This is an exert from facebook....
In Karamea now.... Finally I have an internet connection for the night. Two weeks of either no signal or wifi that costs CRAZY $$$. It hasn't been worth paying for the connection. I also found out that the power converter we bought doesn't work for long with my laptop until it over heats.
Anywho. The trip thus far has been great. Lots of beautiful scenery and lots of wonderful nature. A bit more rain then we expected. Lots of pictures taken and lots more to be had.
We are currently sitting in a (who knows how old) (organic/self sustaining) hippy backpackers hostel. Maybe 20 people staying here tonight from many different nationalities (we may be the only ones here with English as a first language).
Completed the Milford track (4 day/33.5 mile backpacking trip) a few days ago and in a couple days from now we will be doing the Able Tasman backpacking hike.
.... Power converter just over heated again, so I am signing off for now.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Prayers for our Trip
I know God will be with us as we journey through New Zealand, but I would like all of you to keep up in your prayers as well. There is no such thing as praying too much, a person can always use more!
I pray that our traveling goes well, both to and from the airport, while in the air and as we are driving around NZ. I pray for good health, both physical and mental. I pray for the safety of our house & cats, and our friends who will be staying there to keep an eye on things. And wonderful Emma who will also be watching "my kids" while I am away. And for the kid's family who are so gracious to allow me to take the time off and have my friend watch their children in my absence.
And I pray for all of you who will all be celebrating a wonderful Christmas with friends & family as well. I hope that you all have safe travels too & that you cherish every moment of this wonderful time of year. May you all stay warm and be full of cheer!
I pray that our traveling goes well, both to and from the airport, while in the air and as we are driving around NZ. I pray for good health, both physical and mental. I pray for the safety of our house & cats, and our friends who will be staying there to keep an eye on things. And wonderful Emma who will also be watching "my kids" while I am away. And for the kid's family who are so gracious to allow me to take the time off and have my friend watch their children in my absence.
And I pray for all of you who will all be celebrating a wonderful Christmas with friends & family as well. I hope that you all have safe travels too & that you cherish every moment of this wonderful time of year. May you all stay warm and be full of cheer!
New Zealand Approaches
Here we go, counting down; time is on the wire.
Our "to do" list shortens. Laundry is done & house is clean. Our bags are almost packed. Cars have been fixed up (oil changed, etc). Gone through a lot of our back up food so we can start with fresh stuff when we get back. And our friends that are house sitting have been prepped with all the info.
We will be making a drive down to Southern Cali to fly out of LAX. We will have a lay over in Hawaii. When we land in Auckland, we will be renting a car. **woot! woot! for driving in the opposite side of the car, on the opposite side of the road**
Stop 1 - Tongariro National Park - Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (volcanic wonders!)
Stop 2 - Wellington ferry to go to Picton
Stop 3 - Kaikoura
Stop 4 - Christchurch
Stop 5 - Dunedin (PENGUINS!!!!!)
Stop 6 - Te Anau (Milford Track & Sound)
Stop 7 - Queenstown
Stop 8 - Wanaka (Mount Aspiring National Park)
Stop 9 - Fox Glacier (Westland National Park)
Stop 10 - Westport (Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki & Westport Brewery)
Stop 11 - Karamea (Oparara Basin & Kahuranhi National Park)
Stop 12 - Motueka (Abel Tasman National Park & Coast Track)
Stop 13 - Picton (ferry to go to Wellington)
Stop 14 - Wellington (all the city sights and museums)
Stop 15 - Lake Taupo (Maori Rock Carvings)
Stop 16 - Rotorua (Volcanic activity galore!)
Stop 17 - Matamata (Hobbiton)
Stop 18 - Auckland (flying back home)
Our "to do" list shortens. Laundry is done & house is clean. Our bags are almost packed. Cars have been fixed up (oil changed, etc). Gone through a lot of our back up food so we can start with fresh stuff when we get back. And our friends that are house sitting have been prepped with all the info.
We will be making a drive down to Southern Cali to fly out of LAX. We will have a lay over in Hawaii. When we land in Auckland, we will be renting a car. **woot! woot! for driving in the opposite side of the car, on the opposite side of the road**
Stop 1 - Tongariro National Park - Hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (volcanic wonders!)
Stop 2 - Wellington ferry to go to Picton
Stop 3 - Kaikoura
Stop 4 - Christchurch
Stop 5 - Dunedin (PENGUINS!!!!!)
Stop 6 - Te Anau (Milford Track & Sound)
Stop 7 - Queenstown
Stop 8 - Wanaka (Mount Aspiring National Park)
Stop 9 - Fox Glacier (Westland National Park)
Stop 10 - Westport (Paparoa National Park, Punakaiki & Westport Brewery)
Stop 11 - Karamea (Oparara Basin & Kahuranhi National Park)
Stop 12 - Motueka (Abel Tasman National Park & Coast Track)
Stop 13 - Picton (ferry to go to Wellington)
Stop 14 - Wellington (all the city sights and museums)
Stop 15 - Lake Taupo (Maori Rock Carvings)
Stop 16 - Rotorua (Volcanic activity galore!)
Stop 17 - Matamata (Hobbiton)
Stop 18 - Auckland (flying back home)
Monday, November 25, 2013
2013 Christmas Card
As always, our year has been full of
many adventures. To name a few…
We celebrated our birthdays in May,
rock climbing, camping and hiking to Feather Falls & hiking in Yosemite.
Jaime went on a week long road trip
with her Grandpa Hoyt to Iowa for her cousin Preston’s wedding.
Jaime’s sister Cara, got engaged
& married.
We celebrated our 2nd
year of being married, backpacking the East side of Lassen Natl. Park.
In September we took a trip to
Colorado, for (Tim’s cousin) Laura’s wedding.
In October we visited our favorite
pumpkin patch in Wheatland & got some really fun pumpkins.
Tim is still enjoying his work with
Morrison and Co., working on feasibility studies, grant writing
and other accounting related
projects.
Jaime started working with a new
family in early August, watching two wonderful kids.
Abby (5) and Tristan (9)
go to the Christian school that is affiliated
with our church.
Jaime gets them ready in the mornings & takes them to
school,
as well as picking them up &
taking them to their afternoon activities.
Their mom is an anesthesiologist at
the local hospital and their dad is an
engineer for PG&E.
It’s a great job and it’s everything Jaime ever wanted
from a job.
Now as we move into the holidays,
we look forward to our trip to New Zealand. We have been planning this over
the course of the year & have
been wanting to go since we got married.
Since Tim has been once before, we
had an easier time deciding where we wanted to go & what we
wanted to see. Our plans include 4 weeks over
Christmas & New Year, roadtriping, camping & backpacking
through the North and South
islands.
We will be posting on our blog some
of our pictures & a little bit about what we are up to while we’re there.
Check our blog at: timandjaimepeters.blogspot.com
Merry Christmas &
Happy New Year
Love – Tim & Jaime
Peters
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Back to the Dentist
Its been since Spring 2006 that I had been to the dentist last. A long time of not looking into the health of my teeth. Well, in August this year I was eating some beef jerky and noticed a weird pressure all of a sudden. Looked in a mirror and thought I saw a pepper flake wedged into a crack in the middle of my tooth I assumed I just caused to happen. I set up an appointment and went in for a check up and X-rays.
Bom bom bom... ROOT CANAL! My first one and I was rather scared of what to expect. Shots, drills and who knows how long I would have to sit in that chair.
Much to my surprise, it went really smooth, no pain and they seemed very pleased with the procedure.
Fast forward...
Got my permanent crown on today (as well as got a filling and a deep cleaning on my left). Crown # 2 actually. The first one had several large chips pop off it the day after they put it on. So they had to cut the crown off, put a second temp cap on the tooth while they sent the metal back to reform the newest crown. That was an ordeal!
Next week I go back in for another filling and a deep cleaning on my right side.
Then in the beginning of December I have my last appointment for the final tooth to have four fillings in the spots where there has been acidic washouts (from drinking tea and sodas, etc).
A lot of visits to the dentist since September, this was my 7th appointment. December will be 9 appointments total. Smile Makers has been really good to me, and needless to say, but with so many visits I have made pretty good friends with the gals at the front desk.
Bom bom bom... ROOT CANAL! My first one and I was rather scared of what to expect. Shots, drills and who knows how long I would have to sit in that chair.
Much to my surprise, it went really smooth, no pain and they seemed very pleased with the procedure.
Fast forward...
Got my permanent crown on today (as well as got a filling and a deep cleaning on my left). Crown # 2 actually. The first one had several large chips pop off it the day after they put it on. So they had to cut the crown off, put a second temp cap on the tooth while they sent the metal back to reform the newest crown. That was an ordeal!
Next week I go back in for another filling and a deep cleaning on my right side.
Then in the beginning of December I have my last appointment for the final tooth to have four fillings in the spots where there has been acidic washouts (from drinking tea and sodas, etc).
A lot of visits to the dentist since September, this was my 7th appointment. December will be 9 appointments total. Smile Makers has been really good to me, and needless to say, but with so many visits I have made pretty good friends with the gals at the front desk.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
This upcoming summer
!!! First off, it is important to mention that when we go out of town, not only for our cats, but also for the safety of our home, we have people house-sitting and checking in all the time.
So it might only be the end of winter, but yes, we are thinking and planning for the summer that is coming. As you all know, we are planning that trip to New Zealand and we have to plan this year to make that work next year. Tim has to watch his vacation days this summer so there are enough for the three weeks of that future trip. Our summer here is going to be consisting of just weekend trips.
A few trips planned so far...
***This spring, this month to be specific, I (Jaime) and actually going to take a trip myself (so Tim doesn't have to take the time off). I am going to drive down to a little town most people never heard of called Coarsegold, to visit one of my oldest best friends. Crystal and I have been friends since we were in third grade. I still remember the day when we met. Stephanie (my very oldest best friend) and I were playing out at lunch recess on the jungle-gym and Crystal joined us to play. Our friendship hasn't faltered since.
I am going to spend a good part of a week hanging out down at her house with her hubby and three adorable kiddos. Crystal married her Jr High - High School sweetheart not too long after graduating and started a family soon after. We have not seen each other in three and a half years when her oldest baby was close almost a year old. Before that we still hadn't seen much of each other post graduation. Life for her got busy being married, while I was busy doing school and running at the JC in Saratoga.
I very much look forward to getting the solid time to reconnect. Not sure what all we plan to do, but it will be a good time none the less. I do know though that if the roads are clear, Crystal and I (with the kids) will try to plan a drive up into Yosemite since they are an hour and a half away.
***Later, in May [another trip without Tim (we love each other very much and will miss one another)] I will be going on a road trip just Grandpa Hoyt and I, out to Iowa. We will take a good few days to drive and make stops. My aunt and uncle's house in Eagle Mountain, Capital Reef, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks (all in Utah). Colorado National Monument, Rocky Mountains National Park, Estes Park, Boulder, and Loveland. A stop in Nebraska, we don't know where yet. Massena (near where grandpa grew up) and Norwalk Iowa (our final destination). I then get to spend another few days there hanging out with my cousins and get ready for Preston and Lyz's wedding. At the end of the trip I will fly home.
***Tim's cousin Kendall is getting married in June, down in Santa Cruz (she and I actually grew up in the same town). Our trips down to SC have become very few in recent years. It will be nice to go again.
***Some wonderful friends of ours (Brian and McKenzie Helvick) are big Giants fans like we are and have decided to make a trip together to catch a game and explore SF. We are also hoping to make Santa Cruz a part of this trip too. If the beach house in Aptos is open, we plan to stay there and extend our trip by a day.
***We are also planning a trip sometime this summer (not sure what date we will get) to hike Half Dome in Yosemite. Tim has done it twice, but I have never done it before, so I am very excited to get this opportunity finally.
***My family has a reunion get together in Santa Rosa .
***The Peters' family reunion in Mt. Shasta at Lake Siskiyou.
***Tim and I will do a backpacking trip at Lassen NP's Cinder Cone.
***And in September, Tim's cousin Laura will be getting married in Colorado. This will be the first time Tim and I have ever flown in a plane together... I am SUPER excited about this! Did I mention before that flying is my favorite way to travel? It is! This will actually be the first time I have ever to fly with a significant other of mine (Tim gets the honors). My trip through Colorado in May will be my first time (not including when I was 2) in that state. I am excited to to make my second trip so soon after, only 4 months later.
_________
Because of Tim's work we actually aren't sure when we will be going to NZ. We have three different times we could go, but still have to talk more about it. We were originally talking about going Feb. 2014, then we talked about the following April, then making it sooner as in late fall 2013. But the date might be none of those. We will keep you posted on that.
So it might only be the end of winter, but yes, we are thinking and planning for the summer that is coming. As you all know, we are planning that trip to New Zealand and we have to plan this year to make that work next year. Tim has to watch his vacation days this summer so there are enough for the three weeks of that future trip. Our summer here is going to be consisting of just weekend trips.
A few trips planned so far...
***This spring, this month to be specific, I (Jaime) and actually going to take a trip myself (so Tim doesn't have to take the time off). I am going to drive down to a little town most people never heard of called Coarsegold, to visit one of my oldest best friends. Crystal and I have been friends since we were in third grade. I still remember the day when we met. Stephanie (my very oldest best friend) and I were playing out at lunch recess on the jungle-gym and Crystal joined us to play. Our friendship hasn't faltered since.
I am going to spend a good part of a week hanging out down at her house with her hubby and three adorable kiddos. Crystal married her Jr High - High School sweetheart not too long after graduating and started a family soon after. We have not seen each other in three and a half years when her oldest baby was close almost a year old. Before that we still hadn't seen much of each other post graduation. Life for her got busy being married, while I was busy doing school and running at the JC in Saratoga.
I very much look forward to getting the solid time to reconnect. Not sure what all we plan to do, but it will be a good time none the less. I do know though that if the roads are clear, Crystal and I (with the kids) will try to plan a drive up into Yosemite since they are an hour and a half away.
***Later, in May [another trip without Tim (we love each other very much and will miss one another)] I will be going on a road trip just Grandpa Hoyt and I, out to Iowa. We will take a good few days to drive and make stops. My aunt and uncle's house in Eagle Mountain, Capital Reef, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks (all in Utah). Colorado National Monument, Rocky Mountains National Park, Estes Park, Boulder, and Loveland. A stop in Nebraska, we don't know where yet. Massena (near where grandpa grew up) and Norwalk Iowa (our final destination). I then get to spend another few days there hanging out with my cousins and get ready for Preston and Lyz's wedding. At the end of the trip I will fly home.
***Tim's cousin Kendall is getting married in June, down in Santa Cruz (she and I actually grew up in the same town). Our trips down to SC have become very few in recent years. It will be nice to go again.
***Some wonderful friends of ours (Brian and McKenzie Helvick) are big Giants fans like we are and have decided to make a trip together to catch a game and explore SF. We are also hoping to make Santa Cruz a part of this trip too. If the beach house in Aptos is open, we plan to stay there and extend our trip by a day.
***We are also planning a trip sometime this summer (not sure what date we will get) to hike Half Dome in Yosemite. Tim has done it twice, but I have never done it before, so I am very excited to get this opportunity finally.
***My family has a reunion get together in Santa Rosa .
***The Peters' family reunion in Mt. Shasta at Lake Siskiyou.
***Tim and I will do a backpacking trip at Lassen NP's Cinder Cone.
***And in September, Tim's cousin Laura will be getting married in Colorado. This will be the first time Tim and I have ever flown in a plane together... I am SUPER excited about this! Did I mention before that flying is my favorite way to travel? It is! This will actually be the first time I have ever to fly with a significant other of mine (Tim gets the honors). My trip through Colorado in May will be my first time (not including when I was 2) in that state. I am excited to to make my second trip so soon after, only 4 months later.
_________
Because of Tim's work we actually aren't sure when we will be going to NZ. We have three different times we could go, but still have to talk more about it. We were originally talking about going Feb. 2014, then we talked about the following April, then making it sooner as in late fall 2013. But the date might be none of those. We will keep you posted on that.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
"Home-maker?"
Yes, yes. Women worked pretty hard for a long time to finally bee seen as worthy then more then just in the home and kitchen and caring for the kids.... but that is actually of my favorite things to do on a normal day.
Work for me is caring for children. I am what I like to call a "part time nanny". I don't live in their homes and I have a couple families I work for on a weekly schedule. "Babysitter" is much different, they only care for the kids when the parents are going on a date or have a meeting; its very unpredictable work.
While Tim is the bred-winner and has his 8-5 job, I like to take care of all I can around the house. Whether my house work is cleaning, organizing, decorating or even fixing things, I do all I can. YES, I even have my own tool box and know how to use power tools. I even thoroughly enjoy my ability to do yard work and gardening. In the next couple of months we will finally be filling in our garden bed and planting our first crop of veggies.
Today I find myself taking this day off to do things in the kitchen. I need to go through my recipes I have saved and finally put them on recipe cards. I just sliced up a bunch of apples and having it run in the dehydrator so we have tasty and HEALTHY snacks and I am about to make my first of kale chips.
Guilty pleasure, I am about to watch last night's episode of "The Bachelor". I will be sipping a cup of home ground and French pressed brewed Verve coffee (so good! http://www.vervecoffeeroasters.com/), looking through the new Paleo book I got on Tim's and my "date" to Barns and Noble last weekend.
Then later, I will most likely go out and rake up the leaves that are littering the end of our cul-de-sac. Going for a run, and reading some more of "The Chronicles of Narnia - The Last Battle" (my first time finally making it through the books).
Work for me is caring for children. I am what I like to call a "part time nanny". I don't live in their homes and I have a couple families I work for on a weekly schedule. "Babysitter" is much different, they only care for the kids when the parents are going on a date or have a meeting; its very unpredictable work.
While Tim is the bred-winner and has his 8-5 job, I like to take care of all I can around the house. Whether my house work is cleaning, organizing, decorating or even fixing things, I do all I can. YES, I even have my own tool box and know how to use power tools. I even thoroughly enjoy my ability to do yard work and gardening. In the next couple of months we will finally be filling in our garden bed and planting our first crop of veggies.
Today I find myself taking this day off to do things in the kitchen. I need to go through my recipes I have saved and finally put them on recipe cards. I just sliced up a bunch of apples and having it run in the dehydrator so we have tasty and HEALTHY snacks and I am about to make my first of kale chips.
Guilty pleasure, I am about to watch last night's episode of "The Bachelor". I will be sipping a cup of home ground and French pressed brewed Verve coffee (so good! http://www.vervecoffeeroasters.com/), looking through the new Paleo book I got on Tim's and my "date" to Barns and Noble last weekend.
Then later, I will most likely go out and rake up the leaves that are littering the end of our cul-de-sac. Going for a run, and reading some more of "The Chronicles of Narnia - The Last Battle" (my first time finally making it through the books).
Thursday, January 3, 2013
New Zealand
Tim has been once already a few years ago, before we met. He went with his cousin Dan and spent two weeks during winter there. They spent their whole time on the south island, loved it and wished they had more time they could have spent there.
I think it is a bit of a family thing, going to New Zealand. Tim's aunt Margot and uncle Bob have been once and I believe Tim's grandparents on his mom's side has been at least once, maybe more? And now Tim and I are planning a trip there in a year from February.
Taking his own advice from last time, we are planning to spend 3 weeks and will be there for summer. We will be on the south island for the duration of the trip.
We don't have anything planned for the trip yet because we wanted to pay attention to funds first, but after Christmas and looking forward, we should be set.
We will keep you all informed as plans are made.
** This trip is what we are waiting on kids for. We wanted to be able to go on this big trip together before we get further tied down.
I think it is a bit of a family thing, going to New Zealand. Tim's aunt Margot and uncle Bob have been once and I believe Tim's grandparents on his mom's side has been at least once, maybe more? And now Tim and I are planning a trip there in a year from February.
Taking his own advice from last time, we are planning to spend 3 weeks and will be there for summer. We will be on the south island for the duration of the trip.
We don't have anything planned for the trip yet because we wanted to pay attention to funds first, but after Christmas and looking forward, we should be set.
We will keep you all informed as plans are made.
** This trip is what we are waiting on kids for. We wanted to be able to go on this big trip together before we get further tied down.
Weddings & Babies
These seem to come in spurts! When one person gets engaged everyone seems to. Good gracious! Its is quite fun though and I totally enjoy it. This was the same thing as was for us. The time we got engaged so did everyone else. Counting the friends whose weddings I didn't go to, there must have been 20 weddings being planned that I knew of in my circle.
Here we are again. A couple of months ago Tim's cousin Kendall got engaged, date set for June. My cousin also got engaged, date set for May. Last weekend Tim's other cousin Laura got engaged, don't know the date yet. Six other friends of mine that I can think of got engaged in very recently. I am not sure among Tim's friends, but there might be a few too.
Same goes with babies. NO TIM AND I AREN'T HAVING ANY YET. But it seemed that in just the last several months all of the sudden there are a bunch of gals from our church, plus maybe 10 friends of mine and maybe more with Tim's friends. And and good many more (including cousins and our niece just had babies in the last 6 months.
When it rains, it pours!
Here we are again. A couple of months ago Tim's cousin Kendall got engaged, date set for June. My cousin also got engaged, date set for May. Last weekend Tim's other cousin Laura got engaged, don't know the date yet. Six other friends of mine that I can think of got engaged in very recently. I am not sure among Tim's friends, but there might be a few too.
Same goes with babies. NO TIM AND I AREN'T HAVING ANY YET. But it seemed that in just the last several months all of the sudden there are a bunch of gals from our church, plus maybe 10 friends of mine and maybe more with Tim's friends. And and good many more (including cousins and our niece just had babies in the last 6 months.
When it rains, it pours!
Christmas Vacation
Tim and I spent Christmas in Willits again with his parents. We drove over on Saturday morning.
Friday evening we had a Holiday party with the catering company I work for called Bacio Catering. My mom works for them too, but in the kitchen, I work at the events. We found out the date for it last minute and decided to stick around in town for it. It was fun, we got to make connections between the people we know who work there that done realize we are related.
Saturday, after we arrived in Willits Tim and I got to set up a new full size bed in the Steven's bedroom. Tim's room already had a full size bed, but with there being two of us married couples now and events are a lot bigger. There was a great need for both rooms to have big beds.
That evening Tim's good buddy Jason had a birthday party. He still has them just like he used to as a kid. We got to see people Tim hasn't seen in a long time and people I still haven't gotten to meet yet. Games, food and a birthday cake. A new generation got to join the party this year as Jason & his wife Jeanette have a new baby, and Jason's sister and brother-in-law (Jamie & Matt) also have a new baby.
The next couple days was just hanging out at the house with Tim's parents, my parents, Tim's brother and sister-in-law (Steven & Teresa) and their new baby Elena, and Teresa's brother Benji and their mom Sue. Tim's grandma Eileen was going to join us, but she was feeling a little sick so she stayed home.
Every year, Tim's good buddy Tedd's parents host a Christmas eve run on their property. Mr. Smith was the running coach at their old high school until recently. All the kids who ran on the team over the years and their friends come up as tradition to run the 2 or 3 miles and have a pancake breakfast afterward. Yet another fun time spent with friends.
Back a few months ago Eileen moved down near Turlock in a retirement facility near her daughter (Tim's aunt) Dale and her husband Scott. Gram (Eileen) still has her house in Willits and Tom & Sandy are renting it as an extra space when we all are there to visit. With so many of us, we don't fit too well in their place. We did breakfast and gifts Christmas morning at Gram's house. Its was a nice time spent there.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The following Saturday Tim & I joined Tom, Sandy, Steven, Teresa, Elena, Scott, Dale, Gram and Tim's cousin Andrea & her husband Craig, and Geoff and his girlfriend Michelle. We were all at Scott & Dale's house in Turlock.
We had a gift exchange with them that afternoon and a lovely prime rib dinner. So good! Such a fun time. Most of the group went home, but Tim and I stayed the night with Scott & Dale, and Tom & Sandy stayed with Gram. We had a nice breakfast back at Gram's place.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Years we had a bunch of friends come over and celebrated the arrival of 1213. Almost 15 people I think showed up.
Friday evening we had a Holiday party with the catering company I work for called Bacio Catering. My mom works for them too, but in the kitchen, I work at the events. We found out the date for it last minute and decided to stick around in town for it. It was fun, we got to make connections between the people we know who work there that done realize we are related.
Saturday, after we arrived in Willits Tim and I got to set up a new full size bed in the Steven's bedroom. Tim's room already had a full size bed, but with there being two of us married couples now and events are a lot bigger. There was a great need for both rooms to have big beds.
That evening Tim's good buddy Jason had a birthday party. He still has them just like he used to as a kid. We got to see people Tim hasn't seen in a long time and people I still haven't gotten to meet yet. Games, food and a birthday cake. A new generation got to join the party this year as Jason & his wife Jeanette have a new baby, and Jason's sister and brother-in-law (Jamie & Matt) also have a new baby.
The next couple days was just hanging out at the house with Tim's parents, my parents, Tim's brother and sister-in-law (Steven & Teresa) and their new baby Elena, and Teresa's brother Benji and their mom Sue. Tim's grandma Eileen was going to join us, but she was feeling a little sick so she stayed home.
Every year, Tim's good buddy Tedd's parents host a Christmas eve run on their property. Mr. Smith was the running coach at their old high school until recently. All the kids who ran on the team over the years and their friends come up as tradition to run the 2 or 3 miles and have a pancake breakfast afterward. Yet another fun time spent with friends.
Back a few months ago Eileen moved down near Turlock in a retirement facility near her daughter (Tim's aunt) Dale and her husband Scott. Gram (Eileen) still has her house in Willits and Tom & Sandy are renting it as an extra space when we all are there to visit. With so many of us, we don't fit too well in their place. We did breakfast and gifts Christmas morning at Gram's house. Its was a nice time spent there.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The following Saturday Tim & I joined Tom, Sandy, Steven, Teresa, Elena, Scott, Dale, Gram and Tim's cousin Andrea & her husband Craig, and Geoff and his girlfriend Michelle. We were all at Scott & Dale's house in Turlock.
We had a gift exchange with them that afternoon and a lovely prime rib dinner. So good! Such a fun time. Most of the group went home, but Tim and I stayed the night with Scott & Dale, and Tom & Sandy stayed with Gram. We had a nice breakfast back at Gram's place.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
New Years we had a bunch of friends come over and celebrated the arrival of 1213. Almost 15 people I think showed up.
Here is to the New Year
I am not one to make new years resolutions. They are too easy to put on the back burner and forget. You then find yourself at the end of the year looking back and thinking, "Well, that was a waist." Setting goals that are reasonable and have room to improve in is a good idea. Leave it open ended with the opportunity to get more out of it. We just might find ourselves growing in ways we might not have other wise.
I am a person who likes and needs to have lists to remember to do things and when they have been completed, I cross them out. I also need to start looking at the things I do with my day when I am not working, figuring out what really is important and making more time for those things and spending less time doing those things that aren't beneficial to my life and important to me.
LESS: TV, social media, shopping.... etc
MORE: reading, spending time in the word, blogging about our life, spending time outside and exercising, quality time with friends
Time control! I don't do a ton of things, but what I do takes a lot of time.
Last year did hold a lot of life changes since it was the first whole year of being married. But I am looking back thinking that there were a good number of things on my list that I do wish I had already gotten started or finished. I should start conducting a calender, weekly and monthly with things to keep me working toward my goals. Taking baby steps is the only way.
I need to remember to not get caught up in the things that aren't important and jump gear for what is and follow through. It will be a work in progress, but I want to be standing on the edge of 2014 and say, "That was a productive year."
I will update the progress as the year goes on so you can see how its working out.
I am a person who likes and needs to have lists to remember to do things and when they have been completed, I cross them out. I also need to start looking at the things I do with my day when I am not working, figuring out what really is important and making more time for those things and spending less time doing those things that aren't beneficial to my life and important to me.
LESS: TV, social media, shopping.... etc
MORE: reading, spending time in the word, blogging about our life, spending time outside and exercising, quality time with friends
Time control! I don't do a ton of things, but what I do takes a lot of time.
Last year did hold a lot of life changes since it was the first whole year of being married. But I am looking back thinking that there were a good number of things on my list that I do wish I had already gotten started or finished. I should start conducting a calender, weekly and monthly with things to keep me working toward my goals. Taking baby steps is the only way.
I need to remember to not get caught up in the things that aren't important and jump gear for what is and follow through. It will be a work in progress, but I want to be standing on the edge of 2014 and say, "That was a productive year."
I will update the progress as the year goes on so you can see how its working out.
Reconnecting with friends
I still remember a lot of my childhood. Times as far back as when I was three. One part that still stands in my book as important was my friends and the times I had with them. Stephanie I met when I first moved to Santa Cruz (I was 4). We went to preschool together and conditioned all the way through high school together. Crystal I met in 3rd grade and same story with her as Steph. Sarah I became great friends with starting in high school because of running and she was already good friends with Steph and Crystal. The four of us are still good friends, but are feeling the effects of what life post HS brings. College in different towns or states, marriage or even starting a new family. We try to stay in touch as much as we can, but its hard. These are the friendships that endured because they had the opportunity.
What about the other friends? Most often times them moving away changed things. We didn't get the chance to cultivate a relationship as we got older.
Danielle. Dear sweet girl. I miss her and think of her fairly often. I still get tears in my eyes when I think too much about her. She didn't get the chance to live a life of her own, it was taken from her at the age of 9 from ovarian cancer. I remember her getting sick and was pulled out of school for a while so she could get better. They didn't know what she had for a while and after they did, it was hard to understand how it could have been. I was expecting her to come back to school at anytime, but got the dreaded and unexpected call saying she was gone.
Friends like Jodee and Shelby both moved away back in elementary. Both friends I loved getting to hang out with and missed very much when they were no longer around. I didn't know it until after Jodee moved away that she was gone. And when Shelby left I knew she was going, but didn't understand too much what her leaving would mean. Over the years I had thought of them both and missed the friendship that was no more.
Thanks to this thing we call the internet, we can connect with friends all over the world; we can keep in touch and reconnect with those we had been out of touch for so long. When I found my two "long lost" friends again I got to fill in some of those details that were blank for so long. I had no idea before where Jodee went and now I have gotten to see it. I knew where Shelby went, but I got to see that she stayed there. Both friends I have gotten to follow the little details that they have posted and pictures they put up, getting to see some of their past and now the current. Who they became and how/why.
My heart is filled with great joy to be able to get to know them now, from this point. I am so excited about this. Though we are still living no where near each other, we have a chance again to restart now, something new.
What about the other friends? Most often times them moving away changed things. We didn't get the chance to cultivate a relationship as we got older.
Danielle. Dear sweet girl. I miss her and think of her fairly often. I still get tears in my eyes when I think too much about her. She didn't get the chance to live a life of her own, it was taken from her at the age of 9 from ovarian cancer. I remember her getting sick and was pulled out of school for a while so she could get better. They didn't know what she had for a while and after they did, it was hard to understand how it could have been. I was expecting her to come back to school at anytime, but got the dreaded and unexpected call saying she was gone.
Friends like Jodee and Shelby both moved away back in elementary. Both friends I loved getting to hang out with and missed very much when they were no longer around. I didn't know it until after Jodee moved away that she was gone. And when Shelby left I knew she was going, but didn't understand too much what her leaving would mean. Over the years I had thought of them both and missed the friendship that was no more.
Thanks to this thing we call the internet, we can connect with friends all over the world; we can keep in touch and reconnect with those we had been out of touch for so long. When I found my two "long lost" friends again I got to fill in some of those details that were blank for so long. I had no idea before where Jodee went and now I have gotten to see it. I knew where Shelby went, but I got to see that she stayed there. Both friends I have gotten to follow the little details that they have posted and pictures they put up, getting to see some of their past and now the current. Who they became and how/why.
My heart is filled with great joy to be able to get to know them now, from this point. I am so excited about this. Though we are still living no where near each other, we have a chance again to restart now, something new.
The End of the World
I didn't post on that day, but I did think about it when I woke up that morning.
December 21st, the end of the world according to today's beliefs of what a past civilization's calender said. Making assumptions from something that was so simple as a calender. All calenders have an end, ours happens to be at the end of the year, their's ended here. They couldn't go on forever and they certainly had no idea that their civilization would end well before their calender.
This wasn't the only speculation made, not that the Aztecs had this in mind. Harold Camping has made his predictions numerous times and those days never turned out to be anything either. There have been plenty of other men and women to give dates and try to provide cold hard facts why it has to be this day or that.
People these days are so twisted and obsessed with trying to predict the end, that they are striking fear into the hearts of people who could just live life enjoying the day in front of them rather then what tomorrow could bring. Our world (US especially) is so self-consumed and polluted that we have fallen so far away from what is truly important that we have no way of being rescued. We are drowning ourselves in fear and telling ourselves lies.
Those of us who know better, know God's word. His love for us is so great and he is always here holding out his hand over the water hoping we will grab it. He is a God of wonder and mystery, He wants us to know and seek Him. The more we know Him, the more He has us dig for the next even more wonderful layer of who He is. Even though we can't see Him, He isn't transparent, He isn't going to just make things obvious even if they are. We are very stupid beings, but he gives us more credit then that. He knows we can't help ourselves when there is a mystery and so He makes Himself just that, but He leaves us clues. Pretty easy and obvious clues, but we expect it to be harder and somehow we have let the world take over our minds and souls and we loose faith and trust in Him. We need to walk in Faith, while being cautious. Some of us let the mystery drive our lives and it becomes a disease that drives us and twists us. The world is so filled with sin and we have been blinded to it. We live in the devil's play ground and we need to remember to take God's hand and be rescued every day.
(Sorry if any of that got confusing, it just flowed out of my mind and through my figures like this.)
God's book of clues as to who He is very big and He tells us, guides us with His words what He has planned for us. Matthew 24:36 reminds us that no matter what, only He the Father knows when the world will change according to his promise. We need to remember that if we know and love him, we have a life waiting with him that will put this life to shame 70 times over.
May we always remember that and live life today for him.
December 21st, the end of the world according to today's beliefs of what a past civilization's calender said. Making assumptions from something that was so simple as a calender. All calenders have an end, ours happens to be at the end of the year, their's ended here. They couldn't go on forever and they certainly had no idea that their civilization would end well before their calender.
This wasn't the only speculation made, not that the Aztecs had this in mind. Harold Camping has made his predictions numerous times and those days never turned out to be anything either. There have been plenty of other men and women to give dates and try to provide cold hard facts why it has to be this day or that.
People these days are so twisted and obsessed with trying to predict the end, that they are striking fear into the hearts of people who could just live life enjoying the day in front of them rather then what tomorrow could bring. Our world (US especially) is so self-consumed and polluted that we have fallen so far away from what is truly important that we have no way of being rescued. We are drowning ourselves in fear and telling ourselves lies.
Those of us who know better, know God's word. His love for us is so great and he is always here holding out his hand over the water hoping we will grab it. He is a God of wonder and mystery, He wants us to know and seek Him. The more we know Him, the more He has us dig for the next even more wonderful layer of who He is. Even though we can't see Him, He isn't transparent, He isn't going to just make things obvious even if they are. We are very stupid beings, but he gives us more credit then that. He knows we can't help ourselves when there is a mystery and so He makes Himself just that, but He leaves us clues. Pretty easy and obvious clues, but we expect it to be harder and somehow we have let the world take over our minds and souls and we loose faith and trust in Him. We need to walk in Faith, while being cautious. Some of us let the mystery drive our lives and it becomes a disease that drives us and twists us. The world is so filled with sin and we have been blinded to it. We live in the devil's play ground and we need to remember to take God's hand and be rescued every day.
(Sorry if any of that got confusing, it just flowed out of my mind and through my figures like this.)
God's book of clues as to who He is very big and He tells us, guides us with His words what He has planned for us. Matthew 24:36 reminds us that no matter what, only He the Father knows when the world will change according to his promise. We need to remember that if we know and love him, we have a life waiting with him that will put this life to shame 70 times over.
May we always remember that and live life today for him.
Christmas Past and Future
Isn't it funny how magical and mysterious Christmas is when we are young. That month leading up it is SO exciting and you can hardly wait, but the days seem so long and that month just ticks on for ever. Finally when it does arrive, there you are, laying awake in bed, hardly able to sleep because you know in only a few hours "Santa" will have come and you will be waking up to one of the craziest most fun days of the whole year. And it was just that. So fun, so full of happy times with family.
Here we are now.... summer comes to a close in August and stores are already decorating and selling stuff for Christmas. Even in summer there are big sales for "Christmas in July", I guess just another opportunity to sell stuff they couldn't get sold after the last holiday season. So essentially they are making the season leading up to Christmas last for months. But some how still, as we get older and time speeds up we are looking down the road of those months ahead of us still expecting it to go as it once did, but we wake up the next morning to find that all of a sudden its the new year and I have to take down all my decorations and pack them up.
I know what the true meaning of the season is and have great pride in it. Jesus' birth is so great to celibate! But its weird to think that something that used to hold so much magic and mystery to us has now lost that original feeling. I still try to fully make everything out of it that I can and look forward to the day we have kids and I can make it special and magical for them. Some how through their wonderment of the holidays I will get a renewed sense of feelings past. I want to embrace and provide the ability for our kids and to explore that wonder and build on to it in their own way. I want to embrace their ability for as long as I can to make those special times of childhood every bit exciting and wonder filled.
So here is to the years past and the ones still to come. Cheers and Happy New Year!
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