Update coming soon...

So it's been a busy 2010 thus far... OY!

And I just got back from an amazing weekend. It was the Body's Women's Retreat, and since September I have been meeting with an amazing group of women to plan this event, an event I thought I wouldn't be able to attend.

Miraculously, I was able to drive up to Stanwood for the tail end of what turned out to be an awesome weekend. The Lord really used that time profoundly, and He has been teaching me SO much these past three months. I promise to begin sharing these lessons and revelations in the next couple of days.
But needless to say, 2010 has been quite an eventful year thus far. I often wonder what He has next for me... What's going to be the next chapter in "The Adventures of Jesus and Jessika"? And yes... I have actually contemplated writing a series of short stories under the former title...
But really that's what it is. Our life's an adventure!
The blessing is that when Jesus is the Hero of that adventure we always know how it's going to end... in victory!

So let me ask you:
How do you see your life? Who's it about? Do you know how each chapter's going to end?

Photos of my past

Yes... blog update long overdue...

I'm in the home stretch of the Winter 2010 quarter. And I have to say it's been one of the busiest but most gratifying, eye-opening and mind-blowing quarters of my formal education "life." A vague statement I know, but at 1am that's what you get. That and photos... lots of photos.

I'm in the process of putting together my final writing portfolio for my Creative Non-Fiction Writing course at Bellevue College and one of the paper's I'm including centers around the road trip I took last summer... I think I already mentioned this. Actually, the paper centers around my Grandma Lolo. But this paper looks like it's just the beginning of a much MUCH larger endeavour. But I'm going to have to sleep on that one...

Anyway since I'm "writing"ed out, below are some photos of my past - of the line of beautiful strong Godly women I come from... And aren't they beautiful? Hope you enjoy getting a glimpse into my past.



My Great-Grandma Grace... isn't she a beauty?!!!



The Quamme Family... quite the photogenic bunch. My Grandma Lolo (that's short for Lois) is in my Great-Grandma Grace's arms.



Not a strong Godly woman, but a definitely a good lookin' guy.
Great-Grandpa Milt. He's the Cary Grant/Gregory Peck kind of handsome. They don't make 'em like that anymore...



And that's my Grandma Lolo






Now that's what I call a dress! My weakness must have been inherited...



And here's my Momma with her Mama...
Mom and Grandma Lolo sitting together at St. John's on our last day in Billings, as we journey westward back home - June 2009.

I am ruined...

So for Christmas this past year my Dad successfully surprised me with an amazing gift. And let me tell you that is quite a feat.

I am probably one of the best gift-givers I know. I don't mean for that to sound cocky... it's just the truth. You can ask my family and I think they'd probably agree. But apparently I am one of the hardest people to shop for. Of course I don't see this because there are plenty of things I see that I like and want... But I think the problem lies in the fact that I'll just buy that stuff for myself. So for holidays requiring gift giving (a.k.a. my birthday and Christmas) I will give my family a list, or go shopping with my mom and point out to her what I like/want from the store.

But this Christmas my Dad somehow managed to think of something I dearly desire that was not included on the list:

Le Creuset Cookware

And I am ruined... utterly ruined.

You see there's something about Le Creuset... It's hard to describe. Using my new blue dutch oven for the first time I felt like I was somehow participating in history. That I was now a part of the long line of famous chefs, foodies and faithful housewives who have gone before me slaving over their sumptuous culinary creations all of which have been forged in the works of art that are Le Creuset pots and pans.
And works of art they are! Each one is individually forged and enameled in hues ranging from the classic Cobalt to Kiwi. The craftsmanship and work that goes in to each piece is truly magnificent! And what magnificent results do these beautiful pieces produce. As I hypothetically asked one friend, staring down at her beautiful curry housed in her round cobalt blue dutch oven

"Why does Le Creuset make everything look so beautiful?"
She just looked over at me and laughed.

So posted below are some photos of a yummy meal I made for my mom and dad using my very own Le Creuset dutch oven.
The menu:
Grilled Swordfish with Tomato Braised Cauliflower from Michael Psilakis' amazing cookbook How to Roast a Lamb: new greek classic cooking.

Bon Appetit!

Dancing in my Kitchen

So just recently I had to write my last paper for the Creative Non-Fiction Writing class I'm taking this quarter at Bellevue College.
The topic: Family.
Yes! This was the perfect opportunity for me to finally gets some words down on paper (well I guess on a Word doc...) about the amazing and enlightening road trip my mom and I (and brother for the first portion of the trip) took to Fargo, ND via Billings, MT.

No. This blog post is not going to be about that road trip. I'll save that for another time.

But in order to transport myself back to last summer- to conjure up the emotions and the memories from that trip I did a little digging. I looked at the photo journal I'd put together of the "Great Adventure," as I like to call it, while listening to the music we played in my car as we traversed westward across I-90.

And the song that I associate with this trip is called "Hallelujah Junction."

It's actually a piece by composer John Adams and ironically it's from an album titled "Road Movies." And I'm obsessed with it. I'm done with the paper but I'm certainly not done with "Hallelujah Junction." It brings out the little girl in me... you know... the one who twirls around in the living room dancing to music in her head. Only this time it's a 25 year old woman dancing to John Adams in her kitchen. Yes. I am a nerd. I am a ballerina. And I love it.

Anyway, here's the last two movements on a YouTube video. What does it inspire in you?



And here's a little something extra... Ballet and John Adams combined. Someday I'd like to dance this... hope you enjoy my two current obsessions.

Fremont Flea Market Fun

So I've been trying to catch up with life since the ceasing of The Sleeping Beauty and my return from the Big Apple. You know... laundry, dusting, cleaning the toilet and shower... stuff I've conveniently let slide for you don't want to know how long.

But in playing this game of catch up I find I've utterly neglected my blogging duties. For those four people who follow me, please accept my most profound apologies.
And yet somehow, it seems that amidst the piles of laundry and mountains of moth balls, I still manage to get in an occasional "I want to..." here and there.

This past Sunday was an "I want to."

"To?" you might be asking. "To what?"

The Fremont Flea Market!
Finds? Yes! A beautiful pair of amazing vintage shades that you will see me sport in the near future... nearer especially if this sunny Spring-like weather continues!

But below are some photos I took of various collections of oddities one can only at this amazing event that happens every Sunday. Come and check it out. Who knows what treasures you might leave with...