7-26-08: Mystery Shrubs

Any ideas on what these mystery shrubs are? We have two in the very front of our yard and one next to the corner of the house. Most of the spring and early summer, they were pretty blah and just green, but in the last week or so they've been in bloom and are beautiful! We have no clue what they are, but have been enjoying them. Ideas???

UPDATE... MYSTERY SOLVED: They are Roses of Sharon. (Thanks Mom and Dad, and Aunt Pat!)

7-26-08: What a difference a month makes (garden update)

Our garden has been growing like crazy - not a lot of veggies ready to harvest yet, but lots and lots of growth. We'll see....

Here's a shot of our garden plot in the side yard. Pumpkins and cucumbers are spreading like mad.

Here's a close up of our peppers - hungarian wax ones almost ready to pick in the foreground, baby green bell peppers in the background.

You probably can't see them, but there are dozens of teardrop shaped green tomatoes hidden in those two plants.

Our first (and only) eggplant is getting bigger. Nasturiums are peaking out through the sage behind it. Parsley is thriving right beside them.

My new St. Francis of Assisi statute hiding between the tomatoes and basil & oregano (how appropriate)

Here's a shot of the front flower bed a month ago...

Here it is now! The petunias and yellow annuals are from the nursery, but the nasturiums, cosmos and zinnias are from seed.

The butterfly bushes are starting to bloom. Guess I didn't over prune them after all.

7-26-08: Open house at Family Promise Day Center

One of the many great local organizations I'm lucky enough to work with is Family Promise of Lewis Clark Valley where I'm a board member and chair of the grantwriting committee. After 3+ years of planning, the organization is ready to move from the planning/conceptual stage to actually being operational. If all goes as planned, Family Promise will begin working with our first guest families next week. Pretty exciting! You wouldn't think that Lewiston has a homelessness problem, but there is unfortunately a real need. Here's hoping Family Promise will be a positive step towards a solution!

Here's a link for more info: http://www.familypromiselc.org/

On Saturday, July 26th, Family Promise celebrated this transition with an open house at our new day center.


Here's Carolyn, our VP, accepting a plaque from the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce.

Here is the "official" ribbon cutting with Ron Ramos, the new Executive Director, members of the board, and local officials.

Keep us in your prayers!

7-19-08: My new do

So at long last, I've FINALLY gotten a new haircut. The pictures don't do my awesome highlights justice, but these will give you an idea at least. Tell me if you think I'm wrong, but doesn't this look very similar to the style I had back in say 2000-2001-ish? Guess that means it's a "classic."

7-20-08: Whitewater Rafting on the Salmon River

On Sunday July 20th, Adam and I went on a rafting trip down on the Salmon River near Riggins, Idaho (about 2 hours from Lewiston). We were on the river for about 6 hours including a break for lunch and travelled 20 miles.



Here are some of the pictures I took before and after the raft trip (didn't want to risk losing my camera in the river, so it stayed in the car - no worries though, link to professional pics below).




Here's me and Adam when we first arrived.


Here's a shot of the Lucille Boat Ramp with all the boats after we were done.

Here's a shot of our fearless group - me & Adam Joe & Angie, Gina & her friend Nicki, and Owie, the Seuberts former exchange student from Denmark who was visiting.

Luckily, there's a professional outfit that takes pictures of all the rafters as they go through the "time zone" rapid - he stands on the bridge above that is the line between the Pacific and Mountain time zones.

Here's the link: http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?aid=768a5498cf43fac7a5bf. Our pictures start on page 6 - nos. 110 to 129.

I was kind of nervous, so (as you'll see) sat safely in the middle for most of the trip. I was somehow convinced that I would fall out, hit my head on a rock and lose all the law stuck in there...

Still had a great time though - can't wait to do it again next year!

6-28-08: Clinton & Kari's wedding

The pictures from Clinton and Kari's wedding came back and look great! For those of you who don't know (and I don't know who you are since I think my sister, parents and Cara are the only folks who check my blog) - Clinton is Adam's brother and he got married last month.

To see all 915 of the pictures, go to: http://www.printroom.com/studio_homepage.asp?domain_name=michellewolf, click on "Clinton & Kari", password is: 062808 (the date of their wedding). I can't save directly to my computer from the photographer's website, but here are some of the pics people might be interested in: formal bridal party shots with me and Adam are in the 260s+/page 6, ceremony shots are pages 7-8, family shots with me and Adam are in the 520s/pages 12 and 26, beautiful outside shots of St. Stan's (our parish) are in the 480s/page 12, Adam's toast in the 670s/page 16, and some nice shots of just me and Adam are 823/page 20, 739/page 21, 787-788/page 22, & 849/page 23.

Here are a few highlights that Kari emailed me.

7-15-08: Pranee and Andy's wedding part 2

I have too hard of a time having photos and video in the same post, so here are some videos that we took... more pics will be forthcoming since Pranee and Andy had 3 professional photographers on hand the entire wedding day, I just didn't charge up our camera enough ahead of time (my fault, grrr). I promise to post pictures of me in my sari when I get them! I looked awesome if I don't say so myself.

Here is a short video of from the Garba on Friday night.

Speaking of wedding pics - the pictures from Clinton and Kari's wedding are coming too! It was an absolutely beautiful day (June 28th) and Adam and I are overjoyed to have Kari as an "official" part of our family. With me being a bridesmaid and Adam the best man, there was just no time to take pictures of our own, but others are coming soon...

7-15-08: Pranee & Andy's wedding Part 1

This past weekend, Adam and I travelled to my old stomping grounds - Winston-Salem, North Carolina - to attend the wedding of our dear friends Praneetha and Andy. It was an event we would never miss!


The weekend festivities started with a Mehendi party/luncheon at Pranee's parents' house. Pranee had gotten her henna done the day before, but here's a picture of us together.

For more info on Mehendi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehendi


Here is a close up of my Mehendi right after it was done (the "crust" still on). It took about 20 minutes to set and then another 2+ hours to dry completely. When the crust flaked off later that afternoon, the henna tattoos were fairly light. The next morning, it had gotten quite a bit darker. Four days later, it hasn't faded much and still looks great.




After the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner later that afternoon, the bride and groom's families had organized a garba and raas. Garba is a traditional Indian dance, for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garba_%28dance%29



Here's a picture of Adam participating in the Raas part of the evening - which was a big group dance where everyone used sticks. For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raas





The wedding day started with a Methodist ceremony. Here I am during the processional.






Here comes the bride!!




The Hindu ceremony started with a procession through the streets of downtown Winston-Salem. Here's Andy and his horse!



Here Pranee's parents and extended family are welcoming Andy upon his arrival at the wedding hall. This portion of the ceremony is called Varaswagatam.

Later in the ceremony, the bride arrives!! I can't remember what the name of it was, but Andy's brothers carried her in on a carriage-type apparatus. This part of the ceremony is called Vadhu Agamanam.

The bride and groom are separated by a curtin until the equivalent of the vows (Sumuhurtam). At this point, a sacred yellow thread is being tied around the bride's and groom's wrists for protectionn from evil elements (Rakshabandanam). The wedding ceremony takes place in an altar called the Kalyana Mandapam (wedding pavilion).

Much later in the ceremony, the guests shower the couple with flowers and rice (Asirvadam).

6-30-08: Penelope Jean Margheim arrives!

I'm proud to announce the birth of our new niece, Penelope Jean Margheim, born in La Serena, Chile, on Monday June 30, 2008 (18.9 inches, 6lbs, 15.5 oz.). Mom (my sister Lisa), Dad (her husband Steve) and baby are doing great and came home from the hospital late yesterday.

Penelope even has her own website already, so please check it out: http://www.penelopesplace.net/