Wedding Pictures Again

After four years of marriage, Natalie and I took wedding photos again. Our friend Aaron needed to take some wedding shots for the re-branding of his web site and asked if we would model. I guess that makes Natalie & I models. You can check out some of our new wedding photos at http://aaronshintaku.com/blog/?p=41. 

Thanks Aaron. 

Grandpa

My grandpa is amazing. 

I was back in Illinois visiting my extended family and we got to spend some good time together. Between visits to my grandma in the nursing home we went to McDonalds for Fish-Fillet sandwiches and coffee. I got a Quarter Pounders instead of using his coupons. I should have followed his lead with the Fish-Fillet. As we ordered, it dawned on me that this place was more than just another red and yellow corporate food stop along the road. Taking into consideration that it was only 11am and the population of Metamorah (think farm town) is not that much, there were way too many people in there. And everyone seemed to know everyone else. And they said hello to each other. So, we sit down to eat in a two-top chair bench combo in the corner and within seconds someone has come from the other side of the place to say hi to my grandpa. Now, you have to understand, these guys have seen some years. Their hands are worn like thick leather from driving the tractor and swinging a hammer for 80+ years. They are in no hurry - not in the way they walk, talk, or eat. Everything takes a little longer and somehow the pace seems perfectly appropriate. They start to talk about the weather, the crops, the tractors, the wind storm that ripped the door's off Junior's barn last week, how one would go about putting the doors back up. Have you seen so and so? Not for a few years. What about so and so? No, she passed away a few years back. 

After we left McDonalds, I asked Grandpa to drive me by the place he was born. We had been talking about that house the night before. We stayed up past midnight talking about his life - who built the house, when his mom died, how his dad met his step mom, how he crashed on his Harley and that's why he has calluses on the side of his right hand. He had told me about the house but I had never seen it so we headed out there after lunch. 

The house is about 3 miles from where he and grandma live now - where they have lived as long as I have been around, where I have all my memories of playing in the mud, touching the electric fence, running through the corn fields, and playing that huge farm house with 4 sets of stairs. As we drove past he told me about who build it, how long he lived there, what land he farmed. 

While we drove home I asked him how deep he tilled the soil. How far down did he turn it over each year before planing a new crop? He said usually 8 inches, sometimes a foot. It hit me - he had turned over every inch of soil to at least 8 inches in depth within about a 3 mile square every year for the past 80+ years. He was born on this land, had grown his food on this land, raised his animals on this land, raised his children on this land, one day he will die on this land.

Time Is On My Side

Time was on my side this weekend. Three full days off... so good! So what did I do with myself? In no particular/chronological order:

Valentines with Isaac - we spent the day riding bikes (in the freezing So Cal cold) and making homemade sushi... enough for a small town.

Breakfast with the girls - Casey, Christina (Jan), Julia, Jessica and Lindsay at Panera on a Monday! Love my friends...

Hanging at the Haacks - spent the night marvelling at Ryan's amazing photography talent, planned our next photoshoot (with Liv Photography), got excited for upcoming camping and backpacking trips, laughed our tails off. The ususal.

Luke and Lacy- scooters and princess cars in the rain, clay airplanes, snakes, caterpillars, etc. Love these guys!

Brunch Feast, by Isaac - Can you still call it brunch at 3pm? If you have not had an Isaac breakfast, you should. A cookbook may be in the works... stay tuned

1/2 off Sushi with Jesi - Zen Sushi Bistro is now affordable if you go before 6pm!!! Love it!

Distinguished Gentleman - I have a habit of watching Eddie Murphy movies from back in the day. I think this comes from hearing cool, older teenagers in the 90's talk about how funny these movies were (think Coming to America, Trading Spaces). Now that I am allowed to watch them, they seem a little out dated. And crass, of course! While there were quite a few political truths in this one, it didn't quite do it for me. "Drop the Thomas, shorten the Jefferson, Jeff Johnson! The name you know..."

Lunch with my mom and Luke - Luke was the lunchtime special/surprise. I don't think he enjoyed the food at Plums as much as Mom and I did. We went back to our house to see Kitty (cannot believe she has not made the blog yet!) and Luke danced, jumped off things and did a great job entertaining himself in a house free of toys and primary colors.

Now, I am packing a suitcase and getting ready for the week. So glad I HAVE a job and that I really like it. Honestly, I am looking forward to Friday already though. What's new?

PARTY!

Natalie's party good friends cold martinis dance off birthday toast bee cake orchid flowers loud music ping pong sweet deserts tasty appetizers you were there or you should have been there.

My Bozo and Me

I just spent a week on the road with my Bozo… that is my pet name for the troublesome wheelie luggage I tow around for my longer trips. We had quite a full few days. Our adventure started out in San Francisco with Lani (a colleague and friend) who I really enjoy traveling with. We spent most of our time in and around the buildings we are working with (California Public Utilities Commission, Elihu Harris and San Francisco Civic Center) working with the building teams and doing a variety of random things… like taking light meter readings around the perimeter of the buildings at night. We hit up a vegetarian restaurant called Millenium for dinner one night… I heard amazing things from Jesi and Ryan, and a few other friends from work, so we checked it out. The food was so good and really different – my favorite was the mushroom sorbet.

Bozo, Lani and I headed off to Denver on Thursday night. Lani (lives in Denver) dropped us (Bozo and I) off at the Jet Hotel and Lounge in LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver) where I was staying. It is right down the street from our CTG Denver office, which is perfect AND it turns into a club after 10am… also perfect! Check out the photos below... and notice the puppy that works there too!I spent Friday (1/30, my birthday) through Sunday in Denver working on a project with some colleagues. I met up with Kelly (a best friend who recently moved to Denver) for a birthday dinner and had the time of my life. She makes me laugh so hard… I MISS her so much!! After that, we hit up Pete’s for some drinks with CTG friends and dancing. Totally fun times, with exception for the DJ who kept killing the vibe with his weird tunes. How hard is it to play "Sexy Back"? Really? The rest of the weekend, the CTG crew worked (in our awesome new office), ate Indian food and played the Natalie Game (also known as Harvey’s game in this CTG circle) at the Jet Hotel and Lounge. I got to see Kelly one more time before taking off to go home, which was the perfect ending to the weekend.

My flight home was uneventful and I got home in time to say one last goodbye to Cori and Tex… our roommates who just drove off in their U-Haul to Denver (of all places). The Bozo is safe and sound in the garage…

Highway 101

It threatened to rain most of the day yesterday. Through the clouds I saw both the sunrise and the sunset through my rearview mirror as I drove to Santa Barbara and back. As long as I'm headed somewhere I want to be, I like driving. It gives me time to think and listen to music. The best time to talk to me on the phone is when I'm driving. You can have all of my attention.
In Santa Barbara I had lunch with someone who's story I was eager to hear more of. In the late 90's he and his wife read a TIME magazine article about the growing AIDS pandemic in Africa and decided they had to do something. Driven by their conviction and a clear sense that God was inviting them in, they moved to South Africa in 2001, taking their 3 young kids with them. Their story blossoms from there as they put one foot in front of the other. He could have talked for hours about the beauty and tradgedy their were emersed in and the ways that God redeemed lives and broke systems of racism, hatred, poverty, and despair. I am forever inspired by what happens when someone allows their heart to break for the things that break God's heart breaks for. It seems this is where the really good stories always start.
Break my heart.

So, This is The New Year

Hey Family and Friends! Welcome to our Blog! For the last 15 years, we have sat on the side lines while other friends and family sent christmas cards, updates, blogs, etc. Well, we are ready to get in on the action! Here is a snapshot of 2008 - where we have been and what we have been up to.

SLIDESHOW
http://picasaweb.google.com/Natalie.Bodenhamer/OURSLIDESHOW#slideshow


CHRISTMAS 2008
We scored a huge tree at Home Depot and spent an afternoon decking the halls with Cori and Tex (our roommates). The few days before Christmas, we stayed in Newbury Park with Ashlee, Mark and Mary Jo having fun and celebrating. Christmas Day, both sides of our families got together in Irvine at Natalie's Dad's house. It is so great that everyone get's along and loves being together!





BOSTON
I tagged along with Natalie to Greenbuild 08 in Boston. Who knew it could be so cold in November. I spent the days walking the Freedom Trail and looking for a pair of gloves I could afford to buy. Natalie had the privilege of hearing Desmond Tutu speak (I couldn't get in) and was touched. Check out Tutu's God has a Dream and a children's book, God's Dream.




CAMPING

One of our favorite things to do is go camping with our friends. Our most recent trip was to Jalama in November with the Haacks, Jesi's Mom (Sue), Irvines, Murphy and Darren & Kaylie. There was no surf to speak of, but plenty of wind. Our tent doubled as a kite. I ran over Haack's surfboards with the truck, Natalie and Lynzi took Greyson on a 30 mile hike on the beach and as always, we cooked amazing food and had fun by the fire.



FUN TIMES
We are so lucky to have such amazing friends and we all hang out as much as possible... which is a lot! I (Natalie) still have the same great friends that I did growing up and have added to the roster a few WINNERS too! They make my life a wonderful place!

Isaac and his friends mostly surf and when that is not working out, they hit the skate park. Thankfully, many of Isaac's friends are married to many of my friends, so we totally lucked out! We love our friends' kids and they liven up the party all the time. Jonah Haack (big one) and Greyson Irvine (little one) are featured here...

My sister Starr has two kids, Luke and Lacy and we LOVE them. Luke is 4 and Lacy is 2. It is so fun to be the fun-loving aunt & uncle... no spankin's from us! Just cookies and fun! Here are a few cute pictures... there are so many more, if you can imagine.

SAMOA

Check out the Two Tickets to Paradise post... coming soon

PANAMA
We went to Panama in August with Rock Harbor. The Haacks and other friends went too! We met wonderful, wonderful people and Isaac lucked out on great surf. It is so beautiful there and we really hope to go back.


UTAH
Chas and Janet hooked us, the Haacks and Irvines up with an amazing trip to Utah! We scored some of the best 4 days of powder at Snowbird, Park City, Powder Mountain and Brighton. The jury is still out on whether we had more fun on the mountain or playing the Natalie Game. Jesi came down with the stomach flu as we were leaving, but none of us could imagine the trip without her and we begged her to get on the plane. In less than 48 hours, she was ripping it on the mountain... she was sweet enough to spread that flu goodness around to all! We love you Jesi!

1/2 MARATHON
Jesi, Kelly and I ran the OC 1/2 Marathon in Jan 2008. My personal highlight was the training... running with my best friends is so much fun (and really thereputic!) Jesi is now training for a full marathon! Thanks to Case and Julia for meeting us at the 6 mile point to root us on AND remind us that we were less than half way there. Love you girls!