Lindsay Wasik

Happy Birthday Dawson!

2009-07-05T21:11:00.007-04:00

Dawson is 8 years old today!!! My goodness, time goes fast. I'm so lucky to have such an incredible little boy. He is smart, silly, funny, clever, thoughtful and loving. I couldn't ask for a better son. Each year I make a video/slideshow using pictures from his previous birthday up to the present. This is the video for this year's birthday.

Dawson's Letters

2009-05-04T17:38:00.004-04:00

This is the first of many letters, signs and other silly things my son makes. He is absolutely hysterical. Whenever he is upset, he uses letters or signs to help express himself. I find them adorable. Since I have a ton of them to share, I'll randomly post them in the future.

This letter was given to me after he refused to eat his supper. I had made chicken and noodles on a Monday. He loved them. Had 2 big bowls full. Then the next day, he absolutely hated them. Same food, different day. So he went to his room, shut his door and pretty soon this little letter (and picture) was nicely delivered to me.

Honeymoon Highlights

2009-04-14T18:35:00.007-04:00

We just got home (well, a couple of days ago) from the best honeymoon ever. It was relaxing, fun, silly and romantic. Here are some highlights:

Friday and Saturday: We drove down. I hate Georgia. The state should be plowed over. The traffic there was awful. My favorite was the lane closings for no apparent reason. Well planning, Georgia. Besides that, the drive was great! Our Florida home for the week was at the Star Island resort. We had a one bedroom condo (thanks Dad!). It was great.

Sunday: We traveled to Ybor (near Tampa) to go to church at Relevant (love that church). Afterwards we ate at a little french crepe place. Funny story...Aaron ordered a crepe that had rum and bananas (the rum, of course, was suppose to have the alcohol burned out). The guy making it had a bad lighter. After several attempts at lighting the rum, he gave up and served it to Aaron as is, alcohol and all. We watched the whole thing (the guy had no idea we saw this). Good thing I was driving. Haha. After lunch, we drove to the beach to walk around, pick up shells and enjoy the weather. That night we headed back to Orlando to eat at Boma, an African buffet inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Disney.

Monday: We drove to Cocoa Beach to spend the day. The wind was so bad that the sand literally hurt us while attempting to lay out. It was like a full body microdermabrasion treatment. We decided to walk the beach instead. In 15 minutes, our blanket was 70% covered in sand. We swam a little and jumped waves. At night, we had dinner at California Grill. It is supposed to be the most romantic restaurant in Disney. I would have to agree. It is located on top of the Contemporary Resort which means you get a great view of the Magic Kingdom. We had reservations right at the fireworks time so we sat at our table as they piped in the Wishes music and watched the show. Amazing.

Tuesday: It was a lot cooler that day so we took it easy. We walked around Downtown Disney, had lunch at Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club and then took a nice long nap. For dinner, we ate at a place I've never been to (shocking, I know!) It was a sushi place called Kimonos located inside the Swan Resort in Disney. The food was awesome.... well...except for the shrimp that still had it's eyeballs. Aaron ate his. I did not. (That's just nasty. And I believe I accidentally launched my shrimp eyeballs across the table.) But they did surprise us with free champagne (since we were on our honeymoon). Nice!

Wednesday: Surprise Dawson day! Dawson had no clue we were in Orlando. He was there with my awesome mom...spending his spring break doing something fun while we were away (thanks Mom!) So we planned to surprise him at the Magic Kingdom. We arrived first and stood at the front of Main Street. He came into view with my mom and had the most shocked look on his face. Did a double take and then I watched him mouth "Mom? MOM? MOMMY?" He ran as fast as he could and jumped into my arms. There is nothing better than moments like that. We spent the day with him and my mom. It was an awesome day.

Thursday: Aaron and I spent the day in Epoct. Went on rides, ate a lot of food (Le Cellier, the best restaurant in Epcot), walked around the countries, etc. I tortured him with pictures of stupid hats. Then we met up with my mom and Dawson to watch the fireworks.

Friday: Do nothing day! We slept in, ate breakfast at Fort Wilderness, went to the outlet malls, hung out by the pool, took a nap, etc. Then to finish up the night, we ate at Spoodles. It is a Mediterranean style restaurant at the Boardwalk resort. I've never been there before and I was extremely pleased. Food was awesome and the atmosphere was great!

Saturday: Packed up and went to Kona Cafe at the Polynesian to indulge in one last fantastic breakfast. They surprised us at the end with a free pastry plate since we were...as you can probably guess...honeymooners. Then we hotel hopped for a bit and got on the road. Georgia, like the way down, took forever. (Have I mentioned I dislike that state?) We ended up at the same hotel we stayed on the way down and get this...the same exact room. How weird!

Sunday: We arrived home around 6ish. To our surprise, Aaron's family had a bunch of Easter goodies waiting for us (snacks, desserts, turkey) and an Easter basket for Dawson. It was the perfect thing to munch on while unpacking! They are so sweet!

It was an amazing trip. Disney is a great place to go for a honeymoon. We got a lot of special treatment due to our "Just Married" buttons not to mention a bunch of freebies. It was actually fun to enjoy the world outside the parks for the week as well as the beaches. It was a perfect honeymoon. I feel so lucky to have married the most incredible guy in the entire world. :)

Here are pictures!

Honeymoon

Funny Videos

2009-02-14T13:55:00.004-05:00

The sky is falling!!! [Actually, I feel quite bad for her...that HAD to hurt!]

The worst Best Man ever... (and why you have to be careful where you get married)

Why throwing knives is not the best idea in the world...

Battle: redskin potatoes

2009-02-14T07:41:00.006-05:00

I am a big fan of cooking. I'm not a chef by any means, but I love food and I love to eat. The best news is that I am not the only one in my family that loves cooking. Aaron is truly gifted in the kitchen--not only in his culinary creations but in the fine art of food presentation (like I said, I'm a lucky girl). I am more of a "mom chef" in which I excel in all the comfort foods: chicken and noodles, spaghetti, meatloaf and baking. Aaron excels in, let's be honest...everything, but he shines when he creates his own recipes and makes complex dinners that have ingredients I've never even heard of. My palate has been significantly fine tuned since I met him and I am finding I like certain foods that before, I hated (but no worries, he still has not won me over with fruit. I am still firmly a fruit-free person. He can't perform miracles.)

All of that to say, the kitchen is usually a pretty exciting place in the apartment. Since we love food, we also love the Food Network and watch it a lot. Dawson even is starting to love cooking shows and has asked to make his own recipes. One of our favorite shows is Iron Chef. If you haven't watched it, here's a quick overview: one of the Iron Chefs goes against a "guest" chef in an hour long competition to create five delicious and unique dishes all centered around a secret ingredient. This ingredient is revealed at the beginning of the show and the chefs have to begin work immediately. They are judged on taste, originality and presentation.

Aaron and I decided to create our own version of Iron Chef. I would pick the secret ingredient and he would create a menu using at least three different dishes utilizing that ingredient. It is fun and challenging and it makes us try new things. Aaron is the culinary genius behind what gets made and how it gets prepared...I just assist with whatever he needs (sometimes that's just sitting back and having a glass of wine while he works. Awesome job huh!) Every battle I'll post pictures and let you know how it turns out.

Last week, it was Battle Redskin Potatoes:

Course 1: Warm redskin potato salad [redskin potatoes with mayo, garlic, egg, onion, celery and a hint of hot sauce served in a bed of romaine lettuce]

Course 2: Twice cooked pork chops [with a lemon/herb peri-peri sauce] with asparagus and stuffed redskin potatoes [potatoes were baked and then Aaron cut a chunk out of the middle and filled it with a mixture of asiago cheese, goat cheese, garlic and mayo and then baked them until the cheese was gooey and delicious. Best potatoes I have ever had in my entire life. Amazing]

Course 3: Fried redskin potatoes dipped in chocolate with vanilla ice cream and chocolate drizzle [Aaron cut the potatoes into thin slices and then fried them. Afterwards, we dipped them in chocolate and put them into fridge to cool]. Who knew you could have potatoes for dessert?!?

Next battle: Chocolate!!! [perfect for Valentine's Day]

Fifty People, One Question

2009-01-29T16:22:00.001-05:00

What would your answer be?

Smile...

2009-01-29T13:59:00.004-05:00

I've been listening to a lot of music lately. This song has helped me a lot.

Smile

Smile though your heart is aching,

Smile even though it's breaking,

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by,

If you smile

through your fear and sorrow,

Smile and maybe tomorrow,

You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness,

Hide every trace of sadness,

Although a tear may be ever so near,

That's the time,

You must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying,

You'll find that life is still worth-while,

If you just smile...

It is a good song to listen to. It helps me to keep things in perspective. And the great news, I haven't lost my weird and random sense of humor. I refuse to let my blog become a pity party for myself so over the next days/weeks/months, I am going to focus on good things. Things that make me...well...smile!

This is my now

2009-01-26T14:54:00.003-05:00

Today, I lost my job. A job I loved more than anything. I always described it as the job of my dreams. And now, it is gone. The last five days were agony....the waiting made it the most stressful five days I've experienced. They were painful. But it is over. And right now I feel like I'm standing still, desperately trying to make sense of my new reality while everyone else moves forward. But I won't stay still for long.

I have had a wide range of emotion today. From denial and anger to the deepest pain I've ever felt. It feels personal...even though I know it is not. It feels like I'm now on the outside looking in...even though I know I am not. It feels like I've been abandoned...even though I know that is not true. Feelings and reality conflict sometimes. But one thing I've learned in life is to make sure I focus on what is real and true and good. And I am doing just that.

I let myself ask the question "why" this morning...and after about an hour of this, I realized, I wasn't going to get the answer (unless I started to hear voices telling me why and let's face it...THAT would be a bigger problem than just losing a job). I'm done asking why. Instead, I am choosing to focus on what is next.

Through all of this, I've never for a second doubted God or His plan for my life. He's taken me on a wild ride so far but I know that each situation I've faced, each hardship I've dealt with...I've come out on the other side being better, stronger and closer to Him. Right now is no different.

I'm not going to be angry (or try not to... let's face it, I am indeed human), I refuse to be bitter and I refuse to lose hope. I have so many wonderful things in my life and I'm proud of what I have done and how far I've come.

So what's next for me? Well, I am still going to marry the most incredible man in the entire world. I am going to be the absolute best Mom I can be for Dawson. And I'm going to take some time to breathe. I don't think I've done that in a while. Maybe this is God's way of forcing me to rest....he knows I can be stubborn and not do it on my own. :)

Thank you to all my family and friends who have shown me love and support today. Keep the prayers coming. The hurt isn't gone yet...but I know that it is only a temporary emotion and that soon enough, I'll have successfully picked myself back up, dusted myself off and will be able to look back and smile. God always has a plan. I know that now more than anything.

God is still good.

Quote

2009-01-22T13:01:00.003-05:00

We watched Facing the Giants this past weekend. This is a quote from the head coach talking to his football team:
"I want God to bless this team so much people will talk about what He did. But it means we gotta give Him our best in every area. And if we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him. Either way we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes. So I'm askin' you... What are you living for? I resolve to give God everything I've got, then I'll leave the results up to Him. I want to know if you'll join me. "

Announcement

2009-01-14T09:47:00.001-05:00

The photobook from...

2009-01-09T12:00:00.008-05:00

For Christmas, I made my mom a photobook filled with pictures and letters from her family and friends about how much they/we care about her:

Time spent making the photobook: 20 hours
Money spent on photobook: $31.00
Days past their guarenteed delivery date: 17 days
Mom's reaction while reading the book: Priceless...

I take that back, although the impact was great and exactly what I was hoping for....the experience was not really priceless....not at all in fact. The whole situation came close to driving me into complete and utter insanity.

The word obsession comes to mind. I was obsessed with getting this photobook. It was a daily struggle to not go off the deep end. The "deep breathing" calming exercises only lasted until Christmas. And then came the crazy eyes, nervous tick and exasperation.

Shall I recap my experience with Snapfish? [PS: You should not order photobooks from Snapfish...the only "snappy" part of them isn't the speed of service but the unfriendly customer service].

Once upon a time in December, I came across Snapfish. On their homepage, they had a link that showed the "Holiday" order and shipping guide. This is where you went to see the deadlines on when you could order different products in order to get them in time for Christmas. I saw that the deadline for photobooks was the following:
*December 17 with normal 3-5 day shipping
*December 19 with 2 day shipping

Now that you know the "facts"....here is what happened:

Wednesday, December 17: Ordered photobook and paid extra for 2 day shipping...just to make certain I would get it in time.
Monday, December 22: Noticed the book wasn't shipped yet. Needed it shipped on that day in order to get it in time for Christmas. Called Snapfish...told the guy my concern and asked to upgrade shipping. He said not to worry about that...the book would definitely be there in time for Christmas...with the 2 day shipping. No worries at all.
Tuesday, December 23: Book not shipped yet. Emailed Snapfish with my concern and again offered to pay the extra for overnight shipping. No answer. Found a direct email to someone at Snapfish (from a complaint forum about Snapfish). She told me that the book would be shipped according to the normal processing/shipping days as listed in their FAQs. Please note that the FAQs time frame is not the same as what they advertised as their Holiday shipping guide. Fantastic. Finally, late in the evening, the book ships. Whew.
Wednesday, December 24: Hear back from my email to Snapfish. Told me the book would arrive on time. Alas...the end of the day comes and no book.
Thursday, December 25: My mom has no present to open.
Friday, December 26: No book arrives.
Saturday, December 27: No book. Emailed support and asked for a tracking number. They replied and said they didn't have one and could not even tell me who they used to ship it. Are you kidding me?!?
Sunday, December 28: Still no book. Email Snapfish to tell them that I am extremely unhappy because I still don't have my book. Ask for a refund. They tell me not to worry, it will arrive on Monday and if I still don't have it, then they would give me a refund. I explain that December 29 is AFTER December 25...therefore they failed to come through and I wanted a refund.
Monday, December 29: Snapfish refunds my book. Gives me 50 free "prints" to make me happy. Customer service lady tells me that although she issued the refund, they had actually fulfilled their duties because they shipped it on time by the 23rd. Maybe in her part of the country, FedEx delivers on Christmas day, but not in Indiana. And guess what? Still no book.
Tuesday, December 30: No book. Email Snapfish support. No reply.
Wednesday, December 31: No book. Email Snapfish support. Again no reply. They are officially ignoring me.
Friday, January 2: No book. Emailed again. No reply. This just gets better and better. Called Snapfish. The man told me that they had canceled my order because it was "lost." They weren't sending me a book. They never shipped it. They weren't planning on shipping one. And they weren't planning on telling me. Oh...my...word. I kindly asked the man to reprint the book and ship it to me immediately. He said no problem but that I needed to resubmit the book and he'd gladly give me a 50% coupon. Snapfish wanted me to pay for another book. That deserves another Oh...My...Word. I let him know (again in a kind manner) that I disagreed and that I will get another book, for free. I offered to pay the shipping. I just wanted my book. Enter in nervous tick and the crazy eyes. He "talked" to his manager and magically he was then able to submit the book himself and ship it to be, completely free.
Thursday, January 8: The book finally arrives. Give it to my mom. She is happy and I'm happy that she is happy.

The point of this post isn't to whine or to even suggest that my mom wasn't worth all the trouble. She is and I'd do it all over again (okay, maybe...more time needs to pass before I come to that conclusion). The point is simple: Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever order anything from Snapfish. I repeat: Never Ever. Unless you want a free ticket to the rubber room with a complimentary straightjacket.

Zahada Madness

2008-11-26T09:12:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of the online "riddle" game Zahada? It is the most infuriating, addicting, make-your-brain-hurt-but-you-just-can't-seem-to-stop-playing game. I was able to get to level 5 on my own....and then Aaron and I were able to get to Level 44 [sometimes with the help of online "hints"]. And let's be honest, Aaron did most of the work. I just threw my opinion/ideas in a few times.

[Also, you can't cheat your way through. There are only "hints" online and no one actually gives the answers. That's part of the "fun"...and by "fun" I mean torture.]

Think it through before you start though. It's maddening--Like drive yourself insane, end up in a rubber room with a straight jacket sort of maddening.

You've been warned.

Play here....if you dare....Muah-ah-ahhhhh [evil laugh].

Movie Review by Dawson

2008-11-23T13:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we went to the Wonderland to see Disney's new movie, Bolt. Here is Dawson's movie review:

What was the movie about?

Bolt, he believed he had superpowers but he really didn't. He had a friend named Rhino and he was a hamster and he had another friend, her name was Mittens. Mittens told Bolt that he didn't have powers so he didn't. But then he believed he had them because he banged his head into the door and Rhino, the hamster, he opened the door so Bolt thought he had superpowers again.

What was your favorite part of the movie?

The hamster found a person that was a bad guy on the show and he started talking tough. Then the bad guy heard Rhino, it sounded like "Squeek, squeek, squeek, squeek." So the bad guy said, "He's so cuuuuuute." And that's it.

Was this movie funny?

Yes. It was very funny. Other people should go out and watch that movie. It is great.

Who was your favorite character?

I liked Rhino because he was doing all the funny stuff. And he was the cutest one in the movie.

If you could have a pet...a dog like Bolt, a hamster like Rhino or a cat like Mittens...which would you want?

A hamster like Rhino because hamsters are cute.

Anything else you want to say about the movie?

I just really liked that movie. Bye.

Five random things...you may not have known about me

2008-10-23T12:11:00.006-04:00

I haven't really blogged that much lately. So here is something to dust off the ole blog with.

Five random facts about me:

I have an addiction to storage containers. I love them. I buy more than what I need and sometimes, find myself thinking about what else in my apartment I can put in storage containers. I've heard about a store called, The Container Store. I have never been there. I'm afraid to go. It is a distinct possibility that I may never come out. For real. I'd be the smelly old lady who slowly walks the aisles with a cart full of plastic happiness.

I have to mop every Sunday. Sunday is mopping day. I cannot do it on Monday or Saturday. It must be Sunday. If I am too busy on Sunday, I will wait until the following Sunday to mop. Yes, I realize I have issues.

I snore. Some of you already know this. Most of you don't. I have a variety of "snores." I can range from what Kem likes to call the "pug snore" to full out give-a-lumberjack-sawing-logs-a-run-for-his-money type of snore. You know, the kind where if there is someone else in the room [or possibly even within a one mile radius], they may be tempted to smother me with a pillow. I'm not proud of it. It is just the way it is. I blame genetics.

I knead my feet before I go to sleep. I'm sort of like a cat. And I can do it at a high rate of speed and for an infinite amount of time. But alas, I do not purr while kneading. THAT would just be weird.

I re-read books. And for most of you, "re-read" means like twice. My definition is more like 6 or 7 times. There are a couple of series of books that I have read 6 times each. You may think I need to branch out a bit. You are probably right. But...books are like old friends. And yes, if the book is sad...I will cry every single time I read it. What can I say, I'm just a sensitive girl. :)

I am quite aware that the more posts I do with random facts about me, the more weird and insane I appear to be. I'm okay with that. Bonus Random Fact: I consider all oddities all a part of my "charm" and am completely comfortable being the "weird one" of the group. :)

Something that made me giggle-snort

2008-10-06T10:21:00.001-04:00

I watched this and literally busted out with a giggle-snort. I will admit, everytime I think of it, I start laughing all over again. And yes, I have found myself humming the song. Ridiculous.

Thankful

2008-09-13T08:48:00.003-04:00

This time of year always reminds me how incredibly lucky I am. I'm continually humbled by the emails, the messages, the instant messages, the phone calls, the texts, etc. of people wanting to encourage me during this crazy pre-Innovate time. People, sometimes even complete strangers, will tell me they are praying for me....for me? Really? I honestly can't quite grasp that reality, but all I can say, is that it helps. A lot. And I am so appreciative of it.

This isn't a grand post...but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of those who have gone out of their way to show support to me and our entire team as we prep for this event. Thank you to all the staff at Granger for championing the "all skate" mentality and who are willing to do anything and everything for our guests, despite their own hectic ministry life.

Next week will be great. I sort of feel like a child on Christmas Eve....the anticipation, the butterflies, the excitement.......I can't wait!

Innovate is coming up quick!

2008-08-16T15:27:00.005-04:00

I know I say this every year (and I mean it every year) but this year's conference will be the best, most practical and empowering one yet. I have no doubt.

A few "link love" things that I'm excited about:

Innovate is on Twitter. I love that. From information to price specials, @innovate08 is definitely worth following.
The speaker line up this year is phenomenal: Mark Beeson, Tim Stevens, Rob Wegner, Shawn Wood (who, BTW has a brand new book out), LifeChurch.tv's directional leadership team and Steven Furtick.
The Dream Team will be back and even better than last year (start dreaming big Zach Montroy!)
I get to catch up with my blog buddies: Jim Henry and Darren Plummer.
Lisa's father-in-law, Joel DeSelm, is coming with a group. He's my favorite "father-in-law who isn't actually my father-in-law."
I will get to hang out with my awesome friends from Relevant Church: Paul, Jarrett, Jamie, Carl and their families!
NEW Casual Q&A's are being introduced to the mix. This is one aspect of Innovate I'm most excited about.
I get to work with amazing volunteers and amazing teams!

The clock is ticking. I cannot wait (okay, I can wait...because well, there is a lot to do!). If you haven't signed up yet, trust me...you will want to! You won't regret it!

A boyfriend, s blog and a bike

2008-08-03T21:46:00.006-04:00

I want to introduce you to Aaron Helman.

Please note: I'm not throwing his information on here just to brag about him simply because he is my boyfriend (although, he is very brag-worthy). There is actually a purpose to this post so keep reading....

First of all, he has a blog....a very good blog. He is a fantastic writer and some of his posts are so funny, that I have laughed until I cried. Great stuff. Here is my favorite post.

Secondly, he has recently embarked on an incredible trip. He is a cyclist and is riding his bike to Las Cruces, New Mexico (but he is taking a route through Canada and then down to NM). I'm so excited for him to experience this trip and I am sure he is going to have amazing stories by the end of it. Since he is not sure how much blogging he will be able to do, he is actually twittering his journey. You can follow his twitter updates here.

So now, consider yourself officially introduced, check out his adventures and don't hesitate to say hi.

Teamwork

2008-07-23T12:43:00.004-04:00

It's "go" time for me. I am in the craziest phase of my job between now and the end of September. Two of the largest events of the year happen in August (Leadership Summit) and September (Innovate). I live and breath the details of these events so that I can ensure they come off without any major glitches. We had our first lead team meeting last week (which is a gathering of the major team leaders for each area of the event). I love those meetings because I experience teamwork at its finest. We could have teams that are consumed with their needs...disregarding the big picture or how other teams will be affected by their decisions. We are very lucky to have the exact opposite. Each team understands the delicate balance that must be maintained in order to provide the best guest experience possible. No one group can be elevated over the others. No decision can be made without the consideration of the effects on the rest. Every group is vital to the success of the event. Our end goal is always the guest experience, but how we cultivate that depends on each group sacrificing and buying into the vision.

Here is a picture of all the different groups that make up the overall guest experience:

Every group comes to the table with a different set of priorities and focus. This means we have to process each group's unique perspective and needs in order to best serve them:

What are their specific needs?
What are their expectations?
How does their decisions affect the rest?
What can they realistically provide? Or what can we realistically provide to them?
How can we ensure they are successful?
What can we do to make them feel valued?

Every group works together, every group affects the others and they are all "my" audience. My job is to ensure they come together as best as possible so that no one is overtaxed, everybody is resourced and most importantly, everybody feels valued. This is not a huge struggle because our teams already "get it" and are passionate about the end result. (How awesome is that?!)

Over the next two months, I am excited to see it all come together. It is always a wild ride up until event time. I love it. And I love our teams. They are great people with hearts that beat fast for resourcing other churches. Who could ask for anything better?

The countdown has begun...53 days until Innovate!!!

Wacky World of Lindsay: I don't know why she swallowed a fly...

2008-07-17T16:27:00.007-04:00

A while back, I was very involved with a local middle school. My mom was also extremely involved and one of her many activities was being the cheerleading coach. I typically always helped my mom with anything she needed...one of those times was cheerleading tryouts.

One year, we had all the girls and the judges assembled in the gym as one big group. This was the part of the tryouts where the instructions were given so that everything went smoothly. I stood up in front and was attempting to ease the tension in the room (think about it...it's emotional middle school girls all wanting to be cheerleaders...tension was higher than the Situation Room during war times).

So there I am talking away, cracking jokes and just being my crazy self when all of a sudden, something happened. Something bad happened. I froze and my eyes got big.

On my tongue...there was a fly.

A fly had flown into my mouth like some Kamikaze fighter jet and landed right on the back of my tongue. And it was stuck. And it was not happy. So what does one do in a moment like this? I stood there with my mouth wide open, slightly leaning forward with my tongue hanging out. I looked like a panting dog in the middle of a hot summer day. Here was my predicament...I was not going to swallow the fly (I read the book as a kid....I could potentially die or be forced to swallow insects and animals galore. Not happening.) I was hesitant to reach in and remove it because I might accidentally smush it. Nasty. And then, of course, I couldn't really ask for help because well, I had a fly in my mouth. I believe I let out some incomprehensible mutterings and made some poorly executed charade motions in my attempt to communicate this most unfortunate turn of events. My final decision was to continue to lean over, allow gravity to assist me and slightly shake my head to get the fly to become unstuck and fall out. Since no one knew what had happened, I cannot imagine what I looked like. A fool, no doubt.

The good news: my strategy worked, the fly fell out and I lived to tell the tale. :) Apparently, public speakers should always have an emergency action plan for rogue insects who attempt to commit bug suicide.

Spider prodigies

2008-07-11T08:58:00.003-04:00

Last week I noticed two rather large, reddish spiders living on the back porch. My initial reaction was to destroy them as fast as I could. As I reached for my weapon of choice (the broom), Charlotte's Web flashed into my mind. In that moment of childhood reminiscing (and weakness), I opted to spare these two spiders from their untimely deaths.

This morning I woke up and saw two huge spiderwebs. They were beautiful. These two little guys are expert weavers. My very own Charlotte's Web prodigies. I had made the right choice in allowing them to live.

But..

Let them be warned...if I ever wake up to find "Some Pig" written on either of their webs.... I will be most offended. And they will die.

That's all I'm saying.

Just a thought...

2008-07-10T07:33:00.002-04:00

Mark Beeson always reminds us:

"God has provision we know not of - more than we could ask or imagine."

Instead of spending our days waiting for God's provision in our lives...let's start spending our days being that provision for someone else.

Five random things...you may not have known about me [updated]

2008-07-08T22:50:00.004-04:00

1. I don't eat any fruit whatsoever.* None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Please don't ask me why...I've been this way since I was a baby. Most of the time people say, "Have you tried ____?" If I did, I didn't like it...if I haven't, I still wouldn't like it. Apparently, I am missing the fruit gene.

2. I once got stuck to a toilet seat. Literally stuck. Its a great story. I shall blog about it sometime. But just know, it is indeed possible to be stuck to the toilet...and survive.

3. I like to chop wood. People think its weird and not very girly of me. That's okay. I don't have to be girly all the time. Chopping wood is fun. You should try it.

4. I want to go to Africa. Real bad. My dream is to go there someday. I am not sure why I have such a passionate desire to. But something gets stirred in my heart when I think of Africa. I recently read the book Left to Tell about a girl who survived the Rwandan Holocaust. Talk about an incredible person with awe-inspiring faith. I would highly recommend reading it.

5. After getting home from the grocery store, I must make one trip into the house. ONE trip. So I have no choice but to load up all the bags at once...stacking them up my arms so that I totally loose circulation and by the time I get inside, my arms are purple. Its almost impressive the amount I can carry at once. This is dumb, I know...but I hate making more than one trip. Loosing the functionality of my arms for an hour after unloading is worth it to me.

[*Update...I brought a chicken sausage in from home and a pack of veggies to eat for lunch. I went to get my most delicious, just-grilled-this-morning sausage and alas, it--and my container--was no where to be found. My chicken sausage has run away. So...I had no choice but to go with my back-up plan and run and get a fav combo of mine, protein shake and a grilled cheese. I always order it without the banana--for obvious reasons--and I got to the car, took a big sip and BANANA. I didn't take it back because 1. I'm a pansy at times and 2. I am feeling lazy. So now my wonderful shake has been ruined and I'm trying to convince myself to drink it just so my cubicle neighbors aren't disturbed by my growling stomach....today is NOT going my way...]

Dawson's Birthday Party

2008-07-08T21:19:00.003-04:00

We had a two day celebration-athon for Dawson's birthday. First of all, Dawson got to play with Easton (his buddy) for two days!! Saturday we had a cookout (beer brats....mmmm), bonfire (we ate smores and had a marshmellow fight), sparklers (always fun) and we ended the night by watching Transformers...OUTSIDE! We hooked up my friends' projector and gathered around. It was incredibly fun! Then on Sunday (D's actual birthday), we braved Chuck E. Cheese. I am shocked that I was actually willing to go there since the last visit went something like this.

Here are some pics:

Dawson's 7th bday

Happy Birthday Dawson!!!

2008-07-06T17:49:00.002-04:00

Today is Dawson's big 7th birthday!!! Time goes by way too fast. I wanted to put together a video of him from all the memories between his 6th birthday and now. I am not an expert in creating videos....but it works. This past year has been amazingly fun and we have so many incredible memories.
Enjoy:

4th of July

2008-07-06T02:31:00.002-04:00

This year's big celebration was awesome! We went up to Whitehall, MI (aka, Mayberry) and spent the day with my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin's, 2nd Cousins....lets just say, a lot of family! We had a great time.

EJ, my brother who lives in LA, was in town for the big Rothbury Festival (over 40,000 people went to the festival--sort of like the new "Woodstock"). The festival featured Snoop Dog, Dave Matthews, Wide Spread Panic, etc...AND my brother's band, Underground Orchestra. They played in the opening night. [Read a great review here.] Unfortunately, we weren't able to watch his band play because tickets for the festival were a small fortune ($250). BUT...when we dropped him off, he just flashed his "artist" lanyard/credentials and they let us drive thru the festival to his special VIP cabin. So technically, I was at Rothbury (does that make me cool?). I had to laugh though...in the morning, they all gather to do yoga...hundreds of people in a large group, all in awkward poses. I love it!

It was great to see EJ and hang out, even for a short time. Plus, we saw a parade, relaxed outside while the kids played in the mini-pool, had a cookout and then of course, went to see fireworks at the Marina. Like I said, it was a total blast.

Here are some pics:

4th of July 2008

Research paper

2008-07-03T06:58:00.004-04:00

I found an old college paper I wrote a long time ago. I took an honor class which allowed me to be a part of a graduate course on Educational Motivation. We had to form groups and then work together on assignments. Each week there was another research paper due. Intense is putting it lightly. Unfortunate for me, I got put into a group with two coaches/social studies teachers who, from the onset, explained they were only there to get the credit hours (that's not a slam on all teacher/coaches just the two in my class). And since I was all about the grades and, crazy enough, learning....I ended up writing the majority of our papers (okay, pretty much every word on every page. LOL). I hadn't developed the skill of delegation yet...

Crazy enough, I found one of my papers online. It made me smile. I loved Educational Motivation and my favorite topic was Self-Regulated Learning (nerdy, I know). I remember this paper distinctly because it was the first time I had ever stayed up all day, all night and then all the next day working on it. I was in 30 hour groove.

Oh the memories....

Wacky World of Lindsay: Twilight Texting

2008-07-01T17:26:00.001-04:00

I am a big text message fan. I text...a lot. Everyone knows the easiest way to get a hold of me is to simply shoot me a text. Plus, I have a tendency to always text back. And that can be a problem at times.

Now, I don't have a home phone. I just use my cell phone. This system works well for me and its more economical. So in case of emergencies, I leave it on all night. So combine 1. my habit of always responding to a text and 2. people being able to text me all night....sometimes odd things happen. I like to call it "twilight texting." Which basically means...if you text me at night, I can't be held accountable for my return messages. Sometimes I respond without being full awake. And sometimes, I say really interesting stuff. [Once when I was younger, my parents tried to wake me up and I yelled "PUT ME IN THE CLOSET. I NEED TO BE IN THE CLOSET." Yeah, I know I'm weird -but in my defense, I was sleeping]. Seriously, all you have to do is check out what I twittered while being half asleep and doped up on gas at the dentist...and you'll understand!

A couple months ago, my good friend Jeanna was having a hard time flying home from her vacation (lots of delays, etc). I told her to text me when she got home. And she did...while I was sleeping. This is the exact text I sent back to her:

"Yau! I amgso gladm!"

I laughed so hard when she showed me the next day not simply because of the message but because I didn't even remember texting her back. [Note to self, work on self control and refrain from texting after I fall asleep].

And please, if you have my number, lets not play the "I'm-going-to-text-Lindsay-in-the-middle-of-the-night-just-to-see-what-stupid-things-she-says" game.

Roofsit 2008 Candlelight Vigil

2008-06-26T21:58:00.004-04:00

Tonight was the annual candlelight vigil for Roofsit. It was a night of remembering, honoring and praying for all the helpless victims of child abuse. There were somber moments, but I think it also demonstrated that there is hope. We can come together and make a difference. Its not too late. There are children who need our help. Its up to us to do something. And its time to stop sitting along the sidelines.

Want an incentive to get involved? Read these heartbreaking statistics:

4 children die every day as a result of child abuse and three out of four of these victims are under the age of 4.
A report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds.
Of the reported rapes of children under 12 years old, 90% of the victims knew the perpetrator.
Child abuse occurs at every socio-economic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
36.7% of all women in prison and 14.4% of all men in prison in the US were abused as children.
Children who have been sexually abused are 2.5 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 3.8 times more likely to become addicted to drugs.
One third of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.

Source: Child Help

Roofsit is coming to an end. BUT...there is still time to get involved. Any help is welcomed and much needed. Call 1.800.853.KIDS or go here to donate online.

Rob and AJ hosted the evening as Trace Rorie performed a song and Jason Miller led us in prayer. It was a beautiful night and they all did an incredible job!

Here are some pictures:

Roofsit

The Why Behind the What

2008-06-25T18:44:00.004-04:00

In my daily devotion, it was talking about doing things only for personal gain and it got me thinking....

Have you ever had people compliment you just to seem like they are encouraging? Have you ever been the person complimenting someone just to get them to like you? Have you done favors simply to get favors back? Have you "acted" a certain way so that people think you are a good friend/coworker/etc? What about when you do things so that you get recognition/praise you desire? Have you told people things "in the moment" (i.e., "I will pray for you") simply because it made you seem caring...but you never follow through?

I think some of of the above is natural human behavior. We all have a desire to be liked, to be included, to be praised. But the problem comes in when all we do and all we say is in direct correlation with what we get in return.

What if everything good we did was anonymous. What if every compliment I gave, every donation I made, every big project I worked on...what if no one ever knew I did it? Would I still do it? Its something to think about.

In order to make sure my intentions are what they should be, here are the questions I constantly ask myself:
1. Am I giving a compliment just because I want someone to like me?
2. Am I showing support just so I look like a good person/teammate/friend?
3. Am I doing this to get some form of recognition?
4. Am I saying this just to look like I am a caring person?
5. Is the reason why I am doing/saying this to get some kind of benefits?
6. Why am I doing/saying this?

I think its always good to continually stop and consider the why behind the what.

Tournaments for everything

2008-06-25T06:25:00.005-04:00

There are tournaments and contests for everything...from eating to having the ugliest dog. I just saw a news report for a recent tournament that peaked my interest. Everyone can sleep easy tonight because the 2008 Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion has been found! That's right, there is indeed a tournament for Rock, Paper, Scissors (or RPS as the "insiders" call it).

The best part? Its not just a silly "American" thing. Our USA champ shall travel around the world and compete against winners from China, Canada, Guam, Hong Kong and Ireland. Soon we will have a RPS WORLD CHAMPION. I'm on pins and needles I tell ya!

I will say, I am a fan of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Its a ridiculous game that you can play anywhere and it always evokes laughter. Plus, I challenge you to compete against my mad RPS skills. I'm thinking that I should maybe enter the tournament next year....if so, I better start training :)

Helping the Hopeless--U93's Roofsit

2008-06-23T17:49:00.007-04:00

U93's Roofsit has just begun on the rooftop of Martin's Supermarket in South Bend.

I taught preschool at Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS) for a year and it is an experience that truly marked me. These children are the innocent victims..helpless in an unfair world. They were made to grow up too quickly, to face reality too quickly and to fight for their own survival at the young age of 3-5 years old. Its heartbreaking, gut wrenching and makes you angry at the injustice of it all. They look into your eyes and you can see the pain of abuse and neglect. These are the forgotten, the unloved, the burden and the useless. That is the world in which they know.
While teaching, I saw so many sad stories.

Children who saw horrific things happening to their siblings.
A child who's mother abused him and he found safety with his dad...only to have his dad abuse him too.
A child whose mother drank her entire pregnancy leaving her the "scars" of fetal alcohol syndrome.
A child who wasn't taught any other way to deal with frustration other than becoming violent.
A child who at 5, still wasn't potty trained...simply because the parents didn't want to devote the time.
Children who didn't know when they would eat their next meal...who came in starved every morning and left knowing they might not eat until the next day.
Children who had to get their hair checked eat week for lice (sometimes more) because of their living conditions.
Children who had no idea about boundaries and safety when it came to strangers.
Children who were sad and already defeated.
Children who were mistrusting and scared.
Children who didn't think they mattered to anyone.
Children who had no idea what it felt like to be loved.
Children who never felt safe.

But...as time passed and they spent time in our program, I also saw them changing:

Children laughing.
Children learning...maybe it wasn't much compared to other kids their age, but for them it was a huge hurdle.
Children who learned to respect adults and more importantly, respect boundaries.
Children who learned to care for themselves...cut their own food, open their own milk and take care of their basic needs.
Children who trusted and confided their feelings.
Children who learned how to deal with emotions and express their feelings in a productive way.
Children who were happy.
Children who knew people loved them.
Children who realized they mattered.
Children who had hope.

These aren't children in a foreign country. These are children down the street. They are the kids who play with your kids on the playground. Who sit next to them in class. They are the ones you see as you drive down the street...too young to be alone. There are countless names, countless faces. But the point is that they do count. They do matter. And there is hope for them. Roofsit helps not only in awareness, but to help fund the many programs designed to give these children a way to rebuild their lives so that their futures aren't tarnished by their past. You will hear stories and it will break your heart. Don't let the moment fade after this week is done. Help now but don't stop there. Keep praying that these kids are saved from a life of pain and nightmares. They are helpless, but you can offer them not only help, but hope.

Be a part of Roofsit here.

My junk mail is mean to me...

2008-06-17T11:31:00.006-04:00

First it was the housekeepers laughing at me....now my junk mail is making fun of me...sigh... :)

Wacky World of Lindsay: Housekeeping Horror

2008-06-13T14:35:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, I was in sunny Florida enjoying a brief escape/mini-vacation with my mom (Dawson was in California on vacation with his dad and stepmom). We went to the Animal Kingdom that morning and came back to the room around 2 p.m. We noticed that our room had not been cleaned yet which is no big deal. We saw the housekeeping cart in the hallway so we figured it would get done soon (we only needed more towels anyways). So we headed down to the pool and relaxed for a couple hours. A little after 4 p.m., we were officially fried and headed back to the room. Opened the door...room not cleaned. Again, no big deal. My mom called and let them know we needed new towels and that our room hadn't been cleaned yet. She explained that we would be leaving to go shopping in about 5 minutes and the room would be clear for them.

Since we just got back from the pool, we had to change so we could head out. My mom took the bathroom, I changed in the main part. I was in the middle of changing when I heard:

Knock..knock..."Housekeeping!"
"One second!!!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs (let's just say that particular moment was not a good time).

The instant the words left my mouth the door swings open...all the way open...WAY open. And there stood two housekeepers. And then there was me...in only my birthday suit. There was a pause...we made eye contact. The world stopped. And then...

They laughed. Yes, that is the awful truth. They both busted out laughing. I felt like I was in a horrible nightmare. I don't think it could have gotten any worse than that moment. But alas, its me so of course it did...

All of this happened very quickly (although I replay it over and over again in my mind in slow motion just to torture myself). So...let's recap. Knocking...door opens...birthday suit...laughing. Since no clothes were within reach I decide to dive for cover behind the bed. Now when I say dive...I mean dive...like a synchronized swimmer doing the side dive into the pool. I flew through the air, in all my birthday suit glory, until I landed with a loud thud...sandwiched between the bed and the wall.

At this point, I poke my head above the bed as I crouched behind it. Perfect time for a...conversation? That's right, the housekeepers decided it was a perfect time to engage me in a little chat...with the door open.

Housekeeper: "Is everything okay in there?" [giggle giggle]
Me: "Ummm NO. Can you shut the door?"
Housekeeper: "Do you want us to
clean the room?"
Me: "Ummm NOT RIGHT NOW. Can you shut the door?"
Housekeeper: "Do you just want more towels?"
Me: "CAN YOU PLEASE JUST SHUT THE DOOR?!?!?"
Housekeeper: "You want us to come back?"
Me: "Oh my
word. SHUT...THE....DOOR!!!"

The door finally shut on its own. And I was able to emerge from my bed barrier and finish dressing. Honestly, it was a mistake...a mistake handled very poorly.

My only question is....why oh why did they have to laugh? My self esteem may never recover.

Seriously.

Why are you kicking out?!?!

2008-06-05T10:24:00.003-04:00

The past three nights, I have barely slept. At this point, I'm absolutely exhausted. Sleep has become my enemy it seems. Every night, I fall asleep and then BAM...my leg kicks out. Now this is not merely twitching but full out "karate kid ain't got nothin on me" kicks. Goodness knows if the cats snuggle up anywhere around my legs, I will launch them across the room like a canon ball....

This doesn't happen once or twice, but all night. And the kicking is strong enough to wake me up. I just look at my legs and say, "WHY ARE YOU KICKING OUT?!?" Of course, they don't respond back and I attempt to go back to sleep. When I finally re-enter dreamland....BAM...leg kicks out again.

Its ridiculous. And its wearing me out.

I did some research online and it seems like its Restless Leg Syndrome. There are no specific tests and the "cause" of it can be any number of things. Sigh... I could go to the doctor, but I'm not sure what help I could get. I'm sure it will be the typical: relax, stretch, etc. Or he could prescribe sleeping pills. But those can become addictive so that's not good.

Not sure what to do yet. Guess for the mean time, I'll be kicking away. Yee haw.

I got yelled at....

2008-06-04T10:47:00.003-04:00

Today as I was sitting at my desk, my cell phone rings. Its an unfamiliar number, but its local so I answered it. I say "hello" and the lady immediately snaps, "You better stop pranking me!"

Huh?

I kindly told her that I had not been pranking her and she snaps back that I'm the person who keeps calling and doesn't say anything and that I better stop. I told her that I was not the person calling her and that I would gladly check my call records to prove it. She then snapped back and asked if I was a kid. I told her that I was 28 years old and that it could not have been me calling. Obviously, there is a mix up. At this point, she is just ANGRY...and she yells that she had hit *69 and it was my phone number. I repeated my phone number to her and verified that it was the same....but wait...she then snaps some more and says, "Well, its weird because its YOUR number but the area code is 775. But its still YOUR number."

OH...MY...WORD....

I explained to her that if it is a different area code than mine, then it wasn't ME calling. She huffed and puffed and then said "FINE" and hung up.

I googled the number....apparently a lot of people get these calls from what seems like my number, but with the 775 area code.

Seriously....

Innovate 2008: Stop Talking. Start Doing

2008-05-30T00:12:00.007-04:00

We just launched all of the promotions for Innovate 2008. I can't tell you how excited I am! We all laugh because at the end of every Innovate, we think, "It can't get any better than this." But then another year comes and the pieces come together. I will say, I am more excited about this year's conference than ever before. I have no doubt it will be the most practical conference yet. Attendees will see the big picture as well as get the practical tools they need to take their ministry to the next level. You won't want to miss it. Trust me!

Kem blogged all of the promotion aspects of this year's conference [InnovateConference.com, Facebook, Twitter, Countdown2Innovate Podcast, etc]. You can find all the links here.

Check it out!

Kindergarten Graduation

2008-05-23T23:00:00.000-04:00

Today was a big day! Dawson graduated Kindergarten!!!! We were all very proud of him. Its amazing how fast this year has gone by. Its also amazing to see how much he has grown and developed. I love listening to him read and I'm so happy he has a passion for it. He had an incredible teacher, Miss Shaya. She always reminded us of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. The program was adorable this morning. I will admit, I got a little choked up. But hey, I'm a mom and I can :)

Here are some pics:

Kindergarten Graduation

Down on the farm....

2008-05-13T22:36:00.003-04:00

I went with Dawson and his class on a field trip to a farm today. The kids were crazy excited (and so was I). Highlights:

Dawson and I hummed the Indiana Jones theme song most of the way to the farm. We are totally tone deaf but totally excited about the newest movie coming out!
Never tell children they can chase chickens and run like wild people. Chicken Run 2008 was the result. It was hysterical but I think the chickens need therapy now. A "Chicken Whisperer?"
I stepped in a very large pile of animal poop. THAT was not hysterical.
We saw baby animals: birds, chickens, cats, etc. Everything is so much cuter when its a baby.
One of Dawson's classmates tooted and then explained to me, "Sometimes....when I drink water....I fart." Oh...my...word.
I actually felt car sick on the bus....is that considered bus-sick?
All the girls loved the little flowers I have painted on my toes (I recently got a pedicure...thanks mom!). I felt so popular until reality hit that it was kindergartners. Sigh... A least I'm cool in their "circle." Ohhhh yeah :)
I absolutely LOVE spending time with Dawson...especially when we get to do stuff outside the norm. I love watching him at school, seeing him interact, etc. And the greatest thing...he loves me being around too. And I don't think there is anything better than that!

Here are the pics from our day:

Field Trip to the Farm

Are you kidding me?!?

2008-05-12T21:37:00.003-04:00

Last night on Animal Planet was a show called "The Heart of a Lioness." It was a beautiful story about a adolescence lioness and the baby oryx (a type of antelope) she "adopted." It was incredible. A predator taking in and loving her prey. Something completely unheard of and remarkable to say the least. I was fascinated. Enthralled. Captivated. Why would this lioness protect and care for this helpless baby? Why would the lion go against every instinct simply to care of this animal? There were a few theories of why this lioness did not hunt and kill this prey. One theory was because many times, in order for a lion's hunting instincts to kick into gear, a "chase" needs to happen. With this particular baby, it did not run and therefore, those instincts never were ignited. But....a couple of weeks into this amazing relationship, the baby oryx runs away towards a herd of its own kind. The lioness immediately begins to stalk. You see it stealthily moving towards the baby. Every indication shows that finally, the normal course of nature will occur. Not so. The lion was indeed stalking but at the end of the "chase," it was only to bring the baby back into her own care and away from the herd. The lion wanted her baby back. Incredible.

For one hour we watched this story unfold. I grew emotionally involved. It warmed my heart. It touched my soul. And then....

Two minutes until the end of the show. After 58 minutes of building up this amazing story....a big male lion comes and eats the baby. You see him grab the baby and drag it off. The lioness could do nothing. They let you hear the baby crying out. You see the lion toying with it before it makes the final kill. You experience the slow death of the baby you have totally grown attached to. And then you watch the lion tear into it and devour it.

What?!? Are you kidding me?!? What kind of ending is that? Seriously! Could you not have just narrated what happened? Could you have shown a bit less of the pain and agony of the baby before being eaten? How can you spend an entire hour creating this emotional attachment to these two animals and then BAM.....brutal ending. End of show. Credits. Goodnight.

Sigh...I understand the rules of nature. I get that. Lions eat antelope. But my goodness. Reality bites. Literally.

A Mother's Sayings

2008-05-11T17:48:00.003-04:00

Each person has their own sayings...usually its funny little things that are uniquely us. And we've all had parents with their parental "reactions" to a child's behavior that get repeated over and over and over again. My parents had them. Your parents had them. And we always think, "When I have kids, I will never say that." So the other day we were laughing about this and I asked Dawson to tell me what I usually say....In honor of Mother's Day, if I was your mother....you'd end up hearing:

"Oh no you just didn't"
"You have GOT to be kidding me!"
"Seriously!"
"How many times have I asked you?" (quickly followed by:) "How many times should I have to ask you?"
"Come on people!" (yes I have only one child, but I'm nice and include his imaginary friends).
"Yeah..........NO" (can you sense the sarcasm?)
"Oh........my........word."
"Look at me...right now...Do you see this face.... (pointing at my face)...does this look like a happy face?" (haha. This one is my favorite because really, what answer can he give?)

Good thing I'm not your mom huh! Haha. Luckily for me, I don't have to say these things constantly. I have an incredibly wonderful son who, although is a typical child and not perfect, is extremely well behaved. Plus he's hysterical, creative, dramatic, thoughtful and kind hearted.

Little moments

2008-04-27T20:41:00.003-04:00

Dawson got a little scrape on his arm. And he said, "Mom...can you do me a favor? Can you kiss it and make it feel better?"

Its been a while since a bruise or scrape could be "healed" with a little kiss. Or when a simple cuddle fixed the world's problems.

But every now and then...we can go back and pretend it can. I love those moments.

Tball

2008-04-27T10:39:00.003-04:00

Tball has begun again for the 2008 season. Saturday was Dawson's first game. We were all very excited. Here are some highlights and some pics:

The wind was freezing. For a week we have enjoyed beautiful and warm weather. Although Saturday was sunny, the wind was so cold that it made it miserable at times. Many of us were not properly dressed to withstand the chill. Indiana weather...SHEESH!
This year, there are two major changes: they have a pitching machine instead of just using the "T"....they can still use it at the end of they've been unable to get a hit. The other change is that you can tag people out this year.
Dawson got two hits and tagged one guy out. We were all very proud of him.
He also decided to combine Tball with Dance, Dance Revolution :). He literally danced while playing third base, danced in the dugout and then as he waiting on the bases, you guessed it...he danced. My favorites were the robot and the moonwalk. I have no clue what made him decide to dance all day. I guess sometimes, you just have to dance :)
On a sad note...I lost my small Canon digital camera. I have looked everywhere, retraced the steps all over the ballpark and alas, no camera. Good thing it wasn't my nice camera, but still...I'm bummed.
Here are some pics:
First Tball Game of 2008

I suffer from PED....

2008-04-25T20:23:00.003-04:00

PED is Post Event Depression and I suffer from it. Leadership Live was this week. It was a big event...lots of details which means, for me, lots of fun. It ended last night and now the adrenaline is gone. I had a fun lunch to look forward to today with my friends from Relevant Church. But now that its all over and I attempt to relax here on the couch...that mopey, sad feeling is slowly creeping in. This is normal for me though. Its such a high when an event is going on and I'm in my zone. But its a big crash when its all over with. I'm too tired to do anything else but sit here. So alas, I sit and think and think and sit. I'm happy and sad all at the same time. Can that be possible?

Movie Monday Night by Dawson

2008-04-21T21:23:00.004-04:00

Tonight we decided to go old school and watch The Neverending Story.

Tell me about the story? There was like this Rock Dude who was on this motorcycle. There was little tiny people. The story was about this little boy. He rided a dragon. And he went through walls and gates. He was trying to save Fantasia and this little child. She was tiny.

Were there any scary parts? When the nasty little dog jumped out and tried to eat him.

Were there any funny parts? Yes. When the reptile sneezes [aka the turtle]. The little boy got germs on him.

What about sad parts? When the horse died. Cuz he was going down and the boy loved him.

At the end, Bastian was able to make some wishes....what would you wish for? I would wish for Fantasia to be back together again.

Do you ever want to see this movie again? Yes I do. I have no idea why.

On my mind...

2008-04-19T14:24:00.004-04:00

I've been a listening board on a few occasions lately. And as I listen, I am finding there seems to be a common theme and it reminds me of this quote. How often do we do make choices based upon the "its all about me" mind frame? Our decisions, our interactions, our friendships, our relationships, etc....what we do matters, what we say matters...and unfortunately, people are so blinded by how things will affect them, they ignore how it eventually will affect others. Sometimes, I just wish people were more careful with the choices they make.

I need this shirt...

2008-04-18T15:27:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous for the comment with a link to a tshirt that I referenced in the previous post:

Earthquake....what?!?

2008-04-18T06:02:00.007-04:00

I am up early since we have our WiredChurches.com workshops and forums today. Just catching up on my email while laying in bed. when a little after 5:30 a.m., I felt my bed shaking. And it start to shake a bit harder and harder....and not stop for several seconds. Ummmm....is my childhood nightmare coming true and a monster is really under my bed?!? Nope, it was an earthquake. No joke. It was a 5.4 earthquake in Salem, IL. And felt across Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. How crazy is that?

So whew, no monster. But wow, Indiana just got more cool.

I might get a t-shirt: "I survived an earthquake!" That wouldn't be too drama queen would it?!?! haha. Just kidding :)

Movie Monday Night Review by Dawson

2008-04-16T20:52:00.004-04:00

Today was our "Movie Monday Night"...yes, I realize its Wednesday, but that's okay. We still had our time together.

Movie: Over the Hedge

What was the movie about? RJ was getting a bag of chips out of a machine. It was about RJ having a family. And that's it. Its pretty quick.

What were three funny parts?

1. When the bag exploded and cheese covered everyone.

2. When the squirrel, he made a chip out of wood and painted it and then ate it and it broke his teeth on it.

3. The squirrel put all the nuts in the log. And he said, "I found my nuts, I found my nuts!" It was at the end, you guys were asleep [oops...I was really tired...haha..i didn't realize I was dozing off....]

Were there any sad parts? Umm...I don't know any sad parts. When they didn't listen the turtle and then they did. They trusted him.

What did you think about the movie? Ummm...I don't know anything [pretending to snore]. I thought that the little squirrel would get killed. He watched the laser and that's it.

Did the movie have a message? Yes. Do not throw things away. Be friends forever and don't like, lie to them.

Do you recommend this movie to other people? Yes. Because I liked the movie.

My Leather Anniversary

2008-04-11T18:52:00.004-04:00

Today is a special day. Its my Leather Anniversary. I have been on staff at Granger Community Church for three years. I can't believe it. Time has gone so fast and it just seems like yesterday, I was meeting Jami on my first day and she was showing me around. I've never blogged how it all came to be, but I thought today, it was fitting...

Back in December of 2004, I was working at a local radio station selling advertising. I enjoyed the people I worked with, but I disliked the job (that's an understatement). For me, cold calling was horrendous. So much so that I would get hives when it came time to open up the phone book. I would get depressed every Sunday when I knew Monday morning was fast approaching. I was absolutely miserable. One weekend, Rob Wegner (to whom I will be forever thankful) had a message where he wanted to give us three "Christmas gifts." One of them was a little parachute guy. He talked about how sometimes in life you know you aren't in a great situation (he specifically used a job as an example) and you know its time to move on. And you may not know the next steps or where it will lead you but you need to take that leap of faith and know that God will be your parachute (hence the parachute man). It spoke right to my heart. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to find another job. I ended up taking the parachute guy and stuffing him into my purse with the thought that my parents would give Dawson theirs to play with and he'll lose it and I'll have a back up toy.

A few weeks later, I still had done nothing to find another job. I was still miserable but determined to make the best of it and see it through for the time being. One particularly bad morning, I had been praying about the situation and I reached into my coat pocket....and I found the parachute guy. Hmmmm....interesting timing. And yet I still didn't trust that I should look for another job. Fear of the unknown trapped me where I was (and yes, I'm stubborn).

A few more weeks pass. Things had become unbearable at work. Some situations happened that I didn't agree with and I was at my very lowest point. I remember sitting alone in my room crying because I didn't know what to do. Being a single mom meant that I had to make sure a decent paycheck came home so I could care for Dawson. I was leaving for work the next morning and I reached into my purse for my keys....and instead of keys, I found my hand grasped around the parachute guy. Yet again, God didn't give up on me.

It happened one more time, a random day, a random moment and me coming face to face with the parachute guy. The final time I found him, it was what I needed to give me the courage to start seeking another job. Through a wonderful friend of the family, Deb, I learned of a few openings at Granger. But....they were part time. My hopes came crashing down....how could I even consider a part time job?

I prayed, I struggled, I fretted. How would I even make that work? How could I pay my bills? How could I afford my apartment? Why was I even considering it? Then God stepped in. My wonderful mom offered for Dawson and I to move into a townhouse with her and Jami emailed me asking if I would explore the WiredChurches.com job opportunity. Those two things helped me to finally realize that although a part time job isn't what I had envisioned or even what I thought was acceptable due to my life circumstances, I needed to take that leap of faith. So I jumped.

God was my parachute. He opened the door to a dream job with the most incredible people in the world. It was like going from night to day. My job eventually went full time and I am doing things I am so incredibly passionate about. The opportunities and experiences I get still leave me in awe. Every morning I wake up feeling lucky that I get to go to work with amazing people, serve amazing people and further God's Kingdom. So many people search and search their entire life to find a job that fulfills them. I found it at 25 years old. And all because I "jumped." Its so true what Mark Beeson always reminds us..."God has provision you know not of, more than you can ask or imagine."

My life completely changed all because of one weekend message, one little toy parachute guy....who would have thought?

Dear FutureMe....

2008-04-08T11:12:00.003-04:00

So I found this fun site where you can actually email your future self. Its called FutureMe. You can type out whatever message you want and enter in your email address (so you want to make sure its an email you won't change) and pick the year you want it delivered to you....anytime from this year to 2037. Its like an electronic timecapsule for your thoughts.

What would you write to your future self?

Movie Monday Review by Dawson

2008-04-07T21:38:00.005-04:00

Tonight's movie...Alvin and the Chipmunks

Why did you want to see this movie tonight? It's funny.

What were the top 3 funny parts? 1. When Theodore pooped on the couch. 2. When they drank the coffee and smacked into the window. 3. When they were at their big house and playing with their toys, they acted like kongfu master ninjas.

Who were the different characters?

Dave-he was an ordinary guy and was a dad to the chipmunks.

Alvin-he was a [laughs] funny chipmunk. He was the one that didn't follow the rules.

Simon-he was the smart one.

Theodore-he was the one that pooped on the couch. He was the little chipmunk.

Uncle Ian-he was a song manager. He wanted to steal the chipmunks to get a lot of money. He was mean.

Claire-she was an ordinary girl. Dave liked her.

What was the movie about? Uncle Ian just wanted all the money. But Dave, he wanted them to be a family with each other. The chipmunks were being mean and not doing the rules. But they missed Dave.

What was your favorite song that they sang? Alvin singing "Don't Cha Wish Your Girlfriend"...you know the rest.

Who do you think should see this movie? Everybody. I don't know why. Its just a good movie.

Perception = Reality

2008-04-02T19:18:00.006-04:00

Quote from Disney Training: "Their perception is YOUR reality."

With customer service, you can focus so much on what you are doing, you loose sight of what people are experiencing. You may have the best intentions, you may have great systems in place...but to the guest, something is missing. Whatever their perception is, that is your reality. You don't have the opportunity to talk to every guest or customer. They may have a bad experience which has nothing to do with you. But, whatever their perception is, its going to be your reality. You could lose a customer, a guest may never come back or a great opportunity can be lost. You can't defend your systems or combat every negative criticism by telling them how they are wrong. And yet, simple adjustments can be made to help the perception match the actual customer service provided. It just takes time to sit back and evaluate what you are currently doing and what you could tweak to improve what people experience.

An example:

Snacks: For our WiredChurches.com events, we have two snack breaks (morning and afternoon). We love getting a great variety of snacks from healthy to just plain fun (aka Twinkies and ding dongs). We always provide something for everyone...no matter what diet they are on, health issues they have, taste buds they indulge...its all there. BUT...we get feedback about needing healthier food options. This always confused me because we literally have something for everyone.

The problem? All the snack foods were intermixed. People's eyes went to the junk food (the stuff they couldn't have) and their perception was that we did not provide them enough healthy choices.

The solution? For our workshops in March, I had our teams re-organize the way we present the food. All the healthy food is now on one end of the table, all the junk food on the other. We had the same options we always have (only 2 new things offered). And yet the feedback was completely different. People raved about the great healthy options we provided. By simply changing the way we presented the food, people's perceptions changed. One small adjustment had a big impact.

This perception = reality equation affects so many aspects of customer service. Its about being proactive instead of reactive. Seeking out solutions instead of defending strategies. It all boils down to making sure the guest has the best possible experience they can have. That's the perception we want them to walk away with.

Movie Monday Night Review by Dawson

2008-03-31T20:53:00.008-04:00

Back by popular demand! Here is Dawson's review from our Movie Monday Night. :)

Movie: We pulled a movie from the ole Wasik Library. Tonight's choice was Open Season.

What was the movie about? This bear that was fighting this guy and he was like "whotchaaaa." The bear, Boog and the deer, Elliot were friends. Elliot was about to die because he was on the hunter's truck. Boog untied him. They weren't friends at first but at the end they were friends.

What was the funniest part of the movie? When the deer went poop.

Was there any part you didn't like? When the hunter found the bear in his cabin. 'Cause the bear was about to die.

Who was your favorite character? Elliot (the deer) because he was funny. I just want to tell you that it was really funny when Elliot went poop.

Do you think other people should see this movie? Not grownups but kids. But I think adults would like it too.

Anything else? When the Bear was talking to skunks...it was really funny.

Happy Birthday Mom

2008-03-25T06:38:00.005-04:00

Happy Birthday to my mom

[aka my best buddy, disney buddy, travel buddy, shopping buddy, crazy adventure buddy, Lost buddy, American Idol buddy, laugh-until-we-cry buddy]

I love you!

Oh the things you teach your kids...

2008-03-23T19:57:00.007-04:00

At school, this is what Dawson wrote about our cats. Pay attention to the last two lines...its proof that Dawson is indeed just like his mom....

Do you bump the lamp?

2008-03-19T18:56:00.007-04:00

In Roger Rabbit, there is a scene with the main characters where Roger Rabbit bumps a hanging lamp and it sways back and forth...causing its light to shine back and forth over the characters. For actors, its no big deal. The shading will naturally change with the movement of the lamp. For the animators, its a whole other story. Animation typically takes about 22 images per second in a movie. Twenty-two hand drawn, shaded, colored and processed pieces of art for 1 tiny second of the movie. Bumping the lamp caused the animators great difficulty because they had to perfect the change in lighting to make it seem real. That means greater concentration, more work and more energy spent on a lamp moving back and forth...making the shading on the characters in perfect sync with the real life lamp movement. Does anyone remember that scene? Most likely not. So you probably wonder why in the world the directors had their teams go through all the extra work.....I mean, what real difference did the lamp make? The answer: it's the Disney difference. Simple as that. They didn't have to...but they chose to. Their philosophy? No one may notice, but we do it for the 10% that might.

That really got me thinking about our WiredChurches.com events...how do we "bump the lamp?" The tiny details matter. Maybe not for the masses, but for the select few that do notice, it might enhance their guest experience. It might make them aware of how much we care about them. We don't just want to get them in the door and then go through the motions. We want them to know that every detail of their experience was planned, thoughtfully decided and that they matter so much, we are willing to continually "bump the lamp." Mediocrity is not an option. Doing things to simply make it easier on our end is not an option. Systems can be put into place to make teams the most efficient as possible. But that is not the end all. Doing what is comfortable or what is "acceptable" is not the measurement of our excellence. We do what we have to so that our guests feel like they matter. They aren't just customers. They aren't just attendees. They are men and women who continually pour their hearts, their time and their energy to reach people. They face hardships, they each have a story, they are each unique and we want them to know we value them. Many of them may never notice all the things we do to make their experience the best it can be, but that's okay. We do it for the 10% that might. We choose to bump the lamp. Our guests are worth it.

So now I am evaluating every aspect of the guest experience at our events:

What do we do to make the guest feel like they are valued before even stepping onto our campus?
What do we do once they arrive to ease the stress of traveling, checking in, finding their room in an unfamiliar building?
What do we do through out the day to ensure they are comfortable and that their learning environment is distraction free?
What do we do after the event to show them we appreciated them being our guest?

We have amazing teams that do an incredible job. We already do many things to in all the areas I talked about. But I want to continue to bump the lamp. I don't want to become complacent or go into auto-pilot mode. We can always improve. So the next couple weeks I'll be processing, brainstorming and discussing different ideas. We already "tested" two last workshop group and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

I found an old camera....

2008-03-18T10:15:00.003-04:00

I was cleaning and I found an old digital camera. It had pictures on of Dawson and the family, mainly from him being about 1-4 years old. He was so adorable and chunky and silly :).

Here they are:

Dawson Growing Up

Quality Control

2008-03-12T14:40:00.004-04:00

We have WiredChurches.com workshops this Friday. In preparation, one of my volunteer teams was here to assemble all the binders for our guests. They worked hard prepping the boxes and boxes of brand new binders (these were new, as in just purchased, as in straight from the company, never been opened). At the end, one of my volunteers brought me this binder:

On the outside, it looks perfectly normal. A beautiful new binder.

Here is the inside....look closely....

Here is a closer look. Apparently there was a rip in the pocket. They attempted to use double-stick tape to fix it. Then decided to use a random piece of masking tape as well. Nice.

So...I guess this goes to show the importance of quality control so that nothing (or no one) slips through the cracks. At least it gave me a good laugh :)

I love my grandpa!!

2008-03-11T20:31:00.006-04:00

HAPPY 88th BIRTHDAY GRANDPA

(isn't he hysterical...he totally let me pose him...even gave me his best gangsta glare).

Today is my grandpa's birthday. Here are some reasons why I love him!

He is funny and enjoys silly humor (I love that).
He went through quadruple bypass surgery in the last couple of years and with frightening odds and a long recovery, he never once complained. I even remember when I spoon fed him his coffee that he made jokes about it...he never acted like it bothered him to be helpless. He was more appreciative of being alive. He showed great strength both recovering physically and the in the emotional journey.
He shares my enthusiasm for sarcasms. Let's just say we have a good time.
He is adorable and has the sweetest heart.
He's come a long way in the last ten years....lots of relationships have been healed and restored. Its amazing the difference in the family. I sense joy from him now.
My uncle and grandpa "fight" like grumpy old men. Its hysterical.
He owns almost every mechanical QVC , HSN or drug store singing, dancing, moving, talking or anything obnoxious figurine (from a 5 ft dancing santa to "low ridin" vegetables).
He may be stubborn but he is also open to new things like church...and is going to start coming soon!
My heart melts when he smiles. He gets a twinkle and I'm so thankful he's my grandpa!

Here are some more pics from our dinner:

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Being Intentional

2008-03-10T21:25:00.005-04:00

For the most part, I'm an intentional kind of person. I'm a planner, a thinker, a dreamer and I always try to make sure what I do or say is the right thing to do. But I will admit, sometimes I'm not intentional and unfortunately, its sometimes in areas of my life where I should be the most intentional.

A while ago, I spent a good year and half without being intentional about planning things for Dawson and I. An entire year and a half gone. Yes life was crazy, but that is just an excuse. I focused on and let my life be consumed by things that should not have outranked my family. Now, please don't think I neglected Dawson. I certainly didn't. We did all the normal family things and we have a lot of fun memories. My point is that I was not intentional about it. I did not plan things very often and I most certainly did not protect my time with him as much as I should have to prevent myself from being distracted by this or that. Its when I took a long hard look at reality that I realized I had to be intentional. So I started blocking out my time. We have Movie Mondays where we either go to a movie or watch one at home. We have Spaghetti Saturdays where we make spaghetti together. I try to stay off my laptop until he goes to bed. Its small things...nothing significant on the outside but its our time...and that makes it the most significant thing in the world. I had to be intentional about it though. And it was hard at first. I really believe my laptop taunted me the first couple of weeks. I was an online junkie..emails, facebook, blogs...I was addicted to reading everything first, checking things first, responding first. But my greater desire was when I spent time ith Dawson, I wanted to make sure I just wasn't spending quantity of time but quality of time. I wanted him to look at me and know I was there for him... and for him to know I wasn't thinking about work or social things or to do lists. I was intentionally present. The difference is amazing. I do have times where I backslide a little because its life and it gets crazy and there are so many things and people needing attention. But I try hard to re-evaluate regularly so that I stay on the right path.

Lately, I've been really analyzing the intentionality of my time with God. I do pray everyday. I do devotionals. But...how much am I present during that time? I have found lately that my mind will slip to other things. I'll cut my devotionals short for something else. I make excuses (I don't want to wake up early or I am tired and want to go to bed). I am not being intentional. The problem is that I fit my time with God into my schedule instead of fitting my schedule around my time with God. I don't intentionally designate a specific time daily to be alone, to pray, to reflect and to study. I fit it in whenever I can. My faith is the most important thing. I live my life for Jesus and yet when it comes to spending time with Him...I am anything but intentional. Its not that I choose to or that I want to...its just that I have neglected to protect that time. That is going to stop. I will be intentional. And I have no doubt that like the time with my family, it will be amazing.

To keep me accountable, here is my plan:

I will get up a bit earlier in the mornings and spend some quiet time. No TV. No laptop. No distractions.
I will continue to do my devotionals and read the Bible.
I will go a step beyond that and journal. I want to write about how I am, where I am at and what I've learned.
I will write down who I am praying for. I pray for a lot of people. But I will admit, sometimes I get inwardly focused and worry more about what's going on in my life.
I am going to protect this time...this is my time with God. If something comes up, I can always wake up a bit earlier (gulp).

Anyways...I'm getting intentional and I'm excited for this journey.

Indescribable

2008-03-08T14:02:00.002-05:00

My friend David showed me this video on youtube. Incredible. It overwhelms me with how big and awesome God is. And how I can never fathom His greatness. God is amazing.

Wacky World of Lindsay: Root Canal: A Twitter of a Time...

2008-03-05T19:07:00.005-05:00

I got home about an hour ago from my 3 hour root canal. It was not fun. It was not pleasant. It was something I never want to experience again. Apparently, I had a stubborn root that rejected the anesthetic....it took 5 (yes FIVE) attempts of: Drill...OW!! (pain)....more shots. Repeat. Repeat again...you get the picture. He almost just gave up all together because nothing was working. I was really nervous so they gave me some gas for the procedure. Note to self: gas plus twittering during a root canal...not the smartest thing. Especially since I don't remember half of what I typed. And I texted people randomly in my attempt to twitter. I was completely out of it.

For those who did not follow it on Facebook....here is my Twitter Adventure:

Lindsay is getting nervous about the big root canal today! I'm such a big baby :).7:39am
Lindsay is twittering: T-minus 1.5 hours to root canal. Blah.12:40pm
Lindsay is twittering: On my way to the dentist. Big knot in my stomach....1:48pm
Lindsay is twittering: I am getting gas...the good gas...i shall be loopy soon...1:58pm
Lindsay is twittering: I have quizno breath...hope that doesnt make things awkward...2:03pm
Lindsay is twittering: I can barely feel my legs and fingers. Gas is great! I may be floating. Weeeee....2:19pm
Lindsay is twittering: My lips are huge and i just drooled all over myself...nice...2:23pm
Lindsay is twittering: Drill came. Not fully numb. OW! Lots of pain! On 3rd attempt 2 numb me. This is not pleasant. Im sucking down gas like there is no tomor ...2:56pm
Lindsay is twittering: I wanna be done.... :(.2:57pm)
Lindsay is twittering: Ps; drool is dribbling out my mouth and down my neck. Ewwwww....2:59pm
Lindsay is twittering: Where did they go? Everyone is gone. Its just me and my drool.... Help!!!!3:00pm
Lindsay is twittering: What if i choke on my own spit? (panicking) ummmm help? Someone? Spit problem here....3:03pm
Lindsay is twittering: All this talk about spit...now I so have to go to the bathroom....ugh.3:04pm
Lindsay is twittering: Kem...i thought u said if u twittered help would come. Nope...this sucks...3:06pm
Lindsay is twittering: Someone help...i am so out of it....but i still need help....4:01pm
Lindsay is twittering: I am whacked out...ah hahaha. I have no clue whats going on. Q.4:02pm
Lindsay is twittering: I swear i almost had an accident in the dentist chair...i forgot to wear my depends....oh my word...5:31pm
Lindsay is twittering: I dont think i should drive yet...i am so out of it still...5:41pm
Lindsay is twittering: All done. My face is droopy. And i am still unable to control my drool. I have no clue what has happened the last 3 hours! Gas is crazy!5:52pm
Lindsay is twittering: I am re-entering the la-la world...i just took a vicodin. I am really sore already. Feel free to come to my pity party. U are all invited!7:00pm

Crazy....I'm going to relax on the couch now and wipe the drool dribble......sigh...

Root Canal and The Dentist

2008-03-05T07:42:00.002-05:00

Today I get to experience my first root canal. I'm not excited at all. You see, I've never even had a cavity before...so I've never experienced any form of dental work besides basic cleaning. I'm pretty nervous. Plus, my only "idea" of what its like...and the closest I've ever got to major dental work is Bill Cosby's At the Dentist. (I love his stuff!). So this is what I'm expecting today....and hopefully at the end of my appointment, I'll be "obeekabee" :)

Watch and enjoy.

I went on a Safari...

2008-03-04T19:46:00.002-05:00

Well, not a real one...but a Disney version :). For my birthday, my dad got me this amazing lens for my camera. This vacation was my first attempt at trying it out. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that there is an "auto focus" choice until half way through the week....I had left it on manual. Oops. I had fun messing around with it and trying to capture some fun animal shots--(although it was not very easy trying to manually focus while in a bouncing, moving vehicle.) Plus, I took some other random pics around Disney World. I love taking pictures and it was great practice for me! (Plus my family was super patient with me changing lens, settings, etc...they are the best!)

Here are the animal, flower, anything other than human pictures from vacation :):

Anything but the Humans Pics :)

Last Half of Vacation Pics

2008-03-04T19:19:00.002-05:00

Vacation is over and we are back in the frozen tundra. It is sad. But it was GREAT to see everyone again today (I missed you guys!). Here are some highlights from the second half:

It was COLD out for a while....one night, I had 5 layers on because I didn't have a heavy jacket with me.
Then it got beautiful again...the last few days was the perfect "hang at the pool" weather. Clear skies, mid 70's and a light breeze. Perfection. I quite enjoyed swimming and just laying out in the sun and reading.
The crowds were minimum. We barely had to wait for any ride. It was great.
We went around the entire World Showcase in one evening...and did all the activities, all the shows and walked through most of the shops. Dawson actually loved all the shows about the different countries. I was happy that we had fun and it was really educational for him.
My mom's ear infection flared up and she was miserable for a while. But she was a trooper and kept smiling. We all just made the best of it (we stayed a couple extra days so that she didn't have to fly with it being so bad). The last couple days were really low key which was nice.
I ate way too much food....and I loved every second of it. I am totally and utterly addicted to Disney's chocolate croissants. Seriously...I've been craving them ever since.
We saw "Auntie Boo" in the parade. It was awesome.
It was another awesome vacation. We had a blast and as always, can't wait to go back :)

Here are some pics....

Second Half of Vacation Pics

Wacky World of Lindsay--The Lost Conversation

2008-03-03T17:34:00.003-05:00

This is an actual conversation that occurred between us and a Disney Cast Member.

Setting: Our favorite show, Lost is an ABC show. At one of the stores inside Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM), there is a bunch of Lost merchandise. The store was closed at the time and we asked this cast member if there was any other place where they had similar merchandise.

Us: Do you have any Lost merchandise or know if there is a store that has some?
CM: Lost? You mean Lost and Found. Oh yeah, its at the front of the park.
Us: No, not "lost and found" but Lost, the show.
CM: What show?
Us: Lost
CM: What's its name?
Us: Lost
CM: Yeah, but what is the name of it.
Us: Its name is Lost. Its an ABC show...really popular.
CM: Oh ABC...there is an ABC building...its over there. Whats the name of the show again?
Us: Lost
CM: (confused) hmmm...yeah, I don't know. Never heard of it before.
Us: Really? Okay thanks...
CM: (excited) Wait....is Drew Carrey in it? That show is right around the corner. Right over there. See.
Us: Uhhh....no. (Sigh) Thanks.

The Cutest Card Trick....

2008-03-03T16:27:00.004-05:00

Dawson made up his own card trick. Its so cute. Everyone at the restaurant thought it was so adorable that they kept spreading the word about it. He ended up "performing" it for all the waiters and all the tables around us. They all clapped for him afterwards. So sweet.

Bad Experience = Great Opportunity

2008-03-01T22:27:00.004-05:00

One of the greatest aspects of customer service is how you handle bad situations. Sometimes, for no one's fault, things go wrong. You can plan, strategize and put all the systems in place to prevent anything negative from happening...but even then, something will go awry. This is where the true test of customer service comes in. It will either mark your guest/customer/etc with a lasting bad feeling or impress him or her with how well you turn the situation around.

Here is a little personal experience to demonstrate this:
We left on vacation on Saturday...our plane was delayed in South Bend but we were able to take off and arrive in Orlando the same evening. We checked 3 bags and a car seat. Only 2 bags and the car seat made it to Orlando. Somehow, my mom's luggage did not arrive with the rest of us. Once the conveyor belt stopped and we realized the situation, we immediately went to the Allegiant Customer Service area and tried to receive help. The lady was less than sympathetic. This is a stressful situation. Most people are anxious about checking their luggage and when something does go wrong, we need a little consoling. We naturally panic. I talked to the lady who reluctantly called for the some people to recheck the plane and the luggage carts. I listened to the radio while a guy yelled "MILTON" for about 20 minutes. I don't know who Milton is and where he was but apparently he was the only guy who could check things out for us. We waited 30 minutes to get an answer from Milton about whether the bag was in Orlando or not. It wasn't. So I asked the lady what our next steps were. She hands me a paper to fill out and doesn't explain any of it. From the looks of it, its something she should have filled out, not me. We asked about a voucher or something so that my mom could get some basic overnight stuff like contact solution, pajamas, etc. She explained they won't do anything for us. End of discussion. (A little sympathy from her at this point would have been nice). She said she'd call us later that night after they talked to South Bend and found out where the bag was. No phone call came. Bad customer service. They made a bad situation get worse by simply not caring about us, not following thru and by making the situation our problem to deal with when it was their fault to begin with.

Now, on the complete opposite side of the spectrum was Alamo car rental. We were tired and irritated when we got to the rental desk to check in. We explained to them what happened and what Allegiant's response was. They immediately upgraded our car to the next level for free. They gathered up all the toiletry stuff they could find around the store (put it in a big bag for us---everything from paper towel to hand sanitizer). They didn't know if we needed any of it, but they wanted us to have something. Then they got our car, drove it around for us and got us all situated. Right when we were about to leave, the manager came running out with her own personal bottle of hairspray for my mom. They gave all they could simply to help us have a better night. Did we need all that? Probably not. But did the thought and the effort turn a really bad situation into something positive? You bet. They went above and beyond to show they cared. It left a mark. The bad situation had nothing to do with Alamo. It was Allegiant's fault. They weren't obligated to do anything....but Alamo cared about us because we were their customer. They wanted us to start our vacation with a positive experience. I was extremely impressed.

By the way, Allegiant's customer service got worse. No phone call came the next day to update us on the situation. We spent an hour on the phone and called about 10 different phone numbers to try and get some help. No one was helpful. We got hung up on twice, redirected 3 times and not once did someone give us a single answer or direction. The original number they gave us dialed directly back to the place we were at the night before. No one answered the entire day. We talked with the airport security and he said that there was someone at the desk at all times (there is a camera there). But no one bothered to pick up the phone. We finally got a hold of a lady (turned out to be the same lady from the night before) and she actually pretended to be someone else at first. When we explained how bad the customer service was, she instantly started arguing back and suddenly remembered it was her at the desk the night before. Seriously...absolutely ridiculous.

No one is perfect and no system is perfect. At some point, things will go wrong. People will be upset and the true test of customer service will happen. What can I do to help turn the situation around? How can I be sympathetic and understanding while still upholding the processes and procedures that must be followed? There is a balance. Sometimes you have to adjust the rules, sometimes you have to give a little, sometimes you have to stop focusing on yourself and do what it takes to help your guest/customer/etc feel like they are cared for. Every bad experience has a golden opportunity to leave a lasting good impression. Its up to us to make sure our customers walk away knowing we care about them.

Pirate and Princess Party

2008-02-29T07:25:00.003-05:00

I can now say we have attended all of Disney's special "parties." We have been to the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the Christmas Party and now the Pirates and Princess Party. Now, I can't make a complete review of it because it was pouring down rain and storming for the first half of it....causing Disney to cancel some of the special attractions they had set up. I did think they did a great job making the experience great despite the weather. Overall, I enjoy the Halloween Party the best. But the Pirate party was still a lot of fun.

Some highlights:

The music was great...they had a good mix of pirate/adventure music and princess/fairy tale music.
The "treasure" they gave out was just beads. I thought they could have mixed it up a bit but...all the kids seemed to love having big bead collections wrapped around their neck.
The fireworks were amazing. They went off all around the park so you were surrounded by the lights and sounds. Very cool.
The parade was neat. I loved the giant pirate ship!
Captain Jack Meet and Greet. Only during the Pirate and Princess Party are you allowed to have a meet and greet with Captain Jack. Normally you can only see him in parades or in the Pirate Tutorial.
They had the typical dance parties and games for the kids.
Little girls had the opportunity to stand in Cinderella's Coach. It was an awesome pic opportunity!
I loved all the costumes. Like the Halloween Party, whole families dressed up. It was great!

Here are some pics:

Pirate and Princess Party

Vacation...the first half

2008-02-28T08:15:00.001-05:00

Here are some pics :)

First Half of Vacation Pics

Vacation Thus Far

2008-02-25T22:13:00.003-05:00

Here are some quick highlights of our Disney vacation so far...

Allegient lost my mom's suitcase. Really, really bad customer service...more on that later.
Our room at Pop Century is in one of the best locations. Right by the pool and food court.
We took a day trip to the Tampa area to see the cool people at Relevant Church and to attend one of their services. It was great! After church, we hung out with some of their staff and my friend Jarrett gave us a great tour of Ybor City (dont' ask me how to pronounce it...my "northern" accent will screw it up...haha).
We've been to the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, drove Indy cars and Star Tours (Star Wars ride). Saw some fireworks and pigged out on ice cream.
The weather is amazing. Seriously...its been perfect the last couple of days. I love hanging out at the pool. But word has it...a cold front is coming thru soon. We'll have to suffer in the 60 degree weather. Life is sooo rough :).
I saw Mickey today. That made me happy.
Tomorrow is a big day....Epcot in the morning and then the Pirate and Princess Party in the evening. And no, I am not dressing up like a princess. LOL. I'm totally a pirate girl :)
I'll post pics in the next couple of days!

A Note

2008-02-23T12:31:00.003-05:00

Dawson loves to write me notes and leave them around the house for me to find. It amazes me that he can't write them without needing help since he is only in Kindergarten. He's a smart little man :). This is the note I found in one of my boots this morning. Seriously, he is the sweetest little thing in the world.

National Strategy Event

2008-02-23T09:32:00.003-05:00

The last couple days have been a lot of fun. A group of us flew down to sunny Orlando for the National Strategy event for Willow's Leadership Summit. Some highlights:

I love traveling as a team. There is nothing better than laughing, sharing stories and experiencing things with a great team. I am very lucky I get to work with such cool people.
Instead of the normal sessions I usually have to attend, they decided to bring in the Disney Institute for a Disney customer service training. Simply amazing. For those that know me, know it was the most incredible surprise. :). My head is still processing it all and I am excited to take what I've learned and apply it to the guest experience at our WiredChurches.com events. I'll post some good thoughts/ideas I learned in the next couple of weeks.
I ate some good food and won at cards....and that makes me happy :).
Jami and I laugh at the most silly things...seriously...half the time its only her and I who know why something is so funny. But that's what makes it so great.
There were several "weird and awkward" moments....which, I love!
I believe alligators can be in retention ponds....no matter how much people make fun of me.
I love meeting new people. Seriously, I am such a talker...lol. On the plane ride down, I was sat in between two strangers. We all talked for 2 1/2 hours straight. It was great. I love hearing about people's stories and what makes them tick. Also, I am going to help one of them plan his next Disney family vacation!!!
I met some really cool event planners. Its awesome to meet people with the same passion. It energizes me. I met people from Lutz, Florida to Dyer, Indiana...it was great connecting with them.

Here are some pics:

Here are some pictures:

National Strategy Event

Wacky World of Lindsay--Tooting Toliet

2008-02-21T23:44:00.004-05:00

So apparently, I couldn't have a normal toliet in our hotel room. It flushes and then lets out a very loud noise at the end. I am not sure if this video captures it the best...but let me tell ya...I have no problem admitting my complete immaturity because I totally bust out laughing every single time :).

Quote

2008-02-17T21:21:00.002-05:00

"The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity…these are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing."

The World of TXT and IM

2008-02-15T15:25:00.004-05:00

FWIW, IMHO....I think we can overuse TXT and IM abbreviations. IOW people are now trying to KIS by using these shortened versions of talking. AFAIK, most people GA and really talk this way and amazingly, people understand it. JTLYK, I don't get it. In regards to LOL, FYI and ASAP...BTDT....although I may have also ROTFL once. [VBG :) ]. BTA taking the time to type things out has always WFM. YW to do what you want and DQMOT but if no one can understand, YBS.

If you are confused, check out here. HTH and you'll be able to say, "OIC!"

B4N!!! This is the official: EOM.

Relevant Church

2008-02-15T15:16:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite aspects of my job is getting the privilege of meeting and talking with pastors and church leaders from all over the country (and the world). Last year at Innovate, I met the awesomely cool people from Relevant Church in Florida. They are launching a new sex series called "30 Day Sex Challenge" and its creating quite a buzz. Check out some links:

Tim wrote about them here.
Fox News wrote about them here.

Its exciting stuff and I can't wait to see what happens over the next several weeks!

What a difference a year makes....

2008-02-12T20:21:00.001-05:00

So last week I celebrated my birthday!!! Woo hoo! And...I am happy to report...the "birthday curse" is officially broken! You see, bad things end up happening on my birthday. I won't go into every example, but trust me....the curse has been there and it hasn't been pleasant. Last year, will probably go down in history as my worst birthday ever. Seriously, I'm not joking. I laugh about it now because of how ridiculously bad it was. But alas, one year later and I have the exact opposite experience. This year, everything went right! I had a wonderful day at work where I was surrounded by amazing friends/coworkers (plus my mom surprised me with decorating my desk!). They made me feel so special and loved. I had an awesome birthday lunch at Olive Garden where I completely pigged out! Then later that night, I went with family (and adopted family) to Hana Yori's. The food wasn't all that, but the company was! I went to bed with a big smile on my face...knowing that the whole day had happened without anything bad happening....not a single things.

THEN....although my birthday was over....the party wasn't :). On Friday night, my mom and friends (aka adopted family) Shanti/James threw me the most fun birthday party. We played games, ate snacks and the BEST birthday cake in the world (thanks mom), played our Wii with a projector and then sat around and talked late into the night. It was amazing.

I'm so thankful for my mom, my family and all my friends who made my birthday so incredible. I'm so happy the birthday curse is broken! I can now say "YAY for birthdays" instead of "Oh snap...here we go again." lol :)

Here are some pics:

My Birthday

Simply amazing...

2008-02-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

Read this story about a baby who survived a tornado....incredible.

Super Tuesday is Super!

2008-02-05T12:26:00.000-05:00

Today is Super Tuesday....a big day in the world of politics. Politics is a facinating topic. There are so many opinions that get stirred from those who love it to those who hate it.

I, personally, enjoy politics (I love political dramas like West Wing and political movies). I will admit, there was a time that I got a little passive and uncaring about politics. I think it was a bad phase in my life :). No matter what it was...I'm glad I came to my senses and snapped out of it. I do believe the political process is important. I don't agree with every aspect of it, but as a whole, I think its something we all need to at least pay attention to.

Having said that, I've quite enjoyed the Primary season for several reasons:

I love the debates...I think its great to hear the candidates express their opinions and plans for the future. I also think its great to see them defend those opinions and plans so that those ideas are not something impressive to say, but real ideas for solutions to ongoing problems.
I love the strategy...everything from which states they focus on, to how they all interact with each other, etc. Its like a game of chess...each move takes major strategy and you have to constantly focus on the big picture (but not too much...or you'll end up like Guiliani...).
I admire all of their work ethic. Campaigning is not easy. Its long and draining. They are constantly "on" and anything they do or say can change everything (i.e., Howard Dean and his "YEEHAW" back in the 2004 election). Whether you like a candidate or not, you have to respect their drive to compete in a national election and undergo the pressure it brings.
It's important....and its amazing that something thought of and developed over a couple of hundred years ago is still working....no, its not perfect, but no process/system will be.

At the end of today, we may have a better idea of who will be each party's nomination, we may not. I am just enjoying learning about each candidate and seeing the process unfold. BTW: this is so far my favorite place to get information about each candidate.

I've been Lost....

2008-02-04T15:01:00.000-05:00

The past month or so....I've been totally addicted, obsessed and memsermized by the show Lost. I know, I'm kinda late jumping on this bandwagon...but alas, now I know I love the show because its a great show and not because everyone else likes it.

I love the writing, the characters, the sequencing of the show. Its so amazingly good. Each character brings to the table this diverse mix of experience, baggage, stories, etc. Of course I'm a big fan of all the characters but my favorites are Sayid, Jack and Hurley. But I will say, almost everything Sawyer says cracks me up....

Anyways....I'm getting towards the last two DVDs of the third season and then will start the 4th (thank you DVR) soon. No spoilers please....I quite enjoy being on the end of my seat, not knowing what is going to happen next! :)

Newsflash....a leprechaun has been spotted.....beware...

2008-01-24T10:36:00.000-05:00

Lisa showed me this. I was laughing pretty hard.

Bubblewrap Addiction

2008-01-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

You can do everything online now it seems....including popping Bubblewrap!!! Check it out here.

Wacky World Update

2008-01-10T08:42:00.000-05:00

People have been asking for an update on what has happened with my television. See here for the backstory.

Well, "it" has decided that at night, I can watch whatever I want without much interference. Which is great! (But I will admit that I've fallen asleep to certain channels and then wake up to find another one on....but at least "it" waits until I'm asleep before changing the channel). Unfortunately, the morning is another story completely. I enjoy watching Fox and Friends while I am getting ready. "It" prefers CNBC. We battle it out every morning. The comical part is that the channel only gets changed when I'm out of the room. I will be watching Fox and Friends, go into the bathroom to grab something and come back.....channel changed. I'll change it back....and while I stay in the room, the channel will stay put. But as soon as I step out, even for a short moment, CNBC comes back on. So crazy.

Wacky World of Lindsay--Television Turmoil

2008-01-06T21:49:00.000-05:00

Everything I type here happened today. Absolutely no exaggerations. It all happened exactly as I say below. Pure fact. And it freaked me out. Let me also point out that there was no interference from anyone in my house and no other remotes will work on my television.

This morning, Dawson and I were hanging out in my room, snuggled up while watching some cartoons. All of a sudden, the channel changed. I looked around for the remote and found it under a pillow and figured, it changed due to one of us leaning on it (that happens a lot). So I change the channel back and set it beside me. Two minutes later, the channel changes again...not just one channel but several. Now I know this time that nothing hit the remote. Dawson asks me why I keep changing the channel. I try to explain that I'm not....but how do I explain to a 6 year old that the TV is magically changing channels? I, once again, change the channel back to the one we were watching and this time, I set the remote up on top of a pillow, in the far corner of the bed, where absolutely nothing was touching it....

A couple minutes later, the channel changed again. This time, the channel guide came on and "it" started surfing down the channels up and down, stopping at the different shows. "It" selected a show, then changed the channel again. Twice "it" went back to the guide before finally settling on another channel.

Okay, this is getting weird.

I take the controller, switch the channel back and then hit the "TV" button (which in order to change channels, it has to be on the "dish" button....so now I can press any button on the remote and nothing happens with the TV). Finally we should be able to watch Tom and Jerry in peace.

Five minutes later, the guide came back on. "It" decided to not only scroll up and down the channels, but back and forth as well. That's right..."it" decided to see what was on later in the morning on certain channels. Hmmmm....this is getting more and more freaky.

So...being quite freaked out and irritated (and so was Dawson...he still didn't get the concept that I wasn't causing the channels to change)....I figured I'd just take the batteries out. Then the problem would be solved. No batteries, no remote, no way to change the channel.

Or so I thought....

After ten minutes, the guide came back on. This time searching the channels up and down, scrolling left and right for future shows and now....IT RECORDED SHOWS. Yep, "it" decided to record a show to watch later. A timer was set up for a show called, "Passage to India." And the remote had no batteries. "It" also thought using the movie and theme search would aid in "its'" quest to find the perfect show.

We immediately got up and went downstairs and decided we'd watch cartoons down there.

Tonight...I went to bed and had Fox News on. One hour went by and all was calm. Then "it" decided to change the channel again. I picked up my phone to call my mom to let her know "it" was back.....at the exact moment I said, "hello".....the channel was turned back to Fox News and all has been quiet since.....

I have NO idea how or why this is happening. But it is one of the craziest and yes, wacky things I've ever experienced.

Quote

2008-01-04T14:47:00.000-05:00

“Promises are only words until they are tested. It is when your best intentions meet hard reality that true character is revealed. Maintain your integrity in those difficult times and your word will gain a quiet strength that others will never doubt.”

New Year's Poem

2007-12-31T17:18:00.000-05:00

The first half of 2007 kinda stunk.
The second half was incredibly great.
I'm expecting an awesome ENTIRE year of 2008.

(I know, I know...don't quit my day job...lol)

Christmas

2007-12-30T19:37:00.000-05:00

Christmas was wonderful! We had a packed Christmas Eve and then had a relaxing Christmas Day.
Highlights (not in any specific order):

Going to Hope Rescue Mission with US Cellular.
Being at Granger on the first moments of Christmas after an incredible Christmas Eve service.
Spending time with my Grandpa and Uncle Bill.
Going to Denny's until 2:30 a.m. with friends on Christmas morning (I didn't have Dawson this year for Christmas morning so my amazing mom and friends kept me busy and happy by doing something crazy....like going to Denny's in the wee hours of Christmas....and it helped a lot!)
Christmas morning with my mom (we even watched the Disney Christmas parade which by the way had new Mickey and Minnie costumes with eyes that blinked and mouths that moved...great improvement).
Christmas afternoon with my wonderful and amazing Dawson. One of his gifts was a sweet little picture of Santa and his sleigh...I loved it.
My brother, sister-in-law, dad and our family friend Mike came over to have dinner and open presents.
Santa brought Dawson a Wii for Christmas. The entire family had a blast playing. We laughed and had a great time.
We finished the night by going to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. What an adorable movie. It was awesome and we all loved it.

Here are some pictures:

Christmas 2007

I've been MUNKED!!!

2007-12-28T18:26:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jeff finding this....I've been munked! Its so much fun and so easy to do! I didn't have any way of recording a message so I used the phone number to call it. Its hysterical. You can say whatever you want!!!! Check out mine.

Christmas Eve at Hope Rescue Mission

2007-12-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

Dawson and I had the opportunity to do something amazing on Christmas Eve. We joined my mom, my brother and Scott at Hope Rescue Mission. US Cellular (where my brother, mom and Scott work) brought a bunch of cell phones down there and allowed people the opportunity to call people for Christmas. People were allowed to call whoever they wanted (and there was no limit on the amount of calls either or how long). Dawson did a great job helping to hand out phones and telling people Merry Christmas. I was very proud of him.

I won't forget the experience. We were all choked up numerous times. Here are some of the "moments" we experienced:

A guy used one of the phones. Left, then came back and pulled my brother into the other room. He had tears streaming down his face. He told my brother thank you for allowing him to re-connect with his daughter.....after 10 years of silence. That's right...on Christmas Eve, he talked to his daughter for the very first time in 10 year. Amazing.
Another guy smiled ear to ear the entire time he was on the phone. I've not seen someone "beam" as much as he did. It was awesome to see....in a time and place where brokenness is everywhere, this man was filled with more happiness than I've seen anywhere at anytime....all because he was able to talk to his family.
One guy had a long conversation. Since we were in a small area, it was easy to overhear some of what was being said. It really got me thinking. From what I gathered, he is someone who has traveled across the country, been in jail, had a drinking and drug problem, and has nothing. He talked about how he didn't want to go to church. That he couldn't. Not because he was high or back into drinking. But he just couldn't make himself go. Then he told the person about being broke and somehow he was able to get a little bit of money (like $30 or something). He said that he had a friend who desperately needed to get to Elkhart. He spent his only money on a cab for her to go. Towards the end he talked about God again. He said that people go to church and quote scripture, but don't help. He gives out of his poverty and they can barely give out of their wealth. Wow...that really gets you deep.
Countless people called to simply tell friends and family that they love them and to let them know they were okay.

I am so happy Dawson was able to experience it. To see those who don't need the bells and whistles and a ton of presents but can experience amazing joy simply by reaching out to loved ones. It was awesome!

Watch this....and try not to cry

2007-12-24T19:58:00.001-05:00

My brother told me to watch this....and all I can say is wow. A little boy named Logan called into a radio station and told them what God said to him. Listen to his story. Incredible.

I love my son...

2007-12-20T09:59:00.000-05:00

Check out this post from my mom's blog about Dawson!

12 Days of Christmas....with a twist

2007-12-20T09:16:00.000-05:00

Jim posted this and I thought it was a very creative "version" of the 12 Days of Christmas :)

Check it out:

Oh My Sweeney

2007-12-19T14:21:00.000-05:00

Friday is going to be a great day. The next Johnny Depp movie hits theaters and I'm so excited. This seems like another great character for him....and he obviously does a great job based upon his Golden Globe nomination for it. I'm a huge Johnny Depp fan (well, everyone already knows that...lol). And I will definitely be at the theaters on Friday to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I can't wait!!!!

The making of a gingerbread house....

2007-12-13T14:36:00.000-05:00

I've never made a gingerbread house before. I think its due to the misconception that is really complicated and difficult. But now they make these cool little kits where everything is all ready for you. A few of my friends came over and we worked together to make the the best gingerbread house ever :). It was a blast. I can't believe I've never made one until now....because its so much fun and a great activity for kids and adults to share in (Dawson loved it). This will definitely become a Christmas tradition of ours!

Here are some pictures of our crazy gingerbread night!

The Making of a Gingerbread House

Dawson's "Important Parts"

2007-12-11T18:15:00.000-05:00

For Dawson's homework, he has a calendar where he has a variety of activities he must do each day. They are all pretty short and simple (i.e, do 15 jumping jacks, tell about a favorite toy, etc). Well, today's activity was to draw your body and label the "important parts" (i.e., arms, legs, head).

I left him to his work and when I came back to see the final product, this is what Dawson decided was his important parts:

He made arrows point to the two things he felt were the most important...his heart was the first one he drew and then his brain. Pretty clever kid!! :)

Quote

2007-12-10T19:29:00.000-05:00

"Your life is an occasion, rise to it."

~Mr. Magorium in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (amazing movie by the way)

Food Drop 2007

2007-12-08T12:04:00.000-05:00

Today was Granger's annual Food Drop. This is a time where we all gather together to help feed and encourage families across Michiana. Its always an amazing event. There were so many people there....in the cold, early in the morning....but all cheerful, excited and ready to work hard. My job was similar to the one last year where I got to help the Communication team with media and special guests. I feel so lucky to not only be a part of a church that does this type of event but to work with the people I do. It was a great morning!!!

Food Drop 2007

Oh Cat-in-tree...Oh Cat-in-tree....

2007-12-05T09:58:00.001-05:00

We have two cats....sweet, adorable but oh so naughty cats :). They love the Christmas tree. Their favorite game is "bat the bulbs" as they try their best to launch the ornaments across the room. Unfortunately, they are very good at this game. I think they've become bored with it though and decided it was time to take it to the next level...

Two days ago I heard a noise coming from around the Christmas tree. I looked around to see where the cats were and saw nothing but one blue ornament swinging back and forth....evidence that they had to be close by...hiding after once again, torturing our tree. I searched around...no cats. I start to think that maybe I've lost my mind because ornaments don't start swinging for no apparent reason. There had to be a cat around somewhere. That's when I heard another noise. You see, I was looking around the ground at the base of the tree. It didn't occur to me to look straight ahead to the middle of it. But that is where Winnie, our female cat, was camped out. Just laying there relaxing and basking in the glow of the lights. I have no clue how she got up there. Its a fake tree so there isn't much for her to grab a hold of.

Talented...I guess.....naughty....most definitely. :)

Here are some pics: