Random post on Twizzlers

Twizzlers... I think this is the best-tasting brand of licorice. Red Vines have nothing over Twizzlers.

Flavors

1. Strawberry - the best for mass consumption. It tastes good and doesn't grow old.
   
2. Cherry - never tried it. And I think this was the orginal. I don't recall seeing it in the stores. Strawberry seems to be quite abundant.
   
3. Chocolate - the best in small amounts sporadically eaten. It can get overwhelming if you eat it three days in a row during a camping trip. (If going on a camping trip, see #1)
   
4. Fire - this is a new one I saw during a recent grocery store trip. The taste is, as Hell's Kitchen Chef Gordon Ramsey would say, "spot on!" I love spicy hot food. Not mustard wasabi horseradish-based-hot, but spicy hot flavor. It is the texture that doesn't do it for me. It is comprised of several strands of licorice (remniscent of the licorice rope). It is maybe a bit too soft to chew (gets caught in my teeth). There is just something I like better about the bite into a Strawberry Twizzler (see #1). Is it because it is slightly stiffer? More waxy? I cannot describe it. And I do not prefer to pull my licorice apart as if it is string cheese. I'll stick with Hot Tamales, thanks!

- Derek

Baby Bump Progress

I had plans to keep a picture progress of my growing baby bump but never actually got around to it. I'm now at 6 months! I actually have very few pics of myself pregnant, nontheless a profile picture for each month. Below is a photo we took at the wedding. I had to place my hand in a strategic place so that you could actually see the bump. Don't get me wrong, the bump is big and growing, but the dress hides it well. I think people could only tell I was pregnant if I was walking and the dress pressed up against me. I met one woman at the wedding. When I told her we've been married for a little more than two years, she asked if we had any plans of starting a family soon.

As for the baby, she is (in the words of babycenter.com) just over a pound and about a foot long from head to toe. Her brain is growing quickly and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent.

She seems pretty strong...or hyperactive. I'm hoping she's just strong. Derek says it feels like she's trying to bust out of my belly. I picture her body slamming up against the walls that surround her. I definitely don't feel just a little foot or hand. It's crazy to see my belly shake and move when she's active.

We can't seem to agree on any names yet. For now, she's our "baby girl."

~ Lena

A Labor Day Celebration

We just got back from our friends' wedding. The service was worshipful, fun and touching. Derek got to know the bride and groom, Nicole and Steve, during his internship at Saddleback. Derek served in the Singles Ministry with Nicole. I started getting to know Steve when he became the MC for our wedding reception (he did a great job!). Nicole has been my hairdresser for more than two years. I always love a good haircut, but moreso spending that one hour with her in fellowship. We went to Steve's house for dinner one night when they first started dating. It was neat to hear what he was going through when he first became interested in her to now celebrating with them at their wedding.

For me, I enjoy weddings not only as a time to celebrate with friends, but also because they're a reminder of the vows we took and the biblical view of marriage. I loved how Pastor Rick prayed at the reception not only for the bride and groom, but for all the married couples in attendance.

With 500+ people, the reception was an opportunity for us to hang out with people we hadn't seen in awhile. We had a great time and I think the couple did a fabulous job creating a really nice and personal wedding. I had the pleasure of making them their wedding cake. It kept me busy all weekend, but I enjoyed making it for them. Here are a few pics from the evening:

Pastor Rick giving Steve a high-5 after seeing Nicole come down the aisle.


One of the many funny moments.


Mr. & Mrs. Steve Komanapalli


The wedding cake


Some friends from the Singles Ministry we haven't seen in awhile


Derek and I

A Day At The Rodeo

Ever been to a rodeo? People are always surprised when they find out I like to watch bullriding (though I don't really give out this information). It's quite entertaining. When you watch it on TV, you learn about the rider -- his skills, past performance, etc. You also learn about the bull, which way it tends to turn and its past performance. Put them together and it's unpredictable. It's exciting when they make it to the coveted 8 seconds. It's stressful when they fall off in the bull's path or when one of their limbs gets stuck on the bull. Maybe my fascination is in part due to wondering why on earth anyone would want to ride on such a massive and untamed animal.

The rodeo came to Rancho Mission Viejo which is not far from where we live. When we stepped onto the fair ground, it no longer felt like Orange County. Almost everyone was in a cowboy hat and boots -- including Derek (no hat, just the boots). We watched the bucking broncos, steer wrestling (the least favorite of mine), and of course, the bullriding.

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. ;)








- Lena

A Good Laugh

I had such a good laugh today. I haven't had one of those in awhile. We were at the most unexpected place for a gut wrenching laugh -- the Maternity Open House for Mission Hospital.

It was a pretty nice Open House. They had finger sandwiches, fancy desserts, fruit, lemonade and coffee. They also had a bunch of vendors that donated prizes for a raffle. As we sat through the program, we heard about the hopsital's offerings, capabilities, and got a virtual tour of the maternity ward...blah, blah, blah.

While sitting through the presentation, Derek's friend was also at a maternity-related meeting, but his was about breastfeeding. He was hurting. As his text messages indicated, he could use a little sympathy and Daddy-to-be support. Derek dutifully answered the call to encourage by responding with text messages of how great of a time we were having. Derek told him about the great food and "game" we were playing -- Wheel of Mission Hospital (aka a raffle in a Wheel of Fortune format). It was hilarious. Then we actually won a prize... a $25 gift certificate to Super Suppers! To pour salt on the wound, and to make his point, Derek sent the picture below to his friend. Look what a great time Derek is having! We were laughing so hard after we took that photo. Derek was in tears.

Non-baby talk

So I've been meeting more and more neighbors the past week. The couple that lived across the stairs moved out a week and a half ago. They knew most people in our neck of the complex. I was going to ride their coattails to meet folks... but I've been getting opportunities of my own.

• There's Jersey downstairs who lives with his mom. He's a young guy who dresses gothic. He actually stopped to talk recently. So we're making progress.
• Then there's another neighbor with whom I had my first conversation where he was sober and without beer in his hand. He may be getting a full-time job as on-site maintenance guy at a 250 apt complex in Santa Ana. He's been working random construction jobs the past 2.5 years so long as they are near the train stops and within one bus ride (He had one too many DUI's and had license revoked... he may get it back early though). He lives with his girlfriend. His son Johnny (from previous marriage) visits every so often.
• Dennis lives downstairs from John. He's divorced and his daughter lives with him and his dog Nacho.
• Just met Daniel who has divorced for quite some time. His daughter just turned 18 and has a new apt in Riverside. His 20-yr old son Ryan lives with him. Daniel works at local motorcycle dealership and often commutes on his dual-sport motorcycle. He opened up to me pretty quickly about his dating woes. He's a pretty mellow guy.
• Also just met Jordan down the way. He has a SV650 motorcycle and a nice mountain bike.
  
• Finally, there is Cooper. Nice guy who lives a couple of doors down. He's got a familiar looking face... it may be because he is in a Cox Communications commercial. Ha!

Anyhow, this past Friday I was asking John about the local bike paths. Since he doesn't drive, he bikes often. I was looking for a connection from a path out of our complex up to a trail that eventually goes the ocean. At any rate, John refers me to Cooper. Cooper encourages me to get on my bike right now so he can show me the trail. Well after we started out, I realize that he's taking me on a mountain bike trail instead. I don't have a mountain bike. I don't have a street bicycle either... I guess it's a hybrid. Sits like a mountain bike, but doesn't have shocks or the big nobby tires. It's good on the paved and well-packed dirt bicycle trails.

I had a blast. It wasn't too treacherous... no dodging branches along the trail or any crazy inclines/declines. But it was thrilling with the speed and lack of definitive traction. It was a good workout.

I saw Cooper as I was returning from my instigated conversation with Daniel. Cooper said, "get ready and we'll go riding again." So I did. I was a little more comfortable this time and made mental notes of the path and turns so that I could do it again in his absence. Hoping to ride with co-worker Leo on occasion.

I may just suspend my gym membership (which I basically got for racquetball use... but since Bob moved out of state, I haven't really played). =)

Looking forward to seeing where these relationships go.

Daddy feels baby girl's kicks for the first time!

Woo hoo! I finally felt our baby girl kicking. Three times in fact I felt a kick while I was reading to her. It was the first time I read to her... maybe I need to read to her more often. =)

There is a background to this. For the past several weeks Lena has felt the baby girl kicking and has tried to help me feel her, too. All the physical, emotional, and hormonal changes only she has experienced has left me feeling a bit like an outsider. So I thought Lena was making things up to get me more interested in the pregnancy. Countless times she'd call me in the garage, from the shower, out of deep sleep (okay, I'm utilizing my creative license on those)... or just have me place my hand on her belly while sitting next to her to feel the baby kick. Not once did I feel anything. Now that I think about it, maybe my baby girl was playing tricks on me and not her mother. So, Lena, sorry for implying you have been lying about feeling our baby girl kick. =)

a day at the oc fair

The pictures say it all!

I ate some crow pie at the OC Fair on Sunday

Yeah, there was plenty of other foods offered there (of which I think photos will be forthcoming), but the main thing I ate was a slice of humble pie.

We went with Herb and Tammy from our small group. I have been saying that I will not buy clothes for the baby (nor too many toys) for quite some time. It's not that I'm not generous, I'm certain that I will be. Perhaps to a fault so I'm mentally trying to stave that overspending now. But I also have a practical side of me that says the baby girl will not remember whether or not she rotated through two weeks of outfits as a a child or if she had a different outfit for the first 365 days of her life. And I don't what to be relegated to driving an SUV because of the baby toys we need to haul each time we go somewhere.

Anyhow, I was the first to cave in and it happened at the OC Fair of all places. I bought my first baby outfit. Here are a couple of photos.

By the way, the rest of the food at the fair was better. Not the same having to drive and park at the fair as walking down the alley back in the days of youth at the county fair in Reynolds, Indiana.

Happy Birthday Jessi

Jessi turned 1 on July 29!