quick watches...
A Pep Talk from Kid President: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o
If you only watch 1 You Tube video this year, it should be this...
Kid President Awesome Year Challenge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQOcEDD5hR8
I'm totally going to start mailing people corndogs
Les Miserables: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwgQjfg0hZw
Watch this and then go see the movie!
New Malibu Summer Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUjWiXV8r8&feature=youtu.be
longer commitment watches...
Downton Abbey (it is so good for so many reasons)
BBC's Sherlock Holmes (it's absolutely brilliant!)
Argo (coarse language, but a very, very good film)
Les Miserables (go ahead and try not to cry)
The Hobbit (it's a classic and I think Peter Jackson did a fantastic job)
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
where did 2012 go?
If you are familiar with Young Life camp life at all, you know that it is fast paced and crazy. So May 2012 rolled around and the next thing I realize is that 2013 is here already. It's been an eventful last few months full of exciting, difficult and lovely things. Here are a few...
May, June, July & August | the camp season was in full effect. Thousands of guests floated up and down the inlet, events were held, music blared, bellies laughed and people were loved. Among many other things, my favorite part of the summer season is my Guest Services Intern Team. They are critical to camp operations and make my life and job so much better. On day 3 of the summer camp week, my interns come to my house for breakfast and bible study very early in the morning before we start the work day. One particular day 3 morning, we ate, studied and prayed for the day and then in the 15 minutes before work started, they dragged out nap mats and slept on my floor. It warmed my heart to find them like this, resting with full tummies and full hearts.
Late August & September | If you run in YL circles or know anyone connected to Malibu, you might have heard about one of our staff members suffering a massive aneurysm in camp. It was at the same time the most terrifying and unifying experience I've ever had. Terri made a miraculous recovery over the days and weeks after August 27th. The tears that were shed, the prayers prayed and the bonds that formed during those trying few weeks changed us all.
October & November | In October I turned 30. In November our family took a trip to San Diego and monumentally took my niece and nephew on their first trip to Disneyland. It was so much fun to walk through a Disney park looking through the lens of a child.
Then on Thanksgiving day, while helping my mom cook dinner, I lost a wrestling match with an acorn squash and brutally sliced open my finger. I debated and even tried to convince my dad I didn't need to go to the ER, but the blood kept flowing and so I got my first ever stitches. As it turns out it is the official injury of Thanksgiving. I was greeted by nurse after nurse who said, "Oh you've cut yourself too huh?"
January | I spent almost all of January interviewing intern candidates for our 2013 intern class. It's possible other things occurred, but I was mostly on the phone for 2 hour increments interviewing some fine young folks.
May, June, July & August | the camp season was in full effect. Thousands of guests floated up and down the inlet, events were held, music blared, bellies laughed and people were loved. Among many other things, my favorite part of the summer season is my Guest Services Intern Team. They are critical to camp operations and make my life and job so much better. On day 3 of the summer camp week, my interns come to my house for breakfast and bible study very early in the morning before we start the work day. One particular day 3 morning, we ate, studied and prayed for the day and then in the 15 minutes before work started, they dragged out nap mats and slept on my floor. It warmed my heart to find them like this, resting with full tummies and full hearts.
Late August & September | If you run in YL circles or know anyone connected to Malibu, you might have heard about one of our staff members suffering a massive aneurysm in camp. It was at the same time the most terrifying and unifying experience I've ever had. Terri made a miraculous recovery over the days and weeks after August 27th. The tears that were shed, the prayers prayed and the bonds that formed during those trying few weeks changed us all.
October & November | In October I turned 30. In November our family took a trip to San Diego and monumentally took my niece and nephew on their first trip to Disneyland. It was so much fun to walk through a Disney park looking through the lens of a child.
Then on Thanksgiving day, while helping my mom cook dinner, I lost a wrestling match with an acorn squash and brutally sliced open my finger. I debated and even tried to convince my dad I didn't need to go to the ER, but the blood kept flowing and so I got my first ever stitches. As it turns out it is the official injury of Thanksgiving. I was greeted by nurse after nurse who said, "Oh you've cut yourself too huh?"
December | My little sister got married, we spent New Year's up @ Malibu with our interns.
January | I spent almost all of January interviewing intern candidates for our 2013 intern class. It's possible other things occurred, but I was mostly on the phone for 2 hour increments interviewing some fine young folks.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
once upon a time in Alaska
My friend Alison drove me to the airport and on the way she asked what I thought Alaska would be like. I told her I wasn't sure, but that in my mind's eye there were polar bears and moose all over the place and people cross country skied everywhere because of all of the snow. Well, this giant polar bear was waiting for me outside out gate in the Anchorage airport.
Then, after piling in Sheri's car, we see this after being in Alaska less than 30 minutes.
Sheri's husband (and Kristin's brother) is a hunter, so naturally this was hanging above my bed.
It was about 8 degrees during the parade, and we were in the shade...I'm pretty sure that my fingers got frostbite and there is a chance little Hugo and Ivan here also got a little too cold.
Then we drove down Cook Inlet.
Then we went to the fur auction and found this man.
Alaska may be the funniest place I've ever been. The people were unconventional, but so kind, good, honest and hard working. I laughed and I learned a ton about this unique part of our country.
Thank you Alaska for being interesting and comical. I will be back to see you someday...
Saturday, February 11, 2012
my constant companion
It's Saturday. I have been home for 1 week and I am packing again. I leave tomorrow for a week long meeting @ Washington Family Ranch and a day or 2 in Portland. Sometimes it seems that I live more out of my suitcase than not. This little brown carry-on has been a constant companion of mine.
Whenever I fly I carry-on. In October I flew to Virginia for a work meeting. I carried-on and flew from Seattle to Atlanta and then to Roanoke. When I boarded the plane in Seattle, there wasn't enough overhead room for all the bags, so they gate checked my carry-on. The only problem was that they gate checked my bag to Marilyn Reynolds, who was headed from Seattle to Orlando via Atlanta. When I arrived in Roanoke, my bag was on its way to sunny Orlando with my surname twin, Marilyn. Delta rectified the situation and my bag arrived @ Rockbridge 24 hours later, about half way through my 2 day trip. Many people asked me why I didn't just carry my luggage on-assuming a checked bag to be the reason for the mix up. Some travel advice: Be flexible & patient, the airline can still lose your bag, even when you carry-on!
Together this bag and I have gone to:
Whenever I fly I carry-on. In October I flew to Virginia for a work meeting. I carried-on and flew from Seattle to Atlanta and then to Roanoke. When I boarded the plane in Seattle, there wasn't enough overhead room for all the bags, so they gate checked my carry-on. The only problem was that they gate checked my bag to Marilyn Reynolds, who was headed from Seattle to Orlando via Atlanta. When I arrived in Roanoke, my bag was on its way to sunny Orlando with my surname twin, Marilyn. Delta rectified the situation and my bag arrived @ Rockbridge 24 hours later, about half way through my 2 day trip. Many people asked me why I didn't just carry my luggage on-assuming a checked bag to be the reason for the mix up. Some travel advice: Be flexible & patient, the airline can still lose your bag, even when you carry-on!
Together this bag and I have gone to:
- Malibu, BC
- Olympia, WA
- Atlanta, GA
- Denver, CO
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Buena Vista, CO
- Phoenix, AZ
- Roanoke, VA
- New York, NY
- Porland, OR
- Corvallis, OR
- Antelope, OR
- Anchorage, AK
- San Diego, CA
Saturday, February 4, 2012
home and known by name
The new year is here. In fact it's been here for a while. I have been in Florida and the Bahamas for the last 3 weeks and the triumphant arrival of 2012 was overshadowed by the amount of things that needed to be done in preparation to be gone for that amount of time.
Long story short, I spent a week in Florida taking an intensive seminary class, best I've ever taken actually. Then I spent a day @ our YL camp in Ocala and then headed off to Orlando for the Young Life All Staff Celebration. ASC was a relationally intense and exceptionally fun and encouraging week chock full of surprises, fireworks and 4,000 of the most loving people on the planet. Immediately following ASC, I headed to the Bahamas with 19 friends for some vacation time in the sun.
We flew into Seattle last night @ 9pm. On our way back north from the airport, I commented to Nick & Stacy, who picked me up, that I was dreading how cold it would be in my house when I got home since my heat was turned down and it was 30 degrees outside. It was after midnight when I pulled into our driveway and I was blessed immensely when, as I struggled up the stairs with all my stuff (you see I am the queen of trying, at all costs, to get everything into the house in 1 trip...) I discovered that my lights had been turned on and heat turned up by my lovely neighbors. I was elated to finally be home, in my own space. I showered the travel day off of me and melted into my own bed where I slept soundly for the next 9 and a half hours.
I awoke this morning groggy and not fully sure of what time zone I was in. With no food in the house, I ventured out to grab coffee and groceries. On my way to the store, I called in an order for Thai take-out, my usual: drunken noodle with chicken, 4 stars and brown rice. I arrived @ Haggen and immediately made my way to the Starbucks inside. My friend Ron was working-I was happy to see a friendly, familiar face. He gave me a warm greeting and commented on how he envies my international-traveling lifestyle. I assured him that though it is lovely, and I am grateful for my life and job, that the best part of traveling for me is returning home. It felt good to see a friend and to be known by name.
After I gathered my supplies that consisted mostly of fresh fruits and vegetables, I headed to pick up my take-out. Leslie was working and she pulled out my order as I walked in. She said, "I knew you were the Jen that called this order in, so I put in some extra spice for you". When I eat in the restaurant for dinner, I order my drunken noodle with 4 stars of spice and then request the spice rack. I love spicy food. I also love that Leslie knew my voice, order and spice preferences-even over the phone.
I drove home, feeling a). jet lagged and b). overwhelmed by the power of being home and known by name. It made me think of how this is what we all long for-to belong and to be known.
I have been with my Young Life family for 3 intense weeks and I am reminded that this is what we offer kids, whether we work with them in the field or host them @ camp, we offer them a place where they belong and we learn to know them. When I first went to Young Life club @ my friend Jenne's house as a sophomore in high school, the thing that amazed me most was that my then soon-to-be-YL-leader remembered my name as I left. She said it was so great to meet me and that she looked forward to seeing me next week. She had only met me an hour or so before and as I left she called me by name. I was known. I belonged.
There is great power in calling someone by name. There is great power in being home. I am full, I am tired, I am home and I am thankful to be known. Not just by my friends and community, but by my Jesus who calls me to my eternal home with him. And when he calls me, he calls me by name.
I feel like 2012 is just now beginning for me, now that my big trip is over and I am excited to get to work on the things that I have been dreaming of and scheming over the last few weeks and months. I have some things to build in the next few months before our camping season begins. I have teams to build-interns and assignment teams. And then I have some actual construction to do-a carnival re-build and some Tableau props to create.
There is much to do and many adventures ahead and my hope is that as I go I can create spaces and places where people feel they belong and know they are known.
Long story short, I spent a week in Florida taking an intensive seminary class, best I've ever taken actually. Then I spent a day @ our YL camp in Ocala and then headed off to Orlando for the Young Life All Staff Celebration. ASC was a relationally intense and exceptionally fun and encouraging week chock full of surprises, fireworks and 4,000 of the most loving people on the planet. Immediately following ASC, I headed to the Bahamas with 19 friends for some vacation time in the sun.
We flew into Seattle last night @ 9pm. On our way back north from the airport, I commented to Nick & Stacy, who picked me up, that I was dreading how cold it would be in my house when I got home since my heat was turned down and it was 30 degrees outside. It was after midnight when I pulled into our driveway and I was blessed immensely when, as I struggled up the stairs with all my stuff (you see I am the queen of trying, at all costs, to get everything into the house in 1 trip...) I discovered that my lights had been turned on and heat turned up by my lovely neighbors. I was elated to finally be home, in my own space. I showered the travel day off of me and melted into my own bed where I slept soundly for the next 9 and a half hours.
I awoke this morning groggy and not fully sure of what time zone I was in. With no food in the house, I ventured out to grab coffee and groceries. On my way to the store, I called in an order for Thai take-out, my usual: drunken noodle with chicken, 4 stars and brown rice. I arrived @ Haggen and immediately made my way to the Starbucks inside. My friend Ron was working-I was happy to see a friendly, familiar face. He gave me a warm greeting and commented on how he envies my international-traveling lifestyle. I assured him that though it is lovely, and I am grateful for my life and job, that the best part of traveling for me is returning home. It felt good to see a friend and to be known by name.
After I gathered my supplies that consisted mostly of fresh fruits and vegetables, I headed to pick up my take-out. Leslie was working and she pulled out my order as I walked in. She said, "I knew you were the Jen that called this order in, so I put in some extra spice for you". When I eat in the restaurant for dinner, I order my drunken noodle with 4 stars of spice and then request the spice rack. I love spicy food. I also love that Leslie knew my voice, order and spice preferences-even over the phone.
I drove home, feeling a). jet lagged and b). overwhelmed by the power of being home and known by name. It made me think of how this is what we all long for-to belong and to be known.
I have been with my Young Life family for 3 intense weeks and I am reminded that this is what we offer kids, whether we work with them in the field or host them @ camp, we offer them a place where they belong and we learn to know them. When I first went to Young Life club @ my friend Jenne's house as a sophomore in high school, the thing that amazed me most was that my then soon-to-be-YL-leader remembered my name as I left. She said it was so great to meet me and that she looked forward to seeing me next week. She had only met me an hour or so before and as I left she called me by name. I was known. I belonged.
There is great power in calling someone by name. There is great power in being home. I am full, I am tired, I am home and I am thankful to be known. Not just by my friends and community, but by my Jesus who calls me to my eternal home with him. And when he calls me, he calls me by name.
I feel like 2012 is just now beginning for me, now that my big trip is over and I am excited to get to work on the things that I have been dreaming of and scheming over the last few weeks and months. I have some things to build in the next few months before our camping season begins. I have teams to build-interns and assignment teams. And then I have some actual construction to do-a carnival re-build and some Tableau props to create.
There is much to do and many adventures ahead and my hope is that as I go I can create spaces and places where people feel they belong and know they are known.
Monday, December 26, 2011
one of my favorite things
When we were kids, my mom would watch West Side Story on Saturday mornings while she cleaned the house. I hated musicals. They seemed silly to me. Why would 2 gangs who hated each other dance and sing while they fought?
When I was 16, I saw Rent & Ragtime on Broadway in New York over spring break. I was interested. My senior Engligh class was film as literature. During the musical genre unit in class, we watched Singing in the Rain. I was hooked. Mostly because I had a big crush on Gene Kelly. Singing in the Rain was my gateway musical.
Since high school, I have seen a number of musicals in Seattle @ the 5th Avenue & Paramount Theatres. I also have had the privilege of seeing 3 shows on Broadway in New York. Over the years, I have realized that I love live theatre. The incredible talent of those singing powerfully and dancing gracefully across the stage-and often @ the same time no less-is mesmerizing. The powerful singing in Wicked, the incredible costumes in the Lion King and the brilliant dancing in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers have been some highlights for me. I love going to the theatre!
This Christmas my gift to my mom, sisters and niece was tickets to Rodgers & Hamerstein's Cinderella @ the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. We saw the Christmas Eve performance from the 5th row. I am way more of a quality time/experience vs. gifts/things sort of a girl. I was more excited to share this experience with the women in my family more than I ever have been to give them any material item wrapped under the tree. I was particularly excited to share one of my favorite things with my soon-to-be-5-year-old niece.
Cinderella was performed brilliantly and my niece was enthralled. On our way to the 5th, she was a little unclear about what we were doing and thought we were going to a movie. Once the show started, she was wide-eyed and interested. At the intermission I asked Samantha what she thought so far and her response included 2 thumbs up (she's into the thumbs up/thumbs down thing right now) and the word "excellente" (we're always teaching her Spanish). When we were headed back to the car, Samantha asked me what the next "movie" we could see at the theatre was. She wants to go back! I hope there is a kid friendly show next season @ the 5th.
Cinderella was lovely and satisfied my theatre fix, but the looks on my niece's face that I stole during the show were worth every penny spent on those tickets. My mom, sisters and I had a lot of fun together and particularly watching Samantha enjoy the show.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Christmastime is here
A few weeks ago, we celebrated Christmas together as a staff. We all went to camp (Egmont staff included) and had a lovely prime rib dinner together as a staff and with our Kiwi brothers.
We built a fire in the fireplace of the dining hall. Only the second fire ever in there because the doors on the other side of the fireplace send wind through the fireplace every time the door is opened. #designflaw
Sharon and Stacie put up a tree and set the tables beautifully for our celebration feast.
We then went as a staff to the club room for some fun...
For the last few weeks I've been in Bellingham spending time with friends, going to Christmas parties, enjoying singing Christmas songs @ church and even decorating my little house for Christmas.
We built a fire in the fireplace of the dining hall. Only the second fire ever in there because the doors on the other side of the fireplace send wind through the fireplace every time the door is opened. #designflaw
Sharon and Stacie put up a tree and set the tables beautifully for our celebration feast.
We then went as a staff to the club room for some fun...
Wii bowled
Wii even hunted. Get it Sharon!
For the last few weeks I've been in Bellingham spending time with friends, going to Christmas parties, enjoying singing Christmas songs @ church and even decorating my little house for Christmas.
Tonight I am home @ my parents house in Olympia- the house I grew up in from 5th grade all the way through high school. I am headed to Portland tomorrow for a few days and decided to come down today to break up the trip. My parents are in Oregon for a few days with friends, so for the first time in about 15 years, I find myself in my parents house home alone...I let myself in, took my stuff to my room and went to the living room to turn on the Christmas tree lights and the reality that Christmas is just 6 days away set in. To be here, in my childhood home, for Christmas makes this frantic season feel more real.
As I moved through the living room, I saw that my mom has hung all of our stockings (they have increased in number the last few years) over the fireplace. It made me remember a funny thing that has happened over the last few years regarding the stockings my mom made for us 3 girls when we were little. Behold the stockings....
My mom sewed these for us way back when and to distinguish them from each other, she sewed a little notion at the top of each. A bell for one, a candy cane for another and the third one has a tree on it. My whole life, I have been the candy cane. Lauren was the bell and Jessie was the tree. About 4 years ago, my mom had a lapse in memory and filled the candy cane stocking with things for Jessie. That Christmas morning I went to the candy cane stocking and proceeded to open it and wondered at its contents, as some of them were things I am allergic to (you see, I'm gluten and dairy free). My mom said that was Jessie's stocking and that mine was the bell. Suddenly, I was the only one who remembered the correct owners of each specific stocking. This started a heated and quite comical debate about whose stocking was whose. The debate still continues.
I wonder which stocking I'll get this year. I imagine the debate will continue, we'll laugh and I'll demand that I'm right. The truth is, it doesn't really matter whose stocking is whose as long as we're together. I think this stocking thing is a new Christmas tradition in la Casa Reynolds.
Christmastime IS here, happiness and cheer. Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year.
To you and yours, Merry Christmas!
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