Wedding (pre wedding)

Well this marks a little over a month since Spence and I were married. We had such a delightful time through the whole process of finishing up preparations, celebrating, honeymooning, and now getting started with our new life!

Here are a few pics of us getting the table centerpieces ready for the reception. We had so much help from Becca and Kathy, Mercedes, Rax, and Bonnie, then in the next wave, Tom, Ellie, Rach… yay for your willingness to help! Thanks so much! Mom had some gorgeous paper she found so here we are making it into pinwheels for the vases. We had a great time. Spence and I were really pleased with how everything turned out.

We weren’t quite sure what to expect with this prewedding prep- from running around getting our marriage license to purchasing a bike horn for the guests to honk with a donation for a charity if they wanted us to kiss, but I’ll just say we were busy and it was way fun!!!!!!

Thanks for all your help everyone!! Of course there could have been many more pics taken... Char...

In Memoriam

Enya passed away peacefully early this morning surrounded by her family. Rest in peace, Enya. You were a great dog and we will miss you!

Blog Post

This is a blog post. This counts for one of the two blog posts that are required. There is no additional information, this post is merely to fulfill the blog post quota.

Happy Birthday Charla!!!!!

Ever since Charla joined the family, we've all been enjoying her fun, optimistic nature and her adventurousness. You are amazing Char! I love you lots and am so glad we can all see you more often now. I hope you have an awesome birthday with your boys (Jordan included)!!

I know this is an old picture but I really love it of both Char and Oliver. Anyways, here's Charla's answers to her birthday questions!

1. How old are you turning this year? 33

2. What is your favorite food? Indian

3. What is your most frequently purchased grocery item? milk/eggs/bread

4. What is your bedtime routine like: I brush my teeth, wash my face, moisturize, then pillow talk until Jordan politely tells me to shut-up and go to sleep.

5. What are three things you absolutely have to do every day? eat, pray, love

6. What do you listen to most (artist, radio station/program, podcast)? I have a bunch of playlists set up through playlist.com - I play music a lot. When we have clean up time Oliver always requests our clean up music...ABBA.

7. What’s one skill you wish you had? I'd like to be good at gardening

8. What skill are you most proud of? I wouldn't say I'm proud of my sense of humour but I think it takes practise to be good humoured and it has sure come in handy in my life.

9. If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? Cuba

10. What is your favorite place you’ve been?Ok - I had to name at least three:
Dirt road, outside a village in Ghana by myself
Shabby hotel in Rome with Jordan
Hospital room after giving birth with Oliver and Benjamin

11. What are three of your favorite books? East of Eden, Isaiah, The Help

12. If you had to buy any magazine what would it be? A cooking mag

13. What is one thing that gets on your nerves? Whining

14. What is your favorite sport to watch or play? I really get into soccer but only during the World Cup

15. What do you love to do when you have nothing to do? I like to read, write, watch movies or TV shows. I also like just being still and giving some attention to my thoughts.

16. What are three things you wish you had? More energy, more money, time travel machine.

17. What is your favorite treat? Cheesecake cupcakes

18. What are a few things you hope to accomplish or learn this year? I hope to accomplish a lovely happy year for myself, Jord and the boys.

19. What are your favorite things to watch (tv show/movie)? I don't usually stick with anything for a long time - I liked watching The Waltons for a while then I really got into Thirtysomething which I loved. I like watching shows/movies that are meaningful to me.

20. What are your three most visited websites (besides facebook/email). I read cooking blogs quite a bit. Currently I've been trying to learn about yogi wisdom and buddhism. For a laugh I visit 'Seriously so blessed' and 'My religious blog'

Jury Duty

At the criminal courthouse today. Glad I can render this kind of public service. Happier now that they have complimentary wireless in the waiting room

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACH!!

Now what are we going to do? Rach turning 20 means no more teenagers in the fam :) :( Here's 20 questions for our twenty year old. Choose one of your favorite answers and tell us what you think. Happy, Happy Birthday! Have the best one ever! We love you Rach!

1. How old are you turning this year? 20! Not a teenager anymore!

2. What is your favorite food? I love all Mexican food and Indian food.

3. What is your most frequently purchased grocery item? Fruit and honey roasted honey bunches of oats- my favorite cereal.

4. What is your bedtime routine like: I basically roll into bed at the last second after everyone in my apartment has gone to bed. I’ll read some scriptures, pray, and fall asleep.

5. What are three things you absolutely have to do every day? Listen to music, talk to friends and/or family (whether at school or far away), and check e-mail and facebook.

6. What do you listen to most (artist, radio station/program, podcast)? Radiohead or the Shins, both of which are bands.

7. What’s one skill you wish you had? I wish I were an amazing ballroom dancer!

8. What skill are you most proud of? Playing the violin

9. If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? New Zealand and Australia

10. What is your favorite place you’ve been? The UK. I love the people, the culture, the history, and the landscape. I also really enjoyed going to Vietnam and Cambodia.

11. What are three of your favorite books? Pride and Prejudice, Welcome to the Monkey House, and The Time Traveler’s Wife. All are very different genres but I really got caught up in each of them.

12. If you had to buy any magazine what would it be? In Style or some other fashion magazine.

13. What is one thing that gets on your nerves? I very much dislike it when people are overly arrogant or cocky.

14. What is your favorite sport to watch or play? I love running and playing/watching soccer.

15. What do you love to do when you have nothing to do? I love to read! I never seem to have time for it anymore though.

16. What are three things you wish you had? I wish I had a cool convertible, a golden retriever puppy, and a plane ticket to New Zealand.

17. What is your favorite treat? I love Ben and Jerry’s icecream or Rolo cookies.

18. What are a few things you hope to accomplish or learn this year? I hope to get good grades in all my classes and learn a lot of interesting things!

19. What are your favorite things to watch (tv show/movie)? I love the show Arrested Development and some of my favorite movies are Star Wars, Zoolander, and Lord of the Rings.

20. What are your three most visited websites (besides facebook/email). Probably the BYU website, Schneidremarks, and Youtube.

A Sprout By Any Other Name

Did you know that 95% of America's Brussels sprouts are grown in California? Maybe that's why I'm a fan. That said, I'm not ignorant to most folks mild if not outright disgust for these little cabbage cousins. Having experienced many meals with poorly prepared sprouts, I can understand the revulsion. I found this little poem that sums up the feeling well.

Ugh! Brussel Sprouts!

They're bought in job lots every year
To eat them with our wine and beer,.
They look and taste like rotting greens
And smell like tins of cold baked beans!
They even have the same outcome
As wind rumbles around in our tums.
Our usual sunny dispositions
Displeased by a cruel Yule tide tradition.
We ask why on Festive plate we allow
The horrible Brussel, it tastes so foul?
The humble looking little green bud -
We sit there, retching up the cud.
The mini cabbage will make us gag
That's only fit for a black bin bag!
Then more revolt - the veg and spuds
Served up warm for tomorrows' lunch!
That end up in a bubble and squeak,
Those leftovers' fried in oil so deep.
For Veggies' that are bought so seldom,
Why don't we just send them all to Belgium?
And most will end up in the bin -
Better out then in - they're so disgusting!

I know there's some who enjoy a Brussel
With vitamins to build up body and muscle,
While others like their taste and pungency,
But personally - they're really not for me!

For me, Brussels sprouts and the holidays are a good metaphor for life. So much of our own personal happiness is a factor of embracing what we are given then finding and accentuating the positives. Brussels sprouts may not be the top choice on most folk's vegetable list, but with the right preparation they can go from disgusting to delicious, from stomach turning to mouth watering. So in preparation for this Christmas, read the poem below and look forward to this tasty little side at the Christmas table!

Brussels Sprouts
Catharine Savage Brosman


In drag-foot March, and fastening my coat

against a churlish wind, as I arrive
at the greengrocer's stall I have in mind
Bermuda onions, chard, asparagus,
red peppers, corn-a salad for the eye
and long-stemmed hothouse marvels hastening
the spring in every hue; but daffodils
to mark St. David's Day have frumpy blooms,
carnations wither, and the tulip buds
are February's orphans. As for fruit
and vegetables, the apples look as hard
as wood, and flavorless; my leafy thought
of salads dies. But broccoli is out
in florets, with the kindred cabbages
and Brussels sprouts. Such lowly ancestry
they have, these sprouts, so plain! They could be beads
or dresser knobs, or marbles for a game
with winter, and at thirty-seven pence
a pound are not patrician. Yet their sweet
and minimal design, their modesty,
repeating an idea of round desire
and touched with Cezanne blue, invite conceits
with painted tables, sunshine in the shape
of fruit, a bowl, a porcelain carafe,
or curtains at a window by Matisse
as if in all things green there were a grace
awaiting hand or eye to contemplate
the world transcended in its common ways.

Rax the Roommate

One nice thing about our Seattle house is that people like to stop in for a few days and sometimes even a few months. Check out the photo of Rax coming home from her night shift at Evergreen Hospital ICU. She's worked there since the beginning of September and has been our roommate that whole time. Rax got to be our wedding consultant, tennis/yoga/movie/laugh/hot chocolate buddy and the roommate that picks up after herself and helps you find your keys and keeps on eye on things when you're gone.

Now Rax is on to new adventures in Cambodia where she's helping to start a health clinic.

Gonna miss you Rax :(