Thursday, October 30, 2008

Daylight Savings Reminder


FALL BACK!! Don't forget to turn your clocks behind one hour on Saturday night, November 1, before you go to bed. Otherwise, you'll be an hour early to church on Sunday morning! Who doesn't enjoy an extra hour of sleep?!

Tonight

EMPLOYEE TRANSFER | 10.30.2008 | 9/8c TV-PG

LOVE ALWAYS GETS IN THE WAY - OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN ("GONE BABY GONE") GUEST STARS - Pam (Jenna Fischer) is embarrassed when she is the only person at corporate wearing a costume on Halloween. Holly (guest star Amy Ryan) and Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) take the long trip to Nashua after they get some shocking news from corporate. Meanwhile, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) torments Andy (Ed Helms) and tries to get under his skin. John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton and Craig Robinson also star.

Art Buyers

We bought two pieces of art last night at the show Ryan and I went to! YAY!! We are both stoked on them!! The piece is called "Shy Smiles". It is two separate paintings, both on oval shaped wood probably 5x10 inches or so in dimensions. One is a boy and the other is a girl. It seemed fitting to use wedding money on something like this that would last our whole relationship. They actually asked if we would mind keeping it at the gallery (which is actually a local bar) until December 2nd, when the next artist came in - which means we won't have it hanging on our walls until then, but it is still super cool. Ryan and I were thinking about going down there to show his parents (they get in to town tonight) so when we go down there next we will for sure take pictures to post.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Kelli Murray

Ryan and I are planning on heading down to PB tonight to go to an art show by Kelli Murray. She does some art for Jedidiah and I LOVE her work. Ryan and I are looking to buy a piece of art (as part of the wedding gift his grandma left for us) and tonight might be a great place to find it... Check out her website here.

Here is the flyer for the art show tonight:

Here is a little collage of some of the prints she has for sale:

Project Complete!

Project Complete!

Project 365 - Lens Life is complete. I took a photo a day for one year. I started October 12th, 2007 and ended the project October 13th, 2008. This does NOT mean that I have stopped taking pictures, it just means that this project is COMPLETE!! I will post on here (and my other blog) when I have published the book of this year-long project (I just need to get all of the details and such worked out, and unfortunately I do not know how long that may take).

Thank you to all of my fans keeping up on my daily photography - thank you for your encouragement and support!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Erik and Sarah

Erik sent me one of the engagement shots that he and Sarah took last weekend. The first one looks amazing... Can't wait to see the rest of them!! YAY!!!



Congrats again Erik & Sarah!! Can't wait to come out to Arizona for the wedding!! YIPPEEEEEE SKIPPEEEEE!!!

Go Dow Go

Dow Closes Up Nearly 900 Points

NEW YORK - It's been another astounding day on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones industrials soaring nearly 900 points as investors scooped up stocks that were pounded lower in recent sessions.

Analysts said some investors were buying in anticipation that the Federal Reserve will cut its fed funds rate by half a point to 1 percent on Wednesday. Others said the market had just fallen too far, with the Dow having dropped more than 500 points, the previous two trading days.

Still, the day was remarkable because investors brushed off a big drop in consumer confidence reported by the Conference Board.

The Dow was up at the close about 889 points at the 9,065 level. That was its second-largest point gain, coming after the 936 points the Dow jumped on Oct. 13.

Wrap-Up

Ryan and I were out most of the day Sunday (11-5 at least) at the Weekend of Service. It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. We started by pulling weeds and re-edging the volleyball court (which gave me a big sliver that I finally had to dig out and cut out of my hand yesterday). Christa and I then were recruited to do some caulking in the upstairs bathroom around the tub, sink and toilet. Then, since we were pros by that time, hehe, we went downstairs and did caulking on the baseboards around the house. While I was working with Christa, Ryan was using a nail gun and putting up the baseboards around the house. We stayed an extra 3 hours or so, but it seems like it really helped (this was a high school project, but it seems like they needed more 'skilled' labor, so thankfully the guys in our growth group really came through and stuck it out for some extra hours). Anyway, below is the email I just got about what the church did as a whole. I am sure more pictures and more info will be added as the days pass, but thought I would post what we had thus far.





WEEKEND OF SERVICE WRAP-UP

The Weekend of Service was a tremendous success! A huge thank you to all of the City Leaders, Project Managers, Team Leaders, and countless volunteers who spent the past weekend putting God’s love into action. Another big thank you to all of our corporate sponsors and contractors who donated time and materials to each project. Together, we made an enormous impact on our neighbors and organizations across North County! Many volunteers from Saturday’s shifts returned Sunday to help out at projects, and some morning volunteers stayed all day to ensure that projects were completed. What a great way to love our neighbors!

Some exciting numbers to share with you:

• Total number of volunteers? 5,279

• Total number of projects? 139

• Gallons of paint? 900+

• Tractors used to do the dirty work? 15

• Square yards of trash dumpsters filled? 181

• Pieces of lumber? 1,063

• Total financial impact of labor, materials, and costs for the entire event? $1,000,000+

• Total impact of putting Christ's love into action? Priceless...

Check out some of the pictures here.

Crime via Texts

Got this in an email and thought it was important enough to post... Just something to think about!!

Crimes via Text Messaging

A woman has changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc. was stolen.

Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking about our Pin number and I replied a little while ago.'

When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of the lesson: do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc. ... and very importantly, when sensitive info is asked of you through texts, CONFIRM by calling back. Also, when receiving a text from your friends or family to meet them somewhere that is not planned or usual, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.


PLEASE PASS THIS ON. I never thought about THAT! As of right now, I no longer have 'home' named on my cell phone.

Free Taco Bell!

Free Tacos for America on Tuesday, October 28
Taco Bell(R) Restaurants Prepare to Serve Millions of Free Tacos as Part of Its 2008 World Series Promotion

Millions of baseball fans now have something else to cheer about in the 2008 World Series: free tacos.

Taco Bell(R) restaurants across the country are preparing for one of the biggest taco giveaways in the company's history. As the Official Quick Service Restaurant of Major League Baseball(R), Taco Bell(R) will serve up millions of Americans a free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco as part of its "Steal A Base, Steal A Taco" World Series promotion.

Baseball and taco fans alike can get their free taco by simply visiting a participating Taco Bell restaurant on Tuesday, October 28 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time). No purchase is required; one taco per customer.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett stole free tacos for America from Taco Bell, as he stole second base in the bottom of the 5th inning of Game 1 at the World Series.


The rest of the article here.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Boy in the Striped PJs

Ryan and I are going to go to a showing up a new movie coming out. The showing is down in La Jolla on Tuesday. The movie is called The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I saw a little ad for it on the Invisible Children Blog, so I emailed them about the free passes and now Ryan and I will be checking out the film this week.

The Synopsis:

Eight year-old Bruno is the sheltered son of a Nazi officer whose promotion takes the family from their comfortable home in Berlin to a desolate area where the lonely boy finds nothing to do and no-one to play with. Crushed by boredom and compelled by curiosity, Bruno ignores his mother’s repeated instructions not to explore the back garden and heads for the ‘farm’ he has seen in the near distance. There he meets Shmuel, a boy his own age who lives a parallel, alien existence on the other side of a barbed wire fence. Bruno's encounter with the boy in the striped pajamas leads him from innocence to a dawning awareness of the adult world around them as his meetings with Shmuel develop into a friendship with devastating consequences.

You can check out the trailer and read more about the movie (and the book, I guess it was a book first and just made into a movie) at the website here. It seems like it is going to be a super good movie (and probably very moving).

Fall Festivities

Yesterday Ryan and I did some fall festivities... We made a cake (Ryan wanted to make pumpkin cookies and frost them, but we didn't have a pumpkin cookie cutter, so we had to settle for a carrot cake and decorate it with orange gel), went geo caching, carved out pumpkins, made pumpkin seeds and watched football. Check out some of the pictures below (and the rest of the photo album here):

My half is the one with the pumpkin and HAPPY FALL, Ryan's is a 'Scarecrow':

I freehanded a whale and water from his blow hole:

Ryan traced a skeleton:

Our pumpkins together:

Ryan's pumpkin lit up:

My pumpkin lit up:

Pumpkins lit up:

Pumpkin seeds before baking them:


PS. WHAT PUMPKIN IS THE COOLEST?! (And remember, RYAN TRACED HIS :) )

Saturday, October 25, 2008

BRAVE

Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE)

By signing this petition I agree that we need to:
1. Properly treat mental health issues
2. Prevent homelessness among veterans
3. Give disabled vets the benefits they've earned
4. Fully fund our veterans' hospitals
5. Compensate troops made to serve longer

Veterans' groups across the country have worked together with MTV to identify top issues impacting young veterans. To mobilize support, MTV is working with these organizations to consolidate these top issues and create BRAVE, The Bill of Rights for America's Veterans.
MTV and these Veterans organizations are asking Americans to sign this petition supporting BRAVE to demand our elected officials make BRAVE a reality. Our troops have fought for us, now it's our turn to fight for them!

We need our Elected Officials to:

1. Properly treat mental health issues

Every troop gets face-to-face screening from a mental health professional prior to deployment and within the first six (6) months of returning home from war.REASON: Right now a tremendous number of soldiers are returning from the war with mental health issues and brain injuries. The current methods for evaluating and treating such injuries are ineffective and have left countless veterans undiagnosed or without proper treatment. While screening methods have improved since the war began, mandating evaluations, having enough mental health professionals to provide in-person evaluations, and working to eliminate the stigma associated with receiving mental health assistance while in the military is needed and still hasn't happened.

2. Prevent homelessness among veterans

Prevent young veterans and their families from falling into homelessness by creating 20,000 more permanent supportive housing units for very low-income veterans by December 31, 2009.REASON: Right now on any given night there are 150,000-200,000 American veterans who are homeless. Men and women who have served our country are coming home and being forced to sleep on the streets in many cases due to mental and financial problems that often times are a result of their service to our country. Permanent supportive housing units offer young veterans and their families not only a home, but a support structure to help them get the help they need finding food, clothing, job training, jobs, legal aid, and health services.

3. Give disabled vets the benefits they've earned

The number of troops with physical, psychological, and neurological wounds waiting for their benefits should be cut in half by December 31, 2009.REASON: Right now soldiers are coming home from the war with injuries that leave them disabled and in many cases unable to function as they did before the war. They are entitled to disability compensation to help them get on and stay on their feet. Currently the wait for such compensation is 6-8 months and puts an unnecessary burden on our injured veterans which often leads to additional problems like debt, mental health issues, homelessness, marital crisis, and suicide. To date, it is estimated that there 600,000 to 800,000 claims from our veterans that are still waiting to be processed by Veterans Affairs

4. Fully fund our veterans' hospitals

Veterans' hospitals should be fully funded for the 2010 fiscal year by September 20, 2009. REASON: Right now Veterans hospitals, whose job it is to take care of our wounded warriors, are underfunded or not funded in time so they are unable to provide the proper personnel or services needed to treat our veterans. Taking care of our injured veterans is a cost of war and the facilities to do so need to be funded. Veterans' organizations all agree that funding for veterans hospitals needs to be sufficient, timely and predictable in order for the hospitals to be able to provide our veterans with the services they need and deserve.

5. Compensate troops made to serve longer

Troops on Stop Loss orders should receive an additional $1,500 / month in pay. REASON: Right now soldiers who should be veterans and have fulfilled their term of service to our country are being made to serve extended tours. Despite the fact they are being told to serve longer than they agreed to, they are not given any compensation for this extended service which takes its toll on soldiers and their family's mental, physical, and financial stability. $1,500 is a number that was determined by veterans' organizations as a fair increase given the service being asked of these soldiers and similar compensation that is given to emergency responders at home during their time of extended service during a crisis.


To sign the petition or to learn more, check out MTV's CHOOSE OR LOSE site here.

**Disclaimer - Although I DO NOT agree with war (don't get me started) I do believe we are OBLIGATED to take care of those people that we have FORCED to kill others in the name of 'peace' - and hopefully this bill may help them get the help that they need.**

New Layout

What are your thoughts? It deleted my favorite blogs, favorite sites and my visitor counter, but I think it is a little more lively than the Love Tree I had... Can you still read the fonts? Do you like it?

Friday, October 24, 2008

Carlsbad Faire

Ryan's parents will be out here next weekend, maybe we will hit up the Carlsbad Village Street Faire...

Carlsbad Village Street Faire
Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Carlsbad Village, Carlsbad
(Grand Ave from Carlsbad Blvd to Jefferson St)

Community’s favorite street faire returns

More than 100,000 people will take in the beauty of our seaside city while browsing through unique booths, indulging in delectable eats and enjoying family entertainment when the largest one-day street faire in the nation returns next month.

The Carlsbad Village Street Faire will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 2. Each year, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosts the faire in May and November. Now in its 34th year, the free event has grown to be so popular that it not only continually attracts people from all over Southern California, but also from other states. Some visitors even plan their vacations around the bi-annual event.

“The reason so many people return to the faire every year is that they can count on finding quality items to purchase because of the wide variety of vendors,” said Ted Owen, president and chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Chamber. “You name it and it’s for sale at the faire.”

Just like at past faires, approximately 900 vendors will sell everything fathomable, including clothes, accessories, plants, household products, art, antiques and home decor. The international food court will once again feature more than 50 booths serving everything from Thai to Hawaiian cuisine. The children’s area will entertain youngsters with rides, games, a super slide, a bounce house, a rock climbing wall, face painting and arts and crafts.

The Rotary Club of Carlsbad’s beer and wine garden will entertain fairgoers with a large screen TV and live bands. The Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad will continue its more than 25-year tradition of hosting a pancake breakfast at the Carlsbad railroad depot. The meal, which includes pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice, will be served between 7 a.m. and noon.

Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street, and all of the cross streets in between, will be closed for the event. To make parking more convenient, complimentary shuttles will run to and from the faire. Shuttles will pick up and drop off passengers at the Poinsettia Coaster Station and the northwest corner of Sears at Westfield Plaza Camino Real.

Growth Group Pics

Here are some pictures we took last night as a Growth Group (and everyone was there, whoo hoo):

The wives:

The wives:

The husbands:

The husbands:

Funny shot:

Nice picture:

Nice picture:

My knees

Ouchy... I don't know why, but for the past week or so my knees have been giving me a whole lot of trouble... I have been trying to research it online and it seems like it could be "Runner's Knee". I am hoping that stretching and such will help my joints feel better, but who knows. I have really been enjoying running for the last 3 weeks or so, so I don't want to give it up because it is starting to be a little painful, but on the other hand I don't want to hurt my knees for good...


Runner's knee - the Big 5 - the 5 most common running injuries

Runner's knee

Definition: A softening or wearing away and cracking of the cartilage under the kneecap, resulting in pain and inflammation. The cartilage becomes like sandpaper because the kneecap is not riding smoothly over the knee.

Symptoms:
Pain beneath or on the sides of the kneecap crepitus (grinding noise), as the rough cartilage rubs against cartilage when the knee is flexed. Pain is most severe after hill running. Swelling of the knee.

Causes:
Overpronation (feet rotate too far inward on impact) - can cause the kneecap to twist sideways fatigued or weak quadriceps muscle. The quadriceps muscle assists in the proper tracking of the kneecap. Weakness, especially of the inside part of the quadriceps, can prevent the kneecap from tracking smoothly muscle imbalance - between weak quadricepsand tight hamstring and iliotibial band (ITB). Muscles can also affect proper tracking hill running (especially down hills) and running on cambered surfaces. Incorrect or worn shoes. Overtraining.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Carve-O-Rama

Just a heads up, Ryan and I will be carving our pumpkins this weekend, the pumpkins we got from the Von's parking lot last week. I am sure we will have some sort of contest to see whose is better, so stay tuned for plenty of pictures (we are weird and make everything into a competition, I know, I know, it would probably be better to just do something together and not have to win, but we enjoy the competition :) It's all in love, no worries). I am trying to come up with my award winning idea of what to carve... Got any ideas?!

Tonight's Office...

CRIME AID | 10.23.2008 | 9/8c TV-PG

DUNDER MIFFLIN FIGHTS CRIME - OSCAR NOMINEE AMY RYAN ("GONE BABY GONE") GUEST STARS - Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) helps Pam (Jenna Fischer) get a part time job at corporate so she can afford to go to art school. Michael and Holly (guest star Amy Ryan) get an early start at the office on their date night. After the office gets robbed, Michael decides to hold an auction to raise money for all the items lost. Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, Brian Baumgartner, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Creed Bratton and Craig Robinson also star.

Wedding Gift

I know it is 2 months after the wedding, but we are actually still getting wedding gifts (well, the reason it is 2+ months after the wedding is because it was mailed to my old job after the wedding, which means I no longer worked there and it didn't arrive there for another 4 weeks or so after the wedding (because I went in there about 3 weeks afterwards to pick up a few gifts and say hellos) and since it is about 45 minutes south or so I haven't been able to go down there and get it so we had to wait until the runner from Cass was coming up this way and would be able to bring it my the apartment). The Schmidt's sent a very 'non-traditional' wedding gift, but I think we will get a TON of use out of them... Also, they are life time warranty, so if anything ever breaks it will be like getting a whole new wedding gift all over again :) Check out the pictures below :)







Craftsman is the coolest!! Made in the USA!! WHOO HOO!!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Fun & Free in SD

Having fun in San Diego doesn’t require a lot of money. In fact, many things to see and do here are absolutely free. With 70 miles of beautiful beaches, near-perfect weather year-round, and a variety of magnificent settings countywide, San Diego offers a fun and inexpensive getaway during all seasons of the year.

Free Activities for Kids and Adults in San Diego


1. Head to San Diego’s many beaches, all free to the public, to swim, body surf or hang-ten. Play in the sand, collect seashells or just bask in the sun.

2. Visit La Jolla Cove and see the magnificent sunset on the ocean. La Jolla Cove is one of the most spectacular natural settings in the world.

3. Visit Seaport Village during the weekends for free entertainment and hours of leisurely strolling and window-shopping. Or just sit in the grass and gaze at passing yachts and ships on picturesque San Diego Bay.

4. Stroll through the 16½-block historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego and view the renovated turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture, home to boutiques, art galleries, specialty shops and more.

5. Fly a kite along the grassy field in the Tecolote Shores of Mission Bay Park, a 4,600-acre aquatic park. Here, away from trees and overhead wires, friends and family gather to launch colorful kites into the bay breezes.

6. Enjoy free organ concerts at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park. The Organ Pavillion features one of world’s largest outdoor pipe organs, a San Diego landmark since 1914, where organists play traditional favorites, waltzes and show tunes on enormous 32-foot pipes.

7. Visit Old Town and witness the living legacy of San Diego history. Guests are also invited to wander free through Old Town’s historic buildings, including the blacksmith shop, Seeley Stables, Stewart House, Estudillo House and the oldest schoolhouse in San Diego.

8. Bike or jog along Mission Bay Park’s many trails. Joggers and walkers share more than 20 miles of scenic running paths that wind through sunlight and shade near the shoreline and feature workout courses at planned stations along the route.

9. Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a free tour of the 150-acre facility, including training fields and tracks, athlete dorms and the Otay Lake Reservoir. Tours are offered daily from the Copley Visitor Center between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m-3 p.m. on Sunday.

10. Stargaze outside the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park on the first Wednesday of every month. The San Diego Astronomy Association sets up huge telescopes to offer guests a great view of all the stars in the night sky.

11. Take a scenic, one-hour drive to Mt. Laguna. Once there, hop out for an invigorating hike and enjoy the fresh mountain air whispering through the pines.

12. Step back in time with a stop in Julian, a century-old gold mining town in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Pick up a free map at the Chamber of Commerce for a self-guided walking tour of the area’s historic sites and later enjoy a slice of homemade apple pie – a Julian specialty!

13. Grab your picnic basket and head to Torrey Pines State Park where you can watch talented and daring hang-gliders do tricks in the strong winds that sweep along the coastline cliffs.

14. Cross the border into colorful and exciting Tijuana, Mexico. Entrance is free, the people are friendly, and the shops offer unique gifts and apparel as well as great window-shopping.

15. Rollerblade, skateboard or bicycle along the Mission Beach Boardwalk, a scenic 3-mile boardwalk along picturesque Mission and Pacific Beaches.

16. Visit Mission Trails Regional Park to explore the cultural, historical and recreational aspects of San Diego. Stop at the Visitor’s Center and learn about the wonders of nature and the people who once lived on the land. Or, roam through the park’s 40 miles of natural and developed hiking and biking trails.

17. Go scuba diving or snorkeling off San Diego’s shores and see spectacular creatures of the sea. La Jolla Cove offers some of the clearest waters on the California coast, as well as miles of protected underwater preserves to explore.

18. Go bird watching at the Torrey Pines State Reserve. Located high above Torrey Pines State Beach, the area is home of the rare and ancient Torrey Pine as well as a beautiful protected habitat for swifts, thrashers, woodpeckers and wrentits.

19. Stroll through Balboa Park and marvel at its beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. While there, take advantage of the park’s variety of offerings, including 15 museums (select museums free on Tuesdays), free daily park tours, public organ concerts (Sundays), and spectacular gardens (seven are free daily).

20. Visit other museums around town that offer similar free days. In its La Jolla facility, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is free on the third Tuesday of each month; the downtown facility is free daily.

21. Gather family, friends and firewood for a cozy beach bonfire at one of the beaches in San Diego County, including Coronado Beach, La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach.

22. Explore the tidepools in Point Loma at low tide and get up close and personal with flowery anemones, scampering shore crabs, elusive octopus, spongy deadman's fingers and many other magnificent sea creatures.

23. Drive to the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla for breathtaking, 360-degree views of San Diego, including the gently curving La Jolla coastline and Mission Bay. Spectacular views of San Diego’s East County communities also await guests at the top of Mt. Helix.

24. Visit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and experience the natural beauty of the desert. The 600,000-acre park is one of the largest state parks in the United States and each spring, following winter rains, explodes into a rainbow of colorful wildflower blossoms.

25. Take a scenic walk along The Big Bay, San Diego's "largest attraction." With 27 miles of waterfront featuring bayside parks, marinas, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and miles of promenades and bikeways, the Big Bay appeals to all ages and interests.

Weekend Of Service Tees

Check 'em out... Nothing too special, but Ryan and I enjoyed being creative and are pumped to show off the shirts while being Jesus' hands and feet this weekend at Project Oz!






Monday, October 20, 2008

Project Oz

I had posted before about the WEEKEND OF SERVICE. If you don't know what I am talking about, check out the post here. Anyway, our growth group (aka small group) signed up for a project to serve at together. One of the guys in our group is the High School pastor, so we are going to work on a high school project this weekend. The service project is called Project Oz.

Category: Clean-up, Construction/Carpentry, Electrical, Landscape, Painting

Focus on preventing drug abuse, empowering high-risk youth and young adults, helping runaway kids, and preventing other destructive behaviors, such as gang involvement.

**Clean and repair window screens
**Clean carpet
**Electrical work in laundry room and hallway
**Upgrade intercom system
**Stabilize book shelves
**Replace couches, rug, fans, carpet
**Repair foosball table
**Paint living room, bathrooms, doors and all interior rooms
**Repair mailbox
**Landscape


City: Oceanside
Project Manager: Mike Hodson


I am quite excited about the project. Ryan and I actually made shirts to wear for the weekend (instead of buying them from North Coast we wanted to be creative and make our own - which reminds me I will post some pictures of our shirts later tonight if I get out to the garage to take some photos). I can't wait to be the hands and feet of Jesus this weekend (I mean of course I am His hands and feet every day, but this day we will be going out as an ENTIRE CHURCH, the BODY). I love loving my neighbor (especially in this tangible way of serving those around us)!

"Preach the Gospel always, if necessary use words" - Saint Francis of Assisi

Thank You Anonymous

Thank you anonymous!!

Someone donated to my AFSP walk page (but they didn't put their name so I don't know who to fully thank)!! The walk was on Saturday, but the donations are open until the end of the year (so don't worry, I will keep posting periodically asking for donations, since I am still 70% away from my goal I set). The walk was fun, awesome weather, great crowd, sweet course (we walked the 3 miles around the San Diego Mission Bay), and I even won a prize in the raffle!! I didn't take any pictures or anything, but I will be checking in on their website to see if maybe Ryan and I show up in any of the pics :).

Thanks again anonymous!! Your generosity is awesome and is going towards an amazing cause!!

Michigan Fall

My dad sent me an email with some of the FALL PICTURES they took this past weekend while my parents were out on their bikes... They saw 12+ deer... Check out their wildlife pics: