Bri Westbury

Merging

2010-07-30T00:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

As you might have noticed, the blog posts have been lacking in 2010. After some thought, I have decided to close down this blog and merge with "The Westbury" blog (since I am a Westbury and all!).

That way, with Josh and I both posting on one blog, it is more likely to get some action. Rather than having one lonely blog that doesn't get updated for months on end.

So goodbye readers, and please check us out at www.thewestburys.wordpress.com , which we will do our best to update more often as well!

Farewell,

Bri Westbury

I get paid in peaches.

2010-02-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

Today I was teaching english to a sweet korean lady. She had the table set for tea for our meeting. Tea pot-check, tea cups-check, strange fruit in the middle of the table-check!

Yes, sitting in the middle of the table was some sort wet, soft apple looking item. She asked if I knew what is was, and I, desperately hoping I was wrong, said "apple???".

But,my friends, it was a WHITE PEACH. Now, I may have been living under a rock until this morning, but I had never tasted such deliciousness in a FRUIT. I am a huge fruit fan, but really, I thought it had to have something naughty in it to taste THIS GOOD.

She must have seen my complete infatuation with the fruit, because on the way home they took me to the farm and bought me my very own box of 20 white peaches. I have already eaten 4 today. And I don't feel bad. Because it's FRUIT.

So, today I got paid in peaches. (P.S. this is a non-paid position so my salary is usually a hug, moving on up!)

(in case you were wondering-that face in the picture reads: "Get your own box Josh.")

Lawyer/Blind Date Test.

2010-02-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

This might be old news to you, but it made me laugh a little (in my mind-not out loud).

So, this lady on TV is having a baby girl, and is trying to find a name that passes the lawyer/blind date test. She explains the test like this:

1. Pick a name.

2. If you were receiving a court appointed lawyer, would you be okay if they were named that?

ex: "You will be represented by Bunny." or "You will be represented by Ruth."

3. If you were setting up a friend on a blind date, would they declined based on name?

ex: "I would love to set you up with my friend, her name is Bertha."

3 Months of Pain

2010-02-11T02:48:00.000-08:00

Josh and I have been sheltered from this whole world of P90X for a year now. When I have read about it in someone's Facebook status I have wondered what they were referring to, but never made the effort to google it and learn.

But, our P90X-free bubble has been popped. We received the workout series from a friend and have pledged to let the pain begin on Monday.

I am sure we are in for 3 months of pain, and I know after 2 weeks I am going to be hating myself. But, I have it, and I am too curious to not try it.

I mean, "Muscle Confusion"? Doesn't everyone have to experience that everyday for 90 days? (be sure and read that last sentence with extreme sarcasm).

Oh, and I took the "before" pictures required by the program. How come you look so horribly different in pictures than in the mirror? I wish I could wash those images from my mind. Here's to hoping day 30, 60 and 90 pictures make the day 1 pictures worth the mental scarring.

Prayer is needed.

2010-01-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Here is a very sad reality. Below is an excerpt of the article from The Times echos what we have been hearing in our local community.

"Such is the case here in Africa's wealthiest country, the host of this year's World Cup. While South Africa invests billions to prepare its infrastructure for the half-million visitors expected to attend, tens of thousands of children have become ensnared in sexual slavery, and those who profit from their abuse are also preparing for the tournament. During a three-week investigation into human-trafficking syndicates operating near two stadiums, I found a lucrative trade in child sex. The children, sold for as little as $45, can earn more than $600 per night for their captors. "I'm really looking forward to doing more business during the World Cup," said a trafficker. We were speaking at his base overlooking Port Elizabeth's new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Already, he had done brisk business among the stadium's construction workers."

My Afrikaans Final:

2009-12-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Prompt: Write 5 sentences about what you will do in America.

Waneer ek in Amerika aankom: Ek gaan moeg wees op Sondag. Nadat Maandag ek sal een keer 'n week 'n 1ok hardloop. Ek sal my moederse kar he. Ek sal Christmas lekkers saam met my moeder. Ek wil geniet dit!

Home for the Holidays!

2009-11-23T00:06:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if I announced it or not, but Josh and I are coming home for the holidays!!!

We are so excited! We did not expect such a generous gift of plane tickets, so are even more excited at the surprise of it all! We are SO happy to get to see everyone, meet out new niece, meet baby Schinzler, see Catherine's baby bump, have a cold Christmas, see Christmas lights, go to WILCREST!!!, order a drink from Starbucks, eat some authentic tex-mex and all the other joys of coming home for the holidays!

I have begun doing Christmas crafts here, to get myself geared up for Christmas music, which will officially be played in my house (non-stop) after December 1st. (unofficially they have been playing here and there for about a week now)...

Have I mentioned I am excited and so happy?

Perspective

2009-11-16T09:59:00.000-08:00

I was recently introduced to a South African saying that has been ringing in my mind and heart recently. Please allow me to share:

"You complain with a loaf of white bread under your arm."

A loaf of white bread cost approximately 5 rand (or 70 US cents). The idea is, if you can afford a loaf of white bread, you have no reason to complain, because a majority of your neighbors have less.

This thanksgiving, I want my heart to overflow with thankfulness. I have 10 days to go before turkey day, perhaps I should extend my concerted effort at thankfulness to Christmas this year? Yes, I think so.

Blog Recommendation

2009-11-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

My friendly google reader "suggestion" column introduced me to perhaps one of my favorite blogs ever, Balanced Health and Nutrition: Food, nutrition and exercise informations blended with a dash of opinion.

The author is a registered dietitian, a credentialed nutrition therapy professional and American College of Sports Medicine certified Health and Fitness Specialist. She knows her stuff and has lots of useful information to share- for free!

Can She Do It???

2009-11-02T04:24:00.001-08:00

Ladies and gentleman, can she do it?

Who am I talking about? Myself, of course.

What is "it"? THANKSGIVING.

Traditional Thanksgiving is not observed here in SA, go figure. So, I have had friends volunteer to participate in an "American Thanksgiving" in order to fill the Thanksgiving void.

Here is where the problem pops up- I have never made a Thanksgiving meal on my own. I have always been assistant chef to my aunt and my mom. Never head chef before!

I am torn, should I shy away from the challenge and make a less intimidating dinner, or, do I dive in and collect recipes from you, my loyal friends.

Thoughts?

Home Made Tortillas

2009-10-25T06:27:00.001-07:00

About three months ago Josh and I had a bit of a melt down regarding tortillas. The store bought ones didn't taste like home and were too expensive for our budget. But, being good Texans, couldn't imagine life without tortillas. So, with the help of my friend google, I found some recipes and tried my hand at making flour tortillas at home.

We found one recipe that we have made just about weekly since we first tried it. I do the batter mixing and Josh takes care of the rolling of the dough and cooking aspect. While he is cooking the tortillas I get the "insides" ready. The team effort makes it much more manageable and actually turns it into a fun evening activity for us to do together. Plus, if you wrap these bad boys in foil as you cook them, they stay warm and it is just like Escalantes' tortillas!

So if you want a cheap date night, or even a fun family activity, I strongly recommend giving these a try!

Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

-2 cups all-purpose flour (or cake flour if you are in South Africa)

-1 teaspoon salt

-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

-3/4 cup lukewarm milk (I use skim, but the recipe calls for 2% or higher)

Stir together the ingredients in the order listed above. When adding the milk gradually pour it in using a fork to incorporate it well. The dough will be stick.

Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for 2 minutes. The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return dough to bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes. (the dough will not rise, but it needs a rest)

Divide the dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them again and then let rest again or 20 minutes. I use a muffin pan to hold the dough at this point so the balls don't stick together.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the balls until they are a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Put the tortilla onto a hot, DRY skillet or griddle until it begins to blister and flip until cooked to desired chewiness and enjoy!

*note: these do tend to be chewy and tough if microwaved, so for reheating use a skillet or oven.

I am not a runner.

2009-10-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

I repeat, I am NOT a runner.

Now, ask me what I am doing at the end of November, "A HALF MARATHON!"

I have been working towards fitness with my friend Gilian, I mean Amy, and it has been really fun! I never would have thought I would be able to run 1 mile, but we are already tackling 5 mile runs!

Of course, we are not running the whole time. We have found that running 8 minutes and then walking 2 minutes allows us to go farther and still keep a good time. Our goal for the half marathon is to use that system (8:2) and run the first 10k, then for the remaining distance (12k I think) take a 10 minute walk break, and run 7:3 for the rest until we need to walk.

With all of this running in my life now, I decided to educate myself and purchase a "Runner's World" magazine. There is SO much helpful information in this bugger, even for those walkers out there!

Here is my favorite tip that I am going to utilize Friday (long run day):

"Put an elastic band on your wrist and flick it to induce a little pain to distract you from any negative thoughts- it's momentary, but it gets you through."

I have a feeling my wrist will be black and blue this weekend...

If any of you are runners (or non runners who like to punish themselves like me) and have tips, please pass them on!

This one's for you, Drea!

2009-09-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

Drea, this one is for you!

Yesterday at Spice Group we all learned how to do flower arrangements. I had a lot of fun making mine, although my design might not be the "mainstream" style...(It was lovingly referred to as "the forest" at my table).

Everyone else's arrangements at my table were so lovely, and nice and symmetrical. And, er, as you can obviously see, mine was not. I was going for more a twiggy/modern/wild look. Did it work? I will see if I can't get a picture of what is suppose to look like (wink, wink, nudge, nudge Tonya H.).

*side note, all of the flowers are from ladies backyards, spring is in the air!*

Josh's commentary on my arrangement "it looks like someone just picked up a piece of field".

Chocolate Chip Cookies-The Same In Every Language

2009-08-24T03:01:00.000-07:00

So this morning I had one of my Korean missionary friends over for english class. Usually I go to her flat, but thought it might be fun to have her over to my place and teach her something about American culture. I decided to teach her how to make chocolate chip cookies and it was a hit! She brought her 1 year old daughter with her to class, and she certainly enjoyed herself!

(The first bite, oh-so-good!)

These cookies were way homemade, a feat that I had not attempted for quite sometime (the tear and bake pre made dough is oh-so-good and you can eat the raw dough immediately...but I digress). They were SO homemade that I bought a slab of chocolate and broke the bar into small chocolate chunks. If that doesn't impress you, than I give up.

Fun Fact

2009-08-23T04:22:00.000-07:00

Josh and I attended our first South African wedding yesterday (congrats Bruce and Ali)!

In the process we learned another fun fact about South Africa! Interestingly enough, in order for the union to be legal, the doors to the place where the union is being formalized must be open in order to allow for those who might object to come in and state their case.

How did we learned this? When Josh and I were attempting to close the doors after the Bride arrived for the ceremony. Fun times.

Moving on up!

2009-08-21T00:18:00.000-07:00

So, it looks like Josh and I are moving! Thanks to the hook up of some kind friends, prayer of another 20 or so friends, and the grace of God, we will be in our new place October 1st!

We have paid our deposit, told our current land lords we are moving and signed the new lease. Now all we are waiting for is the secretary of the apartments (who is not in Stellenbosch) to sign the lease and then we will get our photo copy of the precious document.

Josh and I are praying there are no hiccups and that we get the lease back soon. I think I will be able to breath easier once I know that it is signed by them. (prayer for this last step is much appreciated).

One small step for man kind, one giant step for the Westburys!

Once all of our t's are crossed and our i's are dotted I will feel you in on how God worked this all out and then shortly after we move in (God-willing) we will post pictures!

It's Question Time Again

2009-08-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

I was tagged in a Facebook note and decided to follow Tonya's lead and post my list on my blog too.

(My apologizes to those of you who are annoyed to no end by these. And you are welcome to those of you (like myself) who find an odd bit of joy from reading other friend's answers!)

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8am

2. How do you like your steak? medium well

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter, The Half Blood Prince

4. What is your favorite TV show? right now, House because I have that series on DVD here

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? right now, right where I am.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Greek yogurt, strawberries, almonds and banana

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Tex-Mex, I miss it so bad it hurts =)

8. What foods do you dislike? Seafood, Olives, Mushrooms...I have a weird thing about textures

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Oh geez...Pappacitos, Lupe Tortillas, Cheesecake Factory, Chuys, Jason's Deli, Japenarios....none of which have a South African franchise.

10. Favorite dressing? Italian

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Ha-nada. My feet and my bike are my only mode of transportation, oh and bumming rides off of friends!

12. What are your favorite clothes? I am in desperate need of spruce-up when it comes to my closet, but my favorite clothes are casual dresses (like t-shirt dresses) with strappy sandals. (now ask me if I have any-nope-but I like them!) =)

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? The Mediterranean, all of it.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? I think I am the type who realizes it is half empty, and tries to find ways to fill it up the rest of the way. aka, I see potential!

15. Where would you want to retire? Where ever my husband is! Which, I would be willing to wager, will be near the ocean! (I would also be willing to wager that he never retires)

16. Favorite time of day? 10am on a Summer or Spring day!

17. Where were you born? Wichita, Kansas

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? ummm...I would have to say basketball.

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? who knows?

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? ummmmmm, no clue

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? EVERYONE! I love these things (sick, I know)

22. Bird watcher? no, not unless they enter my personal space.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? As long as I am alert and awake, it doesn't matter. So, I guess it depends if I have had my coffee or not.

24. Do you have any pets? nope! (but I would really like to have a penguin)

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Josh has lunch with a pastor here yesterday and spoke with him about multi-ethnic ministry and our heart beat (as well as the heart beat of the New Testament) and that pastor emailed us yesterday evening to say thank you for meeting with him and that he bought Dr. Woo's book "The Color of Church" and couldn't wait to read it! Praise God!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A Rock Star.

27. What is your best childhood memory? Waking up each morning during summer, meeting up with Katie and/or Tonya and playing ALL day long, whether it be the big red ball (best summer of my life), Mr. Clean Shower endorsements, watching Jerry Springer and eating a big bowl of pudding, jumping on the trampoline, swimming, or playing aces for hours on end-summers were fantastic!

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog. Cats are too moody and you can't tell what they are thinking (plus I am allergic)

29. Are you married? Yes, 4 years this December to Joshie!

30. Always wear your seat belt? In the front seat.

31. Been in a car accident? No, thank you Jesus.

32. Any pet peeves? Large crowds or when people ask you a question that you just answered 2 minutes earlier.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Pepperoni (for some reason there is not a classic Pepperoni pizza in Stellenbosch, it's not difficult people!)

34. Favorite Flower? Calalillies (sp?)

35. Favorite ice cream:Ben and Jerry's Phish Food

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A (remember the calendar's Katie?)

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? None

38. From whom did you get your last email? Jenny

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Anthropology-but only if I didn't have to pay back the Credit Card company...

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? one time I moved to South Africa...

41. Like your job? yes.

42. Broccoli? stemmed or raw-yes!

43. What was your favorite vacation? my honeymoon to NYC the week before Christmas!

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Josh

45. What are you listening to right now? cars driving by, but an African who I refer to as Rafiki just walked by singing like Rafiki from the Lion King (hence his nick name)

46. What is your favorite color? yikes, currently I am really drawn to gray things, and no, not in a depressed kind of way.

47. How many tattoos do you have? one

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? 16 I think.

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 11:05am

50. Coffee Drinker? Oh yes.

My First Scarf!

2009-07-21T00:01:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my fantastic knitting coach, Tonya H., I have completed my first knitting project just in time for the end of winter! It is super long scarf so I can wrap it around my neck about 3 times (as shown above)!

"We've All Eaten Mouse"

2009-07-17T03:29:00.000-07:00

Another awesome conversation with the teens from Frannshhoek.

Topic: Who has eaten the strangest thing.

Bri: I have eaten goat intestines.

Teen 1: So, I have eaten baboon.

Teen 2: So, I have eaten baboon brains AND snake.

Teen 3: I have eaten a mouse.

Teen 1 & 2: (rolling their eyes and yelling) WE'VE ALL EATEN MOUSE!

Then they turned to me, and filled me in on why this mouse claim is so ridiculous to them. Turns out according to Xhoisa tradition, if you wet your bed you then have to eat a mouse. I couldn't get it out of them how it was cooked. They thought it was just too hilarious that I was grossed out by the whole thing.

Makes that whole "washing your mouth out with soap" look like a walk in the park.

Still Here!

2009-07-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted on this blog! Sorry for the long silence. Between our www.thewestburys.wordpress.com blog and our monthly email updates, I sometimes feel like I don't really have much to offer or say.

But then it hit me, this blog is about nothing! So, that means I have the freedom to post about ridiculous things (see the below post for confirmation on this point).

Last week we visited the Waterfront in Cape Town and were browsing an outdoor store for a Safari hat for Mimi. That is when I found the "environmental chamber" aka "meat locker". I was the only one brave enough to go into it without a jacket. Actually, I am not sure if it was that I was the only one brave enough or the only one who was so easily amused by the freezing room.

More ridiculously pointless posts to come at a later point, stay tuned.

Examine Your Cheetos.

2009-05-21T02:52:00.000-07:00

We all should learn and lesson here and examine our Cheetos before eating them all and licking the cheese off our fingers. I would have eaten Chessus!

Cheesus???

(So I am thinking Cheetos are the new clouds- you know where you can look at them and see all sorts of crazy images. Just google Cheeto Jesus, you will see!)

Proving your residential address...

2009-04-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Opening a bank account in South Africa is different than opening a bank account in the states. First off, you have to pay to have a bank account. This fee is on top of the usuals. I thought letting them earn the interest off of my money was enough...anyways...I can't change the system.

Secondly, you have to prove residential address, or else your account will be frozen. I learned this tidbit from a hand out I picked up while waiting in line. Below is an exert from the handout, I will not bore you with the whole thing-just and excerpt.

"How can I prove my residential address?

1. A utility bill such as a bill for water or electricity.

2.A letter from a tribal chief if you live on tribal land."

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore...

Bathroom Art

2009-04-23T02:57:00.001-07:00

This week at Spice Group (a gathering of the spouses of international students, professors and visiting academics) we were making "Fabric Hearts". My finished product is featured in the picture.

As I was making my heart I was chatting with a Spice friend and I commented that the heart was not really "my style" maybe a little "country" and dare I say "frumpy." BUT I could certainly use it to decorate my bathroom.

Which got me thinking-why do I have completely different standards from house art to bathroom art (or for those Southern girls out there-our "Powder Rooms"-which in my opinion the powder rooms are subject to even lower standards than the full-bath bathrooms).

I do not think I am alone in this lower standards thing, I mean think of all the ceramic horses, pastel prints, and humor-art that you have seen displayed in a mauve or light blue basket. (not that any of those things are bad or wrong-if it is the theme are tone of your house- but if you have a modern house with a pastel flower bathroom, it is a bit odd).

The bathroom is so neglected, yet it is frequented by guests (unless they never stay long enough to use it, and than that might be personal issue...j/k). All I am saying is fight back. Don't settle in the bathroom. There is good art/decor out there that you can make or buy for cheap! I am not in the stage of my life to really decorate- but if you are, do some online research for inspiration and have at it! Just don't leave the bathroom behind! (pun intended).

(Confession- I do have my heart displayed in my flat. Hey, we needed something on our walls and it was free. Lay off.)

Flower Power!

2009-04-13T06:57:00.001-07:00

So I was checking my google reader and stumbled across this post on Design*Sponge. The vases they have pictured are SO cool! Josh's least favorite is my top favorite (the red one shown at the end with the pink flowers). Figures.

Anyways, the post inspired me to make my own vase and pick a flower from the garden outside our door (aka our land lady's yard-hope she won't mind!).

We are heading into Autumn here, but all of you back home in the states are about to stumble upon spring weather (I promise!). So, grab those Mason Jars and add some color to your table tops!

*I am also making homemade bread for the first time today. The dough is rising as I type. I will let you know how it turns out! It smells yummy! (I know I know, knitting scarfs, making home made bread, doing laundry by hand- who am I? =) )

Fake Smile Problem.

2009-04-09T00:14:00.001-07:00

When I take pictures, I always look like I am fake smiling. The only way I look like I am really smiling is if I am laughing when I take a picture.

Sometimes, when I take a picture, I try to think of something funny so I will giggle a little bit. But, I get worried that I will be the creepy girl who giggles quietly to herself when posing to take a picture with a new friend. Any suggestions on how not to be the creepy girl?

Off topic, Josh said this yesterday "I don't know, I might of just made an idiot out of myself, how am I suppose to know?". --summary of so many situation over the past 4 months.

"Lay Off Me I'm Starving"

2009-04-07T00:54:00.000-07:00

As I write this post I feel like the Chris Farley Gap girl (hanging my head in shame).

But, here I go. Josh and I were talking last night, and asked each other this question:

"If you blinked your eyes and you were magically in Houston, what would be the top ten restaurants that you would want to go to."

Josh did not think I could name ten, but oh was he wrong! Here is my list (in no particular order):

Pappasitos
Chuys
PF Changs
Japanerios
Cheesecake Factory
Star Pizza
Caines
Salt Grass
Armadillo Palace
Good n Company Bar BQ

Twitter Trial

2009-04-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have been asked to give twitter a try, so here we go!

If you are already a twitter-ton, you can find us under the name "thewestburys".

OR our name might be listed as "Josh&Bri Westbury". We are new at this...

Oh My Goodness

2009-04-04T08:40:00.001-07:00

Anyone who has known me knows that I cannot sing and I cannot dance. And I am not talking "I get embarrassed and would rather not" I am talking "I physically cannot keep rhythm or hear tones." However, every time I have been on the continent of Africa, I have been forced to sing or dance in front of a crowd.

Last night was one of those instances. Josh, Bruce and I went up to Kayamandi to met with some of the leaders there. When we arrived we were not really sure what he evening "program" would look like, as we did not plan it-but the leaders of Kayamandi did.

We began with singing, then, they announced that each person had to stand and lead the group in a song, and then share a testimony or word that God had placed on your heart. Ahhhhhh! Sheer fright went through my veins when I heard them say I would have to LEAD a song.

I decided on Amazing Grace (first verse only-thinking everyone would know the song and could sing with me) and asked for help from someone who could sing in getting the song started. FAIL. As Josh later pointed out, I chose the whitest song ever, and pretty much was the only one singing (aka making a joyful noise).

Next Saturday we will be going back to attend their song service to celebrate Easter. They asked that we share a song as well...

Today at Spice Group...

2009-04-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

Spice Group Leader: "Good morning ladies, today we are going to teach you all how to make scones."

Bri: (thoughts of Starbucks blueberry scones dancing in my head) "Ohh! Can we put blueberries in them?!"

SGL: "No, these are more savory." (SGL Continues to describe consistency of scone-much like a buttermilk biscuit).

B: "Ohhh, so your scones are like our biscuits?"(thinking of biscuits as Pillsbury doughboy)

SGL: "No, again, these are savory-not like biscuits." (thinking of biscuits as 'cookies')

This went on for about five minutes. But, after learning what scone actually ARE, I eagerly took the recipe home and made them, they are quite delicious and very similar to our homemade biscuits you would use in a "biscuits and gravy" type dish.

If you would like to make a SA scone below is the recipe. It is a vegan version of the recipe so it does not use milk or eggs. Also, much to my disdain, our leader does "more or less" measurements, so don't worry about being exact.

2 Cups Flour (or more)

4 teaspoons baking powder

Half Teaspoon Salt

Big Spoon of Sugar

3 Big Spoons of Margarine or Butter (this is about half of a stick of butter)

200 ml water + Big Spoon of Vinegar

Preheat oven 200 degrees Celsius (use a google converter to get F degrees).
Combine dry ingredients
Add butter and "rub in" with finger tips until it looks like bread crumbs.
Add liquids and mix until just combines. *If dough is sticky, add more flour.
(if you want to make these extra yummy, add some garlic powder or onion powder to your dough at this point-I added green onion).
Flatten dough until 3 cm thick.
Cut out with cookie cutters or the top of a rounded drinking glass.
Bake for 12 minutes.

The Perfect Duck.

2009-03-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

On Thursdays Tonya H.(my American friend here in SA) and I go with other ladies from our church to a Bible Study in Cape Town. This past Thursday they took us for tea on the way home from the study, and we saw "the perfect duck"(s). They looked fake they were so white! How adorable are they? Below is a picture of where they took us for tea.
At this tea spot they have Zebras, Antelope, Ostriches and Wildebeest.

Fun story, earlier in the car ride the ladies explained to me what animals were part of the "big five" (Leopards, Elephants, Tigers, Rhinos, and Buffalo); so when we pulled into the tea spot, way of in the distance was a Wildebeest, and I eagerly and proudly pointed and said "LOOK A BUFFALO!"-thinking that I had just spotted one of the big five...oh my.

Happy Birthday Alison!

2009-03-27T02:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Alison!

I can't believe it, you're all grown up now!

Oh, and thank you for all of the help with the fire evacuations and time changes!

The British Office; an educational tool for overseas ministry.

2009-03-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so obviously I am not really serious about my title of this post. BUT my viewing of the British Office DID come in handy this past Thursday.

It was then that a group of us ladies were up at the church painting animals on fabric cut outs for the Creche (pre-school) up in Kayamandi. There were three ladies who were there that I had not yet met before. I asked one of the ladies what she did, and she responded with a term that I had not heard before and I could not even make out what it was to type it here. So I responded, as I often do, "I am sorry, what was that you said?" And she paused, thought of an alternative word and said "My position became redundant, I was a redundancy."

Now, I may be naive, but I had NEVER heard this term until about 4 weeks ago when, thanks to my sister-in-law Jenny, I was watching The British Office (the series which The Office in America is based off of). It was while watching that show that I learned a "redundancy" is the same as a "lay-off."

Thank you office for not making me ask this poor lady for a 3rd way of saying "I lost my job."

The Washer and Dryer, Not The Pill or Abortion

2009-03-09T02:38:00.001-07:00

Today Josh and I were sitting, drinking coffee as he read for a linguistics assignment and I read the "Cape Times" (Cape Town's daily newspaper). There was an article in the paper discussing a claim made by the Vatican newspaper this past week that women's rights and freedom should not be associated with the pill or abortion, but rather with the washer and dryer. The logic is that thanks to the washer and dryer, women can "put a lid on it" and walk away, choosing to do with the rest of their time as they please.

I say all of that to let you ease drop on the conversation that Josh and I had following me reading the article and relaying the information to him. It went as follows:

B: This article says washers and dryers are to thank for the rights, freedom and independence of women.

J:Sounds like you just got set back a couple decades.

B:Yeah.

J: How does it feel?

B: (awkward silence).

"WESTBURY"

2009-03-07T03:55:00.000-08:00

This afternoon the weather has been nice and the mountain is not currently on fire, so I decided to take a stroll with the camera and have a little fun. I remember hearing some friends talking about finding the letters of their name in nature, or of a word/name that they found particularly moving (i.e. Christ, Glory, Creation) and stringing them together to make a piece of wall art.

I decided to try my hand at it. And of course had to make a game out of it, adding the rule for myself that I could not touch anything, it had to be photographed as it naturally stood, or laid. Above is my first attempt at "WESTBURY". I need to find a better "S" "B" "U" and "R" but the rest of the letters I am pretty pleased with. (sorry it posted so small, but if you click on the picture itself it will open in a separate window so you can see it!)

I recommend this activity to anyone who has a digital camera and wants to go on a low key adventure through nature, you won't regret it!

Happy Birthday Tonya!

2009-03-07T01:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Tonya!

Tonya Leiva is...

The best maid of honor EVER!

Only the cutest number nerd.

Noble.

Your number one fan when you want to quit.

Always dressed just right for the occasion.

Loving you through thick and thin.

Eager to celebrate!

Inviting and friendly to everyone she meets.

Vigilant in keeping her priorities straight.

A blessing.

"Only the English could have invented this language."

2009-03-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

This was the headline of an article in the weekly "Bolander" newspaper. The Bolander is a publication that is free and lists local properties for sale and classifieds, etc. in the Cape Town and Stellenbosch area. Below are some excerpts from this clever article (can you imagine learning English as your second language?).

"We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,

But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.

One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,

Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,

Yet the plural of a house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,

The shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,

And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?

If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,

Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,

Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,

And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.

We speak of a brother and also of brethren,

But though we say mother, we never say methren.

Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,

But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!"

The article goes on for three more columns, but I think you get the point. This language is crazy and I am thankful I learned it as a babe because otherwise I would be one confused cookie.

A Personal Grocery Shopping Assistant

2009-02-27T01:35:00.000-08:00

Today was grocery day. This is a team effort, because I cannot carry all of the groceries home by myself. Our first stop, the produce section.

It was here in the produce section that I met my personal grocery shopping assistant for the day. Josh was bagging up Nectarines (they are in season here) and he was getting them from the loose barrel, they were 16 rand per KG; as we were bagging, a sweet silver hair lady who was shopping herself points to the pre-bagged Nectarines, the bags were 10 rand per KG, and were not soft yet, but if we set the out by the window for a day, they would be perfect. Then, she disappeared. Thankful for the recommendation, we swapped out for the pre-bagged selection.

Encounter two, potatoes. As I was picking through, there pops up my silver haired helper again! She explained that I did not any potatoes with a green hue, or with a scar on them, she helped me pick out my three, and then-gone again she was! (side note, in the potato conversation, she spoke entirely in Afrikaans, and I was able to figure it out by gestures and the very little that I could understand).

Encounter three, carrots. I was looking through the carrot options, but they all had a sale by date of Feb. 28, and my silver haired helped must of seen me scooping out the dates, and again, she offered her help. Apparently the "young carrots" were newer but some where "skinny like worms". I had to pick through about 5 packages before we found one that met her approval, then again, she was gone!

Encounter four, our final encounter, the biscuit (cookie and cracker) section. Here she did not offer me any direct assistance, but I saw her displaying the spoils of her shopping basket to another couple explaining what they should go to the produce section and pick up.

I wonder how long she is going to be there today...

Real Simple.

2009-02-24T00:44:00.000-08:00

I stopped by the bookstore the other day, and noticed that they had a magazine section, and in that section was a familiar cover, "Real Simple: South African Edition."

I was a fan of the magazine back home, but being here, the magazine is even more practical, it gives tips on how to make the most of tiny spaces (aka my kitchen), how to cook yummy meals with simple ingredients (again, great for my limited kitchen), how to make house hold cleaners from items you can find in your kitchen (my favorite has been water, distilled white vinegar, and lime juice for a solution to mop with), health tips, and much more! They even have a South African Real Simple website where all the items are priced in Rand and I know I will have access to them here!

So, if you are having a creative block on what to make for dinner tonight, or need some inspiration on how to simplify your life, I recommend perusing the real simple website (the American or South African edition)!

US Real Simple

SA Real Simple

How hard can it be to buy meat?

2009-02-21T13:28:00.001-08:00

How hard can it be to buy meat? Today it was pretty difficult for me.

This morning, Josh and I set out to buy some meat for a braai (cook out) we attended tonight. We decided we would either get some chicken or ribs, something simple. We walked over the the "slaughtery" (aka butcher shop) to buy the meat. I had never bought meat from a butcher before, but I had been told this place had good meat and thought it would be special for the occasion.

When we walked in, I looked around to see lots of sausage, and tons of red meat, but no poultry. I asked if they had chicken in the back, and they said they did not sale chicken. Strike one. I considered buying ribs instead, but I could not figure out the price of ribs would be since it was based on kilograms and I did not know how much I would need. Strike two.

Confused, I stepped out side the slaughtery to call Alison (you know, phone a friend help line). Unfortunately, she did not pick up her phone. So, not knowing how much meat to ask for, I gave up at the slaughtery.

Next stop, the pick-in-pay. This place was a MAD house. I finally found the poultry section (separate from the other meat) and was not impressed by the selection. Some of the meat had the grades stamped directly on them, giving them a blue smudgy skin. There were "Braai" party packs, they had all of the separate pieces of a chicken laid out in a party pack (almost like a puzzle you could piece back together to make a whole chicken-not particularly appetizing). There was nothing the resembled the boneless, skinless chicken breasts I was used to grilling back home.

I gave up on the pick-in-pay and continued towards our flat to checkers, the grocery store I usually shop at. On the way back my phone rang, it was Alison! Not a moment too soon. She was able to meet me at checkers and lead me through the meat buying process. Grain fed, .9 kg, and the weird color is from the skin that I just need to peel off, jack pot!

Thank you Ali! I am much more confident in my meat buying skills now. Next time, I will try to make a purchase in 2 stops rather than 3.

Proven Wrong?

2009-02-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

I guess I was proven wrong tonight. We were discussing my name over dinner with some friends, and I mentioned that people often double my name to signify affection (bri-bri). They were quick to point out that we were doubling a word like "school-school" as mentioned in the previous post.

I really cannot think of any other examples though...

Do you remember playing house or school as a little kid?

2009-02-20T00:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so do you remember setting up a class room and taking turns teaching to a pretend class with your friends? Do you remember pretending to be a mom and wife and playing house? Now- did you ever say "let's play house-house?" or "let's play school-school"?

I have never heard it done in the states, but I would like to know if any of you doubled your words like that. If SO, you are very South African, apparently-OR I am strange for never doubling my words as a kid.

No Name Needed

2009-02-17T06:39:00.000-08:00

I am beginning to realize I do not really need a name here. For instance, the other day I called in a to go order from a sandwich shop down the street. The over the phone stuff went just like in the states: "can I have your number? and your name? okay, what would you like...your order will be ready in twenty minutes."

Twenty minutes later, I walked into the shop, smiled, said hello, and the lady at the counter turned and grabbed our orders from many other orders without even needing my name. I quickly realized I was the only American who called in an order, and just by my "hello" she knew who I was. It is a strange feeling being able to be singled out from a crowd simply by the way you sound.

On a side note, introducing yourself as "Bri" is much more easy than introducing yourself as "Josh". In the states, if we met someone, they would get Josh's name right away and I would have to repeat myself about 2-3 times. Here, "Bri" is easy because the cheese is well known and "Josh" is weird because it is an uncommon name. True story.

This One Is For You, Mom.

2009-02-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

I know I promised more pictures, but it is late, and I am tired. But here is a fun one:

This picture if from our first Braai (grill out/barb-b-que). Richard and Carina had us over after church, and this is their backyard. They live on a wine farm. This is the view from their yard-isn't it breath taking?

Picnic at the Farm

2009-02-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

Josh and I on our Valentine's Date.

"Go get a scratch"

2009-02-06T03:53:00.002-08:00

So, last week a sweet lady that I have meet through church called to see if I would be interested in tagging along with here while she ran errands.

She needed to go by the photo store, the cheese factory (not the cheese cake factory-no such luck), and by the mall in Somerset West (a town about 15 minutes from Stellenbosch). I immediately said "yes!".

I had a great time, but one of the funniest experiences I have had yet occurred while we went into a bookstore to buy a "token" (or a gift card) for her daughter-in-law. The bookstore was crowded, and as we entered in Pat began winding through the people to stand in the long line. As she was maneuvering through the people she turned back and said "go get a scratch and I will stand in line." I thought this meant I needed to go get a voucher or something for her to fill out to get her token-but I didn't know where to go. So, I tried to follow here and asked as we weaved around "wait, what-what do I need to do-what do you need Pat-Pat!"

Finally-I caught up with her in line and asked "now Pat, what do I need to do? You need a scratch?!?"

She laughed and said "Bri, if I say go get a scratch, or go have a scratch around, I mean look around, scratch around and see what is happening, go browse while I wait in line."

Wow-talk about a misunderstanding!

I didn't start the fire...

2009-02-05T02:53:00.001-08:00

"We didn't start the fire, no we didn't light it but we tried to fight it"

This song lyric has made it way into many of Josh and I's conversations over the past 24 hours.

It all started yesterday when we were sitting at a cafe getting a quick cup of coffee before Bible Study. It was looking really hazy outside, but it was just before dusk so I thought my eyes could be playing tricks on me. Until, whooose-the whole cafe got smokey and the workers hurried to close the doors to keep out the smoke!

We were not really sure what was happening, but we knew we needed to hurry back to our flat. Once we got back to our flat, we saw this.

That's right folks, the mountain less than a mile away from our flat has been burning since yesterday afternoon. Last night, it was glowing red. And today, it seemed to be going out until about 3 hours ago when the wind picked up again. Now, it is raging once again.

But, here is the kicker. It is not on the news anywhere, nor on any web pages! We only know what mountain is on fire because we can see it out our window. There has been no breaking news casts, nada.

Just now I saw my first helicopter trying to put out the fire, and fire trucks are invading the town. The fire has worked it way down to the base of the mountain. Luckily, there is a river between me and the mountain, so at this time-I think we are a-okay. However, this is purely based on what I see, because there is ZERO coverage on the massive burning mountain. TIA my friend, TIA. (this is Africa)

Out of Internet for January

2009-01-29T23:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let you all know that Josh and I are out of internet until Monday.

Until then....

Josh- "Mentally Incapable"?

2009-01-28T23:13:00.000-08:00

Most people who know Josh well, know him as a lovable Bible nerd.

For those of you who know Josh REALLY well, you know that Josh hates "school". You know that he beat up his 1st grade teacher, that his elementary school had a meeting to try and have him moved out of the normal classroom and into the special education program, and that he once faked being sick so well he was rushed to the hospital to avoid a math test.

Our friends Daniel and Tonya over at the Hebrew and Greek Reader asked Josh to share his educational journey as a guest blogger, feel free to check it out, you will probable at least get a chuckle out of it!

New Mailing Address

2009-01-28T02:03:00.000-08:00

If you have sent us mail to the address indicated in this post, we will receive it, no worries. The address in that post is our physical street address.

However, we have learned that there is an address that is checked more frequently and is better to have our correspondence and parcels sent to. It is:

The Westburys

P.O. Box 7101

Stellenbosch, 7600

South, South Africa

Contributing Author

2009-01-18T04:55:00.000-08:00

As I was preparing to write a post about the "informal settlements" here in South Africa, I was reminded that I am a contributing author to the "thewestburys" blog (some business about me being a Westbury or something...). It was suggested that perhaps it would be best to post it on our Westbury blog rather than my solo project here.

Anywho, my most recent post can be found at www.thewestburys.wordpress.com (and there are pictures too!).

Oh, and in case you didn't get the link, you can click here or here or here.

Don't worry, I will keep this blog rolling as well. Wouldn't want to deprive my readers. =)

I am going to do that "now-now".

2009-01-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

Last night we learned a new saying. An example of this little jewel in action:

"I promise I am going to write a more thorough blog post now-now."

This saying basically means, the now AFTER now. In other words, in a little while, or later on.

Go ahead and use it today, let me know how many weird looks you get.

BTW- If someone at a store in SA tells you they will be with you "now-now"-don't stand around and wait.

Holiday Anyone?

2009-01-14T04:52:00.000-08:00

If you are still weighing the options for your next holiday, check out the New York Times recommendations.

Holiday = Vacation

New Word of the Day

2009-01-13T11:28:00.000-08:00

Robot = Traffic Light

Used in a sentence:

"Take a left at your first robot."

www.thewestburys.wordpress.com

2009-01-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

We have a few pictures posted at www.thewestburys.com if you would like to check out our new digs.

Digs = Home

If anthropologie was a city, I live in it.

2009-01-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

Anthropologie is a store which I have always loved. It is pretty expensive, so I typically just go in and shop for hours, leaving with a candle. I love the stores fashion, its eclectic furniture, flowery smells, interesting fabrics, colors, it's numerous dresses and skirts, I loved how it could feel antique yet modern and clean at the same time.

Well, now I live in a city that is just like anthropologie and all of it's qualities (except for how expensive it is). Ever street is filled with cafes and little shops (flower shops, jewelry stores, book stores, wine shops, etc). There is a shop high-backed antique chairs and flower toped lamps next to a store with ikea like modern red chairs, every place with it's own character! Oh, and there is a flower smell every where you go from each plant being in full bloom. The architecture here is influenced by the Dutch and is clean white stucco. Everyone dresses in skirts, dresses, flats, and has a bag swung over their shoulder (well, all ladies do). It is really beautiful.

Tomorrow is Sunday, our first day to go to church, and we are super excited to meet some friends. It will be great to have someone to meet at the park for a jog or at the cafe for some coffee/tea!

On a side note, we went exploring today and walked a couple streets over from the main part of the city. It was a fun adventure and was nice to get a broader view of the town. The town appears to be (from an outsiders perspective that has only been here from 3 days) very segregated. From what we have been told, this is the same for the churches.

Thank you all for praying for us. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we begin to form friendships and Lord-willing begin our ministry!

January 4th

2009-01-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

January 4th, a day I will always cherish! You know those days you think back on and say- God was at work today, and it was a sweet gift from my God to me, an unworthy little girl. Today was one of those days. This morning Wilcrest commissioned us. I cannot put into words the encouragement that we felt knowing that we are being sent out by a body of believers. Right now I only have pictures that I have taken from friends on face book...I will post more as I find them.
If you notice, there were lots of tears on my part. I was not expecting to cry so much, but seriously, God blessed us with such a wonderful send off-I couldn't help but cry. Two of the youth were baptized, the entire church prayed over us, friends came in from out of town and sacrificed their normal community for the event, sweet cards, hugs, and so many other things that made the day such a gift.

I am so thankful for all of you. You are all such a blessing, and I mean that. I am not just speaking christianese.

Now, I wonder what God has in store for January 5th! and 6th! and 7th!

If you are in the area...

2008-12-30T17:12:00.000-08:00

The Westbury's South African Address

1 Louw Street

Stellenbosch 7600

South, South Africa

How much do you really need?

2008-12-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

This is it. Those four bags are going to be carrying all of our belongings with us to South Africa. In addition to these bags we will have one small tote to carry some of Josh's books, and then we will each have one backpack as our carry-on (carrying our laptops).

It has been a pretty amazing experience giving away all that we have (sofa, TV, desk, bed, decorations, etc.) and only keeping what we really need. That has pretty much boiled down to clothing, computers, and books for Josh and I. We are now in the sorting/inventorying stage of everything that is going with us, the physical vacuum sealing and packing will begin at the start of the year.

It will be an interesting next couple of days trying to fit all of our stuff into the bags. I will update you as we begin that experience on the 2nd of January.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T10:14:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My Thoughts on Caroling.

2008-12-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas. I really love it. However, there is one aspect of the holiday that has always been odd to me, caroling. Whenever you think about caroling, you think about it as pictured above. Song sheet in hand, all bundled up, singing your heart out to the neighbor next door and everyone down the street. But, no matter how many times I have gone caroling, or had carolers at my door, it always ends up like this:

Awkward. What do you do when the song is over? You just stand there, listening (or singing) to the song with a smile plastered to your face, and then once the song is over, you say thank you and shut the door in their face! That doesn't seem kind. But the only alternative is to invite all 10 strangers into your house for hot cocoa. Now that would not be safe, and it would take away from their mission, visiting other houses to sing and spread holiday cheer...

Am I missing something? Is there an appropriate way to treat carolers when they come to you door? I had this happen three years ago and it was very uncomfortable...

Amazing.

2008-11-19T08:01:00.000-08:00

I am stealing a blog post from my husband. Is that allowed?

Anyways, he posted on one of my favorite songs, it is amazing. Please, listen to it, the 5 minutes are well worth your time.

It is called "Freedom Time" and is by Lauren Hill. She sang this song at an MTV unplugged session.

Let me know what you think!

You can listen to the song on youtube here:
Freedom Time

Or, you can listen to the music and read the entire lyrics here as you listen: (recomended)
www.thewestburys.wordpress.com

I love planning parties!

2008-11-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

I find so much joy in planning little surprises for the people that I love! I love every aspect of it, the theme planning, creating the invitations, buying the supplies, making the menu, and setting up for the main event! It is especially fun when you get to do the party prep with a friend!

About a week ago Tonya, Steph, and Bonnie helped me surprise Cat with an early morning breakfast, this is our little set up!

Now I am moving on from a fall birthday breakfast to a Christmas wedding shower! Oh the planning to be done!

If you need help planning a party-I am your girl! I hope the people in South Africa can appreciate a home made invitation... =)

It is all feeling very REAL now!

2008-11-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

I am moving in 53 days to South Africa. It is all feeling very real now.

Yesterday, we hired my replacement for my position at work, this weekend I had a wonderful going away party thrown for me (thanks Leiva's, Olson's, and Crouse!), Wilcrest has interviewed for the next Minister to Students, I have only 2 more paychecks before being "unemployed", I find myself having to say no to things because I physically will not be here when they happen, all of my work clothes are really ratty- but I refuse to by more because I will not be wearing them in five weeks, and, I am leaving messages with Emirate's airlines to find out what their fee is for extra baggage so I know what I can take with me.

I am in shock. It is crazy. I was wondering when the "real" feeling would set in. It is here!

I am moving to Africa for 2 years in 53 days.

I am so excited to see what God is going to do, the leap of faith is really feeling real. I am jittery just typing this. =)

2008-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

"O Lord, sink me in self that I may rise in Thee."

- C.H. Spurgeon

Creepy Much?

2008-11-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

How would you like this as your stocking stuffer this year? Homemade handsoap. In the form of little children's hands. Creepy much?

Can you imagine, waking up in the middle of the night, wondering to your bathroom in a half awake daze, using the restroom and then reaching for the bar of soap, only to find the soap reaching BACK at you?

If you are interested in creeping someone out this year, go to:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10148064

and get your very own homemade hand soap. (pardon the pun)

We got em'!

2008-11-02T18:03:00.001-08:00

That's right folks, we have our South African Visas!
Whew.

Shameful Endorsement

2008-11-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Please go visit our new blog with its 2 new posts, authored by my hubby!

www.thewestburys.wordpress.com

(P.S.-don't forget to subscribe!)

2008-11-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

This halloween I learned many things.

You can ALWAYS do 80's something when all your other costume ideas fall through. This year Drea and I were 80's high school pictures.
Being a "tree" for Halloween is a very tricky task...it can easily be confused with a hard core hunter, and hot glueing leaves to a brown shirt burns right through the fabric.
While I would feel like a "loser" on Halloween NOT being in a costume, my husband says he would feel like a "loser" if he WORE a costume. Quote "I would feel like have sunk to a new low of loserdom if I dressed up in a costume." (what a fuddy-duddy).
When creating an 80's "workout oufit" for a "school picture" do not use keds with leg warmers, leggings, workout short and the off the shoulder sweatshirt. Instead, opt for the shiny leather pumps and include all the other items, much more 80's.

My Many Faces

2008-10-23T16:22:00.001-07:00

Thank you Photo Booth for 30 minutes of pure entertainment.

Roberta Westbury, 87

2008-10-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Note the gang sign. This took four takes.

So funny.

2008-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C64ZYuR7PuQ

Martha Says

2008-10-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

Paint your pumpkins black to make extra spooky jack-o-lanterns.

Try using cookie cutters to make patterns that are easy to duplicate for an easy but interesting pumpkin.

Thanks Martha, I am inspired to finish my pumpkin projects now!

Interesting move, Arnold.

2008-10-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

If you walk into a restaurant that is part of a chain larger than 20 in California after 2011, you will see the nutritional information for each dish on the menu. All thanks to a new law signed by The Arnold.

Can you imagine, walking into the Cheesecake Factory and ordering Chicken Fettucini KNOWING that it is more calories than you burn all week? And then the bread, your beverage, and (gasp) CHEESECAKE!

So, is it worth the money and the strain on the restaurants caused by loss of revenue and the cost of creating new menus?

Well, Arnold says "yes." Obesity, lost productivity and workers compensation (apparently tied to obesity) costs the state of California $28.6 Billion health care dollars.

I must say, Arnold is one motivated governor. He is making sure "Cali-forn-ians" stay fit for the beach. Arnold has also spent tax payers money to fight Californian's waist lines in the school lunch room and physical education classes. Sodas and Junk food are no longer sold in the cafeteria, instead kids can enjoy some crisp carrot sticks and a refreshing glass of water.

What do you think? Good idea? Is this the governments responsibility? How about something like this coming to Houston? Would it affect your eating habits?

A more detailed description of the law can be found here.

Our New Flat!

2008-10-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if we can refer to it as a "flat". I am not 100% on the rules for that word. But, in our lame and less European terms it is a "garage apartment". (see-it doesn't sound as cool) I am so excited to see it in PERSON! God-willing I will be walking through that door way in 3 months and 1 day. God had been so faithful in providing for each of our needs as a need arises (but no sooner). Praise God!

And, on a side note, how awesome is it that the paint is YELLOW! =)

And on another side note, my WHOLE blog is a side note, I really should have to note that I am taking a side note.

But I digress. Actually, this who blog is a digression...

I feel like I need to provide something of a little more substance to my blog. Something of worth rather than an onslaught of ramblings.

You really need to go here: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/2940/ and listen to John Piper teach out of Psalm 96. He is teaching on declaring God's glory among the nations. I listened to this sermon the other day while running and it turned my run into a long worshipful walk!

Fall, Oh How I love Thee

2008-10-06T17:43:00.001-07:00

Fall, oh fall, how I love thee.

I love the scarfs that you bring into fashion.

I love being able to drink hot coffee drinks without getting so hot I get grouchy.

I love sitting outside and not smelling bad afterwards.

I love driving with the windows down.

I love the cinnamon pine cones that garden ridge starts to sell.

I love being so motivated to bake.

I love that I am never expected to wear shorts.

I love that it's okay to be pasty white.

I love that Christmas is just around the corner!

I love that I can wear my boots that I bought but cannot wear the majority of the time.

I love being so cozy under the covers when it is cold outside.

I love the seasonal drinks that Starbucks begins to brew.

"Danger Is My Middle Name" Update

2008-09-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

In August I posted about an incident at the office building that I work at.

It went a little something like this:

"One of my coworkers walked into the building and as they went to unlock the door to our suite she heard screaming, she went to find where the yells were coming from and there was a lady getting mugged in the lobby near the elevators by two men. They were startled by my coworker, ran away, and my coworker was able to chase them out and get their plate numbers..."

The update is-THEY CAUGHT THE PERPS. The interesting twist-the people robbing the lady were FEMALE. Which is very strange because everyone who saw the video and both the victim and my coworker thought they were males. But, they traced the license plate numbers to a ladies home, showed her footage of the incident, and she confessed. Turns out, she just has a really manly haircut.

The end.

I have a problem...

2008-09-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

My co-workers just informed me that I have a problem. After they told me about my little habit, I realized that I do it allllllll the time.

When ever I am speaking to someone, I always break it down into 2 points. And I present it like this

"while I am gone could you please a. enter in all the new patient data and b. make sure all insurances are verified for tomorrows patients."

OR

"Josh, I think that is just ridiculous to watch that movie because a. I have already seen that movie and b. I didn't like it."

I feel like I need to speak in bullet points. It is always a two pointer, and sometimes I just numeric points rather than alpha points. soooo....

I. I hope my habit of speaking in bullet points does not annoy you
II. Please forgive me if it does.

Ike '08

2008-09-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

We've been hit!

Above you will find a picture of Josh's office a week after Ike (once the power was turned on). If only pictures could also capture smell, you would all be sick to your stomach. We had already been up to his office to salvage as many books as possible, thus the absence of his beloved books in the photo.
Ceiling tiles. Really, if only you could smell.
Some of the guts of Josh's office...
The source of the damage, a roof that looks like some one is shaking it like someone shaking a sheet when making the bed. During the hurricane the roof was peeled back (which was already fixed at the time this picture was taken) and water poured into the Sunday school room above Josh's office, causing the ceiling to fall in.

So far the insurance company has been helpful and Wilcrest is already working on getting bids for the project. Other rooms that sustained damage are the High School girls SS classroom, Brian's office, the baptistry, the back hall way, and the front of the sanctuary...

And on that note:
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." - Isaiah 43:2
(this was part of Dr. Woo's sermon on Sunday, timely...)

My Pirate Name

2008-09-20T07:29:00.001-07:00

My pirate name is:

Mad Bess Kidd

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

FYI

2008-08-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

FYI, I already know what I am gonig to be for Halloween, I mean funny face festival, and it is going to be AWESOME. However, I am not sure if I can ever beat this piece of gold from 2 years ago.

Roller Coaster Review

2008-08-26T18:58:00.001-07:00

**Note to the reader, I do not know why some text is underlined or bold or different colors (or however it shows up on your screen) and some is not, and I am not savvy enough to fix it. Sorry, please don't let my ignorance of blog formatting hinder you from reading my perspective of Fiesta Texas roller coasters.

The Goliath

This past Friday I took the day off of work to go ride roller coasters at Fiesta Texas with all of the youth group, and it was fantastic! I had forgotten how much I love to ride roller coasters. We started off the day as well as ended the day by riding The Poltergist. This ride is pictured below and lasted only 52 seconds (we timed it). As you might notice, the ride has ALOT of twist and turns and loops and spins to only lasts 52 seconds. This ride is CRAZY. (FYI in my mind I read the last sentence in a Brian Fellows voice). If you are looking for a ride that is fast, fun, and when it's done you are not sure where to exit and if you are standing or laying down...this ride is for you!

Next we rode Superman. This ride is way fun because it is "floorless". We rode in the front and it was right after it had rained so the air was crisp and fresh...I thought to myself as I was riding-"so this is what it would be like to fly..."

As for the Goliath, it was a nice roller coaster, medium speed, your legs hang down, and a few twist and turns. I would recommend this one for the newbie roller coaster ride-or for a break from being beat up from the other rides...

The Poltergeist

Perhaps the funniest moment was when I rode one cart in front of Josh and Angelo on The Rattler. Now, this ride is old, completely wooden, and MUCH more harsh on the body than I remember (I think it has been like 8 years since I have been on it). You should probably wear some form of padding before riding this ride. The whole 2 1/2 minutes on the ride I was CRYING from hearing Josh behind me saying "owww" "ohhhh" "if you are over 27 you should not be allowed on this thing" "where is the nurses station" "my ribs" "my knee is broken"....

On a side note...the food at Fiesta Texas-still gross.

2008-08-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Robin !!!

Here are the tagging rules:

1. Post the rules on your blog

2. Write 6 random things about yourself

3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post

4. If you are tagged, DO IT and pass it along

So here goes nothing:

1. When I was little my parents took me to Presbyterian church, and the Sunday that the pastor retired and wasn't there to preach, I thought God had died. Seriously, it was rough. Imagine that conversation with my parents.

2. I am not a clean freak. I have to have everything organized and in it's, but all of that scrubbing is just not for me. Luckily, Josh IS a clean freak.

3. I am subscribed to a blog called "South Africa-The Good News" because I was tired of reading all of the other stuff on the web and on the news. It's great, only good things!

3b. I am also subscribed to 2 food blogs about Houston restaurants. Fatty, I know.

4. I have a weird thought every time I have professional photos taken (senior pictures/wedding/family portraits/ etc.) that I will die shortly thereafter. I think this because it always seems that there is a recent portrait taken at every funeral I go to.

5. I really hate eating fish. Not because of the smell or taste-but because of the texture. I can't handle it.

6. I have been on Dr. Phil. Seriously. I wrote in once regarding a discussion topic on the website one day when I was bored, and the next day the show producer called me and asked if they could do a phone interview with me and have some pictures to show while they played my voice. Show topic you ask? "Fear of Aging"...

I tag:

1. Erin Monaghan- because I didn't know you had a blog until now, and I think more should know.

2. Tonya Leiva - I think you might have some random things I don't yet know!

3. Nunnie Olson- You could use a newer post!

4. Erika Waters- Keep the updated blogs coming!

5. Bailey A.- So glad you found me in the blog world!

6. Jenny Westbury- What will you do with this challenge on your video only blog???

Danger is my middle name...

2008-08-20T12:14:00.001-07:00

Danger is my middle name...and that is why I now carry pepper spray on my key chain.

Today when I got to work there was pepper spray sitting on my desk, in a red leather case. It is now mandatory for all Employees at my office. You see, my office sits right off of Highway 59 near the 610 loop and is evidently a magnet for crime. Some crazy things have happened over the past 2 and a half years. Please allow me to induldge and list a few:

A robbery of our office suite (and ours only) left us with out 3 lap tops and a damaged doorway

There was a shot fired in our parking lot- and group of guys jumped out of the side sliding door and robbed the guy that they just shot and jumped back into this unmarked white van (just like the movies).

We have had a stalker stalking one of our employees for over a year, he has come three times, and thinks that she is he wife (he is now in a mental institiution). But we have been under armed guard twice now because if it...

Three times someone has brought an empty purse that they have found in the parking lot that has been stolen, cleaned out of all valuables, and then dumped in our parking lot...

And most recently, yesterday one of my coworkers was unlocking the door to our suite, and hear someone screaming at the elevators, she ran over and two guys were punching a lady in the face and in the stomach and trying to rob her...

So, now-suite 100 is locked and loaded with pepper spray, and we have all had training on how to use it...

Mux Tape

2008-08-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

http://joshwestbury.muxtape.com/

Sold!

2008-08-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for praying, within in 4 days of posting the car-it is SOLD! God is so good.

The Westbury's are traveling light! =)

Car for Sale

2008-08-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Our upcoming move to South Africa is quickly approaching. January is just around the corner and we still have so much to do!

We continue to trust our Lord for His provision as we work to raise financial support. While God continues to use His people in helping meet our financial needs, we want to be sure we live responsibly during this time as well.

As many of you know, a few months ago Josh and I eagerly accepted the gracious invitation by my parents to move into their house in order to save on rent. We sold much of what we owned and gave away the rest.

While this has been an amazing blessing and has allowed us to save some money and pay off some remaining bills, it is now time to take it up a notch.

We have decided to sell our last substantial material possession - our car! So, below is a link to our add on Craig's List. If you, or someone you know would be interested in our car please contact us.

http://houston.craigslist.org/car/778774766.html

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Love at the Library

2008-07-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Thursday after work Josh had to run by the HBU library to check out some books for a paper that he is writing. As I was sitting in the library playing with photo booth and waiting on him, I began thinking, "man, I have alot of good memories from this library."

Now, if you went to HBU or have ever visited their library, you know it's really nothing special. Adorned with ugly mauve carpet and a lovely mildew smell whisping through the air, it's not really the number one hang out spot on campus. But, this is the location that I feel in love! In the library! (hence the song Jenny wrote for our wedding)

I remember the first time I ran into Josh in the library, I had recognized him from the class we had just finished and I knew he was in my following class. So, with the same break time I decided to ask if he wanted to be my study buddy! One thing lead to another, and before we knew it two hours had passed, we had missed our class, and we were talking at normal coffee shop voices in the library (and getting "the eye" from everyone around us!)...sigh.

Not only was it the location of our first conversation, it was the place we would spend hours and hours working on papers together until they kicked us out for closing. But perhaps my favorite memory from the library is when Josh sent me on the best treasure hunt I have ever been on-the day we were engaged! He hid two clues in the library, one under the table where we had our first conversation, and then also in the Hebrew lexicon under the Hebrew word for "unfalling/everlasing/unconditional (and so much more) love".

Who knew such a musty building with 70's decor would be the place I feel in love!

Enough mush, I sorry if I made all five of you who read my blog vomit. I am going to The Dark Knight tonight and I will be sure to post a mush-free movie review ASAP!

What Does The World Notice?

2008-07-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have been devoted Mac users for about 4 years now. About two years ago we purchased our second Mac computer, a white MacBook. We have loved using this little piece of genius, however it has not all been roses. The monitor has had a problem with flickering, pixels going out, freezing, and just out right funkiness. So, every time this would happen, Josh would make an appointment with the genius bar, and take it to our local genius at the Sugar Land mall.

These trips to the genius bar happen about every two months it seems, and happened again on Thursday. This time, our screen was flickering (again). When Josh arrived at the genius bar he was happy to see that he usual genius was working. The genius took his computer and said he would call in 72 hours with a prognosis. So, we waited.

We received a call last night from our genius. The conversation goes like so:

Genius: "Hey, Josh. Do you have a second, I need to talk to you about your computer."

Josh: "Yeah, sure-what's up?"

G: "Well, I have your computer fixed. But I did some digging and realized-you have had a lot of problems with this computer."

J: "Yeah?"

G: "And, well, I talked to my manager and told him how every time you come in here with your computer not working, how cheerful you are, how you are always understanding and patient with us and how you are never rude even with all of the trips you have had to make, and, well, we would like to give you a new one. A better one. The upgraded kind. I am ready to transfer your data right now, would you like white or black?"

J: "Wha!?........." (you can guess the rest of the conversation)

I was shocked and began to think- how much does the world notice our attitudes- MY attitude- in good times and really crappy ones. This genius remembered every time Josh came in, and the way he acted towards him and spoke to him! It's true... the world is watching.

And on that note-thank you God for using mac. =) Cheers.

A Depressed Dog

2008-07-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of "Techman"

"Jesus in China"

2008-06-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

"Please leave, we don't have enough seats for the other who want to come, so, please only stay for one service a day."

-Rev. Jin Mingri in Beijing

*Taken from
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-jesus-1-1-webjun22,0,833717.story

The Happening is NOT Happening.

2008-06-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend Josh and I went to see the Happening with Mike and Karla. I feel it is my my duty to all of my blog readers (who ever you might be) to warn you- this movie is horrible. I know, I know, M. Night makes great movies and is a stud-but quiet down and let me tell you-this is not worth your money. The acting is horrible (so much so-that half way through it Josh thought it must be a joke since Mark Wahlberg is a great actor and M. Night is a great director). The gore in the movie is silly, beyond realistic and a little crazy. I can see the gore perhaps being intentional, a joke...perhaps...

Beyond that, this movie was extremly preachy- if at the end of the movie you have any doubt what they wanted you to think about the current state of the world-well, then, call me.

So, unless you are just itching to see this for yourself, I can tell you, it's a let down (or just one major joke). If you have seen the movie already, please let me know-what did you think?

Also, for the record, my favorite M. Night movie is The Village.

How old are you?

2008-05-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

This past memorial day Josh and I went out with Patrick Haskew, Mike and Cat Haskew, and Julie and Diego to see Indiana Jones and then out to eat. It was a great group-the movie was fun and our late lunch/early dinner was so fun and so yummy.

The conversation that dominated our meal was quite interesting, so I thought I would share. First-let me give you a little back ground on the group.

Bri= 24 years old

Josh= 28 (soon to be 29) years old

Catherine = 25 years old

Mike= 25 years old

Patrick= 23 years old

Diego= 30 years old

Julie= 28 years old (I think thats right- sorry Julie!)

As you can see-we are all pretty close in age- but it is AMAZING the things that you miss in a five year gap. Here are some of the things that we discovered.

The 25 and under crowd does not remember school without computers- they remember playing Oregan Trail in 3rd grade computer lab.

The 28 and older crowd remembers getting their first computer in the library-and it was in middle school.

One member of our party actually had type-writer class in elementary school.

Half had seen Dukes of Hazard and the Carol Bernett Show-the other half had no clue.

Half remembers computers WITHOUT internet-the other half cannot.

Half still to this day prefers more straight leg jean, the other prefers wide leg/boot cut

Half can recognize the smurfs theme song in 5 notes or less, the other cannot even with the whole song hummed

Half remember the Reagan administration and the Fall of The Berlin Wall- half has no clue

One remembers getting an Encyclopedia to write a research paper- that concept was foreign to many at the table.

The list goes on and on. It was such a funny conversation. I had this conversation with someone younger than me (20) and asked them if they still wrote notes back and forth in school-or if they kept spirals- and they just laughed. Notes are no longer passed. Only text messaging back and forth. Yikes! Times are a changing. So-how old are YOU? =)

The World Must Know!

2008-05-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

So, as Josh and I headed home tonight I just could NOT shake my need for an Ice Cream Treat. I was hoping for some TCBY-but it was too late and was already closed. Next option-Stone Mountain Creamy. Josh said no, it was too far to drive. I had resolved just to get some ice cream from the grocery store when Josh suggested we stop by 59 diner for a banana split. I agreed and we pulled into the parking lot, parked our car headed in, and placed our order for a banana split.

We were feeling wild and crazy at this point-we were being so naughty! Then things began to get out of hand. They grabbed a giant glass and put one scoop of vanilla, then another, then one scoop of strawberry, and then ANOTHER, then one scoop of chocolate and then ANOTHER. The waiter sliced one full banana into the oversized cup. Then the toppings began-strawberry, pinapple, butterscotch, fudge. THEN whip cream galore, THEN oreo pieces and nuts. And to top it all off, 3 cherries!!!

I was literally laughing out loud. As the waiter placed the GIANT ice cream treat on our table, people began to pass by our table and actually comment to us. One lady walked by and said "good luck" others just laughed.

In the end, I really didn't put a dent in banana split. However, I think it is something to cheer you up if you are feeling down-because just looking at the thing you cannot help but laugh! The world must know- 59 diner has the world's largest banana sundae. It is not for the light weights out there.

The Cruise Chronicle

2008-05-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is us on our first day at our first dinner. I had the chocolate molten cake and it was quite delightful! Little did I know how much soft serve ice cream I had in my future!
This is us in Cozumel at Margaritaville! This day was the most fun, we went snorkeling and saw the reef that was there, swam in the ocean, saw two barracudas, and ate yummy fajitas!
Post snorkeling! That is our boat in the back!
Gangster-you know how we do. The whole table was focused on us, then I hear from the opposite end of the table "hey look at me" and the whole table turns to find the below sight...
Oh man. As you can tell by the photos we are back from our cruise! It was nice to get away and have a change of pace. The first day I was there I got super burnt (but only on my front side) and had to slow the sunning pace down quite a bit. My swim suit worked great and I read a Redeeming Love! GREAT book. I couldn't put it down. Man, Michael Hosea loved Angel! Sigh.

Question?

2008-05-08T07:57:00.001-07:00

If you had a movie made of your life story-what actor/actress would play you?

What actor/actress would play your significant other?

Hudson Taylor

2008-05-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for your reading suggestions, I am heading to half price books this weekend to stock up-AND I bought my swimsuit, I will have to post pictures!

In the meantime, I have been reading "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." For those of you who are not familiar with Hudson Taylor, He grew up in England, became a follower of Christ at 17, and followed God's call to be a missionary to China, he eventually founded the China Inland Mission.

When he learned of his calling, he diligently prepared himself for God's calling. For example, he needed to LEARN Chinese to minister to the Chinese. This required a dictionary that would cost $75 and a grammar book that would have cost $25. He could not afford either so he bought a copy of the Gospel of Luke in Chinese and compared it phrase by phrase to English and learned over 600 characters of the Chinese language that way. He woke up at 5am everyday to study.

Here is an excerpt from the chapter I read today:

"Having now the twofold object in view of accustoming myself to endure hardness, and of economizing in order to help those among whom I was laboring in the Gospel, I soon found that I could live upon very much less that I had previously thought possible. Butter, milk, and other luxuries I ceased to use, and found that by living mainly on oatmeal and rice, with occasional variations, a very small sum was sufficient for my needs. In this way I had more than two-thirds of my income available for other purposes, and my experience was that the less I spent on myself and the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become."

I think that this man is a great example of training for the race like a fierce competitor, for whatever mission God is calling you. For me, that is just what I needed to hear. Josh and I's life has changed a lot in the past months as we take steps to prepare for our next mission field. This man's story makes me ask: "but is it enough?" "what more can we do?"...

Pray for us as we continue to search for ways we can be better stewards of the resources God has given us and prepare for our next season!

Summer Reading List

2008-04-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for all of your swimsuit input! I have been scooping some out on the store racks, but I have yet to be brave enough to try one on-EKKK!

Another item (or rather items) that I am packing for my upcoming trip is some quality literature. Josh suggested I get some books off of his list "100 books everyone should read before you die". (yes, it really is a list-he got it from one of his professors, it is filled with all sorts of great novels from classics to cotemporary!)...

Before I go to the book store-does anyone have suggetions for my summer reading list?

Some books that I am thinking about bringing:
1. "Don't waste your life" -John Piper (this one I have begun to read but not yet finished)
2. "Raggamuffin Gospel" -Brennan (again, started but not yet finished)
3. Some sort of girly fiction novel...
4. Mystery of some sort....
5. "Your Best Life Now" -Joel O. (KIDDING)

Any suggestion is greatly appreciated, I am open to reading anything!!

I heart Chuys.

2008-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Just this in. I heart Chuys. More to come later.

Jump Rope for Heart for ADULTS!?!

2008-04-19T10:06:00.001-07:00

Today I went for a little jog, and finished it off with some jump roping. I was all excited, since I was the jump rope for heart CHAMPION in 3rd grade. (thank you, thank you) However, I was disgusted that I could barely last a whole minute, I did 75 jumps and my heart was POUNDING!

So I started to think. Maybe we should have a jump rope for heart for adults. Without the fund raising and all the hoop-la. This idea was magnified by my recent development of HB-for no apparent reason. We need to take care of our hearts people! So my version of jump rope for heart for adults is this: a bunch of us purchase some 2 dollar jump ropes and be sure to at least jump for 5 minutes a day... I know it doesn't sound like much, but believe me your heart will thank you! Any thoughts? I am all for modifying the jump rope for heart for adults agenda if someone has some creative ideas...should be have a sign up???

Here is some interesting info I found on the American Heart Association Website:

American children ages 2-17 spend an average of almost 25 hours per week watching TV-that is more than any other activity except sleeping.
Some experts predict that for the first time in history, because of inactivity and obesity-related illnesses, children's life spans will be shorter than their parents'
Congenital cardiovascular defects are the most common cause of infant death from birth defects

The Great Swim Suit Debate Cont'd

2008-04-14T09:32:00.001-07:00