beef stew no more.

It's been said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It's definitely proved true with my DK on several occasions as he loves my cooking! However, in my attemps to be domestic (and spicing things up with a little creativity) while DK was out of town this week, I fear my string of "good cooking luck" has run out.

DK was gone overnight on Wednesday with Cliff, Brian, and Scott doing some scouting for an upcoming short film. It was a great time for them to get outdoors together, do some fishing and Lord only knows what else went on with that group :) I too spent quality time with Kim working on her logo for her business cards and website. The next morning on my way to work, I stopped by DK's to put together a stew in his crockpot so that when he returned, he'd be overwhelmed by the aroma of a hearty delicious beef stew! Great idea, ya? I thought so too, turned the crockpot on low and headed out the door to work.

Later that night, DK came over to my house having only mentioned earlier how "thoughtful" it was of me to leave him dinner. When I remembered to ask him about it, I got so excited about his full stomach and his grateful heart!! Yes!

"Babe, how was your beef stew?"

"It was... Mmmm."

"What do you mean "Mmm"? Like "Mmm good" or "Mmm, interesting"?

And there on my front porch, DK was totally straight with me.

"Liz, it was awful."

I couldn't help but burst into hysterical laughter and I felt horrible!! And then he went on to describe how spongy the potatoes tasted and how it was just "nasty".

"Ok, well did it atleast smell good when you walked into your apartment?"

And the look on his face said it all... absolutely awful. Hahahaha!!

Ok, so here's the funniest part of it all: Even though it tasted, looked, and smelled terrible, he ate TWO BOWLS of it!! ("Small bowls" he said.)

Ladies, can you tell me what this means? Does he just love me that much or was he that hungry??

breaking the molds.

When it comes to decorating, I usually tend to play it safe. I love to feel comfortable, inspired and surround myself with things that remind me of traveling, the people I love and I live by the "less is more" guideline. I love natural lighting (overhead lights are awful) and the feeling of "clean" whether its color used or no dust present. I adore our house, it was built in the 1920's and though it doesn't have the best insulation system, (Stacey's Jeff calls it the "sweat box" and in summer months, it's pretty accuarate.) BUT... there is SO. much. character. Wood floors, exposed wood beams, high ceilings, amazing front porch, french doors, extended closets... we are blessed.

I'm currently working on breaking molds and busting out of decorating habits while trying to maintain my "no shopping till Christmas" budget probation. It's a difficult feat to conquer but I've found there are loopholes (grocery category, helloooo, totally transferrable!). I've always been a fan of the classic black & white motif and have started implementing pieces into my bedroom (pillows, artwork from thailand, etc.) little by little. I believe that decorating, like life, is a process. It can and should be a reflection of your journey. (As earthy and new-agey as that sounds, I really do think so.)

Another mold I'm working to break is that of leaning towards the more glamorous persuasion. I'm having a tough time with this because first of all, I'm not glamorous in any sense of the word, I did buy a pair of designer jeans, but I just don't cut it. However, when I look through design and decorating magazines lately, the things I'm more and more attracted to are really suprising me.

I'm loving the rich, brilliant colors vs. earth tones, stripes and bold patterns vs. solids, and more glitzy, shiny things too in terms of lamps and hangy stuff. Oo la la... What I think is taking place is my evolution from english rustic cottage to retro French glamour diva ba-bam. Could it be?!

Ok, so I need your help. I've already got DK and Stacey on the case and they love the current blue in my bathroom. But I'm still struggling. I just painted it to cover up the awful green that was previously on the walls. Here's what I really want to do with it - thank you Pottery Barn "Shop by Room"!

Beautiful, isn't it? Also, just for fun, I really love this room too:

i forgot the brownies...

Andrew left last week for Florida to join a crew on a sailboat. He's following his dreams and I told him as I dropped him off "You're the only one we know that can do this."

Just got word from him, things are going well!

"Thought you would like to see the boat I am working on. I have been a dayworker here for two days. It's not bad, I get $150 a day even though we never make the 8 hours. It is a French crew and we start the day every morning at the tables outside with coffee (French coffee). The Chef makes us lunch everyday- it's amazing. Always with fresh fruit and coffee at the end. Today they cut all of their dayworkers except me. They asked me to come back tomorrow. At quitting time today, they also asked me to stay for some drinks, and they invited me for dinner (which is unheard of for dayworkers). During cocktail hour, I talked to the 1st mate and he asked if I would be interested in accompanying them further. Of course I said I am interested and he is going to talk to the captain and try and get me on. If everything goes well tomorrow, I will be headed for Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday. Funny side note: We were talking about going through New York City but the boat wouldn't clear the Brooklyn Bridge. I am definitely counting unhatched chickens here, but I am staying realistic about this. Most likely, this will fall through, and I'm ok with that. I do have an ace up my sleeve though, and that is how I have been invited back to dinner tomorrow as the guest cook. I offered to represent Texas proper to my French friends by cooking them fajitas. Hopefully Mom's magic recipe will get me hired. Haha.

Attatched is a photo of the boat.

The pictures make her look small but you should see how big she is in port. They have to raise all the bridges for her. On a final note, it is funny looking at those pictures and seeing the places I have been hanging out all day or to see a winch that I polished today for an hour. Haha"

Today I mailed him a box full of books and Tony Chacherie's spices, candy, chapstick, money, etc. I even made him brownies but after leaving the post office, I saw that I'd left them in my backseat. Oh great, now who is going to eat them?!

#100!!

Last night we took photo #100! 

This is a big milestone in our Project 365  and to learn more about how you can launch your own, click here.  

To see our complete project, click here.

first day of school.

Waiting for the bus, check out DK's beautiful blond hair!

His mom posted these photos and I'm excited because in just 3 weeks, DK is taking me home to Pittsburgh with him to meet the entire family.

I hear there are tons more photos to be seen!!

it's not everyday...

I got on g-chat this morning and right away said "hello, how was your weekend?!" to my good friend Lynn. She's a friend from college and now lives with her husband and kids in Wyoming.

She responds "My kids and I got chased by a moose!" It's not everyday you get a response like that, much less an opportunity to hear a moose story so I asked her to share. Enjoy!

"The Tale of the Willows"
by Lynn Valdez

The mountains are usually quite an adventure for my family. There was a time when the kids would actually take a nap in the mountains and I'd wind up fishing outside of the vehicle while Isaac disappeared down stream. One particular day, I crouched down to look through the trees at a fleeing white tail only to see a mountain lion. We made eye contact and chills went down my spine. I spent the next three hours pacing around worrying sick about Isaac—who had the car keys in his pocket and had gotten so far down stream that he lost track of time. (I do believe they have awards for deaths related to this kind of stupidity) I just knew a mountain lion had eaten him and I was going to have to hike out of here with my two kids on my back. By the time he got back, he was full of apologies for being gone so long. I began to tell him about the mountain lion, when I noticed his shirt was terribly torn up. Come to find out, leaving camp without toilet paper has definite consequences. Needless to say, the mountain had not found my lovely husband.

This particular moose story occurred just yesterday. Feeling the awesome pull of nature and the need to be in God’s country, we drove up the same mountain and back on roads accessible only by four wheel drive vehicles. Before I begin the almost disastrous but comical tale, let me tell you about the willows…

Willow trees are of the Genus Salix. Willows usually live in moist habitats and in floodplains and riverbanks; they are a rapid-growing, often pioneer species. Their wood is used in many ways and their leaves supply food for wildlife. Some species are ornamental. The willows are known as being the favorite treat for local moose. The moose can easily hide in the willows, eat them, bed down there and have accessible drinking water. The willows also surround some of the best streams in the mountain for catching brook trout. Brook Trout are one of my family’s favorite meals.

It was so beautiful outside! The wind was warm and breezed by us enough to keep most of the mosquitoes from landing. We hiked through several fishing holes along the streams. Elicia was in the back pack and Ethan was splashing in every puddle of every sort. The kids played for several hours at one spot—picking flowers and eating dirt. We'd sort of lost track of time. I am an extremely protective mother (similar to a mother moose) and I keep my children close to me like we are animals. I watch them even with my head turned away. I hear every sound they make, and I know every direction they move. It's an internal instinct and a blessing from God. It's the strongest instinct a human can have.

When Isaac and I realized how late it was, we decided it was time to head back to the vehicle. We had about a mile hike if we followed the stream back the way we had come. If we cut through the willows and to the road, we could cut our walk in half. Isaac trusts my judgment because I was raised in these mountains. I am like the Crocodile Dundee of Wyoming. Elicia was getting heavy in the back pack, so Isaac took her off his back and put her on mine. (Note: Elicia is almost 2 years old. She weighs a good amount, but her walking skills lack on the mountain terrain.)

So we begin through the willows. They are significantly taller than we are, but there are decent paths created by animals. We were walking slowly at first, trying to find the best paths. I began thinking about how unintelligent this decision was. The more intense my thoughts became, the faster I walked. I was practically dragging my son. Ethan knew something was up. He could hear what I could hear. The sound was more in the ground than on the ground. As Isaac and I made eye contact our minds connected and screamed one thing. ”MOOSE!” Bull moose are typically non-aggressive. But cow moose, especially with calves, are similar to a speeding SUV. I knew I had put my kids in danger. Shots of adrenaline were racing through my veins. When you have this much adrenaline, your muscles begin to tremble. But there were a few more major shots of adrenaline to come.

As we came to one clearing, I saw a bed. Moose lie down to sleep, and when they get up there is about an 8 foot radius of flattened grass. This particular bed still had grass popping back up. I knew it was fresh. And if I hadn’t noticed the bed, then the steaming pile of poop would have alerted me. I grabbed poor Ethan by his upper arm, dragging him through the path with super strength. Elicia’s head was higher than mine since she was in the backpack. Willows were whipping her in the face over and over again. But oddly, neither kid said a word. Isaac and I made eye contact several times. Every time we heard the moose walking, we were sure she was chasing us. Every clearing we came to, we were sure the moose and her babies would be hanging out---ready to charge. We came to another clearing…more fresh beds and poop. The danger continued to increase as did the sound of something following us. Every muscle in my body was shaking.

But we made it! We came to the edge of the willows and we could see the road. Here was my final shot of adrenaline: The hill to the road was straight up. This was also the first time I looked back at the willows, and I clearly saw a cow moose. She was not far from the path we had taken. At this point, I realized that I could no longer carry Elicia. My shoulders were aching (I actually have two bruises on my shoulders today). Isaac took the pack and we attempted to climb the hill. I literally pushed his butt up the hill like he was a car on top of a person. My strength surprised me as I threw Ethan up the hill as far as I could. He made it to the top. I do not remember how I made it, but once we hit the road we started running as fast as we could with a 3 year old and a 20 month old on Isaac’s back. In the back of my mind, I remembered that Isaac had left our pistol behind. I knew that if a mountain lion were to see us, we would appear as mice to a cat. Mountain lions like a chase. It's basically like taunting them. And a toddler would be a tasty morsel.

We made it safely to our vehicle and I thank God for that. If we had come to a clearing and seen a moose family, our lives would have ended abruptly. I am not embellishing this story and I am not kidding about the risk of death. This was a scary, stupid decision we made. I regretfully admit that I put my children in the most danger they have ever been in. I thank God that He answered the prayers that I was screaming in my soul. Thank you for reading my experience, and hopefully you will learn from my errors! Life is a blessing indeed.

my flowers.

I've never had much of a green thumb and have been known to kill even the easiest to keep plants. Cactus, Bonzai, you name it.
My champion is the Aloe Vera guy I bought for decoration on my desk when I first started KSBJ over 4 years ago. I haven't watered him in probably a year and he's still great. (See him in the blue pot on the window sill?) He makes me look so good.

But look what's happening in my yard at home!!!
I might need your help though... I only know what two of them are called :)

snakes on the bayou.

With all this rain in Houston lately, DK and I've been anxious to get out on the bayou and have a little adventure. So we loaded up Kenai, got a kayak from REI and headed out today after church.

About 10 minutes into our journey (Kenai stayed on the boat this time, I was too nervous about undercurrents) I noticed the longest fattest snake slithering in the water near some trees and I shivered.

I HATE snakes. And then we discussed.

Liz: "Would ever pick up a snake?"
DK: "I would hold one yes if someone handed me one and said "Here, this snake is safe."
Liz: "But you wouldn't just pick one up off the ground and hold it?"
DK: "Snakes are evil."
Liz: "So you don't like snakes either?"
DK: "Snakes have the devil in them."

(Long quiet pause)

DK: "I picked up a leech once."
Liz: " Why?"
DK: "When I was a cubscout, I was picking up rocks at the pond and out swam what I thought was a baby snake so I caught it and took it back to the cubmaster. They all freaked out, couldn't believe it didn't get on me and then kept it in a jar to teach the others what a leech was. I was pretty much a hero."

Never a dull moment with the three of us I tell ya.

kemah sunrise.

Waking before the sun comes up on Saturday mornings is getting easier and easier every week. I'm training with a group (InFlight Running) to run the Houston Marathon 2009 and didn't realize till now that I'm in the thick of it what an extreme commitment this really was.

I love training with the group and especially love having Jen Driskill on the team. We share an office at KSBJ and are becoming closer friends lately... she is a true motivation for me in my training and I'm grateful. There are Wednesday mornings I could easily snooze through the alarm but knowing she too is getting up early to drive and kick some booty on those hills downtown makes me all the more motivated to get out there and do it too.

This morning I woke up at 4:15 a.m. and felt GREAT... which was weird. I drove 45 minutes out to Seabrook to meet the team for our run in Kemah and with 8 miles before me I noticed my energy level in the morning was really growing. Jen invited me to run with her and I was a little nervous because you see, Jen is fast and really strong. But I kept up and as we headed up the bridge on 146 crossing over into Kemah, I felt the strength in my legs pushing me further and further and I wasn't slowing my pace. I really surprised myself. Funny how that works.

The sun wasn't even up yet and we still had about 6 miles to go. We trailed through some neighborhoods and cut back around to hit the bridge again. This time going back over, the sun was rising higher and casting this deep orange glow across the water, silhouetting the boats, boardwalk and palm trees. It was breathtaking!

"JEN, LOOK AT THAT SUNRISE, HOLY CRAP!"

A few miles later on the homestretch, I started sprinting hard, pretending it was race day and I was about to finish the marathon in this moment. I imagined the crowd, the adenaline, the team, and all the hard work behind me... it was too emotional and I burst into tears. Seriously, I'm such a dork.

becky tagged me!

Don't you love Fridays?! Becky, I hope I can make you proud!
8 Things I am Passionate About (in no particular order):
Running
My Job
My Faith
My Family
Nature
Houston
Traveling
Creativity

8 Books I Have Read and Enjoyed:
My Antonia - Willa Cather
He's Just Not That Into You
Mere Christianity
The Prophet
Do You Think I'm Beautiful? - Angela Thomas
New York Times Crosswords Puzzles
3-book series on the life and love of Josephine Bonaparte
Avalon High

8 Words/Phrases I Say Often:
No Worries!
Your Mom...
Ciao!
Shut Up!
Right On!
The Station That Reminds You God Listens, 89.3 KSBJ.
Thank you for saying that.
Mike!! Excuse yourself!!

8 Things I Want to do Before I Die… (In no particular order):
Take Kenai to Alaska! (or Colorado?)
Have the most memorable celebration of a wedding anyone has ever been to.
Have babies and adopt babies.
Live with a view of the Houston skyline.
Do powerslides in a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
Host a nationally syndicated radio show.
Go on a cruise.
Sing on a stage with cool lighting in front of people.

8 Things I Learned This Past Year:
Taking my time is a good idea.
I'm not crazy.
Letting go and allowing God to work without me getting in the way is the easiest way to heal.
There is so much joy even in the tough stuff.
How to drop-kick fear. Ask me sometime.
Always believe the best in the people you know and love.
I can run a marathon.
How to use a Mac laptop.

8 People I want to Tag:
Lynn
Domenica
Stacey
Amanda
Jen
Cindy
Heather
Your mom!

electronic leash.

Last year I misplaced my phone and didn't get it replaced for over a month. I don't think it was necessarily irresponsible of me, though it was difficult sometimes to organize things and inconvenient when I needed to take care of business immediately, I enjoyed having to plan ahead and live risky in a very old school way.

When's the last time you really sat and imagined what life was like before you had a cell phone? You really did have to wait by the phone and radio at home or work to win concert tickets, "Hey I just landed, I'll meet you at passenger pick-up" was NOT an option, and oh my favorite, not being able to connect through text with everyone you know on the drive home probably made the roads a little safer.

I remember the very day I got my first one. I'd held off for as long as possibly could, too. I graduated from college and spent the entire summer working freelance but it wasn't until after August that I was hired full-time to a production house in Houston it became necessary for me to get a cell phone. Mine was basically a rock with an antenna and pebbles for numbers. Archaic and basic.

Thing is, it's now socially acceptable to sit in a waiting room, at the gate of your flight or in a restaurant and talk loud enough for the entire continent to learn about your drama/business/car problems. Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's rude. I have absolutely no problem with giving a "Shame, shame, shame, I now know your name!" look to the annoying cell phone talker. Once as I was waiting to board my plane, an extreme case of "no clue anyone else on earth exists" was taking place and I wrote the man a note and passed it to him.

Will I get my kids a cell phone? I did just fine on the freeway as a teenager without one. Have the times changed so much that now a teen on the road or at the mall or outside waiting for a ride home from school necessitates a cell phone and is a safety concern? Maybe. But I still have a long way to go.

Regardless, I was at dad's this week helping get Andrew get on a plane to Florida and I accidently left it behind in dad's backseat. This was Tuesday, it's now Friday. I haven't missed that phone one bit either!

a zebra's butt.

Have you ever really checked out a zebra's butt? It's incredible!
The other day I was talking on the show about the ways we know God is real and the places we see God. One scientist called and said she sees God even in a zebra's behind.

"Now before you think I'm being disrespectful or silly, go online and check it out for yourself!" she said. And I did!Check out the lines. Notice how they are perfectly symmetrical? I've never noticed this before but think it's outstanding... kinda random, I know, but interesting nonetheless.

There's your Zebra Booty For Thought for your day!

faith without deeds is dead.

Albertine.


I can't get this song out of my head or off my heart. It's really convicting so before you listen, I'm just warning you... there's an even greater calling for your life in this song and I pray you'll be moved to seek it out.

In Luke 12:48 is says: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Brooke was on the show recently and when talking about the title track off her latest album, here's the story she told: click here to listen.

Here are the lyrics:
"I am sitting still
I think of Angelique
her mothers voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
there in her eyes what I don't see with my own
Rwanda

Now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
And the dust on, the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda
I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been

I will keep my word I will tell them Albertine

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine"

i'm in the mood for blog.

I believe the song actually goes, "I'm In The Mood For Love" but right now, I'm at work... my show prep is done, I have fresh cup of coffee, thunder is rolling above me, a new rain pouring outside my window and I'm ready to write. I'm so in the mood for blog :)

I've really enjoyed the rainy weather lately... there is something incredibly soothing that spurs the best kind of creative and deep contemplation when rain comes and pours. This morning the air was cooler than is seasonably appropriate for a Texas August and it feels like fall is on her way again.

Though it's not totally officially here yet, it is my favorite time of year. Fall always brings with her the best fashion, the best weather and seems to represent the most dramatic season change, life shift, and transition. But why does it appear to be a more altering time? Is it because maybe we morph into a more speculative, reflective, pensive mode due to our surroundings?

Whatever it is, I feel more creative in this time of year. I love to indulge my senses in every bit of fall... the music, the sounds of leaves beneath my feet, the wind blowing Kenai's ears as she welcomes the colder weather, welcoming new love and new family members and ultimately embracing change and transistion - the way that life arounds us so naturally shifts - as a very beautiful thing. (Run-on sentences rule.)

catching up...

I've been writing in my head a lot lately and I feel like I might explode if I don't get it all out soon. Blogging is really soothing to me... it's really become one of my favorite things to do.

I'm about to go on-air and can't write much so for now, I want to share my favorite latest photo!

dk and me giving kenai a good scrub.

More later!

Peace,

Liz

pay attention!

This is an organization I believe in and support. I've worked with these women and was deeply affected by their heart, creativity, and hard work to help bless teenage girls. I hope you'll check out how you too can be involved with The Giving Gown.

This is an update from the founder, JoAnn Trchalek:

Hello Fairy Godmothers!
Here's an update on a few "happenings" as well as let you know what's to come. We are very excited about what our 2009 Boutique Days will bring.

We were featured this week with a very nice article in the Tomball/Magnolia Tribune. Donations have continued to trickle in, now that summer is over it's really time to move forward. We will be contacting local High Schools in early September & will be working with Counselors, Principals, Senior Girls Organizations & Parent Organizations. We also hope to again partner with students needing to fulfill volunteer hours by working with a non-profit group.

In June we were invited to speak at the Tomball Rotary Luncheon. It was a wonderful opportunity to tell our story to many active community members.

In July we held a candle fundraiser. One of our "fairy godmothers" had a wonderful contact; the owner of Charming Candles in Austin. It was a huge success & we are hoping to be able to sell candles again when the "Fall" scents come out. The proceeds from sales allowed us to purchase much needed racks & hangers.

On August the 10th we had the pleasure of taking part in the SOS (Society of Samaritans) Back to School Fashion Show. It was an exciting event. We had the opportunity to speak about our Foundation just before the "Formal Wear" portion of the show. All of the gowns worn in the show were then donated to The Giving Gown Foundation.

On September 20th Capitol One Bank in Tomball will be hosting a Community Dress Drive for us. They are going to provide signs & banners, advertisements as well as popcorn, drinks & sno-cones. We'll send more details on this event soon.

Capitol One Bank is also hosing a Float for us to be in the Tomball Holiday Parade. Again more details will be available soon.

And now for the big news: Boutique Day 2009 will be on Friday & Saturday March 27th &28th. Fellowship of the Woodlands has offered us the use of their Student Life Building for this event! We are very excited - the space will be perfect, and the location will be easy for girls from all over to come to.

We still have many needs. Please let us know if you are interested in helping with any of the above-mentioned events, or if you are able to help in other ways.

We would like to add several drop off locations outside of Tomball. Please contact us if your place of business would like to participate or if you know of a business that we should contact.

I would also like to let you know that we are working towards 501(c)3 status. It's a daunting ,tedious and costly task, but will open so many doors for us once it's complete. Please continue to pray for us and for those we are reaching out to.

Wishing you each a blessed day.

JoAnn Trchalek
The Giving Gown Foundation
www.givinggown.org

family photos.

DK is brilliant. Look at what he did tonight:

the bucket list.

Morgan Freeman always makes me cry. 

From Driving Miss Daisy to Shawshank Redemption, Robin Hood to Million Dollar Baby, it's incredible what he so naturally and consistently brings to each character. From facial expression and the way he displays inward heartfelt emotion so effectively yet so subtly, you find yourself feeling like he is the one person on earth you'd never want to disappoint or let down. 

He's one of DK's favorite actors and though the previews for "The Bucket List" made the movie appear lame like a poor effort,  placing two brilliant actors in a predictable coochie-coo comedy, after watching it this afternoon we beg to differ.

First off, I'm not endorsing nor am I promoting this film - there were a few lines/references from the movie I was thoroughly disappointed in, but the overall message and story line had me crying happy and sad tears from beginning to end. "Blubbering" is probably a more accurate description.

I applaud the nods to faith, God and natural beauty. I was floored at how beautifully these two men, when faced with a limit to their time left on earth sought to do the things they always dreamed of doing... seeking joy and after a life well lived, creating joy for those around them. 

By the end,  (which mind you was so UNpredictably tied together) DK and I were both in tears and I believe it created a deeper real-life sense of how precious and short life is and how beautiful it is to know where we're going when we leave this earth. 

And, once again Morgan Freeman made me cry:)

my new favorite!!

These photos of her handmade jewelry posted on Flickr totally caught my eye and from there, I found her blog and where to purchase Clementine's treasures.
Read her blog. And for more info on her, click here.

kenai's guilty dance.

She knows better and it's so hard not to laugh when I'm punishing her. Gosh, what'll it be like when I have kids?!

I found this video from a few months back and thought I'd share :)

brooke fraser day.

She's playing at Warehouse Live tonight and is stopping by KSBJ this afternoon. I'm thrilled and so honored...

Just making sure you watched this:



Be listening just after 5 pm for Brooke Fraser!

this is what i said.

Dad and Mary asked me to do a reading at the wedding and here's what I wrote:
"Just a few days ago, it was discovered that deep beneath a most brilliant work of art painted by one of history's most renowned painters, was yet another outstanding creation. This was a common practice for Van Gogh and now because of modern technology, understanding his creative process is much clearer.

Think of the history so deeply embedded within this entire canvas now, imagine what this master painter discovered about his life, about his ability, his love, and about how he was ultimately inspired to start over, thus creating this now and final breathtaking work of art.It takes profound love, understanding, commitment and it takes faith. When you lose inspiration, look to one another and begin again. Believe the best in one another and always listen. Put each other first. Never stop seeking greater and deeper creativity. Together.

And know that because of your love and passion for life and the people around you, no wrong brush stroke will ever take away from this canvas but instead will add to it's history, richness, and beauty."

you know you're getting old...

Today I was at the grocery store and when walking to my car in the parking lot, a car full of teenage boys drives by with windows down hooping, hollaring and whistling.

My initial reaction was to look behind me to see what skinny little teeny bopper was being harrassed by these cuties, but then realized they were whistling at me!! My heart soared!!

I put my fists in the air and said outloud "I've still got it!!"

I guess it's a sign of getting older, that being noticed by these young whipper snappers makes me feel cute and much, much younger... hehe... So hilarious!

peace!

you know you're a houstonian when...

I thought the rain would start pouring late last night but it wasn't until around 4 am that it woke me up... I left my shade open on purpose so that as I woke up I could watch it with Kenai. We got out of bed and I made a coffee but right away noticed Kenai wasn't jiving with my "ohhh, I'm sooo chill and slow moving this morning, this rain makes me want to cuddle and hunker down..." She was at the front door, tail wagging violently and ready to go scope out the neighborhood.

I rarely walk Kenai on a leash - YES, I'm aware of Texas leash laws - but she does so well off a leash and stays close, I never have any trouble with her. (Unless there is a squirrel involved, that's another story.) I put on my rain jacket and my rain proof shoes and we took off down the street. I'm walking nonchalantly, she's zipping and zooming back and forth all around me, splashing through puddles and flipping out, as though she knew something was different and that something big was happening.

And it's so interesting the things you notice when the air changes... a familiar place - your neighborhood street - where things rarely change, but when the air shifts and when a new wind breezes through town, it totally transforms the look and feel of something so familiar. We soaked it up.

Now we're dry and on the couch in the sunroom. Kenai is sitting next to me and watching vigilantly out over the front yard through the window behind us and I'm thinking about getting ready for work. Stacey is at home today hanging out with Jeff because they got the day off due to the Tropical Storm... also her family is leaving for vacation by plane tonight and we're praying that flights will be ok!!

Speaking of flights, a quick update on dad's wedding... it went well. DK and I had an awful time trying to get there because of missed and overbooked flights all day Friday but made it and had a blast with my new brothers and sister once we arrived. Pictionary REALLY brings out true character!! It was David and Kim, Andrew, DK and then the new family: Brittany, Joe, Brent, and Nate... And then there were 7.

The wedding on Saturday was held outdoors next to a river in Mt. Clemens and the reception was in an old public library turned art gallery, totally cool. I'll post photos soon. Got to see all my dad's side of the family (he has 7 brothers and any Kaiser event is always one to remember!)caught up with cousins, my great-uncle Ralph and of course, Mary's family as well.

In this photo l-r: kim, joe, david, nate, me, brent, brittany, mary and dad. 

For the ceremony I was asked to do a reading and for the longest time, nothing struck me as being good enough to read aloud at my father's nuptials. It wasn't until the morning of the wedding, after much prayer and having spent awesome time in laughter with her kids did it come to me. I left my notes in DK's suit pocket so I'll post it a little bit later. Everyone was pleased and it was so fitting for Dad and Mary.

I have to get ready for work... poor Kenai has to brave the rest of this day by herself but somehow, I think she will be ok. I hope you get to meet her one day :)

Oh! And you know you're a Houstonian when you get excited about hurricane sized storms coming to town!