oh boy.

Last week my mom called and said that she and my dad had to go out of town AND that they were going to miss my brother’s birthday party. She needed an ‘adult’ to be there. I thought, “Sure, I can do that!” “No problem. Right?” Wrong.

I had no idea what it took to “man” a birthday party with 10 boys who were 14 and 15 years old and I found out it was not a piece of cake (ha!). I’m pretty sure I could write a book about just that one day. It was constant action – making more pizzas, cooking a hotdog for the boy who was allergic to cheese, continually mixing up lemonade (over 8 quarts), and much more including putting a smile on my face while one of the boys pounded on the table and yelled, “Servant, we want more lemonade.” I’m thinking, “are you kidding me?” This same boy had no shame when he got me wet on three separate occasions. Where was the respect?

Thankfully my grandparents and little sister were there to help. Couldn’t have done it without them. We talked and played games while the boys played outside.



One of the boys came in to use the bathroom, which is right next to the dining room where my grandparents, sister and I were playing a card game called hand and foot. I could tell the boy was already a little sheepish and he said, “Isn’t there a fan in here?” My grandma immediately responded, “Oh, are you hot?” I quickly added, “You can use the bathroom upstairs.” As he went upstairs, my grandma and I laughed for about three minutes straight. Oh, the poor boy.

I found out later that while we were hanging out in the house, the boys were actually jumping from the bridge on the road into our creek. Had my grandma known, she probably would have had a heart attack.



Then there was the bonfire. We didn’t have a garbage can outside, so I told one of the boys to throw his plastic in the fire. This definitely resulted in conflict. One of the boys informed us that plastic was not good to burn and that nobody should throw anymore plastic into the fire. Two of the boys continued arguing for a good 10 minutes.

At 6pm the parents were supposed to arrive to pick up the children. At 6:09pm my grandma told me I should call the parents and remind them that their kids were here and make sure they remembered. Oh, my grandma is really funny. My grandparents left and I decided against doing that, but probably should have because one of the parent’s did not arrive until after 8pm. Oh, well. And, to tell you the truth, the birthday party was fun and the boys were fun to get to know...and for the most part very well behaved.

But, let me tell you. When I woke up on Monday morning, I was SO tired. I can’t believe my mom and other moms do these birthday parties multiple times a year. I never knew.

welcome abraham

We asked our friend, Abraham to guest post on our blog. He said yes, and this is what he came up with. Honest, it is unsolicited. Hope you enjoy. If it's a hit we may make guest posting a regular occurrence around here.


I keep an eye on about 100 blogs. This is one of them. I read Philomath because they are amusing and they are friends. That's probably why most of you read it, too.

Here's a suspicion of mine, though.

I bet there are a few male readers out there who are reading, not just because they're friends of the bloggers, but because this is a blog by four, nay five, single women. Jackpot. That's why I'd be reading it, too, except that I already followed the advice I'm about to give.

If it's even somewhat true that you read this blog because it is an anonymous, risk-free way to flirt—or, more kindly, an anonymous, risk-free way to "get to know her"—you need to do something about it offline in real life. Even if you make a fool of yourself. The second time I hung out with Molly, I stuck my foot in my mouth and told her I thought it would be easy to get married whenever I felt like it. She promptly categorized me as an arrogant jerk.

True enough. But she was out with me, and that was the beginning.

There has to be a beginning.

The rest of the story...

There was a disagreement between two co-workers (who will remain nameless) over who was "cuter", Pee-Wee Herman or Brad Pitt. Andrea was merely informing "2520" of this disagreement to get their opinion. The co-workers thought the choice was obvious...you be the judge!

and that's the rest of the story! (well, almost)

Homeschooler!

Just in case our faithful readers were inquiring about what exactly we meant by labeling a housemate as "homeschooler," here is a little taste of a conversation we all had last night...

Andrea (in an earnest voice): "Do you guys know who Pee-Wee Herman is?"
2520: "Um, yes. We knew that 10 years ago."
Sarah: Oh, that's funny. That's really funny.

Oblivious to pop culture, I think yes. She moved to the top of the homeschool list.

Modesty at its finest

Look how skinny this cow is!

first base coach!

last week we watched eric hedstrom's baseball game. after each inning, the first base coach came over to the stands and gave an update on the inning. he was very entertaining! as you can see in the video, after the game jared gave us some tips on how to be the first base coach.



by the way - good home run eric!!

AND, please pray for the hedstroms. they are adopting four children from columbia and are in columbia now!! the kids names are jessica, erika, diego, and bryan. you can see thier caringbridge website at: www.caringbridge.org/visit/thehedstromfamily




p.s. courtney wants me to mention that it is roasting in our house. because it is.

benefits of the phillips

we don't even have to leave our house to have all the excitement we could ask for.

if you are an extravert, you never have to leave because there are always those sauntering around the neighborhood or people sitting on their porches during all hours of day and night.

no need to download any more music from itunes when you can always hear the next door neighbor's perfectly fine.

you don't need to call 911 because the police are either on their way or already here.

when 4th of july rolls around, just stay here for all your firework entertainment. but come early, because they don't wait until the 4th to start. it's a weekend full of festivities. we thought perhaps we had moved to a war zone and were afraid our cars were going to blow up.

cats and squirrels are of endless supply.

if you want an excuse to buy new tires, come on by and drive the alley. they are sure to be popped, thanks to all the glass.

if you are planning to travel to a foreign country anytime soon, spend a week here first. it will help you adapt to another culture.

afraid you are losing touch with culture and trapped in your christian bubble? just come and listen to some of the words spoken on the streets.

even if you own a house, no need to do your own yard maintenance. the neighbors are quick to offer their lawn mowing and snow shoveling services - for a charge in order to pay for "school." hmm.

come here for your relaxing vacation. the distinct smell of burning "plants" may bring you to your happy place.

you don't have worry about recycling because the pop cans are absconded by unkown individuals. recycle day is everyday.

throw the alarm clock away. we don't have roosters, but we do have neighbors who are sure to do the job.

if you like the sounds of beethoven, come to the area and listen for the ice cream man. he drives up and down our street at least 20 times per day. and it's only may.

if you want a "compliment," go for a walk or run, and you are sure to receive many.

we are happy to be here. really, we are. even in the midst of all the craziness, we love it. every superstar needs a little bit of ghetto.

pray with us for our neighborhood. and that we would be a shining light and salt to them.

just some fun pictures!

purchase of the day = $2.99 = frisbee = hours of fun.

Going to the chapel BABY!!!

We received this e-mail late Tuesday night. Don't even think about asking who it was from. We don't know. Honestly.

Girls,
I know we've agree it would never go here, but please, listen to me now:
Will ya'll marry me? I'm dead serious. I've decided to become a
polygamist. Now, don't get me wrong, I won't be movin' to Salt Lake
City any time soon, and certainly don't be thinkin' that I've
converted to that Latter Day Saints church. No way! The Lord Jesus
is indeed God! But with that said, I see some advantages. I mean,
how could I possibly pick just ONE of ya'll! You're ALL so beautiful
and talented and smart and funny and full of the joy of the Lord! I
could never choose just ONE of ya'll! So, I've just decided: If I
can't pick one, then I'll hafta pick 'em ALL! I hope you gals are
down with this. And don't worry, Jesus said that in the resurrection
none of ya'll will be any specialer to me than any other one of ya'll.
But boy we can have a lot of fun together til then, can't we?! I'm
sure ya'll will agree. Let me know what dates work for ya'll, I'll
let you fight among yourselves for picking gowns and so forth. I'm
gonna buy a used cargo van that we can all take on down to Cali in the
fall.

Much love,

grody tore (for you, orison)

Ok, where do I even start?


I love the grocery store! The grocery store is a guaranteed adventure. So much of an adventure that I feel tired after I leave the store. Long lines, interesting people, awkward moments, bargain shopping...

I'll give you a brief snapshot of what my day-to-day adventures are like in the grocery store.

My most recent awkward moment happened today with Andrea. We walked into the store and grabbed a cart. We then proceeded to the produce section, where Andrea hiccuped really loud. Right after the first one came out, the hiccup surfaced again (quite the horn)! A random guy turned around and started to laugh right in front of us! We burst out laughing! I immediately ran towards the apples and could not hold it in! I looked up and there he was, that random guy, STILL laughing at us. Ok, awkward.

One of the most memorable moments was when Andrea and I walked over to the self-serve section of the store. Or we thought it was self-serve. We quickly started sampling left and right the many different options before us. There were gummy bears, licorice, almonds, trail mix, and peanut butter covered pretzels. The grocery store lady walked over, yelled at us (as if we were back in the 3rd grade), and told us not to "sample" again. Apparently, sampling equals stealing. Oh gosh.

The last experience that I'll note was probably the most uncomfortable moment of them all. I was standing next to the grapes and Andrea had a question. She asked me what day of the week it was, and I replied with a hearty WED-NES-DAY! A random guy then piped in and affirmed my answer. He then cornered us and wanted to shake our hands. I shook his hand first, and then Andrea felt obligated to shake as well. Great. (Notice uncomfortable, awkwardness). I felt horrible that I shook his hand. Not only did I shake his hand, but it probably was the worst, limp, handshake that I had ever given out. I broke my handshake policy. Seriously.

All uncomfortable.
All awkward.
All with Andrea.

I love you, ANDRRREEEA!

(this post took me 2 hours to write.)

kron, sarah

sarah has bbeen in florida for the past couple of days. that means sleeping in her bed. you may think that is weird, but it's not. she has such a comfortable bed. and just last night i figured out her pillows make you feel like you're lying on a cloud.

as you can see in the picture below, sarah left a special treat - a note and chocolate. just like a hotel. okay. i need to go to bed because tonight is the last night sleeping in her bed because she is coming back tomorrow. i mean, i am happy she's coming back. welcome back, sarah. missed you!

Googling-a brave new world

The inception of the internet has provided us with many avenues for information gathering, and we are all greatly indebted to the creators of this great thing that we call the “world wide web”. I mean, you wouldn’t be blessed with the privilege of reading our profound blog without it. But, I digress.

With the rise of the internet another great tool has been gifted to us—googling. Ah, yes. Googling. Have you ever been dying to know something about a certain person, but were too scared to ask? No longer do you have to be in the dark. Googling is here to provide you with much needed answers and information. Some may call it stalking—we like to call it well-informed. It’s all a matter of semantics, really.

Our recent discoveries in googling have opened our eyes to new truths. Like, our worlds really are much, much smaller than we think, or sometimes you find out some much needed information a little bit too late (minor detail), or you find out specific details that allow you to further understand the inner-workings of things (eb), or you might even find out that a person is more famous than you ever thought (sermon audio).

There is a plethora of information waiting to be discovered if only you would open up your computer, pull up Google, and let the words take you where they may.

So, next time there is a burning question in your mind, come to us. We can help. But you better come quick—we might start charging.

to my friend.

Your birthday today, Steph, has caused me to think about how much of a blessing you have been to me. I am so thankful for you. And I love you. In just the two and a half years I have known you, there have been so many great memories.

Steph, it's a blessing to see God's sovereignty displayed in the past and present and I know that he has a wonderful plan for the rest of your life. He formed you and knitted you together in your mother's womb...in Korea. And he choose you to be adopted into the Johnson family. Before any person knew you, God's thoughts towards you were precious and your frame was not hidden from the Lord. Oh, how precious are God's thoughts towards you.

I am also so glad that in God's sovereignty, he allowed us to become friends. There are so many great memories with you. Too many to list, but remember playing football in the skyways, and throwing a whole garlic clove in the mashed potatoes, and dressing up as swimmers, memorizing fighter verses, and giving 'Derrel' a pie instead of calling the police, and laughing all the time, and staying up late talking and praying, and making videos, and taking pictures, and remember when it was just the two of us who always sat in the second row at church every sunday, and starbucks, and taking a road-trip to indiana, and you making everyone laugh, and talking with a lisp while whitening your teeth, and starting a blog with me, and getting soaked in the rain, and hiding in a certain apt. wondering what to do next, and playing dutch blitz, and youth group, and teaching me life truths, conversations about being gassy, and, and, and...

Love you booger.

ha-ha-ha

tonight we played a fun, new game. the way you play it is demonstrated in the videos. you try to fake laugh for as long as possible, but your time is up once you begin your 'real' laughter. it's fun. try it. it's a good way to build fellowship. oh, think of the possibilities this game can bring.

dinner party '07 anyone?

Below you will find photos from a dinner party that we (Steph & Andrea)threw. We were teased by many for not being able to cook so we decided to prove to our friends that we could cook. By ourselves. NO HELP. Little did we know that we needed a lot of help. We searched the internet to find recipes and planned many different options. Just in case one failed, the guests could move onto the next. We liked to diversify our cooking. We made chicken, meatloaf, green beans, carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, fruit pizza and special k bars. Whoa.

The problem lied most specifically in the garlic mashed potato efforts. The recipe called for 1-2 cloves of garlic. After mincing the entire bulb, we realized we needed more garlic because we had made a few extra potatoes. We didn't have much time, but knew that we must go to the grocery to purchase more garlic. As we arrived back at the apt. we realized it had an overwhelming smell that permeated the room. It was not pretty. The mashed potatoes were tasted and it was immediately realized that they didn't need any more garlic. I guess the whole bulb was enough.







This picture is a little description of how we felt after spending an entire afternoon cooking (5 hours to be exact). When the people started arriving, we just wanted to leave and go to Chipotle.

maybe it's maybelline...

When I was sitting in the bathroom the other day, I made an amazing discovery that has really gotten my brain thinking! I found out that Courtney, Andrea and I wear the same brand of mascara. We love Maybelline! Here are the reasons why we share the same affection for our mascara...

"In my rebellious days, I used to read Glamour magazine and they said that Maybelline was the number one mascara to use." -Courtney (notice past tense)

"When I was standing in the store, I thought that it looked kind-of old ladyish, but I bought it because it was on sale." -Andrea (notice smart-buyer)

"It looks 80's." -Sarah Heefner (notice she uses Loreal)

I use Maybelline because it's cost effective!

welcome to the blog, our new bff, c.j.

Ah, Yes, there indeed had been much excited talk about a certain bald headed preacher coming to Mpls. As many are well aware, we all love C.J., but at the CDG conference we were reminded why we love him. It’s not just because he is funny. Or because he has a great laugh. Or just because he loves basketball. Or because he is so joyful. Or even just because he is humble. The biggest reason we love and respect him so much is because God uses him to make us want to know and trust in our Savior more. C.J. makes Jesus look so precious and beautiful. And that is why we love him so much.

We should add that we did in fact stand in line for about 45 minutes waiting to talk to him. It was worth it. We also got our picture taken with him, but had to promise that we would never delete it. Oh, he is such a great guy.




Courtney would like all to know that her eyes are closed.

Bet #1 (of many)

This video takes place at the Metrodome during the Twins home opener. Stephanie dared Courtney to stand up and yell at the top of her lungs "I LOVE Michael Cuddyer!!" She said she would give Courtney $5 if she did it....well, Courtney did it, but I'm not sure if Steph ever paid up!!!

travesty averted.

Wednesday, 7:52 pm. The living room at 2520 has been restored to order. Sarah has been at her wits end for the past 23 minutes because the Twins game was blacked off our TV. She couldn't figure out what was going on. Katie S. and Sarah promptly got on their cell phones to find out who in the metro area was able to get the game on their TV. Katie talked to Pastor Steller and Erik Holst. Neither were of much help. Sarah called her father, but he was not home. She then called her sister and was miffed because the Twins game came through on her parent's television in White Bear Lake. Sarah decided that this game was supposed to be on our television and something was wrong. We scrambled to find the Direct TV bill so she could call customer service and find out the problem. In the meantime, she continued fiddling with the remote and all of a sudden the Twins game appeared and the Hallelujah chorus rang forth.

The three of us are relieved, because as you can see, Sarah is again calm and happy. Listen to some of her soundbites:

"I am beyond relieved."

"This is what I'm talking about, Twins games on TV!"

"I was about to have a hernia"

"This is what summer is about"

"Justin Morneausee is going to hit a homerunsee"

"I gotta email some of my friends in Baltimore and tell them their team stinks."


OH, THIS IS RIDICULOUS... now about 8 minutes after the game appears on the TV, Sarah says, "You guys I'm tired, I think I'm going to go to bed."


AHHHHHH...the Twins just scored again and are up 4-0. Boo-ya.

rumination of a periphrastic mind....

Here I am lounging on the couch on Sunday evening. I'm not quite sure where the day has gone! I was supposed to have done some homework this afternoon but all that I can honestly say I've done is...well, "not much" would be an overstatement! I don't know exactly why I'm in such tired state, or funk, but I am! I don't feel like doing much of anything that requires any amount of rationality, apperception, or coherence.

Do you ever have those days where you don't want to do anything? This is odd for me and especially since I don't want to be around people either! I know this is a phenomenon....trust me it is a rarity one that will likely not occur again before the next solar eclipse. (actually this is not too far off as the next annular solar eclipse will occur on September 11, 2007 and the next total solar eclipse will occur on August 1, 2008) Actually, I think that the above statement (you know the one that said that I didn't want to be around people, yeah that's the one) wasn't entirely true. I do want to be around people, just not ones that I have to impress. (I apologize to my roommates, but I don't feel like I have to impress them anymore....yep definitely past that stage in our "ship")

Oh, that reference to "ship" reminded me of a funny story that I'm not sure if I should even try to articulate presently as I'm sure I'd utterly and completely destroy it...but WHY NOT! So I have had an internet relationship in the past (don't worry it was nothing serious, just a prank) which led to some pretty hillarious emails between myself and this, uh, gentleman. Anyway, in one email that I guess could be called a DTR (Define The Relationship...those are generally fun for everyone involved and should be had as often as possible) this, uh, gentleman said (and I quote) "I'm interested in pursuing a "ship" as well, whether we ride on a friendship or a relationship. Either one would be enjoyable, and if we're careful (like you say), neither one of us should get seasick." Now, I'm curious as to your responses to this statement...I personally thought it was ingenious, but my roommates criticized him harshly for this comment and said that it was tacky to say the least! Let me tell you, that was the LAST time I share any sentimental comments with them!!


Okay, so I'm sorry to say that that is the extent of my capacity for this evening...I am utterly spent by this exertion and cannot formulate any other thoughts for this post.

Recycling: Fact or Fiction?

Hmmm. It has come to my attention that there is a distinct possibility that we have been duped for far too long. So, in my quest for knowledge, I hope to enlighten you to the myth that is--recycling.

Recycling is a hot commodity in elementary schools and the Pacific Northwest, and in occasional hippie communes in the mountains of Colorado, and a couple of weeks ago I was informed that all of our recycling efforts are actually in vain. Recycling is a product of the "man", feeding propaganda to our youngest members of society. We are told that if we do not recycle, the earth will implode due to global warming and excess of trash. But I was told, by a high ranking government recycling official (actually it was an informant, speaking on behalf of the official) that recycling is really a myth that was propagated in the 90's--starting with the elementary schools (I mean do you remember recycling before first grade?).

So, as Earth Day is quickly approaching, I urge you, fellow Americans, to say "no" to the myth of recycling--and seek the truth so the world may know.

continued...

the last minutes of the game!

11:20pm (game clock- 2:41)
SJ "yes! good turnover"
SK "fabulous!"
JP "I'm freed up in the gospel to not be bummed about that"

11:22pm
AF 10 fouls for TN
JP 79 up, that's what they say in sports, 79 all they're synonymous
SJ that was a great shot
JP WHOA! I'm getting into this, ANdrea aren't you happy
(meanwhile Pete puts on Ellie's former blonde locks, about to be donated to some cancer patient, and he now has a giant blonde mullet, as in a pro NASCAR driver, or Jeff Foxworthy or something)
AF Oh...my gosh!
EL Ohhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhh!
(hilarious laughter abounds...and much rejoicing)
(but the game continues...)
Announcer: 68 seconds to go

11:27 pm
Announcer: Rebound, Tennesse...REJECTED!
AF Do you know how many points ohio state was down by? You guys have no idea. You guys don't understand the significance of this!
Ellie: OH NO!
Andrea: Yes!
(Ohio State wins in the last second, 85 to 84)
Andrea: This is the first game where a team I wanted to win won.
Pete, will you take a picture of the TV with the score on there?
CT (coming up from basement groggy eyed) Will you guys please stop screaming?
SJ Alright. It's time for beddy-bye. This chicken needs to go poddy...er...to the bathroom...er to bed.

live blogging....

we are live blogging the NCAA tournament, in that we are sitting in our living room, watching the games and blogging about what is going on.

10:53pm
AF "c'mon Othella!"
10:54pm
AF "YES!! you guys this is awesome!"
JP "wait were they behind?"
SJ "this is awesome"
AF "you guys...OH NO! you've got to be kidding me"
PM "the key to sports is you make a guess"
AF "no you don't make a guess you pick a team and get behind them...you're passionate"
JP "yeah, you're passionate"
AF "yeah you don't always pick the team that you think will win...like for example I didn't think that Indiana would win but I really wanted them to"
JP "in other words its an inclination of the heart not the mind"
AF "Pete, what team makes your heart flutter?"
PM "is that what this is about?"
10:58pm
AF "you guys 2pts!"
SK "let me go finish reading Jeremiah, then I'll come up"
PM "That's what I should be doing...let's go. yeah, none of these teams make my heart flutter"
SJ (to PM)"I'll tell you what make my heart flutter...your hair!"
11:00pm
AF "Ohio state is going ahead!"
AF "Mark this moment! OHIO STATE is AHEAD! They're ahead by 2!"
PM "this is too exciting I don't know what to do with myself"
JP "okay you can't make it too long otherwise..Ellie you don't want to be like my little niece"
SJ "she's Tim Challies"
11:02pm
AF "you know who you remind me of Antone Appollo Ono wait what is his name....?"

ohhhh dr. johnson...

I e-mailed my dad today to ask him about the 'danger zone'. Knowing my dad, he gave a prompt response to my questions. Here's what I found out. I love my dad.

The "danger triangle" is an anatomical area defined by the brow of your nose as the top of the triangle, down each side of your nose to the corners of your upper lips for the base of the triangle. This area is peculiar anatomically because it has veins that have no valves to prevent backflow. The venous drainage for that area goes upward to the apex of the triangle and then backwards to the base of the brain in an area called the cavernous sinus. Most other veins in the body have veins to prevent backflow. This area doesn't. If you pinch a pimple in this area. The pimple has tons of bacteria in it. These bacteria can gain access to this venous drainage system. They can then multiply and create what is called cavernous sinus thrombosis. Basically this is pus at the base of the brain, lots of it, and a very serious, life threatening infection. One of my patients pinched a pimple on her sons upper lip while theywere on vacation in Florida. He got the dreaded infection and was in the hospital for a month. He was lucky to have survived. Moral of the story: don't even think about touching a pimple in that area, and be very careful not to get an infection there. I bet you can find more information on Cavernous sinus thrombosis on the internet. I hope that answers your question. Love, Dad

things to know.

the following are basic life truths that steph learned from her father and has now passed onto me and my roomates. i never knew these truths before meeting steph. so, thank you stephanie for passing them onto me. because i care, i would now like to pass them onto you.

- never pinch pimples in the danger zone on your face because that will cause brain damage. If you want to know where the danger zone is just ask someone who lives at 2520. we know.

- pumping gas and talking on your cell phone at the same time will put you in grave danger. and is not worth taking the chance. ever. you also do not want to get in and out of the vehicle because the opening and the closing of the vehicle door may bring danger to you. in fact. it's better to pretty much best to just pick one spot to stand and stay there until your gas tank is full.

- swiss cheese is gross and should not be eaten by anyone. touching it is going too far.

- bras may cause cancer if they are worn to bed.

- do not sit directly on public toilet seats because you may become pregnant.

- chewing gum kills brain cells.

- do not stop at rest stops because they are very dangerous. anytime you hear that one of your friends is going on a road-trip, please inform them of this danger.

- do not sit too close to the television or stand to close to the microwave because you may get radiated.

- it is a universal truth that horses celebrate their birthdays on january 1st.


i never knew.

TOO much time on our hands.

When you live with others and spend long periods of time with one another, you begin to notice tendencies and quirks. Some of us were getting teased by other members of the household about our "so-called" quirks, so we decided to make a chart of these qualities to document our own personalities in order to encourage more self-realization. If you have any objections or opinions, be freed up in the Gospel to comment.


1. Granola: Trader Joe's, organic food, chacos, long leg hair, Pacific Northwest, hiking, enjoying the outdoors, soy milk

2. Home School: frumpy clothes, very conservative, socially awkward, oblivious to pop culture, long and unkept hair

3. Blonde: ditzy, slow to catch on, blonde hair is optional, inability to articulate, "Whatever?!"

4. Chef Morimoto (domestic): cooks, cleans, hospitable, bakes cookies, "mother hen", and cuts coupons

5. ASIAN: eats rice, takes pictures, good at math, likes computers, ddr, "hello kitty", peace sign while posing for pictures

6. Groupie: reads blogs daily, likes "24", Southern Sem, downloads podcasts, Mohler, unnecessary devotion to a particular thing

7. DrAmA QuEeN: "Oh my gosh!", overreacts, spastic, dramatic hand motions, facial expressions

8. Flippin' Genius: "Albert Einstein" of the day, Mindtrap

P.S. if you want to know which catergory Ellie fits in, contact the other members of the household. note: she is still single. C'mon fellas. Here's your chance. (wink wink)

Haircut!

Ellie got her hair "lopped off"....but all for a good cause. Her hair is going to be donated to an organization called Locks of Love. This organization makes wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy.

Here are some pictures that document the occasion.

The old Ellie (actually this is from October of 2006, so this isn't a good depiction of how long my hair really was).
The new Ellie with the 10"+ of hair that was "lopped off"

Sarah with Ellie extensions!

Guess WHAT?!?!?

Sarah Heefner is ENGAGED!!!

The Truth

well, there comes a time in every womans life when they must find another soul to spend the rest of there lives with, and our household has been realizing this more and more as of late. i will now give you an update on each of our love-lives. we will start with our dear friend andrea who has found the man of her dreams and will be announcing her engagement to him in a few days (so this is kind of like a preview! isnt that intense??). next we will go to ellie who has so many guys after her that she doesnt know what to do, so she has decided to move to africa where she can marry multiple men legally. stephanie, on the other hand, has decided to start the very first baptist convent and become a nun. i would give you an update on courtney but im pretty sure she would highly object. so yes, to all those fellows out there who are madly in love with the girls of 2520, BACK OFF! they are ALL TAKEN!!! so sorry, sucks for you, you should've gotten over your immature boy nerves and been the first to declare your love, now its too late. way to go. we will be holding a party for all you losers who failed on february 14th, where we will have live music and cheetos. well, that is all, i hope you can go about your lives as close to normal as possible, and if any of you find you are suffering from any type of depression please find help. we care about you.
- this is written by there dear friend Katie S (also known as the all-knowing love counselor)

NATCON Top 10 (from October 2006)

Meeting Joshua Harris was one of the most memorable experiences of the DG Conference. All the readers of our blog are probably aware of the rivoting, stimulating and theologically sound book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye." And you are most likely aware that this book was written by a guy named Joshua Harris. We were helping people check in. Steph and I were at the table that included the 'H's.' We were busily checking people in and making sure they received all the materials. A good looking, dark haired and rather short guy walked up to the table and said "Harris. Joshua." We thought nothing of it other than noticing that he was a very gracious and thankful. When he said he was from Maryland the bells suddenly started ringing, the lights went on and the gears started turning in my head. And I knew this was not just any Josh Harris, but it was THE Joshua Harris. Without thinking, I blurted out loud, "Are you Joshua Harris?" And Stephanie quickly caught on and said, "Oh, The Book! The Book!" Neither of us said anything about the book. Come to think of it we probably didn't say much of anything at all. Our faces turned bright red and laughed. He was still very gracious. Oh, it was embarressing and it was worse knowing that Ellie was at the next table watching. Like always. (JK). When he left the table we were still laughing. And we had to explain to the poor guy behind him that we were not laughing at him. Duh. He had been watching the entire interaction unfold.

During one of the breaks, we spotted C.J. Mahaney wearing a Nike baseball cap and sitting in the upper balcony. We made our way up the stairs to introduce ourselves. We had been very encouraged by his sermons at Bethlehem earlier this summer and wanted to thank him. The first thing he said to us was, "Hi, how can I serve you?" We were floored by his humility and kindness. (Oh, hang on for a second...we just spilled Steph's Diet Berries & Cream Dr Pepper. I think we've almost got it under control). He was so gracious to us and after we told him that we attended Bethlehem, he was so excited. He told us he's been given the opportunity to speak at both a past DG Conference and Bethlehem and that he loves Bethlehem and prefers the honor of speaking there. We told him how much his sermons (this last summer when he spoke at church) had impacted our hearts. Then, in the most humbling attitude and tone he asked, "You guys came all the way up here to tell me that?" C.J. told us he felt like we had brought a dump truck of encouragement and unloaded it on him :) We walked away encouraged and humbled. Worship. The singing was amazing. We sang so many great songs. One of our favorites was 'We Will Dance.' Wes, we thought of you. I sure hope you read this blog post. And Comment.

Piper saying "smart ass." No further explanation is needed.

David Wells saying "I want to be hip, man." It made people laugh. We laughed. He's funny. (By the way. I really hope the guy I marry makes me laugh. If not, I will be really sad. Sometimes theological people are just not that funny.). Plus. We saw David Wells, Alex Kirk and some other unknown men on the street in front of the Piper's house on Sunday afternoon. We seriously almost ran over them.

Mark Driscoll. He was our favorite speaker at the conference. Good job, Mark. Way to be you. You really are up on your pop culture. For real. I really liked listening to him. Totally different than J. Pipes.

Getting candy from the info booth. Well, some of us enjoyed this pleasure more than others. Stephanie took the most advantage of the free candy. Andrea came in a close second. And Ellie just informed us that she didn't take any! What a waste. Our favorite was the mint/chocolate combo candies. Man. I would go for one right now, but we don't have any. Dang it.

Seeing friends/missing friends/hanging out in the bookstore/looking for Pug. So last year at the conference we decided to eat at Chipotle. We=Ellie, Stephanie, Andrew Lundquist and Andrea. We were laughing about something. I don't remember what we were laughing about, but it was funny. REally. It was. You would have been laughing too if you had been there. One of us was laughing harder than the rest. A nice, young (and eligible) bachelor (from the south) approached our booth and said (to the one who was laughing the loudest) "You have the best laugh I've ever heard." This of course made us laugh more. We soon left Chipotle and returned to the conf. The next day we were walking in the hallway and the one who was laughing the loudest was laughing again. Who do you think we passed in the hall? Yep. It was Pug. He made eye contact and said, "I'm still listening." Gosh. How embarressing.

Learning more about Christ's Supremacy. Christ is greater than anything. The conference this year was a little harder to understand than last year's. It was very intellectual. I mean. We did like it because we are lovers of knowledge. It caused you to think about Christ's reigns over all, even in the post-modern culture.

Meeting people from around the world/helping check-in/being able to serve/watching ellie with the guy from wales. Yeah. It was pretty funny watching Ellie's flirtatious behavior with some. Oh gosh. Let's be done.

E-mailing frenzy!

Welcome to 2006. A year where we have all tasted a little bit of everything. Facebook, monkey greetings, attachments, pictures, month-long dissertations on proper gifts, [ie: chalkboards.], and skype. The list goes on and on.

BUT...

Have you ever wondered how the heck do e-mails work? And, how are they sent from across the world to your very own computer at home? How does the system work? Am I the only one that doesn't know how e-mails work and the madness behind them? This type of correspondence is absolute craziness. I am about to embark upon a new quest to find the very answers to my thought-provoking questions.


Seeking answers with you,
Steph

free food, tin foil, and friends...

Ellie, Andrea, Katie, Gabby and I dressed up like a Chipotle burrito in hopes of getting a free burrito, and we did! The Chipotle people took our picture. It was fun! We were nice and cozy...

We have lots we want to "blog about," but we haven't had much time lately. However, it doesn't take long to post a great song about God's AMAZING love for us.

And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me who caused His pain! For me who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me! Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me!

He left His Father's throne above, So free, so infinite His grace! Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race. 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free,I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own

love it

The Minnesota Twins won tonight (Thursday) and are now tied with Detroit for FIRST!!!!!!! This is awesome and I am pumped. JoE Mauer hit a home run in the ninth inning with two outs to tie the game. They went on to win in the 10th inning. This makes me excited.

Get excited for yourself and hop onto the Minnesota Twins website at...
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=min

an INCREDIBLE deal!!

So here's the deal....4 12-packs for $9.00, but then the best part is that if you buy 4 you get a $5.00 gift card! It works out to be $1.00/12-pack (some of the cans are 8cents while the others are 9cents each).
Oh yeah, the deal is at Target. SO, visit your local Target TODAY (well at least before Saturday). 

Minneapolis is the windy city.

 

Changing Andrea's Tire!

This is Steph...pointing out the screw in the tire...aka the reason it was flat.

















This is Ellie...changing the tire!











This is Andrea....practicing her ballet!













This is Steph...again....with some sustanance for the arduous task!




















It was most definitely a group effort!! Way to go TEAM!! 

i love this song!

You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You’re the coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know

And all of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thrist and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me

election '06

Star Trib reported Pawlenty and Hatch are tied at 42%

blonde moment of the week...

Andrea (reading from her Spanish book): En Puerto Rico una China es una naranja.
You guys what does "c-h-i-n-a" mean?

Ellie and Steph: (burst out laughing) CHINA?!? as in the country?!?

Welcome to our statements.

1. On Tuesday, there was a fatal shooting that happened two blocks away from our house. The shooting occured on 12th and 25th around 5:30pm. A 22 year old was shot four times, and died an hour later. Also, a 7 year old was grazed by the bullet. We know that the shooting wasn't random, it was intentional. It was a good reminder to be aware of our surroundings in the neighborhood. But, we take refuge in God and trust that He will protect us! God reigns soveriegn over this neighborhood and the world!

2. Classes and school are back in full force! Andrea is taking three classes, Steph is taking four, and Ellie is taking two TBI classes at the North Campus. We are still currently at our jobs. Go T-Paw!

3. Andrea is going to Cameroon in December for 2.5 weeks! HURRAH!! What an amazing gift!

4. We MISS our dear friends in Arizona and Cameroon!!!!! But, we know that God is using them for His Glory in those places.

5. Pray for our neighbors. That we would have many opportunities to develop relationships and show them Christ's love.

6. We started youth group last Wednesday. Each of us will have a group of girls to mentor and grow deeper together in our relationship with Christ. Pray for that! We feel inadequate for the task ahead, and we need God to work in/through us.

7. NO Dutch Blitz has been played since the departure of Gabe and Julia Schmidt. Sad. :(

8. NO sweets for Ellie and Steph. NO caffeine for Andrea.

9. We (Andrea and Steph) are officially hanging up our "dating just for fun" shoes. It's time to get down to business!

10. This is a big deal. They are kind-of a big deal around here. THE TWINS. Hopefully, they will go to the playoffs.

OH, CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

if only we had known you in eighth grade...