Let me tell you about…

my new favorite shampoo! Why am I writing about shampoo? Well, let me tell you a story.

I have this wonderful friend in ATL who was also a terrific stylist. He NEVER let me pay full price for a haircut and introduced me to really good styling products (shampoos, etc.). Fast forward to my move to the West Coast and I’m too far from Philip for him to cut my hair (which is most upsetting). After finding a new stylist, I realized I could no longer afford (I’m a cheap skate) a nice haircut and pay ridiculous amounts in products. So, it’s been months of searching for some OTC (ok, so it’s all over the counter but you know what I mean… something affordable). I read about this Aveeno product a few weeks ago and found it at Target the other day. I’m so excited!! Shampoo that doesn’t strip my hair and leave it feeling really gross. And, I don’t mind paying for it.

$6.43 at Target (but this might have been the slightly inflated CA price, check your local stores!)

Don’t believe me? Go here for a free sample!

And I have found a stylist out here but no one will replace my Philip!

I blogged

on my sister’s blog today. I got tired of waiting for her to post some pictures from the wedding. Check it out:

Celebrations Bridal & Gifts

Now that I know the password, you never know when I might sneak in a blog post.

Sometimes I forget…

Somewhere off the highway between Half Moon Bay & Santa Cruz.

Stanford Memorial Chapel, Stanford University

Our tour at the Robert Mondavi winery.

Sometimes I forget how beautiful this place is that we called home. This week, I have had the opportunity to share it with my parents and cousin. We have toured many places during the last three days. It’s been wonderful and fun to show them lots of great new places.

Catching Up

So, I have lots of things I haven’t blogged about in weeks. I’m even behind on uploading pictures to facebook which friends keep politely reminding me about. I’ve decided to do a quick review of the last few weeks months and leave you with some pictures. Here goes:

Well, for our anniversary, we got tickets to see the INDIGO GIRLS in concert. I love their music even more after watching them perform live! We saw them at this incredible place called Mountain Winery in Saratoga. The weather was perfect for the concert, too. Here are some highlights:

At the end of July, Todd came to visit us. He split his time between our apartment and Jen’s house in the city. One day, Jen, Todd, and I went to Napa Valley and visited the wineries. Later in the week, Todd and I enjoyed the beautiful weather and went kayaking at Shoreline Park.

As you saw earlier in the last post, I just finished up my CPE residency. I’m off for a couple of weeks before starting my new job as part-time Interim Pastor of New Community of Faith in San Jose, CA. I’m excited about journeying with this community of faith as their pastor while they seek God’s direction for the future. As many of my blog friends will remember, I’ve preached at this church several times over the year. I’ll begin in September co-pastoring with the current interim and will begin solo at the beginning of October.

The best way to enjoy time off is with some of your favorite people!!! Brittany came to see me and was here for my graduation. (Yes, we had a graduation/worship service). She and Joe are expecting twins later this year which means I got to see her baby bump!! We had a great time seeing our favorite movies together, enjoying high tea, and doing what we do best— talking!! I’m so glad that she came to see me. We miss being in the same city with her and Joe so much!

She's been waiting a whole year for a Sprinkles cupcake!

We had a picnic at a park in Cupertino and went to Shakespeare in the Park.

Enjoying high tea at the Crown & Crumpet in San Francisco

Whew! What a great couple of months! I hope I’ll do a better job blogging more regularly. It’s something I really love doing!

You know you are getting old when…

you write a post about a NPR broadcast you heard earlier in the day. Seriously, what has happened to me? I used to make fun of Joe for listening to NPR religiously and now, especially with the constant coverage in the Bay area, I NEVER listen to anything else.

Getting back to the point of this post. During my drive from San Jose to Palo Alto a couple of weeks ago, I heard this interview. It took me back to remember the books from childhood which taught me about the world. I’ve never called in to comment on NPR because that just might add to the case that I’m becoming an old woman. But, I thought I’d start a conversation here about the top 3 books that you read as child that impacted your life the most. Here are the ones I remember reading when I was in Elementary school:

I loved the Boxcar Children. I wanted to be adventurous and life without parents seemed like such the adventure. I don’t think I ever stopped to think about how they had to scrounge around to get food, etc.

The Babysitter’s Club series could be credited for helping me think about how to make money. My first jobs were  mowing my neighbor’s lawn (no lie- started in the fourth grade) and babysitting (did it all throughout high  school). I loved making money. My cousin Christy and I read these books together and tried to set up the club  similarly to the girls in the book– dues and everything. It didn’t work out long.

The Sweet Valley Twins series gave me my first image of California living. Yes, I longed to be a twin and have  the experiences that Jessica and Elizabeth did (I can’t believe that I just remembered their names!). Of course,  now I know that California is even more beautiful that I could have imagined from the books. I certainly didn’t think when I was reading them in elementary school that I’d be living here as an adult!

I didn’t say it was QUALITY READINGS that shaped my life. Hee hee! So, what do you remember? Where you camping out with the Boxcar Children? wishing you were a twin so you could have the adventures of the Sweet Valley Twins?

Transitions

I’m sitting on the verge of another transition. There are five days left of my Clinical Pastoral Education program. FIVE DAYS.

I remember hearing about CPE during my first year of seminary and thinking, “maybe I’ll try that one day“. This year has been incredibly difficult, inspiring, and overly reflective in so many ways. I will walk away from this experience a different kind of pastor than when I began.

I’m thankful for my colleagues who have journeyed with me. I’m thankful for the patients who have taught me. I’m thankful for my family and friends who have encouraged me through the process.

Now, off to writing my final evaluation!!

Friday Five: Exercise

Friday Five: Exercise from RevGalBlogPals:

Sophia posted the challenge: “I just got back from an 8 mile bike ride down the beach boardwalk near our home, and was struck with the number of people out enjoying physical activity. Runners, other cyclists, surfers, swimmers, dogwalkers, little kids on scooters….

It’s easy to lose track of my physical self-care in the midst of flurried preparation for a final on-campus interview Monday for a college teaching position in the Midwest (prayers welcome!) and the family move that would accompany it. But each day that I do make time to walk or ride my bike it is such a stress reliever that it is well worth the time invested!

So how about you and your beautiful temple of the Holy Spirit?”

From LeAnn: (Added later to clarify)– We are on the West Coast for now. I love the fact that one of my friends thought I would be qualified to teach at the college level though…. thanks Erin! The issuer of the challenge is Sophia who is quoted above.  Sorry for the confusion!

1. What was your favorite sport or outdoor activity as a child? I loved riding my bike. We lived in an area where I could ride my bike to my friend’s house (about 1/2 mile away) without getting on busy streets. I think this was probably when I really gained my independence. I thought I could go anywhere on that bike!

Recently, one of my best friends, my husband and I rented bikes in Golden Gate Park. It’s been 15+ years since I’d been on a bike. How did I let that happen? It was scary and fun all at the same time!

Barry, me, and Jen

2. P.E. class–heaven or the other place? Loved PE class. I had great teachers which I think is what’s all about… especially in middle school!

3. What is your favorite form of exercise now? It’s a toss up. I started running in seminary so I’ve only been doing it for about 5 years. I love practicing yoga too.

4. Do you like to work out solo or with a partner? Both. I love working out in the gym with weights and a partner. I get bored otherwise. However, I could just as easily go to the nearest park for a great solo run!

5. Inside or outside? Outside. One of the reasons why I’m not a fan of cold weather. I have trouble staying motivated in the winter!

Bonus: Post a poem, scripture passage, quotation, song, etc. regarding the body or exercise.

I’ve been reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s newest book, An Altar in the World. One of my favorite chapters so far has been Chapter 3 entitled, “The Practice of Wearing Skin.” She writes about praying for and loving our bodies. There is one particular line that stuck with me.  She writes, “Whether you are sick or well, lovely or irregular, there comes a time when it is vitally important  for your spiritual health to drop your clothes, look in the mirror, and say, ‘Here I am. This is the body-like-no-other that my life has shaped. I live here. This is my soul’s address.’ After you have taken a good look around, you may decide that there is a lot to be thankful for, all things considered.”

well said BBT.

Happy Friday!

I missed camp today

This week the Bay area CPE programs spent two days at a retreat center in Los Gatos, CA. Presentation Center is a beautiful retreat center nestled up the mountain off Hwy 17. We had an hour of free time built into the schedule today. The weather has been beautiful and quite a relief from the heat & humidity of where I found myself the last few weekends (Florida & Texas). I took advantage of the free time, sunshine, and beautiful space. I went for a walk.

I love discovering new places. There is this sense that I have to push myself. I have to remind myself that being willing to risk going down the unbeaten path might be worth it. I have the conversation with myself that even at my age of 30 (ahem) it’s okay to take the way that doesn’t look “safe”.

Today I discovered a path like this. It was worn down like a path that had been well traveled but it was not manicured. I doubt that folks have taken it recently. There was no sign but I could see something at the bottom. Curiosity got the best of me. I walked down a series of steps– 50 maybe– tucked into the hillside. I discovered what appeared to be an old meeting area.

Maybe not that old. There was a wooden platform at the front. Facing the platform were a series of benches circling around in amphitheater style. Weeds and plants sprung up from the crevices which was another indication that the area hadn’t been used lately. In spite of the  well worn steps, abandoned chairs, and full grown weeds, it was a beautiful place. I didn’t stay long. I didn’t need to.

It was vespers. Well, I don’t know what it was for the folks at the Presentation Center but for me it was vespers at Camp Pinnacle.

I missed camp today.

I missed hearing the voices of campers singing at the top of their lungs. I missed meeting missionaries, even the strange ones and hearing their stories of ways they witnessed God working in the world. I missed the beautiful mountain. I missed the peaceful (and sometimes orange) lake. I missed the swing set where so many beautiful conversations were held through the years. I missed hearing “God has something to say to you. God has something to say. Listen, listen, pay close attention…. “

I missed camp today.

Busy, Busy Days…

Next week we will have lived in California for a year. I can’t believe it. I’ll write more about that soon but I wanted to talk about other exciting events that I’m looking forward to very soon.

Starting tomorrow, we get to celebrate with our friends, Kate and Pablo as they get married. Lucky for us, they moved out here from Atlanta about the same time we did. They also decided to have their wedding here. So, we have to travel very little! I have the honor of being the minister for the wedding and it’s so exciting to perform the wedding for two folks you know and love. Congrats Kate & Pablo!

I travel to Florida next week to get ready for Morgan & Jared’s wedding. We’ll be going out on the Betsy Ann Riverboat for the rehearsal dinner, running the 5K in the Annual Chipley Watermelon Festival, and celebrating with the happy couple later in the day. It’s going to be another great weekend. Congrats to Morgan and Jared!

The next weekend, I’ll travel to my denominational meeting. I know, you are thinking, church meetings=BORING!! And while there will be parts that will leave me frustrated and bored, I get to see old friends and meet new ones! I get to visit with these incredible women (and men).

Wonderful celebrations all around. I’m excited and I know that when I get back to CA, I will need to sleep for days! What about you? What are you most excited about these days?

Friday Five

I joined the folks over at RevGalBlogPals a few months ago. And today, I finally played Friday Five (even though it’s still Thursday here!):

Gals and pals on the West and East coasts, and a few spots in between, may know of Trader Joe’s–a quirky, well-stocked, well priced semi-gourmet store that attains near cult status among some. I discovered it through my Aunt Judy, who always brought a couple of their desserts to holiday parties….The best was a chocolate ganache torte that had my four year olds begging for it (and among the only four year olds on the planet to know what ganache is, presumably).

My family has happily Trader Joe’d in southernmost California, up to the Northwest, and back down to southern Cal. And now we’re really excited because today a brand new Trader Joe is opening up across the street from our apartment. Wahoo! There are sure to be lots of tasty free samples on opening day and from now on we can just walk across the street to get a lot of our shopping done. I have a new spiritual directee coming tomorrow and she has already mentioned that she’ll be stopping in on the way here, leaving me to be jealous cause I’ll be spending that noon hour like, praying and preparing and study-vacuuming and everything, and won’t be able to stop in till the afternoon.

So in honor of the new Trader Joe’s, this week’s Friday Five is all about food shopping.

1. Grocery shopping–love it or hate it? I love it as long as I can shop when it’s not busy. I try going on the weekends but sometimes I have to go after work and this is my least favorite time! It’s so crowded.

2. Who is the primary food shopper in your household? That would be me. My husband is too much like my father. If I send him to the grocery store, then he’ll end up getting twice as much as I sent him to the store to purchase. There’s usually some sort of sweet treat (like we need it) or something extra for our dog, Jovi!

3. Do you have a beloved store like TJ’s which is unique to your location or family? I had only been to the TJ’s in Atlanta once or twice because it was across town. Now in California, I have two less than a mile from my apt. It’s wonderful! We miss Publix but Trader Joe’s is a wonderful choice.

4. How about a farmer’s market, or CSA share, as we move into summer? Or do you grow your own fruits/veggies/herbs? ooo, my favorite part of California yet! The farmer’s market is my favorite weekend activity. We are already planning our Sunday activity choices around the local farmer’s market. The good thing is that there is a farmer’s market that comes to my work during the summer in case I miss out on the weekend.

5. What’s the favorite thing you buy at the grocery store? Love, love, love Trader Joe trail mix and dried fruit varieties. Thanks to Em for turning my attention to the dried apricots!

What about you? What are your favorite things to purchase at the grocery store?