The Continuing Adventures of Ian and Stina

How to have a multi-family vacation and sleep in your own bed

2009-12-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

When the holidays arrive, there is a whirl wind effect that happens when a married couple tries to spend time with both sides of the family. Ian and I are blessed to have both families within ten minutes of our house. Over the past five years, we have figured out a pretty fantastic routine that guarantees us to not miss one homemade dinner or gift exchange. This Christmas week we experienced a few extras that made it feel more like a double family vacation and yet we got to sleep in the comfort of our own bed every night.

DAY #1 Christmas Eve. Traditionally, we celebrate with roast beef, mashed potatoes, and cake with my family because it is my sister's birthday. This year, we got to go with her to cash in her free Disneyland Birthday Ticket. We got there by 9:30am and left by 9pm. It was a full day and lots of fun.

DAY #2 Christmas Day. This day we woke up and headed over to the Ian's parents' house. We ate a great brunch and then went downstairs to open presents. Came back to our home and got ready for round two. We went over to his grandparents home where we joined with cousins, aunts, and uncles. This year's special treat was a walk to the neighbor's house and see her AMAZINGLY decorated house. Not a single corner in her home was missed by yuletide cheer. I now have a picture as to what I'm aspiring to do to our house some day.

DAY #3 Day after Christmas. Since we missed the roast beef and mashed potatoes we normally get on Christmas Eve, we headed over to my parents for some left overs. After giving our presents to everyone, we tagged along with my sister and my Dad to Viejas in Alpine. After no luck at the penny slots, Ian and I left my lucky dad and sister and tried to find some deals at the outlet. Luck was not on our side so we joined back with them and had a great dinner at Far East Winds.

DAY #4 Second day after Christmas. I can't tell you what this day traditionally looks like but I think we came up with a new tradition this year. After church, Ian's parents, brother, and sister in-law came over to watch a movie. They brought the burritos and we provided the theater as we ate and watched 'Star Trek' on Ian's Christmas present, a blu-ray player. It turned out to be yet another relaxing nice time with family.

So there you have it, a four-day multi family vacation without sleeping on a single cot or blow-up mattress. We are truly blessed.

You've just completed 6 YS Events, where do you want to go next?

2009-12-12T20:27:00.001-08:00

This year, Ian's job took him on two different events to six different cities:

DCLA a youth event that took place in both Washington D.C. and Los Angeles.

The National Youth Workers Convention which took place in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Vancouver, Canada.

We figured out he was on the road for a total of 56 days this year. So, when he got back from this last trip, we were need of a vacation. At the same time, it is a little early in the season for a full vacation, so we did what Southern Californians do with a day off, head to the Happiest Place on Earth.

So good to have him home!

Crazy Cloud Formations

2009-09-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

This past weekend while driving home, there was the most fantastic cloud formations in San Diego. I am only thankful we were not in the middle of the storm they were from.

Celebrating Five Years in Pismo

2009-09-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our five year anniversary and just take a few days away before a busy fall, we packed our bags and headed to the central coast. It was our first attempt at beach camping and the relaxing results mean many returning trips are in the future.

Great campground steps from the beach.

Long walks to the Pismo Beach Pier.

Cave exploration in the sandstone cliffside.

Spectacular sunsets every night.

The road-trip would not be complete without a stop at Solvang on the way home.

It's been a great five years and looking forward to the next five, and the next five, and the next...

Beautiful day at the beach

2009-08-03T20:52:00.001-07:00

I had a few hours to spare this morning so my niece and I went on an adventure. Her first choice was Disneyland, then Legoland, then Sea World. Needing a more economic adventure we got in the car and headed west. We ended up at Tourmeline Surf park to find tidepools. It was gorgeous!

By the looks of this face, it was well worth it.

The second installment of our 'Major Award"

2009-07-23T17:25:00.001-07:00

Came home yesturday to find an edger had been delivered. This is so much fun!!!

First installment of our 'Major Award'

2009-07-16T18:36:00.001-07:00

Many having been asking if we have received our prizes from the 'Lowes Spring Dream Challenge' contest we won (with your help) last month. Last week we received a phone call from Lowes Headquarters letting us know that our prizes would be coming from the venders themselves. That means that instead of going to Lowes and picking up the items, it will be more like Christmas, each being shipped directly to our house.

Today, the first box came. It contained the Troy-Bilk 2550 MAX PSI Pressure Washer. I feel like that sentence this should be followed by the 'Tim The Tool Man Taylor Grunt'. Anyways, super excited to pressure wash something and will let you know when more installments come.

Great Fourth of July

2009-07-05T15:56:00.001-07:00

After almost five years of marriage we have very few 'Ian and Stina family traditions' established. On holidays (with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas) our plans are usually spontaneous and some what random. We were even having trouble remembering what we have done each year for the fourth of July since we have been married. Last year our spontaneous plans took us to the Mount Laguna Lodge the day before the "4th." Well, this year, our plans were set in stone a few months in advance and this rare act of planning proved to provide stellar results.

The day began with sleeping in! As you get older this becomes such a luxury whether you have kids or not. Life just seems to require more and more early mornings.

At noon we left for our first San Diego Padre Game of the season. Super excited for this game, not only because of the great family we were hanging out with, but because Tony Gwynn Jr. would be playing. It was wonderful and nostalgic to hear that name announced at a Padre Game again. We got free beach towels when we walked in the gate. They sported an American flag with the slogan "BEAT LA" on it. Something we chanted a lot during the game!

Well, the game was fantastic! It was a sold out game with action packed innings and the Padres beat the Dodgers 7-4!

We then drove over to our friends' house in El Cajon. Great food, great conversations with old friends, and perfect seats in the back yard to watch the fireworks from Kennedy Park.

It was a lovely day and we couldn't be more thankful.

A Drive from Los Angeles

2009-06-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

The lack of posts indicate how busy life can get. Lately, I have been preparing for summer camp with the middle schoolers, which took place last week. Ian has been preparing for a student event, DCLA, which also took place this past weekend.

That is why immediately after church yesterday, I hopped on a train headed to Los Angeles to meet Ian. We decided that today would be an adventure day around L.A. We had a few options in mind, although we found out our first choices like The Getty and the Griffith Observatory were both closed on Mondays. That left us to plan B: stop at as many beaches as we could.

Below is a photo diary of the wonderful day:

Before leaving L.A., we needed a good meal:

Driving by some beautiful houses:

Santa Monica Pier:

Venice Beach:

Continue down the coast to Newport Beach:

Ate dinner at Charlie's Chili on the Newport Pier:

Then made it just in time to see a beautiful sunset at San Clemente:

A trip that usually takes about two and a half hours took us nine today, but what a wonderful day off!

Thank You!

2009-06-08T21:23:00.001-07:00

Because of all of your votes, we won! Thank you so much for helping us out. As soon as we receive all of our lawn equipment, we will clean up the yard and host a "Thank You BBQ!" Keep watch for your invite! You can come over earlier, we just might put you to work:) Thanks everyone!

The Deadly Foxtail(s)

2009-05-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

This next post could not be more ironic as we are trying to win Yard Maintinance Equipment from Lowe's (which by the way, we think voting ends tomorrow, but not too sure.)

Our busy weekend was interupted Friday Night with a dog in sever discomfort. After church service, I did a routine ear rinse with her since she has been dealing with a double ear infection for the past two weeks. After the ear rinse, she went berzerk. She began flapping her ears violently and then rolled around the grass. In attepts to calm her down, we brought her inside and she could no longer walk straight and began to whimper. After the parental debate, we decided to drive her to the Pet Emergency.

A particular thing happened next. As were were walking Darby to the car, she continued to whimper and flap her ears. Once we got in the car, all was calm. She sat up straight and looked out the window ready for her car ride without a single ear flap. We continued to the hospital and pulled up and parked out in front. As we were becoming more and more disheartened watching all kinds of animals being rushed in by panicked owners, Darby mearly looked at the excitment as an opportunity for new friends. We decided to head home and take her to her normal vet in the morning.

Ian was woken up that next morning at 3am. She began the shaking of her head again and so much so that she began bleeding out of one of her ears. Ian took her to the vet and was told she was have to be sedated to see what was going to in those ears. After six hours, we got a phone call saying they removed four foxtails from her ear.

It was a pretty intense 24 hours, but now we are home with a sedated and drugged dog. She is actaully doing very very well, and we are super thankful.

We now though, need that lawn mower, weed wacker, and rototiller more than ever. We even considered making a new video submission about how our yard is life-threatening for our dog, but we decided we would wait for these results first.

Thanks everyone for voting!!! We really appreciaite it!

You Can Help Us Win!

2009-05-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

We are officially one of the finalist for the Lowes Spring Dream Challenge! You can help us win gardening equipment by visiting this website and giving our video a green thumbs up. To find our video a little easier, go to the category "Outdoor Mantinence Made Easy." Then you should see the video we posted in the previous posted.

Not sure how many times you are allowed to vote or even how often, but there does not seem to be a limit, so feel fee to vote like crazy. Thanks so much!!! We will let you know when we hear results! If we win, you will be invited to a BBQ in our backyard after we have had a chance to spruce up our yard.

Help Us Spruce Up Our Yard

2009-05-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend Ian and I worked on a video in efforts to win Lowe's Spring Dream Challenge and gain some lawn care equipment (mowers, edger, ect...)

Here is our final product:

We will let you know soon how your votes can help us win!!

The 'Secret Stairs' of La Mesa

2009-05-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today, our friend Holli and myself went on an adventure. Our goal was to find the famous 'Secret Stairs' of La Mesa. I came across a map to them on the City of La Mesa Website here.

With the Rocky theme song playing in our heads, we were able to make it up all of the stairs. Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn home, and lost one of the sets of stairs making our walk that much more adventurous.

Holli and I both use Twitter. Although when we walked back to our separate homes, our simultaneous tweets about the same adventure were very different.

Can you tell who is in better shape?

Fun Times in Big Bear

2009-03-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

My dad let us bring up the sled he had when he was a kid. It was so much fun!

(This movie was filmed and edited by Stina. It was her first attempt at imovie...we will inform you when it is accepted in the festivals:)

WEEDS!

2009-03-03T20:44:00.001-08:00

So when the weeds in your backyard are taller than your great dane, you know you have a problem! We have a problem.

I may be mailing that letter my niece wrote to the zoo after-all.

a letter to the zoo

2009-02-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

I told my neice today that I had weeds in my backyard that were taller than she was. She then told me I needed a llama. When I asked her where in the world would I get a llama, she said, very plainly, "Barrow one from the zoo."
"How do I go about getting the zoo to give me a llama?"
She responded again, very plainly, like I should have known, "Write a letter."
When we got home, she wrote the letter for me.

(Dear zoo, Can I borrow a llama because I have long weeds? So the llama can eat my weeds. Any color will do. From Caitlyn for my aunty Stina.)

The Red Carpet

2009-02-08T17:42:00.000-08:00

Last night, at the San Diego Museum of Photographic Art, a screening of all twelve films of 12filmsin12months.com was presented. The museum is an incredible venue and created an atmosphere that made this evening spectacular.

A little over a hundred friends and family joined us on a rainy night to see all 12 Films on the big screen. Each person that walked in the door represented support and encouragement, which was an integral part to this project. This project would not had been completed without the help from so many people. It was so great to celebrate with everyone in the only way that seemed appropriate, on the red carpet.

After the screening, Ian answered questions from the audience about the project. Out of all of the questions that followed the screening, one has been asked since the December film wrapped, "What is the next project?" Ian's response last night, "12Filmsin12months.com is not going anywhere, so keep checking in." This exciting night is only the beginning and we look forward to see what this new year will bring.

At the end of the night, each person received a parting gift: a little mystery box with a simple handwritten tag, "Do not open until tomorrow."

To check out more pictures of the night visit http://flickr.com/photos/12filmsin12months.

All of the pictures from the night were taken by our very talented friend, Dan Coronado.

A Whale of a Tale

2009-01-28T22:52:00.000-08:00

To celebrate getting another year older, Ian took me whale watching. It was so much fun! If you are looking for something to do with your family definitely check out the Hornblower Whale Watching Adventure. We must have went on a great day because within the first hour we found three whales hanging out of the coast of San Diego. We then headed nine miles off the shore near the Coronado Islands where we spotted a few more. It was an awesome experience to see glimpses of these enormous mammals. Definitely marking it as a memorable wonderful day!

Coming to a theater near you...

2009-01-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

As you may know, Ian worked on a short film project all of last year. His goal was to produce a short film every month for the entire year. He documented the entire process and posted all of the films online at 12filmsin12months.com. Well, December 31st, he was able to finish this incredible achievement. After an entire year of writing, shooting, and editing, he was able to accomplish the goal he set out to do in January of 2008.

To celebrate this accomplishment, we wanted to see all of his hard work on the 'Big Screen.' We are excited to announce that on the evening of February 7, 2009, all 12 films will be showing in the theater at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

The doors open at 6:30pm and the screening will start at 7:00pm. Tickets are $10 (cash or check) and can be purchased at the door the night of the event.

You can also view and respond to the Facebook event for the screening here.

The museum has a great theater and we are both very excited to see ALL of the films up on the big screen! We know this couldn't have happened without your support and encouragement so we would love to have you there.

Day off for Adventure

2009-01-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Today we began by waking up late. This is something we haven't done in quite sometime. We then decided today needed to be an adventure so we headed west. First stop, Wahoo's Fish Tacos for lunch. After a great lunch we continued west to Pacific Beach. While driving down Grand Avenue I had a thought, "PB needs less tattoo shops and more ice cream parlors." This conversation led to actual ice cream cravings (or maybe other way around), which is why we ended up at Longs Drug Store. In front of the store, we found these items laid out on the side walk. It seemed like an ecletic collection so I took a picture.

A copy of Nativity Story, a Tao Calendar, a copy of Surfer Magazine, and an incense burner are just not things you expect to see together. The selection of ice cream was pretty scarce there so we continued up Mission Boulevard until we hit Cold Stone Creamery. We ordered it to go and drove up to Kate Session's Park.

This place is special to us because not only because it has an incredible view of San Diego, but it is also where we got married. After spending an hour sitting at the park and playing with a few Boston Terriers and Pugs who kept mistaking us for their owners, we headed back east.

Heading east on Highway 8 with an itch for adventure took us straight to Viejas. We quickly learned four dollars in quarters on the penny slots does not take a long time commitment. It was enough time to realize it was time for dinner. I whipped out my iPhone and used the Urban Spoon application. This application will find your exact location anywhere in the world and then give you options of restaurants based on genre and price.

The first suggestion it provided was "Tylers Taste of Texas" in El Cajon.
We ordered the BBQ beef with beans, slaw, and a baked potato. The service was amazing, but our taste for BBQ did not quite match Tyler's. But adventure was on the menu and that is what we ordered! (Sorry, couldn't resist:))

After a few Tums, and spending thirty minutes on the treadmill, we are going to watch a new episode of 'House' and call it a day. That's a wrap for another day of Robertson Adventure.

I Spy a Varmint!

2008-12-07T17:28:00.000-08:00

Last week, my yard looked like this:

This week, my yard grew speed bumps:

Today, I looked him in the eye:

It's on!

A dinner to remember...

2008-12-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have those moments in life where you pause and wonder to yourself, "Is this really happening?" Tonight, I had one of those moments. Ian and I were invited by the Brindley Family over for dinner. They were hosting a dinner for Jack Hanna, a family friend, and invited us to come.

Back Story: A little over ten years ago I put in an application at the San Diego Zoo. It was my childhood dream to work there and I was an 18 year old applying for a job at gift shops to get my foot in the door. Immediately after the interview I was wondering around the zoo and I saw Jack Hanna filming for a TV show in front of an exhibit. Being the fan, I waited for the interview to be done and then I went up to him and told him that "I loved your work." He was very gracious and asked me what I was doing? I told him I just interviewed for a position at the zoo, but it was nothing fancy, just the gift shops. He responded, "There is nothing wrong with that! The president at the ______ zoo actually started out selling popcorn in the entrance. If you work hard you will get there."

From that moment on, I always had great respect for that man. He was a person that was known all over the world, spoke on numerous tv shows, and he took a single moment to be kind and encourage "a nobody" who had a dream. I thought to myself that is just incredible!

Well, that brings us to dinner tonight. Knowing this story, the Brindley Family was so wonderful to invite us to dinner.

It was so much fun and just felt like a big family dinner. Of course, I had to tell Jack my story of how kind he was to me at our first meeting. He responded by saying, "It's really not that hard to be kind to people." You see, he doesn't put on a celebrity persona, he really is that caring person! It was fantastic to just spend time with a great family and a great guy. He told stories and was just fun to be around! He has a great heart not only for animals for for people all over the world, especially in Rwanda. It was just a fantastic night and we will never forget it.

Christmas Decorations begin...

2008-12-01T18:05:00.001-08:00

After three years of putting Christmas lights on a railing in front of our apartment, Ian got on the ladder and found himself climbing on the roof to put up the first of our Christmas decorations. Give us a few more weekends and a couple more strands of lights and it may look like something this:

Thanksgiving Week Chores

2008-11-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Monday, my dad and I chopped down the bush cherry trees in front of our yard. They had some sort of bug that was killing them. We then loaded up the truck three times full of debris. That still left a front yard full of branches and leaves from bushes that haven't been touched in four years.

So today, Ian and I raked them all up and made another truck load. While raking, I came across this scary bug:

Turns out it is called the Jerusalem Beetle that it lives in South California and feeds off dead vegetation. This is a a picture found online because when I came back to show Ian the beetle, it was gone. He found it later on our back porch and well, most of it is still there after he stepped on it.

Houses are lot of work but we truly are so thankful for this home!

The Living Room

2008-10-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Notice the sweet puppy in the corner laying in the sun. Darby is finally settling in well. Again, the only thing done in this room was paint and carpet cleaning. If you are looking for good carpet cleaning check out Christian Brothers. They are great!

The Bathroom

2008-10-28T08:14:00.001-07:00

The reason why I am super excited about this one is because the medicine cabinet in the "after" picture is actually the medicine cabinet from the downstairs bathroom. This is my rendition of TLC's "Design on a Dime." My show is called, "Design with just a quart of paint."

The Dining Room

2008-10-27T09:52:00.001-07:00

I love the difference paint can make. The color on these walls is "Thunder Bay." We are very thankful that the furniture we already had fits perfectly. We will be looking at window treatments in the next couple of weeks.

The Kitchen

2008-10-25T17:46:00.001-07:00

This is our first before and after series. The kitchen wall color is "Bagel" and put on with a ragging technique. The ceiling color is "Cherry Cobbler" and took about two gallons! The color of the beam across the top is "Chocolate Sprinkles." The paint colors were picked out before we realized the names all had to do with food. So there it is: our very own Mediterranean Kitchen.

Things learned:
1. If you are painting with a dark color on a white wall/ceiling use color primer.
2. A thicker roller carries more paint and puts the paint on thicker.
3. Carry a wet rag with you as you paint to wipe those pesky drips.
4. Painting is always more fun with a friend (thanks Louise!!)

Things I find while unpacking boxes...

2008-10-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

After a few surprising finds, I have decided to post the things I would not expect to find (but did) while unpacking in our new home.

Here is the first:

Nunchucks! They may be plastic but who knew we owned nunchucks? Apparently, when confronting Ian, I learned these were from a "Ninja Party" we went to a few years ago. My only question is "how did I miss these when packing up the boxes?"

Sacramento or Bust!

2008-10-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

After spending three nights in our new home, we headed out of town to a Hyatt in Sacramento for a week. Youth Specialties Convention Season is here! I got to attend the convention as a volunteer while Ian, well, it's his job. Besides a great convention, a few of the highlights included:

1. The view from our room.

2. A great visit with Ian's aunt, uncle, and cousins at their home, also known as the Double Decker Ranch.

3. A visit to the California Capitol Building.

No Governor sightings on this trip, but our attempts took us to his office where we met a security officer who let us know he was out of town.

A fantastic trip, but we are so glad to be back in our home!!

A new home...the adventure begins!

2008-10-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to so many gracious people, we were able to move our entire apartment into our new home on Saturday. We are seriously so thankful for each person because the move itself only took three and half hours!! I would say that is a record.

We absolutely love the house! Darby still has some getting used to it, but that will come with time.

Although we have only been in the house for three nights, I have already learned a few things about being a new homeowner:

1. There needs to be an understanding with the current tenants.
For the first two days, when I walked into the front door, I also walked through a thick spider web. The spider finally realized that is was the door I preferred to walk through so if it wanted to keep it's masterpieces, it needed find another door.
Also, the Praying Mantis that I have named "Pete" (not Peetie, or Peter, just Pete) likes to be left alone as he perches on our porch light in the mornings.

When taking this picture, he did a hissing/chirp thing that made me believe he wasn't going to move and so I needed to accept that.

2. It's going to take time to get to know each other.
When in a new relationship everything is a new discovery. I have made a few discoveries already. There are switches that when turned on, don't appear to do anything, although they are doing something somewhere. There are creeks under certain stairs and not others. What may appear to be secure, might fall off with the wrong amount of pressure is applied.

As we get to know this house, it will get to know us and we are so excited for it to become a wonderful home. I can already tell it is going to a fantastic adventure!!!

Ian's film project update:

2008-09-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

During the last eight months, Ian has successfully completed eight short films. Being that he still has a full time job, a ministry he volunteers for, and a wife, the task of writing, directing, and editing each film has not been an easy one. The experience and process though, has been invaluable to him.

Last week, "The Mystery Box", the first film of the year, was accepted to be screened at the San Diego Film Festival. It will be showing Thursday, September 25th at 5:00pm and Friday, September 26th at 2:30pm. If you are interested in attending either of these showings, $10 tickets can be purchased here beginning September 15th.

Four films remain to be made this year, each of a different genre. To watch for updates of the status of these films check out 12filmsin12months.com.

Home Owners...almost!

2008-08-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our anniversary, Ian planned a fun day of visiting the same spots we spent on the day we got engaged. We were going to tour some boats docked downtown and visit some museums at Balboa Park. Dinner at Wahoos Fish Tacos and watching the sunset off the cliffs in La Jolla was also on the schedule.

Plans changed when we decided to put an offer on a house we went to see the night before. An hour after putting in that offer we were accepted to be the proud owners of an amazing house in La Mesa.

This process has been a whirlwind! We are still a little over a month away before we get the keys but in the meantime we are in awe and so incredibly thankful! As we go through this process, we just ask for prayers that everything goes smoothly.

Four Years Ago on a Beautiful Summer's Day...

2008-08-20T11:47:00.001-07:00

We got married!!!

So much life has happened during those short four years, and we wouldn't change a minute of it!

The Competition has Begun!

2008-08-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ever since we got married, Ian and I have had an understanding: working out together is not an option. The primary reason is my competition issues. When we run together, play video games together, or play any game at that matter, I really want to win! This desire sometimes causes tension between us so we just don't. Over the years, I have definitely seen results in the lack of doing anything. For health reasons I have been wanting, no, needing to do SOMETHING.

Well this week we found that something. Wii Fit! The Wii Fit balance board comes with an exercise games such as Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobic, and Balance. The board monitors your weight, BMI, and every movement you make during the exercises. If you complete the exercise correctly, you get more points. The more points you get, more games unlock and you play longer.

Our current morning workout routine: Ian wakes up early and works out. I wake up when he leaves for work and beat his scores. This is what I think is the true meaning of "healthy competition!"

A Day at Paramount

2008-08-17T22:29:00.000-07:00

Friday was a fantastic day! To celebrate Ian's birthday season and inspire him for his 12 films project, we took a train to Union Square and then took a cab to the front gates of Paramount Pictures. Our friend Jamie (who was also celebrating a birthday season) took us to meet a friend Brent who works as prop master on the set of "Everyone Hates Chris." He was so gracious to let us intrude on his work day and show us around.

We heard that Paramount was smaller than Warner Brothers Studio, where we had a great experience last year. Could anything be better than getting to go on the Gilmore Girls set? We didn't know what to expect. The experience on Friday though, was by far not a disappointment. Everyone we met on the set was so incredibly kind and welcoming. The first thing we did is get to go a set where they were filming an episode. This filming was not on a live audience studio, so we found a corner on the set and watched on the sidelines. The person who was in charge of sound on the set came up to us and gave us each headsets so we could hear all of the dialogue loud and clear.

An incredible moment for me was realizing who the director was of this episode. Before I knew it, I was just a few feet away from Debbie Allen. If you were a "Fame" fan as I was growing up, you will understand my excitement. Her resume also includes many Broadway Shows and numerous other tv shows. Yes, when she was counting off "5,6, 7, 8.." in her choreographing voice, I was star-struck.

Brent then needed to do a run to the prop house and we got to tag along. It was fantastic! First we had to return a prop gun. The gentleman behind the counter asked if we wanted him to show us around. OF COURSE! We went into the first room where it was filled with hand guns of so many different eras. We held the ones used in Pirates of the Caribbean and then he handed me the one that Angelina Jolie used in Laura Croft. This type of tour is not something I would have expected to be excited about, but it was incredible to see the historical knowledge these people had and dedication they put into safety for the people on movie sets. They even designed guns for movies like Transformers and Star Trek. We then wondered around the warehouse of every prop you could imagine. It was so much fun and we were so thankful for that tour!

The end of the day as Brent took us around the back lot to show us a few more things. We ran into one of the stars from the show, Terry Crews, who plays the dad on the show. His resume includes many movies and tv shows as well. I was so impressed by his kindness. After a long day shooting, he stopped to talked to us for a while, posed for a picture, and was willing to sign an autograph for one of my middle schoolers.

At the end of the day we needed to catch a train back to San Diego. This meant racing to our cab hoping to void some La traffic. We made our train with 12 minutes to spare! It really was an amazing day for us!

Back in 'Dodge'

2008-07-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

Back from an AMAZING time in the mountains. Mount Laguna is definitely one of San Diego's best kept secrets. Only 45 minutes away and 10 miles off highway 8, you can feel completely secluded in nature.

We booked three nights at Laguna Mountain Lodge. A bit rustic, but we got a great deal on a detached one bedroom cabin that had a living room, a kitchenette, and a full size bathroom. All bedding and towels are provided! They also allow dogs, which was great that we could bring Darby along for the adventure.

Although we had cell service, free wi-fi, and a TV in our room, we intentionally made the decision to go 'screen-free' this weekend.

So this is what we did without cell phones, internet, or tv:

1. SLEPT. Although the first night was a bit rough with Darby pacing the floor and me fearing there might be mountain bugs crawling on me, the next night we all slept like a log. Multiple daily naps were also in the schedule!

2. HIKED. Friday and Saturday we woke up, had our breakfast, packed some PB&J sandwiches, and hit the trails. Today we were determined to make it to Big Laguna Lake. When we finally got there, it was full of cows. Seriously!

The only other issue, it that we have an urban dog. She would run ahead to find a patch of shade under a tree and then lay there until we caught up. It was a bit exhausting and funny to watch.

After a couple trees we would then give her a little refreshment.

3. READ. Ian brought "The Hobbit" and a film making book. I brought "The Shack" to finish. It have to admit, it was a little crazy to finish that book in a cabin that looked a lot like a shack. On a side note, loved the book! I would recommend it just to get one thinking about how they view God in their life. Then I after prepping some more for Sunday's talk, I started "The Hobbit."

4. LEARNED HOW TO LIGHT A CHARCOAL BBQ GRILL. Really where does one learn this stuff when they grow up with gas grill? Ian and I looked like quite the city folks drowning our coals in lighter fluid when our kind neighbor (after complimenting our dog) let us know you really don't need all that and the coals will eventually turn white and then you can cook.

So there you have it. Our spontaneous weekend getaway. Totally recommend it!

Heading out of Dodge

2008-07-03T16:42:00.001-07:00

Ian and I just decided today to book a couple nights at a cabin in Mount Laguna. This comes from us realizing that we have two days off in a row together. He finished his 6th film last night and I was away at camp all last week so we are packing up (including Darby) and heading out of town tonight! No computers, no cell phones, just the three of us wandering around the mountains.

Nature in the Big City of La Mesa!

2008-06-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ian came in from taking Darby out to tell me there was a snake in our drive way. Being that I actually had a few snakes in my childhood (Gladdess the faithful gardener snake may you rest in peace) I was stoked! I never expected snakes to be roaming our apartment premises. So we ran out there with our camera. We stood in amazement as the snake laid there basking in the sun. It continued to lay there. Then it laid there a little bit longer. I leaned to Ian and said, "I never remember my snakes having their mouth open for that long." So my brave husband nudged it with his shoe only to find no resistance. The roaming king snake decided he had roamed enough and passed away in our drive way. We said a few words about roaming a goodlife and then Ian put it in a bag and put it to rest. We called our manager to let her know and she was so thankful. Apparently our dear friend had been seen around and she was worried because she couldn't anyone to take it away. I guess that is the circle of life here in the big city.

Alpine's Best Kept Secret

2008-06-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my friend Lisa and I took her kids and my niece to The Fairy Festival in Alpine. Lisa was the one that had heard about it and being that my niece loves fairies, it seemed liked a fun idea. We dressed the girls in their fairy outfits and headed to Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs. If you are a native San Diegan and don't have a clue where I am talking about, it's okay, neither did I. Another way of saying it is get on 8 east and then take the Harbinson Canyon exit, follow the Old 80 Hwy, and pay attention to the addresses on the left hand side.

I have to admit, I had no idea what to expect. I had visions of my neice and Lisa's kids being the only ones there. Boy, was I wrong. Soon hundreds of little fairies with their parents came walking in. Cars were lined up along Hwy 80. It was quite the frenzy.

We starting by walking around and looking at the fairy gardens. Kids and adults have the opportunity to submit their own fairy garden that they created to be judged.

Then, they gather all of the kids and formed a parade in which the Fairy Godmother lead the kids through the gardens. The Fairly Godmother then gathers the kids onto the grassy area and tells them a story. After that, since we didn't buy tickets to the garden tea party, we decided to leave. I was really surprised by how many families came. This is an annual event so next year we may get the tickets to the tea party.

Overall, it was a fun experience. Summer's Past Farms have monthly activities there showcasing the beautiful gardens they have. If you are interested check out their website here http://www.summerspastfarms.com/fairygardens.htm

We ended our day eating our packed lunches at the Lake Murray. It was a fun day.

Dinosaurs!

2008-06-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

On the way home from an amazing staff retreat in Palm Springs today (which I will blog more about later) we decided to stop at the Cabazon Dinosaurs. Ian had never been so we took the Cabazon Exit and declared it time for an adventure.

Much to my surprise, there have been a lot of upgrades since my last visit ten years ago. First of all, there is a museum now with robotic dinosaurs. There is a huge covered sand area where you (kids and adults) can dig to try and find a piece of quartz. Bring the quartz to the gift shop and get a prize.

There is also a place to mine for precious stones where Ian found a sharks tooth and I found a little ruby.

It was seriously so much fun. There was also an addition of about ten other dinosaurs you could follow a trail and see.

The other thing we noticed were signs explaining creation with references from the Creation Institute and reasons on why it is important to believe in God. We went back into the gift store and asked the women inside about them. It turns out the dinosaurs are now owned by a Christian couple that lives in Orange County and the people working inside attend their church, Calvary Chapel in the OC. Who knew those dinasaurs were apart of a ministry!!

Anyways, you can check out their website at http://www.cabazondinosaurs.com. For us it was worth the stop!

'Living Robertson'

2008-06-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Watched a short clip of a new show 'Living Lohan' last night and realized that will not be a show that I will be getting addicted too. It is basically about a mom looking for ways to promote her teenage daughter while scrutinizing websites and magazines complaining about bad press and the poperazy. Just not something that intrigues me.

Though today I experienced a bit of the 'ole poperazy myself. I took Darby out to do her business this morning. As I was walking to the grassy area I noticed out of the corner of my eye, three men running behind the bushes. When I turned to look at them, they were standing tall which their camera phones pointing straight at me. I kept walking cautiously realizing that I left my cell phone in the apartment. Then I hear their laughs and giggles. At that moment looked down to make sure I didn't forget any appropriate clothing articles when I hear the word "gigante." The sudden attention and cameras had nothing to do with me (at least I hope) and everything to do with 'Darby the Giant.'

I guess I have more in common with Dina (mom of the Lohan's) than I thought. I may have to add to my daily routine searching the internet and reading trash-talk magazines to make sure no one is misrepresenting my little girl.

think...play...create

2008-05-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

The children's museum in downtown San Diego just reopened. My 6 year old niece and I went down there a few weeks ago and it was incredible.

First of all you can't beat the price. $10 is the admission price with the only down fall being that it does not include parking. If you decide not to pay $10 for their parking or arrive late and it is full, the next closest 'deal' is Horton Plaza. That was the path we took, but the walk back after a few hours at the museum is tough on a six year old's little legs.

When we arrived arrived to the front patio I knew it was going to be great. There was an old Volkswagen Bug with a dozen children surrounding it with globs of paint in their hands just smearing it all over. Walking throughout the museum spurs on creativity. Every exhibit allows kids to create something. There is a clay area where the kids get to take home whatever they form. There is an area where they can make a shadow puppet using just paper and popsicle sticks. This is an empty room that has projectors showing action underwater scenes onto the walls.

My personal favorite was the 10 minutes in the 'pillow room.' There was a room that was lined from the floor to the ceiling with mattresses and tire pillows for the kids to crawl in or throw. It was fantastically chaotic.

If you know a young kid or want to check it out yourself, it it definitely worth in my book. I wouldn't take more than child in at a time just because you may be tempted to express yourself as well.

For more info about the museum check out their website at http://www.thinkplaycreate.org/

a picture is worth a thousand words...

2008-04-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Ian: What a nice picture you are drawing.
Caitlyn: Do you know why I am drawing a picture?
Ian: Why?
Caitlyn: To give you time to think of somewhere fun to take me.

Cheese Puffs vs. Cupcakes

2008-04-25T22:22:00.001-07:00

The last few weeks we have had our 6 year old niece stay with us on Friday Nights. It has been fun because we bring her to church and she really enjoys the children's program. Tonight, in effort to get her to finish her dinner and detour her from asking for snack foods, I told her I would give her five cheese puffs if she was good at church tonight. It worked! She ate the rest of her dinner.

Nothing was mentioned about those cheese puffs on the way to church so I thought I might be off the hook for later. While I was working a student ministries table, Ian went to pick her up and had this closing conversation with the children's pastor:

Children's Pastor: Earlier tonight you said you really liked something?
Caitlyn (yelling of course): CHEEEESE PUUUFFS!
Children's Pastor: More than cupcakes?
Caitlyn: CHEEESE PUFFS ARE BETTER THAN CUPCAKES!!

So we came home, gave the kid 6 cheese puffs, watched "Yo Gabba Gabba" and called it a night!

"Shoe Repairs"

2008-04-11T21:36:00.001-07:00

I have never entered a pizza place because I saw a guy spinning an arrow. I have never been drawn to go see a condo for sale because someone had the ability to break-dance while waving a sign. I have never bought a cell phone because someone waved "hello" to me on a street corner. I have always been entertained by them (at least most of them) but not really motivated to make a u-turn and follow the arrow. Today that changed.

I was driving near San Diego State today and genuinely wished I had a pair of shoes that needed to be repaired. On the corner was an elderly man holding a piece of cardboard that had the words "shoe repairs" spray painted on it. Just across the parking lot from him was a little shop with the same simple title, "Shoe Repairs." That shop has been there since I can remember. In fact, I did a little research on this shoe repair store and learned it had been there since 1950's. I found an old article in the San Diego Tribune referencing the little shop when discussing the development plans for the "collegetown" that is on the books for San Diego State. Here is a clip:

Not so lucky is Pablo Serrano.

For 25 years, he has run Pablo's Shoe Repair on Montezuma Place, in a little shop that has housed a cobbler for the campus community since the 1950s. Though he repairs all the nice shoes of the big shots at the university, that doesn't give him any sway. He still faces eviction, and he says he has been unable to persuade the developers to make room for him in the new urban village.

"I talked to the guy, but he says they don't need a shoe-repair shop," said Serrano.

Still, he's not panicking, or for that matter, packing.

Gentrification has been threatening to shove aside College Area businesses like his for as long as he can remember. Yet he's still there hammering away, fixing SDSU President Stephen Weber's shoes, he says, as he did the presidents before him, and the footwear of deans and professors.

So why the tug on the heart strings? Why this man and why this sign? I think it is because of what it represented. I have always been a huge advocate for small business owners. When you go into a small business it's personal. You have a window into someone's heart and soul. You are now apart of something that a person worked hard to get. You now get to be apart of someone's dream.

Behind that spray-painted sign was heart. It is hard for me to believe that the young kid spinning the pizza sign has as much pride about his pizza as Pablo has for his craft. I don't know if the elderly man holding the sign was actually Pablo. I don't know how much longer "Shoe Repair" will still be in business. I do know that today he touched my heart by unknowingly sharing part of his story.

Pablo also won free advertising on the "ian and stina blog" ...
If you need "fine shoe or leather repair", go see Pablo at
5120 Montezuma Place, San Diego, CA 92115.
(619)265-8927

To punish or not to punish...

2008-04-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today, each of us come home to the same senario two different times. We open the hall way door and Darby runs out, not to greet us but to head straight under the dinning room table. Usually she runs under the table when she has done something really bad and is trying to avoid our wrath. We go into the bedroom to find what she has chewed up and then we bring the item(s) out and say, "BAAAAD!" in our harshest tone possible. Today though, there is no evidence. No torn pillow or chewed bed post. The only evidence we have of her doing something "baaad" is the look on her face.

So do we we punish her because in a weird way she is telling us deserves it. Or do we spend the next day or so fearing for what she may or may not have eaten! Oh the days of parenting will take years off of you!

Oh, the life we live!

2008-03-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

Ian and I actually had a day off together! The past few Saturdays have been spent with both of us working on different projects so we were stoked when we realized we both had the day off...together! How do we spend the day? Like any other married couple without kids:

First: Wake up waaay late.

Second: Wrestle the 120 pound dog into the bath tub for a way overdue bath!

Third: Go to Sea World and get the Fun Card Pass so now we can go whenever we want! (By the way, right now for the price of a one day pass, you can get a year pass...what a deal!)

Fourth: Play Scrabble against each other on Facebook, on separate laptops of course. This is the only game Christina can play against Ian without getting ferociously competitive.

Fifth: Ian gets to work on editing the "march movie" while Christina charges 6 loads of laundry!

A fantastic Day!

Oooh, this is weather!

2008-03-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

I know it is strange for a native San Diegan to have an obsession for weather considering it only ranges about twenty degrees throughout the year. What can I say, I base my daily wardrobe on my meteorological research. But this is an icon I have never witnessed in my entire igoogle existence. What is that on Sunday? How am I supposed to know what to wear based on that? I am so nervous. As someone who has never prepared for "icy", I interpret that to mean, stay home.

Tip of the Day:

2008-03-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

Do not keep your cell phone in your back pocket. There is a very good chance it may end up in the toilet. Then you will be forced buy a cheaper pinker version for the remainder of your phone plan.

On the plus side: The 6th grade girls in my small group think I am much cooler now.

Feeling better?

2008-03-02T19:37:00.001-08:00

This morning, before we left for church, we decided to put the cone on Darby. This foot wide monstrous plastic thing was given to us (I should say charged to us since it was listed on the very long bill) by the Vet to use if we wouldn't be around to make sure she didn't start licking her wound. When we got home, this is what we found. It was so chewed up, it definitely can't be used again. Quite the different dog than we had last night. Quite the normal dog we are used to. Welcome back Darby!

Bad day at the Dog Park

2008-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Today, Ian took Darby to the dog park. She hasn't been in weeks. After being there for only a half hour, something happened. No one is quite sure, except that Ian heard a yelp and Darby came hobbling over to him with an inch square of skin missing from her side. He took her straight to the hospital where she had to be put under and stitched up. The poor thing came home with ten stitches, a cone, and very groggy. Because of her sad state, I broke all the rules today. She gets full access to the couch, no questions asked.

Film #2 Up and Running!!!

2008-03-01T10:07:00.001-08:00

Check it out here. Ian finished his second short film of the year!

What can you do?

2008-02-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

Really, what would your reaction be if you were on a roller coaster and your five year old niece just told you that she was going to throw up?

12 Hours to Live

2008-02-16T10:26:00.001-08:00

In late January, I decided to plant some flowers in the planter we have outside our door. I have had fair success in my previous attempts to have a garden, but figured since I was following the directions exactly, this just may work. Of course, I was very diplomatic when picking the flowers I wanted for the spring. I picked the ones I thought were the prettiest. So to my surprise and excitement I saw the signs of the new life a few weeks later. I watered them daily. I even pinned strings for the vines to grow on to so they would not attach to the building itself. Each morning I wrapped and guided the vines onto the strings. I was quite proud because all of this work seem to pay off.

Just last week, we had our first flower. I woke up one morning before we headed to church to find that a single flower bloomed and was beautiful. I couldn't wait for more. That afternoon when we returned, it was shriveling up. I started ranting and raving about the bugs and other varmints that must be attacking my hard work. Needless to say, the flower didn't make it. The next morning, my anger was subsided because I had two beautiful flowers blossoming. Late that night, they too shriveled up and died.

Now I know these flowers are called Morning Glories, but I thought that was because they bloomed in the morning, closed in the evening, only to reopen the next morning. Nope! The life span of a morning glory flower is only one morning. I had no idea. That is, until I googled Morning Glories.

This got me thinking though. Is it really worth it to put so much work into something that is only going to live for 12 hours? I was tempted to stop watering. Then I looked at these precious flowers and decided that it was essential. They only had 12 hours, but they were so beautiful for those 12 hours. Also, during that time they are being pollinated by bees, humming birds, butterflies and other insects. This is helping life beyond that little flower on my front porch.

So I continue to water, wrap on vines, and take pictures of these temporary sensations while I ponder, what am I going to do in the next 12 hours.

"Honk for Peace!"

2008-02-15T21:09:00.000-08:00

Today I was driving home from work when I saw a man on the corner of a major intersection holding a sign that read "Honk for Peace." To be honest, I have never understood the reason for these antics. I mean first of all, do we really need more people honking at intersections. Secondly, what will holding these signs accomplish? Is that really how we will get world peace? People have been pondering this dilemma for generations. Could the solution really be that simple?

Anyways, as I sat waiting to make my right hand turn a few people drove in front of him honking their horn as he waved a peace sign and smiled. The car in front of me must have been distracted by the gentle peace maker because as she made her right turn, she mistakenly cut of the SUV coming through the intersection. This caused the SUV driver to land their hand on the horn for a good three seconds.

The peace maker across the street, hearing the horn and unaware of the near collision, turned around, smiled and gave the peace sign. I have to admit, the irony did make me chuckle. Something inside of me said that SUV driver was not wishing peace on the distracted driver in front of me. But then again, I could be wrong.

2008...so far

2008-02-13T22:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, so for us, this year feels like it is going warp speed! You would think, busy means tons of posts, but we have neglected our family post while spending time on our other blogs. For example, Christina is loving her new job at Journey and has been spending her time blogging once a week here. Ian, on the other hand, when not working like crazy on the CORE, is blogging about his film project here. Be sure to check that out and see his January Film. It is a bizarre concept when your life can be summed up with multiple addresses in cyber space. Pretty soon we will be posting in the new abbreviation language students are using these days. JK:) Anyways, life is good, crazy, but good. Just thought we would check in and let you know how things are going...so far.

2008 is Gonna Be Great!

2008-01-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

Happy new year everyone! We hope that you had a fantastic New Year's Eve. Ours was pretty low key: we just got some dinner and then watched a movie at home. I know...we're boring. (Although if you want to know why we were so low key, see our last post entitled, "Vacation, sickness, and parenthood, o my!")

Ok, so I know we already announced this, but as of TODAY Christina is officially the Director of Middle School Ministries at Journey Community Church! Hooray for that!

One more bit of fun: Ian just launched a new personal project called "12 Films in 12 Months". He came up with the idea about a month ago to write and produce a 3-5 minute short film each month for an entire year (and decided that 2008 would be that year). He'd been wanting to make a short film or two for a while and this seemed like a good way to get him motivated. The project isn't part of Ian's job or anything. He's still doing media and graphic design at Youth Specialties. The "12 films" project is more of a personal project he'll be working on in his spare time. He's going to be blogging the whole crazy process and you can follow along with him at 12filmsin12months.com.

Happy 2008 to all!!!

Vacation, sickness, and parenthood, o my!

2007-12-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

During our last week of vacation, we thought it would be fun to be the coolest aunt and uncle in the world and have our five year old niece stay over for one night. We went to the Stephen Birch Aquarium, the La Jolla Tide Pools, and our favorite Italian Restaurant, Lido's for dinner. We pulled out all of the stops and it was a blast!

Who would have guessed that in that same night both of Christina's grandparents would be admitted into the hospital. Her parents and sister spent the next day making trips picking up prescriptions and driving back and forth to the hospital. When her grandpa got to come home the next day, her dad got a stomach flu and was taken to the hospital for fluids and medication. That night dad got to come home, but sent with medication. Grandpa is at home alone (Grandma still has a few days in the hospital) and Christina's mom and sister are still making the rounds between hospital and the grandparents home. Today, it looks like everyone is feeling and looking a little better which we are so thankful for! For good measure though, we kept the kid at our place for a few more nights.

Anyone who knows us well knows we are adamant about not having kids. We absolutely love middle schoolers and the return policy we have with them, but the idea of having our own is nowhere in the near future. Though if anyone stopped by our house they would beg to differ. Disney movies and "Ninja-Bread Man" on the Wii constantly buzzing in the living-room, pull-ups and princess toothpaste in our bathroom, and our office couch is stacked with Pikachu Toys and other stuffed animals.

So today (day four), we are heading off to Balboa Park to spend the afternoon at the Reuben H. Fleet. One thing this couple has learned through this is that you never know what the day will really bring, so we seize the moments as they are handed to us. Tis' the Season!

Christmas Gifts!

2007-12-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well this year Christina got two very special presents. The first is shown below...

The second is what she will be using her new bike to get to...A JOB!!

As of January first, Christina will be the new director of Middle School Ministries at Journey Community Church. We are so excited about this. This has definitely been a time of figuring out where God wanted both of us. This decision was a long and prayerful one, but we can't be more excited. Journey has been so welcoming and it is just incredibly cool to work and attend the church that is literally three minutes from our house. We can see the sign from our balcony!

This past year has been a year of major change and anticipation. We are just so thankful for God's provision in our lives and are excited for the year to come.

from all of us to all of you...

2007-12-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

A day in Mexico

2007-12-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

Every year YS holds an amazing, crazy, and beyond expectation Christmas Party for their staff. This year was no exception. In fact, this year it wasn't even held in the United States. Youth Specialties partnered with a ministry called Spectrum. Spectrum Ministries is a missions organization dedicated to working with the very poor across our border in Tijuana. Each YS employee was given a name and wish list of a child in an orphanage. So after a a morning of shopping at a Tijuana Market for the dinner to be cooked at the orphanage that night, and playing with the kids at another ministry Spectrum organizes, we headed to the orphanage and were able to present the students with their individual gifts.

It seriously was such a precious moment. Imagine Christmas morning at your house. Everyone gathered in the living room. One person is designated to pass out the gifts. When someone gets their gifts, everyone in the room waits patiently to see what that person got. There are a few oohhs and ahhhs and then the next person opens their gifts.

Now imagine about 20 or so kids crammed in a living room with the YS adults surrounding the edge of the room waiting the kids to open their gifts. When each of the kids name is called, everyone sits and waits eagerly for the child to open their present. When they open it, there are not "oohhs and ahhs", but loud cheers and hollars from every single person in the room as the child proudly hold their gift in the air. It was a celebration and such a sweet moment.

Each of these kids had a different story. Each of these kids had a hard start in this life and yet they were some of the sweetest, kindest, most adorable, and polite kids we ever met. It will truly be a day that we will never forget,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2007-12-07T09:00:00.001-08:00

So this post is a little over due considering we started decorating the day after Thanksgiving. This was partially due to our love of the Christmas Season and partially due to Christina's competitive spirit. We woke up late that day and began watching some TV when Christina noticed outside that our new neighbor's ten year old daughter was putting out Christmas Lights. Christina yells, "What?? Ian, she is beating us! GO! GO! GO!" In an hour and a half we had all all of the Christmas decorations out and Ian had the lights up.

This weekend though, we got our tree. This is earliest we have gotten one since we have been married. So it is complete. Christmas is here! We may not have been first, but we added an extra strand of lights for good measure:) 'Tis the season!

I know she's big...but really?

2007-11-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

So I get it. We have a large dog. I understand that comes with picking out a a great dane. I understand that she is is tall and can reach the kitchen table so guard your plate. I understand that she is big and so I don't have to bend down to pet her. These are all things I expected when we got her. But what happens when she uses her size to get our attention? When a normal dog wants to play, they drop their toy at your feet. When Darby wants your attention, she stands in front of the TV and COMPLETELY blocks it with her body. Then when you tell her to move she just cocks her head as if to say, "What?" The first time we thought to be a coincidence. A year and a half later, we know it's a conspiracy.

Pause for the moment...

2007-11-27T20:16:00.000-08:00

While I was cooking dinner tonight, I glanced out the window. I was absolutely amazed at the sight right outside our kitchen window! Isn't it crazy to think of the beauty that is around us even when we aren't looking. Then again, the moments when we do stop and admire God's creation, become a personal moment with our creator.

THANKFUL TO BE HOME...

2007-11-25T15:13:00.001-08:00

We're back from our last convention and what a note to end on. Atlanta was AMAZING! It was a great convention, attended by great people, and it is just a great city we can't wait to go back and visit. Below is a picture from our hotel room.

It was such a blessing to be able to go to all conventions together but it is also nice to be home together.

As far as Thanksgiving Day, it was another wonderful day of stuffing ourselves. After weeks of processed food, it was nice to have two home-cooked feasts in one day. Yep, two! We went to Christina's family first. Then rested and went to the movies with her sister and saw "Martian Child." A good movie with a sweet story line. Then we headed off to Ian's grandparents house where we enjoyed another feast with more family.

It was such a wonderful way to come back home. They say, "Home is where your family is." We agree.

"Meet Me in St. Louis..."

2007-11-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it home from the convention in St. Louis. Two down, one to go. In fact, we are heading out to Atlanta tomorrow morning.

St. Louis was great though. There are a lot of sights to see. Christina was thrilled when she found out that she could walk to the Mighty Mississippi. That was exactly what we did on one of our dinner breaks. We ate at a nice little Italian Restaurant and then walked half way across a bridge that would have taken us to Illinois. This was the plan but we needed to get to the next general session on time, so we took the picture above and headed back to the convention center.

There really is a lot in St. Louis; the great arch (which is in the background of the picture), the new Cardinal's Stadium, the Might Mississippi...tons I tell ya!

It is fascinating that as you move across the country it is natural for people to work in one state and live in another. This is something this Southern Californian can't fathom. That is why the walk to Illinois seemed so outrageous. Christina wanted to come back and say, "I went to Illinois for dinner. I am back now, here in Missouri." Instead, the conversation went more into bragging rights that we walked half way across the Mississippi.

The Convention itself was fantastic. One of the interesting speakers for the week was Ralph Winter. He is the producer of the X-Men and Fantastic 4 movies. He gave an incredible talk about the power of story telling. He challenged the youth workers tell the story in new ways. Do not settle for how it has been told so many other times. One of the examples he gave was to give missionaries video cameras. Let them tell their story not just though an interview in front of the pulpit. Instead, have someone in the church edit the footage and allow what the missionaries do tell their story. It was also great to hear from a man that is doing amazing work in Hollywood today while living a life of integrity and passion for God.

So...in 12 hours we will be on a plane to Atlanta. Who knows what Georgia has for us, but we'll let you know in a week!

What a weekend it has been...

2007-10-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

YS Convention Season began this weekend. We both get to attend all three cities which is awesome and probably a chance in a lifetime for me. The first convention was here in San Diego and was incredible. Ian did amazing as usual branding the artwork for the entire convention. I would show you the artwork, but he won't let me spoil it for anyone who is planning on going to any of their other conventions. So you will have to wait until after Thanksgiving if you are not attending.

Seriously though, the speaker line ups were incredible. The first speaker was Brenda Salter McNeal. She did a great job just talking about the purpose of youth workers. One also cannot beat the live worship from David Crowder. My job was to work at the Core Booth, I got to hear some amazing stories from youth workers from all over.

It was a fantastic weekend just encouraging other youth workers and being encouraged myself by reconnecting with some youth worker friends from churches all over San Diego.

But then we wake up on Monday...

There was an all too familiar smell in the air. The stale odor of distant fires put a pit in my stomach. The night before we were on top of the world, feeling as if anything is possible and then we wake up to see that some of the volunteers from the convention were driving home early to pack up family members and belongings. The experience of the weekend went from staying in a nice hotel ordering room service, to wandering around Qualcolm stadium distributing water to the thousands of people waiting to hear if they could return home. The halls of the stadium are packed with tents as well as the parking lot filled with cars. There are very little personal items when you think about how they left a house filled with belongings.

The scene really is overwhelming. As I drove into the stadium, I looked in the rear view mirror and saw grown men wiping the tears from their eyes. But you know what the strange thing was? The spirit was not much different than that I experienced at the Town and Country the day before. So many people were there to volunteer their time and energies. Everyone I talked to had the same reason to be there, "I just needed to do something." Because of the mass of people wanting to help, there was more than enough people to give out water, food, and just do whatever they needed. Everyone was so kind and strangers interacted as if long time friends. It seriously was an incredible sight.

I spent a weekend at a booth for a one day training seminar encouraging youth groups to change the world. I then went to a stadium where people were putting that desire in action. It was awesome.

We continue to pray for all of those displaced right now. This is far from over, and so we also pray that people continue to band together and help each other out.

Cough, cough...

2007-09-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Who knew that a dog and a human could have the same cold. Last week, Christina sneezes. Arrrggg, "I don't have time for a cold right now." Then a couple days later, a soar throat. The next day, a cough. This is annoying.
That night, we wake up at 3am to hear Darby hacking. After a long deliberation (Is it something in her throat? Does she have stuff in her lungs?), we decide to wait it out and take her to the vet in the morning. Ian stayed up up with her, watching her and making sure she was okay. Christina, afraid for the worse, left the two for the couch to continue her coughing fit. Ian takes Darby to the vet first thing in the morning. When he returned home, he reports, "She has a cough."
She has been vaccinated for kennel cough so the next thought is that she has a cold. So for the next two days, Christina and Darby laid on the couch, coughing and taking cough medicine every 6 hours. It has been quite the bonding time.

Darby's Vacation

2007-09-10T08:53:00.001-07:00

When we leave town, Darby gets to as well. We have dear friends in Jamul that allow Darby to stay with them and have the time of her life. This urban dog experiences what its like to be a country dog. There is so much for her to explore that she comes back to our apartment and doesn't get up from the couch for three days.

The Happiest Vacation on Earth

2007-09-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

After much transition in our lives...okay, in the mist of transition of our lives (since Christina is still looking for a job and Ian is gearing up for traveling season at his work), we were able to take an amazing relaxing vacation at Disneyland. There is just something about that place. It is hard to explain. The one thing we know for sure is that it is the place where we can escape from the everyday life and just have fun.

The first day consisted of us driving up and then exploring the concierge lounge, which Ian was able to shmooze and get us access to. This meant free snacks and the abilitiy to check out any Disney DVD of our choice. The first night was 20, 000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Three Caballaros. One very cool thing about our room was that we could sit and watch the fireworks from our window. It was fantastic.

The next day: we got up, went to the lounge for breakfast, rode on the new Submarine Ride (fantastic), then Space Mountain, then Buzz Light Year, then back to the hotel where Christina took a nap, and then woke up, got a snack, went to the pool, then to dinner, then to Pirates of Caribbean, then back to the hotel, got a snack, and checked out Atlantis and Cinderella 3. (You have one guess who picked which movie.)

The next day: we got up, went to the lounge for breakfast, and then rode a ton of rides because guess what? THE HEAT FINALLY BROKE!!!! It was such a beautiful day and not a lot of people at the park since everyone was back at school. We were able to practically walk right onto every ride went on.

This was a much needed vacation. We have been so busy lately. It was just just fun to drive a few hours and enjoy the Disney Magic. It was Amazing!!!

...welcome

2007-09-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello to all. Our hope for this small space on the grand ol' interweb is that it would be a place to share our life and stories as we experience them. Whether you've come to catch up on the details of our lives because you've known us in life or you've happened by chance upon this page; welcome. We're glad you've joined us. Be sure to check back in as we'll be posting more soon (God willing).