miss america 2008

Miss America 2008
Originally uploaded by jennt9900

marcy and i got together to watch the miss american pageant a few weeks back. of course, the night wasn't complete without wearing a princess tiara!!!!

ok, so you had to be there, i guess.

annoying

it's an annoying kind of day when:

• your car is stuck in the snow from yesterday, requiring 4 maintenance men from the apartment complex to help get me out.
• my jeans were soaked because I had to climb my way through snow drifts.
• my pants keep falling down and the undies keep going up!

Another snow day!!

Ole Man winter dumped another 6-8 inches earlier today. our office closed early...WOOHOO!

I had plans to go to Ash Wednesday service tonight, but we cancelled that as well. I'm sure the good lord will understand that the health and safety of our church members is more important!

2 years ago today

Bill's Aunt Mary lost her battle with cancer. She was his godmother, his favorite aunt and I loved her too! At her funeral, they played "When I get where I'm Going" by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton. That song speaks to me everytime I hear it.

Like a sign from above, they played the song on the radio on my way home tonight.

Loving you and missing you Aunt Mary!

This is weird...:)

If You Were Slightly Different, Your Name Would Be:

Jessica

What Would Your Name Be If You Were Slightly Different?

Fat and Super Tuesday

Hmmm...ironic!?!

Musical Monday: May I have this Dance?

What was your theme song for your Senior Prom?

Wonderful Tonight, Class of 95 Senior Prom

Super Bowl 2008

Congrats to the Giants for their win! I have to say, I wasn't really into the game this year, but I did want the Patriots to lose only because I can't stand them and their perfect season.

Anyone else watch the game?

Gilmore Girls...

I now own seasons 4-6 on DVD...YEA!!!!

In the spirit of that...here are some funny quotes...

Lorelai - Tell me something happy.
Sookie - I can't make the strawberry shortcake!
Lorelai - Wow you suck at this game!


Rory: CHINESE!! GO. ORDER. NOW!!
Lorelai: Right!! No time for full sentences!!


LORELAI: Enjoy Wisteria Lane, you major drama queen!


Lorelai: There goes my little girl, off to rule the world!
Rory: Paris will be ruling the world, I will be holding the keys.
Lorelai: Wow, you're pretty, you're smart. Now all you need as a drunken relative behind the scenes embarrassing you with every move they make.
Rory: Will you get on that?
Lorelai: I'm two steps ahead of you.


Lorelai: Hey, I have kind of a crazy idea.
Rory: Those are never comforting words coming from you.

Applebees...Love the Food, Hate the Carside to Go idea

Because it doesn't work!!

Since I have been feeling so crappy this week, cooking was just not in our cards tonight. So, since Applebees has WW menu, I decided we should do that for dinner. Placed the order over the phone and made my way over there. First off, some MORON parked in the Carside parking only and went inside to eat...then I waited some 15 minutes before I headed inside to find out where my food was. Told the immature high schoolers what my situation was and they just chuckled. I should have asked for the manager right then and there.

Got home and they messed up Bill's order completely...UGH. He ended up calling back to the restaurant and they re-did his meal at no charge plus gave us $10 off for the next time we dine in the restaurant. Yea, we won't be going to that one!

Slogan Generator

Found this on Lisa's blog...thought it was cute!

The Coolest Jenn on Ice.

Enter a word for your own slogan:

Generated by the Advertising Slogan Generator, for all your slogan needs. Get more Jenn slogans.

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Jenn.

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Generated by the Advertising Slogan Generator, for all your slogan needs. Get more Jenn slogans.

You Can't Top a Jenn.

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Generated by the Advertising Slogan Generator, for all your slogan needs. Get more Jenn slogans.

Don't Leave Home Without Jenn.

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Home once again...

Went back to the doctor this morning because my eye is still really swollen. Turns out, I'm allergic to the eyedrops. FAN-FLIPPIN-TASTIC!! So, I'm on new meds, including an oral antibotic. Yuck!

And it looks as if we'll have a snow day tomorrow too!

Still sick

but I went back to work today. then came home and slept for almost 2 hours. LOL

My eye still hurts and it's swollen...grr..

The Game Plan

watched this movie today...very cute!! :) the little girl and the ROCK...mmm good.

cute line...

Peyton Kelly: My mom says that she fell in love with you because you played guitar and you sounded like Elvis.
Joe Kingman: Really? [Elvis voice]
Joe Kingman: Well what do you think?
Peyton Kelly: I think my mom was tone deaf and you sound more like an injured moose.

Musical Monday: The Day you were Born

You light up my Life - Debbie Boone

I'm 30 years old

and I am home sick with pink eye.


THIS BITES!

I've had a cold for the last week and apparently I caught it in addition to my code. I've already washed all sheets and I will be sleeping out on the couch tonight, so I don't pass it on to dh. Called everyone who I have been in contact with...but this sucks!

Jenn

Week 3 Weign In...

Another 3.5 lbs lost...bringing my total to 7.5 lbs in 3 weeks!

We had dinner with my SIL tonight...she has a stability ball...must get one of these! I sat on while watching TV and you can totally feel it working your core muscles and calves and thighs!!

There she is....

Miss America!!

Now that the song is in your head, I watched the Miss American pagent tonight. My friend Marcy and I got together to watch it and well...um...make fun of the contestants. LOL

Congrats to Miss Michigan!

And may we all wish for world peace!

This would be something my nephews would do...

What kind of donut are you?

You Are a Glazed Donut

Okay, you know that you're plain - and you're cool with that. You prefer not to let anything distract from your sweetness. Your appeal is understated yet universal. Everyone dig you. And in a pinch, you'll probably get eaten.

What Donut Are You?

Schaumburg, IL

where i live now!!

Schaumburg is a village in Cook County and DuPage County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 75,386. As of 2005, the population slightly dropped to 72,690 according to the Census Bureau. A special census conducted by Schaumburg in 2007 shows it had actually increased to 75,936.[1]
The village has the headquarters of Motorola. One of only two IKEA stores in Illinois is in Schaumburg. It contains the Woodfield Mall, one of the largest malls in America in terms of shopping area [2]. The village is also the home of the Schaumburg Flyers, a Northern League baseball team whose ballpark, Alexian Field, is located near the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. Schaumburg's transition from a rural community to that of a suburban metropolis began with Alfred Campanelli's first large scale suburban-style development in 1959 and Woodfield Mall's opening on September 9, 1971.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 19.1 square miles (49.5 km²), of which, 19.0 square miles (49.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.63%) is water.

History
19th century
The Village of Schaumburg was incorporated on March 7, 1956, but the heritage of Schaumburg dates back to much earlier times when the first inhabitants of the area were members of the Sauk, Fox, Pottawatomie, and Kickapoo Native American tribes. By the mid-nineteenth century, settlers first began to arrive from Germany and the eastern United States.
Legend has it that one of the earliest settler was Trumball Kent from Oswego, New York. Kent, a "Yankee," as settlers from New England were called in the west, farmed property in the northeast corner of the township. Another Yankee was Hoarace Williams, who owned substantial lands but lived in the hamlet of Palatine in Palatine Township. Ernst Schween settled in 1835 not far from what is now called Olde Schaumburg Centre, in what was then and is now known as Sarah's Grove. Another early settler in Schaumburg Township was German born Johann Sunderlage. According to one legend, Sunderlage was a member of a survey team that divided Cook County into townships around 1833 or according to another legend, worked on a survey team on the Joliet canal. He liked the area so much that, upon completion of the project, he returned to Europe and brought his family and friends from Germany and settled in the area now known as Hoffman Estates in Schaumburg Township around 1836. His home still stands in its original location.
Sunderlage and his family occupied their land in the Township until the federal land sale of 1842 allowed them to purchase the property and obtain the deed. Sunderlage and Kent represented the predominant groups that settled Schaumburg Township in its early days. In 1840, 56 percent of the Township households originated from the eastern United States, while 28 percent were German-born. By the 1850s, the population mix had settled to 28 percent “Yankee” and 48 percent German.
By 1870, Schaumburg Township had become completely German. Land records show that most of the property in the Township was owned by German immigrants or their descendants. This pattern emerged as many Yankee 'settlers' continued to travel west for the promise of newly opened lands on the Great Plains. The land they owned in Schaumburg was then purchased by German-born immigrants.
Schaumburg Township remained almost exclusively under German ownership until the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Depression caused the foreclosure on some German-owned farms which were then purchased by non-German individuals and companies. Nonetheless, German heritage remained important in the area. German was the first language of the majority of households until the 1950s.
St. Peter Lutheran Church, the community's oldest church held services in German as late as 1970. The church remains as a museum, as does the second church of this congregation. Services were first held at the Rohlwing-Fenz store at the Southwest corner of the intersection of Schaumburg Road and Roselle Road until their first church building was completed in 1847. The pastor was Francis Hoffman, who walked from the Bensenville area to hold services in Schaumburg. He was later to become a Lieutenant Governor in Illinois and when he retired from the ministry, moved to Wisconsin where he operated an experimental farm and was editor of a German Language Newspaper addressing the issues of farming. Other names, dating from the 1840s were: Quindel, Winkelhake, Moeller, Fenz, Kastning, Lichthardt, Meyer, Rohlwing, Thies Scheiderling and Freise.
Schaumburg Township was originally known as Sarah's Grove. This name was derived from a grove of woods that ran through the northwest portion of the Township, which was named for three young women whose families lived adjacent to the grove: Sarah McChesney, Sarah Frisbe, and Sarah Smith. However, the name was never made official and the family names have yet to be accounted for in any documentation. Until 1851, the area's official name was Township 41. At the 1850 Township meeting, residents discussed two names for the Township; Lutherville and Lutherburg. In the middle of the discussion Frederick Nerge, a prominent German landowner, put his fist down on the table and called out, "Schaumburg schall es heisen!" (It will be called Schaumburg!). With this statement, a consensus was reached on the Township's official name.
This chosen name derived from Schaumburg-Lippe, the part of Germany where many of the Township's residents originated. The majority of German settlers were from the Hesse-Kassel or Hanover districts, but apparently those from the Schaumburg area had more influence in the community's affairs.
Schaumburg Township prospered during its early days. The area's main occupation was farming, with potato growing, dairy products and raising cattle as main sources of income. The land was a very large meadow surrounded by extensive wilderness. Wildlife such as geese, ducks, quail, prairie chickens, rabbits, pheasant and deer were very abundant.
In 1858, a small market area emerged at what is now the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. Schaumburg Centre functioned as the central service district for the surrounding agricultural producers. It included two general stores, four cheese factories, a cobbler, a tailor, a wagon maker, and a blacksmith.
Most of the early growth in the Northeast region of Illinois occurred along the Fox River Valley and the major rail lines. Since neither of these transportation networks served Schaumburg Township, the Township remained rather isolated. Few roads existed, and several were often impassable. To reach the market, Schaumburg farmers had to travel 27 miles (43 km) by oxen or horses to Chicago, which only had about 35,000 inhabitants at that time.

20th century
In 1900, during a period of German nationalism, a 50 year anniversary brochure reported the following account: "Schaumburg has, as an important 'English daily newspaper' said: 'The reputation of being the model community of Cook County. Also, the town of Schaumburg is an example of a community for all other towns in Cook County and probably in other counties, too. Schaumburg is prompt in the payment of its taxes; it supports churches and schools; it has also the best roads in the land and - Schaumburg has never had a jail.' Finally, it is not just for the settlers only, but also for foreigners."
In 1925, O. D. Jennings, the founder of what was once one of the largest manufacturers of slot machines in the United States, purchased a house in the village. It would be his and his wife's home until his death in 1953. On the death of his widow, the house and its surrounding park lands were denoted to the village, and used as the Village Hall until 1971.
This isolation was broken, however, as the automobile became the primary means of transportation. Two projects, the expansion of O'Hare Field into a major international airport in 1955 and the construction of the Northwest Tollway through the farmlands in 1956, and the presence of technical and business people at Pure Oil Company put Schaumburg in an ideal location for suburban growth. In response to development pressures, the area encompassing what was known as Schaumburg Centre, was incorporated in 1956. At the time of incorporation, the Village consisted of two square miles and a population of 130 residents.
Incorporation enabled the village to control its growth and development. Early village leaders are credited with the foresight and planning that has made later economic growth possible. The original comprehensive plan adopted by the Village Board in 1961, reserved large tracts of land for industrial, commercial, and office development. Growth in these sectors has made the village a major area employer and the State's second largest retail center.
Schaumburg's expansion during the 1960s changed the character of the community dramatically. Schaumburg was no longer a quiet rural community. In 1959, Alfred Campanelli began construction of the first large residential subdivision in the Village, known as Weathersfield. The subdivision now contains several thousand single-family homes built in 22 stages over two decades. In all, Campanelli constructed over 6,800 housing units or approximately 20% of the Village's housing stock. In 1967, the International Village apartment complex opened as Schaumburg's first multiple-family housing development. The following year, Motorola began to construct its corporate headquarters in the community on a site located adjacent to the Northwest Tollway.
During this time, country singer Bob Atcher ("You Are My Sunshine"), who had become known on the old WLS Barn Dance, became Schaumburg village president. He held that position until 1975.
The 1970s saw a continuation of the tremendous growth that took place in the previous decade. By 1970, the village population had grown to 18,730. That same year, a second expressway, Interstate 290, opened on the eastern boundary of the village. This provided another link to Chicago and further enhanced its stature in the eyes of the region's many developers. The following year, Woodfield Mall shopping center opened in Schaumburg. During the remainder of the decade, Schaumburg experienced phenomenal commercial, office, industrial and residential development.
In 1978, the Village Board formally established the Olde Schaumburg Centre Overlay District to preserve the character of the area generally located at the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads. The Olde Schaumburg Centre Commission, also established in 1978, reviews new development and restoration projects in the District to ensure the continued historic appeal of the area.
By 1980, Schaumburg had expanded to 18.3 square miles (47.4 km²) of land area, and its population had swelled to 53,305 residents. During the early and mid 1980s, development focused on large corporate office buildings and the emerging Woodfield Regional Center along Golf Road. The late 1980s was characterized by the vast expansion of small manufacturing and warehouse uses in the industrial and business parks in the village's northeast and southwest quadrants. Other development such as large manufacturing facilities, commercial retail centers, and large suite hotels boomed in the 1980s. Schaumburg was profiled in Joel Garreau's 1991 book, Edge City, as a suburb conforming to a new form of urban development in which large concentrations of jobs exist, though outside the traditional downtown city centers.
By 1990, Schaumburg's population was increasing at a slower rate as land available for residential development was rapidly disappearing. The population in 1990 had risen to 68,586, an increase in 15,281 persons since 1980. Although this was still an impressive growth rate, it was apparent Schaumburg was nearing residential build-out and that future increases would be diminishing.
Office development in the 1990s had also slowed. The once booming office market slumped due to the large supply of office space in the northwest suburbs and the limited demand by typical users in the financial, insurance, and real estate sectors. Yet, the Schaumburg commercial market enjoyed substantial expansion during this period. Since 1990, Schaumburg has witnessed the development of 2.0 million square feet (180,000 m²) of commercial space including a variety of retail uses. One Schaumburg Place, now known as Streets of Woodfield after being redeveloped, and Woodfield Village Green were built in the early 1990s. A bright future was also reflected by the Woodfield Mall expansion which included approximately 500,000 square feet (50,000 m²) of commercial space to accommodate Nordstrom department store and several other retail stores. IKEA, an internationally known home furnishings store, opened a 458,000-square-foot (42,500 m²) facility in the Woodfield Regional Center in the late 1990s.
The mid 1990s also experienced an influx of retail food establishments. Pizzeria Uno, Outback Steakhouse, Chevy's, Boston Market, Champps, Chandlers, Hooters, Rainforest Cafe, Joe's Crab Shack and Maggiano's all opened in the village during this time.
In the fall of 1993, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway opened. This expressway connects Schaumburg to neighboring communities to the southwest and Interstate 290 to the southeast. It also provides convenient access to Spectrum Industrial Park and the nearby Schaumburg Regional Airport, which the village purchased in 1994 and expanded in 1995.
The village finalized the purchase of the Town Square shopping center in 1995, clearing the way for the complete redevelopment of the property. The 27 acre site at the southwest corner of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads has been transformed into a diverse development offering a few stores including Dominicks, the township library, restaurants, general retail development, and a public amphitheater. The new development was designed to respect the historic character of the Olde Schaumburg Centre, providing late 19th century and early 20th century architectural design and a park to entice residents to casually walk the area and stop at the various establishments.
Minor league baseball came to the village in the spring of 1999. Alexian Field, the 7,000 seat baseball stadium, was built in partnership with the Schaumburg Park District just north of the commuter rail facility. Alexian Field acts as home to the Schaumburg Flyers, a member of the independent Northern League.
[edit] 21st century
In 2000, the village purchased 45 acres of land at the northeast corner of Interstate 90 (Northwest Tollway) and Meacham Road. The purchase was made to reserve the last large parcel of property for possible use as a convention center, hotel, and performing arts center. Schaumburg has been working for over 15 years to bring a convention center to the village that would bring new jobs, new visitors, and significant new economic activity.
In July 2004 a groundbreaking was held for the Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center and Hotel on a 45 acre site at Meacham Road and I-90. The showpiece of Schaumburg, this new hotel/convention center propels the Village of Schaumburg into a new realm of commerce and tourism. This mixed-use complex opened on July 29, 2006 and incorporates a convention center with over 100,000 sq ft (10,000 m²) of exhibition space and a 500-room hotel. Guests are expected to enjoy a high level of personal service and amenities including a business center, health club, pool and whirlpool/spa, fine dining and a 15th floor penthouse level executive club with an outdoor terrace. The design is under the direction of John Portman & Associates, known for its vision, creativity and understanding of the human response to space, nature, and light.
As Schaumburg reaches the 50th anniversary of its incorporation, continued expansion is expected albeit at a slower rate than in years past. With a population of 75,386 in 2000, minimal residential growth both in the single-family and multiple-family market is expected as little residential land remains. Office development activity in the Woodfield Regional Center began to increase in 1997 after almost a decade of absorption. Nearly 2 million square feet (180,000 m²) of office space has been added to the Woodfield Regional Center in the last five years. Industrial development has remained steady throughout the 1990s with activity increasing in 1996 and 1997 during a period of economic boom. The majority of industrial development is expected to occur in the Spectrum Industrial Park, Woodfield Business Center and Copley Center. Finally, future redevelopment should also occur around the proposed Suburban Transit Access Route (Metra) transit stop, proposed to be located south the Walden International PUD and north of IKEA and Windy Point Office Park along the Northwest Tollway.

Champaign, IL

Following up on Jess's idea...here is some info about the town I was born and raised in.

Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located 135 miles south of Chicago and 124 miles west of Indianapolis, Indiana. Though in many respects Champaign is still a farm community, it is notable for sharing the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with its sibling city of Urbana. Thanks to the university and a number of well known technology startups (see below), Champaign is often referred to as the hub of, or at least a significant landmark of, the Silicon Prairie.
As reported in the 2000 U.S. Census, the city was home to 67,518 people. The city held a special census in 2007 that showed that its population had grown to 75,254.[1] The mayor is Gerald Schweighart, whose term will expire in 2011.
Champaign was founded in 1855, when the Illinois Central Railroad laid its rail track two miles west of downtown Urbana. Originally called "West Urbana," it was renamed Champaign when it acquired a city charter in 1860. Both the city and county name were derived from Champaign County, Ohio.
On September 22, 1985, Champaign hosted the first Farm Aid concert at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium. The concert drew a crowd of 80,000 people and raised over $7 million for American family farmers.
In 2005, Champaign-Urbana (specifically the University of Illinois) was the location of the National Science Olympiad Tournament, attracting young scientists from all 50 states. The city also hosts the state Science Olympiad competition every year. The University of Illinois is next expected to host the National competition in 2010.
[edit]
Famous people from Champaign
Bonnie Blair, olympic gold-medalist speed skater
Bob Richards, olympic gold-medalist pole vaulter
Bill Geist, CBS News correspondent
Matt Herges, major league pitcher
Michael H. Kenyon, nicknamed the "Enema Bandit"
Alison Krauss, bluegrass singer
Ludacris (Christopher Bridges), rapper
Vashti McCollum won a U.S. Supreme Court case against religious teaching in public schools; her son Dannel would later be a mayor for Champaign three terms
Poster Children, rock group
Jerry Sanders Founder and former CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) W. J. (Jerry) Sanders, graduated from the U of I's Electrical Engineering Department (now Electrical and Computer Engineering Department) in 1958.
Lewis Hastings Sarett, inventor of synthetic cortisone
REO Speedwagon, rock group
James Tobin, laureate of the Nobel prize in economics(1981)
George Will, political columnist
Col. Lee Archambault, Astronaut (University of Illinois)
Commander Scott Altman, Astronaut (University of Illinois)
Jimmy John (Founder of restaurant Jimmy John's)
Starcastle, rock group
Hum, space rock/alternative rock group

Hey there Delilah

I love this song! I never knew that it was written specifically about a girl named Delilah.



From the TODAY show.....
"As a nationally ranked runner and an Olympic hopeful, Delilah DiCrescenzo is used to being chased — but by other athletes, not by pop singers from Chicago. But, she said on Wednesday, she doesn’t mind the attention the chase has brought her. “What I really hope through all of this is that it spotlights track and field, and it gives the sport a face, which is really important to us athletes in an Olympic year,” the woman who inspired Song of the Year nominee “Hey There Delilah” told TODAY co-hosts Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer on Wednesday.
It’s been a long chase both for her and for Tom Higgenson, lead singer for the Plain White T’s, who wrote the song five years ago after being introduced to DiCrescenzo by a friend. Higgenson was smitten and even though she had a boyfriend, he told her he was going to write a song about her.
“I thought he was just being flirtatious and leading me along,” the 24-year-old athlete told Lauer and Vieira. “I had a boyfriend at the time, so I really didn’t believe him.”
Higgenson and his band played the song for years at club dates and concerts, and it became a favorite with their fans. But it wasn’t until last summer that it broke out into the mainstream and began climbing the charts until it was the nation’s top single. That was when Higgenson performed the song on TODAY and told Ann Curry the story of unrequited love that had inspired it.
DiCrescenzo, meanwhile, remained all but anonymous. A graduate of Columbia University, she had returned to her native Chicago to work. A good but not great runner in high school and college, she gave the 3,000-meter steeplechase a try in 2006 and found that she was good enough in the grueling race to think about trying to make the Olympic team this year. To pursue that dream, she moved to Conshohocken, Pa., where she trains full-time while working as an assistant track and cross-country coach at Bryn Mawr.
She kept casually in touch with Higgenson, mostly through e-mails and instant messages. When the song was nominated for a Grammy as Song of the Year, he called and invited her to come to the Feb. 11 ceremony with him. With her boyfriend’s blessing, she accepted and found herself in the spotlight.
She said it’s something of a relief to go public with her identity and to clear up any confusion about her role in a love song whose lyrics seem unequivocal:
Hey there Delilah, I’ve got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away, I’d write it all
Even more in love with me you’d fall, we’d have it all.
“I knew it was fictionalized, and I’m glad that I finally get the opportunity to say I do have a boyfriend and it is romanticized,” she said. “The song means so much to so many different people. I’m just happy that it’s had so much success, and I don’t mind playing along with it.”
Her boyfriend, who did have bouts of jealousy when the song came out, is also relieved. “He’s a lot happier now that I get a chance to clear up the confusion,” she said. “He’s been a good sport through the whole thing.”
She hasn’t gotten a dress for the occasion yet. “I’ve been concentrating on my training for the Olympics,” she admitted. Her event, the steeplechase, is contested over hurdles and a water hazard. For the first time at this year’s Olympics, it will be run by women as well as by men, and DiCrescenzo will compete in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June. The top three finishers at the trials will go to Beijing in August.
Asked by Lauer which would be more exciting, seeing Higgenson win the Grammy or making the Olympic team, DiCrescenzo chose to be diplomatic.
“I want both,” she said.

What kind of cookie are you?

In memory of a great man...

Today, we celebrate this man with either a day off of school or work, no mail, and no banks. I'm attaching the speech that we all associate with him. We have come along way since this speech, but we still have so much more to go!

music man

probably one of my favorites...this is from the 2003 version with matthew broderick and kristen chenoweth...love this scene!!

Weigh In...week 2

Still a loss, but not as much as I would have liked. But like I said...a loss is a loss!

0.6 lbs, which brings me to 4 lbs total! I talked with the people there and got some ideas from my sister, so I just need to work on those for next week! :)

Since I did have a loss, I treated myself to a cinnamon melt and a yogurt parfait! First time to McDonalds in almost 2.5 weeks! :-) The cinnamon melt was a splurge but the parfait wasn't too bad at only 3 points. Plus, I got some dairy and fruit out of the deal!

TGIF!

The title says it all...this week has been CRAZY!!!

This weekend is a three day weekend thanks to Martin Luther King! Tomorrow, I have my WW meeting, which I'm a little nervous about...I hope to see a loss. A few times this week, I was under my points for the day, but I wasn't hungry. I'm going to have to ask about that. Then, I was eating, but it was late at night. The next morning, I felt like crud.

After the meeting, I'm heading to my sisters and will be having a sleepover with the nephews! :) My sister has a girls night out and my bil is working until Sunday morning.

I'll try and update what I hear from Weight Watchers!

What Uncommon Name?

Your Uncommon Name Is:

Kanesha Sparkle Goods

What Very Uncommon Name Should You Have?

Oh, the Places I've Been....

Borrowing an idea from Jess, thought I would put my list together of where I have lived throughout my life. I'm not as traveled as she is though...I've never left the state of Illinois!

1. Champaign, IL - I was born there in 1977 and lived there until we moved in 1989.
2. Schaumburg, IL - moved there in 1989 and lived there until Bill and I were engaged. We got an apartment about 6 months before we were married in 2000.
3. Rock Island, IL - lived there between 1995 and 1999, while I attended Augustana College.
4. Plainfield, IL - First place where Bill and I lived. Were there from 2000-2003.
5. Oswego, IL - Moved there in 2003 and stayed there until we moved in 2006.
6. Schaumburg, IL - Moved back to our hometown. We both grew up in Schaumburg so it was nice to be back home.

Random Questions

What is the highest and lowest that you typically will set your heat at in your home?

During the winter, we keep the heat anywhere from 65-68. It may seem cold to others, but being in a third floor apartment, the hot air rises from the other two floors. I also love the feeling of being a little chilly and cozing up with a blanket (and dh of course)

During the summer, we keep it cool as well. I can’t stand being hot or overheated!

How much do you typically spend on groceries per week?
I’d say about $50 a week, but it depends. We just shop a little bit here and there…so it’s hard to add up.

What is your favorite kind of bread? Do you eat the ends/heels of a loaf of bread? Or do you toss them?

My new favorite is Weight Watchers 100% Wheat Bread! LOL Normally, we just go for the generic brand at whatever store we are at.

Are you hoping to have any more children? Or for those of you who haven't had a child yet, are you hoping to start a family soon?

I can honestly say that my answer changes from day to day on this one. I love kids and I want to have children, but, dh and I are still pretty selfish and we still struggle with just the two of us. I don’t know if adding kids into the mix is a good thing at this point...but ask me tomorrow! 

Have you read anything good lately? I'm always on the hunt for a good book to read.
I don’t read as much as I should. It’s not that I hate to read, I just don’t make the time for it. And when I do read, I either fall asleep in 5 minutes or I stay up TOO late because I can’t put it down.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who are always complaining, but not willing to change their lives or situations.

Have you ever bought something from the Home Shopping Network, or the like?
I think I’ve bought scrapbooking stuff and I also bought the Tae-Bo videos way back when.

Do you prefer paper or plastic bags at the grocery store? Why?

I tend to prefer paper, but mostly end up with plastic. We end up resuing them for the garbage can in the bathroom or carrying our lunch “stuff” in.

In honor of a good friend....

a little men bashing for the day!

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth - at least that's what they say - he created the birds of the air and the beasts of the field and he looked at his creation and he saw that it was good...
and then God created man and it's been downhill ever since.
Dr. Miranda Bailey
Grey’s Anatomy

new favorite song

well, new to me...LOVE IT!!

thank goodness it's temporary...

but dh is working the third shift over the next few nights...HATE sleeping by myself...UGH!

another lazy day

haven't had one in awhile and this one felt good. i had church in the morning, with our handbell choir performing. both groups did REALLY well!

our new organ ROCKS...i could have listened to it for hours! especially since the guy who was playing it just is a wonderful musician as well! (also not bad on the eyes as well)...too bad he's gay :-( lol

so yea, our church is an open and affirming church, we means, we basically accept all who come through our door. we have several members of the gay community (couples and singles) as well as a few members of the transgender population. still not 100% comfortable with the whole transgender way of life, but the people who we have are amazing, so it's good.

sorry...rambled there for a sec.

ugh...i need another day off! lol

lazy saturday...

i had these aspirations this morning to get so much done...and........


i didn't do a damn thing!

I had my first WW weigh-in...I lost 3.5 lbs! I had planned on going into to work, but chose to come home and be a couch potatoe. Watched a chick flick and napped...just started a load of laundry for tomorrow...

i may try the working thing again tomorrow...we'll see!

TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday.

This week was weird and long...probably because it's the first full week after the holidays.

Nothing big going on this weekend...just relaxing! Going to my second meeting tomorrow at WW and I'm hoping to see a loss!! I've been really good about my points this week!

Have a good weekend everyone!!

A new blog

Of course I'm still going to keep this one, but come on join me on my weight loss blog.

Last Saturday, I joined Weight Watchers. Several friends and family have had success on this and it's about time I start myself!

I Rule!

To quote my brother-in-law...lol

Why do you ask...well, i'll tell you!

last night, we had a "oh so fun" church meeting. we've been dancing around a particular issue for two months and we are getting no where quickly. our pastor majorly lacks leadership skills...she likes to "major in the minors". it's been very frustrating and the negativity in that church is at an all time high.

so, this meeting started out the same discussion...finally, i had the nerve to speak up and guess what....WE MADE PROGRESS!!

One of the ladies told me last night "you are your parent's daughter".

once again, say it with me now...i rule!

scrapbook goals for this year

i'm the nerd who sets goals for how many pages I want to create this year as well as books i would like to work on...so here goes for 2008 (5 years since I started scrapping by the way!)

*Finish 2006 scrapbook (almost done...just a few pages left and need to organize)
*Finish 2007 scrapbook (still have about 20-25 pages left for this book)
*Complete Gansch Family Reunion scrapbook (we've done a family reunion on gma's side of the family since 1987...Gma had everything in photo albums, including the magnetic albums (shudders)...want to get that into a book for all to share!
*Start on work on scrapbook from birth-high school.
*Re-do Disney Honeymoon Album (this was one of my first books...VERY basic and they have come out with cool stuff since!)
*Make a book for Bill and his sister with their family pictures

My page goal for 2008 is 150 pages...I've already done 35!!

Quotes from favorite TV Shows...

I also have Facebook and they have fan pages with quotes and trivia...thought I would share some favs of mine...

Gilmore Girls
Rory: Hey, who are the rosary beads for?
Lorelai: They're mine.
Rory: What do you need rosary beads for?
Lorelai: They're cute.
Rory: They're for prayer.
Lorelai: Well, pray they match my blue suit?
Rory: They have just upgraded you to a queen-size bed, Jacuzzi tub, junior suite in hell!

7th Heaven
Matt: What's wrong with Luce?
Mary: God hates her.
Matt: Still? You'd think after 13 years he'd move on to someone else.”

Grey's Anatomy
Meredith: "O,o on the table keep me draped, too many people have seen me naked already. I'd like to keep whatever dignity i have left. McSteamy, MCSTEAMY! Whohu!"
Mark: "O, so thats what your callen me now, McSteamy."
Meredith: "Yeaaa, but i don't think your suppose to know that!"
Mark: "Hows my favorite dirty mistress?"
Meredith: "Haven't you herd now, Im an adulterous whore."

is it january....

or is it april?!?!?!

today, we hit temps in the 50's or 60's...the snow that we had on the ground from Monday and Tuesday....gone. Below zero temps and windchills...gone. That part I'm ok with, but I miss the snow....only because the ground is muddy and disgusting. Throw in a cloudy day and i just want to be a couch potato!!

I need another weekend!!

Because the other got away from me!

Yesterday was a scrapbook day (which I needed)...thanks to DH for "letting" me go. Not that he wouldn't let me, but he knows that I enjoy it and he supports me, so it's all good!

Today was church, which started our new schedule. afterwards, came home and had lunch and a quick nap (it felt like 5 minutes). Then, we headed over for an engagement dinner with Melissa and her fiancee and the meeting of the families! It was a nice evening. Mel and Kev are buying a house just down the street from us, so YEA, they will be close!

time for bed...work tomorrow...blech

already on a roll with my scrapbooks

5 days into 2008 and i have completed 35 pages!! WOW.

The first 20 pages were an 8x8 for my SIL. Late Christmas gift for a scrapbook of her pets! She's had a collection of cats and dogs over the years...so this will be a place for her to put the pictures in!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrappyjenn/sets/72157603624817660/

This evening, i went to a crop at archivers and got another 15 pages done!! WOOHOO!

Day One...

Of Weight Watchers. I tried doing it online last spring/summer after seeing my sister's results...but no luck. I need to face the music and go into the meetings. Also, I signed up for Discovery Health's National Body Challenge which equals a free eight week membership to Bally's Total Health!

I'm just hoping for a healthier me! I'd like to see me under 200 lbs, but one day at a time!

What's Your Name Hidden Meaning?

What Jenn Means

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Season of Joy

Picture taken of our advent candle at church...pink one stands for Joy!

100 Things About me...Part 1

Items 1-20

1) I was born in 1977. 2) I started playing piano when I was 6 years old, I had to be just like my big sister. LOL 3) I broke my collar bone when I was 3 years old...fell down my grandparent's stairs...parents did not notice right away. 4) In 7th grade, got my hair cut REALLY short (too short for my liking) and was called Doogie Hoswer all year :-( 5) Started playing flute in the 5th grade ( and still play on occasion) 6) Changed my major the summer before my senior year in college and still managed to graduate in 4 years. 7) Although DH and I only dated 10 months before getting engaged, we'd known each other since 7th grade.  Went to junior high and high school together and were in band all those years.  Our senior year, we hung out together for a day while @ Disney.  Everyone thought that we were dating (which was MAJOR drama because I had a boyfriend back home...LOL).  8) We were married on the same day as my great-grandparents.  Gma's parents were married on September 9, 1916.  We didn't know this until we set the date. 9) Wanted to be a nurse and art teacher when I was in kindegarten.  Problem now is that I faint at the sight of blood and I can't draw worth a crap. 10) Started gymnastics when I was 7...secretly wished I would have kept going once we moved. 11) Found a $20 bill in a McDonald's bathroom when I was 12.  We were on our way out of town and I stopped in the bathroom before my left.  Looked down and saw it...yea, I took it! :) 12) Belong to a wonderful church family that is open and affirming.  We have several same sex couples and a few members that are transgender.  Although it was something new and different to get used to, they are all awesome people and I enjoy worshipping with them! 13)  In college, was in a service fraternity (Alpha Phil Omega) and a music sorority (Sigma Alpha Iota).  My sister also was a member of SAI at northwestern. 14)  Would run away with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney in a HEARTBEAT if they ever came to my door.  OMG, what I would do with those boys. :-)   And yes, Bill is aware of my love for them...lol 15) Secretly wish that I could have been a cheerleader and an ice-skater. 16) I very badly want to be thinner and healthier. 17) I love to work on my scrapbooks.  I started 5 years ago, and I am hooked!   18) My sophomore year in high school, our band got to play for President Bush (the father).  It was the year of the election ('92) and he was coming to the headquarters of Motorola (which is in Schaumburg).  We are the only high school in Schaumburg, so we were asked to play for his visit!  IT was SOOOOOOOO cool!  The secret service dogs had to inspect all of our instruments and we really had to be on our best behavior. LOL He ended up loosing the election that year to Clinton.  Our principal said his not getting into office had nothing to do with our playing! LOL Smart ass... 19) I play in our handbell choir, play flute, played oboe and enjoy singing in the church choir. 20) I am the Sunday School Coordinator at my church in Streamwood.

1 post down...365 to go...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hope the start of 2008 has been good to all of you so far and that everyone had a nice NYE.

Two of my friends came over for a night of ice cream and alcohol...yea, don't ask about the combo, we didn't do it at the same time! :) Hubs went to bed early, as he had to work this a.m. at 6...yuck.

just relaxing in front of the fire watching the rose bowl! GO ILLINI!!

In 2008, be it resolved to...

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should *not* be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, 'WOO HOO what a ride!'"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

another pic

with nana and her grandbaby

ABC Fun

Found this on Sarah's blog from a few years ago...

A is for age: 30 (gulp)
B is for birthday: October 15
C is for career: Customer Service for a test publishing company
D is for your dad's name: David
E is for essential items to bring to a party: Camera
F is for favorite song at the moment: Home by Daughtry
G is for favorite game: Apples to Apples
H is for hometown: Schaumburg
I is for instruments you play: flute, piano, oboe and handbells
J is for jam or jelly you like: strawberry or grape
K is for kids: no kiddos yet...but i like connor for a boy and liliana for a girl
L is for living arrangements: apartment with hubby
M is for mom's name: Nancy
N is for name of your crush: Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Ty Pennington
O is for overnight hospital stays: for my thyroid removal and follow up radiation treatment
P is for phobias: Bugs!
Q is for quotes you like: We put the fun in disfunctional!
R is for relationship that lasted the longest: Husband, married for a little over 7, together for almost 10 and have known each other for almost 18 years!
Best friends w/April since we were in kindegarten
S is for sexual preference: I'll take anything ;)
T is for time you wake up: between 6-7am
U is for underwear: Yes, i wear underwears!
V is for vegetable you love: Broccoli w/cheese
W is for weekend plans: celebrating mil's and gmas birthdays
X is for x-rays you've had: teeth (a couple times) and chest (during surgery)
Y is for yummy food you make: fudge, fruit pizza
Z is for zodiac sign: Libra

Busy weekend

Tomorrow, we are heading out to the inlaws to celebrate mil's birthday. Then, we're heading back towards home and going out to dinner with grandma and the family. Grandma is 90 on Sunday...so it's dinner tomorrow night and church on Sunday. We'll have cake and coffee after church on Sunday!

Then, a half day at work on Monday and it's partying for New year's with my friends marcy and nancy. Dh is going to cook us spaghetti!! I'm looking foward to it!!!

Crockpot Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

6 cups apples, sliced
4-6 ounces 100% apple juice
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup dry quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole-wheat flour
4 tablespoons trans-fat free butter spread
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 cup chopped toffee bits


Directions:
Combine apples and apple juice in crockpot sprayed with non-fat cooking spray. Use a teaspoon to spoon peanut butter over apples. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours

Picture fun...Part 2!

here's one of my cousin and her hubbie!

Picture fun!

I've been playing with Microsoft Digital Image Suite...thought that I would share some of my "creations"

Bored...

It's so quiet around work this week.  We thought that we were going to be slammed with getting everything in before the end of year, but it seems like we're in a good position.  

I'm actually bored and fighting to stay awake.  It was nice the first day, but now I'm fighting to stay awake!

What's yours Theme Song?

Your Karaoke Theme Song is "Since U Been Gone"

You are a very expressive and genuine person. You're not so emotional that you wear your heart on your sleeve - but you're not afraid to show how you're truly feeling. Whether you're singing along in the car or singing on stage, your favorite songs make you get a little carried away. You're definitely the type most likely to dream of becoming a rock star! You might also sing: "Livin' La Vida Loca," "I Will Survive," or "Hollaback Girl" Stay away from people who sing: "I'll Make Love to You"

What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?

Recipe for my Personality

The Recipe For Jenn

3 parts Understanding 2 parts Intellect 1 part Moxie Splash of Mania Finish off with a little umbrella and straw

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?

Blog 2008!

In November, I participated in NaBlPoMo, where you had to post every day in the month of November.

I'm going out on a limb here....in 2008, I'm going to attempt and post EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Anyone care to join me?

Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends!

I realize that it's the day after, but I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas, no matter how you spent it!  

Last week I was in a holiday funk.  We had some friends who are in the midst of a little bit of bad luck and it was difficult getting into the spirit of Christmas because of their current struggles.  Thursday and Friday, I finished up the last of my shopping and frankly, I'm ok with it.  I'm not a big shopper, who needs to start in June...that's just not me.  I make out a list and I am able to get it done in just a few hours.  

Saturday, we headed into the city to spend Christmas with my side of the family.  My BIL made awesome pizzas...YUM!  We opened up gifts with my parents, grandparents, sister and her family.  The kids were so excited about presents and were able to quickly tell which presents belong to them!  

Sunday, I had stopped by Grandma's to deliver her Christmas gift.   Later that evening, dh and I went out to the movies and saw National Treasure...GOOD!  After we got home, we finished wrapping Christmas gifts for the inlaws.

We got up on Christmas Eve and headed out to Plainfield...spent the afternoon with my inlaws, just relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet!  Later in the evening, we went over to dh's aunt and uncle's house and had Christmas with them.   I drank a little too much (me like white russians!) and sang along with American Idol on playstation.  All in all, it was a fun night!

Yesterday, we woke up at Bill's parents and ate breakfast before heading downstairs for presents.  I got the game called Apples to Apples, a new flatware set, some CDs and DVDs, some gift cards!

I can't believe that it's over so fast.  This Friday, we have our last performance of our cantata and Saturday and Sunday will be birthday celebration weekend with Grandma and MIL!  Fun fun fun!!

Musical Monday...part two...

Just because I can't decide!!

Maverick: "She's lost that loving feeling."
Goose: "She's lo..."
[catches up]
Goose: "No she hasn't."
Maverick: "Yes she has."
Goose: [objecting] "She's not lost that lo..."
Maverick: Goose, she's lost it man.
[walks off]
Goose: [to Mav] Come on!
[to himself]
Goose: Aw sh... I hate it when she does that.

Musical Monday: At the Movies

OMG!!

Talk about feeling old. I'm "borrowing" this from Sarah's blog.

The Stacy Ferguson in this video...


Is the same as this one!!



I'll be up in the gym working on my fitness!!

scrapbook for the nephew

Here is my christmas present for my 3 year old nephew...still have a few more pages left to do!!

more layouts of my christmas present...

part 2...

wait there's more...

part 3

last one...

enjoy!!

Advent Devotional; December 8-14th

December 14
The Prophets of Advent - Isaiah
Kenneth L. Samuel
We often think that radical change cannot occur without great upheaval. In the minds of sixth and seventh-century Hebrews, the paradigm for social change was the violence and subjugation imposed on them by their belligerent neighbors, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. But the prophet Isaiah was sent to speak to the people about the advent of another kind of radical social change. Isaiah’s vision of revolution would not be marked by
aggression, dislocation or intimidation. The tone of this revolution would be set by the “Anointed One”—the one sent by God to usher in the radical revelation of God’s new
order. What would this revolutionist emissary need to stop the old order and begin the new? A mighty army? Military prowess? A commanding presence? Jesus, the greatest revolutionary humanity has ever known, had none of these. In fact, his spirit was so humble and his manner so meek that “he would not break a bruised reed nor extinguish a smoldering wick.” Still, the revolution he inspired refuses to die and will never be defeated. It is a revolution that grows by the forces of faith and conquers through the supremacy of selfless love.
Prayer: God grant us the power of faith, so that we may accomplish radical changes in
your Name. Amen.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

December 13
The Prophets of Advent - Jeremiah
Kenneth L. Samuel
Seventh-century prophet Jeremiah heralded news from God that the people of his day
did not want to hear. The Word of the Lord is like surgery: before it can cure us, it must
first cut us. Jeremiah’s contemporaries had grown so complacent and cocky in their
spiritual iniquities and social injustices that they refused to deal soberly with the advent of
God’s judgment. They thought that if they denied it, it would not come to pass. Advent gives each of us a chance to prepare for new seasons in God’s reign. But our resistance to change can force us into dangerous denial and retreat. Deeply afflicted by the intransigence of his culture, Jeremiah retreated into his own denial. He thought that by denying his vocation to speak in the name of the Lord, he could absolve himself of all responsibility and live a carefree life. He did not realize that the price we pay for denying the calling of God upon our lives is our own health and wholeness. It was the “fire in his bones” that burned him back into his prophetic role as herald of God’s new season. The seasons of God cannot be averted and the calling of God cannot be ignored. The only questions are: Are we prepared for the changes? Are we willing to act as the change agents of the stillspeaking God?
Prayer: Lord, in this season of Advent, prepare us for the seasons ahead; and make us
faithful heralds of your unfolding Grace, through your Son, who was, is, and is yet to
come. Amen.
But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my
heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed I cannot.
Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV)
December 12
Be a Star
Donna Schaper
She didn’t get to be an angel in the pageant, she had to be a star. Her mother talked her into the role she had to play. Her mother was also overjoyed that, when the play was over,
she had loved being a star. How had the turn happened? “The angels had to sing. I just had to stand there and shine.” Sometimes fire is more light than heat. Sometimes it just shines, and in its shine, we find our unexpected joy. Often when we do get what we thought we wanted, we don’t like it. Often, also, when we don’t get what we wanted, we find that what we get is great. Serendipity abounds and so does the shining.Light 12, Darkness 11, and the game continues.The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
Prayer: O God, let us be a part of the shining light.Amen.

December 11
The Fire in Our Bones
Donna Schaper
Someone I’d never met said, “Well, you always used to bring the portable microphone to the rally.” Part of me was offended. Another part of me was honored: My church always used to give more than it could afford. What a bargain: To be able to give more than you can afford. It releases the fire shut in our bones. In many third world countries, people offer you a piece of jewelry for a price that is a third of the price you would pay in the United States. First they gave us a ridiculously low price. Then we (sometimes) bargain them down. Sometimes I like to pay the U.S. price. It releases the fire shut in my bones.
Prayer: Let us show that another economy is possible. Amen.
...there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones: I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9

December 10
Light One Candle
Donna Schaper
There is a beautiful story recounted every Christmas in the forests of Provence in southern France. It’s about the four shepherds who came to Bethlehem to see the child. One brought eggs, another bread and cheese, the third brought wine. And the fourth brought nothing at all. People called him L’Enchante. The first three shepherds chatted with Mary and Joseph, commenting on how well Mary looked, how cozy was the cave and how handsome Joseph was in it. What a beautiful starlit night! Finally someone asked, “Where is L’Enchante?” They searched high and low, up and down, inside and out. Finally, someone peeked through the blanket hung up against the crib into the crèche. And there kneeling at the crib was L’Enchante. He stayed the entire night in adoration. Another response, beyond silence and action, to the call from the wild is enchantment. Simple enchantment. It is what we can see in just one candle.
Prayer: Let us find a little enchantment in one candle. Amen.
. . . and the life was the light of all people. John 1:4

December 9
Christmas People
Donna Schaper
There is an eternal rift between the Christmas “quick” people and the Christmas “slow”
people. The quick people put up their tree the day after Thanksgiving, mail their cards,
and savor an entire month of the holiday, prepared and pretty. The Christmas slow people
are more classical in their approach: they celebrate Advent. They are not upset that we
don’t sing Christmas carols until Christmas. The tree goes up close to the actual day; the cards may not get out until February. These are the crock pot Christmas keepers; the others are the frying pan type. Some of us are bi—we like Christmas so much that we do a both/and. We fill up the whole month with slow preparations. We keep the fire going all night long. We take the long way home.
Prayer: Help us, O God, to set the world on fire, one stick at a time. Amen.
Go forth and set the world on fire. St. Ignatius of Loyola

December 8
Flame
Donna Schaper
The word “flame” has a bad rap. Many relate it to people who either dress or behave ostentatiously. Humility might be its opposite: here we dress and behave invisibly,
without calling attention to ourselves. Oddly, this text advises a combination. It calls
us to flame humbly. The admonition for a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline, is a
delightful combination of quiet and noise. As we await Advent, we might try dancing this fire
dance. We might find a way to speak powerfully and quietly at the same time. We might practice “infant” behaviors.
Prayer: Fan into flame the smoldering ashes of our spirits and let us be a vigorous
flame, not just in short Advent but in long time. Amen.
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God... For God did not give us
a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. II Timothy 1:6-7

Advent Devotional: December 3rd - December 7th

I've been slacking off...so I'm posting them all at once!

December 7
The Baby Grew Up
Martin B. Cobenhaver
This passage is a reminder of who it is we await in this season. During Advent we tend to focus our anticipation on the sweet baby Jesus because, as every parent knows, we can see in an infant almost anything we want to see. And, besides, everyone loves a baby. This passage, however, reminds us of the mission of God’s anointed one, the Messiah.
When we read this passage during Advent it is a reminder that the baby grew up. He taught,
he challenged, he provoked, he healed, he liberated. We are never very good at letting babies grow up to the point where they have their own ideas and confront us with their own lives. A baby tends to turn things upside down and can be a bit of a challenge to have around. In the case of the baby Jesus, that is nothing compared to the ways in which the adult Jesus can disrupt and challenge us. Is it any wonder, then, that when Jesus read this passage at his home synagogue in Nazareth and said that the prophet was talking about him, the people who had known him since he was a baby chased him out of town?
Prayer: O God, as I anticipate the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, never let me forget that he grew up. In this season may I be better prepared to follow him as teacher,Savior and Lord. Amen.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent
me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, and release to the prisoners. Isaiah 61:1

December 6
We Will Be Changed
Martin B. Copenhaver

The prophet declares that when the Messiah comes all of God’s people will be changed That is the promise. It is also the challenge. Most of us resist change. A woman gave her mother a sampler with the inscription, “Prayer changes things.” When she asked her mother why she never hung it up, her mother confessed, “I don’t really want things to change.” We may want things better, but not really different. We want a fresh start, but without having to give up
old ways. We want to be free from anxiety, but without giving up our need to control things. We want the world to be at peace, but we don’t want to change our old way of acting in the world to achieve peace. We want to help those in need, but without having to give anything up. Who really wants to change? Only those who recognize that the one we await, Jesus
Christ, brings change and that we not only have to undergo change to receive his promises, change is itself the promise. We will be new people. And that is not bad news. Actually, it is the Good News.
Prayer: God of transformation, help me to embrace the change you bring in my life.
Help me to await change, not as the disrupter of peace, but as the bearer of peace, not
as a source of discomfort, but as the way to surer comfort. Amen.
Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever. They are the
shoot that I planted, the work of my hands, so that I might be glorified. Isaiah 60:21

December 5
The Challenges of Waiting
Martin B. Copenhaver
Advent is a season devoted to waiting. It is a time when we celebrate waiting, honor those
who waited for the coming of the Messiah, and seek to learn something about how we might join them in waiting for the Spirit of Christ to be born again in our midst. But waiting is difficult for most of us. In this era of instant gratification, as the world is put in fast forward, even our limited capacity to wait has diminished still further. It seems as if, among all the things we no longer have time for, we no longer have time to wait. As challenging as it can be to wait, however, certainly it is preferable to the alternative. Those who have ceased to wait generally are those who live without hope. When all that you see around you is all there is to be, then there is no need to wait. But there is also no hope of progress, movement, revelation or transformation. To wait is to be open to the future. To wait is to be open to God.
Prayer: God, you know that I can find it challenging to wait. So teach my heart to
wait. Or, to put it another way, please give me the gift of hope. Amen.
The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light
to you by night; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your
glory. Your sun shall no more go down, or your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will
be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. Isaiah 60:19-20

December 4
Christmas as a Surprise Party
Martin B. Copenhaver
In a way it is unfortunate that we always celebrate Christmas on the same day of the year, because that makes the coming of Christ seem almost predictable. But Christmas is more like a surprise party. For centuries God’s people awaited the coming of the promised one. Then, when it happened, most people missed it. They were watching the ceremonial gates and he snuck in the servants’ entrance. God is always sneaking into our lives when we least expect it, and where we least expect as well, even at the darkest time of year, in a forgotten corner, as a baby with milk on his breath. We never know when the Spirit of Christ will appear and so we never know when the party is about to begin. A bumper sticker warns, “Jesus is coming, so look busy.” As we await the coming of Jesus, however, we are not to look busy, we are to be busy with the Lord’s work. Even though Christmas is a surprise party,
we are still expected to prepare for it.
Prayer: O God of surprises, may I have an eye for the unexpected places you may turn up in this season, in places as unlikely as a baby born in a forgotten corner of the world. And since you always seem to appear when and where we least expect it, may I be ready to see you and celebrate your presence at any moment. Amen.
Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your
borders; you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:18

December 3
Different Kinds of Waiting
Martin B. Copenhaver

We often associate waiting with passivity and, indeed, some waiting is passive. But also there is active waiting, expectant waiting. A girl who stands on a street corner waiting for the bus to arrive will experience one kind of waiting, a passive waiting. That same girl on the same corner hearing the sound of a parade that is just out of sight will also wait, but it will be a different kind of waiting, full of expectation, a waiting on tiptoe. A fisherman may find it burdensome to wait for spring to arrive and fishing season to begin, but once he is fishing, he does not find it a burden to wait for the trout to rise to his fly, and in some ways the waiting itself is delicious. The difference is that one kind of waiting is passive and the other is active. In the dead of winter the fisherman can do nothing but passively wait for time to pass. At the pool of his favorite trout stream, however, a fisherman’s waiting is filled with accomplishing all the many things he must do, all injected with a sense of anticipation. Obviously, our Advent waiting is to be more like this, full of expectation, a waiting on tiptoe.

Prayer: O God, who waits for us ever more faithfully than we wait for you, may our waiting for you in this season be full of a sense of eager anticipation. May we wait actively, on tiptoe, for the fulfillment of your promises. Amen.
For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord
will arise upon you, and the glory will appear over you. Isaiah 60:2

Advent Devotional - December 2nd

December 2 A Promise Already Fulfilled
Martin B. Copenhaver
Here, as the prophet Isaiah anticipates the coming of God’s anointed one, the Messiah, he speaks in the present tense, as if the promise has been fulfilled already. It is a remarkable statement of trust. The prophet is affirming that when we wait for one of God’s promises to be fulfilled we can speak of it as if it is already accomplished. This confidence is based on two things we know about God: God cannot lie and God has the power to make good on God’s promises. So when God has promised something, it is as good as done. The coming of God’s anointed one first was a promise fulfilled in the heart of the prophet, awaiting fulfillment in history. When we await the coming of Jesus in Advent the order is reversed: the promise of the coming of God’s anointed one has already been fulfilled in history and awaits fulfillment in our hearts. Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.Isaiah 60:1

Prayer: O promise-making, promise-keeping God, help me in this season to rest in your
promises with the confidence of one who sees them as promises already fulfilled in the
birth we anticipate. Amen.

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