Today I took out my special oldest daughter on a date. We packed our bikes and went for a ride on a beautiful local trail. I was excited to show her a place that I've really enjoyed going for walks the last couple months. We pulled the bikes out of the back of the van (which in and of itself is a workout) and away we went. I was foreseeing a peaceful journey over the river and through the woods building memories and healthy habits with Hannah. And don't get me wrong . . . it was all those things and more. But I may have passed on some over-achieving goal oriented genes. "Let's go Mom. I want to do at least two miles today." What? "Come on Mom. Go a little bit fast up and over this hill." Are you kidding me? "Doing great Mom. Let's see if we can see the next mile marker."
Needless to say, although I had no idea I was training for a triathlon, we biked 2 1/2 to 3 miles today. I love this little girl and am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. I am so thankful to be healthy enough to exercise with her . . . and (I guess) appreciate the free personal trainer I just hired today. As we were putting the bikes in the car she said, "Mom, next time we're gonna walk/jog OK?" Aye yi yi.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
An Anniversary Honeymoon
On July 14th, we celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. My parents, the generous grand-kid loving people that they are, took our kiddos for a six day "gramma camp" while we enjoyed some special time of connecting and relaxing and enjoying eachother.
We watched a total of six movies, read a total of three books, went to sushi, explored a little street fair, took a walk, slept in, made some fun meals, and ended with a grand finale trip to Seattle having lunch at the Space needle, visiting the newly built Seattle public library (solid glass windows - crazy!) and finishing with some world famous featured on Food Network Top Pot doughnuts. We had an incredible time . . .
It was an amazing time . . . full of memories and some much needed time to focus on nothing but each other. As much as I couldn't wait for the girls to be picked up, the day they were coming home, we both couldn't wait for their arrival. I felt like the kids staring out the window every few minutes . . . and this went on throughout the entire day!! That little knock on the door was sweet music to our ears . . . and the hugs from a time away warmed my heart.
Our marriage came first . . . and will always be first. It's healthy for our kids to see us wanting to spend some time together and important for us to clear away the distractions every once in a while. But man, do we love those kids! Part of what has made our marriage so special and these 11 years so sweet is the addition of two incredible little girls rounding out our family.
Marrying my husband was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Thank you for standing strong beside me when I couldn't, for still making me laugh, for adding spontaneity to my type a life, for stepping up to the challenge of being a daddy and doing it so well, and for living your vows everyday . . . in sickness and in health, for better or worse, in joy as well as sorrow, supporting me and loving me and cherishing me . . . as long as we both shall live.
We watched a total of six movies, read a total of three books, went to sushi, explored a little street fair, took a walk, slept in, made some fun meals, and ended with a grand finale trip to Seattle having lunch at the Space needle, visiting the newly built Seattle public library (solid glass windows - crazy!) and finishing with some world famous featured on Food Network Top Pot doughnuts. We had an incredible time . . .
It was an amazing time . . . full of memories and some much needed time to focus on nothing but each other. As much as I couldn't wait for the girls to be picked up, the day they were coming home, we both couldn't wait for their arrival. I felt like the kids staring out the window every few minutes . . . and this went on throughout the entire day!! That little knock on the door was sweet music to our ears . . . and the hugs from a time away warmed my heart.
Our marriage came first . . . and will always be first. It's healthy for our kids to see us wanting to spend some time together and important for us to clear away the distractions every once in a while. But man, do we love those kids! Part of what has made our marriage so special and these 11 years so sweet is the addition of two incredible little girls rounding out our family.
Marrying my husband was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Thank you for standing strong beside me when I couldn't, for still making me laugh, for adding spontaneity to my type a life, for stepping up to the challenge of being a daddy and doing it so well, and for living your vows everyday . . . in sickness and in health, for better or worse, in joy as well as sorrow, supporting me and loving me and cherishing me . . . as long as we both shall live.
The Jesus Scandals (GB T.A.Marsh)
Hello all! This is Guest Blogger Travis Marsh, husband of said blogger Karla. After avoiding most of Facebook, all of Twitter, never Skyping and rarely reading anyone's blog except this one, I am going to post my first "blog". Or is it blog my first post? Post a blog? Bost the first Plog? AHH..why am I so old?!
Karla gave me the book "The Jesus Scandals" by David Instone-Brewer (Kregel Pub) to read, thinking it would be right up my alley. Well, she was right. This book surprised me with its easily flow, fruitful (and often surprising) insight and personal stories that relate to the everyday reader.
What David Instone-Brewer has basically done is take the actions of Jesus and plainly describe the enormous impact on the culture of his day. While I know nearly every story that he cites in the book, what I didn't know was the details of the historical cultural view. He truly brought new light to many of Jesus's actions that I had never heard. As I progressed through each topic, I would turn to Karla and say "Did you know this???" or "Listen to this!" as I shared the author's extremely competent historical knowledge. There were several stories in the bible that all of a sudden clicked for me.
David Instone-Brewer shows how Jesus was the most scandalous person of not only his day but centuries. David is able to give current, real life examples of what would happen if Jesus actually did these actions now. For example he gives insight in to how children were treated/abused and how Jesus challenged this. He brings forth some incredible history of divorce and how the church may have gotten the "sexual immorality only" part wrong. From bad table manners to supplanting Passover, David clearly shows how Jesus threw everyone for a loop. Did you know that being single at age 30 as Jesus was in that culture was viewed as very rare and despised?
The book itself is broken up into short, easy sections to read. I promise that this book will have you thinking, questioning, asking for days. It will spur you to look for more answers and give clarity to areas you never knew needed it. I highly recommend this book to all those interested.
Thanks Karla, this was fun. Felt similar to writing a paper for college, but without the worry of grades or the smelly dude in the back of the classroom.
To win a free copy of this book, enter your name in the comments section.
Karla gave me the book "The Jesus Scandals" by David Instone-Brewer (Kregel Pub) to read, thinking it would be right up my alley. Well, she was right. This book surprised me with its easily flow, fruitful (and often surprising) insight and personal stories that relate to the everyday reader.
What David Instone-Brewer has basically done is take the actions of Jesus and plainly describe the enormous impact on the culture of his day. While I know nearly every story that he cites in the book, what I didn't know was the details of the historical cultural view. He truly brought new light to many of Jesus's actions that I had never heard. As I progressed through each topic, I would turn to Karla and say "Did you know this???" or "Listen to this!" as I shared the author's extremely competent historical knowledge. There were several stories in the bible that all of a sudden clicked for me.
David Instone-Brewer shows how Jesus was the most scandalous person of not only his day but centuries. David is able to give current, real life examples of what would happen if Jesus actually did these actions now. For example he gives insight in to how children were treated/abused and how Jesus challenged this. He brings forth some incredible history of divorce and how the church may have gotten the "sexual immorality only" part wrong. From bad table manners to supplanting Passover, David clearly shows how Jesus threw everyone for a loop. Did you know that being single at age 30 as Jesus was in that culture was viewed as very rare and despised?
The book itself is broken up into short, easy sections to read. I promise that this book will have you thinking, questioning, asking for days. It will spur you to look for more answers and give clarity to areas you never knew needed it. I highly recommend this book to all those interested.
Thanks Karla, this was fun. Felt similar to writing a paper for college, but without the worry of grades or the smelly dude in the back of the classroom.
To win a free copy of this book, enter your name in the comments section.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
New Roof
I realized I haven't written a blog posting in a long time. Why? We have been enjoying summer to much to stop and even look at the computer. We've had rainy days of playing games, breezy days in the backyard, and sunny warm days at the lake with friends.
The new adventure this week is . . . a new roof. It's exciting and wonderful but LOUD!! It sounds like someone is going to fall through every second of the day.
And yes, that is my hubby enjoying getting in on the fun of ripping and tearing and hammering. It has been the hottest week we've had this entire summer so the amazing men working on this project are sweating like crazy. So far they've gone through a case of waters and countless amounts of Gatorade (we're keeping the cooler full as we didn't buy the heat stroke insurance!!)
During all this loud craziness, the girls and I decided to take off for a day at the zoo with some fun long time friends.
There were plenty of opportunities to photograph the incredible animals we saw but I thought I'd focus on my little monkeys instead. The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is like no other. Evey animal has a beautiful natural habitat and there is so much to see . . . We enjoyed lots of viewing and laughing and picnicking and exploring and marveling at all the different kinds of animals. I was questioning how people can deny a creator when you really look at the diverse shapes and sizes . . . could you have thought up a giraffe, a hippo, a toucan or a porcupine?
What a wonderful day it was. I could have stayed forever. Haley (our little animal lover) was awestruck and amazed. She stood the longest at each exhibit and took in each little thing. When I asked her what her favorites were at the end of the day she said the taper because she'd never seen anything like it and the wart hogs because they were a brand new exhibit and I think she felt like she discovered a new species or something. I loved watching the whole thing through her eyes.
As I type, the banging continues. I hope I have a chance to publish before some hard working man falls through the ceiling and lands on my computer.
Hope you're enjoying the pace of summer . . . the possibilities of endless adventures . . . and the memories you're making with your family each day.
The new adventure this week is . . . a new roof. It's exciting and wonderful but LOUD!! It sounds like someone is going to fall through every second of the day.
And yes, that is my hubby enjoying getting in on the fun of ripping and tearing and hammering. It has been the hottest week we've had this entire summer so the amazing men working on this project are sweating like crazy. So far they've gone through a case of waters and countless amounts of Gatorade (we're keeping the cooler full as we didn't buy the heat stroke insurance!!)
During all this loud craziness, the girls and I decided to take off for a day at the zoo with some fun long time friends.
There were plenty of opportunities to photograph the incredible animals we saw but I thought I'd focus on my little monkeys instead. The Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is like no other. Evey animal has a beautiful natural habitat and there is so much to see . . . We enjoyed lots of viewing and laughing and picnicking and exploring and marveling at all the different kinds of animals. I was questioning how people can deny a creator when you really look at the diverse shapes and sizes . . . could you have thought up a giraffe, a hippo, a toucan or a porcupine?
What a wonderful day it was. I could have stayed forever. Haley (our little animal lover) was awestruck and amazed. She stood the longest at each exhibit and took in each little thing. When I asked her what her favorites were at the end of the day she said the taper because she'd never seen anything like it and the wart hogs because they were a brand new exhibit and I think she felt like she discovered a new species or something. I loved watching the whole thing through her eyes.
As I type, the banging continues. I hope I have a chance to publish before some hard working man falls through the ceiling and lands on my computer.
Hope you're enjoying the pace of summer . . . the possibilities of endless adventures . . . and the memories you're making with your family each day.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
A Legacy Questioned
In an interesting and engaging novel, Graham Garrison explores the dilema of creating your own future while dealing with the past.
How much does our upbringing and history determine our future? In evaluating who we want to be when we grow up, how much is swayed by our experiences as a child, both good and bad? "Legacy Road" faces the challenges of one young man's journey to understand and come to grips with his past relationships while attepting to move forward in his life.
Graham Garrison addresses a journey many of us face as we approach our adulthood. The story follows a
graduate student on the hunt for civil war letters and locations who finds himself
hunting for the truth of his past and plan for his future. The tale was intreging and the end result was both heart warming and growing for all involved chareacters.
If you're interested in receiving a free copy of this book, respond in the comments sections and the winner will be notified.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
The Book of Books
There is no more fitting a title then the title of "The Book of Books." Written by Trevor Dennis, this new bible interpretation is beautiful to look at and beautiful to read.
Released in January 2012, this complete bible captures the attention of all who read it. Intended for young adults, each section has a thorough, concise, informational and easy to read back ground of who, when and why it was written. The bible stories themselves are very approachable yet very true to scripture. I appreciate that he made the bible easy to chew on for younger readers but not watered down as some versions for children tend to do.
Since it arrived in the mail, the whole family has enjoyed reading from this book. We even took it with us on a road trip and read it the entire way! You've heard me praise"The Jesus Storybook" by Sally Loyd Jones for children. Now, I will add to my recommendations "The Book of Books" not just for young adults but families and adults alike. We will have this book forever and will continue to read this version of the bible bit by bit as a family as well as using it as a reference to gain insight and interpretation for bible study and other questions.
Like most of my book reviews, I'd offer a drawing to win a free copy . . . but the Marsh family is quite attached! You'll have to get your copy . . . and you won't be disappointed that you did.
Released in January 2012, this complete bible captures the attention of all who read it. Intended for young adults, each section has a thorough, concise, informational and easy to read back ground of who, when and why it was written. The bible stories themselves are very approachable yet very true to scripture. I appreciate that he made the bible easy to chew on for younger readers but not watered down as some versions for children tend to do.
Since it arrived in the mail, the whole family has enjoyed reading from this book. We even took it with us on a road trip and read it the entire way! You've heard me praise"The Jesus Storybook" by Sally Loyd Jones for children. Now, I will add to my recommendations "The Book of Books" not just for young adults but families and adults alike. We will have this book forever and will continue to read this version of the bible bit by bit as a family as well as using it as a reference to gain insight and interpretation for bible study and other questions.
Like most of my book reviews, I'd offer a drawing to win a free copy . . . but the Marsh family is quite attached! You'll have to get your copy . . . and you won't be disappointed that you did.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
A First-Day-After-Schools-Out Daybook
Outside my window...
Dark now . . . spent the day resting and reading and playing family games. But, we have some lovely rain back in Western Washington. We had some refreshing sun that lasted all of two days and then were back to rain. We might as well expect rain and then be surprised by the occasional sun.I am thankful for..
Summer vacation. I love our school and the opportunities our kids have at our school but I love having them home and am looking forward to lots of time to snuggle and make some memories.
I am thinking about...
The days and weeks to come. We don't have big plans but lots of little plans to look forward to and lots of days of nothing in between.
From the kitchen...
Some grubbin soup. I bought a "Johnny's Potato Soup Mix" at Costco that is gluten free and can be made into anything. Tonight I made it into a creamy clam potato chowder and it was delicious.I am creating...
A clean home for our family to enjoy. It's a big transition having four people full time under this roof. I want it to be time together and not time wading through dishes and paperwork. That means a concise system for mom to keep up the day -lies.I am reading...
I am praying for...
Extreme health struggles and hope in a hopeless situation.
I am hearing...
A peaceful quiet house. Two girls sleeping snug in their beds, a Daddy out enjoying an end of year night with the guys and a Momma cozy with a glass of wine and a laptop. And I just listened to greatest giggles from a baby I can't wait to visit. I dare you not to laugh while watching this sweet babyAround the house...
Tidy, tidy and more tidy. A long time friend came to visit while in town from Denver who has never seen our new home so the deep down tidy was on and it's motivating to keep it up for the summer.One of my favorite things...
Girls old enough to play together for so long. Although I'm having a difficult time with the transitions happening in our life right now (Haley's kindergarten graduation signifying a full time student next year) it's pretty incredible having them old enough to enjoy Barbies or dress up long enough allowing Mom and Dad to chat over a cup of coffee or enjoy a time of book reading without interruption.
A few plans for the rest of the week...
A birthday party invitation for each girl this weekend. Busy yet fun.A Picture I am sharing with you...
Haley with her incredible kindergarten teacher Mr. Klein at the graduation that I was not going to cry at but spent my time crying my eyes out. I couldn't be prouder of all she has done this year and can't believe she is officially a first grader next year. When did my baby girl grow up?!
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