Shustrings

Happy Valentines.......

2012-02-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

We're still two happy valentines and still crazy in love after 25 years of marriage!
(Picture taken June, 1986, when Tim came to visit me in Germany)

Beautiful creativity from my husband for Valentines Day today.

Sending some love.....

2012-02-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

I had fun putting together a Valentines care package for Luke and Tyler - baked some sugar cookies and also included some treats that Tim brought back from Germany. Treats for my sweets! Love you guys.....

Briargate Stallions

2012-02-12T16:29:00.001-07:00

My favorite sculpture/statue in Colorado Springs. Reminds me of my wonderful brother, Dan, who loves horses and has been breaking colts and working with horses for as long as I can remember.

Frosty Sunday Morning

2012-02-12T15:22:00.001-07:00

Zehr Lecker!

2012-02-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Translated, this means very tasty, delicious, yummy - you get the picture! That's exactly what these "Stroopwafels" are! This is one Dutch treat that our family enjoyed when we lived in Germany. My wonderful Dutch friend, Jeannette, sent me a care package last week while Tim was away, and this is what was in it. Perfect timing. Dank je wel, Jeannette (that's thank-you in Dutch)!
The best way to eat these is by placing a stroop wafel on top of a cup of hot tea or coffee, letting it warm up a little bit and then eating "deliciousness" while sipping your hot drink!

A Great Visit

2012-02-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

Tim is back home! We are very happy to be together again. Here are some pictures from his visit at BFA. He had a great time, and he has brought back wonderful memories that he has been sharing with me.

Major improvements to the chemistry lab.

Tim was able to connect with many students who have a special place in our hearts. Kenneth is a senior this year. How can that be??

Zwiebelwei, a sort of bacon and onion pizza. Delicious!

View from one of the dorms.

Inside one of the dorms.
Love this!

Check out the neatly stacked stash of wood, a typical sight in our neck of the woods in Germany.

Tim was invited to spend his last night in Switzerland with friends whose daughter is a freshman at BFA this year. It was the perfect ending to his time at BFA.

Back "home"......

2012-02-05T15:36:00.001-07:00

Tim is visiting at Black Forest Academy on his way home to Colorado. He is happy to be there and feeling right at home thanks to a very warm welcome from our "family" in Kandern.
He had a 7 hour overnight flight from Almaty (Kazakhstan) to Frankfurt (Germany), then took the train to Basel (Switzerland). Thanks to a great friend and tour guide (Jay), he visited downtown Basel and 4 different dorms at BFA all in one afternoon!
A very relaxing 3 hour train ride to Basel.

The cathedral and Rhine River in Basel.

Visiting some BFA dorms (and students!).......

Watch Your Step!

2012-02-05T15:13:00.002-07:00

A note from Tim in Kazakhstan......."Check out the pictures of the staircase at the house where I am staying. Because the staircase is steep there is not enough clearance for a full tread length. No problem! The lack of tread distance is solved by cutting out notches for your feet to fit into. The trick is to start down the staircase with the right foot first! Or is it the left foot first? I don't know...... it's still confusing to me."
A note from Sandee: These stairs look like an accident waiting to happen!
The last picture is of our friend Yuni with some of her friends at Tien Shan Christian School.

Calm after the Storm

2012-02-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

Big snow on Friday - schools closed and snow day at Tim's workplace. Sadly he wasn't here to enjoy it! Yesterday the sun came out, and I enjoyed a walk in the beautiful snow. The first two pictures show the development that we live in.

23 Today!

2012-02-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

23 years ago today our lives changed forever when we became parents. Happy Birthday, Timothy Luke! You are a gift from God to us.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...." James 1:17

Tyler Shuman, you rock!

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tyler is working hard to maintain his academic scholarship which was awarded to him at the start of his freshman year at LeTourneau University in Longview, TX. He was honored the Heritage Scholarship, which is the highest scholarship one can be awarded at LeTourneau. We are very proud of you, Tyler! Keep up the good work!

http://readabout.me/achievements/Tyler-Shuman-Named-to-Fall-2011-Deans-List-at-LeTourneau-University/3449133?utm_source=emailcc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cc_emails

A few more snapshots from Tien Shan International School

2012-02-01T09:39:00.001-07:00

Today the sun was shining in Almaty. Tim was pleasantly surprised to wake up to a beautiful panoramic view of the mountains!

Tein Shan International School

2012-01-31T10:40:00.002-07:00

Tim is currently 13 time zones away from me - in Almaty, Kazakhstan! He is on a consultation visit to Tein Shan International School. He will be there all week. Here are some pictures from his first day at work (along with some comments about the day....)
First picture..... me with Yuni Bang (former BFA student). She is now a senior. They have 16 in her graduating class. It was so great to see her again. It's been three years and she is all grown up.
These next pictures show you the school inside and out. It's BRAND new. They have only been in the building for 3 weeks so it's quite amazing. Very impressive.

Some shots on our drive back to the host home. Those above-ground pipes are gas LINES!!! They are freaking me out. All I could think of was what if a car slid into one of those poles?? Those pipes were all over the place and they follow the roads all over town. Amazing. And why would they snake them up and around the driveways? Why not make them straight across at a higher height and save on pipe? Crazy.

This is worth reading!

2012-01-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

Tim is in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after some very long flights yesterday and today. He sent an update while en route which I thought you might like to read. Sorry! No photos to post with this, but you should have no trouble "picturing" his adventures! This took place on his flight from DC to Frankfurt.....
Soon it was time to board the plane for Frankfurt. With my status I was able to get on board right away, find my seat, and "make my nest" in 23G - Economy Plus. Not business, but not bad. I like an aisle seat so I can get up and stretch my legs occasionally. As the boarding was coming to a close I thought for sure that I was going to have two seats open beside me, but right at the end a very classy couple came and sat beside me. I wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed like they had gotten "bumped" down to economy from Business Class because right away another classy lady came bearing gifts for them (drinks and a visa card to "spend any way you like") and making conversation that seemed like she was apologizing and trying to make things right for this couple and hoping that everything would go well on the flight. At that moment I had assumed she was a "Purser" or customer service rep with United. She wasn't wearing the United uniform, but she seemed like she was in charge. Ok, no problem. I just felt bad for the couple cause they had to sit back with the rest of us regulars.

Well...about an hour and half into the flight, after the meal, etc. things were settling down for the night and it was going to be time to turn off the lights and sleep - and I was READY for that since I had taken a sleep aid just then. Well, right then that classy lady showed up again this time bearing gifts on a little tray for the couple. Two full wine glasses and other things (I don't know what). Well, just as she approached us and greeted the couple she bumped the seat or something and the red wine on her tray SPILLED right on to me!! It hit my company laptop, jeans and sweater. Oh brother! My laptop was closed, thank goodness, so I just tipped it over and let the wine run off, but my right leg was very wet from the wine!! Of course, the lady felt bad and was making all sorts of noises and wiping me off. Then it came out she was just a First Class passenger on the plane and was bringing stuff back to her friends beside me. She kept saying "what can I do for you? You name it, etc. etc." "Do you want a drink? Please, let me get you a drink! I can't move you to a better seat because I'm just a passenger." Well, I was kind, but also complaining a bit - and now thought she was just a ditz. why was she carrying wine in open glasses anyway??

Thank goodness an attendant came right away and stepped in. She expressed her concern and discussed options and what to do. Thankfully I had packed not only an extra pair of pants in my carry-on I also had some light weigh running pants. She brought me some "Club Soda" to use on my jeans and I headed to the bathroom. I changed and then soaked my pants (where the spill was) with the club soda. That really did the trick! My sweater only had a small spot of wine it - so it was ok.

The Attendant took my jeans, put them on a hanger and put them in First Class to dry. I never made it to first class but my jeans did!! When she brought them back they seemed happier and more relaxed than before! The Attendant gave me a coupon (an Inflight Personal Property Damage Claim) to pay for dry cleaning for the jeans and sweater. She also gave me a $150 voucher to use toward travel with United. Finally, she brought me a First Class blanket to make me feel better I guess. The blanket was QUITE nice I have to admit - better than the kind we usually get.

Finally, I was able to close my eyes and get some sleep. Next thing I knew it was time to wake up and have one of those stale breakfasts. On the way out of the plane I did notice Miss Wine Spiller standing at the doorway waiting for her friends. For a second I thought I might say something, but I figured "Nah" it wasn't worth it. I knew she would apologize over and over and I was fine really.

Hiking in my favorite local park

2012-01-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

A beautiful day for a hike....

2012-01-21T13:48:00.003-07:00

Luke's Christmas in Guatemala

2012-01-12T22:04:00.001-07:00

We missed having Luke with us for Christmas this year, but we were happy that he could fly to Guatemala and spend Christmas with his girlfriend Andrea and her family (and extended family). It was an incredible adventure for him. He saw some amazing places and beautiful scenery. Here's a few snapshots from his trip.

I like the Target bag in Luke's hand! The group stayed in thatched "cabana" out in the rain forest during their "tour" of parts of Guatemala.

A visit from Suwon Central Christian Academy

2012-01-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at ACSI headquarters we were blessed to have a visiting children's choir from Suwon Central Christian Academy in Soeul, South Korea. These kids are amazing! Hearing them sing and seeing them perform, and getting hugs from them afterwards, made us miss our beloved BFA, where we have many Asian students. One of the group leaders from Suwon, Joseph K.(photo below) was on staff for a year at BFA and was a great blessing and encouragement to our school during that time. It was wonderful to connect with him yesterday. The 30 member choir is touring various cities in the U.S. during their winter break from school back in Korea.

New Years Day 2012

2012-01-01T20:37:00.001-07:00

We started the new year off "on the right foot" by going for a hike this afternoon in Ute Valley Park in Colorado Springs. Beautiful blue sky but chilly - great hiking weather!

While we were hiking we came upon this little Charlie Brown Christmas tree all decorated for Christmas!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T11:28:00.014-07:00

We ushered in the New Year in a quiet way last night - so very different from the party atmosphere and all of the celebrating that happens every New Years Eve in Germany. Last night at midnight we went outside of our house to watch the fireworks off of Pike's Peak. It was very cool the way they lit up the mountain even though there wasn't very many of them. It was clear outside and the stars were spectacular!
While outside I was struck with how quiet it was in our neighborhood when the clock struck 12 - a stark contrast from Germany where we would hear the wonderful sound of the church bells ringing in the new year (the bells from both state churches in our town would ring for approximately 30 minutes). Also, "the whole town" comes outside to welcome the new year, with neighbors wishing each other a Guten Rutsch (literally translated as a good slide or a smooth ride into the new year). Our whole family misses that! Even Tyler made a comment about missing it last night. The last pictures in this post are from past New Years Eve celebrations in Germany.
Happy New Year to each of you who visit our blog! We wish you His abundance in 2012!

Past New Years Eve in Kandern, Germany

An evening with long time friends.....

2011-12-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a wonderful evening last night with our long time friends, the Rapers (Tim's neighbors and friends from childhood). Tyler was happily entertained by Chad's two Vizsla dogs. Vizla is the name of the breed. We also had a fun time with adorable baby Annabelle.

Three generations!

A Boxing Day Stroll at the Broadmoor

2011-12-28T11:46:00.001-07:00

Every year at Christmastime the chefs at the Broadmoor participate in a gingerbread house contest. This year's theme was fairy tales. Here are a few of the creations that we saw when we visited this grand hotel on the 26th.
Goldilocks and the three bears.....
Rapunzel
The princess and the pea

The three little pigs
We also encountered a very curious and tame squirrel who should have been hibernating for the winter. Judging by his plumpness I think he he was faring too well from tourists handouts to be holed up somewhere sleeping for three months! Sadly, we had nothing to feed him but a handful of snow. He was not impressed.

Christmas Day

2011-12-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a very relaxing Christmas Day - dinner with just us four. We missed having Luke at the table with us. Meanwhile he is experiencing a Christmas like no other in the rainforest of Guatemala!
(I brought home live ponderosa pine branches from our pre-Christmas hike to decorate the table)

The best LEGO invention ever!

2011-12-26T10:07:00.003-07:00

I saw this Lego set advertised in WIRED magazine recently - it was in their Christmas issue and was on the magazine's wishlist. I knew that Tyler would love it. And so I had to order it for him for Christmas. I have to say, it is probably the most ingenious Lego creation that I have ever seen! I think Tyler agrees. This VW camper has so much intricate detail - you have to see for yourself. Check out the roof that expands, the table inside that folds down into a bed, the curtains in the windows, the fire extinguisher, faucets, "4 on the floor" stick shift, the motor in the back of the bus, a rear view mirror, and even a German license plate!
This Lego set comes with 2 instruction books which is an indication of how long it takes to assemble. Tyler and Jen stayed up until 3:00 in the morning building it! I think is going to look pretty sweet on display in his room back at college, don't you agree?!

Celebrating on Christmas Eve

2011-12-25T17:55:00.001-07:00

Sushi on Christmas Eve

2011-12-25T15:10:00.001-07:00

This year we traded our Christmas Eve tradition of pizza fondue for sushi. Tyler and Jennifer love sushi and they wanted Tim and I to give it a try since we had never had it before. It really was a pleasant experience, and I am happy to have survived eating raw fish!
Notice the chopsticks in the last picture. They are woven (tied) together at the top to make them easier to use - for beginners like me!

Hiking in a Winter Wonderland

2011-12-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Snowman with a mohawk!

The Art of Bread Making

2011-12-25T11:03:00.002-07:00

Earlier this week we had a big snowfall which we all were happy about! This means we will finally have a white Christmas! It was also very cold outside - the perfect opportunity for us all to stay inside where it was nice and warm.....also a great chance for Tim to give Tyler and Jennifer bread making lessons!

Christmas at our House

2011-12-25T10:51:00.001-07:00

Nativity from friends in Thailand.

This nativity is one of the treasures I brought back from Canada after my mom passed away this fall. It brings back happy memories of Christmas when I was a child. I used to love playing with the figurines and re-arranging them.

Christmas Visitors

2011-12-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Chris (Tim's nephew) and Chrissy, along with Jonathan and Joshua, stopped by on their way home to Denver several nights ago. Was great to see them. Jonathan was very intrigued by the monster truck picture that Tim drew for him!

Winter Walk in Garden of the Gods

2011-12-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Where's the line to see Jesus?

2011-12-15T15:03:00.011-07:00

Many people have seen this video of Becky Kelley singing "Where's the Line to see Jesus?" Here is the story behind the song........

ABOUT THE SONG FROM THE AUTHOR:

While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "Where's the line to see Jesus"?

My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge to the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios.

It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus...with goose bumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just less than 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville...still no response.

Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. This first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything...we had nothing. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring...this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal...and here we are today.

Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together...remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults cannot understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you.
Merry Christmas everyone!!

ACSI Global Team

2011-12-14T10:37:00.006-07:00

Life is a little crazy for us right now! Lots of meetings and parties and dinners to attend. The Global team at ACSI has meetings this week and here is a picture of these wonderful and amazing people from all around the world. Countries represented include: Guatemala, Dominican Republic, South Africa, Australia, Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ukraine, Hungary, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, and the U.S. Tim gets to work alongside this team. We are grateful for them and their commitment to quality Christian education around the globe.

This is how many schools there are in the ACSI global (overseas) division. Check out the recent astounding growth. This is largely because The Democratic Republic of Congo was recently added, and they have 17,000 Christian schools! Wow! Wish you could hear some of their stories.

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-07T19:21:00.002-07:00

Cranberry bliss bars (Starbucks' copycat version), cranberry orange loaf, and a very beautiful Lynch Creek Farm holiday wreath from our dear friends Sam and Jane - these are some of the wonderful fragrances of Christmas at our house these days.

St. Nicholas Tag

2011-12-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

St. Nicholas stopped by our house last night! Looks like Tim has been good this year.
I hope I get some perks from Eddie Bauer for advertising their footwear!

Our Neighborhood in Winter - Part II

2011-12-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

It's Sunday evening and it's snowing outside! Beautiful!
Snow day tomorrow? I hope so!

Our Neighborhood in Winter - Part 1

2011-12-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

This is where we live (and what our neighborhood looks like after a fresh snowfall). We live in a townhouse in The Townes at Kettle Creek.

We live in one of the townhouses directly behind me.

The view from The Townes at Kettle Creek.

Another beautiful day for a hike!

2011-11-30T09:52:00.001-07:00

We said good bye to Luke this morning and put him on a plane heading back to Indiana. Thank you, God, for a wonderful time together! I miss him already but am grateful that he could be with us for 5 days.
We took another great hike on Sunday afternoon - one of our favorites - Palmer Lake Reservoirs. The lake looked a lot different this time with a good portion of it frozen.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

We had great weather during Thanksgiving weekend, so of course that called for some hiking in the mountains! On Friday we hiked Mt. Cutler which is on the western edge of Colorado Springs.

HAPPY Thanksgiving!

2011-11-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

It truly was happy! Luke flew in on Thursday morning, just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. In the evening we went to our friends, Chad and Nicole Raper, for dessert. Chad's sister April and her husband Tim and new baby girl Anabelle were there, so we got to enjoy some baby time.
We are missing having Tyler with us, but we get to enjoy having him with us very soon for Christmas break (he gets 4 weeks off).

Crystal Cathedral

2011-11-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Tim also visited the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA.

Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

2011-11-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Tim had some free time yesterday after his visit to Biola, and so he visited the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.
Nixon's car

Burial place in Yorba Linda, CA.

Nixon's Marine One helicopter

Nixon's birthplace

Entrance to museum

Tim in California

2011-11-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

From Chicago Tim flew to Anaheim to represent ACSI at a convention and at Biola University. BFA alumni are scattered everywhere around the globe, and he met some of them at Biola.
Christine graduated with Luke from BFA in 2007. She is currently studying at Biola.

Nate, another BFA grad who is on staff at Biola.

Jon graduated from BFA in 2010 and is a sophomore at Biola.

Stephanie graduated from BFA in June and is a freshman at Biola. She was a star soccer player (MVP) at BFA and plays on the team at Biola.

Tim with Carrie and Laura. Carrie works in HR at BFA and is visiting Biola to staff. Laura and her husband are parents of BFA alumni; Laura is currently taking classes at Biola.

Downtown Chicago - By Night/ By Day

2011-11-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

Tim in Chicago

2011-11-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

Tim is currently traveling for ACSI, representing them on several college campuses. First stop was Chicago where he visited Wheaton College and Moody Bible Institute. While there he was being able to connect with BFA staff and alumni - definitely the highlight!
Carrie (back row) is on staff at BFA and is currently on a college tour in the U.S. representing BFA. The rest of the awesome people in this picture (except Tim - who is also pretty awesome!) are current students at Wheaton or else have recently graduated.

Back to School

2011-11-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week! Tim left on an 8 day trip on Monday, and I started an online computer course on Tuesday. It ran for 4 days from 10 am to 5 pm each day. It was necessary for me to take this course for my student sponsorship work at ACSI. They are switching to new software that I must be familiar with. The course was live where students could interact in a chat room with our instructor Michelle. She did an amazing job of presenting and was very patient with us.
I took in so much information over the course of the week - my head is full! I was very relieved when the clock struck 5 on Friday evening. Mission accomplished!

My workbook for the course - a total of 390 pages.

Fall Hike in beautiful Palmer Park

2011-11-11T21:28:00.003-07:00

Operation Christmas Child

2011-11-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

How fun to go shopping this week for Christmas shoe boxes! I especially enjoyed buying gifts for a girl since there aren't any in this house (yet!). My mom participated in Operation Christmas Child, and I think her boxes usually included something hand made such as mittens or socks. Sadly, my shoe boxes are lacking in that department, but I am happy to know that they will bless one little boy and one little girl somewhere in the world.

Flyby at Air Force Academy

2011-11-06T09:21:00.017-07:00

We live close to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Sometimes they host Air Force fighter jet flyby's to open their home football games. We watched one yesterday. It is quite spectacular to see the jets approach the stadium in formation and then suddenly ascend vertically in a sort of palm tree pattern.
Stadium beginning to fill before the game.

Majestic Pikes Peak.

Jets flying above Cheyenne Mountain and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command).

Parachutests prepare to land in the stadium, the last one carrying the U.S. flag.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011-11-05T09:10:00.003-06:00

Today is my mom's Birthday; she is celebrating in heaven! I am missing her on this special day, and wishing so much that I could pick up the phone to wish her a "Happy Birthday" and let her know how much I love her.
I am thinking about mom's life and the legacy that she left to her children. "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a goodly (and a godly) inheritance." - Psalm 16:6.
I am truly blessed!

These pictures bring back such fond memories of mom - most of them show the product of her intricate and beautiful handiwork. What a gifted and diligent lady she was - a beautiful example to all of us of a Proverbs 31 woman. Today I want to honor her, and hopefully these pictures will convey that, if only in a very small way!
Two of the many quilts that mom made (I am guessing around 30 in her life time).

A sampling of the baby clothes she sewed and the sweaters she made. Some of these are very old and were found in two large trunks that were full of treasures (that held a distinct moth ball odor!).

Mom sewed and knitted a seemingly endless amount of Barbie doll and "bigger doll" clothes which brought smiles and many hours of enjoyment to a lot of little girls - including my sisters and I when we were younger.

The large porcelain doll once belonged to my Grandma, the smaller porcelain doll belonged to my mom.

One of many pillowcase sets that mom embroidered.

Tablecloth embroidered by my Grandma over 100 years ago! Psalm 23 in German.

My baby bracelet - approximately 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

Miniature doll bassinet. Mom crocheted a lot of these for little girls, including her grandchildren and her great grandchildren.

Doilies and more doilies.....masterpieces.

Snow in the Rockies!

2011-11-03T22:25:00.001-06:00

We're getting snow in Colorado and we're loving it! These pictures were taken by our house last Thursday morning after a beautiful fresh snowfall, and again this morning, one week later, following a cold and stormy "snow day" yesterday. The pink sunrise this morning was quite wonderful!

Fall at our House

2011-11-01T20:26:00.003-06:00

I have been decorating just a little bit for fall - and baking - pumpkin cream cheese muffins and cinnamon chip scones. Sure makes the house smell good! There's snow in the forecast for tomorrow. Bring it on!

Awesome views every day on Tim's drive to work........

2011-10-28T20:51:00.001-06:00

Click on YouTube icon (lower right) to see a bigger picture.

A morning stroll in Garden of the Gods

2011-10-28T09:56:00.003-06:00

We had our first "big" snowfall this week (big being a relative term). Here's a few shots taken the morning after in my favorite garden.

My happy flower vase!

2011-10-25T15:28:00.000-06:00

This week gladiolas are on sale at our local supermarket - $1 per bunch/bouquet. I love gladiolas and I love having fresh cut flowers in our home. I often purchased them in Germany because they were such a great price. I seldom buy them here because they are more expensive. Couldn't resist this good deal, though!

Hiking Mt. Cutler

2011-10-23T10:33:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day in Colorado Springs, so we headed out to hike a new trail - Mt. Cutler - only 25 minutes from our house. Once again we enjoyed spectacular views which included the beautiful colors of fall in the city of Colorado Springs, and the plains to the east of us, and the mountains to the west - in fact we were hiking in them! (The last two pictures were taken by Tim on his iPhone).

Fall in Colorado Springs

2011-10-20T17:44:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning I took my camera when I did my exercise route in our neighborhood. The fall colors are so beautiful right now. I am very fortunate and grateful to enjoy such incredible views when I am hiking and running - a wonderful gift from my Creator!

Sisters

2011-10-18T14:21:00.009-06:00

A few "happy memory" pictures taken of us three sisters on our last morning together just over a week ago - my older (and much wiser!) sister Doris and my twin sister Sherrie. As you can see I really did get the short end of the deal! I wonder how long 'til we see each other again? I think we need to plan some sister time - just us three!

We met at a local restaurant before saying good-bye, and met up with a bunch of other relatives while there. Here's Jesse with our wonderful Uncle Ted, mom's youngest brother......and Tim, Jesse and our cousin Ken "shootin' the breeze".........and my sweet Aunt Louise and cousin Nick.

Roses are Red

2011-10-16T12:29:00.001-06:00

Several nights ago Tim brought home dinner and....a beautiful bouquet of a dozen deep red long stemmed roses - just what I needed during this time of processing the painful loss of my sweet mom. Thanks, babe. You are amazing!

The Prairies

2011-10-16T11:41:00.000-06:00

Photo credits to my sister Doris for the two group shots. Tim and I think that the one of us standing in the wheat field looks like the perfect cover for our soon-to-be-released album! Doris tried to get us to jump for a photo, but she took the picture a few seconds too soon. Fun times...happy memories!

"I should have been a farmer......."

The Farm and the Prairies

2011-10-13T11:17:00.000-06:00

A few shots from our farm and the surrounding prairies, including the site of where we once went to church out in the country when we were growing up - the Prairie Gospel Tabernacle.

Grandpa's Farm

2011-10-12T22:18:00.012-06:00

On our last day in Saskatchewan we visited my Grandpa Honecker's farm which my uncle has done a wonderful job of maintaining. We enjoyed hearing stories from my uncle and aunt about their childhood. Life was a whole lot simpler back then. I wonder what it would be like to experience it for myself.
The barn is huge! It is still in great shape. I think that with a little TLC, it would make a great bed and breakfast!

The little (tiny!) house where my mom was born and raised (along with her 8 siblings). Mom and her sisters slept upstairs in the attic and her brothers slept in the small building adjacent to this one.

Grandpa built a bigger home in 1941. The linoleum in this house is beautiful - each room has a little different pattern.

My cousin Clint and his beautiful family.

So fun to be there with Doris and Jesse (my sister and brother-in-law).

We saw some moose on the way back to town! Photo credit to Jesse who was brave enough to get out of the car and takes some pictures while the rest of us "observed" from a safer place!

Sandee's Family

2011-10-12T21:00:00.001-06:00

Our family was all together in Luseland, Saskatchewan, this past weekend to remember our mom and to celebrate a life well lived. It was wonderful to spend time with my 3 brothers and 2 sisters. We have not all been together since 2005. I am thankful to God for the legacy my parents left us and am grateful as well for my siblings.
My twin sister and I.

Three handsome brothers-in-law!

Great Grandkids

2011-10-12T20:12:00.008-06:00

Mom and Dad had 27 great grandchildren and last weekend we met 16 of them, some for the first time. There are also 20 grandchildren in the family. That makes a grand total of 61 in our family counting mom and dad and their six children and spouses (and grandkids and great grandkids). And there are more on the way!

Home at Last!

2011-10-03T17:06:00.002-06:00

Early yesterday morning (Sunday, October 2) my 96 year old mom went home to be with Jesus. For months mom had been struggling with failing health and her deep longing and prayer was to go to heaven. Yesterday her longing was fulfilled and her prayers (and ours) were answered. Well done good and faithful servant! We will miss you, dear mom, but we rejoice that you now have a new body and that you are in the very presence of your Savior. - Photo credits belong to my nephew Trevor Meier.

Way to go, Tyler!

2011-09-27T19:07:00.003-06:00

Last week, on September 21, Tyler took a very important Air Traffic Control exam. It is called the AT-SAT and is similar to the college entrance SAT exam except that this one is for Air Traffic Control. It is a long 8 hour exam, and we (and many others) prayed that Tyler would have the stamina to finish well. Following the exam Tyler reported to us that he finished in only 5 hours and he felt good about how it went. A day later he received the results. He scored very well on his exam, earning him "well qualified" which we trust will mean a better job opportunity down the road. Many thanks to all of you who were praying for him. We are so proud of you, Tyler! God gets the glory!
Tyler recently bought a salt water fish tank at a second hand shop and is slowly starting to stock it with fish. If only they (the fish) would stop eating each other! The lion fish (in photo) is ruling at the moment.
Tyler is thankful for his friend, Ben, from BFA, who is also studying at LeTourneau (see bottom picture). They live on the same floor in Tyler Hall (the name if his dorm). And the city of Tyler, TX, is just down the road!

The Colors of Fall

2011-09-26T14:09:00.021-06:00

Yesterday we took a Sunday drive to see the aspens changing into their brilliant fall "wardrobe". The colors we saw were so bright and beautiful and vivid; it was not possible to capture on camera the panorama we kept seeing as we were driving (and stopping to take pictures)! Tim calls it God's watercolors. I think that the Master Artist takes a great deal of delight in splashing His creation with such extravagant color. And He gives it to us to enjoy!

September Sunset on the Front Range

2011-09-23T21:15:00.001-06:00

Hiking Stanley Canyon

2011-09-17T21:56:00.002-06:00

Early this morning we did a very challenging hike above Colorado Springs to Stanley Canyon and reservoir. Family friend, Chad, an officer and periodontist in the Air Force, recently moved to the Springs and took us on this hike (which required military I.D. since it is on USAFA property). Today was another amazing chance to enjoy God's beautiful creation - the aspens beginning to change color, the panoramic views from up high, and Chad's two adorable dogs with boundless energy just like their master!
By the way, Tim does not usually hug trees! However, this aspen has an unusually huge trunk, so we took a picture to show the size of it.

WIRED Germany

2011-09-13T19:44:00.001-06:00

The first edition of German WIRED hit the newsstands in Germany on September 8. Luke's work is featured in it. Erste Deutsche Ausgabe translates First German Edition. You rock, Luke!

This is the US Version of the same page published in February 2011.

St. Mary's Falls

2011-09-11T20:30:00.009-06:00

Red Rock Canyon

2011-09-08T18:37:00.012-06:00

Labor Day hike - Red Rock Canyon

Has anyone seen Stephen?

2011-09-07T20:19:00.005-06:00

We saw this poster in downtown Colorado Springs this weekend (I kid you not!). It was hanging in an empty storefront window. If Steven ends up in your backyard, you'll know who to call!

September 6, 1986

2011-09-06T11:26:00.005-06:00

25 years ago today, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Tim asked me to marry him.
(I said "Yes!") After he proposed, he carved the date in the bench where we were sitting.......

.....which over looked the beautiful Swiss Alps and Engstligen waterfalls.

Our beloved Adelboden which we visited many, many times during our years in Germany.

Balloon Classic 2011

2011-09-05T17:48:00.022-06:00

This weekend we attended Colorado Spring's Balloon Classic, held every year on Labor Day weekend. Hot air balloons are launched very early on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning, weather permitting. We got up at 5:00 on Saturday morning and headed to the launch site, only to find it had been canceled due to high winds. We tried again on Sunday morning, and this time they were able to fly because there was very little wind.

At sunrise the balloonists begin filling their balloons with air. It is truly amazing to watch these colorful "bubbles" expanding and growing bigger and bigger all over the park grounds. Tim says it looks like they are waking up and getting ready for the day! They are huge once they are fully inflated.

Over 60 balloons were launched on Sunday morning. This happens in 2 shifts since there are too many to launch at once.

These two pictures (above and below) give you an idea of how big these balloons are when you see them beside the people.

Note the Canadian flag! This balloonist received the award for coming the greatest distance - from Edmonton, AB.

It was a spectacular sight to see so many balloons in the sky!

The second round of balloons filling with air and getting ready to launch.

There were lots of kids at the event, and they were thoroughly entertained!

Launching a Hot Air Balloon

2011-09-05T16:35:00.013-06:00

It was fascinating to watch the steps for getting a hot air balloon launched. It really is a lot of work. We noticed how the balloonists waited until "the last minute" before beginning the process, because they have to get the green flag before they can fly. This is totally dependent on the wind conditions - up to a maximum of 11 mph. Above that wind speed they are not permitted to launch, at least not at the Balloon Classic where it is more challenging because so many balloonists participate, and the field becomes crowded (the sky as well). The mountains add another challenge because wind speeds can suddenly increase and wind direction can quickly change.
A large tarp is spread on the grass so that when the balloon is spread out it doesn't get wet.

Balloon in a bag

Propane tanks inside balloon basket

Spreading out balloon

Blowing hot air into balloon

Balloon inflating. Sun rising on Pikes Peak.

Getting bigger!

Air going into balloon is very hot!

Balloon starting to rise off the ground as it becomes fully inflated.

Ready for launch.

Up and away!

The Perfect Date

2011-09-05T15:50:00.007-06:00

On Saturday night Tim and I went to the Balloon Glow at Memorial Park in downtown Colorado. As dusk falls, the hot air balloons, which are deflated and "laying" on the grass, are filled with hot air and slowly begin to inflate. It was amazing to watch these little bubbles grow bigger and bigger and slowly become upright as they fill up with air. Then, when they were lit up by the fire inside of them, the sight was absolutely spectacular - especially with so many huge balloons being lit all over the park. It really was the perfect date (and the event was free!)!

Flower Garden

2011-08-31T18:33:00.011-06:00

.....that's what our neighbor calls our balcony! She loves "our flower garden". We do, too! We spend a lot of time on it early in the morning and in the evenings, and it is my "office" during the day.

The view out of our kitchen window.

The view we enjoy while sitting on our balcony.

Balcony visitors. Our hummingbird usually stops by several times a day.

Sandee's Job......

2011-08-30T20:16:00.007-06:00

I am very thankful for my job. I am the coordinator for ACSI's student sponsorship program. I get to work from home which is wonderful. I also work part-time, which is another blessing. And best of all, even though it is indirect interaction, I get to work with students from different countries around the world. I have to proof-read and "approve" all letters between students and their sponsors, so I get to "meet" them in a roundabout sort of way, and I get to see updated photos of their beautiful faces!
Sadly, ACSI is phasing out of this program, and that is the part of my work that is not very much fun (i.e. I get to phase it out). When a student that someone is sponsoring leaves the program because they graduate from high school (or they leave for another reason), and when that sponsor tells me that they would like to have a new student, I don't like having to tell them that we have no new student to assign to them. Yesterday I spoke with a school administrator from Missouri who requested six new students for his school to sponsor. I was so sorry that I had none to give to him (but thankfully I am able to offer these sponsors a great alternative - the option of connecting with another organization that also sponsors kids so that they can go to school).

My job involves a lot of time spent on the computer and a considerable amount of letter writing, updating student and sponsor files, connecting with overseas schools who have students in the sponsorship program, and making contact with sponsors. Interestingly, a lot of the sponsorship comes from schools in the U.S. and Canada. There are several schools where every class (grade) sponsors a student! What a great idea, don't you agree, to get your whole school passionate about reaching out and getting actively involved?

Beautiful children who are getting a quality education thanks to committed sponsors who care about them.

My office. I do almost all of my work in the shade of our little balcony! I suppose that with fall approaching it won't be too long before I have to move indoors.

Guess what's for supper?!

2011-08-29T19:58:00.007-06:00

Tim's first time to bake bread since moving to Colorado. It turned out perfect! And....the house smells so good right now!

Guess what we had for supper? It was amazing!

Seven Bridges

2011-08-29T15:32:00.020-06:00

This morning we hiked a trail just outside of Colorado Springs called Seven Bridges.

We drove between 3 and 4 miles on gravel road before reaching the trail head. It felt a little like we were out in the wilderness!

We drove through several narrow tunnels - definitely one way traffic only!

Beautiful ponderosa pines.

Most of the trail followed a creek that we traversed seven times over seven small bridges.

I don't think we'll ever stop saying "Wow!" God's creation is breathtaking no matter where you live!

Colorado Clouds

2011-08-28T16:20:00.012-06:00

These "cloud" pictures were taken over the last 12 months since moving to Colorado Springs. The skies can change very quickly here because of the mountains, and we get some amazing storms.

We enjoy viewing beautiful skies in Colorado, but I still believe there is nothing quite as breathtaking as clouds on the prairies (i.e. Saskatchewan)!

Fire and Hike

2011-08-20T16:52:00.009-06:00

Last night there was a forest fire above The Air Force Academy - both we can see from our house. This morning we headed out early to climb a mountain north of the area that was burned last night.

The fire is under control today.....

....but helicopters are continuing to monitor it and douse it with water. It was fascinating to watch the helicopter make multiple trips to fill with water at a lake near the mountainside....

....and then head back to the mountainside to release the water.

These pictures are not very clear because we were watching from far away!

The mountain today which shows the charred area that burned last night (the two patches to the right of the smoke).

Meanwhile, we hiked to the top of Mt. Hermon today. It was a challenging climb, but the view at the top was well worth it.

Tyler conquers The Incline

2011-08-18T19:48:00.007-06:00

This morning Tim, Tyler, and I all hiked to the top of The Incline. We did it 3 different ways. I took the trail which is a hard uphill hike mostly through the forest with a lot of switchbacks. Tim hiked The Incline to a point 2/3 of the way up, then hiked the trail to the top. Tyler? He is our hero! He hiked The Incline all the way to the top! If you haven't seen The Incline, you can't appreciate how difficult it is to climb. It is only one mile in length, but it is straight up the side of the mountain - a steep mountain! Definitely the most challenging hike around and probably the hardest hike that Tyler has ever taken.

Forest trail

Tim and Tyler on The Incline - 2/3 of the way up

This gives you an idea of how incredibly steep and difficult this challenge really is.

Tyler at the top!

Heading down the mountain

Storm Chasers

2011-08-17T12:38:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was Luke's last day before his long drive to Indiana today where he will begin his new job at Taylor University. We wanted to get in one last hike as a family before we part ways (Tyler leaves on Friday to go back to college). We headed to Palmer Park which is in the middle of the city. Our hike was really short because of the storm moving in. We lingered as long as we could though!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy, TYLER!

2011-08-17T11:44:00.012-06:00

Tyler's 21st Birthday was on Sunday, and we had so much fun celebrating with him!
First, a Birthday meal at Edelweiss - a very popular German restaurant in town.

Weinerschnitzel and German salad. Delicious!!

Our server brought Tyler complimentary Birthday cake (Schwarzwald Kirschetorte) after finding out it was his special day.

Luke's Sound of Music pose.

Back at our house Tyler had Black Forest cake/Schwarzwald Kirschetorte (second time round).

The famous (infamous) Incline.

The off to the Garden of the Gods, a perfect way to end Tyler's Birthday adventure!

Happy Birthday, Tyler! You are amazing! We are so proud of you!

USAFA

2011-08-13T14:23:00.015-06:00

On the way home from hiking yesterday, we made a quick stop at the U.S. Air Force Academy to see the chapel. We got there just in time because it was closing for a wedding.
Here's some shots inside the Protestant chapel.

Inside the Jewish Chapel

Inside the Catholic chapel.