natalie’s blog

For my final four days in Oregon, Nicole, Andy and I decided to tour the Oregon coast. Aside from a bit of rain, the weather was beautiful and the trip was wonderful. Here are some highlights:

Arrival at the coast!

The lush green backdrop against the ocean water was gorgeous!

Nicole and Andy take a romantic stroll along […]

Today we did something I never thought I’d do: mountain biking. And I’m officially hooked! It was a thrilling experience! We woke up to a beautiful morning, loaded our gear and made the short drive to Tumalo Falls. Nicole and Andy have some really nice mountain bikes and borrowed another one from a friend to […]

Friday night, we decided to enjoy the beautiful weather by taking a sunset hike at Smith Rock.

We met up with my friend Kelsey, whom I haven’t seen for five years, and had a great time catching up in between gasps for breath while climbing up the trail.

Nicole and Andy pose for a picture part way […]

Pilot Butte State Park is right outside Nicole and Andy’s back door and provides the perfect motivation and setting for an early-morning excursion.

Self-portrait…

July has been a change of pace, with not quite as many piano lessons and more time to work on other projects. Much of my focus has been on the book I am writing and on learning everything I can about the field of self-publishing, since that’s the route I plan to take. I’ve been […]

After hours of work, I am excited to announce that my amazing little sister, Naomi Anne, now has a home on the World Wide Web! You can visit her blog at www.NaomiAnne.com.

Naomi is one of the most disciplined, self-motivated people I know. She has a true heart for the Lord and loves spending time in […]

Yes, it’s true. Naomi passed the test and can now drive legally with her learner’s permit. She is very excited…but this is how the rest of us feel about it…

It’s official. Here’s what I’ve been working on. Check it out…

Over the course of the next several posts I’m going to share photos of places our family visited on our trip. Some of the places will be very obvious; some less so. Have fun catching a glimpse of our recent travels! Here’s the first photo. Can you name the landmark?

This afternoon our family joined several other families from our church to celebrate the Seder together. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and gaining a greater understanding of this Jewish tradition and its significance for us as Christians. Here are a few pictures capturing the occasion:

A group of five families gathered for the feast.

After […]

Well, it’s about time for my monthly blog post, don’t you think? I’m in rather a bit of an odd writing mood, so this post will be a mish-mash of random thoughts and happenings of late.
First off, do you know what the word pericope (pronounced puh-rik-uh-pee) means? Without looking it up in the dictionary. […]

Here is your chance to join us on the beautiful Colorado mountains for an exhilarating day of skiing! We were joined on our annual family ski trip by Nicole’s husband’s family, the Bloyers, and we had a blast together! This video will give you a glimpse into what our days of skiing were like. Enjoy!

So I guess I let January in the blog world slip by me. Oops. At least I have a good excuse. I was traveling the world. Well, Europe anyway. My time overseas was wonderful! Thanks to all who shared in my excitement and offered helpful travel tips. It was an unforgettable experience. I’ve attempted […]

What I’m listening to:
German Phrase CD
Instant Immersion German
The Bible in German (this is an amazing site with an audio version of the Bible in numerous languages!)
What I’m reading:
Frommer’s Austria
Frommer’s Vienna and the Danube Valley
Europe by Eurail 2007
Fodor’s Munich’s 25 Best
Fodor’s Germany 2008
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Germany
Frommer’s Germany’s Best-Loved Driving Tours
Germany for Dummies
What I’m doing:
Trying to […]

Before:

After:

Nicole and Andy and Andy’s family joined the rest of our family at our house where we enjoyed a delectable feast, conversation, football, games and a time of giving thanks for the individuals who make up our families.

The following night we enjoyed continued fun and fellowship at the Bloyer’s home with a hot dog roast […]

In 100 words or less, essay-writing contestants were asked to elaborate on the topic, “Why Teachers Are Important To Me.” Two winners were chosen from each of three regions (Eastern, Western and Europe) for a total of six winners. Noelle received the exciting news today that her essay was selected as one of the two […]