I want to ride my....

My new helmet came in the mail... Spent a pretty penny on it since I've got to ride my bike on the freeway in order to get anywhere. I love "my" bike.... A hand-me-down from my father-in-law... who rode it in France way back when they were stationed across the lake. She's seen a lot of life. And this season... she's seen a lot of dust. I'm not a hard-core cyclist who enjoys riding in the rain. I'm the kind of girl who likes to take the bike out on a Sunny Sunday afternoon and ride the 10 miles to the ice cream shop in the neighboring town... or take it out early in the morning to ride the 5 miles to work on a Sunny spring/summer's day...

We haven't had any of those yet. I want to wear my new helmet. But people think it's weird when I'm not riding my bike. Hopefully the rain will let up and my bike (and my body) will see the sunshine again.

The secret to marriage...

... I haven't found... but one thing I know has been good for us. Days away. We don't have any kids but we've got jobs and a home that is good to escape. Get away for the day and do the things you love. Be in the place that makes you feel most at home...

Seattle.

We recently headed north for the Seattle Bike Expo. And a day together in Seattle is never complete without a trip to TopPot & Zeeks pizza.

Where do you go to get away?



All photos taken via instagram, @chrisklas or online!

Thankful Thursday: Corny Jokes

A rope walks into a bar (just go with it)

He sits down and says "Hey Bartender! Can I get a drink!"

The bartender looks down at the rope and says "Hey you get outta here! We don't serve ropes in this bar!"

So the rope steps outside & tries to think of ways he can get the bartender to serve him.

He quietly sneaks back in and pulls up a stool beside a large man at the end of the bar.

Calling out in a deep voice he says "Bartender... How 'bout a drink?"

The bartender begins pouring and just as he's about to slide it to the large man at the end of the bar he sees the rope and says "Hey! I see you down there! Get outta my bar!" And he tosses the rope to the curb.

The rope stands himself up, brushes himself off and then suddenly - he gets an idea.

He starts pulling on some of his strings - wrapping himself up in a ball - making himself look disheveled.

He swings open the bar door. Walks right in and sits down at the bar right in front of the bartender.

"How 'bout a drink?" says the rope.

"Heeeeyyy.... don't I know you?" says the bartender. "You look familiar. Are you that rope I've been kicking out?"

With a sly smile on his face the rope calmly responds, "Nope. I'm afraid not (a frayed knot)."

bahaha... 

Sweet Cheeks: Part Deux

Again. I can’t believe I never posted these... Meant to do this yesterday for “Friday Photo Shoot” but wasn’t able to charge my laptop in order to get the pictures up.

This is an older photo shoot - even before my new camera. And, it’s a completely unconventional “sweet little girl” photo shoot - but I love the way some of these turned out - and so fitting for this family.

Birthday Celebration!

It's time to party! A baby was born!

Most of all I want you to read this:

Today we celebrate a baby born... pooping, crying... HUMAN... born so that about 36 years later he could hang on a tree for you - for me - and be risen from the grave... holy, anointed... GOD.

He brings hope. PLEASE don't forget that.

Sometimes I get caught up in all the stuff and the celebration... Mostly because I think the Beatles wrote this song for me and Jesus.

Dear Jesus... "You say it's your birthday? It's my birthday too - yeah!"

Merry Christmas everybody! 

Instagram!

Once again... my week through an iPhone lens. Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

@chrisklas

Leftovers

I know it's not even Christmas yet... so how are there leftovers? I couldn't decide what to post today... So I just thought - I have this file on my desktop with pictures that haven't been used on the blog yet and are just waiting to be posted but I haven't felt the need/desire... So - here they are... You get leftovers today. :) Sometimes leftovers are there for a reason, and sometimes they are more delicious the next day. I guess that's for you to decide.

More from the Cold North...

Life has been a crazy mess these past few days. Some good. Some sad - but mostly just busy. As I posted last week - the hubs and I took a much needed vacation to Vancouver, BC (which now feels like a distant memory) and part of that time was spent at the aquarium.... looking at butterflies. (I know. It doesn't make sense to me either)

I have a confession to make. I like butterflies just fine. But moths? Those guys are right up there on my list with spiders. Maybe even a little higher to be honest... I just think of it like a spider - who can fly. Nobody wants that.

All that aside - God has created some pretty terrific creatures (even the moth has it's beauty)

But I feel like I would be missing a significant part of the picture if I didn't also show that it's not like what you see on TV. You aren't just one day a mess and the next day perfection. It's a process of molding and making and shaping and growing and sometimes your in a dark place - one you feel like has made you completely alone. You might as well wrap yourself up and hide yourself from the world...

But this is a time in which God's plans - his handiwork - is working more fervently than any other. When you feel like God is furthest from you - that's when he's doing a work that is unimaginable. 

To come out of this darkness with a beauty that is incomparable - well, its incomprehensible. 

But it happens every time. Without fail. 

Also linking up with "Growing Up Gardner"... I couldn't be more thankful for the process mentioned above.