One of the things I love about our 3rd floor condo is that we can always see what's happening in downtown Des Moines. At the 4th of July, we saw four different fireworks shows at the same time. During the music festival, we opened up the windows and (sort of) heard Ben Harper. And this morning when I got Alex out of bed at 6:45, I opened his curtains to see tons of hot air balloons in the sky. Love our view!

Adrien Brody works out at the Y.


This morning when I was at the Downtown Y, I walked into the machine room and saw Adrien Brody working out on one of the ellipticals. I looked at him and then looked around the room to see if anyone else was totally surprised that a major Hollywood film actor was working out in the same room...no one seemed to care. I got on the bike in front of him and listened to a bit of his conversation with the guy who was with him. They were clearly not locals and Adrien in particular had a New York-type accent. I was convinced it was him, so I decided to talk to him once I finished my workout. The conversation went something like this:

Me: "I'm sorry, but I have to ask you...do you always work out here?"
AB: "Um, I try to."
Me: "Do you live around here?"
AB: "Hmm...I'm staying here for a while."
Me: "Ok, because I was going to say...surely I haven't missed the fact that you always work out here...Do you like Des Moines?"
AB: "Yeah, it's a nice place."
Me: "Yes, particularly in the summer."
AB: "There are a lot of really nice people here."
Me: "Yes, I think so too. Well, I hope you enjoy your time here."
AB: "I will. Thanks."

Nice guy.

I hear he is in town, along with Forest Whitaker, filming a movie called The Experiment, a remake of a German thriller. Supposedly there are two major films being made here in Des Moines this summer. Who knew Iowa was a hot spot for Hollywood?!

Sign this petition.

At our house, we are not excited about the socialized medicine/health care bill that's making it's way through Congress right now. We found this awesome petition started by a Louisiana Representative and thought we'd encourage all of our readers to sign it. In case you are not aware, the bill circulating right now conveniently exempts members of Congress from being required to enroll in a government-run health care plan. Yep, that's right - they create it, but don't use it! (Probably because they know it means that their health care would go in the toilet if they enroll in the government-run plan.) But this petition suggests that Congress should be required to enroll in it if it's passed.

I'm interested to see how many would support a crappy government system it if they are required to enroll in it!

Sign it! Now!

My Baby Boy is 1.

Over the weekend we had so much fun celebrating our one-year-old boy. Hard to believe that it's been a year since Alex joined our family. It seems like he's always been here...well, I guess since he arrived about 9 months after we got married, I guess he sort of has been. =) There are so many things I love about being a mom that it would be impossible to name them all in this post. But for the sake of writing things down on this blog/journal that my kids will look at someday, here's a little list things I love about being a mommy of a one-year-old:

1. I love to sit and read books with Alex. He's old enough now to turn the pages and lift the flaps on the peekaboo books. For some reason, this makes me so proud!

2. I love that he sucks his thumb and lays his head on my shoulder before he gets into his bed. He'd cuddle like that for hours if I'd let him.

3. When he wakes up in the morning or from a nap, he babbles happily. Lately his favorite thing to say is "dadda". I always try to convince Jason that at 6:00 a.m., Alex is really needing him instead of me, but he never takes the bait.

4. He is army crawling all over the house now...mostly to wherever I am. I'm not sure how to train him not to follow me, but you know what? Someday soon he's probably going to start running away from me, so for now I'll take joy in my little shadow.

5. I always have an excuse if there's a stain on my shirt. Seriously, I have never been the type to pull things out of the hamper to wear, but these days it's way more tempting seeing as most of my clothes look like they came from there anyways. I know, I know, some of you are probably thinking that you will always be a stylish mom and keep up a decent looking closet. But believe me, it's not as easy as you think!

6. Alex is really becoming a social creature these days. He is really into smiling at cashiers and people he sees out in public. I'll admit it, it is so sweet to hear from a complete stranger, "what a beautiful baby!" Nothing makes a mama more proud.

7. Everyday (and sometimes twice a day), Alex and I head out in the stroller for a walk or run. We usually end up at the park where he loves to swing. This has been a new discovery for him...it makes him seem like such a big boy.

8. I nursed Alex for the last time on the morning of his birthday. I am thankful I got the opportunity to be such a big part of my baby's nutrition for the first year of his life.

9. I love that he is making himself laugh out loud these days. He laughs when he's playing with his toys or splashing in the tub. It is so cute to think about how entertained his little mind is by the simplest things.

10. As we prepare for the arrival of another baby in March, I find myself wanting to hold on to every minute of babyhood with Alex. Soon there will be another Baby around here and Alex will take on the role of Big Brother. Part of me can't wait and part of me wishes this pregnancy would move slowly so I can soak up every minute of fun with my firstborn.

p.s. If you are interested in seeing pictures of Alex's sweet cowboy birthday party, check them out on our family blog.

One Year Ago Today...

Jason and I were getting all settled into our hospital room at the end of a long day. I went in for my normal 37 week appointment and things started getting a little bit crazy. First it was sudden weight gain (9 pounds in one week), then high blood pressure, then a sonogram that suggested Alex was small...everything snowballed until we found ourselves upstairs in the hospital with this greeting, "hi, welcome to labor and delivery, let's get you all checked in!" Whoa, I was not ready for that! We hadn't even bought a car seat for Alex yet, and I certainly wasn't ready to think about actually delivering him so soon.

But one year ago today, my husband and I had a sweet night in the hospital together...just us. Our family was hundreds of miles away and so we enjoyed the time of anticipation with just the two of us. We spent so much time praying and talking about the days ahead. We were so anxious to meet our baby. I was terrified and weepy...and my husband never left my side. Those four nights we spent in the hospital across the street are ones I will never forget. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my husband.

I am in the midst of party preparations and such, but thought it was only appropriate for me to tell anyone who reads this blog about how even the days leading up to Alex's birth were very, very special to me. I hope that in future years, my son will be patient with me when I insist on telling him the long version of his birth day story each year. It's a tradition I'd like to start this year...so that he will know (regardless if he's 3 or 43) that his parents loved him, waited for him, and welcomed him with joy.

A Daring Rescue.

Here's a neat story about a hero construction crew that saved a woman's life yesterday in Des Moines. The woman and her husband were on a boat that got caught below the dam of the Des Moines river. Sadly, the man drowned but a nearby construction crew saw the woman struggling and lowered one of their men down on a crane to save her. Interesting to see these guys - normal, everyday construction guys - operate in such a heroic manner and express such humility. Their main goal was to help someone who needed it even if it required a little risk. Three cheers for such a daring rescue!

Summer Portraits.

Since I am not taking any photography classes this summer, I have decided to create my own little project. What I really need is practice taking pictures of people. Objects and scenery are easy, but people pictures are what I really want to excel at. So far I have millions of pictures of my own kid, but this summer I wanted to practice with portraits of other families and kids. I extended the offer to my small group for free portrait sessions (because, hey, this is practice!) and I have rounded up some volunteers. Here's the first round of photos...the Tjernagels: Megan, Grant, & Anja. Enjoy!

The Farmer's Market

One of the things I love about living in Iowa is the season from May to October - Farmer's Market season! There are several local markets in various Des Moines neighborhoods on various days, making it easy to find good local stuff all summer, just about any day of the week. There are yummy local veggies, food stands, local wines, artisan cheeses, breads, sweets, and tons of other goodies. We love to stroll and take in the goods!

If you are a Texas reader, correct me if I'm wrong, but we don't have this sort of outdoor farmer's market in Texas. You know why?? Because it's blazing hot and people's faces would melt off if they were outside pedaling their homemade wares! Instead, the local farmer's market is usually confined to a little air-conditioned building that sells local fruit and veggies. Sorry, Texans, but the Iowa version is WAY better!

This past week Jason was working, so I took Alex as my date. Here are a couple of pictures to document our visit...

I finished. Over the weekend, I finished the 20k race I was training for. I am not gonna lie - it was waaaaaayyyy harder than I had planned. It's been 3 years since I ran a long race and I definitely felt it. Oh, and not to mention that I had a baby a year ago and am still a nursing mom! All that said, I finished. And it felt great to reach my goal with my husband and son cheering me on at the end.

Since January, I have been working really hard to lose the baby weight. Training for this race was a huge part of it. I've lost nearly 20 lbs and counting and I feel great. I have been meaning to blog about my lifestyle changes for a while now...I have a totally new vegetarian diet and exercise routine. Jason and I both have been really committed to it since January and we both feel better physically than we have in many years. I know it may sound a bit extreme, but we have read several books in the last couple of years about true health and disease prevention. Virtually all of them recommend reducing or eliminating eating animal fats and focusing on plant-based proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The most helpful books we've read are by Dr. Dean Ornish, a cardiologist who's researched heart health for his entire career. The evidence was compelling, so we decided to give it a try. It took a while to get used to cooking and eating differently, but now I don't think we'll ever go back. For all you who think we eat salad and tofu for every meal, think again. We eat tons of yummy stuff! (My husband has posted some recipes on his blog if you want to check them out.) Over the next couple of weeks, I will post a few recipes for the curious. You might be surprised at how delicious a vegetarian diet can be! Not to mention the health benefits and effect on your waistline.

Oh, this was supposed to be an entry about my race, wasn't it? I just thought I'd mention the diet and give you a little teaser for some upcoming blogs/recipes about it. The race and the diet changes have been a huge part of my health journey over the past 6 months.

Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out Dr. Ornish's stuffif you are interested in learning more about the diet and lifestyle changes he recommends.

Calling All You Makeup Experts...

And even if you wouldn't call yourself an expert, feel free to chime in!

I have had a long love affair with long-wearing mascara. I am a sucker for the words "16 hour" and "no smudge" on the packaging - no matter the brand.

I have been loyal over the years to various mascaras of this type. First it was the L'Oreal Color Endure line. They still make the eyeshadows, lip stuff, etc but for some reason they discontinued the mascara. (Don't they get it that loyal fans like me would have protested if given the chance??) Anyways, then I found Maybelline Unstoppable. Also a great find...no smudges and still visible before bed. Guess what? It got discontinued too. Recently I tried Featherlash by L'Oreal. The ULTA salesgirl assured me it was long-wearing. I'll admit that it is fairly good. BUT (are you picking up on my ultra-pickiness when it comes to cosmetics?) it is water resistant. This isn't ideal because it makes it difficult to clean off at night. Oh sure, you can use soap and water, but I can never master this without stinging my eyes out.

So now I'm on the hunt for a new mascara. I thought I'd open up the discussion to all you gals who read to see if you have any suggestions. Expensive or cheap, bring on the mascara ideas. After all, I'm just like you. In times like these, I'd rather not pay money for cosmetics that I'll have to throw in the trash later in the week.

Any suggestions, Lovely Ladies?

My Boy's hair.


When I was pregnant with Alex, my friend Callie used to say she didn't care if it was a boy or girl, as long as it got my curls. Callie, you might get your wish! I think I see a hint of curl in this boy's hair. I'm actually okay with Alex having curls...after all, he's a boy. I doubt he'll stress about curl products or request a diffuser for his hair dryer. He probably won't blame his bad day on the humidity and the fact that his curls don't look quite right. I'm guessing he will probably not worry about how curls make his face look more round, or make him look fat. And I can assume that he won't whine about wanting straight hair and listening to his Mommy encourage him to be thankful for curls...

Oh, but Heaven help us all when the girls with curls come along!

Happy Mother's Day to me.


My son made this lovely card for me with the help of his Daddy. The funniest thing is that Jason told me the whole story of making this card which included Alex using finger paints, towels covering the carpet, and a surprise exploding paint tube. Pure hilarity! The end result was this fabulous card and I love it. I'll be honest...I'm also glad I had no part in cleaning up the paint splats.

Oh, the wonderfulness of being honored by my husband and son today!


Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters, aunts and future mommies out there.

Sweet Baby James.

Last night Jason and I went to the James Taylor concert here in Des Moines. It is always so nice to go out on the town with my husband. I got the tickets for Jason as a Valentine's Day present and even though I bought them within half an hour of the opening time for purchasing tickets, we were on the second to last row. Thankfully, for concerts, I guess it doesn't matter how close (or in our case, far) you are from the stage.

Mr. Taylor played several favorite tunes, of course. One of our faves was How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved By You) because that's what was playing when we exited the church after just becoming Mr. & Mrs. Reynolds. Another one was Sweet Baby James. I always thought this song was about James himself - and considered the words odd for a song about himself. Turns out it is a "cowboy lullaby" he wrote for his nephew, his namesake. The crowd also loved Everyday, which is actually an old Buddy Holly tune. **For all you non-Iowans who read this blog, you might be interested to know a little trivia about this great state. The plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper crashed in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959. (a.k.a. The Day the Music Died) Another interesting little fact? My friend Carolyn's family owns the field it crashed in!**

I wish he would have sang Something in the Way She Moves though. I love that song simply because it challenges me to be the kind of woman that would leave my man saying, "If I'm well, you can tell that she's been with me now. And she's been with me now quite a long, long time. Yes, and I feel fine." What a tremendous compliment that displays a man's affections and reveals the nature of a woman's influence on them.

Another great thing about the concert is that the average age of the people attending was about 52. I'll admit that I'd much rather attend events with this age group, because, hey, they don't talk out loud during the show, attend to their beeping cell phones, stand up the entire time, or drink so much beer that they get embarrassing.

Guess that means we fit right in with the old folks these days!

Studio Final Exam.


This was my final in Studio Photography. The assignment was to make an old school collage using photos and words. I say old school because we literally had to cut, paste, and glue them on to a board and then photograph them in the studio. I'll admit that I thought this assignment was a little dumb (after all, hasn't my instructor figured out that you can do the same thing with a little electronic thing called a computer?) Anyways, despite my initial thoughts, I was pleased with the results. This photo turned out to be a great reminder of our honeymoon.

Overall, I learned a lot in Studio Photography. I am taking the summer off from classes and I'm not really sure if I'll be taking more or not. Either way, I'll still be taking lots of photos of Alex, life, and whatever else seems interesting. I've learned that good photography takes lots and lots of practice. So I'm not giving up my day job for it or anything, but I'll take whatever opportunities I can to practice more this summer. I'll keep posting whatever ends up in front of my lens!

Spring.


One of the things I love about Spring in Iowa are the blooming trees. There's about two weeks in the Spring where all the trees flower and bloom. It's so beautiful! And one of the things I love about our house is that we can see so many trees from our third floor windows. It makes for a lovely view. See?

Think $100 Million is a big number?

Think again. This may help explain...



HT: Todd Schulz

The 8 Mile Mark & Hubby's Birthday.

On Monday, I hit the 8 mile mark in my training. It felt good to be only 4 miles away from my goal for the Dam to Dam at the end of May. I feel like a runner again!

I had good motivation for Monday's run. We celebrated Jason's birthday over the weekend, and I ate a huge mound of cake. It was worth every calorie.

Happy Birthday, My Love!

The "tolerant" Left.

I'm sure you've been following the story of Carrie Prejean, Miss California 2009. In the Miss USA pageant the other night, she was asked to comment on the subject of gay marriage. The person who asked her, Perez Hilton, is an openly gay man/famous Hollywood gossip blogger who was one of the contest judges. He didn't like her answer when she said in part, "I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's just the way I was raised."

After her answer, the crowd is heard giving a divided response. Some people clap and some people boo. But the real firestorm happened AFTER the pageant when Perez Hilton blasted in a video on his blog calling her a "dumb b*tch". He later apologized but when Carrie came out publicly to say she had "no regrets" about her answer (because she is a Christian and was quoted as saying she answered the question based on her beliefs), Perez launched into another video tirade on MSNBC using even harsher language than before to rail on Carrie and others who oppose gay marriage. The pageant directors even came out swinging saying they were "saddened" that Carrie is so "out of touch" with people her age on the issues. My thought? Good for her for being "out of touch"! It probably means she hasn't lost herself in a world that pressures her to give up her traditional views. And, hey, even our Left-leaning president has traditional views on the definition of marriage.

Here's my frustration with the Liberal Left agenda (represented by Hollywood and the media): They paint themselves as the most tolerant of all - accepting all people and welcoming them into the loving embrace of togetherness that they see as American and good. But what they really mean is "We are tolerant as long as you agree with us." Disagree with them or even worse, *gasp* hold any conservative viewpoint that includes a moral compass and view of God, and you are vile human being who deserves to be hated, publicly humiliated, cursed, bullied and blacklisted. I could be wrong, but how is that tolerance?