Bring Me Java, Bring Me Joy

6/8/2009

Couple of wedding related items

Filed under: — alisa @ 8:39 am

Im going to be perfectly honest with you readers, since most of you are dear friends whom I can be completely honest with. Especially since we have our computer screens and the internet between us currently. One of the things Ive been looking forward to, for a long time, about getting married is getting to register. Usually its the guys (so Ive been told) who likes holding the clicky gun and goes a little crazy with it. Then you have to spend time afterwards taking off those silly items you never ever need. It just looked fun at the time because I was in the moment of clicking! Jason and I have been to four stores merely to research. Its like we have never been to these stores before since we are looking at them with wedding eyes. We have narrow down our search to three stores, the store who is out of the running will not be named. Cause man alive they were PUSHY.

“I see an engagement ring on your finger are you registered at *beep*?”

“No, we are not.”

“And why not?!”

“Well we are just researching stores we’d like to register at currently, so we haven’t registered anywhere.”

“You should register here! *Insert big speech about things we could care less about*”

“We’ve been engaged for less than a week. We are still trying to find what fits for us.”

“Here is why *beep* is where you will register *insert another sales pitch*”

“Oh, okay great. Thanks.”

“Look forward to working with you!”

GAH! If my mind wasnt already made up before talking to that lady, it completely was at that point. I didnt want any of my guest to be hassled to open a card they didnt need or hear the speech that we got to sit through. Sheesh. Soon we’ll register at stores that we found a lot of neat things we need, like at Bed Bath and Beyond, which my fellow internet bride friend registered at recently and wrote a funny blog post about.

Another fun random wedding trivia for you are what I hope to be my bridesmaids dresses. There is perfectly lovely cotton strapless, with great texture brown dress at J. Crew called the Lorelei. Yes, lady and gentleman, unknown to me (I saw these dresses in photos from another wedding a while ago and Kari found them online at J. Crew) I had picked a dress with the name of the main characters from one of my favorite shows. Now thats just in and of itself great, but it wait! It gets better! On my way to 514 yesterday Kari called me while reading Entertainment Weekly and asks if I remember from The Office, the pink strapless dress that Pam was wearing right before her and Jim were going to elope? Well, according the EW, it was in fact the very same J. Crew dress I had picked out just in a different color. CAN IT GET MUCH BETTER? I mean how is this not the dress for my wedding? If it doesnt for some reason work out, I just might have to buy myself one. In every color.

6/5/2009

Kicking off gradutation weekend!

Filed under: — alisa @ 8:59 am

Today kicks off the start to weekend of graduations. I will be attending 4 high school graduations and one fire academy graduation (not by one of my high schoolers but high school volunteers!). One of my tasks yesterday at work was to map out the 8 parties my boss and I plan on attending tomorrow. Yes 8 PARTIES. In one day! Its crazy you guys but I love these kids and so proud of them that I love celebrating in this season with them.

I also have three different photo shots sitting on my computer waiting to be edited. Just getting a quick chance to look at them last night, the most fun is the shot I did with my friend and coworker’s Senior small group. Heres a quick peak at them till I have more time to post more.
amy d's girls“>

6/3/2009

the .com is here!

Filed under: — alisa @ 9:11 am

For wedding related items, please bookmark our wedding website!

www.alisaandjasongetmarried.com

I will keep my planning updates here for all who care, but the official wedding stuff will be up on the .com and done by the my fiance (still getting used to saying that!). That will included the engagment story so stay tuned!

6/1/2009

The story is to come…

Filed under: — alisa @ 4:56 pm

…but until then (sorry you will have to wait a little while longer, we both are working on it for our website) you can watch what our friends think happened. They are in Africa adopting thier little girl Zuri so they are not here to know the story. So here is the Renslow family’s idea of what happened:

http://echoesofzuri.blogspot.com/2009/06/we-hear-wedding-bells-over-in-africa.html

5/31/2009

Guess what.

Filed under: — alisa @ 10:52 pm

5/29/2009

Dont stop believin’

Filed under: — alisa @ 12:35 pm

I realize Im late to be saying this but if you haven’t seen the show GLEE yet, go to iTunes and search for it. The pilot episode is on iTunes currently for free! Yes! Go download it and love it as much as I do. GO! NOW!

5/24/2009

Some quotes to share

Filed under: — alisa @ 7:03 pm

Been reading Anne Lamott’s “Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith” lately. I enjoy her style of writing and boldly honest words on how she views her faith and life. A lot of the times, I dont agree with her theology but then at the same time I find so much joy in hearing her heart on what she has learned with her relationship with God – which seems very different yet very much the same as mine. Thought I would share with you some spots from this book I have taken to write down in my notebook. Enjoy.

“We start by being kind to ourselves. We breathe, we eat. We remember that God is present whenever people suffer.”

“I was focused and it was beautiful up there and the shit was nearly entirely out of my shoe. That’s a lot. I dont know why God wont just spritz away our hardships and frustration. I dont know why the most we can hope for on some days is to end up a little less crazy than before, less down on ourselves. I dont know why we have to become so vulnerable before we can connect with God, and even sometimes with ourselves.”

“Why on our hearts, and not in them? Only God can put scripture inside. But reading sacred text can put it on your hearts and then when your hearts break, the holy word will fall inside.”

“At times like these, I believe, Jesus rolls up his sleeves, smiles roguishly and thinks ‘This is good.’ He lets me get nice and crazy until I cant take my own thinking and solutions for one more moment.”

“Rain suggests that you should go inside, rest, try to stay dry.”

“And there are worse things for kids than to have to spend time with people who love God. Teenagers who do not go to church are adored by God, but they dont get to meet some of the people who love God back. Learning to love back is the hardest part of being alive.”

“I make Sam [her son] go because the youth-group leaders know things that I dont. They know what teenagers are looking for, and need – they need adults who have stayed alive and vital, adults they wont mind growing up to be. And they need total acceptance of who they are, from adults they trust and to be welcomed in whatever condition life has left them – needy, walled off. They want guides, adults who know how to act like adults but with a kids heart. They want people who will sit with them and talk about the big questions, even if they dont have the answers; adults who wont correct their feelings or present not to be afraid. They are looking for adventure, experiences, pilgrimages and thrills. And they want a home they can return to, where things are stable and welcoming. I mean, how cray can you get?”

And this one is for my Canadian family who I love the fact they read my blog:
“If you havent already, you will lose someone you cant live without and your heart will be badly broken and you never completely get over the loss of a deeply beloved person. But this is also good news. The person lives forever in your broken heart that doesnt seal back up. And you come through and you learn to dance with the banged up heart.”

5/19/2009

Theres gotta be something more

Filed under: — alisa @ 12:25 pm

It all started Saturday night when I was on Tweetie, an iPhone app for Twitter. After trying to post, my home button on my iPhone wouldnt take me “home”. I pushed the home button repeatedly and nothing. Tweetie is still on my screen – not frozen mine you, it moved around and functioned fine. iPhone just had no interest in taking me to my home screen to perform other basic iPhone functions, such as a phone call. I restart my poor little iPhone thinking maybe he just needs a quick nap to recharge himself. After the short nap, I turn the iPhone back on to reveal a black screen with a picture of the iTunes symbol and the white cord below it – commutating me I need to plug iPhone into my iTunes. WHAT IS GOING ON freak out is slowly taking over me at this point. I promptly get Chaz out to connect iPhone to iTunes and pop open iChat to see if my brother or Jason happens to be online – my go to Mac guys cause really if I was completely honest, Mac stuff still confuses me. A lot. Thankfully, Kenny, my Apple Genius of a brother is on-line and its very nicely coaching me through this process. I have to return my iPhone to factory settings. I have done this with my mini iPod before, so this isnt too scary to me (after I triple check with Kenny that I will still in fact get my personal stuff back). I do this three times before my iPhone catches on and reloads itself. I unplug iPhone from Chaz and think all is good, I did what the little pictures told me to do. BUT WAIT! My home button is still not taking me home. Kenny said he couldnt help me without being on my side of the coastal line so take it into the Apple Genius Bar. I go to apple.com and get myself a little appointment between churches.

I figured out between Saturday night that my Sunday afternoon appointment that everything seemed to be working fine on the iPhone cept for the home button – so I could say go text someone, but if I then wanted to check my email I would have to shut iPhone off to get to that function, and so on for each different application I felt like using. Lovely, right? Oh and then, Jason called me, and I could hear him just fine but he couldnt hear me. Great. Everything on my phone is working fine except for my phone part! Mr. Genius told me to fix my iPhone it would be $200, which is a cost of a new 3G phone. I was sad of course at this news. I love my iPhone. It had been so good to me and really, this is the first real major problem any of my Apple products have given me. Jason and I talked about it and he thought I best wait till June when there is a strong chance that they’d release a new iPhone instead of buying a 3G. Which by the way, I held a 3G in the store and I didnt even get excited about it. I didnt like the thing. I know most dont see the difference, but there really is (theres the little bit of geek in my shinning through in that comment). But the idea of having a “normal” AT&T cell phone till June…. I dont know how to explain it other than this: do not get an iPhone unless you are ready to never go back a normal phone ever again. I say this as someone who never saw a need for an iPhone. Jason talked all about it when he was a MacWorld when they announced it. Willing to break his current Verizon contract to make it happen. I didnt know what to do with all the crazy talk but got him to wait till our contracts where up to get them. Yes, I know I will live not having all my networking at my finger tips for a month. Just understand, when you are used to that, its hard to let go of it. Im also one who doesnt mind keeping her phone in the other room and forgetting about it for hours. I may really like this time of lack of technology.

But then I sent my brother a whiney IM: “Poor dying iPhone!” Kenny promptly asks me what color of tee the Genius was wearing, rich blue, which apparently is a real Genius (why would they let nonreal Genius behind here I wanted to ask). He told me that he understands my woes by saying he would swap out my dying phone with the same generation of iPhone for me until June. So really, I dont have to use the very nice AT&T phone that my friend loaned me for a whole month because my brother understands that once you have an iPhone, there really is no going back. This sad story isnt just to tell you how I can not live without my iPhone (I could of!). Just to warn the rest of you noniPhone users – do not get one unless you are ready to never go back. And that I still love Apple, even they are over my head most of the time.

5/16/2009

Hello there. Its been a while I know.

Filed under: — alisa @ 11:06 pm

The lack of blogging is not because I lack thins to say. Its quite the opposite really, I have so much to say I dont even know where to begin. I had great plans drawn out in my head to write all thats been going on, but I never felt I had the words to say it. Or that words would be enough. Now that the moment has come and gone many times over, I can not go back and try to save it by making the best post ever in the history of blogs. Instead, I will just stop putting off writing anything on here and write about the here and now. Maybe all my thoughts, emotions, photos, stories, the new things Ive learned and so on will show up here someday. As of now, they simply cant. You, dear reader, wouldnt want the verbal vomit that would be my attempt to try and catch you up on my days that have not been captured here. I do want to thank those who have been so close along side me as this space has been silent. Recalling past month’s events to a dear old friend today really reminded me of all of your kindness and I thank you so so so much for it. From the things I didnt know I needed, for praying for my family whom desperately need it. So, in the few tiny words that dont seem enough, but come from my heart, thank you so very much.

Lately, I have still been keeping up with the run/walk. Some days are better than others (like today, totally kicked my butt and reminded me of why I truely do hate working out) but Im enjoying the outside time if nothing else. My neighborhood is loaded with gorgeous trees that cover the roads as a shade for my walk/runs. They cant not however, cover the humidity that is creeping in on North Carolina warning me that summer is right around the corner. This is just to line up with tomorrow being Senior Sunday at church. Class of 2009 will stand before the church on stage and I will sit before them being as proud as ever of each single one of them, and try not to cry. Looking back on my blog from last year I didnt even mention Seniors stuff that over takes the month of May for me. Dont get me wrong when I answer “Im really busy with Senior stuff.” I love every single bit of it. I love planning stuff for the Seniors, I love being with them as their parents bless them onto their new season in life. I love spending a weekend with them in hopes it helps them prepare for college. You forget somehow in spending time with them and building relationships that they will graduate high school and go on to grow outside of all you’ve known them in. And its so good for them to do this, but, as my friend and partner in crime at the church said last year “They break your heart every year.”

5/6/2009

Two fun links for you

Filed under: — alisa @ 2:50 pm

Carla wrote an article about a very fond time of my life, my year in Alabama (where this whole blog began!) with her as a roommate and our love for coffee (before my Starbucks days). You should take a moment and read it, its delightful (and full of coffee songs!)

Second, Im probably the last person on the interntet to see this video, but I think its very funny and have to share it. Are you on Twitter?

Watch Real Life Twitter on CollegeHumor

4/26/2009

Of course I like this

Filed under: — alisa @ 11:31 pm

Im apparently just up to posting commercials.

Coke “John Krasinski My Coke Rewards” from ShadowScreen on Vimeo.
Im a Coke only girl. Looks like John is as well. And this commercial is just well done.

4/25/2009

Reeses Commerical

Filed under: — alisa @ 3:57 pm

I love this commercial I saw here in Canada.

4/1/2009

Wet Wednesday Walk

Filed under: — alisa @ 9:23 pm

Took a walk/run in the rain today. I can actually say that since I ran every since chorus that played! In the rain! Well it wasn’t raining when I started out but it was wet. Then it down poured. That did not slow me down, I kept on going. I picked Switchfoot for some good loud music, appropriate for running. And I like sounds that talk about God when Im out peering onto creation. Here is the set list brought to you by Switchfoot on shuffle:

More than Fine – The Beautiful Letdown
Life and Love and Why – The Legend of Chin
Twenty- Four – The Beautiful Letdown
The Economy of Mercy – Learning to Breath
Awakening – Oh! Gravity
Underwater – The Legend of Chin
Erosion – Learning to Breath
Playing for Keeps – Learning to Breath
Paparazzi – Learning to Breath

I have time between jobs tomorrow that Im looking forward to another walk/run, hopefully not in the rain.

3/28/2009

Bloody walking

Filed under: — alisa @ 11:09 am

My friend Sarah told me about this Couch Potato to 5K system she has been doing. Its basically the idea you start out walking on week 1 and each week you build on that. So say in a few weeks you’d be running three minutes and walking one. I like this idea a lot and may look into it at some point, but I have my own little system Ive been like doing (I almost said enjoying but I do not enjoy it) I started today – run with the chorus. Especially on loud upbeat songs you cant help but run, walking just feels strange. So I ran the most I have in… years today.

On my walk today there was a handful of people out, which is new to me since I haven’t really encountered anyone on my walks this week. This actually doesnt help since I rather not run with people are around. Think Phoebe on Friends… not that I run like her but Im very fearful that I may run a little bit like her. No need for people to see that. The other day on my walk, my new shoes worn in a nice blister that promptly popped after my walk. I think it has something to do with new shoes, but I also think its due to the face my poor feet desperately need some lotion. And sure it hurt a little bit today, but I pushed through the pain because I was excited about my walk after two days of not being out. What do I get in return after working hard? A bloody heel. And my new shoe has a nice deep dark blood stain on it. LAME. So basically, today’s walk sucked. See? The old me is still here thinking how much I dont like this.

My iPod shuffle mix as much as I can remember since it disappeared before I had a chance to document it:

A Brand New Day – Josh Radin
Head Over Heels – Switchfoot
Used to Love – Judd and Maggie
The Longer I Run – Peter Bradly Adams
Paper – Todd Martin
Imitosis – Andrew Bird
Toxic – Nickel Creek
Belief – John Mayer
Fortress – Hope (PS I Love You Soundtrack)
Requiem – M. Ward
Redemption – Switchfoot
The Remedy (I Wont Worry) – Jason Mraz
Resurrect Me – Fiction Family
Rollin Like A Semi – Don Chaffer

3/25/2009

Beach and walking thoughts

Filed under: — alisa @ 1:53 pm

Over the weekend I went to the beach with the volunteer staff for the high school group I work with. This was our first Staff Retreat since I started working there, making it long over due. It was strange to go away for a weekend with people who Im used to “working” with and no kids to be found. Needless to say, it took a good long while for me to feel like I could actual rest. I’d sit outside in the sun with them thinking I should be doing something or having a youth driven conversation.

The beach culture of North Carolina is very different than California. While sitting on the beach Id look out into the ocean which looked just like home. Then I turn my head around to see grass growing up from the sand, reminding me Im very far from home. I was distracted from this thought when asked if Id like to join a game of Ultimate Frisbee. I like outdoor games on the beach and it had been years since Id the chance. Im a big advocate of no running. I was joking with Kendra that we should make “I hate running” bummer stickers for our cars since we both hate it. But I mean, its in the name of fun, then why not! Well my body has been reminding me ever since why not, I dont like the way I feel after I run. The victory of our team was hard to celebrate when your having a hard time breathing in the end.

My doctor has been telling to exercise more (or at all). My excuse? Its been cold. And it has been, but lately its been down right Spring like so I have no excuses now. Since I was already sore from the beach game, I thought I just need to get off my butt and take a walk. I really do like walks, so on Monday I was off in the dorkest “work outfit” ever I went. I found a perfect spot on the lake in my neighborhood to take a rest and soak in creation. I did however give myself a blister since I thought years old Target “tennis” shoes were good walking shoes. So yesterday I went out and found myself some appropriate shoes (on sale and with a gift card!) and was very excited to go out in them today after work. Then it started to rain. Now, normally I would think this is a sign that I shouldnt go out but today I was hard core. I went out in the rain, iPod tucked away not to get hurt by the drops of rain. It was a short walk than Monday and I didnt walk by the lake today (short stop to see Emily with a bonus of Jasper). I put my iPod on shuffle, and heres the set list it gave me for today.

“To Go Home” -M. Ward
“Forgiveness” – Patty Griffin
“T-Shirts” -Derek Webb
“Mud on the Tires” – Brad Paisley
“Amazing” – Josh Kelley
“Duck and Cover” – Glen Phillips
“Peace Train” – Cat Stevens
“My Eyes” -Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
“A Place In This World” -Taylor Swift

3/17/2009

Away We Go

Filed under: — alisa @ 4:19 pm

If you know me at all, you know I love John Krasinski. But dont let that get in the way of this great trailer because for goodness sakes he has a beard/mtn man thing going on. This movie looks delightful (something I’ll have to see between all the graduations I will be attending the weekend its out). Enjoy!

Pick ‘Em 09

Filed under: — alisa @ 3:41 pm

Guess what time it is? Its bracket time! I filled out a college basketball bracket for the first time last year at the church job. Thanks to Kendra keeping the tradition in the office alive in well. Now, some of you know, Im not a huge sports fan growing up a California girl. When I lived in Alabama for a year, I turned into a football fan (I lived with one of the biggest Crimson Tide fan known to man. It was for my well being I was an Alabama fan) then moving to North Carolina I learned I had to pick UNC or Duke. I dont enjoy watching basketball as much as I do football, but this bracket is just too fun. Why is fun to a girl who doesnt really care for basketball? I pick teams for reasons that really have nothing to do how well they play. I know, fun right? So here are my 2009 picks

Round Two:
Im skipping Round one because well, I dont think anyone cares how I narrowed down those teams. If you do, please feel free to ask. Lets start at the left, starting at the top.
:: Louisville beats Ohio State. – Uhm, they are number one. Im not completely out of the loop there.
:: Wake beats Utah – I do not know Utah for being known for basketball. Sking yes. Basketball? No. Plus some of my 514ers might hate me if I didnt pick Wake once.
:: Kansas beats West Virginia – I know that folks in WV do not have much to do, but I dont know of them playing basketball. I do think Kansas when I think sports though.
:: Boston College beats Michigan – Dawson’s Creek kids went to Boston College right? That sounds good.
:: Connecticut beats Texas – East coast schools seem to do well in sports. Go Connecticut.
:: Washington beats Purdue – Im a west coast girl, gotta stick to my west coast states. And besides, Purdue just sounds silly
:: Missouri beats Utah State – again with the whole lots of snow, but not a lot of basketball
:: California beats Memphis – as much as Memphis BBQ sounds delightful right about now, Im a California girl. Nevermind we dont care about sports, gotta be true to my state.

Alright… now for the right side
:: Pittsburgh beats Tennessee – As an Alabama fan, I hate Tennessee
:: Florida beats Xavier – that one is for you Florida (and isnt DisneyWorld in Flordia? I love Disney)
:: UCLA beats Villanova – California comes into play again, but UCLA is know for its sports. (Right?)
:: Duke beats Texas – As a UNC fan, I hate Duke but know they are not half bad. Texas? They are toast.
:: NC beats LSU – Hello Tar heels!
:: Illinois beats Gonzaga – Who the heck is Gonzaga? Ive actucally heard of Illinois.
:: Syracuse beats Arizona State – Heard of Syracuse in the sports news a lot lately. Thats good enough for me.
:: Clemson beats Oklahoma – thats for you Scott.

Regional Semis (same as before, left top first)
:: Louisville to beat Wake – Yeah I took Wake out of the game early. Only can so much NC love.
:: Kansas to beat Boston – Come on, I picked Boston based on a 90s TV show. Go Kansas
:: Connecticut to beat Washington – This is just a shot in the dark. I like both these teams. They both have a good chance
:: California to beat Missouri – Come on, I know California isnt good as basketball but certainly better than Missouri

And time for the right side
:: Pittsburgh beats Florida – Ah I pretty much hate Flordia. Go Pittsburgh
:: Duke beats UCLA – Love UCLA but I know Duke can play a better ball game than UCLA. It hurts my little California soul to pick Duke (boooo) over them.
:: NC beats Illinois – That a pretty shade of Carolina blue.
:: Syracuse beats Clemson. Sorry Scott, Syracuse has been playing well, so says all the sweatshirts Ive been seeing lately.

Regional Finals
:: Kansas to beat Louisville – Just have a feeling that Kansas is gonna do well. I dont know what it is.
:: California to beat Connecticut – This California girl just cant let go.
:: Duke to beat Pittsburgh – I just want to see Duke and NC play.
:: NC to beat Illinois – Go Tar Heels!

And finally National Semis
:: Kansas beats California – I KNOW! I left go of my California guys.
:: North Carolina beats Duke – Oh yeah. Of course they will.

Who to win it all? Kansas vs Carolina? Of course Carolina. Im a Carolina girl.

3/16/2009

Rest to be a discipline to have a joyful soul?

Filed under: — alisa @ 10:19 am

Today is Monday and usually at this time on Mondays I would be taking a 10 minute break to have some oatmeal at Starbucks. Instead I just finished giving myself a homemade manicure (I got myself my very first one a couple weeks ago and want my nails to look that pretty again. Theres a reason they cost $12, I cant make my hands look that pretty. Im trying to talk myself out of the fact its worth $12… I havnt settled with that yet. I do blame you a little bit, Jenilee), drinking coffee and watching Ed. I just finished the cliffhanger where Denise walks out of Carol at the church, and crazy Jimmy the horse is so crazy Ed wasnt the one to break up the wedding even though that was the plan.

Plans. I had a great plan of a to-do list written nicely on an index card (hello, old friend, we havnt been spending much time with each other since the move. Im sorry about that, I will be better about that from now on) with what my plan of the morning before an odd afternoon shift at Starbucks. I still can get those things done with no problem (one of them was to do my nails, so, check). Though, when Im left with more time on my hands than simply getting ready and going, you’ll find me at 10am in my PJs and house shoes staring out the window. Im thinking about all sorts of things instead of carrying out the tasks on the index card. This morning its thoughts lent, friendships and why my coffee now suddenly smells like bacon when there is no bacon in the house (great, now I want bacon). I feel I “waste” a lot of time thinking with no record of it written down wether here or in my journal (when I need to keep secrets from Chaz (my computer)). As if I had my tangled thoughts written like a paper I can turn in “Heres what Ive been doing with my time! Im productive!” or something.

Durning my “review” at Westover John and I talked about how I need to learn how to rest. With my two jobs, my hours are so strange and I have one day off a week. After more than a year of doing this, I have gotten used to only a day off at week. Ive learned how not to rest it seems. Because even now with too much time on my hands before I have to be somewhere, part of my feels guilty. As if I should be using this time better in someway. I didnt lay hands or pray over my to-do list to see if that is what God wanted me to do this morning. Should I? Would that made me feel better about this morning? No, I dont think so. Durning his last days on this earth, Jesus went to be alone, away from His friends. He has spent the days before kinda making a big deal in the temple, being busy. He knew he had to rest before the big event that lay before him, the reason he came in the first place. Even Jesus knew the importance of resting, being alone with his thoughts and feelings. Sorting them out with the Father.

Now, Im dont have a great event coming up that Im preparing for (heck, Im going to the beach this upcoming weekend with our youth volunteers and Im so excited). Do we though as frail humans need to rest for the small things? For the things in life we find hard times finding joy in? I want to be more joyful, a lot of times I find it hard to be that way. I find joy in my coffee, green apple and swiss cheese breakfast. I wish Id find joy in small things such as God providing foods I enjoy a lot more often. I wish I wouldnt feel an once of guilt sitting here, but I do. Thankfully, I believe in a God who loves me despite all my doubts and lack of joy. I know its okay to be here, Him knowing my thoughts before I think them, and that brings comfort. Comfort that He is always there, even when I dont make the plans to rest in Him. That is something for me to find joy in, as I spent the rest of my day in tangled thoughts.

3/15/2009

sunday cupcakes

Filed under: — alisa @ 8:50 pm

Today I learned a very important lesson in baking and I am here to share it with you all. One of my high schoolers who family has “adopted” me, turned 17 today. He is a great kid who helps me with tech stuff and we have the bond of photography (he knows way more on the tech side than I). He got sick this weekend, and no one should be sick on their birthday or be without cake. I set out to make him some cupcakes and the two boxes of batter I had to pick from where red velvet and white. And here is the lesson, coming early in the story: red velvet is the devil. I mean really, its red for goodness sakes, of course its of the devil. I love the taste of red velvet cake, but making it so messy. Mike warned me of this, how red would get everywhere and stained my hands. I went out to prove him wrong, but my hands are currently spotted with pink remains from the batter. In trying to be even more careful to get it on anything, I think I made more of a mess than I normally would making cupcakes. These little devilcakes where topped with cheesecake frosting which made all the work worth it. I adore me some cheesecake frosting. From here on out, if I am in need of red velvet anything, I will not be the one to bake it. Its a southern treat anyhow and I am not a southern girl.

3/14/2009

In honors of my brother’s birthday

Filed under: — alisa @ 8:22 pm

You may or may not know that Ive been rewatching the delightful show called “Ed” thanks to Scott who put all the episodes on DVDs for me. So when my friend Justin suggested we go bowling today I was all about it. It was no Stuckeybowl by any means but it was a lot of fun.

Jenilee was the trash talker of the group. I cant remember the last time I went bowling, but Im pretty good at it at Wii sports. We should of known that the silent one, Justin, was the good bowler in the group. Durning game two, Jenilee and I put our scores together so that we could beat Justin (and it worked, but not by many points. The guy can bowl!)
justinalisajenilee
I was a little discourage that half way into our third (and last) game that I was the only one who had not gotten a strike. I mean come on! Im a Wii bowling pro! Then the bowling gods smiled upon me and I got a double strike! I must of gotten a bit too comfortable in my new found victory because I wasnt even close to getting that turkey.

After bowling we went for some coffee and good conversation, it was a great afternoon. ( See rest of the bowling photos on flickr. )

After bowling, Kari and I went to Old Navy with our crazy coupons for 30% which was crazy because they were already having a sale. And it was kinda crazy, people everywhere, it took us a while to wonder around finding things to try on. I ran into the Pell’s which I loved, because I love living in a town where I run into friends unexpectedly. John scolded me for looking at bathing suits which makes me laugh. So thats kinda crazy too right? Then as Kari and I were in line a really crazy amount of time a kid starting throwing up near the door. Oh yes you read that right, a child was throwing up in Old Navy! Her mother took her outside to let her throw up outside the store, the poor thing was so upset. Then, THEN the mother brought her back into the store. Apparently when your child is throwing up in Old Navy, you keep on shopping! The poor child had not finished and threw up more in the store. Crazy people in the world! Kari kindly shared her gum with myself and our cashier so we wouldnt have to smell the throw up. So much crazy at Old Navy!

In honor of my brother’s 24th birthday (what? I cant celebrate him in my own fun way such as bowling and shopping? I think I can! He didnt take me with him to Disneyland today!) I think there was a brightness in the nasty rain we had this Saturday. Happy birthday, Ken. Thanks for the excuse of bowling and shopping. :)

A cup, a cup, a cup ...

All the lonely people ...