love in long beach

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

We've had a whirlwind of a Christmas celebration. Wonderful, but quick! Friday night was a Christmas party with the Lindley family. Only 42 of us could be there. Then Saturday was just the immediate family of 15, including 5 children under 3. Sunday morning was just Hans and I, then off to the family gathering again, this time adding the grandfolks, for a cozy 17. Brunch, many gifts, and 3 hours later, we were all passed out in various spots and levels of sleep. After rejuvenating, we sat down to a wonderful Christmas dinner ala Norman Rockwell.

Here's a few pics to give you an idea of the wonderful fun to be had by all!

Hans is a magnet to all little tiny people in my family.

Christmas morning with the 2 of us. Showing off a few gifts from Hans' folks.

We took some family photos since the whole clan was together.

Me, Henry (18 mo.), Molly (9 mo.), Eleanor (12 mo.), Maddie (3 yrs) and Josie (2 1/2 yrs). These kiddos are such a joy!

Here's Maddie getting a kiss from her favorite Uncle.

2011-12-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-16T08:16:00.001-08:00

So one of my FAVORITE food blogs is hosting a giveaway! Go and enter your name for some fabulous food prizes!!!!

I'm gunning for the milk frother!

http://www.krystaslifeinfood.com/2011/11/favorite-things-big-christmas-giveaway.html?showComment=1321460155623#c3836069369692478714

Where in the world is Carmen SanDiego?

2011-10-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Do you remember playing that game? It was supposed to help you with geography. I loved it. And I can still sing the jingle, "where in the world is . . . Carmen SanDiego? bum bum ba bum"

Anyhow, I bet you're not wondering what I've been up to the past month, but I'm going to tell you anyways.

Thanks to a very generous anniversary gift from my amazing in-laws I was able to build us a bonafide headboard! It has shelves and everthing. I love it. I'm still getting lighting and plugs worked out, but it looks awesome and I'm so proud of my handiness. Apparently my husband was exhausted from watching me work so hard, so he immediately christened it with a nap.

Celebrated 3 (THREE) years of marriage to an amazing fella. We went out for a nice dinner and took a half day at work. Hoping to still get a weekend away sometime soon too!

Went to Las Vegas for a couple days with my hubby for a work conference. Had a great time, learned a lot, but still not a big Vegas fan.

Those are the highlights, and now I'll try to keep you millions of readers satisfied with my more prolific updates in the future.

Love, peace and hair grease.

Disneyland!!! Oh, and my birthday.

2011-08-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

So I left work a little early on Monday and went to Disneyland! We met up with J & J and little M to celebrate M turning 3. I think it was the most fun I've ever had at the Magic Kingdom. It's such a blast with a kiddo who's never seen it all before.

M's first ice cream cone.

She kept telling her mom, "look, no hands". It was so funny.

These two are literally best friends. Hans is M's jungle jim.

And this is a random shot from when we babysat a few weekends ago. M and I had fun with chalk drawings in the backyard.

Oh yeah, I turned 29 this last weekend as well. My husband did such a fabulous job celebrating me! We really had an awesome time. I only have this one pic though. But the weekend was full of eating, relaxing and gift-opening. Perfection!

Mary Roseanne's Giveaway!

2011-08-25T12:07:00.001-07:00

If you missed the first giveaway, never fear, Mary Roseanne's is having another one! This time it's beautiful photographs by Caleb Weston. Click on either picture to find out how to enter to win!!!

Arrrrrrrrrr!

2011-08-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

9:30 and a quick craft

2011-07-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sitting at home blog hopping, I found this awesome tutorial to make these fun wall fans. So grabbing some scrapbook paper, scissors and a stapler, I set to work. 15 minutes later, I had these!

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Zig Zag Pillow

2011-07-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Took a half day at work yesterday, went home and got inspired! I've had this pillow project hanging around waiting to be completed, so I attacked it with my sharp scissors and can-do attitude!

So it was supposed to be more of the "chevron" look that's so popular right now, but it's really just a zig zag design. Using black and white, I put together triangles to create this lovely pillow for our new (old) chair. (Got the chair at an estate sale for $25!)

Also, FINALLY put some pictures up on the only wall space in our apartment. I think it came out nicely. Anyhow, happy Wednesday everyone!

Hooray for inspiration!

UNinspired Tuesday

2011-07-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've been so lax on posting, I know, but I've been so UNinspired! Although, last night I did play around with some new envelope ideas to go with my new awesome cards. I didn't even have to ask my hubby what he thought, he just saw it and mentioned how awesome it is! What a guy. I love it when he notices the stuff I make.

Happy Tuesday everyone and here's to a hopefully much mor INspired Wednesday!

POTTER!!!

2011-07-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hans and I saw the newest Harry Potter last night at midnight! We have closure! It was excellent! And so fun to be out with all the other HP geeks at midnight.
I made us badges to wear, using the HP font and felt pieces I had lying around.

I was going to wear it in my hair, but it was looking a little like a yamika (sp?).

And my oh-so-cute cupcakes! Little Potter glasses and lightning bolts! I had so much fun making these right up until we left. I'm a cake decorator BEGINNER, so I was impressed with even this much.

Giveaway! Birthday Banner!

2011-07-11T08:38:00.001-07:00

Mary Roseanne's Blog is hosting it's first ever giveaway, and the prize is my eco-friendly banner! Go to the blog here to enter! And don't forget to enter every way you can for a better chance to win!
This is the last of my girly Birthday banner, and it'll be hard to give up. This is my favorite!

Hooray for Lynden!

2011-07-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

I spent my 4th of July in beautiful downtown Lynden, Washington. The weather up there was actually better than here in SoCal. It was 73 degrees and sunny the whole time. It was amazing! I guess the best part was spending time with David, Rachel and little Molly. I love Molly, and I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm awesome.
So I baked a cake for a 4th of July BBQ with David, Rachel and some friends . . . So it wasn't completely cooled and this is what happens when you put cake together before it's ready. The cake prevailed and completely dismantled itself in warm protest. However, it still tasted great! (Those raspberries are a Lynden specialty, thanks Barbie!)
Here's my newest niece! Isn't she a doll? She's super content and easy. Sleeps 10 hours a night and is generally happy all day and she eats like a champ! I would say "You're so preeeeeeeety" in a sing-songy voice and she would smile every time, so adorable! Also, I made her that awesome buck head shirt in time for hunting season :)
It was a fabulous trip. Full of walks, naps, Harry Potter, kiddo time and lots of outdoors. All the things that make any trip great.

Caramel Popcorn AND Chocolate, of course.

2011-06-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

So last week, on a whim, Hans and I decided to try our hand at making caramel popcorn. My darling husband is an expert popper in general, so I thought we should take it to the next level. It was so easy and so fun! Here's the tutorial I used in case you wish to caramelize your own life.

Hans and his beautifully popped popcorn, with all the kernals removed. So pretty.

And here's the final outcome. Ohmygoodness. It was amazing!
It made a complete mess in the kitchen, but totally worth it, don't you think?

Judith Louise or Amy Louise?

2011-06-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

So this morning, after blow-drying my hair and putting on an Ann Taylor top, I looked in the mirror and saw my mother staring back! But it's my mother in the late sixties/early seventies. My hair is getting long and becoming a little beehive-y, paired with the ruffles on my top, I am officially my radical mother! (She's a foxy lady, so I certainly don't mind.)

$6.50

2011-06-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ever since coming back from Bali, we've been a little bit lazy with our dinners. We may have become accustomed to having our food served to us on the beach, while we sip sparkling fruit drinks and only paying $10.

Papa John's has become our go-to meal for the past few weeks, which, don't get me wrong, is delicious, but not super healthy. But it's only $6.50 for a large pepperoni pizza, which feeds us both!

So I've decided to challenge us this week to come up with dinner every night for $6.50 for the both of us. Do you have any recipe ideas? I only have one so far!

I'm excited to see what we come up with, and please, no judgement if one of those meals is a pizza.

Bali Part I

2011-06-17T10:06:00.001-07:00

Ok ok, I know we got back 2 weeks ago, but the lady has things to do! But I've finally transferred, cut down and edited a few photos for your viewing pleasure. Now keep in mind that I was busy enjoying my trip, so I didn't get a pic of everything under the sun, but just the things that really delighted me (which was mostly Hans and myself, little narcissistic, I think).

Here's Hans relaxing on one of the beds at Ku De Ta. We literally bathed in the sun while people served us snacks and delicious drinks. (Hans' favorite was a vanilla bean lime cooler, and I liked the sparkling lime!)

This is Hans kissing me right before we watched the SILLIEST dance performance we've ever seen. I didn't realize twitching was dancing, but apparently to the Balinese it's a very traditional twitching dance with importance to their culture. But Hans and I realized quickly that we just aren't the "cultured" type. The show was shaping up to be more than 2 hours, so we slipped out at about 45 minutes and giggled all the way back to the hotel.

Here we are on the scooter! This was right after a very UN-Mexican Mexican meal in Ubud. Hans was an expert driver, and trust me, it took skill to avoid cars, pedestrians, other scooters, stray dogs, giant potholes, monkeys, bats and etc. But we stayed alive, although Hans probably still has my nail marks in his stomach from my clinching him during our haring time on the bike.

I just loved this display, so colorful! This was right across the street from our favorite eatery in Ubud, called Kafe (really original, I know). They had the best sandwiches, burgers, snack plates and drinks!

Here I am lounging near the pool at our hotel in Seminyak, waiting for our driver to take us to Tanah Lot (the temple that's in the water, see below)

Ooh, so pretty, right? This temple really was cool. You can't go in it unless you're Hindu, but it's very enjoyable from the shore. You can walk up to this little pool where they'll sprinkle you with "holy water", which I believe costs money and has very little "holy" in it. But we sat up on the cliff and watched the sunset behind Tanah Lot while we ate plantain chips and had watermelon juice.

Bali Part II will be coming soon, scouts honor! I hope you're a little jealous, because you should be, it was magical and I really am missing it these days.

Potter!

2011-06-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

I did it! I just finished reading the 7th Harry Potter! It was so fun to read all the books in time for the release of the last movie. It was my plan all along, plus I'm a late adopter. But I'm pretty sure I've just earned my husband's love. Yep, he makes me work for it. I have to read kids books, watch guy movies, stand in line for korean bbq at 10pm and countless other ways. Ha! I'm of course kidding.

But seriously if you haven't read them, these are a fun read!

(Bali pictures are coming soon, I pinkie swear!)

Planning my next trip . . .

2011-06-08T08:03:00.003-07:00

So here's a blogger friend that's giving away a trip to PARIS!!!! Click the picture for a chance to win!

Welcome Home Me!!!

2011-06-06T08:14:00.001-07:00

We're finally back from Bali! Seems like I was gone for so long, right? Right now my body is definitely paying the price of only leaving one day for recovery. It's midnight in Bali right now and it feels like midnight. My body also felt like it was 4 in the afternoon at 1:00 am this morning and refused to sleep anymore. Ugh!

But anyhow, we're back safe and sound. Just trying to recover at this point, although I'm so proud of myself for already getting all the laundry done and folded (Hans gets to put away)! Go me!

Many pictures and stories to come!

In 41 Hours . . .

2011-05-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

I'll get on a plane for the following 14 hours! Then I'll be in Taipei for 3 hours and then back on a plane for 5 more hours! YIKES!

But then I get to be here:

and here

and here:

So I think the plane ride will be worth it. Don't you?

Around the House

2011-05-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's amazing the fun and pretty things around my house that I stopped appreciating. I've taken sort of a photo diary of a few of my favorite sights in my little home.

These herbs (Basil, Parsley, Chives and Oregano) are the first plants I've ever planted from a seed and they are actually growing despite my black thumb! They're troopers too. I didn't know you were supposed to water seeds, until my husband told me that yes, you water seeds to make them grow. (Believe me about the black thumb now?)

This is the tree outside our window, and it's been blooming and smells so lovely!

I love this lamp. $6 at a thrift store, and my grey goose ($12 at anthro) and my Lady and Sons Cookbook (groupon) on my favorite side table (thrift store $10). I also love a good deal, can you tell?

This is the wall next to my bed and I just love it. Two pics from our wedding, some handmade embroidery hoops (yep a mustache to commemorate when H had a fancy 'stache), the S that I covered and adorned and some thrift store silhouettes.

What things do you have around your house that maybe you don't even notice any more, but that you treasure?

Mary Roseanne's BLOG

2011-05-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Follow me on Mary Roseanne's if you're not already! You'll find awesome craft ideas, lots o' links to other awesome blogs and all things crafty. So be a follower! I'll be posting most of my projects over there and this will become just personal here, so please hop over and get inspired!

Click the link below for instant satisfaction!

Free Patterns

2011-05-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

I just posted the link to the right that will take you to a full month of free sewing patterns! Check them out, they have patterns for all levels of sewing skill. Is there anything better than a free pattern? I submit there is not.

Weekend Wonders

2011-05-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

Don't you love weekends that strike the perfect balance? This was one of those weekends, but I'll let some pictures tell you about it:

Saturday morning was spent painting my sister's kitchen this lovely shade of blue. I also realized I had never sat on top of a refridgerator. Here I am, 28 years old, and this is my first experience from the top of a fridge.

My brother and his wife and kids came over Saturday night for a bbq and s'mores. Maddie had a grand time with her uncle Hans. Here she is with the bag I made her a while ago. It's her travel toy bag. I printed "a dolphin and a whale in the water" on the top. That was her first sentence (I believe) and now she's quite the chatterbox.

Here she is playing hide and seek, her new favorite game with her uncle Hans.

Here's Hans and I reading to Josephine (Left) and Madeleine (Right). These 2 are quickly becoming good friends. They were giggling together all day.

Tip over the TIP jar!

2011-04-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else incensensed by the overuse of the tip jar? I mean seriously, when I go to Yogurtland, and I pick up a cup, I choose my flavor, I pull the handle, I dish up my toppings and I put my yogurt on the scale, what exactly am I tipping for? I noticed a tip jar at the donut store this morning. It took approximately 25 seconds for the very kind gal to issue me my 2 (it's Friday, I'm allowed) donuts and my orange juice. And then I tip her? For what exactly? Doing her job?

Has the tipping at restaurants seeped out so far into our society that every time we want to grab a snack we have to tip for people doing their job? Now, I used to be a waitress and I do think they deserve to be tipped, and tipped well in most cases. However, I would not be opposed to giving them a higher wage, and paying more for food so we wouldn't have to tip.

I dined at this quaint restaurant in Italy once, where the waiter's entire night was to take care of my table . . . only. He had no other tables, no other responsibilities but to watch for my every need. And in Italy you don't tip. So he got paid to do his job, and I paid for the food . . . and that was it! Think about it, that's how every other transaction goes in the consumer world. Do I have a tip jar out for customers to tip me after I dispense their glasses? No. I spend an hour with customers sometimes, and I don't expect extra compensation for my hard work and my ability to do my job well. Because I get paid to do it.

Now for all you coffee shop, juice bar, snack shack workers, I apologize, your job can be full of specialty orders and demanding customers, but that's what we call work. We all put up with it and we all try to do our jobs well.

So I plead for the pressure to stop. I no longer want to drop my change in a "college fund", "tipping is not a city in China", "will sing for tips" tip jar. I want to drop it in my own red tin at home to save up for a new pair of sewing scissors, or for a chair for my living room, or anything else I deem my change worthy to buy me.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

Easter service on Sunday morning was so awesome! Got me really excited to live the rest of the year remembering that I am covered in God's grace. To celebrate this amazing fact, I had to express myself creatively. So, I made an Easter dress!

I used some of the Balinese fabric my hubby bought me, and a nice brown linen for the bottom. This was my first time making a fitted top and with a lining. I think it came out nicely. I had a few minor fitting issues, but those were remedied with some quick darts. After adding a tan belt and shoes I was set. However, it was raining all morning, so the pictures were the only time the top of the dress was seen. Boo! I'm looking forward to giving it a real debut as soon as the sun comes out!

Oh, we're housesitting for Hans' aunt and uncle this week, hence the lovely scenery.

A Haiku about my hopeful Long Beach Saturday

2011-04-22T09:05:00.001-07:00

Lebanese delight

two wheels, basket and bell

snore, 3 o'clock nap

David Brian Hammer

2011-04-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

It's been one of those weeks where life is a bummer. On Tuesday morning, my uncle, David Hammer, got in a horrible car accident. With third degree burns on over 90% of his body, he was kept in a medically induced coma. His wife decided to take him off life support yesterday and he died early this morning. David was 48. He was my dad's youngest brother.

My life group just read the book Blood of the Lamb about a Dutch Reformed man from Chicago who has a life full of tragedies. The point of the book (I think) is about how in tragedy, we are all linked. We all face events in our lives that somehow bind us together. Tragedy is part of the human condition. There is no consolation in tragedy, only compassion.

Wilkommen!

2011-04-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Last week Hans took me an a date to this German restaurant in Huntington Beach. It was really German. Like the waitstaff had accents and there were men outside speaking German. I was only missing my leiderhosen! We each had the schnitzel, although mine was pork and Hans' was veal, along with potatoes and pickled cabbage. It was all so delicious! However, my absolute favorite part was the little abby replica next to our table, with a much-too-tall paper cut out of Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music!

I'm an Aunt AGAIN!

2011-03-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

My lovely little neice, Molly Marie Hammer was born this morning. 6lbs, 8oz, 20 inches long. And isn't she a doll?!?! Can't wait to meet her over 4th of July!

SUPER MOON!

2011-03-22T08:44:00.001-07:00

Blame it on Super Moon or whatever, but our weekend in Phoenix was full of travel . . . curiosities. A 3-hour delay in LAX got me started off on the wrong foot, then freeway closures on multiple highways in Phoenix coupled with ZERO detour signs made for a frustrating weekend in travel. Hans and I both had bloody noses the entire trip due to the extreme dry weather.

However, we made up for all of this with enjoyable sunshine, a great time with Hans' folks, and some fun sports games. My favorite part is always food-related, and we got to have game hot dogs and Hans let me get the fake cheese nachos. YUM! I love fake cheese nachos (used to be my favorite treat on Dancing With the Stars.) We also had a lovely dinner at a little Italian bistro, where I had pecan-crusted chicken and veggies. I'll have to see if I can duplicate that at home.

But the BEST food part was going to Sweet Republic (featured in last month's Bon Appetit magazine). All home made ice creams, sorbet, and frozen yogurts! I had chocolate sorbet and honey frozen yogurt with a salted caramel sauce that was to die for! Hans had the salted caramel ice cream. And we bought a few salted caramels that we snacked on the rest of the weekend. The gals running the shop were so friendly and they had games to play at the tables, and I beat Hans for the FIRST time ever at Connect 4!

All in all it was a successful weekend, although I will say that I'm not a big fan of Southwest's seating arrangements, which had us in the back row and checking our carry-on's for our flight home. I like a few guarantees in life, including, but not limited to, my seat on an airplane. But we made it safely there and back, and that's what counts.

Cookie Link

2011-03-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been asking about the recipe for the oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies, the picture is now linked!

You can also click here:
http://picky-palate.com/2011/01/06/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/

ENJOY!!!

Making things for me! Part 3

2011-03-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Sleeping is my favorite! And what better way to guarantee some Z's on an airplane than with an eye mask? For this project, I got some SUPER soft brown material (usually used for baby blankets) and cut out an eye mask shape. I literally guessed on the whole thing, and it was a breeze. No pattern needed! I cut a piece of white 1/4" elastic band and started to sew wrong sides together, while attaching the band on either end. I left a little opening and turned it inside out, stitching together the final opening. And viola! An eye mask. It's so soft and comfy and completely blocks light. Plus, it's way cuter than those lame one's with the eyes drawn on . . . I'm going to be cute even while asleep.

Making things for me! Part 2

2011-03-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

So in an effort to make things for myself, I completely made up my own pattern and created this little number. Now, it's a bit scandalous for every day wear, but I think it will make a perfect beach-front top in Bali. I basically started with a square of my favorite fabric, then I made the top curve down on either side to give it a better fit. (Going straight around your back is not flattering, trust me.) Then I finished all my edges and added an over-sized contrasting bow in the back to hold it together. It still needed a little something, so I added some darts. I love darts. So I added 2 darts coming down from the top and a few in the middle to give me a little shape. I think the outcome is quite lovely! Again, not appropriate for church, but will make a perfect airy top for riding a scooter in Bali.

Making things for me! Part 1

2011-03-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

I never make things for myself. If you know me, I've probably made something for you. Which, of course, I love doing. But I decided it was time to make some stuff for me. So yesterday I had the afternoon and evening to myself. I cleared away my giant work table and started sorting fabrics. I love to sort. Sometimes imagining what I can make is even more fun that actually making it. Anyhow, I sorted and picked fabrics and projects and finally I was ready to start. So my first project I chose a fabric my darling husband bought me in Bali, and a project I've been wanting to try for quite a while but was always a little scared; the skirt.

After cutting fabric for about an hour, I began to sew pieces together, learning a new technique called a French Seam, which I really liked! Makes a much neater finished seam, especially if the seam is on your skin, it's much nicer than an unfinished seam. Anyhow, I sewed and sewed and sewed, until finally it started looking like a skirt. Now, I never follow a pattern exactly because that's just no fun. So I made my wrap skirt wrap a little extra and gave it a contrasting bow that I left unfinished, because I thought it looked cuter this way. I also added a button to hold the wrap together, because we all know that a wrap skirt is a sure fire way for a windy day to get a peek. Anyhow, in the end, I'm quite proud of my skirt and think it will make a fine piece for my upcoming trip to Bali!

baking

2011-03-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

I am so proud to be an American. Look at what we can invent. Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies. I am definitely baking these tonight for my evening at home by myself. Sad, or awesome? I say awesome.

(click on the picture for the recipe)

Happy Birthday Hans

2011-03-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my awesome, amazing, beautiful husband's birthday! We spent the day eating delicious foods and playing at Sea World with a few of our favorite kiddos.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING!

Blog GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

So I check my friends/family blogs every day and am so disappointed when there's nothing new, then I thought to myself, "self, what if people feel the same way when they check my blog?" What? My little mind was blown. Sooo, in an effort to blog more, even when I don't have pictures, I'm blogging today about my favorite blog.

It happens to belong to my awesome cousin-in-law, Kel! She lives in a tiny town in Colorado and has 3 very fun kids. But my favorite part about her blog is her AMAZING photos!

So go to her blog today and check out her photos. She's also doing a giveaway right now for another photographer pal, who's photos are such a treat! Just do it, you'll be pleasantly surprised to be whisked away to the very white (and cold!) world of Miss Tiny Town, CO and her photographer friends.

http://www.joshandkel.com/

Just because I can't stand not adding a photo, here's one of her pictures (linked to her blog) that you should definitely check out:

Food and Blankets

2011-02-17T08:19:00.000-08:00

I finally finished Anna's Christmas present!!! It's the first blanket I've ever made and I must say, I'm quite proud of it!

Hans has made me this amazing beer sausage twice now and it's literally the most delicious thing ever! I made the potatoes and carrots to go with it. It was just so pretty that I had to share.

You have to (not) see this!!!

2011-02-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Can you see the invisible man? This Chinese man paints himself to truly blend in! (click on any picture to view more pictures of Liu Bolin's amazing disappearances.)

Trip to San Francisco and a NEW CAMERA!!!

2011-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

So we finally turned in all our change and bought a new point-and-shoot camera! (Yep, $102 in change!)

So here's a photographic record of our trip to San Francisco this weekend. Enjoy!!!

Playing with the new camera in the airport, while we waited to see if our plane was ever going to take off. We were delayed because of fog. Seriously, all this technology, and we're grounded from some low clouds?
We're riding the BART to our hotel after landing at 7pm.
View from our hotel. Not too shabby.
Breakfast at Sears!!! Best tiny pancakes anywhere!

Egyptian protesters on Market Street. Pretty cool to see this up close. There must have been at least 500 people!
Dinner at Umbria. Little Italian place around the corner from our hotel.
Whoops, breakfast at Sears 2 days in a row!!! (And this is the only picture of the 2 of us not at arm's length, thanks to a very nice stranger.)
Rode the Cable car after a 2 hour nap, which was the 2nd one this weekend. Probably the highlight of the trip.
Knitfitti! (People knit on city objects, it's called knitfitti, like graffiti, only knittier.)
Brownie at Ghirardelli's. Hans had a gigantic chocolate shake, so jealous.
The obligatory bridge shot to finish it off . . .

Isn't it amazing?

2011-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

The things people can make? (Sorry for the lack of original pictures here . . . need to get a new camera.)

What the what? It's a man on a swing, but it's a ring! I was just struck by the awesomness here.

Also, how happy are we that NBC's comedy shows are new tonight? I've missed Liz Lemon, Leslie Knope, Pam Beasley and Abed. Can't wait to be reunited with all my friends tonight. (Ok, I know how sad that sounds, but really, we all feel that way a little, right?)

Wilkommen!

2010-12-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world Eleanor Jean Louise Weston!!!! 9lbs, 13oz, 20.5 inches! She's a good sized little lady! Congratulations to Heidi and Caleb Weston!

When we were Giants

2010-12-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Packaging

2010-11-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Christmas wrap, packaging, boxes, paper, ribbon, tags, etc. Soooo, I've found these lovely ideas for some creative ways to package gifts this Christmas. What do you think? (don't forget, all the pictures are linked in case you want to see their shop for yourself.)

This gal has some really cute ideas on her blog. Studio Meez. She's located in . . . ok, someplace that speaks a different language. She doesn't have a location listed, perhaps Germany? Russia?

I love the mix of the silhouette with the kraft wrap and girly doily.

My family famously makes home made gifts, and they're always the best ones! I thought this would be a cute way to heighten anticipation.

So cute for a special mailed gift or a gift card holder.

Are You a Potter Fan?

2010-11-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

My husband is the biggest Potter fan I know. He is re-reading all the Potter books in anticipation of the release this Friday at midnight (which is when my hubby will be watching Harry). In celebration of him and his obsession, check out all these awesome Potter crafts I found (each image is linked to an awesome etsy shop to see more!):

Happy Friday!

2010-11-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

Friday is always a happy day. Whether I've got big Friday night plans, or sitting at home with a good book and soup for dinner. I can always count on Friday's, and today is no different. I've had only lovely customers so far this morning, I'm having a great hair day (thank you Shannan!) and I can't wait for my evening at home alone. Tonight is about cleaning and crafting! Time to get my little house in shape for the holidays! My husband loves that I clean and decorate, but he REALLY loves it when it starts looking like Christmas at home. So, we never wait until after Thanksgiving. Oh no, it's November 1st for us, so I'm technically already behind.

Tonight I'm starting on the Nieces and Nephew gifts. My new favorite little people to make gifts for. This year is full of Matryoshka dolls, whales and giraffes.

Here's a few of my new randomly selected favorite things:

Ah, this reminds me of my brother and I avoiding naps by pretending the carpet is hot lava and having such wonderful imaginary adventures. (Mom didn't care, as long as we were quiet for a few minutes a day:)
I love this emerald clutch! Actually, I have a love/hate relationship with clutches in general. They're so cute, but so annoying to hold all night.

googling

2010-11-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

This is what came up when I google'd Headband Pattern:

Apparently not everyone has updated their crafting style. Will someone please make this for me for Christmas?

We're Back

2010-10-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

Where were we? Las Vegas. You know how Hans and I love to gamble and drink the night away. Orrr, I had a conference for work. Either way, we had a great time walking, eating and then eating some more. Seriously, we're both on an oatmeal and Jamba Juice diet for the week. This was the first time I actually enjoyed Las Vegas though. It could have something to do with my husband letting me spend 2 hours (eek!) shopping in Anthropologie. Ahhhh, it was a nice break from the mayhem of the strip to step into my home away from home and purchase a few lovelies for myself! It was such a treat. Plus, spending the weekend away with my favorite man is a huge plus!

So anyhow, we're back and we're no worse the wear.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2010-09-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hans and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary yesterday (with steak)! Can you believe it? It's amazing how time flies. But we started talking about everything we've done in the past 2 years, including welcoming a niece and a nephew, celebrating a 30th birthday, travelling near and far, buying a new car, moving to a new, tiny apartment, and so much more, it seems as though we've done a good job of making the most of our time. We had a wonderful time celebrating each other and our lives together thus far. Here's to many more Anniversary's!

Phooey Friday

2010-09-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today is not my favorite day. Today I am not on my way up to the Redwoods (my favorite place on earth) with my entire family for a week of relaxation and fun. Today I am not laughing at Maddie's dolphin stories or Henry's poop smile or Josie's infectious giggle. Nope. Not me. Sitting at work feeling sorry for myself and for everyone else in the world denied of such wonderful moments on their Friday. Phooey indeed!

Whiskers on Kittens . . .

2010-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a few more of my favorite things!
Summery purse . . .

Anything from Anthropologie . . .

Sewing Books!!! I've added MANY fun new books to my Amazon wish list. I LOVE getting new craft books, and I enjoy used just as much as new books.

Taking pictures! My SLR doesn't fit in my pockets . . . French tea towels! Oui Oui!

Raindrops on Roses . . .

2010-07-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here's a few of my favorite things right now (not for any reason in particular . . . nothing to do with my upcoming 28th birthday or anything.) You can click on any image for more info . . . This is only the beginning of more wonderful things to come!

Matryoshka Doll Patterns . . . so cute!

I just love the big bow on this bag.

Hans . . . esposita?

Friday Treats

2010-07-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Every Friday morning I give myself an end-of-the-week-treat from Starbucks. I love it. I look forward to it every week. However, for the past 2 Fridays, my day was ruined by a caffeinated latte, when I specifically askef for decaf. You can imagine how jittery someone like me becomes with caffeine.

So this morning, I gave them one last chance. I even changed my order to something super easy. Caramel apple cider with no whip. Easy breezy. I stood and waited for my drink hoping they would take this opportunity to redeem themselves. I watched the barista pour the sweet liquid into the paper cup. In a moment of horror I watched him reach for the whip cream and coat the top of my drink in a long, creamy string of whipped milk (which I am allergic to). He then topped it with caramel as if that would make up for it. I wanted to throw it back in his face, storm out, and call some sort of Starbucks hotline. I did none of these. Although, I didn't say thank you. So ha! I'm sure he understood my extreme discontent from my lack of gratitude.

In response to the tragedy of my past 3 Friday's, I am determined to make my next one count. Time for a new coffee shop. NO MORE STARBUCKS. Say it with me everyone. My husband has disliked them for quite a while, and now I'm taking his side and saying no to chain coffee and poorly understood orders. I feel liberated, free from the need for Starbucks and their comfy shops and low lighting. They think they're so cool. I now disagree.

More Pictorals

2010-06-13T20:36:00.001-07:00

More pictures for your enjoyment!

Josie was having fun playing with laundry while I was folding. These may or may not be a pair of Hans me-oh-my's.

Here's my adorable husband with my adorable niece! Aren't they a cute pair?

Here they are again. I have like 11 pictures of them high-fiving. It's fun at every age!
This is right before Hans went to Bali. We looked happy, but we were NOT! (And apparently Hans thinks it's funny to pretend that his wife is heavy. Hardy-har-har.)

2 Months

2010-06-10T18:22:00.001-07:00

So it's been basically 2 months since the last time I blogged. Whoops.

Anyhow, we moved to our new place, which is still in process. Turns out our walls are essentially made of rubber, which makes it near impossible to nail into. But we enjoy our neighbors and the area, etc.

I got a new job! I'm working with Hans' Aunt Kimmy in an optical office. I'm really enjoying it! Yay for me! Also, Hans was transferred to the Jamba Juice in Bixby Knolls, which he's really loving. Plus, when we're both at work, we're only 7 minutes away from each other.

Hans went to Bali, I went to Washington, and that's about it.

I've attached some pictures to catch you up on the last few months, since they're WAY more fun to look at than to read my dribble.

This is me and my adorable niece, Josephine in Washington. We're in Woods Coffee, which my sister-in-law is the manager of.

I kayaked on this beautiful lake in Washington.

Left to right: Rachel Hammer, Heidi Weston and moi. We like chips apparently.
Me, Julie, Heidi and Mom at Julie's baby shower. Since this picture was taken, baby Henry Oliver was born!!! Hans and I are heading down to San Diego to see the little guy on Saturday. Can't wait to meet him!
Here we are dancing at Hans' cousins wedding; Hans. The pretty lady in pink in the foreground is the mother of the groom and my new boss. She's got serious moves on the dance floor :)

Exclamation Point

2010-04-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Why do I never blog? Because. That's why.

Hans and I are moving! Although that exclamation point is for the hope of it being exciting, but is hiding my dread of actually picking up boxes, taking them down stairs, loading, unloading, taking them upstairs, and then actually unpacking them. It's a loaded exclamation point. Complicated, like me.

I'm a Twit

2010-03-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

I am now a Twitter-er. I hate to admit it, but it's actually kind of fun. It's for business purposes of course. Check us out at http://twitter.com/geschenkcookies.

I haven't started tweeting yet, just gathering people to follow. (bonus: we already have 4 followers!)

Curling

2010-02-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

Curling is a funny sport. Brooms, ice and sliding on your knees. Ahhh, the Olympics.

Thinking out loud

2010-02-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

I've been job searching every day for the past 2 months. I just went on my first interview, and it was a total bust. I did well, but didn't end up feeling like it was a good fit for many reasons. Mostly, the pay was atrocious. So now I'm sitting. I've been doing a LOT of that lately, and frankly, I'm exhausted. Yet, I lack the motivation to do much more. And I know how it goes. I'm bored and feel lazy, and then all the sudden, I'm overcommitted and don't even have time to read a book or watch a movie. Where's the balance?

Does anyone else suffer from this inability to find balance in their life? And why do I lack the ability to fill my schedule with worthy activities? Like volunteering, exercise, or taking a class. Instead, I do basically the same thing every day and dig myself into a deeper rut. I feel this unsettling deep down that is growing and will soon explode. I just need to do something new. Shake things up. Take a risk. Stretch myself in new ways. I'm open to suggestions here folks.

I have tons of great ideas, but that's all they are; ideas. I feel incapable of putting them into action, and even when opportunities are presented to me, I'm frozen in indecision. How do innovators become so innovative? How do they not give up at the first sign of trouble? I want to be one of those people. Someone who can see a goal and achieve it, come what may. I guess I need to decide which goal is most important to me and then stick to it. But how?

Mostly, I'm just curious if anyone else feels the same.

(**sidenote: I think I may have eaten some questionable pork pot stickers and am beginning to feel the repercussions).

Well, off to . . . . do something.

Finally

2010-02-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

After 4 weeks and 2 days, we finally have our car back. Yep, it's been in the shop for literally a month. It's been a nightmare, but we have a new transmission with a 2 year warranty, and a bunch of other new-fangled things I can't pronounce. Best part: didn't have to pay a penny AND they paid our first car payment for us.

I'm exhausted. So much so that I'm treating myself to some 30 Rock and popcorn.

2010-02-08T13:03:00.001-08:00

Trying to find a job sucks!

Scones

2010-02-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

I made orange chocolate chip scones today. I love trying new things in the kitchen! I hope they're good . . .

It's Official!

2010-01-26T16:11:00.000-08:00

Right not if you went down to 2nd Street in Long Beach and walked into the store next to the Rubber Tree (don't ask), what would you find? MY CARDS FOR SALE! Can you believe it? I'm such a success. Ok, maybe not yet, but I'm so excited to have made this step! I gave myself a big pat on the back today. I've got so much more motivation to go out and try more stores now!

To celebrate, chili and games on the Wii with Sis-in-law. Whoo hoo!

p.s. also finally got a call back on a job I applied for. It's a successful day. Perfect excuse for something chocolate . . .

Wish I had a camera - but you're glad I didn't

2010-01-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

So yesterday, there was a torrential downpour from about noon to 1pm. I know this for a fact. Mostly because Hans and I got to Disneyland around 11am. We got in line on our favorite ride, and when we came out, it was raining. Not a big deal, so we just kept going on the same ride, since there were no lines. However, we then wanted to go from the back of DCA to the back of Disneyland to go on Space Mountain. By the time we got there, we were both wet through 2 layers of clothes.

We waited in vain for the monorail, which broke down. Now if you know Disneyland, you know that at this point we are at the furthest point possible from our car. We decided not to wait in the freezing cold rain and just to walk it. By this point the smallest puddles were 4" deep. We arrived at our car with no dry clothes to speak of. Including underwear.

Here's where I wish I had a camera, but you're glad I didn't. Hans and I stripped down to our skivvies in the back seat of the car (imagine my 6"+ husband taking off wet jeans in the back of a car (or don't, actually). We both got down to our undies and drove home with the heater on full blast. I was still shivering when we pulled into the garage. THEN we had to walk up to our apartment building with no clothes on. Our neighbors are thankful they didn't run into the crazy couple that lives in apartment 5 that day.

After a long shower and blankets on the couch, we finally recovered from our scantily-clad, wet day.

New Car!

2010-01-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

Hans and I bought a Volvo xc90 last week! We got a great deal on a used one. Here's a few pictures. Handsome husband, handsome car, eh?

I went along with Hans yesterday when he went surfing, in hopes of getting some good pictures of him on a wave. However, I can't zoom that far, so here's a great shot of him getting ready to get in the waves . . . almost the same effect.

New Cards!

2010-01-06T15:12:00.001-08:00

Yes! I've got my newest collection of cards out for all to view! Just got a new camera, so I'm quite pleased with the images. Please take a look at my Etsy site when you get a chance. Also, I'd love any feedback or suggestions!

www.louloucreations.etsy.com

Here's a few to tease you with!

Sorry

2010-01-04T17:55:00.001-08:00

Ok, I really am sorry this time for not posting in so long! You know, holidays, excuses, excuses, excuses.

Anyhow, below are a few pictorial highlights from the holidays! Enjoy!

Here's me and the hubby with our favorite (and only) nieces. Josie and Maddie. Could they be any cuter?

Here's the whole Stokke family together during the holidays for the first time in a looooong time! (l to r: Michael, Heidi, Amy, Hans and Anna) I'm wearing the super awesome scarf my sister made me for Christmas.

Ah, I can't even handle how cute all these little one's are. These are most (not all) of the Lindley family great-grandkids. (l to r: Newest addition Abigail, Liana, Sophia, Vienna, Lindley, Caleb, Josephine, Madeleine, and Lincoln)

Merry Christmas to Hans. I got him some Clay Marzo Future Fins. Yep, I didn't know what they were either, but he loved them, and that's what counts.

$3.60

2009-11-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I had a booth at the Farmer's Market by my house last night for the first time. It was quite a week of preparing, sewing, borrowing and all-around stress to prepare. It was a lot of fun to be there with the other vendors and have a chance to display my cards and banners. However, it was a s-l-o-w night at the FM. It was a little cold, which I think kept people away. But I will not be deterred! I'm going to be at the FM every Wednesday until the new year at least. I'd like to give it a real "college try".

I'm dying to be able to make enough money a week selling cards, that I won't have to get one of those "real" jobs. Although, I'll tell ya, I put in more hours this week for the FM than any normal job.

In the end I sold one card. $4. After paying my 10% fee to the FM for having a booth, I was left with $3.60. It's a slow start, but a start nonetheless. I'm still selling stuff on etsy and actually get orders. I figure that's a much more competitive market, so I still think my cards stand a chance.

Anyhow, with a new booth design for next week, I'm going to shoot for selling 2 whole cards! If you live in the area, come stop by and say hello! It's the FM on Appian and Nieto (by Marine Stadium Park) from 3-7pm. Hope to see you there!

Nieces

2009-10-27T16:02:00.001-07:00

These 2 little cuties are a source of so much joy in my life that I thought I'd share some pictures with you. I hope you'll share my opinion that they're the cutest kids ever =)

Above is Madeleine in her Halloween costume. She's a lion. That lady holding her is her super-amazing mom and my sister-in-law, Julie.

Below is Heidi, and her baby Josephine. Josie gets those eyes from her father, but all her other good qualities come from me ;). They're Angels fans, but we love 'em anyway. Oh, and Heidi is quite a stupendous mother as well.

1 Year Anniversary!!!

2009-10-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

We made it one whole year. Everyone told us that the first year is the hardest, but this was not our experience at all. Sure, there's adjusting and the realization that marriage is different than you thought, but overall, we had a great time. Below is proof of that from our trip to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe to celebrate.

First thing we did in San Fran was go to Ghirardelli square and get free samples and a shake!
This is breakfast at Sears (not the department store). Delicious tiny pancakes and lingonberry jam!
Hans was so proud of his ice cream waffle, his favorite snack from any Asian market, that he made me take a picture. But he's cute, so I didn't mind.
This is my favorite picture from the trip. This heart is of course from the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and sits in Union Square.
The Golden Gate bridge. We took the long way to Tahoe so we could drive over it. We had amazingly clear days the whole time we were there, so it was a spectacular view.
Here we are in Tahoe. We met up with many of Hans' family members there and had a great time relaxing, riding in the boat, and eating.

17:11

2009-09-09T11:23:00.001-07:00

Oh brother. I've missed 2 days of running. My legs were cramping in protest last night!

Screaming and Running

2009-09-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Last night Hans and I had a wonderful Friday night date at Disneyland. I went on Tower of Terror for the first time. I've avoided it for as long as possible, but it was actually tons of fun, and rewarding to overcome my fear.

Ran 2 more miles tonight! What should my treat be for myself if I make my goal? Ideas?

2 Miles

2009-09-02T18:25:00.001-07:00

That's right. I just ran 2 miles. I can't really see, and I think I'm going to throw up, but I did it! Hans gave me 2 high fives, one for each mile. I deserved it.

Happy Birthday Madeleine

2009-08-31T16:17:00.001-07:00

My oldest niece turns 1 today! However, we celebrated on Saturday. Here''s a few pics from the fun day watching Maddie experience her first birthday. (Also, I made Maddie a birthday banner out of vintage reproduction fabric, so she can use it every year!)

Happy Birthday!

2009-08-30T21:36:00.001-07:00

I turned 27 on Thursday! I feel pretty good . . . not much different. Here's a picture of the hubby and I at Disneyland. Heidi and Caleb joined us for a while too! It was blazing hot, but still a lot of fun!

Days: 8 Miles: 3

2009-08-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

So I'm not doing "great" on reaching my goal, but I am doing it and I've stayed determined. Thankfully, my schedule this week will hopefully allow me to do some catching up. I've realized that if you stick with something that is painful, yet rewarding, the painful part gets to be less and less each time you do it! I'm actually enjoying my mile run each evening. Hopefully, I'll learn to enjoy a 2 or 3 mile run as well.

Day 4 - Oops

2009-08-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm already behind on my running! Today is day 4, and I've only run 1 mile! Argh! Hans and I went to Disneyland on Monday evening, and then I got something akin to the stomach flu early on Tuesday, so I had no time. I'm hoping to run tonight, although I have a Geschenk meeting. No wonder people run in the morning.

30 Day Challenge

2009-08-22T23:34:00.001-07:00

Typically, my only reason for running was to get away from something chasing me, or to catch the ice cream truck. With no one after me and very few ice cream trucks, my tush has become accustomed to the couch. Well, now it's starting to look like the couch. So, tomorrow that ends. I have come up with a challenge for myself.

CHALLENGE: 30 miles in 30 days.

Think I can do it? For you runners, this isn't much, but I've NEVER been a runner, so this will be quite a challenge. But I think I can do it. So, Sunday, August 23rd through Tuesday September 22nd, I will run 1 mile every day, or 2 miles every other, or 3 every third, you get the idea.

Feel free to post some encouraging words, I could use it! And good luck to me!

More Invitations

2009-08-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Stokke update: Let's see here, Hans' trip to Bali was cancelled due to his buddy's knee bending in the wrong direction (ouch!), and so I took him to Disneyland on Tuesday and we renewed our passes (anyone else have passes and want to go?), Hans' car was broken into on Tuesday night, and my birthday present was stolen along with Hans' wetsuit and his change (seriously? change?), Anna and Eric came over last night and we played some scrabble along with a bottle of wine, which made for interesting words like newt, ici, and ofus (only one of which is a real word), Brianna and I are moving towards having a big Christmas season with Geschenk (order early!), our apartment manager sprayed down the walkways which means puddles for at least a week since we have no direct sunlight, I made really good pasta last night and I haven't been running in too long. That's the update amongst many other things like, inheriting a new computer and typewriter, sewing a birthday banner, seeing fun movies, and the list goes on.

I must say though, that through adversity, like having your birthday present stolen, I realized that I don't really know what adversity is. Not that my trials are small to me, but it helps to remember that in comparison to a large portion of the world, my birthday present being stolen goes in the bummer category and no further.

Also, I've learned that my husband has a very cool head on his shoulders. The broken window and missing items from his car hardly ruffled his feathers. He figured that once in 4 years in the LBC isn't too bad.

So I apologize that my blog has become my bragging spot, but I'm just having so much fun creating! Here's 2 more invitations I've recently created.

Invitations

2009-08-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have a new-found hobby! Lately, I've been creating invitations for family and printing/emailing them out. I've really enjoyed learning more about design programs, and I feel like I have a knack for it. There's nothing like the feeling of being creative and then being pleased with the outcome! It's a unique and newer feeling for me. Although, I need to give up some of my perfectionist tendencies. I spent more than 10 hours on the last invitation and that's pretty conservative compared to some of the others. Anyhow, you can check out the invitation below. And family, if you see this and somehow didn't get an invite, just let me know and I'll send it to you!

If you need invitations made for something, just let me know! I'd like to build up my portfolio and I can give you a great price!

It's Friday!

2009-07-24T11:52:00.001-07:00

As a working woman (part-time still counts), I have a new appreciation for Friday afternoons. I get all excited thinking about all the trouble I can cause over the weekend. I'm thinking a double-feature at the theatre tonight with my super-cute husband. Tomorrow I'm going to do some work in the morning (but it's technically work I enjoy, so it's still weekend worthy) and then my mom and I are going to the quilt show in Long Beach. I always like to see what other people can do with fabric. Then Sunday Hans and I are going to catch some awesome waves (ok, just Hans, but I'll watch) down in San Diego. San Diego has become our new favorite weekend getaway, and with a huge swell coming, we couldn't resist. Plus, I get to see my adorable and fun niece, Madeleine. After all that, I still get Monday and Tuesday to goof off a little, get some other work done, and perhaps even laundry!

Phew! Hope you enjoy your weekends like I do!

I felt bad having no pictures, so here's one of me and my newest neice, Josephine. She's wearing an outfit I picked out. It matches in true "Amy Style".

Dates and Cards

2009-06-05T20:26:00.001-07:00

Tonight Hans took me out on a date. We went to one of my favorite restaurants (Macaroni Grill). It was such a treat.

On a completely different note, some of you know that I sew cards, but I've never pictured them here. The images kind of suck, but you get the idea. I'm having lots of fun making them and I'd like to find enough time to make enough to sell.

LIFE

2009-06-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well, life has been quite abundant this past week. Hans got a promotion! Yay! He's got his own store now in Palos Verdes, so if you're ever out there, go visit him! My grandfather got married. Yes, he's 84, she's 83, so there's no wasting time! We had a small, family-only ceremony in my folks backyard this weekend. Then we celebrated my sister-in-laws birthday and had a baby shower for my cousin! Needless to say I was asleep by 9:30 last night! Here's a few pics:

In celebration of Hans' promotion, I took him out to play miniature golf. This is his hole in one shot.
Me and the man at Grandpa's wedding.
Me and Maddie Jo. She's the smiliest kid I know!

Pictures

2009-05-24T16:05:00.001-07:00

As many of you may have noticed, I'm not big on writing, so here's a few pics from recent events in my life! (Apparently, my camera comes out the most when my niece is around, but can you blame me?)

Me and Hans at the Dancing with the Stars wrap party on Tuesday night. Yep, it's over already! Congratulations Shawn Johnson!
Madeleine and her Granny.
For some reason Maddie opens her mouth really wide when you try to kiss her. It's cute now, but someday it might need to be stopped. (maybe she's part bird? ewww, regurgitated food)
She loves me!

Ok, I look a little freaky in this pic, but it's just so cute of Maddie Jo.

SO Overdue

2009-05-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, some of you have had two haircuts since last I wrote. Anyhow, Hans and I just went on a fabulous excursion all the way to Memphis, Tennessee. We visited Mom and Dad Stokke and Elvis' home. Below are a few fun moments.
Here's Hans with the King. Our camera ran out of batteries at our trip to Graceland, so this is as close as it gets. Thank you very much.
Ribs. We ate a LOT of ribs. mmmmmm
Here we are on Beale street. Not a lot to do unless you want to get drunk, which many people (and goats) were.
This is where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. It now has an adjacent building that is the Civil Rights Museum. Very interesting, but also very lengthy.

Camping!

2009-04-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hans and I got a chance to spend some time in the great outdoors this week! We pitched a tent and everything. I've been wanting to get away for a mini-vacation for a while, so Hans took Wednesday and Thursday off and away we went to Jalama Beach. Just about 30 miles north of Santa Barbara. We played cards, read books, threw horseshoes, surfed, walked, drove, cooked hot dogs and had an all-around fabulous time!

Life's Little Updates

2009-04-01T12:19:00.001-07:00

Life has been busy with the little things. Here's a few wee updates. Brianna and I finally had a photo shoot for our delicious cookies! Below is one of my favorites of the lemon cream cheese cookie.

I finally got a frame for the Scotchbake recipe my grandmother wrote me before she died in July last summer. She wrote this for my shower and it's one of those forever treasured things. It reminds me of her every time I cook.

After 6 months, I finally got a bedside table for Hans! He claims he has no need for it, but I'm sure one of these days he'll put something in the drawers and on that day he'll be thankful for me and the bedside table. (Got the table for $15 and fixed it up for another $15! Impressive, eh?)
Lastly, I chopped off all my hair. Well, to be fair, Tiffany chopped off all my hair. She had a great time cutting away while I watched in horror. However, after it was all over, it looked pretty cute. Plus, it takes me all of 8 minutes from start to finish to get it looking cute!

Update

2009-03-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Right now life is moving at a pleasant pace. I enjoy working back at Dancing With the Stars, and with my cousin, Brianna. Hans and I have really begun settling into a fun and joyful marriage. We're enjoying our apartment. Hans is enjoying work (and we're just thankful to both be employed right now. Tom Bergeron was saying the other day that keeping your job is like the new raise.) We're also looking forward to spending time with Mama and Papa Stokke in Memphis in May. (Just bought our tickets last night.) And we're thankful for family that lives close by to enrich our daily lives.

All in all, I'd say life is really great. And mostly, this reminds me that God is great. There have been so many things to adjust to in my life lately, and yet, I've been enjoying every one of them, and that is the Lord showing me the good.

Happy Birthday Hans

2009-03-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, and for that, I apologize. Since I last wrote, much has happened. I started working part-time with my sister at a financial planning office and I've started back at Dancing With the Stars. Both are an answer to our prayers for a job and something for me to do to keep me from absolute boredom. PLUS, yesterday was Hans' birthday, and in our family you get a whole birthday week, so we've been celebrating all week long!

This is the watch my parents and I got Hans. It tells the tides of 200 beaches! So now he can surf any time, any place and know when the best time is to paddle out. He was really excited about it.

Hans went on Splash Mountain without me. Amy likes to stay dry on cold days, call me crazy!

On Sunday night, Hans' grandparents treated us and Hans' uncle Lars and family to dinner at our favorite restaurant, Walts Wharf. Earlier that afternoon we celebrated Hans' birthday with lunch at my folks house, of which, I have no pictures for some reason.
Thursday night, Hans went to a 12:01 am showing of The Watchmen with some buddies from work. What I didn't realize when he told me these plans is that he was dressing up as one of the characters in his bathrobe! Suddenly, I was glad I wasn't going . . . He had a great time and got home around 3:30am!

On Hans' actual birthday (Friday) we spent the day at Disneyland. Since we're already annual passholders, he got a gift card to the park. What we didn't know is you can't use this giftcard for any food items, only Disney merchandise. We should have assumed there was a catch. But Hans found some really nice board shorts at one of the shops, and he bought me lots of delicious candies! It was a great day!

200,000

2009-02-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

Hans' car reached it's own personal goal of 200,000 miles yesterday on our way to Disneyland. What an accomplishment! We decided that to celebrate, it was time for it's first cleaning too! ;)

(I apologize for the fuzziness of the images, but you get the idea.)

Fair Trade Music

2009-01-28T10:18:00.001-08:00

This is my new favorite website! You can download music for free by sending the link to 5 people, or you can just pay what you want. Great idea for new artists to get their music heard. Katie Herzig is one of my new favorites. (Thank you, Caleb!) Enjoy!

Amy Stokke Goes to Washington

2009-01-27T15:41:00.001-08:00

I flew early Thursday morning up to Seattle to visit with my brother and his wife. They recently moved to a little town about 1 1/2 hours north of Seattle, called Lynden. It's a charming Dutch town with windmills and perfect lawns. As you all know by now, I prefer telling my stories through pictures, so below are a few highlights from my trip. Enjoy!When I first arrived in Seattle, David took me to Pike's Place. Kind of a tourist trap, but we had good seafood. Anyhow, we wandered into a curiosity shop, and in said shop was a small machine that claimed that behind the curtain was a scene made in 1880 about a famous murder. Well, me and my 25 cents had to know what happened. I dropped my quarter in the slot, the curtain rose, and this is what I found. A few barbie dolls moving around. The murder is taking place on the right, and on the left is someone happening upon the bones 17 years later. Gasp! I was had.
The needle. We didn't go up. $16 on a cloudy day seemed like kind of a big rip-off.
However, what turned out to be the biggest rip-off was the monorail. David and I wanted to explore Seattle a little more, so we parked by the needle and took a "ride" into downtown. However, the monorail took approximately 45 seconds start to finish. We could have walked the distance in 10 minutes. At least we got a round-trip ticket, so it was a minute and a half of pure, unadulterated fun.
Vancouver, B.C. Yep, Saturday night we went into Canada. The border is about a 10 minute drive from D&R's place. It was cold. Like cold cold. Long underwear cold. Anyhow, we had really good Italian food and walked around downtown for a while. Not much to do unless you want a Gucci bag or Prada shoes. And in case you haven't caught on, I'm still upset about the $4 monorail, so I wasn't in those stores for anything but warmth.
I taught D&R a new card game. Turns out Timber already knew it.
Yep. 25 degrees. This is the morning of my departure. What we didn't know at this point is that a snow storm was coming to dump all night.
Chuckanut Drive. Fun word, eh? David and I drove down the Chuckanut from Bellingham for about 15 miles. It was beautiful. A perfectly clear day on a road by the ocean is always a good day.
Here I am at Snoqualmie Falls. This waterfall's power has been harnessed since 1890 into enough electricity for 16,000 homes. Pretty impressive. David and I hiked to the bottom and almost missed my flight. Thankfully I didn't since it was delayed an hour and a half. And then I really didn't want to get out of my seat after landing in Long Beach, so luckily we got to sit on the tarmack for 45 minutes while we waited for some stairs. Thankfully, knowing I was closer to my husband was all I needed. Plus, they left the tv's on so I watched Seinfeld.

A Day In the Sunshine

2009-01-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

So Stokke's, you've just won yourself a day off, what are you going to do??!?!?!

We're going to DISNEYLAND!!!

It was a perfect day for it too. The weather was perfect, there were no lines, and we like each other a lot. Made for a pretty good combo.Toy Story, the ride/game is our new favorite. It combines our two loves: Rides and competitive spirit. Hans won.
This toad did not turn into a prince, so I'll just stick with Hans. ;)
So serious for two people about to spin and laugh deliriously in a tiny teacup.
Hans' strength was no match for the pink teacup. My head almost exploded.
"Fat guy in a little coat". Tall man in a tiny pink teacup. Such silliness.

Jo Lo

2009-01-14T09:31:00.001-08:00

We just found out last night (although my lame-o brother spilled the beans on the phone just hours before the big announcement) that Heidi and Caleb are having a girl! I'm going to have another niece. Josephine Lois Weston. I can't wait to meet her!

Belly Dancing

2009-01-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

That's right. Last night I took my very first Belly Dancing class. It was surprisingly a good workout and a lot of fun! I'm taking it with a few friends, so there's definitely someone to look at when you have no idea HOW to shake it like you should. Most of the other class attendees had these like belted scarves with little round coins on them for making noise. We were all quite intimidated, but they all seemed to enjoy the noise more than the dancing.

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to my next class so I can shake it a little better. Because at the end of the day, that's what really matters . . . right?

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. McCurry!

2009-01-10T21:05:00.000-08:00

Here is evidence that Esther Sunukjian and Ian McCurry actually tied the knot today. Congratulations you two!
P.S. I cut my hair super short. This isn't the best shot of it, but Hans likes it, so that's what counts.

Quick!

2009-01-10T09:42:00.001-08:00

Hans and I are getting ready to go to one my good friend's wedding's. I quickly realized that in light of this blessed occasion, many of the same people are going to be at her wedding as were at mine . . . This of course led me to the conclusion that I must get my thank you notes out before her. And she's the "on top of it" kind of person that I sometimes wish I was, soooooo check your mail, it's coming soon! Oh, and congratulations Esther and Ian!

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

2008-12-11T20:13:00.001-08:00

Hans and Amy Stokke's first tree!