Helping Michelle

Michelle had a lighting assignment for her photography class, so Mom and I helped her get the pictures she needed. The silhouettes were the most fun to do. Here are some of our favorite results:

Happy Thanksgiving

Our house is the party house again. Isaac, Heather, and the kids are here for the week of Thanksgiving. Micah and I got to help Isaac make pumpkin cheesecake.

Dad and the boys watching WALL-E.

Our family enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, we have much to be thankful for.

Racing Against Hunger

Thanksgiving morning Isaac, Heather, and I participated in our first 5k run, to benefit the Visalia Emergency Aid. We got there early because we thought the race started at 7am, but it really didn't start until 8am so we had awhile to wait. There were just over 700 runners. The race started out with some starts and stops, but once we got going we kept a steady pace. The weather was great, cool but not cold. It sprinkled on us a little, just enough to notice. It was an exciting way to start the day, although the sudden stop at the end to keep us in order made me feel sick. Overall, I wouldn't mind doing it again next year.

Another Ticket

I am not a spontaneous person; you all know that. However, I suddenly find myself with another plane ticket, this time to London. I have wanted to study abroad for some time and was looking at the Fresno State website and found information about the London Semester. It looked like a good program and the classes offered fulfill the upper division general education I still need, so I talked to my family and was planning to go to an informational meeting scheduled for Sunday the 16th. However, when I called to get more information about the meeting, I found out it wasn't really a meeting, they were having a weekend orientation for the students going. I went and then signed up for the program on Monday and have been working on getting paperwork and money turned in and getting a plane ticket! So, I am scheduled to be in London from January 8 to April 4, 2009 with 17 or 18 other Fresno State students. It is crazy, but very exciting!

A Calvin Crest Wedding

Heidi and Phillip were married at Calvin Crest on November 8 and it was beautiful. We got to stay in Mountain View for the weekend and it made it feel like a party all weekend. I loved being up at camp and getting to help decorate and take pictures. It was fun to hang out with the bridesmaids and the Larson sisters (Heidi's mom and aunts), plus see so many friends at the wedding itself. So here's a bunch of pictures from the weekend:

The rehearsal

Rehearsal dinner

Yoga the morning of the wedding

The girls getting ready

After the wedding

Haircuts

Sunday morning

An Eventful Wedding

I had the honor of attending Sheila's wedding on Sunday. It was at Wonder Valley Ranch, a little valley in the midst of the foothills by Sanger. It was a beautiful day. Bethany Lowe was there too; she, Sheila, and I were on the kitchen team at Calvin Crest the summer of '05. We had a good time talking about the memories we have. The ceremony and reception were nice, Sheila was beautiful, the bridesmaids' dresses were pretty, the decorations and cake looked great. Then came the bouquet toss. There was tulle draped on the ceiling and when Sheila was getting ready to toss the bouquet, I knew it was going to get caught in that and fall short of all of us, so I got ready to run for it. Sure enough, the bouquet hit the tulle and fell about half way between Sheila and all of us single girls. Well, I wanted to catch it, so I ran forward and scooped it up, stunned that I had triumphed, then realized no one else had moved. So, there wasn't much competition, but I caught the bouquet and I was so excited, I still am excited. I think it was a little anticlimactic for everyone else though, bouquet tosses often are. It is hard to get a good toss right into the center of the girls where someone might actually catch it, instead of picking it up. Congratulations to Sheila and Josh!

Tip of the Day

If you ever find yourself crushing dried red peppers to make red pepper flakes, make sure to wear gloves and a mask. I did that at work today and had gloves but no mask. I was coughing, sneezing, and trying not to breathe (don't worry, I didn't cough or sneeze near any of the food). Of course, then I had to blow my nose. I took off my gloves and washed my hands, but still got red peppers dust up my nose and boy did it burn.

A Cool Picture of the Moon

Calling all Veggie Lovers

On Saturday, I begin a 21 day behavior change project for my health behavior class. My goal is to improve my eating habits by eating more vegetables, getting up to the recommended daily amount by the end of the three weeks. As part of my project, I'm looking for new vegetable recipes to try. So please send me recipes, tips, favorites, anything vegetable related. Thank you. P. S. These lovely zucchini are from our garden.

An Ode to the '80s

As promised, here are pictures from our wildly successful '80s party Saturday. The girls won for best outfits.

Here's the group.

And, of course, we had to make a music video.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Coming Soon

We had an '80s birthday party for Michelle, and Phil, on Saturday and made a music video. That video is in progress still, but soon it should be done and I'll post it with some pictures.

It's Official

Mom and I just signed up for the Thanksgiving 5K "race against hunger" put on by the Visalia Emergency Aid Council. We are part of the NTC team (Nickell Trevino Chandler). The excitement is building...