Pics from my Bro's Wedding

So, I'm back!
This last Saturday (April 19, 2008), my sole sibling got hitched.
Here are a few pics from the event--courtesy of my Aunt's boyfriend, Eric. :)

This is my Grandpa (Vernon) and me sitting in a pew before the ceremony. I got to be a bridesmaid, hence the fancy getup.

This is my Aunt Sharon and me with the light of God shining upon us...or something! Ha!

This is my brother Kurt, his wife Jessie, my Aunt Sharon and my Uncle TB. Sharon and TB are Kurt's godparents.
Kurt and me! We used to look a lot more alike than we do now...that's probably not a bad thing.
Jessie dancing with our cousin Corey (who doubled as the best man) during the dollar dance portion of the reception.
I paid a buck for this attitude?! Eric had to ask me what I said to make Kurt look at me so strangely. That is my little secret...I did laugh out loud when I first saw this pic though...

"Art"

So this past weekend my Mom and her boyfriend have been visiting me out here in LA (which is a long way from Wisconsin!). Friday we went to Knott's Berry Farm, which probably would've been a lot more fun if we had more time to spend there (in the four hours we were there, we went on 3 rides, saw one performance, and looked through one exhibit). Anyway, to me the highlight of the trip was when we watched a Native American guy perform a traditional hoop dance. The above pic should give you some idea... He started out with picking up one hoop, and by the end, he was probably handling a dozen or so. REALLY impressive!
What's more, afterwards he spoke for a minute.
He mentioned that in Native American culture (I'm not positive if this extends to all tribes, but its the impression that I got), there is no word for "Art". All the singing, dancing, etc. are seen as a form of prayer. I really like that idea...

Mi familia

Just because I can...I feel like putting up these pics that were taken at my Grandpa's birthday celebration on August 11th! These are just a few of my family members back in Wisconsin...they might kill me if they find out that I'm putting these up, but oh well! :)


This is my Mom and her youngest sister, who goes by the nickname of "Mutt". She hates that name, but my mom and their older sister picked it out when they were kids, and she hasn't been able to shake it. My mom is making a face--she doesn't usually look that appalled! Ha!
This is my uncle "TB." He'll tell you that stands for "The Boss", but really it's derived from 'Tinkerbell.' Yes, he has an interesting sense of fashion, but he's one of the coolest people on the earth.
This is my aunt Sharon holding her Great niece. Sharon has a knack for having odd expressions right when a photo snaps. I think I might be following suite. And yes, that's red hair and freckles to the max, but no, she's not Irish...100% Norwegian, believe it or not!
These are my cousins--Mutt's boys Mike and Ryan. Ryan's wife Angie and his son Hunter are in the middle. Ryan is the 3rd oldest of us 11 grandchildren, and the first to get married. Well done! My brother and I tip our hats to you!

And this is Ryan and Angie's daughter Gracie. I haven't met her in person yet, but I'm astounded by how much she looks like a real-life doll! Can you believe that porcelain skin and those deep blue eyes? Gorgeous!

The Things you find out

So today is my last full day in WI before I head up to MN for a few days, and then fly back to California.
It's nice to get the feeling I never left. Like it doesn't feel that weird for me to be back here visiting. It feels weirder to think about the fact that I have a full time job (and an apartment) in LA that I'm going back to. Like that's the oddity. Does that make sense?
Not that I want to live in Wisconsin again, mind you...just saying.
I'm doing way to much sitting on my rear and eating over here...

Anyway, I found it interesting to learn a couple of days ago that my grandpa is fully Norweigan. Why is that interesting? Because heretofore, I was under the impression he was of Swedish descent. To be fair, he did say that his mom grew up on the border, and moved to Sweden before she came to the U.S. when she was 4. But she was really Norweigan.
I guess it's not such a big deal as the two cultures seem very similar, but I do feel like I have a little less cred in Minnesota now (land of Swedes)--ha! And in fourth grade, when I decided to represent the culture of Sweden to the rest of my class when we talked about heritage...well, I guess I was living a lie...but probably no one else cares.

That's the news for now. Gotta fly to get to my lunch 'appointment'. Take care, friends!

Lovely Lefse!

This is just a short post as I tried to post something from this computer last night and it froze up on me...I'm attempting to do another post sans pic, and then maybe add something pretty to look at later.

So a number of weeks ago I got a craving. Honestly I got several cravings, but the one we'll talk about now is of that for a chunk of lefse.
For those of you not from the midwest and/or with no clue as to what lefse is, I will briefly explain.
Lefse is a traditional bit of Scandanavia (i.e. deriving from Norway or Sweden...maybe Finland too?) scrumptiousness that is essentially like a tortilla made from potatoes. My grandma Ramsey, a Norweigan to the core, has done an excellent job of ensuring this fine appetizer of being present at virtually every holiday meal I can remember (last 5 years or so notwithstanding).
Different people have different ways of eating their lefse, but I'm a pretty simple girl...slather some butter (or buttery substitute) on it, roll it up, and chomp happily away.
It's so good (especially if it's soft and fresh), that I could eat mounds of it!

Of course, one must realize that in an urban jungle like Los Angeles, this is one staple that is not in high demand. I imagine that *somewhere* in this city it could be found, but the basic grocery stores aren't going to carry it, I doubt I could find it in a Latin, Asian, or Armenian shop, and I really don't have the determination to hunt for Little Scandanavia among the sidestreets of LA county...odds are if it exists, it's probably somewhere in the middle of Compton.

So then, friends, imagine my utter delight, when I got a call from my pal Kim F. today wherein she disclosed that she had a small package of the blissful potato bread that had traveled safely back to LA with her (from her visit to Minnesota for the holiday), and was going to ensure I got it by days end.
Some people just have "Saint" written all over them.
:)

And oh my--did it ever hit the spot! Yum, Yum, and Yum! Buggins--the dog I am currently dog sitting--was a bit miffed that I wouldn't share with him, but I gave him an earful of commentary anyway. And I saved a bit for tomorrow.
Huzzah!
Merry Christmas, Kristie.

Post Thanksgiving status

Hey guys...
I was going to put up the next installment of God Writings tonight, but I decided to take another mini hiatus instead...thanks to everyone who keeps encouraging me to write though--it's surely appreciated. I don't know about you, but sometimes I just feel like I need to be silent...or at least more reserved in what I'm saying--even if it is through writing and I already have a 'script' so to speak.
I'm feeling better about life than I was a few weeks ago. Maybe I'm just learning how to find contentment during the midst of uncertainty/confusion. It's a good thing.
I had a great Thanksgiving, I have to tell you.
I worked open to 1pm, and though we were really busy, the customers were quite courteous and tipped really well.
Then I went to have dinner with some friends from church...and magically arrived right before the meal (I was sure I would be really late!). It was a good time, and I stayed for over 5 hours. Thanksgiving celebrations with friends have been amazing. I was wishing I could beam myself back to WI to celebrate with my family, but as it turns out, I guess it's good that I couldn't. Getting the scoop from my mom, it sounded like a tolerable day/night, but yet another volume of Holidays with Dysfunctional Families. No bad vibes for me that day here in LA...I can't complain!
I also had the chance to partake of a second celebration on Saturday night with some other friends. It was also quite pleasant--AND I got to take home a heaping helping of leftovers. Nice.
I've been reminded in the last week what a blessing friends are...one of God's greatest gifts. Also, what sort of life I've been 'delivered' (if you will) from. There's a passage somewhere in Scripture that talks about being delivered from the empty way of life handed down from our ancestors. That hits me. If God wouldn't have intervened and given me a life worth living, I probably would've shot myself in the head a long time ago...or be alive but miserable. Anyway, my life is good even when it's not so good, you know?
I guess that's all I have to say for now.
More when inspiration strikes...

Weekend Well-Wishes

I realize that this blog is not the end all/be all of most people's days, so the following might seem a little arrogant, or at least superfluous, to post.
Having acknowledged this, I publicly defer it to the fact that this blog is a culmination of what's going on in my life/mind/heart/etc. and one of the perks is that I maintain complete control of what gets posted and what doesn't...therefore every post is another clue to seeing life through my eyes.
Ahem...yes, whatever, "Cut to the Chase, already Ristey", etc.

Three major things are being commemorated/celebrated this weekend, and though I am physically unable to take part in the festivities of any of them, I offer my sincerest well-wishes and send groovy vibes of every sort out to...

1) Lisa and Wil K. getting married in La Crosse, WI! Hooray! My first friend-I-grew-up-with getting married...I've known Lisa since we were in preschool together. Now out of Nick, Amy, Tina, Cassie, and me, who will be the next to fall?... ;)

2)My grandparents--Vernon and Joyce Ramsey--celebrating their 55th Wedding Anniversary. Yay! These two are so joined together that they don't ever even use the other's name...simply the emphasized pronoun (i.e.Him, Her, etc.)! It can be a fun game to try to get them to cave, but hasn't happened in my hearing for as far back as I can remember! Stubborn Scandanavians--that's where I get it. :)

3)Christy Merry--my former roommate, fellow modern-day apostle, and current friend-- turns 30 on the 30th! Woo-hoo! She's been whooping it up weeks in advance but the actual date is drawing nigh. Hop over to her blog (see my links) and wish her a Happy B day if you feel up to it!

Ok then, may the sun shine brilliantly on you all.

So Begins another week

I meant to go to bed early tonight, but then I turned on the computer.... ;)
Don't fret though, dear friends, it's only a few minutes after midnight and I fully intend to brush my teeth, change into my pajamas, and hop into bed after throwing out this post. [I always want to say "throwing up" a post, but can't handle the allusion to puking...oh crazy language...]
So this is going to be another random post.
I feel like the week just flew by...indeed time often seems to be escaping me at quick rates these days. It's like being dizzy, I think. Once my head stops spinning, I'll be doing just fine.

What have I accomplished at the close/beginning of another week?
Hmmm...
Well I did go get myself a new pair of running shoes on Friday. I didn't get a chance to use them yet, but I intend to go for a jog along the beach tomorrow morning. My left heel is still not quite right, but not putting up too much of a protest.
I also finished a short biography I had picked up on Martin Luther. I got it at a Northwestern bookstore for like $3. It was an interesting read. After being so caught up with seeing the movie Luther, this biography grounded me a bit more and illuminated where the movie might've been using their dramatic license...I may just put up some more thoughts on this at a later date...
My California driver's license also came in the mail this week. Huzzah! I'm official! The picture looks 10X better than on my Minnesota license too. Serious! It took me 2 and a half trips to the DMV to get this thing, (1/2 being when I got bum directions from Mapquest and couldn't find the place) so I'm glad the ordeal is over with.

Other than that...
I saw Nacho Libre tonight with my friend Andrew. I laughed a lot, but it was one of those movies that doesn't penetrate. I would rate it as worth seeing once, but it sure as heck is no Royal Tennenbaums. Andrew and I also squeezed in an episode of The Young Ones (an old British sitcom from the '80s) before going to church tonight...about 5 years ago we watched all the episodes with our pals Foxx and Dan C...good times...
Stacey and Vinay have been gone for the weekend, but we did take some time last Tuesday night to pray together.
Thursday I got to see an old friend from high school--Jeremy--as he passed through town.
Otherwise, I'm still working on getting together with the handful of friends I have out here in LA.
I'm looking forward to Spot (aka Scott M.) coming back out here in another month or two...he's been busy up in Alaska over the past couple of weeks and I haven't had the chance to hear from him much. I'm starting to miss the punk.

Starbucks has provided me with a great sense of community in the meantime. I enjoy working with most of my coworkers...and of course those I am not warming up to so easily are probably the ones I have the most to learn from. It's been a tad overwhelming to get thrown back into everything after a few years on hiatus...and at a very busy store too. I'm starting to get into the groove again, and I LOVE waiting on customers. I'm still not quite into the brain-working-in-supervisory-mode yet though, but I'm hoping by the end of this next week I'll feel more confident.
I was thinking the other night of what the difference is between when I was 22/23 and working for Starbucks and now when I'm 26. During the midst of a chaotic rush, I realized that now even if I'm feeling as frustrated, I at least have better control over myself. For people that know me well, that might be a surprise--not many would accuse me of being volatile or emotional. But I can feel a big difference internally over how I react to things, which is for the better. I also have better patience and I dare to say more effective communication skills when a problem arises with a coworker.
Overall though, I am currently quite satisfied with my job. Hooray!

And to close off, here's a bit of wisdom I got from my mom. "Tastes change as you age". She's been telling me that since I was like 5 and refused to eat the liver on my dinner plate. I thought it was a load of bull, if memory serves...one of the only things I didn't swallow hook, line, and sinker. But the thing is, she was right.
Example 1: I used to hate ice cream when I was little. I would eat the cone, but had no interest in the stuff itself. Time ellapsed and I began to like vanilla. But only vanilla. Then it was chocolate chip. But I despised chocolate...until a few years ago. Now chocolate ice cream has become my favorite and I rarely eat anything else.
Example 2: I also used to hate yogurt. I tried to make myself eat it a few years back, but I gagged every time. I think it was a texture thing...I could do two spoonfuls at best. Then McDonald's came out with their Fruit and Yogurt parfait. I began to enjoy it. But regular yogurt was still too challenging. Sparing you the long list of babysteps toward this, I recently decided to make yogurt my breakfast food. Sometimes I'm sprinkling bits of cereal in it to add some crunch, but sometimes I just eat it plain. Here's the catch though--I only enjoy blueberry. Everything else is still gag-worthy. Oh, and did I mention that as a kid I hated the flavor of blueberry?

Life is weird!