My sweet blog, I have neglected you...

Well, to the 3 loyal blog fans that I have out there in cyberspace, I am sorry I have neglected you recently! I have good intentions of many varied posts, but have been too busy to even think about listing them. I will start with where I left off...

August 2009

Mid-August, I went on a training trip to Seattle with my Americorps Vista group I will be serving with this coming year through the Children and Families Commission of Orange County. To be honest, I dreaded the trip. As a rule of thumb, I do not like travel for work. I don't like sleeping alone in hotels, in particular. I was dreading the trip for 3 days before leaving while I dragged my heels in the packing process. I was grumpy and grumbly the night before. In general, I wanted the trip to be over before it began.

After I got off the plane in Seattle, everything that happened got better from that point on. I made friends quickly with my new fellow Vistas, and we had a fun day together in the hotel where we stayed. Which, by the way, was fabulous. We stayed in Downtown Bellevue at the Hyatt, which was beautiful and far better than any of us expected. Apparently, because the economy has tanked and hotels are especially hard up for business, our national Americorps gurus negotiated the best possible bang for their government buck, and we ended up staying in the nicest hotels in the history of the Americorps program. Cool stuff!

The training itself was also far better than I expected. I have managed a professional development (training department) in the past, and have coordinated a lot of volunteer trainings, as well as have formal training on conducting trainings. Which makes me a picky student. I actually was impressed with the content and the facilitation, which is hard to do.

I met some of the most wonderful people on this trip! Not just my new OC acquaintances, but from the whole West Coast and Pacific Northwest region--the whole training was full of a bunch of non-profit loving, people-helping people. It truly felt like I had been sucked up by a mothership and transported to my home planet. As much as could be the case in a strictly secular government environment at least. I left the 4 day trip feeling completely proud to become an Americorps Vista member for the year, and really pumped to start my year of service.

Finally, I got to do some unexpected sightseeing also. Of particular interest: Pike's Place (with the fish), the original Starbucks, aka my "mothership", and the Space Needle, which I was able to see at sunset on a beautiful sunny day. Which I understand is not typical of Seattle--which, by the way, was sunny the entire trip. I felt like I was in SoCal.

So, needless to say, my expectations of this entire trip were exceeded tenfold. I actually was sad to leave and came back happy that I went on the trip.

As a teaser to the next installment of "fall 2009 adventures with Jennie", here are some of the next postings I hope to get to within the next few weeks:

*Colette's Children's Home: My First Month
*How to Date a Lawyer for 6 weeks and no more
*Saddleback Small Group Learnings from Fall 2009
*Mt. San Antionio's Fiesta Weekend
*Labor Day at Disneyland
*Update on my "mentee," Jacqueline

I hope to do a post every few days to catch y'all up. I'm a facebooker too...so chances are, if you are on facebook, you've already caught up on these adventures as they were occurring.

Now...must...get...sleep...

Trip to the Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica

On Tuesday, my sister-in-law Beccie, who is also an avid "crafter," and I went on a trek up to the Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica. I picked her up at her house (on the way), we got our coffee and tea, and were ready to go. The UCC did not disappoint! Although we went up there with lofty ideas of it being actually bigger than it was (the store portion, in particular--hey, a girl can dream, right?), we were still in glorious crafty heaven wandering around the store.

While we saw a lot of crafting items that she and I both had "mastered" the art of creating (quilting for her, scrapbooking for me), there were still some new techniques and items that she and I are both dying to learn. Felted animals (BIRDS for me, MUSHROOMS and WOODLAND CREATURES for her), new t-shirt screenprinting techniques, how to machine quilt on a sewing machine, as well as some hip and modern shrinky-dink jewelry...so much to learn! We were so enthralled with what we saw, that we are going back on Friday for a free demonstration that they are having, and bringing my brother along with us.



On a side note, MOST of the house I live in is now painted! Woo hoo! I'm still putting the "finishing touches" on things with the help of my decorating-maven friend Sharon, but pictures will soon be available! During the rest of the summer, other home renovations will be happening where I live (new slider, new flooring, new downstairs bathroom) but they will take more time to complete. So, in the meantime, Beccie and I are focusing on some summer projects at her house, mostly pillows, curtains, and furniture re-arranging--all VERY fun! I am teaching Beccie how to sew cording in pillows (the easiest thing EVER), and Beccie is teaching me how to quilt with leftover scraps that I have from making pillows at my place (no-cost, low-risk if I mess up!). So my few blog readers will have a peek into some other projects later in the summer as well.

Stay tuned for further updates on my "CRAFTY" summer!

New nephew...#15 from my two families!

Joshua Michael Rinehart

Joshua was born to Liz, Jay, and Abbie on June 19 at 1:35am, just a few days before Father’s Day. Jay was delighted to get a SON so close to Father's Day! Josh was 9 lbs. 9 oz. and 20.5 in. long with a 14 in. head . . .a real whopper!

Last week, I went and spent a couple days with Gramma Shirley and Poppa Bob to have some play time with Abbie while they were watching her during the first few days of Liz and Jay's adjustment period to the new baby. Abbie is so grown up now! She speaks in complete sentences, is amazingly bright, and has a hilarious personality. She loves introducing you to her little world in Bob and Shirley's living room (she has a play corner there) and even to her routines in the bathroom. "This room is called the bathroom. And this is my stepstool. And these are my animals that go in the tubbie with me. And this is the soap...". This was all during a brief trip to wash her hands after walking Buddy, the dog.

The next day, I went with Bob and Shirley to bring Abbie back home--and also, of course, to meet Joshua. He was SOOOOO adorable! His cheeks and chin were so chubby and cute. His eyes were still very blue, and he had a little bit of brown hair (not as much as Abbie was born with). Abbie kept telling us what she would teach Joshua: how to play peek-a-boo, how to play hide and seek, and of course, how to pet their kitties "gently." (Somehow I think the gently part was taught to her as greatly important).

The funniest part was when Liz and Jay were changing baby Joshua and Abbie stood up tall on their bed to see what was going on and she said, "What's that?"...pointing to their obvious gender difference. So all of us got to hear Liz address the birds-and-bees watered down, fit for a two-year-old talk about the difference between boys and girls. Abbie didn't seem convinced, which was the most hilarious part. Ahhh, the joys of parenting. At least now I know what to say if I have a boy and a girl--Liz did a great job with that whole topic!

So...this makes #15 in my line-up of nieces and nephews in my biological and adoptive families:

Madeline
Julia
Carson
Seth
Dylan
Olivia
Alexis
Madison
Macy
Noah
Mason
Zach
Abbie
Jessica
and now...
Joshua!

WOW! Too many to keep track of!!! I do have to say, I really enjoy being "Ant Jeny." You get the joy of having children around who are fun but you get to send them back home at the end of the visit. :-)

Finally, here is a picture of grown-up Abbie loving her brother's "teeny tiny hands."

Big Sister Abbie and Little Brother Joshua

New Plans and Goals!

Well, most of you know how this past year I have been on a whirlwind adventure. I moved back east to live near family for a while, and ended up moving back to sunny southern California because I missed living here.

This past week, I accepted a year-long position with Colette's Children's Home in Huntington Beach. It is through the Americorps Vista program, which is also referred to as the "domestic peace corps." I am really excited about this position because I am going to be able to use my OL Master's Degree--they are going to have me work with their Operations Director and Board to solidify their strategic plan this year, and I will also work with their Executive Director to learn more about fundraising and grantwriting--both skills that I need to build if I plan to stay in the non-profit sector in Orange County. I am excited to begin this position, which starts in mid-August and lasts for a year.

Tentatively, I am also applying to the University of San Diego's PhD program in Leadership Studies with an emphasis on Nonprofit and Philanthropic Management. Ever since I graduated with my Master's last year, I have been exploring options for a PhD program, but have fluctuated because I wasn't sure where I'd land in my job search and with my moves during the last year. I visited USD two weeks ago, met with the Admissions Director, and spent about an hour talking with two students who are currently in the program. I really liked the format and focus of the program, and the campus of the school is beautiful--the building where my department and classes would be held is only 2 years old, and very gorgeous--it even has a view of the ocean and a view of downtown San Diego. If I were to get accepted as a full-time student and be awarded an assistantship (I would have to for the finances to work out), I would tentatively plan to start in the fall of 2010, after finishing my year of being an Americorps Vista. So...we'll see what happens!

I know many of you have been following me in my moves and year of job-searching--and I thank you all for your positive thoughts and prayers! This has been a really long year for me, but the journey has taught me a great deal and I would not have arrived here any other way. I am glad to have moved to Kentucky, but also glad to have moved back to California and to have come full-circle again and land back into the nonprofit sector. Stay posted for how this year goes and how my application process for USD's program goes. I am going to be taking the GRE this fall, and need some prayers for that, as I haven't taken a standardized test in a while.

Regumbah's French Market

I was SO fortunate this week to go with my friend Sharon to a tasting party at Ragumbah's beautiful home in Laguna Beach. What started out as as simple, "Hey, Jennie, you should come to this lady's house tomorrow, it will be fun!" turned into one of the best days I've had all summer!

Most of you know that I have worked part-time at Williams-Sonoma doing sales and cooking classes, and that I have a growing fondness for cooking and all things kitchen related. So, when I showed up with Sharon and learned I got to taste all kinds of special French sirops (syrups) and confits (jellies), I got very excited. Ragumbah is the exclusive importer of these fancy syrups and jellies direct from the maker in France. Her products are in some stores in Laguna Beach and she also sells from her website as well.



What an experience! Even getting to see Regumbah's interesting house was a treat, and that was only the beginning! These French syrups are made using ancient methods in copper pots and are infused with floral essences and oils. They are very subtle but for those with a discerning palette, they are heavenly. We began by tasting some of the floral syrup flavors mixed with some plain Greek yogurt--delicious! Next, Ragumbah handed us crackers spread with creamy goat cheese and with the confit--again, a wonderful flavor. The BEST way to taste them, however, was the sorbets--she and her daughter make sorbets from the syrups combining them in interesting ways, like lemon and violet, or grapefruit and geranium. Heavenly! Other uses for these oils are to add a hint of flavor to whipped cream (or frostings), to make specialty salad dressings, or to flavor champagne to make delicious cocktails.

So, of course when it came to the end of Sharon and I choosing what to purchase, we were torn, but settled on some items for ourselves and to give as gifts to special people we know. So...a couple of you (who probably don't read this, lol) may be receiving some of these in the near future.

Tonight, I came home and began using my selections immediately! I have used my poppy infused syrup in my bottled water (just a few drops and it is so much tastier to drink, and hardly any calories). I made a salad dressing with the poppy syrup that is hands down my favorite dressing--light and refreshing, perfect for summer (recipe will be listed below). I used a tablespoon of the confit, warmed in in the microwave, and drizzled it on my fresh strawberries and blueberries. Then, I used the matching poppy syrup and put a hint of it in the fresh whipped cream I made. Each item was to die for! Amazing flavor, and really added a lot to the dishes, although it is subtle it is very unique and tasty. I just love these!

Yay to Regumbah and her small French import business! I have a feeling that these are going to be popular gifts for friends and family!

Poppy Dressing

*1/2 oz white wine vinegar (of your choice)
*1 oz grapeseed oil (milder flavor than olive or other oils)
*1 tsp Sirop Coquelicot (poppy) from Ragumbah's French Market
*1/8 tsp salt (as an emulsifier)
*1/4 tsp poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in a cruet and mix throoughly. Dresses a salad for 4. Double or triple for a larger salad.

Great Deal from Craigslist!

So...with the re-painting starting to happen (the kitchen is finished and one wall of the living room as a "test wall" is getting done on Friday), all of the living room furniture is in the center of the room. My roommate said yesterday when we were cleaning everything in preparation for painting that it looks like we're moving...kind of funny, considering I had two huge moves in less than one year.

Looking at the room differently is now making me look at some of the furniture differently. My roommate had suggested turning the couch in a different orientation to maximize on the size of the room a while back, so when the painting finishes, I think it would be nice to try that and see how it looks. If we do that though, I was afraid that the coffee table (which is long and skinney) may look too small for the area--in fact, the way it is designed, I've thought about sitting it in the entry way and looking at it because it kind of could be a "bench" for taking off shoes, etc., but that just depends upon if it fits.

Either way, thinking about the coffee table has gotten me to looking at other coffee tables on Craigslist. Las night, I found an AWESOME coffee table that was larger (square) AND had storage drawers underneath. The owner who posted it said that it was super heavy (not cheaply made) and solid wood. The color was wrong but I often paint things, so I believe that if I painted it black, it would look FABULOUS with the other furniture in there and help fill a very LONG living room (decorating trick...room is too large, use some oversized furniture to fill it and it looks evenly proportioned).

I went over to look at the coffee table today and it was MUCH nicer than it looked originally in the picture. Very heavy, very well taken care of, and nice style. the drawer pulls were black and the drawers had metal guides along the sides almost like file cabinet drawers--very nicely made piece of furniture. So I bought it from her for $25 (if it doesn't work out, I know I can re-sell it for more), and I'm going to paint it up black and see how it looks. That is, when I get is home because it wouldn't fit in my car :-(. I'll figure out a way to get it home so that I can work on painting it. It was a super great price for the weight and look of the table though--I've seen similar ones at Goodwill that I could have painted up that were marked at higher prices.

So...look for future pictures on how this coffee table looks painted up and placed with the other furniture in the living room!

And the winner is........Summer Hue!

OK, so renovations on the place where I live have started to be underway! All the wallpaper is now off of the bathroom and kitchen walls, and my roommate made her final selection on the color that will be painted throughout the house as the warm neutral tone. It is a very light yellow called "Summer Hue" by Dunn Edwards. It is a fabulous yellow because it adds just the right amount of warmth without being a knock-your-socks-off yellow.

The one area that is tricky to decorate around in the condo is the the lighting. Hence the picking of a very light sunny yellow--the light reflects off of it, and it literally will brighten things up. The color looks a bit different in each room due to the lighting, so it adds visual interest, but it looks great in every room so that there is "flow" throughout the house and consistency. So hopefully in the next month or two, I will have some before/after photos to post of the painting.

Other areas that will come after that will be some pics of the downstairs bathroom (which has pretty much been gutted and is going to be brand new, bead board and everything), and possibly a chair slipcover that I am going to attempt to sew as a my first sort of "upholstery" project. So, many more fun pictures to come over the summer! We are lucky because our friend Sharon has offered to help us with the big painting project, which will be an enormous blessing and help us to complete things in a timely manner.

LOTS of things around the house to prep and get ready in order for the big paint! Flooring will end up going into the dining room and kitchen and downstairs bath, so it's like we have to work backwards and accomplish all the things that we can while the flooring is out (like painting, some yard work, etc.). It's so much easier to do these things BEFORE a pristine floor has been put in, hence all the work on other areas than the flooring to get ready for the flooring.

I will make sure I take my before pictures in the next week or so to show progress along the way. Fun stuff!!!