Rush 2009

Going to a youth conference is something I haven't done for years and years. It sure is different being an adult and attending with a youth group. I felt very old at times and out of place a bit. Rush was held in Kelowna, hosted by Willow Park Church, and located on a large property with rallies in a barn! It was really frigid and there were limited bathrooms. We stayed at a church and slept on the floor and went without showers.
Don't get me wrong, I still had a great time and the music was amazing. The band Starfield led worship. Oh, how the girls loved Starfield. I couldn't help myself from yelling "Starfield" in a high-pitched voice everytime they came on stage in a slight mock of the girls who were over the moon for them. The only problem was, according to the girls, that Starfield was "too old." (The lead singer was 35 and guitarist was in his late 20s).It was so nice to see the students getting into the worship and hopefully God spoke to their hearts. There were times I didn't know what to do with a couple of the kids. But on the whole, the group was really great.
The speaker was Shane Claiborne. He was so intense, so interesting, so radical, so inspiring. He spoke about how desperately we need to be helping others in need, especially in poor countries. He said it was essential that the church in the western world do something for the world. We have so much. Did you know that the amount of money we spend on bottled water in one year could get all of Africa clean water?
Another highlight was Riley Armstrong. He is a singer-songwriter from the Lower Mainland and he is soooo funny! I was lucky enough to buy the last cd available at his table! We also laughed a lot at the comedian Daren Streblow. He did a standup act on Saturday evening. He was really great.On Saturday we went separate ways to various fun activities. Some went snowboarding/skiing, paintballing, video gaming and to the 'spa.' The spa was held at another church in Kelowna and had a variety of stations. There was salsa dancing, hair and make-up, nails, and crafts. They also had a coffee shop set up (for free!) and we had a catered lunch. After that, a young woman shared her testimony and how God is teaching her that she is adored by Him. It was really special.
Over all, it was a fun weekend with a great group of kids. I really enjoyed getting to know the youth better. I like how God will speak to you, even if you are at an event aimed at teens. He knows what you need to hear and that you can grow in Him at any time. Thanks God!

Love, Nicole

I Lost 20

Isn't that exciting? Of course I am talking about pounds, not dollars. Nader and I have been following a healthier eating and exercise program since early January.
I was not expecting to lose that much so far, but I am really happy with the results. Who knows how much more weight I will shed by Leanne's wedding? I already can't wear some of my old clothes because they don't fit anymore. I have never been so excited to get rid of clothes before.Even Nader is doing well. He has lost 12 pounds and is really happy to change the notch in his belt 3 places over. He said this doesn't feel like a diet because he is not hungry. Well, it seems to work for us!
We went for a walk on Saturday to enjoy the sunshine. I have had a cold nearly a week already, and we wanted to have some fresh air. It was so nice to be in the sun!! Today it is foggy and snowing again. So much for spring weather.
Hopefully the weather will be better for the weekend. I'm going to Kelowna with the youth group for a big youth conference. It will be a blast! I'm trying not to think of how we behaved as youth on these kind of trips...I think it was hard for the leaders to deal with us! Maybe God will have mercy on me. Pray that we will have a great weekend and that God will touch the hearts of our teens. And that my cold will be better by then.

Love, Nicole

Procrastinator?

So, I keep procrastinating on updating my blog and I hear some people are waiting for an update. Another item that I am procrastinating on is above. The lovely quilted table topper that I was going to give away for Christmas. Seems that it didn't get finished in time.At least I was able to finish two other quilts for Christmas and the receivers were very happy. This one here was made for Eric who happens to love ORANGE and other bright colours.It was so nice and beautiful that I wanted to keep it for myself, but I knew that it would be greatly loved by him. I can always make a quilt for myself later. I already have some fabric and a pattern ready. One of these days I'll get around to it....that sounds vaguely familiar somehow...For those of you interested, I had a wonderful Christmas and a great long visit with family. I know it was awhile ago now and people have moved on to new interests, but I have some great memories.

This coming year is going to be great! There are weddings, births (not of my own), great jobs and exciting new adventures that I don't know about yet. Nader and I have made a choice to live healthier and are enjoying losing weight and feeling great. So until next time, keep fit and have fun!

Love Nicole

First snowfall!

It started snowing during the night and snowed all day long. The kids at school were so very excited to play outside during recess and lunch. They made snowmen, snow angels, and forts that required guarding. Their imaginations ran amok and it was hard to herd them back inside when the bell rang.Later on, the fog moved in up on our hill. Walking outside, I could feel the fog. It was thick, it had substance. I had a hard time seeing further than 5 m ahead. It was very ethereal and dreamlike. Then, as soon as I drove down the hill, it suddenly disappeared, and the late afternoon was clear and still. The snow had stopped and it took awhile to feel that it was normal to see clearly. I went into Starbucks, had an eggnog latte, and listened to Christmas music. It was very cozy and made me feel like Christmas shopping. The atmosphere was totally right.

Happy Christmas shopping everyone!

Nicole

Fall comes to town

Nader and I had an adventure last weekend. We went out to Sorrento and Salmon Arm to explore and enjoy a fantastic fall day.
It was just a great drive through the country on back roads. We found some older buildings built in the early 20th century. We found some brand new expensive homes as well.
It was just great to spend the day together and explore a little of the area near Kamloops.
We found a neat farm market in Salmon Arm where they even had a bunch of goats, sheep, llamas, miniature horses, chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants, pigs, peacocks, roosters and cows! And they had about a thousand pumpkins, but the batteries on the camera died before I could take a picture.

Hope you are having some wonder-fall adventures too!

Love Nicole

I laughed until I cried

Donkey has a ride!

You may not find this amusing, but honestly, I just kept thinking the donkey is saying, "Oh shit!"

Okanagan Road Trip

A chilly grey morning turned into showers and later, into a full-blown sunny crisp fall afternoon.First stop: Honey! (Planet Bee in Vernon). We learned about bees and tasted a variety of honeys made from different blossoms. We bought a couple local varieties.The next stop was Gatzke's Farm Market, about half way between Vernon and Kelowna. We bought some delicious plums, apples and baked goods for lunch. I also indulged in a latte and we ate outside under an umbrella. In fact, it was right behind us in the picture above.We walked around their orchards a little bit and admired the luscious peaches and prune plums just waiting to be picked. I also loved the sunflowers planted along side the road, adding their cheery faces to a cloudy mid-day stop.We also stopped at two vineyards where we had a tour and wine-tasting. To me, the idea of a vineyard and grapes is so romantic. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but even just thinking about it makes me feel nostalgic.
Both vineyards, The Arrowleaf and Gray Monk, were situated with a fantastic view of Okanagan Lake. Seeing the vines in row after row, with grapes ripening, waiting to be picked in a few weeks, was magical.We also went to a goat cheese farm, way out in the country. It was a fantastic drive: the sun was shining, the air was crisp, the smell of fall coming in the windows of the car, and even a few changing leaves made me feel alive! On the drive back home there was a beautiful sunset to end my idea of a perfect day. Too bad I was driving and couldn't take a picture to share with you!

Wishing you many happy autumn days!

Nicole xoxo