Sunday, January 31, 2010

Todays Sermon Interepreted By My Six Year Old.

We have a great pastor at our new church and his sermons always seem so applicable. Normally Elliot and Grace head to Childrens Church during the sermon but today Elliot decided to stay behind. I do not have a problem with him sitting in church if he behaves himself and doesn't distract anyone. However, nothing gets by this kid, so you have to brace myself for what I refer to as the "sermon recap".

First of all I will preface his explanation with what the sermon was really about, Recovering/Restoring Your Joy. Awesome topic by the way!! Anywho there were 7 steps that Pastor Gary laid out in order to do this very thing. One of the steps was analyze the cause of your loss of joy and one of the examples was an undernourished spirit. Pastor Gary asked if anyone remembered when you would go to church twice on Sunday plus Wednesday nights as well as other times during the week for Bible Study or whatnot. And how this sometimes led to a deeper connection which in turn led to a well nourished spirit. He furthered the illustration with explaining that if we nourished our spirits properly we would be so fat with joy we would be able to be rolled down the aisles of church. Well now you know which part stuck with my very imaginative 6-year old boy.

So Grace and Elliot and I are sitting at the dinner table this evening when Elliot says to Grace, you know if we spend to much time at church we will get so fat with the Spirit that we won't be able to walk anymore. Now we don't generally use the word fat in the Jager house so Grace returns his comment with, Jagers don't say fat Elliot. And Elliot says well Pastor Gary said so so it must be true. So I tried my best to interfere and explain what our Pastor really meant but I still think we may be needing a pastoral visit to clear up some of the gray areas because I am just a mom you know.

Thanks Pastor Gary for an awesome sermon but does the six-year old follow up visit come as part of the package:)

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Breaking News


Who knows why our kids continue to grow when you just want to freeze time and bottle them exactly as they are?

Well this is what happened. Again I know I am dramatizing the events but bear with me. Since Elliot is the oldest all of the firsts seem like such a big deal because we haven't experienced them before.

In the mornings the kids brush their teeth and then they come to me for a final check over to make sure they scrubbed away all visible grime. Well upon looking this morning it appeared that his top front tooth was slightly askew. So I decided to go in and look for myself. And you know what? Its loose!! Then I moved onto its next door neighbor, its loose too!!??? OK, so we lost the bottom front two and that was a big enough deal. But now the front two? This is a major milestone right.? I mean we all have the pictures of us missing our two front teeth and the awkward pictures that follow of them being half way in. Oh man I am not ready!! But its going to happen:)

So here's a pic maybe the last one of him with his perfect baby teeth.

They are so precious my two little people. And them growing is such a blessing. I just want to bottle them up so I don't forget each step, each milestone, each blessing. But each year brings new blessings and each stage we all get to learn something new.

Pretty crazy that some silly teeth can stir up this emotion right? I just didn't think we would ever get here I mean he is going to be seven. I still remember his first tooth coming in.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Insert Awesome Here

A while back Brian and I decided to change our attitudes. I know this sounds really dramatic and I guess it was a bit. The first step in the process was to insert the word awesome in reaction to all situations that are anything but. I suggest trying this. This one thing has been life changing. The next step I decided to take was larger, it is still a work in progress and it takes much effort. It takes more than a change in attitude it takes you choosing to take the detour route instead of the short cut, the scenic route rather than the then the....well you get the point. I decided that in all things stressful and horrible and painful I would choose a new perspective. I decided that each of these things were given to me by God and although I know he does not wish harm upon me he would use these situations at some point to better me to give me a step up in certain circumstances, to make me stronger, to make me wiser, and to love others that are experiencing similar situations more. So all things negative are automatically positive, maybe not right at the moment but I know they will be at some point and that promise is enough hope for me.

So why am I telling you this? Well recently someone asked me if I ever get stressed? UH YEAH, but the insert awesome technique is what gets me through a lot of the time and it really works. I automatically smile and sometimes I even giggle.

On another note we got our preliminary menus today. I have been thinking about sharing them on here but my business partner hasn't seen them yet so maybe tomorrow. They are absolutely beautiful!!!! Thank you LUKE WYATT you are the bomb diggity in my book right now!! I love ya man!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Restaurants are AWESOME and A Lot Of Work:)

The title of this post is a ginormous understatement however I am having a ton of fun. There is a lot going on around here and the adjustments are fairly smooth thus far. All of my spare time is now filled with menu formations and scouring Craigslist for equipment, oh and did I mention driving around to pick up the equipment. So far so good though.

I am learning about a lot of things that I didn't know anything about before. I now have tenants and renters, dumpers and leasers. I never knew that a restaurant would entail all of this but it does. The funny thing is I have so much more to do. (Insert anxious nervous giggle here:)

So whats next you ask? Menus, new business cards, more equipment, major renovation, an amazing menu tasting party on Friday, new signage, permanent menu chalk board renovations, more lease agreements, food purchasing, coffee contract, bread contract, new recipe development and I think a lot more , but you get the picture right. Oh and did I mention I am still trying to be a stay at home mom and wife as well as keep my sanity at the same time:)

It sounds crazy but really God has put an opportunity of a life time in front of me and so far He is showing me how to mange it all pretty well. I am so thankful for that:)

Lots more info to come on this topic. Thanks for letting me vent!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Olive is with Jesus

I don't really have a whole lot to say about this nor do I really know what to say. However I can say that I am thankful for Olive's life and what it has taught me about faith, what it has taught me about loving my kids and what I have learned about being a Mom from Lynette Polinder. I can't begin to tell you or explain to you what an amazing job these two did in the four months they have been parents.

I was shocked and heart broken to hear that Olive had died. She will leave a lasting impression on my heart and I will never forget about her.

Please pray for my friends as they are still continuing on this journey. As they are heart broken I am sure. As they are dealing with the greatest loss of their lives. Please pray that they will continue to feel supported by those around them and those that will continue to pray.

www.rustylynette.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Have you heard of the new place in town?


Recently I have shared about the rumblings and happenings concerning The Angry Blueberry. Many of you have told me you have been praying -thanks so much I have felt it-. I know I have been vague about what is going on and now I am ready to share. The Angry Blueberry is going to be partnering with someone else and we will be offering take out, hopefully starting in two weeks. I know its crazy and believe me as much as I know I will be busy I am sure I don't know the half of it at this point. I was presented with some opportunities a few weeks back and at that time I wasn't sure at all what I was supposed to do with them. So I started praying that God would either open the doors so wide that I would fall through or he would shatter the dreams that were not supposed to be. I continued to pray that God would be in charge and I would follow His lead. So far that is exactly how it has been. When I started The Angry Blueberry I depended on God completely I didn't stress at all, I didn't really pursue anything it just kind of happened and God has blessed the business beyond anything I have ever dreamed of. With that being said there is a lot more in store and as it happens I will fill you in.

For now watch for The Grand Opening Post. And the details about ordering our food. Along with where we are located. Did I mention we will deliver:)

But for now the possibilities are endless and God is in control. Last night I went to bed with no stress or anxiety for the first time in weeks and I just knew I was making the right decision. Our God is Great and He is everything we need, this was the last thought before I drifted off to sleep and the first thought as I woke.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Cabin Fever Baby!

Oh Man....What a wonderful Weekend.
This picture totally personifies the wonderfulness and the peacefulness that I think we all experienced this weekend. It was an absolutely beautiful and tranquil location on Lummi Island. No traffic, no passersby, we had a tv but didn't watch it, no laptops or anything else like that. So what did we d with our time you ask. Well we played games...lots of games. The list included but was not limited to Taboo, Catch Phrase, Mad Gab, Puerto Rico and much more. Brian and I played a round or two of Quiddler before bed at night. We read books, I read the Shack on and off all day and finished it (much to post about that later) Sarah read a Christmas book, Justin read a book on Ship Wrecks and I think BJ read a bit of that book as well. We took turns in the sauna that was located inside the house on the main floor (not kidding it was amazing) the boys would take a turn and then the girls because the space was limited. We ate good food, We took turns cooking, The Bajemas made us a fabulous Sushi Feast on Saturday night and Justins new nickname is the Sushi Slayah:) The boys also made Sarah and I breakfast on Sunday Morning. The boys did quite a bit of birdwatching and bird identification. Sarah and I played a couple of rounds of MASH. We all did a puzzle together. And the rest of the time we spent talking about life and random thoughts that needed to be contemplated.

On Saturday morning we were siting and sharing Breakfast when we saw a eagle fly by with a freshly caught fish in its talons right outside the window. We joked about how we were probably getting charged extra for that experience, it was that amazing.

Oh and I haven't even talked about the cabin itself!? It was beautiful. It was decorated straight out of catalog in a really livable and cozy sort of way. Our bedroom had the most amazing window in it. I sat in the chair that was strategically place in front of the windows every morning and read and thought about life for awhile. Mostly about how complicated it is. How complicated we make it. But I will talk about that more in my Shack review. The showers all had European rain shower heads and heated floor tiles. It was beautiful, did I say that already?

I absolutely love the water. I was raised around commercial fisherman and spent a lot of my childhood on it. But now it is more about the sound, smell and over all air of it that gets me. It is free therapy. So this location was prime for me in that way.

And last but not least I can't begin to explain how thankful I am for my friends and for these ones in particular. They are one in a million, needle in a haystack kind of friends. The kind that you can depend on for anything and there are no limits to that. The kind that make you wonder if God had this in mind when He talks about brothers and sisters. They are nothing short of fabulous.

So here's to many more Cabin Fever trips and I am hoping to this same place:)

Oh and we finished the puzzle by the way...we were missing the very last piece:(















Friday, January 15, 2010

Leaving For The Weeekend:)




I have been looking forward to this weekend for sometime now!! I have needed a break since mid October really. And so what better way to get one then to start a new tradition with some of our favorite friends and get out of town. We are calling it Cabin Fever, it will take place every January form now until we die.

Requirements include but are not limited to the following:
-Must Stay In A Cabin
-Must Have A Fireplace
-Must Not Be A Place That You Are Required To Wear Anything Fancier Than Your Best Sweats
-Must Bring Good Food
-Must Bring Lots Of Games
-Must Promise To Relax And have Fun

So that is the first part of my most looked forward to weekend. We will get back on Sunday afternoon so I will post lots of pics of this wonderful place.

The second part is traveling with my husband to Seattle (one of my favorite places on earth) for two days. While he conferences I am having dinner at my favorite restaurant, enjoying coffee in my favorite coffee shop and getting a book or two at my favorite used book stores (must blog about my obsession with these later) and having lunch with one of my friends and her new baby. I will not be doing anything else it sounds wonderful doesn't it.

Did I mention my Mom is taking my children for the entire time I am gone? Well she is and they will be spoiled and need to go through Granny Detox when I return but it will all be worth it!

Above are pics of the wonderful people joining us for Cabin Fever. Wouldn't you want to spend a weekend with them?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

My New Favorite Recipe!

If you know me at all you know that I have a personal desire to cook everything I serve for my family from fresh ingredients. I like to cook as homemade as possible as often as possible. So my new recipe follows these guidelines perfectly.

Bread has not been my friend in the past. Rolls and I get along quite nicely but for some reason Bread and I haven't been able to come to a common ground. But I have found a new recipe that is starting to change my view on the subject. It is a very simple french bread recipe that - get this - takes ONE hour from start to finish. So here is the recipe let me know if you like it.

One-Hour French Bread
1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
3 - 4 cups flour (any combination of white and whole wheat)

Preheat oven 450º. Combine water, salt, honey, and yeast in a medium bowl. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes, until bubbling. Add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, until dough is no longer sticky (I'll sometimes dump the dough out onto the cutting board with what flour is in the bowl and roll it around,adding a bit more flour, until it's not sticky). Roll dough into a 12 - 14" roll (or you can divide it in half and roll it into two long skinny baguettes). Place dough roll(s) on a cookie sheet (this won't work in a bread pan), greased or sprayed with non-stick spray, cover, and let sit 20 minutes. Make diagonal slits, 1/2" deep, on top with a razor blade. (Optional: spray with salt water). Bake 20 minutes.

You could even add Rosemary or any other herb you may fancy.

ENJOY!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Lights of Christmas...Forgot to post the pics:(






We go to The Lights of Christmas in Warm Beach every year with my in laws. It is fabulous, magical and yum. First stop on our journey is always for mini doughnuts then onto Bruce the Spruce. I can't tell you how much fun we have. This year we went the Sunday after Christmas so we missed seeing Santa he had already left for a vacation somewhere warm I am sure. All and all a fabulous trip and a wonderful. Thanks to the Unit for a spectacular outing!

The Rumblings Have Now Turned Into Bumps...

Sometimes I wonder why when some doors are opened you feel like you shouldn't even let yourself rest in the threshold. Opportunities arise yet your heart and reality tells you that those opportunities are merely just that-opportunities. I know that now it seems I am talking in riddle or some sort of code however i still can't say much because i am still not sure what God wants me to do. I know what I want to do, but sometimes my wants are merely just that-wants. The Angry Blueberry is being given a chance to expand in a large way. But is the timing right. I am trying to strip my heart of all of my emotions especially fear and look at the bare bones of the situation.

When the decision is made you will be some of the first to know the outcome. Thanks to those of you who prayed for me I felt it.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

To The Inconsiderate Dog Owner

So I have been running again.....OUCH is all I have to say at this point.

However what I am writing about is the disturbing experience I had last evening. I will remind you that it was raining last night, I love running in the rain. Something about it is quite therapeutic and relaxing. Not sure why it just is. So there I was about 1/2 mile out running down Grover starting to really get in the mood and setting my pace quite well I might add, the music was playing in my ears and the rain had really slowed down to a mist which is simply blissful. I was just starting to get into the idea of my run when bam I step in the largest pile of dog poo you have ever seen:( I stop dead in my tracks and look behind me to make sure I wasn't mistaken about what I had just experienced and no I hadn't there was a ginormous pile of poo right in the middle of the sidewalk. I then glanced around thinking I might be on Candid Camera or something. Nope not on Candid Camera. I was bit frustrated and used another word for the word poo but after wiping off my shoe I continued on. Don't know why I am sharing this? Consider it a public Service Announcement I guess.

And to the Inconsiderate Dog Owner....I could have slipped in that and really injured myself. Do me a favor and carry a bag next time!

Welcoming 2010






Tried out a new restaurant with a bunch of our regular buddies on New Years Eve. Three of my Four sister in laws were around and being as they are a bunch of fun they joined us as well. Milagro was great, delicious and fabulous. If you like Mexican food I highly recommend it. It is in Fairhaven.
Don't have much to say because it was a while ago now.... I would have posted about it sooner however my camera is not communicating with computer for some reason. This makes it a bit difficult to get my pictures put on the computer. But I have a new method so expect more picture updates.
Lame Post I Know. I Promise More Excitement In The Next Post:)


Thursday, January 7, 2010

Rumblings in the World of the Angry Blueberry

Oh man. I can't say a lot about the subject besides that The Angry Blueberry has some huge possibilities. I don't do this often however I am certain that it is warranted. If you have time would you please pray for my business. I was presented with some things today that, God willing, could make some of my goals more obtainable. I have felt Gods presence and provision in every decision thus far and I will be praying that His will will be evident.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Mystery Woman I long to be like you......

Here is another thought conjured up from a video that I watched during Bible Study this morning. May I again share that IMO (in my opinion) Beth Moore is a genius, a truly wonderful woman who loves God and is humble enough to share her shortcomings as well. Altogether making herself out to be someone to admire and love.

Well this morning we again were studying the different things that come up in our live that make being a woman quite tough. Now remember these things are not brought up to make us feel sorry for ourselves but rather help us overcome and move forward. Enough rambling! Anyway she highlighted Proverbs 31:10-31. First of all I am going to write (and/or ramble a bit) then I will share the passage. The woman the passage describes is one I can relate to in part however much of what is displayed I can only long to be. She is a Mystery Woman. I can admit in all honesty that I pull the covers over my head when I hear the first rustlings upstairs out of a bit of fear in knowing that this bit of noise means I will need to get out of the warm cozy nest I call my bed. So cross out the part they says about getting up while its still dark I don't do that purposely in effort to provide for my family it is more out of necessity (shame on me I know I am just not much of a morning flower:). But now moving on from what I am not I would like to say that this passage encompasses a lot of what I long to be especially in regards to being a wife. This past year was full and at times quite heavy. In fact there were quite a few times where I had to hand the reigns over to my husband and hope and pray that he could handle doing my job and his at the same time. I can report to you that he did a marvelous job and most often times surprised me in all that he was able to do. But then he would pass the reigns back and ever so humbly and gently tell me he didn't mind helping out but he wouldn't want my job (thanks babe). I will also admit I stink at asking for help and often realize I should have asked when its to late. So asking my husband for help is something I hadn't done a lot in our marriage. I truly believe God used the times when I had no choice to let go of my normal job title and assume others to teach me how to be a supportive wife and to bring Brian good not harm. I had to hold my tongue and realize things would get done maybe not my way but everyone would be okay in the end so what did it really matter if the kids didn't match when going to school or if he got the kids ready for the day in the opposite order from me. So much of the last almost 8 years have been filled with being a mommy that sometimes I have forgotten how important it is to be a wife. Brian even made the comment the other day that he felt so much more a part of our daily lives around here in the last year. There are many reasons for this but I suspect one of them is that I have needed him to be but also because I have stepped aside and let him figure out how to do things his way. It is a bit humbling to admit these things out loud however I can honestly say I hadn't really realized the result of my actions. And I don't think that Brian would say he missed out on anything or that he even felt slighted. I just think there is way more to this wife business then I ever thought of. So now that I am done diapering and nursing and all of the other things that come with being a mother to a baby or toddler that needs you every second I am going to go back to my first job after being a child of God and that is being a wife to my husband. I love this man more that anyone on the planet and I want to honor and respect him a way that helps him to be able to accomplish and experience all of the many goals and things that God gives him. I know that God is the ultimate provider and he is calling me to be a supporter.

So in saying all of this I will again admit that I am a work in progress and as long as God keeps working I am okay with this. I would also love to meet this Mystery Woman, this Wife of Noble Character and I hope that when I do I am wise enough to sit on the edge of my seat and soak her up the best I can.

Proverbs 31:10-31
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10-A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11-Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12-She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13-She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14-She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15-She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16-She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a
vineyard.
17-She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18-She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19-In her hands she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her
fingers.
20-She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21-When it snows, she has no fear for her
household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22-She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23-Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24-She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25-She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26-She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27-She watches over the affairs of her
household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28-Her children arise and and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29-"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30-Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to
be praised.
31-Give her the reward she has earned
and let her works bring her praise at
the city gate.