Rocky

(A note from Rachelle: I have known Jori since 2000 where we bonded over our lack of athletic skill in gym class. Little did we know that was the start of an awesome friendship. My bestie from the midwestie, is a fantastic story-teller and like my previous guest-bloggers, her post brings my blog's coolness up a thousand levels.) This is a story of an old taped up Pringles can that has been residing for at least 14 years in an even older, brittle red paper box. We called the can the Tine Catsul, because time capsule would be too obvious. My brother had one, too, but he was less militant about the whole ordeal, and he never even waited a whole year to open his. Charlatan. Anyway. On New Year's Eve for several years, I'd hurry up to put together a stack of papers of my writing and drawings, roll them into a tight scroll that would fit in the can, and then seal it up, along with the very last air of the year, until the next New Year's Eve. And we did this as teenagers. W...

I have Christmas pictures to share with you. I have to share with you all the fun loot I made out with this year. I want to tell you about being at the OneThing conference last night where I worshipped alongside 17,000 others and listened to Francis Chan speak. I want to discuss with you New Years Goals, and things I learned this past year. I want to share with you a list of books I read this past year or perhaps since 2007, I haven't decided yet. But as it stands, I am sick and don't feel well at all. I have a headache, my throat is scratchy, my neck is achey, I am all stopped up and I am colder than I should be (so I am assuming a fever is at play). I have felt these symptoms arising for a couple days now. I felt ok for most of the morning, until returning from a quick stop at the store with my mom. I have been eating oranges, cuties, vegetables, drinking herbal teas with honey and lemon and water by the liter, though I have not been able to defeat the sickness that has tak...

I was so excited on this visit with my family to see that Remy's vocabulary has grown exponentially and that she loves popular songs on the radio. I had tried to record her singing a couple different songs, though she was too shy anytime I took my camera out. So Jeff convinced her to sing a little bit. Too cute. I hope your day was as wonderful as mine was. I'm back to working and getting things designed and sent out so I have to go, but I at least wanted to share this video with you.  xoxo r

Earlier today after temperatures plummeted in the suburbs of Kansas a young woman, Rachelle Hamilton was found frozen in her home. Witnesses say that she had been complaining of feeling chilly but everyone believed that it was just her readjusting to the Midwest temps. Little did they know that she was freezing solid starting with her toes, feet and hands and rapidly moving towards her vital organs. "I thought she was just taking a nap like normal, though when I noticed she hadn't moved for hours, I thought I'd better check in on her,"reported the victims younger sister, who was the first to find Hamilton. "I never knew it was possible, I mean we use the phrase, 'I'm freezing to death' but I didn't know people actually died this way. I won't take that phrase so lightly in the future," Hamilton's mother told reporters, clearly shaken from the day's events. On the left, Hamilton in 2011 On the right, photo taken earlier tod...

Last night Union Station had a special exhibition set up about the Kansas City Railroad and fused it with Santa Claus and the North Pole (kind of has a polar express feel, and works as if Santa travels by train rather than by reindeer). Visiting Santa at Union Station in the KCS Railroad exhibition is going on this whole Christmas season though there was a special visiting time for employees of KCS last night. As it turns out my step-dad just so happens to be an engineer and a conductor with KCS so we brought Remy to see the man in red. The back side of Union Station. I just like the electric glow of their signage and how it makes the ground look red. As we waited for Rem-cycle, some of the sibs had our picture taken. I love how Union Station goes all out for their events and exhibitions. When I saw Remy at first she announced that she is like Princess Ana from the movie Frozen. Also, she asked Santa for "a lolipop, ballet dress, a tutu, and ball...

What a contrast... it has almost become cliche comparing where I live and where I grew up, but seriously it is always such a shock when I arrive. Not just the weather but the contrast of daily activities etc. Just a few days ago, I was helping set up the launch of Elisha C, my friend's business and setting up my display of photography. The day after that, the Farrums and I went hiking up the Hollyridge Trail in 86 degree weather. Now I find myself wrapped in a blanket watching movies and tv shows with my family. Later we will take my niece to the train station to see Santa Claus (pictures of that will inevitably follow). The dichotomy of my life can sometimes be a source of stress because I want to be in two places at once, but really I love being able to experience life in both places. I can't imagine living without one of them. With all the stresses of living in two worlds, there are equal amounts of joy, and quite frankly makes my visits bac...