Philly con Queso

And the Winner Is......

2008-08-13T10:06:00.011-05:00

After several months of discussion and poll-taking, we finally have a NEW blog....Loop de Lewis!!! We are loving Chicago and, both Brad & I are excited to share our new city with all of you, so please visit us at Loop de Lewis

Also, for those of you wondering, Brad is all done with the Bar Exam!!! Thanks for all your thoughts and words of encouragement! It is great to have all the studying done and we are now enjoying what is left of our summer! We also had a great trip to San Diego and I'll be posting pics on our new blog and Brad will put extras up on our Flickr account.

Bar Exam!

2008-07-29T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Bar Exam is beginning right now as I'm typing this! Brad will be taking the Bar both, today & tomorrow and I ask you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I'm really proud of all his hard work and he is definitely prepared for the test - you wouldn't believe how much information is in his head. I think he is AMAZING, but I'm probably a little biased!

On Thursday, we leave for San Diego, for 4 days of relaxing, hanging out with Matt, Erika, Nate, & Sarah, and eating as much Mexican food as humanly possible!

Pastry Camp

2008-07-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

I have always loved the idea of summer camp! Perhaps this is due to really great childhood experiences at Camp Mennoscah, but to me summer camp means a time of growth and fun!!!! So a few months ago when I found that the French Pastry School of Chicago holds several Pastry Camps during the summer, I was super excited. I have always loved to cook & bake (I'm pretty sure there is a picture of me at about the age of 5, rolling out pie dough) and have even toyed with the idea of going to culinary school. I thought, what could be better then combining the two!!!

So, at the end of June, I attended a week long Pastry Camp at the French Pastry School of Chicago! There were 16 people in my class from ages 16 - 75; we had a couple of chefs, but many were just food enthusiasts like me! I had an amazing time and it was a good chance to meet some really nice people.

Warning: Food pictures below may make you very hungry! Please stop and grab a snack before going any further!!!!

This is what I brought home on the 2nd day of Pastry Camp! We made so much in the first two days!
From L to R: (Madeleine Cookies, Brioche Loaf, Brioche with Streusel, Brioche with Bee Sting topping, French Bread, Financiers)

These are Financiers (a yummy bit of goodness with huge raspberries placed in the centers!) and were a crowd pleaser!
They are named Financiers because they were created in the financial district in Paris!

Brioche Loaf - Before this bread is baked it is really thick, once baked it becomes very light & fluffy because of our good friend, butter!!!

These are little tins filled with Brioche & topped with Streusel

Brioche with Bee Sting Topping

Classic French Souffles

Macarons with raspberry jam filling
This may not look like a Macaron to many of you and that is because many people in the United States call Coconut Rochers, Macarons. However, this is considered a Macaron! This was one of my favorite things we made. They are traditionally dyed to reflect the coloring of the filling, which can be up to one's imagination! For instance, green with pistachio butter cream or brown for a chocolate or coffee flavored filling. Our instructor said that Macarons are going to become very popular in the next few years: she said they are the new cupcake!

Our Instructor, Chef Laura, with some super fancy Macarons. They were dusted with ruby colored powder!

Lemon Tart with Meringue Delights

Cappuccino Creme Brulee with Hazelnut Pistachio Biscotti

Chocolate Lover's Obsession
Warm Bittersweet Chocolate Cake topped with Coffee Ice Cream

Pretty Packages (L to R) of Passion - Apricot Pate de Fruit (one of my favorites!!), Royaltine (sort of like a no-bake cookie with Hazelnut & Chocolate), Caramels with Salted Butter, & Biscotti

The whole class listening to our instructor during a demonstration. Don't you all think our hats were great!?!

My warm, fun pastry partner, Deb!

At the end of the week, I realized that I wasn't really interested in going to full-on Culinary School, but that I would love to take more 1-week long classes! Special thanks to John, Andrea, Jack & Brad for sampling all of my pastry camp creations!

You guys picked a good weekend to visit!

Just 6 More Days!!!

2008-07-24T15:57:00.000-05:00

Just 6 More Days.........

...........until Brad is done with the Bar Exam
(will the studying ever end?????),

...........until we leave for San Diego,

...........for you to vote on my new blog name!!!

Which Name???

2008-07-18T11:10:00.000-05:00

OK - I promise this is the last time we will be voting on a name (unless I get more good name suggestions)! I have a new survey for you all to take. Kevin gave me some new ideas that I really love, so we'll take the winner from the old poll and put them against my favorites from Kevin's suggestions. Here are the choices:

In the Loop (winner from the last poll)

3-1-2 Contact (Our Area code)

Loop de Lewis

Outside the Loop (We don't actually live in the Loop!)

Please vote away!!!!!!

Survey

2008-06-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Please take a second and vote for your favorite name for the blog! I am ready for a new name & if you have any other suggestions, let me know!

Coming Soon: A week of Pastry Camp! Yes it is as good as it sounds - Yummy!

New Name!?!

2008-06-11T12:44:00.000-05:00

Now that we are living in a new city, I feel that it is time to come up with a different name for my blog! I would love to hear your suggestions. Here are a few I've already been given:

* Deep Dish
* In the Loop
* Illy con Queso

Any others?

From Chile to Chicago

2008-06-11T11:45:00.000-05:00

Alright, it has been a long time since I have been posting regularly and I'm sorry! Throughout the last few months I have wanted to post things, but then I feel like I can't because I'm not caught up - it is a vicious cycle!!!!! So here is the last few months in one post starting back in February!!!

February '08
All of our stuff in the Santiago Airport! This looks like a lot of stuff, but we were there for 9 months!
India is in her red bag on the top of the pile!

February '08
The welcome kit provided to us on the flight from Chile to the U.S! Everything was so cute!

February - March '08
It was so great to visit our family and friends in Kansas - we missed everyone so much! When we left Chile, it was at the end of summer down there & it was great to come back and catch just a little bit of winter!

March '08
After visiting in Kansas for a couple of weeks, Brad & I flew up to Philly to gather all our earthly belongings out of storage. We visited friends from Tenth, I saw friends from my old job, and Brad met up with a few law school friends. We were also able to spend a few days with our dear friends & former roomies, Joe & Carolyn & take a trip together up to Jersey City to hang out with Laura & Kevin.

March' 08 - Heading out in the Moving Truck or Album Cover?
In this photo, you'll notice that Brad is quite bearded! He stopped shaving a few days before we left Chile and by the time we arrived in Chicago, he had a pretty full beard. A few days after we moved into our apartment, Brad was asked by someone in our elevator, if he was "in one of those Rock Bands". That comment was a great endorsement for the beard! Anyway, I think this photo would make a pretty good album cover. The beard may become a winter tradition & there is talk about growing it again in July while Brad is studying for the Bar.

With the moving truck all loaded up, we headed out to Chicago!

March '08
Overnight stay in South Bend, Indiana. We toured the Notre Dame campus in our moving truck!

March '08
Brad's parents, brothers and India met us in Chicago & helped us move into our new place! It was so great to have all the help! We're looking forward to them all coming back to Chicago for a real visit, not one where they work the whole time!!! A few days later, Matt & Erika, came for a visit. We had a great time together and watched lots of college basketball!

Room with a View!!!
Our apartment is on the 17th floor, north of the Chicago River. The view is amazing and we can watch the new trump tower being built!

March '08 - Wrigley Field
Thanks to some of Brad's relatives & people from his office, I was able to go to the Cub's Season Opener and another game later that week! It was so fun, but super cold!!!!!

Fukudome up to bat! These seats were so great!

Inside Wrigley!

March '08 - March Madness!!!!
The KU flag stayed in our window from the Sweet Sixteen all the way to the National Championship!!!!
Rock Chalk, Jayhalk!

April '08
On April 3rd, my brother & sister-in-law had another little boy, Jack Ronald.

April '08
Luke checking out his new little brother!

April '08
View of the Wrigley Building from our window the night KU won the National Championship.

April '08
Just in time for Spring, Kevin & Laura come for a visit!

April '08
Tulips on Michigan Avenue

April '08
Tulips were everywhere - it was beautiful! This picture was taken a block from our apartment and has Marina City in the background!

May '08
In May, I went to Kansas! Man, the flight was so quick, just 1 hour and 20 minutes. I spent an evening with my friend Katy, spent a few days with the Wethingtons in Lawrence, which was so great. I saw each girl play a soccer game and was amazed at how grown-up they each were! Then I spent a week in central Kansas, helped my mom paint her porch, visited family, & saw my nephews. In the above picture, one can see how Luke likes to be on the move! I also had lunch with Brad's parents & then rode with Carola up to Lawrence. Brad flew down to KC for our friends, Pat & Kristen's wedding. It was a beautiful occasion and such an encouragement to our own marriage! Since we returned to Chicago, Brad has begun to study for the Bar Exam, which takes place at the end of July! Also, my dad came to visit for a few days & we had a great time exploring the city together!

June 8, 2008 - Six years of marriage!
It is hard to believe that we have been married for six years already! Though, to think we have lived in Lawrence, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Santiago and now Chicago in that time period, it does make sense! Thank you to all our friends and family for the wonderful encouragement and examples you are in our marriage.

My Big Break?

2008-06-09T23:27:00.000-05:00

Alright, I'm finally going to post something on the good ol' blog! I've been avoiding the blog because I feel like I have to do a huge catch up post covering the last few months, but I'm scared I may never post again if I don't start soon! So I'll try to catch you all up in the coming days or maybe I'll just start from today & move forward!

But first I wanted to share what I stumbled onto today.........the set of the new Johnny Depp movie, Public Enemies! They have been shooting the film around Chicago for the last month, but we seem to always find out locations after the fact. Well, today I watched them film a few scenes! The scenes were shot over and over again and it seemed like very tedious work. My friend, Kirsten, was able to get some pretty good pictures!

Johnny Depp is in the middle of the picture in a black vest & white shirt

Depp between takes seemed very focused on his John Dillinger character.
Notice the extras in their 1930's costumes!

Up Close!

I know what you're thinking, Who is that guy in the red shirt, drinking pop?
Does he know that Johnny Depp is right over there????

The filming took place about 6 blocks from our apartment in the River North neighborhood. Three blocks were blocked off for the filming, but only 1 block was actually being filmed. When a scene would begin, the police and security would stop all regular traffic (which was pretty substantial at noon on a weekday!) and the old fashioned cars would drive around and then pull a U-Turn and head the other direction. This way, cars were always going by in the shot.

Kirsten & I posing in front of one of the old-style cars.

Let's Go Jayhawks!!!

2008-04-07T09:15:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be starting the blog back up this week! I know it has been almost 2 months, but I'll be sure to share what we've been up to in the past month!

We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends in Kansas, Philly, Lancaster, Jersey City, & Chicago. We're really enjoying our new place and the city of Chicago and it seems like spring is here! Also, my brother & sister-in-law just had their second son, Jack, on April 3rd (many pictures to come!)

Tonight, we are so excited about KU playing in the National Championship. It has been so fun to be in a city with so many KU Alumni & fans. Whenever, we wear our KU gear, people always chat us up about the team - it has been so nice! Hopefully, they can play a really great game!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, KU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top Ten List: # 1 Brian's Visit/Climbing the Volcano

2008-02-19T10:46:00.000-06:00

This was a favorite trip for us! It was so great to have a familiar face here and to all accomplish something so difficult together! Also, sliding down the volcano on our hinies wasn't too bad, either!

Top Ten List: # 2 Time Together

2008-02-18T10:39:00.000-06:00

Brad & I have had a great time just being together! It has been nice to spend so much time together after 3 years of Law School! I'm really thankful for that!

Top Ten List: #3 Our Conserje, Jose

2008-02-17T10:48:00.000-06:00

Don Jose, our Conserje (doorman/janitor in our apartment building), was the nicest Chilean we met. He was always very patient with my Spanish and was so helpful with everything! He really made coming home every day a joy!

One day when I locked myself out of the apartment (India ran out of the house & the wind slammed the door shut), Jose was a godsend! I was locked out with my cat, no shoes & no way of contacting Brad for the other key. Jose tried to pick our lock and when that didn't work, he found me shoes somewhere and watched India while I walked to Brad's office to retrieve the keys! We will miss Jose!

Isn't he so cute?!? No, I'm not a giant, he is just a little short!
He also loved India!

Top Ten List: #4 The Andes

2008-02-16T10:52:00.000-06:00

The Andes are the most amazing mountains I have ever seen in my life. They surprise me everyday & I will miss their majesty. Each day they remind me how creative God was with his beautiful creation!

One of our favorite things we did here, was skiing - twice! We both love to ski, and the snow was amazing! There were no trees on the slopes and you could see forever! It was unreal!

Top Ten List: #5 Stencil Graffiti

2008-02-15T21:20:00.000-06:00

So, this may be something that's common to Latin America, we're not sure, but Chile seems to have more graffiti than we're accustomed to seeing. Of course, most of it is unsightly, but there is a lot of stencil-based graffiti that is very sophisticated. Brad especially loves snapping shots of interesting views, and he (with the help of Nate's laser printer) is working on a project that is inspired by all these stencils. Hopefully we'll be able to display his work in our new apartment in Chicago-- stay tuned for updates!

Top Ten List: #6 Peruvian Food/Pisco Sours/Chilean Wine

2008-02-14T10:55:00.000-06:00

I know we live in Chile, but our favorite food here is Peruvian! Oh, I love it so much! Peruvian food tends to be pretty flavorful and spicy! My favorite thing is Ceviche, which is seafood cured in lemon juice. It has a lovely flavor and is so tasty with all the fresh seafood around, especially on warm, summer days. Peruvian restaurants also serve a wonderful chicken dish called aji de gallina that uses a Peruvian cheese and aji pepper sauce - it is rich & delicious!

Ceviche & Pisco Sours

Pisco is only made in Chile and Peru - it is delicious! It is a liquor made from white grapes from a specific region in Chile. Pisco sours are popular in both contries - they are made up of lemon juice, pisco, ice & egg whites. Also, the wine here is so good and so cheap! It will be hard to get used to the price difference in the states!

Top Ten List: #7 Our Pool!

2008-02-13T10:47:00.000-06:00

This is one of our favorite places in all of Chile! I love spending the afternoon at our pool! It is great to have a pool in Santiago, because you can use it for 5 months out of the year - maybe more!

Pardon the Interruption

2008-02-12T17:00:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry that I have to interrupt the top ten list, but I have a funny story to share. Yesterday Brad & I were eating lunch where we do everyday, at the Plaza de la India, near the office. This park has a fountain with statues of 3 famous Indians - Ghandi, Nehru, & Tagore. While we were enjoying our lunch, a tourist bus stopped and out came between 30-40 retiree tourists from India. They were really loving the park!

We watched as some of them climbed into the fountain to have their picture taken with the famous Indians - they looked like they were having a good time. Then they came over to us and asked if we would be in their pictures. At first we thought they just wanted us to take their picture, but they insisted that we pose with the whole group. Anyway, here we were in Chile with a huge group of Indian tourists getting our pictures taken. After our picture, one of the ladies put a Bindi sticker on my forehead! They were super friendly and one guy got our address and said he would send us a copy of the picture. I'll let you all know if that ever shows up!

Top Ten List: #8 Amazing Sunsets

2008-02-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

The combination of the Andes & pollution, make for some really beautiful sunsets!

Top Ten List: #9 Beautiful Weather!

2008-02-09T10:40:00.000-06:00

The weather in the central region of Chile really is amazing! There is sunshine here, something like 300 days of the year and almost no humidity. So in the summer, even if the temperature is over 90 degrees, it still feels pleasant out! This has been a new experience for us! The other day it started to rain, which it hasn't done since August, and we ran to the window to see! That seemed strange!

Because of the great weather, just about everything one can think of is grown in this region - especially grapes and avocados. Also, there is a lot of vegetation that grows throughout the city and the countryside. It has been fun to see so many interesting and new plants!

One of my favorites!

Top Ten List: #10 Street Dogs

2008-02-08T10:28:00.000-06:00

Alright, we only have a few days left in this lovely country. We want to post some of our favorite things about Chile! To be honest, we could probably do a top ten of our least favorite things, but I try to keep this blog positive!!!!

Anyway, coming in at Number 10: Street Dogs

Most people find the street dogs a bit bothersome, but I really love them! Many people go through the day ignoring the dogs or even yelling at them, but every time I see one lounging in the sun, walking down the street, or chasing after a car, I smile to myself! I often see the dogs in packs of 8 and at first I kind of felt scared. I soon realized that these dogs meant no harm to anyone and now I just wonder where the whole group is going? Actually, I feel more comfortable seeing a pack of dogs, than a pack of Chilenos. At least the dogs mind their own business and keep to themselves! Surprisingly, domestic dogs bark and growl much more often than the street dogs. The street dogs just seem content and happy; some even wear t-shirts!

We're Coming Home!

2008-02-07T10:18:00.000-06:00

We have already emailed and spoken to many of our faithful blog followers, but for those of you who don't know, Brad & I have decided that we are coming home! We have had a good time in Chile, but feel like the time is right for us to come back! We are arriving in Kansas in a week, visiting friends and family, flying to Philly, visiting friends, getting our stuff out of storage, driving to Chicago, and moving into our apartment. We are excited to be back in the US and to start this new chapter in our lives.

In the coming weeks, we will post a top 10 list of Chile (sorry for borrowing your idea, Erika) and we will need your help coming up with a new blog for Chicago!

Parque Huerquehue

2008-02-05T16:22:00.000-06:00

Here are some more pictures of our travels to the South of Chile with Brian. We stayed in Parque Huerquehue, a Chilean National Park, and spent a few days after our intense hike, relaxing and hiking some more.

A sign for the "Refugio" (like a bed & breakfast), where we stayed.

Refugio Tinquilco - A great place to spend a few days. We also had some really great meals and played cards with an Australian couple who were traveling around South America for 6 months!

Brian with the guardians of the Refugio - just for the record, I don't think these were strays!!!

Lookout Point #1 on our hike through the park.

¡Qué vista tan buena!

You may not be able to tell from this photo, but Brad was resisting the urge to throw me in!

Lookout #2!

We're almost to the top!

At the top of these mountains were several serene lakes & lagoons!

This tree, called Araucaria araucana, is the national tree of Chile and is crazy looking - they are nicknamed monkey puzzle trees because "it would puzzle a monkey to climb one!"

Home Sweet Home - Please take notice that this sign says "Real Coffee". That is right, the coffee here is so bad that a place can advertise the coffee! For the record, the coffee was pretty good!

Climbing Villarrica

2008-02-02T15:52:00.000-06:00

In January we had our first visitor! Brian, Brad's brother, visited us for 2 weeks! It was great to have him here and fun to travel around Chile together! We traveled to the South of Chile, which is known as the Lake District, to climb the Volcan Villarrica, one of Chile's most active volcanoes. We have a ton of pictures, so if you're interested, visit our flickr account for more details!

Volcan Villarrica (9,340 feet) from the town of Pucon - we're going to walk up that!!!???

This alert system was at the City Hall of Pucon.
Looks like we are all clear for our climb!

We began our climb before sunrise to avoid the sloshy snow & harsh sun. This is a picture of me - my backpack and that's right, an ice/snow pick!!!

The sun is starting to rise!

A first morning glimpse at the neighboring volcano, Llaima.
Llaima is the volcano that erupted in early January, 3 days before our climb.

The climb up the volcano was pretty difficult and tiring. It was like we were almost to the top and then we would get to a ridge and there would be another part - I think this happened like 4 times!

The shadow of Volcan Villaricca over the town of Pucon and Lake Villarrica as the sun rises.

Tough guys, especially with those pick axes!!!!

We finally reached the top!!!!!! The climb took around 6 hours!

The vent of the volcano.

After hanging around at the top, we all strapped on these things called "nappies" to slide down the volcano on our butts!!! This was as fun as it sounds!

These are the sledding chutes that we went down!

A view from the top of a sledding chute.

And the Answer Is..........

2008-01-24T04:50:00.001-06:00

Ok, Ok, I apologize for not posting the answer sooner!!!! Thank you for all the guesses. We had many of our own for about a month until one evening in December we finally discovered the answer . . .

As you can see, this strange contraption was a Christmas decoration! Brad and I played this same little guessing game for weeks until we finally saw the thing all lit up. Thanks for playing!

The Answer is Coming Soon!!!!

2008-01-22T08:42:00.000-06:00

I wanted to let you all know that I have not meant to leave you hanging! Thanks for all the guesses and I will post the answer soon! We've been having problems getting the You Tube Video to work, but hopefully it will soon!

Chile Quiz

2008-01-12T17:44:00.000-06:00

Quick Quiz ----- What do you all think this is?????
Take a Guess!!!!!!!!

Pancake Magic

2008-01-07T20:39:00.000-06:00

Brad & I have started a tradition of Brad making pancakes every weekend. There is just something really wonderful about our pancake mornings! Anyway, here was the artist at work for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Pretty good, eh?!!

Nothing says Christmas morning like star & Christmas tree pancakes!

Happy 2008!

Christmas at the Beach!

2008-01-02T20:05:00.000-06:00

Since it is summer in Chile, we decided to go to the beach for Christmas! We took a bus, 2 hours west, to the cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. We really enjoyed our time there and the people seemed so different from Santiaguans - so nice!

Valparaiso was once a very important port city in the Pacific, before the Panama Canal. Now it is still a main port for Chile, but not as important globally. Much of the city is built into the hills, which allows for beautiful views of the ocean. There are a lot of pictures that follow, but if you want more, visit our flickr photostream!

The drive to the beach goes through the Casablanca white wine region of Chile!
It was amazing how many grapes are grown there!

One of Pablo Neruda's (Chilean Poet & Writer) houses

Looking out over Valparaiso from Neruda's house

Looking out over Valparaiso, towards Viña

The hills of Valparaiso

Port of Valpariaso

Full Moon over the Pacific.
This picture was taken from a restaurant where we ate the
best machas (razor clams covered in melted parmesan cheese!)

Chilean Armada

Candy Canes on the beach - courtesy of Aunt Sherri & Uncle Chip, Aunt Connie & Uncle Steve!
Thanks!

Feliz Navidad!

2007-12-26T10:36:00.000-06:00

...and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of
them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
Matthew 2:9

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!
Love,
Brad & Amy

Trip to the South!

2007-12-05T06:54:00.000-06:00

Ok, Ok, Ok - this post is super, super late! We took a trip to the South of Chile (about 11 hours) in the middle of September, but I'm just posting about it now! This happens to be the trip that one of our bags and camera was stolen, so we felt a little uninspired without pictures. I pulled the 2 pictures off the web.

We had a great trip that was about 5 days long. In Valdivia, an industrial city, settled by Germans, we watched sea lions and birds go after fish parts at the riverside market. The sea lions even came up onto the land - boy did they look awkward (please imagine many pictures of sea lions). They seemed very territorial and ended up fighting with each other and barking at the stupid, but brave, children that attempted to get as close as possible! Also, we ate something called "crudo", which was like a beef tartar with onion, aji pepper, lemon, and cilantro mayo, all on a slice of wonder bread. It was delicious! We also visited the Kunstmann Cerveceria, where the popular Chilean, German-style beer is created. We took a rickety bus to the small town of Niebla, right on the Pacific Ocean. While there, we toured some old Spanish fort ruins, ate some fried crab & cheese empanadas & grilled meat on a stick, and sat on a black sand beach! It was beautiful. (Imagine pictures of yummy food and fog filled views of the Pacific).

Next, we took a bus to the east, to the resort town of Pucón. The drive was amazing with forests of the araucaria (monkey puzzle tree), rolling hills, and smoking volcanoes. While we were just a few miles away, we were passed by several firetrucks and as we came into Pucón, we noticed a huge billow of smoke coming from the center of town. It just so happened that one of the nicest hotels/casinos in town was burning. The hotel/casino smoldered for the entire time we were there! We stayed in a great little hostería with a fantastic vegetarian restaurant, somewhat uncommon in Chile. Pucón is known as a tourist location because of its beautiful lake & active volcano. We spent much of our time exploring the town, sitting on the beach by the lake, eating delicious food & in a little row boat on the lake. We hope to go back and climb the volcano. We will see!

Overall, we had a great trip, despite the rough start! Also, we now have a new camera. We were just thankful that everything in our stolen bag was easy to replace and that we had our passports, visas, and money (and each other)!!!!!

The city of Valdivia, in the Lake District of Chile, about 10 miles from the Pacific ocean.
This picture is of the fish market, where sea lions gather to get the fishy leftovers!
Yum, Yum!

The city of Pucón on Lake Villarrica & Vulcan Villarrica (2,847 meter/9,340 feet) in the background.

Feliz Cumpleaños Brad!

2007-12-03T07:29:00.000-06:00

Happy 27th Birthday to Brad!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-24T14:06:00.000-06:00

It does not feel like Thanksgiving here! It is not wintry at all! For most of the week it has been in the 90's. But I'm not complaining, it is actually really great!

Anyway, we decided to have something I miss more than the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole - - -Mexican Food (& Pumpkin Pie)! Our friend Katy from Texas joined us and brought some great guacamole!

Hope you all had a good thanksgiving! What are you thankful for?

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband, sweet kittie, friends, family, and God's never-ending provision.

Beinvenidos a Argentina!

2007-11-20T12:34:00.000-06:00

A few weekends ago we took the long journey over the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina. Mendoza is only 160 miles away from Santiago, but the trip took around 7 hours (those mountains are TALL)! Even though the drive was long, the scenery was beautiful.

We had a nice time, ate big steaks (for cheap), and had a few nice glasses of wine! Argentina is known for great beef, nice wine (though I think Chile has better) and things being cheap in general. About 70% of Argentinean wine is produced in the region of Mendoza and the vineyards are quite beautiful! We also saw the tallest mountain in both the Southern & Western Hemispheres. Cerro Aconcagua is 22,841 ft (6,962 m) and to the north of where we crossed over from Chile to Argentina.

Here are a few pictures of our drive; I will post more pictures later.

A huge herd of sheep crossing the road & stopping traffic!

A local cowboy, um.. or maybe sheep boy? I'm not sure of the proper name; any suggestions?

Up in the Andes

Beinvenidos a Los Andes (Welcome to the Andes!)

An interesting road sign! This helps to make the drive look extra dangerous!

Welcome to Argentina!
It was cold at the border between Argentina & Chile.
Once we were down in Mendoza, it was 80 degrees!

The highest peak in the Andes, Aconcagua

The view coming into Argentina. I wanted to sing "the hills are alive....."

More photos to come.....................

Birthday Booty

2007-11-18T14:40:00.000-06:00

Thank you for all the wonderful emails, cards and gifts! They all made my birthday so special!

A-OK in Santiago

2007-11-15T00:34:00.000-06:00

Today in the North of Chile, there was a 7.7 earthquake. The earthquake was centered about 800 miles to the north of Santiago. We just wanted to let everyone know that everything in Santiago is fine. However, in several northern cities/towns 2 people died, 20 were injured, and there is plenty of damage. In Santiago, we did feel some swaying for about 40 seconds - It was like being out on a boat. It was different feeling than the past tremors we have experienced here. Just wanted to let you know we were OK!

Carabineros!!!

2007-11-12T08:59:00.000-06:00

Carabineros are the police force in Chile. They are actually a branch of the Chilean military and, unlike some Latin American countries, do not respond well to bribes. They are very identifiable - their vans, cars, motorcycles, uniforms, and even their buildings are green & white. For some reason, I really like the Carabineros! This week, I grew to love them even more when 3 friendly Carabineros (who were guarding a hotel where many Latin American presidents were meeting) allowed us to take pictures of them and their special assistant!

Not only do we have street dogs in Chile, but the Carabineros have
German Shepherds dressed in these official looking capes!

This nice Carabinero had his dog pose for a picture by commanding him to salute.
It was a very good day!

Guest Post: You can spell Chile without "PC"

2007-11-07T19:35:00.000-06:00

Brad here with a little story about Chile's casual relationship with political correctness. In the US, the term has become a buzzword for any vexing, superfluous social norm that only serves to formalize what could otherwise be inoffensive human interaction. After a few months, it has become obvious to both Amy and me that this particular annoyance does not afflict the average Chilean.

If you look up Chile on the CIA World Factbook, you will find that 95% of the Chilean population is described as being either white or white-Amerindian. That's right, there are very few racial minorities here, which probably makes things that much more difficult for that small sliver of the population. Many times, Amy and I have observed Chileans gawking (literally) at the sight of an African in public. Amy herself has, on a number of occasions, been the recipient of rather benign but inappropriate comments from men on the street, owing partially to the fact that she is one of the few natural blonds in this country. It seems to me that PC is not so bad after all.

I had never been a party to this kind of behavior, until I found myself forced into being politically incorrect. A few days ago, I met one of the newly-hired paralegals in the office. This young man, who appears to be more Amerindian than white, introduced himself as "Juan José" but then instructed me to call him "Negro." You see, many of the Chileans in my office go by a nickname, and he seems to prefer one that reflects his relatively dark skin tone. Even though this nickname sounds less offensive to the gringo's ear when pronounced with a hearty Latin American accent (NAY-gdo), I still can't bring myself to use it.

I can't. This guy is going to be "Juan José" (or maybe "Juanjo"?) to me, whether he likes it or not.

Full Moon

2007-11-01T00:10:00.000-05:00

I know night pictures aren't the best, but it was such a beautiful night here on Saturday!

Perfect for a KU victory over Texas A&M!

Warm Welcome

2007-10-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

We arrived back in Santiago on Wednesday morning and were greeted by beautiful 80 degree weather. I know we were only gone for 10 days, but the whole place seems to have changed a bit! Everything is super green, colorful, and lush-just beautiful. I think it was good to go back to the states - maybe we just needed a little break!

Beautiful morning view out of our window

India was well taken care of while we were gone by our friends.
She did seem glad to have us back.
(No, the flowers are not from India - she's a cat!)
Joe & Rachel, thanks for the beautiful surprise and for taking such good care of India.

One of my favorite trees in Chile (I'm unsure of the name). These lavender flowers cover the entire tree & they hardly smell!

The path welcoming us home, to our apartment!
The whole right side is covered with pink & purple azaleas, which are cousins to rhododendrons (one of my favorite flowering plants).

Roses are blooming here like crazy and many are the size of grapefruit!

For more Spring in Santiago pics, check out Brad's flickr page.

Good to be in Kansas

2007-10-26T13:17:00.000-05:00

It was so nice to be back in Kansas for a good 10 days. It was unfortunate that we were there under such sad circumstances, but it was nice to visit our family! Thanks for the great visit & we miss you all! Also, thank you to Brad's cousin, Jessica, for giving me a fabulous & much needed haircut!!! I've just been too intimidated to get one in Chile!

Here are a few pics of some of the kiddos in our family.

My cousin's 2 month old baby, Victoria, & my sister-in law, Cindy.
I was glad to be able to attend my cousin's baby shower while we were in Kansas.

Brad's cousin's little girl, Mira. She has the sweetest smile!

Our nephew, Luke & uncle Brad eating popcorn.
Stay tuned for some good video footage of Luke!

Sweet Grandma Gerry

2007-10-22T15:22:00.000-05:00

Brad's grandmother passed away last Thursday, with the funeral on Saturday. We are very thankful that we were able to be with our family during this time. The service on Saturday was really wonderful, but sad because everyone misses her. The funeral displayed how Grandma Lewis lived her life for Christ and how she has passed this legacy not only to her 5 children and their spouses, but to her 15 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren. She will be missed dearly by all those who knew her.

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:28-30 (ESV)

Sad/Glad to Be Back in Kansas

2007-10-15T23:48:00.000-05:00

We received some sad news last Thursday, that Brad's Grandma Gerry, who was on the road to recovery from her aneurysm, had suffered a stroke. The doctors are not expecting a recovery, and she is now in her final days.

She had really been making great progress - she was even able to go home last Tuesday. She is one strong lady - I guess you have to be to have 2 sets of twins!

We arrived back in Kansas on Saturday morning thanks to the kind people at American Airlines and a lot of shared airline miles. We are so thankful for the time we have been able to spend with Brad's family. Grandma Gerry has again surpassed all the doctor's expectations, but it is just a matter of time..... Brad has said that even though this time has been hard, it is a nice way to die; surrounded by your family and everyone that loves you.

Guest Post: El Ladrón

2007-10-07T14:17:00.000-05:00

Brad here, I thought I'd take a turn posting on the Queso, and boy do I have a story to tell.

Okay, we're back from a long and unexpected break. Thanks for checking loyally, we promise to blog more often in the weeks to come.

We have much to report from the past weeks, so let's begin with our trip to the Lake Region. We had a wonderful time visiting Valdivia, Niebla, and Pucón, but the trip got off to a rocky start. Our journey began in Santiago, where we boarded an overnight bus. We had been told that on holiday weekends the bus station is crowded, so we took precautions to avoid the pickpockets that are infamous in this town. We finally made it to the right bus (despite our pedestrian understanding of the Spanish language and the Chilean accent), and settled in for a relaxing trip. We were even pleased to have a kind older gentleman show us to our seats and helped us place our bags in the overhead bin.

Only, after about 5 minutes, that kind man showed himself to be a very dedicated thief (a "ladrón" in Spanish). When I decided that I wanted to read a book I had brought with me, I discovered that the guy, instead of placing my bag in the overhead bin, had made off with it entirely. I was seething with anger, and he was nowhere to be found. Both Amy and I felt utterly stupid. We were now the dumb, trusting gringos that everybody targets. Things could have been worse, to be sure, because our passports and cash (and my iPod) were secure in my coat pocket. The real tragedy is that our camera was in our bag, so there are no pictures of our wonderful trip.

We searched the web for some photos of what we saw, and we will recount some of our stories in a few future blog posts, so all is not lost. And, a replacement camera is on its way, so we'll make sure to take lots of pictures as spring arrives down here.

Huge Aloe!

2007-09-20T14:50:00.000-05:00

This is the biggest aloe vera plant I have seen so far in Chile, or anywhere! I found it one day when I was wondering the streets around our apartment! Now I try to walk by it whenever I go to the grocery store-it makes me smile! We had a great trip to the south of Chile; look for a lenghty post this weekend!

Doesn't it look like it could eat me?!?

Update on Grandma Gerry

2007-09-17T11:10:00.000-05:00

For those of you who read this blog and don't already know, the surgery on Saturday went well. Brad's grandma did have a small stroke after the surgery, which is not surprising. The stroke did not seem to cause any lasting damage. She will be in intensive care for a few weeks so that she can be closely monitored. Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

Prayer Request

2007-09-14T13:33:00.000-05:00

For all of you praying folk, we have a prayer request. On Monday, Brad´s grandma had an aneurysm and has been in the hospital since. On Saturday, she is having surgery to have the vein wrapped. The good news is that she has been able to visit with family and that the doctors found the problem. However, she has been having very bad headaches. Please pray for the surgery to go well and for all of Brad´s family, especially is grandpa. We really wish we could be with our family at this time. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

Spring Is Here!

2007-09-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

So I think I can post this entry without it getting cold again! We have had 5 whole days of sunshine and over 65 degree weather. I do believe spring has arrived!!!!

Aren´t Iris supposed to bloom in April? Not in the Southern Hemisphere!

Whenever I see purple iris, I think of my Mom! Enjoy!

Saying Hola y Adios!

2007-09-06T10:05:00.000-05:00

So I realized I need to be sharing some of the unusual customs in Chile that differ from the United States. One item we´ve had to get used to is the greeting and goodbye kiss. This seems very European to me. When you see someone you know, you greet them with one kiss near the cheek. You don´t actually kiss each others cheek, but kiss the air. At first, I thought this was a little too personal, but now it seems less so. This cheek kissing is only done between women greeting women & men greeting women; men shake hands with each other! Also, when people say goodbye, Adios, is not the norm. Instead people more commonly say Ciao!

OTR!!!!

2007-09-01T06:43:00.000-05:00

A few days ago we received the new CD from Over the Rhine. It is fantastic and once again Bergquist & Detweiler have out done themselves! I'm hoping since we pre-ordered the CD and had it sent to Chile, that maybe they'll consider coming to Chile for the Spring tour! Visit the website, OTR, and have a listen, especially if you are unfamiliar with this great duo!

Brad - The Author!!!

2007-08-30T14:03:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I´m married to an author!

Brad has accepted an offer from the Boston University International Law Journal to publish his article "Reconstructing the Odious Debt Exception" in their Fall 2007 edition. We are excited and I am so proud of him!

It is a very interesting article and I have been working my way through the 40-page article. I think I´m understanding most of it, but there is a lot of legal speak (thank goodness for footnotes)! Last night we went and celebrated at a local place called Liguria where we scored an awesome poster, which will become art work when we return to the states. More to come on that, later!

Congratulations, Brad!

Mercado Centro

2007-08-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday, was a national holiday, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Day. There are many National Chilean Holidays that coincide with the Catholic Church since 70% of Chileans are Catholic.

Brad had the day off so we went to the Centro of Santiago. We ate lunch at the Mercado Central and explored the fish markets. Brad ate machas (razor clams with parmesan cheese) and I had marisco sopa (fish stew). It was a fun day.

Mercado Central

Llamas out in the front of the mercado - I wanted my picture with them!

Earthquake & Snow!

2007-08-10T01:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning we had an earthquake! We had experienced some tremors, but this actually made the news (somewhat). It only registered 3 on the Richter scale. Brad was in his office, so he felt the effects more due to being on the 27th floor. I know it wasn't very strong, but I didn't find it that scary - just strange!

Not only did we have an earthquake, but we had snow in the evening. Of course in the mountains it snows all the time, but down in Santiago it hardly ever snows! When we awoke this morning, San Cristobal and rooftops were still dusted with snow!

View from our window of San Cristobal

San Cristobal from Brad's office

Another round of skiing!!!

2007-08-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday we went up to the mountains to ski again! We had a great time and Brad was a superstar! It was amazing to see how much he improved since we went at the beginning of July. We were able to go higher up the mountain and try more difficult runs! I remembered why skiing was my favorite sport! It was so fun & breathtaking!

I found out that La Parva is over 10,000 feet - that must have been why I was out of breath and not from my lack of exercising! Santiago is only 1700 feet, which means the ride up to the slopes is pretty nauseating at times! There is basically one rode from Santiago to several of the ski areas and the road has each switchback numbered, all the way past 45!

Anyway, we had a great time & I felt surprised every time I looked up! See for yourself!

The Chilean Flag in a beautiful setting. This picture looks pretty, but man, was it cold! I think it was around 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 C). The flag is flying straight out, so one can see how hard the wind was blowing.

The town of La Parva!

A Chacarero sandwich, filled with meat & veggies. This particular one had green beans, tomatoes, and fresh aji peppers.

Winter Foliage

2007-08-03T21:26:00.000-05:00

Santiago has a huge variety of plant life. There are tropical looking plants and regular looking trees that have lost their leaves for the winter. Yes, that's right, even though some of the following plants make it look like we are living in a very warm place, it is still pretty cold. I don't quite understand how all the succulents and palms survive!

This amazing jade grows everywhere! I have never seen jade flower, but it is really pretty. In many of the parks, the jade grows in big clumps, like bushes.

A great, big beautiful palm tree near our apartment. Also, the sky is the bluest I have seen since arriving! No smog in sight!

I believe this is a type of aloe, but I'm not sure!

A huge, monster aloe plant on Santa Lucia! This particular aloe was so hearty that couples had carved their initials into the leaves. Aloe plants grow everywhere, even on the side of the street. Unfortunately, they end up collecting a lot of garbage from pedestrians!

Domino & Palta Hotdogs

2007-07-26T10:39:00.000-05:00

Palta (avocado) is used on all kinds of food in Chile - it is pretty much a condiment! One of the more unusual and surprising things we've seen palta used on are hot dogs! I almost feel like these are good for you!

For lunch the other day we ate at Domino, a local sandwich bar chain, that uses super fresh ingredients. These hot dogs are not only topped with palta, but other delicious relishes and tomatoes! Yum!

At Domino, the napkins are arranged in tall towers. I would like to watch this being constructed!

Pueblo Los Dominicos

2007-07-25T00:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we went to Pueblo Los Dominicos, a former convent, that has been turned into a large Chilean handcraft market. There were around 180 shops of different art and items from local artisans. It was really a beautiful place and one we will include on the "must see" list for visitors! My mom actually recommended the market to us after seeing it on a travel show about Santiago!

Clay Cooking Pots

Musical Instruments

We have seen so many street dogs in Santiago that I began to wonder where all the stray cats go. I got my answer at Pueblo Los Domincos! There were a lot of cats - I had a hard time containing myself! (The cats are eating on the roof, they're not just loitering)

Cute restaurant where we waited out from an hour long downpour. Thank goodness that the Chileans believe in onces (afternoon tea/snack) and long leisurely meals - you have to ask for the check!

Philadelphia Style!

2007-07-20T00:11:00.000-05:00

We have some huge news!!!!!! As many of you know, I am a huge ice cream fan! This is a passion I share with most Chileans. They have ice cream/gelato shops everywhere and people seem to eat a lot of ice cream, even in the winter! We by no means have a shortage of ice cream here - there's lots of options.

However..... we were in the grocery store the other day and spotted something familiar, but a bit out of place. Turkey Hill Ice Cream imported all the way from Lancaster County, PA. For those of you not from the Philly area, this is some really wonderful stuff! I love it! I will attempt to branch out and try all the local ice creams, but I must confess that I may not be able to stay away from the Turkey Hill!

Guest Post: New Home

2007-07-19T00:16:00.000-05:00

Hello to all my fans!

In my red carrier, AGAIN!!!!

Many of you have been wondering how I'm adjusting to my new home. It has been an eventful and crazy couple of months. Brad & Amy were worried about me and the airplane, but the 13 hour trip was not really a big deal. I did start to wonder, where we were going?

We have been in Chile for a month now & I'm adjusting to my new home. I really love the sunshine that comes in the windows and am looking forward to the warmer months ahead!

I'm enjoying the sunshine and my favorite toy!!!! (Thanks Joe & Carolyn)

Zweiback?

2007-07-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

I found this package when I was going through the grocery store one day. I knew that there were a lot of different influences from other countries in Chile, but I was surprised to see the word "Zweiback". The product did not seem to be the same as the Mennonite Zweiback I grew up eating.

Does anyone know the translation of Zweiback to English? I thought it was something like "double buns". Anyway, the pictured Zweiback looks like crunchy bread and not soft dinner rolls. Seeing this package made me feel like the world is smaller than one thinks!

A Coffee Surprise!

2007-07-15T11:25:00.000-05:00

A few days ago we received a very welcome surprise in the mail. I came home from eating lunch with Brad and our sweet, smiling conserje (doorman), Jose, handed me a package! Our friend, Crystal, had sent us two pounds of glorious coffee! By the time I got up to our apartment I was of course crying, being the big baby I am, at her thoughtfulness! Thank you Crystal!

Crystal's coffee inspired me to attempt to bake for the first time since being here! Baking & cooking is something I love to do, however, it has been a little intimidating since I have to convert cups to milliliters and Fahrenheit to Celsius and hunt down all the ingredients. Anyway, I felt inspired and made a batch of Cinnamon Rolls that went beautifully with the Coffee

Perros Libres

2007-07-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

In Santiago, there are a lot of Street Dogs, or Free Dogs. These dogs hang out on the street - they are not wild and not even that mangy looking. They come in all shapes and sizes and are pretty docile. One evening, Brad & I were escorted home by a charming German Shepherd. He walked us to our gate and sat outside our building for awhile. I felt like we needed to give him a tip!

Anyway, as most of you know, I can go a little overboard with animals and when I first saw all the street dogs, I thought, I'm going to want to feed and take care of all these dogs. However, they seem really happy living on the street and just being free! Here's a few of the locals!

Fun with Food in Chile!

2007-07-08T12:03:00.000-05:00

The aji (ah-HEE) pepper is a very common chili pepper in Chile and is used in everything. It has a very mild taste and is not very spicy.

A stir-fry of local veggies and of course aji peppers!

We buy our milk in a box!!! Growing up on fresh milk, this strikes me as very strange. The milk does not have to be refrigerated until opened. I could have my boxed milk in the cupboard for months & months! It tastes fine!

Skiing In The Andes!

2007-07-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July!!!

Brad & I went skiing this past weekend! It was so strange to ski in July! The skiing area was called La Parva and was about an hour away from Santiago. We left our apartment at about 7am and got home at 9pm. It was great because we were able to rent all our equipment and clothing on the way to the slopes!

This was only Brad's second time skiing and he did very well. We hope to go again at the end of the month and are excited to try more difficult slopes! The powder and amount of snow was crazy, but was great to ski on!

Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

Santiago off in the distance, under a cloud of lovely fog/smog!!!

Where is all the Coffee?!?!

2007-06-30T11:34:00.001-05:00

The $10.00 coffee compared to India! She's not very big either!!!!!

We were warned before we arrived in Chile that coffee here is pretty bad. This seemed strange to us because when you think coffee, you think South America. Right!?!?! Well, before airplanes, Chile was isolated from other countries due to the Andes. So coffee that is grown on the other side of the mountains never made it! Instead, the British colonies had a larger influence and brought Chinese tea across the Pacific. So good coffee has not really caught on. The hot drink of choice is usually tea or Nescafe/Sanka instant coffee, which does not satisfy our coffee cravings.

Now, as many of you know, for a long time, I did not appreciate coffee. I didn't like the smell, the taste, anything. However, being married to a coffee lover/snob for 5 years, has really made me love a good cup of coffee. Actually, the only kitchen item we brought with us was a French press, so you can imagine our disappoinment when we found out that good coffee is hard to find.

So we have found a couple of Starbucks locations that, of course, have fantastic coffee. Also, when I went out to a grocery store in the suburbs, I found some Illy coffee that we could make at home. Any good coffee is super expensive - the 4.4 oz Illy can was almost $10.00 (US). This will have to be a special treat and not an every morning thing!

All Better Now!

2007-06-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

We have good news to report!!!!! We are feeling so much better! It started to feel like we would never get over being sick. Also, on Wednesday evening our hot water heater was finally repaired. I never realized how much I appreciate hot water. The weather has become pretty nice. For the past few days, the daytime temperature has been in the 60s and in the evening, the high 30s. The days have been pretty clear. During the winter months, the smog in Santiago tends to be pretty bad because the city is surrounded by mountains and it tends to rain less. However, we have had some beautiful blue skies. While Brad has been working, I've spent some time exploring the city, learning the bus & subway system & people watching!

This is a big church , La Concepcion, near our apartment in Providencia that is a great landmark, especially when traveling on the bus

The Catedral de Santiago in Santiago Centro right off of the Plaza de Armas, which is a large square.

What Will Happen Next?

2007-06-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

So we've been having some good days and some bad days. It has started to feel like thus far into our trip "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong!"

1. We've both been sick with various problems (I won't go into details!)
2. This past week was the coldest Santiago had seen in the past 20 years!
3. Our hot water heater broke on Friday night & is still not fixed. The new one is supposed to come in tomorrow!!! (It is winter here - in case you Northerners all forgot! We've taken a few really cold showers and I've been heating up pots & pots of water on our stove for baths - that only takes an hour or so!
4. This afternoon, the electricity went out all over our neighborhood, Providencia. It was only off until around 8pm, so it could have been much more worse. We did end up finding a good little Italian restaurant, which was the plus of the evening!!!!

Please don't get me wrong - things aren't awful. We both felt better for the weekend and were able to go out and about. On Saturday we went to Santiago Centro, which has many government and older buildings. Then we went out to a mall in the neighborhood of Las Condes and ate hamburgers at a TGI Fridays (this marks our first visit ever to this franchise)! On Sunday we found a church that has English services and felt very welcome there. The church is about an hour away from our house, but it feels like a good fit! So we are very thankful for finding a church so soon (Thanks Joe!)

Santiago in Winter!!!!

2007-06-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

The View From Brad's Office Window

We arrived in Santiago, Chile almost a week ago! Things are going well - at least now. Brad & I were sick soon after we arrived; fevers & colds. We haven't had too much time to explore, but here are some pictures of the beautiful Andes! They really are amazing. Sometimes I look at them and can hardly believe they are real or that we're here.

It is definitely winter here. The weather has been rainy, most days and about 50 degrees Farenheit during the day and 30 degrees Farenheit at night. We're so glad we brought our winter coats. While it is raining down in the city, it is snowing up in the mountains, which makes for some good skiing - so we've heard!

We will be posting some blogs from the past month, so be sure to look below! I hope to be better about posting more regular blogs now that we are more settled!

View From Our Bathroom Window!

Hong Kong Trip, Vol I

2007-06-20T20:08:00.000-05:00

Our trip to Hong Kong to visit Matt & Erika was fantastic! We were traveling for 9 days from May 23-June 1. We saw a lot of the city and were able to experience Matt & Erika's lives in Hong Kong. Visit Brad's flickr photos if you would like to see more!

Mt Fuji from our airplane window on the flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong. We were so surprised!

Brad & Amy at The Peak, an observation deck, that overlooks Hong Kong.

A delicious night out at Thai Basil!

Our beautiful and tasty desserts from Thai Basil.

Hong Kong Trip, Vol II

2007-06-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

New, fun glasses - Hong Kong prices!

Matt, Erika, Brad & Amy in Mong Kok (one of the most densely populated areas in the world!)

A day at the beach for Brad, Amy, & Erika too!

Our favorite Vitamin Water flavor - dragon fruit!

Our trip to the big buddha

Hong Kong Trip, Vol III

2007-06-20T18:33:00.000-05:00

Durian is an exotic fruit that we had been told smells like rotten flesh or dead animal. It smelled like a combination of onions and garlic & tasted similarly. It did end up being pretty disgusting! Here's the sequence of Brad & I trying Durian!

Kansas, the Land of Ahhs!!!

2007-05-22T13:51:00.000-05:00

We have arrived in Kansas! We made it in Sunday evening and even though we are about 4 days late, we're thankful we made it safe & sound. By the looks of these clouds, Brad & I are hoping we may experience some good old fashioned Kansas Thunderstorms!!!

I'm posting a bunch of entries from the last month that I didn't have time to complete, what with Brad finishing school, me quitting my job, moving out of our apartment, preparing to move to Chile, seeing friends and our family visiting Philly. So take a minute and have a look back - it has been a busy, but exciting month!

Tomorrow, we leave to visit Matt & Erika in Hong Kong!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Hendrices!

2007-05-21T01:49:00.000-05:00

John, Andrea, & Jack

We visited our friends John, Andrea, & Jack in St. Louis as we were driving to Kansas! We had a great time! Jack really loved India. Thanks guys!

Leaving Philly

2007-05-19T01:42:00.000-05:00

We finally got our visas and left Philly this afternoon! A huge thank you to Joe & Carolyn for letting us stay with you guys for a few nights! India already misses Calvin - please pass that on to him!

India is having some difficulty being zipped up in her bag. At home, she liked to sit in it, but she doesn't like to be stuck in it. She pretty much mowed for 2 hours straight - all the way from Philly to Harrisburg. After a while we let her out and she explored the car and then fell asleep on top of the carrier! She just wants to be in control. Hopefully she will get more used to it by the end of our trip and will be ready for the flight to Chile!!!!

Graduation

2007-05-15T01:29:00.000-05:00

Brad's graduation was held at the Academy of Music in Center City. Brad's parents and my parents came for a few days. It was fun and we were all so proud of Brad!

Happy Mom's Day!

2007-05-15T01:25:00.000-05:00

We were lucky to spend Mother's Day with our mothers this year! This morning my mom, Brad's mom & I went and had pedicures and manicures. We all felt pampered and hope to do this more often!

Small Group Send Off & Graduation Party!

2007-05-14T01:27:00.000-05:00

Our Small group/Bible study from Tenth had a dinner for us on Thursday night. Troy & Katie, thanks for being such amazing hosts and for sharing your precious puppy with us all! We are very thankful for the friends we've made in our bible study.

My mom came into town, so she was able to come with us. It was great to have her meet our friends in Philly! We had such a nice time!

On Sunday, we had a graduation party for Brad. All our parents were there and friends from Tenth! Thanks everyone for celebrating this exciting time with us!

Saying Adios is Hard!

2007-05-09T13:23:00.000-05:00

The Recreation Department took me out for lunch today - we went and had Mexican, my favorite!!! You all are a great bunch of people to work with and I will miss being a part of the Department! I love you all!

Surprise Party

2007-05-08T01:03:00.000-05:00

I am so sad to be leaving my job! My coworkers and residents are so great. They had a surprise party for me today! I was truly surprised! I'm going to miss you all so much!

Packing Craziness!

2007-05-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

We're in the middle of packing!!! Can you find India????

Stoop Sale

2007-05-06T01:14:00.000-05:00

Today we had a stoop sale, which is like a garage sale or yard sale. However, we have neither in Philadelphia, so we call it a stoop sale! We were able to sell a bunch of our things and spend a nice morning out in the beautiful weather! Joe & Carolyn came over and hung out with us! We had the Liller/Lewis special for lunch - a pizza and cheesesteak from Lazaro's! Yum! We will sure miss you guys!!!!!!!!!

Later in the afternoon, my dad arrived from Kansas and we went and had coffee with some of his friends from Lancaster County! It was a great day!

Start the Celebration!

2007-04-29T15:07:00.000-05:00

Brad is done with Law School!!!!! All that is left is Graduation!

Laura, Kevin, Emily & Brandon came down from New York to help kick off the festivities! Joe & Carolyn made wonderful fajitas and let us all hang out at their house all weekend! It was wonderful to hang out with friends and to spend some time together before we leave for Chile!

New Carrier

2007-04-29T15:05:00.000-05:00

India has decided on her mode of transportation to Kansas & then on to Santiago! She seems very comfortable in her snazzy, new red bag. I've been feeding her treats and tuna occassionally in the bag. Also, I took her to the park. At home, she takes naps in the bag and also jumps in and out of it! Hopefully, it will work out!

Piso Nuevo

2007-04-20T00:46:00.000-05:00

We found an apartment! Thank goodness for craigslist! Brad & I are so excited about this place. It is in the neighborhood Providencia, which is supposed to have great little restaurants and shops! There is also a police station, 2 grocery stores and a metro stop nearby! The place comes fully furnished, including a stocked kitchen! I'm probably most excited about the pool! (Mom, I promise to wear lots of sunscreen!!!! )

For more pictures go to http://munickel.vtrbandaancha.net/

Building from the outside

Living Room & View

Kitchen

Staircase to loft - India is going to LOVE these stairs!

View of Santiago from our Window!

We're Moving!

2007-04-18T22:56:00.000-05:00

It is for real!!! Brad & I are officially moving to Santiago, Chile. Brad will be working as a Foreign Associate for 1 year at a Law Firm in Santiago. He expects his work to be both international and domestic. We are very excited to go on this adventure. I've been reading all I can find on Chile and getting more excited/nervous as time moves on!

I put in my resignation at work on April 9th and have pretty much spent the last two weeks telling coworkers and residents about the big move. I've also spent a lot of time crying. Once a sweet, older lady (a bubby) starts crying, it's hard to hold back the tears! I'm sure there will be many more tears & hugs to come. My last day of work will be May 9th! I'm really going to miss my life at the Slipper!!!!

Ahhh Ahhh Kansas!

2007-04-18T22:50:00.000-05:00

I miss these nice Kansas sunsets.

Happy Birthday India!!!!

2007-04-15T22:33:00.000-05:00

India is three years old today, actually 21 in cat years!

Amy is encouraging India to pose for a photo.
We got India from a local shelter soon after we moved to Philly! She is four months in these younger pictures.

Brad & India - look no red eye!!!
These two like to fight. India plays pretty rough & will wait for Brad to walk by and attack his leg.

This is a recent picture of India. Happy Birthday!

March Madness!!!

2007-03-17T15:40:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was a beautiful day - 75 degrees and sunny! Brad & I went for a walk in the evening, people were out enjoying the weather, kids and dogs were playing in Rittenhouse Square, all the outdoor eateries were overflowing - spring was here!

Then Bam! Thursday night a cold front came in, starting with rain and turning to ice pellets by Friday morning. We ended up with four inches of ice/snow by Friday evening and tons of cancellations due to the weather! Even though I felt I was fooled into thinking it was spring, it was fun to watch all the basketball games all cozy in our house with a cheese steak and hot wings from Lazaros! That's what March Madness is about!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

2007-03-11T21:19:00.001-05:00

In our house we are very excited about the Jayhawks, especially since March has arrived! Brad & I tend to take turns wearing a certain KU shirt every time they play - I guess we've become a bit superstitious.

India has even taken a turn!!!

Here's hoping that KU will win it all! (Knock on wood!!!)

Bath Time Fun

2007-02-21T22:52:00.000-06:00

India has discovered a new place to cat nap - the Bathtub! One corner of our tub is always warm and India enjoys being cozy, especially in the winter!

I think her pink nose and the pink tub look especially cute together!!!

Philly con Queso

2007-02-21T22:42:00.000-06:00

There are several reasons why I chose the name Philly con Queso.

1. I live in Philly
2. I love cheese dip
3. Philly Cheese Steaks! yum!