The gift that keeps on giving...CHRISTMAS

The days after Christmas always leave my heart feeling sad. The parties are over, the presents are gone, the decor comes down, and the radio stations stop playing Christmas music. The season we've all been wating from comes and then goes in the blink of an eye. But today as I unpack our bags from an awesome weekend...I also have a happy feeling in my heart because of the new memories made, fun celebrations, and good things to come in 2011.

This Christmas was a special one as Pete and I were celebrating my completion of nursing school (on Dec. 19th-picture one) and looking forward to the coming year. . .SCHOOL FREE. We also had a warm and cozy Christmas seeing lots of family up in Seattle/Lynden. We watched our favorite holiday movies, ate yummy food, drank good wine, coffee, tea, and coco, played lots of ROOK, and cherished the moments with the ones we love. Last night we went to my cousin and dear friend Leah's wedding reception. She was married to a wonderful guy (MARCO) from Honduras this past November. It was pretty neat sharing in their happiness and seeing many friends (picture two) and relatives whom we've not seen in a long time. It was a JOYFUL weekend ALL around.

We feel blessed by all the love we have from the amazing people in our life. I, Maggie, am personally so thankful to pete,my family, friends, and co-students for their support and encouragement in helping me accomplish my dream of becoming a NURSE. That was the best Christmas gift I got. :)

All this good cheer got me to thinking that the warmth and love at Christmas keeps us going through the year and keeps us anticipating next year's Christmas. Christmas, in itself, is the gift that keeps giving...the traditions, the laughs, and most importantly celebrating the birth of Jesus. We know that even when it all ends...it will come back around in 365 days.

So this week...as you take down your tree, pack your Christmas lights back in the box, or eat the last Christmas cookie on the plate...don't feel sad because it is over...feel blessed because you got to live and experience another Christmas. Make the memories last through out the whole year and look forward to making new ones next Christmas!

Donor Milk continued....

http://dailyme.com/story/2010121500003544/legacy-hospitals-portland-offer-donor-milk.html

I know a couple months ago I blogged about donor breast milk and how it is becoming more available. I wanted to share the link to this article above about real evidence of this here in Portland, OR! Amazing!

A tribute to Hector

"I'll take one breakfast burrito, a tube of hot sauce and a cup of water please!"

For any of my friends and family who came to visit me when I lived in San Diego or have been to San Diego with me simultaneously, they will all say one thing...I love Hector's!

I was first introduced to Hector's Mexican Food during my first year at Point Loma. My buddies and I would get up every saturday morning for a dawn patrol session (early morning surfing for those who aren't informed) and would ride waves until our stomachs and shoulders could no longer take the aching. We had a very simple but theraputic formula after each surfing session...grab a hector's breakfast burrito and sneak into Humphrey's Half Moon resort to sit in the hot tub! Honestly, We must have done this 30 to 40 times during that first year. Hector's became somewhat of a Phenomena that year. The news of this unbelievably tasty burrito for only $3.65 was spreading like wildfire thoughout the campus of PLNU. Before we knew it, every time we went to Hector's we would see several fellow students enjoying what we call "Hector's sweet Nectar."

When I graduated from PLNU in 2006, I naturally thought that as time went by, I would ever so slowly veer away from the eggs, cheese, bacon and potato all wrapped in a fresh tortilla... I could NOT have been more wrong. What I realized is that it's not only the amazing taste of the burrito I love so much, but it's the story behind Hector himself. For roughly 15 years, Hector has been serving Mexican Food 364 days a year only taking a day off on Christmas day. He comes from a small town in Mexico where many of his relatives still live. I am not sure how many there are, but he supports many of his family members in Mexico thru his restaurant by working seven days a week for 12 hours each day. Hector is not only a great chef, but a hard working, honorable family man!

Although I have moved from San Diego and now live back in the Pacific Northwest, I still visit San Diego frequently to see family and friends. Whenever I am back in San Diego, you can bet on it that I will be at Hector's as many times as possible. Even if a year has gone by, it sounds like this, "Hola Pete...how are you? Let me guess, breakfast burrito?" It never fails; every time I take a bite out of a breakfast burrito I can't help but think of the many good times spent at Hector's! So here's to you Hector-I look forward to many more burritos!

-Pete

MISSING IN ACTION

I know we've have been out of touch for awhile...man life has been busy! I feel like I just blinked and now it is almost Christmas! I'm excited to start blogging again.

Here's a little upate-I (Maggie) moved up to live with my parents in Birch Bay the end of October and was up there for just about a month. I wasn't sick of Pete :)-I went up there to do my final nursing rotation in the Child Birth Center. My school allows a certain number of students to do distance learning for the last semester and I chose to do my practicum in Bellingham. I had 12-12 hr shifts and it was amazing. I learned so much and loved every minute of my time with the moms and babies. I am more sure than ever that this is the field of nursing for me. There is no greater joy in the world to me than watching a new innocent life come into this world. I also enjoyed seeing some of my friends and relatives while being back in my home town. It was wonderful to have my mom cooking me some delicious meals and packing my lunches just like old times. ;)

Pete on the other hand was living the bachelor life back in Beaverton. He spent a lot of time at the gym, but did come up to visit me twice -which was great. I came back home mid-November and was only home for a couple days and we took a road trip to LA/San Diego with my parents. We had a fun time visiting Pete's sister Molly in LA and even got to visit her on the Conan O'Brien show where she works. It was a kick seeing her in action. We spent a week in San Diego for Thanksgiving visiting dear family and friends and waiting waiting waiting for our niece to be born. My brother Zach and his wife Laura were expecting their first baby due Dec. 1st. We headed home the night of the 1st wishing we could stay to meet the baby. She was born on Dec. 3rd as beautiful and healthy as ever! Elle Grey Weg. We cannot wait to get back to San Diego to meet her!! More pictures to come soon of this beauty.

So that is pretty much it in a nutshell...the days and weeks are just zooming by. We hope you all are enjoying the Holiday season that is in full swing!

Haiti Update

Dear Family and Friends,

We had our first Haiti group meeting today! We are a thousand times more excited than we could have ever imagined about this coming experience. We wanted to update you all with some of the details we found out this afternoon from our group leader. Our trip is fast approaching. We leave in 67 days on Dec. 31^st-January 7^th.

There are 22 of us going in the group. We actually have a lot of families going. There are a couple other married couples and a few father-son and mother-daughter teams as well. Our oldest group member is 76 years and our youngest is 17 years. It is a diverse group, but everyone seems very passionate about what we are doing. Pete and I are very excited to get to know them all.

To refresh you. . . We will be working at Grace Village. Grace Village is a church/orphanage/refuge center run by Bishop June and his family. Inside of Grace Village are 22,000 refugees living on 16 acres of land in pup tents. We will now be staying in the hospital at Grace Village instead of the orphanage. This is actually the safest place we could be because “Doctors without Borders” run the hospital. There will be plenty of medical attention if needed. We also found out that Grace Village is a compound surrounded by cement walls with armed security carrying machine guns at all times. We rarely will be traveling outside of Grace Village, never at night.

Our church has had word that the building supplies they sent have been released. So if all goes has planed, our group will be doing a lot of construction. Pete is excited about being part of this. I (Maggie) am hoping to do a lot of medical work at the hospital where we will be staying. There is a possibility that we will be able to bring some medical supplies with us. We will for sure be bringing lots of Christmas presents for the children at the orphanage.

Our leader said that being with the children is the most amazing part. He said they love to be held and hugged and they are amazed by the white color of our skin. He said that they often rub you to see if the color will come off. Last time he was there they were able to have an ice cream feast for the kids. It was the first time that any of these children had ever had ice cream. Pete and I are praying that we will be able to love and bring joy to these children.

Thank-you to those of you who expressed concern about the recent V. Cholera outbreaks in Haiti. We discussed this in detail at the meeting. Currently, our trip will not be cancelled due to this issue. Forward Edge (organization our church is partnering with) is continuing work at Grace Village. We will all be taking extra precautions against this bacterium, as it is a dangerous one. It is found in raw fish and contaminated water. We will be taking extreme caution by only drinking filtered water and only eating cooked foods that are prepared for us. We will also be washing our hands excessively. There are many vaccination recommendations in Haiti, so we have also begun our vaccination process. We received the T-dap, Hep. A, and typhoid vaccines. We also will be taking malaria pills. We ask you all pray for our safety and protection against the numerous diseases (virus and bacteria) that our group will be facing because of the sanitary hazards this country is facing. There was a nurse at our meeting who went over each one of them and it was a little overwhelming.

Many of you have asked what you can specifically pray for….we truly appreciate your prayers. We ask that you pray that God will give us servant’s hearts and flexibility. Haiti has a different pace of life than the USA; they value relationships much more than time management. Our leader said we need to be prepared for plans to change on a daily basis. Lastly, we ask for prayer for our group as we travel from the airport to Grace Village. It will be an hour bus ride and it will be like nothing we have ever imagined. The poverty, death, smells, and grief that we will see is unimaginable. We are starting to prepare our hearts and minds now for this bus ride.

Thank-you ALL again for your support-through prayer, emotionally, and financially! We are coming close to reaching our financial goal! Thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you! We will be accepting donations for our trip until December 20^th.

With Love,

Pete and Maggie Moormeier

What's your passion?

FIND YOUR PASSION

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.

-Robin Williams

I've always had a passion to work with babies, but if someone would have told me ten years ago that I would have a passion to help mothers breastfeed-I would have laughed really hard. I didn't see it coming, but when I found my love for OB nursing I also discovered that I had an interest in lactation consulting. This past September I took a 6-day course on lactation as I am working towards becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). It was an awesome course and I learned so much about the benefits of breastfeeding.

I truly have so much respect for all you mothers out there that have breastfed or attempted breastfeeding. It can be challenging, but what an amazing gift to give your baby!

I have a lot to learn yet in the world of breastfeeding and I also looking forward to gaining knowledge through my own personal experience some day. In the mean time, I am working on compiling a resource list for new mothers and would like to share tips from time to time that I have been reading about or learning from experienced lactation consultants and nurses. Topics I hope to cover are: latch, the concept of "skin -to-skin", hormonal involvement in breastfeeding, common challenges, and how to plan ahead. Look for coming posts!

Today, I'd also like discuss the recent advancement in human milk banking. There are numerous milk banks across the US where mothers can donate their breastmilk and then babies with medical needs can benefit from this milk. In addition, certain hospitals are beginning to have access to donor milk on-site for mothers who are unable to breastfeed, etc. It is quite a process in making sure the milk is safe, but it is becoming more and more achievable. Portland is in the process of fundraising and developing their own milk bank. Right now we get our donor milk from either Denver or California. Below is a link so you can find out more about it. If you are passionate about breastfeeding -this is the perfect chance to get involved.

http://www.nwmmb.org/

One more thing . . .for those of you who have the iphone I would like to suggest an amazing App called "total baby". It helps mothers log and time breastfeeding and other aspects of child's care. The reviews are outstanding!

In conclusion, our passions may surprise us, but if we are inspired in our hearts...why not pursue them? What's your passion?

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

So I've been in the mood this week to use what we have in the kitchen rather than running out to buy ingredients whenever Pete and I have a whim to make something. Well. . . tonight there was slim pickings! I had some fresh cubed butternut squash from whole foods, delicious leftover stuffing from Trader Joes, and pecans. I decided to make a fall concoction. We just finished it and are still licking our lips...So I can proudly say the recipe below is my own..an orginal :)

FALL CONCOCTION

-1-2 cups cubed butternut squash

-1 cup pecans

-1/4 cup butter

-1/4 cup brown sugar

-sprinkle 1 tablespoon or more (depending on preference) of pumpkin pie seasoning

* saute these ingredients together on the stove for 20-30 minutes until the squash is visibly done. When finished pour into bowls and then cover with warm stuffing (brand of your choice)

....serve with a cozy glass of wine!

Petey's post about the PCT

This is Pete. Let me just preface this by saying I am not much of a blogger, so bare with me. Maggie has been asking me to write a little something about my adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail with my buddies Jeff Meakins and Justin Scott...so here it is!

Back in January of this year, my pals Jeff, Justin and I began planning for a 5 day 4 night hike on the Pacific Crest Trail thru the Sisters National Wilderness near Bend, Oregon. After a few months of going back and forth, we decided to start from Lava Camp Lake and head southbound to Elk Lake. All in all totaling around 45 miles from start to finish.

After an awesome evening of fly fishing and campfire at Lava Camp Lake, we began hiking the next morning, August 19th and couldn't have asked for better weather. The first few miles were thru a heavy lava field and off in the distance, we could see the peak of the north sister. At one point that first day, at around 7500 feet in elevation, looking from north to south we could see mt. adams, mt. hood, mt. jefferson, mt washington and the north and middle sister, it was quite breathtaking. We finished for the day at an unbelievably beautiful place called Obsidian Falls. Our campground overlooked the water fall and we could see far off to the west enjoying a beautiful sunset. The only problem...mosquitos were extremely heavy. By the end of the trip, I had over 200 bites! For dinner we had a combination of mac n cheese mixed with chili (meximac) and capped off the night with some whiskey and cribbage!

The next morning, another glorious day. We began hiking southbound on the PCT and decided to take a loop off of the trail about 4 miles into the hike. This was probably the most scenic section. We stopped for some fly fishing and lunch at Eileen Lake. We got a few bites but no hooks! I was able to get in an afternoon nap in Justin's eaglesnest hammock. After that we set off again and hiked another couple of miles to Husband lake where we set up camp for night three. It was only about 2 in the afternoon when we had bathed in the lake and the mosquitos were back again. We spent most of the evening in the tent playing cribbage to avoid the relentless attack of these abnormally large flies. We settled for brown rice and tuna and didn't even have a campfire because the mosquitos were so bad.

The next morning, Justin woke up around 4 am and headed back to Eileen Lake for some early morning fly fishing...still no luck. He got back around 7 am and Jeff and I got up and to our terror, the mosquitos were everywhere again and extremely heavy (they usually aren't out before sunrise). At one point as I was packing up and out of the comfort of my tent, I inhaled a couple of the little buggers. We quickly packed up and began hiking, skipping our usual breakfast of cliff bars and oatmeal. After a few hours, we stopped at a beautiful creek and pumped some fresh water as it was about 85 degrees that day. We made it about 10 miles before we stopped at another lake (can't remember the name) and took a bath and had some lunch. Justin (the guru) had made a sweet mosquito net that we ended up rigging into a dome with our trekking poles (why didn't we think of this earlier) and were able to elude the mosquitos for about an hour nap. We kept on and began hiking up for our final night and had some amazing fews of the south sister. As we were heading up, we passed by several thru hikers (hikers that started from Mexico and were headed for the Canadian border). One guy gave us a hint of a sweet camp spot at about 7000 feet. Shortly after that, we found it and realized that we had discovered the best campsite ever with amazing views of the south sister, mt. bachelor, and broken top mountain. We enjoyed a nice campfire, some whiskey and our traditional last night meal of tortallini with cheese, herbs and sausage (it's amazing when you've been hiking all day).

We awoke to an amazing sunrise and began the descent into Elk Lake, our final destination. When we got to the lodge, we immediately ordered a pitcher of IPA and some bacon cheeseburgers. It was an epic trip of beautiful scenery, nasty mosquitos and good trail food. We've already begun planning for next year...Jefferson Park here we come!

Bye Bye Babies!

Meet Harry and Claire...cutest little Northwest babies ever... out on a fall walk in their rain boots and wool sweaters...zzzzzzzz! These two are always talking, laughing, walking about. and learning new things. They nicknamed me 'Gee (short for Ma-ggie). H and C truly warm my heart!

Meet Grayson...a true "boy's boy" who loves to be outside. He's rough and he's tough...but he also has such a sweet side. His giggle makes me laugh.

Meet his sister Wren...who has a smile that will melt your heart in one second. She also has a true passion for shoes. Their big brother Soren is one intelligent guy who loves creating things and always teaches me something cool when he comes home from school. G, W, and S are a special bunch and I've enjoyed getting to know them in a big way!

GOODBYES have never been easy for me and today I said a sad goodbye. It was my last day nannying for Harry and Claire and next Tuesday will be my last day with Grayson, Wren, and Soren. I've been with both of these families for about 9.5 months. I feel truly blessed to have met each one of these children...each one has touched me in a unique way. Many memories were made. . .from going to the zoo to OMSI (science museum), to long walks outside, playing with toys, running around in the backyard, going to the park, and reading books before nap time. It was also very fun to watch the babies grow and development. For both sets of twins, I had the opportunity to watch them crawl, then walk, begin to talk, and master the art of eating with a spoon. All precious moments that I will never forget. I am truly grateful to both of these families for letting me into their lives and sharing all the joys of "babyhood" and "twinhood" with me. :)

Not only am I saying goodbye to these two wonderful families, but I am saying goodbye to my days as a nanny...which leaves me in a state of disbelief. Over the past 7. 5 years as I have been a student, I've been nannying full-time and part-time for numerous different families in San Diego and Portland. Each family has been different and has taught me something about life, love, and raising kids. My nanny experiences have also shaped my career goals and passions of becoming an OB, NICU, or pediatric nurse. These families have helped make my dream of becoming a nurse possible through all their encouragement and support. I will never be able to thank them all enough for enriching my life!

Being a nanny is a lot more than just a job to me. It truly is something I am proud of and I know it has made me grow as a person; preparing me for a career in nursing and for motherhood some day. There is something so amazing about connecting with a family (kids and parents) and building a special bond with them. I will miss being a nanny very,very much! It is bittersweet though as I now prepare to graduate nursing school and find a job as a nurse. I am very excited about my future career, but I will always remember all the generous, kind, loving, and true families that "nannying" brought my way!

The Good Search

Check out this awesome search engine that is raising money for non-profit organizations and schools. It is just like google, but each time you search you can chose a organization for them to donate to. The link below will explain more and you can start searching...for FREE!

www.goodsearch.com

Autumn Enchiladas

Pete and I made these last night for dinner and they were quite tasty. Perfect for a fall dinner.

Compliments of Taylor and Kaity Haworth

Ingredients:

Tortillas

16 oz can green enchilada sauce

1 sweet potato

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 onion

Cilantro

1 pkg. monterey jack cheese

Directions: *Prepare your baking dish with a thin layer of the enchilada sauce. *Boil the sweet potato for 15-20 minutes or until you can stick a knife through it. Dice up the sweet potato and onion and mix in a bowl with the corn, black beans, cilantro, and half the cheese. *Fill your tortillas with the mixture and place in baking dish. *Top enchiladas with the rest of the enchilada sauce and the cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

FALL IS HERE

Late this morning, Pete and I kept our fall tradition going by heading out to the Rolaff Family Pumpkin Patch in Helvetia, OR (ten minutes from our house). This was our third annual trip. For those of you who don't know, the Rolaff family has TLC tv series called "Little People, Big World". They have a huge farm and for the whole month of October it is a fall festival including pumpkins, wagon rides, tasty food, and more. We usually get our pictures taken with one of the family members, but this year we decided we didn't want to wait in the long line. Pete and I each took our time finding just the perfect pumpkins and then got one little white one for Nellie.

On our way home, we stopped for a beer at the famous Helvetia Tavern. Both the pumpkin patch and the tavern are way out in the country and it was a gorgeous day. While we were sitting at an outside table a big farm tractor drove by us going down the country road. Pete says, "Man, we've got to live in a city like this where tractors just drive down the middle of the road." I had to laugh as he just loves nature.

It was a delightful morning as we welcomed fall into our home by decorating with our new pumpkins!

LIVE GOOD

Last weekend while visiting my parents, my mom gave me the most thoughtful gift. It was a little quote book with all sorts of inspirational sayings. The title of the book is LIVE GOOD. My mom knows me so well because she knew I would just love something like this. Well of course. . .it inspired me to blog. You may see many of these wonderful quotes popping up in my posts.

The first quote that really hit home was "Be There When You're There". This is in relation to living in the moment. Even before reading this, I have been pushing myself to enjoy each day for what it is. I often find myself looking ahead to the next thing on the to do list or even adding more things to the to do list when I'm not even able to accomplish everything on the list in the first place. And sometimes, as crazy as it sounds, I find myself planning something fun for a future weekend when I'm still the midst of enjoying a perfectly good weekend that is presently happening.

Sometimes it takes a conscious mental effort on my part to be 100 percent involved in what I am doing and relax and enjoy it. I think this a good way to live. Cherish what is happening today not what will happen tomorrow. I think "being there when you're there" means loving life and savoring each moment good or bad. It means being present and paying attention to the people and events happening right in front of you, right now.

"Right now a moment of time is passing by! We must become that moment."

-Paul Cezanne

Savoring

The pictures I chose are of recent memories where I felt like the passing moments were truly savored!

The one of my dad and I is after we accomplished our half marathon last weekend. It was a life goal of ours and it felt awesome to cross the finish line hand-in-hand.

The other pictures are with our dear friends the VanderVeen's when they came to visit over Labor day weekend. We had an amazing time with them as they are a very special family near-and-dear to our hearts. The picture of Pete with Ellie and Kloe- is when he dared them to run through the fountain for a dollar at the Farmer's Market in their clothes...those braves souls took the dare and each got a dollar! Also when they were here, we ate a delicious breakfast at The Waffle Window and I cherished every bite of my waffle. :)

Taylor Haworth. . .You will be missed!

On September first, I said goodbye to one of my dearest friends Taylor. She moved to Iowa to start her nursing career and live by her boyfriend Daniel (who just started Med school there).

Taylor and I met in nursing school exactly two years ago, but it feels like I have known her forever. We've encouraged each, studied together, quizzed each other, laughed and cried at crazy nursing school experiences, and shared the same passion for helping babies. She is truly an amazing person and if any of you live in the midwest. . .you will have one awesome nurse working for you there. :) Taylor is always positive, she has one of the best laughs I've ever heard, and she always sees the good in people and situations. I miss you already Taylor!

We had a goodbye dinner together with our other dear friend-Maria- at Olive Garden. (I could also write a book about how special Maria is). We ate lots of breadsticks and talked about all our good times. The three of us truly just "get" each other and never tire talking about nursing. When I started nursing school, I didn't think I would have time to make close friends, but I was wrong. Nobody can get through nursing school without the support and love of the ones walking beside you in your journey. Not only did I make two wonderful friends, but I made a life long bond as we will always share and be connected by nursing. I'm so blessed by them both!

Now I just have to post my favorite poem here as it is so fitting for this goodbye. . .

Bits and pieces.

Bits and pieces.

People. People important to you, people unimportant to you cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness and move on. There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of relief and wonder why you ever came into contact with them. There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of remorse and wonder why they had to go away and leave such a gaping hole. Children leave parents; friends leave friends. Aquaintances move on. People change homes. People grow apart. Enemies hate and move on. Friends love and move on. You think on the many who have moved into your hazy memory. You look on those present and wonder.

I believe in God's master plan in lives. He moves people in and out of each other's lives, and each leaves his mark on the other. You find you are made up of bits and pieces of all who ever touched your life, and you are more because of it, and you would be less if they had not touched you.

Pray God that you accept the bits and pieces in humility and wonder, and never question,

and never regret.

Bits and pieces.

Bits and pieces.

Bliss at Camano Island

On Saturday August 28th, Pete's dad Scott married Julie Harris at his house on Camano Island, WA. It was a beautiful wedding and a touching evening all around. Scott and Julie's love for each other was truly heart warming and was very evident when they read their own vows to each other. Pete, his sister Molly, and myself stood up for Scott. While Julie's two children, Kate and Casey, stood up for her. It was a special night as we blended our families and look forward to good times!

Headed to Haiti

Dear Family and Friends,

We are emailing to tell you all about an amazing opportunity that we have decided to journey on. We will both be going to Haiti this January for 7 days (Dec. 31-Jan. 7) for a mission 's trip with our church (Solid Rock). We are very excited about this trip as we have been looking into doing a mission trip for quite some time. When our church announced that they would be sending a group once a month for a year to Haiti (they started in July 2010), we felt like this was something God was calling us to be part of.

Our church is partnering with Forward Edge to help in Haiti. Forward Edge is a long-term disaster relief organization out of Vancouver, WA. In Haiti, we will be working at Grace Village, which is an orphanage and church refuge center right outside of Port-au-Prince. Right now there are 25,000 people, who are homeless from the earthquake, living on 10 acres of land at Grace Village. These families live in tents, sometimes up to 10-12 people in a 2-4 man tent. Grace village strives to provide a faith environment for the people, provides facilities such as showers and toilets, and has set up a feeding program for the children. When our group comes we will be working on maintenance of the village (sanitizing and keeping toilets/showers running), helping in the feeding program (sometimes feeding up to 600 children a day), and helping with construction projects. The goal is to move the people out of tents and into more permanent living facilities in case disaster strikes again. I (Maggie) will also be helping medically (as a nurse) as these people desperately need healthcare. Our group will be staying at the girl's orphanage on Grace Village and we will also be spending time with these girls and traveling to the boy's orphanage to spend time there as well. *We have two group meetings coming up and we will keep you all updated as we continue to find out more about this trip.

Our group leader informed us that this will be a life changing experience. It is heart breaking to see the poverty that these people, especially children, are living in. We are asking for your support as we prepare our hearts and minds to serve these people and we ask you to pray for our team (so far there is 22 of us going)...Specifically for safety, courage, and flexibility as we strive to make the most of our time there and really reach the needs of the people at Grace village. We also ask you pray for a revival among this nation so they can know, love, and accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior.

Lastly, the next four months we will be fundraising for this trip. The cost is $1,200 per person making our total cost $2,400. If you can give financially we would truly appreciate it! If you are able to give at this time, please make out checks to Solid Rock Church and mail directly to us at:

Pete and Maggie Moormeier

633 NW Newstead Terrace

Beaverton, OR 97006

Thank-you very much for your prayers and support as we get ready for this mission!

We would like to leave you with our group verse for this trip: Colossians 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Sincerely and With Love,

Pete and Maggie Moormeier

New Obession

Some of my health-nut friends encouraged me to try greek yogurt. I had a taste once and was not sure how I felt. I recently got the Trader Joe's Non-Fat Greek Honey Yogurt and it is AMAZING. They were right that it is addicting! If you are headed to the grocery store this week, I urge you to try it!

ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA TART

I made this earlier in the summer and it was a hit. I meant to post it in the middle of zucchini season,. . .but for those of you who still that need to use up zucchinis for a good breakie dish. . .this is mighty fine!

Compliments of Rachel Ray!

4 zucchini (thin sliced crosswise)

SALT AND PEPPER

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 pinch nutmeg

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer zucchini in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt; let stand for 20 minutes. Rinse, then pat dry.

2.) Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to remove the creases. Press the pastry into 9-inch pie plate and trim the excess, so the crust is flush with rim. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork. Refrigerate.

3.) In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, turning until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dill and remove from heat; let cool to room temp.

4.) In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan and half-and-half; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the zucchini. Pour the mixture into chilled pastry crust and sprinkle with more parmesan. Bake until a knife is inserted in the center and comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing.

America's Finest City

An evening out with Kelly
View of the city from Shelter Island
The Alamo crew
Beach Day at Tourmaline
Ready for a surf

San Diego, CA has a special place in our hearts. It is the city where Pete and I first met 6 years ago in theatre class at Point Loma Nazarene University. The city was our background for falling in love and then we lived there for the first two years of our marriage. Needless to say, we love going back to visit and sometimes wonder why we left in the first place (we love Portland, but you just can’t beat the beaches/weather down there).

We just returned home from a wonderful long visit and had enough time to hit most of our favorite places and see our dear friends and family. Pete was able to get his fill of surfing and I was able to get my fill of beach time and ocean air. Pete left SD before me to head out on his big hike (more to come on this) and my friend Kelly flew in to SD to finish the trip off with some girl time. We had beautiful weather and were surrounded with beautiful people that I miss already.

It is funny because San Diego has such a variety of things to do and different sub-areas, that depending who you talk to you, you could experience the city in many different ways. Pete and I compiled a list below of some of our favorite spots so the next time you are in the area, maybe you can try a few and experience the city how we experience it. We are already excited to head back to SD for our Thanksgiving visit and to re-visit these spots below. It is no surprise that San Diego is nicknamed “America’s Finest City”.

Some of our Favorite Spots:

*Hector’s for burritos (Pete had one almost every morning of the trip)

*Miguel’s for Mexican food (the cheese sauce is out of this world)

*Stone Brewery (great for group dinners)

*Hooley’s Pub (unique Irish bar in Rancho San Diego)

*Wine Steals for wine and pizza

*Chronic Smoothies for a Coconana Crème smoothie (located in Birdrock)

*The Big Squeeze for acai bowls

*Yogurt Mill for frozen yogurt (located in El Cajon-best froyo for your buck)

*Bird Rock Coffee Company for a cup of joe (they roast their own coffee)

*Pacific Beach Ale House for a beer by the beach

*La Jolla Shores beach

*Tourmaline Beach (Pacific Beach)

*Coronado Island for a beach/shopping day (Hotel Del Coronado)

*Sunset Cliffs for running, surfing, or cliff jumping

*Shelter Island for a great view of the city at sunset.

*Mission Beach for a happening spot on Saturdays

*Little Italy for an Italian dinner (down town San Diego)

*W Hotel Beach Bar for a drink (down town San Diego-Thursdays nights they have yoga and wine)

*The Rock Church (Liberty Station)

*Horizon Church (Clairemont)

All the Joys of July

There are 31 days in JULY and each one was filled with JOY! The main reason is because our house/city has been full of some of our favorite people.

. . .Over the fourth of July, our dear friends Mel and Brandon stayed with us. They have been teaching in Hungary for the past year and we missed them greatly. We had a wonderful time catching up, laughing, and showing them our favorite places (which included the coast, fireworks at lake oswego, hot stone pedicures, and of course some good eats). Our hearts were filled with joy to reunite with these life-long friends.

. . .Next up, one of my friend's since childhood-Heather- got married in Portland. Our whole high school crew was in town for the week of the wedding. From the bachelorette party to the last minutes of the wedding reception-it was a blast celebrating together. We've not all been together for years- so this was a very joyful occasion remembering old times and catching each other up on our current lives!

. . .The night of the wedding my brother Zach and his wife Laura flew into Portland. My parents were also in town. We spent the next 4 days as a family going here there and everywhere. Shopping, golf, dessert, wine tasting, and rook were some of the high points. We were all stuffed into our condo-pete and I even camped in our living room (which was pretty hilarious)! The greatest joy of this visit was anticipating and discussing Zach and Laura's baby girl who is due December 1st. We are a proud aunt and uncle already!

. . .Last, but not least our San Diego friends Bill and Amanda came out for my birthday at the end of July. It was thrilling having them here to celebrate. We did a kayak tour and ate delicious thai food. Then we ventured to the gorge for a three day camping adventure with our dear friends Forest and Ashley. The six of us had a blast and even endured a thunder and lightening storm while camping. I felt complete joy when the six of us did a hike to a beautiful waterfall together. It was awesome.

There is nothing like having close friends and family visit. It has made this summer more than memorable. I cherish every minute of time with the ones I love. It makes our home feel even more "homey" when we house the people who make life more beautiful! SO thank-you to all our special visitors. You are all welcome back to Portland ANY time!

Pictures with Our Visitors

Headed out on our kayak tour by Ross Islands with Bill and Amanda!
Nellie at the beach-she loved the visitors too!
with Amanda and Ash at the beautiful waterfall!

Pictures with Our Visitors

with my brother Zach Wine Tasting by Mt. Hood!
with Zach, Laura (and baby :))!
Some of the high school crew (Avery, Kelli, Me, Leah, and Rachel)!
Mel and I matching on the 4th ;)!
Brandon and Pete at Cannon Beach!

Happy Birthday to Gram

Happy Birthday to Margaret Timmer (aka Midge)! At 78-years old she is vibrant, kind-hearted, thoughtful, active, beautiful, and intelligent. She is amazing-she goes to cardiac rehab weekly to exercise, is awesome at sudoku, is a whiz on the internet, and has an outstanding sense of style. I am proud to say that my gram is one of my best friends. I started out with a special bond to her as I was named after her. My grandma knows me so well and whenever we are together I have an extreme sense of comfort. She always remembers her grandchildren's birthdays and special occasions. She is always giving and doing things for others.

So today I want to give her a public birthday card/tribute :). . .

GRAM-thank-you for being you. you are an inspiration to me and one of my biggest role models. Your dedication to your family is something that we can all learn from. NO matter what I've done you have believed in me and supported me. I am forever grateful to you for all the things you taught me:staying strong in the faith of Jesus Christ, organization, remembering others, and loving people with your whole heart (these are just a few of many). So Happy Birthday- I hope it is a wonderful one because you deserve the world! I cannot wait to celebrate with you in a couple weeks! I love you soo much!

Nellie's new form of transportation. . .

This past weekend Pete and I went to Birch Bay to visit family, friends, and celebrate our 4 year anniversary. It was a great weekend and one of the high points was riding around Birch Bay on our beach cruisers with my parents. Nellie especially enjoyed the ride with the wind in her fur as she took in the view! The best part was that neither my mom or I would dare ride the bike with Nellie because it was tipsy, so Pete and my dad had to take turns riding her around! She loved it! What an experience for her-it won't be the last time.

Real athletes RUN-others just play games

10 K Rum Run
The three of us after finishing the Helvetia Half-Marathon
Taylor and I crossing the finish line of the half-hand in hand!

Webster's dictionary defines the word Run as: an act of going quickly on foot. Yes I have to agree with that, but running is so much more to me. I never have thought of myself as a runner. I love to exercise, I always have, but I usually stick to the eliptical, power walking, or classes at the gym.

Back in 2008, Pete and I challenged each other to a half marathon. We trained and ran the Laguna Hills half marathon in California. It was fun because we did it together, but I did not truly enjoy the running and it didn't stick after the marathon was over. This spring my friend Maria from school has been a running machine. She inspired me and our other friend Taylor. The three of us have been running since April (some more the others) with the goal of running the Helvetia half marathon on June 12th. Well I'm proud to say we all finished it this past saturday. It was pretty intense (I had a stomach bug) and quite hilly, but we did it! They were awesome running buddies and I could not have done it without them.

This time all the running has felt different-some how running has transformed into something I crave and admire. To me running is an outlet-a way to relax after a long day, a way to challenge and push oneself. By no means is it easy for me and every time I approach a big hill I despise running altogether. The point is I see the beauty in it and I see why it is so contagious. With running there is no boundaries or limits-you can around the block or you can run until your lungs hurt. I love the variety, diversity, scenic views, the sweat, and the way it leaves you feeling when your done. I still do not consider myself a hardcore runner, but I see myself as someone who is embracing the art of running and reaping the benefits.

So what's next for my world of running? A life goal of mine is to run a half or a full marathon with my dad. Now he is a true runner at heart. So we are looking into some races this fall. I'm thinking we better do one soon before my steam runs out. :)

Health Tips: CPR

Last week I took an awesome certification class at the local community college called Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Along with it I renewed my Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR and AED. These classes included the very most important elements when facing an emergency. I think it is very crucial that everyone know some of these basic steps as anyone could be the first to walk upon an unconscious person in the grocery store etc or experience a child/infant choking. It is important to be prepared and know your ABC's (airway,breathing, circulation) until more advanced help comes along.

*Below is a video link to some teaching videos and a link to the American Heart Association's website that will go over the basics.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4400301_current-cpr-guidelines.html

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4479

Flicks!

As I update my netflix queue, I wanted to share a few cute/good movies that I saw last week that are worth seeing for a few laughs, romantic moments, and an adventure rush. . .

1.) Leap Year (beautiful footage of Ireland)

2.) Did you Hear About the Morgans?

3.) Love Happens (filmed totally in Seattle)

4.) and of course. . . Robin Hood (in the theatre)

The first two are a bit cheesy, but are perfect for a night when you need to do something brainless! So grab some popcorn and enjoy! ;)

ps: We are hoping to see Prince of Persia this weekend. Any reviews?

Our lunch date at SUSHI TOWN

I believe everyone is allowed at least one thing they just won't eat, but my thing is you gotta try it at least once. Today I tried sushi for the third time. My brother introduced me first to sushi in San Diego about six years ago and I became violently ill after trying it. I got brave and tried it a second time about three years ago and didn't take more than a sniff before my gag reflex activated.

Along with starting a blog, one of my new year's resolutions for 2010 was to give sushi another shot. Now I really did this for Pete and he is one of those sushi lovers and always complains that we never get to go out for sushi. So today Pete took me to Sushi Town, a cute little restaurant near his work where he goes with his co-workers once in awhile. It was one of those places where sushi plates go around like sail boats on a stream (see first pic). We came in and sat down and I was really feeling it. I loved the whole idea of picking a plate that was floating by. So I decided to just go for it. I grabbed a cucumber roll and just went for it and popped it in my mouth. Pete about fell off of his chair in disgust. He informed me that I needed to eat it with my chopsticks slowly and dip it in soy sauce. I guess I am not a master in the art of sushi or using chopsticks. :)

Well the cucumber roll about did me in. SO our nice waitress suggested a few other rolls I might like. I did not like any of them nor did I even taste all of them as the ole gag reflex was back. Pete was laughing by this time and then I started laughing too. I ended up picking a plate of watermelon that floated by and then a spring roll (both non-sushi items). Thank-goodness Pete was satisfied with the rolls he chose. He loves the spicy tuna ones-even the name scares me.

Our lunch date provided some mid-day humor, but it did not provide me with a miraculous love for sushi. I think I've given up after try 3! I have a sushi loving husband and a lot of sushi loving family and friends who all tell me I just need to try the right thing. Maybe one day I will come across it. . .but I don't think I'll be trying it again any time soon!

Whoever said "third times the charm" did not say it in relation to me and sushi.

Simple moments and memories are the ones that last a lifetime!

Picture one: Nellie cuddling with her favorite toy. Picture two: My grandma made Pete his favorite brown bread for his birthday! Picture three: My dad and I at the Beaverton farmer's market. We got this beautiful pot and some tomato plants. We also ate some delicious crepes!

My parents came to visit us for Mother's Day weekend and it was a weekend of good times packed full as usual. Packed full of simple moments and good conversations. We enjoyed the nice Portland weather, went on a couple outdoor runs, and tried a new happy hour. Most of all we spent quality time together. It is weekends like this one that leave me feeling happy all week!

April Showers Bring May Flowers. . .

Happy May 1st! Can you believe May is already here? Where did April go? We kicked off May 1st with an exciting start. I had my March of Dimes walk for babies this morning in Astoria which went really well (see picture). Thanks to all of you who supported our team! Pete played a nice round of golf with a friend and had a birdie on the 9th hole. Not that I even know what a birdie is. Golf is not really my thing, but I'm glad Pete enjoys it :) We did some cleaning and catching up this afternoon and even took a nap. I cannot remember the last time I took an afternoon power nap. . .this must mean the month is off to a great start!

Spring is in full bloom. Our plants are potted and I see beautiful flowers popping up all over the neighborhood. It brings a smile to my face. In my opinion, May is a month of new beginnings, growth, sunshine, and joy. It is the start to more time outdoors and staying lighter longer. Pete is looking forward to starting his softball league this week and I am looking forward to more running outside in the fresh air.

Near or far. . .rain or shine. . .good day or bad day. . . We hope you are blessed by the start of a new month and that you step out with your best foot forward and take time to smell the roses! :)

Lemon cookies for spring

Now I know lemon flavor is not for everyone, but I think this little recipe may hit the spot for some of your spring taste buds. My body wash from philosophy is called "Lemon Cookie". Every time I have showered with it the past couple months I read the recipe for Lemon cookies on the front and my saliva glands start working. Today I decided to endulge....I hope you will too!

Philosophy Lemon Cookies

Ingredients: 18.25 oz Lemon Cake Mix, olive oil, 2 eggs, lemon juice, and powdered sugar

Mix together lemon cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup olive oil, and 2 tsp. lemon juice. Pour some powdered sugar into a bowl. Roll dough into a ball and coat with powdered sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet at bake at 375 degrees for 6-9 minutes!

YUMMY!

I'm a grateful girl!

What is on my mind this week? PETE! I love this man! I am continually amazed by his patience and his selflessness. I rarely hear him complain and he just has this contagious passion for life.

These last two weeks, I have been absolutely crazy busy with school and clinicals. Pete has helped out in a big way-laundry, errands, taking the car in, walking the dog, making dinner, and more. I don't think I could be a full-time student and wife-if he wasn't so understanding and giving of his time. He does it all with a smile. So tonight as another week winds down, I am very grateful for one of my biggest blessings in life...Peter Thomas Moormeier!

"LOVE IS LIKE SWALLOWING HOT CHOCOLATE BEFORE IT HAS COOLED OFF, IT TAKES YOU BY SURPRISE AT FIRST, BUT KEEPS YOU WARM FOR A LONG TIME!"

-Unknown