tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82401825160809992222024-03-13T22:14:53.084-07:00lani robertslalaland ... photography, music, life - how i see the worldlanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-80327349830496872422010-08-30T22:19:00.000-07:002010-08-30T22:20:49.682-07:00lalaland has moved!new name, new look, and new posts! see you there!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><a href="http://jillofallarts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">jill of all arts</a></span>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-45936569430702651592010-08-16T16:09:00.000-07:002010-08-16T16:16:07.258-07:00coming soon ...jordan + kara: the story of their wedding day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGnFkmhcqyI/AAAAAAAAGqs/1at4J49ue6U/s1600/IMG_4005+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGnFkmhcqyI/AAAAAAAAGqs/1at4J49ue6U/s400/IMG_4005+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506149252043942690" border="0" /></a>did i mention that i am now a wedding photographer? yeah ... more on that later too.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-91979476806407272692010-08-12T10:19:00.000-07:002010-08-12T10:51:33.456-07:00mccarthy familyfinally finished this super fun shoot from a few weeks ago. liz responded to my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=56902132&ref=search#%21/pages/Lani-Roberts-Photography/120451297985186?ref=ts" target="_blank">facebook</a> shout-out for toddlers, and we met at bella vista park on a sunny morning for these photos. the boys were cute as buttons and all smiles!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQyL7tPvrI/AAAAAAAAGqk/MrgIl8EVdps/s1600/mccarthy+family+268+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQyL7tPvrI/AAAAAAAAGqk/MrgIl8EVdps/s400/mccarthy+family+268+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579825141006002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx_yjIWUI/AAAAAAAAGqc/xym1fX69UnY/s1600/mccarthy+family+263+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx_yjIWUI/AAAAAAAAGqc/xym1fX69UnY/s400/mccarthy+family+263+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579616524228930" border="0" /></a>more smiles ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx5hj8FQI/AAAAAAAAGqU/hRhzvDXiLeg/s1600/mccarthy+family+196+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx5hj8FQI/AAAAAAAAGqU/hRhzvDXiLeg/s400/mccarthy+family+196+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579508885001474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">note to self: WHY do i always put kids on swings, then try to take pictures of them!?! oh yeah ... because when it works, it really works!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx0eIrBWI/AAAAAAAAGqM/VIXL2pdJIY0/s1600/mccarthy+family+103+print+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQx0eIrBWI/AAAAAAAAGqM/VIXL2pdJIY0/s400/mccarthy+family+103+print+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579422065984866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>and even more smiles!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxuaFFYzI/AAAAAAAAGqE/F-mDiTSfKhI/s1600/mccarthy+family+164+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxuaFFYzI/AAAAAAAAGqE/F-mDiTSfKhI/s400/mccarthy+family+164+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579317897978674" border="0" /></a>plus just a little bit of serious.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxoW_2EfI/AAAAAAAAGp8/59TM617dSYc/s1600/mccarthy+family+306+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxoW_2EfI/AAAAAAAAGp8/59TM617dSYc/s400/mccarthy+family+306+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579213991481842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxj7vXrnI/AAAAAAAAGp0/BJYHISThWr8/s1600/mccarthy+family+286+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TGQxj7vXrnI/AAAAAAAAGp0/BJYHISThWr8/s400/mccarthy+family+286+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504579137955147378" border="0" /></a>thanks, david, liz, and boys!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-737222096471796652010-08-06T07:36:00.000-07:002010-08-06T07:37:56.909-07:00at the gateway starbucks and former quizno's<span style="font-style: italic;">me</span>: oh no! the quizno's is closed! now that the park in vancouver is paved over, almost nothing is left of the night you proposed to me!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">joel</span>: "except our undying love."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFweD7BR97I/AAAAAAAAGpU/_fq4swj0820/s1600/2010-8-5d.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFweD7BR97I/AAAAAAAAGpU/_fq4swj0820/s400/2010-8-5d.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502305897471408050" border="0" /></a>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-33739992510941658732010-08-05T08:30:00.000-07:002010-08-05T08:51:22.482-07:00small thingswhen i came home from the gym this morning, there was a jar of jam on the porch. thank you, jam fairy, whoever you are.<br /><br />and thank you, bekah, for the sign that now hangs right inside the front door. it is doing good work there. everyone needs a sign like this - it's healthier than chocolate and cheaper than therapy.<br />plus, it sparkles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFrbpdVlUGI/AAAAAAAAGo0/Sx8mhX3R01g/s1600/2010-8-5a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFrbpdVlUGI/AAAAAAAAGo0/Sx8mhX3R01g/s400/2010-8-5a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501951400082755682" border="0" /></a>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-860938731001686702010-07-30T14:09:00.000-07:002010-07-30T14:16:20.993-07:00beautiful mundaneran some errands yesterday ... decided to pull out my droid and run a few shots through vignette - a very cool phone editing program. when i first heard of the editing programs for camera phones, i though "psh, that's ridiculous. why on earth would you want to bother editing phone pictures???"<br /><br />i'm eating my words.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNASN9ErLI/AAAAAAAAGok/UkQdUpfTuxM/s1600/2010-7-29b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNASN9ErLI/AAAAAAAAGok/UkQdUpfTuxM/s400/2010-7-29b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499810251677150386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNAPU3yk6I/AAAAAAAAGoc/4VSB-CZGYOg/s1600/2010-7-29d.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNAPU3yk6I/AAAAAAAAGoc/4VSB-CZGYOg/s400/2010-7-29d.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499810201994433442" border="0" /></a>i don't do the whole zen thing, but there is something peaceful about stacked rocks ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNAMeAdWUI/AAAAAAAAGoU/dmH2o6gqTSw/s1600/2010-7-29.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFNAMeAdWUI/AAAAAAAAGoU/dmH2o6gqTSw/s400/2010-7-29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499810152907102530" border="0" /></a>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-714997559185390012010-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:002010-07-29T08:51:37.849-07:00coming soon ...more pics of this little guy's sweet family!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFGjGzSKw8I/AAAAAAAAGoE/U55PgA5_5hI/s1600/mccarthy+family+011+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFGjGzSKw8I/AAAAAAAAGoE/U55PgA5_5hI/s400/mccarthy+family+011+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499355957237040066" border="0" /></a>i love toddlers.<br />and playgrounds.<br />and sparkly dewy summer morning light!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-85692529887755482742010-07-28T14:00:00.000-07:002010-07-28T14:09:30.751-07:00slowly catching up ....rather than post everything from the last couple months in one ginormous frightening post, i think i'll do it a little at a time.<br /><br />starting with pictures of a very, very, very patient friend. this poor friend has been waiting for these pictures for a long time ...<br /><br />back when she was in town, becky and i had a few fun hangout dates and a super fun photoshoot on hawthorne. we certainly didn't plumb the depths of hawthorne's delightful funkiness, but we scratched the surface - at took some fun photos in the process!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFCcJDxQLSI/AAAAAAAAGn4/aFKcc0QGVko/s1600/becky+135+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFCcJDxQLSI/AAAAAAAAGn4/aFKcc0QGVko/s400/becky+135+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499066824464018722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFCbRGV4GuI/AAAAAAAAGnw/i3mL8cACnC8/s1600/becky+155+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TFCbRGV4GuI/AAAAAAAAGnw/i3mL8cACnC8/s400/becky+155+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499065863081827042" border="0" /></a>she seriously has the most incredible eyes i have ever seen. they're amazing.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-37130353803877002782010-06-24T20:31:00.000-07:002010-06-24T21:07:07.294-07:00going crazy here ...i'm not even going to try for a random update blog this time. no way, no how.<br /><br />i am not going to try to chronicle every time appliances, automobiles, and felines have malfunctioned in the last couple weeks, because the number would be in the dozens. i am not exaggerating. i tried to count and gave up at 28.<br /><br />i am not going to share how i locked myself out of my car, my house, and my bedroom within a few days. we are getting very friendly with the locksmith.<br /><br />i am not going to talk about the spiders.<br /><br />i am not going to mention how many times i have exploded hot milk all over myself or how many bruises i have from walking into walls, doorknobs, etc... mostly from lack of sleep.<br /><br />i am not going to give an account of our activities from the last couple weeks, because huge things like moving, starting a new job, and starting nursing school have overshadowed the smaller things, like, you know, planning a bridal shower, prepping for cyt middle school camp, making our old house rent-able, putting on a showcase for our spring cyt class, multiple photo gigs, houseguests, my first piano studio recital .... like i said, little things.<br />[intense sarcasm]<br /><br />and i am not going to complain, because we have had a lot of great times with a lot of people, and God is teaching us (by us i mean me) not to stress. i'm a very slow learner.<br /><br />but seriously, you know you're not getting enough sleep when you start seeing monsters in your takeout.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQkBTAYqxI/AAAAAAAAGno/b69RNfwnoaU/s1600/weblog3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQkBTAYqxI/AAAAAAAAGno/b69RNfwnoaU/s400/weblog3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486549850744466194" border="0" /></a>so a great analogy struck me tonight, almost literally, and i thought i'd share it. (because i'm not going to sleep until 2:30am anyway, so what's 15 more minutes?)<br /><br />the setting: our new house.<br />the time: grabbing dinner right after worship practice.<br />the culprit: <del>demon spawn</del> pamina. who else?<br /><br />there we were, having a peaceful 5 minutes before diving into our homework and camp prep, when we heard a curious sound, like clipping fingernails, from the hallway-stair region. joel investigated and found that the cat had brought in a mouse and was playing with it, not catching it - playing with it, on the stairs. i was immediately plagued with uncontrollable laughter (like i said - crazy person here) while joel and the cat caught the mouse.<br /><br />i call this shot "scared mouse covered in cat spit in tupperware".<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQj5wnxeyI/AAAAAAAAGng/KeOoXZd__UQ/s1600/weblog2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQj5wnxeyI/AAAAAAAAGng/KeOoXZd__UQ/s400/weblog2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486549721255344930" border="0" /></a>so, the analogy. bear with me. so the cat is the universe, or my schedule. i haven't figured which. i am the mouse, being chased frantically around the staircase of life. <span style="font-style: italic;">until</span> my knight-in-shining-armor comes to rescue me, sweep me up into the tupperware of rest, and deposit me into the ivy hedge of peaceful existence. unfortunately, my knight-in-shining-armor's white steed is usually stuck in traffic these days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQjdoHjv0I/AAAAAAAAGnY/HIkkbacvmZk/s1600/weblog1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/TCQjdoHjv0I/AAAAAAAAGnY/HIkkbacvmZk/s400/weblog1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486549237936406338" border="0" /></a>i told joel i'm a crazy person. he smiled really big and said, "but you're <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> crazy person!"lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-15430500326025242392010-05-28T12:37:00.000-07:002010-05-28T12:42:20.492-07:00restaurant rocket sciencein preparation for working at starbucks, i have to obtain a food handler's card. (my most recent one expired in 2005.) so today i am intently studying a manual with paragraphs like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Germs such as bacteria and viruses are everywhere. Think of your hands and fingernails as easily "contaminated." Just because they look clean does not mean they are clean. Germs are too tiny to see with your eyes. If you do not wash your hands in the right way and keep your fingernails trimmed short, your hands can put germs in food that will be eaten by your customers. They may get sick from these germs. This is called 'foodborne illness' or 'food poisoning.'"</span><br /><br />somehow it seems appropriate that the manual is published in comic sans font.<br /><br />i emailed the previous paragraph to joel (cause it's, you know, educational...) and he responded:<span style=";font-family:";font-size:12pt;" ><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >"not all germs are too tiny to see with your eyes, little brothers for instance.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">"</span><br /><br />i expect the oregon food handler's card people to revise their manual accordingly.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-72830934585218359662010-05-27T08:30:00.000-07:002010-05-27T09:00:27.542-07:00blessing management 101ok, so who made the rule that everything always has to happen at the exact same time? was that murphy? ahh, murphy, if only you knew ...<br /><br />my blessing cup is pouring over right now - pouring over into late nights, early mornings, stress attacks, everything involved with juggling so many blessings! it's all so fantastic - new home, renters, new friendships, new piano students, new piano teacher, new nursing school, new clothes for nursing school, new job, end-of-year piano recital (oh yeah, did i mention my students' recital is this weekend?), new photo business direction, cyt class showcase and middle school camp (did i mention that i'm music directing middle school camp - by myself?) ... i'm so blessed, i can barely keep my head on straight!<br /><br />so this morning i'm here at central bible church, helping joel run sound for seussical's schoolday shows and making faces at my webcam... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_6QQzeKMsI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/Air_gKa1Hgg/s1600/Picture0045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_6QQzeKMsI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/Air_gKa1Hgg/s400/Picture0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475972815298114242" border="0" /></a>oops, gotta go - joel's calling me. i need to get my 3 minute lesson on how to run a crazy complicated soundboard!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-86277101910602306872010-05-25T15:01:00.000-07:002010-05-26T08:58:41.569-07:00life, the camera phone versionjoel was gone evenings all last week with seussical tech week, and i had to stay home and work. so he bought me flowers, which the cat claimed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKTPUpHGI/AAAAAAAAGnA/UbS_4q9oMWE/s1600/blog20.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKTPUpHGI/AAAAAAAAGnA/UbS_4q9oMWE/s400/blog20.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332941366762594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKQACNxXI/AAAAAAAAGm4/0w4qoM5GmP0/s1600/blog19.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKQACNxXI/AAAAAAAAGm4/0w4qoM5GmP0/s400/blog19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332885723334002" border="0" /></a>this picture is from back in january when tim replaced our door. we're signing escrow for the new house today, and it's so weird to realize that we won't be living here anymore. instead, a nice couple named casey and caitlin with a cute little boy will be living here. having renters lined up feels so good!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKNHkc2hI/AAAAAAAAGmw/ny0y7bKB0bo/s1600/blog18.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKNHkc2hI/AAAAAAAAGmw/ny0y7bKB0bo/s400/blog18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332836206369298" border="0" /></a>so i bought this necklace recently. it says "helvetica", which is a font. nobody gets it - everyone seems to think it's either a disease or a demonic spell. so i'm clearing things up here and now - it's a <span style="font-style: italic;">font</span>, people.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKIzmmf5I/AAAAAAAAGmo/Ts3QE3EduJk/s1600/blog17.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKIzmmf5I/AAAAAAAAGmo/Ts3QE3EduJk/s400/blog17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332762127204242" border="0" /></a>we've officially caved. not only have we visited ikea several times of our own accord in the past few months, but we actually own several pieces of ikea merchandise now. the funny story behind these pictures - we recently dropped by ikea to pick up a cabinet unit for the kitchen. we found the exact cabinet in the as-is section, but had no way to haul it. joel worked things out with the deaf gentleman who helped us (first time i've seen joel use his sign language to communicate in a needed situation - so cool!), and left to trade a truck while i spent a full hour sitting right here babysitting a cabinet with no cell phone battery and nothing to read. it was not cool, and i am documenting this wasted hour of my life for posterity.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKFvcn2HI/AAAAAAAAGmg/fmuspbelCPE/s1600/blog16.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKFvcn2HI/AAAAAAAAGmg/fmuspbelCPE/s400/blog16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332709472000114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJ3PwHPHI/AAAAAAAAGmY/wA3t5CbmLH4/s1600/blog15.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJ3PwHPHI/AAAAAAAAGmY/wA3t5CbmLH4/s400/blog15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332460445645938" border="0" /></a>my favorite part of the day is the morning, right after joel leaves for work, when i curl up with my cereal and bible next to the window. the cat usually joins me.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJyxOHtvI/AAAAAAAAGmQ/oHGmBTIDbSQ/s1600/blog14.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJyxOHtvI/AAAAAAAAGmQ/oHGmBTIDbSQ/s400/blog14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332383530530546" border="0" /></a>did i mention that we have a resident laundry fairy? oh and by the way, the laundry fairy doesn't actually <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> laundry, despite what you've heard. she merely indwells it, parasite-fashion.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKbAkqg_I/AAAAAAAAGnI/KCGy0PAZp0c/s1600/blog+13.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xKbAkqg_I/AAAAAAAAGnI/KCGy0PAZp0c/s400/blog+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475333074846385138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJqkoag9I/AAAAAAAAGmI/W43Q5RQsg8I/s1600/blog12.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJqkoag9I/AAAAAAAAGmI/W43Q5RQsg8I/s400/blog12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332242712200146" border="0" /></a>a while ago, heidi and i decided to go to powell's books, a fairly simple endeavor only slightly complicated by our decision to take the max. i retrieved directions from my phone, which maliciously routed us to a powell's warehouse on nw 29th. we were past 23rd when we discovered the error (i should mention at this time that heidi had been having some misgivings for a number of blocks), and so the walk from the max to powell's took us 2 and a half hours.<br />kairis did quite well with the detour, but was glad to be out and having lunch by the end.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJnoGR1UI/AAAAAAAAGmA/ASLAS-euDsQ/s1600/blog11.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJnoGR1UI/AAAAAAAAGmA/ASLAS-euDsQ/s400/blog11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332192103159106" border="0" /></a>we stopped for lunch at an awesome cafe 2 blocks from powell's. i don't remember the name of it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJkpR-p0I/AAAAAAAAGl4/jT4p_9fNYhc/s1600/blog10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJkpR-p0I/AAAAAAAAGl4/jT4p_9fNYhc/s400/blog10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332140881061698" border="0" /></a>after 3 hours of walking ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJhtDVDmI/AAAAAAAAGlw/0HFRpguM4eU/s1600/blog9.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJhtDVDmI/AAAAAAAAGlw/0HFRpguM4eU/s400/blog9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332090353749602" border="0" /></a>endeavor church ... we love being involved, getting to know people, and using our gifts almost every weekend! last weekend joel used his spiritual gift of coffee-making, much to the delight of all.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJeTmPz0I/AAAAAAAAGlo/tQDVQ-Ev1Pc/s1600/blog8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJeTmPz0I/AAAAAAAAGlo/tQDVQ-Ev1Pc/s400/blog8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475332031981276994" border="0" /></a>this raised bug had "endeavor" printed in big letters on the side. i tried so hard to get a good picture of it ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJa7kUdxI/AAAAAAAAGlg/3dbxGlAEMKI/s1600/blog7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJa7kUdxI/AAAAAAAAGlg/3dbxGlAEMKI/s400/blog7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331973991134994" border="0" /></a>i've started seeing a podiatrist again because of ongoing issues from my accident. i have lots of lovely issues, not just with that foot, but related to walking as well. so i've been spending a lot of time here, studying that ubiquitous faded jazz festival poster which seems to reside in 80% of gresham businesses.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJMXssFiI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/UQPDqlxDpBA/s1600/blog5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJMXssFiI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/UQPDqlxDpBA/s400/blog5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331723844392482" border="0" /></a>this is a picture of my face, yesterday, when i was woken up from my migraine nap by a phone call from starbucks, offering me a job! i really am excited, though the picture doesn't quite capture the emotion.<br /><br />i've been looking for something supplemental for a while to take more pressure off of joel as he begins nursing school. it will be a lot to balance, but i find that i get more done when i'm, well, doing more. it's some snowball effect ... plus, starbucks is just plain awesome.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJHypKenI/AAAAAAAAGlI/DfM9N14krk0/s1600/blog4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJHypKenI/AAAAAAAAGlI/DfM9N14krk0/s400/blog4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331645178018418" border="0" /></a>speaking of starbucks, our favorite date these days is to hop in the car, grab starbucks, and take an hour-long drive listening to npr's "wait wait... don't tell me!" podcasts.<br />highly recommend.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJD0pV_CI/AAAAAAAAGlA/nViQToxFXbE/s1600/blog3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xJD0pV_CI/AAAAAAAAGlA/nViQToxFXbE/s400/blog3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331576996166690" border="0" /></a>i am so in love with this guy.<br />(and i know he's going to give me the stink-eye when he sees this pic - love you, dear!)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xI5IMdELI/AAAAAAAAGk4/hnOb0lrNsWQ/s1600/blog2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xI5IMdELI/AAAAAAAAGk4/hnOb0lrNsWQ/s400/blog2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331393265143986" border="0" /></a>typical ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xIxPLIgzI/AAAAAAAAGkw/KPJG_ICVZJM/s1600/blog1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_xIxPLIgzI/AAAAAAAAGkw/KPJG_ICVZJM/s400/blog1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475331257699697458" border="0" /></a>so there it is. random update blog, cell phone camera style.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-82927528753659836072010-05-25T09:53:00.001-07:002010-05-25T10:14:33.652-07:00the short-yet-spicy modeling career of lani and beckyi love it when becky vestal is home from school in pennsylvania. when we get together, we're no longer a budding neurosurgeon and a responsible business owner. no, we pool our maturity, divide it in half, subtract half of that, then stomp on whatever's left. the stomping is the fun part.<br /><br />yesterday becky had the adventure of being introduced to the hawthorne buffalo exchange, which in addition to being a really awesome place to get fun cheap clothes, is also a really awesome place to make a fool of yourself. we chose option b.<br /><br />the scary part was that we actually received a few compliments on the outfits in the following pictures. oy.<br /><br />we started pretty tame, with a sweet little army print sequined crushed velvet dress for me, and a colorful befringed tunic-y thing for becky.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wA3q5lNyI/AAAAAAAAGis/cJPMVkzv3cM/s1600/becky+203+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wA3q5lNyI/AAAAAAAAGis/cJPMVkzv3cM/s400/becky+203+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475252203384289058" border="0" /></a>that was boring. this was funner.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wAy81GKkI/AAAAAAAAGik/pQLrsikW_P4/s1600/becky+211+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wAy81GKkI/AAAAAAAAGik/pQLrsikW_P4/s400/becky+211+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475252122297969218" border="0" /></a>(btw, becky, i actually really like that dress on you. just saying.)<br /><br />definitely the highlight of our outfits - skinny pants, bike shorts, and sequins. this is the only time that my legs will ever be subjected to skinny leg jeans; it is recorded here for posterity's sake. becky's bike shorts, though - i think she found a keeper.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wArR5zmSI/AAAAAAAAGic/r6nQKBbNATw/s1600/becky+218+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wArR5zmSI/AAAAAAAAGic/r6nQKBbNATw/s400/becky+218+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475251990515915042" border="0" /></a>and our final number. bummer that you can't tell from the picture that becky's leggings are pleather. we accidentally stumbled into another store that had plenty of pleather, but we didn't try anything on in there. not even the thigh high lace up boots.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wAnB1J98I/AAAAAAAAGiU/pIJ6q6H4sMc/s1600/becky+214+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_wAnB1J98I/AAAAAAAAGiU/pIJ6q6H4sMc/s400/becky+214+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475251917481965506" border="0" /></a>sigh ... i'm going to miss that girl.<br /><br />(and becky, i'm very sorry that i didn't publish the picture of the yellow sunflower-print buttoned romper. it was just a little too ..... well, yeah.)lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-22547074369875676242010-05-21T08:20:00.000-07:002010-05-21T09:07:25.365-07:00the "peoplescape"after one of my earliest sessions, i received the critique that many of my photos seemed to be more about the background than the subject. this has stuck in my head for several years now, and i've revisited and mulled over it many times.<br /><br />i'm very thankful for this comment now, because it brought to my attention a style element that i have fallen in love with! after much experimentation and thought, i have decided that distinctive backgrounds and "landscape-y" sorts of portraits are a part of my style that i want to highlight. i just redid my website, and dedicated a whole section to "peoplescapes" - i love them that much!<br /><br />i had a great chance to experiment a few days ago with my good friend stefanie. i elicited her help in scouting out a location, practicing various techniques, and brushing up before the outdoor photography season really hits. thank goodness for people who actually <span style="font-style: italic;">enjoy</span> being in front of the camera ... what would we photographers do without them?!? stand around morosely clicking at the backs of other photographers, i suppose...<br /><br />playing around with the vertical selected focus that seems to be everywhere in portrait photography these days ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqatTmmkI/AAAAAAAAGiM/Hap9KAfxNOQ/s1600/stefanie+119+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqatTmmkI/AAAAAAAAGiM/Hap9KAfxNOQ/s400/stefanie+119+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473749772930554434" border="0" /></a>stefanie's safari shot ... heh.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqWtiOZnI/AAAAAAAAGiE/3s1topzKe9Q/s1600/stefanie+059+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqWtiOZnI/AAAAAAAAGiE/3s1topzKe9Q/s400/stefanie+059+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473749704272406130" border="0" /></a>we weren't actually going for a pose-on-a-rock sort of picture. this was a brief moment before she jumped off the rock. the rock jumping didn't work out so well, but i loved this one!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqQGnmnzI/AAAAAAAAGh8/j6dX4h9sWOw/s1600/stefanie+154+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqQGnmnzI/AAAAAAAAGh8/j6dX4h9sWOw/s400/stefanie+154+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473749590746767154" border="0" /></a>haha. i love telling people to frolic. you never know what they'll do! :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqKWKoayI/AAAAAAAAGh0/Pziop81Obko/s1600/stefanie+162+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_aqKWKoayI/AAAAAAAAGh0/Pziop81Obko/s400/stefanie+162+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473749491841002274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_apgbUMr1I/AAAAAAAAGhs/UiNhIzG0pxY/s1600/stefanie+199+web+ready.jpg"><br /></a>and, on a last note, occasionally i see a session that makes me die just a little on the inside - in a good way. <a href="http://www.redleafblog.com/red-leaf-studios-journal/2010/3/7/brianne-luxury-fashion.html" target="_blank">this session by red leaf studios</a> is one of those. you should check it out, along with the rest of their blog and website. wow, do these people have eyes! (and it probably helps that they live in one of the most photogenic locations left on the planet.)lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-9618608094356712912010-05-20T07:45:00.001-07:002010-05-20T07:45:26.151-07:00will someone remind me why we have this many books?... cause i've packed about 17 boxes of them, and still have a ways to go. :P<br />however, when we arrive in our new house, our books will be totally organized for the first time in our married life because i'm packing them in <span style="font-style: italic;">categories</span>! yes, it took me 6 years and 4 moves to figure out this ingenious idea.<br /><br />this diminutive pile represents all the packing i've accomplished so far (plus some boxes in the shed), and we're moving in 2 and a half weeks. i just know i'll be pulling an all-nighter the day before we move.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SIAN0OlNI/AAAAAAAAGhk/iNFIBJl3kpU/s1600/blog2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SIAN0OlNI/AAAAAAAAGhk/iNFIBJl3kpU/s400/blog2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473148984452093138" border="0" /></a>it's weird how bare everything is starting to look. doesn't really feel like home anymore.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SH7-U1qfI/AAAAAAAAGhc/9n2NO-WlCWA/s1600/blog3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SH7-U1qfI/AAAAAAAAGhc/9n2NO-WlCWA/s400/blog3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473148911574428146" border="0" /></a><br />well, the living room looks bare. the study, on the other hand ....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SGcpRs5mI/AAAAAAAAGg8/I_wdEmpFkLA/s1600/blog1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SGcpRs5mI/AAAAAAAAGg8/I_wdEmpFkLA/s400/blog1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473147273836553826" border="0" /></a><br />yeah. i never really did get on top of that room.<br /><br />eagerly anticipating a lot of life change in the next few weeks! i may be adding a new job to my queue soon (more on that later), we're moving, joel's starting nursing school, and we're going to have renters!<br /><br />speaking of renters, wow, has God provided! when we first started on this house journey we knew we'd need renters but couldn't really do much about it at the time. now, we have renters lined up for both places - our current home, and the basement of our new home! i can't wait to start developing these relationships, it's going to be so fun!<br /><br />so for now, we're in the prepping, waiting, and fulfilling other commitments phase. joel is in the middle of tech week for seussical, which is keeping him enjoyably busy. i'm staging a new guerrilla marketing attack with my photo business (new and improved website! www.lanirobertsphoto.com) and preparing for my studio piano recital at a local retirement home.<br /><br />and i got my annual haircut on friday.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SHIBzWdTI/AAAAAAAAGhU/wLuqjE1PgNI/s1600/blog4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S_SHIBzWdTI/AAAAAAAAGhU/wLuqjE1PgNI/s400/blog4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473148019154515250" border="0" /></a>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-16559296714256570512010-05-13T06:52:00.001-07:002010-05-13T07:04:36.482-07:00faceshad fun at the park last week with a few young friends and their mothers. nothing like sunshine, bagels, and photogenic tweens.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wERr_c1eI/AAAAAAAAGg0/tkFUv-9IsPE/s1600/payton%26friends+186+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wERr_c1eI/AAAAAAAAGg0/tkFUv-9IsPE/s400/payton%26friends+186+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470752349261452770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wEOtWKFmI/AAAAAAAAGgs/VznIXJO2fOs/s1600/payton%26friends+170+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wEOtWKFmI/AAAAAAAAGgs/VznIXJO2fOs/s400/payton%26friends+170+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470752298085520994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wELZDCJ6I/AAAAAAAAGgk/Nw5uF01jYUw/s1600/payton%26friends+110+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wELZDCJ6I/AAAAAAAAGgk/Nw5uF01jYUw/s400/payton%26friends+110+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470752241096992674" border="0" /></a>madi actually has a very sweet, demure grin. but i liked this face better. ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wEGDdBTOI/AAAAAAAAGgc/K7uwuZ9mYDc/s1600/payton%26friends+175+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-wEGDdBTOI/AAAAAAAAGgc/K7uwuZ9mYDc/s400/payton%26friends+175+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470752149401062626" border="0" /></a>to the young ladies in these photos (and their mothers): i'll be posting the rest of your pics soon - hope you like them! :)<br /><br />in other random news, we now have loan approval on the house, so we'll probably move the first week in june. until then, joel will be working his techie head off with seussical, which opens in a week ...<br /><br />on monday, i had my first piano lesson (as a student) in 7 years! i've had hand/wrist issues for years now, and i'm working with a lady who specializes in piano injuries. so ... i am currently not allowed to play more than 5 minutes at a time, unless absolutely necessary - which is harder than it sounds!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-73703533108694066422010-05-05T11:51:00.001-07:002010-05-05T12:13:04.201-07:00the very long aladdin post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZvhGzz4I/AAAAAAAAGfI/91f3GaMBfRw/s1600/099.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZvhGzz4I/AAAAAAAAGfI/91f3GaMBfRw/s400/099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467538989247614850" border="0" /></a>we had so much fun music directing another show for cyt! aladdin seems like ancient history now but i had to record it, of course; it was just too fun! all the rehearsals and shows were at central bible church, which joel and i both performed at over 6 years ago. multnomah used to hold chapels at cb, so we've both performed with choir and music groups there, albeit at different times. the sanctuary is very distinctive and not set up for theater at all, and i was super impressed at the sets for the show. way to go, parents!<br /><br />rehearsals were goofy and fun, as always. we learned from pocahontas that these kids will meet the bar wherever we set it, so we set the preparation bar pretty high and they did great!<br /><br />we teamed up on the teaching, and each took care of our areas of specialty.<br />joel ran sound ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CbVE63g1I/AAAAAAAAGfY/rqOfzcpg-R4/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CbVE63g1I/AAAAAAAAGfY/rqOfzcpg-R4/s400/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467540734027989842" border="0" /></a>and i was in charge of staring slackjawed into space ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CbQnIOB7I/AAAAAAAAGfQ/vL_HHOFvTgk/s1600/008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CbQnIOB7I/AAAAAAAAGfQ/vL_HHOFvTgk/s400/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467540657311451058" border="0" /></a>ok, not really. though i did that too.<br /><br />jeff, our illustrious director, was in charge of stage kissing instruction, among other things.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZgFyBnII/AAAAAAAAGfA/_5qpxS7kkKk/s1600/112.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZgFyBnII/AAAAAAAAGfA/_5qpxS7kkKk/s400/112.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467538724214643842" border="0" /></a>"ok, look, let me show you how it's done" ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZbPVwNDI/AAAAAAAAGe4/2iV35MQOR90/s1600/115.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZbPVwNDI/AAAAAAAAGe4/2iV35MQOR90/s400/115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467538640881071154" border="0" /></a>almost there ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZEphVKUI/AAAAAAAAGew/VI-MB_LsSPs/s1600/118.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CZEphVKUI/AAAAAAAAGew/VI-MB_LsSPs/s400/118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467538252771961154" border="0" /></a>"oh, this is too embarrassing!"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CY8p10yyI/AAAAAAAAGeo/kl7BxgomNzs/s1600/120.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CY8p10yyI/AAAAAAAAGeo/kl7BxgomNzs/s400/120.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467538115418966818" border="0" /></a>in addition to spacing out, i also directed the "band of wonders". (subtitled "the magic pit".)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CYyDXytuI/AAAAAAAAGeg/6FAkhNAs4KM/s1600/090+%282%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CYyDXytuI/AAAAAAAAGeg/6FAkhNAs4KM/s400/090+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467537933293762274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXmDcMy2I/AAAAAAAAGeQ/LDiRov_H1dE/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXmDcMy2I/AAAAAAAAGeQ/LDiRov_H1dE/s400/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467536627642190690" border="0" /></a>julie and gail played flute and clarinet ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXeUAJ59I/AAAAAAAAGeI/cjbKMy7d7eQ/s1600/127.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXeUAJ59I/AAAAAAAAGeI/cjbKMy7d7eQ/s400/127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467536494649010130" border="0" /></a>aaron on bass ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94KEdWqucI/AAAAAAAAGds/BV5Xeh7GxKs/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94KEdWqucI/AAAAAAAAGds/BV5Xeh7GxKs/s400/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466818069389818306" border="0" /></a>and ian on chimes (and other drums).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94J1A0EnzI/AAAAAAAAGdk/fSwiQqmnsGA/s1600/028.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94J1A0EnzI/AAAAAAAAGdk/fSwiQqmnsGA/s400/028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466817804030484274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JsowCr-I/AAAAAAAAGdc/kelgfK2XVWQ/s1600/174.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JsowCr-I/AAAAAAAAGdc/kelgfK2XVWQ/s400/174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466817660132175842" border="0" /></a>julie works in children's ministry at her church, and usually brought piles of preparation for sunday school to work on during breaks. aaron got into it too ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXNWaLSeI/AAAAAAAAGeA/mevy5GPd1qg/s1600/139.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CXNWaLSeI/AAAAAAAAGeA/mevy5GPd1qg/s400/139.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467536203237247458" border="0" /></a>the day before move-in we did a mini promo performance at clackamas town center, where my amp was nearly stolen. the kids were in costume for the first time, and made quite a sensation at the mall.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Ja9sHNwI/AAAAAAAAGdU/bQBZctMQe_Q/s1600/070.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Ja9sHNwI/AAAAAAAAGdU/bQBZctMQe_Q/s400/070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466817356515194626" border="0" /></a>setup was ... fun. but we managed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JQukSmmI/AAAAAAAAGdM/toFnFweRWz0/s1600/074.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JQukSmmI/AAAAAAAAGdM/toFnFweRWz0/s400/074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466817180657162850" border="0" /></a>setting up the stage at central bible ... debbie caught this awesome shot of the whole room from the baptismal.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JIPC2hbI/AAAAAAAAGdE/AuaVv4og1v0/s1600/033.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JIPC2hbI/AAAAAAAAGdE/AuaVv4og1v0/s400/033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466817034756457906" border="0" /></a>joel was busy setting up sound all week. tech stuff was interesting, to say the least. our tech people (my husband included) are heroes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CYgO7nyFI/AAAAAAAAGeY/FywvRJLBFyI/s1600/045+%282%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-CYgO7nyFI/AAAAAAAAGeY/FywvRJLBFyI/s400/045+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467537627159185490" border="0" /></a>joel, with sound minions ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JDu43wiI/AAAAAAAAGc8/VKnmMm-Lpvs/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94JDu43wiI/AAAAAAAAGc8/VKnmMm-Lpvs/s400/050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466816957405184546" border="0" /></a>more sound minions ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94I8yj9uiI/AAAAAAAAGc0/Nj5Wmd-hYsY/s1600/142.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94I8yj9uiI/AAAAAAAAGc0/Nj5Wmd-hYsY/s400/142.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466816838132152866" border="0" /></a>during setup tonya and i rehearsed the kids in an overcrowded library. ian and aaron, awesome as they are, helped.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Iz2cIw3I/AAAAAAAAGcs/2thQhta2yz8/s1600/082+%282%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Iz2cIw3I/AAAAAAAAGcs/2thQhta2yz8/s400/082+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466816684554240882" border="0" /></a>"lighten your tone! drop your jaw! sing through your forehead! support! listen! blend!"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IvHs113I/AAAAAAAAGck/hDL3kDe-D8E/s1600/096.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IvHs113I/AAAAAAAAGck/hDL3kDe-D8E/s400/096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466816603288360818" border="0" /></a>on to the actual show ...<br />aladdin was a corny show. delightfully corny. hilariously corny. chock full of lines that you roll your eyes at the first time, and by the last show you're laughing hysterically.<br /><br />it began with ...<br />the best "directing with an elephant" performance of the year by alyssa! ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IM8QTtaI/AAAAAAAAGcc/O9GNvGHr_YI/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IM8QTtaI/AAAAAAAAGcc/O9GNvGHr_YI/s400/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466816016100341154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">welcome to the market!</span><br />tonya choreographed some fun dances for this show, and they used the multiple levels of the stage with great effect!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IItxkULI/AAAAAAAAGcU/3e3vsLtmCu8/s1600/035.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94IItxkULI/AAAAAAAAGcU/3e3vsLtmCu8/s400/035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466815943493832882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">the lamp is hidden in a cave-like</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> tooooooooomb!</span><br />(nice vowels, ladies.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HRGu5GII/AAAAAAAAGcM/-XeEDXEGY54/s1600/082.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HRGu5GII/AAAAAAAAGcM/-XeEDXEGY54/s400/082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814988120823938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G-PDVhRtI/AAAAAAAAGfs/OlipKlGlM6I/s1600/060.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G-PDVhRtI/AAAAAAAAGfs/OlipKlGlM6I/s400/060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467860588407375570" border="0" /></a>daylon the scary sword dancer ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G-pe4O6eI/AAAAAAAAGf0/NBPMQcaJdtE/s1600/117.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G-pe4O6eI/AAAAAAAAGf0/NBPMQcaJdtE/s400/117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467861042477328866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">jewels, the only jewels i want are the glimmering eyes of love</span> ... (or is it "glittering"?)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HG-eCWHI/AAAAAAAAGcE/fNtD78VHTC0/s1600/143.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HG-eCWHI/AAAAAAAAGcE/fNtD78VHTC0/s400/143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814814103951474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">not robin hood or his men in tights, we're just a couple of arabian knights!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HBUKZLuI/AAAAAAAAGb8/QjeQ8PD1fgI/s1600/220.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94HBUKZLuI/AAAAAAAAGb8/QjeQ8PD1fgI/s400/220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814716847927010" border="0" /></a>our genius sets people turned the elevated baptismal into the mouth of the cave of wonders, complete with the cool tiger's mouth which looked amazing with red lighting and smoke.<br />like i said: genius.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94G8czYiNI/AAAAAAAAGb0/xgsYiumVS4w/s1600/261.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94G8czYiNI/AAAAAAAAGb0/xgsYiumVS4w/s400/261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814633267988690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">tell me, do these pants make me look fat?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94G4Pd0E9I/AAAAAAAAGbs/fv1k41SuFcg/s1600/314.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94G4Pd0E9I/AAAAAAAAGbs/fv1k41SuFcg/s400/314.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814560968381394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">genie of the lamp, he's straight from the lamp! ain't a tramp! he's a champ! from the lamp!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gz9rGA4I/AAAAAAAAGbk/tX9GWI9LO-4/s1600/424.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gz9rGA4I/AAAAAAAAGbk/tX9GWI9LO-4/s400/424.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814487472767874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">now hold on to your m c hammer pants, cause off we go!!!</span><br />(after which the band vamped the refrain of "can't touch this" for a scene change that lasted approximately 2 hours. or maybe it just seemed that long.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gv6rBYaI/AAAAAAAAGbc/WvnVbLMsbYs/s1600/319.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gv6rBYaI/AAAAAAAAGbc/WvnVbLMsbYs/s400/319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814417947681186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">so put on a smile! and replace your timid shyness with some royal style!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gp60X--I/AAAAAAAAGbU/14a2u_XpKso/s1600/344.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gp60X--I/AAAAAAAAGbU/14a2u_XpKso/s400/344.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814314907696098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">... and my heart will fly like a magic carpet sailing in the wind!</span><br />i wish we had audio of ian and aaron singing this song while playing. it was beautiful.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gj576GLI/AAAAAAAAGbM/MLtidE9-O38/s1600/381.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94Gj576GLI/AAAAAAAAGbM/MLtidE9-O38/s400/381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814211591641266" border="0" /></a>jasmine's giggling sidekicks: shamar, dakar, and sheba.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GgEKlfmI/AAAAAAAAGbE/YIjnts6cSmQ/s1600/365.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GgEKlfmI/AAAAAAAAGbE/YIjnts6cSmQ/s400/365.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814145618083426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">let's sell your mother!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GYDl7v9I/AAAAAAAAGa8/Y7_mlt1O8uM/s1600/485.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GYDl7v9I/AAAAAAAAGa8/Y7_mlt1O8uM/s400/485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466814008025399250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">live wisely, love life, and listen to your heart ...</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GTQRQRCI/AAAAAAAAGa0/iA0BDmrO5z4/s1600/536.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GTQRQRCI/AAAAAAAAGa0/iA0BDmrO5z4/s400/536.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813925528978466" border="0" /></a>now, unlike the disney version of aladdin, wherein the protagonist achieves victory through some boring snakefight, this aladdin and his friends win through cunning wit.<br />and through dressing up as harem girls.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G_xE8Ck_I/AAAAAAAAGgE/rlv3qmHTP4U/s1600/311.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G_xE8Ck_I/AAAAAAAAGgE/rlv3qmHTP4U/s400/311.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467862272464557042" border="0" /></a>truly one of the highlights of the show ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G_iqgVolI/AAAAAAAAGf8/dZi08FyuFSs/s1600/558.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S-G_iqgVolI/AAAAAAAAGf8/dZi08FyuFSs/s400/558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467862024850874962" border="0" /></a>ya know, if your name was "pepper" ... <span style="font-style: italic;">you'd be sultan pepper!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GN-Z3I-I/AAAAAAAAGas/UaVXWTh-r3A/s1600/606.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GN-Z3I-I/AAAAAAAAGas/UaVXWTh-r3A/s400/606.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813834833896418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">prepare to die, aladdin!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GJhy183I/AAAAAAAAGak/xCQI0OP-6Mw/s1600/618.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GJhy183I/AAAAAAAAGak/xCQI0OP-6Mw/s400/618.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813758434571122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">free at last! free at last!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GF0j3qwI/AAAAAAAAGac/IVWSjjY_xt8/s1600/623.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GF0j3qwI/AAAAAAAAGac/IVWSjjY_xt8/s400/623.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813694752566018" border="0" /></a>stage kiss success! ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GAzK8DVI/AAAAAAAAGaU/_6O5s_fBf5U/s1600/653a.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94GAzK8DVI/AAAAAAAAGaU/_6O5s_fBf5U/s400/653a.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813608480214354" border="0" /></a>the cast and crew in agribah ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94FxqgrgWI/AAAAAAAAGaM/t8dLuh1yq2Y/s1600/060+%282%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94FxqgrgWI/AAAAAAAAGaM/t8dLuh1yq2Y/s400/060+%282%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466813348457447778" border="0" /></a>and another show under our belts and lodged in our memories.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94FazMz8FI/AAAAAAAAGaE/7NPDEIJRphk/s1600/696.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S94FazMz8FI/AAAAAAAAGaE/7NPDEIJRphk/s400/696.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466812955653042258" border="0" /></a>now if i can just get the songs out of my head ...lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-34380038658511521522010-04-28T11:44:00.000-07:002010-04-28T14:09:10.869-07:00pretty pictures of a pretty girli've thought recently of discontinuing my photography business. i've had a few discouraging experiences, and a couple months ago decided that i'm just not good at giving people the photos that they want. as i thought and prayed about what to do with my photography, affirmation started pouring in from everywhere! orders and requests came in from sessions over a year ago. a friend who i gave my business card to a year ago called me to let me know she had only just gone to my site and loved my work. i had several positive session experiences. friends to whom i voiced my doubts invariably admonished me not to quit on portrait photography.<br /><br />it's encouraging to see God's direction given so clearly through others, and i'm approaching my business with a new excitement, affirmation, and confidence. i'm reworking my website and marketing approach, and hope to have a lovely, photography-filled summer!<br /><br />bekah needed a couple individual senior pictures for her college graduation, so we snagged 15min last week at a pretty park, resplendent with goldenrod.<br /><br />doesn't she look like a flower fairy? ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S9iCX0MGiLI/AAAAAAAAGZc/VZMqrnYlqXk/s1600/bekah+114+print+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S9iCX0MGiLI/AAAAAAAAGZc/VZMqrnYlqXk/s400/bekah+114+print+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465261493472102578" border="0" /></a>these pictures were actually really difficult for me. i'm not exactly a photoshop expert, and i had the hardest time achieving a vibrant color balance that didn't turn her skin too pink or her hair green. so i look on these simple, unremarkable (except for the subject) compositions with a disproportionate sense of accomplishment.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S9iCPqzpZ1I/AAAAAAAAGZU/Awsvkx_QY0w/s1600/bekah+011+print+ready+crop.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S9iCLbDgAII/AAAAAAAAGZM/C8K0xenq_BU/s1600/bekah+065+print+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S9iCLbDgAII/AAAAAAAAGZM/C8K0xenq_BU/s400/bekah+065+print+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465261280566706306" border="0" /></a><br />in other news, i'm having nightmares about may.<br />it's starting to look like our move to a new house, installing renters, my year-end piano studio recital, and cyt's seussical (which joel is tech chair for) may coincide in a 2 week amalgam of insanity.<br />i better start packing.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-32037663450561835892010-04-21T13:59:00.000-07:002010-04-21T14:14:36.622-07:00the little house on cascade courtthey accepted our offer! yay!<br /><br />i fell in love with this little house the first time we looked at it. it was built in 1963, and i don't think a thing has changed since then! wood paneling, old yellow carpet, pink bathroom, even an antique stove!<br /><br />we had about a week of haggling over the offers. yesterday they declined, only to call back later in the day to reconsider - apparently one of the elderly sisters who grew up in the home liked the idea of piano lessons in their family's home. so i'd like to think my piano teacher status got us accepted. :)<br /><br />i hadn't allowed myself to go through the photos i took until today. this house has so many cute uniquenesses - here's a few of them.<br /><br />circle stairway with yellow covered window...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nh6HU0YI/AAAAAAAAGZE/tbB1yIhmSQI/s1600/house+003+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nh6HU0YI/AAAAAAAAGZE/tbB1yIhmSQI/s400/house+003+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462698705257025922" border="0" /></a>the view from the upstairs living room ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nhtBOFcI/AAAAAAAAGY8/vR9wVNICP1M/s1600/house+008+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nhtBOFcI/AAAAAAAAGY8/vR9wVNICP1M/s400/house+008+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462698701741757890" border="0" /></a>the downstairs family room - or party room!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nhTjPYLI/AAAAAAAAGY0/qdBlR119M_o/s1600/house+024+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nhTjPYLI/AAAAAAAAGY0/qdBlR119M_o/s400/house+024+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462698694905127090" border="0" /></a>tile in the downstairs pink bathroom ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nWzfojyI/AAAAAAAAGYs/IhdVo4O0xN4/s1600/house+027+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nWzfojyI/AAAAAAAAGYs/IhdVo4O0xN4/s400/house+027+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462698514501373730" border="0" /></a>just a few of the lovely, overgrown, old fashioned trees in the backyard ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nTFzhf4I/AAAAAAAAGYk/kNgvaMVnoPM/s1600/house+046+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S89nTFzhf4I/AAAAAAAAGYk/kNgvaMVnoPM/s400/house+046+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462698450697158530" border="0" /></a>hey, we might be moving! :)lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-50614836234788551432010-04-13T15:01:00.000-07:002010-04-13T15:31:30.303-07:00random update blog from a cold, empty office occupied by funnelweb spiders... a class of spider that includes <span class="SpellE">tegenaria</span> <span class="SpellE">agrestis, also known as the hobo spider. the highly poisonous bite of this spider is usually mistaken for the bite of the brown recluse (which does not live in the pacific nw). not that i'm worried or anything.<br /></span><br /><span class="SpellE">anyway, on to the random update.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">point one:</span><br />joel was accepted into walla walla and linfield schools of nursing, and chose linfield (not least because they offered him a $12,000 scholarship for hosting y chromosomes). the program starts the last week of june, and before then he </span><span class="SpellE">needs to be re-certified in cpr, get shot with every vaccine known to humanity, and buy scrubs.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">point two:</span><br />we are teaching a class through christian youth theater on tuesday evenings. i think this was our way of easing out of music directing without g</span><span class="SpellE">iving up cyt altogether. the class is on auditions and callbacks, which gives us a great excuse to talk about life skills like interviewing, professionalism, dealing with disappointment, selflessness ... good stuff.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">point three:</span><br />i've acquired several new students recently, and lost a co</span><span class="SpellE">uple adults to schedule issues. so at this point, i have 7 </span><span class="SpellE">students of all ages, all girls. there is a lot of pink in my </span><span class="SpellE">studio. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">point four:</span><br />tomorrow we will make an offer on a house. and no, we have not sold our current house. we do not intend to sell our current house. we've been seriously researching and praying about the possibility of owning several properties and renting out for quite a while, and doors have been flying open as we've started down this road. we both love hospitality and this seemed like a natural way to extend that passion - providing homes for people, developing relationships ... it's all very exciting.<br /></span><br /><span class="SpellE"><span style="font-style: italic;">point five:<br /></span>i am just 2 short inches away from being able to do a perfect split. i am stoked about this.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">point six:<br /></span></span>after battling semi-functioning used lawnmowers for far too</span><span class="SpellE"> long, i bought a reel (manual) mower. i love it! it's not quite as precise as a normal lawnmower but i don't care - it's so nice to be out in my yard without the noise and gas fumes. the smell of freshly cut grass, uncorrupted by machine smells, is intoxicating. the only downside is having to actually look at the sad, accusing faces of dandelions as i decapitate them. :'(</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S8TvDujvgxI/AAAAAAAAGYc/S3_MIb-1xfo/s1600/hobospider.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 375px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S8TvDujvgxI/AAAAAAAAGYc/S3_MIb-1xfo/s400/hobospider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459751495596475154" border="0" /></a>this, by the way, is a hobo spider. i'm leaving this office now.<span class="SpellE"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span>lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-54543401480444584672010-04-08T13:46:00.000-07:002010-04-08T13:51:05.848-07:00a podcast-influenced flowery investment strategya few days ago joel and i were killing a late, post-teaching night away at red robin in gresham. i indulged in the first strawberry lemonade i've had in months ... heaven.<br /><br />so anyway, we were sitting in our little booth, talking about interesting podcasts we've listened to recently. joel's a podcast king, downing 3 or more per day during his long commute. his favorites tend to differ from mine. he listens to "planet money" on economics; i listen to "rathole radio" indie music picks.<br /><br />he told me a fairly simple and amusing story about how the federal reserve came to possess a mall in oklahoma through lots of extremely confusing and seemingly pointless processes involving "mortgage backed securities" and "credit default swaps" ... which are very humorous when one starts to learn about them. not being an economics buff myself, i certainly can't explain them, but joel can, and i got the 10 minute definition of each.<br /><br />somehow, in the course of this conversation, we stumbled upon the subject of economic "bubbles." the housing bubble a few years ago, the dot com bubble of the '90s ... and the tulip bulb bubble of the 17th century.<br /><br />yes, that is exactly what you think it is. also known as "tulip mania," the tulip bulb bubble happened in holland in the 1600's. it was very similar to the investment bubbles of today - somehow, tulips increased in value to the point that, in 1637, a tulip contract would sell for 10 times the average skilled tradesman's yearly wage. and what's a tulip contract? a tulip contract wasn't even a tulip bulb - it was the right to own a tulip bulb when it became available ... for $300,000.<br /><br />so, we decided on a new investment strategy. it involves digging up my planters, building a time machine, making a killing off the 17th century dutch, a brief pit stop in the early 20th century to take advantage off the minor hyacinth bubble during that time period, and voila!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S737qBCd2wI/AAAAAAAAGYU/Z6Dj0xtMBiw/s1600/blog1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S737qBCd2wI/AAAAAAAAGYU/Z6Dj0xtMBiw/s400/blog1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457795022694767362" border="0" /></a>in other podcast-informed news, i have an update on <a href="http://lani-lulu.blogspot.com/2009/05/fighting-genetic-capitalism-with-aclu.html" target="_blank">this post on the aclu vs. myriad genetics lawsuit</a>. the aclu has won the case, which means that (as of now) they no longer hold the patent on the BRAC gene. this information has huge implications for testing and research and is a great step forward in the pursuit to understand and deal with the effects of the BRAC gene, which is, obviously, something i have a <a href="http://lani-lulu.blogspot.com/2009/05/genetic-mutant-ninja-me.html" target="_blank">vested interest in</a>.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-53826844065823236482010-04-06T11:17:00.000-07:002010-04-06T13:24:16.130-07:00lotr party #1: fellowship of the ringsome have been asking, wide-eyed, how we managed to cram 21 people into our living room to watch the fellowship of the ring on saturday.<br />this pic doesn't show everybody, but does give some idea of the setup. (please pardon the icky-nastiness iso 1600 in these pics.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t70QGvw3I/AAAAAAAAGYM/wSWSIahXn_w/s1600/cyt+005+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t70QGvw3I/AAAAAAAAGYM/wSWSIahXn_w/s400/cyt+005+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457091511096165234" border="0" /></a>(there are 4 boys behind josh on that couch.)<br /><br />of course, it helped that during breaks we would overflow into the kitchen and make yummy things like homemade hot chocolate and brownies...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7xezKC0I/AAAAAAAAGYE/trzVk3Sc-pc/s1600/cyt+007+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7xezKC0I/AAAAAAAAGYE/trzVk3Sc-pc/s400/cyt+007+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457091463500925762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7roxnYDI/AAAAAAAAGX0/uMpcdQHHn2E/s1600/cyt+018+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7roxnYDI/AAAAAAAAGX0/uMpcdQHHn2E/s400/cyt+018+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457091363099598898" border="0" /></a>i'm pretty sure that the subjects of this photo are most of the reason that joel had to make an emergency pop run halfway through.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7uoWLYbI/AAAAAAAAGX8/vV11AmUPKO0/s1600/cyt+016+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7uoWLYbI/AAAAAAAAGX8/vV11AmUPKO0/s400/cyt+016+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457091414524125618" border="0" /></a>we'd like to think of the party as an educational event - lindsey whipped cream for the first time. :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7pG-NzAI/AAAAAAAAGXs/LqBiy61wFPI/s1600/cyt+022+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t7pG-NzAI/AAAAAAAAGXs/LqBiy61wFPI/s400/cyt+022+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457091319665904642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t6xDGMt3I/AAAAAAAAGXk/9UZuQZGxlpc/s1600/cyt+025+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7t6xDGMt3I/AAAAAAAAGXk/9UZuQZGxlpc/s400/cyt+025+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457090356552972146" border="0" /></a>i love having a house full of people. i love the energy and warmth it instills in our little home; i love how a little creative hospitality can blossom into happy memories, peace, and communicate love. a friend recently gave me one of the most wonderful compliments i've ever received - she said, "it feels safe here." what higher aspiration can a home (or homemaker) have?<br /><br />we're having two more lotr parties for cyt-ers (gotta finish the series) and i can't wait!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-88175493911592696102010-04-05T19:16:00.000-07:002010-04-05T19:34:21.844-07:00our weekend: the math geek version<span style="font-weight: bold;">saturday:</span><br />12 liters of pop<br />430 square inches of brownie<br />6 bags of chips<br />5 bags of popcorn<br />15 cups of hot chocolate<br />16 thirteen-eighteen year olds<br />1 ten year old<br />4 adults<br />1 lotr fellowship of the ring extended edition<br />5 boys crammed onto the couch<br />10 seconds that the movie ended after the projected finish time of 5:30<br />2 very tired hosts<br />1 worship powerpoint to create<br />12:30 am before it was completed<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">sunday<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>5 am alarm<br />1 forgotten ham, remembered and chopped by joel at the last minute<br />6:30 am arrival time at shepherd's door shelter<br />108 chicken eggs<br />50 jello eggs<br />1 batch of pancakes cooked without oil on the griddle<br />5,000,000 pieces of fruit chopped by the author of this blog<br />20 women (approx.)<br />20 volunteers (approx.)<br />60 minutes of worship team practice<br />15 minutes of prayer time<br />1 will ferrell video clip<br />15 verses compiled for a worship verse reading<br />7 great worship songs<br />4 fortunes read at chang's by chip, bekah, lani, and joel<br />1 wrong turn<br />11 people at the farquhar's for dinner<br />50 percent of julie and julia watched before<br />2 tired people fell into bed.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-78851603095509664782010-04-01T11:21:00.000-07:002010-04-01T11:24:28.138-07:00i can take a lot of picture in 24 hours.cannon beach, oregon. 2010 spring break trip. :)<br /><br />as usual, we were at the beach for about 24 hours, taking advantage of free lodging in the cottage that my parents use when my dad teaches at ecola bible school.<br /><br />we expected it to rain the whole day; instead, we enjoyed beautiful sunshine and mild temperatures!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FT7R0Q8NI/AAAAAAAAGXQ/o4lNqGlgdQ0/s1600/cannon+beach+10+157+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FT7R0Q8NI/AAAAAAAAGXQ/o4lNqGlgdQ0/s400/cannon+beach+10+157+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232901582385362" border="0" /></a>joel has been bugging me to try <a href="http://www.geocaching.com/" target="_blank">geocaching</a> with him for a while, so on friday we found a local geocache and set out on a nerdy adventure!<br />WARNING: i am posting photo documentation of this adventure, so if you ever plan to do the geocache at ecola state park, stop reading.<br /><br />it took a while for joel to get the program working on his phone, but eventually we set out ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FT3kswdII/AAAAAAAAGXI/IiDaAD-ZZT4/s1600/cannon+beach+10+180+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FT3kswdII/AAAAAAAAGXI/IiDaAD-ZZT4/s400/cannon+beach+10+180+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232837931693186" border="0" /></a>first stop ... it took us a while to realize that we had to solve a code to get our next set of coordinates from this sign. i took many pictures of the sign, and i'm not really sure why.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTzXE_SKI/AAAAAAAAGXA/ARFMhRD_H8o/s1600/cannon+beach+10+198+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTzXE_SKI/AAAAAAAAGXA/ARFMhRD_H8o/s400/cannon+beach+10+198+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232765555755170" border="0" /></a>back in the car, coordinates inputted. we almost drove out of the park before realizing that our destination was a 50 yard walk from the animal sign.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTwfBDftI/AAAAAAAAGW4/hn9LruM-5zg/s1600/cannon+beach+10+216+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTwfBDftI/AAAAAAAAGW4/hn9LruM-5zg/s400/cannon+beach+10+216+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232716147130066" border="0" /></a>second stop ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTsVFfkhI/AAAAAAAAGWw/IRvLSgDbGGk/s1600/cannon+beach+10+222+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTsVFfkhI/AAAAAAAAGWw/IRvLSgDbGGk/s400/cannon+beach+10+222+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232644761915922" border="0" /></a>we were delayed in accessing the information on this plaque by a lingering pair of ladies who seemed to have nothing better to do than look at this view.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FToq80IWI/AAAAAAAAGWo/pEJLW-6zldY/s1600/cannon+beach+10+217+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FToq80IWI/AAAAAAAAGWo/pEJLW-6zldY/s400/cannon+beach+10+217+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232581911617890" border="0" /></a>we dodged the whale watchers and patiently drank in the beauty for a couple minutes before my impatience took over and i edged in to collect the second set of coordinates.<br /><br />this is where things broke down a bit. we hiked into the ecola state park forest for our final destination, but hit a snag: a creek with little cliffs on either side.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTjDpXe7I/AAAAAAAAGWg/DhKQMYLnrtY/s1600/cannon+beach+10+227+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTjDpXe7I/AAAAAAAAGWg/DhKQMYLnrtY/s400/cannon+beach+10+227+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232485461719986" border="0" /></a>backtracking, we resumed our hunt. as the meters ticked down on joel's phone, we encountered a herd of elk in our way. and elk droppings.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTeVCAz4I/AAAAAAAAGWY/oosCccdjWrs/s1600/cannon+beach+10+234+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTeVCAz4I/AAAAAAAAGWY/oosCccdjWrs/s400/cannon+beach+10+234+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232404229148546" border="0" /></a>our dilemma: they stood directly between us and our goal.<br /><br />we tried to circle the elk, making lots of noise. they didn't want to move much, but obligingly backed a little way into the forest.<br /><br />we pressed on, repeating the clue for our destination - simon&garfunkel's "bridge over troubled water". joel spotted a small log crossing a boggy creek, and trotted over to it, singing. he stepped confidently on the small bridge, which promptly broke and deposited him in 4 inches of muck. clue fail.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTZdRxQlI/AAAAAAAAGWQ/7om-uib66wY/s1600/cannon+beach+10+235+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTZdRxQlI/AAAAAAAAGWQ/7om-uib66wY/s400/cannon+beach+10+235+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232320543375954" border="0" /></a>we crossed the boggy creek without further incident, and, having driven the elk herd away, were within 25 meters of our goal. excited to reach our first geocache, we bounded over the last hill and were treated to this view ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTVI5rCPI/AAAAAAAAGWI/dkJWI4qlTfM/s1600/cannon+beach+10+249+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTVI5rCPI/AAAAAAAAGWI/dkJWI4qlTfM/s400/cannon+beach+10+249+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232246354118898" border="0" /></a>our geocache, guarded by no less than 6 huge, wary elk (probably irritated from being driven so far already).<br /><br />i suppose technically our first attempt was a failure, if you call the thrill of observing a herd of wild elk from less than fifty feet a failure. we will definitely be geocaching more, but next time maybe we'll bring weapons.<br /><br />the rest of the day was slightly less eventful. we had lunch at a cute new cafe in cannon beach with mom, who had had a very painful abscessed tooth and would not appreciate me posting pictures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTQpouKZI/AAAAAAAAGWA/OJ8uIxqRTOY/s1600/cannon+beach+10+254+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTQpouKZI/AAAAAAAAGWA/OJ8uIxqRTOY/s400/cannon+beach+10+254+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232169242044818" border="0" /></a>a yarn shop in cannon beach ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTNAaDcBI/AAAAAAAAGV4/jZ9pHbKIZbA/s1600/cannon+beach+10+265+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTNAaDcBI/AAAAAAAAGV4/jZ9pHbKIZbA/s400/cannon+beach+10+265+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232106635063314" border="0" /></a>a fun bead shop that made me want to take up beading ...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTJMrP_DI/AAAAAAAAGVw/YexBVBZNSTg/s1600/cannon+beach+10+282+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTJMrP_DI/AAAAAAAAGVw/YexBVBZNSTg/s400/cannon+beach+10+282+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454232041208937522" border="0" /></a>and a visit to hug point, where mom took these pictures of us.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTEMYlLqI/AAAAAAAAGVo/I7a55zg3FFI/s1600/cannon+beach+10+285+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FTEMYlLqI/AAAAAAAAGVo/I7a55zg3FFI/s400/cannon+beach+10+285+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231955231288994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS_w0en3I/AAAAAAAAGVg/DUUNOIrFgP0/s1600/cannon+beach+10+289+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS_w0en3I/AAAAAAAAGVg/DUUNOIrFgP0/s400/cannon+beach+10+289+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231879112630130" border="0" /></a>we hardly ever have pictures of both of us, so it's super fun to get some nice ones!<br /><br />the sun was warm, the breeze soft, and the tide low. we made our way up the beach toward the old highway, me with my camera, mom frolicking in the waves, and joel and pop calculating how to navigate the points without getting their shoes wet.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS8HraPgI/AAAAAAAAGVY/IecCVCtFuTY/s1600/cannon+beach+10+293+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS8HraPgI/AAAAAAAAGVY/IecCVCtFuTY/s400/cannon+beach+10+293+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231816529133058" border="0" /></a>i spent some quality time with my beloved seagulls. :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS3Vje0UI/AAAAAAAAGVQ/3wQsh-4XU1w/s1600/cannon+beach+10+311+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FS3Vje0UI/AAAAAAAAGVQ/3wQsh-4XU1w/s400/cannon+beach+10+311+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231734354628930" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FSziKHHrI/AAAAAAAAGVI/DvQAiOf1vRU/s1600/cannon+beach+10+333+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FSziKHHrI/AAAAAAAAGVI/DvQAiOf1vRU/s400/cannon+beach+10+333+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231669018402482" border="0" /></a>coming back from the highway, i was wet to my waist, mom past her knees, joel to his ankles, and pop not at all. at least, not until his miscalculation stranded him on a rock with one foot in the ocean. heh heh.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FSwZuw9II/AAAAAAAAGVA/wj9PCpt-q_w/s1600/cannon+beach+10+346+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S7FSwZuw9II/AAAAAAAAGVA/wj9PCpt-q_w/s400/cannon+beach+10+346+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454231615216612482" border="0" /></a>beach trip success.lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8240182516080999222.post-39772494766039026532010-03-25T07:49:00.000-07:002010-03-25T08:07:00.953-07:00cool beanslife is just so <span style="font-style: italic;">cool</span> lately!<br />so much awesome stuff is happening; i think i spend most of my days wandering around with a silly smile, musing and bumping into things.<br /><br />number 1 cool thing (in no particular order):<br />yesterday, i found a much anticipated letter in our mailbox. having promised not to open any letter addressed to joel from a nursing school admissions department, i called him and begged him to come home early. i spent the longest hour of my life trying to find a way to read the contents of the letter without actually opening it. holding it up to the window didn't work, flattening the envelop didn't work, enticing the cat to "accidentally" rip it open didn't work ... i stopped short of steaming it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">finally</span>, after 60 minutes of eternity, joel got home and opened his letter and it said, "congratulations! ..."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">we're going to nursing school!!!</span> <br /><br />moving on ... number 2 cool thing:<br />last wednesday this person-<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S6t4Ifb3wEI/AAAAAAAAGUw/E-fF9cxrRJU/s1600/015+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S6t4Ifb3wEI/AAAAAAAAGUw/E-fF9cxrRJU/s400/015+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452583861134803010" border="0" /></a>asked this person-<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S6t4v8G7MhI/AAAAAAAAGU4/OrCLgrQpaSg/s1600/021+web+ready.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4u6QbEKqHPg/S6t4v8G7MhI/AAAAAAAAGU4/OrCLgrQpaSg/s400/021+web+ready.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452584538846474770" border="0" /></a>a very important question (the answer of which most of their family, friends, and the pdx area have known for several years).<br /><br />they're getting married july 24. i always wanted a sister, and chip sure picked a good one! i'll have to remember to thank him...<br />he even remembered that i wanted a <span style="font-style: italic;">little</span> sister! what a good brother!lanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18393881631827827588noreply@blogger.com4