Pumpkins, Retreats and Horses OH MY!

It's been TOO long since I've updated everyone. It's just been a little harder without our computer...I don't even know the official cause of the crash but we are now the proud owners of a Macbook...this is my first time using it and it's not too hard...it's just different. Nate is considering going back to school and so we figured we should get a reliable computer and if he doesn't go back then we will still have a reliable computer. There are some really cool features of Macs that we liked a lot. Such as these photos we took the


-I can already hear your laughter!

Let's start with October! Here are some pictures of our trip to the HUGE pumpkin patch called Lombardi Ranch.

They have a ton o pumpkins- fat ones, white ones, light orange, bright orange, green and white, squashed ones, sun flowers, hay rides, peting zoo? I might have made up the petting zoo LOL but you get the point.



It was a fun trip with our friends Kyle and Kathy. Kyle is the up and coming pastor for our church. He is still in seminary studying like a mad man. Kathy and I have become really close since we have similar personalities and both substitute. We have free time to get together and bake, sew, and dress like rock stars. Rock stars?

Yes, 80s rock stars. Out church had a womens retreat a few weeks ago with an Back to the Future 80s theme. We stayed in cabins near Mountain High -the local snowboarding location. Is was pretty chilly most of the time. Last year there was already snow on the ground, the 2nd week of November.

Anyways so the retreat was fun...


I was able to meet more of the women in the church. I was really convicted of my time in the word by a few messages and God has been faithful in renewing my desire to be reading and enjoying it! The first night involved some of the women dancing to song from Back to the Future with new lyrics. There was a guitar solo- this is where Kathy and I rocked out with guitar hero guitars in full 80s gear. Later on in the weekend I had a real solo of my own. "Am I a Soldier of the Cross" is an old hymn that one of the ladies wrote music for. It was just me and the keyboard and everyone looking at me....dang! I haven't been nervous to sing in a while because usually everyone is singing with me! It's always fun for me to sing though....this week Nate and I lead worship for Bible study and then Sunday I lead worship with a few others for the high school group.

Nate surprised me for my birthday and took me down below (L.A. area) to Hollywood where surprisingly there is horse ranch. We went horse back riding, just the 2 of us and our guide.

It was a fun ride because I had never done anything like it....it was 1.5 hours through the hills/forest to a Mexican restaurant, eat dinner and then 1.5 hours back through the hills/forest in the dark. I've never ridden in the dark before and it was amazing. There is one point where you are on top of a hill and can look out over L.A., Glendale and I can't remember the 3rd city right now....but it's so peaceful and you just realize how small we are when you see how many people there really are around you! Here is picture of the sunsetting and part of a city in the back. I know my helmet doesn't fit....

It was fun to ride up hills also...don't have those in FL! We saw a coyote on the trail....he was stalking Nate.


We are hopefully going to Mexico next weekend. The church is going on a mission trip in December so Nate, Kyle, Kathy and I are going to go down next week, follow a church and see how they run the show to make sure we are prepared for December. I'm really looking forward to this. If you've ever talked to me about Spanish, you'll know that I would love to fluent and I do have some knowledge of he language. I'm hoping through these trips I will be able to recall some of what I know and communicate with the people. I'm looking forward to meeting the people and helping to serve their church as well. Pray that Nathan's passport shows up soon!