amanda & stephen

we're at a new address

2010-10-24T03:28:00.001-07:00

it's true that parting is such sweet sorrow...but alas, there's no need for tears friends. the fact is that this blog is no more.

i would love for you to continue following my writing's along with much more at:

www.amandaandstephen.com

cheer's friends!

broken ice*

2010-03-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

meet the meat that i meet.

2010-03-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ever since I moved to canada, away from my room mate, jonathan Spainhour's i have missed steaks being cooked to perfection, & i've been trying myself to achieve restraunt quality medium rare meat !! Anyway so i got this book about the subject, (even though i could just read about it online, books are so much more palpable & sexy). anyway after owning the book for maybe 3-4 months i actually read it !! & took the auther's advice, & it is freaking awesome !! thank you awesome author, Cree Lefavour.

check it out your self, the new steak.

*sjb

the waistline....

2010-03-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

well the rumors that were so viciously told previous to marriage about your waistline disappearing and clothing getting a bit tighter....are sad to say....TRUE!

how did we come to face this fact? well, stephen and i are in the middle of packing up and moving once again and this meant going through our closet. we both came across a pair of pants that we are now refering to as our "dream pants", it's pretty staright forward as to why we are calling them that, but it's our dream to fit into these pairs of pants again for our trip to San Francisco! this means we have some work to do...just another challenge we get to overcome together. ha ha!

we have come to realize it's one of those things in life you just need to have a chuckle at, enjoy, and DO something about otherwise it's a little upsetting ; ) needless to say we're chosing the "bright side" of things!

Weak Flip

2010-02-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

I hit this gem today, in 1 Corinthians right after he (being paul) finished talking about dis-Unity (divisions), he used the next section as a logical reason not to have divisions. To be complete in the same mind & judgment, then he basically says we are nothing without God, that our wisdom is based off something that is foolish to others, the Cross. It's quite profound when you think about it. Our leader died relieved us from the world of sin & gave us wisdom by flipping everything on it's head. When you're weak you are strong, if you want to become great become nothing, etc. Then these weak people suddenly through nothing of themselves were made strong. I can really live with that & believe in that & Humbly accept that.

Recently I've been so aware that the mission we're all on is so impossible, it's foolish even! But with God we are made strong, His miracles will work through us SO THAT at the end of our lives we can say that it was Him. I have realized that what is Foolish to the world, through us can save the world, and that my part was not wisdom & strategy or any other strong feat, but my part was love for my faith along with Grace from Him. I believe that Grace that got me here, will lead me home.

Building...

2010-02-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Sushi Party

2010-02-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

new years @ vancouver

2010-01-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

god is stirring...

2010-01-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

as you can imagine it's hard to articulate what's on one's heart at times such as these, but it's true, there is a motion much like stirring that is going on in our hearts. it's as though we are awakening again to something greater than ourselves. stephen and i have known to a degree what god's desire for us as a couple is, but we feel more and more lately that he's only just scratched the surface...

it's just over six months ago now that stephen and i were married and it's been a journey. we have been blessed to be surrounded near and far by those who love and support us, and so therefore we haven't had a hard six months. we've grown and learnt and continue to love one another more each day. but of late like i mentioned god has really been stirring our hearts for more.

we have a burden as a couple for the injustice's in our world today, the things that go on around us that most aren't even aware of. a burden for the broken, the hurting, the lost and unloved. our hearts break the more we become aware of these confronting issues, at times there's a pull to run, to hide from them, to ignore the pain and suffering. but heavily outweighing that pull to run is the desire to see god's love heal our nations.

these are just thoughts for now, but in the next few months we believe that god is wanting to reveal the next few steps for us on this journey and we are asking for your wisdom, your support, your prayer's. please stay connected for what's to come and don't hesitate to dream with us....

oh ya, and keep watching! we are in the process of re-vamping our website...good things to come.

new fish*

2009-12-17T22:50:00.000-08:00

where trying a new thing, lot's of small fish. well see how it goes, there way more fun so far.

My Barrista Art

2009-12-06T22:03:00.000-08:00

Well a month & half ago, i changed career's again, back to some graphic design with some awesome guy's here in Kelowna. It's freaking awesome.

here's some of my work @ artigiano durring my last days there.

I miss these every morning though.

*sjb

Smiling Catfish.

2009-11-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

We recently had some Death's in the fish tank, & our Cat fish is now very happy. Here's Amanda to tell you the tale. *sjb

Tis sad but true my friends, we were the proud owners of some black molly's just recently who have not survived the move. But as stephen mentioned we have observed the state of our catfish as much improved since the passing of the other fishies.

As "parents" do, we were watching him the other night and to our amazement we saw it...a smile. You may think us crazy but it doesn't matter to us because we know without a doubt that we have a Smiling Catfish.

power points.

2009-10-16T10:45:00.001-07:00

we all have them, we all use them, we all know what they look like and how they function. you pick the location for say, the TV, you grab the cord, plug it in and "Viola".....Power!

am i right??? NOPE, not today, today looked a little different....

we picked the location for the TV, we grabbed the cord, we plugged it in and "Viola".....

POOF...FIZZ...CRACK...POOF...and smoke...lots of smoke...oh and then the realization that we don't have an extinguisher, and how does one go about putting out an electric fire if one were to occur?

needless to say, the female bryde was in a state of panic! lucky for her, she married an amazing hero of a man who swooped in, grabbed the TV (very carefully i might add) and quickly took it out to safe ground, where it continued to "huff, and puff" for about 30min.

so here we are, no TV and stuck with a monstrous power point.

We Moved*

2009-10-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Our Rutland Palace* from stephen on Vimeo.

2009-10-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

honey + moon

2009-09-14T16:23:00.001-07:00

Cancun / Riviera Maya / Mexico / No swine flu
Sun / Tan / Many food / All Inclusive
Her / Me
Happy Ending / Begining
*sjb

our day of magic...

2009-08-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

as a girl, well most girls anyway, you dream of this day all your life. it's like some sort of requirement or prerequisite to being a girl, must dream of future wedding...check. the colors, the dress, the flowers, the food, the everything. well i'm not gonna lie and say i hadn't thought about it, but i was never one of those girls who knew EXACTLY what they wanted.

then of course there's my now husband whom i'm sure most of you know quite well. and i'm pretty sure we can all agree in saying he'd never thought about it =) to be honest though and he may hate me for saying this, he had thought of it. but in a different way, he'd thought of the girl, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with.

so how would you explain our wedding, basically the same way you could explain us...simple, elegant, a flare of vintage, a bit traditional, very creative, somewhat quirky, but mainly simple.

and that my friends was "our day of magic".

check out the photo's here

a week !!!

2009-07-03T15:41:00.001-07:00

in a week I'll be wed !!
WHOOO !!

*sjb

a new unnamed car

2009-05-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

well dear friends and family, we would like to introduce you to our NEW CAR! it's a 2004 Jeep Liberty 4x4, beautiful sea breeze blue and fitted for a canadian girl and her aussie bloke of a husband to be! we are so blessed by this wonderful gift and have been so overwhelmed by our family's generosity and the Lord's faithfulness to us! there are more pictures below so you can get more of a look at her....she sure does sparkle =)

oh and i almost forgot, we have yet to name her, so if you have any brilliant suggestions please let us know!!! love yous all....

a new imac

2009-05-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

after some looking around on craig's list, we found a Bargin !! it is a blessing that I intend to use for good, not evil.
*sjb

My first ball game

2009-05-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

That's right last week (my week end) we went down to America to the Mariners game. They lost but the experience was awesome !! it was Cinco de Mayo & we got free dinner at the place we stayed at & I won some Washington wine, it was pretty sweet. Then me & the hottest woman alive watch Wolverine, the best line in it is "I'm canadian" did you catch it ?!

this is the one I LOVE !!

*sjb

"about face!"

2009-05-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

well it's been almost a month now since we ventured away from a home that we've known for years, a place of comfort and familiarity. But WOW has God been taking care of us! It's true friends how faithful he is to his children, of course it's easier to say that when things are going well isn't it? But one thing i know in my heart of hearts is that in his character & nature he is a Good God, not just in ideals, but in reality. i suppose more and more i am just realizing that it's the perspective we see things through that determines our response.

i know that in past circumstances when i have lacked perspective, whether it be my own, or God's, or just the ability to see the bigger picture and where i fit, that i have struggled, a LOT. But when i can remove myself leaving only God and his desires for his children and for my life, that i can return with fresh eyes. now i suppose the question that lingers knowing that is, how to remove? how do we remove ourselves from our circumstance when all we feel is the pressure closing in on us?

well that's a good question, and i think for all of us it's different, perhaps we need to do the very thing we are scared of doing, or don't want to do but know in our hearts it's the very thing we need to do. or perhaps we need to get away, get to a place where nothing's distracting us, or maybe you need to be distracted, i haven't quite figured the answer out to be honest. but i do know that most often it's facing what we run from and being honest with ourselves and most importantly with God.

i have been doing a lot of facing lately and at times it's ugly, real ugly, but it's what i need and so i do what i can to stop, turn, and face...

Fish & Chips in White Rock*

2009-04-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

This last week end i finally saw the Canadian Ocean, we went to White Rock, the home of my future sister in law, Jess Dow. Matt & Jared (Amanda's Cousin) where also there hanging out. We had fish & chips from Moby Dick's & enjoyed the sun.

*sjb

Last Aussie BBQ (tear*)

2009-04-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

this was the last back yard Aussie bbq before i left for Canada. What is better than friends, the night air & steak.

i ask you.

*sjb

Spring in Canada

2009-04-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Well it's been two weeks in the beautiful country on Canada, it's my first Spring & all the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, it's beautiful. So many new things are happening in my life too, God's teaching me about responsibility & He's keeping my heart soft for the hurting of the world, but it will be a challenge as to what I can do about it.

Happy Spring

*sjb

"i bid you farewell"

2009-04-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

thursday night is it, about half past midnight and here we sit, just soaking in life. joanna is puttering in the kitchen, jonathan sits with ipod in hand and game on pause in order to respond to some question stephen just posed, and i full of love for each one.

our dear friends just threw us a "farewell" party seeing as how we leave only a day from now and it was more than we could have asked for. strings of lights were strewn about as well as lamps for ambience, the table was covered with all different kinds of dip and things to dip, but most importantly all our friends were about the backyard.

of course there was a demand for stephen and i to dance our "first dance" together, too funny, but then they all proceeded to tell stories about us and afirm us for who we are and the impact we have had during our time here. there were giggles of joy and moments of tears, but as we listened and were afirmed i just had the strong sense and felt our heavenly father's pride in us and my heart truly was full.

Week end in Tully

2009-03-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Last week end Amanda's Parents, Ron & Myrna Pelzer, met up with Amanda, Dianne (my sister) & I in Tully at my Parents, Jan & Colin, house & we had an awesome week end. We played Cricket, went swimming, walking, checked out the garden played games & more !! it was nice.

the chickens

a Stick insect

me and her

my cheeky mum

*sjb

Engagment Photo's

2009-03-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Joanna did some photo's for us a few weekends ago
here are the results.

thank you Joanna !!
*sjb

Kitchen Prep

2009-03-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

the day i did kitchen Prep, was a fun day, i like cutting things like carrot and peppers etc. These are my carrots arn't they pretty.
Carrots are good for you too !!

*sjb

I Wake in the Morning

2009-03-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

I wake in the morning,
rested but still tired.
Waiting for rain, waiting for flight.
Changing things as I go, leaving gifts,
making snow ball effects.

Make my life a message and a sign.

*sjb

lost in suburbia...

2009-02-15T22:43:00.001-08:00

i am engaged to the most amazing man, who is perfectly suited for me...PROOF?

well last night after hanging out with close friends over pizza and "so you think you can dance" we departed to head for home. as we drove to my flat i began to feel really anxious. do you ever have that feeling? i don't like it, and i didn't know what to think or feel.

so we drove...

and drove some more...

until we found ourselves lost in suburbia, minds totally sidetracked from the feeling of anxiety and now laughing enjoying the night atmosphere as we ventured down roads we had never driven. we arrived back home nearly 40 min later feeling refreshed and at peace.

he knew just what i needed...now that's a man =)