A Wonderful Weekend

My favorite quotes from the weekend:

Gary: Maria, who is God?
Maria: Well... He's God!
No better way to explain Him!

Tom: Brady are you glad to be here tonight?
Brady: Definitely, Definitely!

John: Brady, why do you feel like you are getting more out of the sermon?
Brady: Because I'm not asleep!
HAHA!

Reid Plattner (age 2): Dad, is Chelsie going to be at Grandma and Grandpa Chichis?
Brian: Why would Chelsie be there?
Reid: Because she lives at Grandma and Grandpas!
I think this is my hint that I stay at Lindsay's house too much. haha

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! IT SNOWED IN BERN ON FRIDAY NIGHT! That is just nuts. But it was nice that it only lasted overnight and then went away. Fall needs to last longer than just a couple days!

Everyone, hope you have a happy Tuesday.

Grandma's Cookies

Last night I was so hungry for something sweet, and all we have is Halloween candy. I was rummaging through our empty refrigerator and then moved on to the freezer. Feeling quite disheartened by this point, (the cupboards had been searched as well by this point), I was getting ready to shut the freezer when a bag in the door caught my eye. GRANDMA EILEEN'S COOKIES!!!!! It was like my birthday. I was SOO excited. A whole bag of them. hehehehe.... I giggled mischeviously as I ate half the bag. Well maybe not the giggling part, but I did eat half the bag. sigh.... so satisfying.

Top Ten Most Flexible Jobs

I recieved this e-mail from a classmate of mine. Seems I would be in the right field. BOOYAH! :) FYI: check out Number 7, if you don't want to read the whole thing.

Recent studies indicate that today's working professionals desire control of their time even more than a bigger paycheck. Job seekers can often uncover flexible jobs in businesses that serve customers around the clock, and in industries with a backlog of projects to process. Telecommuting offers professionals the ability to eliminate long commutes without cutting connections from clients or colleagues. Flextime gives workers the ability to set their own hours. Job sharing is a relatively new form of work flexibility, allowing two or three team members to share a single set of responsibilities.
According to government statistics, these ten careers offer great job flexibility potential:
1. Medical Transcriptionist
Complex insurance regulations combined with a backlog of patient data mean a surge of jobs for certified medical transcriptionists. Because most doctors' offices outsource this vital step in the health care process, most medical transcriptionists earn $28,000 or more each year working from home. Medical administration training courses can be completed in just a few months, opening up the potential for a lucrative side job or a highly flexible full-time career.
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2. Financial Manager
Bank branches, stock brokerages, and other financial companies have radically changed the way they do business to appeal to today's active consumers. Earning an MBA in finance no longer means settling for banker's hours. In fact, companies are actively recruiting financial managers willing to work when customers need them the most. An online degree in finance can qualify you for jobs that frequently pay more than $81,000 per year.
3. Nurse
According to government analysts, a nursing career is as close to recession-proof as most professionals can get in the next three decades. The nation will rely on nursing school graduates for everything from rehabilitation to hospice care. Most nurses can choose their own shifts, or work for agencies as flexible contractors. A nursing degree can help you net $52,000 or more per year.
4. Database Administrator
If you prefer an IT career with a focus on hard data, train for a job as a database administrator. Companies of all kinds need detail-oriented professionals who know SQL, Oracle, and other platforms that keep data organized. A degree in information technology and an independent certification can qualify you for jobs paying $60,000 or more.
5. Accountant
Just because you count money doesn't mean you need to do it from nine to five. Not only can you earn an online accounting degree on your own schedule, you can work with clients in your office or theirs, at times that suit you both. With an online bachelor's degree in accounting and a few years of experience, you can earn a salary of $50,000 or higher every year.
6. Software Developer
Several years after the "Web 1.0" bubble burst, Silicon Valley is hiring professionals with computer programming degrees at a brisk pace. This time, instead of lush campuses with free lunches, employers offer perks that job seekers desire: flexible hours, job sharing, and telecommuting. Within a few years of earning your software development degree, you could take home an annual salary of over $74,000 � without actually leaving home most days.
7. Physical Therapist Assistant
As medical technology helps more of us live longer and survive trauma more frequently, demand for physical therapist assistants has grown. At physical therapist assistant school, students learn skills to assist physical therapists with patient work in the office and at the homes of patients. Earning a physical therapist assistant degree doesn't take very long, and can qualify you for jobs that often pay over $37,000 per year.
8. Paralegal
While industry analysts note the shrinking job market for new attorneys, the number of paralegals finding full-time work continues to rise. Most paralegal schools allow students to attend classes part-time, while building skills that can help graduates land flexible jobs that pay over $39,000 per year. Online paralegal degrees offer even more flexibility for students who crave a law career without earning a Juris Doctorate.
9. Graphic Designer
Thanks to new technology, a degree in digital graphic design opens doors to flexible jobs in a variety of specialties. Whether you work part-time at an advertising agency or run a freelance graphic design practice, you can join the ranks of creative professionals who often earn over $38,000 per year. Many graphic design degrees now include business management and marketing training electives to help graduates build flexible, creative careers.
10. Private Investigator
Although many private investigators work part-time hours, most detectives-for-hire earn over $32,000 per year. An online criminal justice degree can help you understand how to conduct effective private investigations without breaking the law or tampering with evidence.

Lifesong's "Everything"

A couple weeks ago I saw this video, and it really touched me. I saw it again today and just wanted to share it with you all.

It's amazing how much we can let life get in the way and how little of an amount of time it is done in.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

The thing that affected me the most, is that after we have done everything we do. Jesus is still going to fight with all His might to protect us and cast our sin as far as the East is from the West.
Can I get an Amen?!

Food pumpkins and more food

IT's FALL everyone. In case anyone was confused. I LOVE fall. I love pumpkins, I love hot apple cider, I love sitting around a campfire in a hoodie with leaves hitting me on the head as they fall. I love the smell of crisp air. I love how Christ is magnified by the dying of everything so that when Spring comes, new things can be born. :)

Yesterday, I wanted to celebrate the fall season. So at work, I worked myself into a Fall Frenzy. I called Tif, cause I knew she was coming over, I called Marie to invite her up, and I called Dad to tell him how like him I am with voting on the radio with my finger. ;)

When I arrived home, Anna was a little overwhelmed by my excitement when I said, "I have something I need to tell you!!!" With eyes big and a confused smile, she laughingly asked if she needed to be sitting down. So I then informed her of my ideas for last night and today.

Me: I wanna make chili, and spider breadsticks, and cinnamon rolls, and in the morning we can have crepes and then carve pumpkins and it will be GREAT!
Anna: haha.... Ok, what do we need to get?

Me: Pretty much everything.
Anna: I'll take care of breakfast if you take care of tonight...

Me: Sounds great lets go!

So here are some pics of last night and today's exciting events. Tif came over, but didn't get here until later last night and Lin came down to shop and got in about 10:30 p.m. or so. So Anna and I had a TON of food.

Me with my spider breadstick ;notice my necklace from Anna from Kenya (ivory!)

Carvings

More Carvings and end products.

With candles in the pumpkins... they looked pretty cool.

And you can't carve pumpkins without having a pic like this. ;)

This morning we had crepes with yogurt and berries and triple berry muffins. And cinnamon rolls from last night. ;) It's a great weekend so far. If you read this, say a prayer for Mathias Smith since tonight is his testimony and tomorrow his baptism.

Blessings to you all!

I'm not quite dead yet...

Updates are always fun. Preferably more frequent than I have done as of late. (Not in order of occurence)
- I had my summer clinicals at Wood Valley Racquet Club.

- People got married. Don't exactly remember who... :O

- Matt Kaeb, Brady Strahm, Jodi Grimm, Maria Baumgartner, and Lauri Stoller all gave their lives to Jesus. WOOHOO!

- Steph came home for a couple weeks.

- I got a pay raise. :D

- Anna and I moved into our new apartment (In July)

- KU beat K-State - umm... can you say ROCK CHALK?

- Tif and I made some cool pictures.

- Anna went to Africa and is now back.

- Lin passed her boards!!!!

- Marie passed her boards!!!!

- Maggi passed her boards!!!!

- Matt and Courtney had a baby (Emma Anne)

- I learned how to drive the combine :D

- Tif had 2 brazilian girlies living with her for the summer

So now some pictures:

Girls Weekend

Tif's normal face

My normal face...

An Egyptian store in Minne

What a cool little guy

Ohio

Gabriela, me, Tif, and Maggi

Bern Bonfire

I'm glad Renee and Tif saw the light... or my photo shop ;)

Kansas rainy day

:)

me, Jason, Kristen and Tif

On our way to/from Taylor.


Emma Anne and half of Courtney

Children of the corn...raiser

Praise the Lord!

Tif called tonight and told me some AWESOME news!!!

Monica, From all of us here at the Convent... We are SO happy for you and we are rejoicing with the angels!
O yeah, FYI: Monica Strahm gave her life to Christ Sunday night!!!! YIPPEE!

And then:

Ok... I have this thing for food. Pretty much, I can't live without it! ;) no but seriously. Tonight before Lin and I went on a walk I mixed up some brownies and popped em in the oven. As we were walking, we started discussing the brownies and Lin made the comment, "Chel, WHY do you put this temptation in front of me, do we have any vanilla ice cream left???" haha! I don't think she could even have taken a breath she said it so quickly and I about died laughing. So anyway... when we got back, she was real excited and these are the pics that followed:

The 1st is Lin's resistance; the 2nd is Lin stealing my brownie; the 3rd is Lin giving into temptation. For me, it was never a matter of IF I eat the brownie, but when.

But wait... I'm not done.

A couple weeks ago Marie was here for a couple of days and once again I was in a "food mood". So I made cupcakes... well we ALSO got real excited about these cupcakes and here are the pics that followed:

Precontemplation; Contemplation; Action stage

Ok Steph, this better be enough pics for you! ;)

Chelsea's Question

This would be an e-mail I got from one Warren Cloter. It killed me.

Chelsea Clinton asked a returning US Soldier about fear
He said there were only 3 things he was afraid of:
Osama, Obama and Yo Mama.

Other than learning new jokes... This summer has been kinda blahish. *yep it's a word according to wikipedia ;) no not really but it could be*
This past weekend I went with Lin up to Bern for pops' graduation. So proud of the little stinker... just growin up so fast! So here is a list of congrats:
To Jeff: Congratulations on graduating!
To Tami: Congratulations on getting engaged!
To TScott: Congratulations on getting put in as Sunday school teacher (even if it IS temporary)
To Lin, Maggs, & marie: Way to graduate college!

Quotes from the college graduates:
Lin, "We did it!!!!"
Maggs while scratching head, "what kind of a quote do you want?!"

Last weekend I went to Greensburg to help with the clean up day on Saturday and then went home for graduation on Sunday. Saturday night, Tif and I went on a bike ride. It was awesome outside and we saw some AWESOME things.

Sites seen:
A neon green toad... yeah a toad steph, and
A kangaroo rat with its head cut off on the side of the road ( later dad informed me that sometimes owls/hawks eat the brains out of the rats.)
When we stopped at Logan's to get a drink and wash my contact out... an owl comes flying out of the barn and Tif said, "Hi owl ahhhhh!!!!" as it slung code brown at us. haha... luckily it didn't hit either of us.

The weekend before that... was too long ago and I can't remember it very well. So anyway... I hope you are all doing great and I will try to post again soon.

HA!

Gotta share the humor:

Prayers Needed

Please everyone who reads this say a prayer for the 33 people who were killed at Virginia Tech and their families. Here is a video that one of the students at VT put together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba5tZt1p0Pk

Fox news has some videos and the full story if anyone is interested in reading more about it.

Once Upon A Time...

...a girl from KS had a lot of free time as she didn't work and was even called by some, "lazy". This girl took naps in the afternoon and studied at night and she checked her e-mail approximately every 5 minutes. As she was always on the internet she had a lot of time to post about the happenings of her VERY exciting life. Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, God put into her head ... "Hey! Get a job!" ... so she followed these instructions. So, after many toiling hours of intense labor on the job and many MANY code browns... we have the end result of poor updated blogging skills. Some may raise the very valid argument that this girl could FIND time to update. But that is an entirely too good of a point and one that we will not further discuss. So as a brief synopsis, this girl wants you all to know that she is doing fine and LOVING the weather in KS right now.

And now I'm done typing in the 3rd person. whew. Welp, I had a good birthday and a nice spring break, (minus the 2 days of flu) and I'm getting back into the swing of things. It is pouring down rain almost everyday now and looks a lot like Ireland... kinda. Steph is home and that makes me happy. I'm not with her and THAT makes me happy.... lol. I'm actually very bummed out about it. But I'll cry myself to sleep and rest in the fact that she's in KS. haha.

O and by the way... I got new socks. (thanks anna!)

You know...

But...

Ok... so this may seem like it is going to be a ranting post. But I just found great humor from these pictures. I found them in my random pics folder.

So guess what everyone??? On Wednesday, March 14th it will be 3 years since I was baptized. I realized that today and told one of my fellow PTA classmates, who was very excited for me and told me she was baptized when she was 8. It was a moment. :) I was thinking about how much Jesus has changed me and was very thankful. Even though I don't count this date as my "rebirthday". It's still kind of a special day. And so is MARCH 27TH. Just an FYI. I will refrain from the daily reminders that were rumored to have gone around last year. But I'm still kinda excited about it. ;) I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Lord prepare me...

to be a sanctuary, pure and holy tried and true. With Thanksgiving! I'll be a living sanctuary for You!
"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." Exodus 25: 8-9
We don't have to do everything by ourselves, God gives us the layout of how he wants our hearts to be for Him and what exactly He wants us to do, but we have to wait for His timing to view the blueprints.
When I was home this past weekend, I was struck once again by how much little eyes watch every move we make. My mom has a picture on our fridge from alysson stewart (8) that says: "I love my Sunday School Teacher!" and I was just watching her watch my mom's every move and drink it in. Dad always has the sunday school select the songs in the morning, and goes back and forth between the boys and the girls. After the 3rd round it was the girls turn again and Kayli requested to sing, "Jesus love Me lalala" (Jamaican style) How awesome! She was watching all her brothers and sisters, and even though she can't quite get the melody, she sure has the lalala's down! Praise the Lord for little children!!! May God be with you this week. :)

Valentines Day

Just thought I'd join the other two Bahr girls and write on my blog:

February 14th-
a day to celebrate

the unholy alliance

between overpriced plant life

and saturated fats!

Awesome... Thanks for the card Steph!

I walked into Wal-Mart tonight to buy groceries after work, and I had to chuckle to myself as I saw 5 men in a row rushing out the doors with flowers and chocolate, and then 2 girls in front of me in the check out line were "gushing" over the cards they got their boyfriends... oh 13 year olds in love... ! I hope everyone had a truly blessed Valentines Day. May you all feel the love of the one who gives us flowers all the time! :)