Loving the Snow...

Warm days are on their way, so we decided

to take advantage of the snow while we

have it. Dad, Brooke, and Lauren built

a snowman while I got in some good

practice on my camera!!

The Master of Snowman Making...

Some enjoyed playing over helping...

throwing snowballs

Taking a break...

And...playing with the cat!

Lauren, on the other hand, got down

to business...

DRUMROLL.....

Our Jack Frost

The Proud Creators

Pretty much the cutest snowman,

I have ever seen! :)

GO TEAM GO!

Inside Fun with Snow!

According to state regulations we are

not allowed to take the kids outside if it

is 25 degrees or below with the wind chill.

So...

we brought the snow inside!

The snow kept the children entertained for over

2 hours. We made snowmen, ice castles, and

even hot dogs and missiles!

It was easy clean up and I had an over abundant

supply of it!

Some very mature teachers tried to start indoor

snowball fights which fortunately the children did not

catch on to. Most of them were too busy sneaking in

mouthfuls of snow.

Randomness

So this blog post is just pure randomness... Today was a beautiful day with temperatures in the high 60s. It was one of those days where I just felt so thankful to be alive and to share a part in God's wonderful creation. I started off the day as I always do-with a large cup of java and then I went to my dad's nursing home ministry where I played the piano for Lauren and some of her friends. From there I went with Liz to visit the bus kids in Portage. We had good visits and promises for Sunday School attendance tomorrow...

I also was able to take my car for her first oil change! I have been watching my mileage just waiting and it finally was time for a tuneup... I got a great deal and the mechanic did a quick run through of my whole car and said she was in perfect condition! I don't know why but I was super excited driving my car home and setting the oil change setting back to 100%. I guess it could be compared to bringing in your newborn baby for their first check up and finding out they were in great health and no problems...(I know a bit of a stretch!)

While waiting for my car I was able to find a couple of great deals in my absolute favorite town, Valpo! I picked up a Christmas present for one of my friends...I saw it and loved it, and am so excited to give it to her for Christmas! I also picked up these adorable post-it sticky notes. I have this somewhat weird fascination with sticky notes...I can never have enough. Some girls like their shoes, others their purses, me? Just give some cool paper clips and sticky notes and I'm in pure bliss! Got to admit they are pretty cute-nice and big too!

I also was requested by my family to make a dish that I had made for them a couple of months ago. (see picture below) It looks really quite unappetizing, but it is divine!

Fettuccine with Vegetables and Prosciutto

8 oz. of fettuccine

1 lb. fresh asparagus, bias sliced into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 T. cooking oil

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

3 oz. prosciutto (cooked ham found in the deli), cut into thin strips (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*This I add: 1 jar of Alfredo sauce

1. Cook fettuccine. Drain, and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, cook and stir asparagus in hot oil for 4 minutes until tender. Add tomatoes and ham, cook until heated through (about 2 minutes) *(Mix Alfredo in and stir until heated through). Add this mixture to fettuccine; stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesans and season to taste with black pepper and salt.

My perfectly random day ended with a cup of my dad's yummy french roast coffee and phone calls from both Miss Jancy and Miss Hughes! What a life!

What Autumn Means to Me...

Autumn...the season that marks the transition from summer to winter. The season in which the arrival of night becomes significantly earlier... Autumn, my absolute favorite season of the year! A very optimistic friend of mine, questioned my love for this time of year, "Why would you like fall, it only means that the most wonderful season is now over and the worst season is on its way? It's always dark and dreary and we can't wear flip flops any more..."

Ya, so maybe there are some down sides for some, but fall means a whole lot more to me. The crisp autumn weather will not require a big winter coat...my turtleneck or sweater, and tights will be enough to keep me warm. Fall means sipping hot tea and making sugar cookies shaped like leaves and turkeys. Fall means apples are ready to be picked at the orchards and hot piping apple crisp to be eaten. Choosing the perfect pumpkin and planting harvest mums. Driving to work as the sun comes up over the trees accenting the bright array of fall colors and feeling so very blessed to be alive and able to enjoy God's beautiful creation.

Some pictures of us enjoying this season

by playing in the leaves...

This is what autumn means to me...

The Simple Things in Life

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." This weekend I was able to do just that. My little sister, Lauren and I were able to take two days alone and spend time doing "the little things." Did we do anything spectacular? No, we just took the ordinary things in our day and made them more fun... We packed a picnic and went to Chelburg Farm where we ate and then hiked the trail to the Bailey Homestead and then to the barn, which I was sad to see no longer has any animals...:( We took some pictures, appreciated the surrounding nature, and enjoyed each other's company.

The rest of the day's activities included: cleaning house, doing yard work, washing my car, making dinner, putting together an Avon order, and scrap booking. We were able to get so much accomplished in one day and actually did not bicker at all!

Sunday, after the evening service we went to McDonald's and ordered sweet teas and double cheeseburgers (not so healthy, I know...), then went to Porter Beach where we sat in the Duneland grass and watch the sun set beside the beautiful skyline of Chicago.

It was not a typical weekend at all, and I don't know when an opportunity like that will ever rise again. I truly enjoyed every minute with Lauren and I am so very glad that God has blessed me with not only a sister, but a friend. I love you Lauren, I always will; and I certainly hope we will have more opportunities to "hang out"

Family Day Trip

Remember traveling for miles with siblings and passing the time by singing songs, playing games, and listening to books on tape? Family road trips, you got to love them... Yesterday my family and I made the 1 1/2 hour road trip to Shipshewana where we spent the day. Road trips in my family always include stopping for coffee and packing snacks such as crackers, cheese, chips, and chocolate. We barely roll out of Chesterton, before my sisters and I are munching on some of our goodies and asking mom and dad to put our Cd's in.

On the road...

We walked the rows and shopped the booths and

discovered that there is definitely not a shortage

of socks, sunglasses, 1000 count Egyptian sheets,

and soy candles that burn non-stop for 8 years!

We also enjoyed chasing down little Amish men

on their bikes and buggies...Lauren was quite

embarrassing sticking her head out of the vehicle

window and pointing her camera at this poor man...

On the way home, we again passed the time

with profitable things... I looked out the window

snapping pictures and trying to appreciate

nature while attempting to ignore my weird sisters!

"In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong,

not by number of heads counted at the dinner table,

but by the rituals you help family members create,

by the memories you share, by the commitment of time,

caring, and love you show to one another, and by the

hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit."

Dinner and a Show (For Mrs. E)

Last week I had the opportunity to accompany my piano teacher along with my best friend's parents to Chicago for a concert in Millennium Park. We started off the wonderful evening by eating at the Grand Lux Cafe. For those of you who have never had that divine experience, it is definitely something you will want to do in your life time. We were able to sit by the glass windows over looking the city of Chicago. After dinner, as we awaited our valet, Mr. B eavesdropped on some teens standing outside of the Grand Lux and discovered that apparently one of the girls was a four-time Grammy award female rapper. Mr. B refused to get her name and autograph...;)

From there we went to the opening night concert in Grant Park...

Every Wednesday all summer long they host free concerts, I had only been one other time, and was quite excited to be there the first night. With Chicago traffic, we managed to get there about five minutes before show time. The place was packed out, but we did not fear, for Mrs. E was there! She somehow managed to get us awesome seats, about seven rows back from the orchestra, it was completely and totally amazing! They opened up with the National Anthem, which gave me goosebumps, hearing the loud throng of people singing with one voice and the amazing orchestra leading us. Then it got even better...Steven Hough, the word-renowned British born pianist started off the season with Tchaikovsky’s beloved Piano Concerto No. 1. (which I got the whole history/music lesson on from Mr. B, who is our church music man-choir director!) The song last 32 minutes, and was totally entertaining. Not only was it amazing to listen to, but also to see Mr. Hough up close and all his facial expressions and body movements as he played really was quite comical! The mesmerizing music was the best thing I had ever heard in my life; it was so peaceful and relaxing. It made me wonder how any one in their right mind can listen to rap, or rock and roll and actually call it music. The pieces I heard that night, were definitely what real music is supposed to sound like. Our eventful evening did not end with the concert...but without incriminating any adults, let me just say that we all got our exercise for the week when we aimlessly walked around all 8 floors of the wrong parking garage! But besides that, I had a great time hanging out with the cool and not so grownup Mr. and Mrs. B and my great piano teacher, Mrs. E, who let me add informed us that she had played that same piece, at age fourteen...:)