One Year

One year has passed since F^2 launched. It's sometimes hard to remember what has happened in the course of 365 days... for the two of us no major life events, no weddings (not ours, at least), no births (not ours)... but lots has happened otherwise, now that I start to think about it. P had a pretty big year,--he started a new job, his first new one in 6+ years, in September, and that same month became an elder at our church. I turned the big 3-0, and felt my clock start ticking. I plucked more gray hairs than I care to recall. Our many loved ones had many babies--too many to mention all, but some include (in order of appearance) Ava, Isabel, Corban, Jacob, the Yepes twins, Noah, Jon,... and more are on the way (Phineas, Baby Liss, two more cousins' babies, and many more)! We've made new friends and rekindled old friendships. We raised almost $6000 for cancer research. Our friends have gone through trials and we've tried to be there for them, and other friends have moved away (we miss you!). Our siblings have gone through big transitions, and we've visited them in far-flung places (Jasper, IN, and soon to be Wichita, KS). Our parents have become eager for the pitter patter of little feet (stay tuned, we're not quite ready). We remodeled our kitchen, which you've heard too much about time after time. And we planned a trip to go skiing in Chile this August. I'm learning as we get older that it's not necessarily what you've done but what you have learned that is a better marker of time. I've learned over this year that fear is a waste of time, there is nothing greater than showing our love and care for one another, time spent on the couch is time you'll never get back again (although often necessary), variety is the spice of life--especially when cooking dinner, the warmth of a baby melts my heart, my husband keeps our household running in ways I will never fully appreciate, the Lord takes away our anxiety more than any pill, person, or People magazine ever can, you have to sweat to see results, and I have a life so blessed.

The Big (Bag) Dilemma

So far I've resisted using this space as a soapbox--mostly because there really isn't that much I feel strongly about that I need to tell the world. I've been wanting to blog on the topic of shopping bags for months now, but hadn't yet found the right time. Today on Boston.com they announced that the City of Boston is considering following San Francisco's lead in banning certain types of plastic shopping bags. Praise the Lord! I don't know how or why it started, but I've been on a crusade for the past year or so to ban plastic bags in my life. Perhaps it comes from having to store our trash in our kitchen until the trash man comes, perhaps it's from the pileup of bags that collect in the cupboard and seem to multiply at an alarming rate. But more likely it's due to the lone plastic bag that has been stuck in the tree outside our house ever since we bought the place almost three years ago. It's trapped, through wind and rain, snow and sun, outside our second-story window, like a bee suffocating in a jar. It just can't break free. I've actually considered--in moments of desperation--calling the Boston Fire Department to come let the poor bag out of its misery. But seriously, back to the matter at hand: I can't stand the gratuitous use of plastic bags, not to mention the evil practice of ... double-bagging! I am the loser who rejects the bag at every opportunity, shoving boxes of Q-Tips and bottles of shampoo into my work bag after a trip to CVS, and bringing my handy $1 reusable Shaws bag to the supermarket--or when that can't be found, using any old bag I find around the house. I remind myself of my Grandmother Winslow from time to time: the woman would not be caught without a reusable canvas bag full of odds and ends she toted to and fro'. So there you have it, the Dilemma of the Plastic Bag, as I see it. Please join me in my quest!

fEaster (it's not a typo)

He is risen! Happy Easter. Here are a couple of shots from yesterday's Easter feast (fEaster) that we had after the morning service at Citylife. The ones of the people didn't come out that great, but we had a really fun group (you know who you are). Here are N & D at the table.

I made a ham glazed with brown sugar and mustard, a potato carrot puree (with lots of butter), sesame soy asparagus, stuffed mushrooms, and a coconut lemon cake (see picture!). And our friends brought so many yummy things: G brought olive tapenade (yum!), N brought a tasty blueberry coffee cake, and C brought a delicious bowl of fruit and a spectacular fruit tart (I need to get that recipe). P got crafty and made his very own Pims drink with strawberries, lemons, and oranges.

We get such joy out of spending holidays in our own home at our own church with our friends who also love being at home rather than hopping on a plane to get somewhere! Here's to next year.

My Kind of Town

Last weekend my three best gals from college & I gathered for our quasi-annual girls' weekend in Chicago. The one on the left, L, the mommy-to-be, hosted us in a fun-filled and extravagant weekend ... from staying at the Peninsula Hotel to high tea to the exhibit at the Art Institute to lunch at the Southport Grocery to wine tasting at Bin 36 to manicures at Bliss ... she definitely went overboard with the fun! We had so many good times and laughs, and got a chance to celebrate the four 30th birthdays and the upcoming birth day of her little one. Until next time, girls!