Thanksgiving

Here are the promised pictures--a bit late but better late than never:) We loved being with our Hunts and the house seemed a little lonely without them here today. As expected, we had a restful and rich time full of conversation, yummy food, and even a trip to Olympic Park.
I actually ordered our Thanksgiving meal from Wild Oats and it was so great!! The flavor was delish, the time in the kitchen was minimal and the leftovers were plentiful:)


Shanyn made a wonderful apple pie using her super duper apple peeler/corer/slicer!
Yummy! After all of the food we needed a little workout, and so we went to Park City and paid a little visit to Olympic Park where the Winter Games were held in 2002.
Joel did a little skiing...
Jim and Shari practiced carrying their torch together, as they will be doing just that as they head back to the Ukraine...
Shanyn and I even went bobsledding. This was just a practice run which is why there is carpet underneath us, but man is the real thing a thriller!!

After all of that excitement we had worked up a huge appetite and so we went to The Pancake House and gobbled up some yummy breakfast foods.

So, as you can see, we had both a relaxing and exciting time with the family. I hope you all had wonderful days full of Thanksgiving....

Much love, Jen

A Hunt Reunion...

Hurray for Thanksgiving with our dear Hunts! Jim, Shari, and Shanyn will be arriving tomorrow night and staying with us until Sunday morning. We are soooooo excited to see them and just talk and talk and talk (and eat and eat and eat of course). We don't have any big plans...probably drive up to the mountains to see the snow, spend an afternoon at the library b/c Shari loves libraries and this one is the mother of all libraries, and just hear all about their Ukrainian adventures,etc. I'll try to update sometime during the week with some pictures.

Thanks to those who commented about where you came from (Sharon, Robin, Anna, and almost Mom:) I loooooved your responses.

Also, I have been thinking about my baby brother and his Tara so much latley as they just had a wedding shower. I hated not being there and thought of them the whole time it was happening. It went wonderfully, though, and I'm so glad for them to be showered with love. Here they are in all of their loveliness...
Love you guys!!!

Hope you all are doing well and having a fun time getting ready for the holidays. More soon, Jen

Where I'm from...

I’m from cornfields and cow pastures. I’m from having 11 cats at one time(Joel says that this conjurs up images of a gross "cat woman house", so i'll clarify by saying that this included kittens and strays and that they were always outside cats), and loving each one dearly. I’m from a stray animal haven, and sometimes a stray people haven too. A home full of love and safety. I’m from riding bikes to the “white thing”, making sheet forts in the living room, playing Annie and singing “Rover” until my lungs were horse (thinking that I sounded beautiful of course). I’m from eating quiche and taboulli when everyone else’s family was eating chicken casseroles.

I’m from grandma and from granny and papa. I’m from grandma’s house in Hockley where she made us grilled cheese with SLICED cheese, where we ate delicious TV dinners and talked about food and my friends and where I was completely myself and completely loved. I’m from trips to the “big city” to see granny and papa and go on special shopping trips and out to eat. I’m from their house on Northampton where I always felt treasured and where I loved (ahem, love) being the only granddaughter among the 5 of us grandchildren.

I’m from children’s church on Sunday morning and Awanas on Wednesday Nights. I’m from a mom that believed in answered prayer and acted like it. I’m from a dad who shared with those who were struggling in the midst of his own financial struggle. I am from a legacy of seeking God.
I am from watching the Cosby show, loving Punky Brewster, mowing the lawn while practicing “very important but never to be spoken” speeches to boys and grown ups, watching falling stars on the driveway, watching fireworks from the roof every fourth of July, going to the Towery’s to swim, listening to Rich Mullins and Carole King, having magical Christmas mornings….. and so much more.

Where are you from? Jen

Kids say...

Today as I was teaching something made me think of the funniest conversation I had with a kindergarten last year. I was subbing for his class and he looooved to talk. And I have to admit, I loved to talk with him too. The things that came out of his mouth were some of the most clever, imaginative things I have ever heard. For example,

Little guy: " Do you have your own class?"

Me: "Yes I do. But I teach grown ups how to speak English because they only know how to speak Spanish."

Little guy: "Do they sit in big chairs?"

Me: "Yep, their chairs are as big as your teacher's chair."

I can tell his wheels are turning and then he gestures and seriously says,

" So, do you open their mouths like this and puuuuull the Spanish out and then puuuush the English in? "'

Me: "Well, no, it's a little more complicated than that, but that is a very creative idea!"

Little guy: "Oh. "

Oh my gosh, I just wanted to gobble him up! I miss those little kindergarten classes sometimes, though I really don't think I could do it everyday. Anyway, do any of you have a favorite conversation that you can think of? I'd love to hear 'em. Jen

Hola!

Yes, I have finally enrolled in Spanish classes. I promised myself that I wouldn't return to Honduras without learning at least some basic Spanish....so here I go(I don't have any plans in the near future to go to Honduras, but I figure I better get a head start) . I am studying through a private language school. Our first class was fun, and there are some really interesting folks in this beginner class with me. The guys sitting next to me is an adventure photographer that travels often to Latin American countries for his work. He has even done work for National Geographic Explorer--I told him that Joel would looove to sit down and have a long chat with him:)

Anyways, its fun to be a student again--and this time in a very low pressure atmosphere. Also, I think it will make me a better language teacher to be in my students' shoes for a while. You know, feeling embarrassed trying to pronounce these strange sounds and knowing that you sound so foolish, etc. I am always telling them to challenge themselves, to be brave..etc and now I have to take my own advice!
So,that's where I'll be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for the next 6 weeks.

Nothing much else going on these days. Fall leaves are making their exit while the winter weather starts to push in. A couple of weeks ago it even snowed! It was fun because I was teaching and all the sudden I looked out the window and said, "Oh my gosh....is that...." and, of course, the students (ever ready for a distraction) ran to the window and started shouting "SNOW!! SNOW!!" It was some of their first time to see it and so that was so much fun to see their reaction.

Joelie is doing well. He is just in super study mode as he has a final every Monday this semester(yuck!!). He is actually in bed conked out right now and it isn't even 8pm! He's a trooper, though, riding that bike to school every morning....it continually amazes me and it would you too if you could see the enormous hill he has to ride up....no thank you!

Hope you all are doing well. Much love, Jen