Book Review: Ragamuffin Gospel & Rede

For my mentorship group, we just finished reading The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. It actually took me reading the book 2 times to like it and to understand it. I am generally a pretty good, fast reader. However, with the way I read and Brennan writes I had a hard time following the first time (but everyone else in the group didn't have this trouble). The second time around I had caught onto his writing style and was able to get a lot more out of the book.

Here are some of the points that I pulled out and have really meditated over:

• You are accepted. Never confuse your perception of yourself with the mystery that you really are accepted. Trust in the God who loves consistently and faithfully nurtures confidence, free disciples. A loving God fosters a loving people. "The fact that our view of God shapes our lives to a great extent may be one of the reasons Scripture ascribes such importance to seeking to know him." (Peter Van Breemen, Certain As the Dawn)
• Her spiritual poverty enables her to enter the world of the other even when she cannot identify with that world. The poor in spirit are the most nonjudgmental of peoples; they get along well with sinners.
• The gospel of grace calls out: Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord. You must be convinced of this, trust it, and never forget to remember. Everything else will pass away, but the love of Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Faith will become vision, hope will become possession, but the love of Jesus Christ that is stronger than death endures forever. In the end, it is the one thing you can hang onto.
• The dichotomy between what we say and what we do is so pervasive in the church and in society that we actually come to believe our illusions and rationalizations and clutch them to our hearts like favorite teddy bears.
• The alternative to confronting the truth is always some form of self-destruction. In order to free the captive, one must name the captivity.
• Freedom in Christ produces a health independence from peer pressure, people-pleasing, and the bondage of human respect.
• Perhaps the simplest, though certainly not the easiest place to start, is with myself. Carl Jung, the great psychiatrist, once reflected that we are all familiar with the words of Jesus, "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, that you do unto me." Then Jung asks a probing question: "What if you discovered that the least of the brethren of Jesus, the one who needs your love the most, the one you can help the most by loving, the one to whom your love will be most meaningful - what if you discovered that this least of the brethren of Jesus... is you?"
• Perhaps we are all in the position of the man in Morton Kelsey's story who came to the edge of an abyss. As he stood there wondering what to do next, he was amazed to discover a tightrope stretched across the abyss. And slowly, surely, across the rope came an acrobat pushing before him a wheelbarrow with another performer in it. When they finally reached the safety of solid ground, the acrobat smiled at the man's amazement. "Don't you think I can do it again?" he asked. And the man replied, "Why yes, I certainly believe you can." The acrobat put his question again, and when the answer was the same, he pointed to the wheelbarrow and said, "Good! Then get in and I will take you across." - This is just the question we have to ask ourselves about Jesus Christ.
• The fallacy in Peter's mind was this: he believed his relationship was dependent on his consistency in producing the qualities he thought had earned him the Lord's approval.
• The mature Christians I have met along the way are those who have failed and have learned to live gracefully with their failure. Faithfulness requires the courage to risk everything on Jesus, the willingness to keep growing, and the readiness to risk failure throughout our lives.

Although I wrote out a lot, there is a lot more in the book! I would totally recommend reading it.

While I'm on the subject of books you need to read... if you haven't already done so, read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers!!!! I couldn't put it down... I read a 500 page book in a weekend... you will love, love, love it!!! She does an amazing job of story telling. I will be reading The Mark of the Lion series soon.

Strawberries & Steamed Greens

I had a ton of fun this past week but it was jam packed so I am exhausted today and sitting on my couch watching 'Baby Mama' on HBO while drinking ice coffee. What a great A.M!!!!

Week in review... on Monday was small group, I know, it's normally on Wednesday but we changed it for this week. As always, I loved it!!! On Tuesday my friend Kelli came over and we cooked and then ate on the roof. It was great being able to chat and get to know each other better. I am loving having some great girlfriends. And speaking of which, I went to Lynnette's house on Wednesday and she made dinner and we watched a movie. I also got to meet her new puppy Cooley... which has the biggest paws of any puppy I have ever seen!! That sweet little puppy is going to be huge!! Thursday night I had my first CAMBODIA MISSION TRIP meeting!!! I am super stoked to be going in December!! Yesterday I was very busy... and it was my day off! I had a lot of errands to run and that took a good majority of the day. At night I went with Teesha to the Horizon Theater to watch a play. It was sooooo fun!!

So, I bet you are wondering what Kelli and I made for dinner. Well, I had veggie burgers in the freezer so we had that with corn on the cob, steamed greens and grilled strawberries & banana. The steamed greens were amazing and the grilled strawberries and banana was eeeh, ok, but would have been amazing had we been eating waffles! Seriously, I so will have to do them again when I made waffles, pancakes, or those little personal pies that you make when you are camping. You know, the ones that you make over the fire.

Anyway, here are the recipes in case you want to make them yourself!

Steamed Greens with Caramelized Leeks

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 large leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced (11/2 cups)
1 bunch any dark, hardy green (12 oz.), tough veins removed, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 tomato, largely diced

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, and saute 5 minutes, or until soft. Reduce heat to low; add Swiss chard and garlic. Cover pan with aluminum foil, and steam greens 7 to 9 minutes, or until wilted and tender. Once the greens are almost done, turn the oven off and add the tomato. Leave the aluminum foil on the pan and let the tomatoes steam for a few minutes.


Grilled Strawberries and Bananas

2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch salt
Pinch cinnamon
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
1 banana, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds

Heat a grill pan to medium. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, canola oil, salt and cinnamon. Add the strawberries and bananas, then toss gently to coat. Reserve any of the glaze remaining in the bowl. Oil the grill pan. Grill the fruit for 2 to 3 minutes until there are light grill marks. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the skewered fruit with any remaining glaze, then turn and grill, covered, for another 2 to 3 minutes. Put all the fruit back into the original bowl. If you let it sit for a few minutes the glaze will thicken up. Very yummy!!

Check it out... Straight from Buckhead Church!!

North Point Online Promo from John on Vimeo.

Spicy Braised Greens, Raisins, and Almonds

Here is the recipe for the delicious dinner I made last night. It was amazing!! I used tempeh because I have it on hand but you could use any meat or even tofu. I used too much red pepper flake so I would suggest keeping it kinda subdued. But, do as you please :) Also, this is a recipe that I have made a few times before however it constantly changes to accommodate what I have on hand!

2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
1 red skin potato, diced
1/4 sweet onion, diced
1 package tempeh, diced
1/4 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1⁄2 bunches (about 12 ounces) kale, chard, mustard greens, collard greens, or a combination, cut into 1⁄2-inch strips
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄3 cup raisins
1⁄4 cup almonds, toasted

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add the red skin potato and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flake and cook for 1 minute. Add the greens, handfuls at a time, stirring until they’re all in the pot. Add the stock, salt, and the raisins. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes, or 15 to 20minutes for collard greens.

In another small pan toast the almonds over medium heat until done. When the greens are done plate them and sprinkle on the almonds and enjoy!!

Starfish, Fox, and a Symphony

Friday night was ladies night for my friends Heather, Christina, Amy and me!! We had a blast!!

Our night started with dinner at Starfish, a sushi restaurant down the street from my house. We got a few different kinds of rolls and split them between everyone. It was a fun way to chat, eat, and taste different options. To fun!
After dinner we made our way over to the Fox Theater to watch Jersey Boys!!




We actually arrive late so we didn't have to wait in any line. However, missing the first bit wasn't great. I had no clue that it was the story of the Four Seasons (I don't know why I didn't know) however Amy clued me in before we got there. Good thing or I would have been royally confused!!! LOL!!!! I loved the musical!! We had a blast watching it!! I would recommend it to anyone.

Of course any ladies night wouldn't be complete without a good cocktail so we walked to Bazzaar for a quick drink and conversation. We had a blast people watching and updating each other on the latest in our lives.

Saturday was a really, really fun day!! I spent the morning at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. I have always wanted to go to the market but had been trying to clean out my pantry. I finally have it fairly well cleaned down so I figured why not. I love the idea of locally grown organic foods!! I was able to purchase a squash, some green beans, and a few different heads of dark greens. I made up some dinner yesterday from what I got... and yummy!!! I'm going to try to do this more often on Saturdays. There wasn't as many vendors as I would have liked however it was a close walk. I have another option of trying the Morningside Market however I would have to drive there. If I do make it there I'll let you know what I think.

In the afternoon I hung out with VJ and John at John's pool. Always fun to hang out by the pool! On my way home I stopped by Erinleigh's house to pick up her dog Darcy. I am watching Darcy until tomorrow A.M. She is fun however she is a night walker and the tags on her collar jingle when she does. So, I was woken up abruptly a few times last night. Tonight I am going to have to take her collar off before going to bed!! Otherwise I really enjoy watching my friends dogs!! Always a fun time!! :)

Then at night VJ and I went to the opening night of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. It was beautiful music, amazing choir, beautiful location. It was also outside in 90+degree extremely humid environment!! Even I was a bit miserable because of the heat, and if you know me you know that is *almost* impossible!! However we did have a blast and it was worth sitting in the heat to hear.

Gone Country?!?!?!

I have to admit, I was excited to visit Dan and Doc, however I didn't think I would like the weather or the 'rough living' lifestyle. However I LOVED it!! The entire trip was great!!! I couldn't have asked for a better time... thanks so much Dan, Nate & Doc for such a wonderful time at Outwest Guides!!!

Dan and Nate at The Cook Shack

Dan and Me Horseback

Doc and his spunky personality!!

I arrived Wednesday morning and actually was early... can you believe it!?!?! We landed before 9am, and my arrival time was scheduled for 9:15am!! I was super excited as I arrived in the *huge* Aspen airport and went to baggage claim to meet up with Dan however he was nowhere to be seen. Ok, I thought, I'll get ready... so I went to the bathroom and came back out. Still no Dan. I walked to the cafe, the store and back to the baggage claim (those are the only places available for Dan to wait inside) but he wasn't there. I called his phone but it went straight to voicemail so I left a message. I walked around some more and found a magazine about Aspen. I took a picture inside the airport. I sat and played solitaire on my phone. Still no sign of my brother. Weird...

I left a few more messages on his phone before he finally picked up. He was on his way and thought that I was supposed to land after 10am. Oops! Miss communication. I walked outside and realized I needed more cloths on. Since I had some time I went back into the restroom and put on my long underwear (I kept calling them my underpants to Dan & Nate which made them laugh). I sat back down and started reading the Aspen magazine. Quite interesting I have to say!

Around 10am Dan did make it to pick me up and we went to a Round-Up that the local outfitters were having. It was the first time they had gotten together like this and it was to build comradely between the outfitters. Apparently outfitters can get quite nasty if they aren't friends so they are trying to build rapport with each other. And, I was able to watch how they each take care of their horses, how the saddle up, how they pack the mules as well as hear a bunch of cowboy/outfitter stories!!

Once we had lunch we all packed up and headed out. Dan, Nate and I went to town to do some grocery shopping and to pick up a few things needed back at the ranch. Once home to Nate's cabin we sat a minute and then went to let the horses out. Finally we ate dinner... I was famished!! It was the best fajitas that I have ever had :)

After dinner Dan and I went to his cabin... which is AWESOME!! It is the coolest place I have seen. It was built in the 1800's by a sheep herding family. It is all propane (no electricity up there), has a bathroom, small kitchen, living room with a couch and wood burning stove, and an upstairs loft with 2 beds. It's very rustic and absolutely cool! Well, cool and it was cold so Dan did a very, very good job of keeping the fire going so I would stay warm all night... what brotherly love!!

Side note, even Nate's cabin has no electricity. They do all heat by wood burning stove however Nate's place has solar power and a back up generator so he has a computer, TV & radio.

Wednesday night Dan and I chatted while drinking beers by the fire. Can you believe it... I had a beer... well 1/2 a can. I drank the second 1/2 the next night... haha!!

Rise and shine sleepy head! We woke up at 6:30am... ugh early!! Much earlier than I wake up at home. But there is work to be done. Dan made some coffee while I got dressed. After drinking our cup we drove to the horses. The weather was awful Thursday morning... rainy and c-c-cold!! Dan rounded the horses and then we made it to Nate's for breakfast. Dan and Nate had cereal and I had left-over fajitas!! No milk for me!!

Dan was supposed to take out a ride in the A.M. however with the weather so bad they moved the ride to the next day. Instead, Dan went out and pounded fence posts while Nate and I stayed in and worked on the website and fliers I have been putting together. After getting that together Dan came in for lunch and then back out to work. Nate and I drove down to the mailbox (which is at the bottom of the mountain). On the way back up we picked up Dan and we headed in to watch a movie. Nate decided that with this kinda weather work was done for the day.

Of course, as soon as we headed in the sun came out. It was still pretty chilly but it was nice to see sun. We watched the movie, changed and went to town for dinner and a rodeo. It was my first rodeo, but Nate says it doesn't count. I did, however, get to wear a real cowboy hat!! Fun stuff!! We ate dinner at the only fast food joint that is in Carbondale... subway. I haven't ate there in forever but it was really good. The rodeo had a few people bull riding (like 7) and Nate thought they were all horrible. Most the rest of the 3 hours was spent watching kid events. It was hilarious!!

Friday was BEAUTIFUL!! Couldn't ask for a better day so Dan and I walked to the horses so he could round them up and then we headed to Nate's place for breakfast. After breakfast I watched Dan get the 3 horses ready so we could go for our ride. I didn't realize how much work went into saddling up the horse. Once he was done we headed into Marble to pick up the rider then the 3 of us went on a 2 hour ride up and back down the mountain. It was beautiful and I took a ton of pictures (don't want Mom to be mad and she totally would be if I missed any photo opportunity)!

After our ride I made Dan and me lunch. Nate had been out shoeing horses and had already had his lunch. I made grilled egg and ham sandwiches. I haven't had that combo before but I have to say it was really good!! Love cowboy food!! After lunch Dan went back to work while I cleaned up. When I went back out Nate and Dan were working on two horses. They had to trim the hoofs and then work on taming them. It was fun to watch Dan and Nate work in the Round Pen. Dan is just learning how to tame horses and Nate has been doing it since he was 10 so he mostly watched and gave instruction to Dan. When needed Nate would step in and show Dan what he needed to learn. I took a ton of pictures and you will absolutely love them all!

Then it was time for dinner. There is one restaurant in the town of Marble called The Cook Shack, a BBQ joint, and its only open Thursday thru Sunday. Luckily it was Friday so we were able to eat there! Dan and Nate saddled the horses (I helped by brushing them) and we rode down to dinner. I had yummy pulled pork, coleslaw, and corn with jalapeno corn bread. Dan and Nate had their burger... all great!! Dan and I finished the night with a piece of chocolate cake!! Yumm-O!!

By the time we made it back up to the ranch it was dark! Dan and I had a quick beer by the fire and then went to bed! We were exhausted but back up by 6:30am to get ready, round up the horses, and go to Nate's for breakfast. Once done, Dan and I went to saddle the horses... once again I brushed them. This time we were going with Ken's son and niece. Ken is the owner of the ranch and his family spends time up there in the summer. We were going out to show the niece how Dan and Nate horseback ride so she can do a few rides and work for them for a month as well as take me on my last ride of the trip.

It was beautiful again... it could make a city girl turn country in an instant! Once again I took many pictures and enjoyed being horse-back. After a few hours we headed back home so I could clean up, pack and have a quick lunch before heading to the airport. My flight was scheduled for 4:30pm.

We made it down and into Aspen with a few minutes to spare so Dan and Nate drove me thru the town so I could see it and then into the airport. After our good-bye's I went thru security and waited for my plane. At 4pm they loaded us in, gave us the speech, and took us down the runway. Then the pilot came on speaker to announce that the Denver airport was shut down. We waited on the plane for 3o minutes then he came back on again to say it would be at least another hour so the drove us back to the terminal and we waited in there. At 6:30pm they said that it would be at least another hour before they would know more and my flight to ATL from DEN was at 7pm. Since I would miss the connection and the only open fight from DEN was at 7pm Sunday I decided to change my flight to Sunday from Aspen at 1:30pm.

I tried and tried to get in touch with Nate and Dan but in the mountains that can be difficult. I knew they were doing laundry so I called the only laundrymat in Carbondale but the lady said they had just left. I left a few messages on the house phone and Nate's cell but the cell was out of service and they had a few stops they took before going home so they didn't get back until after I decided to get a hotel in Aspen. Even if they had come got me after they got home it would have been at least 11pm before we would have made it home and then Dan would have had to take another 1/2 day to get me back. Mom suggested (since I was about in tears from exhaustion she actually more decided) that I get a hotel. I stayed at the the Inns at Aspen which had a shuttle and was the cheapest available. Luckily it was only about 1 mile from the airport (or less) so I was quickly there. I found out they had a hot tub so I found my room, threw on my swim suit, and went straight for the tub. It was great!! Very relaxing. After my quick dip I went back to my room and went right to sleep.

The next morning I went to their free breakfast which was amazing. I made waffles with strawberries, grapes, an egg, and tons of coffee while reading a newspaper. I don't know if I have ever really read a newspaper before! Ha!

After breakfast I packed up and took the shuttle into Aspen. I spent about an hour walking around... most shops were closed since it was Sunday morning but I enjoyed it and once again took a lot of pictures. With the number that I took, I think I made Mom proud!

At 12:30 I was back in the Aspen airport, this time the plane took off and I was able to sit next to a man named Chris who I had a great conversation with. Once we landed I waited to pick up my bag that I had curb checked (wouldn't fit in the overhead bin). We were outside since the plane was so little but it started to lightning around the airport so they moved everyone inside and we had to wait to get our baggage until after the lightning passed. I was in Denver at 2pm and had until 7pm for the next flight. I walked the airport, found where the 2nd leg of my journey was to depart from, looked around a few shops, found where I wanted to eat dinner, and then found a quiet spot to do some work reading. After reading I pulled out my laptop to take notes and found that there is free wifi in the Denver airport. So at 5pm I grabbed some dinner, found a table, pulled the laptop back out and checked emails and did some work. I also spent time uploading pictures and chatting with a few people in the airport. One man I chatted with was going to Detroit to look into purchasing an old Ford plant (for work, of course) to tear it down and build something else. Interesting stuff!

My flight to Atlanta, of course, was delayed but we made it out at 8:30pm Denver time and landed in Atlanta after 1:30pm EST. Ouch! Then we found out that they turn the Atlanta airport trams off at midnight so we would be walking from D terminal to baggage claim. And the bag that I curb checked would have to be picked up there. So we all walked the 6 hubs to baggage claim and the bags hadn't even started flowing yet! It felt like the trip home that would never end! But, finally the bags did make it, I grabbed mine, and the Marcus was kind enough to take me home at 2am! I walked thru my door at 2:30am and made it to bed around 3am.

Luckily the trip was worth the delays! I couldn't have had more fun in Marble, CO and I look forward to the next time I am lucky enough to spend time there!! It was a blast!!

Getting ready!!!

Today is a mixed emotions kinda day. This morning was Sean's funeral and I spent the time in tears. Don't get me wrong, the funeral was amazing, the speakers did a phenomenal job, the music was great, and we were there to celebrate Sean's life which rocked! Also, Gabi and Jana looked amazing!! However it was personally tough on me. I know I will miss him as a mentor and friend. And driving to work this morning knowing that just brought tears to my eyes.

I also am sitting her wondering if my second offer on a condo has been accepted. The first offer fell thru, which I expected, so I put an offer on another place in the same complex. These are the only two places in this complex on the market right now so if this falls thru I will wait/search for other places. Which is fine, but I should know today if the homeowner accepted my offer then it will go to the bank (it's a short sale). I know God has been working on patience in my life (this will be constant) but here I think I am doing fairly well. I know that where ever I end up will be of God's choosing. That he has a plan for my life and that my timing and his timing don't normally line up (my timing always being much sooner than God's).

And finally I am thinking about seeing my brother in COLORADO!!!


I leave on Wednesday and will be taking a TOOOOOON of pictures!! I can't wait to see Dan and Doc!!! I have been talking to Dan and Nate (his manager/friend) over the past few days. Then yesterday they send me an email detailing the weather...

Wednesday...Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain and snow showers in the morning...then a chance of rain showers...thunderstorms and snow showers in the afternoon. Highs 45 to 55. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Wednesday Night Through Thursday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the 30s. Highs in the 50s.

Friday Through Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs 55 to 65. Lows in the 30s.

Ouch. Burr. Holy crap! I don't know what I think of this. I am leaving sunny, 90's weather for this. It doesn't deter my enthusiasm to see Dan (or Doc), but it makes me re-think my packing strategy.

Sean Strickland

Here is an honesty post. I have been fighting with God. I know I will never win, but there are times that I just want to wrestle with him and right now is just one of those times. My head hurts, to the point of a headache. I feel like crying and have teared up more than once in the last hour and have cried hard a few times over the weekend. I don't want time to think so I have been doing as much as possible to keep myself and my mind occupied.

Why all of this? Well, my former manager and friend Sean died suddenly in a car accident last Wednesday. His funeral is tomorrow. He is leaving behind a wife and a 7 year old daughter who I have gotten to know and love. The family had an amazing outlook of what life would look like in the near future. All of that is gone. My heart broke. Why would God have had him go thru all he just went thru and then take his life away?? I know he is in a better place, but his family is not. They are hurting. I started to think of all the things I have been able to do with my Dad from the age of 7 to now and I break down. I can't imagine what that is like. There are times I feel numb, like this can't be real. Every time I start up my car I think, will I make it to my destination?? What was he doing when it happened? What had he been thinking about, he was so close to home. And what keeps going thru my head is why? What is the meaning of all of this?? Why does God even have us here on this planet? Why did He even make us, from the beginning? What is the point?

These are the thoughts that I have taken to bed every night. I have taken to prayer every day. On Wednesday night I was so mad I didn't want to pray, I didn't want to read my Bible, I wanted to rebel and be as far away from God as possible. I was overwhelmed. How can I be mad at God when he exactly where I want to run to for comfort? And after I calmed down (a few hours later) I did go to Him and talked, yelled, and cried.

The following nights my Bible study led me into Ecclesiastes where Solomon is asking the same questions. Solomon goes thru a lot of what he find as meaningless. But then he goes into what is meaningful. And since I have read this verse on Friday, I have been meditating on it. It has been giving me peace.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 - Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

We have PICTURES!!!

Oh yea, NYC pictures are up online!!! Check them out here!!!
Or, if you want to see Aunt Dawn's go here!!!

New York, New York

Ok here it is and it will be really long... our trip to NYC (minus the pictures)!!!!

The trip started on Friday morning. My mom's flight should have landed around 10:30am which should have had her in NYC about 20 minutes before me. However, I missed my flight (drama, drama, drama) and was able to go standby on the Noon flight. Mom's flight was delayed. Then my flight was delayed. Both due to bad weather and we both made it into Laguardia by 2:30. After the bus ride to Manhattan I thought we could drop off our bags at Penn Station before playing around the city for a few hours. And I have to be honest, being in Penn Station was slightly scary. Not my favorite station. No other subway stop scared me, by the way. However we were not riding the Amtrak train so they would not hold our bags. By this time I am slightly frustrated with all the delays and changes in plan, however I would not allow this to deter me. Mom and I were still going to have fun.

I was uncomfortable with us carrying our luggage and purses every where around the city so we decided to have a drink at The Local and to watch the NYC life walk by our window. Ahh, I was now relaxed. I love NYC. After the Local, we were hungry for some dinner. The smart thing would have been to choose any restaurant besides TGIFriday, since we were in NYC. However we were slightly delirious from all the travel and stumbled in there. Most of the TGIFriday's have a great $5 menu. The menu at this place was horrible. The food was just as bad. However we did eat there and then walk by many, many restaurants that we thought would have been a better choice. Heck, a pretzel from a vendor would have been better and those are really just cardboard!

By 7:30pm we were standing in Times Square enjoying being a complete tourist. My mom took many pictures of me (which I will eventually receive and post) before we headed to 51st and 7th to catch our bus to New Jersey, where we were staying. It was definitely a new experience for my mom. The bus was more a large black van and inside I think we were the only ones who spoke English. Luckily we made it safely to the hotel and were in bed and mom was snoring by 9:30pm. We needed sleep. The next morning we made it out of bed sometime around 8:30am. Ahh, relaxed.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we were back in NYC!!! My friend Kristen was also in NYC that Saturday so we had planned to meet up with here around 1pm at the Staten Island Ferry for our 'Island Hopping Cocktail Cruise.' So, Mom and I traveled directly to the financial district to check it out. She hadn't been there before so it was fun for her to see all the old buildings and Wall Street. Right in front of the Stock Exchange we were able to watch a commercial being filmed for a bank.

It was chilly so for lunch we stopped for soup at the Original Soup Man and also met another tourist from Michigan, he was wearing a Mackinac Island t-shirt so he was pretty easy to spot. After soup we walked around Battery Park and watched the Staten Island Ferry come and go a few times. It was fun and relaxing. When Kristen and her mom arrived we headed onto the ferry ourselves and had a blast. Unfortunately the weather was foggy so once at Staten Island we were not able to see the excellent view of Manhattan that we had hoped for however it was really nice.

Next Mom and I headed up to Canal Street for a new experience for both of us. I had never been to Canal Street because I am not one much for bartering. However my mom had a lot of fun and bought a few scarves.

After Canal Street, we walked thru Little Italy and realized we were hungry again, but wanted something a little less touristy (aka Price) so we walked up Broadway and ended up in Soho. And, found this quaint little bar called the Soho Room and shared a chicken wrap that we were both quite impressed with.

The next stop was West Village for Magnolia's Bakery!!! I was soooo excited for this stop. As we got off the subway in the West Village we happened upon a vintage street sale, which was freakin' awesome!! Unfortunately for me (or fortunately for my wallet), the vendors were closing up shop so we were not able to buy... just browse. But that was fun too! Next time I am in NYC I want to spend an entire day here. The shops looked like a ton of fun and the food looked amazing!!

We did stand in a short line for a cupcake but I believe it was worth it!! Fresh and tasty!! I had a white cake with white icing. My mom had white cake with chocolate icing (if I remember correctly). After getting our cupcakes we went to a little park across the street and ate. It felt like we were in a tiny little town. Behind us were children playing on a playground. There were no sounds of horns or cars or business. I loved it and realized that where I am meant to live (at least in the summers).

After Magnolia's we walked quite a few blocks to Union Square and enjoyed watching all of the students giving hugs to each other. Made a quick stop into Whole Foods and then back onto the subway to 51st & 7th to catch our bus back. We were a bit early so we made our way back to Times Square and people watched again. Since it was Saturday night it was much busier than the night before but it was still fun to see all the lights.

Since we were up later Saturday night we slept in longer on Sunday. After packing back up we ate breakfast and then took the 11am shuttle back to NYC and headed straight to the Salisbury Hotel, which would be our home for the next few days. We didn't have to wait too long for Aunt Dawn, Grandma, and June to arrive. Shortly after they arrived the taxi brought in Aunt Julie, Brittany, Brooke, and Vicki.

We were able to get into 1 of our rooms right away, and it was huge and on the 17th floor. Aunt Dawn and I had a lot of fun looking at the buildings across the street and guessing what they were for and who did what in them. We did the same thing last year and it is a blast!! And our rooms were HUGE!!! There was a kitchenette, a full living room, a full bedroom with 2 big beds and a bathroom. I was not expecting the rooms to be so nice and fancy. They were great!

Once we all had said our hellos we headed down to 5th Ave to do some retail therapy... except no one bought anything!!! We did do some looking though. Before shopping we stopped into the 53rd Street Deli for some lunch. We were going to eat at Hello Deli but they were closed because they were setting up the final episode for Survivor in the Ed Sullivan Theater.

As we were walking around we ran into Magnolia's Bakery at Rockefeller Center so of course everyone had to have one! I can always have a great cupcake!! Once we were done eating we walked back to the hotel to get the final two of our party... Aunt Sue and Alex!! We also got settled into all of our rooms and then headed out to Times Square. We played around for quite a while before eating at Rays on 8th Ave. Good food and you know its good when you walk in because it all locals. And they know what they want to eat. The 11 of us took forever to decide so the locals would squeeze in between. After eating we made it back to the hotel to chat and catch up.

Monday was tourist day. We started out by eating breakfast in the hotel. Because Aunt Sue, Alex and Vicki hadn't been to New York City before we went on the Grey Line Tourist Bus to see the city. The first trip was the uptown bus and it was fridged. Just freezing cold. I remember crying at times it was so cold. My mom did her best to help keep me warm but it was just down right ridiculously cold! However the man giving the tour was really good. He had a lot of great information for us.

Since it was so cold, we stopped back by our hotel to get more clothes and to clean up. Then we headed to Tavern On The Green for lunch. That place is magical!! It reminds me of 1940's decadence. I felt like I was inside a big wedding cake. I loved it!!! The food was good, the service was great, and I had a blast!! While we were there I went into the gift shop and found an I (heart) NY Christmas ornament that is all glittery. It is currently sitting on the shelf in my bedroom and will have a prominent spot on my next Christmas tree! I love it!!!

After lunch we headed back to the tour bus for the downtown tour. I had worn every bit of clothing that I owned. I had psyched myself up for the cold weather. And we were able to get a spot in the very front of the bus. It was still cold but I felt like I would at least live thru the ride. However the guide was HORRIBLE!! I was shocked at how bad he really was!! The only tidbit of information I was able to gather that I didn't know (or at least hadn't remembered) was that TriBeCa stands for Triangle Beneath Canal. Good to know at least.

After the ride we headed down to Times Square again. Do you see a pattern?? We really did go to Times Square every night ;) We were going to eat at Hard Rock however about 20 minutes after we were seated we all decided we were not hungry and that there wouldn't be anyone to take our order even if we were. No one had even come to take our drink order yet. At this point I decide I am too tired to go on and my mom agreed so she and I went home to eat her left overs from Tavern on the Green and the rest of the ladies went out to shop.

Once Mom and I were back to the hotel I moved my chair in front of the window to watch "It's Pat" across the street (after ample watching I did determine Pat is female). I dreamed of what life must be life if you own an apartment on 57th between 6th and 7th. Oh how glorious that must be. My mom, of course, sat down in front of the Weather Channel. We both did decide that the weather report from my phone was actually better.

Up and at 'em George McFaddem.

Bright and early the next day (5:45am to be exact) Mom, Aunt Sue, Alex, Dawn, Grandma, June and I got up and before 7am we headed to 49th and Rockefeller Center to watch the taping of the Today Show. We were in the weather report... Uncle Jerry and Wes verified the citing!! We also got to have our picture taken with Meredith Viera. It didn't take long for Grandma and June to have enough standing around in the cold so they headed to Dean & Deluca for breakfast. Once Alex had enough we all left and went to Astro Restaurant for our breakfast. I had been there before with my friend Edgar so I knew the food would be good. It was and it was fast. Before I even got to my second cup of coffee they had brought out the food. And there was a lot of it. Good thing Mom and I split every meal!!

After breakfast we planned for the day. Grandma, June, Mom and I headed down to Canal Street so Grandma and June could barter. June ended up with a very pretty scarf. We walked around a bit and then walked down to Ground Zero. After a little bit of searching we found a spot in the Burger King that we could overlook the site and see what they are doing. It still looks like a dirt patch to me.

Once we had spent enough time at Ground Zero we made our way to Battery Park where we did some more shopping around the street vendors and then sat on a bench and watched the boats. Eventually we met up with the rest of the ladies and took the Staten Island Ferry again (good thing it is free)!! This day was much prettier... the sun was shining and we had a great view of Manhattan (and New Jersey...).

Once back to Manhattan a few of us went back to the hotel to get ready and the rest did some last minute shopping. We had a big night ahead of us that I needed to be ready for!! Dinner and a show!! Our next stop was John's Pizzeria. We had dinner here last time this group was in NYC and we ate right before watching The Phantom Of The Opera. Dawn and Brittany were excited to make this a tradition. I remember really enjoying the food last time. However, this time I wasn't as impressed. Food was ok, the service we had was HORRIBLE. If given a choice, I wouldn't go back just because of the service. And its in a uber touristy part of town, which make the service on par to the places around it. However, I took the pasta that Mom and I got, added pizza topping (from the cheeseless pizza that Brittany had ordered) to it, and crushed red pepper flakes and it wasn't so bad. But at their prices I really shouldn't have to doctor my food that much... at least that is my thought.

Ok, back off of my soap box.

After dinner we walked a few block to see the musical WICKED!!!! It was awesome. Funny, amazing, engaging. Our three hours just flew right on by! It was soooooo fun!! I fell in love with the musical, would recommend it to anyone, and would love to see it again if ever given the opportunity. We all walked away very impressed!

Of course we had to go back to Times Square and since we were all dressed up we went up to the top of the Marriott Marquis and each had a drink. I forget what I drank but my mom, Aunt Dawn, Aunt Julie, and Brittany all had the same, very strong drink. And they were all pretty, um, happy afterwards. We were so loud and having so much fun I thought we may get kicked out! And, we had a blast celebrating Aunt Julie's birthday... she turned 3o I think?!?!? Right?!?!? :)

By the time we ended there I was exhausted and wanted to go to the hotel. Grandma also wanted to go and my Mom decided to join us. I have to say that was one of the most interesting walks I have every had... and I have had some good ones. Grandma and I did a great job keeping my Mom walking in a straight line (um, very strong drink... remember), then when we got to the subway Grandma and I got thru fine however my Mom couldn't get thru (in hindsight I should have made her go first) and she had to get someone who worked for the subway to let her thru. He could obviously tell she had been drinking so when he let her thru he told her to "be safe!" Hahah!! And then on the other end of the subway ride, there was an Asian women who spoke no English trying to get directions and Mom had to be helpful, and very loud and animated, trying to explain that yes 7th Avenue was right ahead and she had to make a left when she got there.

I finally got my dear mother into our room where I thought we were safe. However I am in the bathroom and I hear someone screaming hellos. And I could picture it from the bathroom. It's my mom, dangling out the window of our 14th story hotel suite, screaming hello to someone on the street. Mind you, this is the same woman who did not enjoy me opening the window a few days earlier to people watch. And luckily she was screaming hello to the rest of our crew.

We finished out the night by everyone coming into our room and finishing up all the food and drinks that people had purchased during their stay, since it was our last night there.

Wednesday morning after waking up we stopped by an amazing grocery store/restaurant for breakfast. Mom and I shared an egg/bagel sandwich with a large coffee. I needed the large coffee as I was in a fowl mood that A.M. I'm saying I was that way because it was our last day there, but really, who knows why! With breakfast in hand we had a long stroll thru Central Park. We managed to find the Zoo there which was crowded with little children.

Sadly, our next stop was back to the hotel to pack up and check out of our rooms. Once checked out we had some time to spend for lunch so we headed to a Halal street vendor that we had walked by many times and there had been a line up every time. Since the people always looked like locals (suit & tie types) we figured it had to be good. And we were right. Mom and I had Halal lamb and rice (everyone else had chicken) and it was amazing!! Loved it and I need to learn to make it myself.

After our last meal we did some touristy shopping and Mom got me a very cute NYC purple '80s style t-shirt, which I love. And then we hopped into our taxi and headed to the airport.

What a blast!! Thank you so much Brittany for graduating college so we could spend time in NYC!! Can't wait to go back again!!

Am I about to be a home owner???

Well, condo owner that is. And the answer is maybe!!!! WOW!!! How incredibly exciting, scary, fun, breath-stopping.

Marcus (my friend and realtor) and I have been looking at a ton of condos and I have found one (well, 2 actually) that I really do like. They are both in the same complex... one has been completely upgraded and the other has not. So, we have decided that I will put in an offer on the upgraded one and if they decline my offer we will put in an offer on the second. I would love either one but if I can have all the work done for me before I move in that would be great.

I would add a picture here but in case I don't get it I'll wait. If I do, you better believe there will be a lot of pictures added!!

Wish me luck. Pray for me. I want to make sure I am doing the right thing!!

Kristie's Ravioli

I know I am a horrible blogger lately and I know I have to blog all about the NYC trip. And that will be done soon (I don't yet have all the pics to post up anyway).

However I made dinner tonight and it was amazing. So much so that I just had to blog about it. I made ravioli with a side of pesto bread. It took, like, 5 minutes to make and it was good!

Here we go...

boxed chicken sausage, wild mushroom, and sun dried tomato ravioli
Bertolli spaghetti sauce
garlic powder
basil
parsley
crushed red pepper flakes
black pepper
cooked chicken tenders, cut into small pieces
sun dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
capers
fresh spinach, cut into strips

Cook the boxed ravioli according to package in one pot.

In another pot, add sauce, spices, chicken, tomatoes, capers according to taste over low heat just to warm. Once its warm, add the spinach. When the ravioli is done, drain it and add it to the sauce.


For the bread I used a sprouted wheat hamburger bun from my freezer. Added Classico Basil Pesto from my fridge and a few crushed red pepper flakes. I broiled it on high until it was browned.


Lately I have been all about easy, simple, wholesome food. I am full, which was the plan to begin with right?

Yummmy!

Here I Come!!!

Tomorrow I will be back...


How excited am I right now!!??!!!?!? I can't wait!!! My flight leaves at 8:30am and should land around 10:30am. My Mom is flying in around the same time so we will meet up there and then head to NYC. The rest of our traveling companions (Grandma E, June, aunts, & cousins) will meet up with us on Sunday and we will have a ladies week.

Lets see how much I sleep tonight ;)

My IT Team

These are some of the guys I work with. Have I told you lately that my job is amazing!!

Grandma Poll

Well, I am back in Atlanta from Michigan. Unfortunately I got to spend a week up there. Not because I didn't hang out with amazing people, not because of the weather, and not because I didn't do some fun things. But unfortunately because I was up for my Grandma Poll's funeral. If you want to see a glimpse of this great lady check her out here.

Also, here are some pictures from over the week. They are, for some reason, in reverse order...

Me wearing one of Grandma Poll's dresses.

Dan & Me in Bay City

Mom, Dan & I on the bikes.

Dan, Marie & Me at the Crazy Horse after the funeral.

Dan and Me at the Crazy Horse

Me at the Funeral. The flowers were given by Buckhead Church.
They are so pretty and that was so nice of them to do!

A good majority of the Poll cousins.

Dad & I having lunch and watching the Detroit Red Wings at Brann's.

Mom, Dad & I having lunch and watching the
Detroit Red Wings at Brann's.

It was great to see all of the Poll family again. It has been a long time since we have all gotten together. The some cousins were able to hang out a couple of night around Grand Rapids which was great. On Tuesday a good group of us were at Grandma's house cleaning it out to get ready for an appraisal... Johnny looks like he is going to move back up from TX to MI and they will purchase the house. And, we found out where I get my body shape from... we found a few old outfits from Grandma Poll and they fit me perfectly.

A Mess

Right now I am a mess. There is just too much going on. And on top of that I just found out my grandma (my Dad's mom) is in hospice with less than a week to live. I have been praying and praying for my Dad and my uncles. It was less than 3 years ago that they went thru the same thing with their father. If you would, please pray with me.

Life, interrupted

It's not that I am overly busy, but I just am not sure how to capture everything that I have been doing lately. I really feel very blessed at the moment and I am really enjoying just breathing in that feeling.

My small group has been going really well and we have been working together to grow our relationship with God. I love being able to watch people I admire walk with their Savior!!! I feel so privileged to be a part of that group.

I have been able to have a lot of fun with friends lately too! This past weekend I was able to watch Lynnette do her thing on the tennis court... and win!! I got to meet some of the people she plays tennis with and chat over dinner, which was great. I am also watching Lucie (who I have watched a few times before and blogged about) so I was able to take her on walks around the block as well as a walk to Lenox Park with Erinleigh and her dog Bauer. I hadn't been to Lenox Park before so that was fun too... it was beautiful!!!

Recently I went with Victor and a group of old co-workers from Cbeyond to Luckie Lounge to chat and catch up. The sun has come out and warmed up Atlanta enough for me to be sitting on my roof again so I have been enjoying some relaxing time in the sun. I have also enjoyed a few dinners on my roof with friends. I love being able to share the view from up there with others!!

On a bigger note... I have been praying a lot about something else in my life... the possibility of settling down. In a condo. A few weeks ago Victor questioned me (for like the 100th time) about why I haven't purchased in Atlanta yet. Generally I have a lot of great answers why not. However this time I didn't. That got me thinking. I am feeling like Atlanta is home, I love my friends, my job can't be beat, and I am financially ready to have a place of my own. So, I have been working with Marcus, who is not only a great friend but a realtor, on house hunting. I have looked a lot online and have talked with a few places about acquiring a mortgage. Tonight we are supposed to be looking at a few places. Wish me luck and send a few prayers my way. This is just such a huge decision and I don't want to screw this up. Luckily it is a buyers market so I should have a few options once we have done some looking!!