critical mass

Critical mass takes over Chicago's streets!

Baking is Like Waging War on Your Kitchen (or a really good football game)

This one comes with a song!

So, last Saturday, a good friend, Lydia, and I decided to make pies as a sort of end-of-summer-commemorate-fruits-going-out-of-season event! We went all the way...Farmer's Market first thing in the morning for fresh ingredients and then crusts and filling from scratch. It was really hard! I woke up the next morning and my whole body ached...it took all day and every ounce of patience, but the end result was delicious! And we had a ton of fun too...laughter all around...check out the results (tomato basil pie not pictured due to the fact that I mis-timed it's oven exit):

Huntsville Tornado

Back in January, a tornado passed through Huntsville and went right through downtown, then through an older residential neighborhood. One of my co-workers sent us this photo & video of the tornado over First Baptist Church here in Huntsville. Thought it was pretty intense! It's crazy to think what the weather can do.

sufjan's latest venture

Since we've been recommending music lately I wanted to share with y'all a link to Sufjan Steven's latest venture:

All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad "All Delighted People," a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s "Sounds of Silence." Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar jam-for-single-mothers "Djohariah," and the gothic piano ballad "The Owl and the Tanager," a live-show mainstay (and Debbie Downer if you ask us; what’s it doing on a "Delighted" EP?))

Ok, so the songs I like most right now are Heirloom, Arnika, and All Delighted People (classic rock version).

LISTEN HERE!

Sibling Rotation

On Saturday, Katie and I made this for Mark's Homecoming (he's been gone for three months):

But then, he left again for Auburn on Tuesday, so I barely got to see him. Then there's Katie...she finally comes home for the summer in July and then she will leave me again in September...for Spain! For 9 months! Ah, I will miss my siblings...

Brooke Fraser's Playlist

I stumbled across Brooke Fraser's (girl singer for Hillsong & sings solo too) blog a little while ago, and decided to make a Brooke Fraser's playlist on the groove today. I highly recommend it. Here's what she's listening to, or what she was listening to in April...

a/c is off, windows are OPEN, feels glorious!

Oh Yes

Our office got broken into again. Thankfully we only lost one computer this time because the other two are chained to the desk. Chained to the desk. I left this note on my computer in hopes that if the 1/4 inch piece of plywood covering what used to be an 8' tall piece of sheet glass fails, that the thief and his bolt cutters would somehow have mercy on me. This morning, we still have two computers. Whew...sometimes life wears me out!

Sanctus Real

Here's some music from Sanctus Real that I've really been liking

these past few weeks. They are kind of alternative/rock but with

a good message in their lyrics. :) Thought I'd share! Let me

know what your favorite song is. I like all of them..."Lead me"

was written for his (the singer's) wife and kids and their marriage

when they were going through a rocky time. I think it has pretty

powerful lyrics, as well as the other songs.

Welcome to world:

Mona Catherine Case
7lbs 7oz 19in

My sister, Cheryl, had her second child yesterday at 7:30 am. Mona is beautiful! In the photo big brother, Connor, is meeting his new little sister. He seems to be taking it well! I'm so excited to see them interact with one another.

picnic on the mound!

Introducing:

I would like to introduce you to my new [current] family.

{The Nichols}

They have scooped me up with open arms and showered me with the best of hospitality. I am sooo blessed to be able to live with them for these two months before the wedding. I took these photos during a lull in the yard sale we had this past Saturday. So, here ya go - meet the family...

LAMAR

firm in his beliefs : planner/leader/teacher at heart : master of food and cooking

+

KIM

always a step ahead : patient : lover of games, puzzles, and the beach : all star mom and cook

+

MEG

on the cusp of being a teenager : crafty : drama queen : learning to do a cartwheel

+

CODY

famous gardener : full of energy and questions : lover of games and chocolate milk

For Lori

So, I burned my hand trying to fry some okra from my garden. Apparently the FryDaddy is a fearsome thing. But, even though frying turned out to be a full contact sport, we still managed to have some yummy okra at the dinner table. Farm to table--yeah!

(the lovely redhead is Katie's friend Annie...she was very excited about the okra!)

Job

Sorry I've been a little M.I.A. (or at least it feels like I have.) This past week has been a total whirl wind, a good one, but crazy none the less. Last Friday I interviewed for a part time position at an architecture firm in Ithaca, and I was sitting at a desk working on Tuesday! This part-time gig has turned, at least for now, into pretty much full time hours. So hallelujah! After sending out over 250 resumes, I have a job!! On top of starting the job, John and I were drywalling part of a house for a family in our church and preparing for house guests this weekend! Needless to say I am so, so thankful for all the support John has given me!! I am also very, very thankful for all of the prayers you all have said on our behalf. Our God is good.

Cool Happenings

Here in the 'Ham, Jenn and I are pretty excited about:

I love the Cappuccinos

at Urban Standard!

http://www.urbanstandard.net/

Happy Bday to...

~ J E N N I F E R ! !

























Hope it is an amazing birthday, and
hope all your birthday wishes come
true! :) :) :) :) You are beautiful!!!!

About a Girl

Let me introduce you to Scott Smith...fiance of fellow Variegated Collective member and beloved friend, Casey Smith (she will be Casey Smith-Smith, I guess). This young man has pursued our friend Casey for going on three years now and we couldn't be more excited about their wedding! This weekend was Casey's bachelorette party in Gulf Shores and we wound up getting to spend some quality time with the groom-to-be on our way down. Scott has moved into his and Casey's future home (pictured behind) a

nd is working in Montgomery, where she will join him in October post-the Lake Guntersville wedding festivities. This weekend we thought it would be cool to quiz Scott a little on his knowledge and history on his relationship with Casey...what started as just a fun idea turned into a drizzly afternoon at a neighborhood coffee shop (just around the corner from their house), gathered around gelato and a couple notebooks while we laughed and "awe"ed over Scott's answers to our questions. (Let me interject here that this is only new news to Lori and Anna and our non-member readers...Jennifer, Michelle, and I were the ones eating ice cream) (oh, and Casey was not there for the interview, she was already at the beach wondering why it was taking us so long to get there). Can I just say that this man is all about a girl?? I've never seen a guy light up so much the way Scott does when he talks about Casey. It was so cool going into the bachelorette weekend seeing what we all saw in Scott's eyes and getting to spend the next few days with his bride-to-be. If that isn't the love that God meant to be between a man and wife then what is? This weekend was peppered with those magic moments...exactly what I treasure--what we all treasure--about having Casey in our lives...to Casey & Scott--Cheers!

(Scott on porch above, Casey and Ali above on right, Michelle and Casey pictured on bottom left, Casey and I below that)

news from the site!

here's an update after week 5 on my chicago blog: LAND of LINCOLN