, a clean kitchen to look at, a positive word of encouragement, a creative card on a rough day, a friend to run errands with, a buddy to go to the gym with, a laugh, a sounding board, a giver of all she had--that was our Brie.

She is now making Scott the luckiest man in the world because she is still all of those things + so much more! Brie is an amazing teacher, an incredible supporter, an out-of-this-world designer, while being the comfort and the rock that we all need in our lives.

Sharing in Brie's day made my heart swell with joy, tears stream down my face, and pure bliss explode in my soul when I realized the amount of fun and love that Brie and Scott will have in the many years to come!

May you have an abundance of God's blessings in your life ahead my darling friend!
PLU roommates together again.

South Hall #136 at the Rehearsal.

David and I with Brie at the rehearsal dinner.

The beautiful gardens just outside of Salem where Brie and Scott got married.

Brie and I just before she walked down the isle...

McCovey Fox

2010-09-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. --Albert Einstein

With trepidation we set out on Friday night towards Houston. We stayed the night and got up quite early in order to make it the rest of the way to Louisiana where we would take the next step into opening our hearts to a new member of our family: McCovey.

We had the choice out of three boys and we narrowed it down to two...(we knew immediately that the wild one was not for us)...out of the two one of them was chunky, slow, easy going BUT still strong spirited while the other was sleek, fast, cunning, and inquisitive....we chose the "chunky" one.

He slept the entire eight hour ride home, alternating between being in my lap and being in the kennel in the back of the car. He went potty at the rest areas, drank water out of his dish, and generally just wanted to be a little love.

That was 3 weeks ago.

Today he is a rambunctious, (still chunky) but also devious, inquisitive, and crazy about being where the people are.

He loves chewing on ice cubes, playing tug of war with his rag, fighting with his stuffed duck, ringing the bells on the door to go outside and go potty...or to chew on sticks and leaves, and sitting between my feet while I make dinner or do the dishes.

He loves his kennel, he loves his bed, and he loves to sleep INSIDE of the coffee table. He can sit, shake, come, and lie down on command (with a treat in hand of course).

He is our first addition to our family. He is our focus, our energy. He brings us together, he brings us away from our own selfish needs and allows us to completely devote ourselves to his needs.

He is our dog and we are so madly in love with him and his FANTASTIC personality!

Welcome to our lives sweet boy, thank you for letting us be a part of yours!

TEXAS

2010-07-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

SALEM: My parents came by our apartment to give me a little support the night before the movers came to take away our things....things that would not to be seen again for 29 days...

W.FALLS: My first week in Wichita Falls there was a Peach Festival in Charlie, Texas...truly a down-home good time.

AUSTIN: Texas Football Stadium--so huge!

Visiting the Longhorn's campus...what amazing school spirit these Texans have!

This restaurant was AMAZING! The open pit BBQ was to die for and it was such a fun atmosphere!

David was so excited about these ribs and was super annoyed that I was taking pictures and slowing down his eating...but notice the cooler on the table? This was a BYOB BBQ joint, so you brought your own drinks in your cooler and they brought the food and that was that--only in Texas!

A night out in Austin. This fun city has 6th street--a great few blocks filled with bars and clubs with live music and dancing--we loved this area of town and we can't wait to go back!

W.FALLS: Our stuff arrived! What a fiasco, but David got to come home and help check things in and unpack, so it was fairly painless with two of us working hard!

DALLAS: In front of the street where JFK was shot.

David and his dad at Dealey Plaza.

The Water Gardens in Fort Worth

Kris took this fantastic artistic photo down in one of the fountains.

W.FALLS: David was pinned Captain--so proud!

We were so glad that Walt and Kris could be here to be a part of this special event.

What an adventure we are on!

***COMING SOON....PICS OF OUR NEW HOME (but I still have about 10 boxes to get through)!***

THE PAST FEW MONTHS

2010-06-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

February through June....

Some of the Ladies of the Lindstrom Family in Seattle for David's cousin Kendra's birthday.

My mom got sick and spent a few weeks in the hospital with intestinal issues.

Thank goodness she was able to be out in time to celebrate her 66th birthday!

Sisters celebrating a great Mom!

COT graduation--first 5 weeks down.

All finished with officer training!

Yay-9 weeks later complete with JASOC! The 17 hour drive to Texas awaits us!

Our New House for the next 2 years.

Shopping in Wichita Falls, TX searching for patio furniture that David will use for his "in-house" furniture until our stuff gets there in a few weeks!

Memorial Day weekend visit! Fun in Salem and Eugene with our families...Love those sweet nephews!

We are ALMOST finished with the craziness of this adventure--just 2 more weeks and we will begin our 3rd year of marriage--and living TOGETHER! YAY!

Texas? Texas!

2010-05-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the HOPE that you have. 1 Peter 3:15

Texas? Why in the world are you moving to Texas?

This is a question I have heard many times in the past few months. This question is one that has been directed to me with every emotion driving it...bewilderment, skepticism, sadness, pity, and concern...and sometimes people do have excitement about the idea.

I have realized that my answer is simple and honest: the military, new career opportunities, and most importantly a chance for my husband and I to have a new adventure in a part of our own country that we have never explored.

The past six months have been a trial. A trial that has been filled with raw emotion: joys, fears, and unknowns. David and I have carried a HOPE through this entire time--a HOPE that we have chosen the right path. A HOPE that we will come out of this spring a stronger married partnership. A HOPE that God will use us in this life however He may want.

The spring has been filled with joy, fear, and unknown and HOPE...

BABY CAESAR

2010-01-23T16:14:00.000-08:00

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:8

God's grace is so amazing! One day before David left for Alabama, the sadness in our hearts was trumped with joy, my sister Alisa and her husband Rick welcomed their second child.

A boy. Rowan. Beautiful, healthy, 7 pounds and loved by his big brother Elijah.

David left Salem and the ground beneath me shook, but in the weakness that comes from the unknown, God's grace and understanding surrounded me with the beauty and joy of a new born baby.

Welcome little boy--may you know that your birth is a joy and a gift from our gracious God to all those who love you.

SENDING DAVID TO ALABAMA

2010-01-23T15:57:00.000-08:00

Alabama here he comes! David took his list, similar to that of a "going to camp" or "starting school" list, and began checking his way down the items that he would need to be successful in his new profession.

He had so much fun buying highlighters, envelopes, camo, and shiny dress shoes...we met back at Teri's house and checked things off one more time and then we packed them away for the long drive to Alabama.

After a week in Washington, we got back to Salem and we packed up the rest of David's clothes and car snacks. We met Kris, Walt, and Caitlin for dinner in downtown and then on Tuesday January 5th he drove away...into the next chapter, towards a new life, looking forward to a new adventure.

WASHINGTON

2010-01-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

College Roommates. There is nothing better. We are so blessed to have each of these people still in our lives. I met with my girlfriends to celebrate Jen being home from Denmark, Brie getting married this summer, and Harmony turning 27 on the 27th. We had such a wonderful visit!

David's grandparents were gracious enough to have us over night and we had a wonderful visit and finished off with a beautiful toast from Nonnie.

New Year's was filled with drinks, laughs, and playing games on the Wii.

We were so blessed to have the opportunity to visit with all of these people, but we couldn't have made it happen without Teri. She allowed us to use her home as our "base" and we were so lucky to spend time with her and relax in your beautiful home.

CHRISTMAS

2010-01-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

What an incredible Christmas we had. David and I were so blessed to be able to welcome the Christ child with family and friends all around.

On Wednesday (the 23rd) we started off our Christmas with a candle light service at our church. It was amazing. We sang worship songs and listened to the great story of Jesus being born in a manger--the simple beauty and truth of why we celebrate Christmas was so present in that one hour.

On the 24th we got to Eugene and spent the evening with Kris, Walt, Caitlin, Gayle, Mike, Leah, Colin, and Grandma Fox. We had so many laughs and truly great memories were made.

On the 25th we opened presents together and then David and I made our way to the Jaspers' clan. We saw many out of town relatives and enjoyed time with our nephews.

On the 26th we packed up the car and headed to Seattle...we had family and friends to visit and no time to waste!

ERIK AND JENNI'S VISIT

2009-12-06T12:27:00.001-08:00

Erik and Jenni Jensen came to Salem during November to spend time with us and enjoy some great wine. We had a fantastic time and we only wish that they lived closer!

Erik and David taking a break from wine tasting to check their phones for the football scores.

Jenni's sister Megan joined us for the day and it was so much fun to catch up on her life.

We are so blessed to have such great friends!

THANKSGIVING

2009-12-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving we had so much fun going to the coast with the Jaspers family. We had 4 days to eat, play games, run on the beach, sit in the hot tub and catch up with one another. 9 adults, 3 little boys...it was a really fantastic weekend! Afterwards we finished up by swinging through Eugene and spending the night with the Fox family. It is such a joy to live near both of our parents and see them so often!

Getting everything ready to go over to the coast--making chex mix and pies--I tried to do all I could before we got there.

My sister Alisa is due with her 2nd child in January, my brother Darin and my Mom...so wonderful to be together!

This house had an awesome great room...so perfect for our wild and crazy family!

Dillon showing Grandpa Phil his building skills.

My parents and I after we cooked a fantastic feast together

David and my Mom.

David and I enjoyed every moment of being away and relaxed.

Darin and Laura

Alisa, Rick and Elijah

On Friday we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium ....it was such a blast to see the boys in awe of all the beautiful fish!

HALLOWEEN and DUCK FOOTBALL

2009-12-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

What fun we had in October both watching the duck game and enjoying Halloween festivities with our friends Micah and Michelle. We are very blessed to have them in our lives and we are enjoying watching Micah finish up law school while Michelle works hard at the coffee shop with me.

THE PUMPKIN PATCH

2009-10-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I accompanied my brother and his family to the pumpkin patch. What a beautiful fall day it was! We enjoyed a hay ride, a corn maze and SO MANY LAUGHS! What an awesome blessing they are in my life!

Dillon and Luke loved the pumpkins.

Siblings...good times.

Luke looking for the perfect pumpkin.

The Jaspers Family--they are the best!

Auntie (yes, I am wearing Darin's clothes and yes, I have a fake tatoo on my leg) with the boys...what a great life!

A MEMBER OF THE OREGON BAR

2009-10-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

David has done it. He has successfully completed 12 years of schooling, 4 years of college, 3 years of law school and 3 months of preparing for the Bar Exam--and he has become an official member of the Oregon Bar Association.

There is nothing that can be said for the amount of pride, excitement, and awe that I have for my husband and this fantastic accomplishment he has achieved.

What fun it will be to see what his next adventure will look like!

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

2009-09-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

The time has come for the year to begin and it is so much fun! I have been working frantically to get my room ready and then last Tuesday I was blessed with 23 little Second Graders to welcome with open arms. I love what I do. I love being at a Catholic School. I love that I am able to learn and grow and challenge myself as I challenge my students. What a year it will be!

BEND & BIRTHDAY

2009-08-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

David and I spent last weekend in Bend, Oregon with our friends Tyler and Melissa...David and Tyler have been partners in a golf tournament there for 5 years....this year it was especially great because they WON THE TOURNAMENT!!! Melissa and I enjoyed time shopping, seeing girly movies, and laying by the pool--what a nice weekend for everyone involved :)

For my 26th Birthday David and I went to Seattle and stayed at his Aunt's condo for a few days. Teri was out of town so we were in charge of her dog Tazo. The weekend was perfect we took the dog for long walks around the trails and waterfront paths in Kirkland. We had coffee and went to church with my darling friend Harmony, David surprised me with tickets to a dinner theater production in downtown, and I met up with my friend and old roommie Kim! It truly was a wonderful few days.

The roof top view from Harm's apartment complex!

The Theater at Teatro Zinnzani

Sitting at our table which was right next to the middle of the tent, where all of the action was, it was the PERFECT seat!

The audience is encouraged to go all out at this production, the more wild--the better!

In true Jaspers tradition my sweet husband bought me an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen for my birthday...yes it has a golf club on it...there weren't many choices I understand. (The flowers are from my coffee shop boss) Truly, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday weekend!

THE OREGON COAST

2009-08-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

A trip to the beach--what a fabulous way to celebrate the Bar Exam being finished!!!! We went to spend a weekend near Seaside, Oregon with family and friends to celebrate a HUGE chapter of our lives being completed and it was so relaxing to walk on the beach, eat great food, and share in good company!

David can hardly wait for us to get a dog--but his parent's dog does a nice job as a stand in for now.

The boardwalk from the house down to the beach...picture perfect!

David's parents, Kris and Walt, enjoying the back porch and the lovely view.

Even my parents were able to escape the heat wave and join us for some relaxation!

David and Erik playing Bocce Ball

Jenni and I enjoying adult beverages after a great day of shopping in Cannon Beach.

David with his Aunt Teri and his Nonnie...what a great looking family!

Teri cooking in the beautiful kitchen--she made the MOST AMAZING meals for us all--and she did so much to make this entire weekend possible and we are so thankful to her for all she did!

We have gotten this far and we truly can't wait to see what path is ahead for us!

FROM APRIL TO JULY

2009-07-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it is quite true that we have not caught up on our blog for a very long time...but here we are back in the swing of things! Enjoy the pictures and the events that have ensued over the past few months and rest assured that this blog is back in full swing!

April started off by us celebrating my brother David's birthday with family and friends here in Salem. His request of white cake with fresh strawberries and whip cream for the frosting was really a fun adventure to make!

These gals are friends from last year's new teacher program--we meet once a month to chat, exchange stories from the classroom and we are so blessed because we have formed an amazing friendship in the process.

On Easter we enjoyed a lovely day at my brother Darin's home with his wife Laura and their boys. We had a fabulous meal and a fun Easter Egg Hunt and spent special time with both my family and David's.

My nephew Dillon is going to be in first grade next year--so hard to believe!

Towards the end of April we celebrated David's 25th birthday. We spent time in Eugene...

and went to dinner with his parents....

and ended up at home in Salem, where he ate his individual cheesecake...what a fun birthday weekend!

I was also lucky enough to spend a weekend taking care of my nephews while my brother and sister-in-law went to Mexico. We really enjoyed the Children's Museum....

...and we even hit up the zoo afterwards! It is so amazing to be a part of their lives!

Tulip festival in Washington...after our big bust in Oregon we decided to try again in Washington...it was MUCH better!

Mt.Vernon was a really neat town to enjoy on a spring afternoon.

David's Aunt Teri and his Nonnie went with us--so special!

To start the graduation celebration...Willamette Law School put on a dinner for the graduates and their spouses...

it was an evening to relax at a beautiful vinyard....

and enjoy good friends and great wine!

We had David's family and some friends in town to celebrate this fantastic event so Teri and I made the food for the party that we had after the ceremony; we always have so much fun in the kitchen (yes this is David's artistic impression with the meatballs in the forefront of the photo).

Doctor of Jurisprudence...Mr. David Fox

David's mom and her sisters and parents, such a lovely family.

Teresa and I made it through as law school wives--and we are very open in the fact that we couldn't have done it without one another!!!

David's Papa toasting him with our friend Tim, the owner of a local wine bar, where we had a fantastic celebration after graduation.

The next adventure was my brother David's ordination...we enjoyed the time together to plan and get things ready for the many people who would come to town to celebrate this fantastic event.

Ordination at the Cathedral in Portland.

A first blessing from Father David--it doesn't get better than that!

The end of June brought our friend's wedding. Micah and Michelle were married at Tyee Winery in Corvallis and it was beautiful!

David and I spent last weekend at the wedding of our dear friends Tyler and Melissa and throughout the ups and downs of the weekend we were so glad to be a part of their special weekend in Lake Tahoe.

Erik and Jenni Jensen were our roommies for the weekend and it was SO FUN to spend time with them--it was just like college all over again.

Stacy (Maid of Honor), Melissa and I at the rehearsal dinner.

Melissa's Mom getting her dress laced up in the back...so beautiful!

Melissa and I waiting to get the show on the road.

Thanks for catching up on our lives! I am now back on the blog-wagon so these will be more frequent--I promise!

TULIP FEST

2009-03-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

This week David was on the LAST Spring Break of his life! He is so wonderful and such a hard worker that he chose to put in full days clerking at CIS Monday through Thursday.

So, for us, the week turned out to be pretty ordinary and because of our work schedules we decided we would wait to do something fun until the weekend came around. Well, the weekend came and what would we be blessed with? RAIN!

As we woke up to rain on Saturday morning we decided that our idea of a day at the coast would have to wait (the 40MPH wind gusts were a bit of adeterrent) so we chose to go walk around the Tulip Festival in Woodburn....yes in the rain...but at least there would be no wind :)

We got to the tulip farm and we were greeted with local craft artists, vineyards offering free tastings, and a beautiful field of ...soil! The tulips are not blooming yet.

We had a great laugh about our rain soaked/tulip-less adventure and we drove home on the back highways through the beautiful farms and fields of Oregon!

Tomorrow is once again Monday and we will return to the daily grind of our lives: subbing and Jcrew for Liz while David has classes and work. Our lives are in an interesting transition point, but we are enjoying each week to the fullest while we wait for the next chapters to be revealed to us.

HOUSES, FAMILY, & FRIENDS

2009-03-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

My brother Darin working hard to get things in order in their new home.
Laura and Dillon painting the kitchen together--priceless memories being made!
The little boys hanging out while the adults paint the hallway and bedrooms.
Dillon showing off his newly missing bottom teeth to his Auntie.
In Kirkland, Aunt Teri putting away dishes in her beautiful new kitchen, what fun we had!
Harmony, Steven, David and I shared a lovely time together in Salem—yay for great friends!

This week there have been so many new and wonderful experiences for us, our friends, and our families.

My brother and his wife have purchased a new home and it is LOVELY! We have enjoyed seeing them make the new house their home with paint and furniture and we are so excited for them to have such a beautiful space to raise their children.

Our Aunt Teri has finished the remodel of her kitchen and downstairs. She and I had a blast lining cupboards and putting away dishes. We had so many laughs and not many mishaps, yay! Her home is AMAZING and it was so nice to spend time with she and Tazo enjoying the beautiful home she has created.

We also were blessed to have our friends Harmony and Steven come to visit from Seattle and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon of lunch and wine tasting in the picturesque (but rainy) northwest!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD & RICK

2009-02-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Phil, Dillon and Luke!

John Riggs, Dad, and David.

The Birthday Boys.

Our lovely host and sister, Alisa and her sweet little Elijah.

After a long week of working we went to Eugene for a fun celebration of family birthdays. We celebrated Rick (my brother-in-law) and my Dad's birthdays with a wonderful meal and great company at my sister's house.

Lots of laughs were to be had, great presents to be given, and yummy food to be eaten.

We had a great weekend and now we are getting ready for a full week of school for David and work for me at Jcrew with a few subbing jobs during the days.

Happy Birthday Dad and Rick--we love you both very much!

CALIFORNIA WEEKEND

2009-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

In Salem on Thursday night we celebrated V-Day with a new recipe--Chicken Piccata and pasta--it was a wonderful chance for David and I to sit and eat in fellowship together.

In Redding David and Tyler relaxing after the fantastic meal that Tyler prepared for us.

David, his Great-Uncle Walt, and his Grandma Fox.

Nola and I reading one of her bedtime stories. It was so wonderful to get to know the fantastic children Matt and Melissa are raising!

David driving through the beautiful scenery of Southern Oregon (look through the window at the snow covered mountains).

On Friday we picked up a rental car (that I got on Hotwire for an amazing $14.00 per day) and we drove to Redding, California. We stayed the night with our dear friends Tyler and Melissa. We had a wonderful visit and a very yummy meal with them and off to sleep we went.

On Saturday morning we drove to Sacramento to see David's Grandmother. We were so glad to see her home and and the three of us had a nice visit before we took her with us and went to visit with David's Great-Uncle Walt and his wife, Joan.

In the evening we went and met up with my family who lives in Sacramento. We went to dinner and stayed the night with my Aunt Carole and Uncle Jan as well as my cousins Matt and Melissa and their beautiful children Nola and Wren.

Sunday morning after a quick little breakfast together with the Kurahara's and the Nishio's--David and I hopped on the road and had a long drive back filled with singing old school 90's hits, admiring the snowy mountains, and solving the world's problems.

What a wonderful road trip we had and we felt so lucky to have time to see people we don't usually get to spend time with!

KLCC MICROBREW FEST

2009-02-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Kris (David’s Mom) heads an amazing event each year in Eugene and for the second year in a row we headed down to pour fantastic beer for the KLCC 2009 Microbrew Festival.

We were very blessed to enjoy this event with not only David’s family, but also my brother Darin and his wife. We were also joined by my cousin Brian, our friends Teresa and Aaron Price, and our friend Jeff Koenig and his dad—what a wonderful night of friends and family!

With the little Jaspers boys off for a slumber party at Grandma and Grandpa’s house—David and I and the Price family joined Brian for a sleep over at Darin and Laura’s house.

We had a wonderful breakfast with everyone at Darin and Laura’s and we headed to the Fox household for a quick visit. Then, after Kris graciously helping us with our taxes, we began our short drive home and allowed Walt and Kris to enjoy their Sunday afternoon in peace.

MO'S CHOWDER & WINE FEST

2009-02-02T11:45:00.001-08:00

In Salem there is a beautiful winery called Willamette Valley Vineyards. This lovely vineyard has events and hosts restaurants for various weekends. While we were in Germany and I was thinking of a Christmas gift for David, I came across the Mo's clam chowder and wine event happening in January at Willamette Valley vinyards--so I got tickets for David because--Mo's chowder is his favorite food ever.

So, a few weekends back we drove to the vineyard and spent a really fun afternoon tasting wine, eating chowder, listening to the fun oldies band and chatting with the people at our table. What a wonderful way to warm up on a cold and foggy Sunday afternoon in Oregon.

MARIST METANOIA

2009-02-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful weekend we have just returned from...the Marist High School Senior Metanoia. Marist has retreats for all of their students and each year the older students lead these fun weekends, but for seniors the leaders are alumni who return to offer a bit of insight and encouragement for the senior's next chapter in their lives.

This was a lovely time away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. The retreat was on the McKenzie River at St. Benedicts Lodge and we spent time listening to the quiet rustle of the wind in the trees, the crunch of the snow beneath people's feet, and the crackling of the large fireplace in the Lodge.

The theme of the weekend was, "A Change of Heart" and it was just what David and I needed at this point in our lives. We are both feeling the stress and pressure of the "unknowns" in our lives at this time. We were able to enjoy time with Walt (David's Dad) and Darin (my brother) and it was so rejuvenating to hear their encouraging words and have poignant conversations with these men who mean so much to us and have wise words.

We are back in Salem and starting our week off with a changed heart and an openness to listen to God's plan for our lives.

David, Me, and Darin standing on the deck along the river--this is at the end of a restful and wonderful weekend!

AUNT TERI VISITS SALEM

2009-01-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

The sweet little winery that we went to visit Saturday afternoon.
The beautiful landscape outside of Salem.
It is so nice to spend a relaxing Saturday together as husband and wife!
David and Teri reading the sheet that explains each wine and the elements that compose the wine.

Cooking Marathon 2009!

This weekend we were so blessed to have David’s Aunt Teri come and stay with us here in Salem. Teri took the train down from Seattle and arrived late Friday night. We didn’t stay awake too long, because we had a busy Saturday planned out for the three of us.

Saturday after coffee and chatting in the morning we headed to Costco, Roth’s (the local grocer) and then home to put away our groceries. Then we headed straight out into the cold, but LOVELY sunshine, and headed to the Witness Tree Vineyard outside of Salem. It was such a wonderful afternoon spent tasting wines and visiting together. The landscape around us was stunning and beautiful and we enjoyed great conversation and great wines.

After our time at the vineyard we headed home and began our COOKING MARATHON 2009. Teri and I love to cook together and I love learning new things from her in the kitchen, so we spent the evening cooking and laughing and taking on way too many recipes—but we enjoyed every moment of it!

Sunday morning was a whirlwind of brunch and some shopping and it was all done in the GORGEOUS Oregon sunshine! We put Teri back on train to head back to Seattle, David went to the library and I went home to do the laundry and some more applications.

We loved having our first guest come and stay with us in Salem, and our door and our extra bed is turned down for whomever wants to come next!

TRANSITIONS

2009-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

When we returned to Portland after our very long flight, we were greeted by my parents. It was so wonderful of them to drive us to Salem so we could sign our lease and see our new apartment.

Afterwards we headed to Eugene and went straight to Papa's Pizza (our favorite place in the world) where we met Darin and Laura and the boys, Alisa and Rick and Elijah, and even my brother David. We were able to truly enjoy our time together before the world started to get fuzzy and we had to head to bed (at 7pm).

Our time over the next week was a whirl wind of meeting with friends and family, driving to Seattle for New Year's with friends and a visit to our Aunt Teri. We then came back to Salem and met Walt (David's Dad) and my brothers for the big move into our new place. It only took five hours because of the fantastic helpers we had and one week later we have just two boxes left to put away.

We are living in South Salem this time around, and we are making our apartment (which is a bit older than the last one) our very own and it is fun to see our things that we had so dearly missed for the past four months.

Please know that we have a two bedroom apartment for one reason, and one reason only...WE WANT TO SEE YOU! Please know that if you are in Salem, you are welcome to join us and you always have a warm bed.

Please keep us in your prayers as we head into this next chapter of our lives. David will take 14 credits this spring and then he will prepare for taking the Oregon Bar which is in July. I am looking for a teaching position and will sub in the area until something opens up.

We are transitioning back from the life that we were leading and loving and we look forward to catching up with each of you. Thank you for following along with our journey and please know that we are going to keep the blog going--it is a great way to stay in touch and keep our lives connected with others.

Happy New Year.

My brothers taking a break from moving our things into our new apartment.

CHRISTMAS and BERLIN

2009-01-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

Kris, Walt, and Caitlin at the Hamburg Christmas Markets.

Our lovely Christmas Eve hosts, with Aunt Helga and Caitlin.
Putting the turkey into the oven...it fit....barely.
David carving our Christmas turkey.
Waiting for the early morning train.
Walt and Caitlin and I went to the concentration camp outside of Berlin. It was an amazing experience and the information and the buildings were beautifully presented so that we were able to learn so much in a short period of time.
A Berlin Christmas Market in the square with identical churches.
A piece of the Berlin Wall.
David in Berlin
David and Kris spent the day seeing things around Berlin while Walt and Caitlin and I were at the concentration camp,

After our fantastic Christmas Eve at Nadia's parents home, and then a yummy Christmas dinner at our apartment, we headed to Berlin. The history was incredible and the things that we learned was truly unique.

THE FOX FAMILY IN HAMBURG

2009-01-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we celebrated the winter with a party for the people that I babysit for and some of their friends from Poland. We had a wonderful time and the kids, Noa and Noel, even stayed awake for a long night of fun. It was a very fun way to relax and enjoy the company of the people I have been working with for the 4 months we have been in Hamburg.

The champagne was flowing on Thursday because David finished his classes and finals from Bucerius Law School. On Friday I had my last work day with the kids but we are so thankful that we will get to see them one more time on the 28th. On Friday evening the Fox family arrived bleary eyed and overwhelmed with the bustling from the airport, the subway, the people and the language. After a short night’s sleep, the five of us packed up and left Hamburg on a train heading to Nuremberg.

We spent Saturday and Sunday looking at the Christmas Market (the largest and most authentic market in Germany) and going to a very interesting museum and on Monday we enjoyed the castle and took a train back to Hamburg. We are now here in our home, quite snug and cozy in our tiny little apartment, sharing the sights and the daily routine that we have enjoyed for 4 months with David’s family.

With only 7 days before we return we are overwhelmed with a sense of loss over leaving this life and the relationships that we have made for ourselves as well as having a sense of excitement at returning to our life in Salem.

We have been so blessed to find an apartment in Salem (yay for Craig’s List), so we are reassured that when we return the transition will be just that much easier. David is all registered for the spring semester, his LAST semester of Law School and the job hunt is on for me in the Salem-Keizer school district.

We will continue to pray for each of you in your time off from school, work, and life and we hope that your travels, time with your families, and holiday festivities are richly blessed and filled with an abundance of joy and laughter.

We will fill you in on our Christmas adventures with the Fox family here in Hamburg and our weekend that we will all spend in Berlin before returning to the States on the 29th.

SNOW, SOCCER, and FRIENDS

2008-12-08T04:36:00.000-08:00

Our little Christmas tree.
The lovely snow outside of our apartment.
Out for a night at the theater.
Nadia and her friend Sarah getting things set up at her Christmas party.
Jen and Gluwein--what a great life!
Santa's chair at the Markets.
St. Pauli Soccer.
David, freezing and trying to pretend he knows anything about soccer.

We only have 21 days left here in Hamburg and we are trying to make the most of it. Last week we got a very hard snow and it transformed the city. Then, this weekend we were able to go and see a play called, "Caught in the Net" a British play that was fun and full of weird British humor! We also went to Nadia's Christmas party and we had Jen here to "do" the Christmas Markets around Hamburg (we took in about 5 hours worth of Markets--not too shabby) and David was able to go to the St.Pauli soccer game between studying for his finals.

What a wonderful life we are living and what wonderful blessings we are being given over and over. We hope your lives are richly blessed during the Advent Season!

THANKSGIVING IN DENMARK

2008-11-30T13:30:00.000-08:00

Bright and early in the morning on Saturday Jen started the turkeys(yes, plural) cooking.
Basting, basting, basting!
Relaxing on a day to celebrate how thankful we are!
David enjoying coffee before we set out to transform their bedroom with 25 chairs and 3 large tables in place of their bed and desk.
Allan and Emma trying to decide what to do next…
Go Jen Go!
Their bedroom is now a beautiful “dining room” ready for 25 people
Emma, Jen, and I drinking our hard cider and cooking away.
Allan carving the first turkey—it was so good that there were NO LEFTOVERS!
Jen made a beautiful array of traditional food: stuffing, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole.
Our lovely hosts Jen and Allan.
Some of the guests enjoying the good food and good company. We even got everyone to say what they were thankful for this year.
Eek—the day after—we all slept in until 12 then ate pizza to help recover from a very long night, last night (those Danes are amazing, they didn’t leave until 2am)!

We were blessed to enjoy the weekend in Copenhagen to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jen and Allan and Emma (our friend from PLU who lives in Switzerland) and some of their Danish friends. It was a wonderful weekend and we felt so thankful to be around people who are so kind and generous. We will remember this year's Thanksgiving forever.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

2008-11-28T04:50:00.000-08:00

This is a huge, lit up version of those wooden spinning decorations that have candles around the edges to make them turn, the actual small wooden ones are at many of the crafter's booths for sale.
A tree of lights out in the middle of the Alster, the water in the middle of the downtown.
This is a neat way for the Markets to earn money for good causes, these nativity scenes are filled with coins that people throw into the scene throughout the Christmas season, and then they donate the money at the end of the Markets.
Yumm....Gluwein...hot spiced wine...great for staying warm!

Well, it is officially the beginning of the Christmas season. The Christmas Markets have started all over Germany, Advent begins on Sunday, and December 1st is just around the corner...what else do you need to tell you that CHRISTMAS HAS BEGUN?!?

We were able to experience the joy, beauty and magic of just a few of the 15 Markets in Hamburg on Monday night with our dear friend Nadia. These pictures aren't anything to write home about, but I figured you could get the idea of the lights, the trees, and the hot spiced wine (Gluwein) that make up this magical world in the middle of the city.

We hope you enjoy your Christmas season and enjoy preparing for our Savior's birth!

LET IT SNOW!

2008-11-24T04:48:00.000-08:00

The snow all over our front yard, these were taken from our the door step on our way to work and school at 7:30 in the morning.

Last Friday we were blessed to have snow in Hamburg. The ground was covered and the huge flakes were soft and wet as they fell down upon us! The weekend didn't bring any more snow, but it did stay cold enough that the first snow of the year hasn't melted yet. The blue sky was out and even though it was frigid, David and I got bundled up and ventured out into Hamburg a few times over the course of the weekend.

We went to the English movie theater to see the new James Bond movie, we went shopping at the 1 euro store to buy Christmas decorations for our apartment, and we went to celebrate Thanksgiving with the American man and German woman for whom I babysit for one night a week (they also included a German woman, an English man, and a man from Israel). It was a wonderful dinner and it was filled with plenty of very interesting conversation!

Friday we are off to Copenhagen to celebrate with friends for the weekend and we want you to know that we hope your Thanksgiving is a blessed and bountiful day for each you!

GERMAN LANTERN FESTIVAL

2008-11-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had the privilege of joining the Seyd Family: Christpofer, Fabienne, Noa, and Noel (the kids I take care of each day) at their Neighborhood Lantern Festival.

Lantern Festivals in Germany are a very neat tradition, families march through the forest or their neighborhoods singing and carrying lanterns as their only light in order to symbolize bringing the light through the darkness of winter and night.

It is a beautiful celebration that happens all over Germany each winter season. When a large group processes together in the city (as we did tonight) the police escorts the group so that they can stop traffic and close streets to cars as the group walks through the neighborhood.

I felt so glad to be able to witness this joyful event and I was even able to sing along when the kids sang “This Little Light of Mine”!

***Have grace because the pictures aren’t very clear--it was pitch black and very hard to see anything in the view finder but you will get the idea of how cute the kids and their parents were as they marched and sang***

JEN & ALLAN VISIT HAMBURG

2008-11-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

The beautiful park that David walks through to get to school each day.
We were so thankful for Jen and Allan coming all the way to see us and they even braved the Hamburg rain to see the city and see our lives that we are living in this foreign place.
During dinner, Jen took about a million photos trying to get one of David smiling—and on this final try he really gave her one of his prize smiles—we truly had such a good time laughing and causing crazy disturbances all over Hamburg!
A Christmas card moment--Jen and Liz at the big Christmas tree in the Alsterhaus Store in downtown Hamburg (the Nordstroms of Hamburg).

We had a wonderful weekend with our dear friends and we are so blessed that they could join us in Hamburg. We had a great time walking, talking, eating, drinking, and relaxing!

We feel very blessed that we will be able to see them again at the end of the month, for Thanksgiving, before we have to head back to the States!