Happy Holidays

We celebrated Christmas with all the Andersons! It was a fun afternoon with lots of family and so many kids. Check out their cute smile in these pictures. They waited in anticipation for Santa to arrive, which is always a big hit. The adults decided to donate money to charity this year. It was a nice way to stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

Me and Nate

Mom, Dad and Jordyn

Brad and Forrie

Christmas 2008

Anyka

Jordyn and Kate

Giddeon

Lakin

Justin and Ethan

Andersons

My cousin Corey and his new baby Charlie

My mom and Jordyn

Dad, Ben and Grandma

Mom and Aunt Kathy

Don & Sue

Slumdog Millionaire

Really good movie. WOW. Don't miss it! Perhaps the last movie this great (in my opinion) was Mad Hot Ballroom or Crash. I'll let the critics explain more...



With dazzling, magical realism and vigorous storytelling, the film has an enchanting power, fusing a fairy tale quality with gritty realism. Yet even with interwoven surrealistic images, the story portrays cultural accuracy. In a highly charged, intensely Technicolor world, there is poverty and privation but also laughter and hope.

The beautifully rendered and energetic tale celebrates resilience, the power of knowledge and the vitality of the human experience. Horrifying, humorous and life-affirming, it is, above all, unforgettable.

FMSC

I had the opportunity to volunteer this week with some people from Events & Adventures. They recently added Habitat for Humanity and FMSC to the calendar, so I'm thrilled!


www.fmsc.org

Feed My Starving Children was founded as a Christian nonprofit in 1987 through the efforts of a Minnesota businessman who felt called by God to help feed the starving children of the world during a humanitarian visit to Honduras. He returned to the Twin Cities to develop a method of large-scale relief.
His efforts, energy and resources resulted in the development of a food mixture that would be easy and safe to transport, simple to make with only boiling water, and culturally acceptable worldwide. This basic formula of rice, high protein soy nuggets, vegetables, vitamins and flavoring is still used by FMSC today.

Since its inception, FMSC’s model of culturally acceptable, nutritious food, combined with volunteer production and distribution through on-the-ground partners has grown exponentially. In 1994, 2,400 volunteers packed 400,000 meals from FMSC’s original Brooklyn Park location. In 2005, nearly 75,000 volunteers packed more than 15 million meals at sites in Brooklyn Park, Eagan, and a third mobile packing site that travels to youth conventions and churches. In March 2006, a third permanent site opened in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Feed My Starving Children hopes to produce 100 million meals per year by 2010.

Drummer Boy

My brother is playing a Christmas Concert with BRBB. Come check out his talent - the best drummer boy in town! Saturday, Dec 20th at 7pm, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie.

Family

I spent some time with family this weekend. It was awesome! I went to Nate & Lori's house after work to watch my niece and nephew, Jordyn (7) and Justin (5). They were hilarious! The little things they say and do make me laugh. We were all up there again Sunday for Nathan's birthday. We created our own Monster Truck show and Jordyn played her recital songs on the Piano. My brothers introduced me to Facebook too, although I'm still hesitant because I prefer this route (my trusty google blog!). We made plans for an early morning, Chritmas which I imagine will be really great!

YouTube

One thing I love about my itouch is the quick access to YouTube. I will post a video in 2009. Wait for it...

Here are some videos I've enjoyed:

Playing For Change: Song Around the World "Stand By Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

Love Now Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaYh-KN94Ko

Imogen Heap - "Just For Now"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25VGdNU3nrU

With or Without You - Sungha Jung
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4CR3GoB3YY

The Face of Childhood Cancer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvcvi1IioSY

Remember me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

How Coaching Works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY75MQte4RU

Archaica

Isn't it great to enjoy the people you work with...especially when you are exposed to who they really are outside the cube walls and they prove to be even more fantastic?!

Well, my friend Thompson from Medica tends to rock out and you have two; count them, two chances to see his band Archaica this holiday.

A Toys for Tots Benefit Concert ($5 donation) on Tuesday December 23rd @ 11:30 pm at the Fine Line downtown MPLS. But the show you don’t want to miss is their CD release show on Friday January 2nd @ 9:00 pm at Pickle Park in Fridley. This show is going to be off the hook. Bring all your friends!

Wild game

Katie invited me to the MN Wild Game again this season. We had a great time at both games. She knows the ropes and we watched some good hockey. It was super cold out and we still stopped to take pictures at Rice Park in St. Paul. Lots of laughs! Thanks for a fun outing, Schwartz!

Piano music

We have a very gifted Piano player in our family...Jason Wright. Take a moment to go on this website to hear Christmas favorites and read some nice devotions too.

http://www.nationalheightsbaptistchurch.org/Advent/master.html

PEACE

30th birthdays

Nicki had a fantastic 30th birthday party at the beginning of November and Angie invited us way out for her big day Thanksgiving weekend. We met at her house in Delano and took a limo tour of small town Minnesota. It was very random and very fun! The crazy DJ from her wedding played at a bar in Waverly, MN. The place was so crowded, which was super entertaining. I think he played the electric slide one too many times. I did find myself among friends for the Cupid Shuffle and Soldier Boy. Those hip hop classes at Lifetime paid off. Where were we anyway?!? I had pizza with an old man at the bar drinking whiskey water. He proceeded to dance with Angie's mom and introduce me to some of the locals. I did pretty well the entire night. It was so much fun to be with the girls (and her family and neighbors too!) Enjoy your thirties, ladies! I'll be the last of us to join the crowd. Until then...

Ecotique Tees

Now on the web...

www.ecotiquetees.com

My best friend just started a new business.
I'm impressed at her desire to offer something so unique!

Website Challenge

One part nerd Olympics, one part community service project and one part race-against-the-clock — Sierra Bravo's Overnight Website Challenge will partner deserving Minnesota non-profits with teams of talented web developers for 24 hours of fun collaboration culminating in a fully operational website for each participating non-profit.

Rumor has it there are still some worthy Minnesota nonprofits out there with unworthy websites. This will not do. Looking back at the last year's inaugural Overnight Website Challenge, Sierra Bravo is now older, wiser, nerdier, rested and ready to do it all over again — are you?


Are You Needy Enough?
So You Want a Free Website? Here's where we reiterate that there really are no strings attached to our liberal use of the word free. A free lunch will also be provided. Really. Your nonprofit will not have to pay anything for more than 200 hours of pro bono professional services. Competition is tough so get your application in early.

Qualified organizations will:

-be a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization in Minnesota
-have clearly defined objectives for enhanced online capabilities
-be able to articulate their organization's mission and needs to a team of web pros
-have at least one decision maker present at all times
-be open to new possibilities and able to stay awake to see them realized

Are you ready? Great, sign up here: http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/signup

Election

It was a historic night! I have never felt so moved by the political process. This was a campaign to remember forever...the election that we will read about for years to come.



"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008

Watch the video:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGx3Kc

"This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America."

Halloween

Fall 2008

We went to the MN Landscape Arboretum in October. It was such a beautiful day! My niece and nephew decorated pumpkins using things from the garden. I enjoyed their creativity and energy! They are growing up so fast. It was just as nice to see my mom with such a big smile. She really cares for her family and shows her love in so many ways. I hope we can find some fun winter activities to put on the calendar and spend more time together during the holidays!

Outside

The Heimarks were out at the Arboretum too - Nolan was having a great time playing with the leaves and logs. It was fantastic to be outside. I think we can learn so much from kids - about the simple pleasures in life and the beauty all around us.

Steve & Gretchen's Wedding

The service at the church was wonderful...the pastor asked them to turn around and look out at all their friends and family. It was a nice reminder of the importance of this day, a picture perfect moment.

The reception was super fun!

Everyone had a great time with the dinner and dancing!

All dressed up

Reception

Dinner

Time with friends

It was a fun night with good friends!