Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays! We are so blessed to have welcomed our new little boy S.J. (Scott August Chase) into the world this year. He has brought so much joy and love into our lives. We hope you all experience that same feeling of joy and love this holiday season and all year long.

Love,

The Chase Family

The Art of Racing in the Rain Book Review

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was good for so many reasons. I am a dog lover, so it was great hearing a story from the perspective of a dog. When you think about it, dogs do seem more enlightened then most humans anyway (probably because they can't talk and they have to listen so much) - so it makes sense to right a book from their perspective.

"Learn to listen! I beg of you. Pretend you are a dog like me and listen to other people rather than steal their stories."

This book definitely made me look at my own dog differently. Dogs are a lot smarter than we think they are and we can learn a lot from them. Along with the listening thing, they are extremely loyal  and they live in the moment (which I know I could learn a thing or two about).

"People are always worried about what's happening next. They often find it difficult to stand still, to occupy the now without worrying about the future. People are not generally satisfied with what they have; they are very concerned with what they are going to have."

Some of the people in my book club refused to read the book because they heard it was sad. The book was sad, but life can be sad... and there were so many great moments in the book that weren't sad. In fact, I think one of the points of this book was to help people understand that life can be sad and death is a part of life - so why not embrace it? If you believe in reincarnation like Enzo did - Death seems less scary.

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life. To separate oneself form the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say that I am alive, I am wonderful, I am, I am. That is something to aspire to."

I really loved the relationship between Enzo and his owner - how they helped each other escape fear. I loved all of the things they taught each other. It made me realize that it's so important to be open to learning things about yourself from places you don't expect - whether it's your dog, a friend, a family member, a co-worker, myself, etc. Learning's come from all directions at all times - you just have to learn to listen to find and learn from them.

"Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our success and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."

The parallels between racing and life were very interesting as well. I never realized that racing was such a mental game. I've had a lot of friends give up in life and some that have actually ended their lives because they felt that they couldn't go on, but I think it's so important to remember that we are here on this earth for a reason - to grown and learn and defeat trials. It's not always easy, but it's so important to continue fighting through this life so that we can find our true purpose as Denny did.

"There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose."

"A winner, a champion, will accept his fate. He will continue with his wheels in the dirt. He will do his best to maintain his line and gradually get himself back on the track when it is safe to do so. Yes, he loses a few places in the race. Yes, he is at a disadvantage. But he is still racing. He is still alive."

So many great quotes in "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Such a great book!



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Ryan Darton, "I Am A Moth."

I’ve been lucky to have many friends in my life who have become amazing musicians. Some of them have become famous, some of them play live shows at local bars/venues and some of them just continue to make music because that’s what makes them happy (regardless of if they’ve become famous or not). I’ve always enjoyed watching them grow and change.

I’ve been watching my friend Ryan Darton grow and change for over 10 years… I remember the good ol’ days when I used to watch his band Underlie play in high school. All of our friends wore our “Underlie” T-shirts with pride. Ryan has definitely grown a lot since then. His voice and music has matured so much throughout the years and it’s such a good feeling to watch friends grow, change and excel throughout life. I highly recommend you check out his new album – “I Am A Moth.”

If you are like me you are always chasing the sound of the Garden State soundtrack in one way or another.  “I Am A Moth” definitely has a Garden State feel to it. It’s got a great mix of rock and acoustic guitar and you can tell that Ryan has been influenced by many great bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Pinback, Jason Mraz, Daphne Loves Derby, Panic at the Disco, etc.

The album is mellow, romantic, thoughtful, poetic, upbeat and has great lyrics. Each song is so eclectic and the vibe changes from one song to the next so it keeps you on your toes.

The beginning of the album starts out with poetic lyrics and melodies with the song “Summer and Snow” and then moves into a Panic at the Disco like song with a great harmony called “Sing To Me Baby” that makes you want to tap your toes and get up and dance.  

“Uptight” is my favorite song on the album. It has great lyrics, great drums and a great melody - “I’m gonna fix this hole and make it new… I’m gonna catch this bird and make him sing and only sing for me.”

Another song with great, romantic lyrics is “You are Mine” - “Hold me close until we turn to wine. Let our lips touch til’ their like the sun. Fate has brought us here and I’ve never been so in love…It’s your touch that keeps my fears away…”

Overall, the album is an extremely thoughtful compilation of poetry, romance and great music. I highly recommend you check it out.

Millions of peaches.

Made fresh home-made, sugar-free peach cinnamon jam tonight. #yum #fallcooking #canning #jam #peaches #millionsofpeaches #cooking #homemade #sugarfreecooking #photooftheday

Here's the recipe I used:
Sugar-Free Jam with Stevia

1 3/4 ounce packet no-sugar-needed pectin
3/4 -1 cup cold water
2 1/2-3 cups of prepared fruit - fresh or frozen (raspberries, strawberries,
blueberries, apples/applesauce, bananas, peaches, pears, etc.)
1/2 Tbsp. Steviva stevia (if you use a different brand, you'll have to use
more because it will be cut with maltodextrin)
Spices according to taste: Cinammon, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, Nutmeg,
Cardamom, Vanilla Extract (in banana jam) or Almond Extract (great in peach
jam)

1. Peel, chop or mash fruit according to desired consistency (preferably
with a food processor, or by hand).

2. In small saucepan, combine pectin and water. Over medium heat, bring to
a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to mashed fruit and
stir for 1 minute. Add Stevia and spices and stir for 2 more minutes.

3. Fill jars to 1/2 inch from the top. Seal and let stand until they reach
room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, or place jam in freezer. Or can.

Source: http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/vegetarian-forum/1289628-sugar-free-jam-stevia.html

Baby Shower Home-Made Card & Baby Shower Game

My sister Emily and I have been making home-made cards for years. It's one of our favorite hobbies and it's great for sister time. 


I made these baby shower invitations for my friend Kierra's baby shower. I love how the butterflies are 3-D. You can get the butterfly punch stamp and supplies from Stampin' Up.

We also played this game - it was really fun! 


Use this list of candy bars that pertain to pregnancy. Bring out the candy bars on a platter and have everyone guess which words pertain to the candy bar names. The person with the most words that pertain correctly to the candy bars wins a prize. 

2-Month’s Old, My Sweet SJ

I know I am a month late since SJ is almost 3 months old, but I wrote this about a month ago for him. 


2-Month’s Old

Little toes…
Stretching,
Kicking,
Growing…
Craving mama’s warmth.
Daddy’s exact replica.

Wiggly hands…
Learning,
Touching,
Squirming,
Searching curiously.
Smothered by mama’s kisses.

Sweet face…
Watching,
Understanding,
Cooing,
Beautiful blue eyes.
Can’t wait to see that dimple grin.

What a blessing to have a two month old
Cuddling,
  Laughing,
        Growing,
                baby boy.

The Book Thief - Book Review

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The final line by the narrator of The Book Thief definitely sums it up - "I am haunted by humans." This book is a good reminder that, as humans, we all definitely have flaws in our judgement and in the time this book was written about - the human race was definitely going through a challenging time and having flawed judgement. It reminds us that we must not judge each other so harshly... that we must love each other for our differences... that we must not follow others without educating ourselves... that we must stand up for what's right... that we must remember that diversity is okay - we all don't have to be carbon copies of each other. Remember - that's what Hitler wanted!

This is not like most books about the Holocaust... it's from the perspective of a little girl who's considered a German, but whose mother is a communist (who were also segregated against in Germany at the time), whose foster father is a "jew lover" and who's best friend is a jew hiding in her foster parents basement. The narrator is "death" and describes how horrifying that time in our history was for the people living in Germany and the surrounding areas. I liked how it described the fact that the jews weren't the only people starving, struggling and being killed during that time. The German people also suffered quite a bit.

Great characters, great writing... a little long for my taste, but worth it.

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March 29, 2012 - The Birth Of Our Sweet Angel

On March 29, 2012 our little angel, SJ, was born. He is such a blessing!







Ever since SJ was born, there have been two robins trying to get into our house. They bang into our backyard door all day long and stare at us. According to this website http://​www.whats-your-sign.com/​animal-symbolism-robin.html, Robins represent new beginnings, clarity, great wisdom, etc. Very interesting!

SJ has a little indian blood in him (Shoshone Bannock tribe), so maybe the Robin's are welcoming a new member of the tribe to this world.

39 Weeks of Pregnancy...

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest and decided it would be a good way to document the memories of pregnancy throughout the 40 weeks. I took a picture every couple of weeks to show the progression. I can't wait for little S.J. He will be here any minute!!! : )

My Husband, The Carpenter & The Baby Nursery.

Every pregnancy book you read has a section about "nesting". Whether it's the mother fervently cleaning, organizing, or throwing things away... or it's the father doing the same - Scott and I have had a serious case of it. We completely remodeled two of the rooms in our house within one month, and Scott, with his amazing finish carpentry skills - did an amazing job!

Here are some pics of our old guest room turned into a nursery for our sweet new little one:









I feel so grateful to have such an amazingly talented and loving husband. He worked so hard on the nursery and we are both grateful to the universe that we have such a wonderful place for our new little one to feel at home.

Emily Ann Faulkner Jones - My Sweet Sister.

I just wanted to take some time to write about someone that inspires me on a day-to-day basis and someone who has shaped a lot of who I am and who I strive to be.

My sister Emily has been one of the people in my life that’s inspired me most. She’s always been there for me since I was a wee little lad and I’ve always looked up to her and wanted to be just like her.

Sure, there were times when she would torment me (because that’s what sister’s do) – but how can you no forgive someone who makes you suck your toe when you are two (it’s funny!) or who wouldn’t let you hang out with their teenage friends when you were eight?

My sister has had a lot of patience with me throughout the years. I always looked up to her, wanted to be just like her… wear her clothes, her makeup/jewelry, read her journal, etc. etc. I guess that’s why she gave me the name “Jess the Pest” for a while : ) but as we’ve grown older – we’ve developed a friendship and relationship that means more to me than most in this world.

She is one of the most giving, kind-hearted individuals I’ve ever known and she’s always taken the time to help mentor me to be a better person. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said “What would Emily do?” throughout my lifetime.

Throughout the years she’s inspired me to be a better wife, cook, scrap-booker, sibling, photographer, organizer, giver, worker, leader, mentor, multi-tasker, etc. – the ultimate woman in 2012 society requires a lot of balance… and she’s helped me to find this balance throughout the years.

As of late, Em has inspired me to be a mother… one of the biggest decisions of my life. But, watching Emily as a mother over the past four years has been so enlightening, inspiring and most of all CONTAGIOUS. She makes it look so fun and her children have lit up my life in ways nothing else can.

I wonder sometimes where I’d be without such a strong older sister to guide me through the ups and downs of life. In a world where sisters often annoy each other, compete, and backbite – I feel lucky to have a sister with whom I have a close loving relationship and with whom I have so much in common.

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. ~Isadora James