Daylight Saving Sunrise

Taken from the office this morning. (Littleton, Colorado). Gorgeous, huh?

Sunshine Tag # 1

I was feeling a little down earlier this week. Nothing specific, just still processing all the major changes that are going on in my life right now. I told Lyle, "Ya know, I think I just need to get back online with my social networking and blogging again." He agreed. It's been nearly 3 months since my world turned topsy-turvy... I think it's past time for things to "get back" to normal. Not that things will ever be "back" to normal, but maybe things are beginning to settle into the "new" normal. Does that even make sense?

In any case, when I came in from work today Laura told me I had been tagged twice for the "Sunshine Blog Award"... which is really not an award at all, but rather a tag quiz, which is always fun. It started (at least in our circles) with Laura's BFF, Rachel @ Idaho Inspirations, who tagged Laura @ Through My Eyes and Jan @ Butterflies and Rainbows (among others), who both tagged me. That sounds like a nice, easy way to get back into regular blogging, don't you think?

So the "rules" are:

• Start a new blog post. 
• Upload an image of your choice. 
• Answer my 10 questions. 
• Then make up 10 new questions. 
• Nominate some bloggers.

In the interest of not boring you with all 20 questions in one post... (not to mention, being able to stretch this out for two posts!)... I'll start with Jan's questions and then do Laura's questions another day.

First, though, the "image." I snapped this on my phone on my way to work yesterday. By lunch time, it was sunny and warm, so I ate my lunch outside at the picnic table!

And now, Jan's questions:

1. What is one of your most embarrassing moments? I'm too embarrassed to say!
2. What figure in history do you most look up to? Outside of Jesus or another Bible character (see question #8)... goodness! I don't know! How about Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley (and several other children)? I've heard the story of how she used to pull the skirt of her apron up over her head to find a "secret place" to pray.
3. What actor or actress do you most resemble (not physical characteristics) in regard to character or part played? Okay, so you're looking for a character in a movie or TV show, huh? Hmm... Maybe Olivia Walton on The Waltons? 
4. What is your favorite animal? The Cookie Dog, of course!
5. What is your biggest pet peeve? Misplaced apostrophes.
6. What is your favorite comfort food? Is popcorn a comfort food? Made in a pan on the stove top with real butter and plenty of salt.
7. What is the most important lesson God has taught you? "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10.)
8. Who is your favorite Biblical character? Jesus, of course. Second favorite, maybe Martha.
9. What was the scariest thing you have ever experienced? There surely have been scarier experiences than driving up the road to Pikes Peak (sheer drop-offs, no guard rails) but I can't think of them at the moment. And actually, I wasn't driving. Lyle was. I was taking pictures by holding the camera up to the window and snapping with my eyes closed. Lyle laughed at me. That was the summer of 2008.
10. What is one thing you hope to accomplish in 2014? Make progress on my novel.

Since I was tagged twice, I think I'm going to tweak the rules a bit. Rather than making up 10 new questions, I'm going to let Jan's questions be my questions for this round. And I'm going to nominate whoever wants to play along. So if you've already answered a different set of 10 questions in this go-round, feel free to grab these and post your answers to your own blog. And I'll do Laura's questions in a day or two the same way. Will that be okay?

Let me know in the comments if you decide to play along... because I'd like to read your answers! And if you tag me for a different set of questions, you'll need to let me know, because I'm not yet back in the groove of reading all my favorite blogs yet. (Sorry! Soon, I hope!)

49 Years

Happy Anniversary

to my wonderful parents!

Upcoming Travels

This past week was our annual training conference at Sonlight. It's a time when the convention consultants get together to learn about any changes for the new catalog and prepare for the upcoming convention season. It's something I look forward to every year, but it's always an intense week.

This year was a little different since I now go into work at Sonlight every day. It was still a lot of fun, though. I learned a lot and enjoyed the fellowship, as usual.

I'm very excited about all the traveling I will be doing this year. Last year I flew to two of my events. This year I will be flying to all of them except one... and I will be going to a total of 9 within 3 months' time!

Here's what my schedule looks like:

• March 14-15. Loveland, Colorado. 
• April 11-12. Duluth, Minnesota. 
• April 16. Soldotna, Alaska. 
• April 17-18. Anchorage, Alaska. 
• April 21-22. Fairbanks, Alaska. 
• April 24-26. Redmond, Washington. 
• May 15-17. Des Moines, Iowa. 
• June 5-7. Richmond, Virginia. 
• June 12-14. Puyallup, Washington.

I would love to drive to all these events. Well, actually, I would love for Lyle to drive to all these events, and I would be the enthusiastic passenger and picture-taker-along-the-way... but that's not the way it will work out this year. Flying in doesn't allow time for much sight-seeing or visiting friends, but in spite of that, I am still looking forward to it.

Life is always an adventure!

Settling In

 I guess it's way past time for an update. We are gradually settling into our new home. The weather has been quite variable. January was overall pretty mild. Last weekend we got a good bit of snow, turning our backyard into a Winter Wonderland.

 Two weeks ago we made a quick trip to Kansas over the weekend to meet up with my parents so the girls could go home with them. They are planning to stay in Arkansas until the end of March. Laura will probably come back to Colorado at that time, but Becky intends to stay and raise a new flock of chickens this spring, since last year's Girls had to stay in Idaho. She's thinking of adding some guineas to her flock as well.

We drove home across southern Kansas, and drove parallel to an Amtrak train for many miles. Sometimes it would get ahead of us when we stopped, but then we would pass it again.

 In the evenings we're trying to get more unpacking and setting up done. Last weekend we got some pictures hung which makes the house feel more like home. I was happy to get Lyle's string arts hung in the family room. (This is a craft he was into as a teen. Even though they are somewhat "retro" by now, I have enjoyed hanging them in our home throughout our marriage.)

Work continues to go well. Each week is a little better than the last... which is a good thing, I think. Lyle is getting to know his co-workers and enjoying more variety than just running the printing press, which is what he mostly did the first couple of weeks. I've been making plans for the upcoming homeschool convention season. Turns out I'll be doing 8 events this year... 3 of which are in Alaska! I'm very excited about that, as I've never been to Alaska before. That will be an adventure, for sure!

One thing we are thoroughly enjoying is exploring the area. Last Sunday was sunny after a big snowfall the previous two days, so we went for a long drive up in the mountains. Suffice it say that fresh snow in the Rockies shimmering in the sun is breathtaking.

Until next time...