Who's FUN!!!!

So this is the most recent update-today I had a super fun afternoon with a friend that I hadn't spent time with in seriously 8 months and she lives in Manhattan-I guess life here can get pretty full at times-but there is no excuse! :) So today we went to her husband's photo studio and demanded a photo shoot! :) We were soo persistent that he even set up some studio lights for us...and here is the result! We decided since we weren't dressed up, I was still in my work clothes, and since makeup wasn't perfected, I was up at 6am, that we weren't going to try to do serious model shots but rather just fun shots! I think it was a success!!

Friends...I will be posting photos soon from a visit to DC to Thanksgiving, my Golden Birthday and fun photo shoot sessions...but for now, Hi!!!! I am getting really excited for Christmas and have already watched 4 Christmas movies since thanksgiving, and am having fun preparing gifts!!!!

More New York Moments....

Only in New York would you have the opportunity to study journalism under a writer for the New York Times, and only in New York would that teacher, when taking an assignment in South American, be replaced by an editor for Playboy magazine.

Only in New York would you be taking a morning stroll to find some middle aged man in sweats doing pull-ups on the bars of traffic lights.

Only in New York would you pay $30 at a Taqueria for four little tacos and a side of rice and beans and shared drink. This city can get you sometimes!

Only in New York can you wake up to the Empire State Building and moments later be walking in an ancient Egyptian tomb. And to think it only cost a donation of one dollar to tour the Met. :)

New York Moments

I thought it would be fun to give you all a little glimpse into daily life in NYC, a city I love so dearly, and surprisingly with all of it's quirks has become quite familiar....

So here is a glimpse:

I was getting ready for a pumpkin carving party I was having and went downtown to pick up some last minute things, one of them was a pumpkin for Mike to carve. I walked over to Whole Foods after work, which is the best grocery store, for some reason it is inspirational for cooking, but as they say Whole Foods = Whole paycheck! -well I got out of there without breaking the bank but not my back! :) So on this journey to get a carving pumpkin for Mike (the day before I looked and looked but no one had a normal size pumpkin) so this day at Whole Foods I finally saw carving pumpkins...and for only 5 bucks!! Thats right, what a deal...the only problem was that the smallest pumpkin was 15lbs....so anyhow I had to get it, I needed to get home and frost the cookies and set up for the party...so there I was with my purse hanging off my shoulder, a grocery bag in one hand and cradling this huge pumpkin with both! I went down to the subway caught the first train and then was transferring to my next train. As I was walking down the stairs to catch my train home, I heard it coming...and if you have spent time in NYC if you hear your train you run for it..I mean really who wants to stand on a stinky platform with all that weight for 15+ minutes especially when you are on a schedule...so I wobble down the stairs after my train, yelling, literally, "Hold that train," and of course this is NYC did people move over for me to get through, no, but I yelled my way down and this teenage boy yells back "Maam he's got it, he's holdin it for you!" I then see this little skinny teenage boy holding the train open with his body wedged in between the doors trying to stop them from closing-he was also trying to get on himself. The doors kept trying to close and were squishing him and finally he took his body out from between the doors and just his hand was there trying to hold the doors open (note the train doors are not like elevator doors that spring open when something is blocking them....the driver has control over the doors and will keep trying to shut the doors until everyone is either in or out) and that's when I made it to the platform, determined I wedged my foot in between the doors imploring the train driver "Please let us on!" and finally "Ding!" the doors sprung open! It was my day, I exclaimed, "kid thanks, you just saved me 20 minutes!"...and we were laughing. And then this lady sitting across from me started laughing at me and I smiling back at her said, "You know this pumpkin is heavy, that kid just saved me 20 min." Ahh New York there are some great moments. If you could have only seen me with this thing! :)

I am not sure if I should be updating this as there seems to be a lack of readers. :)

No really please if you read comment, its sooo satisfying, if you are not a blogger you may not realize it but its so fun to open and read comments from friends far away! :)

Ok updates coming soon...for now check out these cupcakes I made for a friends bday a few months back..I worked hard on them! :) (shes a baker so I had to make something top notch)

Babies

So I thought it would be fun to post all the pics of me and my friends babies, from my Cali visit, and this isn't even all of them! I met many more for the first time that I just didn't have a pic of to post!!! So fun, it was fun to spend time with my friends and see them as new moms!

California Dreamin'

Ahh, how I love being home, we had a blast seeing so many people we love and bc we hadn't been home in over 8 months I had every moment filled with spending quality time with people. Mike was cracking me up bc at one point he said "Misha, I can't keep up with your schedule, its just soo much talking!" I truly cherished his vulnerability and his heart....sometimes I forget that I am not in need of rest as much as Mike, bc my lifestyle here in NYC is balanced and full of me time, and Mike on the other hand works super hard and hadn't had real time away from work, since Christmas, until this trip...oh my sweet love, I told him I understand but that there are so many ppl to see that we only get a chance to see once a year and that his rest time will have to be our moments in the car! :) He was totally fine with that....so I guess next up is a vacation just the two of us so Mike can get his R&R :)I told Mike the most special part of the trip was that we were able to see on average three different people that we love dearly and who dearly love us, that we hadn't seen in almost a year or even up to four years for one friend! For those of you I didn't get a chance to see, next summer your it!!

Also after being away for so long living on couches, guest beds, and out of a suitcase, I came home and felt like a rich person! "ahh look at all this space, my big bed, my closest, my bathroom..." (ironic bc I have all of 600 sq feet) It sounds silly but truly in the little time away the Lord opened my eyes to the blessings of life here in NYC, from the details of a bathroom cabinet to my friendships here...We didn't get to bed till after 2 am bc I was soo hyper and I had to wake up for work at 5:30 but I was soo excited "I get to see my friends and coworkers and customers...yeah!" I thought. The next night after that 3 hours of sleep I slept like a baby, for 11 hours actually, and woke feeling like a princess in her palace, in her big bed looking out unto her beautiful view full of love. Ahh I trully love it here in NYC!

New photos

Here are two photos from a recent photo shoot that I did in the Hamptons! I love the interactions between the baby and her dad...and I pray that other ppl do to so I can have more photo shoots.



New photos

Falling in Love

I feel like I am falling in love again, not that I ever fell out of love, but you know that feeling when you are first falling in love.
The beginning stages of a love that's blooming: the excitement you have to be in each other's company, the way you constantly think about each other, the way conversations can last for hours-and you are always learning something new-totally focused and fully present absorbing all you can from the other. How the others simple touches send electricity through you-a hand hold, an innocent kiss. How new adventures seem to never end...seeing each other's environments, where they work, their favorite spots..., is even a thrill!

Well after almost six years of marriage love looks different than it did in those spring stages (which were technically for us in the fall-our anniversary of being together is November 14, 1998) Love is deeper, richer, there is a sense of knowing and being, a security and a knowing that begins to define you-being known is a huge part to feeling alive. (how many times have we all been stuck in conversations with people and we think "ahh this person just doesn't get me at all we are soo not connecting") After soo many years with someone the knowing is integral-in this place of security one can just be, be "unedited", you can be your worst but hopefully more often your best. Here in the passing seasons comes shared history and a wealth of memories; here our individual dreams have grown to include our dreams and passions.

Also with this time comes, different from the adventures and excitement of discovery, routine. Which can be good but can often be a bummer. Lost in the duties of everyday: work, chores, life, is at times intimacy, not forgotten just at times not fully evident-more specifically taken for granted. And now, here in this place after having walked so many of our youthful years together, come the questions and struggles of adults in this big world and big city, adults who have come from very different places. And here we chose to navigate the terrain together...at times the terrain is a green and lush pasture but at other times we are rowing hard as the waves are beating against us....those waves look like many things...fighting for our dreams in a tough city, overcoming resurfacing childhood fears....

But here and now we are thankful to be resting in the Lord's hands, in this "desired haven" (palm 107)

You know our first year in New York was fun and exciting but then we began to notice the isolation we felt as a couple living so far away from people who know us well...from the love of old friends and family..and from married friends. We had hardly any married friends here in New York, who knew that could effect your marriage? But we began to feel isolated and just wanted to share married life with other healthy happy married couples.

Recently we have been soo blessed by a new group of friends from our church; there are 12 of us who are in a marriage bible study together and we often find ourselves having adventures together...picnics in central park, musical theater in the park, late night dinners after church (like dinners where we don't get home till midnight and we all have work the next day!)

Just their friendship has been life giving.

So here I am falling in love again.

Mike and I have recently made it a point to share more time together, and have just been so present in this time, going out to dinners and even though we are "foodies" we find ourselves so immersed in conversation that we could care less how bad the food really is. We have also returned to old passions, things that bound us together so early in our relationship, kind of like returning to the roots of us... so in this end we have recently taken a back packing trip just us...which was soo fun! Although I felt like a pack mule with all that weight on my back the first day:) we had a refreshing time. I love seeing my husband in his element, he is an outdoors man that is stuck in the lab way to much for his kind :) I love the way he is so organized and confident with packing all the necessary elements that we will need for our 2 days in the wilderness, I love seeing him using all physical strength carrying the majority of the weight..."That's my man!" I think to myself...I love the way he even brought decaf lady grey tea for me to enjoy on the trail! I love adventuring with him!

Here are some photos I want to share, a glimpse of these moments...of falling in love.

* a little of my advice for marriage...always surround yourself with healthy happy married couples, and always explore together!!

Food

So you all know that I love cooking, or even more its that I love CREATING..today I am going to try a recipe from the website 101 cookbooks..that rivals pinkberrys yogurt!!! So I guess I like to share this bc I am proud of myself-you know I NEVER used to cook...until the age of like 21 and not really until I got married so I am still coming into my own in this area...as a chef!! :P
Here are some picks from my recent work...a fig and prosciutto salad with toasted pecans on top of arugala-to add a bite to the salty sweetness. Last night I made fish tacos with a super yummy mango and avocado salsa, that I created! (I chopped yellow bell peppers for their mild spiciness and red onions for their bite and a dash of salt and sprinkle of new mexican chilli powder..such a nice compliment to those flavors) It was a great summer meal! Also we have been having meals on our roof top lately, its so refreshing to get out of the house and to enjoy our time together on the roof, when the city has cooled down a bit and the ocean breezes start to move it, overlooking the city as the sun sets creating a glow!

appearing:
*whole wheat scones with mixed berries
*mini oatmeal cookie sandwiches-about 2in rounds, with a cream cheese frosting center
*peanut cold noodles made with whole wheat soba noodles
*fig and proscuitto salad
*fish tacos with a homemade avocado and mango salsa

The goal for me is to create something new, healthy, seasonal and most important YUMMY!

Mom

Oh I realized that I hadn't posted a pic of my mom nor of mike's fam...that's bc we really didn't take alot of photos. But that will be a problem no longer...we recently got a little dig camera, thanks to Mike's awesome research, that we can take in our pocket wherever we go. Funny everyone is writing about getting new big cameras, which is super fun and awesome, but what we had been craving for, for a few years, was a tinie digital one! So this is like the worst photo of me but its funny bc its one of four and not in one were me and my mom's eyes open; I guess the flash was just that intense! :) *note not taken with the new awesome camera! :)

Warts

Ok so I had warts removed, they were tiny and flat but they kinda covered my hand like there were 15 or so and then recently they "jumped" to the other hand, so finally I was done with these things, I was like forget this! So here I am all blistered from the dermotologist burning them off...and the blisters got WAY bigger, I had to wear like sports tape to work so I wouldn't freak out the customers. I mean just look at the expression on Emily's face who wouldn't freak at the sight of my hand! I was trying to take one of those photos you know where you lean in and take the photo of yourself with a friend....so as I was doing this Emily freaked out and this is what I captured unbeknownst to me!

Anyhow I go back in tomorrow for a check up-pray that these things are long gone!! I am ready for fresh wart free skin!

My new favorite color of nail polish! Purple, it is such a fun color and reminds me of a skittle!
I love how it pops against summer tanned feet.
*Emily's feet are with mine. I love getting my nails done!!!
*oh and I love this pic of us three

Summer in the City

What I loooveee about New York in the summer is all the fun times I get to spend outside and all the free fun events that are offered! Let me tell you every night of the week there is something exciting to do here in nyc...constantly all over the city are movies in the park-the most special was when me, Mike and Emily saw "Stand By Me" in Brooklyn at the waterfront overlooking the Manhattan skyline and having this shared experience with thousands of other young adults who were also touched by this movie in their childhood....how many good scenes are there!! Ahh I love that movie! Ok so also summers here are known for the abundance of free concerts in parks all over the city, from no names to Miley Cyrus you name it. That is just a few things that I love about summers here...anyhow so here we are in Central park where we tanned...bc there is no private outside space here in the city, to tan we get in our bikinis and go to Central Park! Later that night we, prompted by a good friend, went to see Bon Jovi, (for free) at the "historic concert" in the great lawn (everyone was saying that...this a historic concert..I guess bc only 4 have been performed of that size in the park.)There were 50,000 ppl there...and who knew I even liked Bon Jovi, I mean I NEVER had a cd or anything, but its funny how much we absorb in our youth...because I could sing along to EVERY song..."shock to the heart", "bad medicine"....and on and on...so here are some pics that I love of that night...this one of just me because I look like I am having the time of my life..Mike took it soo funny! And this other one where Mike is singing his heart out! It was Emily's highlight of the trip!
It was nice to be able to share so many special and exciting memories with my sister...I know she will remember our summer together forever-I was so touched that she wanted to share half of her summer with her big sister.

Family Time!!!

So what an eventful few months we have had...June started with Mike's family visiting for a week, which was fun-we got caught in a rainstorm 2xs each time getting soaked but as my sister in law Stepo says "When else would we be able to run though New York in the rain", true! Then we had Neil our good friend from SF visit, it was refreshing to spend time with an old friend, though we missed his wife Britt. And most recently my Mom and sister Emily were here. It was soooo good to see my mom, it had been over 6 months, which is way too long, and the longest we had ever gone without seeing each other. To be honest I am not a "missy" type of person, I mean I love my friends and family but even being this far away I don't often get homesick...well until I realized after about 4 months, then its been too long. So It was amazing to spend time with my moma...we spent the first week here in NYC and just doing regular stuff that I like to do, have picnics in the park, go to the beach...and then we spent a few days in Boston, where me and my mom lived years and years ago. It was nice to have that girl time-it was just me, my mom and sis, and my mom's old friend and her daughter, who we stayed with. It was nice to be in Boston and nice to reminisce-I saw my old preschool, which was surprisingly a bit emotional, not that I cried but it felt nostalgic in a special way. To be honest I think alot of the emotion was that Boston was the last place we lived with my dad (my biological father-for those of you who don't know I have 2 dads :), so it was kinda hard to remember some of those times, but good. It was good to have a new perspective of my childhood as an adult looking back.
So then after all that adventure my mom went back to Cali and my sister Emily stayed here for 2 weeks by herself, it was a fun and sweet time. Wow has my baby sister grown, she is now a "tween" (you know that phrase people are using for teenagers) anyhow so I was so impressed by her, she is truly growing into an independent beautiful young woman filled with personality and opinions!
I will share a few of our adventures on the next post for now enjoy this cute photo of us, me,em and my good friend dawn, chowing down on fries...that by the way we got for free..we had noticed them on the counter waiting to be picked up by the person that ordered them and were like "wow those look good" and the customer heard us and was like "take them we ordered two" of course we at first refused but then gave in, who could reject a huge bowl of fresh fries!!!

Where are my readers :) Ok new posts will happen soon!
We are having fun with family and friends visiting this summer-yeah!!!

Tagged!

My joys: (hard to limit to three but here are three that came to mind)
1. God's little surprises and sense of humor
ie. I was painstakingly trying to perfect some cupcakes for a few friends, not wanting to be late I forwent the vision and just slapped the frosting on the top-totally not cute but we had to go. When I gave our friends the cupcakes they immediatly wiped the frosting off saying..ahh too sweet! They wouldn't have apprieciated the vision anyhow! I started laughing and laughing, God knows! example #2...I was recently laying out by waterfalls, in the mountains with some friends-the forecast predicted rain so we went out as soon as we saw the sun (we had prayed we would have a bit of sun). After an hour clouds started rolling in so we began to walk back to the car, right as we reached the road we were hit by moonsoon like rains. Running up the road 10 min to the car totally drenched we were all laughing the whole time...only God..It was like he was saying "Ok girls I can give you a bit of sun but I can only hold back nature for soo long!"

2. Being with family and friends...just being...being myself with those I love..laughing till my side hurts, singing silly songs, having deep conversations...exploring together...just being able to be Misha!
3. Traveling overseas and being totally out of my element in a foriegn land, which ironically alwasy feels like my element-learning new languages, eating new food, seeing God's creation in a new place, and loving people who are so different from me.


I miss you Africa!!
*I want to add a few extras:
-being in nature
-the joy of creating...to have a vision/thought/idea and realizing it-be it cooking, sowing, painting...
-kisses in the morning from my husband
-serving others

My fears:
1. That I won't grow, that I will stay emotionally where I am right now-writing this is thereputic bc it sounds so stupid!
2. That I wont appreciate the blessings that are right in front of me-ahh that just sounds depressing.
3. That something bad will happen to someone I love (I guess that sounds like everyones greatest fear huh)

My goals:
1. To photograph for a major publication-to use my photography to bring awareness...
2. To complete my photo documentary project
3. To live overseas in a third world country

My obsessions/collections:
1. Reading recipes online...I love doing that its soo fun!!!
2. Reading...I love to read books...now I am reading "Walking with God" by John Eldridge, of course super refreshing
3. Eating out...often in China Town...I love to explore new restaurants or hole in the walls...I love food I love the experience of sharing a meal with friends in a new place.

Random Facts:
1. My first name is Andrea
2. Here is a good one, on an average grocery shopping day-I carry about 50 lbs of groceries in my two hands about 30 min home! (if I am thinking ahead I carry a backpack!)
3. My first memory is when I was only two years old! I don't forget anything! :)

I TAG:
Teri Gaines, Jill Warren, Diana D. and whoever else reads this blog! :)

Miss you Bako

So I am listening to Country music on pandora radio (if you dont use it start). Anyhow I miss Bakersfield and miss home, I miss my family and old friends-people who know me in and out, people who know Mike in and out, people who know us. I miss backyard bbqs and swimming pools and driving around and being with family. I guess I am a bit homesick...California sick...its been five months since we were home.
I love love our life here, I love the big city and all the ways God is using us and all of our friends. But, there is "no place like home" :) Home is where your known and loved in a way that in part makes you who you are. I totally feel like NYC is our home, but I guess when I say "home sick" I mean family and old friend sick. In a city of a ton of new friends being around old ones keeps you grounded and refreshed...if that makes sense...anyhow for all of you out there in bako I miss you!!!

Mountains

Ok here are the hiking photos...

a few things to note:

See me hiking up this icy snow pile...ok that was done in Pumas...if any of you have Pumas you know there is NO traction...we kept saying it was like I was hiking in ballet slippers...super funny-thank God it was funny and didn't turn tragic! :)

Also note the chipmunk eating a chip...so some lady on the trail gave us one and told us to feed this cute little thing-it was amazing, it leaned its tiny paws on my fingers and then took the chip....well a few hours later we saw a sign with almost this exact photo saying, "Don't feed the animals a fed animal is a dead animal." Funny, Mike kept teasing me "that was you, you killed that poor chipmunk!" Bummer but to be honest if that is my biggest action of rebellion oh well! :)

Canada

So here are some photos from our awesome time in Canada...

Note my new hair cut!!!

It was soo nice to get into nature and to be near old friends...we were so blessed to be apart of our frinds' Brian and Michelles wedding. Mike was a groomsman and I read a scripture and Mike prayed over them towards the end of the ceremony-which was super special.

Also note in one of the photos the two guys in the balcony-that was Mike and the grooms brother leading the crowd in the macarena!! Hilarious...I love my silly man!!!

It was also soo nice to be in amazing country surrounded by one of our very favorite things..mountains..I have very fond memories growing up hiking with my dad and camping with friends (some of you remember those times) going to church camp, and working in a national park for a summer-I love the mountains they are fully of surprises...beach are awesome too-but with mountains every turn is a little surprise, a new view, a stream, lake, pasture...something..and then there is always a climatic ending with hiking...so enjoy these striking photos!

Oh and this is as photo of mike with his grad school friends...so far they have a group pic from every wedding!

Sweet Simplicities...

There is something freeing about exploring alone; having an idea, a vision for your day and seeing it realized! And I am not talking about running errands but doing something just for you. So I had a vision- after work I wanted to treat myself to a little lunch out alone..nothing too modern, nothing too bland or too loud but just a sweet place with yummy food where I could sit and read and eat a nice lunch.

On my jounrney around town it started to rain and I stepped in a huge puddle..augh...My feet were soaked down to the socks, but that was not going to stop me. I think I must have been craving this alone time because I was in Canada staying with a big group of friends for five days, which was a blast, but I think I just needed me time.

So I actually prayed..."God please help me find a sweet place." Finding a place was also a bit harder bc by the time I started the journey alot of resurants had closed their doors until dinner...so I prayed and I came upon this sweet little asian place with pretty paper laterners and rustic wooden talbes there were only 3 other patrons there so I had the quiet I craved.

It was so freeing just to go out and explore and just do something new all by myself-I read for over an hour and ate some yummy noodles! I will have to do that again!

Work!!

We have had a grand adventure since my last post...we were in Canada for our good friend's wedding-but I will post about that another time.

So I LOVE working, I LOVE waking up knowing what I am going to do with my time...it was getting emotionally and spiritually overwheleming to wake up everyday not knowing what to do...then spending my time looking for work and refining my resume and making calls...it was lonely and confusing. So working is a BLAST!

Also I had my a baby photo shoot today which felt great to be taking portraits!!

I got home and was a little tired and took a nap-it feels great to be tired from working!

Words of Wisdom

Quotes from my pastor:

"Do you believe in God or are you in relationship with him?"

"And God is a God of celebration, our christian life is meant to be a huge celebration!"

Henri Nouwen "I realize that I am not used to the image of God throwing a big party. It seems to contradict the solemnity and seriousness I have always attached to God. But when I think about the ways in which Jesus describes God's kingdom, a joyful banquet is often at its center. Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven with a wedding feast offered by the King to his son..."Look my banquet is all prepared my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding."...This invitation to a meal is an invitation to intimacy with God."

My question for everyone....Are you living joyfully in the secure intimacy of a relationship God? Do you realize that each day is a celebration-God is a FUN God who loves LAUGHTER!!!!

And my favorite new artist Jon Foreman: http://www.myspace.com/jonforeman
(who I also got to see perform at an intimate concert thanks to my good friend Amy!)

"Your Love is Strong"
"Why should I worry, why do I freak out, God knows what I need, you know what I need. ...Two things you told me, that you are strong and you love me, yes you love me...your love is, your love is, strong, your love is your love is strong......your love is your love is your love is strong.....your love is your love is strong....Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!"-jon foreman

And to add to that this was the last song he sang in his set to a group of film makers at the Tribeca film fest...what an inspiration!

Decorating

Ok so I love decorating my home more than I love dressing myself! I had this specific vision and for those of you who know me you know I am particular at times! So I wanted this blue shelf for my birds, knowing that the blue would really make them pop! And loving saving, I updated an old shelf of my moms, and stained it! And next to the birds I placed a little spring color, freshly picked cherry blossoms...cute right! Well I love it, its a nice addition to our simple bathroom.